Helicopter Hits Tower And Plunges To Ground

Two pilots have died after their helicopter hit the side of a luxury apartment building and then plunged to the ground.

The impact was so loud that one resident thought "a war had started".

TV footage showed windows shattered in the upper floors and the mangled wreckage of the aircraft which was almost completely destroyed.

The helicopter's propeller clipped the 38-storey block in the upmarket Gangnam district of the South Korean capital, Seoul, before it came crashing down.

The aircraft, which was owned by LG Electronics, was on its way to a nearby landing field where it was scheduled to pick up workers and head to another city.

Fire official Cha Yang-Oh said 57-year-old captain Park In-Kyu died in the crash.

A 36-year-old vice-captain survived the impact, but died later in a hospital.

LG Electronics said the two were company employees.

Mr Cha said no one was hurt in the I-Park building - which is among the most expensive apartment blocks in the capital.

One of the building's residents, Jeong Young-Woo, 54, said: "I heard a blast sound while I was sleeping, so I ran out. The boom sounded like a war had started."

Seoul was foggy when the tragedy happened but Mr Cha declined to say if the weather conditions contributed to the crash.

Gangnam is a fashionable district that became famous due to South Korean rapper Psy's smash hit music video Gangnam Style.

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Gisele Bodyguards Jailed Over Shooting

Two former bodyguards of Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen and her US football star husband Tom Brady have been jailed for five years for shooting at photographers in Costa Rica.

The shooting took place in April 2009 as the celebrity couple celebrated their wedding at a seaside home in the country.

A court in the town of Puntarenas found Costa Rican guard Miguel Solis and Colombian Alexander Rivas guilty of attempted murder.

A third man - Manuel Valverde - was acquitted.

The court also ordered the defendants to pay five million colones ($10,000) in damages in each of the two photographers. Neither defendant testified during the proceedings.

The photographers were confronted by the bodyguards, who demanded they hand over their camera memory cards.

As the photographers drove away, at least one of the bodyguards opened fire, according to the complaint. Neither photographer was hurt.

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Libya: Deaths As Militias Fire On Protesters

At least 40 people have been killed and 400 wounded after militiamen fired on a demonstration demanding their eviction from Libya's capital Tripoli, the prime minister said.

Hundreds of people carrying white flags in a sign of peace, as well as the national flag, and singing the national anthem had assembled in the capital's Meliana Square.

They then marched to the Misratah militia headquarters in the Gharghour district when gunmen inside fired into the air to scare them off.

But when the crowd continued to move towards the building, the gunmen started firing at them, according to witnesses.

Footage aired on the privately owned al-Nabaa television network showed protesters running from gunfire while carrying others covered in blood.

A Reuters reporter said they saw an anti-aircraft cannon firing from the militia compound into the crowd.

The protesters fled at first but came back heavily armed to storm the gated buildings, where militiamen when were holed up until nightfall.

Dozens of army trucks later arrived to attempt to separate the crowds and militiamen in the compound, sealing off roads to prevent more armed people joining the battle.

Witnesses said some of the militiamen were wounded or arrested, while the remainder eventually fled.

Some of the protesters were armed with weapons too

The commander of the militia, Al Taher Basha Agha, vowed in a telephone interview with Libya al-Ahrar accused the protesters of opening fire first.

"Who is the person who is inciting them?" he said. "The evil ones who are using the civilians as a bridge to cross to power.

"Tripoli has not seen a war yet, it will see it soon," he threatened.

Many residents of Tripoli are frustrated with the continued presence of the militia, who are hangovers from the 2011 uprising that ousted dictator Muammar Gaddafi and now a powerful force in the increasingly lawless North African country.

The militia frequently fight with other armed factions in the city.

Prime Minister Ali Zeidan, who was briefly seized by militiamen himself last month, said his embattled government was working on a plan to drive out all militias from Tripoli.

"There will be no exception," he said. "All militias - including those in Tripoli - will be out."

Sadat al Badri, president of Tripoli's city council, which called for the protest, said tensions were rising over the militias.

"We're going to announce a general strike and launch a civil disobedience campaign until these militias leave," he said.

The militias have rejected calls from the weak central government to leave the capital.

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Batkid Leukaemia Patient Battles Crime

San Francisco has become Gotham City to make the wish of a five-year-old superhero come true.

Miles Scott, aka Batkid, left the city's Union Square in one of two Batmobiles on Friday morning.

The vehicles - two black Lamborghinis with Batman decals - were surrounded by media and onlookers.

Police blocked off roads as they escorted Batkid on his first caper, rescuing a damsel in distress from cable car tracks.

Batkid helps capture The Riddler in the act. Pic: SFPD

The drive through city streets is part of a day of events organised by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to fulfil Miles' wish to be Batkid.

Miles was diagnosed with leukaemia at 18 months old and is now in remission.

He also captured the Riddler as he robbed a downtown bank.

The San Francisco Chronicle's special

Later in the day he saved the San Francisco Giants mascot Lou Seal, who had been kidnapped by the Penguin.

The San Francisco Chronicle distributed hundreds of special-edition newspapers with the headline, "Batkid Saves City", in Union Square.

The White House even sent out a tweet encouraging Batkid to "Go get 'em!" and in a video recording, President Barack Obama said, "Way to go, Miles! Way to save Gotham!"

After all the criminals were captured Miles received a key to the city from Mayor Ed Lee.

He was presented with chocolate, an FBI 'raid jacket' and a San Francisco Police Department cap.

Miles' mother, Natalie, told Make-A-Wish: "This wish has meant closure for our family and an end to over three years of putting toxic drugs in our son's body.

"This wish has become kind of a family reunion and is our celebration of his treatment completion."

The city's effort has created a huge stir on social media and posts on Twitter captured the positive mood.

"Well done @SFWish This is one of the greatest things I've ever seen," @dustinpenner25) posted.

"If you want your faith in humanity restored, just look at the hashtag #SFBatKid. This is awesome," @benwinslow wrote.

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Ice Hotel Forced To Install Fire Alarms

Bosses at a Swedish hotel made out of ice and snow say they are "a little surprised" - after being ordered to install fire alarms.

The hotel is made out of a mixture of snow and ice. Pic: Laplandish

Tourists flock from all over the world to stay in the vast igloo in the country's far north, where they sleep on an ice bed in temperatures as low as -8C (18F).

Located in the small Arctic town of Jukkasjarvi, the Icehotel is rebuilt every winter but it melts by spring.

The first guests stayed at the hotel in 1990, but authorities have this year demanded it put in the alarms for safety reasons.

The hotel is in the picturesque village of Jukkasjarvi

Hotel spokeswoman Beatrice Karlsson said: "We were a little surprised at first, but the reason is that there are things that can actually catch fire, like pillows, sleeping bags or reindeer skins.

"To us the most important concern is the safety of our clients, so we will comply."

Construction is dependent upon constant sub-freezing temperatures and the alarms made building the hotel even harder than before.

The hotel is rebuilt ever year. Pic: Stephan Herz

"The environment is humid, and ice and snow... move, so it had to be taken into account," Ms Karlsson said.

"It's been a challenge for our building team, but it made us one experience richer."

The alarms were tested last winter with the local fire department.

Tourists travel from all over the world to say at the hotel

The Icehotel was the first of its kind in the world, but others have since popped up in Norway, Canda and Japan.

The structure was first conceived as a work of art and has stayed true to its artistic roots, getting a new design annually which often features ice sculptures.

The hotel is constructed using layers of 'snice' - a mixture of snow and ice - which features the insulating properties of snow and is both lighter than ice and stronger than snow.

The huge igloo being constructed last year

Each year the mixture is sprayed over arch-shaped frames and left to set until they are solid enough for the moulds to be removed and reveal a stunning ice hotel.

The hotel opens for business in December this year and will stay open until April.

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Toronto Mayor Ford Stripped Of Some Powers

Toronto's City Council has voted overwhelmingly to strip Mayor Rob Ford of some of his powers as he rebuffs huge pressure to resign.

The vote came a day after another series of antics from Mr Ford that angered city councillors, anti-drunk driving advocates and even city's Canadian Football League team.

In the span of a few hours on Thursday, the leader of Canada's largest city used obscene language to deny that he pressured a female employee for oral sex, admitted that he had driven while drinking and then apologised for his vulgarity and said he was seeking professional help, though he refused to give details.

Councillors turned their back on Mr Ford as he talked on Thursday

Most city councillors are frustrated by Mr Ford's refusal to step aside since he admitted last week to smoking crack cocaine, but they lack the authority to force him out of office unless he is convicted of a crime.

John Filion, the councillor who introduced the motion on Friday, has said the goal is to prevent Mr Ford from firing executive committee members who speak out against him.

The vote suspends Mr Ford's authority to appoint and dismiss the deputy mayor and his executive committee, which runs the budget process.

A subdued Mr Ford has vowed to fight the motion, which was approved in a 39-3, in court.

Mr Ford made an offensive statement while wearing an Argonauts jersey

"I can't support this and obviously I have no other options but to challenge this in court," the mayor said.

The vote came as it was announced that Mr Ford it will be hosting a new weekly TV show with his brother.

Ford Nation will air on Monday on Canada's Sun News Network, following the cancellation of the pair's radio talk show just days ago.

Doug Ford, the show's co-host and a city councillor, said: "Rob is like Howard Stern or Rush Limbaugh. You just never know what he is going to say."

There have been numerous calls for Mr Ford to resign

Rob Ford's troubles began in May when news reports first surface of a video showing him smoking crack.

After months of evading the question, the mayor last week admitted he had smoked crack after Toronto police announced they had obtained the video during the course of a massive drug investigation.

Mr Ford said he had smoked crack cocaine in a "drunken stupor". He does not face any criminal charges.

He was then caught on camera in a drunken, profanity-laced rant during which he issued angry death threats.

And the scandal further deepened this week when court documents suggesting sexual misconduct and drug use surfaced.

Mr Ford apologised with his wife by his side

Mr Ford was verbally abusive to aides, drove his car while drunk and entertained women thought to be prostitutes, according to news reports citing the documents.

He has admitted buying drugs illegally for the past two years, but denied other allegations and said he was taking legal action against the people who had made them.

Defending himself at a news conference on Thursday, Mr Ford said that he was "happily married" and at one point used obscene language to say he did not need to seek oral sex elsewhere, shocking reporters at the scene.

Mr Ford drew gasps, giggles and at least one exclamation of "oh my God" from the journalists.

His crude remarks led to a complaint by the Canadian Football League, which slammed Mr Ford for making the offensive statement while wearing a Toronto Argonauts jersey.

An airline's advertisement pokes fun at the scandal. Pic: Spirit.com

The mayor later appeared before camera to apologise for his language, with his wife Renata by his side.

Mr Ford's repeated controversies are not just fodder for late night comedians.

A low-cost American airline, Spirit Airline, said in an ad that "We're not smoking crack" as they offered cheap fares next to Mr Ford's silhouette profile.

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JPMorgan Agrees $4.5bn Mortgage Payout Deal

US banking giant JPMorgan Chase has reached a deal to pay $4.5bn (£2.79bn) to investors for losses on mortgage securities sold before the financial crisis.

A total of 21 institutional investors are to receive the money.

JPMorgan said the deal would settle investors' claims with the bank and Bear Stearns, which it took over at the outset of the crisis.

The agreement comes after claims it misrepresented the asset quality of 330 residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) portfolios the investors were sold.

The bank said the settlement is "another important step in JPMorgan's efforts to resolve legacy-related RMBS matters".

"The firm believes it is appropriately reserved for this and any remaining RMBS litigation matters."

The deal follows JPMorgan's agreement to pay $5.1bn (£3.16bn) to government-controlled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac over low-quality mortgage bonds it sold them.

And it also comes after the institutional investors struck a deal for Bank of America to pay $8.5bn (£5.27bn) for questionable deals sold with exaggerated quality ratings.

But like the Bank of America deal, the new JPMorgan agreement still needs to be approved by trustees of the mortgage securities in the case, as well as a court.

The trustees have until January 15 to accept the deal, but the offer could be extended by another 60 days if necessary.

In a statement the 21 investors said they agreed to the deal and are asking the trustees of the bond issues to accept it.

If accepted, the payout will benefit all investors claiming losses on the bonds, and not just the 21 institutions, they said.

"The Institutional Investors will participate in the settlement, like every other investor, based on the terms of the payment waterfall," they said in a statement.

The agreement would settle the investors' claims against RMBS sold by JPMorgan itself and Bear Stearns, but not by Washington Mutual bank, which JPMorgan also took over during the crisis.

JPMorgan has maintained that it took on the assets of Washington Mutual only after the bank had collapsed into the government's hands in 2008, and so it was not liable for its misdeeds.

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Afghanistan Bomb: Car Blast Near Talks Venue

A suicide bomber has detonated an explosives-packed car in west Kabul near a compound where Afghan elders will debate a security pact with the US next week.

At least six people were killed and 22 wounded in the blast, said Sediq Sediqqi, an Interior Ministry spokesman. He said the casualties included soldiers and civilians.

Around 2,500 tribal elders and civil leaders are expected to take part in an assembly known as a "loya jirga" next Thursday, to decide whether to accept the draft Bilateral Security Agreement between Afghanistan and the US.

Nasrullah, a witness, said: "I heard a big bang near the jirga site, later saw ambulances carrying people in blood. I saw at least three wounded in army uniforms."

Firefighters clear the area around where the car exploded

A statement issued by the Afghan interior ministry said the attacker was being pursued by security forces shortly before the explosion.

"The attacker driving a vehicle had been identified and was being pursued by security forces. He detonated himself after police opened fire on his vehicle."

Earlier in the day, President Hamid Karzai called on the Taliban and their allies to join the assembly.

He said: "We invite them, please come to this national jirga of Afghanistan, raise your voice, raise your objection, and share your views."

The draft pact was hammered out in Kabul last month during a visit by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

But he left without a final deal as Afghan President Hamid Karzai said only a jirga had the authority to decide the contentious issues.

The car blew up in west Kabul

These include a US demand to retain legal jurisdiction over its troops in Afghanistan, which would give them immunity from Afghan law. The request emerged as the main sticking point after Mr Kerry's visit.

The Taliban, whose government was toppled by a US-led invasion in 2001, has rejected the jirga and warned members that they would be punished as "traitors" if they endorsed the deal.

If the agreement is passed by both loya jirga and parliament, between 5,000 and 10,000 US troops would stay in Afghanistan to help fight al Qaeda remnants and train the national army.

Washington had been pushing for the agreement to be signed by the end of October to allow the US-led Nato coalition to plan the withdrawal of its 75,000 combat troops by December 2014.

The collapse of a similar security agreement with Iraq in 2011 led to the US pulling all its troops out of the country, which is currently suffering its worst sectarian violence since 2008.

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Typhoon Haiyan: Cameron Pledges Extra £30m

The UK Government is to give an extra £30m in aid to help the relief effort after the devastating typhoon in the Philippines.

Prime Minister David Cameron said it was clear more aid was needed after "watching appalling scenes of mass destruction".

A man tries to repair his roof in a village south of Tacloban

During a news conference in Sri Lanka ahead of the Commonwealth summit, Mr Cameron said: "Today I can announce we are providing another £30m to support the UN and the Red Cross emergency appeals and we are also supplying an RAF C-130 Hercules aircraft to help ensure aid workers can move between the worst affected areas and get aid to those who need it."

It brings the total amount of aid donated by the Government to £50m.

Donations by the British public to the Disasters Emergency Committee's typhoon appeal have reached £33m.

The RAF C17 aircraft prepares to unload in Cebu Province

Mr Cameron's pledge comes on the day another RAF cargo plane carrying heavy duty vehicles and medical supplies arrived in the Philippines as part of Britain's emergency response.

The huge C17 transport plane, carrying two JCB diggers, two Land Rovers and a forklift truck emblazoned with stickers reading "UK aid from the British people", landed in Cebu province on Saturday morning.

Sky's Defence Correspondent Alistair Bunkall, who was onboard the plane, said: "The flight stopped off en route in the Middle East and Singapore and needed three flight crews to make the journey.

A Land Rover hits the tarmac at Cebu airport

"It will now return to the Philippines with more aid in the next few days."

UK ambassador to the Philippines Asif Ahmad told Sky News: "The C17 load is being handed over to the UN immediately so it can be taken to where the need is most.

The devastated town of Tanuan, south of Tacloban

"I've just been talking to the commander here of the (air) base, who is facilitating the movements, and his reaction on hearing of the Prime Minister's commitment is, 'You bring tears to my eyes every time I speak to you, tears of joy'."

Squadron Leader David Blakemore, who flew the plane from Singapore added: "Hopefully there will be a few more missions and we'll be able to support the Philippine people over the coming weeks with the aid effort."

A 12-strong team of British doctors, surgeons and paramedics are already in the devastated country helping to treat survivors.

Sunlight catches a religious monument in the demolished town of Tanauan

Mr Cameron said: "A week after Typhoon Haiyan hit, the scale of the disaster is becoming clearer every day - over 3,600 dead, nearly 12 million affected.

"They are going to need sustained help from the international community as they start to rebuild their lives.

"I'm proud of the fact that the UK has taken the lead in international relief with rapid response of warships, aircraft and equipment."

Authorities in the Philippines have put the official death toll at 3,633, with 1,179 people missing and nearly 12,500 injured.

Mr Bembridge with his partner and daughter. Pic: Channel 4 News

The UN has put the number of dead at 4,460 and said that 2.5 million people still "urgently" required food assistance.

At least 600,000 people have been displaced with many homeless, and large numbers of survivors are struggling without food, water and shelter.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Secretary has confirmed a number of British nationals remain unaccounted for in the Philippines.

Among those feared dead is Colin Bembridge, 61, was staying with his Filipino partner Maybelle, 35, and their three-year-old daughter Victoria near Tacloban when the storm struck.

Residents talk near a fire in a central area of Tacloban City

The Philippines government has defended its efforts to deliver aid, with interior secretary Mar Roxas saying: "In a situation like this, nothing is fast enough."

Workers in Tacloban have been burying scores of unidentified bodies in a mass grave as desperately needed aid begins to arrive.

Charity organisation Save the Children said three lorries carrying household and family hygiene kits will set off in convoy from Manila to reach Tacloban and will benefit 5,000 people.

Additional fuel, which has been in very short supply in the area, will also arrive and enable further distributions to take place over the coming days.

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Sri Lanka President: 'We Have Nothing To Hide'

Sri Lanka's leader has said his government is ready to investigate any allegations of war crimes and human rights abuses against his forces.

It comes after Prime Minister David Cameron called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa to conduct an independent inquiry by March into claims of war crimes - a deadline set by UN human rights chief Navi Pillay.

The PM said he would press for an international investigation if the regime fails to hold a credible probe by then.

The UN and rights groups say as many as 40,000 civilians may have been killed in the final stages of the 25-year civil war against the rebel Tamil Tigers in May 2009.

But Mr Rajapaksa has denied any civilians were killed.

And he has blocked all calls for an independent probe into claims of war crimes committed by government forces against the Tamil population in the northern Jaffna region.

He told reporters there had already been a series of measures including a commission looking into missing people.

The PM's visit is the first by a foreign leader to the region since 1948

He said: "We will take our time and we will investigate into nearly 30 years of war."

He added: "If there are any allegations we are ready to inquire into it. We have nothing to hide. It's a free country. We need time to settle these things."

Mr Cameron is pressing the regime to do more to improve conditions for the Tamil minority and he met Mr Rajapaksa on Friday to discuss the human rights issue.

During his trip to Sri Lanka, Mr Cameron went to the war-scarred north of the island - the first visit by a foreign leader to the region since 1948.

He met families still unable to return to their homes after spending 20 years in refugee camps and was mobbed by protesters who claim relatives were murdered by the state.

The PM insisted he had given a "fair reflection" of the need for improved human rights after cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan suggested he had been given a false picture of his country.

David Cameron pits his batting skills against Muttiah Muralitharan

The spin bowling great, who is a Tamil, said Mr Cameron had been "misled" about the latest situation in the north.

Mr Muralitharan said: "I'm a sportsman and we don't think about politics. My opinion is, there were problems in the last 30 years in those areas.

"Nobody could move there. In wartime I went with the UN, I saw the place, how it was. Now I regularly go and I see the place and it is about a 1,000% improvement in facilities."

Mr Cameron said: "The Sri Lankan government needs to go further and faster on human rights and reconciliation.

"I accept it takes time but I think the important thing is to get on the right track. This issue is not going to go away, it's an issue of international concern."

In response to Mr Cameron's comments, a senior Sri Lankan minister reaffirmed that the country's government would "definitely" not allow it.

Economic development minister Basil Rajapaksa, who is the president's brother, said: "Why should we have an internal inquiry? We will object to it ... Definitely we are not going to allow it."

Mr Cameron acquitted himself well when he pitted his batting skills against some "Murali" deliveries at a cricket ground in Colombo.

They were there to talk about the sportsman's initiative to bring together youngsters from Tamil and other communities through cricket as part of post-war reconciliation efforts.

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