Syria: 'Remotely-Guided Car' Bomb Kills 34

A car bomb has killed 34 people and injured more than 50 others in a government controlled village in central Syria.

The blast took place in Hurra, a village close to the city of Hama inhabited by members of the Syrian President Bashar Al Assad's Alawite tribe.

AFP said responsibility was claimed by the Islamic Front, a confederation of a Islamist groups fighting Assad's government.

A video put out by the group's Youtube account showed a large yellow mushroom cloud lighting up the night sky.

Sky News is unable to independently verify whether the video shows the car bombing.

Syria's state news agency SANA described the car bomb as a "terrorist" attack, blaming it on rebels.

The Islamic Front said on Twitter that a "remotely guided car" had been used to target a "gathering of Assad militia".

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an anti-Assad monitoring group, said there were overnight clashes between government forces and Islamist fighters in the area around Hama, as well as bombings by the Syrian army.

The Islamic Front is one of a number of rebel groups fighting government forces in Syria. It is separate from the western-backed Free Syrian Army and the Islamist militant group ISIS, currently also fighting in neighbouring Iraq. 

At least 100,000 people have been killed in the three-year conflict in Syria, according to United Nations. More than three million have fled the country as refugees and 6.5 million have been internally displaced.

A crater left after the blast in Homs

On Thursday, a car bomb exploded in the city of Homs, south of Hama, killing at least six people in a neighbourhood populated by Alawites.

It was the second attack in Homs - Syria's third largest city - in less than a week. No one claimed responsibility but state television blamed it on rebels.

Syrians have begun returning to the Old City of Homs, which has been left shattered by months of attacks by government forces.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Lebanon, which is said to be suffering a spill-over from the war in Syria, a suicide bomber killed at least two people at a checkpoint on the main highway from Beirut to Damascus.

A Lebanese security source told Reuters that the bomber appeared to target a convoy which included a top security chief. The apparent target was unharmed, the source said. 

The attack, in Dahr el Baydar in the Bekaa Valley, east of Beirut, also left several wounded.

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Immigration Wave: US Opening Detention Centres

The Obama administration has said it will open new detention facilities to house the rush of immigrant families caught crossing the border illegally from Central America.

The US government currently operates just one such facility in Pennsylvania, but it can accommodate fewer than 100 people.

Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said officials are actively looking for additional space.

US officials have been struggling to cope with the tens of thousands of immigrants, including unaccompanied children who began massing at the US-Mexico border in recent months.

Immigrants detained near the US-Mexico border in Texas

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has said the migrant rush is being driven by gang-related violence in Central America.

More than 52,000 children travelling alone have been caught crossing the border illegally since October, an issue that Barack Obama has called an "urgent humanitarian situation".

Overall, more than 174,000 immigrants, mostly from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, have been arrested in Texas this year.

The sudden spike prompted Homeland Security officials to start sending families to other parts of Texas and Arizona for processing.

An unspecified number of immigrants were released into the US

An unspecified number were later released at local bus stops with instructions to report later to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices.

The move has irked conservatives, who blame the influx on Mr Obama's deferred deportation programme, which he announced in 2012.

On Friday, Republican House Speaker John Boehner urged Mr Obama to send National Guard troops to the southern border to help deal with the surge.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the administration did not have plans to reinforce the border beyond its current capacity.

The administration announced on Friday that it was sending $9.6m to Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala to help local authorities reintegrate returning immigrants.

Another $65m will be spent on programmes in Guatemala and El Salvador to help improve security and prevent crime, while millions more are being allocated to boost law enforcement efforts at combating gangs in Honduras.

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Family Keep Six Fingers Crossed For Brazil

A family will not need their second hands to count up Brazil's World Cup wins if their country claims a sixth title this summer - they were all born with two extra fingers.

Some 14 members of the da Silva family, who live near the capital, Brasilia, also have two additional toes because of a rare genetic condition called polydactyly.

Ahead of their team's crucial final group game against Cameroon on Monday, they said they are keeping all of their 196 digits crossed for a win that would see the side through.

Brazil are chasing their sixth World Cup triumph

Ana Carolina Santa da Silva said: "We're giving so much energy for Brazil to win.

"I believe this energy will flow on to the pitch and they will play really well and win their sixth World Cup."

Although their extra digits set them apart from their 10-fingered friends, the da Silvas do not struggle with every day tasks like cooking.

Teenager Joao de Assis da Silva puts his spare fingers and toes to good use on the football pitch, saying he can "hold the ball more easily" when playing in goal.

The da Silvas' extra fingers and toes prove useful when it comes to sport

Grandmother Silvia Santos da Silva said the family's unique trait has not opened them up to discrimination and said family members born with more conventional hands and feet actually feel left out.

"My father always looked upon this as something natural," she said.

"For us, people with five fingers are the ones that are abnormal."

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China: Thirteen Dead In Police Station Attack

At least 13 people have been shot dead after drivig into a police station in China and setting off explosives, according to local media.

The assailants were shot dead during the attack in Xinjiang, a western province that has been gripped by growing unrest in recent years.

China's official Xinhua news agency, which described the dead as "gangsters", reported three police officers were also wounded.

"The gangsters drove a vehicle to ram the building of the public security bureau of Yecheng County in southern Xinjiang and set off explosives," it said.

The attack comes just weeks after dozens of people were killed in an explosion at a market in Urumqi in the same region.

Xinjiang is home to China's Uighur Muslim population, who believe their freedoms, culture and religion are being eroded by authorities and are fighting for autonomy from the rest of the country.

Separatists and militants from the province have been blamed for a string of atrocities across China, including the massacre at Kunming railway station that left 33 people dead.

Chinese authorities accuse them of having ties to Islamist terrorists abroad but there has been little evidence provided to support the claim.

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Ukraine: Russian Forces On 'Full Combat Alert'

Kremlin Rejects Ukraine Ceasefire 'Ultimatum'

Updated: 10:49pm UK, Friday 20 June 2014

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has declared a week-long ceasefire in the fight against pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country.

But the Kremlin dismissed the move as an ultimatum, as the US said it had evidence Moscow was stockpiling tanks and artillery close to the border with its neighbour, which could be supplied to rebel fighters.

Mr Poroschenko said the declaration of a ceasefire would allow him to formally launch a peace plan for the region, which has been blighted by deadly violence.

He has said it will include amnesty for pro-Russia fighters who have not committed serious crimes, a corridor for fighters from Russia to leave the country, joint security patrols, early local and parliamentary elections, and protections for the use of the Russian language.

But he warned government forces would defend themselves if they came under attack from the rebels.

"We will do everything to defend the territory of our state," said Poroshenko during a visit to the troubled Donetsk region.

But in a statement, the Kremlin said: "This is not an invitation to peace and negotiations but an ultimatum to militias in the southeast of Ukraine to lay down their arms."

Foreign Secretary William Hague has urged Russia to support the peace plan and called on pro-Russia separatists to lay down their arms.

Against the backdrop of continuing tensions, the US said it had information of a Russian build-up of military hardware close to the frontier with Ukraine that could be provided to separatists.

Most of the equipment being stockpiled is of the type still used by Ukrainian forces, which an official said left "the impression that the desire here is to mask the Russian hand and allow the separatists to assert ... that this is material that they've captured on the battlefield from Ukrainians".

Washington also said it had evidence Russia had redeployed several thousand troops to the frontier.

The official said some of the forces were "within a handful of kilometres" of Ukrainian territory, "the closest they have been since the invasion of Crimea" earlier this year.

Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen described the build-up as "a very regrettable step backwards."

But the Kremlin said the forces were simply implementing earlier orders of President Vladimir Putin's to "reinforce the protection of the Russian border".

The latest developments in the Cold War-style stand-off came as the US Treasury Department blacklisted seven Ukraine separatists, saying their activities threaten the peace and sovereignty of the country.

The West has warned Moscow of "more costs" if it does not work to de-escalate the situation.

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Iraq Militants Take Border Post In Bloody Battle

Dozens of Iraqi troops have been killed as Islamist militants seized the al Qaim crossing into Syria, security officials say.

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) took the border post, about 200 miles west of Baghdad, after heavy fighting throughout Friday that left some 30 Iraqi troops dead.

Although the Sunni militants have been able to cross the border with some ease for months amid the conflict in neighbouring Syria, control of the crossings makes it simpler to move weapons and other heavy equipment between the two countries. 

The al Qaim crossing. Pic: File

The mayor of Rawah confirmed militants had captured the town, some 175 miles (275km) northwest of Baghdad.

Hussein AIi al-Aujail said fighters had ransacked government offices there.

ISIS has seized swathes of land in the west of the country and north of the capital Baghdad in recent weeks and despite many Iraqis reportedly flocking to join the fight against the militants the government is on the back foot.

PM Nouri al Maliki is under increasing pressure as the crisis continues

On Friday hundreds of black-clad Shia militants, members of the newly formed "Peace Brigades", marched in the holy city of Najaf, heeding a call to defend holy sites by cleric Muqtada al Sadr.

The cleric once led a powerful militia, the Mahdi army, that battled US troops and was blamed for attacks on Sunni civilians at the height of Iraq's sectarian conflict in 2006 and 2007.

Militiamen also marched at a parade in Kirkuk, where they were called on to "sacrifice" themselves in defence of their country.

Militiamen loyal to Muqtada al Sadr march in Kerbala

In Baghdad, about 20,000 men marched through the Sadr City district with assault rifles, rocket launchers, artillery and missiles. Similar parades took place in the southern cities of Amarah and Basra.

Some carried Iraqi flags, while others held signs with messages including "We sacrifice for you, O Iraq," "No, no to terrorism," and "No, no to America".

The fall of the crossing comes as Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki faces mounting pressure to form an inclusive government or step aside.

A volunteer shouts as he takes part in a military parade in Najaf

A top Shia cleric and the White House have both strongly hinted that Mr Maliki is in part to blame for the worst crisis in Iraq since US troops withdrew at the end of 2011.

Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani, the most respected voice for the country's Shia majority, on Friday joined calls for Mr Maliki to reach out to the Kurdish and Sunni minorities, remarks that could seal his fate.

A day earlier, President Barack Obama challenged him to create a leadership representative of all Iraqis.

There are fears Iraq could be on the brink of civil war

"Only leaders that can govern with an inclusive agenda are going to be able to truly bring the Iraqi people together and help them through this crisis," Mr Obama said.

Mr Maliki has until the end of this month to form a majority coalition after winning the most seats in April's election.

If he were to step aside, President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, would assume the role until a new prime minister is elected, according to the constitution.

But he has been in Germany for treatment since 2012, so his deputy, Khudeir al Khuzaie, a Shia, would step in

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British Jihadi In Video 'Radicalised In UK'

The father of a British student seen in an ISIS recruitment video appealing for Muslims to join the fight in Iraq has pleaded with him to come home.

Ahmed Muthana told Sky News he believes his son Nasser was radicalised in a mosque in the United Kingdom, but did not know which one.

He said: "The way he talks is not Nasser talking, it's someone else … He was a very soft person, he was very nice, but why he left his family I don't know. Who drove him? I don't know.

"The way he talks, the radicalism he is talking about, recruiting, asking British-born Muslims to come Syria is not Nasser's way.

"Nasser has never persuaded anybody like this before. It's the first time for me and devastating for me and my family."

The 20-year-old is seen in the video - released on social media - wearing a white turban and using the name Abu Muthanna al Yemeni.

ISIS fighters have taken control of large areas of Iraq

In the film, entitled "There is no life without Jihad", he claims the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), has fighters from as far afield as Cambodia, Australia and the UK.

His family, from the Cardiff area, said that he travelled to join the conflict with younger brother Aseel Muthana, 17.

Muthana is one of three apparent Britons to feature in the video, which calls for their countrymen to "answer the call and fight for Allah".

When asked if he had a message for his son, Mr Muthana said: "My message to Nasser and Aseel is please come back home.

"Your home is the United Kingdom, not the Middle East."

ISIS, which has taken over large parts of Iraq in recent weeks, has launched a global campaign asking Muslims to post messages "to support the Islamic State" on social media.

The three apparent Britons that appear in the video

The militants have used it to release videos of them parading around towns they have claimed in northern Iraq.

One of the co-founders of Twitter has told Sky News the platform remains a "force for good" despite being utilised by groups such as ISIS.

Biz Stone told Digital View: "When you create a large-scale platform where hundreds of millions of people have the freedom of expression you have to take the good with the bad.

"I'd rather this sort of thing be out in the open than hidden in the back waters."

The Home Office said in a statement: "We do not tolerate the existence of online terrorist and extremist propaganda, which directly influences people who are vulnerable to radicalisation.

"We already work closely with the internet industry to remove terrorist material hosted in the UK or overseas."

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South Korean Soldier Kills Comrades And Flees

A South Korean soldier has shot dead five members of his own unit at a guard post near the border with the North, say officials.

The army conscript, who also wounded five others when he opened fire, is on the run after fleeing with his weapon.

An operation is under way to capture him.

The shooting happened at an outpost in Goseong close to the DMZ

The shooting happened at an outpost in Goseong, about 205 miles northeast of the capital Seoul, on Saturday.

It is located just outside the demilitarised zone (DMZ) - a buffer strip that runs the full length of the border, and known as the world's last Cold War frontier.

A spokesman said: "He shot dead five fellow soldiers, wounded five others and then fled the scene with his rifle and ammunition."

The border separating the two Koreas is heavily fortified

There is no indication North Korea was involved, but tensions have been heightened recently, with Pyongyang staging a series of missile and artillery drills.

The rivals have also exchanged fire along their disputed maritime border in the Yellow Sea.

Shootings do happen occasionally on the heavily-fortified border.

Last year, South Korean soldiers shot and killed a man they thought was trying to cross into the North.

In 2011, a 19-year-old marine corporal went on a shooting rampage at a Gwanghwa Island base, just south of the tense maritime border.

And in 2005, a soldier tossed a hand grenade and opened fire at a frontline army unit in a rampage that killed eight colleagues and injured several others.

The Korean Peninsula is still technically in a state of war as the 1950-53 war ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

The South Korean military made up of more than 600,000 troops relies heavily on conscription, and military service often involves postings to frontline positions on the border with North Korea.

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World's Ugliest Dog: Peanut Crowned Champion

A two-year-old dog called Peanut has been crowned the World's Ugliest Dog at a contest for freakish-looking pets in California.

The mutt, thought to be a Chihuahua-Shitzu mix, beat contenders with hunched backs and patchy coats to take the top prize at the annual gathering of the least pulchritudinous pooches on the planet.

Owners and judges agreed that Peanut's wild white and brown hair, bulging eyes and protruding teeth belied a sweet and energetic personality.

Peanut's owner, Holly Chandler, of Greenville, North Carolina, said he was seriously burned as a puppy and she wanted to use her pet to raise awareness about animal abuse.

She planned to use the $1,500 (£882) prize to pay for other animals' veterinary bills.

The contest, held at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma, California, is in its 26th year.

The dogs are scored by a three-judge panel in several categories, including special or unusual attributes, personality and natural ugliness.

Winners in recent years have included a duckfooted beagle, boxer and basset hound mix with a waddle, a Chinese Crested and Chihuahua mix with a protruding tongue and short tufts of hair and a Chihuahua with a missing eye and a camel's back.

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Italy: Pope Denounces 'Evil' Crime Syndicate

Pope Francis has described an Italian crime syndicate as "the adoration of evil", adding Mafiosi "are excommunicated".

He was speaking about the 'ndrangheta group during a Mass in southern Italy.

It was the strongest attack on organised crime since the late Pope John Paul hit out at the Sicilian Mafia in 1993.

Francis made the comments after meeting the father and two grandmothers of a murdered child in the courtyard of a prison in the town of Castrovillari.

Three-year-old Coco' Campolongo was shot, along with one of his grandfathers and the grandfather's companion, in January in an attack blamed on drug turf wars in the nearby town of Cassano all'Jonio.

The father was in prison at the time.

The gunmen also torched the car with the three victims inside. The Pope publicly expressed his horror at the killings and promised to visit the town.

Francis embraced the father, who asked him to pray for the boy's mother, who was said to be under house arrest.

According to a Vatican spokesman, Francis told him: "May children never again have to suffer in this way."

"The two grandmothers were weeping like fountains," the spokesman added.

Calabria is the power base of the 'ndrangheta, a global drug trafficking syndicate whose activities also include extortion and blackmail.

After greeting 200 male and female inmates at the prison, Francis met patients at a hospice and had lunch with underprivileged people and drugs addicts at a rehabilitation facility.

The 77-year-old appeared to be coping well despite the hectic schedule and scorching temperatures.

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