Kenya's Presidential Race 'Won By Kenyatta'

Kenya's electoral commission says voting results indicate Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta has won the presidential election.

Mr Kenyatta, who faces international charges of crimes against humanity, won the poll with a slim margin of 50.03% of the vote - just enough to avoid a run-off.

He secured the victory over his main rival, Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who got 43.28% of the votes cast.

The first round win, which has yet to be officially confirmed by Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, saw Mr Kenyatta breaking the 50% barrier by just 4,099 votes out of 12.3 million cast.

Mr Odinga will launch a legal challenge if Mr Kenyatta is officially declared president, according to an adviser.

Mr Kenyatta, the son of Kenya's founding father, faces charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his alleged role in directing some of Kenya's 2007 post-election violence.

Polling stations were guarded closely by Kenyan paramilitaries

More than 1,000 people were killed and up to 600,000 forced from their homes as a result of the disputed poll, where members of two rival tribes both claimed victory.

Britain, which ruled Kenya up until the early 1960s, said it would have only essential contact with the Kenyan government if Mr Kenyatta becomes president.

Mr Kenyatta's ICC trial is set to begin in July and could take years, meaning that if he is sworn in as president he may have to rule Kenya from The Hague in the Netherlands for much of his five-year term.

Another option is, as president, to decide not to attend the trial. But that decision would trigger an international arrest warrant and spark even more damaging effects for Kenya's standing with the West.

Mr Kenyatta has promised to report to The Hague, even if he is sworn in.

There were fears going into the election that the violence that rocked Kenya five years ago would return.

A separatist group launched attacks on Monday that ended in the deaths of 19 people, but the vote and its aftermath has otherwise been mostly peaceful.

Security forces in riot gear were on the streets of the capital Nairobi again on Friday ahead of the election results being announced.

A formal announcement on the results is expected later today.

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Afghanistan Blasts: 'Eight Kids Among Dead'

Seventeen civilians, reportedly including eight children, have been killed in two separate suicide bomb attacks in Afghanistan.

The first attack took place in the eastern city of Khost, where unconfirmed reports have suggested eight children and one policeman were killed. The target of the attack was said to be Afghan and international forces.

"A suicide attacker blew up his explosives on a road beside a joint patrol of Afghan police and international forces in the city of Khost," the provincial governor of Khost said in a statement.

A policeman reportedly spotted the bomber who was on foot and 'hugged' him to himself in an attempt to take most of the blast, Khost deputy police chief Mohammad Yaqub Mandozay said.

Hagel flies over Kabul - the Defence Secretary was unhurt in the blast

However several boys aged 12 to 14 who were nearby were caught in the explosion.

The second attack was carried out in Kabul during a visit by US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel.

The bomber rode up to the defence ministry on a bicycle before detonating the blast 30 metres from the front gate.

Mr Hagel was in a briefing room some distance away and was not hurt, though he was moved to a more secure location after the explosion.

Kabul: Afghan National Army soldiers carried the injured from the scene

An Afghan soldier found at the scene covered in blood said he had helped carry five people away from the scene.

The Taliban said they carried out the Kabul attack, which they said was "a kind of message" for Mr Hagel, who is on his first trip abroad in his new role.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, said: "This was not a direct attack to target him but we want to send a message that we are always capable of hitting Kabul - even when the top US defence official is there."

The blast underscored the security challenges facing Afghanistan as US-led Nato forces prepare to leave the country by the end of 2014.

Mr Hagel is in Kabul to make an assessment of America's longest war as it enters its final stretch.

The Vietnam veteran's advice could help shape Barack Obama's decisions on Afghanistan, notably how large a remaining force to keep there after 2014 when most foreign forces will leave.

"We have a lot of big issues and challenges ahead as we prepare for a responsible transition," he told reporters on his plane before he arrived.

"That transition has to be done right; it has to be done in partnership with the Afghans (and) with our allies."

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Egypt: Fans Torch Football HQ Over Verdicts

A hardcore element of Cairo's Al Ahly fan base have stormed and set fire to Egypt's football headquarters after a court aquitted seven out of nine police officials on trial for their alleged role in a deadly stadium riot.

A nearby police club in the Egyptian capital was also set ablaze - and the mob, known as the Ultras, was said to be heading towards the interior ministry as well, according to state television.

Hundreds of the club's supporters took to the streets in celebration after a court earlier on Saturday upheld death sentences on 21 Port Said football fans for their role in the stadium riot last year.

Al Ahly fans take to the streets to celebrate the verdicts in Cairo

Some 74 people were killed and around 1,000 injured at the end of a match between Cairo's Al Ahly and Al Masry, the local side, on February 1, 2012.

Spectators were crushed when panicked fans tried to get out the stadium after a pitch invasion by Port Said supporters.

In a live televised ruling, judge Sobhi Abdel-Maguid confirmed "the death penalty by hanging".

Al Ahly fans had warned police they would retaliate if the defendants, including nine policemen, were exonerated.

The city's former security chief, Major General Essam Samak, was jailed for 15 years along with several others including Brigadier General Mohammed Saad, who during the riot had the keys to the stadium gates, which were locked.

A further five people were also sentenced to life imprisonment for the riot, while 28 others - including seven police officers - were acquitted.

The stadium deaths occurred on February 1, 2012

The rest of the 73 defendants involved received shorter prison sentences.

The death sentences - originally handed down in January - have provoked deadly clashes in Port Said and Cairo.

The riot - the worst case of football violence in the country and the deadliest worldwide since 1996 - erupted after the home team Al Masry beat Egypt's top club Al Ahly in the league fixture.

Subsequent widespread violence and protests have sparked fresh concerns about Egypt's stability.

Political turmoil is sweeping across the country with demonstrators demanding concessions from Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, while others want him removed altogether, saying his Muslim Brotherhood is monopolising power.

His government is struggling to halt the slide in law and order, hampered by a strike by some protesting police.

At least eight people have been killed in Port Said this week, including three police officers.

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Hugo Chavez: World Leaders To Attend Funeral

Hugo Chavez: A Revolutionary's Life

Updated: 9:14am UK, Wednesday 06 March 2013

Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias was born on July 28, 1954, in the rural town of Sabaneta in western Venezuela. He was the son of schoolteachers and the second of six brothers.

He was raised by his grandmother in a home with a dirt floor, mud walls and a roof made of palm fronds. As a boy he was a fine baseball player and hoped he might one day play in the US major leagues.

But when he joined the military aged 17 the young soldier immersed himself in the history of 19th century independence leader Simon Bolivar and other Venezuelan heroes who had overthrown the Spanish rule.

His political ideas began to take shape and the baseball dream was forgotten - although he remained a lifelong fan of the game.

Chavez first burst into public view in 1992 as a paratrooper commander leading a military rebellion that brought tanks to the presidential palace.

When the coup collapsed, Chavez was allowed to make a televised statement in which he declared his movement had failed "for now". The speech, and those two defiant words, launched his career, sealing his defiant image into the memory of Venezuelans.

Two years later, he and other coup leaders were released from prison, and President Rafael Caldera dropped the charges against them.

After establishing a new political party, Chavez ran for president in 1998, pledging to clean up Venezuela's entrenched corruption and shatter its traditional two-party system. At the age of 44, he became the country's youngest president, winning 56% of the vote.

Soon after he took office on February 2, 1999, Chavez and his United Socialist Party of Venezuela party pushed through a new constitution, which included lengthening presidential terms from five years to six and changing the country's name to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

By 2000, his increasingly confrontational style and close ties to Cuba disenchanted many of the middle-class supporters who voted for him, and the following years saw bold attempts by opponents to dislodge him from power.

In 2002, he survived a short-lived coup, which began after large anti-Chavez street protests ended in shootings and bloodshed. Dissident military officers detained the president and announced he had resigned. But within two days, he returned to power with the help of military loyalists amid massive protests by his supporters.

Emerging a stronger president, he went on to defeat an opposition-led strike that paralysed the country's oil industry and fired thousands of state oil company employees.

The coup also turned Chavez more decidedly against the US government, which had recognised the provisional leader who briefly replaced him. He created political and trade alliances that excluded the US and strengthened ties to Iran and Syria - largely, it seemed, due to their shared antagonism toward the US.

After easily winning re-election in 2006, Chavez began calling for a "multi-polar world" free of US domination. He boosted oil shipments to China, set up joint factories with Iran to produce tractors and cars, and sealed arms deals with Russia for assault rifles, helicopters and fighter jets. He focused on building alliances throughout Latin America and injected new energy into the region's left. Allies were elected in Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina and other countries.

All the while, Chavez emphasised that it was necessary to prepare for any potential conflict with the "empire", his term for the US.

Running a revolution ultimately left little time for a personal life. His second marriage, to journalist Marisabel Rodriguez, deteriorated in the early years of his presidency, and they divorced in 2004. In addition to their one daughter, Rosines, Chavez had three children from his first marriage, which ended before he ran for office. His daughters Maria and Rosa often appeared at his side at official events and during his trips. He had one son, Hugo Rafael Chavez.

After he was diagnosed with cancer in June 2011, he acknowledged that he had recklessly neglected his health. He had taken to staying up late and drinking as many as 40 cups of coffee a day.

Even as he appeared with head shaved while undergoing chemotherapy, he never revealed the type of cancer he had or precisely where tumours were removed from his pelvic region.

Chavez exerted himself for one final election campaign in 2012 after saying tests showed he was cancer-free, and defeated younger challenger Henrique Capriles. With another six-year term in hand, he promised to keep pressing for revolutionary changes.

But two months later, he went to Cuba for cancer-related surgery for the fourth time, blowing a kiss to his country as he boarded the plane.

After a 10-week absence, the government announced that Chavez had returned to Venezuela and was being treated at a military hospital in Caracas. He was never seen again in public. He died aged 58.

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SA Taxi Driver Murder Suspects Appear In Court

Eight South African police officers charged with the murder of a Mozambique taxi driver have appeared in court for a bail hearing.

The death of Mido Macia caused outrage around the world after video footage was published appearing to show him being handcuffed and dragged behind a police vehicle.

 Mr Macia was later found dead by another officer in a police cell in Daveyton, Johannesburg.

Police have claimed they put 27-year-old Mr Macia in a police van to take him to a police station. Officers have said they cannot explain how he died, though other inmates have claimed he was beaten to death.

Video of Mr Macia dragged behind a police van was shown around the world

Several dozen protesters who have gathered outside Benoni Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg are demanding the accused officers should be refused bail.

Unconfirmed reports have suggested a ninth suspect was arrested on Friday morning and also charged with Mr Macia's murder.

South Africa's police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, said Mr Macia suffered head injuries and internal bleeding after officers tried to arrest him for allegedly obstructing traffic.

Police in South Africa are known for heavy handedness when dealing with the public, and the police watchdog is handling numerous cases of police brutality.

In the 12 months before March 2010, according to Amnesty International, there were 920 complaints of serious assault and 294 deaths in custody.

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North Korea Leader Ready For 'All-Out War'

Who Is Kim Jong-Un?

Updated: 9:50am UK, Friday 08 March 2013

Kim Jong-Un is the world's youngest head of state. But very little is known about the supreme leader of North Korea, the most secretive nation on Earth.

Believed to have been born in Pyongyang around 1983, he was named North Korea's "great successor" following the death of his father, Kim Jong-Il, in December 2011.

The younger Kim is the leader of the ruling communist Workers' Party of Korea. He also holds the rank of Wonsu - the highest rank in the Korean military.

Reports in some Japanese newspapers claim he was educated in Switzerland at an English-language international school near Bern from the age of 10 to 17 where - according to a classmate - he developed a keen interest in basketball.

In 2012 he was voted the sexiest man alive in a spoof article by satirist website The Onion. China's Communist Party newspaper later ran a glowing report of the article, unaware it was a parody.

Quoting from the spoof report, The People's Daily wrote: "With his devastatingly handsome, round face, his boyish charm and his strong, sturdy frame, this Pyongyang-bred heart-throb is every woman's dream come true."

In 2012 he made several public appearances with a mystery lady, initially believed to be Hyon Song-Wol, a North Korean singer famous for the smash hit A Girl In The Saddle Of A Steed, often mis-translated as Excellent Horse-Like Lady.

But North Korean media later identified the woman as Ri Sol-Ju and claimed she was Mr Kim's wife. Unconfirmed reports have suggested the couple were married in 2009 and that she gave birth to a child in 2010.

But less is known about her than her husband. Conflicting reports have suggested she was born between 1985 and 1989 and that some of her family are involved in North Korean politics.

Her mother reportedly works in the gynaecology unit at a local hospital and her father as a university professor.

Mr Kim's interest in basketball is understood to have led to American NBA star Dennis Rodman paying the supreme leader a surprise visit in March 2013.

"He wants Obama to do one thing: Call him," Rodman later said. "He said, 'If you can, Dennis - I don't want (to) do war. I don't want to do war.' He said that to me."

A United Nations report on human rights in North Korea has urged for an inquiry to document the accountability of Mr Kim and the North Korean government for alleged crimes against humanity.

The UN has claimed that out of the total population of 25 million in the country, "16 million people continue to suffer varying degrees of chronic food insecurity and high malnutrition".

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Hugo Chavez Last Words: 'I Don't Want To Die'

'Go To Hell': Chavez In Quotes

Updated: 11:44pm UK, Tuesday 05 March 2013

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez repeatedly caught the headlines with his turns of phrase as he addressed his own people in his weekly TV show or spoke to the world on official engagements.

"You have a pig's tail, a pig's ears, and you snort like a pig. You are a pig."

- To opposition leader Henrique Capriles in February 2012.

"You are a donkey, Mr Danger."

- Referring to US President George Bush in his weekly television show Alo Presidente in March 2006.

"Don't mess with me, Condoleezza. Don't mess with me, girl."

- Responding to then US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in February 2006, who days earlier had called Venezuela a threat to regional democracy and a "sidekick" of Iran.

"Yesterday the devil came here. Right here. And it smells of sulfur still today."

- Speaking at the United Nations the day after President George Bush in 2006.

"The lord of war is Donald Rumsfeld, one of the dogs of the devil."

- Speaking about US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in 2006.

"You are an imperialist pawn. ... Go straight to hell."

- Speaking about then-Prime MInister Tony Blair in 2006.

"Go to hell, Yankee *****, here stands a dignified people. Go to hell a hundred times, we are the sons of Bolivar!"

- After Venezuela expelled the US ambassador in 2008.

"You are a fraud, Obama. ... Go and ask many people in Africa, who might have believed in you because of the colour of your skin, because your father was from Africa. You are an Afro-descendant, but you are the shame of all those people."

- Speaking about US President Barack Obama in 2011.

"Give me your crown of thorns, Christ, give it to me, so that I bleed; Give me your cross, 100 crosses, and I will carry them for you. But give me life, because I still have things to do for my people and my country. Don't take me yet."

- During a mass held for his health during his cancer treatment in April 5, 2012.

"We will live and will win!"

- After being diagnosed with cancer in June 2011.

"It would not be strange if they had developed the technology to induce cancer and nobody knew about it until now."

- Accusing the CIA of spreading cancer in Latin America in 2011.

"Marisabel, I'm giving you one tonight, get ready!"

- To his wife on Valentine's Day 2000.

"I am a president held prisoner, I have not resigned."

- During a short coup against him in 2002.

"Theirs is a victory of ****."

- On the failure of a constitutional amendment in 2007.

"If God gives me life and health, I'll be with you until 2021! Hey ho, Chavez will not go!"

- Launching a move to repeal term limits for presidents in 2008.

"Christopher Columbus (the Italian-born explorer) was the spearhead of the biggest invasion and genocide ever seen in the history of humanity."

- Speaking about indigenous rights in 2003

"Israel criticises Hitler a lot, so do we, but they've done something very similar, even worse, than what the Nazis did."

- Discussing Israel during a visit to Iran in 2006

"I promise you that at least I will make an effort not to be so lengthy."

- Before giving a nine-hour speech in 2012.

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Bolshoi Acid Attack: Dancer Paid Perpetrator

A leading dancer has admitted ordering an attack on the Bolshoi ballet chief, but said he did not mean for him to be splashed with acid.

Police say Bolshoi soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko paid 50,000 rubles (£1,080) to Yuri Zarutsky, who is accused of throwing a jar of acid at Sergei Filin.

The artistic director suffered severe burns to his eyes and face in the January 17 attack.  

Dmitrichenko has faced a Moscow district court, where a judge decided to keep him in custody until April 18 - the end of the initial investigation period.

L to R: Mr Filin, Ms Vorontsova and Dmitrichenko (AFP: Bolshoi Theatre)

The 29-year-old dancer's two co-defendants, Zarutsky and alleged getaway driver Andrei Lipatov, were also in court.

Speaking from a cage, Dmitrichenko told the court he had complained about Mr Filin to Zarutsky, who offered to "beat him up".

He said did not mean for the attack to cause such bodily harm.

"I told Yuri Zarutsky about the policies of the Bolshoi Theatre, about the bad things going on, the corruption," Dmitrichenko said.

"When he said: 'OK, let me beat him up, hit him upside the head,' I agreed, but that is all that I admit to doing.

"It's not true that I ordered him to throw acid at Filin."

Police say Zarutsky bought the acid at an auto shop and they believe he then heated it to make it more concentrated.

Dmitrichenko as Ivan the Terrible

Dmitrichenko, who was arrested on Tuesday, has also been shown in a police video confessing to planning the attack but "not on the scale" that it turned out.

And Lipatov insisted he just drove to where he was told and had no idea of what Zarutsky was planning.

Police have said the crime was motivated by Dmitrichenko's hostile personal relationship with Mr Filin.

The Russian press reported the Bolshoi chief refused to give Dmitrichenko's ballerina girlfriend Anzhelina Vorontsova top roles.

Dmitrichenko is said to have been particularly riled that Vorontsova was not allowed to dance the main Odette-Odile role in Swan Lake, the dream of any ballerina.

Ms Vorontsova was not given top roles

"The main motive was enmity towards Filin, who according to the suspect, had a negative attitude towards his partner," a police source told the Izvestia newspaper.

"Dmitrichenko said that Filin was thwarting Vorontsova's artistic career and did not give her the main roles."

Mr Filin, 42, was left battling to save his eyesight and prevent permanent facial disfigurement from the attack.

He is now undergoing a long rehabilitation in Germany.

Mr Filin's wife Maria told the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily that her husband had suspicions about Dmitrichenko but believed that a "much wider" circle of people were involved.

"Not just the three who they arrested. We hope the security forces unearth those who are implicated in this," she said.

Some staff at the Bolshoi Theatre have suggested that Dmitrichenko's actions are impossible to comprehend given his own career was on the up after he took the title role in the ballet Ivan the Terrible.

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North Korea Threatens US With Nuclear Strike

North Korea has threatened to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the United States.

An unidentified spokesman for Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry says the North will exercise its right for "pre-emptive nuclear strikes on the headquarters of the aggressors".

The spokesman claims Washington is pushing to start a nuclear war against North Korea.

The threat comes hours ahead of a vote by UN diplomats on whether to level new sanctions against Pyongyang for its recent nuclear test.

Inflammatory rhetoric is common from North Korea, however it has become more regular in recent days.

The North has been angered by the possible sanctions and over upcoming US-South Korean military drills.

The UN Security Council is set to impose a fourth round of sanctions against Pyongyang in a fresh attempt to rein in its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, the current council president, said the council will vote on the draft sanctions resolution on Thursday morning.

The resolution was drafted by the United States and China, North Korea's closest ally.

The council's agreement to put the resolution to a vote just 48 hours later signalled that it would almost certainly have the support of all 15 council members.

Although North Korea boasts of nuclear bombs and pre-emptive strikes, the country is not thought to have mastered the ability to produce a warhead small enough to put on a missile capable of reaching the US.

It is believed to have enough nuclear fuel, however, for several crude nuclear devices.

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Hugo Chavez: A Master Of The Spotlight

Venezuelan Leader Hugo Chavez Dies

Updated: 7:30am UK, Wednesday 06 March 2013

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died at the age of 58 after losing his battle with cancer.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro fought back tears as he announced the death in a national television broadcast.

He said Mr Chavez, who had been in power for 14 years, died at 4.25pm local time "after battling a tough illness for nearly two years".

Amid fears of unrest, Mr Maduro also said the army and police had been deployed "to accompany and protect our people and guarantee the peace".

Hundreds of Venezuelans poured into the streets of the capital Caracas, with many crying, hugging each other, or shouting slogans of support.

Clusters of women with tears streaming down their faces clung to each other and wept near the Miraflores presidential palace. Some wore T-shirts with slogans that read: "Go forward commander!"

Nearby, men pumped their arms in the air while shouting: "Long live Chavez! Long live Chavismo!"

Foreign Minister Elias Jaua declared seven days of national mourning and said a wake for Mr Chavez would be held until Friday, when his official funeral will take place.

He said Mr Maduro would take over the presidency until fresh elections can take place in around 30 days.

Ideological allies across Latin America lined up to salute former paratrooper Mr Chavez, a standard bearer of the region's "anti-imperialist" left.

Cuba has declared three days of national mourning, with the government saying Mr Chavez had "stood by Fidel Castro like a true son".

Bolivia's socialist President Evo Morales said he was "crushed", while Argentinian Vice President Amado Boudou said "all of Latin America" was in mourning.

President Barack Obama responded by expressing hopes for improved relations with the oil-rich state, voicing American "support for the Venezuelan people and its interest in developing a constructive relationship with the Venezuelan government".

He added: "As Venezuela begins a new chapter in its history, the United States remains committed to policies that promote democratic principles, the rule of law, and respect for human rights."

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was "saddened" by the death of a leader who had left a "lasting impression on the country and more widely".

Mr Chavez had been receiving cancer treatment in Cuba on and off since June 2011 - when he was first diagnosed with the illness.

The announcement of his death came just hours after Mr Maduro announced the government had expelled two US diplomats from the country.

He had said Mr Chavez's illness had been induced by foul play by "the historical enemies of our homeland".

People have been gathering outside the military hospital where Mr Chavez died. Soldiers in riot gear stood shoulder to shoulder guarding the complex.

"I feel such big pain I can't even speak," said Yamilina Barrios, a 39-year-old office worker weeping at a street corner. "He was the best thing the country had ... I adore him. Let's hope the country calms down and we can continue the tasks he left us."

The government announced late on Monday that Mr Chavez's condition was "very delicate" due to a "new, severe" respiratory infection.

Mr Chavez had not been seen in public or heard since undergoing a fourth round of surgery in Cuba on December 11.

The government said he returned home on February 18, and had been confined to Caracas' military hospital ever since.

During his time in power, Mr Chavez routinely challenged the status quo at home and internationally.

The fiery populist leader declared a socialist revolution in Venezuela, crusaded against US influence, championed a leftist revival across Latin America, and over time, gradually placed all state institutions under his personal control.

His death sets up a snap presidential election after his illness prevented him from taking the oath of office when he was re-elected last year.

Under the constitution, the head of Congress, Diosdado Cabello, would assume the interim presidency.

However, Mr Maduro is Mr Chavez's self-anointed successor and has been holding the reins since the president's health worsened.

The man Mr Chavez defeated in October's presidential elections, Miranda state Governor Henrique Capriles, is expected to represent the opposition in any new national polls.

He called for unity and offered his condolences to Mr Chavez's family and supporters.

Venezuela's defence minister pledged the military would remain loyal to the constitution in the wake of Mr Chavez's death.

Sky's Dominic Waghorn said Mr Chavez "used a mixture of brute force, persuasion, passion and charisma to keep himself in power".

"Such was the adoration and devotion that mainly the poor in Venezuela felt for him that he was seen as this almost sort of religious figure, and his loss now leaves a huge void in Venezuelan politics.

"A lot of people say he is irreplaceable."

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Hugo Chavez Dies: Election In Four Weeks

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died at the age of 58 after losing his battle with cancer.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro fought back tears as he announced the death in a national television broadcast.

He said Mr Chavez, who had been in power for 14 years, died at 4.25pm local time "after battling a tough illness for nearly two years".

Amid fears of unrest, Mr Maduro also said the army and police had been deployed "to accompany and protect our people and guarantee the peace".

Hundreds of Venezuelans poured into the streets of the capital Caracas, with many crying, hugging each other, or shouting slogans of support.

Clusters of women with tears streaming down their faces clung to each other and wept near the Miraflores presidential palace. Some wore T-shirts with slogans that read: "Go forward commander!"

Nearby, men pumped their arms in the air while shouting: "Long live Chavez! Long live Chavismo!"

Foreign Minister Elias Jaua declared seven days of national mourning and said a wake for Mr Chavez would be held until Friday, when his official funeral will take place.

He said Mr Maduro would take over the presidency until fresh elections can take place in around 30 days.

Emotional vice president Nicolas Maduro announced the death on national TV

Ideological allies across Latin America lined up to salute former paratrooper Mr Chavez, a standard bearer of the region's "anti-imperialist" left.

Cuba has declared three days of national mourning, with the government saying Mr Chavez had "stood by Fidel Castro like a true son".

Bolivia's socialist President Evo Morales said he was "crushed", while Argentinian Vice President Amado Boudou said "all of Latin America" was in mourning.

President Barack Obama responded by expressing hopes for improved relations with the oil-rich state, voicing American "support for the Venezuelan people and its interest in developing a constructive relationship with the Venezuelan government".

He added: "As Venezuela begins a new chapter in its history, the United States remains committed to policies that promote democratic principles, the rule of law, and respect for human rights."

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was "saddened" by the death of a leader who had left a "lasting impression on the country and more widely".

Mr Chavez had been receiving cancer treatment in Cuba on and off since June 2011 - when he was first diagnosed with the illness.

Some Venezuelans in the US say they are glad the 'dictatorship' has ended

The announcement of his death came just hours after Mr Maduro announced the government had expelled two US diplomats from the country.

He had said Mr Chavez's illness had been induced by foul play by "the historical enemies of our homeland".

People have been gathering outside the military hospital where Mr Chavez died. Soldiers in riot gear stood shoulder to shoulder guarding the complex.

"I feel such big pain I can't even speak," said Yamilina Barrios, a 39-year-old office worker weeping at a street corner. "He was the best thing the country had ... I adore him. Let's hope the country calms down and we can continue the tasks he left us."

The government announced late on Monday that Mr Chavez's condition was "very delicate" due to a "new, severe" respiratory infection.

Mr Chavez had not been seen in public or heard since undergoing a fourth round of surgery in Cuba on December 11.

The government said he returned home on February 18, and had been confined to Caracas' military hospital ever since.

During his time in power, Mr Chavez routinely challenged the status quo at home and internationally.

Mr Chavez with daughters Rosa Virginia, right, and Maria

The fiery populist leader declared a socialist revolution in Venezuela, crusaded against US influence, championed a leftist revival across Latin America, and over time, gradually placed all state institutions under his personal control.

His death sets up a snap presidential election after his illness prevented him from taking the oath of office when he was re-elected last year.

Under the constitution, the head of Congress, Diosdado Cabello, would assume the interim presidency.

However, Mr Maduro is Mr Chavez's self-anointed successor and has been holding the reins since the president's health worsened.

The man Mr Chavez defeated in October's presidential elections, Miranda state Governor Henrique Capriles, is expected to represent the opposition in any new national polls.

He called for unity and offered his condolences to Mr Chavez's family and supporters.

Venezuela's defence minister pledged the military would remain loyal to the constitution in the wake of Mr Chavez's death.

Sky's Dominic Waghorn said Mr Chavez "used a mixture of brute force, persuasion, passion and charisma to keep himself in power".

"Such was the adoration and devotion that mainly the poor in Venezuela felt for him that he was seen as this almost sort of religious figure, and his loss now leaves a huge void in Venezuelan politics.

"A lot of people say he is irreplaceable."

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Syria Crisis: Refugee Figure Tops Million Mark

Syria Crisis: Inside A Refugee Camp

Updated: 11:28am UK, Wednesday 06 March 2013

By Sam Kiley, in Zaatari Camp, Jordan

They crossed in silence. A stream of humanity stumbling over pebbles in slippers and sandals. Artillery crunched into the earth in the homeland they had left.

"No lights, no lights," a Jordanian officer implored. "The regime forces (he meant the Syrian army) will see them and shoot at them."

Around 2,000 had crossed on foot before midnight that night into the desert kingdom just north of Ramtha.

They joined 300,000 other registered refugees here. People fleeing Syria into Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq and on to North Africa and Europe now total, officially, a million. The truth is that the figure topped that some time back.

At least 400,000 refugees now live in Jordan, some 150,000 in the Zatari refugee Camp - the rest have been absorbed into Jordanian society.

"This puts, massive strains on us. We are short of water in this country. We are shoot of food and ave many who are already living below the poverty lone and now we have increased our population by about eight per cent.

"That means we are risking political instability - tension will rise. Competition for scarce resources can only lead in one direction," said a senior officer in Jordan's security forces.

"Contagion" is an ugly word to use in relation to human beings. But the effects of Syria's civil war are spreading into the region like a virus.

The disease is instability. It can be carried by refugees, unwilling hosts carrying the turmoil that cased them to flee their homes into neighbouring countries.

In Zatari the leader of an aid organisation said: "It's hard not to feel resentment when the Syrian problem is draining our own social funds. Our poor are worse off than the refugees."

Jordan estimates that it has spent in the region of $400m (£264m) already on humanitarian efforts. But the end of this year it expects to be hosting 600,000 people - and will need another $400 million or more.

Jordan, so far, has been spared the open conflict which has spilled from Syria into the Lebanon, which has been riven with sectarian strife.

Alawites, many of whom support President Assad, and Sunnis, often rebel supporters, have clashed in the north. Sunni and Shi'a in the south.

Border villages have been turned into bases for Sunni rebels in the north crossing into Syria. A little to the south near the Bekaa valley they are jumping off points for Hezbollah fighters joining Mr Assad's fight against the rebels.

On the Golan Heights, in Israeli occupied Syrian territory, the army of the Jewish State has boosted its defences and watches the daily skirmishes inside Syria from a few hundred yards away.

To the west, on the border with the Lebanon, Israel has installed batteries of Iron Dome and Patriot anti-missile missiles to defend against attacks from Hezbollah.

Israeli forces have already risked provoking Hezbollah with at least two sorties against Hezbollah targets, or Syrian weapon convoys supplying Hezbollah with anti-aircraft missiles.

The south Lebanese Shia movement is backed by Iran and President Assad. It knows it needs a strategic weapon to ensure its military longevity if its source of re-supply in Syria is cut off.

It has been trying to get hold of modern anti-aircraft missiles which could threaten Israeli air supremacy.

It might also like to get its hands on Syria's deadly stockpiles of VX and Sarin nerve agents which it has 'weaponised' and is capable of fitting to missiles and artillery shells.

Israel has made it clear that an attempt to give Hezbollah chemical weapons would be met with force. It would go to war to prevent its enemy getting hold of such a dangerous weapon.

Syria has indeed become contagious. The international focus is now on how to contain such a virulent outbreak of chaos, violence and grief.

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Hugo Chavez: A Master Of The Spotlight

Venezuelan Leader Hugo Chavez Dies

Updated: 7:30am UK, Wednesday 06 March 2013

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died at the age of 58 after losing his battle with cancer.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro fought back tears as he announced the death in a national television broadcast.

He said Mr Chavez, who had been in power for 14 years, died at 4.25pm local time "after battling a tough illness for nearly two years".

Amid fears of unrest, Mr Maduro also said the army and police had been deployed "to accompany and protect our people and guarantee the peace".

Hundreds of Venezuelans poured into the streets of the capital Caracas, with many crying, hugging each other, or shouting slogans of support.

Clusters of women with tears streaming down their faces clung to each other and wept near the Miraflores presidential palace. Some wore T-shirts with slogans that read: "Go forward commander!"

Nearby, men pumped their arms in the air while shouting: "Long live Chavez! Long live Chavismo!"

Foreign Minister Elias Jaua declared seven days of national mourning and said a wake for Mr Chavez would be held until Friday, when his official funeral will take place.

He said Mr Maduro would take over the presidency until fresh elections can take place in around 30 days.

Ideological allies across Latin America lined up to salute former paratrooper Mr Chavez, a standard bearer of the region's "anti-imperialist" left.

Cuba has declared three days of national mourning, with the government saying Mr Chavez had "stood by Fidel Castro like a true son".

Bolivia's socialist President Evo Morales said he was "crushed", while Argentinian Vice President Amado Boudou said "all of Latin America" was in mourning.

President Barack Obama responded by expressing hopes for improved relations with the oil-rich state, voicing American "support for the Venezuelan people and its interest in developing a constructive relationship with the Venezuelan government".

He added: "As Venezuela begins a new chapter in its history, the United States remains committed to policies that promote democratic principles, the rule of law, and respect for human rights."

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was "saddened" by the death of a leader who had left a "lasting impression on the country and more widely".

Mr Chavez had been receiving cancer treatment in Cuba on and off since June 2011 - when he was first diagnosed with the illness.

The announcement of his death came just hours after Mr Maduro announced the government had expelled two US diplomats from the country.

He had said Mr Chavez's illness had been induced by foul play by "the historical enemies of our homeland".

People have been gathering outside the military hospital where Mr Chavez died. Soldiers in riot gear stood shoulder to shoulder guarding the complex.

"I feel such big pain I can't even speak," said Yamilina Barrios, a 39-year-old office worker weeping at a street corner. "He was the best thing the country had ... I adore him. Let's hope the country calms down and we can continue the tasks he left us."

The government announced late on Monday that Mr Chavez's condition was "very delicate" due to a "new, severe" respiratory infection.

Mr Chavez had not been seen in public or heard since undergoing a fourth round of surgery in Cuba on December 11.

The government said he returned home on February 18, and had been confined to Caracas' military hospital ever since.

During his time in power, Mr Chavez routinely challenged the status quo at home and internationally.

The fiery populist leader declared a socialist revolution in Venezuela, crusaded against US influence, championed a leftist revival across Latin America, and over time, gradually placed all state institutions under his personal control.

His death sets up a snap presidential election after his illness prevented him from taking the oath of office when he was re-elected last year.

Under the constitution, the head of Congress, Diosdado Cabello, would assume the interim presidency.

However, Mr Maduro is Mr Chavez's self-anointed successor and has been holding the reins since the president's health worsened.

The man Mr Chavez defeated in October's presidential elections, Miranda state Governor Henrique Capriles, is expected to represent the opposition in any new national polls.

He called for unity and offered his condolences to Mr Chavez's family and supporters.

Venezuela's defence minister pledged the military would remain loyal to the constitution in the wake of Mr Chavez's death.

Sky's Dominic Waghorn said Mr Chavez "used a mixture of brute force, persuasion, passion and charisma to keep himself in power".

"Such was the adoration and devotion that mainly the poor in Venezuela felt for him that he was seen as this almost sort of religious figure, and his loss now leaves a huge void in Venezuelan politics.

"A lot of people say he is irreplaceable."

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Hugo Chavez Dies: Election In Four Weeks

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died at the age of 58 after losing his battle with cancer.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro fought back tears as he announced the death in a national television broadcast.

He said Mr Chavez, who had been in power for 14 years, died at 4.25pm local time "after battling a tough illness for nearly two years".

Amid fears of unrest, Mr Maduro also said the army and police had been deployed "to accompany and protect our people and guarantee the peace".

Hundreds of Venezuelans poured into the streets of the capital Caracas, with many crying, hugging each other, or shouting slogans of support.

Clusters of women with tears streaming down their faces clung to each other and wept near the Miraflores presidential palace. Some wore T-shirts with slogans that read: "Go forward commander!"

Nearby, men pumped their arms in the air while shouting: "Long live Chavez! Long live Chavismo!"

Foreign Minister Elias Jaua declared seven days of national mourning and said a wake for Mr Chavez would be held until Friday, when his official funeral will take place.

He said Mr Maduro would take over the presidency until fresh elections can take place in around 30 days.

Emotional vice president Nicolas Maduro announced the death on national TV

Ideological allies across Latin America lined up to salute former paratrooper Mr Chavez, a standard bearer of the region's "anti-imperialist" left.

Cuba has declared three days of national mourning, with the government saying Mr Chavez had "stood by Fidel Castro like a true son".

Bolivia's socialist President Evo Morales said he was "crushed", while Argentinian Vice President Amado Boudou said "all of Latin America" was in mourning.

President Barack Obama responded by expressing hopes for improved relations with the oil-rich state, voicing American "support for the Venezuelan people and its interest in developing a constructive relationship with the Venezuelan government".

He added: "As Venezuela begins a new chapter in its history, the United States remains committed to policies that promote democratic principles, the rule of law, and respect for human rights."

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was "saddened" by the death of a leader who had left a "lasting impression on the country and more widely".

Mr Chavez had been receiving cancer treatment in Cuba on and off since June 2011 - when he was first diagnosed with the illness.

Some Venezuelans in the US say they are glad the 'dictatorship' has ended

The announcement of his death came just hours after Mr Maduro announced the government had expelled two US diplomats from the country.

He had said Mr Chavez's illness had been induced by foul play by "the historical enemies of our homeland".

People have been gathering outside the military hospital where Mr Chavez died. Soldiers in riot gear stood shoulder to shoulder guarding the complex.

"I feel such big pain I can't even speak," said Yamilina Barrios, a 39-year-old office worker weeping at a street corner. "He was the best thing the country had ... I adore him. Let's hope the country calms down and we can continue the tasks he left us."

The government announced late on Monday that Mr Chavez's condition was "very delicate" due to a "new, severe" respiratory infection.

Mr Chavez had not been seen in public or heard since undergoing a fourth round of surgery in Cuba on December 11.

The government said he returned home on February 18, and had been confined to Caracas' military hospital ever since.

During his time in power, Mr Chavez routinely challenged the status quo at home and internationally.

Mr Chavez with daughters Rosa Virginia, right, and Maria

The fiery populist leader declared a socialist revolution in Venezuela, crusaded against US influence, championed a leftist revival across Latin America, and over time, gradually placed all state institutions under his personal control.

His death sets up a snap presidential election after his illness prevented him from taking the oath of office when he was re-elected last year.

Under the constitution, the head of Congress, Diosdado Cabello, would assume the interim presidency.

However, Mr Maduro is Mr Chavez's self-anointed successor and has been holding the reins since the president's health worsened.

The man Mr Chavez defeated in October's presidential elections, Miranda state Governor Henrique Capriles, is expected to represent the opposition in any new national polls.

He called for unity and offered his condolences to Mr Chavez's family and supporters.

Venezuela's defence minister pledged the military would remain loyal to the constitution in the wake of Mr Chavez's death.

Sky's Dominic Waghorn said Mr Chavez "used a mixture of brute force, persuasion, passion and charisma to keep himself in power".

"Such was the adoration and devotion that mainly the poor in Venezuela felt for him that he was seen as this almost sort of religious figure, and his loss now leaves a huge void in Venezuelan politics.

"A lot of people say he is irreplaceable."

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Syria Crisis: Refugee Figure Tops Million Mark

Syria Crisis: Inside A Refugee Camp

Updated: 11:28am UK, Wednesday 06 March 2013

By Sam Kiley, in Zaatari Camp, Jordan

They crossed in silence. A stream of humanity stumbling over pebbles in slippers and sandals. Artillery crunched into the earth in the homeland they had left.

"No lights, no lights," a Jordanian officer implored. "The regime forces (he meant the Syrian army) will see them and shoot at them."

Around 2,000 had crossed on foot before midnight that night into the desert kingdom just north of Ramtha.

They joined 300,000 other registered refugees here. People fleeing Syria into Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq and on to North Africa and Europe now total, officially, a million. The truth is that the figure topped that some time back.

At least 400,000 refugees now live in Jordan, some 150,000 in the Zatari refugee Camp - the rest have been absorbed into Jordanian society.

"This puts, massive strains on us. We are short of water in this country. We are shoot of food and ave many who are already living below the poverty lone and now we have increased our population by about eight per cent.

"That means we are risking political instability - tension will rise. Competition for scarce resources can only lead in one direction," said a senior officer in Jordan's security forces.

"Contagion" is an ugly word to use in relation to human beings. But the effects of Syria's civil war are spreading into the region like a virus.

The disease is instability. It can be carried by refugees, unwilling hosts carrying the turmoil that cased them to flee their homes into neighbouring countries.

In Zatari the leader of an aid organisation said: "It's hard not to feel resentment when the Syrian problem is draining our own social funds. Our poor are worse off than the refugees."

Jordan estimates that it has spent in the region of $400m (£264m) already on humanitarian efforts. But the end of this year it expects to be hosting 600,000 people - and will need another $400 million or more.

Jordan, so far, has been spared the open conflict which has spilled from Syria into the Lebanon, which has been riven with sectarian strife.

Alawites, many of whom support President Assad, and Sunnis, often rebel supporters, have clashed in the north. Sunni and Shi'a in the south.

Border villages have been turned into bases for Sunni rebels in the north crossing into Syria. A little to the south near the Bekaa valley they are jumping off points for Hezbollah fighters joining Mr Assad's fight against the rebels.

On the Golan Heights, in Israeli occupied Syrian territory, the army of the Jewish State has boosted its defences and watches the daily skirmishes inside Syria from a few hundred yards away.

To the west, on the border with the Lebanon, Israel has installed batteries of Iron Dome and Patriot anti-missile missiles to defend against attacks from Hezbollah.

Israeli forces have already risked provoking Hezbollah with at least two sorties against Hezbollah targets, or Syrian weapon convoys supplying Hezbollah with anti-aircraft missiles.

The south Lebanese Shia movement is backed by Iran and President Assad. It knows it needs a strategic weapon to ensure its military longevity if its source of re-supply in Syria is cut off.

It has been trying to get hold of modern anti-aircraft missiles which could threaten Israeli air supremacy.

It might also like to get its hands on Syria's deadly stockpiles of VX and Sarin nerve agents which it has 'weaponised' and is capable of fitting to missiles and artillery shells.

Israel has made it clear that an attempt to give Hezbollah chemical weapons would be met with force. It would go to war to prevent its enemy getting hold of such a dangerous weapon.

Syria has indeed become contagious. The international focus is now on how to contain such a virulent outbreak of chaos, violence and grief.

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India: Irom Sharmila Explains Hunger Strike

By Alex Rossi, India Correspondent

An Indian woman who has been on hunger strike for more than 12 years has told Sky News she will continue her protest despite being charged with attempting to commit suicide.

Irom Sharmila started her fast after she witnessed the killing of a group of civilians by Indian paramilitary forces in Manipur in November 2000.

The 40-year-old says she will never end her hunger strike unless the Indian government repeals a controversial piece of legislation called the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

She told Sky News: "I am a democratic citizen. I am a simple non-violent woman who wants a simple normal life."

"I am so determined to my cause. My struggle is very needed - whether it is difficult or easy does not matter."

The AFSPA gives Indian soldiers immunity from prosecution in areas where there is conflict.

In Manipur, a state in India's northeast, there has been an insurgency for the last five decades.

Ms Irom arrived at court flanked by tight security

A number of militant groups are demanding independence from India. 

Indian human rights groups claim the AFSPA is used by soldiers as legal cover to carry out torture and extrajudicial killings.

Ms Irom – who is known as the Iron Lady of Manipur by her supporters - has not eaten a solid meal for more than 12 years.

She is currently being held in judicial custody and is kept alive by being force fed twice a day through a tube in her nose.

Her diet consists of liquid carbohydrate, protein and a smattering of vitamins.

She was arrested three days after her hunger strike began but under Indian law has to be released every year to see if she will start eating again.

Protesters outside court backed Ms Irom's call for a change to the law

In 2006, while on release, she took her protest to the capital city Delhi but was arrested and charged with attempting to commit suicide under section 309 of the Indian penal code.

The case is only just coming to court now – the wheels of Indian justice turn very slowly.

Ms Irom told Sky News she does not want to commit suicide and that her protest is about "justice and peace".

She says it is no different to what Mahatma Gandhi did to end British rule in India.

The Iron Lady's struggle has been compared to that of Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi.

She has been awarded a number of human rights awards over the years and in South Asia is seen as a symbol of female power.      

She has pleaded not guilty and may get another chance to give voice to her views when her trial begins on May 22.

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Deadly Florida Sinkhole Is Finally Revealed

The deadly sinkhole that swallowed a man at his home in Florida has been uncovered by demolition teams.

The remaining walls of the house were knocked down on Monday and debris was dragged towards the street to reveal the crater in Seffner, about 15 miles east of Tampa.

The authorities estimate that it now measures 30 feet (9m) across and between 30 and 100ft (30m) deep.

It has become the final resting place of Jeff Bush, whose body was never recovered after the sinkhole opened up under his bedroom on Thursday night.

The remaining walls of the Bush family home are torn down

Five other family members who were in the house escaped unharmed.

During a brief ceremony on Monday afternoon, the 37-year-old's family placed a teddy bear, a photo, notes and flowers into the bucket of a digger which dropped them into the makeshift grave.

Then the first load of gravel to stabilise the hole was poured on top.

Jeremy Bush, 35, who tried to save his brother thanked rescuers and salvage teams, but also suggested they could have "tried harder".

Jeremy Bush said more could have been done for his brother

"I tried my hardest to get you out, brother," he said through his tears at a news conference.

"I think I'm the only one that really tried to get you out. They said the ground was too unstable to do anything, but they got all this heavy equipment on there, pulling stuff out and everyone's cheering for everything that's coming out of the house. I've had enough of the cheering."

Rescue teams had halted all recovery efforts on Saturday when the site became too unstable.

Two neighbouring houses have been evacuated and could also be condemned.

Florida is highly prone to sinkholes because there are caverns below ground of limestone, a porous rock that easily dissolves in water.

A new smaller sinkhole opens up in Seffner. Pic: WTSP-TV

A second hole was reported about three miles away from the Bush family's home on Monday but aside from a piece of fence, there was no serious damage and nobody was hurt.

It is the loss of life that makes the Seffner case so highly unusual and tragic.

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Bolshoi Acid Attack: Star's Home Searched

By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent

Russian police are searching the home of a star of the Bolshoi Ballet in connection with the acid attack on the company's artistic director.

Sergei Filin is currently being treated in Germany, where surgeons are attempting to save as much of his sight as possible after the attack in January almost blinded him.

Officers were in the apartment of soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko, known for his roles as tsar Ivan the Terrible and Evil Villain in Swan Lake, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry announced separately on Tuesday that it had detained a suspect in the attack and was searching his home.

The LifeNews website, which has close links to the city's police, quoted a source as saying that the suspect had been seized during an early morning operation in Moscow's suburbs, and that searches were under way at several addresses in the Stupino area.

It said the suspect was arrested in connection with the sulphuric acid attack on Mr Filin and that investigations were ongoing to find out who had ordered it.

Mr Filin had sulphuric acid thrown in his face outside his Moscow apartment

The source said the suspect had been traced through mobile phone records after a search of mobile activity close to Mr Filin's address around the time of the assault.

The 42-year-old artistic director was attacked on January 17 outside his Moscow apartment.

Speaking from his hospital bed shortly afterwards, he said he was sure the incident was linked to his work at the Bolshoi - one of the world's oldest ballet companies.

Last month, the ballet postponed its production of Stravinsky's The Rite Of Spring and in January, leading ballerina Svetlana Lunkina fled to Canada after receiving unconnected threats.

The case has focused attention on the bitter rivalries within the ballet world.

Colleagues have said the attack could be in retaliation for Mr Filin's selection of certain dancers over others for prized roles.

The Bolshoi has been plagued by intrigue and infighting that has led to the departure of several artistic directors over the past few years.

Katerina Novikova, a spokeswoman for the Bolshoi Theatre, said the management was not aware of a conflict between Mr Dmitrichenko and Mr Filin and had no information about the purpose of the search.

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Japan: Family Killed As Car Is Buried In Snow

Four members of a family have been killed after their car was buried in a snowstorm in the main northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Four other deaths linked to the weekend's snowfall have been reported.

Kazuyo Miyashita and her three children died at a hospital on Saturday night of carbon-monoxide poisoning after their vehicle got buried in the snow.

Her daughters were 17 and 14, and her son was 11.

The snowstorm hit during the weekend, burying vehicles

Separately, a 23-year-old woman froze to death after leaving her car, which was stuck in the snow.

The Kyodo news service said a 53-year-old man had died after getting buried in the snow, although his nine-year-old daughter found with him was recovering.

Two other men collapsed in the snow in another part of Hokkaido and were confirmed dead.

Several vehicles were stranded and buried under snow in the island in northern Japan.

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India: Twelve Children Die In School Bus Crash

At least 12 children have been killed after their school bus collided with a truck carrying bricks in northern India.

The crash, which also killed the driver, happened on the outskirts of Jalandhar, a city nearly 250 miles (400km) north of the capital Delhi.

Police officer Harmeet Singh said seven children died at the scene and another five died from their injuries in hospital.

It has been reported the impact of the accident was so bad the roof of the minibus was torn off and the vehicle was virtually reduced to a heap of metal.

The truck was also very badly damaged

Police are looking for the truck driver, who fled after the accident.

India has the world's deadliest roads, with more than 110,000 people killed every year. Most crashes are blamed on reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and ageing vehicles.

The children's bags and shoes near the scene

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Brooklyn Crash: Parents Buried, Baby Survives

More than 1,000 mourners have gathered at the funeral of a young couple killed on the way to hospital for the birth of their first child.

Nachman and Raizy Glauber, both 21, were killed in the crash in Brooklyn but their baby boy survived after doctors performed a caesarean section on the mother.

Police are searching for the driver and passenger of a BMW who fled the scene on foot.

Many of the Glaubers' fellow Orthodox Jews attended the couple's funeral, which was held hours after their deaths. Jewish law calls for the burial of the dead as soon as possible.

A man walks past the scene of the crash in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Mr Glauber was described as "the sweetest, most charming human being, always with a smile on his face".

His cousin, Sara Glauber, added of the couple: "If one had to go, the other had to go too because they really were one soul."

The hit-and-run happened in the Williamsburg neighbourhood of Brooklyn, as the couple made their way to a local hospital in a cab.

Mrs Glauber, who was seven months pregnant, was sitting in the back of the car. Her body was thrown from the vehicle and landed under a parked lorry, according to witnesses.

Raizy Glauber was thrown from the car carrying her

Her husband was trapped in the vehicle and emergency workers had to cut the roof off to free him from the wreckage.

The Glaubers were married about a year ago and had started a life together in Williamsburg, relatives said. He was studying at a rabbinical college nearby.

At their funeral, men in black hats gathered around the coffins in the middle of the street, while women in bright headscarves stood on the pavement, in accordance with the Orthodox Jewish tradition of separating the sexes at religious services.

A man could be heard sobbing as he spoke through a loudspeaker, while Yitzchok Silberstein, Mrs Glauber's father, said: "I will never forget you, my daughter."

Brooklyn is home to the largest community of ultra-Orthodox Jews outside Israel, with more than 250,000 living in the New York borough.

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Mokhtar Belmokhtar: Gas Terror Chief 'Killed'

Belmokhtar: Profile Of Mr Marlboro

Updated: 12:54am UK, Sunday 03 March 2013

By Sam Kiley, Middle East Correspondent

He was known as Mr Marlboro because of his cigarette smuggling. The French intelligence service called him "The Uncatchable".

Born in central Algeria in 1972, Mokhtar Belmokhtar grew obsessed with Jihadi ideology in his teens. At 19 he volunteered to fight alongside the mujahedeen in Afghanistan.

He missed most of the fighting there as the Soviets withdrew as he arrived but he did encounter senior members of what was to become al Qaeda - receiving training in a Jalalabad base.

In the early 1990s he returned to Algeria to join Islamic militant groups. He served them as a quartermaster - rapidly rose to dominate operations in the south of the country during the Algerian civil war.

Described by the then head of France's Territorial Surveillance Directorate (Direction de la surveillance du territoire – DST) as Algeria's link to al Qaeda, Belmokhtar maintained strong links to the movement's core in Pakistan.

But he was a vital element in the expansion of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). A franchise of the Jihadi movement AQIM was seen as the poorly performing franchise during the last decade. 

But Belmokhtar forged links with Tuareg rebels in the south Sahara from Mali to Niger and into Mauritania.

He rapidly expanded a criminal empire to fund his political and military operations from smuggling cigarettes, diamonds, drugs and people into Europe.

He further stuffed his war chest with funds from hostage taking operations. In 2003 he was implicated in the kidnapping of 32 Europeans in the Sahara.

In 2008, he took control of negotiations for the release of two Austrian hostages. And in 2009 took control of two Canadians kidnapped in Mali and released by him for allegedly £3m and freedom for several of his associates from Malian jails.

Robert Fowler was a UN special envoy in Mali when he was kidnapped and then handed on to Belmokhtar.

He described the man who has now projected himself on to the world stage from the relative obscurity of the Saharan wastes.

"He is very cold. Very business-like. I was afraid for my life all the time. I was afraid for my life when I woke up in the morning and when I went to sleep at night. He is a very serious player," Mr Fowler told ABC News in the US.

Belmokhtar's movement got a huge boost from the collapse of the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi.

The Tuareg fighters he had employed from Niger, Mali and Chad, fled his service carrying with them vast stockpiles of heavy weapons and bringing many years of combat experience.

This influx of new weapons and fighters allowed for al Qaeda-related groups to capture much of northern Mali and establish closer links between groups from Mauritania to Somalia and into the Arabian Peninsula.

Some intelligence agencies believe that Belmokhtar fell out with the AQIM leader in the north of Africa, Abdulmalek Droukel.

But al Qaeda is a franchise. Its strength lies in fragmentation. A devolved series of groups are harder to infiltrate or destroy than one large organisation.

Al Qaeda expert Aaron Zelin describes this as "controlled fragmentation".

French intelligence services had been trying to kill or capture Belmokhtar for more than a decade. They believed that he had the capacity to mobilise French citizens with their roots in North Africa for terror operations inside Europe.

After France launched its war against Islamists in Mali, many of whom are connected to Belmokhtar, his organisation which calls itself "The Masked Ones", vowed to continue attacks against western targets in Africa and beyond.

Belmokhtar's attack in Algeria meant his name was heard more widely as his movement posed a strategic threat to Europe's energy supplies.

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World Cup 2022 Could Be Moved To Winter, Fifa

A senior Fifa official has admitted for the first time that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar could be moved to winter.

The finals were awarded by the world governing body in 2010 and are due to be held in the summer months when the temperature can reach more than 40 degrees Celsius.

European football boss Michel Platini has repeatedly said the competition needs to be held in winter, when the average is a far less intense 17 degrees.

Now Fifa's general secretary Jerome Valcke has become the first senior official to say the event could be moved if strong medical advice is received to support it.

Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke said the finals could be moved

Speaking at the meeting of the International Football Association Board - which governs the laws of football - he said: "Maybe the Fifa Exco (executive committee) will say based on medical reports or whatever: 'We really have to look at playing the World Cup not in summer but in winter'."

Qatar's winning bid caused a major stir in world football with critics arguing it would be impossible to freeze football leagues for a World Cup in December or January.

However, Mr Valcke believes that the timeframe for any decision could be extended to 2015.

"I am not saying that the case is closed but what I'm saying is as long as we have not fixed the international calendar all alternatives are open," he said.

"I can tell you there is no working group within Fifa thinking and working on what it means to move the World Cup from summer to winter for the time being.

"The international calendar has been agreed for 2015 to 2018, meaning that we kept open all potential for the period 2019 to 2022. We have time."

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Assad Hits Out At UK Government In Interview

Syrian President Bashar al Assad has heavily criticised the British government, calling it "shallow and immature".

In an interview with The Sunday Times, he dismissed any suggestion that Britain could help to resolve the conflict saying: "We do not expect an arsonist to be a firefighter."

He said Britain was not trusted by many in the Middle East, saying its has been viewed as "unconstructive" in the region for centuries.

"There's no contact between Syria and Britain for a long time.

"You cannot separate the role from the credibility, and you cannot separate the credibility from the history of that country.

"To be frank, Britain has played famously in our region (an) unconstructive role in different issues, for decades, some say for centuries."

He added: "How can we expect to ask Britain to play a role while it's determined to militarise the problem?

"How can you ask them to play a role in making the situation better, more stable, how can we expect them to make the violence less when they want to send the military supply to the terrorist?

"I think they are working against us, and they are working against the interests of the UK itself.

"This Government is acting in a naïve, confused, and unrealistic manner. If they want to play a role they have to change this, they have to act in a more reasonable and responsible way."

But Foreign Secretary William Hague said the interview was "one of the most delusional" by a modern leader.

"This is a man presiding over this slaughter, and the message to him is that we, Britain, are the people sending food and shelter and blankets to the people driven from their homes and families in his name.

"We are the people sending medical supplies to try to look after people injured and abused by the soldiers working for this man, President Assad.

"And Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN envoy, who's a soft-spoken diplomat, said this week that Assad thinks and is told by his inner circle, that all this is an international conspiracy, not the actual rebellion and revolt of his own people.

"So I think this will go down as one of the most delusional interviews that any national leader has given in modern times."

He also confirmed more direct assistance would be given to the Syrian opposition.

Earlier this week the Syrian Government said it is ready for talks with its armed opponents.

However, Syrian rebel leader Selim Idris said there could be no negotiations unless Mr Assad stepped down and leaders of the army and security forces were put on the trial.

The UN estimates that around 70,000 people have been killed since fighting began in Syria almost two years ago.

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