Fifa VP's Son In World Cup Ticket Scandal

The son of Fifa vice president Julio Grondona has become embroiled in a scandal implicating officials from the football governing body in the illegal re-sale of World Cup tickets.

Tickets reported to be in Humberto Grondona's name were among hundreds seized by Brazilian police as part of the ongoing investigation into ticket touting.

A picture of one ticket bearing his name has been widely circulated on social media. 

In an interview with Argentinian television station TYC, Grondona Jnr admitted giving tickets to a friend, but denied re-selling them at an inflated price. 

Humberto Grondona denies selling the tickets for more than their face value

He said: "You think with how much I care about my family name I would do such a stupid thing?"

He added that he was unsure what his friend had then done with the tickets.

Re-selling tickets for more than their face value is illegal in Brazil. 

Ahead of the tournament's kick off, all Fifa employees and World Cup delegates were warned against selling tickets, all of which have an electronic chip which makes them traceable back to their original purchaser.

Fifa spokeswoman Delia Fischer would not comment on the investigation, but said anyone found breaching the governing body's regulations would be sanctioned.

Julio Grondona is the second most powerful man in world football

Sky News Sports Correspondent Paul Kelso says that with tickets for matches so hard to come by, the news that the son of a top Fifa executive has allowed tickets to end up on the black market has caused a real stir.

He said the scandal is "acutely embarrassing" for Julio Grondona, who is also president of the Argentina Football Federation, where his son is an official.

The revelation comes days after police in Rio de Janeiro arrested 11 people suspected of running a multimillion pound ticket touting operation.

Police said the source of the tickets is believed to have stayed at the Copacabana Palace Hotel, used by top Fifa officials.

Some of the tickets are thought to have been sold for up to eight times their face value.

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Ukrainian Flag 'To Be Raised' In Slavyansk

The Ukrainian president has ordered the army to raise the national flag in Slavyansk after the rebels reportedly fled their eastern stronghold.

Earlier, a Ukrainian minister had said the pro-Russian separatists and a top commander had fled, though a rebel spokesman said they were relocating to a nearby town.

President Petro Poroshenko's website said the separatist fighters had come under mortar fire as they tried to break through government forces' lines.

The website, citing the newly appointed head of the armed forces general staff, said the separatists had lost one tank and other armoured vehicles.

Government forces at a checkpoint near Slavyansk on Friday

"The President gave the order ... for the state flag to be raised on Slavyansk's town council offices," it said.

The town council office was one of the main buildings where the rebels had been based.

However, Slavyansk's self-proclaimed separatist mayor told the AFP news agency that while the rebels are out, government troops are yet to enter the town.

"The fighters have left. The Ukrainian army is not yet in Slavyansk. There are no authorities in the town," Volodymyr Pavlenko was quoted as saying.

Separatists seized the industrial city of nearly 120,000 people on April 6, and on May 30 rebels there brought down a military helicopter killing 14 servicemen.

Ukraine launched its first major assault nearly three months ago

The interior minister, Arsen Avakov, said in a Facebook post that the militias were fleeing to Gorlivka, a city of 260,000 about 50km (30 miles) southeast of Slavyansk that remains largely under the rebels' control.

He also wrote that civilians were taking over roadblocks previously controlled by the insurgents "and carrying weapons and bulletproof vests abandoned by the rebels".

This week, Ukraine's ceasefire with pro-Russian separatists expired and Mr Poroshenko said his forces would go on the offensive against the rebels.

But, amid increasing violence, Mr Poroshenko on Friday called for immediate crisis talks with rebel commanders and Russia.

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Germany Holds 'Double Agent Who Spied For US'

Germany has arrested a suspected double agent accused of leaking confidential information to the United States.

A 31-year-old German man is being held on suspicion of espionage.

The Federal Prosecutor's office said investigations were still ongoing, but did not reveal his identify or comment on reports that the suspect had handed information to the United States.

However, the German Foreign Ministry said the US ambassador in Berlin had been summoned to assist in the "swift clarification" of the case.

Several German news outlets have cited unnamed government sources who say the suspect was a mid-level agent for Germany's intelligence service, the BND.

The agent reportedly spied on an inquiry into Edward Snowden's revelations

According to the daily Bild newspaper the agent sold 218 sensitive documents to an unspecified US intelligence agency for €25,000 (£19,800).

It said he had worked as a double agent for two years.

The suspect has reportedly admitted the documents included details about a parliamentary committee investigating the US National Security Agency's surveillance operations in Germany.

Germany was shaken last year by information leaked by US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden which revealed that the NSA had spied on German citizens and tapped Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone.

Reports the NSA tapped Mrs Merkel's phone have strained US-German relations

Mrs Merkel has not yet commented on the latest allegations, but a spokesman said: "We don't take the matter of spying for foreign intelligence agencies lightly."

Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper and the broadcasters WDR and NDR say the agent was initially detained on suspicion of contacting Russian intelligence agencies.

But during questioning he admitted that he had worked with the Americans.

Mrs Merkel spoke to US President Barack Obama on Friday evening, although it is not clear whether she discussed the case.

The US embassy in Berlin, the US State Department and the White House have all declined to comment.

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CCTV 'Shows Palestinian Teen Being Abducted'

By Tom Rayner, Middle East Reporter, in Jerusalem

CCTV footage which purports to show the moment a Palestinian teenager was kidnapped before being killed has been obtained by Sky News.

The video allegedly shows men bundling Mohammed Abu Khadair into a car in East Jerusalem, shortly before his burned body was found in a forest.

Blurry figures can be seen apparently bundling someone into a car

The footage emerged as tensions heightened in the region with Israel's military sending troop reinforcements to its border with the Gaza Strip.

In another development, the official Twitter feed of the Israel Defense Forces was hacked, stating that rockets had hit a major nuclear facility, causing a leak.

The top tweet claims a nuclear facility was hit in the Negev desert The tweet was quickly removed and a correction issued

The tweet, which was quickly removed read: "#WARNING: Possible nuclear leak in the region after 2 rockets hit Dimona nuclear facility."

The IDF later confirmed the tweet was a hoax, vowing to "combat terror on all fronts including the cyber dimension".

The boy's father Hussein Abu Khadair has called for a full police inquiry

The Khadair family say their 17-year-old was on his way to the local mosque to attend the morning prayer when he was taken.

His body was found around 5am by police in a forest in West Jerusalem.

Although the CCTV footage cannot be verified, the family says it has been taken by Israeli police and is being examined as part of the investigation into the murder.

Israeli police have been keen to stress that they are yet to establish a clear motive for the murder and say they cannot yet rule out a criminal, rather than nationalistic revenge motive.

The incident took place hours after large crowds of Israelis demonstrated in Jerusalem.

They called for tougher action to be taken by the government in response to the kidnap and murder of three Israeli teenagers, whose bodies were discovered on Monday afternoon.

Palestinians stand next to a crater they say was caused by Israeli rockets

Crowds chanting "death to Arabs" gathered in the centre of the city and many Arab residents were protected from would-be lynch mobs by police.

Israeli police confirmed that 47 Israelis involved were arrested the night before Mohammed was killed.

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Video Of Horrifying Moment Flyover Collapses

A graphic video has shown the aftermath of the collapse of a motorway flyover in Brazil, which left at least two dead and many injured.

It shows injured bus passengers walking away from the crushed vehicle in Belo Horizonte covered in blood.

The camera then approaches the front of the bus, where a barely conscious woman can be seen trapped in the wreckage.

The driver of the bus was killed in the collapse

CCTV footage has also been released showing the moment the entire unfinished section of road dropped onto the motorway below in a split-second.

Alexandra Pereira, a teacher who was in an apartment building just 20 yards from the overpass, said it sounded like an "earthquake or bomb".

"I looked out my window and panicked," she said.

One person said it was like an "earthquake or bomb"

"I couldn't see anything but a huge cloud of dust."

The accident happened in the north of the city, where teams have been based throughout their World Cup campaigns.

The bridge was supposed to be built in time for the tournament.

The car that was crushed in the collapse

The nearby Mineirao Stadium has hosted four World Cup matches and is due to host a semi-final next Tuesday.

Fire services sent more than a dozen engines and a helicopter to the scene to aid those trapped in the wreckage.

A fire department spokesman told the AFP news agency that scaffolding was being taken down at the time of the collapse and the flyover was in the final stages of construction.

It is not known at this stage why the flyover collapsed

Live TV images showed what appeared to be a school bus and other vehicles trapped under the rubble.

The female driver of the bus was killed, with 13 people rescued from the vehicle.

Two trucks belonging to the construction company and one car were crushed along with the bus.

Two construction trucks were also crushed

City firefighters said on their official Twitter account that at least one person was dead but other sources said the death toll was two, with at least 22 injured.

Officials say they do not expect the casualty toll to rise too sharply, although they have not yet reached a small car that was flattened.

It is not known if anyone inside the car escaped or remained inside.

More than a dozen fire engines were called to the scene

It is not yet known why the flyover collapsed. Cowan, the construction company responsible for building it, said investigators are on site.

Groups of people gathered near the scene of the accident, with some of them shouting.

A man holds a banner that reads 'Cup dirty with blood' close to the scene

Bank worker Leandro Brito said: "Because of the World Cup they sped everything up to finish faster.

"That's why this tragedy has happened. They are not making things properly. Everyone is very angry."

Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte

Ms Pereira said that, along with her neighbours, she complained to the mayor that they feared for their safety from the construction and asked authorities for compensation so they could move.

She said the request was rejected and the mayor's office assured them the project was safe.

Fire department spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Edgar Estevo da Silva said officials had inspected the apartment buildings and did not find any sign they were at risk because of the overpass collapse.

The World Cup has been dogged by delays to stadiums and infrastructure, and there were several accidents during construction of the stadiums.

Just three days before the tournament began on June 12, an accident in Sao Paulo killed one worker and injured two others when an unfinished monorail collapsed.

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Teacher Stabbed To Death 'By Mother Of Pupil'

A primary school teacher has been stabbed to death by a pupil's mother as children looked on, French prosecutors have said.

The incident happened on Friday morning at a school in Albi, near Toulouse, in the south of France.

The mother has been arrested.

Prosecutor Claude Derens described what had happened.

"This morning, a mother showed up with a knife and stabbed a 34-year-old teacher in front of her students, for reasons that will be determined by the investigation," Mr Derens said.

"When I arrived at the scene they were trying to revive her. She was in cardiac arrest in her classroom."    

President Francois Hollande has sent education minister Benoit Hamon to the Edouard Herriot school which teaches 284 pupils between the ages of three and 11.

"All state services will be mobilised to take care of these children and the staff who witnessed this awful tragedy," Mr Hollande said in a statement.   

Mr Hamon was described as "deeply shocked by this crime", which plunges the end of the school year into mourning.

A spokesman for the minister continued: "This tragedy confirms there is a need to fight against violence in and around schools, to protect schools, teachers and students."

A news conference is due to be held later.

France has become increasingly concerned about pupils' parents assaulting teachers, with a study released in April revealing that nearly half of primary school head teachers said they had been verbally or physically assaulted by parents.

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Saudi Arabia 'Deploys Troops To Iraq Border'

Red-Bearded Chechen Fighter Is Face Of ISIS

Updated: 10:15am UK, Thursday 03 July 2014

A red-bearded Chechen fighter with a deep hatred of Americans has emerged as the public face of al Qaeda splinter group ISIS.

Omar al Shishani - which means Omar the Chechen - has appeared on the group's recent propaganda videos and may have been promoted to overall military chief.

He is among hundreds of Chechens who are considered some of the toughest and most ruthless jihadi fighters in Syria and Iraq.

In a video released by the group over the weekend, al Shishani is shown standing in front of black masked militants declaring the elimination of the Iraq-Syria border.

Up until recently, the 28-year-old has been considered the group's military commander in Syria, leading an offensive towards the Iraq border.

But he may now have risen to become overall military chief, a post left vacant after the death of Iraqi militant Abu Abdul Rahman al Bilawi al Anbari.

Al Shishani, whose real name is Tarkhan Batirashvili, is an ethnic Chechen from the Caucasus nation of Georgia, specifically from the Pankisi Valley.

The area is a centre of Georgia's Chechen community and once a stronghold for militants.

Former comrades say he was raised by a Christian father and Muslim mother, who died of cancer. 

With a deep hatred for the Kremlin, he played a role in the 2008 Russia-Georgia War, spying on Russian tanks and relaying their positions back to Georgian artillery.

He is described by those who knew him before ISIS as a sober and respected person who did not show signs of religious extremism.

Reports suggest he rose to the rank of sergeant in the Georgian army, but was discharged after contracting tuberculosis in 2010.

He later spent 16 months in a Georgian prison after being charged for possessing illegal weapons.

It was during his time in jail that al Shishani apparently developed a deep hatred of Americans as "the enemies of Allah and the enemies of Islam".

"I promised God that if I come out of prison alive, I'll go fight jihad for the sake of God," he told a jihadist website.

As soon as he was released in 2010, al Shishani  left for Turkey and later surfaced in Syria in 2013.

There, he led the al Qaeda-inspired "Army of Emigrants and Partisans", a group including many fighters from the former Soviet Union.

A meeting was soon organised with ISIS overall chief Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, an Iraqi, in which al Shishani pledged loyalty to him, say reports.

He first showed his battlefield prowess in August 2013, when his fighters proved pivotal in taking the Syrian military's Managh air base in the north of the country.

His high profile contrasts sharply with al Baghdadi, who remains deep in hiding and has hardly ever been photographed. 

Al Shishani's father described his son as "a man with no job, no prospects - so he took the wrong path".

That path appears to have taken him to the upper echelons of the most formidable jihadist organisation in the world.

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Red-Bearded Chechen Fighter Is Face Of ISIS

A red-bearded Chechen fighter with a deep hatred of Americans has emerged as the public face of al Qaeda splinter group ISIS.

Omar al Shishani - which means Omar the Chechen - has appeared on the group's recent propaganda videos and may have been promoted to overall military chief.

He is among hundreds of Chechens who are considered some of the toughest and most ruthless jihadi fighters in Syria and Iraq.

In a video released by the group over the weekend, al Shishani is shown standing in front of black masked militants declaring the elimination of the Iraq-Syria border.

Omar al Shishani embraces another militant on a propaganda video

Up until recently, the 28-year-old has been considered the group's military commander in Syria, leading an offensive towards the Iraq border.

But he may now have risen to become overall military chief, a post left vacant after the death of Iraqi militant Abu Abdul Rahman al Bilawi al Anbari.

Al Shishani, whose real name is Tarkhan Batirashvili, is an ethnic Chechen from the Caucasus nation of Georgia, specifically from the Pankisi Valley.

The area is a centre of Georgia's Chechen community and once a stronghold for militants.

Former comrades say he was raised by a Christian father and Muslim mother, who died of cancer. 

In another video extract, he is seen driving a digger

With a deep hatred for the Kremlin, he played a role in the 2008 Russia-Georgia War, spying on Russian tanks and relaying their positions back to Georgian artillery.

He is described by those who knew him before ISIS as a sober and respected person who did not show signs of religious extremism.

Reports suggest he rose to the rank of sergeant in the Georgian army, but was discharged after contracting tuberculosis in 2010.

He later spent 16 months in a Georgian prison after being charged for possessing illegal weapons.

It was during his time in jail that al Shishani apparently developed a deep hatred of Americans as "the enemies of Allah and the enemies of Islam".

ISIS fighters have been battling rival factions in Syria

"I promised God that if I come out of prison alive, I'll go fight jihad for the sake of God," he told a jihadist website.

As soon as he was released in 2010, al Shishani  left for Turkey and later surfaced in Syria in 2013.

There, he led the al Qaeda-inspired "Army of Emigrants and Partisans", a group including many fighters from the former Soviet Union.

A meeting was soon organised with ISIS overall chief Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, an Iraqi, in which al Shishani pledged loyalty to him, say reports.

He first showed his battlefield prowess in August 2013, when his fighters proved pivotal in taking the Syrian military's Managh air base in the north of the country.

His high profile contrasts sharply with al Baghdadi, who remains deep in hiding and has hardly ever been photographed. 

Al Shishani declared an elimination of the Iraq-Syria border

Al Shishani's father described his son as "a man with no job, no prospects - so he took the wrong path".

That path appears to have taken him to the upper echelons of the most formidable jihadist organisation in the world.

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Oscar Pistorius: 'Fleeing Was Not An Option'

The final defence witness in the Oscar Pistorius trial has told a court why the athlete did not flee from his house on the night he shot dead his girlfriend.

The Paralympian and Olympian denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp, claiming he shot her after mistaking her for an intruder at the property.

On the 37th day of the trial, the defence read from Pistorius' evidence - the part where he was questioned about why he went towards danger.

Professor Wayne Derman, who worked with the South African Paralympic team, was asked to explain why the defendant would have headed in that direction after being 'startled'.

The physician said it was consistent with the 'flight or fight' reflex and he said there was less ability to "think" after such a response kicked in.

Mr Derman said fleeing was not an option as the athlete has no lower legs - the other option was to fight and approach danger.

The defendant, who had fired his pistol through a closed toilet door in his home, was hyper-sensitive to sound and has a heightened fight or flight response, he also said.

Pistorius is vulnerable and his fear of crime is exacerbated by his physical disability, Mr Derman told the court.

His lower legs were amputated as a baby because he was born without fibula bones.

Mr Derman also described the athlete as a "paradox".

He said there were two Oscars - one winning races with his hands up and tall on his prosthetic legs - the other disabled on stumps.

"It is different each day" he said, adding the contrast causes stress and anxiety for the double-amputee runner.

Pistorius has admitted killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

The defence wants to show Pistorius' alleged sense of vulnerability was a factor in the night-time shooting on Valentine's Day last year.

Under cross-examination, the prosecution claimed Mr Derman could not give objective evidence as an "expert" as it might harm his patient.

But Mr Derman rejected this and said he had backed up his points with science.

On Wednesday, the court heard the defendant has been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) since shooting her and needs to continue being treated to avoid the risk of suicide.

The findings of a psychiatric report were read out during the South African athlete's murder trial in Pretoria.

It ruled Pistorius is not mentally ill, but has been "severely traumatised" by the events of last year.

Pistorius, who is on bail, faces 25 years to life in prison if found guilty of premeditated murder.

But he could also be sentenced to a shorter prison term if convicted of murder without premeditation or negligent killing.

More follows...

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Africa Battles To Stop Deadly Spread Of Ebola

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, In Liberia

The worst Ebola outbreak ever is spreading and will almost certainly extend across West Africa unless there is cross-country co-operation and urgent international assistance.

The porous borders between Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone has meant the disease is not being contained and now risks spreading even further.

Health workers at the epicentre, where the borders of the three countries meet, have made an urgent appeal through Sky News for immediate international help to try to control the virus.

Philip Azumah, the Foya district health officer, said: "We need help now, or the virus will spread and kill more people."

It is difficult to determine exactly how many people have already died from the disease given the cross-border contamination and lack of accounting.

But it is already clear there are many more deaths than any previous outbreak.

Aid organisation Doctors Without Borders has already said it is the largest outbreak on record, with the highest number of deaths.

Across the three countries, more than 400 have died in this latest outbreak, with no sign of the disease being halted.

And for the first time the disease has spread to highly populated areas including cities such as Guinea's capital, Conakry.

The latest outbreak has spread to three countries

At one of the high-risk infection centres set up in Foya, in Liberia, the medics insisted we, like them, took extreme precautions.

This included wearing two layers of protective head-to-toe clothing featuring one waterproof all-in-one outfit, face and head masks, double gloves, thick plastic aprons, sturdy goggles and rubber boots.

Among the victims was a nurse who contracted Ebola after caring for a person who later died from the virus.

Nurse Elizabeth Smith was lying on a bed next to another nurse who had contracted Ebola from the same patient they had both treated.

But Ms Smith was significantly weaker than her co-worker. She did not raise her head as we entered and her bed was soaked in blood.

Neither woman had realised they were treating a patient with Ebola, so had taken none of the precautions their colleagues were now taking.

Two of them sprayed Ms Smith with disinfectant, down her legs, her feet, her hands and arms as they stood arms-length away in their head-to-toe protective clothing and visors. Gingerly, they took her arms and helped her to her feet, before escorting her down the tent corridor to the high-risk area.

Elizabeth Smith was too weak to raise her head

Here, every patient is a confirmed Ebola case and the odds are that 90% of them will die.

The frightening deadliness of Ebola, plus the ignorance around it and the lack of a cure, has thrown the medical staff in this area into a panic.

Francis Forndia, administrator for Foya-Borma Hospital, where medical staff have died after treating victims, told us his workers simply fled after nurses began dying.

"It is hard to get them to return, but we have managed to persuade some to come back by explaining to them how needed they are," he said.

Mr Azumah is co-ordinating the health battle against Ebola in this area. He tells me the first recent outbreak in Liberia was in March, when an infected woman travelled to Foya from Guinea.

She died two days after being admitted to the sole and tiny hospital in Foya. By the time of her death, she had infected eleven people in hospital alone.

Two of them were nurses who went on to die. The remaining nine somehow managed to survive.

Officials say cultural traditions have helped spread the virus

Then Liberia went a solid three weeks without an incident and believed they were clear - until the end of May.

This time, a woman from Sierra Leone, probably out of fear, gave misleading information about where she had come from.

She told investigators she was local, which was true, but did not mention she had in fact spent some time in an infected area of Sierra Leone.

This time the consequences were much more widespread. She had infected a stream of people, six of whom died.

They are still trying to trace all those she may have been in contact with.

There have since been other outbreaks in Voinjamma and the Liberian capital, Monrovia, while Guinea and Sierra Leone continue to register deaths, too.

Mr Azumah said: "In our culture, it is the habit to wash the dead body, look after it for a week in the home, kiss and touch it, even eat meals with the dead body - and we believe this has led to the virus spreading.

"Also people are keeping the illnesses and deaths secret if they suspect Ebola."

By alerting the authorities to possible Ebola, people risk being ostracised by their communities.

There is even a fear among these poverty stricken communities that the visiting health workers are spreading the virus.

But what seems significant is that, in Liberia at least, one of the poorest countries in the world, they are largely coping with this virulent disease on their own - with very little outside help evident.

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The 'Heroes' Fighting Africa's Deadly Virus

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, In Liberia

Sky News talks to the Ebola "heroes" fighting the virus in Foya, Liberia - the epicentre of the latest outbreak.

:: The District Health Officer 

Philip F Azumah conducts daily emergency meetings of about a dozen key local professionals from the backyard of his house in the centre of Foya, desperately trying to collate the latest information and planning fresh action to take that day to combat the spread of the virus and educate the population.

He organises samples to be taken of suspected cases and even personally transports these samples to the Guinea border a few kilometers away where the samples are received by a representative from Medecins Sans Frontiers and taken over the border by canoe boat to their testing lab twenty minutes away.

There is no Ebola testing laboratory in Foya itself and the capital Monrovia is nine hours drive away so this is the quickest route.

He says one of the main ways the virus is being spread is because the traditional way of dealing with the dead.

The dead person is often kept in the house for a week while relatives wash them, plait their hair, eat with them, weep and pray for them.#

This means if the person has died of Ebola, the virus is very easily spread through this close contact.
 

:: The Liberian Red Cross Worker

Henry T Nyorka

Henry T Nyorkor spends his time calming fears and concerns amongst a terrified population many of whom are ignorant of the basic facts about how Ebola is spread.

He works hard at trying to spread information about how the virus is passed on and also at integrating those who miraculously survive (there's a ten percent survival rate) or those who test negative for the disease.

Even if people are cleared of having the virus, such is the fear of getting the disease, they are often outcasts in their communities.

This has also led to a general reluctance to notify the authorities of any symptoms - and some of those with Ebola have been hidden and buried secretly to avoid the relatives being ostracised.
 

:: The Hospital Administrator 

Francis Forndia

Francis T Forndia is struggling to maintain morale at the tiny Foya-Borma hospital, the only hospital in the area and where three of the medical staff have already died.

They contracted the disease after treating a patient they did not realise had the virus. The deaths caused fear and panic amongst the medical staff and several fled the hospital and have not returned.

He urgently wants the Liberian Government to help out with a compensation package for the staff who are being asked to treat Ebola patients.

Right now should any of them contract the illness or even die, there is no help for the families and loved ones they leave behind so little incentive for them to risk their lives tackling one of the globe's most virulent diseases.
 

:: The Nurse 

Adeyami Babatunde

Adeyemi Babatunde works in the High Risk Ebola Infection Unit set up on the edge of Foya town. He takes extraordinary risks treating and caring for those who have the disease and most of whom will die.

He is traumatised after the death of two of his nursing colleagues. He has to don extraordinary protective kit to ensure he doesn't catch the virus - including two layers of clothing, two gloves, rubber boots, head gear and a mask - every time he enters the infection ward.

In temperatures of nearly 40 degrees, the temperatures once kitted-up are stifling and the sights inside the ward are often frightening and traumatic.

Whilst we were there we saw him trying to treat another nurse who was bleeding heavily and was clearly very weak and dazed from the virus.

He does this in the knowledge that 90 per cent of all those confirmed as having Ebola end up dying. There is no cure or treatment for the virus.
 

:: The Survivor 

Harrison Sakilla

Harrison Sakilla is in a very select group of Ebola survivors - one of only ten percent of those who catch the virus who have ended up living.

He caught it from tending to his dying mother in Sierra Leone who - unbeknown to him - had the disease. He brought the disease back over the border to Liberia with him and was struck down ill within three days of returning.

He informed the authorities and they managed to rehydrate him and care him back to health. He knows he is astonishingly lucky and credits the dedication of the medical nurses and Allah for saving him from an almost certain death.

The medics around the Ebola treatment have encouraged him to stay around the tented area as an example of someone who has survived and is back to good health.

"I feel strong," he told us when we spoke to him.

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Clashes Erupt As Teen Found Dead In Jerusalem

Palestinian protesters have clashed with police in Israel after the discovery of the body of an Arab teenager who is suspected to have been killed in retribution for the deaths of three Israeli youths.

Sky News' Middle East Correspondent Sherine Tadros said the violence began in Jerusalem's Shuafat refugee camp after news of the discovery spread.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for calm on all sides as video footage showed protesters throwing rocks at police who responded with tear gas.

Special forces have been sent in and all roads in the area have been closed.

The body is believed to be that of a Palestinian teenager from the camp who was reported missing in the early hours of the morning.

Violence started after reports a Palestinian youth was abducted

Witnesses said they saw him being forced into a vehicle outside a supermarket in the Shuafat area.

However Israeli police have not yet confirmed the identity of the body, which was found in the Jerusalem Forest in West Jerusalem.

Israel's Ynet website reported that it was charred and showed signs of violence.

Palestinian news reports have blamed Israeli settlers for the abduction.

One Israeli security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said officials suspect the youth was killed in retribution for the deaths of three Israeli teenagers whose bodies were found in the West Bank on Monday.

Police are investigating whether the body was that of the missing teen

Israel has accused the Palestinian militant group Hamas of abducting and killing Gilad Shaar, 16, Eyal Yifrach, 19, and Naftali Frenkel, 16.

They went missing while hitchhiking home from the Jewish seminaries where they studied near Hebron.

Although Hamas has denied any involvement, there have been calls in Israel for revenge. 

But Naftali Frenkel's family has spoken out against acts of retribution.

The three Israeli teens were buried on Tuesday

His uncle, Yisahi Frenkel, said: "If the Arab youth was murdered because of nationalistic motives then this is a horrible and horrendous act.

"There is no difference between (Arab) blood and (Jewish) blood. Murder is murder. There is no forgiveness or justification for any murder."

Prime Minister Netanyahu has issued a statement urging all sides "not to take the law into their own hands".

Overnight police in Jerusalem arrested 47 Israelis overnight who attended a hardline "anti-Arab" protest in the city. Chants of "death to Arabs" were heard among the several hundred protesters.

Mr Netanyahu had earlier pledged to find those responsible for the Israeli youths' deaths.

Jewish youths mourn next to the graves of the three boys

Speaking to reporters, he said: "Whoever was involved in the kidnapping and the murder will bear the consequences. We will neither rest nor slow down until we reach the last of them and it does not matter where they will try to hide."

Mr Netanyahu also warned Israel's response would include stepping up military activity in Hamas-controlled Gaza if rocket fire from the territory continues.

"The Israeli Defence Force has been active in recent days against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, and here as well we are still active," he said.

"If need be, we will expand the operation as much as is needed."

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Israel Bombs Gaza After Teenagers Found Dead

Israeli fighter jets have bombed dozens of sites in the Gaza Strip hours after vowing to take revenge on the killers of three teenagers.

Soldiers also demolished the West Bank homes of two main suspects in the murders of the kidnapped trio.

A man was shot dead after allegedly throwing a grenade at troops attempting to arrest a militant in the Jenin refugee camp.

A fireball rises above Rafah, southern Gaza, following an Israeli airstrike

The Israeli teenagers' bodies were found under a pile of rocks in an isolated spot near Hebron, three weeks after they went missing.

Eyal Yifrach, 19, and 16-year-olds Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frenkel disappeared on June 12 while hitchhiking home from the Jewish school where they were studying.

Their bodies were found by soldiers after the biggest Israeli ground operation inside the West Bank in nearly a decade.

Soldiers walk away from the Hebron home of one of the kidnap suspsects

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed the Islamic militant group Hamas for the atrocity and said the teenagers were "kidnapped and murdered in cold blood by human animals".

"Hamas is responsible and Hamas will pay," he said.

Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, has denied any involvement in the kidnappings, although a spokesman said: "Threats don't scare Hamas and if (Mr Netanyahu) wages a war on Gaza, the gates of hell will open on him."

An adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the country was committed to peace so that "no mother or no family will be bereaved for the loss of their beloved ones, (whether) Palestinian or Israeli."

One of Amer Abu Eisheh's relatives walks through the shell of his home

However, Mark Regev, a spokesman for the Israeli government, told Sky News: "President Abbas says he's committed to peace, reconciliation and fighting terrorism, and yet he's in an alliance with terrorists who kidnap and murder children.

"When he chose to form a pact with Hamas, he was turning his back on his own commitment to fighting terrorism.

"Hamas is part of a family of terrorist movements, such as Hizbollah in Lebanon and Isis in Iraq, who are well known for their violence and their extremism.

Demonstrators march near the UN headquarters in New York

"President Abbas has to decide whether he's with them or with the path of peace and reconciliation."

About 400 suspected Hamas militants were arrested as Israeli air strikes hit 34 targets inside the Gaza Strip.

The homes of chief suspects Marwan Qawasmeh and Amer Abu Eisheh, who are still on the run, were also destroyed, witnesses told the AFP news agency.

Israeli security officials are expected to discuss possible further military action after an emergency meeting on Monday.

Overnight, thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv's central Rabin Square, close to where the teenagers were abducted, to sing, pray and light candles.

It came as Secretary of State John Kerry condemned the "despicable terrorist act" as an "outrage beyond any understanding or rationale".

"As a father, there are no words to express such a horrific loss that shakes all people of conscience," he added.

US President Barack Obama said the murders were "senseless" but warned against retribution that "could further destabilise the situation".

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World Cup: Cameroon Hit By Match-Fixing Claims

Cameroon is to investigate claims that seven of its players were involved in match-fixing at the World Cup in Brazil.

A statement by the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) said the probe would be conducted by its Ethics Committee.

The investigation comes after a convicted Singaporean match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal accurately predicted the score before Cameroon's 4-0 defeat by Croatia on June 18, according to German magazine Der Spiegel.

Song gets his marching orders

The report said he also predicted a Cameroon player would be sent off in the first half of the game.

Midfielder Alex Song, who plays for Barcelona, was subsequently dismissed during the opening 45 minutes for elbowing Mario Mandzukic.

Cameroon also lost their two other Group A matches - beaten 1-0 by Mexico and 4-1 by Brazil.

"Recent allegations of fraud around Cameroon's three 2014 World Cup games, especially Cameroon v Croatia, as well as the existence of seven bad apples (in our national team), do not reflect the values and principles promoted by our administration," FECAFOOT said. 

"We wish to inform the general public that, though not yet contacted by Fifa in regards to this affair, our administration has already instructed its Ethics Committee to further investigate these accusations.

"We are strongly committed to employ all means necessary to resolve this disruptive matter in the shortest delays."

The statement added that Cameroon football has never been sanctioned for fraud.

Cameroon line up for the Coatia game

"We wish to reinstate that in fifty-five (55) years of existence, FECAFOOT has never been sanctioned for, involved in, or even linked to match-fixing or any fraud of any kind," it said.

Cameroon's match against Croatia was also marred by an incident in the second half when defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto appeared to headbutt team-mate Benjamin Moukandjo.

FECAFOOT subsequently launched an investigation into the incident but have yet to report the outcome.

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Nicolas Sarkozy Held In Corruption Inquiry

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is being held for questioning over suspected "influence peddling".

Detectives want to know if he promised a top role in Monaco to a high-ranking judge for information about an investigation into alleged illegal campaign funding.

They are looking into claims that Mr Sarkozy was warned his phone was being bugged as part of the funding probe.

The judge, Gilbert Azibert, a senior appeal court judge, was called in for questioning on Monday.

A second judge, Patrick Sassoust, was also quizzed, along with Mr Sarkozy's lawyer Thierry Herzog.

Mr Sarkosy arrives at the police station for questioning

The alleged illegal funding campaign is said to have been funded by the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Mr Sarkozy, 59, is being quizzed by detectives at their offices in Nanterre, west of Paris.

It is the first time a former head of state had been held for questioning in modern French history.

The conservative politician denies wrongdoing in a string of inquiries which could derail his hopes of a comeback after his 2012 presidential election defeat by Francois Hollande.

Mr Sarkozy has been out of power since 2012. File image

Asked about the matter, French government spokesman Stephane Le Foll said Mr Sarkozy was "subject to justice just like everyone else."

Suspicions Mr Sarkozy and his lawyer kept tabs on the funding probe through well-connected informants arose after a legal phone-tappng operation.

The case is one of six involving Mr Sarkozy, including a new one this year into alleged irregularities in his unsuccessful 2012 election campaign.

In March last year Mr Sarkozy was placed under formal investigation, accused of accepting envelopes stuffed with cash from heiress Liliane Bettencourt to illegally finance his 2007 election campaign.

Lilliane Bettencourt

However, he was later cleared of taking unfair advantage of Ms Bettencourt, who is 91 and France's richest woman. 

The L'Oreal heiress was diagnosed with dementia in 2006 and was placed under the guardianship of her family in 2011.

Mr Sarkozy lost his immunity from prosecution when he was beaten in the 2012 presidential election by his Socialist opponent.

Since then he has had to contend with a string of allegations relating to his five years in power and various election campaigns.

If he is charged and found guilty of  "influence peddling", he could face up to 10 years in jail.

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British Schoolboy Dies In Alps Waterfall Plunge

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

A British teenager has died after a canyoning accident in the Italian Alps.

The 15-year-old boy, who has not been named, suffered serious injuries after it is believed he hit rocks near to a waterfall.

A helicopter was scrambled to the scene and paramedics battled to save him while his shocked friends looked on.

The tragedy happened at Lillaz, near Cogne, close to Mount Blanc on the Italian-French border just after 4pm on Sunday afternoon.

Weather conditions were said to be poor.

Police in Courmayeur were questioning members of the dead boy's party to establish what happened.

The group were believed to be part of an organised school trip and had arrived earlier in the day by bus from a nearby campsite.

Officials said the group was taking part in an organised canyoning trip and the boy died after suffering fatal injuries while moving between pools of water.

A police spokesman said the victim was wearing a helmet and wetsuit when he got into difficulty but the exact circumstances of how he died were still being investigated.

A mountain rescue spokesman said: "He was in a group with a number of other British children and adults.

"I'm not sure if it was a school party or some other organised trip. He was wearing a helmet and suit and appears to have got into some sort of difficulty while jumping between the waterfalls that are there in the river.

"The initial theory is that he smashed into some sort of obstruction. Paramedics were quickly on the scene and they tried for an hour to revive him but there was nothing they could do. He was declared dead at the scene."

The party was staying at a campsite in nearby Villeneuve.

A receptionist who answered the telephone said: "Everyone is really shocked. We don't really want to say anything else for the time being."

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are aware of an incident involving a British national in Italy, and stand ready to provide consular assistance."

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North Korea To Try US Pair Over 'Hostile Acts'

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent in Beijing

North Korea is to put two detained American men on trial for "committing hostile acts" against the country.

According to the country's state news agency, KCNA, investigations into Jeffrey Edward Fowle, 56, and Matthew Todd Miller, 24, have confirmed suspicions that they planned hostile acts during their visits.

The KCNA report said their "crimes" were confirmed through an examination of evidence and through testimonies given by the two men.

However, details of their alleged crimes have not been revealed. The North Korean regime has not disclosed any evidence or hinted at when their trials might begin.

Tourists are lured to North Korea by its secrecy and mystery

Mr Miller is understood to have arrived in North Korea on a tourist visa on April 10.

According to various reports, including KCNA, Miller publicly tore up his passport at Pyongyang Airport and declared he wanted to seek asylum in North Korea.

"A relevant organ of the DPRK put in custody American Miller Matthew Todd, 24, on April 10 for his rash behaviour in the course of going through formalities for entry into the DPRK to tour it," a KCNA report stated at the time.

Mr Fowle, a 56-year-old from the US state of Ohio, arrived in the country on April 29. He was also travelling on a tourist visa.

According to diplomatic sources, he was detained after leaving a bible in his hotel room. Christian missionaries are known to be active inside the country and play a role in helping people to escape the regime.

However, Mr Fowle's family have told reporters in Ohio that he was not on a mission for his church.

Kenneth Bae has been held in North Korea since November 2012

An increasing number of tourists are choosing to travel to North Korea, lured by the country's secrecy and mystery.

All tourists must travel with specific tour groups and are tied to rigid itineraries accompanied by government minders.

In May, the US State Department changed its travel advice to US citizens, warning against all travel to North Korea.

"US citizen tourists have been subject to arbitrary arrest and long-term detention," the State Department warning says.

"North Korean authorities have arrested US citizens who entered the DPRK legally on valid DPRK visas as well as US citizens who accidentally crossed into DPRK territory.

"Do not assume that joining a group tour or use of a tour guide will prevent your arrest or detention by North Korean authorities.

"Efforts by private tour operators to prevent or resolve past detentions of US citizens in the DPRK have not succeeded in gaining their release."

The UK Foreign Office does not advise against travel but says visitors should exercise sensible precautions.

"Very few British nationals visit North Korea and those that do are usually part of an organised tour. Most visits are trouble-free. However, the North Korean authorities have arrested other legal visitors, including 2 US citizens during recent years." it says.

The US has no diplomatic ties with North Korea, presenting it with significant difficulties in gaining access to the detained men.

The Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang takes responsibility for US consular affairs in the country.

Another American, Kenneth Bae, has been held in North Korea since November 2012.

A closed North Korean court convicted him of crimes against the state and sentenced him to 15 years hard labour. To date, attempts to secure his release have failed despite his failing health.

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