North Korea's Kim Jong-Un Caught Off Balance

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent

The North Korean leader appears to have sustained an injury to his leg.

Footage of Kim Jong-Un limping onto a stage in the country's parliament building was broadcast on North Korean state television.

The young leader was attending a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the death of his grandfather, Kim Il-Sung, who died 20 years ago.

The North Korean leader seems to be favouring his right leg

In the footage, Mr Kim walks briskly onto an empty stage clearly limping. Another camera angle shows him sitting on the stage looking particularly stern.

The limp has not been acknowledged by the North Korean authorities. It is unusual for the regime to show the country's leader displaying anything other than perfect health.

Mr Kim's grandfather, Kim Il Sung, developed a tennis-ball-sized growth on the back of his neck in his latter years. State media was banned from filming or photographing him from certain angles. 

Kim Jong-Un inspects sharks at the Songdowon International Children's Camp

The Supreme Leader was not filmed leaving the ceremony which was broadcast live. He did not speak at the event but listened to the country's nominal head of state Kim Yong Nam who hailed the late Kim Il-Sung as "the greatest leader in human history".

Kim Il-Sung, the founding leader of North Korea, ruled the county from its establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994.

He was succeeded by Kim Jong-Un's father, Kim Jong-Il - he died in December 2011 and power was transferred to the youngest Kim.

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Pistorius Trial Adjourned As Defence Closes Case

Pistorius Witness 'Too Close' To Be Credible

Updated: 2:01pm UK, Monday 07 July 2014

Prosecutors have claimed the evidence of a key defence witness in the Oscar Pistorius murder trial is not credible.

The trial resumed with the questioning of Professor Wayne Derman, the doctor for the South African Paralympic team.

Professor Derman testified last week that Pistorius was vulnerable, stressed and would have been unable to flee because of his disability.

But prosecutor Gerrie Nel put it to the court on Monday that Professor Derman was close to Pistorius, travelled the world with him and therefore could not be objective.

"You don't want to give an answer that will not benefit the accused," said Mr Nel.

The witness responded: "I have attempted to come to court to give as objective evidence as I can - I do not think I am biased."

The prosecutor argued that even if the physician's analysis was correct, and "hyper vigilance" caused Pistorius to shoot Reeva Steenkamp, the Paralympian was a "danger to society".

Mr Nel did not mention explicitly the video broadcast on Australian TV that shows Pistorius re-enacting the night he shot his girlfriend.

The defence commissioned the video but chose not to use it as part of their case - and they are furious it has been broadcast.

The footage shows Pistorius running on his stumps and miming shooting - and though Mr Nel did not refer to it in court, he suggested Professor Derman's claims about the defendant's lack of mobility were not accurate.

The physician maintained that Pistorius could not flee "as you or I" could - but conceded under questioning that fleeing to another room would have been an "option".

Professor Derman also admitted that having a gun made the athlete "less vulnerable" on the night.

Sky's Emma Hurd was in court and said the video broadcast in Australia was an "elephant in the room".

"Gerrie Nel has asked Professor Derman about the level of movement Pistorius would have had," she said.

"The video has not been mentioned explicitly but has been hinted at, so we're not expecting it to be introduced as evidence."

Pistorius, who is on trial for premeditated murder, denies deliberately killing his girlfriend, claiming he mistook her for an intruder.

He faces between 25 years and life in prison if found guilty.

The trial has been adjourned until Tuesday morning, when the defence is expected to close its case.

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'Dangerous' Typhoon Races Towards Japan Islands

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent

A warning of significant damage to property has been issued in coastal regions of western Japan as Typhoon Neoguri continues its path across the country.

Half a million people in Okinawa Prefecture have been urged to evacuate, with Japan's main broadcaster NHK warning of possible "extensive damage" caused by a storm surge.

The storm was downgraded from its super-typhoon status overnight and its core appears to have missed the southern Japanese islands.

But even its periphery has brought strong winds, with a speed of 107mph recorded on Okinawa Island.

Airports and schools have been closed in Okinawa and fishermen have been told to return to port.

Typhoon Neoguri's predicted path across Japan. Source: JTWC

Residents in some areas have been told to remain in their homes and others living in low-lying areas told to evacuate.

On Ishigaki island, south of Okinawa and approximately 75 miles west of the eye of the storm, residents took precautions in an effort to protect their property.

Cars were secured to the ground using ropes and loose debris cleared away.

According to NHK, one woman sustained a head injury and one fisherman is missing after he was swept from his boat.

There are no reports of any other casualties.

Trees are blasted by strong winds in Naha on Japan's Okinawa island

Japan is used to storms and many people appear to have heeded the advice of the authorities.

Keiji Furuya, chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, urged residents to "take refuge as early as possible".

Although the storm has been downgraded and will lose much of its power once it makes landfall, the rain levels are a significant concern.

The storm is unusually early in the typhoon season and comes just at the end of the rainy season.

Saturated ground will be unable to absorb much of the rain due to fall in the coming hours.

Typhoon Neoguri has brought powerful winds and heavy rain

The speed and wide area of the storm are both further concerns.

It is moving slowly in a northerly direction and is due to turn eastwards overnight into Wednesday, taking it straight over the Japanese mainland.

It is expected to reach Tokyo later this week.

Okinawa is home to the American Air Force base Kadena.

Aircraft have been flown to other bases in the Pacific to avoid any damage to them, after the commander of the base warned of the dangers posed by the storm.

Residents cross a precarious-looking suspension bridge in eastern Taiwan

Brigadier-General James Heckler said: "I can't stress enough how dangerous this typhoon may be when it hits Okinawa.

"This is the most powerful typhoon forecast to hit the island in 15 years. This is not just another typhoon.

"If we all follow the typhoon procedures and take care of each other, we will all make it through this typhoon safely."

Authorities in Philippines, which was hit by the world's strongest ever recorded typhoon in November, have said the storm did not make landfall, passing 300 miles east of the country.

The Chinese, Taiwanese and South Korean governments have all warned their ships to stay clear of the storm.

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Ninja Roller Coaster Derails In Six Flags Park

A tree branch caused a roller coaster at the Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park to derail, keeping two dozen people hanging in the air for hours.

Four riders were hurt as the front car of Ninja roller coaster was dislodged on Monday, but their injuries were minor.

The passengers were stranded some 20ft (7m) up as day turned to night.

It took emergency crews about three hours to rescue all riders

It took emergency crews nearly three hours to rescue all 22 riders.

Firefighters and park maintenance workers in harnesses tried to reach them through a tangle of track and trees and had to remove the passengers one by one from coaster cars.

The Ninja coaster swoops through the trees to give riders a thrill

The ride will remain shut down while the accident was investigated, a park spokeswoman said in a statement.

Six Flags Magic Mountain is in the Valencia area of Santa Clarita, about 25 miles (40km) north of Los Angeles.

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Oscar Pistorius Defence Team Rests Case

It has taken 39 days in the courtroom, spanning a period of more than four months, but the evidence stage of the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius is finally over.

The athlete hugged his lawyers in court ahead of the brief hearing when his legal team announced they were resting their case for the defence.

Defence advocate Barry Roux told the judge he would not be calling any more witnesses.

But he also said that there were many witnesses that the defence would have liked to have called who refused to testify because of the global attention they would have received.

Model Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead on Valentine's Day 2013

It was a final swipe at the decision to televise the court proceedings "in the interests of open justice" which the defence had opposed from the start. 

Mr Roux was suggesting that the defence case might have been very different if the cameras had not been permitted in court.

The key defence witness, Oscar Pistorius himself, could not avoid the spotlight, although he chose to have only his voice broadcast during his evidence back in April. 

The athlete laid out his version of events: that he heard what he thought was an intruder and, in "fear for his life", approached the closed toilet door and fired four shots through it.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel says Pistorius murdered his girlfriend after a row

He said he thought his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, was still in the bedroom when he opened fire.

Other defence witnesses testified to his "vulnerability" as a double amputee and how his heightened 'fight or flight' response affected his actions on the night of the shooting. The prosecution argued that the athlete "intended" to kill that night and the athlete struggled during a fierce and lengthy cross-examination.

The athlete frequently broke down in tears in the witness box and retched when the prosecution showed graphic photos of Ms Steenkamp's injuries.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel, who had brought several of the runner's neighbours to give evidence about hearing a woman's "blood curdling screams", said Pistorius had murdered Ms Steenkamp after a row.

The model's mother, June, has attended the trial

The prosecution stressed that, even if the athlete had thought it was an intruder in the toilet, he still shot to kill.

The trial was delayed for more than six weeks after the court ordered a full psychiatric evaluation of the runner. The doctors found that he wasn't mentally ill at the time of the shooting and "fit to stand trial".

Both sides now have to compile "heads of argument" - effectively their closing statements, summing up their respective cases. 

These will be delivered to Judge Thokozile Masipa in writing, with a deadline of July 30 for the prosecution and August 4 for the defence.

On August 7 and 8, the lawyers will present their final arguments in court.

Only then will the judge, with the help of her two assessors, retire to consider her verdicts. And that could take several weeks.

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World Cup Tout Suspect 'Had Cash And Tickets'

By Paul Kelso, Sports Correspondent, in Rio de Janeiro

The British hospitality executive accused of being the central figure in a multi-million-dollar ticket touting operation was allegedly in possession of 82 World Cup passes when he was arrested.

The tickets were allegedly seized along with a quantity of cash by police in Rio de Janeiro when they arrested Ray Whelan at the Copacabana Palace Hotel.

The hotel, Rio's grandest, is Fifa's base for the tournament and also the hub for operations provided by official hospitality company Match Hospitality, of which Whelan is a director.

Police told Sky News Whelan was released from police custody at 5am on Tuesday under "habeas corpus", the equivalent of bail, and allowed to return to the hotel.

He has denied any involvement in the illegal sale of tickets and has surrendered his passport.

He is not permitted to leave the country.

Whelan was arrested at 3.40pm local time on Monday and taken to a Rio police station where he was questioned overnight.

He was detained in the lobby of the hotel, which is also home to Fifa president Sepp Blatter for the duration of the tournament, and taken to his suite on the fifth floor by prosecutor Marcos Kac.

The cash and tickets were allegedly seized, as well as a computer and mobile phone which have been sent for analysis.

Ever since their crackdown began, Brazilian police have said they believed the ringleader and source of the tickets was within the official Fifa operation and staying at the Copacabana Palace.

Whelan's arrest is acutely embarrassing for Fifa and raises fresh questions about its relationship with Match and the operation of licensed hospitality operations.

A Cheadle-based company run by Mexican brothers Jaime and Enrique Byrom, Match has been a Fifa partner since 1994 and has the hospitality contract through to the 2022 World Cup.

The company suffered a loss on the 2010 World Cup, which took place in the teeth of the global financial crash, but had been forecast to recoup that loss and make a substantial profit on the Brazil tournament.

Blatter's nephew Phillippe Blatter is chief executive of a company that owns a significant shareholding in Match.

Whelan's arrest is part of a major anti-ticket touting operation targeting a gang which police say was set to turnover close to $200m (£117m) on the World Cup.

Police have already arrested 11 people they accuse of illegally reselling tickets above face value in contravention of Brazilian law and Fifa rules.

Among them is Franco-Algerian Mohamadou Lamine Fofana, who police believe was the conduit to the source of the tickets.

Other arrests have followed wiretaps on his phone.

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Chinese Bus Fire Suspect Identified By Police

Chinese police investigating an arson attack that injured dozens of bus passengers say they have identified the man suspected of starting the blaze.

Bao Laixu suffered serious injuries after allegedly pouring a large can of banana oil over the inside of the bus about an hour after boarding.

The vehicle, which was packed with tourists, was then set on fire, injuring 32 people, some of whom remain in a critical condition.

Bao, from China's Gansu Province, is currently being treated in hospital under police surveillance.

The 34-year-old was seen on CCTV before the attack wearing a T-shirt, shorts and flip flops.

He was carrying a backpack, inside which police believe he was carrying the canister of flammable liquid.

Footage from security cameras on the bus showed passengers scrambling to get to safety as a man reaches to the floor with what appears to be a cigarette lighter.

Moments later, the entire bus is engulfed in flames.

Authorities in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, have ordered an inspection of all firefighting and emergency equipment on city buses, according to China's official Sina news agency.

Security has also been stepped up at local transport hubs, it said.

Police have yet to establish a motive for the attack.

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McCanns' Son 'Asked About Madeleine Claims'

Kate McCann has told a libel hearing her son asked her about allegations linking her to the disappearance of Madeleine, which were published in a book by former police chief Goncalo Amaral.

Mrs McCann told a court in Portugal, her son Sean had heard about the claims on the radio while travelling on a school bus.

She said: "Sean asked me in October: 'Mr Amaral said you hid Madeleine.'

"I just said he said a lot of silly things."

The McCanns are suing over the allegations in Mr Amaral's book, The Truth Of The Lie, which included suggestions they hid Madeleine's body after she died in an accident and faked an abduction.

They say the allegations damaged the hunt for their daughter and exacerbated their anguish.

Sky News' Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said she testified for almost an hour at Lisbon's Palace of Justice.

Madeleine has been missing for seven years

After the hearing, Gerry McCann told reporters they had brought the case to court to "challenge assertions that have gone more or less unchallenged".

He said whoever took Madeleine "must have been laughing at what has been told in the book; that there was no abduction, that there is no predator out there.

"There is. And he, she or they may strike again."

If successful, the couple could receive around £1m in damages. A judgement is not expected until later this year.

The trial was adjourned last month when Mr Amaral sacked his lawyer in what the McCanns claimed was a "blatant and cynical" attempt to hold up proceedings.

Police have been searching in Praia da Luz in recent weeks

Afterwards they accused him of trying to wear them down and delaying justice for their missing daughter.

Madeleine, who was then nearly four, disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on May 3, 2007 as her parents dined at a nearby restaurant with friends.

Their latest visit to Portugal comes after Scotland Yard detectives returned to the country last week to help interview suspects in the case.

Officers from the force's Operation Grange joined their Portuguese counterparts in Faro as they questioned "people of interest".

The suspects were believed to include three workers from the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz who have been linked to a string of burglaries in the area before Madeleine vanished.

Last month the British detectives teamed up with their Portuguese counterparts in searches of three areas of land near the Ocean Club.

Afterwards police said it was the "first phase of this major investigation which has been agreed with the Portuguese".

They added there was "still a substantial amount of work yet to be completed in the coming weeks and months".

Mr and Mrs McCann previously said the fact police found no evidence relating to Madeleine had reinforced their belief she could still be alive.

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Drone Causes Police Chopper To Change Course

Two people have been held for allegedly operating a drone that was on a possible collision course with a police helicopter in New York.

The helicopter pilot spotted the small unmanned aircraft near George Washington Bridge on Monday.

The drone continued to circle the bridge, coming within 800ft (240m) of the helicopter and forcing it to change course to avoid a collision.

Police tracked the drone and arrested Wilkins Mendoza and Remy Castro, both of Manhattan, on reckless endangerment charges.

The police also recovered another drone at the scene.

The New York Post, which first reported the story, said Castro and Mendoza bought the drones within the last two weeks for $500 (£290) to $700 (£400) each.

The newspaper cited a friend of the two.

The Federal Aviation Administration has yet to set standards for certifying the safety of civilian drones.

Efforts to provide them regular access to US skies face significant hurdles.

In addition to safety concerns, some human rights group fear that drones might be a danger to the privacy of US citizens.

Civilian drones are typically smaller than the ones used for military strikes.

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Israel Bombs Gaza After Hamas Rocket Fire

Israel has launched air and sea strikes on more than 50 targets in the Gaza Strip to quell the rocket and mortar attacks over the border by Hamas militants.

The Israeli military said the campaign - dubbed Operation Protective Edge - could form part of an extended offensive on the Hamas-ruled territory and is in retaliation for the attacks against it.

"They chose the direction of escalation," said army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner.

"So the mission will go on as long as we feel it is necessary to carry it out. We don't expect it to be a short mission on our behalf."

A Palestinian man wounded in an Israeli airstrike receives treatment

He added that additional reservists were being recruited for a possible ground invasion of Gaza.

Among the sites targeted by the aerial and naval assaults were four homes of alleged Hamas operatives, concealed rocket launchers, militant compounds and training bases.

Palestinian media reported at least 15 people, including a child, had been injured. An emergency services spokesman said four people had been killed, including a man in an area close to the Nusseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.

A Palestinian boy carries belongings from a bombed house

There was also a suggestion one of the houses targeted was of a senior Hamas military-wing figure.

Sky's Middle East Reporter Tom Rayner, on the Israel-Gaza border, said: "Israel says it has also intercepted rockets. This morning we have seen about four or five rockets fired from northern Gaza towards southern Israeli cities."

Hamas warned Israel had "crossed a red line" and would pay the price, threatening an "earthquake" in response to the attacks.

An Israeli airstrike on Gaza International Airport in Rafah on Monday

"If this policy does not stop, we will respond by enlarging the radius of our targets to the point where the enemy will be surprised," the group's military wing said in a statement.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas demanded Israel end its assault and called on the international community "to immediately intervene to halt this dangerous escalation which would lead the region to more destruction and instability".

The Israeli military said close to 100 rockets had been fired at southern Israel on Monday alone.

A map of Israel and the Gaza Strip

Israel responded with dozens of airstrikes and eight Palestinian militants were killed.

Tensions in the region have been inflamed following the kidnap and murder of three Israeli teenagers - Gilad Shaar, Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Yifrach - and the suspected revenge killing of 16-year-old Palestinian teenager Mohammed Abu Khadair.

The bodies of the three young Israelis were discovered in shallow graves on June 30, nearly three weeks after they disappeared while hitchhiking home.

Mohammed was burned alive, according to a preliminary post-mortem examination. He was found in the Jerusalem Forest last week.

Three of the six people arrested over his death have reportedly confessed but charges are yet to be brought.

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