North Korea executes 'With Anti-Aircraft Gun'

North Korea executes officials by anti-aircraft gun .

North Korea’s purge of senior officials who are deemed a threat to Kim Jong-un’s leadership of the country has continued with the recent public executions of two senior officials, according to South Korean media, possibly to generate fear among members of the elite in the wake of recent high-level defections.

The conservative daily, the JoongAng Ilbo, reported on Tuesday that Hwang Min, a former agriculture minister, and Ri Yong-jin, a senior official at the education ministry, were executed by anti-aircraft gun at a military academy in Pyongyang earlier this month.

Hwang was reportedly killed for making policy proposals that were seen as a direct threat to Kim’s leadership. The report did not give details of the proposals. Ri was said to have been executed for falling asleep during a meeting chaired by Kim.

The newspaper’s front-page report, based on information from an unnamed source it claimed had “special knowledge” of the regime, has not been independently verified. No announcement has been made by the state’s official KCNA news agency.

The rumoured executions, though would fit into a pattern of purges Kim has ordered against perceived enemies since he became leader in late 2011 after the death of his father, Kim Jong-il.

The most influential official to have been executed was Jang Song-thaek, Kim’s uncle and second-in-command. Jang, denounced as a “traitor for all ages”, was killed in December 2013 after being found guilty of treason and other crimes against the North Korean state.

In April last year, Hyon Yong-chol, a former defence chief, was executed after falling asleep during a military rally attended by Kim.

The JoongAng Ilbo speculated that the executions could herald a new round of purges, intended as a show of force by Kim in retaliation for recent defections, including that of Thae Yong-ho, deputy ambassador at the North Korean embassy in London.

The regime denounced Thae as “human scum,” and claimed he had fled to South Korea to escape charges of misusing government funds, selling state secrets and committing child rape.

The JoongAng Ilbo said the defections had “rekindled talk of instability and disunity among the North Korean elite”.

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Giant Cigar for Fidel Castro

Cuban dedicates giant cigar to Fidel

A Cuban cigar maker has broken his own record by rolling the world's longest cigar at 90 metres, the length of a soccer field, dedicating the monster smoke to Fidel Castro ahead of the retired leader's 90th birthday.

Castro, who took power in Cuba's 1959 revolution and ruled for nearly half a century, was often seen puffing on his favoured, long and thin lancero model until he quit in 1985.

"I want to dedicate this to a beloved Comandante Fidel Castro," said Jose Castelar Cairo, better known as "Cueto", who has won the world record five times before.

Cuba is awash with tributes to Castro ahead of his birthday on Saturday. Earlier on Friday, 90 people donated blood at a small school in Artemisa province in his honour.

Cueto eclipsed his previous record of around 82 metres with his new masterpiece, which took 10 days to roll with the help of several assistants in an old Spanish colonial era fort overlooking Havana Bay.

Cigars have been Cuba's signature product ever since Christopher Columbus saw natives smoking rolled up tobacco leaves when he first sailed to the Caribbean island in 1492.

For Cueto, a 72-year-old who learned cigar rolling when he was 5 years old, it is a matter of national pride for Cuba to keep the record.

"The best tobacco in the world is Cuban so I think Cuba should keep the record for the biggest cigar," he said, noting it was a challenging task.

The length of the cigar was verified by a British Embassy official, who said the information would be sent in a letter to Guinness World Records requesting confirmation of the record.

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crash survivor gets lucky again, wins $1 million-dollar sweepstake

Emirates plane crash survivor gets lucky again, wins $1 million-dollar sweepstakes

Less than one week after emerging from the Emirates plane crash in Dubai unscathed, one survivor proved himself lucky once again – by winning US$1 million in an airport duty-free sweepstakes.

Mohamed Basheer Abdul Khadar, a 62-year-old Indian national, didn’t believe it at first when he received the call informing him of his win.

“I said, ‘Don’t joke!’ and they said, ‘Yes, you are the winner!’ and I said, ‘No!’” he recounted.

Mohamed Basheer, who works at an auto dealership’s body shop in Dubai, won the Dubai Duty Free’s Millennium Millionaire sweepstakes on Tuesday with a ticket he purchased on July 6, which he said was his 17th attempt.

He currently earns 8,000 Dirham (US$2,178) a month, most of which goes to his family back in India, including his 21-year-old son who became paralyzed after an accidental fall just days after being born.

On August 3, Mohamed Basheer was among the 300 passengers on board the ill-fated Emirates Airline Boeing 777 which crash-landed at Dubai International Airport upon arriving from India.

According to airport officials, no fatalities were reported, though one firefighter was killed while responding to the accident. Another 10 people were hospitalized as a result of the crash.

fine the original herhttps://asiancorrespondent.com/2016/08/emirates-plane-crash-survivor-gets-lucky-wins-1-million-dollar-sweepstakes/?

london:Russell Square 'knife man horror'

London:Russell Square 'knifeman', 19, 

Knifeman was 'quiet, shy pupil who was bullied at his London school' as victim is named as Florida professor's wife who was due to fly home TODAY

The Somali-born man accused of stabbing an American citizen to death and injuring five others in the Russell Square attack was a 'quiet, shy pupil who was bullied at his London secondary school', 

Zakaria Bulhan, 19, moved to the UK from Norway in 2002, and was said to be suffering possible 'mental health issues' when he allegedly began silently stabbing his unsuspecting victims in a busy London street last night.

His former friends from Graveney School in Tooting, south London, have now revealed how Chelsea football fan Bulhan was a quiet boy who was bullied in the early stages of secondary school.

One friend said: ‘He was quite quiet, but had friends. He was a little bullied but nothing too extreme.’

It came as his victim was revealed to be 64-year-old Darlene Horton - the wife of a Florida professor who was due to return to her native America later today. 

Retired teacher Ms Horton has spent the last few weeks in the UK with her husband, psychology professor Richard Wagner, as part of a summer study programme and was enjoying her last night in the capital before they planned to fly back to their home in Tallahassee.

However, she was brutally stabbed to death with a kitchen knife at about 10.30pm in Russell Square last night.

The keen tennis player's last words were 'he's still here, he's still here' as she tried to warn others of the attacker before she was found in a pool of blood after being stabbed in the back.

She could not be saved, despite the best efforts of paramedics, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses said her shocked husband sobbed nearby as her body lay sprawled on the pavement overnight.

The Somali-born Norwegian national accused of stabbing Ms Horton to death and injuring five others was said to be suffering possible 'mental health issues' when he allegedly launched the shocking mass stabbing.

As well as killing Ms Horton, the knifeman also injured five others including Israeli holidaymaker Yovel Levkowki, 18, who was slashed across the hand as she approached him to offer help after believing he was a victim. 

She said she was lucky to be alive after watching the attacker go on to slaughter Ms Horton in front of her eyes. 

'I don't know if it's luck or fate but it's a miracle,' she said. 'The woman standing next to me died before my eyes.'

Police said the other victims include a British man who remains in a 'serious but stable' condition after being stabbed in the stomach. An American man, who suffered chest wounds, an Australian woman who was stabbed in the back and an Australian man who was stabbed in the chest, were all discharged from hospital today.

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plane crash-lands

Emirates airline says accident has happened at Dubai airport

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates –  The Mideast's biggest airline, Emirates, is confirming that a flight from India with 275 passengers on board was involved in an accident at Dubai's main airport.

It gave no details on the fate of those onboard Flight EK521 from the southern Indian city of Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.

Video posted online shows black smoke billowing from what looked like an Emirates jetliner lying on its belly on the runway.

Dubai-based Emirates says its "main priority now is the safety and well-being of all involved."

The Dubai government's official media office said on Twitter that all passengers were "evacuated safely and no injuries have been reported so far." It said authorities are "dealing with the incident at the moment to ensure safety of all."

Dubai International is by far the Mideast's busiest airport, and is the world's busiest air hub in terms of international passenger traffic

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Priest Last words : “Go Away, Satan,”

Slain French priest Jacques Hamel last words “Go Away, Satan,”

THE archbishop of Rouen, leading Tuesday’s solemn funeral Mass for an elderly priest slain a week ago by two extremists, said the Rev. Jacques Hamel tried to push away his attackers with his feet, saying “go away, Satan,” remarks that underscored the horror of the murder at the altar that touched a chord throughout France.

Hundreds of priests and bishops filled the sumptuous Rouen cathedral along with many hundreds more people, including Muslims who have joined in the grieving since the murder of the 85-year-old priest, slashed by his attackers while celebrating morning Mass.

Hamel’s grisly murder sent shock waves that went beyond his humble work as a small-town parish priest, touching other faiths and all of France.

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Olympic bound cocaine

Cops in Brazil seize Olympic bound cocaine

More than 90kg of cocaine which police say was destined to be sold in Rio during the Olympics has been seized in Brazil.

Police found 94kg of cocaine buried at a ranch 15km from Corumba, a town which borders Bolivia.

Three men aged between 33 and 45 and a woman aged 55 were arrested.

Commissioner Sam Suzumura told reporters on Tuesday police also uncovered ammunition and mobile phones in the houses of the suspects.

Some of the drugs were in packets decorated with pictures of football stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar as well as a 'Joker', a fictional character, which criminal groups in Rio identify with.

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worst ever Olympics "Rio"

Rio Olympics are worst ever, say Chinese 

Chinese media commentators and social media users have been making scathing comments about the poor conditions they say Chinese athletes are having to endure in Rio de Janeiro.

There are concerns about the safety of China's teams, while athletes have been complaining on social media about the state of their accommodation, which they say is hindering their training.

Many social media users are already calling the games in Brazil "the worst Olympics ever".

They say the event wins a gold medal in bad, making London 2012, which was criticised by some, look good by comparison.

There are 416 Chinese Olympians in Rio.

Security worries

State media have been voicing concerns about safety since April, when trial events were held.

At the time, Xinhua News Agency identified a "security issue" after Chinese women fencers were robbed and shooting team members found "unauthorised payments" on their credit cards.

This week, the foreign ministry warned Chinese visitors to avoid "dangerous" areas of Rio and vowed to increase protection for Chinese athletes after a hurdler fell victim to a scam.

Shi Dongpeng said on Sina Weibo that his luggage - including his laptop - had been stolen in an elaborate hoax involving a distraction in which he was apparently vomited on.

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Germany warns against 'blackmailing EU'

Germany warns Turkey against 'blackmailing EU'

Europe must not let itself be blackmailed by Turkey in talks about visa-free travel for Turkish citizens in the EU, German Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel has said.

Visa-free access to the EU is seen as a reward for Turkey's role in halting an influx of migrants into Europe.

But the move has been delayed because of a row over anti-terror legislation following Turkey's failed coup.

"It's up to Turkey whether there can be visa-travel or not," Mr Gabriel said.

Turkey was drastically distancing itself from Europe by "moving towards reintroducing the death penalty" which was a "flagrant contravention of the EU's charter of fundamental rights".

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said over the weekend that he might rescind his country's agreement with the EU to curb the flow of migrants if the bloc did not in return deliver visa-free travel for Turks.

Germany has urged Turkey to show "proportionality" over the issue - especially in its pursuit of those behind last month's coup.

"It is up to Turkey if there is or there isn't visa liberalisation," Mr Gabriel said. "Germany and Europe should under no circumstances be blackmailed."

UK: Boy 12 Charged with Murdering a MAN.

Boy, 12, among four charged with Ashton-under-Lyne murder

Four boys, including a 12 year old, have been charged with murdering a man who was injured outside a McDonald's restaurant in Greater Manchester.

The victim, in his 40s, died in hospital after an attack in Warrington Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, on Wednesday night.

The boys, aged between 12 and 17, who cannot be named, are due to appear at Oldham Magistrates' Court later.

The man who died has not been named

fine the original herhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-36939181