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North Korea recalls business people from China

Diane A. Wade
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North Korea recalls business people from China

Just days after Jang Sung-taek’s execution, the North Korean business people have been recalled from China, says a South Korean report.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may be purging associates of Jang Sung-taek, who was in charge of economic ties with China.

Kim Jong-un has been pictured by state media for the first time since the execution of his uncle Jang Sung-taek.

The South Korean government believes Kim Jong-un is trying to consolidate his power through a reign of terror.

The execution of Jang Sung-taek raised international concern about the stability of the nuclear-armed state.

North Korea has summoned back business people working out of the north-eastern Chinese cities of Shenyang and Dandong, sources told the South Korean news agency Yonhap.

They are in China to enhance bilateral trade and investment.

Kim Jong-un has been pictured by state media for the first time since the execution of his uncle Jang Sung-taek
Kim Jong-un has been pictured by state media for the first time since the execution of his uncle Jang Sung-taek

Another source told the agency Pyongyang planned to bring all officials and staff home from China in stages.

It appeared to be a crackdown on those perceived as loyal to Jang Sung-taek, Yonhap said.

It could also be another sign that Jang Sung-taek’s downfall reflected discomfort at his enthusiasm for Chinese-style economic reform.

There have been other reports over recent days about officials being recalled to North Korea from abroad.

South Korean intelligence officials say two of Jang Sung-taek’s closest aides were executed last month, and analysts suggest the purging of such a high-profile figure is unlikely to take place without a “ripple effect” – a purge of others linked to them.

Kim Jong-un was pictured in photographs released by state media for the first time since the dramatic execution of Jang Sung-taek on Thursday following a military trial.

He was shown touring a military design institute, trailed by military officers, many taking notes. Among them was Kim Jong-un’s personal envoy, Vice-Marshal Choe Ryong-hae.

The pictures appeared designed to demonstrate Kim Jong-un’s continuing hold on power and “business as usual” for the North Korean leadership, said commentators.

The images will also be scrutinized for clues to Kim Jong-un’s inner circle, analysts say.

Among those pictured in the latest photographs are believed Hwang Pyong-so, vice departmental director of Party Central Committee (not in military uniform), Choe Ryong-hae, vice-marshal of the armed forces, and Jang Jong-nam, the nation’s new defense minister.

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Sandy Hook shooting: Barack Obama to observe a moment of silence on first anniversary

Nancy Clayson
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Sandy Hook shooting: Barack Obama to observe a moment of silence on first anniversary
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will observe a moment silence Saturday morning on the first anniversary of Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will observe a moment silence Saturday morning on the first anniversary of Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will observe a moment silence Saturday morning on the first anniversary of Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.

At 9:30 a.m., around the time the first of Adam Lanza’s 26 schoolhouse victims died, houses of worship around Connecticut will toll their bells, once for each victim, a request from Gov. Dannel Malloy — repeating a similar gesture made a week after the shooting.

Across the country, people will find their own ways to pay tribute — the personal and the communal, the modest and the grand.

Many of such efforts have been underway for quite a while.

The Sandy Ground Project: Where Angels Play, which built 26 playgrounds in areas leveled by Hurricane Sandy, each named after one of the Sandy Hook victims.

There is the Newtown Documentation Project, which sought to preserve the thousands of letter and handmade gifts that have poured into the town in the past year.

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Nelson Mandela funeral: Archbishop Desmond Tutu not invited

Diane A. Wade
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Nelson Mandela funeral: Archbishop Desmond Tutu not invited

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a veteran anti-apartheid campaigner in South Africa, has said he will not be going to Nelson Mandela’s funeral because he has not been invited.

“I would have loved to attend the service to say a final farewell to someone I loved and treasured,” Desmond Tutu said in a statement.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has said he will not be going to Nelson Mandela's funeral because he has not been invited
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has said he will not be going to Nelson Mandela’s funeral because he has not been invited

But he did not want to gatecrash “a private family funeral.”

However, a presidential spokesman said Archbishop Desmond Tutu was on the guest list for Sunday’s funeral and a solution would be found.

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Beatles unheard recordings on The Copyright Extension Collection

Sonia Pantiss
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Beatles unheard recordings on The Copyright Extension Collection

The Beatles have decided to release 59 rare and unheard recordings in a bid to stop their copyright protection expiring.

The digital compilation includes four alternate takes of She Loves You and five of A Taste Of Honey.

EU law protects songs for 70 years after they are recorded, but only if they get an official release. Otherwise, copyright lasts 50 years.

In the case of The Beatles, that means their 1963 debut album Please Please Me is protected until 2033, but the unreleased session tapes for that album are not.

If the Beatles chose not to release the recordings before the end of the year, it would mean other record labels could theoretically put them out and profit from them.

The band’s 1962 debut single, Love Me Do, arguably slipped out of copyright last year, before the EU’s copyright extension was signed into law.

At least one record company issued a “remastered” version of the song, although that has since been deleted.

The new collection is expected to reach iTunes on Tuesday.

The Beatles have decided to release 59 rare and unheard recordings in a bid to stop their copyright protection expiring
The Beatles have decided to release 59 rare and unheard recordings in a bid to stop their copyright protection expiring

News of its arrival first appeared on Norwegian Beatles blog, WogBlog, which also published cover art and a tracklisting.

According to the site, the collection contains three versions of There’s A Place as well as demos of two songs the group gave to other artists — Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s acoustic version of Bad to Me and Lennon’s piano demo of I’m in Love.

The Beatles are not the first band to issue rare material in a bid to extend copyright.

Bob Dylan’s record label rushed out 100 copies of an album last year containing early TV performances, alongside multiple versions of Blowin’ in the Wind, Bob Dylan’s Dream and I Shall Be Free.

Officially called The 50th Anniversary Collection, it carried a subtitle which explained its true purpose: The Copyright Extension Collection, Vol. 1.

A second volume followed this year, while Motown has also begun issuing rare recordings on iTunes under the “Motown Unreleased” banner.

Given the low-key nature of the release, it is likely that Apple Corps, the Beatles’ record label, will take down the new material after a brief period, allowing them to exploit the recordings in a more considered way later on.

However, it is likely that the release of rare material will become an annual event, as the band seek to protect their works for another 20 years.

Meanwhile, a more glossy campaign is being mounted to promote a new Beatles box set, which is being released to mark the 50th anniversary of the band’s first trip to America.

The 13-disc set includes all of the band’s American albums, including five that have never been available on CD before.

Many of the records feature different titles, track listings, mixes, and artwork from their UK versions.

The Beatles will also be given a lifetime achievement award by the Grammys in 2014, during a special ceremony the night before the main event.

German electro pioneers Kraftwerk, country star Kris Kristofferson and soul group The Isley Brothers will also be honored.

Nelson Mandela funeral: ANC members pay final tribute in Pretoria ceremony

Diane A. Wade
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Nelson Mandela funeral: ANC members pay final tribute in Pretoria ceremony

The African National Congress (ANC) members have paid final tributes to Nelson Mandela at a ceremony in Pretoria ahead of Sunday’s funeral.

President Jacob Zuma and other ANC leaders attended the event, which included a multi-faith service and a musical tribute.

Afterwards, Nelson Mandela’s coffin began the journey by air and road to his ancestral home at Qunu.

It is being accompanied by family members and officials.

At least 100,000 people saw the former South African president’s body lying in state in Pretoria over the last three days, but some had to be turned away.

The 95-year-old former leader died on December 5.

More than 1,000 members of the ANC, which Nelson Mandela once led, attended the ceremony at the Waterkloof air base in Pretoria.

US civil rights activist Jesse Jackson and Ireland’s Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams were among the foreign guests invited.

Nelson Mandela's coffin began the journey by air and road to his ancestral home at Qunu
Nelson Mandela’s coffin began the journey by air and road to his ancestral home at Qunu

Mourners heard President Jacob Zuma pay his own tribute to Nelson Mandela, calling him a “towering figure”, “a man of action” and a “democrat who understood the world.”

“Yes, we will miss him… He was our father, he was our guardian. He was something special.”

“We’ll always keep you in our hearts,” Jacob Zuma said.

The coffin is being flown to Mthatha airport in the Eastern Cape ahead of the burial in Qunu.

The C130 military aircraft carrying the coffin was escorted by two fighter jets after take-off.

Chief mourners from Nelson Mandela’s Thembu clan and family, as well as senior government officials, would be accompanying the coffin, army officials said.

However his widow Graca Machel, and former wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, were travelling on a separate flight, in accordance with Thembu tradition.

A military guard of honor will welcome the flight in Mthatha, and the coffin will be placed on a gun carriage and transported to a hearse.

People have been invited to form a human chain to pay their last respects as the cortege makes its way to Qunu.

In Qunu, the Thembu community will conduct a traditional ceremony in a giant white marquee that has been specially erected.

Some 4,000 people, including presidents from Africa, several prime ministers, the Iranian vice-president, and the Prince of Wales, are expected to attend.

On Friday, the South African government said in a statement that “the third day closed with over 50,000 paying their respects to our national icon and first democratically elected president of our country”.

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Karl Halverson Pierson identified as Arapahoe High School shooting suspect

Nancy Clayson
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Karl Halverson Pierson identified as Arapahoe High School shooting suspect

Authorities have identified 18-year-old Karl Halverson Pierson as the suspect gunman who opened fire at Arapahoe High School in suburban Denver, Colorado.

Karl Halverson Pierson may have had a grudge against a teacher when he opened fire at school.

Quick-thinking students alerted the targeted teacher, who quickly left the building. The scene unfolded on the eve of the Sandy Hook massacre anniversary, a somber reminder of the ever-present potential for violence in the nation’s schools.

The wounded student, a 15-year-old girl, underwent surgery and is in critical condition. Authorities originally said a second student was wounded, but Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson said Friday night that the other girl taken to a hospital was covered in blood from the first student and wasn’t injured.

Grayson Robinson did not elaborate on any possible motive except to say Karl Halverson Pierson had a “confrontation or disagreement” with the teacher. He didn’t know if the injured girl was intentionally shot.

Karl Halverson Pierson may have had a grudge against a teacher when he opened fire at Arapahoe High School
Karl Halverson Pierson may have had a grudge against a teacher when he opened fire at Arapahoe High School

Karl Halverson Pierson made no attempt to hide his weapon after entering the school from a parking lot and asking for the teacher by name, Grayson Robinson said.

When the teacher learned that he was being targeted, he left “in an effort to try to encourage the shooter to also leave the school,” the sheriff said.

“That was a very wise tactical decision.”

Jessica Girard said she was in math class when she heard three shots.

“Then there was a bunch of yelling, and then I think one of the people who had been shot was yelling in the hallway, <<Make it stop>>,” she said.

Two suspected Molotov cocktails were also found inside the school, the sheriff said. Grayson Robinson said one was lit and thrown, but no one was injured.

The school was swiftly locked down. Within 20 minutes of the first report of a gunman, officers found Karl Halverson Pierson’s body inside the school, Grayson Robinson said.

Several other Denver-area school districts went into lockdown as reports of the shooting spread. Police as far away as Fort Collins, about a two-hour drive north, stepped up school security.

Arapahoe High students were seen walking toward the school’s running track with their hands in the air, and television footage showed students being patted down. Grayson Robinson said deputies wanted to make sure there were no other conspirators. Authorities later concluded that Karl Halverson Pierson had acted alone.

Nearby neighborhoods were jammed with cars as parents sought out their children. Some parents stood in long lines at a church. One young girl who was barefoot embraced her parents, and the family began to cry.

The shooting came a day before the anniversary of the Newtown, Connecticut, attack in which a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Arapahoe High stands just 8 miles east of Columbine High School in Littleton, where two teenage shooters killed 12 classmates and a teacher before killing themselves in 1999. The practice of sending law enforcement directly into an active shooting, as was done Friday, was a tactic that developed in response to the Columbine shooting.

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Mega Millions jackpot climbs to $550 million

Nancy Clayson
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Mega Millions jackpot climbs to $550 million

Mega Millions jackpot for the next draw on December 17 raised to an estimated to $550 million as no winning ticket was sold yesterday.

The next drawing is slated for Tuesday, December 17 at 11 p.m. ET, according to the lottery’s website, megamillions.com.

If a jackpot winner chose to take that prize, which remains the second largest in Mega Millions’ 17-year history, as a lump sum payout rather than in 30 annual payments it would amount to $295 million, the lottery said.

Mega Millions jackpot for the next draw on December 17 raised to an estimated to $550 million
Mega Millions jackpot for the next draw on December 17 raised to an estimated to $550 million

No one has won the jackpot in more than two months, pushing the purse steadily higher, although it remains below the record $656 million won on March 30, 2012. The next-largest Mega Millions prizes were $390 million and $380 million.

No purchased ticket matched the winning six numbers drawn on what some consider an unlucky date – Friday the 13th – for an estimated $425 million, or $228 million for the annuity option. Those numbers were: 19, 24, 26, 27, 70 and 12.

Terry Lee Loewen arrested over Wichita airport suicide bomb plot

Nancy Clayson
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Terry Lee Loewen arrested over Wichita airport suicide bomb plot

Terry Lee Loewen has been arrested in Kansas and accused of planning to detonate a suicide car bomb at Wichita airport, authorities have said.

Terry Lee Loewen, 58, has been charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.

The man, an aviation technician, does not appear to have been affiliated with any religious group, police said.

Authorities said Terry Lee Loewen was snared by undercover FBI investigators and the public was never in danger.

“There was no breach of Mid-Continent’s Airport’s security,” said Kansas US Attorney Barry Grissom in a statement.

“At no time was the safety of travelers or members of the public placed in jeopardy.”

erry Lee Loewen has been arrested in Kansas and accused of planning to detonate a suicide car bomb at Wichita airport
erry Lee Loewen has been arrested in Kansas and accused of planning to detonate a suicide car bomb at Wichita airport

Terry Lee Loewen was charged in federal court on Friday with attempting to detonate a car bomb at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport.

He has also been charged with attempting to damage property by means of an explosive and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

If convicted, Terry Lee Loewen could face a sentence of life in prison.

Authorities arrested Terry Lee Loewen on Friday morning after he attempted to enter the airport tarmac and drive a vehicle loaded with what he believed were high explosives, authorities said.

The US justice department said he spent months developing a plan to use his access card to carry out the plan.

“He planned to pull the trigger on the explosives himself and die in the explosion,” the department said in a statement.

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback thanked the law enforcement authorities who captured Terry Lee Loewen.

“In our ongoing war on terrorism, the good guys won one today,” he said.

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Jay Carney: Robert Levinson not a government employee at the time of his disappearance

Roy Siemens
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Jay Carney: Robert Levinson not a government employee at the time of his disappearance

The White House spokesman Jay Carney has said ex-FBI agent Robert Levinson, who is believed to have been held in Iran for the last seven years, was not working for the US government at the time of his disappearance.

Jay Carney spoke the day after the Associated Press news agency reported Robert Levinson was on an unauthorized mission for the CIA.

Robert Levinson has been missing since March 2007.

Jay Carney declined to comment on what Robert Levinson was doing in Iran at the time he disappeared.

The Associated Press report, which Jay Carney labeled “highly irresponsible”, says Robert Levinson had done contract work for the CIA in his capacity as a former FBI expert in Russian organized crime.

But at the time Robert Levinson disappeared, his CIA contract was out of money, though the CIA analysts with whom he was working were trying to authorize more, the AP reported.

Jay Carney said there remained an ongoing investigation into Robert Levinson’s disappearance, and dismissed accusations by Levinson’s family that the US government had not done all it could to locate him.

Robert Levinson has been missing since March 2007
Robert Levinson has been missing since March 2007

“Since Bob disappeared the US government has vigorously pursued and continues to pursue all investigative leads,” Jay Carney said.

“We continue to be focused on everything we can to bring Bob home safely to his family. This remains a top priority of the US government.”

The Associated Press report alleges Robert Levinson was in Iran on an unapproved intelligence-gathering mission that, when revealed, caused serious tumult within the CIA.

The US agency reportedly paid Robert Levinson’s family $2.5 million to avoid a public lawsuit, and also disciplined 10 veteran analysts.

The team of analysts is said to have paid Robert Levinson to gather intelligence prior to his disappearance.

Three of the CIA analysts who hired him – who reportedly had no authority to run spy operations – were allegedly later forced out of the agency.

The media outlet says it was asked by the US government three times since 2010 to hold the story about Robert Levinson’s CIA ties.

The news agency said it decided to run the report after all efforts to locate and free Robert Levinson seemed to have failed.

On Friday, Jay Carney said the US government “strongly urged the outlet not to publish out of concerns for Robert Levinson’s safety”.

Neither the identities of the former FBI agent’s captors nor his whereabouts have been confirmed, but US officials asked for Iran’s assistance in finding him just days after Iran and Western powers signed an interim agreement aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear programme in late November.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said she believed Robert Levinson was being held in south-west Asia.

Robert Levinson, 64 when he went missing, was initially said to have been investigating cigarette counterfeiting as a private detective when he disappeared.

His family received images of Robert Levinson in April 2011, showing him wearing a long grey beard and an orange jumpsuit, and looking gaunt.

His family was also sent a video in November 2010, which they released in December 2011 to try to aid the investigation.

In the 54-second clip, Robert Levinson pleads: “Help me get home.”

Iran has said it does not know where Robert Levinson is and that there is no evidence he is in the country.

Investigators traced the phone used to send the photographs to Afghanistan, but the phone’s owner was not involved. The video was sent from a Pakistan internet cafe.

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Jang Sung-taek execution rekindles fears of instability in North Korea

Diane A. Wade
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Jang Sung-taek execution rekindles fears of instability in North Korea

Jang Sung-taek’s execution in North Korea has rekindled fears of instability in the secretive nuclear-armed state.

South Korean defense chief Kim Kawn-jin promised “heightened readiness” after the purge of Jang Sung-thaek.

Kim Kawn-jin said the execution could be seen as part of a “reign of terror” by the North Korean leader.

Jang Sung-taek, Kim Jong-un’s uncle, was executed for “acts of treachery” after appearing before a military trial.

Jang Sung-taek’s execution in North Korea has rekindled fears of instability in the secretive nuclear-armed state
Jang Sung-taek’s execution in North Korea has rekindled fears of instability in the secretive nuclear-armed state

He was dramatically removed from a special party session by armed guards earlier this week.

South Korean Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae warned that the purge could be followed by military moves from Pyongyang, including another nuclear test.

He told lawmakers that “the North usually curbs internal (agitation) through waging provocations externally”.

North Korea carried out its third nuclear test in February, to widespread international condemnation.

As tensions rose, Pyongyang threatened attacks on Japanese, South Korean and US military targets in the region.

China, North Korea’s ally and neighbor, described Jang Sung-taek’s execution as an “internal matter”.

“As a neighboring country, we hope for North Korea to maintain stability…” South Korean foreign ministry spokesman said.

Victor Cha, a former senior White House adviser on Asia, warned that Kim Jong-un’s purge could spread further than Jang Sung-taek.

“If he has to go as high as purging and then executing Chang, it tells you that everything’s not normal,” Victor Cha said.

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Nelson Mandela funeral: Lying in state ends with final rush from hundreds of people

Diane A. Wade
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Nelson Mandela funeral: Lying in state ends with final rush from hundreds of people

Hundreds of people pushed through police lines in a last-ditch bid to see Nelson Mandela lying in state in South Africa’s capital Pretoria.

They were hoping to be the last of some 50,000 people to pass through the Union Buildings on Friday, where the former president’s body has lain.

Officials say at least 100,000 people have visited the venue over the past three days to pay their respects.

Nelson Mandela’s coffin was taken from the building shortly after doors closed.

The coffin was escorted by a guard of honour to a waiting hearse as military helicopters circled over the city.

Nelson Mandela’s body will remain in Pretoria overnight, and there will be a ceremony at a local air force base on Saturday morning to allow members of the governing African National Congress to say a last farewell.

Hundreds of people pushed through police lines in a last-ditch bid to see Nelson Mandela lying in state
Hundreds of people pushed through police lines in a last-ditch bid to see Nelson Mandela lying in state

The coffin will then be flown to the Eastern Cape ahead of the burial at Nelson Mandela’s ancestral home in Qunu on Sunday.

The funeral will mark the end of a period of commemorations in South Africa since Nelson Mandela died at 95 on December 5.

“The third day closed with over 50,000 paying their respects to our national icon and first democratically elected President of our country,” the South African government said in a statement.

Shortly before the lying in state came to an end, at 17:45 local time, hundreds of people towards the front of the queue pushed through in the hope to be one of the last through the door.

One police officer told the AFP news agency: “There are too many people. The whole of the Republic of South Africa wants to say goodbye.”

Many people waited in the line for 11 hours for the chance to see Nelson Mandela’s body.

Some were angry more time had not been allowed for this ceremonial; others said even if they could not reach Nelson Mandela’s coffin for a personal farewell it was enough simply to be there.

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Colorado school shooting: Arapahoe High School gunman dead of self-inflicted gunshot wound

Nancy Clayson
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Colorado school shooting: Arapahoe High School gunman dead of self-inflicted gunshot wound

A student at Arapahoe High School in Colorado shot and wounded another student before dying of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police have said.

The shooting occurred the day before the anniversary of the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, in which 20 schoolchildren and six workers were killed at a primary school.

The gunman brought a shotgun to the school and was looking for a specific teacher when confronted by a classmate, the Arapahoe County sheriff said.

The teacher left the school after learning he or she was sought. Another student suffered a minor injury.

The Arapahoe High School shooting occurred the day before the anniversary of the shooting in Newtown
The Arapahoe High School shooting occurred the day before the anniversary of the shooting in Newtown

The school and others in the area were placed on lockdown.

Upon the initial reports of a shooting, heavily armed police trained in “active shooter” scenarios stormed the building, ordering students outside with their hands over their heads.

Inside, they found the dead suspected gunman and two other injured students, one of whom had suffered a minor wound, Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson said.

Police have not yet released the name of the suspect.

The school has more than 2,200 students and 70 classrooms.

The building is just 8 miles east of Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, the site of a mass school shooting in April 1999 which left 14 students dead.

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Khloe and Lamar divorce: Khloe Kardashian files for divorce after four years of marriage

Lisa.Felice
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Khloe and Lamar divorce: Khloe Kardashian files for divorce after four years of marriage

Khloe Kardashian is reportedly filing for divorce from Lamar Odom after four years of marriage.

According to TMZ, Khloe Kardashian, 29, will be citing irreconcilable differences in her divorce papers.

Khloe Kardashian is reportedly filing for divorce from Lamar Odom after four years of marriage
Khloe Kardashian is reportedly filing for divorce from Lamar Odom after four years of marriage

The couple have been estranged for several months, thanks largely to revelations about Lamar Odom’s drug use.

Khloe Kardashian has not been photographed with her wedding ring since November 23, and has hinted at heartbreak in several recent posts on Instagram and Twitter.

Khloe Kardashian and Lamara Odom married in September 2009 after one month of dating.

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Nigella Lawson’s former PA accuses her of lying in court

Lisa.Felice
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Nigella Lawson’s former PA accuses her of lying in court

Nigella Lawson’s former PA Elisabetta Grillo has accused the TV cook and her husband Charles Saatchi of lying in court.

Elisabetta Grillo, 41, told Isleworth Crown Court that she was the only one telling the truth in the case.

She also said that Nigella Lawson’s other PAs, who have given evidence in court, had also lied.

Nigella Lawson’s former PA Elisabetta Grillo has accused the TV cook and her husband Charles Saatchi of lying in court
Nigella Lawson’s former PA Elisabetta Grillo has accused the TV cook and her husband Charles Saatchi of lying in court

Former PAs Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo, who are sisters, deny fraudulently using credit cards.

Elisabetta Grillo told the court that Nigella Lawson gave her permission to pay for designer shoes and a language course on a credit card provided by Charles Saatchi.

The court was told that Elisabetta Grillo did not mention that Nigella Lawson had taken drugs in her original defense statement made in August because she “felt a remnant of sympathy” towards the TV chef.

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Prince Harry reaches the South Pole after two-week expedition

Nancy Clayson
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Prince Harry reaches the South Pole after two-week expedition

Prince Harry successfully reached the South Pole after more than two weeks of travelling.

The royal joined members of Walking With the Wounded (WWTW) charity for the South Pole travel.

“Unlucky for some, lucky for us,” Prince Harry said shortly before the finish line.

Prince Harry, 29, who headed one of the hike’s three teams (along with actors Alexander Skarsgard and Dominic West and a dozen wounded veterans), did it to raise money and awareness for the UK-based WWTW organization, which retrains injured soldiers.

Prince Harry successfully reached the South Pole after more than two weeks of travelling
Prince Harry successfully reached the South Pole after more than two weeks of travelling

Rougher than usual conditions forced organizers to call off the competitive part of the journey, but that didn’t dampen spirits.

The prince, who served as a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan, had nothing but praise for his teammates.

“Duncan [Slater, who was wounded in Afghanistan], it’s just remarkable the fact that someone with no legs has made it here,” he said.

“And Ivan [Castro] as well, when I look across I see him being guided around, totally blind, from America, and absolutely hates the cold, and you know he’s not doing it for himself, he’s doing it for his buddies back home, and that goes for everybody, every single one here.”

Prince Harry called finishing “an amazing feeling,” adding: “It will just prove to everybody that there’s so much that can be made possible when you think that nothing is left. I’m so proud, I’m so chuffed and I’m so privileged to be here with all these guys and girls.”

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Justin Bieber skateboarding accident in Simi Valley

Lisa.Felice
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Justin Bieber skateboarding accident in Simi Valley

Justin Bieber, who has capped off a benevolent visit to typhoon victims in the Philippines, proved that he is all too human.

Justin Bieber, 19, posted an Instagram video that shows him wiping out on his skateboard as he attempts to perform a move.

Justin Bieber wiping out on his skateboard as he attempts to perform a move
Justin Bieber wiping out on his skateboard as he attempts to perform a move

The inspirational, Belieber-aimed caption said: “Always get up when u get knocked down.”

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Paul Walker death: Relatives watch final film Hours at private screening

Lisa.Felice
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Paul Walker death: Relatives watch final film Hours at private screening

Paul Walker’s relatives watched his final film, Hours, at a private screening in La Canada Flintridge, California.

“His family was very stoic,” a rep for the Eric Heisserer-directed film told Us Weekly.

“But they enjoyed the film and had a really lovely evening.”

Paul Walker’s 15-year-old daughter Meadow, however, did not attend the screening.

Paul Walker’s relatives watched his final film, Hours, at a private screening in La Canada Flintridge
Paul Walker’s relatives watched his final film, Hours, at a private screening in La Canada Flintridge

The Hours rep tells Us Weekly Meadow Walker and the actor’s father, Paul Walker III, already viewed the film at this year’s Southwest Film Festival.

In the film – which opens in theaters Friday, December 13 – Paul Walker plays a father who struggles to keep an infant daughter alive in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. For the role, Paul Walker drew from his own experiences with Meadow, who moved in with him last year after living with her mother (his ex-girlfriend) in Hawaii.

Film director Eric Heisserer told CNN: “I’d asked him to bring baby pictures of Meadow. During some of the scenes where there was just a monologue by him to give to the baby in the incubator, we set the baby photos in the incubator so he could connect with his daughter that way.”

Paul Walker died at the age of 40 in a fiery car accident on November 30 in Santa Clarita, California.

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Thamsanqa Jantjie: Nelson Mandela interpreter failed in 2012 with self-invented gestures

Nancy Clayson
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Thamsanqa Jantjie: Nelson Mandela interpreter failed in 2012 with self-invented gestures

Sign language interpreter Thamsanqa Jantjie, who claimed to suffer an on-stage schizophrenic episode during Nelson Mandela’s memorial service, failed to communicate a single word of a speech made by South African President Jacob Zuma more than a year ago.

The Deaf Federation of South Africa alleged that “100% of the information was omitted” by Thamsanqa Jantjie after he appeared at an event in January 2012.

According to NBC News, the group described Thamsanqa Jantjie’s interpreting for Jacob Zuma as “a mockery” and claimed his gestures appeared “self-invented”.

Thamsanqa Jantjie’s abilities came into question after he was accused by deaf groups of performing meaningless gestures during Nelson Mandela’s memorial service. Some groups suggested he was a “fake.”

He translated while standing three feet away from world leaders including President Barack Obama.

The Deaf Federation of South Africa complained to ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe following the party’s centenary celebrations last year.

The federation’s national director Bruno Druchen wrote that Thamsanqa Jantjie’s sign language at that event was “meaningless” and “self-invented.”

Thamsanqa Jantjie failed to communicate a single word of a speech made by President Jacob Zuma in 2012
Thamsanqa Jantjie failed to communicate a single word of a speech made by President Jacob Zuma in 2012

In the letter, which is dated January 21, 2012, Bruno Druchen compares an extract from Jacob Zuma’s speech with what Thamsanqa Jantjie actually conveyed through his sign language.

Bruno Druchen quoted Jacob Zuma as saying:

“Deputy president of the ANC and officials of the African National Congress, National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, ANC women league , Youth League (crowd scream and applaud) African National Congress leadership of MK military . Leadership from SACP, SATU and SANCO.

Friends from all over Africa and the world, comrades and compatriots, the ANC is the oldest liberation movement on the African continent is 100 years old today. We have come from all corners of South Africa , Africa and the World.”

Bruno Druchen then translated the sign language Thamsanqa Jantjie was using on stage to convey Jacob Zuma’s words (some of his corresponding hand movements are in brackets):

“All heart (ten hand move forward) which had no meaning, together (hand move back to the heart) then the sign for C is used. The hands go down to side and then point left with his right hand (no meaning) sign for beg is used repeatedly and the sign is placed on different levels in front of torso with a rocking movement. Both hands in claw shape in the air with movement with no meaning , then again the sign for beg, tree and the help sign and then the hands go forward indicating future.”

Bruno Druchen goes on to say that the interpreter did not use facial expressions, a crucial part of any form of sign language, and describes his performance as a “mime.”

“The signs used are not recognized by the deaf community in South Africa…the interpreter is unknown to the deaf community,” he said.

ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said he has no knowledge of the complaint ever being made. He said his party is investigating the incident and reviewing its hiring and vetting procedures.

The South African government has launched an investigation into the Mandela’s memorial incident.

According to Thamsanqa Jantjie, he was paid a $85 day rate for appearing at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service.

On Thursday, South African government minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu pointed out that most qualified sign language interpreters charge $125 to $165 per hour and speculated that a junior official might have opted for the cheapest quote.

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Mega Millions jackpot grows to $400 million

Nancy Clayson
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Mega Millions jackpot grows to $400 million

Mega Millions lottery game is sporting its second-largest jackpot ever, an estimated $400 million, for Friday’s drawing.

Today’s multi-state Mega Millions drawing is the fifth largest lottery jackpot of any kind in US history, according to game officials.

The jackpot has been growing since October 1st and has rolled over 20 times without a winner – thus the estimated $400 million jackpot, which also carries a $216 million cash payout option before taxes.

Mega Millions lottery game is sporting its second-largest jackpot ever
Mega Millions lottery game is sporting its second-largest jackpot ever

Mega Millions had been outshined somewhat by the massive jackpots of the Powerball game, which doubled ticket prices to $2 in January 2012, enriching jackpots as it also added a number of secondary prizes.

Mega Millions received a makeover of its own in October specifically to increase the size of jackpots. The biggest change was lowering the odds of winning, which led to fewer winners and more rollovers.

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Nelson Mandela funeral: South Africans warned not to join queue at Union Buildings

Diane A. Wade
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Nelson Mandela funeral: South Africans warned not to join queue at Union Buildings

South African government has warned people not to attempt to go to see Nelson Mandela’s body in the capital, Pretoria, unless they are already in the queue.

Nelson Mandela’s body is lying in state at the Union Buildings, where he was sworn in as South Africa’s first black president in 1994.

More than 50,000 people were waiting for buses when the warning came.

Nelson Mandela will be buried at his ancestral home in Qunu on Sunday, December 15. He died on December 5 at the age of 95.

His body is to be flown to the rural area of the Eastern Cape where he grew up.

Friday is the last of three days for people to file past the body in Pretoria.

The government said it could not guarantee everyone already waiting for buses would get in.

The response from the public to view Nelson Mandela, known by his clan name Madiba, had been “overwhelming and heart-warming”, government spokesman Phumla Williams said in a statement.

South African government has warned people not to attempt to go to see Nelson Mandela's body in Pretoria, unless they are already in the queue
South African government has warned people not to attempt to go to see Nelson Mandela’s body in Pretoria, unless they are already in the queue

Between 12,000 and 14,000 people had paid their respects to Nelson Mandela on the first day he laid in state “with two people passing every three seconds on day two”, she said.

If any additional numbers came on Friday it would make it physically impossible for people to get the opportunity to file past the body, she added.

“We appeal to members of the public who have not had the opportunity to pay their respects to President Mandela at the Union Buildings, to say goodbye in their own personal way.”

Correspondents who have visited the coffin said Nelson Mandela’s body could be seen through a glass screen, dressed in one of his trademark patterned shirts.

At each end of the casket stood two navy officers clad in white uniforms, with their swords pointing down.

Some mourners stopped briefly to pray, while a number of people reportedly fainted.

At the end of the day, Nelson Mandela’s body will be returned to One Military Hospital before being flown from Waterkloof Military Airbase near Pretoria to Mthatha on Saturday.

Lt-Gen Xolani Mabangu, from the defense force, said chief mourners among the Madiba clan and Mandela family, as well as senior government officials, would accompany the body, the South African Press Association reports.

A military guard of honor will welcome the arrival, and the coffin will be placed on a gun carriage and transported to a hearse.

Nelson Mandela’s body will then be taken to his home village of Qunu, where the Thembu community will conduct a traditional ceremony.

A national day of reconciliation will take place in South Africa on December 16, when a statue of Nelson Mandela will be unveiled at the Union Buildings.

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Earl Dennison Woods Jr.: Tiger Woods’ stepbrother arrested in Phoenix over false bomb threat

Clyde K. Valle
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Earl Dennison Woods Jr.: Tiger Woods’ stepbrother arrested in Phoenix over false bomb threat

Tiger Woods’ half-brother, Earl Dennison Woods Jr., was arrested Thursday in Phoenix.

He is accused of making a false bomb threat at the government building where he works.

According to Phoenix police, Earl Dennison Woods Jr., 58, called in the threat at the Department of Economic Security (DES) building about 8:30 a.m. MT Thursday.

Police say they were called after DES employees alerted building security.

Earl Dennison Woods Jr. is accused of making a false bomb threat at the government building where he work
Earl Dennison Woods Jr. is accused of making a false bomb threat at the government building where he work

More than 100 people were evacuated from the building before Earl Dennison Woods came forward and told police the phone call was meant as a joke and he didn’t expect his co-workers to take it seriously.

Police said Earl Dennison Woods Jr. has been booked on suspicion of attempting to terrify, intimidate, threaten or harass others.

He was apologetic and cooperating with the investigation.

Earl Dennison Woods’ daughter, Cheyenne Woods, is a professional golfer.

Beyonce releases fifth album on iTunes overnight

Lisa.Felice
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Beyonce releases fifth album on iTunes overnight

Beyonce has surprised her fans by unexpectedly releasing her fifth album on iTunes overnight, with 14 new songs and 17 music videos.

The self-titled record is the follow-up to 2011’s 4, and features guest spots from her husband Jay-Z and daughter Blue Ivy.

“Surprise!” wrote Beyonce in a press release, adding she was “bored” of releasing music the traditional way.

“I am able to speak directly to my fans,” she continued.

Beyonce’s record is one of the few major releases of recent years not to leak in advance.

Many records are leaked during the manufacturing and distribution stage – but Beyonce’s record is currently exclusive to iTunes.

Beyonce has surprised her fans by unexpectedly releasing her fifth album on iTunes overnight
Beyonce has surprised her fans by unexpectedly releasing her fifth album on iTunes overnight

Physical copies only started pressing on Friday morning, and are expected in shops on December 21.

The instantaneous release follows a precedent set by David Bowie who, in January this year, came out of retirement by releasing a single with no prior warning.

However, Beyonce’s project is on a much larger scale, with every track on the album accompanied by its own music video.

Beyonce, 32, explained she had been inspired by her memories of watching Michael Jackson’s Thriller video premiere in 1983.

“I miss that immersive experience,” she said.

“Now people only listen to a few seconds of a song on their iPods and they don’t really invest in the whole experience.

“It’s all about the single, and the hype. I felt like, I don’t want anybody to get the message when my record is coming out.

“I just want this to come out when it’s ready and from me to my fans.”

However, the album has had a troubled gestation period. It was widely expected to debut after Beyonce’s performance at the SuperBowl last February, but never appeared.

Beyonce’s Standing On The Sun, which previewed on tour and in an advertisement for H&M, failed to make the final cut. Grown Woman, which was heard in a Pepsi commercial earlier this year, only appears as a video.

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Robert Levinson: Ex-FBI agent captive in Iran working for CIA

Diane A. Wade
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Robert Levinson: Ex-FBI agent captive in Iran working for CIA

Ex-FBI agent Robert Levinson, who is believed to have been held in Iran for the last seven years, was working for the CIA on an unapproved mission, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Robert Levinson went missing during a business trip to the Iranian island of Kish in March 2007.

US government officials have repeatedly called on Iran to help locate him.

“We have no comment on any purported affiliation between Mr. Levinson and the US government,” said a CIA statement.

“The US government remains committed to bringing him home safely to his family,” added CIA media spokesperson Todd Ebitz.

The Associated Press report alleges that the CIA paid off Robert Levinson’s family and reprimanded several analysts involved.

The media outlet writes that Robert Levinson was in Iran on an unapproved intelligence-gathering mission that, when revealed, caused a serious internal CIA scandal.

The CIA reportedly paid Robert Levinson’s family $2.5 million to avoid a public lawsuit, and also disciplined 10 veteran analysts.

The team of analysts is said to have paid Robert Levinson to gather intelligence prior to his disappearance.

Three of the CIA analysts – who reportedly had no authority to run spy operations – were allegedly later forced out of the agency.

The Associated Press investigation reportedly included interviews with top US and foreign officials and access to confidential documentation.

Robert Levinson went missing during a business trip to the Iranian island of Kish in March 2007
Robert Levinson went missing during a business trip to the Iranian island of Kish in March 2007

The media outlet alleges it was asked by the US government three times since 2010 to withhold information related to Robert Levinson’s CIA ties.

The news agency said it decided to run the report after all efforts to return Robert Levinson to the US were seen to have failed.

“The US government strongly urged the AP not to run this story out of concern for Mr. Levinson’s life,” said National Security Council spokesperson Caitlin Hayden.

“We regret that the AP would choose to run a story that does nothing to further the cause of bringing him home.”

There is no confirmation of who captured the former FBI agent or where he may be held, but US officials asked for Iran’s assistance in finding him just days after Iran and Western powers signed an interim agreement aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear programme in late November.

“We reiterate the commitment of the United States Government to locate Mr. Levinson and bring him home safely to his family, friends, and loved ones,” White House spokesman Jay Carney wrote in a statement at the time.

“We respectfully ask the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to assist us in securing Mr. Levinson’s health, welfare, and safe return.”

In August, Secretary of State John Kerry also asked for Iran’s assistance in freeing Robert Levinson and two other US citizens held in Iran, a former marine and a Christian pastor.

Robert Levinson, 64 when he went missing, was initially believed to have been investigating cigarette counterfeiting as a private detective when he disappeared.

His family received images of Robert Levinson in April 2011, showing him wearing a long grey beard, in an orange jumpsuit, holding up five signs that read:

  • 4th YEAR… You can’t or you don’t want…?
  • This is the result of 30 years serving for USA
  • Why you cannot help me?
  • I am here in Guantanamo – Do you know where it is?
  • Help me

The family was also sent a video in November 2010, which it released in December 2011 to try to aid the investigation.

In the 54-second clip, Robert Levinson pleads: “Help me get home.”

Although he has appeared in images and videos as a captive, Iran has said it does not know where he is and that there is no evidence he is in the country.

Investigators traced the phone used to send the photographs to Afghanistan, but the owner was not involved. The video was sent from a Pakistan internet cafe.

The FBI offered a $1 million reward in March 2012 for information leading to Robert Levinson’s safe return.

However, the US government has not received any sign Robert Levinson is alive in nearly three years, the Associated Press reports.

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Winter storm hits Jerusalem and occupied West Bank

Nancy Clayson
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Winter storm hits Jerusalem and occupied West Bank

A rare snowstorm has hit Jerusalem area and parts of the occupied West Bank, choking off the city and stranding hundreds in vehicles on impassable roads.

Israeli authorities said at least 20 inches of snow had fallen since Thursday and more was forecast.

A rare snowstorm has hit Jerusalem area and parts of the occupied West Bank
A rare snowstorm has hit Jerusalem area and parts of the occupied West Bank

“In my 54 years I don’t remember a sight like this, such an amount I cannot recall,” said Nir Barkat, mayor of Jerusalem.

The Israeli military helped police rescue hundreds of people stranded in vehicles on highways near the city.

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Jang Sung-taek executed for treachery in North Korea

Diane A. Wade
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Jang Sung-taek executed for treachery in North Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s uncle, Jang Sung-taek, has been executed after being purged for “acts of treachery”, state media say.

Jang Sung-taek was dramatically removed from a Communist Party session by armed guards earlier this week.

It was the biggest upheaval since Kim Jong-un succeeded his father two years ago.

State news agency KCNA said Jang Sung-taek had admitted at a military trial on Thursday to attempting to overthrow the state, and was executed immediately.

Jang Sung-taek, who is thought to have mentored his nephew during the leadership transition from Kim Jong-il to his son Kim Jong-un in 2011, was “worse than a dog”, said the agency.

He had admitted abusing his positions of responsibility to form a faction against the state and to harboring his own political ambitions, it said in a lengthy and detailed report.

The White House said it could not independently verify the reports but had “no reason to doubt” them.

“If confirmed, this is another example of the extreme brutality of the North Korean regime. We are following developments in North Korea closely and consulting with our allies and partners in the region,” it said in a statement.

Jang Sung-taek – married to the elder Kim Jong-il’s sister – had held senior posts in the ruling party and the National Defense Commission, the North’s top military body.

He was frequently pictured alongside his nephew and seen by some observers as the power behind the throne.

But in early December, it emerged that he had been removed from his senior military position and that two of his aides had been executed.

Then on Monday, KCNA broadcast footage of him being removed from a party session by uniformed guards.

Jang Sung-taek has been executed after being purged for acts of treachery
Jang Sung-taek has been executed after being purged for acts of treachery

In a long report on Friday, KCNA described Jang Sung-taek as a “traitor” and “human scum”.

It said: “Chang dreamed such a foolish dream that once he seizes power by a base method, his despicable true colors as <<reformist>> known to the outside world would help his <<new government>> get <<recognized>> by foreign countries in a short span of time.”

KCNA also said Jang Sung-taek:

  • Attempted to “overthrow the state”
  • Transformed his department into “a ‘little kingdom'” and attempted to “trigger off discontent” within the army to mobilize a coup
  • Took control of the “major economic fields of the country” and “schemed to drive the economy of the country and people’s living into an uncontrollable catastrophe”
  • Committed corruption by transferring construction units to his contacts
  • Committed irregularities related to a joint economic zone with China, Rason
  • Was responsible for unpopular currency reforms in 2009. In December 2009 Pyongyang’s reported redenomination of the won knocked two zeros off the nominal value of each banknote.

Jang Sung-taek admitted his “crimes” in court and a death sentence was “immediately executed”, KCNA said.

Analysts say his fall from grace could be seen as the latest in a series of carefully calibrated moves to demonstrate Kim Jong-un’s authority and an assertion of his independence.

In August 2012, Jang Sung-taek made a high profile trip to China, where he met then-President Hu Jintao. The two sides later signed a raft of economic deals, including the development of two special economic zones: Rason, on North Korea’s east coast, and Hwanggumphyong, on the border with China.

As news of the purge emerged earlier this week, South Korean President Park Geun-hye warned the North was “carrying out a reign of terror” to reinforce Kim Jong-il’s position.

She said the volatile relationship between the two countries was likely to become “more unstable” as a result.

On Friday, South Korea’s military said it had tightened surveillance on Pyongyang, news agency Yonhap reported.

Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Eyi-do said the government had “deep concerns” about the latest developments and was “watching the situation closely”.

Meanwhile, Japan’s top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said: “We will calmly monitor the situation while communicating with other countries and collect relevant information.”

Chinese state media reported on Jang Sung-taek’s execution, but there has been no official government response so far.

Who is Jang Sung-taek:

  • Born 1946, he married Kim Jong-il’s sister in 1972
  • Joined Korean Workers’ Party administrative ranks in 1970s
  • Elected to Central Committee in 1992
  • Sidelined in 2004, but rehabilitated in 2006
  • 2011: Got top military post under Kim Jong-un
  • November 2013: Dismissed from his position
  • December 2013: Executed as a “traitor”[youtube rsiqP8eIA9o 650]
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