South Korean Ferry with 477 Passengers Sinks off Southern Coast

A South Korean passenger ship carrying 477 passengers slowly sank off the southern coast killing at least two people while 107 on board remain unaccounted for.

Rescuers have plucked 368 people from freezing waters as the passengers, mostly school students, jumped out when the vessel started sinking.

There were 325 students on board the 6,325-tonne vessel, triggering fears the missing people could be trapped inside the ship, which fully capsized in about two hours.

"There are around 450 people on board and we have coastguard vessels, commercial ships in the area, as well as helicopters all engaged in the rescue operation," said a coast guard spokesperson.

The ferry, identified as the Sewol, was en route to the southern resort island of Jeju originating from the port of Incheon.

Local reports say one woman, a crew member, and a student have been confirmed dead and the rescue measures are ongoing four hours after the ship sent distress signals.

The cause of the mishap remains unknown and weather was said to be clear.

An unnamed student who was onboard the vessel told local media: "Currently, I am in the middle of being rescued. At the time, the ship was turning on its side, and none of us were moving as we were told not to move as it was dangerous."

"So, I am not well aware of the situation, but I am told that my friends and other friends could not escape as the passage was blocked. It seems that there are many students who could not get out as the passage was blocked by water."

South Sudan Rebels Seize Bentiu and Order Oil Workers to Evacuate

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir is facing a rebellion(Reuters)

Rebels in South Sudan claim to have seized the oil-rich hub of Bentiu and ordered oil companies to halt operations.

Brig Gen Lul Ruai issued an ultimatum to oil companies, that they should evacuate all their staff within a week or "risk forced shutdown and the safety of their staff".

"The recapturing of Bentiu marks the first phase of liberation of oilfields from [the] anti-democratic and genocidal forces of [President Salva] Kiir," he said.

An oil ministry official told Reuters that three Russian oil workers were injured in a rebel attack at a refinery facility in Bentiu on Monday.

UN peacekeepers reportedly helped to evacuate oil workers from a plant north of Bentiu.

South Sudan army spokesman Philip Aguer said there was fighting in the town but that it had not fallen in to rebel hands.

"There is heavy fighting, but it is still continuing. The rebels have tried to penetrate one part of the town but are being held back," Aguer said.

Fighting broke out in the world's newest nation state late in 2013 when rebel groups sought to overthrow the president.

Before the conflict, oil production contributed more than 95% to state coffers. Production has been severely restricted by the fighting, which has been limited to Upper Nile state.

Since fighting began on December 15, thousands have been killed and a million people have fled their homes.

As well as the catastrophic impact on the population, the conflict has spooked international investors.

Both Russia and China have invested. China invested $20bn in Sudan before the country split in two and then pledged $8bn to the new president after secession for oil projects and infrastructure.

Before the war, around two thirds of the country's oil exports went to China, although production had fallen by 20% by the start of 2014 as Chinese firms evacuated hundreds of workers.

With its investments in Venezuela, Iran, Libya and South Sudan, China has pursued a high-risk strategy in its mission to secure oil.

Robot Mice Programmed to Have Sex by Scientists Studying Evolutionary Patterns

Cyber Rodents - robots programmed to have sex and forage for food to simulate mating strategies in the wildOIST

Scientists at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology have used robots shaped like mice having lots of robot sex in order to study the mating habits of 1,000 generations of animals in just a few days.

Polymorphism refers to the evolutionary biological study of mating patterns, and how they influence how species reproduce and how the each successive generation of a species is born with a slightly different "morph" to enable it to better adapt to changing environments.

Dr Stefan Elfwing, a researcher in the Institute's Neural Computation Unit has demonstrated the usefulness of using robots to study evolution, and his research, entitled "Emergence of Polymorphic Mating Strategies in Robot Colonies" is published in the PLOS ONE journal.

Elfwing built a small colony of Cyber Rodent robots, which come with two wheels, a camera mounted on the front to detect batteries and other robots, electrode teeth to rechargeable from batteries, as well as an infra-red port for "mating".

Dr Stefan Elfwing, who created the Cyber RodentsOIST

He then programmed his colony of robots to simulate the evolutionary process over 1,000 generations in each experiment, whereby the robot could execute one of two types of behaviour: either foraging for food (i.e. a battery to charge from) or searching for a partner to mate with.

When a robot saw a potential partner it would like to mate with, the infrared light would flash to copy the genes from the mating partner. However, reproduction between the robots depended on how much energy they had. In order to survive, sometimes the robots would substitute mating for capturing energy sources.

The results of the simulations showed that there were two types of mating strategies – a tracker, which would lie in wait for a mating partner to turn around for mating, or a forager only interested in recharging from the battery, and would only mate if it saw the face of a potential mate.

Out of the 70 experiments carried out with the robots, 25% of the population were identified as foragers, while 75% were trackers, and the evolution that Elfwing noted in the computer simulations was similar to what was seen in the wild.

"In this experiment, our robots were hermaphrodites, [so] all robots mate and can produce offspring," said Dr Elfwing.

"In the next stage, we want to see if the robots will take on male and female roles, by taking different risks and costs in reproduction. The behaviour exhibited by the two strategies, Forager and Tracker, may be a precursor to the adoption of distinct genders."

Labour Unrest at Nike and Adidas Supplier Yue Yuen Industrial Persists

Massive strike at Adidas and Nike's China-based supplier persists.Reuters

Thousands of workers at a giant Chinese shoe supplier have rejected an offer for enhanced social benefits, extending one of China's largest strikes in recent times.

The nearly 10-day-long strike at the $5.59bn (£3.3bn, €4.05bn) Yue Yuen Industrial, which manufactures shoes for Adidas, Nike and Converse, has revolved around issues such as outstanding social insurance, improper labour contracts and low wages.

Employees have demanded improved social insurance payments, a pay rise and more evenhanded contracts, Reuters reported.

Pursued by the news agency, a spokesman for Yue Yuen said the firm had approved an improved "social benefit plan", and added that the business impact of the strike had been "mild" so far.

However, thousands of workers, dressed in casual clothes but with factory lanyards and ID cards around their necks, hung around the industrial estate, refusing to return to work.

Riot police were stationed at the estate.

"Basically, the terms that we announced [on 14 April] was after a very thorough internal analysis and calculation and considering all the factors including the affordability from the factory perspective," said the Yue Yuen spokesman.

"The revised plan will be effective from 1 May."

Hong Kong-listed Yue Yuen produced over 300 million pairs of shoes in 2013 at factories located in China, Indonesia and Vietnam. It reported a net profit of $434.8m last year from $7.58bn in revenue.

Wildcat Strikes

The Yue Yuen unrest is the latest occurrence of industrial activism that has emerged just as growth in the world's second-largest economy has slowed.

A worsening labour shortage has shifted the balance of power in labour relations in China. In addition, smartphones and the social media have helped factory workers coordinate plans and made them more aware than ever of the evolving environment, experts said.

In March, more than 1,000 workers took to the streets at an IBM factory in Shenzhen, bordering Hong Kong after managers announced the terms of their transfer to the new owners - Chinese PC maker Lenovo Group. Lenovo agreed in January to pay $2.3bn (£1.4bn €1.6bn) for IBM's low-end server business.

In November 2013, hundreds of employees walked off their jobs at a Nokia factory in Dongguan, near Shenzhen, complaining of changes following Nokia's sale of its mobile phone business to US-based Microsoft.

In August 2013, 5,000 workers in the eastern Shandong Province went on strike to protest India-based Apollo Tyres's planned $2.5bn acquisition of Cooper Tire & Rubber of the US. The deal collapsed but Cooper has been forced to lower its operating profit by $29m in the third quarter following the work stoppage in China.

China Plans Tough Law Giving Priority to Environment over Development

Pedestrians walk as smog partially obscures a view of downtown Harbin, in Heilongjiang province, China.Reuters

China is likely to pass a new law that will give priority to the environment over development, according to Reuters.

The new environmental law may even keep away industries from protected zones.

Amendments to China's 1989 Environmental Protection Law are to be decided this year as the specifics of a fourth draft are being debated.

China depends greatly on taxes from industries at heavy cost to the environment.

If a pro-environment law is promulgated, the central Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) will have a greater say in protecting the environment and bringing offenders to book.

"(Upholding) environmental protection as the fundamental principle is a huge change, and emphasises that the environment is a priority," Cao Mingde, law professor at China University who was involved in the drafting process, told Reuters.

"The environment ministry could only impose fines and management deadlines Now we can close and confiscate them. It's an important right."

Other punishments on the table include reforming the "maximum fine" clause under which factories were free to release pollutants irrespective of set limits after paying a one-time penalty.

Also, an "ecological red line" might be in the offing, which will put protected regions beyond the reach of lobbyists calling for "industrial development" of certain areas.

Cao, however, cautioned that there still might be loopholes created by vested interests in the new amendments.

While the MEP pushed for judicious implementation of the law, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) wanted the laws to operate under broad specifications leaving much room for discretion.

The most-opposed amendment relates to a clause that limits the power of NGOs from protesting or suing industries that break environmental norms.

Industries have been trying to lobby the authorities against easing the present regulations on NGOs to move courts or seek assistance from other government bodies, according to Cao.

The Slow Death of Egypt's Tourism Industry

The Great Sphinx of Giza, a large half-human half-lion statue on the Giza Plateau near CairoGetty

When Germany's second-biggest airline cancelled its flights to the Egyptian resort town of Sharm al-Sheikh, it was yet another blow for Egypt's ailing tourism industry.

Air Berlin announced that all flights to the Red Sea resort would be suspended until the end of April 2014, to coincide with Easter vacations, due to security concerns on the Sinai peninsula.

The announcement comes after warnings from the German, Swiss and Belgian governments that citizens should avoid travel to the Sinai after increased levels of violence on the peninsula.

Political unrest has increased in towns of the vast Sinai since the uprising that toppled Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

While violence is also directed against state security forces and the Egyptian police, tourists have been occasionally targeted for decades and the attackers are striking again. In February 2014, three Korean tourists were killed when a bomb exploded on a bus. An al-Qaida group later claimed responsibility.

The reluctance of Europeans to visit Egypt is bruising an economy still reeling from three years of political upheaval and decades of mismanagement. Tourism is however vital to the Egyptian economy.

In 2010, the year before the uprising in Cairo's Tahrir Square, 14 million tourists had visited the country while tourism accounted for 14% of Egypt's gross domestic product (GDP).

The latest figures published by the Egyptian Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics, showed that those numbers have been on a downward trajectory ever since.

February 2014 saw just 617,000 tourists visiting, way down on the million plus that visited in the same month in 2010.

While the country's interim government wrestles with implementing the austerity measures that would persuade the International Monetary Fund to proceed with a multibillion dollar loan, it is fast losing control of a once-reliable source of income.

There are even reports that things have become so bad for local tour guides, they have turned to cultivating poppies to earn an income.

While the challenge of rescuing Egypt's dying tourism industry is beyond the interim government, it should be a priority for the country's new president.

China Planning 'To Militarise Space' Against US Anti-Satellite Weapons

Anti-satellite weapons could disable or destroy satellitesReuters

China is planning to increase its military capabilities in space in reaction to US and other world powers developing astronomical weapons.

According to the Xinhua news agency, China's president Xi Jinping has told the military to increase its space defence capabilities.

He said officers should "speed up air and space integration and sharpen their offensive and defensive capabilities".

China Daily also noted the country was planning to increase its military presence in space: "The idea of combining air and space capability is not new to the Chinese air force, as a host of experts have underscored the importance of space."

Xi told officers to focus on training that increases combat capabilities, adding they must make sure they can "swiftly and effectively" deal with emergencies. He told them to allocate more resources to a "new-type" of combat force.

What countries are developing anti-satellite weapons?

Countries believed to be working on anti-satellite technology include the US, Russia, China, India and Israel.

While no details have been revealed on how China plans to increase its space defence programmes, previous evidence suggests it has been developing an anti-satellite weapon.

According to Reuters, satellite images published in March 2014 suggested a Chinese rocket launched in 2013 was to test an anti-satellite weapon, and was not a research mission as it had been billed as.

At the time, US Air Force space analyst Brian Weeden said: "If true, this would represent a significant development in China's anti-satellite [ASAT] capabilities.

"No other country has tested a direct ascent ASAT weapon system that has the potential to reach deep space satellites in medium earth orbit, highly elliptical orbit or geostationary orbit."

Wang Ya'nan, deputy editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine in Beijing, said the increased militarisation of space was a reaction to other world powers developing similar weapons.

"The United States has paid considerable attention and resources to the integration of capabilities in both air and space, and other powers have also moved progressively toward space militarisation," he told China daily. "Though China has stated that it sticks to the peaceful use of space, we must make sure that we have the ability to cope with others' operations in space."

What is an anti-satellite weapon and what could it do?

The US first began developing anti-satellite weapons in the 1950s but it currently has no official weapons created from this purpose.

Anti-satellite weapons are designed to disable or destroy the satellites of other countries for strategic military reasons.

Unsurprisingly, there are very few details about what anti-satellite weapons are currently in development or what their capabilities are. However, the US did successfully destroy a malfunctioning spy satellite in 2008 using a RIM0161 Standard Missile 3, an anti-ballistic missile with anti-satellite capabilities.

Oscar Pistorius Claims "Heartbreak" at Finding Reeva Steenkamp Dying

Gerrie Nel ends Pistorius's cross-examination in second week of witness testimonyReuters

Oscar Pistorius said he was left "heartbroken" at discovering he had acciodentally shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

The murder accused runner said he had been screaming in panic after it dawned on him it was Steenkamp who had been in the toilet and not an intruder.

He was then struck dumb with grief after breaking down the door with a cricket bat to see the model, aged 29, lying in a pool of blood.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel claimed the screams were Steenkamp's as she fled from him to hide in the toilet.

During the final stages of gruelling interrogation by Nel, Pistorius was asked why he stopped screaming when he saw what he had done.

The 27-year-old replied: "I was heartbroken [...] overcome with sadness."

Nel wrapped up his cross-examination by hammering home his argument that the disabled star gunned down Steenkamp after an argument between them.

Again accusing Pistorius of failing to accept responsibility for his actions, Nel asked him: "Who should we blame for the fact you shot her?"

Pistorius gave the same answer which trial observers believe has done harm to his credibility during his spell in the witness stand: "I don't know."

Continuing his point, Nel said the screams described by four witnesses were made by Steenkamp fleeing in terror from Pistorius. He said the runner armed himself "for the sole purpose" of killing the blonde model. Nel then said Reeva had been talking to Pistorius when he opened fire – hitting her three times.

The prosecutor concluded: "Mr Pistorius, I'm putting to you, you killed Reeva and you're the only person who can give us a version."

Pistorius denies premeditated murder and claims he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder inside his luxury home on the outskirts of Pretoria. The prosecution alleges he killed her following an argument between the couple.

He also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, both of which he denies.

There are no juries at trials in South Africa, and his fate will ultimately be decided by Judge Thokozile Masipa.

The trial continues.

India's Top Court Accords Recognition to Transgenders

Eunuchs gesture towards the camera during an all-India conventionReuters

In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of India has validated the "third gender" status for transgenders.

Earlier, they were compelled to write either male or female against "gender", but now with the new provision, an extra column "third gender" will be added in official forms.

Besides, the top court has directed the central government to treat transgenders as socially and economically backward, so that they can be provided admissions in educational and employment institutions on special quota.

"Recognition of transgenders as a third gender is not a social or medical issue but a human rights issue," Justice K S Radhakrishnan said while handing down the ruling.

For the first time, third gender has received formal recognition from the government, and they will be eligible for benefits which are given to socially and economically backward classes in India.

The court said the law that formerly did not recognize such a gender could not be allowed to hinder their chances to avail of better opportunities in education and employment.

"The spirit of the Constitution is to provide equal opportunity to every citizen to grow and attain their potential, irrespective of caste, religion or gender," the court said.

The court raised concern over harassment of transgenders and discrimination against them, and said that the present verdict stands for those who have surgically changed their sexes.

However, the judiciary clarified that the benefits are valid only for eunuchs, and not gay, lesbian and bisexuals who may also be called "transgenders".

Lunar Eclipse 2014: Best Twitter Pictures of Blood Moon

The moon turns red causing a phenomenon known as a 'blood moon', during a total lunar eclipse in Miami, FloridaGetty

Images of the blood moon during the first total lunar eclipse of 2014 have been uploaded online by budding astronomers across the globe.

Although the lunar eclipse was streamed online, many people chose to watch the phenomenon live and captured photographs of the event where the moon turned red.

Explaining why the moon turned read during this total lunar eclipse, space.com said the moon reflects sunrises and sunsets that are taking place across the globe: "While the moon is in shadow, some light from the sun shines through Earth's atmosphere."

"Red light - unlike other colours that are blocked and scattered - is better able to penetrate the atmosphere, which creates this "bloody" effect.

People who missed out on the blood moon have three more chances to see the rare cosmic event. Last night's marked the start of an eclipse tetrad, where four total lunar eclipses take place back to back. These will occur over the next 18 months.

Here are the best photos from Twitter of the blood moon.

Diageo Eyes Majority Control in India's United Spirits in $1.9bn Deal

Diageo Eyes Majority Control of India's United SpiritsReuters

Diageo, the world's largest alcoholic drinks maker, will float a tender this June to acquire a majority stake in India's United Spirits, part of Indian industrialist Vijay Mallya's dismantled business empire.

The London-headquartered firm is looking to acquire up to 26% more in Bangalore-based United Spirits (USL), the second-largest spirits company by volume the worldover, and the deal is valued at about $1.9bn (£1.1bn, €1.4bn).

Diageo holds a 28.8% stake in USL and a successful open offer will raise its stake in the Indian firm to 54.8%, said a statement issued by the tender offer managers.

Mallya promoted firms and several UB Group entities hold an 11.08% stake in USL, his flagship distillery.

A successful deal can give Diageo, the maker of Johnnie Walker scotch, an upper hand in India, the world's largest whisky market.

Offer Price

Diageo is looking to acquire additional USL shares at 3,030 rupees (£30.09) a share, up from the stock's 11 April closing price of 2,557.25 rupees.

Diageo plans to keep the USL stock listed on the Indian bourse post a successful open offer, Diageo chief financial officer Deirdre Mahlan told Reuters.

Market Reaction

Diageo's stock was trading 0.57% lower at 10:29 BST in London and has lost some 4.80% this year.

USL's stock was trading 11.80% higher in Mumbai and has gained some 9.56% this year.

Whyte & Mackay

In November, Diageo decided to sell most of USL's Whyte & Mackay business to alleviate concerns by the UK Office of Fair Trading that the USL deal could raise the prices of blended whiskey in Britain.

The Whyte & Mackay sale, being handled by USL, is in progress.

Diageo acquired the 28.8% stake in USL in July 2013, about eight months after the companies announced the deal. Regulatory and legal hurdles caused the delay.

A tender offer to increase stake in USL in 2012 collapsed as the offer price was lower than USL's market price.

USL acquired Whyte & Mackay, the maker of Scotch whisky including The Dalmore and Jura, in 2007.

China's WH Group Awards $600m to Two Top Executives as Part of Hong Kong IPO

Some of the products of WH Group are displayed in front of maps of China (L) and the United States at a news conference on the company's IPO in Hong Kong.Reuters

Two top executives at Chinese food and beverage giant WH Group were awarded company shares worth several million dollars for their vital role in the acquisition of the world's largest pork producer Smithfield Foods in 2013.

WH Group's CEO Wan Long, who is known as China's "Chief Butcher," and Yang Zhijun, an executive director in charge of investment, merger and acquisitions and financing, were given nearly $600m (£359m, €434m) worth of shares, according to a preliminary stock exchange filing.

This "represents recognition and reward for the contribution to the acquisition of Smithfield by the directors," WH Group said in the filing.

The Chinese pork giant, previously known as Shuanghui International, acquired US-based Smithfield Foods in a $4.9bn deal, one of the biggest Chinese acquisitions of a US company in recent times.

Smithfield holds the Farmland, Armour, Cook's and Healthy Ones brands.

WH Group announced an up to $5.3bn IPO in Hong Kong last week, the second-biggest listing by a food and beverage company. The company is expected to have a market capitalisation between HK$117bn and HK$164bn.

"WH Group's listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange is in line with our stature as the world's largest pork company, with an increasingly global reach," Wan said in a statement.

"Being a listed company in a major financial centre such as Hong Kong will raise our standing, promoting accountability and transparency to drive our future growth."

In three decades, Wan turned WH Group from a small player in the sector into the world's largest pork company.

He has had the backing of Goldman Sachs, the Singaporean state investor Temasek Holdings and Wen Yunsong, or Winston Wen, son of China's former premier Wen Jiabao, among others, according to Reuters. In addition, he is a member of the National People's Congress, China's legislature.

40 Dead Babies Found Rotting in Rio Morgue - and Director Blames Parents

Pedro Ernesto Hospital in Rio de Janeiro is well known for delivering high-risk births, according to prosecutors.

The bodies of 40 new-born babies and foetuses have been found abandoned in a hospital morgue in Rio de Janeiro, authorities have said.

Some of the corpses had been rotting in a morgue refrigerator for as long as five years.

Officials also found several body parts which prosecutors said were probably left over from emergency amputations.

"It's like something from a horror film," prosecutor Ana Cristina Huth Macedo told AFP news agency. "Our goal now is to give the bodies a dignified burial as soon as possible."

“Our goal now is to give the bodies a dignified burial as soon as possible.”

prosecutor Ana Cristina Huth Macedo

Huth Macedo added that the city-administered Pedro Ernesto Hospital is well known for delivering high-risk births, and this could explain the high number of bodies found.

The hospital's director, Rodolfo Acatuassu Nunes, told Brazilian television the bodies of the deceased and stillborn infants had never been claimed by their parents.

"It has to do with a social problem: people don't come back to get the body of their baby if it has died," he said.

All the deceased infants will undergo genetic testing to determine who their parents were, prosecutors said, adding that 15 bodies were not possible to identify.

“It has to do with a social problem: people don't come back to get the body of their baby if it has died.”

Pedro Ernesto Hospital director

The case came to light after prosecutors were asked by authorities to investigate the whereabouts of one infant, who it was later discovered was delivered stillborn to a crack-addicted mother.

One year after the baby's death, the body had not yet been buried. The investigation led prosecutors to discover all the other unburied infant corpses.

"We have to find out if it's the hospital or the families that are at fault," Huth Macedo told AFP.

Hot Shots Photos of the Day: Rabbit Jumping, Blood Moon, 56,690 Candles

People look at a rabbit jumping over an obstacle at the traditional Easter market at the Old Town Square in Prague, Czech RepublicReuters

Tourists take a selfie in front of the Brandenburg gate in Berlin as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) activists dressed as chickens protest against the use of eggs, particularly during Easter timeReuters

A boy walks past a possible Banksy graffiti which has appeared on the side of a house in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. The artwork, which shows three figures listening into a conversation in a telephone box, is just a few miles away from Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)Getty

A man takes a picture of a poster with a drawing of Pope Francis riding a bike, on a billboard in Rome's Via della ConciliazioneAFP

A penitent helps another with his hood as they head to church before taking part in the procession of the San Gonzalo brotherhood during Holy Week in Seville, southern SpainReuters

Penitents of the San Gonzalo brotherhood take part in a Holy Week procession in the Andalusian capital of SevilleReuters

Members of the Brenda Angiel Aerial Dance Company of Argentina perform during a dress rehearsal for the Iberoamerican Theatre Festival in Bogota, ColombiaReuters

Volunteers light candles during the "Light of Peace in the Philippines" event in Oton, Iloilo province, Philippines. The event achieved a Guinness world record for the largest candle-lit image with 56,690 candles forming the map of the Philippines. It breaks the previous record set by Pakistan in December 2009 with 35,478 candlesReuters

The moon turns red causing a phenomenon known as a 'blood moon', during a total lunar eclipse in Miami, FloridaGetty

A resident of a building damaged by a previous earthquake in 1972 carries a cross as he leaves the building after another earthquake shook Managua, NicaraguaReuters

Residents pass buckets of water to extinguish the smouldering remains of houses after a fire raged through the hills around Valparaiso in ChileReuters

British Olympic athlete Mo Farah adjusts the clothing on a waxwork of himself at Madame Tussauds in LondonReuters

US first lady Michelle Obama has stickers put on her face by 20-month-old Lily Oppelt during a visit to the Fisher House at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre in Bethesda, MarylandReuters

A defaced portrait of Kim Jong-un is seen during an anti-North Korean rally in Seoul, on the 102nd birthday of Kim Il-sungReuters

A pro-Russian separatist stands guard near the mayor's office in Slaviansk, eastern UkraineReuters

Soldiers loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad pose with their weapons as they celebrate taking control of al-Sakhra village in the Qalamoun Mountains, northeast of DamascusReuters

A view of the Mar Takla monastery in Maloula, northeast of Damascus, after soldiers loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad took control of the village from rebel fightersReuters

Dennis Guerra's wife, Cathy, hugs a police officer during the funeral for the fallen officer in New York City. Guerra died last week from injuries suffered in an arson blaze at a Coney Island public housing apartment building. Guerra's patrol partner, Rosa Rodriguez, remains in a critical condition. Felony murder charges were brought against Marcell Dockery, 16, who confessed that he set a mattress on fire because he was boredGetty