A new book reveals the true horrors of life in a North Korean gulag. We meet the author behind "Escape from Camp 14," one of the few people born in a prison camp to have escaped and survived. Next, it’s a new political era for Burma as Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi takes up her seat in parliament. Finally, help is at hand for Malaysia's heroin addicts - from a very unexpected direction.
Dominique Strauss-Kahn makes a comeback in the headlines, as he says Sarkozy's camp is responsible for his downfall. We also take a look at a social network for terrorists, and a set of holiday photos from North Korea - with a retro twist.
Last weekend, North Korea marked 100 years since the birth of its "Eternal President", Kim Il-Sung. Yet Pyongyang wasn't the only place celebrating the anniversary. In Japan, North Korean expatriates also paid tribute to the Communist country's founder. Our reporters in Tokyo met with those who have left their homeland and yet remain faithful to the Kim dynasty's regime.
In what was his first major public speech, North Korea's new leader Kim Jong-un marked the centenary of the birth of his grandfather Kim Il-sung, the country's founder, on Sunday, calling for a push toward "final victory".
The mystery surrounding the fall from grace of Chinese politician, Bo Xilai, deepens as his wife is suspected of murdering a British businessman. Next, fears of a Tsunami sent waves of panic around the rim of the Indian Ocean- has the trauma of 2004 meant safety lessons have been learnt? Finally, hitting the roads in India is a risky business, even more so without a helmet- we find out why many women choose not to don safety gear, illegally.
INTERNATIONAL PAPERS, Fri. 13/04/12: Papers across Asia react to North Korea’s failed rocket launch. South Korea’s Hankook Ilbo says North Korea’s self-esteem is "shattered". Japan’s Sankei calls it a considerable "loss of face". Meanwhile, the Independent explores whether Bahrain is indeed safer than London, following comments from the former British police chief John Yates.
North Korea's highly anticipated rocket launch has failed. What Pyongyang called a satellite launch was condemned by the international community as a missile test in disguise. The region had been on high alert for more than a week over threats the rocket might stray off course and fall onto neighbouring countries.
Pyongyang has confirmed that its controversial long-range rocket launch failed early on Friday, drawing condemnation from the US and other nations who regarded the launch as a disguised test of long-range missile technology.
Asian countries deployed anti-missile batteries and went on alert Thursday as North Korea announced the imminent launch of a long-range rocket. The regime says the launch is part of a space program, while observers call it a disguised missile test.
North Korea began pumping fuel into a rocket on Wednesday ahead of a controversial launch, according to the country's space agency. Pyongygang said the rocket, set to carry a satellite into space, was ready for lift off as early as Thursday.
