Texas Plant Explosion: Search For Survivors

Rescue teams are searching the rubble of homes for survivors after a massive explosion ripped though a nearby fertiliser plant in Texas.

Up to 15 people are feared to have been killed and more than 160 others were injured in the blast in the small town of West, near Waco.

The Dallas Fire-Rescue department has confirmed one of its firefighters, 52-year-old Captain Kenny Harris, died as he helped fight the initial blaze.

Police have warned of a "very volatile situation" because of ammonium nitrate found at the plant. The chemical compound is commonly used a fertiliser but can also be used in explosives.

Hundreds of worshippers prayed for the victims at a church service on Thursday.

The explosion caused the roof of a school gym to cave in

Firefighters had been tackling a blaze at the factory for about 20 minutes when the explosion rocked the area on Wednesday evening.

Three to four volunteer firefighters are among the missing, said Sergeant William Patrick Swanton.

Capt Harris, who lived in West, was off duty when the fire broke out but decided to help the town's volunteer crew. He was described as a married father of three grown sons.

The blast destroyed as many as 80 houses and reduced a complex of 50 apartments to a "skeleton standing up", according to one official.

The wreckage of an apartment building destroyed by the explosion

It also struck a nearby school and nursing home, where an evacuation saw 133 patients taken out of the building, some in wheelchairs.

The explosion at the West Fertiliser Company could be heard 45 miles away. It sent flames shooting into the night sky and rained burning embers, shrapnel and debris down on shocked and frightened residents.

Sgt Swanton said the number of dead was estimated to be between five and 15, and emergency crews were moving from house to house in a search and rescue operation.

More than half of the 2,700 population of West had been evacuated and people were still being pulled from damaged buildings.

The explosion had a magnitude of 2.1 - equivalent to a minor earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey.

A victim from the explosion is wheeled into hospital

A man filmed the initial fire, and captured the moment of the explosion on camera.

His child is heard shouting: "Dad, I can't hear, let's get out of here. I can't hear anything." The dad says simply: "Oh my god."

Waco Assistant Fire Chief Don Yeager said it was an anhydrous (without water) ammonia explosion.

Anhydrous ammonia is a nitrogen-hydrogen gas widely used as a fertiliser, but it is also a key component of many explosive devices.

Residents in West have been urged to remain indoors because of the threat of new explosions or leaks of ammonia from the plant's ruins.

US Geological Survey graphic shows blast ground waves (L) and sound waves

The town's mayor Tommy Muska, who is part of the team of local volunteer firefighters, compared the blast to a nuclear bomb going off.

In a statement, President Barack Obama offered the prayers of the nation to the people of West.

"A tight-knit community has been shaken, and good, hard-working people have lost their lives," he said.

Texas Governor Rick Perry described "a nightmare scenario for that community," as he announced he was seeking a federal disaster declaration which would make additional funds available.

Debby Marak said she noticed a lot of smoke coming from the area across town near the plant.

She said she drove over to see what was happening, and when she got out of her car two boys ran towards her screaming that officials told them to leave because the plant was going to explode.

This image shows the initial blast Pic: KWTX-TV

Moments later the blast happened.

"It was like being in a tornado," the 58-year-old said. "Stuff was flying everywhere. It blew out my windshield. It was like the whole earth shook."

The cause of the fire remains unknown and it is being treated as a crime scene, which is standard procedure, Sgt Swanton said.

But he added there was no indication the blast was anything other than an industrial accident.

The explosion came on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Waco siege - a deadly confrontation between federal authorities and heavily armed locals.

The Dallas Morning News said that the fertiliser company previously reported to the US Environmental Protection Agency and local public safety officials that there was no risk of fire or explosion at the plant.

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Boston Marathon Bombings: One Suspect Dead

One Boston marathon bombing suspect has been shot dead and another is on the loose believed to be "armed and dangerous", police have said.

It follows a shootout in Watertown between the two suspects and dozens of armed officers after a policeman was shot dead at Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, nine miles from Boston city centre.

Boston Police commissioner Ed Davis said: "What we are looking for right now is a suspect consistent with the description of suspect number two - the white-capped individual who was involved in Monday's bombing of the Boston Marathon."

He is described as light-skinned with brown wavy hair and dressed in a grey hooded top.

The shootout took place in the Watertown neighbourhood near Boston

"You have seen the picture, You all have it. That's the individual we are looking for at this moment."

He added: "We believe this to be a terrorist. We believe this to be a man who came here to kill people."

The suspects carjacked a black Mercedes SUV taking one person hostage near the university campus and drove off towards the residential suburb of Watertown with police in pursuit.

On their way, the hostage was dumped at a petrol station after about 30 minutes, before a dramatic shootout ensued in Watertown.

Police officers arrove at the scene

The New York Times quoted local resident Andrew Kitzenburg, who said he saw the pair, wearing backpacks, shooting at dozens of police officers from behind a black Mercedes SUV.

The 29-year-old said the officers and the men were 70 yards apart and engaged in "constant gunfire".

He said an explosive device was also thrown at the police and went off some 20 yards from where they were shooting from.

One suspect ran at police and was shot at and apprehended. He later died in hospital.

The other, who is said to be badly injured, managed to get away from the stand-off.

Residents in the area have been told to stay indoors and remain vigilant until further notice.

Police have sealed off the area and are conducting door-to-door searches and enquiries.

It comes just days after two bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston marathon, killing three people and injuring more than 180 others.

The FBI have released pictures and video of two suspects in the deadly Boston marathon bombings.

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Boston Marathon Bombings: Suspects On CCTV

By Dominic Waghorn, US Correspondent

The FBI has released new pictures of the two suspects in the deadly Boston marathon bombings.

The photographs show a pair of men investigators described as "armed and extremely dangerous". One is thought to have been killed.

Images released on Friday morning show one suspect wearing dark clothes, a dark cap and sunglasses. He is understood to have been shot dead.

A photo of the second suspect was released by police in Boston

The second suspect - still on the loose - is seen wearing a white baseball cap, which is reversed allowing a clearer view of his face.

Police say he is armed and should not be approached by the public.

The Boston Globe claims that one of the suspects has been captured, while the other remains on the loose.

The man described as 'suspect one' was wearing a black cap

CCTV footage was released of the pair on Thursday, in which they are seen carrying bulky backpacks as they walk the route of Monday's race in the heart of the city.

The men were filmed heading in the direction of the finishing line, moments before both bombs went off seconds apart.

Three people were killed and more than 180 others injured in the explosions.

There was panic and confusion in the aftermath of the deadly twin bombing

Earlier at a moving inter-faith memorial service, Barack Obama joined 1,700 people at Boston's Holy Cross Cathedral to honour the victims - the youngest of whom was eight-year-old Martin Richard, from Boston.

The president promised the killers would be brought to justice, saying: "We will find you.

A major manhunt is under way for the remaining suspect

"We will hold you accountable. But more than that, our fidelity to our way of life - to our free and open society - will only grow stronger."

The bombs were crudely made with explosives, nails and ball bearings packed into pressure cookers, investigators close to the case have said.

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Boston Marathon Bombs: FBI Hunts 'Suspect'

Investigators have revealed they have an image of a potential suspect taken from security footage before the deadly Boston Marathon bombings.

The picture is believed to have come from CCTV video taken before the twin attacks, in what could be the biggest breakthrough in the case.

It apparently shows a man carrying and possibly dropping a black bag at the second bomb scene on Boylston Street, outside the Forum restaurant, and then walking away.

The surveillance video is believed to have been taken at the Lord and Taylor department store between the sites of the two blasts, which were seconds and about 100 metres apart on the same road.

A forensic officer carries evidence from a rooftop near one of the blasts

Mr Obama and First Lady Michelle will attend an interfaith service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross later today in the city.

Former Massachusetts Governor and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is also expected to attend.

It comes as police said no-one has been arrested over Monday's bombings, despite reports in the US media that a suspect was in custody.

The Associated Press earlier claimed a law enforcement official had said a person was detained and was set to be taken to the federal court in the city.

The FBI released images of parts of the bombs

Other media outlets also reported there had been an arrest. But the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US attorney's office in Boston and the police disputed that.

"Despite reports to the contrary there has not been an arrest in the Marathon attack," the Boston police department said on Twitter.

The FBI also said there had been "no arrests made," urging the media to "exercise caution".

Boston City Council president Stephen Murphy, who was 50 yards from one of the explosions, warned Sky News this investigation could be long and drawn out.

Martin Richard, eight, was killed in the explosions

He said: "There were tens of thousands of people out there on Boylston Street and so much movement and so much going on and so much to look at, and everybody's emailing, texting tips, to law enforcement.

"People are poring over that."

The explosive devices involved pressure cooker bombs hidden inside duffel bags packed with nails, shards of metal and ball bearings, placed on the ground near the finish line of the race.

Chinese graduate student Lu Lingzi was with friends when she was killed

Three people were killed and more than 170 others were injured in the twin blasts on Monday.

Those killed include eight-year-old Martin Richard, who was waiting to give his father a hug as he crossed the finish line; restaurant manager Krystle Campbell, 29, and Chinese graduate student Lu Lingzi, who was studying at Boston University.

Scores of victims remain in hospitals, many seriously injured. Seventeen people, one as young as give, remain in critical condition.

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Texas Explosion: Witnesses Describe Aftermath

A woman has told how she helped clean the blood from local residents after a fertiliser plant explosion rocked a Texas town.

The blast happened in West, near Waco, and was so powerful that it was felt for miles around.

Local woman Julie Zhhirnik said: "I just hurt so much, and just seeing everything that I saw … it's unexplainable. It's just horrifying for everyone.

Residents from a nearby nursing home are triaged in a car park

"I cared for a lot, I do home help and I care and I helped and cleaned a lot of residents' blood and gave them blankets. I just tried to be there."

Erick Perez, 21, was playing basketball at a nearby school when the fire started. He and his friends thought nothing of it at first, but about half an hour later, the smoke changed colour.

The blast threw him, his nephew and others to the ground, and showered the area with hot embers, shrapnel and debris.

The remains of the fertiliser plant burn after an explosion

"The explosion was like nothing I've ever seen before," he said. "This town is hurt really bad."

One firefighter said: "I've never seen anything like this. It's part of the job, sometimes it makes you nervous, but you just have to overcome it for those less fortunate."

Debby Marak said the blast was like being "in a tornado", adding that "stuff was flying everywhere."

Firefighters check a destroyed apartment complex

Resident Cheryl Marich, whose home was destroyed, said: "It knocked me down, it knocked me back. It was like the whole road just picked up."

Jason Shelton told the Dallas Morning News: "It exploded just like the Oklahoma City bomb.

"I live about a thousand feet from it and it blew my screen door off and my back windows. There's houses levelled that were right next to it."

Another witness, Bill Bohannan, told the Waco Tribune-Herald: "It knocked us into the car... Every house within about four blocks is blown apart."

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Texas Explosion: Town 'Totally Decimated'

A number of people have been killed and more than 100 injured after an explosion at a fertiliser plant in Texas.

More than half of the town has been evacuated and people are still being pulled from damaged buildings following the blast in West, near Waco.

The explosion - which the US geological survey said had a 2.1 magnitude - was so powerful that a nearby block of flats was destroyed and 130 residents of a local nursing home were injured.

Smoke rises as water is sprayed on the remains of the plant

As many as 75 homes were damaged, as well as a local school.

Local television originally said that 70 people had died but police have not given a specific figure, instead saying that there are "several confirmed fatalities".

A number of people are also suffering from "respiratory distress due to chemical inhalation".

Firefighters check a destroyed apartment complex near the plant

The explosion happened shortly before 8pm local time on Wednesday and could be heard as far away as 45 miles.

A man filmed the initial fire, and captured the moment of the explosion on camera.

His child is heard shouting: "Dad, I can't hear, let's get out of here. I can't hear anything."

This image shows the initial blast Pic: KWTX-TV

The dad says simply: "Oh my god."

Ammonium nitrate is widely used as a fertiliser, but it is also a key component of many explosive devices.

Tommy Muska, West's mayor, said a number of firefighters are unaccounted for.

A photo from Twitter user @TitansHomer shows a destroyed apartment complex

He told CNN: "It's like a nuclear bomb went off."

Sergeant William Swanton, from Waco Police Department, said there were scenes of "extreme devastation".

"We're going house to house, business to business, and we're seeing quite a bit of devastation in the area of the plant.

The injured are treated at a nearby sports field

"They're still pulling victims out, still bringing victims to triage.

"There may be firefighters that are unaccounted for and potentially a law enforcement officer as well."

He also said that a helicopter which was helping with the rescue operation was damaged.

Texas Governor Rick Perry said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of West, and the first responders on the scene."

Debby Marak told The Associated Press she noticed a lot of smoke coming from the area across town near the plant, which is near a nursing home.

She said she drove over to see what was happening, and when she got out of her car two boys ran towards her screaming that officials told them to leave because the plant was going to explode.

Moments later the blast happened.

"It was like being in a tornado," the 58-year-old said. "Stuff was flying everywhere. It blew out my windshield.

"It was like the whole earth shook."

Police officers have reportedly been transporting the injured to local hospitals in their patrol cars.

As many as a dozen helicopters have been sent to the West High School stadium where ambulances are waiting to transport victims to hospitals.

Glenn Robinson, chief executive of Hillcrest Baptist Medical Centre, in Waco, told CNN his hospital had received 66 injured people for treatment, including 38 who were seriously hurt.

He said the injuries included blast injuries, orthopedic injuries, large wounds and a lot of lacerations and cuts.

American Red Cross crews from across Texas are being sent to the site.

The number of people arriving in the town offering assistance has become a logistical problem in itself, emergency workers say.

They are also anticipating further disruption later, with heavy thunderstorms and potential tornadoes forecast in the area.

The explosion comes on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Waco siege - a deadly confrontation between federal authorities and heavily armed locals.

The Dallas Morning News said that the fertiliser company previously reported to the US Environmental Protection Agency and local public safety officials that there was no risk of fire or explosion at the plant.

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Alps Crash: British Driver Dies In Tragedy

A British coach driver has died after a crash in the French Alps left 29 passengers needing hospital treatment.

A crane lifts the charred wreckage of the bus near Alpe d'Huez

The bus was ferrying staff back to Britain following the end of the ski season when it veered off the road near Alpe d'Huez and burst into flames.

Investigations into the crash are ongoing, but early suggestions indicate the vehicle may have had problems with its brakes.

Twenty three passengers were unharmed, with many escaping the burning wreckage by jumping from windows.

UK travel organisation Abta said the Britons were staff who were on their way home on Tuesday after working for a Brighton-based ski company at Alpe d'Huez and other resorts.

Investigations suggest the bus may have had brake problems

At least four people were said to have been seriously injured with those hurt being treated in local hospitals.

A local police spokesman said: "There was apparently a problem with the coach's brakes.

"The driver seems to have lost control on a steep bend in the road and his vehicle crashed into rocks. It burst into flames but everyone is now out.

"Some passengers escaped by jumping out the windows."

Firefighters sift through the wreckage of the bus

A Skibound spokesman said: "Twenty nine passengers have been taken to hospitals in the area, four of which are being treated for more serious injuries.

"The further 23 passengers have escaped injury and are now with police and counsellors in a local hotel."

He added: "Our thoughts are with those who have been involved in the accident and their relatives. The names of any injured parties will not be released until all next of kin have been notified."

Abta said there were two drivers and 51 passengers on board the coach, with the passengers having finished the ski season after working for Skibound Holidays in various resorts across the French Alps.

Four people onboard the bus are reported to be in a critical condition

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of the tragic incident involving British nationals in the Isere region of southern France.

"We are in touch with the local authorities and are providing consular assistance."

The route, which has formed part of the Tour de France cycle race, is infamous for its treacherous hairpin bends.

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Boston Bombs: First Pictures Of Devices

US authorities have released the first pictures of the explosive devices used in the twin blasts which hit the Boston Marathon on Monday.

The images show twisted pieces of a metal container, wires, a battery and a small circuit board which exploded close to the finish line at the race.

In another, a piece of charred wire can be seen attached to a small box and a twisted metal lid with bolts.

The FBI said on Tuesday that a pressure cooker may have been used to build the bombs, with nails, ball bearings and other metal packed around the explosive.

The device may also have been hidden inside rucksacks placed on the ground near the finish line.

Richard DesLauriers, FBI agent in charge said the investigation to find those responsible would be worldwide.

He vowed: "We will go to the ends of the Earth to identify the subject or subjects who are responsible for this despicable crime."

More than 1,000 officers are working on the investigation which agents have said in the largest the Boston bureau has ever worked on. 

Pressure cooker bombs have been used in attacks in Afghanistan, India, Nepal and Pakistan, according to a July 2010 FBI report.

But the techniques of making them is understood to be known to domestic US extremists.

Officials said that there was no indication that al Qaeda or other foreign extremist organisations were behind the attack, but they added the investigation was still at an early stage.

It is not yet known what was used to set off the devices.

The damage caused by one of the blasts in Boston

Special agent DesLauriers said experts would reconstruct the devices at the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.

The FBI also appealed for anyone who was in the area of the marathon or Boston airport in the last few days to send in any pictures they may have taken.

Investigators are already understood to be examining 6,000 movies-worth of CCTV footage from cameras in the area.

Websites and newspapers were already featuring images which they claimed showed people suspected of carrying out the attacks or the devices.

The FBI said it was looking at one sent to a local TV station which appeared to show a bag next to a mailbox in the area where one of the bombs went off.

Jason Pack, FBI spokesman in Boston, said: "We're taking a look at hundreds of photos and that's one of them." 

Three people were killed and more than 170 others injured after the two explosions around four hours into the famous marathon.

Two of those killed were Krystle Campbell, 29, and eight-year-old Martin Richard.

The third is understood to be a Chinese graduate student who has been named locally and in China, but not named officially.

Nine children were among the injured, which were aged between two and 71.

Doctors have revealed the extent of the injuries suffered by those caught in the blasts, including details of a nine-year-old girl who lost her leg and a 10-year-old boy who suffered deep shrapnel wounds.

George Velmahos, of Massachusetts General Hospital, said: "These bombs contained small metallic fragments more consistent with pellets and other small pieces of metal, but also spiked points that resembled nails without heads."

A total of 13 people have had to have limbs amputated and others are at risk of losing legs following the blasts. Seventeen remain in a critical condition.

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Boston Bombs: Victim's Mother 'Heartbroken'

The mother of one of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings has paid an emotional tribute to her daughter.

Krystle Campbell, 29, was the second of the three people killed in the blasts on Monday to be identified.

She had gone with her best friend to take a picture of the friend's boyfriend crossing the finish line on Monday afternoon when the bombs went off.

An image of one of the mangled pressure cooker bombs

Mother Patty Campbell said: "She was a wonderful person and everyone who knew her loved her.

"She was always smiling and was such a hard-worker in everything she did. This just doesn't make any sense."

Boston University said the third victim was a graduate student who was watching the race with friends at the finish line, close to the university.

The Chinese consulate said the victim was an exchange student, but has not identified them.

The first victim to be identified, eight-year-old Martin Richard, was waiting with his family to give his father a hug at the finish line when he was killed.

Krystle Campbell was with a friend at the race

His sister Jane lost a leg and his mother Denise, 43, is understood to have undergone surgery for a serious head injury after they were also caught in the blast.

President Obama will visit Boston on Thursday and will attend an interfaith service in memory of those killed.

On Tuesday, he branded the bombings an act of terrorism, but said investigators did not know whether they were carried out by a solo bomber or a group.

The FBI also vowed to "go to the ends of the Earth" to find out who carried out the attacks.

More than 24 hours since the twin blasts, the FBI has few breakthroughs to report and no apparent motive.

Eight-year-old Martin Richard was killed in one of the blasts

Special agent Rick DesLauriers said that specialists in Virginia will "reconstruct the device".

Doctors have revealed the extent of the injuries suffered by those caught in the blasts, including details of a nine-year-old girl who had lost her leg and a 10-year-old boy who suffered deep shrapnel wounds.

Several people have had to have limbs amputated and others are at risk of losing legs following the blasts that ripped through crowds during the city's marathon.

Forensic investigators work at the scene of one of the bomb blasts

The explosive devices involved pressure cooker bombs hidden inside duffel bags packed with nails, shards of metal and ball bearings, placed on the ground around 100m apart along the finishing stretch of the Boston Marathon route.

Seventeen people remain in a critical condition after the blasts.

Security has been stepped up in Washington and New York, and Boston remains on high alert, although there have been no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack.

People attend a candlelight vigil for the victims of the attacks

Police are said to have questioned a 20-year-old Saudi Arabian man who is being treated for injuries at a hospital in Boston.

Officers have searched his apartment in Revere, according to his flatmate.

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Security Boosted Across US After Boston Blasts

Security has been boosted across the US following the explosions at the Boston Marathon.

US Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan said the President's security detail has expanded the perimeter at the White House and closed the building to visitors "out of an abundance of caution".

Critical response teams have been deployed around New York City, and officials are increasing security at hotels and other prominent locations, according to chief NYPD spokesman Paul Brown. 

The area directly in front of the White House is cordoned off

Los Angeles County Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore says the department has opened an emergency operations centre, increased patrols for transit and other critical areas including the Los Angeles Dodgers game.

Southern California's busiest airport, Los Angeles International, saw a police vehicle checkpoint put in place at its entrance.

In Boston, the Federal Aviation Administration has warned pilots that it has created a no-fly zone over the site where three people were killed and more than 130 injured in two blasts near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

President Barack Obama was briefed on the explosions by FBI Director Robert Mueller and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

Mr Obama addresses the nation after the deadly explosions

The President also spoke with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino and pledged to provide whatever federal support was needed in responding to the incident.

Mr Obama said: "Michelle and I send our deepest thoughts and prayers to the families of the victims in the wake of this senseless loss."

He added: "We still do not know who did this or why, and we shouldn't jump to conclusions until we know the facts. We will find out who did this and we will hold them accountable."

He also vowed vowed that whoever is responsible "will feel the full weight of justice."

A van is searched at the entrance to Los Angeles International Airport

Ms Napolitano directed her agency to provide "whatever assistance" necessary and US Attorney General Eric Holder has said the full resources of the Justice Department will aide in the investigation.

British police are now reviewing security plans for Sunday's London Marathon.

The blasts in Boston took place about three hours after the marathon winners crossed the line, with one explosion on the north side of Boylston Street, just before the photo bridge that marks the finish.

Another happened a few seconds later, about 50-100 metres further down the street.

Authorities have not identified what caused the explosions.

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Syria: Assad Issues Amnesty For Criminals

Syria's President Bashar al Assad has issued a general amnesty for crimes committed in the war-torn country until now ahead of a national holiday.

"President Assad has issued decree number 23, granting a general amnesty for crimes committed before April 16, 2013," said the state news agency SANA.

Under the decree, "the death penalty will be replaced with a life sentence of hard labour", it added.

Mr Assad has issued several pardons, including for those convicted of acts against the state, during the two-year crisis, usually ahead of national holidays.

The latest decree comes on the eve of the anniversary of the 1946 withdrawal of French troops from Syria that marked the end of France's mandate of the Arab country.

Syria's uprising began in March 2011 and has since turned into a civil war that has killed over 70,000 people, according to the UN.

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Boston Marathon Explosions: Three Dead

The FBI is leading a terror investigation after three people were killed and more than 140 others hurt in a twin-bombing attack during the Boston Marathon.

Spectators' cheers turned to screams as the explosions ripped through the crowd near the finish line, causing horrific injuries.

An eight-year-old boy is among the dead.

The blasts happened within seconds of each other and about 100m (330ft) apart, blowing out windows and sending smoke and debris into the air.

Emergency workers tore down fencing and carried away seriously injured men and women amid scenes of panic and confusion in the heart of the city.

Of the 144 reported injured, 17 are in a critical condition.

Windows in nearby buildings shattered into the streets

Massachusetts General Hospital said "several amputations" were performed on survivors. Others had limbs torn off by blast forces.

More than 25,000 people were registered as taking part in the race, 374 of whom were British. There were also 108 Irish athletes.

There have been no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack, the most serious in the US since the 9/11 World Trade Centre atrocity. Al Qaeda-linked groups and militant white extremists have attacked targets in America in the past.

The Pakistani Taliban, who have previously threatened attacks in the US, have denied any involvement.

Barack Obama vowed to find and punish those responsible, as a senior White House official said the attacks were being treated as an act of terrorism.

One witness is comforted near a triage tent in the aftermath

Mr Obama said officials "still do not know who did this or why".

But he vowed: "We will find out who did this. We'll find out why they did this. Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups, will feel the full weight of justice."

Bill Bratton, a former head of Boston police who is now based in London, said: "Unfortunately in my country there are no shortage of potential suspects, if you will."

The marathon is held every year on Patriots' Day, a Massachusetts state holiday which commemorates the first battles of the American Revolution in 1775.

The explosions happened on Boylston Street, four hours into the race and about two hours after the men's winner had crossed the line, as amateur runners were reaching the finish.

More than 17,000 competitors had completed the race by the time the blasts struck.

US media reported ball bearings were packed into the bombs

TV helicopter footage showed blood on the ground and the desperate efforts of rescuers in the popular shopping and tourist area known as the Back Bay.

A woman near the second bomb, Brighid Wall, 35, said people had frozen, unsure of what to do.

Her husband threw their children to the ground, lay on top of them and another man lay on top of them and said: "Don't get up, don't get up."

She said she saw six to eight people bleeding profusely, including one man who was kneeling, dazed and bleeding from his head. Another person was on the ground covered in blood and not moving.

"My ears are zinging", she said. "Their ears are zinging. It was so forceful. It knocked us to the ground."

Bill Iffrig, a runner who was filmed falling to the ground as the first blast went off, said "the shockwave must have hit me. My legs felt like noodles". He was able to walk away and speak to reporters at the scene.

The blasts struck close to the finish line in central Boston

Runner Tim Davey, from Virginia, was with his wife Lisa and their children in a medical tent set up for exhausted runners. "They just started bringing people in with no limbs," he said.

Roupen Bastajian, 35, a state police officer from Rhode Island, had just finished the race when he heard the blasts.

"There were people all over the floor," he said. "We started grabbing tourniquets and started tying legs.

"A lot of people amputated ... At least 25 to 30 people have at least one leg missing, or an ankle missing, or two legs missing."

One British runner, Anthony Meenaghan, said he was "safe and well" but added: "Can't believe what I saw and heard".

Mr Meenaghan, 21, is an architectural technology student from Sheffield Hallam University who is on a work placement in Boston.

He was running with his father, who is also called Anthony.

He tweeted: "Thanks for all messages. I'm safe and well. Can't believe what I saw and heard. Sad day."

A police officer involved in the search in the suburb of Revere

A senior US intelligence official said another two unexploded bombs were found and disarmed near the end of the 26.2mile (42km) route.

There were reports of a third blast at the JFK library a few miles away but that was later confirmed as a fire that was believed to be unrelated to the blasts.

No one has been arrested, although officers searched an apartment in the Boston suburb of Revere as part of the investigation.

A no-fly zone was also put in place over the city as security was tightened and flights bound for Boston's Logan International Airport were briefly held up at other airports.

Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis said the authorities had received "no specific intelligence that anything was going to happen".

At Massachusetts General Hospital, Alisdair Conn, chief of emergency services, said: "This is something I've never seen in my 25 years here ... this amount of carnage in the civilian population. This is what we expect from war."

Police and doctors quoted by US media said ball bearings had been packed into the injuries, causing horrific injuries.

A bomb squad officer inspects a bag along the route

British police are now reviewing security plans for this Sunday's London Marathon - the next major international marathon.

The London race's chief executive, Nick Bitel, said it was "a very sad day for athletics and for our friends in marathon running".

Prime Minister David Cameron wrote on Twitter: "The scenes from Boston are shocking and horrific - my thoughts are with all those who have been affected."

Boston officials said it would "not be business as usual" in the city, with random checks of backpacks and bags on public transport. Security has also been stepped up in Washington and New York.

Boston Police said there is a helpline in the US for concerned relatives: 617 635 4500, and anybody with information about the blasts should call 1 800 494 tips.

The UK consulate in Boston said British Nationals in need of emergency consular assistance should call the Global Response Centre on 1 877 854 6872.

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North Korea Celebrates Amid Missile Threat

North Korea is celebrating the 101st anniversary of the birth of its founding father amid fears its leaders may use the occasion to demonstrate its military capability.

Tens of thousands of people have gathered in the capital Pyongyang to celebrate the unveiling of new statues of Kim Il Sung and the son who succeeded him, Kim Jong Il.

But there are concerns North Korea may launch a medium-range ballistic missile as the Communist state has a habit of linking high-profile military tests with key dates in its calendar.

North Koreans bow to statues of their former leaders

The centenary of Kim's birth last year was preceded by a long-range rocket test that ended in failure.

Earlier on Monday, Kim's grandson and current dynastic leader Kim Jong Un visited the Pyongyang mausoleum to pay "high tribute in humblest reverence" where his grandfather's body lies embalmed, the official Korean Central News Agency said. 

He also visited the embalmed body of his father, who died in December 2011.

And despite North Korea's warnings that the threat of war on the Korean Peninsula is so high it cannot guarantee the safety of foreign residents, it hosted athletes from around the world for its biggest international marathon yet ahead of the celebrations.

Soldiers at statues Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il

After racing through Pyongyang, athletes from 16 nations including hundreds of North Korean runners were cheered into Kim Il Sung Stadium by tens of thousands of spectators.

North Korea's official media said the 26th Mangyongdae Prize Marathon was larger than previous years and that enthusiasm was "high among local marathoners and their coaches as never before".

After the race, competitors then filled a performance hall for a gala concert featuring ethnic Korean performers brought in from China, Russia and Japan as part of the birthday events.

"The feeling is like, I came last year already, the situation is the same," said Taiwan runner Chang Chia-che, who finished 15th.

The Korean peninsula has been in a state of heightened military tension since the North carried out its third nuclear test in February.

Athletes from 16 nations were cheered into Kim Il Sung Stadium

Incensed by fresh UN sanctions and joint South Korea-US military exercises, Pyongyang has spent weeks issuing blistering threats of missile strikes and nuclear war.

Secretary of State John Kerry, in Japan on the last leg of an Asian tour dominated by the crisis, said the US will talk with North Korea if it takes "meaningful steps" towards peace.

"The United States remains open to authentic and credible negotiations on denuclearisation, but the burden is on Pyongyang," he said.

"North Korea must take meaningful steps to show it will honour commitments it has already made."

While in Asia, Sen Kerry has talked tough on the North's "unacceptable" rhetoric, but also sought to lower the temperature by supporting dialogue with Pyongyang.

Sen Kerry tours the Zojoji Buddhist Temple in Tokyo

In Seoul, he gave Washington's blessing to peace overtures made by South Korea's new president, Park Geun-Hye, who in recent days has signalled the need to open a dialogue and "listen to what North Korea thinks".

But the North rejected the overtures as "empty talk" and a "crafty trick" to conceal Seoul's aggressive intentions.

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Venezuela: Nicolas Maduro Elected President

Venezuelan electoral officials say voters have chosen Hugo Chavez's hand-picked successor Nicolas Maduro as their new president in a tightly-fought contest.

His challenger, Henrique Capriles, declared that he would not accept the results and called for a full recount.

Mr Maduro campaigned on a promise to carry on the late president's self-styled socialist revolution, while his rival claimed the late president's regime has put Venezuela on the road to ruin.

Officials say Mr Maduro beat two-time challenger Mr Capriles by just 300,000 votes. The margin was 50.8% to 49.1%.

Addressing a crowd from the presidential palace, Mr Maduro called his victory further proof that Mr Chavez "continues to be invincible, that he continues to win battles".

He said that Mr Capriles had called him before the results were announced to suggest a "pact" but he had refused.

At the opposition candidate's headquarters, people hung their heads quietly as the results were announced.

Henrique Capriles demands a recount

Mr Capriles emerged later, saying his campaign's tally of votes came up with "a result that is different from the results announced today".

"It is the government that has been defeated. The biggest loser today is you. The people don't love you," he said directly addressing Mr Maduro.

Turnout was 78%, down from just over 80% in the October election that Mr Chavez won by a margin of almost 11 points.

National Electoral Council president Tibisay Lucena told a news conference: "These are the irreversible results that the people have decided."

In a hint of discontent within Chavista ranks, National Assembly president Diosdado Cabello, who many consider Mr Maduro's main rival, expressed dismay at the tight outcome.

He tweeted: "The results oblige us to make a profound self-criticism. It's contradictory that the poor sectors of the population vote for their longtime exploiters."

Maduro supporters celebrate his victory

Mr Maduro, a foreign minister to Mr Chavez, rode a wave of grief for the late leader, who ruled Venezuela for 14 years with a socialist revolution that made him popular among the poor while alienating others critical of the weak economy.

Mr Maduro has vowed to continue the oil-funded policies that cut poverty by almost half to 29% through popular health, education and food programmes.

But he also inherits a litany of problems left behind by his mentor: South America's highest murder rate, with 16,000 people killed last year, chronic food shortages, high inflation and recurring power cuts.

Opinion polls had given Mr Maduro leads of 10 to 20 points during the campaign, but Mr Capriles energised the opposition and closed the gap.

"This is a very important victory for the future of the country. This is the legacy of our comandante, who is no longer here. But he left us Maduro and he will defend his project," said one Maduro supporter, Rafael Perez Camarero.

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Iraq Bombings: Up To 27 Killed In 18 Blasts

Terrorists set off 18 bombs around Iraq, killing up to 27 and injuring hundreds, as they attempted to derail elections.

The blasts came during morning rush hour on Monday amid tightened security ahead of the country's first polls since the US troop withdrawal in December 2011.

Reports varied as to the number killed with some saying 19 and others 27. Almost 200 people were said to have been injured.

Analysts said the blasts raised questions about the credibility of the April 20 vote, which is seen as a key test of Iraq's stability and its security forces' capabilities.

A total of 14 election hopefuls have already been murdered in other pre-election violence.

Officials said 18 car bombs exploded on Monday morning; in Baghdad, the northern cities of Kirkuk, Tuz Khurmatu and Tikrit, the central city of Samarra, and Hilla and Nasiriyah, south of Baghdad.

Three roadside bombs also hit Baquba, near Khalis, north of the capital.

The bombings struck across Iraq on Monday

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Sunni militants linked to Al-Qaeda, are known to frequently attack both government targets and civilians in a bid to destabilise the country.

Some have reportedly sought to intimidate candidates and election officials ahead of polls.

The deadliest attacks were in Baghdad, where six car bombs struck in five neighbourhoods across the capital despite tougher checkpoint searches and heightened security.

Eight people were killed and 48 wounded in the capital, security and medical officials said.

In Tuz Khurmatu, which lies 175 kilometres (110 miles) north of Baghdad, six people were killed and 60 wounded by three near-simultaneous car bombs, according to a provincial council member and a doctor.

And in Kirkuk, four people were killed and 19 wounded by another trio of car bombs, provincial health chief Sadiq Omar Rasul said.

Explosions elsewhere in Iraq killed one person and wounded 64 people.

Kirkuk and Tuz Khurmatu lie at the centre of a tract of disputed territory that stretches from Iraq's eastern border with Iran to its western frontier with Syria.

The swathe of land is claimed by both the mostly-Arab government in Baghdad and the autonomous Kurdistan region in the north of Iraq.

The dispute is often cited by officials and diplomats as the biggest long-term threat to Iraq's stability.

Soldiers and policemen cast their ballots for the provincial elections on Saturday, a week ahead of the main vote, the country's first since March 2010 parliamentary polls. It is also the first election since US troops withdrew from Iraq in December 2011.

The election also comes amid a long-running crisis between Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and several of his previous government partners.

There are also fears that the conflict in Syria has the potential to spread to Iraq.

More than 8,000 candidates are standing in the elections, with 378 seats on provincial councils up for grabs. An estimated 16.2 million Iraqis are eligible to vote, among them about 650,000 members of the security forces.

Although security has markedly improved since the height of civil strife in Iraq in 2006-2007, 271 people were killed in March, making it the deadliest month since August, according to figures from newswire AFP.

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