Around the world: Tension grows in Korea as North fires across border

North Korea has fired artillery shells across its western maritime border, prompting return fire from South Korea, say reports.

Some of the shells landed on a South Korean island, said witnesses.

A TV station said some houses on the island were on fire, and Yonhap news agency said that four South Korean soldiers had been hurt.

South Korea has issued its highest non-wartime alert in response to the incident, the defence ministry said.

The incident comes days after North Korea revealed it had a modern uranium enrichment plant.

Earlier, the US ruled out more de-nuclearisation talks while Pyongyang continued to work on the facility.

South Korean officials said several rounds of artillery landed on Yeonpyeong island, near the disputed inter-Korean maritime border to the west of the Korean Peninsula.

"A North Korean artillery unit staged an illegal firing provocation at 1434pm (0534 GMT) and South Korean troops fired back immediately in self-defence," a defence ministry spokesman said.

A resident on the island told the agency that dozens of houses were damaged, while pictures reportedly showed plumes of smoke rising above the island.

Cambodia mourns after stampede

Cambodia: The prime minister Hun Sen said today the horrific festival stampede yesterday which killed at least 349 people was the country's biggest tragedy since the 1970s reign of terror by the Khmer Rouge.

He ordered an investigation and declared Thursday a national day of mourning.

Canada: A court has begun hearings on whether the nation's anti-polygamy law violates rights to freedom of religion.

Suu Kyi is reunited with son

Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, recently released from detention, was reunited today with a son she last saw a decade ago.

Kim Aris, 33, pictured, who lives in Britain, flew into Rangoon after being granted a visa by the military regime and was greeted by his mother.

Hope fading for miners

New Zealand's prime minister said today hope was fading for two Britons and 27 other coal miners missing for four days underground after an explosion.

John Key said police were now planning for the possible loss of life following the massive blast in the mine, now swirling with toxic gases.

Mr Key told parliament it was still too dangerous to enter the mine to find out what had happened. He said he shared families' frustration that a rescue team could not go in.

Ireland set for new year poll

Irish prime minister Brian Cowen has said he will call a general election in the new year following a day of political turmoil over an EU-led bail-out of the country's ailing economy.

He rejected opposition calls for a snap election, saying the budget had to be passed first.

Passengers to boycott scanners

Travellers vowing to boycott controversial see-through airport scanners threatened chaos on the busiest US air travel day.

Americans have voiced outrage over the security searches and threatened protests that could snarl up the system tomorrow - the peak of Thanksgiving holiday travel.