Hawaii false alarm worker: I was 100% sure it was real

Hawaiian officials were criticised for taking a long time to correct the alert

A Hawaiian state worker who sent a false incoming missile alert last month says he is devastated for causing mass panic, but was 100% sure it was real.

"I felt sick afterward. It was like a body blow," the man, who did not want to be identified, told reporters.

The mistake on 13 January sparked wide-scale panic, and it took the authorities 38 minutes to correct it.

Syria war: Outcry over 'mutilated' female Kurdish fighter

Barin Kobani (right) was killed in northern Afrin earlier this week, reports say

Kurds in Syria have reacted furiously to videos showing Turkish-backed rebels abusing the body of a female Kurdish fighter killed in battle.

Barin Kobani was part of all-female unit challenging a Turkish-led offensive in north-west Syria.

Kurdish officials accused fighters allied with Turkey of "playing with her corpse" and mutilating it.

Philippines gripped by dengue vaccine fears

Enrique Domingo expressed concerns about potential epidemics in the Philippines

Fears over a dengue vaccine in the Philippines have led to a big drop in immunisation rates for preventable diseases, officials have warned.

Health Under-Secretary Enrique Domingo said many parents were refusing to get their children vaccinated for polio, chicken pox and tetanus.

The fears centre on Dengvaxia, a drug developed by French company Sanofi.

North Korea made $200m flouting sanctions, UN told

Inspections of ships have been stepped up, but the UN says more must be done

North Korea earned nearly $200m (£141m) last year by exporting banned commodities in breach of international sanctions, a UN report says.

The confidential report by a panel of experts said several countries including China, Russia and Malaysia had failed to stop the illegal exports.

Lady Gaga halts tour due to 'severe pain'

Lady Gaga has cancelled the last 10 dates of the European leg of her world tour due to "severe pain".

In a statement posted on Twitter, the pop star apologised to fans and said she was "devastated", but needed to put "myself and my well-being" first.

The Grammy award-winning singer has fibromyalgia, a long-term condition which can cause pain all over the body.