North Korea claims US within range of its missiles

By NBC News staff and wire reports SEOUL -- Isolated North Korea claimed Tuesday that the U.S. mainland is "within the scope" of its missiles, two days after South Korea struck a deal with the United States to extend the range of its ballistic missiles. North and South Korea have been technically at war since their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, and regional powers have for years been trying to rein in the North's nuclear weapons program. North Korea is believed to be developing a long-range missile with a range of 4,160 miles or more aimed at hitting the United States, but two recent rocket tests both failed. Its neighbors fear the North is using rocket launches to perfect technology to build a missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the United States. 'U.S. imperialist aggression' North Korea's National Defense Commission said in a statement that the North was prepared to counter any U.S. military threats, its KCNA news agency said. "We do not hide (the fact) that the revolutionary armed forces ... including the strategic rocket forces are keeping within the scope of strike not only the bases of the puppet forces and the U.S. imperialist aggression forces' bases in the inviolable land of Korea, but also Japan, Guam and the U.S. mainland," KCNA said. Official: North Korean soldier kills two officers, defects to South Pyongyang refuses to let failed rocket launch dampen tone of festivities. An expert in the South expressed skepticism over the claims. "There is no evidence that North Korea has succeeded in tests of a missile with a range long enough to hit the U.S. mainland," Yun Duk-Min, a professor at Korea National Diplomatic Academy, said, according to the AFP news agency. US-Japan agree on new defense system to counter North Korea ballistic missiles South Korea on Sunday unveiled an agreement with the United States that extends the range of its ballistic missiles by more than twice its current limit to about 500 miles as a deterrent against the North. North Korea is under heavy U.N. sanctions that have cut off its previously lucrative arms trade and further isolated the state after its failed 2009 missile test drew sharp rebukes, even from its one major ally, China. Glimpses of North Korean life exposed by AP photographer The United States has denied it has any intention to strike North Korea. It has more than 20,000 troops stationed in the South in defense of its ally against the North. In April, under its new leader Kim Jong-un, North Korea again launched a rocket that flew just a few minutes covering a little over 60 miles before blowing up over the sea between South Korea and China. Reuters contributed to this report. More world stories from NBC News: More weapons in Syria could trigger 'all-out war' Hong Kong residents unhappy after US allows visa-free travel for Taiwanese Romney: Risk of conflict higher in Mideast after Obama policies NBC's Kerry Sanders answers questions about Chavez's re-election Thai princess clears shelves during 8-hour, $40,000 UK antique shopping spree 'It was an artistic statement': Vandal tags Mark Rothko painting at London museum Snipers, commandos to welcome Germany's tough-talking Merkel in Greece Stay informed: Sign up for our newsletter Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Skydiver to jump from edge of space

Felix Baumgartner will have only a space suit, helmet and parachute for 120,000-foot jump Record of 102,800 feet was set in 1960 and is held by current mission's consultant and mentor Baumgartner also hopes to be first person to break the sound barrier without a vehicle's aid Besides speed, risks include low temperatures, thin atmosphere, possible loss of consciousness Roswell, New Mexico (CNN) -- Skydiver Felix Baumgartner is aiming to pull off a record-breaking free-fall jump from the edge of space Tuesday, wearing nothing but a space suit, a helmet and a parachute. His goal is not only to jump from a higher altitude than anyone ever has -- 120,000 feet, more than three times the cruising altitude of the average airliner. He also hopes to be the first person to break the sound barrier, without the aid of anything besides the space suit. At that altitude, the thin air provides so little resistance that after just 40 seconds, he is expected to be free-falling faster than 690 miles an hour. "I'm not nuts," Baumgartner said when CNN first interviewed him about the project in 2010. "You know, our records are meant to be broken, and I'm a very competitive person. I like the challenge." 'Human helicopter' breaks record for wold's longest flight But on a more serious note, he added, "Of course I'm afraid of dying, because I worked so hard to reach this level. You know, I'm living a good life. I think the most important thing I'm doing is to come back alive." Daredevil plans 120,000-foot jump Watch man jump from 96,000 feet After years of preparations and untold costs to his primary sponsor Red Bull, the jump is scheduled for Tuesday morning at dawn. Baumgartner expects to spend two or three hours on the ascent, in a capsule hanging from a helium balloon. Then he will climb out of his capsule, jump off the step with a bunny hop and form a crouched "delta" position to maximize his speed. He plans to fall 115,000 feet in less than five minutes, before deploying a parachute for the final 5,000 feet to earth. The attempt has serious risks. He and his team have practiced how he can avoid getting trapped in a dangerous "horizontal spin." And at temperatures that could hit 70 degrees below zero Fahrenheit or lower, and an atmosphere so thin that his blood would vaporize if he were unprotected, his life will depend on the integrity of his pressure suit. And if he loses consciousness during the five-minute plunge, he will survive only if his parachute deploys automatically. Another unknown: the effects on the body of breaking the sound barrier. While reaching such speeds can cause stress on an aircraft, planners for this jump believe that there will be little effect on Baumgartner, because he will be at an altitude at which there is so little air, shock waves are barely transmitted. Baumgartner is an Austrian helicopter pilot and former soldier who has BASE jumped from landmarks like the Petronas Towers in Malaysia and the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. He has been preparing for five years -- both physically and mentally. "You have to remember all the procedures," he said in an interview during testing for the jump. "You know you're in a really hostile environment. And you cannot think about anything else. You have to be focused. Otherwise, you're gonna die." The balloon, over 500 feet tall at launch, is light and translucent. The material is only .0008 of an inch thick, and it will change shape and size as it rises. The pressurized helmet and suit, which restrict Baumgartner's mobility and weigh 100 pounds, have been equipped with sensors and recorders to measure everything from his speed to his heart rate. Cameras on the ground and on the capsule will transmit live images of his attempt. Baumgartner was not doing interviews on the eve of the jump, but his performance coach Andy Walshe on Sunday described him as mentally well-prepared. "He knows that he's rehearsed it and knows what to do," he said. "We want him in the right state of mind. We ask him to reflect on what he's done, what he's been through and what he's achieving for himself personally, so he can relax and focus." The record is currently held by Col. Joe Kittinger, who in 1960 jumped from 102,800 feet as part of a U.S. Air Force mission. On this attempt, 52 years later, Kittinger is a consultant and mentor. He has also been giving Baumgartner advice on what to expect. For example, he described what it feels like to fall through space when there is so little air: "There's no way you can tell how fast you're going, because there's no visual cues." But Kittinger rejects any suggestion that he is jealous that Baumgartner is poised to beat his record. "Oh no. I'm delighted," he told CNN recently. "He's advancing science, and he'll do a great job."

Zetas cartel boss killed in shootout?

The navy says it will need to carry out more tests to make a final determination Lazca is the subject of a $5 million reward from the State Department His death will be a blow to the Zetas but not its death knell He earned the nickname "The Executioner" (CNN) -- The head of Mexico's notorious drug cartel, Los Zetas, is believed to have been killed in a gun battle with the Mexican Navy, authorities said Monday. The Mexican Navy said strong evidence points to Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano as one of two men killed in a shootout Sunday in the northern state of Coahuila. But, the navy added, it will need to carry out more forensic tests to make a final determination. Lazcano, who is the subject of a $5 million reward from the U.S. State Department and another $2.3 from Mexican authorities, has been rumored killed or captured several times in the past. Mexico's shimmering shrine to art Mexico looks to drill deep for oil A boost to Mexico's oil future? If indeed he is dead this time, it will be a blow to the cartel, but would not necessarily mean its demise. The Zetas is not centralized as some other cartels, such as La Familia, analysts say. Lazcano, 37, served in the Mexican armed forces as part of its elite Airborne Special Forces Group, dedicated to battling drug cartels. But in the 1990s, he and several other Special Forces members were recruited by the Gulf cartel to create its enforcement, Los Zetas. In the ensuing years, the Zetas split into its own major drug trafficking organization and have waged a bloody turf war with its former employers. The violence has left thousands of civilians dead. For his role, Lazcano earned the nickname "The Executioner." The shootout Sunday occurred when Mexican Navy vehicles on patrol were attacked by assailants from a moving vehicle using grenades and firearms. One naval service member received non-life threatening injuries in the engagement, the Navy said. Two attackers were killed. And authorities are hoping that Lazcano, who earned the nickname "The Executioner," is one of them. Lonzo Cook, Nelson Quinones, Victor Badilla in Coahilla state

Man dies after roach-eating contest

A Florida man died shortly after eating dozens of roaches and worms during a contest to win a python from a reptile store. Edward Archbold was among those in a contest at a Deerfield Beach reptile store He won a python after eating dozens of cockroaches and worms, a sheriff's office says Archbold later fell ill, collapsed and was pronounced dead at a southeast Florida hospital The store says participants signed waivers, insects were "safely and domestically raised" (CNN) -- A 32-year-old man downed dozens of roaches and worms to win a python at a Florida reptile store, then collapsed and died outside minutes later. Edward Archbold was among 20 to 30 contestants participating in Friday night's "Midnight Madness" event at Ben Siegel Reptiles in Deerfield Beach, authorities said. The participants' goal: consume as many insects and worms as they could to take home a $850 python. Archbold swallowed roach after roach, worm after worm. While the store didn't say exactly how many Archbold consumed, the owner told CNN affiliate WPLG that he was "the life of the party." "He really made our night more fun," Ben Siegel told the station. Soon after the contest was over, Archbold fell ill and began to vomit, the Broward County Sheriff's Office said Monday. A friend called for medical help. Then, Archbold himself dialed 911, the store said in a Facebook post. Eventually, he fell to the ground outside the store, the sheriff's office said. An ambulance took him to North Broward Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The Broward Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy and are awaiting test results to determine the cause of his death. No other contestant fell ill, the sheriff's office said. "Very saddened by this. I mean, it was a shock," Siegel told WPLG. "Eddie was a very nice guy. We just met him that night, but everybody that works here was very fond of him." Luke Lirot, who says he is legally representing the store, said in a post on the store's Facebook page that all participants "signed thorough waivers accepting responsibility for their participation in this unique and unorthodox contest." "The consumption of insects is widely accepted throughout the world, and the insects presented as part of the contest were taken from an inventory of insects that are safely and domestically raised in a controlled environment as food for reptiles," Lirot said. In the wild, cockroaches are scavengers that pick up various bacterial organisms such as salmonella while walking through spoiled food, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene explains on its website. Cockroaches themselves don't transmit disease, though "many disease-causing organisms can grow and multiply in their guts and can then be deposited ... during defecation." Pharaoh Gayles was one of those who took part in the contest. He explained his reasoning to CNN affiliate WPTV. "Some of the snakes were pretty expensive," he said. "I thought if I could eat the bugs to get one, it'd be a good idea." CNN's Greg Botelho and Joe Sutton contributed to this report.

Man dies after winning cockroach-eating contest

Broward County Eddie Archbold, 32, died Friday night after winning a giant cockroach-eating contest. By Isolde Raftery, NBC News Edward Archbold was, according to those who met him on Friday night, the life of the party – a bit of a showoff who was up for anything, even a giant cockroach-eating contest. He won. And then, tragically, he died. Now police from Deerfield Beach, Fla., about 40 miles north of Miami, are investigating the death of the 32-year-old, who on Facebook went by Edward William Barry. According to the Broward Sheriff's Office, Archbold, of West Palm Beach, and several other contestants signed up to eat a variety of insects at Ben Siegel Reptiles in Deerfield Beach. After eating dozens of giant cockroaches, Archbold was declared the winner of an ivory-ball python. (The prizes, Archbold indicated on his Facebook page that night, were less significant than the glory.) He had also entered a superworm-eating contest earlier in the night. But after winning, Archbold felt sick and started vomiting. He then collapsed in the store and was later pronounced dead. The medical examiner's office is conducting tests to determine a cause of death, according to the sheriff's office statement. On Facebook, Ben Siegel Reptiles wrote that staff met Archbold the night of the Midnight Madness sale: "We all liked him right away. All of us here at Ben Siegel Reptiles are sad that we will not get to know Eddie better, for in the short time we knew him, he was very well liked by all." In the comments beneath the statement, the reptile store wrote that the prize "now belongs to his estate." Watch the most-viewed videos on NBCNews.com In another Facebook comment, an attorney claiming to represent Ben Siegel Reptiles wrote that contest participants had signed waivers accepting their participation in this "unique and unorthodox contest." "The consumption of insects is widely accepted throughout the world, and the insects presented as part of the contest were taken from an inventory of insects that are safely and domestically raised in a controlled environment as food for reptiles," wrote attorney Luke Lirot. No other contestants felt sick, the Broward Sheriff's Office said. And Archbold seemed to be doing all right earlier in the night, according to his own account on Facebook. He took photos of the superworms and wrote: " Eating the bugs yielded valuable rewards, according to the store's Facebook page: "Eat the most bugs in 4 minutes, win the ball morph. That's it. Oh yeah, any vomiting is an automatic DQ," the advertisement stated. "Eat the most crickets, win a male lesser. Eat the most superworms, win a female orange belly. Eat the most discoid roaches, win a female graphite sired ivory!" Michael Adams, a professor of entomology at the University of California, Riverside, told The Associated Press that he has never heard of someone dying after eating roaches. "Unless the roaches were contaminated with some bacteria or other pathogens, I don't think that cockroaches would be unsafe to eat," Adams said. "Some people do have allergies to roaches but there are no toxins in roaches or related insects." Meanwhile, Archbold's friends took to his Facebook page to remember him. Wrote one: "This goes out to one of the most funnest, craziest, and most energetic person I have ever met!!! I will never ever forget u Eddie... I don't think anyone could!!" More content from NBCNews.com: Sandusky insists he's innocent, alleges conspiracy Military suicides: Can fish oil help? Visit Detroit at your own risk, police union warns Detroit police chief resigns amid sex scandal Wedding brawl aftermath: Man charged with assaulting cop Video: Kony 2012 filmmaker: 'I was not in control of my mind' Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

One engine fails on SpaceX capsule

The SpaceX rocket lifts off Sunday, October 7, marking the first commercial flight to the International Space Station. It was the first of a dozen NASA-contracted flights to resupply the station. People watch as the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and its unmanned Dragon capsule are readied for launch Sunday in Cape Canaveral, Florida. On May 22, SpaceX launched a successful test flight that attached a spacecraft to the International Space Station. It was the first company to do so. Dragon's recovery team poses in front of the first commercial capsule to reach orbit and return safely to Earth. The Falcon 9 rocket launches on May 22 in Cape Canaveral. This image shows how Dragon returns to Earth, under parachutes, to splashdown in the ocean, much like the spacecraft of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. The Falcon 9 rocket awaits May's launch date. The first Dragon capsule to make it into orbit and return to Earth was launched in December 2010. Here, crews haul the charred capsule out of the ocean. SpaceX's Falcon 9, carrying a Dragon space capsule, launches from Cape Canaveral in December 2010. This rendering of the Dragon capsule shows the craft's solar panels fully extended. The capsule launched in May extended its panels in orbit. NEW: Communications company says its satellite didn't reach proper orbit One of nine rocket engines failed on the SpaceX booster after Sunday's launch The flight computer adjusted for the failure and kept the Dragon capsule on course The unmanned capsule is scheduled to reach the space station on Wednesday (CNN) -- The SpaceX Dragon capsule remains on course for the International Space Station despite losing one of nine booster engines, but a satellite launched on the same rocket didn't reach its intended orbit, its operator said Monday. SpaceX launched the first commercial space cargo mission on Sunday night. But a minute and 19 seconds after the Falcon 9 booster lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, one of the nine Merlin engines that power the rocket "lost pressure suddenly," the company disclosed Monday. The rocket "did exactly what it was designed to do," as its flight computer made adjustments to keep the Dragon headed into the proper orbit. The unmanned capsule, which is carrying about 1,000 pounds of supplies for the space station, is scheduled to arrive at the orbital platform on Wednesday, SpaceX said. However, the rocket also was carrying a satellite for the New Jersey-based communications company Orbcomm. The satellite separated properly from the second stage of the Falcon 9 -- but the engine trouble meant the satellite would not pass clear of a safety zone if it fired its own engine, leaving it in a lower orbit than planned, Orbcomm said in a statement issued Monday night. Engineers from Orbcomm and its partner on the project, Sierra Nevada Corporation, "have been in contact with the satellite and are working to determine if and the extent to which the orbit can be raised to an operational orbit using the satellite's on-board propulsion system," the statement said. Neither SpaceX nor Orbcomm responded to request for comment about the satellite issue. California-based SpaceX said earlier that controllers are reviewing flight data in an effort to figure out what happened to the booster rocket, but initial readings indicate the No. 1 engine fairing broke apart under stress. "We know the engine did not explode, because we continued to receive data from it," the company said. But it said two of NASA's Saturn V boosters lost engines on two flights during the Apollo program, and the Falcon 9 "is designed to handle an engine-out situation and still complete its mission." The failure occurred second after the booster achieved supersonic speed and approached its moment of maximum aerodynamic pressure after liftoff. Video posted online by the company shows a flash as the rocket ascends, followed by what appears to be debris falling away from the accelerating craft. Sunday's launch was the first of a dozen freight runs SpaceX is slated to make o the station under a contract with NASA, which plans to turn much of its focus toward exploring deep into the solar system. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden called it "a critical event in space flight." SpaceX, meanwhile, is looking beyond just cargo flights to developing a human-rated version of the Dragon that would carry astronauts to the ISS. It's one of three companies, along with Sierra Nevada and aerospace giant Boeing, that NASA has chosen to work on the project. And within the next few months, Orbital Sciences is expected to fly its own demonstration flight to the space station. Instead of using Cape Canaveral as its launch site, the company's rocket will take off from Wallops Island, off the coast of Virginia. Orbital has a nearly $2 billion contract with NASA for station resupply missions.

Mom accused of gluing toddler to wall

Elizabeth Escalona, 23, admitted gluing her 2-year-old daughter to a wall and beating her over potty training. A mother beat her 2-year-old daughter and glued her to the wall over potty training The mother, Elizabeth Escalona, pleaded guilty to first degree injury of a child in July A pediatrician says at the sentencing hearing "the entire picture was very shocking" Prosecutors want Escalona sentenced to 45 years in prison, a spokeswoman says (CNN) -- A Texas mother of five is expected to be sentenced Tuesday after admitting to gluing her 2-year-old daughter to a wall and beating her over potty training. Elizabeth Escalona, 23, was in a Dallas County, Texas, court Monday as witnesses -- including her mother and the pediatrician who cared for the toddler -- testified in the first day of her sentencing hearing, while prosecutors showed pictures of the little girl's hands and bruised body and forehead. "The entire picture was very shocking," said Dr. Amy Barton, then a child abuse pediatrician at Children's Medical Center of Dallas, choking back tears on the stand. "I see a lot of children, and this was one of the most shocking cases that I have seen." Jocelyn Cedillo was less than two months shy of her third birthday in September 2011 when Escalona, her mother, used a powerful adhesive to glue her hands to a wall and beat her. Three other children of Escalona, who was pregnant at the time, witnessed the abuse, according to Dallas County district attorney's office spokeswoman Debbie Denmon. The child urinated on herself during the ordeal, during which she was hit in head and kicked in the groin, among other forms of abuse, said Denmon. Oefelia Escalona, the defendant's mother, testified Monday that she found the girl and took her to the hospital. "I saw Jocelyn laying in the bed. She was facing the wall and ...," the 42-year-old woman said, before she started crying and turned away. It wasn't clear exactly how long young Jocelyn was glued to the wall before she was brought to the Dallas hospital. Once there, medical authorities noticed severe bruises to her face and head, as well as a severe brain injury that led to her temporarily being in a coma. Escalona pleaded guilty on July 12 to a charge of first-degree injury to a child, a crime punishable by anywhere between five years and life in prison. Prosecutors are asking Escalona be incarcerated for 45 years, so she will not cause any more harm to her children, Denmon said. "When these types of crimes occur we have to send a message, not only to the perpetrator, but to the citizens of Dallas County as a whole," District Attorney Craig Watkins told CNN. "If you choose to commit these types of crimes, we will ensure that you receive an adequate punishment." Prior to this incident, Escalona had been investigated by Texas Child Protective Services but never arrested or charged, said Denmon. The child welfare agency put all of her children in foster care after her toddler daughter was taken to the hospital. All five of them, including Jocelyn, are now in the custody of their grandmother, Oefelia Escalona.