Protesters lying on railroad tracks blocked a train carrying a UK TV crew on Wednesday, as they attempted to make their way to Sri Lanka's former war zone in the north.

Channel 4's Callum Macrae, along with a team from the UK news programme Channel 4 News, were in Sri Lanka to cover the upcoming Commonwealth meeting.

They were blocked in the north-central city of Anuradhapura, and the train to the northern town of Vavuniya was unable to move for more than three hours.

The team eventually abandoned their train journey to allow other passengers to move on.

Macrae made a documentary showing soldiers executing naked Tamils and other gruesome footage from the 138-day final offensive in the country's 27-year civil war.

Sri Lanka dismissed the video as fake footage and false journalism.

However British Prime Minister David Cameron said at the weekend that Sri Lanka had "serious questions" to answer after watching the documentary.

Speaking in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Wednesday, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was "disturbed by the incident " that had taken place involving the British team of journalists.

He stated that, to him, "freedom of access to the media is very, very important."

Sri Lanka will host a Commonwealth summit this weekend with the global focus trained on the country's 27-year civil war and alleged atrocities committed by both rebels and soldiers who, despite a sustained international outcry, have been spared from investigations and prosecutions since the war ended in 2009.

The leaders of Canada and India are boycotting the summit for those reasons.

Others have had to justify their plans to attend by promising to bring Sri Lanka's government to task.

Queen Elizabeth II, who is 87, is not going, but her son, Prince Charles, is presiding over the meeting.

Sri Lanka denies any rights abuses were committed by its forces and it has balked at demands for an independent investigation.

The country's leaders also accuse journalists of fabricating allegations of atrocities, and stand staunchly by a clan-like government that has alarmed many democracies in the West.

AP TELEVISION

++16:9

Anuradhapura

1. Wide of protesters standing on train platform as train pulls in, some holding banners

2. Mid protesters on train platform, some holding banners reading (English) "Don't be the voice of the LTTE (Liberation tigers of Tamil Eelam)"

3. Wide of protesters standing by train carriages with banners

4. Mid UK TV cameraman standing at train door, goes back into train

5. Mid protesters looking through train window

6. Various protesters standing in front of train, holding banners and chanting

++4:3++

Anuradhapura

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Callum Macrae, British journalist:

"There is a need for truth and there is a need for justice, and these crimes have to be investigated and simply saying that we told lies or our evidence is faked, when it is not, it's not the way to do it. They cannot hide behind denouncing us...they cannot..."

8. Mid back view Macrae and Ben de Pear, Editor UK news programme Channel 4 News talking to police

9. Mid Macrae and members of Channel 4 News team getting off train

10. Mid Macrae and members of Channel 4 News team talking to police, surrounded by protesters 11. UPSOUND: (English) Callum Macrae, British journalist:

"Free speech does not seem to be allowed in this country."

12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jonathan Miller, British journalist:

"We listened to what the protesters said there. We understand that everybody in this country has got the right to express themselves. They did and they did it effectively. What they've done though they've stopped us listening to other peoples' voices further up the track. That's a real shame. We now have to go back to Colombo because we had to let those passengers, on the train, the other passengers go."

++16:9++

Colombo

13. Wide of British Foreign Secretary William Hague at news conference

14. SOUNDBITE: (English) William Hague, British Foreign Secretary:

"I was disturbed to hear about the incident that took place early today affecting Channel 4. I think the, I think freedom of access for the media is very, very important and the absence of that would reflect very poorly on any country. And again any country that hosts a major International meeting of course will receive a great deal of media attention. And we believe in the Commonwealth, in the freedom of the media and freedom of speech."

15. Cutaway of journalists

16. Hague leaving

SHOTLIST

++CLIENTS PLEASE NOTE: AP TELEVISION DOES NOT HAVE RIGHTS TO THE PHOTOGRAPH AND HAS NOT INCLUDED ANY CLOSE-UPS OF IT IN THIS EDIT++

London, UK

1. Newspapers with headlines proclaiming anger against Italian magazine for showing Princess Diana's picture

2. Close-up of newspaper headline reading "Outrage at picture of dying Diana"

3. Close-up of headline reading "Dying Diana photo fury"

4. Close-up of story headline reading: "Sickening crash picture is published for the first time"

5. Tilt down Sun newspaper with headline reading: "Shame on you"

6. Pan from close-up of photo of Diana's face on newspaper to obscured photo of dying Diana

Rome

7. Wide shot of the Pantheon

8. Wide of newsstand

9. Magazines displayed for sale

10. Close-up of "Chi" people magazine with heading on front cover reading "World exclusive: the truth on Lady Diana, the last photo"

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Nick (Australian) Vox pop:

"And there is a man there taking a photo of that? That's a disgrace man."

12. "Chi" magazine open at Lady Diana article with heading reading:" Lady Diana, the last photo"

13. SOUNDBITE (English): Vox pop:

"I think it's horrible, awful. They should just leave her be now. She has been dead for ten years, hasn't she?"

14. Various of "Chi" magazine held open, showing pictures of the last hours of Diana before the accident

15. SOUNDBITE (English): Canadian, Vox pop:

"I actually think the press should be allowed to film whatever they want to film. It's good to have a free press and she was a public figure. I think the people that think it's disgusting, they shouldn't buy the magazine."

16. Pan across "Chi" magazine pages showing pictures of the accident and rescue operations

17. SOUNDBITE (English): Mark (UK) Vox pop:

"She's died, it's not going to help anybody at all. There are obviously inquiries going into why it happened. But you know, I'm holding the magazine, I'm not going to open it, I don't want to see the pictures. It's not going to help anyone"

18. SOUNDBITE (English): Laura (UK) Vox pop:

"They should just let her rest in peace"

FILE Paris, 31 August 1997

19. Pan of crowd on Alma bridge to wrecked Mercedes on police truck

20. Mercedes being taken away

21. Exterior of Salpetriere hospital

FILE Japan 1995

22. Diana at children's hospital

23. Various of Diana with children and doctors

FILE Pakistan 1996

24. Various of Diana visiting child patients

24. Pan across audience to Diana, sitting with former Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan and his wife Jemima, watching performance

25. Children performing

26. Diana taking a child cancer victim into her arms

27. Close up of Diana holding child patient

DIANA CRASH PICTURES CAUSE GRIEF AND ANGER

The UK's Princes William and Harry on Friday revealed their deep sadness today following the publication of a photo of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales taken moments after the car crash which killed her.

The Royal princes issued a statement strongly criticising the decision to use the image in an Italian magazine.

They said they were "deeply saddened that such a low has been reached" and added that they would have been failing in their duty to her now if they did not make moves to protect her as she once did for them.

The decision to publish the photo set off anger across Britain with tabloid newspapers leading the protests against the image.

The black-and-white photo in Milan-based Chi magazine showed the princess receiving oxygen in the wreckage of the car crash that killed her on August 31, 1997.

The picture was excerpted from "Lady Diana: The Criminal Investigation," a new book by French author Jean-Michel Caradec'h.

"Shame on you," chided The Sun, a British tabloid.

The Daily Express called the image "grotesque" and swore not to reprint it.

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund said the photos were in poor taste.

The feeling was echoed by tourists in Rome.

"I think it's horrible, awful. They should just leave her be now. She has been dead for ten years, hasn't she?" said one lady visiting Rome.

UK tourists Mark and Laura agreed, saying," She's died, it's not going to help anybody at all."

However a Canadian tourist felt differently saying, "It's good to have a free press and she was a public figure. I think the people that think it's disgusting, they shouldn't buy the magazine."

Entrepreneur Mohamed al Fayed, whose son Dodi also died in the crash, called the publication "vile."

The magazine's editor Umberto Brindani, defended his action, saying that the photograph was "touching" and "tender," but not offensive.

The Princess of Wales died in a car accident in Paris on 31 August 1997.

Diana, 36, her companion Dodi Fayed, 42, and their driver, Henri Paul, were killed when the car crashed into a pillar in an underpass.

GOLDEN GLOBES SOLIDARITY, OPRAH WINFREY DOMINATE THE CONVERSATION AT THE NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW GALA

The Golden Globes dominated the conversation at the annual National Board of Review awards gala in New York, Tuesday night (9 JAN. 2018).

The star-studded event, celebrating previously announced winners, saw Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Gal Gadot, Angelina Jolie, and many others winners walk the carpet.

But their accolades seemed to take a backseat to talk of the solidarity with the Time's Up movement shown at Sunday's Globes show and the powerful acceptance speech by Oprah Winfrey that brought the crowd to its feet.

Before Hanks picked up his NBR for Best Actor in "The Post," he summed up Sunday's Globes as turning point for awards shows.

"I believe that it was the first gaudy dog and pony show award presentation broadcast of what is a new era," Hanks said.

His wife Rita Wilson detailed Sunday's event was as a defining moment in our culture.

"For me it was literally - there was an understanding that women were being heard and listened to and were able to speak. When Natalie Portman came out and said and here are the all-male nominees that would never have been said before. That would have never been spoken before," Wilson said.

But the actress feels the movement has further to go.

"I think it's drawing attention to all the things that we need to have changed, not just the sexual harassment and the abuse but also how we're going to employ more women in the workplace across the board. Because until we have parity in companies and film sets and salaries. There really won't be any change," Wilson said.

Winfrey's fiery speech Sunday after accepting the Cecil B. De Mille award prompted many to call for a 2020 presidential run. And earlier in the evening, host Seth Meyers suggested Hanks as her running mate.

Wilson likes the idea.

"Yes. I know. I'm very happy about that," Wilson said.

After Hanks responded in the affirmative, Wilson added: "I could see it happening."

His director, Steven Spielberg said Winfrey would be a good fit.

"Oprah is one of the most articulate people that I know. And she - she told the truth. She said what we needed to hear. She said what she needed to say. And you know, I think the great thing about Oprah is the one thing she's proven about herself to this society and to women and men in this country, is she knows how to build bridges to a more empathic future. She is that, she is the ambassador of empathy and mindfulness that's open," Spielberg said.

Laurie Metcalf described the feeling of being at the Globes, and watching Winfrey bring the crowd to their feet.

"Inside the room it was electrifying," she said. "And the whole red carpet effort, to look around and see everyone in solidarity just wearing black, of course, and to feel that the launch of that Time's Up movement was really gaining momentum. It was - it was palpable. It was really wonderful to be there."

Metcalf took home the NBR for best supporting actress for her role in "Lady Bird."

Julianna Margulies cited two possible reasons for not being moved by Winfrey's speech

"You'd have to be either dead or threatened," she said. "That might be a good way to look at it. I found it so uplifting and intoxicating. And it, you know, was the first time I went to work the next morning and everyone had - after a year of doom being pounded over our heads every day - it was just a light at the end of the tunnel."

"Wonder Woman" director Patty Jenkins agreed it was a powerful speech.

"Incredible. Oh yeah, incredible. I mean she's an amazing, amazing woman, leader, mind and human being. And so, it's been a long time since I've seen somebody speak like that. Wonderful," Jenkins said.

So how does she feel about the idea of president Winfrey?

"I think it would be amazing. We need anybody who's great and capable to step up right now and do something. We're in trouble," Jenkins said.

Jenkins was honored by NBR with the Spotlight award.

She was shut out of a Golden Globes nomination, though. Responding to the slight, she referred to the comment by presenter Natalie Portman, as she announced best director: "Here are the all-male nominees."

"Yeah, of course. I thought it was very funny. I do - listen, what are you going to do? You never know why these decisions happen and where they happen and what level. But I definitely think that there is something strange about women directors. Their films may be acknowledged. Their work may be acknowledged, particularly Greta Gerwig is nominated for everything else, but not that. It's odd," she said. "But what are you going to do. It's got to be pointed out."

Gerwig did take home the director award from NBR for "Lady Bird."

The award for best film went to "The Post." Hanks reflected on the importance of telling the story of the Washington Post's journalistic milestone in publishing of the Pentagon Papers in 1971.

"We actually felt as though we were on one of two great stories. We were talking about the First Amendment and the assault on it by the chief executive of the United States. We also were into the concept of Kay Graham becoming Kay Graham, a woman's equal, ascension, to an equal place in the workplace, in that case, the boss," Hanks said.

The actor drew on other similarities too.

"I understand when Liz Hanna wrote the script, and when Amy Pascal and Stacey Snider - three women by the way - read this for the first time, it was in October. We were going to have the first female president of the United States in just another week or two, it didn't happen. So we ended up actually catching up into the whirlwind, I think, in the course of making this movie, which makes it an awful lot easier to talk about on nights like this," Hanks said.

The National Board of Review is a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring excellence in film.

The winners were announced in November.

New York, 9 January 2018

1. Exterior, Cipriani's

2. Wide shot Gal Gadot enters carpet

3. Tilt up Gal Gadot posing for photographers

4. Medium Angelina Jolie posing for photographers

5. Medium Angelina Jolie, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, and Loung Ung posing for photographers

6. Wide shot Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson talking to reporter

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Hanks, actor and Rita Wilson, actress - on the mood inside the room at Golden Globes:

Tom Hanks: "I believe that it was the first gaudy dog and pony show award presentation broadcast of what is a new era."

Rita Wilson: "For me it was literally - there was an understanding that women were being heard and listened to and were able to speak. When Natalie Portman came out and said and here are the all-male nominees that would never have been said before. That would have never been spoken before. And I think it's drawing attention to all the things that we need to have changed, not just the sexual harassment and the abuse but also how we're going to employ more women in the workplace across the board. Because until we have parity in companies and film sets and salaries. There really won't be any change."

(Reporter: Tom is Oprah's vice president.)

Rita Wilson: "Yes. I know. I'm very happy about that."

Tom Hanks: "That's OK."

Rita Wilson: "Yes. And I could see it happening."

8. Wide shot Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw posing for photographers

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Steven Spielberg, director - on Oprah Winfrey for president:

"Well, well certainly Oprah is one of the most articulate people that I know. And she - she told the truth. She said what we needed to hear. She said what she needed to say. And you know, I think the great thing about Oprah is, the one thing she's proven about herself to this society and to women and men in this country, is she knows how to build bridges to a more empathic future. She is that, she is the ambassador of empathy and mindfulness that's open."

10. Wide shot Laurie Metcalf posing for photographers

11. Medium Laurie Metcalf posing for photographers

12. Wide shot Laurie Metcalf talking to reporters

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Laurie Metcalf, actress - on the mood inside the room at Golden Globes:

"Oh, inside the room. I don't know how - I haven't replayed Oprah's speech to see how it was, you know, on camera. But inside the room it was electrifying. And the whole red carpet effort, to look around and see everyone in solidarity just wearing black, of course, and to feel that the launch of that Time's Up movement was really gaining momentum. It was - it was palpable. It was really wonderful to be there."

13. Wide shot Julianna Margulies talking to reporter

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Julianna Margulies, actress - on Oprah's speech:

"You'd have to be either dead or threatened. That might be a good way to look at it. I found it so uplifting and intoxicating. And it, you know, was the first time I went to work the next morning and everyone had - after a year of doom being pounded over our heads every day, it was just a light at the end of the tunnel."

15. Wide shot Patty Jenkins joins Gal Gadot for photographs

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Patty Jenkins, director - on Oprah's speech:

"Incredible. Oh yeah, incredible. I mean she's an amazing, amazing woman, leader, mind and human being. And so, it's been a long time since I've seen somebody speak like that. Wonderful."

(Reporter: Her name is being bandied about for a presidential run, what are your thoughts on that?)

Patty Jenkins: "I think it would be amazing. We need anybody who's great and capable to step up right now and do something. We're in trouble."

17. Medium Patty Jenkins talking to reporter

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Patty Jenkins, director - on Natalie Portman's comment on all-male directors:

"Yeah, of course. I thought it was very funny. I do - listen, what are you going to do? You never know why these decisions happen and where they happen and what level. But I definitely think that there is something strange about women directors. Their films may be acknowledged. Their work may be acknowledged, particularly Greta Gerwig is nominated for everything else, but not that. It's odd. But what are you going to do. It's got to be pointed out."

19. Medium Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson talking to reporter

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Hanks, actor - on the timeliness of "The Post":

"We actually felt as though we were on one of two great stories. We were talking about the First Amendment and the assault on it by the chief executive of the United States. We also were into the concept of Kay Graham becoming Kay Graham, a woman's equal, ascension, to an equal place in the workplace, in that case, the boss. I think we did not see forthcoming, the (unintelligible) and also the concept of the government keeping secrets. I understand when Liz Hanna wrote the script, and when Amy Pascal and Stacey Snider - three women by the way - read this for the first time, it was in October. We were going to have the first female president of the United States in just another week or two, it didn't happen. So we ended up actually catching up into the whirlwind, I think, in the course of making this movie, which makes it an awful lot easier to talk about on nights like this."

21. Wide shot Jordan Peele, Lupita Nyong'o and Daniel Kaluuya posing for photographers