Gang-Rape In India: Teen Victim Kills Herself

A 17-year-old Indian girl who was allegedly gang-raped killed herself after police pressured her to drop the case and marry one of her attackers, police and a relative said on Thursday.

It comes as the 23-year-old Indian medical student who was gang-raped on a bus in New Delhi arrived at Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital for further treatment.

A hospital spokesperson said the patient is in an "extremely critical condition" after the attack on December 16.

She was transferred overseas for better treatment.

The latest case, in the Patiala region in the Punjab, has again shone the spotlight on the police's handling of sex crimes.

One police officer has been sacked and another suspended over their conduct after the assault during the festival of Diwali on November 13, according to officials.

The teenager was found dead on Wednesday night after swallowing poison.

Her death came as it emerged that the names, addresses and photographs of convicted rapists will be posted online by police in India to publicly shame them for their crimes.

Inspector General Paramjit Singh Gill said that the teenager had been "running from pillar to post to get her case registered" but officers failed to open a formal inquiry.

"One of the officers tried to convince her to withdraw the case," Gill, the police chief for the area, told AFP.

Before her death, there had been no arrests, although three people were detained on Thursday. Two of them were her alleged male attackers and the third was a suspected woman accomplice.

The victim's sister told Indian television that the teenager had been urged to either accept cash or marry one of her attackers.

"The police started pressuring her to either reach a financial settlement with her attackers or marry one of them," her sister told the NDTV network.

Meanwhile, the Press Trust of India reported that a police officer has been suspended for allegedly refusing to register a rape complaint in the northern state of Chhattisgar.

The woman and her husband later brought the case to the attention of a more senior officer and a hunt has now been launched for her attacker, an auto rickshaw driver.

Official figures show that 228,650 of the total 256,329 violent crimes recorded last year in India were against women.

The real figure is thought to be much higher as so many women are reluctant to report attacks to the police.

During an address to the chief ministers of India's states on Thursday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pledged to bring in new laws to cover attacks on women.

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Fiscal Cliff: Obama 'Optimistic' After Talks

Mr Burns Explains The Fiscal Cliff

Updated: 3:03pm UK, Friday 07 December 2012

The Simpsons character Mr Burns has managed to explain the "fiscal cliff" with a pithy cartoon.

It may be a complex and political concept, but with the use of a simple graph and a man in a car, the unpopular nuclear plant CEO succeeds in explaining the predicament facing the US economy.

Admittedly it may have a certain Republican spin to it, but given that the explanation is made in the Burns mansion where Mitt Romney presidential campaign posters are peeling from the wall, that is no surprise.

According to Mr Burns the "fiscal cliff" is defined simply as this: "Think of the economy as a car and the rich man as the driver. If you don't give the driver all the money he will drive you over a cliff.

"It's just common sense."

He goes on to tell his right-hand man Smithers: "Furthermore, rich people feel things more than the common man."

The fiscal cliff is the $607bn (£378bn) of cuts and taxes that will kick in on January 1 if the Republicans and the Democrats in Congress cannot agree on how to run the US economy.

While the Democrats favour raising taxes for the rich, the Republicans want to retain the tax cuts brought in by George W Bush and say it is government spending that must be curtailed.

Because they failed to agree they made a deal on a package of tax rises and spending cuts, including defence and welfare, that will come into action in the new year unless a solution is found.

Economists have warned that if this happens then it could throw the US back into recession and damage the global financial recovery.

Some financial experts have said that the fiscal cliff is the biggest threat to global recovery, as the rest of the world is looking to the US to lead them out of recession.

Congress is now working to try to find a solution before the December 31 deadline.

If it does not, then Smithers will be driving Mr Burns' car to the top of the graph and over the cliff.

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India: Gang Rape Victim Dies In Hospital

Indian police are bracing themselves for more protests after a 23-year-old woman who was gang raped on a bus in New Delhi died in a Singapore hospital.

The attack, in which the medical student was savagely beaten and raped for almost an hour before being thrown out of the moving vehicle, sparked demonstrations across India.

The chief executive of the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore, where she was flown for specialist treatment on Thursday, said she had suffered severe organ failure.

Kelvin Loh added: "Her family and officials from the High Commission of India were by her side.

"Despite all efforts by a team of eight specialists ... to keep her stable, her condition continued to deteriorate over these two days. She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain.

Protesters have demanded better safety for women

"She was courageous in fighting for her life for so long against the odds but the trauma to her body was too severe for her to overcome."

Crowds of protesters have gathered in New Delhi for a sit-in, demanding political change to protect women from violence.

Authorities fear a repeat of demonstrations a week ago, where police fired tear gas and water cannon at activists.

But Daily Telegraph journalist Rahul Bedi, who is in New Delhi, said protesters were likely to remain peaceful to "avoid giving the politicians a tool" to criticise them.

"I think there's a conscious decision on the part of the protesters in the land of Gandhi to protest in a non-violent way," he added.

People in Kolkata, India, light candles during a prayer ceremony

"These sit-ins are going to continue for a long time. This crime has shocked the country, rape is something this country has been dancing around for the last 30 or 40 years."

The Indian High Commissioner to Singapore told reporters a chartered aircraft would fly the victim's body back to India on Saturday, along with members of her family.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he was deeply saddened by the woman's death and described the reaction to the case as "perfectly understandable from a young India and an India that genuinely desires change".

"It would be a true homage to her memory if we are able to channel these emotions and energies into a constructive course of action," he added.

Police have arrested six people over the attack, which happened two weeks ago as the woman was travelling home on a bus with a male friend after a trip to the cinema.

Indian police officials stand alert on a street in New Delhi

According to media reports, six men on the bus beat them with metal rods and repeatedly raped the woman. Her male companion survived the assault.

The case triggered nationwide protests which culminated last weekend in clashes with police in the Indian capital.

Indian authorities have been accused of belittling rape victims and refusing to punish their attackers.

In a separate case, a 17-year-old Indian girl who was allegedly gang raped has killed herself after police pressured her to drop the case and marry one of her attackers.

The deaths come after it emerged the names, addresses and photographs of convicted rapists will be posted online by Indian police to publicly shame them for their crimes.

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General Norman Schwarzkopf Dies Aged 78

General Norman Schwarzkopf, who commanded the US-led coalition that drove Saddam Hussein's forces out of Kuwait in the 1991 Gulf War, has died.

The 78-year-old died on Thursday at his home in Tampa, Florida, where he retired after his last military posting as commander-in-chief of US Central Command.

His sister Ruth Barenbaum said he passed away following complications from pneumonia.

Gen. Schwarzkopf was known as Stormin' Norman for his explosive temper

A much-decorated combat soldier in Vietnam, Gen. Schwarzkopf was known popularly as Stormin' Norman for a notoriously explosive temper.

Former president George HW Bush, himself sick in intensive care in Texas, was the first to issue a statement mourning the loss of the man he chose to lead the war that came to define both of their careers.

"Barbara and I mourn the loss of a true American patriot and one of the great military leaders of his generation," his statement said.

The General salutes an Iraqi general to set Gulf War cease-fire terms

"A distinguished member of that Long Gray Line hailing from West Point, General Norm Schwarzkopf, to me, epitomised the 'duty, service, country' creed that has defended our freedom and seen this great nation through our most trying international crises.

"More than that, he was a good and decent man - and a dear friend. Barbara and I send our condolences to his wife Brenda and his wonderful family."

During the 1991 Gulf War, he became the public face of the coalition troops who ousted Hussein's forces from Kuwait.

After retiring from the Army in 1992, Gen. Schwarzkopf wrote a best-selling autobiography It Doesn't Take A Hero.

He was knighted by the Queen and honoured with decorations from France, Britain, Belgium, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.

At the peak of his post-war national celebrity Gen. Schwarzkopf - a self-proclaimed political independent - rejected attempts to persuade him to run for high office.

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Gang-Raped Indian Teenager Kills Herself

A 17-year-old Indian girl who was gang-raped killed herself after police pressured her to drop the case and marry one of her attackers, police and a relative said on Thursday.

It comes as the 23-year-old Indian medical student who was gang-raped on a bus in New Delhi arrived at Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital for further treatment.

A hospital spokesperson said the patient is in an "extremely critical condition" after the attack on December 16.

She was transferred overseas for better treatment.

The latest case, in the Patiala region in the Punjab, has again shone the spotlight on the police's handling of sex crimes.

One police officer has been sacked and another suspended over their conduct after the assault during the festival of Diwali on November 13, according to officials.

The teenager was found dead on Wednesday night after swallowing poison.

Her death came as it emerged that the names, addresses and photographs of convicted rapists will be posted online by police in India to publicly shame them for their crimes.

Inspector General Paramjit Singh Gill said that the teenager had been "running from pillar to post to get her case registered" but officers failed to open a formal inquiry.

"One of the officers tried to convince her to withdraw the case," Gill, the police chief for the area, told AFP.

Before her death, there had been no arrests over her case although three people were detained on Thursday. Two of them were her alleged male attackers and the third was a suspected woman accomplice.

The victim's sister told Indian television that the teenager had been urged to either accept cash or marry one of her attackers.

"The police started pressuring her to either reach a financial settlement with her attackers or marry one of them," her sister told the NDTV network.

Meanwhile, the Press Trust of India reported that a police officer has been suspended for allegedly refusing to register a rape complaint in the northern state of Chhattisgar.

The woman and her husband later brought the case to the attention of a more senior officer and a hunt has now been launched for her attacker, an auto rickshaw driver.

Official figures show that 228,650 of the total 256,329 violent crimes recorded last year in India were against women.

The real figure is thought to be much higher as so many women are reluctant to report attacks to the police.

During an address to the chief ministers of India's states on Thursday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pledged to bring in new laws to cover attacks on women.

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India Gang-Rape Victim 'Struggling Against Odds'

An Indian woman who was gang-raped on a bus in New Delhi suffered "significant" brain damage and is fighting for her life.

The 23-year-old woman was flown to Singapore for treatment at Mount Elizabeth hospital on Thursday.

The unnamed victim had already undergone three abdominal operations and suffered a cardiac arrest in India prior to her flight.

Hospital chief executive Dr Kelvin Loh said she also has an infection of the lungs and abdomen and "is currently struggling against the odds".

"She continues to remain in an extremely critical condition and is still receiving treatment at the hospital's intensive care unit," he added. 

The announcement comes 10 days after she was brutally attacked by six men on December 16.

The rape has triggered widespread outrage and riots across India.

Official figures show that 228,650 of the total 256,329 violent crimes recorded last year in India were against women.

The real figure is thought to be much higher as so many women are reluctant to report attacks to the police.

During an address to the chief ministers of India's states on Thursday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pledged to bring in new laws to cover attacks on women.

In a separate incident, a 17-year-old Indian girl who was gang-raped killed herself after police pressured her to drop the case and marry one of her attackers.

One police officer has been sacked and another suspended over their conduct after the assault during the festival of Diwali on November 13, according to officials.

The teenager was found dead on Wednesday night after swallowing poison.

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George HW Bush: Condition Worsens In Hospital

The health of former US President George HW Bush has worsened and he is in intensive care with a "stubborn fever".

Mr Bush was admitted to the intensive care unit on Sunday and has been put on a liquids-only diet.

He has been battling bronchitis for the last month and has been in and out of hospital.

Spokesman Jim McGrath: "It's an elevated fever, so it's actually gone up in the last day or two. It's a stubborn fever that won't go away.

"He's had a series of setbacks now that have landed him in guarded condition in the intensive care unit."

Mr Bush had been making a good recovery early last week, he added.

Mr Bush, a Republican, served a single term in the White House from 1989 to 1993, despite sending US forces to victory in Iraq in the first Gulf War, expelling Saddam Hussein's forces from Kuwait.

The 88-year-old was first admitted to Methodist Hospital in Houston on November 7 for bronchitis treatment and released on November 19.

He was readmitted on November 23 after his cough flared up once more.

Doctors had initially hoped to be able to send the elder statesman home for Christmas, but instead he spent the holiday in hospital, where he was joined by his wife Barbara, son Neil and grandson Pierce.

Mr McGrath said: "I wouldn't say he was able to celebrate it in the traditional sense.

"His family was with him, and he's conscious and he's able to engage in humorous banter with his doctor."

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Nelson Mandela Discharged From Hospital

By Emma Hurd, Sky News Correspondent

Former South African president Nelson Mandela will continue to receive care at his residence in Johannesburg which is equipped with medical facilities.

The 94-year-old spent 18 days in hospital being treated for a lung infection and gallstones.

"We thank the public and the media for the good wishes and for affording Madiba and the family the necessary privacy," said Mac Maharaj, a spokesman for President Jacob Zuma, referring to Mr Mandela by his clan name.

"We request a continuation of the privacy consideration in order to allow for the best possible conditions for full recovery."

Mr Mandela was flown to a hospital in Pretoria from his family home in Qunu in the Eastern Cape on December 8 for treatment for a lung infection.

He subsequently underwent an operation to remove gallstones. 

He spent Christmas Day with his wife and members of his family who visited his hospital bedside.

Mr Zuma was also among visitors on Tuesday and declared the former leader to be in "high spirits".

There have been prayers and vigils across South Africa for his speedy recovery. 

It is Mr Mandela's longest stay in hospital since he was released from prison more than two decades ago after 27 years in detention.

He is revered in South Africa and around the world as the icon of the anti-apartheid struggle and the nation's first black president. 

Mr Mandela retired from public life several years ago although he still receives high-profile visitors, usually in private. 

The Nobel Peace laureate is known to be increasingly frail and has suffered from recurring lung problems as a result of contracting tuberculosis during his time in prison.

Earlier this year he was admitted to hospital with abdominal pain. 

He inspires genuine affection and admiration among South Africans and his ailing health is a source of much concern.

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US Snow Storm Heads East After Hitting Midwest

A severe US snow storm is threatening more devastation as it heads east after pounding the Midwest, killing six people.

Up to 18 inches of snow is forecast inland on Thursday, from western New York to Maine, before tapering off into a mix of rain and snow closer to the coast.

It follows snowy gusts of 30mph and an outbreak of 34 tornadoes on Tuesday in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama – causing travel chaos and power cuts.

More than 1,600 flights were cancelled or delayed on Wednesday while scores of motorists got stuck on icy roads or slid into drifts. The storms left more than 100,000 in the region without power.

The storm has blanketed the Midwest

The major storm system, which spawned Gulf Coast region tornadoes on Christmas Day and an historic amount of snow in Arkansas, pushed through the Upper Ohio Valley and moved into the Northeast.

By Wednesday night, The National Weather Service said spotters had reported up to a foot of snow in some Pennsylvania counties.

And a mix of snow, sleet and rain accompanied by high winds had arrived in western Massachusetts.

"The way I've been describing it is as a low-end blizzard, but that's sort of like saying a small Tyrannosaurus rex," said John Kwiatkowski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis.

Snow and rain is expected to hit New York City

Two passengers in a car on a slippery Arkansas road died when the vehicle crossed the centre line and struck a sport utility vehicle.

In Oklahoma, a 76-year-old woman died when a truck crossed into oncoming traffic and hit the car she was in. A 28-year-old woman was killed in another crash.

The storm's winds were also blamed for toppling a tree onto a truck in Texas, killing the driver, and a tree onto a house in Louisiana, killing a man.

Cameras captured the approach of the large funnel cloud in Mobile, Alabama, the biggest city hit by numerous twisters.

A large section of the roof on the city's Trinity Episcopal Church was missing, said Scott Rye, a senior warden at the church.

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Firefighter Ambush Shooting: Killer Left Note

The gunman who ambushed two firefighters as they approached his burning house left a note saying he wanted to torch the neighbourhood and "do what I like doing best, killing people".

Gerald Pickering, police chief in Webster, New York state, said that 62-year-old William Spengler armed himself with three weapons and set his house on fire to lure emergency services into a death trap.

Spengler killed two volunteer firefighters - Mike Chiapperini, 43, and 19-year-old Tomasz Kaczowka - and shot two others before taking his own life in the small town on Monday morning.

Police believe human remains found in the burnt-out home are those of the gunman's 67-year-old sister, Cheryl, who has been missing since the blaze. The remains will be examined before identity is confirmed.

The full contents of the two-page, typed note - which police said does not reveal a motive - have not been published, but Mr Pickering said it clearly shows the killer's "intent".

Victims: Michael Chapperini (left) and Tomasz Kaczowka

One of the guns used was a semi-automatic Bushmaster rifle, the same type of gun used in the December 14 school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. Mr Pickering said Spengler was "equipped to go to war".

Mr Chiapperini's full-time job was as a public information officer with the Webster police department, and was named firefighter of the year for 2012.

Mr Kaczowka worked as an emergency call dispatcher and Mr Pickering described him as "a tremendous young man".

The two injured volunteer firefighters, Joseph Hofstetter and Theodore Scardino, remain in hospital. They are said to be awake and alert and are expected to recover despite suffering "significant" injuries.

Webster is northwest of New York City

Spengler was released from prison in 1998 after serving 17 years for beating his 92-year-old grandmother to death with a hammer in 1980.

Authorities have said he had lived a quiet life and had done nothing to bring himself to police attention since his parole.

Spengler's mother Arline, who had lived with her two children, died in October, leaving Spengler on his own with his sister, Cheryl, whom he "couldn't stand", according to neighbour Roger Vercruysse.

Spengler "stayed on one side of the house and [Cheryl] stayed on the other," Mr Vercruysse said.

Dozens of people turned out on Monday night for an impromptu vigil to mourn the firefighters, leaving bouquets and messages of condolence at the local fire station.

One man left a crate of beer, the local newspaper told Sky News.

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Egypt Constitution In Affect After 'Yes' Vote

Egyptian voters overwhelmingly approved a constitution drafted by allies of President Mohamed Morsi, despite opposition from liberals, leftists and Christians.

The constitution was adopted with 63.8% of the vote after the referendum held over two days earlier in the month, according to results announced by the elections commission.

However, the final turnout was just 32.9% of Egypt's nearly 52 million voters.

Opposition groups staged mass protests against the draft, complaining that the new constitution could allow Muslim clerics to intervene in the making of legislation, while leaving other religions and women with few protections.

But Mr Morsi and the dominant Islamist Muslim Brotherhood movement have insisted that the document provides adequate protection for minorities while providing stability following the uprising that forced former President Hosni Mubarak from power in 2011.

The President signed a decree putting the constitution into affect shortly after the official results.

Murad Ali, a senior official in Mr Morsi's Freedom and Justice Party, said: "I hope all national powers will now start working together now to build a new Egypt.  

"I see this as the best constitution in Egypt's history."

Female protesters cut their hair off to demonstrate their opposition

Immediately after the announcement, a small group of protesters set tyres on fire and blocked traffic near the central Tahrir square, the hub of the uprising against Mubarak.

New parliamentary elections are expected to take place in the coming months with the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies again expected to dominate.

Meanwhile, in a possible sign of the impact that weeks of unrest have taken on the economy, the government ordered new restrictions on foreign currency apparently designed to prevent capital flight. Leaving or entering with more than $10,000 cash is now banned.

The government has criticised the opposition for prolonging the country's economic problems with the weeks of demonstrations against them.

"The main goals that the government is working towards now is plugging the budget deficit, and working on increasing growth to boost employment rates, curb inflation, and increase the competitiveness of Egyptian exports," prime minister Hisham Kandil said.

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China Opens World's Longest High-Speed Railway

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent, in Beijing

The world's longest high speed rail route opens today in China, covering a distance of 1,427 miles (2,298km) between Beijing in the north and Guangzhou on the country's southern coast.

The line will carry new bullet-style trains at speeds of up to 220mph (350kph) and reduce the travel time from 22 hours to just eight hours.

There are 35 stops along the route in major cities spanning the length of the country including Shijiazhuang, capital of northern China's Hebei Province; Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan; Wuhan, the capital of central China's Hubei Province; and Changsha, in Hunan Province.

The bullet trains are capable of speeds of 220mph

The building cost has not been revealed, but it was built in a fraction of the time it has taken to build the Crossrail system in London, which spans a distance - through new tunnels - of 13 miles (21km) and is not due for completion until 2017, and the new UK High Speed Two (HS2), which is still awaiting the construction green light.

But China does not have the planning regulations required for UK projects and there is not as much concern about the environmental considerations.

China currently has 5,350 miles (8,600km) of operating high-speed railway, more than any other nation in the world. The plan is to extend the rail network to a staggering 9,950 miles (16,000km) of track by 2015.

The improved and expanded services have lured people away from the growing number of domestic airlines in China.

The line runs from Beijing in the north to Guangzhou in the south

The Chinese airline industry is increasingly suffering from chronic delays because of congested airspace and bad weather. The train is seen by many as a more reliable and cheaper alternative.

In a statement, China's ministry of railways said: "This service marks a significant milestone of our high-speed rail construction. It will ease pressure on the rail transport between Beijing and Guangzhou, especially during the peak Chinese New Year holiday."

The new line will compete with the first domestic route used by the Airbus superjumbo, the A380.

China Southern Airlines has operated the double decker A380 between Beijing and Guangzhou for the past year. The cost of a ticket is higher, but the journey time is just three hours.

Many Chinese see trains as a cheaper, more reliable alternative to planes

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Firefighters Shot Dead In House Blaze 'Trap'

Two volunteer firefighters have been shot dead and two others injured when a gunman opened fire as they were responding to a house fire in New York state.

The gunman, named as William Spengler, opened fired on the four men as they arrived shortly after 5:30am on Monday to put out the blaze in Webster, said police chief Gerald Pickering.

Spengler set fire to a car and house to lure the firefighters to his house on the shore of Lake Ontario.

"It does appear it was a trap," an emotional Mr Pickering said at a news conference.

Spengler, 62, had served more than 17 years in prison for beating his 92-year-old grandmother to death with a hammer in 1980 at the house next to where the attack happened.

The gunfire initially kept firefighters from battling the blaze

Police said Spengler died at the scene after shooting himself in the head.

One of the firefighters who died, Mike Chiapperini, was also a town police lieutenant, but it was not clear whether he returned fire.

The other firefighter who was killed was named as Tomasz Kaczowka.

The two wounded firefighters, named as Joseph Hofsetter and Theodore Scardino, remained in a critical condition in hospital.

Police were concerned that Spengler's sister, Cheryl Spengler, was in the house where the fire started, reports said.

Spengler reportedly lived there with his sister and mother, Arline Spengler, who died in October.

An off-duty police officer who was driving past the scene also has injuries from shrapnel, Mr Pickering said.

Firefighters were called to the blaze in the early hours of the morning

The fire spread and destroyed six other homes in the quiet lakeside town, around 340 miles (550 km) northwest of New York City.

The gunfire initially kept firefighters from battling the blaze.

The neighbourhood's residents were evacuated and searched by police, and a SWAT team was called to the scene.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the shooting was a "senseless act of violence" and offered his condolences to the victims' families.

"New York's first responders are true heroes as they time and again selflessly rush toward danger in order to keep our families and communities safe," he said.

Monroe county sheriff Patrick O'Flynn said: "It's sad to see that that this is becoming more commonplace in communities across the nation."

The shooting in Webster comes 10 days after the shooting rampage at a school in Newtown, Connecticut, in which 20 children and six adults were killed.

The Newtown massacre has revived debate in the United States on the country's gun laws, which are far more lax than in most other developed nations.

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India Rape Protests: Injured Policeman Dies

An Indian policeman who was injured in clashes during a protest over a gang-rape in New Delhi has died.

The 47-year-old police constable, Subash Tomar, was deployed at the India Gate monument on Sunday to control the protests.

He was beaten up by a mob and rushed to hospital by the police.

"The protesters pelted stones at Tomar, he was unconscious for two days and today he died," New Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said.

More than 50 policemen were injured in Sunday's violence as police struggled to quell increasing outrage over sex crimes following the gang-rape of a student.

Tomar's cousin Ajay who was in the hospital to claim the body said he had joined the police in 1985 and never spent a single festival with the family.

"My cousin was always out on streets maintaining law and order. The mob attacked him for no reason. They just killed him," said Ajay Tomar.

Much of central Delhi remains sealed off after the wave of violent protests over the gang-rape of a 23-year-old student in the capital and a surge in violence against women.

Protests have taken place across India over the last week to denounce the police and government.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has appealed for calm in the city.

His pleas were echoed by the victim's father.

"Please pray for my daughter and do not resort to any violent activity. She needs your support and your prayers," the father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the Hindi-language News 24 network.

"My daughter is fighting for her life, but she is very strong and has a strong will to live."

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Two Killed As Plane Crash-Lands On Burma Road

Two people have been killed and at least 11 injured after an Air Bagan flight made an emergency landing on a road in Burma.

Four foreigners travelling on the Christmas morning flight were among the injured, said Deputy Information Minister Ye Htut.

He said the fatalities included an 11-year-old child believed to be from Burma and a man riding a motorcycle on the road where the plane landed.

The flight was carrying 65 passengers and six crew members from Rangoon, Burma's largest city, to Heho airport in Shan State.

Airport officials in Heho said that injured passengers were taken to a hospital in the nearby city of Taunggyi for treatment.

Air Bagan said the emergency landing was made on a road about two miles from Heho airport.

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India Rape Protests: Reporter 'Shot Dead'

A journalist has been killed in violent demonstrations against sex attacks in India as police failed to contain fresh violence.

A television reporter, 36, was reportedly shot dead when officers opened fire on a protest in Imphal, the capital of Manipur state, over an attack on a film actress.

The star, known as Momoko, was dragged from stage in full public view last week by an armed militant who tried to rape her. She managed to fight him off and fled.

Momoko, also a popular model, has waived her right to anonymity to make a public appeal for her attacker's arrest.

Crowds in Manipur pelted police with stones on Saturday, prompting a curfew to be imposed for parts of the state.

This was relaxed on Sunday but soon a huge crowd assembled again to confront police who opened fire in retaliation, according to police spokesman A. Singh.

A women's rights activist Bala Bedi said: "We want a strong message to be sent that perpetrators of such crimes have no place in our society."

Water cannon were fired on the crowds

The death of the reporter, who worked for the Doordarshan network, came as separate angry protests over the brutal rape of a young woman were staged in New Delhi for a second day.

Police had tried to ban demonstrations in certain parts of the city after violence on Saturday.

On Sunday, all the routes leading to landmark government buildings were cordoned off and metro stations in the vicinity were closed to the public.

But several hundred protesters managed to breach the cordon around India Gate and braved tear gas and water cannon for the second day in a row.

The case of a 23-year-old student who was gang-raped by six drunk men last week has sparked a public outcry.

Promises by the Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde to consider demands for the six suspects to face the death penalty have failed to quell the anger.

Mr Shinde had also vowed on Saturday night that the government would take further steps to keep women safe.

A group of protesters met Sonia Gandhi, the governing Congress party chief, on Sunday to demand a speedy trial of the suspects.

The 23-year-old woman, a physiotherapy student, was attacked by six drunk men when she was travelling on a bus with a male friend.

They took it in turns to rape her and attack her with an iron rod, causing serious internal injuries. She is still fighting for her life in hospital.

Campaigners want tougher sentences for sex attackers

Her case has caught the public mood amid dismay at a massive rise in the number of sexual attacks in India.

Government figures show a woman is now raped in the country every 20 minutes after a major rise in assaults.

National crime records show that 228,650 of the total 256,329 violent crimes recorded last year were against women.

Delhi has been dubbed the rape capital of India with government figures showing the number of rapes in the city rising 17% to 661 this year.

One of Delhi's most senior police officers has pleaded for an end to the unrest, saying the protests were being "hijacked by hooligans" and insisting that the case against the six suspects was being fast-tracked.

"We have met all the demands of the protesters," Special Commissioner Dharmendra Kumar said.

Sushma Swaraj, a leader of the main opposition Bhartiya Janata Party, called for an all-party meeting to end the violence between protesters and the police.

"Please do not resort to violence. That is not the solution," she wrote on Twitter.

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Russian Adoption Ban: Pressure Grows On Obama

More than 50,000 people have urged Barack Obama to escalate the diplomatic feud that led Moscow to propose a law barring Americans from adopting Russian children.

Two petitions on the White House website are asking for sanctions against Russian politicians who backed a bill that one of the documents says will "jeopardise lives and well-being of thousands of Russian orphans".

Moscow sees the ban on adoptions as retaliation for a US human rights law that allows the seizure of assets from Russian officials implicated in the 2009 death of a Russian lawyer.

Some Russian politicians denounced the petitions, saying any further action would cause tensions between the countries.

President Obama is under pressure to get tough with Russia

However a senior member of the Duma - Russia's lower parliamentary chamber - suggested there might still be a way for the measures to be softened.

One petition said Russian politicians "breached all imaginable boundaries of humanity, responsibility, or common sense and chose to jeopardise lives and well-being of thousands of Russian orphans".

The petitioners urged the president to "identify those involved in adopting such legislature responsible under the Magnitsky Act".

A second petition asks that the Magnitsky Act "be extended to supporters of this law in (the) Russian Duma".

According to White House rules, an official response will be issued if a petition reaches 25,000 signatures within 30 days. One already has more than 45,000 signatures, while the other has 6,000.

Russian deputy Irina Yarovaya, who heads the Duma's security committee, denounced the petitions.

Such initiatives "cross the limits of international law, of international relations and of a nation's sovereign rights", she said.

Another politician, Vyacheslav Nikonov, told Moscow Echo Radio that if Washington acted on the petitions, it could lead to "very serious diplomatic complications".

But deputy chairman of the Duma Sergei Zheleznya has hinted that the measures could be softened.

Between 2008 and 2011, American parents adopted 5,177 of the 14,660 Russian children adopted by foreigners.

The US human rights law has been dubbed the Magnitsky Act after Sergei Magnitsky, the lawyer who blew the whistle on what he said was a $235m (£145m) police embezzlement scheme.

Moscow's proposed ban is unofficially called the Dima Yakovlev bill in memory of a Russian child who died of heat stroke while locked in a car by his adoptive US parent in the summer heat in 2008.

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Afghan Policewoman Kills US Adviser In Kabul

An Afghan policewoman has killed an American adviser during an incident at Kabul police headquarters.

Kabul's Deputy Police Chief Mohammad Daoud Amin said an investigation is under way to determine whether the killing was intentional or accidental.

It is not known whether the victim was a military or civilian adviser.

The NATO military command said it is looking into reports of the shooting, but had no independent information.

At least 53 international troops have been killed by Afghan soldiers or police this year, and a number of other assaults are still under investigation.

NATO forces, due to withdraw from the country by 2014, have speeded up efforts to train and advise Afghan military and police units before the pullout.

But the surge in insider attacks is throwing doubt on the capability of the Afghan security forces to take over from international troops and has further undermined public support for the 11-year war in NATO countries.

More than 50 Afghan members of the government's security forces have also died this year in attacks by their own colleagues.

Taliban militants claim such attacks reflect a growing popular opposition to both foreign military presence and the Kabul government.

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Saudi Arabian Blogger Could Face Death Penalty

A Saudi Arabian blogger is set to go on trial charged with renouncing Islam and could face the death penalty.

Raif Badawi, who started the Free Saudi Liberals website to discuss the role of religion in the country, was arrested in June.

He was initially charged with the less serious offence of insulting Islam through electronic channels, but at his latest hearing a judge referred him to a more senior court.

The judge recommended that Mr Badawi be tried for apostasy - or the abandonment of religion - which carries an automatic death sentence in the country.

King Abdullah has pushed for reforms to the country's legal system

The details of the hearing on December 17 have only just emerged, through the Human Rights Watch organisation.

Mr Badawi's website has now been removed, but included articles that were critical of senior religious figures, the monitoring group said.

A spokesman for Saudi Arabia's Justice Ministry was not available to comment.

The world's top oil exporter follows the strict Wahhabi school of Islam and applies Islamic law, or Sharia.

Judges base their decisions on their own interpretation of religious law rather than on a written legal code or on precedent.

King Abdullah, Saudi Arabia's ruler, has pushed for reforms to the legal system including improved training for judges and the introduction of precedent to standardise verdicts and make courts more transparent.

However, Saudi lawyers say that conservatives in the Justice Ministry and the judiciary have resisted implementing many of the changes that he announced in 2007.

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India: Woman Raped Every Twenty Minutes

By Alex Rossi, India Correspondent

Campaigners in India are calling for tougher penalties for sex offenders after a massive rise in the number of rapes.

According to the latest government figures, a woman is now raped in India every 20 minutes. But despite the increase in sex attacks the number of convictions is falling.

In the last 12 months there have been a number of high-profile cases which have caused outrage across the nation.

One of the most shocking attacks happened in the state of Haryana. Unusually the victim waived her right to anonymity.

Sixteen-year-old Shabnam was gang raped by eight men from her village. Her attackers filmed the assault on their mobile phones.

When her father became aware the images were being shared around the village he committed suicide out of shame.

Shabnam's attackers filmed the rape on their mobile phones

Haryana is a tight-knit - mainly agrarian community - where family honour and the avoidance of shame are a matter of life and death for many.

But the brave schoolgirl wants the world to know what happened because she says too many victims are either too afraid or too ashamed to speak out.

"I don't want the sacrifice of my father to be wasted," she said. "I've decided to get them all punished so that whatever happened with me should never happen to anybody else again."

The physical scars of Shabnam's attack have now healed but her mother Rani fears she will never fully recover psychologically from her ordeal.

"My daughter is scared and depressed. She barely speaks because there is so much fear in mind," she said.

The rise in sexual assaults in Haryana reflects what is happening in other states across India.

Delhi: demonstrators call for safety for women after the rape of a student

A preference for sons and the illegal practice of female infanticide and foeticide have left the state with a badly skewed sex ratio.

In Haryana there are just 830 girls per 1,000 boys.

Women's rights campaigner Rishi Kant says the problems are deep rooted within Indian society.

"Because of these problems we are facing with female infanticide and foetcide, due to (the fact there are) less girls, young boys are doing all these crimes which are very heinous crimes and they should be booked immediately with a fast track court so that a proper sentence can be given against them."

Campaigners say India's laws for the protection of women are robust but are demanding better policing and stiffer jail terms.

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Egypt's Constitution Gets 'Yes' Majority

Initial results show Egypt's controversial new constitution has received a 'yes' majority in the second and final round of voting.

The results, posted on the Muslim Brotherhood's website, show that eight of the 25 million Egyptians eligible to vote - a turnout of about 30% - cast their ballots on Saturday.

The referendum was held over two days, on December 15 and 22.

In the first round, about 56% said "yes" to the charter. The turnout then was about 32%

The Muslim Brotherhood, which propelled Islamist President Mohammed Morsi to power, has accurately predicted election results in the past by tallying results provided by its representatives at polling centres.

Mohammed Morsi came to power in June

Official results are not expected to be announced for several days, but when they are, Mr Morsi is expected to call for a parliamentary election to be held in about two months.

The low turnout in both rounds is likely to feed a perception of illegitimacy for the constitution, which Islamists say will lay the foundation for a democratic state and the protection of human rights.

But the opposition claims that it places restrictions on liberties and gives clerics a say over legislation.

The referendum on the constitution has left Egypt divided into two camps: the president, his Brotherhood and ultraconservative Islamists known as Salafis in one, and liberals, moderate Muslims and Christians in the other.

The two sides brought hundreds of thousands of supporters to the streets over the past month in rival rallies.

Clashes between both sides have left at least 10 people dead and hundreds wounded.

Mahmud Mekki said he wanted to quit last month

Hours earlier, Mr Morsi's vice president, Mahmud Mekki, whose post is not mentioned in the new charter, announced he was resigning.

"Political work does not suit my professional character," he said in a statement, referring to his past role as a respected judge.

Mr Mekki said he wanted to quit last month but stayed on to help Mr Morsi tackle a crisis that blew up when the leader assumed sweeping wide powers.

State television reported that Central Bank governor Faruq el Okda had also resigned, but this was followed by strong denials from Egypt's cabinet.

Both the former governor and Mr Morsi's deputy helped steer the central bank during last year's uprising that ousted former president Hosni Mubarak and worked to keep the Egyptian currency relatively stable despite the political turmoil.

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