Silvio Berlusconi: Ex-Wife To Get £82k A Day

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has been ordered to pay his ex-wife maintenance of 100,000 euros (£82,000) a day as part of their divorce settlement.

Mr Berlusconi, 76, will be able to keep the family home, said to be worth 78 million euros (£64m), and the daily figure he will pay to Veronica Lario amounts to more than 36 million euros (£29m) a year.

However, it was not immediately clear how long the terms lasted.

The decision was made by a judge in Milan just before Christmas and details have now been revealed.

The ruling said the money would allow Ms Lario, the mother of Mr Berlusconi's three children, to "live in the manner that she was accustomed to during her marriage" and it also noted she was "without a home as part of the settlement".

Ms Lario began proceedings against Mr Berlusconi three years ago after it emerged he had attended the 18th birthday party of lingerie model Noemi Letizia - which sparked fury from his then wife who accused him of never attending birthday parties of their own children.

The ex-Italian PM attended the 18th birthday party of Noemi Letizia

As a result, she said that she could "no longer live with a man who associates with minors" and she instructed lawyers to begin divorce proceedings against her husband, who is one of the world's richest men with a personal fortune estimated to be around seven billion euros.

Initially Ms Lario, 55, had wanted to keep the family home at Macherio and also 300,000 euros (£245,000) a month in maintenance but after two years of legal wrangling she has settled for an increase in the financial settlement and to leaving the house which was also home to their three children Barbara, 27, Eleonora, 25 and Luigi, 21.

Ms Lario has spent 19 of the last 30 years at Macherio near Milan and she met Mr Berlusconi in the early 1980s, while he was still married to his first wife Carla Dall Oglio, when she performed topless in a play called The Magnificent Cuckold.

There had been some suggestion she also wanted a 'slice' of his extensive business empire Fininvest but it is understood that is not part of the settlement and remains in his hands although Mr Berlusconi is said to have ensured the three children as well as his two from his first marriage are covered.

Initially Ms Lario had threatened to "make things messy" for Mr Berlusconi in what many believed was a reference to his relationship with Miss Letizia who it later emerged had been among dozens of women invited to parties he hosted at his home on the island of Sardinia.

According to reports in the Italian media, the settlement authorised by judge Gloria Servetti was reached with both parties agreeing not to blame each other for the split.

Mr Berlusconi has confirmed he is dating Francesca Pascale

The relationship had been strained since 2007 after Mr Berlusconi was spotted telling TV star Mara Carfagna, who later went on to serve in his Cabinet, that he would marry her if he was not already married.

Ms Lario was furious and demanded a public apology which she got from Mr Berlusconi with a grovelling sorry published on the front page of all Italian newspapers and reported extensively on TV.

Maria Morelli, Ms Lario's lawyer, was unavailable for comment at her Milan office and Mr Berlusconi's legal team who negotiated the settlement, Ippolita Ghedini and Cristina Rossello, could also not be reached.

Mr Berlusconi is currently on trial accused of having underage sex with a prostitute and he has also thrown his hat into the ring for the general election which takes place in February.

He also recently confirmed he is seeing former TV showgirl Francesca Pascale, 27, who he described as ''beautiful on the inside and beautiful on the outside".

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Russia: Putin Signs American Adoption Ban

Vladimir Putin has signed a law banning Americans from adopting Russian children.

The controversial bill is part of a harsh response to a US law targeting Russians deemed to be human rights violators.

Mr Putin signed it less than 24 hours after receiving it from parliament, where both houses passed it overwhelmingly.

The law also calls for closure of non-governmental organisations (NGO) receiving American funding if their activities are classified as political - a broad definition many fear could be used to close any NGO that offends the Kremlin.

It is not immediately clear when the law would take effect, but presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying "practically, adoption stops on January 1".

Children's rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov said 52 children who were in the pipeline for adoption in the US would now remain in Russia.

The bill has angered some Americans and Russians who argue it victimises children to make a political point, cutting off a route out of frequently dismal orphanages for thousands.

"Our unlucky children, our orphans are suffering because they became small change in a political game between two states. This is immoral, this is cannibalism", veteran human rights campaigner Lyudmila Alexeyeva has told the state news agency RIA Novosti.

Vladimir Lukin, head of the Russian Human Rights Commission and a former ambassador to Washington, said he would challenge the law in the Constitutional Court.

US State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell has expressed regret and urged Russia to "allow those children who have already met and bonded with their future parents to finish the necessary legal procedures so that they can join their families".

Unicef estimates that there are about 740,000 children not in parental custody in Russia while about 18,000 Russians are on the waiting list to adopt a child.

The US is the most common destination for adopted Russian children - more than 60,000 of them have been taken in by Americans over the past two decades.

Mr Putin has also issued an order for the government to develop a programme to provide more support for adopted children.

The law is in response to a measure signed into law by US President Barack Obama this month that calls for sanctions against Russians assessed to be human rights violators.

That stems from the case of Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who was arrested after accusing officials of a $230m (£143m) tax fraud. He was repeatedly denied medical treatment and died in jail in 2009.

Russian rights groups claimed he was severely beaten and accused the Kremlin of failing to prosecute those responsible. A prison doctor who was the only official charged in the case was acquitted by a Moscow court on Friday.

Mr Putin has claimed Russian resentment of the US, funded and encouraged the wave of massive anti-government protests that arose last winter.

The Russian parliament initially considered a relatively similar retaliatory measure, but amendments have expanded it beyond a tit-for-tat response.

Many in Russia have been distressed for years by reports of Russian children dying or suffering abuse at the hands of their American adoptive parents.

The new law was dubbed the Dima Yakovlev Bill after a toddler who died in 2008 when his adopted American father left him in a car in extreme heat for hours.

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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

Barack Obama has called for "immediate action" to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff after urgent talks with Congressional leaders.

He urged politicians to agree a deal, saying: "The hour for immediate action is here. It is now."

He said he remained "optimistic" that an agreement could be reached to avoid millions of families being hit with big tax increases and spending cuts.

Mr Obama described the hour-long meeting with Congressional leaders as "good and constructive".

He referred to "dysfunction in Washington" and said the American public was "not going to have any patience for a politically self-inflicted wound to our economy".

Surprisingly, after weeks of post-election gridlock, Senate leaders said they hope to reach a compromise that could be presented to lawmakers by Sunday -  little more than 24 hours before the year-end deadline.

Majority leader Harry Reid and Republican leader Mitch McConnell gave a relatively upbeat assessment after what Mr McConnell called a "good" meeting with Mr Obama.

House Speaker John Boehner arrives at the White House for the talks

"I am hopeful and optimistic" of reaching a deal, Mr McConnell said.

Mr Reid promised he would be "going to do everything I can" to make a deal happen, but added: "Whatever we come up with is going to be imperfect."

House Speaker John Boehner appears for the moment to have ceded the struggle to the Senate, saying he would put any agreed bill before his chamber and let the vote proceed. 

The US is facing the fiscal cliff because tax rate cuts dating back to George W Bush's presidency expire at the end of the year.

The pending reductions in spending, which will hit everything from social programmes to the military, were put in place last year as an incentive to both parties to find ways to cut the US's soaring deficit.

It followed their inability to reach an agreement in 2011.

If Congress cannot agree a deal to rein in government spending, Mr Obama said Congress should allow a vote on a basic package that would keep tax cuts for middle-class Americans while extending unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed.

The stock market was down again on Friday as the wrangling continued in Washington.

Experts say if the looming tax increases and spending cuts are not scaled back, the recovering but fragile US economy could slip back into recession.

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Ex-England Cricket Captain Tony Greig Dies

Former England cricket captain and television commentator Tony Greig has died at the age of 66 after being diagnosed with lung cancer earlier this year.

South Africa-born Greig, who played 58 Tests for England, initially developed bronchitis, with further tests showing a lesion at the base of his right lung.

He became synonymous with world cricket as a commentator for Australian television network Channel Nine following his retirement.

"Beloved Tony Greig, former England cricket captain, has passed away today at the age of 66," Channel Nine said in a statement.

"Initially diagnosed with bronchitis in May, the condition lingered and testing revealed he had lung cancer."

Greig scored 3,599 Test runs at an average of 40.43 and was also a useful bowler, claiming 141 wickets at an average of 32.20.

He finished playing for England at the age of 30 to take up a position in Kerry Packer's breakaway World Series Cricket competition, where he was one of the star recruits.

The Channel Nine statement continued: "Tony Greig is a name synonymous with Australian cricket - from his playing days as the English captain we loved to hate, to his senior role in the revolution of World Series Cricket ... and more than three decades of colourful and expert commentary.

"To his family and friends we pass on our best wishes."

Greig made his Test debut for England against Australia in 1972, and captained the national team from 1975-1977 after succeeding Mike Denness as skipper.

He lived in Sydney from the late 1970s and commentated on cricket for Channel Nine for 33 years.

Reports in Australia indicated he suffered a heart attack at home and was taken to hospital where attempts to revive him failed.

"He was rushed into St Vincent's hospital. The staff of the emergency department worked on Mr Greig to no avail," a hospital spokesman was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.

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Harry Carey: Western Movie Veteran Dies At 91

Character actor Harry Carey Jr, who appeared in nine of Hollywood director John Ford's classic Westerns, has died at the age of 91.

He died peacefully of natural causes in the seaside town of Santa Barbara, California, surrounded by family members, said his daughter, Melinda Carey.

"No cancer or nothing, he just got old. He went out as gracefully as he came in," she said of her father, who is survived by his wife of 68 years, Marilyn, and three adult children.

Carey made 11 movies alongside Ford's favourite leading man, John Wayne, and had scores of other films and television shows to his credit.

His career spanned more than 50 years and included such Ford classics as She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, The Searchers and The Long Gray Line.

Harry Carey Jr in a 1940s publicity shot for She Wore A Yellow Ribbon

He began his association with Wayne in another 1948 release, Howard Hawks' Red River, which also starred his father, silent movie star Harry Carey.

While he lacked Wayne's leading-man stature, Carey Jr's boyish looks and horse-riding skills kept him in demand.

He and fellow character actor Ben Johnson famously learned to stand simultaneously on two galloping horses - a trick known as Roman riding - for the 1950 film Rio Grande.

Among his last screen appearances were his turn as a US marshal in the 1993 film Tombstone alongside Val Kilmer and Kurt Russell, and a supporting role in the 1997 TV movie Last Stand At Saber River, which starred Tom Selleck.

In addition to a movie career that encompassed more than 90 films, Carey was a fixture on television during an era when Westerns proliferated on the small screen.

He popped up in various character roles on such prime-time hits as Bonanza, Gunsmoke and Wagon Train in the 1960s and 1970s.

Later in life, he appeared in the movies Gremlins and Back To The Future Part III.

His memoir, Company Of Heroes: My Life As An Actor In The John Ford Stock Company, was published in 1994.

In it he wrote: "My journey has been that of a character actor.

"I've worked with the great and the not-so-great. But mostly I've worked with men and women who loved their profession, and who like me, had kids to raise and houses to pay for."

Carey was born in 1921 on his family's 1,000-acre ranch, which has now been turned into a Los Angeles County historic park called Tesoro Adobe.

He graduated from Hollywood's Black-Foxe Military Institute and during the Second World War he served in the Navy and worked with Ford on propaganda films for the US military.

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Firefighter Ambush Deaths: Charge Over Guns

A 24-year-old woman has been charged in connection with two weapons used by William Spengler when he killed two firefighters responding to a house fire in New York state.

New York State Police Senior Investigator James Sewell said Dawn Nguyen, of Rochester, faces a state charge of filing a falsified business record.

According to Mr Sewell, the charge relates to the purchase of an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun that Spengler had with him when firefighters Michael Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka were gunned down on Monday.

Three other people were injured before the 62-year-old killed himself.

US attorney William Hochul said Nguyen is alleged to have bought the guns on behalf of Spengler - who as a convicted criminal was barred from possessing weapons - in June 2010.

"She told the seller of these guns, Gander Mountain in Henrietta, New York, that she was to be the true owner and buyer of the guns instead of William Spengler," Mr Hochul said.

"It is absolutely against federal law to provide any materially false information related to the acquisition of firearms. It is sometimes referred to acting as a straw purchaser and that is exactly what today's complaint alleges."

Spengler lured the firefighters by torching his home on Christmas Eve

Nguyen and her mother, Dawn Welsher, lived next door to Spengler in 2008.

Spengler spent 17 years in prison for killing his grandmother in 1980.

The identity of remains found in the burnt-out home in Webster is still to be confirmed.

Investigators have said they believe the remains are those of Spengler's 67-year-old sister, Cheryl, who also lived in the house on the shore of Lake Ontario and has been unaccounted for since the killings.

The Spengler siblings had lived in the home with their mother, Arline Spengler, who died in October. In all, seven houses were destroyed by the flames.

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India Rape Death: Six Charged With Murder

Indian police have charged six men with murder, hours after a woman who was gang raped on a bus in New Delhi died in hospital.

The men could face the death penalty if convicted, in a case that has triggered protests across India.

The 23-year-old victim was savagely beaten and raped for almost an hour before being thrown out of the moving vehicle.

She was flown to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore for specialist treatment, but later died from severe organ failure.

The victim's body is being flown back to India from Singapore

Sky's India Correspondent Alex Rossi said: "The general thinking behind it as far as the prosecution service is concerned is that the way she was treated on that bus, the manner in which she was subjected to such a brutal attack, the fact that she was thrown from the bus whilst it was still moving and was unconscious suggests that they're fairly confident now that there was pre-meditation in the attack."

Her uncle has called for those responsible to be given the "strictest possible sentence".

"This is a very sad day, and a very very sad happening," he said. "My condolences are with my niece's family."

Indian police are braced for more protests

Sonia Ghandi, the president of India's National Congress, has promised to fight for change.

She said: "(The death) strengthens our resolve to fight with all our might, and all the powers of our laws and our administration, for the safety and protection of all women of our country, and to ensure swift and fitting punishment for the perpetrators of such brutal acts."

More than 1,000 protesters have gathered in New Delhi city centre for a sit-in, demanding political change to protect women from violence.

Activists light candles in memory of the rape victim

The area is home to the president's palace, the prime minister's office and key defence, foreign affairs and home ministries.

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

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.

Police have closed-off parts of New Delhi with metal barriers

"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.

"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."

A chartered aircraft is flying the victim's body back to India, 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.

A small demonstration is also taking place near the Indian High Commission in London.

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Survivor's Family Sue Over Sandy Hook Massacre

Lawyers for a six-year-old who survived the Sandy Hook massacre are seeking permission to sue the state of Connecticut for $100m (£62m) for failing to protect its schoolchildren.

The legal notice was filed earlier this week with the claims commissioner, who will decide whether the state's usual immunity from prosecution should be waived.

It is the first apparent litigation attempt following the mass shooting two weeks ago, which killed 20 children and six members of staff.

New Haven lawyer Irving Pinsky said the girl, only identified as Jill Doe, was in her classroom at the elementary school in Newtown on December 14 when "the horrific confrontation" with gunman Adam Lanza came over the loudspeaker.

Gunman Adam Lanza shot himself after killing 20 children and six adults

Mr Pinsky said the student was traumatised by the killings of her schoolfriends, and accused the state of failing to protect students from "foreseeable harm".

"The State Board of Education, Connecticut Department of Education and State Commissioner of Education failed ... to provide a safe school setting at Sandy Hook Elementary School," the claim reads.

"As a consequence, the ... child has sustained emotional and psychological trauma and injury, the nature and extent of which are yet to be determined," the lawsuit goes on.

The lawyer told The News-Times newspaper that he took the case because, "we must stand together to protect our children. If we don't, nothing will change."

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Russia Plane Crash: Four People Killed

Four people have died after a passenger plane overshot an airport runway as it landed in Russia.

The Red Wing Airlines aircraft burst through a perimeter fence onto a motorway next to Moscow's Vnukovo airport.

Officials said the Tu-204 plane - travelling from the Czech Republic - was carrying eight crew members and no passengers.

A statement from the Ministry of Healthcare said four of those on board were killed, while four others are suffering from brain injuries.

The crash took place during high winds and a snowstorm, but the cause of the accident is not yet clear.

Prior to Saturday's crash, there had been no fatal accidents reported for Tu-204s, which entered commercial service in 1995.

The plane is a twin-engine mid-range jet with a capacity of about 210 passengers.

Vnukovo, on the southern outskirts of Moscow, is one of the Russian capital's three international airports.

The airport was closed after the crash and flights were routed to Moscow's other airports, Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo.

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Music School Helping Soweto Children At Risk

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent

A South African music school set up by a British woman to help the poorest children in Soweto is in danger of closing down because of lack of funds.

Buskaid, a charity, has helped thousands of poor children discover classically focused music in the former township.

Some have gone on to win scholarships at some of Britain's finest music institutions, such as the Royal Academy of Music.

A British viola player named Rosemary Nalden started Buskaid in the 90s. Its aim was to give disadvantaged young people in Soweto a better life through music.

Cecilia Manyama is now one of their leading lights. She has been at the school for 12 years and is now one of their leading violin players and singers.

For Cecilia, it meant a way out of poverty and a glimpse of a life she could only dream of before. She played to international audiences and now has a solid job playing in the Buskaid Ensemble and teaching other young students.

Life is still tough for many in the former South Africa township

Ms Nalden said: "I want to show them they can actually have a life through music, that they can earn a living as well as enjoy it."

Soweto has come a long way from the apartheid years when racial segregation meant the township was a by-word for poverty and crime.

But life is still tough for youngsters in a country where one in four South Africans is out of work. Pule Lekarapa was headed for a life of crime before Buskaid took him on.

He said: "I have no idea where I would be without Buskaid. I would be doing something terrible, that's for certain."

Instead though, at the relatively old age of 16 he turned up on the doorstep of Buskaid wanting to learn a musical instrument.

He now plays and teaches the double bass.

He added: "I love it, I really do and I am so grateful to Rosemary for giving me this chance to do this and have this life."

It gives the young people a purpose, a focus and a direction which they would not otherwise have.

The charity gives people a chance of a better life through music

We followed 10-year-old Solly home to his house around the corner from the Academy, which is in Deipkloof.

"He's here day in and day out," said Ms Nalden. "[He's] absolutely fanatical about his playing and determined to do something with his life."

Solly walks past groups of children skipping on the street or sitting on doorsteps, his violin case firmly in his hand.

He is going home to practise after spending most of the day at the Academy. His grandmother looks on proudly as he puts the violin through its paces.

But Solly's future and that of Buskaid is seriously under threat  because of lack of funds.

Ms Nalden said: "In a nutshell, we risk going under before the end of next year unless someone or people come forward to help us."

The charity not only pays for the children to receive lessons and the upkeep of the music school but it also funds two or three students to travel to England every year to study music.

And that involves even paying the £18,000 tuition fees if they feel the student is talented enough.

In a country with startling statistics like more than 70% of black South African children live in low-income households, Buskaid has been their hope, a chance of a future.

And that, Ms Nalden, insists, has got to be worth fighting for.

:: Find out more about Buskaid and make a donation

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School Shooting: Tributes To British Victim

The family of a six-year-old British boy killed in the Sandy Hook shootings have paid tribute to their "joyous" son at his funeral.

Dylan Hockley was one of 20 children shot dead by gunman Adam Lanza at the elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, last Friday.

The little boy died in the arms of his favourite teacher Anne Marie Murphy, who was also killed in the shooting.

Mother Nicole Hockley told the congregation at Walnut Hill Community Church in Bethel, Connecticut, that Dylan - who had a form of autism that hindered his language development - would flap his arms when he got excited.

When she asked him why, he replied: "Because I am a beautiful butterfly."

Hundreds of family and friends filled the church to commemorate Dylan's life.

Purple and white balloons were released at the end of the funeral to symbolise the 20 children and six adults killed at Sandy Hook school. Purple was Dylan's favourite colour.

He was born in Hampshire to a British father and American mother - Ian and Nicole Hockley - and the family moved to Newtown two years ago.

They praised staff at the school including headteacher Dawn Hochsprung and teacher Vicki Soto, who have been hailed as heroes as they tried to protect pupils from the gunman. Both women died in the attack.

A statement from the family after his death read: "Everyone who met Dylan fell in love with him. His beaming smile would light up any room and his laugh was the sweetest music.

"There are no words that can express our feeling of loss. We will always be a family of four, as though Dylan is no longer physically with us, he is forever in our hearts and minds.

"We love you Mister D, our special gorgeous angel."

It comes after America's leading gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, called for armed guards to be placed in schools to prevent shootings.

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Gun Control: Celebrities 'Demand A Plan'

Beyonce, Jennifer Aniston, Jamie Foxx and other celebrities are asking American leaders to stop gun violence in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

Among the entertainers making an appearance in the minute-and-a-half-long Public Service Announcement are Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba, Reese Witherspoon, Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Chris Rock, Sarah Silverman, Will Ferrell and Julianne Moore.

The black-and-white video begins with the celebrities recalling shootings including Columbine in 1999, Virginia Tech in 2007 and Aurora this year.

"How many more? How many more colleges? How many more classrooms? How many more movie theatres?" they ask, saying a few words each.

"Enough."

"Demand a Plan," they urge their fellow citizens. "As An American, as a human being, for the children of Sandy Hook.

"It's time for our leaders to act."

The celebrities' video was released just hours after the National Rifle Association called for armed security officers at every school in the US.

President Barack Obama has vowed to press for tighter gun laws early next year.

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India: Tear Gas Fired At Gang Rape Protesters

Indian police fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters who were demanding justice and safety for women following the brutal gang rape of a student on a bus.

Thousands of demonstrators in New Delhi surged towards the president's palace chanting "we want justice" and carrying banners reading "hang them now".

Clashes between the protesters and riot police erupted when a group tried to break through barricades and some started throwing stones.

The police responded by opening fire on the crowds with gas and water, and using batons to try to control the masses.

It is the sixth day of protests in the wake of the attack on the 23-year-old physiotherapy student and her 28-year-old male companion by six drunk men on a bus.

They took it in turns to rape her and attack her with an iron rod, causing serious intestinal injuries, before throwing her off the bus.

The men claimed it was her punishment for being out in the evening with a man.

The woman is still battling for her life in a New Delhi hospital but her story has sparked massive demonstrations in a country where rape is the fastest rising crime.

There have been six days of protests since the brutal rape of a student

The number of rape cases in New Delhi alone has risen 17% from 2011 to 661 this year, according to government figures.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, spokesman for the main national opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, said New Delhi "is becoming the rape capital" of India.

He urged the prime minister, Manmohan Singh, "to please respond to the deep sense of pain, agony and concern of the young people".

Experts say a combination of abusive sexual behaviour and a scant fear of the law because of the woefully low conviction rate, encourage such attacks in the city, which has a population of 19 million.

The government has appealed for calm and has said it will press for life sentences for the woman's six attackers, pay her medical bills and improve policing.

Junior home minister R.P.N. Singh told India's CNN-IBN television network: "The government is trying to do whatever it can to take measures and make sure that women are safe in the country."

Doctors at the hospital where the woman is being treated said in a statement she is in a critical but stable condition and had been removed from a ventilator.

Five suspects were arrested soon after the attack, which happened on Sunday, and a sixth was taken into custody on Friday.

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British Boy Dies Hiking In Australian Bush

A 14-year-old Scottish boy has reportedly died from heat exhaustion after collapsing during a hike with his father in Western Australia.

Local news reports have quoted police as saying the two were hiking in the Cape Range National Park, south of Exmouth, on Friday when the boy collapsed to the ground.

Police say the father and son were not carrying a great deal of water, according to Australian TV ABC.

Temperatures in the region were well above 40C (104 degrees Fahrenheit) at the time, police said, urging tourists to carry plenty of water when hiking in such conditions.

The boy's father called emergency services, and police located the pair around 700 metres down a gully and not far from a car park, according to the reports.

The boy was treated on the track before being transferred to Exmouth Hospital, where he later died.

The boy's father is a 49-year-old man from Geraldton, in Western Australia's mid-west, the reports said.

A police spokeswoman told The West Australian: "It is a known path and bush track.

"They were not lost. It is not suspicious. It is just a tragic accident."

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Gavin Mooney: British Economist Beaten To Death

An eminent British economist and his wife have been murdered at their home in Australia.

Professor Gavin Mooney, 69, and Dr Delys Weston, 62, were found at the property in Tasmania on Wednesday and are thought to have been bludgeoned to death.

The retired Briton was previously the director of the Social and Public Health Economics Research Group in Australia and held a number of senior positions at universities in the country.

He was born in Glasgow in 1943 and graduated from the University of Edinburgh before embarking on a career that saw him hold academic positions in the UK, Denmark and Australia.

He moved to Australia permanently in 1993.

Australian health minister Tanya Plibersek said the deaths were a "tragic loss for the health community, both in Australia and internationally".

She said: "Professor Mooney was a fearless advocate for social justice, and in particular the role of citizen juries, leading debates on the importance of consumers in determining how their health resources are allocated.

"Described as 'one of the founding fathers of health economics', his research was driven by real world challenge and geared towards identifying practical solutions.

"He was an inspiring teacher and supervisor, which when coupled with his extensive publication record, will ensure his legacy persists."

Australian media reports claimed Dr Weston's son has been charged in connection with the deaths and is expected to appear in court in the New Year.

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Pennsylvania Shootings: Gunman Kills Three

Police in Pennsylvania are investigating why a man shot dead three people, including a woman decorating a church hall for a children's Christmas party.

The gunman opened fire on a rural road in Frankstown Township on Friday and was killed in a shoot-out with state troopers after crashing his car into one of their vehicles.

Three officers were injured, including one who was shot in the wrist and chest.

Investigators examined five crime scenes within a 1.5-mile radius as they searched for a motive for the attacks.

The suspect was shot dead after firing at police in Frankstown Township

Trooper David McGarvey, a state police spokesman, said: "We don't believe it was a domestic dispute but we also don't know a motive, because the shooter was not related to any of the victims."

Shortly after shooting a woman at Juniata Valley Gospel Church, the gunman killed two men at their respective homes before leaving the area in his pick-up truck.

He was shot dead after opening fire at two police cars heading to the scene of one of the shootings and crashing his vehicle head-on into a third patrol cruiser.

The violence unfolded as many Americans observed a moment of silence for the 20 children and six adults shot dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

The victims of the Pennsylvania shootings, which are not thought to be connected to events in Connecticut a week ago, have not yet been identified.

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Vatican Leaks: Pope Pardons Jailed Butler

Pope Benedict XVI has granted a Christmas pardon to his former butler, who was convicted and jailed in the VatiLeaks scandal.

The Pope visited Paolo Gabriele in the Vatican police barracks to tell him personally of the pardon, the Vatican said.

Gabriele, a 46-year-old father of three, was subsequently freed and has returned to his family.

The Holy See said it "intends to offer him the possibility to serenely restart his life together with his family", but added the man would no longer live or work at the Vatican.

The Vatican spokesman described the Pontiff's meeting with his former butler as "intense" and "personal".

Gabriele was at the centre of one of the gravest Vatican security breaches in recent times.

The scandal bore all the hallmarks of a Dan Brown novel, exposing intrigue, power struggle and allegations of corruption inside the frescoed Vatican walls.

Gabriele was at the Pope's service for years

Gabriele was arrested on May 23 after Vatican police found heaps of papal documents in his Vatican City apartment.

On October 6 he was convicted by a Vatican tribunal of stealing the Pope's private papers and leaking sensitive documents that alleged corruption in the Holy See.

He had been serving his 18-month sentence in the Vatican police barracks.

Gabriele told investigators he had given the documents to a journalist because he thought that exposing the "evil and corruption" in the Vatican would put the Roman Catholic Church back on the right track.

The start of the trial in a Vatican courtroom in September

The scandal turned into a major embarrassment for Benedict's pontificate and came to be known in the media as "VatiLeaks".

The Pope also pardoned a second Vatican employee, Claudio Sciarpelletti, who was convicted of aiding Gabriele.

The papal pardon had been expected.

In 1981, the late Pope John Paul II famously pardoned Turkish hitman Ali Agca, who tried to kill him in St Peter's Square. The Pope later met Agca in prison.

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Egypt: Polls Open In Vote On New Constitution

Egyptians have begun voting in the second and final phase of a referendum on an Islamist-backed constitution.

Supporters of President Mohamed Morsi say the constitution is vital to restoring stability and moving the country towards democracy two years after Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in a popular uprising.

Critics say the document is divisive as it favours Mr Morsi's Islamist allies and ignores the rights of Christians and women.

Egypt has been in turmoil for about four weeks, with protests over the president's powers and the draft constitution.

The latest street violence took place on Friday, when supporters and opponents of the president clashed in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria.

Dozens were hurt.

The vote is taking place in 17 of Egypt's 27 provinces with about 25 million eligible voters.

Cars and buses were set ablaze in the clashes in Alexandria

The first phase on December 15 produced a "yes" majority of about 56% with a turnout of some 32%, according to unofficial results.

The opposition has alleged abuses, and called for a re-vote of the first stage.

But the committee overseeing the referendum said their investigation had turned up no major irregularities.

Polling stations close at 7 pm (1700 GMT) but, with long queues forming at some stations, voting could be extended, as it was last week.

Unofficial tallies are likely to emerge within hours of the close, but the referendum committee may not declare an official result for the two rounds until Monday, after hearing appeals.

If the constitution is adopted, a parliamentary election will be held in about two months.

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Winter Storm Kills Eight And Disrupts Travel

A winter storm has killed eight people and caused travel misery as it sweeps across the United States.

The powerful weather system, which dumped more than half a metre of snow in parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois and Missouri earlier this week, has been moving steadily eastwards towards New England, where it is expected to arrive on Saturday.

More than 30cm of rain are likely in northeastern states, with several feet of snow set to fall over higher ground.

Driving conditions were so dangerous, the National Weather Service urged people to travel only in an emergency.

"Strong winds will cause blowing and drifting, causing near blizzard conditions," it warned.

A woman shovels snow from a sidewalk in Baraboo, Wisconsin

Earlier this week in Iowa, a 25-vehicle crash on a major highway left two people dead and seven injured. Emergency crews brought food and water to motorists left stranded in the cars.

In neighbouring Wisconsin, two people died when their car slid into a lorry, while an ambulance transporting a woman in labour became stranded in snow. A second ambulance sent to help was also caught out by the weather, so a third was dispatched behind a snowplough to get the woman to hospital.

Further west in Utah, a woman whose car got stuck on an isolated road died of exposure after walking to find help, while in Nebraska and Kansas, three people were killed in separate crashes.

On Friday - the busiest travel day of the year - skies were clear in Chicago, where 270,000 people were expected to pass through airports.

However, high winds in New York and San Francisco grounded nearly 500 flights.

Meanwhile, another storm is raging in northern California and Oregon. The National Weather Service said heavy snow is possible as far west as Montana, Wyoming and Colorado by Christmas Eve.

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US Missiles And Troops To Protect Turkey

The US is deploying two Patriot missile units along with 400 troops to Turkey as part of a Nato force to protect Turkish territory from potential Syrian attack.

US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta signed a deployment order on Friday on his way to Turkey from Afghanistan.

The order calls for the American soldiers to operate two batteries of Patriots at undisclosed locations in Turkey.

The move is part of a wider Nato effort to bolster Ankara's air defences amid growing tension on the Turkish-Syrian border.

Germany and the Netherlands are also sending Patriots, which are designed to knock out cruise and ballistic missiles as well as aircraft.

Turkey is a founding member of Nato and requested the help from the alliance after siding with opposition forces battling President Bashar al Assad's regime.

Leon Panetta has been meeting troops and politicians in Afghanistan

The Turkish government has vowed to defend its territory after cross-border artillery fire wounded civilians and one of its fighter jets was  downed.

US and European leaders have warned the Assad regime not to use its arsenal of chemical arms, calling it a "red line" that would trigger international military action.

During a brief stop at Incirlik Air Base Mr Panetta told US troops that Turkey might need the Patriots.

He said he had approved the deployment "so that we can help Turkey have the kind of missile defence it may very well need to deal with the threats coming out of Syria."

Mr Panetta did not reveal how soon the two Patriot batteries will head to Turkey or how long they will stay.

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Russia Journalist Murder: Ex-Policeman Jailed

A former policeman has been jailed for 11 years in a prison camp over the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya.

Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov admitted tracking Ms Politkovskaya so that she could be assassinated in 2006 and providing the gun to shoot her.

The journalist was well known for her hard-hitting reporting and her criticism of the Kremlin under Vladimir Putin.

Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov admitted tracking Ms Politkovskaya

Ms Politkovskaya was shot dead in the lift of her flat block in Moscow on October 7, 2006.

She was shot twice in the chest, once in the shoulder, and once - at point blank range - in the head.

Ms Politkovskaya made her name with her reports from Chechnya, which became the subject of several books. She won many international awards for her writing, mainly with the Russian newspaper, critical of Putin, Novaya Gazeta.

She published her reporting experiences in the book Putin's Russia, which won global acclaim.

Pavlyuchenkov made a plea bargain with the court which meant he was given a reduced sentence.

He was ordered to pay 3m rubles (£60,500) compensation to Ms Politkovskaya's family. They had asked for 10m rubles (£201,360).

The former policeman was tried separately from five other men accused of the reporter's murder.

Anna Politkovskaya with former spy Alexander Litvinenko before her death

The other defendants include three members of the same Chechen family.

Rustam Makhmudov is accused of firing the shot that killed Ms Politkovskaya, and his brothers Dzhabrail and Ibragim are accused of acting as getaway drivers.

They were tried in 2009 and acquitted but the Russian Supreme Court ordered their retrial.

Meanwhile, Russia has denied any links to the murder of a former spy and Kremlin critic in London in 2006.

It comes after a coroner in London was told that Russia was involved in the murder of Alexander Litvinenko.

Russian foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich responded by saying: "We hope that as a result of the (legal process) ... all the baseless allegations about some kind of a Russian involvement in this affair will be dispelled once and for all."

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School Shooting: Calls For Stricter Gun Laws

The husband of the US politician Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in Arizona, has called for action on America's gun laws following the latest mass shooting.

As America deals with the aftermath of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Captain Mark Kelly, a Nasa astronaut, wrote on his Facebook page that tightening the gun controls could wait no longer and called on politicians to act now.

He said: "As we mourn, we must sound a call for our leaders to stand up and do what is right."

He added: "The children of Sandy Hook Elementary School and all victims of gun violence deserve leaders who have the courage to participate in a meaningful discussion about our gun laws - and how they can be reformed and better enforced to prevent gun violence and death in America. This can no longer wait."

Barack Obama wipes away a tear as he calls for "meaningful action"

His wife was one of the people shot by Jared Loughner in Arizona in 2011. She survived with serious head injuries but six others were killed in the attack.

Barack Obama hinted at the possibility of gun law reform following the shooting in Connecticut, signalling it was time to come together to take meaningful action, "regardless of the politics".

There have been 61 mass murders involving firearms since 1982.

The most recent, where Adam Lanza shot dead 27 people on Friday, ranks as the country's worst school shooting.

Of all shootings, it is second in its gravity only to the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, which claimed 32 lives.

A call for action at the White House vigil for the victims of the shooting

Already there have been protests outside the White House calling for reform of America's liberal gun laws.

Michael Moore, the director of Bowling For Columbine, a documentary which explored America's relationship with guns, tweeted: "Too soon to speak out about a gun-crazy nation? No, too late. At least THIRTY-ONE school shootings since Columbine."

He added: "The way to honour these dead children is to demand strict gun control, free mental health care, and an end to violence as public policy."

But with the right to bear arms enshrined in the second amendment to the US constitution and an increasingly strong gun lobby in the National Rifle Association, it is thought to be unlikely that will take the form of an outright ban.

Part of the problem with the US gun laws is that they vary widely between different states.

Connecticut, the state at the centre of the latest shooting, has the fourth strongest gun laws in the country, the US political commentator Charlie Wolf, told Sky News.

Yet Lanza, who it has been reported has a history of mental health, managed to amass an arsenal of at least six lethal weapons.

Two handguns and semi-automatic rifle found at the scene appeared to be legally purchased by the mother of the mass shooter.

Cho Seung-Hui killed 32 at Virginia Tech - America's most deadly shooting

Mr Wolf said the Sandy Hook shooting would not lead to an outright ban on gun ownership and that there were other issues which needed to be addressed, such as mental health.

He said: "I'm sure if this guy really wanted to he would have found guns elsewhere. It didn't stop Derrick Bird in this country (UK)."

He said that the right to bear arms was enshrined in the constitution but that it was possible the law could be strengthened to make sure people who shouldn't own guns couldn't buy them.

On top of the differences in gun laws across the states, the federal government regulates very little.

The so-called Brady law, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1993, requires federal background checks on firearm purchasers in the United States.

It is intended to detect any potential red flags in an individual's criminal and mental health history.

But 40 per cent of arms sales are not affected by the law, because they take place between private individuals, through websites, or at gun show stands. These sales are not regulated by the federal government.

Loughner, who carried out the attack that wounded Ms Giffords, obtained the green light from the background check system before purchasing his guns.

He was cleared even though he was suspended from school for misconduct and had a history of drug use.

Gun ownership in the US is now at an all-time low and there is a suggestion that the public increasingly supports some gun control measures.

A recent CCN/ORC poll found a majority supported background checks and a ban on semi-automatic weapons.

Perhaps the killing of 20 children all aged under 10 will come to mark the beginning of a discussion that could lead to a rethink on America's gun laws.

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Egyptians Vote In Constitution Referendum

Queues have formed at polling stations in Egypt as the country votes on a constitution many hope will lead to long-term stability.

The referendum, which is taking place over two days, asks Egyptians to accept or reject the charter, which must be in place before a parliamentary election can take place next year.

Opponents say the constitution does not guarantee basic rights for Egyptians and places emphasis on Islam and Sharia law.

Queues formed across Egypt as polling stations opened

Supporters of President Mohamed Morsi say it is needed to secure democracy, nearly two years after the fall of military-backed former leader Hosni Mubarak.

If the charter is voted down, a new assembly will have to be formed to draft another version - a process that could take up to nine months.

Mr Morsi, who was among the first to vote, was shown on television casting his ballot and dipping his finger in ink - a measure designed to prevent people voting twice.

President Mohamed Morsi casts his vote in the referendum

Security has been tightened around polling stations and government buildings, with 120,000 troops and 6,000 tanks and armoured vehicles deployed by the army.

It follows weeks of violent clashes between supporters and opponents of Mr Morsi.

On Friday, at least 19 people were reportedly injured in a sword fight in Alexandria, Egypt's second largest city. Cars were set alight and a mosque was surrounded, trapping a preacher who had criticised those planning to oppose the constitution.

In Cairo, at least eight protesters have died and hundreds have been hurt since Mr Morsi assumed sweeping new powers to push through the constitution.

The president later annulled the decree but demonstrations have continued in the capital's Tahrir Square.

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Emotional Obama Responds To School Shooting

Barack Obama wept as he addressed the nation in the aftermath of the school shootings in Connecticut.

And a day after the shooting, the US President used his weekly address to call for solidarity in the wake of the massacre, where 20 children and seven adults were killed.

Many of those killed in the shooting in the small town of Newtown were between the ages of five and 10.

On Friday, Mr Obama paused repeatedly as he struggled to keep his composure while speaking of the children who had been killed and the milestones in their lives they would never have - birthdays, graduations, weddings.

"Our hearts are broken today," he said, at times using a finger to wipe tears at the corners of his eyes.

Mr Obama said he had reacted to news of the elementary school shooting first as a parent.

He added that he and First Lady Michelle would do what any other parent in America would do - "hug our children a little tighter".

Mr Obama called for "meaningful action" regardless of politics.

"As a country, we have been through this too many times," he said in the televised address from the White House.

Mr Obama said in his weekly address that Americans need to "come together" to prevent tragedies like the school massacre, one of the worst mass shootings in US history.

"While nothing can take the place of a lost child or loved one, all of us can extend a hand to those in need - to remind them that we are there for them; that we are praying for them; and that the love they felt for those they lost endures not just in their own memories, but also in their community, and their country," he said.

"Every parent in America has a heart heavy with hurt.

"We grieve for the families of those we lost. And we keep in our prayers the parents of those who survived. Because as blessed as they are to have their children home, they know that their child's innocence has been torn away far too early."

Mr Obama said the tragedy was all too familiar, after similar deadly shootings at a shopping mall in Oregon, at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, and at a cinema in Colorado earlier this year.

He did not give details, but some US politicians called for a serious look at gun control laws, a subject which Mr Obama did not tackle strongly in his first term.

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Immigrants Killed As Boat Capsizes Off Greece

By Anthee Carassava, in Athens

Greek coastguards have retrieved the bodies of at least 18 immigrants who drowned in the northeast Aegean Sea after their boat capsized in choppy waters.

Their rubber raft had set off from Turkey's western shores, carrying its captain and 27 passengers, according to a survivor who was rescued near the island of Lesvos.

Neither the identity nor the nationality of the victims have been confirmed, although Kalliope Gerakitou, a spokesman for the National Greek Coast Guard, said those on board the boat included men, women and children.

The island of Lesvos is close to Turkey's western coast

In a similar incident four months ago, more than 60 people, among them unescorted children, drowned off Turkey's western coast, near the Greek island of Samos.

Coastguards in Lesvos said a search and rescue operation was continuing on Saturday in the hope of finding survivors.

Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants, mainly from African and Asian countries, cross through the Greek islands every year, risking their lives in a bid to make their way to other European Union member states.

Human smugglers have been known to charge migrants thousands of dollars to make the journey to Lesvos, using unseaworthy vessels for the crossing.

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Newtown Principal Dawn Hochsprung Among Dead

A headteacher and a school psychologist went to the aid of their pupils after hearing gunshots at a Connecticut school, according to reports.

Therapist Diane Day was in a meeting with head Dawn Hochsprung and the school psychologist at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown on Friday morning when the gunman began shooting at around 9.30am.

"We were there for about five minutes chatting, and we heard Pop! Pop!, Pop!" Ms Day told The Wall Street Journal.

"I went under the table."

But Ms Hochsprung and the psychologist jumped out of their seats and ran out of the room, Ms Day said.

Ms Hochsprung was confirmed to be among seven adults and 20 children killed during the rampage. The school psychologist was also reported to have been killed.

"They didn't think twice about confronting or seeing what was going on,"  Ms Day said. 

Ms Hochsprung is also believed to have switched on a loudspeaker system in the school to alert students and staff to the danger.

"She was just an amazing woman... the kids loved her. It's a huge loss for our school and our town," said assistant librarian Maryanne Jacobs.

A candlelit vigil was held for the victims

Fourth-grade teacher Theodore Varga said: "You could hear the hysteria that was going on.

"Whoever did that saved a lot of people. Everyone in the school was listening to the terror that was transpiring."

He added that a school caretaker also ran out warning people there was a gunman on the premises.

The masked gunman has been named as 20-year-old Adam Lanza.

Robert Licata, whose six-year-old son was in one of the classrooms when the gunman burst in and opened fire, said he told him the shooter did not say anything.

He said: "That's when my son grabbed a bunch of his friends and ran out the door.

"He was very brave. He waited for his friends."

First-grade teacher Kaitlin Roig barricaded her 15 students inside a tiny bathroom with a bookshelf and told them to be "absolutely quiet".

She told ABC News: "I said, 'there are bad guys out there now. We need to wait for the good guys'.

"They asked, 'Can we go see if anyone is out there? I just want Christmas. I don't want to die, I just want to have Christmas.'"

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Golden Dawn Party: Protests Held In Athens

By Anthee Carassava, in Athens

Activists from 20 countries are preparing to pour onto the streets of Athens to demonstrate against rising attacks by a neo-Nazi movement critics call the most dangerous in Europe.

The protest is backed by scores of civil rights groups, anti-racist movements and imposing intellectuals, including Nobel laureates Dario Fo and Bernard Kouchner.

It comes amid heightened shows of vigilantism and attacks on migrants by Golden Dawn, the once-tiny far-right group that catapulted onto Greece's tumultuous political scene last June after winning 18 seats in the country's 300-member parliament.

Organisers planning a silent yet symbolic march from the nation's sprawling legislature to the Acropolis - one emblem of democracy to another - say the demonstration will trigger a wake-up call not only for Greece but for other European nations facing rises in far-right extremism.

"In Greece, like elsewhere in Europe, racism, anti-Semitism and neo-Nazism are growing without any strong and determined mobilisations from the democrats," said Benjamin Abtan, the chief organiser and president of the European Grassroot Antiracist Movement (EGAM).

"The whole of European society must get involved.

"All individuals have the responsibility to make neo-Nazis understand that their success story in Greece will not whet the appetite of other far-right extremists in Europe."

With 80% of Asian and African migrants entering Europe through Greece, the country has seen a dramatic influx of undocumented refugees in the past decade.

That upsurge has drastically changed the make-up of what used to be a fairly homogeneous but traditionally xenophobic society.

Rising rates of crime, which have spiked in the wake of the Greek financial crisis, have led many disillusioned Greeks to side with extremist parties like Golden Dawn.

The party campaigned on an anti-immigration platform in the June elections, proposing the planting of mines along Greece's northeast borders to prevent the entry of illegal immigrants.

At least four of its elected lawmakers face criminal investigations for allegedly aiding and abetting anti-immigrant attacks - something the party vehemently denies.

Controversy over Golden Dawn has spawned domestic and international resistance.

Last month, Facebook stripped the party's page from its site for inciting racial violence.

However, a recent opinion poll showed the group's support base has nearly doubled from the 7% of votes it picked up in June, overtaking the socialist PASOK party.

"We're here to stay," said Ilias Kasidiaris, a spokesman for Golden Dawn. "We'll consolidate our support as other parties crumble.

"Let them have their march. Let them say whatever they want.

"We know we are in the hearts of the people. We are a party of Greeks for the Greeks."

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Mandela Recovering After Gallstones Removed

Nelson Mandela is recovering from a successful operation to have gallstones removed, the South African government has confirmed.

The 94-year-old former president, who has been in hospital for a week with a lung infection, had the procedure this morning.

"The former president underwent a procedure via endoscopy to have the gallstones removed ... The procedure was successful and Madiba is recovering," the government statement said, referring to Mr Mandela by his clan name.

Mr Mandela was admitted to the 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria on December 8 for tests, which revealed the recurrence of the infection.

Doctors wanted to treat him for this first before carrying out the gallstones procedure, the government said.

Mr Mandela's latest hospital stay has caused growing concern in South Africa, which idolises him as the nation's first democratically-elected president after the apartheid era.

He made his last public appearance when his country hosted the 2010 World Cup football tournament.

In January 2011, he was admitted to a Johannesburg hospital for what officials initially described as tests but turned out to be an acute respiratory infection.

The chaos that followed saw the South African military take charge of his care and the government control information about his health.

South African President Jacob Zuma has wished Mr Mandela a "speedy recovery".

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US Shooting: Gunman Forced His Way Into School

The gunman who massacred 26 children and adults in America's worst school shooting forced his way into the building, police say.

Lieutenant Paul Vance told a news conference that the suspect was not voluntarily let into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton.

Authorities say 20-year-old Adam Lanza shot his mother on Friday, drove her car to the school, then shot 20 children and six adults.

After storming through several classrooms, Lanza, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest and carrying two handguns, turned one of the guns he was carrying on himself.

"It's believed he was not voluntarily let into the school at all, that he forced his way into the school, but that's as far as we can go on that," Lt Vance said.

He confirmed that all of the victims have been positively identified, and next of kin informed.

The painstaking investigation of the crime scene itself is ongoing, and likely to continue for a further two days, he added.

When asked whether any emails or notes had been discovered that could shed light on the gunman's motive, he said "very good evidence" had been found.

"Our investigators at the crime scene, the school and secondarily at the secondary crime scene … did produce some very good evidence in this investigation that our investigators will be able to use in hopefully painting the complete picture as to how and more importantly why this occurred."

He said a woman at the school who survived the shooting is doing well and will be a key part of the investigation.

"She is doing fine. She has been treated, and she'll be instrumental in this investigation, as I'm sure you can understand," he said.

More follows...

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Gangnam Style Singer Sorry For Anti-US Songs

The South Korean rapper behind the viral smash hit Gangnam Style has apologised for using anti-American lyrics, ahead of a performance to be attended by President Barack Obama.

Psy issued the apology after reports surfaced in the US about his participation in two past performances critical of the US military in 2004.

The 34-year-old singer's Gangnam Style pop and dance video is now the most-watched video ever on YouTube, with more than 900 million views since it was first uploaded in July.

"While I'm grateful for the freedom to express one's self, I've learned there are limits to what language is appropriate and I'm deeply sorry for how these lyrics could be interpreted," Psy said in a statement.

"I will forever be sorry for any pain I have caused by those words," he added.

In one performance, which Psy said was from eight years ago, the rapper protested the deaths of two teenage South Korean girls who were run over by a US tank stationed in the country.

In a separate performance, Psy was critical of the US-led invasion of Iraq and its occupation, in which South Korean forces participated. He referred to killing "Yankees" who have been torturing Iraqi captives and their families "slowly and painfully".

Psy is scheduled to perform at the annual Christmas In Washington television special that will also be attended by Mr Obama and his family, the White House said.

Broadcaster TNT said Psy would still perform as planned.

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Obama Asks Congress For $60.4bn In Sandy Aid

President Barack Obama has asked Congress for $60.4bn (£37.7bn) in federal aid for New York, New Jersey and other states hit by Superstorm Sandy.

Mr Obama's request is lower than the more than $80bn estimated price tag associated with damage caused by massive storm that slammed the east coast on October 29.

Whether it passes this month or gets delayed in whole or part until next year is unclear.

Most of the money - $47.4bn - is for immediate help for victims and other recovery and rebuilding efforts.

There is another $13bn for mitigation efforts to protect against future storms.

But New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie issued a joint statement Friday night saying the president's request "will enable our states to recover, repair, and rebuild better and stronger than before".

The two thanked Mr Obama "for his steadfast commitment" in the ongoing recovery effort.

When the storm hit, parts of New York City were underwater and millions of people in several states were left without heat or electricity for weeks.

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Eight People Killed In Cambodia Market Fire

Eight people, including four children, have been killed in a fire that tore through a popular night market in the Cambodian tourist town of Siem Reap.

Two others were seriously injured in the blaze, which raged for about two hours early on Saturday, said Sath Nady, chief of Siem Reap police.

The children, aged between nine and 14, were sleeping with their families on the upper floor of a building on the premises when the fire broke out, he said.

"Eight people from two families died in the fire. They could not find their way out."

The fire, apparently caused by an electrical fault, also destroyed more than 100 stalls selling souvenirs, and forced the market to be closed.

Siem Reap, a small town in the northwest, is the gateway to the country's main tourist destination, the ancient temple complex of Angkor, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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Thailand: Two English Teachers Found Dead

Two English teachers have been found dead sitting side-by-side in the living room of an apartment on the outskirts of Bangkok, according to Thai police.

The men - an American aged 40 and a 35-year-old from Britain - were discovered in the early hours of Saturday morning, according to Lieutenant Colonel Chamnong Kongtapan, chief investigator at the local police station in Pathum Thani province.

Detectives investigating the cause of death found an empty medicine bottle in the room from a government-run drug rehabilitation centre.

"The name of the British man was on the bottle but we don't know yet what kind of drug (was) inside," he said.

He added that there was no sign of injuries on the men's bodies, or that a struggle had taken place.

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Pregnant Kate: Radio Station Faces Backlash

Two DJs are being offered counselling after the nurse duped by their prank call to the Duchess of Cambridge's hospital died in a suspected suicide.

Nurse Jacintha Saldanha was found dead days after taking the hoax call and putting it through to a nurse on Kate's ward, who divulged private information about her treatment.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge led tributes to the 46-year-old mother of two, saying they were "deeply saddened" by news of her death.

Flowers have also been left outside the hospital's nurses' block, just around the corner from the building where Kate was treated for acute morning sickness.

Major advertisers have dumped 2Day FM and presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian have been taken off air as the station faces a backlash over the disastrous stunt.

The duchess said she felt "much better" when she left the hospital

Speaking at a news conference in Melbourne, Rhys Holleran, CEO of 2Day FM's parent company Southern Cross Austereo said the "shocked and devastated" DJs had been offered help dealing with the tragedy.

He said: "This is a tragic event that could not have been reasonably foreseen and we're deeply saddened by it.

"I spoke to both presenters early this morning and it's fair to say they're completely shattered.

"These people aren't machines, they're human beings. We're all affected by this."

Holleran would not say who came up with the idea for the call, only that "these things are often done collaboratively".

He said 2Day FM would work with authorities, but was confident the station hadn't broken any laws, noting that prank calls in radio have been happening "for decades".

The DJ pair bragged about the stunt on Twitter after an initial apology

"They're not just part of one radio station or one network or one country - they're done worldwide," he said

Supermarket giant Coles and telecoms firm Telstra both announced they are withdrawing their business from the station at the earliest opportunity, while Australian media are reporting that media company Optus is also reviewing its position.

The station later announced that it would pull all advertising from its airwaves with immediate effect.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority, which regulates the country's media industry, said it had been inundated with complaints.

It will be looking at whether the DJs breached the Commercial Radio Code of Practice, part of which aims "to prevent the unauthorised broadcast of statements by identifiable persons".

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard described the incident as a "terrible tragedy".

Police found the nurse's body at her hospital accommodation

During the hoax call, Greig impersonated the Queen and Christian mimicked Prince Charles and they managed to elicit details about the pregnant Duchess' medical condition.

Driving instructor Jeff Sellick, who taught Ms Saldanha last year, said she was a "delight to teach".

"I heard about it yesterday and it's just such a shame she was such a nice person, I can only imagine what happened would have played heavily on her mind," he told Sky News.

"I just feel for the family at this point because she must have been deeply traumatised by what happened to her."

A fierce online storm erupted as soon as news of the nurse's death emerged, with both presenters bombarded by messages on Twitter and the radio station's own comment section deluged.

At the time, the station's website had still been promoting the video of the prank call, but this was later removed.

Online critics called for the presenters to resign and some claimed they had "blood on their hands".

Ms Saldanha, who had worked at the hospital for four years, was found dead at an address near King Edward VII's Hospital in London on Friday morning.

Her family said in a statement: "We as a family are deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved Jacintha."

A spokesman for Prince William and wife Kate said: "Their Royal Highnesses were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII's Hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha's family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time."

"At no point did the Palace complain to the hospital about the incident. On the contrary, we offered our full and heartfelt support to the nurses involved and hospital staff at all times."

The King Edward VII's Hospital said: "It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Jacintha Saldanha.

"Jacintha has worked at the King Edward VII's Hospital for more than four years. She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues.

"We can confirm that Jacintha was recently the victim of a hoax call to the hospital. The hospital had been supporting her throughout this difficult time."

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Egyptian Protesters Keep Up Pressure

Tens of thousands of protesters have demonstrated overnight outside Egypt's presidential palace, calling on President Mohamed Morsi to step down.

The peaceful night-time demonstration followed a tense day in which Mr Morsi's opponents broke through a barbed-wire security barricade outside the palace, climbing on army tanks and waving flags.

The country's powerful military has urged political forces to solve the crisis through dialogue, saying in its first statement since the protests erupted that it would prevent violence.

"The armed forces affirm that dialogue is the best and only way to reach consensus," it said on Saturday. "The opposite of that will bring us to a dark tunnel ... which we will not allow."

The protesters say a new decree gives Mr Morsi pharaoh-like powers

Some protesters overnight chanted "Leave! Leave!" to Mr Morsi, who is backed by the Muslim Brotherhood, while others daubed walls with graffiti and cartoons.

One caricature portrayed Mr Morsi with blood on his mouth, another depicted him as a pharaoh – a reference to a recent decree that expanded his powers and barred court challenges to his decisions.

After the night of protests, the streets of Cairo were calm.

A referendum on a new draft constitution opposed by liberals is set for December 15, and Mr Morsi has called for talks with the opposition to discuss how Egypt should move forward after the vote.

Amid the protests, Mr Morsi's deputy has raised the possibility that the referendum might be delayed.

But major opposition leaders have rejected Mr Morsi's call dialogue.

Mohammed El Baradei, a Nobel peace laureate and opposition figure, dismissed the offer as "arm-twisting and imposition of a fait accompli".

Soldiers guard the presidential palace after the overnight protest

The unrest is the worst since last year's revolution, which toppled ex-president Hosni Mubarak, and the subsequent vote that made Mr Morsi the country's first freely elected leader.

At least six people have been killed and almost 700 injured in clashes around the palace.

"We will stay here for as long as it takes and will continue to organise protests elsewhere until President Morsi cancels his constitutional decree and postpones the referendum," said Ahmed Essam, 28, a computer engineer who took part in the overnight protest.

The upheaval in the most populous Arab nation worries the West, in particular the United States, which has given it billions of dollars in military and other aid since Egypt made peace with Israel in 1979.

US President Barack Obama called Mr Morsi on Thursday to express his "deep concern" over the deaths and injuries.

He welcomed the offer of talks but warned they should be entered into "without preconditions", a White House spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Egypt's election committee has postponed to Wednesday the start of expatriate voting in the constitutional referendum, originally planned for Saturday.

The committee did not say whether the delay would affect the date of the referendum.

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Gaza Marks Hamas Anniversary With Huge Rally

Tens of thousands of Palestinians are gathering in Gaza City for a rally marking the 25th anniversary of the militant group Hamas.

Leader Khaled Meshaal is due to address the crowd, a day after receiving a hero's welcome in his first ever trip to Gaza, which ended decades of exile.

Thousands of Hamas supporters, some of them flashing victory signs, others waving the movement's green flags, attended the Al-Qatiba complex, west of Gaza City.

Security was tight, with streets cordoned off and masked members of the group's military wing keeping watch from rooftops in the area.

At least 200,000 Palestinians are expected to attend.

The rally is likely to be used to proclaim victory in the recent eight-day conflict with Israel, which killed some 170 Palestinians and six Israelis and ended in an Egypt-brokered ceasefire.

Security forces are out in strength for the rally

Hamas has portrayed itself as the victor because Israel agreed to the truce instead of sending in ground troops, as it initially threatened.

At the rally, Mr Meshaal is also expected to promote Hamas's growing stature in the Arab world and push the case for reconciliation with its secular political rival, Fatah.

Local leaders of Fatah, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's faction, are expected to participate.

Hamas has governed Gaza since 2007.

Mr Meshaal left the nearby West Bank as a young boy in 1967

Mr Meshaal crossed the border from Egypt on Friday, kissing the ground as he got out of the car.

A veteran Hamas strategist, Mahmoud Al-Zahar, said: "All Palestinians will eventually return to their homeland. Khaled Meshaal is returning after a victory."

Founded in 1987 shortly after the start of the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising, Hamas was inspired by Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood.

Hamas is on the UK Home Office's list of proscribed groups, while the United States classifies it as a terrorist organisation.

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Syria: Rebel Prisoners On Their Religious War

Interviewing people who, under different circumstances, might kill you, is a strange experience.

To the soundtrack of multiple rocket launchers and small arms fire, I met six men who the Syrian authorities told us were jihadist rebel fighters captured by the army.

We were in a Ministry of Interior prison near Damascus in an area now close to the front lines.

The men, four Syrian, an Iraqi, and a Turk, said they had indeed been in the jihadist movement fighting President Assad's forces, but now renounced the armed struggle even though they continued to espouse Salafist ideology. All are awaiting court appearances.

Jamil Us Turk, Ahmed al Rabido, Hamid Hassan al Attar, Bahar al Bashah, Ali Hussein and Mahmoud al Ahab said they were happy to be interviewed and had not been badly treated.

At one point I asked the guards to leave, spoke with the men alone and checked them for obvious signs of mistreatment, which were not apparent. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International both accuse the Syrian regime of routinely torturing prisoners.

As far as I could ascertain, the men were who they said they were. The Turkish man spoke Turkish, the Iraqi had an Iraqi accent, they displayed religious knowledge of the sort taught to those with a Salafist mindset.

The captured fighters are from Turkey, Iraq and Syria

Most of the rebel militias are not radical jihadists, but in the last few months there appears to have been a sharp increase in the number of foreign fighters coming to Syria.

The Syrian authorities are keen to promote the view that they are fighting an al Qaeda type force which partially explains why, after much pushing, we were allowed rare access into the jail.

Mahmoud al Ahab, who described himself as a Palestinian Syrian, told me he was in the al Nusra Front which he said was an al Qaeda group. He had sworn an oath of allegiance to al Nursa but now felt this was a mistake.

Ahmed al Rabido, a 48-year-old Syrian, said he was a religious leader, a Mufti, in the Free Syrian Army.

"I joined because I wanted to demolish the secular state... I don't believe in this anymore because the country is being ruined," he said.

Bahar al Basah, 35, another Palestinian Syrian, told me he was influenced by the writings of Abu Qatada, the radical cleric currently under house arrest in the UK.

The men only became animated when I showed a little knowledge of Salafist ideology and brought up the works of Islamists such as the Egyptian Sayyid Qutb.

Sky's Tim Marshall interviewed the men awaiting trial

This led to a question about the future of Syria's minorities such as the Christians. Ahmed, Basah, and Hamid Hassan all agreed - Christians could only live there if they either converted, or paid the 'Jizyah' - a special tax levied on non-Muslims in previous centuries in the Middle East. If not said Bahar, they could be killed.

When asked why, the answer was, to them, quite simple - because the Prophet Mohammed said so. I was then invited to become a Muslim.

The conversation verged on the surreal. There we were talking in a quite friendly manner, with the occasional joke, about killing people because they wouldn't pay the Jizyah, which critics regard as effectively obtaining money through menaces.

The interview ended with Ahmed volunteering that eventually Muslims must reclaim Andalucia in Spain for the Islamic Caliphate.

His logic, that it was justified because Spain used to be under Islam, was somewhat undermined when he went on to say that Islam should move on to bring the UK under its control and indeed, eventually, the whole world.

Rebel fighters want an end to President Assad's regime

This was a rare first-hand glimpse into the jihadi mindset.

The men are not representative of the FSA, indeed many militia units are deeply suspicious of the jihadists' aims.

However, it appears that a lot of the best weapons are reaching the jihadist groups, and they are using these to gain influence and territory. 

Even if the rebels overthrow the government, they won't just have a problem dealing with militia from the minority groups, they will have problems with each other.

As the men left to go back to their cells, we shook hands.

Two of them were still trying to convert me, asking me, with a smile, to say the Shahada 'La ilaha il Allah' - there is no God but Allah.

Men like this scare Syria's Christians, Allawites, Shia, Druze, and Kurds, indeed they frighten many of the countries Sunnis, but the war here is now so steeped in blood that compromise seems almost impossible to achieve, and there are now people on both sides who reject compromise out of hand.

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Italy's Silvio Berlusconi Says He Will Run For PM

Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has said he will run for PM again in a general election next year.

"I'm returning sadly to public service," the leader of the right-wing People of Freedom party said, speaking near the northern city of Milan.

"And again, I'm doing it out of a sense of responsibility."

Mr Berlusconi, 76, stepped down in disgrace last year as Italy was on the brink of financial disaster.

His resignation paved the way for a government of unelected technocrats led by Prime Minister Mario Monti.

Mr Berlusconi has since been convicted of tax fraud and now faces plunging poll numbers. He is also on trial on charges of paying for sex with an underage prostitute - an allegation he has denied.

But the ever-combative conservative leader was not deterred.

"I am running to win," he said. "The campaign is already on."

His centre-right camp has been in disarray recently, weakened by corruption scandals and infighting over who might succeed Mr Berlusconi as leader.

Karima El Mahroug is at the centre of Mr Berlusconi's sex case

Italy is to hold a general election in 2013, though the date has not been set.

Mr Berlusconi has been increasingly critical of the government's austerity drive, and this week his party yanked parliamentary support for Mr Monti's government, increasing the likelihood of a snap election.

It will be the sixth national election that Mr Berlusconi contests since he stepped into politics in the mid-1990s on the back of a business empire that includes the country's largest private broadcaster, publishing interests and a football team, AC Milan.

He has won three times and is already the longest-serving prime minister in post-war Italy.

Mr Berlusconi will be up against Pierluigi Bersani of the Democratic Party, who has just won a strong endorsement in primary votes held among centre-left voters across Italy.

Mr Bersani is widely seen as a front-runner, though Mr Berlusconi is a formidable campaigner with a history of comebacks.

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Nelson Mandela Admitted To Hospital

Former South African president Nelson Mandela has been admitted to hospital for tests.

The South African Government said 94-year-old Mandela had been taken to hospital in Pretoria for routine tests, adding that there was no cause for alarm.

The anti-apartheid icon is known to be in frail health and has not made public appearances for a few years.

He was last taken to hospital in February after suffering from persistent abdominal pain. He was only in for one night after a keyhole examination showed there was nothing seriously wrong with him.

A statement from President Jacob Zuma's office about his re-admittance gave no details of the condition of the former leader.

"Mandela will receive medical attention from time to time which is consistent with his age," said Mr Zuma's office.

"President Zuma assures all that Madiba is doing well and there is no cause for alarm," it added, referring to Mandela by his clan name.

Mandela spent 27 years in prison for his fight against white minority rule under apartheid, becoming the country's first black president in 1994 at the end of white minority rule.

He turned 94 in July and has not appeared in public since South Africa's Football World Cup final in 2010 because of his frail health, although in the last few months he has continued to receive high-profile visitors, including former US President Bill Clinton.

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Gold Bullion Heist From Boat In Curacao

Thieves dressed in jackets emblazoned with the word "police" boarded a fishing boat and stole 70 gold bars worth an estimated $11.5m (£7m), officials on the Caribbean island of Curacao have said.

The boat's captain was hit on the head in the early-morning assault before the thieves made off with the gold in three cars, police spokesman Reggie Huggins said.

Authorities believe there were at least six men involved in the heist. No arrests have been made.

Mr Huggins declined to say who owned the gold bullion but he said it was a legal shipment that was passing through Curacao and officials had been advised in advance that it was coming as part of "normal security protocols".

He declined to disclose the eventual destination of the metal.

Guards to the port area let the thieves inside a restricted area in the mistaken belief that they were customs officials.

The men's jackets had the word "police" in English, but in Curacao the word would be written in Papiamento, one of the island's three official languages, as "polis".

During the robbery, crew members said the gang wore hoods and masks and made off with the gold in a matter of minutes.

"The crew said it was like a movie operation, very fast," Mr Huggins said.

The captain and three crew members were from the South American country of Guyana, he said.

By its appearance with rust streaks on its white cabin and no visible security, the fishing boat would seem an unlikely place to stash that amount of gold.

A crew member who gave his name as Raymond Emmanuel told the Associated Press that they left Guyana several days ago and arrived early on Friday in Curacao.

Contradicting police, he said they were delivering the gold to a company in Curacao but said he did not know the name of the business.

Mr Emmanuel said the gold was locked away when the thieves boarded the vessel, and neither he nor anyone else on the vessel was armed.

"This is normal," he said. "We never carry arms. Since I started working here, I've transported gold once before, and this is the system."

Curacao, just north of Venezuela, is a popular tourist destination as well as an offshore financial centre, especially for people from South America.

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