Indian Gang Rapists 'Tried To Run Over Victim'

A gang of rapists who assaulted and murdered a woman on a bus in New Delhi tried to run her over afterwards, according to reports.

The woman's boyfriend, who was beaten up and thrown off the bus after she had been repeatedly raped, managed to pull her to safety just in time, police will allege in court on Thursday.

The claims have been made by newspapers in India which say they have seen extracts of the 1,000-page charge sheet.

The 23-year-old medical student, whose ordeal triggered widespread protests about sex crime in India, bit three of her attackers as she attempted to fight them off, the papers claim.

The suspects' injuries, forensic evidence including blood, semen and hair samples and the testimony of the injured boyfriend are expected to form the main evidence against the accused.

Five men have been arrested and will formally face murder and rape charges on Thursday in a fast-track court set up to try them.

Indian holy women perform a prayer ritual in memory of a gang rape victim

A sixth suspect is aged 17 and is expected to be tried in a court for juveniles.

"The woman and her friend were stripped and thrown out of the bus," The Indian Express reported. "Her friend pulled her away when he saw the bus reversing to run her over."

The Times of India newspaper said one of the charges against the accused relates to the destruction of evidence, since the driver had tried to wash the bus and burned the clothes that were snatched from the victim.

The woman died at the weekend after a 13-day struggle to keep her alive in which she underwent three major operations and suffered a cardiac arrest.

Lawyers have refused to defend the men accused of the attack.

Displays and tributes to the victim are still in place across Delhi

"We have decided that no lawyer will stand up to defend the rape accused as it would be immoral to defend the case," said Sanjay Kumar, a lawyer and a member of the Saket District Bar Council.

Mr Kumar said the 2,500 advocates registered at the court have decided to "stay away" to ensure "speedy justice", meaning the government would have to appoint lawyers for the defendants.

In 2008, Indian lawyers also refused to defend a gunman who took part in attacks on Mumbai which killed 166 people, leaving him with a government-appointed lawyer. He was executed in November last year.

Meanwhile, India's top court says it will decide whether to suspend politicians facing sexual assault charges.

The move came as thousands of women gathered at the Ghandi memorial to demand stronger protection from attackers.

Chief Justice Altamas Kabir agreed to hear a petition from retired government administrator Promilla Shanker asking the Supreme Court to suspend those sitting on national and state legislatures who face prosecution for crimes against women.

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Rail Fares: Anger As Commuters Face More Hikes

How Much Will Your Ticket Cost?

Updated: 2:14am UK, Wednesday 02 January 2013

This is a table of rail fare rises, comparing the price of a 12-month season ticket bought in December with one bought from January 2.

The table does not include the price paid if within-London travelcards are also purchased for Tube and bus journeys in the capital.

Where London is mentioned, this means travel to London terminal stations where travel is allowed by any route option shown by the National Rail Enquiry system, Journey Planner, where the journey can be made using only one ticket.

ROUTE                          DEC 2012  JAN 2013  % RISE

Leeds-Wakefield              £908      £964            6.16%

Bishop's Stortford-London  £3,560    £3,704     4.04%

Portsmouth Harbour-London  £4,480    £4,668  4.19%

Basingstoke-London         £3,800    £3,960       4.21%

Ramsgate-London            £4,640    £4,864     4.82%

Woking-London              £2,780    £2,896        4.17%

Folkestone-London          £4,612    £4,836      4.85%

Reading-London             £3,800    £3,960       4.21%

Sevenoaks-London           £2,980    £3,112    4.43%

Aylesbury-London           £3,520    £3,632      3.18%

Bedford-London             £4,004    £4,172      4.19%

Hastings-London            £4,400    £4,584     4.18%

Canterbury-London          £4,588    £4,812    4.80%

Deal-London                £4,640    £4,864    4.82%

Dover Priory-London        £4,640    £4,864    4.82%

Ludlow-Hereford            £1,892    £1,992    5.28%

Bangor-Llandudno           £1,084    £1,140    5.16%

Morpeth-Newcastle            £960    £1,008    5%

West Malling-London        £3,712    £3,876    4.42%

Guildford-London           £3,092    £3,224    4.27%

Bracknell-London           £3,800    £3,960    4.21%

Braintree-London           £3,960    £4,124    4.14%

Tunbridge Wells-London     £3,968    £4,132    4.13%

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Police Hunt Schoolboy After Phone Stabbing

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

Detectives are still trying to find a schoolboy wanted after the murder of another youth in a row over a mobile phone.

Police want to interview 15-year-old Dawda Jallow who has been missing since the stabbing on Sunday afternoon.

The victim, Dogan Ismail, 17, died from a single stab wound after a confrontation with four males on the Aylesbury estate in Walworth, South East London.

It is believed he and his elder brother were chased up a walkway before a mobile phone was stolen.

Police have appealed for help in finding Dawda and warned the public not to approach him.

Detective Chief Inspector Matt Bonner said: "I am seeking help from the local community to locate Dawda Jallow.

"I appeal to anyone who knows of his whereabouts, or has any information that could assist us, to come forward.

"If Dawda is seen, please do not approach him but contact police."

DCI Bonner added: "I appeal direct to Dawda to present himself at a police station so this matter can be dealt with."

A small part of a first-floor landing in the estate's Latimer House block was cordoned off. Flowers had been laid there.

A few feet away were flowers left for another murder victim, Shaun Chambers, 21, who died at almost the same spot in a gangland attack in September.

Police say they believe the two attacks are not linked in any way.

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Thailand Killing: Victim's Family Speak Out

The family of Stephen Ashton, who was shot dead at a New Year's Eve party in Thailand, have said they are "completely devastated by the loss of Stephen from our lives".

The suspect has been seen with police at the beach bar

He was an innocent bystander simply enjoying New Year celebrations, they said.

Mr Ashton, 22, from Purley, South London, was caught in the crossfire during a fight between rival gangs.

He is said to have been killed by a stray bullet as he danced with friends at a beach bar on the paradise island of Koh Phangan.

Police Colonel Kittakarn Kramomthong, chief of police at the island's station, said officers had arrested a 26-year-old Thai man and confiscated a gun.

The man is expected to be charged with manslaughter, he said.

The suspect has reportedly confessed to killing the Briton.

Mr Ashton was shot with a homemade gun (Photo: Facebook)

Mr Ashton's family have travelled to Thailand and were on the way to Koh Phangan to identify his body formally and make arrangements for his repatriation.

British ambassador to Thailand, Mark Kent, is expected to visit the scene on Thursday.

He warned of risks to Western tourists, and urged people to read the travel advice on the Foreign Office website.

"Most people have a very enjoyable holiday, a very trouble-free holiday," he told Sky News. "But there are risks and we've set these out in our travel advice which you can access on the Foreign Office website.

"In particular we do mention that there have been incidents involving Western tourists in Koh Phangan, so there are risks in going anywhere and I think Thailand is certainly not completely trouble free."

Thai police said Mr Ashton was with a group of friends and 300 other tourists celebrating the countdown to 2013 at a pub and restaurant called the Zoom Bar when he was shot by a home-made gun at Haad Rin beach shortly after 4am on Tuesday.

Koh Phangan is in the south of Thailand

In a statement issued by the Foreign Office, the family said: "As a family we are completely devastated by the loss of Stephen from our lives.

"He has been taken away from us in such cruel and tragic circumstances in which he was an innocent bystander simply enjoying New Year celebrations.

"We are comforted in the thought that he was having a fantastic time with friends after such a difficult period following the loss of his much loved dad who passed away from a brain tumour in 2011 and the loss of his granddad a few months earlier.

Friends paid tribute to Mr Ashton (Photo: Facebook)

"We were all so proud of him; he was a much loved son, brother, grandson and nephew.

"He will be truly missed by his family but also by the many friends he made during his life. We cannot comprehend how someone can carry out such a reckless act, giving such little value to human life.

"We ask that our privacy be respected to allow us to grieve."

Friends expressed their shock at Mr Ashton's death and paid tribute to him on social networking sites.

Robbie-Cameron Gray took to Mr Ashton's Facebook page to express his grief and posted a photograph of the two of them as young boys.

He said: "Don't want to believe it. Still got photos of us on my wall from football and school. Will miss you mate."

Aaron Kelly wrote on Facebook: "Horrible news. Be good up there mate."

Neighbour Dawn Mason, 48, described Mr Ashton as a "very normal, likeable young man".

His family moved to the upmarket area of Purley, south London, about three years ago, she said.

"They've always been very nice neighbours. If Stephen or his sister Emily had parties, they'd always be at the house with their parents so they knew where they were. I went to the house today and the family just seem in complete shock."

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US: Paparazzo Killed Taking Pics Of Bieber's Car

Pop star Justin Bieber has called for new laws to protect people from the paparazzi after a photographer was killed taking pictures of his sports car.

The 18-year-old's white Ferrari attracted the attention of an unnamed paparazzo when it pulled up on the side of a street in Los Angeles.

The photographer was struck by another vehicle as he crossed Sepulveda Boulevard, close to Getty Centre Drive.

He died in hospital soon after.

Police cordon off the Los Angeles road on which the paparazzo was killed

In a statement, Mr Bieber, whose hits include Baby and Boyfriend, said: "While I was not present nor directly involved with this tragic accident, my thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim.

"Hopefully this tragedy will finally inspire meaningful legislation and whatever other necessary steps to protect the lives and safety of celebrities, police officers, innocent public bystanders and the photographers themselves."

A friend of Mr Bieber was driving the car when it was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol, according to the Los Angeles Times.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department said no charges are likely to be filed against the driver, who struck the photographer as he was returning to his car.

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Two Men Held In Jimmy Savile Abuse Probe

Two men have been arrested by detectives investigating the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal.

A 53-year-old was held in Hampshire at around 8am and a 59-year-old in west London at around midday, both on suspicion of sexual offences.

The allegations are not directly linked to Savile, the Metropolitan Police said.

Scotland Yard is leading a national investigation into allegations against disgraced television presenter Savile and a number of other high-profile figures.

They have separated the inquiry into three strands: claims against Savile, those involving Savile and others, and those involving others. The latest arrests fall under the "others" strand.

So far, officers have questioned 10 people including former pop star Gary Glitter, comedian Freddie Starr and PR guru Max Clifford.

Last month police said a total of 31 allegations of rape had been made against former Top Of The Pops presenter Savile, who died in October 2011.

Some 589 people have come forward with information relating to the scandal, with a total of 450 complaints against the BBC presenter and DJ, mainly alleging sexual abuse.

Detectives have recorded 199 crimes in 17 force areas in which Savile is a suspect.

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Prince Harry: Afghan Warlord's Claims 'Absurd'

The Ministry of Defence has rejected claims by a warlord that Prince Harry "kills innocent Afghans while he is drunk" as "simply absurd".

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a former Afghan prime minister who leads the militant group Hizb-i-Islami, also claimed that foreign forces in the country have failed.

He told the Daily Telegraph that Prince Harry, who has been serving in Afghanistan since September as an Apache helicopter co-pilot, was a "jackal" who was drunk on duty.

"The British prince comes to Afghanistan to kill innocent Afghans while he is drunk," said Hekmatyar, who has been in hiding since the mid-1990s.

"He wants to hunt down Mujahideen with his helicopter's rockets, without any shame.

"During the Mujahideen's attack on the American base the prince saw that he was the one about to be hunted and was searching for a hole in which to hide himself."

Hekmatyar is considered a terrorist by the US

The Ministry of Defence said it was "simply absurd" to suggest that the third-in-line to the throne or any other member of the British armed forces was conducting operations under the influence of alcohol.

"The consumption of alcohol by UK military personnel is not permitted under any circumstances while deployed in Afghanistan," a ministry spokesman said.

A military source also dismissed Hekmatyar's comments, saying: "The idea that highly skilled and professional Apache pilots operate drunk is patently ridiculous and completely made up.

"It is nothing more than a see-through attempt to undermine the very real progress being made in Afghanistan by UK troops and their Afghan partners."

Hekmatyar founded Hizb-i-Islami, notorious for its bloody siege of Kabul in the 1990s, and is considered a terrorist by the US.

Prince Harry has been in Afghanistan since September

In the interview, Hekmatyar also accused Britain of being dragged into the war to please its American allies and said its role in the conflict would have no significance after 2014.

"Britain dragged herself into this unjustified, useless but cruel conflict to please the White House," he said.

"The British did not gain anything, instead they lost blood and treasure. They never had a positive role in Afghan affairs and they will not have any significance after 2014.

"I don't understand how the British public accept their children being sent to certain death in order to please American generals."

The interview comes just weeks after UK Prime Minister David Cameron signalled that British troops could be withdrawn from Afghanistan even faster after better-than-expected progress by the country's own security forces.

But Hekmatyar said: "The fact is that the government has failed. The authorities have lost their credibility completely. They have fallen victims to severe internal disputes and seem hopeless and worried.

"We might have a dreadful situation after 2014 which no one could have anticipated."

The Nato coalition has been fighting the Taliban insurgency for 11 years

The MoD spokesman said: "UK troops deployed and remain in Afghanistan to protect our national security by removing what was a safe haven for international terrorism.

"Now, it is Afghan forces that now have lead security responsibility for around 75% of the population in the country and lead up to 80% of conventional partnered operations.

"It is this sort of progress that has allowed almost 60% of UK bases in Helmand to be shut or handed over and will allow us to leave a stronger more secure Afghanistan when combat operations cease by the end of 2014."

Hekmatyar's Hizb-i-Islami, which means Islamic Party, has widespread national support in Afghanistan and shares some of the Afghan Taliban's anti-foreigner, anti-government aims, and wants to oust international forces.

The US State Department has listed Hekmatyar as a "terrorist" since 2003 for supporting Taliban and al Qaeda attacks.

Hekmatyar is a fierce rival of Taliban leader Mullah Omar, and became a hero to many Afghans while leading mujahideen fighters against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s.

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US Fiscal Cliff: Markets Rally After Late Deal

Global markets have rallied in response to a deal in the United States to avert its so-called fiscal cliff.

The market boost came after US Democrats and Republicans finally agreed a deal that will stop hundreds of billions of dollars in automatic tax increases and spending cuts that risked plunging the world's biggest economy into recession.

Stocks around the world started 2013 with hefty gains as investors welcomed the vote in the House of Representatives.

London's FTSE 100 was up 2.27% at 1pm, after earlier busting through the 6,000-point mark for the first time since July 2011.

Key European markets were up over 2% while in Asia Hong Kong's Hang Seng index shot up 2.9% at the close, its highest finish since June 1, 2011.

After the opening bell in Wall Street, the Dow Jones index rose around 200 points.

The lights of the Capitol burned late into the night as the deal went on

"Investors are trading with a sense of relief after lawmakers in Washington agreed on a compromise to avoid the fiscal cliff that has been the dominant theme in equity markets since the presidential elections back in November," Mike McCudden, head of derivatives at stockbroker Interactive Investor, said.

The fiscal cliff deal is likely to remain the focus of attention in financial markets, as US institutions open for trading.

Mr Obama welcomed the agreement and said it was just one step in a broader effort to strengthen the economy.

He said: "Thanks to the votes of Republicans and Democrats in Congress I will sign a law that raises taxes on the wealthiest 2% of Americans while preventing tax hikes that could have sent the economy back into recession."

Some House Republicans had wanted to amend the bill to incorporate more spending cuts but dropped the idea.

Mr Obama headed to Hawaii for a break after the deal was brokered

In the end, 172 Democrats and 85 Republicans voted in favour of the bill, which marks a triumph for the president less than two months after he secured re-election while campaigning for higher taxes on the wealthy.

The legislation cleared the Senate hours after Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, veteran negotiators, sealed the deal.

The fiscal cliff deadline would have triggered tax increases of $536bn (£328bn) and spending cuts of $109bn (£67bn) from domestic and military programmes.

The compromise Senate deal extends the tax cuts for Americans earning under $400,000 (£246,000) - up from the $250,000 (£153,000) level that Democrats had originally sought.

But longer-term fiscal problems remain and Mr Obama will likely face more battles with the Republican-dominated House of Representatives.

"Cynics will point out that another argument has been booked in for two months' time, when the debt ceiling comes up for debate, IG market analyst Chris Beauchamp said.

"And Republicans will be looking to make progress on the spending cuts that haven't featured in the New Year deal."

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Skyfall High In Annual List Of Movie Gaffes

The latest James Bond movie, Skyfall, may be the most successful film in British box office history - but it is strewn with errors.

It had the second highest number of mistakes in 2012, according to an online list of movie gaffes spotted by filmgoers.

Second only to Men In Black III, with 63 mistakes spotted, Skyfall comes in with 35, www.moviemistakes.com says.

Among the mistakes listed are:

:: Where Bond is fighting on top of the train ... his footwear changes from black lace up shoes to black slip-on ankle boots.

:: Just before Bond reaches the chapel, he plunges into icy water. In the next scene, in the chapel, he is perfectly dry.

:: In the Istanbul chase scene, Eve knocks out the windshield of the car she's driving ... For the rest of the chase, about half the glass is suddenly back in the frame.

::  In the chase through the tube station, Bond and Silva both slide down between the escalators. On the London Underground this area has hard vertical signs at regular intervals, precisely to prevent people sliding down.

:: When on the motorbike on the rooftops of Istanbul, Bond at first has no sunglasses on, then sunglasses on, then no sunglasses.

Men In Black lll stars Will Smith, seen here at the London premiere

The 23rd official Bond film became the first movie ever to take £100m at the British box office at the weekend.

It had already become the highest grossing film in the UK, raking in £94.3m in 40 days, according to the producers.

Globally, the film, which marks the 50th anniversary of the franchise and cost £100m to make, has taken more than $1bn (£613m).

Daniel Craig's third appearance as British secret agent Bond is still on general release more than two months after it first hit British cinemas.

The movie sees Bond battling with villain Raoul Silva (played by Javier Bardem), who aims to take revenge on his former boss M (Judi Dench).

Moviemistakes.com's 2012 top ten reported errors:

1.  Men in Black III - 63

2.  Skyfall - 35

3.  The Dark Knight Rises - 24

4.  The Amazing Spider-Man - 24

5.  Marvel Avengers Assemble - 22

6.  Looper - 14

7.  Prometheus - 13

8.  Argo - 13

9.  Underworld: Awakening - 10

10.  The Hunger Games - 10

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Syria: Petrol Station Strike 'Kills Dozens'

Dozens of people have been killed after an air strike on a petrol station in the capital Damascus, according to opposition activists.

Mohammed Saeed, an activist who visited the site, said "tens of people were killed or wounded" in the strike, while "body parts could be seen on the ground".

Amateur video, which cannot be verified, showed block smoke billowing from the petrol station in the eastern suburb of Mleiha and casualties fleeing the scene.

Some activists said more than 30 people died in the strike, although the exact number was not confirmed.

Mr Saeed said drivers were waiting in line for fuel when the petrol station was targeted.

The blast happened in the Syrian capital, Damascus

Syria has been facing a fuel crisis and people often queue for hours to refuel.

Meanwhile, the UN said more than 60,000 people have died in the conflict in Syria since fighting began in March 2011.

Using data from seven different sources, it said the number of fatalities rose from 1,000 a month in the summer of 2011 to 5,000 a month within one year.

In the provinces of Homs and Damascus, around three-quarters of those who were killed were male.

Navi Pillay, the UN's human rights commissioner, described the number of casualties as "truly shocking" and "much higher than we expected".

"Cities, towns and villages have been, and are continuing to be, devastated by aerial attacks, shelling, tank fire, bomb attacks and street-to-street fighting," she said.

"Unless there is a quick resolution to the conflict, I fear thousands more will die or suffer terrible injuries as a result of those who harbour the obstinate belief that something can be achieved by more bloodshed, more torture and more mindless destruction."

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