Egypt Constitution In Effect After 'Yes' Vote

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Female protesters cut their hair off to demonstrate their opposition

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

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

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

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

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

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Firefighter Ambush Shooting: Killer Left Note

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

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

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

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

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

Victims: Michael Chapperini (left) and Tomasz Kaczowka

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

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

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

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

Webster is northwest of New York City

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Ben Affleck Quashes Senate Bid Rumours

Hollywood star Ben Affleck has ended rumours he is planning to run for the US Senate, saying he will not stand for John Kerry's seat.

Speculation rose when the actor and director testified before Congress last week about atrocities in Congo.

The appearance at the House Armed Services Committee coincided with the news that Barack Obama had named Massachusetts Senator Mr Kerry as the frontrunner to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State.

This would have opened up a potential opportunity for Mr Affleck if Mr Kerry was confirmed.

In a CBS interview he refused to deny a potential run for office saying: "One never knows. I'm not one to get into conjecture."

But the Good Will Hunting actor has now quashed the speculation he had any plans to enter politics immediately in a post on his Facebook page.

He said: "I love Massachusetts and our political process, but I am not running for office.

"Right now it's a privilege to spend my time working with Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI), supporting our veterans, drawing attention to the great many who go hungry in the US every day and using filmmaking to entertain and foster discussion about issues like our relationship to Iran."

He added that Mr Kerry would make a "great Secretary of State".

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China Opens World's Longest High-Speed Railway

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent, in Beijing

The world's longest high speed rail route has opened in China, covering a distance of 1,427 miles (2,298km).

The first passenger train departed from Beijing in the north for Guangzhou on the country's southern coast at 9am local time, with another leaving an hour later.

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

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

The high-speed passenger service is under way

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

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

China currently has 5,350 miles (8,600km) of operating high-speed railway, more than any other nation in the world.

The plan is to extend the rail network to a staggering 9,950 miles (16,000km) of track by 2015.

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

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

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

In a statement, China's ministry of railways said: "This service marks a significant milestone of our high-speed rail construction.

"It will ease pressure on the rail transport between Beijing and Guangzhou, especially during the peak Chinese New Year holiday."

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

China Southern Airlines has operated the double decker A380 between Beijing and Guangzhou for the past year.

The cost of a ticket is higher, but the journey time is just three hours.

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Government Bombing In Northern Syria Kills 20

Shelling in Syria's northern Raqqa Province has killed some 20 people, with at least eight children among the dead, activists say.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has published a video of the aftermath of the bombing.

The video shows rows of blood-stained bodies laid out on blankets, and the sound of crying relatives can be heard in the background.

The shelling hit the village of al Qahtania in Raqqa Province.

"At least 20 people, among them eight children and three women, were killed in shelling by regime forces of farmlands in al Qahtania village, west of the city of Raqqa," the Britain-based watchdog said.

Raqqa Province has seen an escalation of violence in recent months as rebels have launched an assault to seize several areas located on the Turkish border.

It remains unclear when the attack happened.

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Uefa Appeals Own Sanctions For Serbia Game

Uefa is set to appeal against the sanctions its own disciplinary body handed out after the Serbia versus England Under 21 game in October.

The appeal includes the punishments imposed for racist abuse by Serbian supporters.

Serbia was fined £65,000 and their Under 21 team was ordered to play a game behind closed doors.

The punishment for the incidents at the Mladost Stadium in Krusevac on October 16 were criticised for being too lenient.

England player Danny Rose complained he was racially abused by Serbia supporters before, during and after the game.

England scored with the last kick of the match, and fighting broke out between players and officials immediately after the final whistle.

There were also punishments for Steven Caulker and Tom Ince, who received two and one-match bans respectively for their involvement in the brawl.

The FA criticised Uefa for not sending a "strong enough message" after the punishments were handed out.

Uefa said in a statement on its website: "Uefa, via the Uefa disciplinary inspector appointed to the case, has decided to appeal all the sanctions."

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Kickboxer Lee Aldhouse Charged With Murder

A British kickboxer could face the death penalty in Thailand after being charged with murdering an ex-US Marine at a popular holiday resort.

Lee Aldhouse, originally from Birmingham, told media crews he was being mistreated as he was taken to court in Phuket in the south of the country.

Prosecutor Chiengsan Panya said Aldhouse could be facing execution or a lengthy jail sentence.

He told the court: "The prosecutor has decided to proceed with charges against the suspect.

Lee Aldhouse competed in kickboxing fights in Phuket

"According to the law article 288, the suspect can be executed, or serve life in prison, or be imprisoned for 15 years and 20 years."

The 29-year-old is accused of stabbing to death 23-year old Dashawn Longfellow after an argument in a bar on August 14, 2010.

Police launched a manhunt for Aldhouse following the murder and he was arrested four days later at London's Heathrow Airport.

He was flown to Thailand from the UK earlier this month in the first-ever extradition of a criminal suspect from Britain to Thailand.

Victim Dashawn Longfellow had served in Iraq and Afghanistan

Local media said Aldhouse had been living for several years in Phuket and was a semi-professional kickboxer who fought under the nickname 'Pitbull', while Mr Longfellow had also been studying the sport

The victim's mother said her son served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was injured when a roadside bomb exploded under his truck.

He was awarded the Purple Heart for his injury.

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Burma: British Family Of Four Survived Crash

A British family of four was aboard an aircraft packed with tourists which crash-landed in Burma on Christmas Day.

The Foreign Office has confirmed it provided assistance to the family and that they have now left hospital following treatment for minor injuries.

Two people died and 11 were injured when the Air Bagan plane, carrying more than 60 passengers, crashed two miles short of the runway at Heho Airport.

Details of the crash remain unclear, however the airline and officials have blamed heavy fog for the aircraft's crash into a rice paddy field.

The ageing Fokker 100 jet was carrying Christmas tourists from Rangoon to Heho Airport, via Mandalay. The airport is the main gateway to the popular tourist destination Inle Lake.

Survivors of the Christmas Day crash-landing have told of their terror as the plane struck the ground.

The plane crashed in thick fog about two miles short of the runway

"We felt the first bump, then a few big bumps and then (started) sliding very fast," said Anna Bartsch, a 31-year-old Australian advertising executive.

"In my window I saw the flames, and it was hot and we knew straight away we didn't have much time to get out. We didn't know then that the wings had come off," she said.

Air Bagan says the plane's black box will be sent to Singapore for analysis.

The airline has said "the plane hit electrical cables about a mile from Heho Airport as it descended and landed in rice fields".

All fatalities were Burmese citizens, including a man riding a motorcycle where the plane came down, and a tour guide aboard the plane.

The accident has raised concerns about the safety standards of Burma's overburdened airlines, as foreign visitors flock to the country as it emerges from a half-century of military rule.

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Japan: PM Shinzo Abe Lays Out His Priorities

Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been laying out his priorities after his election victory was rubber-stamped by parliament.

The veteran named the cabinet he hopes will help him push through the economic revitalization of the country's depressed economy.

His appointment marks an end to three years of liberal administrations and restores power to the conservative, pro-business party that has run Japan for most of the post-World War II era.

Abe, who was PM in 2006-7 before resigning for health reasons, has promised to restore growth to an economy that has struggled for 20 years.

His administration also faces souring relations with China and a debate over whether Japan should wean itself off nuclear energy after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused a meltdown at the Fukushima atomic power plant.

Abe posed for pictures with his new cabinet

Abe, 58, told reporters before Wednesday's parliamentary vote: "I feel as fresh as the clear sky today."

His new Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga declared the country's new leaders a "crisis breakthrough cabinet".

He said: "Disaster reconstructon and economic recovery are our first and foremost tasks."

Abe is expected to push for a 2% inflation target to combat dropping prices and a boost of as much as 10tn yen (£74bn) to public works spending.

In foreign policy, Abe has stressed his desire to make Japan a bigger player on the world stage, a stance that has resonated with many voters who are concerned that their nation is taking a back seat economically and diplomatically to China.

The new PM looked relaxed as he arrived at his official residence

He has said he will support a reinterpretation of Japan's pacifist post-war constitution to loosen the reins on the military, stand up to Beijing over an ongoing territorial dispute and strengthen Tokyo's security alliance with Washington.

His new Cabinet will feature another former prime minister, Taro Aso, as finance minister.

Heading the foreign ministry is Fumio Kishida, an expert on the southern island of Okinawa, where many residents angry over crime and overcrowding want a big reduction in the number of US troops they host - now at about 20,000.

The new defence minister is Itsunori Onodera, who was in Abe's previous administration.

Abe has already named a roster of top party executives that includes two women - more than in previous Liberal Democratic Party administrations - and is younger than earlier ones, with three of the four in their fifties.

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Tornadoes Hit US As Christmas Storms Kill Six

At least six people have died after a major winter storm system swept through the southern US, triggering tornadoes and heavy snowfall.

A driver was killed when a high winds knocked down a tree, crushing his pickup truck and a 53-year-old Louisiana man died after a tree fell on his house.

A 28-year-old woman died after crashing her car on a snowy highway.

Two passengers in Arkansas highway died Wednesday when their car crossed the centre line and struck an SUV head-on; and a 76-year-old Wisconsin woman died Tuesday in Oklahoma in a similar car crash. 

The National Weather Service said a tornado struck Mobile, Alabama, a city with a population of about 200,000. Homes were damaged and power lines and trees were toppled.

Storm clouds head towards the East Coast

Firefighters carried out door-to-door checks in the affected areas but did not find any serious casualties.

A large section of a church roof was missing and the front wall of the parish wall was gone, said Scott Rye, a senior warden at the church in the Midtown section of the city.

Another apparent tornado caused damage in the west Alabama town of Grove Hill, about 80 miles (130km) north of Mobile.

Near McNeill, Mississippi, a likely tornado damaged a dozen homes and sent eight people to the hospital, none with life-threatening injuries, said Pearl River County emergency management agency director Danny Manley.

At least three tornadoes were reported in Texas, although only one building was damaged, according to the National Weather Service.

A man is put in an ambulance after a tornado in Mobile

The storms also contributed to a 21-vehicle pile-up that shut down a major highway in Oklahoma and caused thousands of power cuts.

More than 400 flights nationwide were cancelled by Tuesday evening, according to the flight tracker FlightAware.com. More than half of those were either in or out of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, which saw several inches of snow.

The snowstorm pushed out of Oklahoma as Christmas Day ended, carrying with it blizzard warnings for parts of northeast Arkansas, where 10 inches (25cm) of snow was forecast.

Freezing rain clung to trees and utility lines in Arkansas and winds gusts up to 30 mph (48kph) whipped them around, causing about 71,000 customers to lose electricity.

Blizzard conditions were also possible for parts of Illinois, Indiana and western Kentucky with predictions of four to seven inches (10 to 17.5cm) of snow.

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South Korea Votes In First Woman Leader

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent

Conservative politician Park Geun-hye has become South Korea's first female president, after narrowly beating her liberal opponent.

Moon Jae-in conceded on Wednesday night to the daughter of late dictator Park Chung-hee, several hours after polls closed in the close fought race.

Her victory came despite analysts' speculation that high voter turnout would favour Mr Moon.

Mr Moon is the son of North Korean refugees and a former human rights lawyer while she is the daughter of a former dictator.

It is understood that more than 70% of the eligible population braved temperatures of well below zero to vote.

The leadership of North Korea still remains a problem for South Korea

Initial predictions during the counting phase were of a race too close to call.

Ms Park is the first female president of a nation which is still heavily dominated by men.

According to analysts, her victory is likely to shatter a national 'glass ceiling' and will be seen as a massive step forward for women's rights.

Ms Park's rival Moon Jae-in was once a special forces soldier

She is the daughter of General Park Chung-hee, the former South Korean dictator whose autocratic rule over the country lasted for 18 years before he was assassinated by his own spy chief in 1979.

Despite his dictatorship, he is widely credited for pulling South Korea out of poverty and turning it into the economic and technological success that it is today.

Pundits said Ms Park's vote was boosted by a conservative base of older voters with fond memories of South Korea's rise from poverty.

Mr Moon was once jailed for his opposition to Ms Park's father's rule - he is the son of North Korean refugees who fled to the south during the Korean War.

Ms Park's challenges are numerous: she is faced with a belligerent North Korea, a slowing economy and rising welfare costs.

On North Korea, both candidates had a desire for further engagement though Ms Park's approach is more cautious. Mr Moon had promised to resume aid to the country without preconditions.

A British diplomat in Seoul described to Sky News the difference between the two approaches on North Korea as: 'Stick then large carrot from Park; large carrot then small stick from Moon.'

Ms Park, 60, has wide support with women voters in South Korea

Relations between the North and the South are tense. The two are still technically at war. The border between the two - the 38th parallel - is the most fortified and heavily mined border in the world.

The relationship worsened with the shooting by North Korea of a tourist from the South in 2008, the sinking of a South Korean warship; an incident which North Korea says it had nothing to do with and the shelling of a South Korean island in 2010.

Although North Korea remains a pressing issue for Ms Park, it did not play heavily in the campaigning despite the successful launch of a three-stage rocket by the North last week.

"It has been very much sidelined," Brendan Howe, a professor of International Relations based in Seoul told Sky News.

"Both sides want engagement but neither side put it at the forefront of their campaign. It has not a massive issue in the election." he said.

An equally pressing issue for Ms Park is the widening gap between rich and poor in South Korea and the dominance of family-owned conglomerates like Samsung and Hyundai.

Wooing the crucial centralist voters resulted in significant overlap between the two candidates' policies during campaigning. They had both talked about 'economic democratisation' - reducing the social disparities that have come with rapid economic growth.

Ms Park is now one of a number of new leaders in the region. Japan has recently voted in right-wing candidate Shinzo Abe and China's new communist leadership, with their opaque direction, will take office in March.

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'Earth-Like' Planet Discovered By Scientists

Scientists have discovered a planet with conditions that could support life - orbiting a sun that is visible to the naked eye.

Tau Ceti is thought to be the lowest mass solar system yet detected

The world is one of five thought to be circling Tau Ceti, a star 12 light years away which is almost identical to the sun.

Astronomers estimate the Tau Ceti planets to be two to six times bigger than Earth. And one of them, with five times the Earth's mass, lies in the star's "habitable zone".

The orbital region is also known as the 'Goldilocks zone', as it is neither too hot nor too cold to allow liquid surface water and, potentially, life.

Details of the discovery are to appear in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Scientists found the Tau Ceti planetary family using a highly sensitive technique that combined data from more than 6,000 observations from three different telescopes.

Dr James Jenkins, a member of the international team from the University of Hertfordshire, said: "Tau Ceti is one of our nearest cosmic neighbours and so bright that we may be able to study the atmospheres of these planets in the not-too-distant future.

"Planetary systems found around nearby stars close to our sun indicate that these systems are common in our Milky Way galaxy."

More than 800 planets have been discovered orbiting stars beyond the sun since the 1990s.

Those found around the nearest sun-like stars are the most interesting to astronomers.

Professor Steve Vogt, another team member, from the University of California at Santa Cruz, said: "This discovery is in keeping with our emerging view that virtually every star has planets, and that the galaxy must have many such potentially habitable Earth-sized planets.

"They are everywhere, even right next door."

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Crocodile Jumps Into Swimmer's Face

A tourist swimming in a river in Australia has had a shock after a crocodile leapt onto him, slapping him in the face in the process.

The reptile had been sunning itself on a rock in a national park in the Northern Territory but then seemed to want to cool off.

The animal launched itself directly at Swedish tourist Felix Andersson, hitting him in the face before landing in the water.

Mr Andersson and his friend Ulrik Bergsland quickly swam away laughing and were not hurt in the incident.

In fact the pair were so unfazed they carried on swimming in the lagoon.

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US Benghazi Report Slams 'Inadequate' Security

An inquiry into the September 11 attack in Libya that killed the US ambassador and three other Americans has said security arrangements were "grossly inadequate".

The independent panel blamed systematic management and leadership failures at the State Department for the attack on the mission in Benghazi.

The report singled out the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Bureau of Near East Affairs for criticism.

It said there appeared to have been a lack of co-operation and confusion over protection at the mission in a country that had been left relatively lawless after the revolution that toppled Muammar Gaddafi.

The report found the number of Diplomatic Security staff in Benghazi before and on the day of the attack "was inadequate despite repeated requests ... for additional staffing".

Despite those failures, the Accountability Review Board said no individual officials ignored or violated their duties and recommended no immediate disciplinary action.

But it also said poor performance by senior managers should be grounds for disciplinary recommendations in the future.

Christopher Steven's murder was the first of a US ambassador since 1988

The two most senior members of the panel - Retired Ambassador Thomas Pickering and a former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen - are set to testify behind closed doors before the House and Senate foreign affairs on Wednesday.

Their testimony will set the stage for open hearings the next day with Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, who is in charge of policy, and Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides, who is in charge of management.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was to have appeared at Thursday's hearing but cancelled after fainting and sustaining a concussion last week while recovering from a stomach virus that dehydrated her.

The report appeared to break little new ground about the timeline of the Benghazi attack, during which Libyan Ambassador Christopher Stevens, information specialist Sean Smith and former Navy Seals Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods were killed.

But it confirmed that, contrary to initial accounts, there was no protest outside the consulate and said responsibility for the incident rested entirely with the terrorists who attacked the mission.

In the immediate aftermath, administration officials linked the attack to the spreading protests over an anti-Islamic film made in the US that had begun in Cairo, Egypt, earlier that day.

The review board found there had been no immediate, specific tactical warning of a potential attack on the 11th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

However, the report said there had been several incidents of concern in the run-up to the attack that should have set off warning bells.

The report made 29 recommendations to improve embassy security, particularly at high-threat posts.

Mrs Clinton said she accepted all the recommendations.

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US Shooting: Doubts Over Lanza Asperger's Claim

By Brian Donathan, Sky News Online

A psychologist has told Sky News the actions of mass killer Adam Lanza were not consistent with someone who has Asperger's syndrome.

The gunman's parents reportedly informed friends and divorce mediators that their son had that form of autism.

But Dr Beth Weiner said Friday's shooting that left 20 children and six adults dead inside Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut sounded more like the act of "an individual with an anti-social personality disorder".

She said: "If you bump into someone with Asperger's in the hallway, they might not process it correctly and they might lash out, but they don't plan out something in a premeditated way."

No evidence has been found to suggest Lanza, 20, was taking medication for mental illness, and authorities are still trying to determine whether he was ever formally diagnosed with any mental health disorder.

The massacre, in which Lanza's own mother Nancy was also shot and killed by him, has left a community in mourning and people around the world searching for answers on how similar acts can be prevented in the future.

Dr Weiner, a clinical psychologist and the director of the psychology and therapy master's degree programme at Long Island University-Hudson in West Chester, New York, said "early intervention is key".

The mother of victim Jessica Rekos is comforted at the child's funeral

She said: "Kids have to be targeted early, and the front line people are the school personnel," adding that schools are "overloaded" and cannot be blamed when these types of incidents occur.

"Their hands are tied. They can't do the kind of emotional assessments that some of these kids need," she went on.

What is needed, Dr Weiner said, is a closer relationship between school personnel and outside clinicians - people who are trained in treating clients with mental health disorders.

"We're talking about having more security guards at schools ... maybe we need to look at how we can bring in more mental health professionals into the schools systems on a consulting basis," she said.

Dr Weiner also said people have to start overcoming the stigma that is attached to mental illness, which often keeps parents from pursuing the help their child needs.

"It's not the same when it comes to mental illness," she said. "Parents are not going to be as quick to check off the box that asks whether their child has behavioural problems."

The psychologist said she hopes the Newtown shooting would help people realise the need to be more proactive when it comes to treating children and adults with mental illness.

"In this day and age we're still putting labels, we're still calling people crazy as opposed to asking what can we do for them so they are not shut away from their peers," she said.

"Sometimes that isolation can breed dangerous thinking."

:: Watch USA: The Gun Debate on Sky News on Wednesday at 8:30pm.

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School Shooting: Obama Wants New Gun Policies

Barack Obama is tasking Joe Biden to head up a new government panel to formulate fresh policies to deal with gun violence, following last Friday's school shooting.

The president will formally outline the role of the vice president - a longtime gun control advocate - at the White House on Wednesday.

The panel will explore possible new gun legislation to rein in the sale of assault rifles and high-capacity magazines, but will also look at mental health policies and violence in popular culture.

The president has vowed to use "whatever power this office holds" to safeguard the nation's children after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut.

Twenty children and six adults were killed by 20-year-old Adam Lanza, who earlier shot dead his mother Nancy at the home they shared, and then killed himself at the school as police closed in.

Adam Lanza killed his mother before shooting dead 20 children and six staff

The massacre has re-ignited the debate over gun control in the US, with some calling for a clampdown on firearms.

President Barack Obama backs a new bill to reintroduce a ban on assault weapons that expired in 2004.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said Mr Obama is "actively supportive" of an attempt by Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein to write the bill early next year.

The president has also telephoned pro-gun senator Joe Manchin, who has shifted his position on firearms laws since Friday's carnage in Connecticut.

Mr Manchin, along with fellow democrat Mark Warner, who have so-called "A" ratings from the National Rifle Association, said the Newtown massacre has convinced them the time for reform has come.

West Virginia's Senator Manchin told MSNBC it was time to "move beyond rhetoric" on gun control. He said: "I don't know anyone in the sporting or hunting arena that goes out with an assault rifle. It's common sense."

Senator Warner said "the status quo isn't acceptable" and in a later interview called for "rational gun control".

The NRA has broken its silence over the Sandy Hook school massacre, saying its members were "shocked, saddened and heartbroken by the news of the horrific and senseless murders".

The group also said it wanted to give families time to mourn before making its first public statement.

It pledged "to help to make sure this never happens again" and has scheduled a news conference for Friday.

On Monday, 75 activists demonstrated outside the NRA's headquarters in Washington DC.

They chanted: "Shame on the NRA," and demanded the organisation drop its hardline stance and make way for new gun control laws.

Protesters outside the NRA's headquarters in Washington DC

"More than anyone else, the NRA is responsible for the more than 12,000 people murdered by guns every year in this country," said Josh Nelson, the campaign manager for the progressive Credo Action group that organised the protest.

"We call on the NRA's lobbyists to stand down and allow Congress to pass common-sense gun laws."

:: Watch USA: The Gun Debate on Sky News on Wednesday at 8.30pm.

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Delhi Bus Gang Rape Sparks Angry Protests

Police have fired water cannon to disperse protesters angry over the gang rape of a 23-year-old woman on a bus in New Delhi.

Demonstrators outside New Delhi's Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's official residence tried to tear down steel barricades after chanting "we want equal rights for women".

There has been an outpouring of anger across the country since the brutal attack that left the student and her male companion in intensive care.

Police are still searching for two of the six men who were on the off-duty school bus when it picked up the pair. Four, including the bus driver, have already been arrested.

The woman was abused for 40 minutes while her companion was fought off with a metal rod. The attackers then pushed the couple off the vehicle.

"Women are told that if they go out late at night, they will be raped," A female protester from Delhi University said.

National crime records show that 228,650 of the total 256,329 violent crimes recorded last year were aimed against women and rape cases more than doubled between 1990 and 2008.

Delhi police commissioner Neeraj Kumar says rape laws need to be rethought.

Sunday night's attack was the latest in a series of particularly brutal attacks in the capital.

Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh joined his ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi in condemning the rape as "heinous".

New Delhi's police chief has demanded the death penalty for the rapists, a crime that currently carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison.

"We will seek the most severe punishment of life imprisonment for the culprits and we will send a proposal to the government for the death sentence for rapists," New Delhi police commissioner Neeraj Kumar told reporters.

Some politicians including Sushma Swaraj, leader of the main opposition BJP party, also called for rapists to be hanged.

New Delhi's Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde announced in parliament that there would be an immediate crackdown on tinted curtains and heavy glass in buses and has ordered increased police patrols on the streets.

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Anti-Gay Attack Amid Zenit Football Row

Gay rights activists have been attacked outside the Russian parliament - a day after a leading football team was forced to deny it was both homophobic and xenophobic.

Anti-gay activists threw eggs at equality campaigners near the State Duma, before scuffles broke out between the two sides.

Several activists on both sides were detained by police amid the protest against a controversial new bill banning "gay propaganda".

Gay rights activists have said if adopted the new law will violate the rights of members of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) community in Russia.

Zenit St Petersburg fans' manifesto opposed gays and blacks

Police also arrested 15 demonstrators protesting against a proposal to ban foreign adoptions of Russian orphans, according to activists.

The attacks and arrests come a day after football team Zenit St Petersburg was forced to address claims of racism and anti-gay policies.

A "manifesto for traditional football" published online by Zenit supporters warned against employing African players.

The manifesto added: "We object to Zenit players being representatives of sexual minorities."

A Zenit executive denied the claims made by the supporters' manifesto

Asked if the club employed a racist policy, director of sport Dietmar Beiersdorfer said: "Of course we have no restrictions related to the origin of a football player, the colour of his skin or religion!"

"Our goal is to win the Russian championship and perform well in Europe.

"To do this, we need both players that we can grow in our academy, and experienced Russian players, and the best talent from around the world."

Meanwhile the fans' manifesto said the team had gained success in the last decade by employing Zenit youth team members, aided by Russian and foreign players "with a similar mentality".

The team has a large working class fan base among St Petersburg's 4.5m population.

Zenit fans in a confrontation with supporters of a Moscow team

The manifesto also complained that football was increasingly profit-based and corporate-run, and slammed players who "constantly changed" clubs.

"Now we fear that the club can turn from this road and take the path of Manchester City and London's Arsenal," it said.

"And many other clubs who buy packs of players from around the world and does not represent a region or city that they represent."

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WWII Arctic Convoy Veterans To Get Medals

Veterans of the Second World War Arctic Convoys who delivered supplies to the Soviet Union are to be awarded medals, the Prime Minister has announced.

The decision caps a long battle for recognition by the veterans, who embarked on what Winston Churchill called the "worst journey in the world" to keep supply lines open.

More than 3,000 seamen died in Operation Dervish, which for four years, starting in 1941, delivered material to the Soviet ports of Murmansk and Archangel.

David Cameron told MPs he had accepted the recommendations of a review of military medals carried out by former diplomat Sir John Holmes.

He added that "the heroic aircrews should be awarded a Bomber Command Clasp".

"Sir John has recommended and I fully agree, there will be an Arctic Convoy Star medal," Mr Cameron announced at Prime Minister's Questions.

"I am very pleased that some of the brave men of the Arctic Convoys will get the recognition they so richly deserve for the very dangerous work they did."

Only a few hundred veterans are thought to still be alive.

Their efforts to secure formal recognition had been repeatedly rebuffed over many years on the grounds of protocol and because the Cold War had made the decision politically unpalatable.

Commander Eddie Grenfell, a veteran and leading campaigner for recognition, said he was "pleased but not delighted" and accused Mr Cameron of taking too long.

"In the meantime God knows how many of my Arctic Convoy chums have died waiting," said the 92-year-old from Portsmouth.

Cmdr Grenfell, one of the few to be rescued when his ship was blown to pieces on one mission, served in a number of theatres during the war but said none was as horrific as the Arctic.

Operation Dervish started in 1941. Photo provided by Greenpeace

Once the conflict ended, he said, it was impossible to campaign for a medal for helping the Russians since Moscow was then the enemy.

When relations thawed after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, an attempt to secure recognition was refused because of a rule saying medals can be awarded only within five years of the end of a war.

Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage, another prominent campaigner, welcomed the decision to address what she said was a "huge injustice" but urged the Government to act swiftly on its promise.

"After years of waiting, time is no longer a luxury that these brave men have on their side," she said.

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Libor Rate-Rigging: UBS Pays £940m Penalty

The Swiss bank UBS is to pay £940m, including £160m to regulators in Britain, to settle Libor rate-rigging investigations.

The fines, which amount to the second biggest penalty paid by a bank in the wake of the £1.2bn money laundering settlement announced by HSBC in the US last week, relate to manipulation of yen Libor and euroyen contracts.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) said the case was "all the more serious" as UBS had attempted to manipulate Libor submissions at other banks, making corrupt payments to reward brokers for their efforts.

The FSA's report revealed incriminating conversations between UBS traders and brokers, saying they would "play the rules" and "return the favour".

One trader said: "I need you to keep it (the six-month Japanese Libor rate) as low as possible ... if you do that ... I'll pay you, you know, $50,000, $100,000 ... whatever you want ... I'm a man of my word."

The Libor scandal cost Bob Diamond the top job at Barclays

Bankers, the FSA said, also referred to each other in congratulatory terms, such as "the three muscateers (sic)", "Superman", and "Captain caos (sic)".

The £940m fine goes to regulators in the US, UK and Switzerland and the bank said it could not rule out further penalties in future.

The total comes to more than three times the $290m fine levied on Barclays in June for rigging the Libor benchmark rate used to price financial contracts around the globe from home loan rates to complex derivatives.

UBS said today that around 40 people have left or been asked to leave the bank as a result of the Libor investigation and it now expected to report a loss of up to £1.7bn for the fourth quarter as a result of the case.

Chief executive Sergio Ermotti added: "We deeply regret this inappropriate and unethical behaviour.

"No amount of profit is more important than the reputation of this firm, and we are committed to doing business with integrity."

In its statement, the FSA said UBS made "corrupt payments" of £15,000 per quarter to brokers for at least 18 months to reward them for helping the Swiss bank manipulate global interest rates.

It said that at least 45 individuals including traders, managers and senior managers were involved in, or aware of, the practice.

Kweku Adoboli lost UBS £1.4bn

The regulator recorded at least 2,000 requests for inappropriate submissions and said many more would have been made orally.

Tracey McDermott, FSA director of enforcement and financial crime, said: "They manipulated UBS's submissions in order to benefit their own positions and to protect UBS's reputation, showing a total disregard for the millions of market participants around the world who were also affected by Libor and Euribor."

The FSA had already fined UBS £29.7m for failings which allowed a rogue trader to rack up losses of £1.4bn in an unrelated case.

Kweku Adoboli was jailed for seven years in November after being found guilty of fraud.

The Libor scandal, which is expected to engulf other banks including RBS, has resulted in pledges to reform how the rates are set.

The British Banking Authority, which currently oversees Libor, has agreed to give up that responsibility as part of the changes.

A criminal investigation in the UK, led by the Serious Fraud Office, resulted in its first arrests last week,

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Putin Attacks Russia's 'Alien Interests'

By Amanda Walker, Moscow Correspondent

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of foreign interference in the country's politics, claiming certain opposition politicians are funded by outside sources.

Mr Putin said Russia would follow its own democratic path and shrug off any "standards enforced on us from outside".

He added: "Direct or indirect foreign interference in our political processes is inadmissible. Those who receive money from abroad and serve alien interests shouldn't engage in politics in Russia."

In a speech strong on sovereignty and patriotism, Mr Putin vowed to strengthen the country's economy.

The Pussy Riot trial became a focus of anti-Putin sentiment

He said that on the global stage Russia must preserve its "national and spiritual identity", while strengthening the military should "guarantee its independence and security".

He also pledged to support "institutions that represent traditional spiritual values", suggesting further state support for the Russian Orthodox Church.

In August, three members of the punk band Pussy Riot were sentenced to two years in prison for performing a 'punk prayer'  in Moscow's main cathedral against the church's backing for Mr Putin.

Putin has been tough with protests against his re-election as president

The case became widely perceived as symbolic of the President's lack of tolerance for dissent.

It was his first state of the nation address since controversially winning a third term in March's presidential election despite mass protests against his 12-year domination of Russian politics.

Since his inauguration, President Putin has taken a tough line on dissent with arrests of opposition activists and new laws that impose heavy fines on protesters.

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Vegas Weddings: Thousands Flock For 12/12/12

Thousands of couples are expected to descend on Las Vegas wedding chapels today - to be married on the memorable date of 12/12/12.

It will be the last time in most people's lifetimes that there is an auspicious triple-digit date, as the next one will not happen for another 89 years.

Previous propitious dates have been big draws for Las Vegas and Clark County.

On 07/07/07 a total of 4,333 couples were wed, whereas an average daily total is normally about 145.

More recent repeating digit dates attracted 3,090 couples on 10/10/10 and 3,342 on 11/11/11.

The Clark County Marriage Licence Bureau has nearly doubled its staffing level and around 80 wedding chapels have readied themselves for the rush.

According to Viva Las Vegas Weddings, the number 12 is particularly lucky.

The Egyptian theme for 12/12/12 at LasVegasWeddings.com

"The 'go-getting' 1 and the 'sensitive' 2 make this a very balanced number. 1 is the vibration of 'new beginnings' and starting things afresh," it explained on its website.

"The 2 vibration is about seeking 'balance' and that's certainly something that many will struggle with - balancing the bank balance, balancing the food and beverage intake, balancing the emotions … balancing in every way."

It offers a variety of wedding themes, including Cleopatra and Mark Antony, the Blues Brothers, the Grim Reaper, Alice Cooper, and Rocky Horror Show couple Brad and Janet.

Other wedding themes available in Sin City include pirates, Woodstock, Austin Powers, gangster and disco.

Traditionalists still have the option of choosing the standard Elvis-themed union.

Tourists from Britain, Europe, Brazil and Australia have lodged wedding applications for the day, in addition to thousands of Americans.

Chapel of the Flowers spokeswoman Aimee Stephens told the New York Times her firm would deal with 80 weddings instead of its normal 15 unions.

The last daily wedding peak was 07/07/07 when 4,333 couple tied the knot

She believes there is another reason beyond luck that has driven couples to get married on the 12th.

"People like being a part of something larger," Ms Stephens said.

She added that the brides also wanted "to make it easier for their husbands to remember" their wedding date.

While it can cost $60 for a wedding minister's fee, some themed marriages top $2,500.

Viva Las Vegas has put a premium on certain times of the day, boosting the price above its budget $712.12 themed ceremony cost.

It warned those searching for wedded bliss: "Please note the midnight 12/12, 12 noon, or midnight 12/13 slot must be the $1212.12 Diamond Wedding Package or higher."

Thousands of couples in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore are also tying the knot today, seeking good fortune for marriages begun on the century's last repeating date.

Couples also queued to marry in many mainland Chinese cities, on the basis that 12/12/12 sounded like "Will love/will love/will love" in Chinese, the official news agency Xinhua said.

:: Las Vegas wedding chapels are already preparing for the next big event, an alleged global apocalypse based on the end of the Mayan calendar on December 21.

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North Korea Rapped Over Rocket Launch

Rocket Is Propaganda Coup For Kim

Updated: 8:35am UK, Wednesday 12 December 2012

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent

North Korea had two points to prove with its latest rocket launch.

The first was that it had successfully overcome the technical problems that led to the embarrassing failure of an identical launch in April this year.

The second is that the country has indeed put a satellite into space, which would confirm its long-standing claim that all this is about pursuing a peaceful space programme.

It appears to have succeeded with the first point. The rocket remained airborne for a considerable period. It followed the planned and published trajectory and the three "stages" of the rocket separated and fell to the ocean as scheduled.

April's rocket was airborne for barely over a minute before it disintegrated and fell into the sea off South Korea. This time the rocket travelled for about 3,000km (1,864 miles).

The North Koreans claim to have succeeded in putting a satellite being carried by the rocket into orbit.

This is harder for them to prove. On two previous occasions, officials in the North Korean capital Pyongyang have said they have put satellites into space. But international observers including the US and Russia have found no evidence of this.

Pyongyang is yet to provide images of a working satellite being loaded into the rocket and that rocket then being launched. Even if they did, they would then need to prove that the satellite was in orbit. Only then can their claim that this is about pursuing a peaceful space programme begin to stand up.

The US and its allies, including the UK, believe the rocket launch is a straightforward test of North Korea's ballistic missile technology. They say the "space programme" claim is simply a cover.

North Korea has been conducting underground nuclear tests for some time. A combination of those tests with the successful launch and flight of a rocket would give the country somewhat of a credible nuclear deterrent. If it is creating ballistic missiles that can carry nuclear weapons, it could threaten areas as far away as the west coast of the US.

The timing of this launch is very significant. December 19 is the first anniversary of the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, the father of the current leader Kim Jong-Un. December 19 also marks the presidential election in South Korea and the Japanese parliamentary election is on December 16.

The launch will prompt a wave of propaganda within North Korea. It is designed to solidify the leadership of Kim Jong-Un, who is in his early-30s and hugely inexperienced.

Pyongyang announced an intention to launch this latest rocket earlier this month. It gave a launch window of between December 10 and December 21. Last weekend, it extended that window to December 29 citing technical difficulties. The latest launch therefore caught people somewhat by surprise.

Within North Korea, a closed society with no access to international news, there will have been no announcements of the plan in case it failed again. The first North Koreans would have heard of the launch was this morning in a special broadcast on North Korean state TV.

What can the international community do now? Further sanctions perhaps, but they are unlikely to have much of an effect - North Korea is already among the most sanctioned countries in the world.

Pressure on China will no doubt come. Beijing is North Korea's only real ally. The Chinese leadership expressed concern about this latest launch plan, but only because its priority is stability in the region.

The removal of the Kim regime and a North Korea unified with the South would only add to America's clout in the region.

For Pyongyang's part, this launch will provide a massive boost of confidence. Kim Jong-Un and those behind him may now use this confidence and perceived new status to engage with the West in order to secure much needed economic assistance. The problem is, Western governments will never believe the claim that this is all about a space programme.

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Argentine Sex Slave Trial Clears 13 Accused

Judges have acquitted all the defendants in a high-profile case of an Argentine woman who was allegedly kidnapped and forced into sex slavery a decade ago.

When Maria de los Angeles "Marita" Veron vanished in 2002, her mother, Susana Trimarco, launched a one-woman campaign to find her - and rescued hundreds of women from sex slavery along the way.

Marita Veron, 23, had left to go to a doctor's appointment in their hometown in the northern Argentine province of Tucuman, but she never came back.

After getting little help from police, Ms Trimarco started her own investigation into a tip that Ms Veron was abducted and forced into sex slavery.

Ms Trimarco was the primary witness during the trial

Soon, Ms Trimarco was visiting brothels seeking clues about her daughter and the search took on an additional goal of rescuing sex slaves and helping them start new lives.

Ms Trimarco has been honoured by the US State Department and the Argentine government, and even nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize - but she has never found her daughter.

The 13 people on trial - seven men and six women - faced up to 25 years in prison if convicted on charges they abducted Marita Veron and made her work as a prostitute.

The three-judge panel delayed for more than four hours on Tuesday night before reading their unanimous verdict: not guilty of any of the charges.

The courtroom erupted at the news, with the defendants sobbing and spectators shouting expletives.

Politicians for and against Argentina's government tweeted in support of Ms Trimarco, who was honoured with a human rights award from Argentine President Cristina Fernandez on Sunday night.

Some of defendants react after being cleared

The judges later explained from the bench that despite the testimony of more than 130 witnesses, including a dozen former sex slaves who described brutal conditions in brothels, there was no physical evidence linking any of the defendants to Ms Veron, and no trace of her whereabouts.

"It's absolutely clear that this is an act of corruption," said one of Ms Trimarco's lawyers, Jose D'Antona.

Ms Trimarco was clearly upset but kept her composure as she left the courthouse.

Later, she told Argentina's TN news channel that she will promote an effort to impeach the three judges.

"We won't stop until these three con men are put on trial. These judges today were an embarrassment for Argentina," Ms Trimarco said.

Defence lawyer Hernan Molina defended the judges, however, saying they had done the right thing.

"There wasn't any evidence. The judges can't convict innocent people," he told reporters at the courthouse.

Ms Trimarco (3rd from L) receiving an award from Condoleezza Rice in 2007

The defendants, who were all accused of participating in organised crime in Argentina's provinces, told the judges as the trial wrapped up that they were the victims of a politically charged process.

Maria Jesus Rivero, owner of the car service allegedly used to kidnap Ms Veron, told the judges he had already been effectively convicted by Argentine security minister Nilda Garre, who had asked the judges to set an example by convicting them all.

"There isn't a single piece of evidence that links me to the people accused here, just the declarations of liars. Marita isn't here, and we don't have anything to do with this," Mr Rivero said.

Ms Trimarco was the primary witness during the trial, testifying for six straight days about her search for her daughter.

The road to trial was a long one.

With her husband and granddaughter in tow, Ms Trimarco disguised herself as a recruiter of prostitutes and entered brothel after brothel searching for clues.

A woman holds a photo of Ms Veron at a rally against people trafficking

She soon found herself immersed in the dangerous and grim world of organised crime, gathering evidence against police, politicians and gangsters.

In an interview last week, Ms Trimarco recalled how the very first woman she had rescued taught her to be strong.

"She told me not to let them see me cry, because these shameless people who had my daughter would laugh at me, and at my pain," Ms Trimarco recalled.

"Since then I don't cry anymore. I've made myself strong, and when I feel that a tear might drop, I remember these words."

When Ms Veron disappeared, she had a three-year-old daughter Micaela.

Now 13, Micaela has been by her grandmother's side throughout the year-long trial, contributing to publicity campaigns against human trafficking and keeping her mother's memory alive.

In 2008, the story of Ms Trimarco's search for Marita became the basis of a soap opera, Vidas Robadas (Stolen Lives).

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Mandela Doctors 'Satisfied' With Progress

Ailing Former South African President Nelson Mandela has "made progress during the past 24 hours", according to his doctors.

The 94-year-old is continuing to recover from the lung infection that has kept him in hospital for five days, the government has said.

"Doctors attending to former President Mandela have reported that he has made progress during the past 24 hours and they are satisfied with the way he is responding to treatment," President Jacob Zuma's office said a statement.

Mr Mandela was admitted to the 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria on Saturday for tests, but it was several days before authorities revealed he was ill.

His illness has been causing growing concern in South Africa, a nation of 50 million people that reveres Mr Mandela as the nation's first democratically-elected president after the apartheid era.

In January 2011, he was admitted to a Johannesburg hospital for what officials initially described as tests but what 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.

Mr Mandela has a history of lung problems. He fell ill with tuberculosis in 1988 toward the tail-end of his prison years.

While doctors said it caused no permanent damage to his lungs, experts say TB can cause problems years later for those infected.

Mr Mandela was a leader in the struggle against apartheid and when he emerged from 27 years in prison in 1990 he won worldwide acclaim for urging reconciliation.

He won South Africa's first truly democratic elections in 1994, serving one five-year term as president before later retiring from public life to live in his home village of Qunu, in the Eastern Cape.

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

He disengaged himself from South Africa's politics over the last decade but continued campaigning against AIDS. He has grown increasing frail in recent years.

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Bosnian Serb Commander Jailed For Genocide

A former senior Bosnian Serb Army commander is jailed for life for his role in Europe's worst massacre since World War II.

Judges at the UN court in The Hague said that General Zdravko Tolimir was the "right hand" of Bosnian Serb military chief General Ratko Mladic.

Mladic is considered the chief architect of the murder of some 8,000 Muslim men and boys at the Srebenica enclave in eastern Bosnia in July 1995.

Tolimir, 64, is the latest Serb soldier to be convicted in the bloody Bosnian war between 1992 and 1995, which left around 100,000 dead.

Mladic and his political master Radovan Karadzic are still on trial for overseeing Serb atrocities throughout the war, including the Srebrenica massacre.

Presiding Judge Christoph Fluegge said: "The accused not only had knowledge of genocidal intent of others but also possessed it himself.

"He is therefore responsible for the crime of genocide."

Judge Fluegge added: "The suffering these men went through in the moments leading up to their deaths must have been unbearable.

"On many occasions those waiting to be shot saw others executed."

Tolimir stood, crossed himself three times and removed his glasses, but showed no emotion when he was told he would spend the rest of his life in prison.

Before the judgement was read, he told the court: "I wish for these proceedings to be concluded in accordance with God's will."

He was the top Bosnian Serb intelligence officer and a trusted aide of Mladic.

Bosnian Serb forces overran Srebenica in 1995 despite the presence of Dutch UN peacekeepers who - outgunned and outnumbered - put up virtually no resistance.

Women were bussed away from the area before the Muslim men and boys were rounded up, taken to remote locations, executed and their bodies put into mass graves.

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Gerard Depardieu's Move To Belgium 'Pathetic'

Gerard Depardieu's move to Belgium to apparently avoid France's wealth taxes has been dubbed "pathetic" by the French Prime Minister.

PM Jean-Marc Ayrault criticised the actor's decision to buy a home in Belgium - which does not have a wealth tax - close to the border with France.

"Going just over the border, I find that fairly pathetic. Being a Frenchman means loving your country and helping it to get back on its feet," said Mr Ayrault on France 2 television.

Mr Depardieu has become the latest wealthy Frenchman after luxury magnate Bernard Arnault to look for shelter outside his native country following a series of tax hikes by socialist President Francois Hollande.

The Cyrano de Bergerac star bought a house in the village of Nechin where 27% of the population is made up of French nationals, local mayor Daniel Senesael told reporters.

The actor is believed to have bought this house in Belgium

He added that Mr Depardieu also enquired about procedures for acquiring Belgian residency.

Belgian residents do not pay wealth tax, which, starting at a rate of 0.25%, is now slapped on individuals in France with assets over 1.3m euros. Nor do Belgians pay capital gains tax on share sales.

France has also imposed a 75% tax on incomes exceeding one million euros.

The tax hikes have been welcomed by left-wingers who say the rich must do more to help redress the public finances but attacked by some wealthy personalities and foreign critics, who say they will increase tax flight and dampen investment.

Mr Depardieu's move comes three months after Arnault, chief executive of luxury giant LVMH, caused an uproar by seeking to establish residency in Belgium - a move he said was not motivated by tax reasons.

The left-leaning Liberation daily paper reacted with a front page headline next to a photograph of Mr Arnault telling him to "Get lost, you rich jerk", prompting luxury advertisers including LVMH to withdraw their advertisements.

Mr Ayrault said he did not support the idea floated by some socialist lawmakers to withdraw French nationality from people who sought residency abroad to lighten their tax bill.

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Pope's First Tweet Blesses Internet Faithful

Pope Benedict XVI has sent his first Twitter message under his handle @Pontifex, blessing his one million internet followers.

"Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart," the pontiff tweeted.

Since the Pope announced earlier this month that he would start tweeting under his official Latin title, almost 800,000 people have registered to follow his main account in English.

He gained about a million followers in the eight languages of his account - Arabic, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish - in addition to English.

However, the Pope does not plan to follow anyone.

To send his first tweet, the Pope tapped on his tablet during a general audience.

"An extraordinary moment," the secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Monsignor  Paul Tighe, told Vatican Radio.

He said the response of the Twittersphere was impressive, with more than 2,000 re-tweets in under two minutes.

The Pope told his followers he was 'pleased' to be in touch through Twitter

Church officials said subsequent tweets would be sent by someone in the Vatican's secretariat of state, rather than the pontiff, but only after papal approval.

Subsequent papal tweets on Wednesday addressed some of the questions submitted to Benedict in the run-up to the launch at #askpontifex.

The first tweets drew jokes, criticism and some positive responses. Some accused the Pope for the sex abuse scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic Church in recent years.

"hey @Pontifex you want 5000 followers in five minutes? stop protecting paedophiles in the church and follow back!" said user @elizabethdanger.

"May the connection to God gets closer...." joked one user, @Svidss.

The German-born Pope is an 85-year-old theologian used to writing philosophical dissertations and papal encyclicals.

But under his pontificate, the Vatican has pushed into the social media, using YouTube and Facebook for special events as it tries to reach out to the faithful, especially the young.

One user, @becsplanb, replying to the Pope's tweet asking how faith in Jesus can be lived in a world without hope, said: "I find drinking heavily helps."

Another appeared unimpressed with the question: "Seriously Pope I waited all this time for a Question," said @kataranRI.

Pope Benedict does have some previous experience of tweeting, having launched the official Vatican news site on Twitter, @news_va_en, in June last year, but this was his first tweet under his personal handle.

While a pope is infallible under Church doctrine, Benedict XVI's tweets are not, Vatican officials said.

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Syria Conflict: Explosion At Interior Ministry

A bomb has struck the interior ministry in Damascus, according to Syrian state TV.

The blast reportedly occurred at the main entrance to the building situated in the southwest district of Kafar Souseh - a battleground for rebels and forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al Assad.

"An explosion rocked the district of Kfar Sousa, and initial reports say a bomb targeted the main entrance to the interior ministry," state television said.

A resident who heard the blast said she head sirens and shouting after a "huge explosion".

Sky's foreign affairs editor Tim Marshall, who is in Damascus, said: "We think we heard it. It was an explosion much, much louder than most of the ones we hear. You could actually feel the shockwave

"There was a huge plume of white smoke near the government buildings.

"We hear the artillery firing every few minutes - it is a certain sort of boom. This was a much, much deeper sound and a much louder sound.

"I think that was the bomb that went off. The most likely thing would be a car bomb."

More follows...

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Oz Watchdog To Investigate Hoax Call Station

Timeline: Kate Prank Call Tragedy

Updated: 4:38am UK, Tuesday 11 December 2012

Here are some of the key developments surrounding the death of hospital nurse Jacintha Saldanha following a hoax phone call by two Australian radio hosts.

Monday, December 3
The Duchess of Cambridge is admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital in London with severe morning sickness.

Tuesday, December 4
2Day FM presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian make their hoax call to the hospital in the early hours of the morning, posing as the Queen and Prince Charles. Nurse Jacintha Saldanha puts them through to a colleague who divulges details of how doctors have been treating the Duchess.

Wednesday, December 5
A King Edward VII's Hospital spokesman confirms the Australian radio station made the prank call, saying it "deplores" the act and is conducting a review of its phone system.

Thursday, December 6
The Duchess of Cambridge leaves hospital.

Friday, December 7
:: Ms Saldanha is pronounced dead at staff accommodation close to the hospital. She is thought to have taken her own life, although a post-mortem examination is yet to be held.

:: King Edward VII's Hospital releases a statement saying: "It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Ms Saldanha. She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues."

:: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge send their condolences to Ms Saldanha's family.

Saturday, December 8
:: Ms Saldanha's family in southwest India speak of their heartache. Her mother-in-law, Carmine Barboza, says: "Jacintha was a very caring woman. She used to call us every Sunday without fail. We just cannot believe what has happened."

:: Ms Greig and Mr Christian go on indefinite leave from the radio station after they are bombarded with abusive and threatening messages on social media websites.

::  Lord Glenarthur, chairman of the King Edward VII's Hospital, writes a latter to 2Day FM calling for the "truly appalling" broadcast to "never be repeated".

:: Max Moore-Wilton, chairman of Southern Cross Austereo which owns 2Day FM, describes the events over the past few days as "tragic", but adds: "The outcome was unforeseeable and very regrettable."

Sunday, December 9
:: It emerges Mel Greig and Michael Christian may be questioned by London's Metropolitan Police.

:: Ms Greig and Mr Christian express a desire to speak about the tragedy, but are still in hiding.

:: The Australian Communications and Media Authority, which regulates radio broadcasting, says it is considering whether it should launch an investigation into whether the presenters breached the commercial radio code of practice.

Monday, December 10

:: Mr Christian and Ms Greig break their silence, expressing their regret and sorrow over the tragedy in a series of emotional Australian TV interviews. They insist they never expected their phone call to go so far and thought hospital staff would hang up on them. Both extend sympathy to Ms Saldanha's family.

:: Ms Saldanha's family pay tribute to a "loving mother and wife". Speaking on their behalf, MP Keith Vaz says: "They are really grateful for the support of the British public and the public overseas for the messages of support and kindness."

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Cancer Girl Safer In Mexico, Say Parents

A young cancer patient was removed from a Phoenix hospital and taken to Mexico for her own safety, according to her parents.

Emily Bracamontes, who was being treated for leukaemia and recently had an arm amputated and a heart catheter fitted, was taken from her ward exactly a week ago by her mother.

Her disappearance triggered an urgent search, amid fears the cardiac device could become infected and lead to serious complications.

However her parents, Norma and Luis Bracamontes, have told Mexican TV that they simply wanted to protect their 11-year-old daughter from what they called bad medical treatment.

"It was the only way because they had threatened and intimidated her," her mother told Telemundo.

Luis Bracamontes spoke to Mexican TV station Telemundo

Emily's father, who was detained as he crossed back into the US on Monday, alleged her arm became infected and was partially amputated because of hospital negligence.

"They told my wife that she already had it," Luis Bracamontes said.

"That's not true. Her arm was healthy."

Emily, who is with her mother at an undisclosed location in Mexico, also spoke briefly to her father during the interview on his mobile phone.

She told him she was feeling fine.

Neither parent is charged with a crime yet, but authorities in the US want the child brought back to the hospital before it is too late.

The girl's father is a Mexican citizen with US residency. Emily and her mother are US citizens.

Authorities had speculated they might have been concerned about paying the bill at the Phoenix Children's Hospital.

Staff there say they are ready to talk to the child's family at any point.

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New York Barefoot Homeless Man 'Not Homeless'

The barefoot homeless man, whose gift of a new pair of boots from a New York cop turned into a web phenomenon, may not be homeless after all.

Jeffery Hillman has been living for over a year in an apartment in the Bronx according to the New York Daily News - with his rent paid by social security and veterans benefits.

But despite this, the 54-year-old has continued to be spotted shoeless around Manhattan since the cold November night when Officer Larry DePrimo bought him the $100 shoes, in the widely-lauded random act of kindness.

"Outreach teams from the Department of Homeless Services continue to attempt to work with him, but he has a history of turning down services," Barbara Brancaccio, a spokeswoman for the New York City agency, told the newspaper.

After the image was taken by a tourist from Arizona and posted on the NYPD Facebook page, more details about the then-anonymous vagrant emerged.

Mr Hillman was in the army and has two adult children.

He has family and old friends in New Jersey and Pennsylvania who are shocked by his plight, but also keen to help him.

"Jeffrey has his own life, and he has chosen that life, but he knows that our hearts and home are always open to him," his niece Alegra Hall told the New York Post.

Mr Hillman lived in city transitional housing sites called Safe Havens from 2009 until 2011, before securing his current apartment through a Department of Veterans Affairs programme, the Daily News said.

The story behind the mobile phone image may not be quite the fairytale many wanted to believe.

While New Yorkers still applaud the young policeman's gesture, opinion is sharply divided over whether Mr Hillman deserves sympathy or criticism.

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Alaska Serial Killer Chopped Up Barista Victim

A suspected serial killer, who committed suicide in jail earlier this week, sexually assaulted and then chopped up one of his victims in Alaska.

Israel Keyes strangled Samantha Koenig a day after abducting her from an Anchorage coffee kiosk in February, then left her body in a shed while he went on a two-week cruise, the FBI has revealed.

Once back from New Orleans, Keyes posed the 18-year-old's body to make it appear she was still alive and took a Polaroid photo of her tied up.

He typed a ransom note demanding $30,000 (£18,640) from her family on the back of a photocopy of the photo.

In reality, the 34-year-old builder went on to dismember Ms Koenig's body and dispose of the remains after cutting a hole in a frozen lake.

He was only arrested in March in Texas, after using her stolen debit card.

Keyes subsequently confessed to her murder and seven other murders across the US over the past decade.

Investigators fear there could be even more victims. 

Israel Keyes admitted strangling Samanatha Koenig in February

Video footage also released by the FBI on Tuesday shows Keyes climbing through the window of the coffee bar.

Ms Koenig is seen putting her hands up several times, and turning off the light.

She is then tied up and led out at gunpoint.

"He knew all along he was going to kill her," Anchorage detective Monique Doll said.

The authorities believe Keyes travelled extensively in the US, targeting victims randomly hundreds of miles away.

His travels even included trips to Hawaii, and Mexico and Canada.

Investigators said he buried caches of weapons, money and tools for disposing of bodies to use in future crimes.

In the case of Ms Keonig, he stuck to his own town.

"He broke his own rule," Officer Doll said.

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World's Tallest Woman Dies in China Aged 40

The world's tallest woman has died at the age of 40 in her hometown in eastern China.

Yao Defen was officially given the title by the Guinness World Records in 2010 when she measured 7ft 8in.

"Yao Defen died in the middle of last month," says a spokesman for the government of Shucha town, where Yao lived.

Yao's gigantism was reportedly due to a tumour in her pituitary gland but the cause of death is unclear, the spokesman explained.

An Anhui newspaper reported that Yao died on November 13, having reached a height of 7ft 9in, adding that she was already more than two metres tall at the age of 15.

Yao is recorded as the third tallest woman in history, only five inches shorter than Zeng Jinlian the tallest woman ever who measured 8ft 1.75in.

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Dewani Murder: 'Trigger Man' Jailed For Life

A South African man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Swedish woman Anni Dewani on her honeymoon.

Xolile Mngeni, 25, was convicted by a court in Cape Town of firing the shot that killed the 28-year-old woman in 2010.

Judge Robert Henney called the shooter "a merciless and evil person" who deserved the maximum punishment for his crime.

"He had no regard to her right to freedom, dignity, and totally disregarded and showed no respect to her right to life by brutally killing her with utter disdain," Judge Henney said.

Mngeni, who had surgery to remove a brain tumour while facing trial, maintained his innocence.

Two of the men accused of being his accomplices are already serving lengthy prison sentences after entering into plea bargains.

Zola Tongo and Mziwamadoda Qwabe both implicated Mngeni and said they had been hired by Mrs Dewani's British husband, Shrien, to kill his wife.

Shrien Dewani pictured last year

A motive has never been clearly explained for why Dewani, a businessman from Bristol, would want his new bride killed.

He has denied he hired anyone to kill his wife and was allowed by authorities to leave South Africa for the UK, where he was later arrested.

He is currently being treated in a secure mental health hospital for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

In March, a High Court ruled that it would be "unjust and oppressive" to extradite Dewani to South Africa, as his mental condition had worsened since his arrest.

Mrs Dewani was shot when a taxi the couple were travelling in was hijacked in Gugulethu township on the outskirts of Cape Town.

Prosecutors said Mngeni, Qwabe and Tongo were paid 15,000 rand (£1,066) for the killing.

Mngeni's left palm print was found on the car in which Mrs Dewani's body was recovered, the court heard during his trial.

Her watch, bracelet and mobile phone were also discovered in Mngeni's friend's shack.

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Dettori Suspended From Racing For Six Months

Frankie Dettori has been suspended from riding for six months after being found guilty of taking a banned substance.

The three-times British champion jockey tested positive following a routine examination at Longchamp racecourse in France on September 16.

French horseracing's governing body France Galop issued the ban following a recent hearing, and the British Horseracing Authority is likely to follow suit.

The 41-year-old's solicitor Christopher Stewart-Moore said the jockey "fully accepts" the ban, which lasts until May 19.

"France Galop have today announced their finding Frankie Dettori has committed a breach of their rules relating to prohibited substances," said Mr Stewart-Moore.

"I have spoken to Frankie since the announcement was made and he has told me he fully accepts France Galop's decision. He also accepts that he has let down the sport he loves and all those associated with it, as well as the wider public.

"But most of all, and this is his greatest regret, he has let down his wife and children."

Mr Stewart-Moore said Dettori was "enormously grateful" for the support of his fans, adding: "Racing has been good to Frankie and he knows that his privileged position brings with it responsibility.

"For this reason he is determined to rebuild his reputation when he returns to the saddle. Frankie could make excuses. He has, after all, regularly been tested for prohibited substances throughout his career. He is clear, however, that the responsibility for his current situation lies squarely with him."

The length of the ban means he will be able to return in time for the key Derby and Royal Ascot race meetings.

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Typhoon Bopha: Philippines Storm Kills Over 270

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent

More than 270 people have been killed by the latest typhoon to hit the Philippines, according to local officials who have warned more could die as rescuers reach outlying areas.

Typhoon Bopha hit Mindanao Island's east coast at dawn on Tuesday with winds of more than 130mph.

At least 66 of the victims were killed in New Bataan when torrents of water dumped by the typhoon on a nearby mountain flowed through the town's streets. A school and a village hall were both destroyed by the water.

In a separate incident, villagers and soldiers who formed part of the rescue effort all died when the truck they were in was washed away in the flooding.

Thousands of people have been forced to take shelter where they can

Local governor Arturo Uy said the victims included children who had fled with their parents from their homes to a community centre which was swamped by a flash flood.

Nearby Davao Oriental Province was also badly affected with 51 people left dead and a further 98 missing.

The storm is one of the strongest to hit the country this year. Given that many of the buildings are basic and badly constructed, many of the deaths are the result of flooding and landslides triggered by the storm.

The typhoon has also devastated crops like banana trees

Last year, Typhoon Washi killed more than 1,500 people in the country's south. Entire villages were washed away and the death toll was compounded by the fact that the storm hit at night.

Bopha is now battering the western Palawan province popular with tourists.

It is likely to move out into the South China Sea - but forecasters predict more severe storms will hit the country before the end of the month.

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18th Century Chateau Wrecked 'By Mistake'

Residents of a sleepy French village near Bordeaux have been astonished to discover that their local 18th-century chateau was completely bulldozed "by mistake".

The mayor's office in Yvrac said workers who were hired to renovate the grand 13,000-square-metre (140,000-square-foot) estate in November and pull down a small building mixed them up.

"The Chateau de Bellevue was Yvrac's pride and joy," former owner Juliette Marmie said, adding: "The whole village is in shock. How can this construction firm make such a mistake?"

The chateau's current owner, Russian businessman Dmitry Stroskin, was away at the time and returned to discover his chateau - with a grand hall that could seat some 200 people - was nothing but rubble.

According to Sud-Ouest, Mr Stroskin had no idea what was going to happen.

"I didn't know the chateau was destroyed, I'm shocked," the businessman said, insisting he was commissioning an architect from Paris to rebuild the chateau to make an exact replica.

The Russian, who is reported to run an import-export company which exports products from France to Poland and Russia, says he is not going to pursue the builders over their mistake.

"I totally understand the excitement among local community members and the procedure at the prosecutor's (which is looking into the matter), but I'm not going to look for those responsible for this error; the damage is done."

The company that did the building work has its cars registered in Poland, according to Sud-Ouest.

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Death Star Petition On White House Website

Thousands of Americans have signed a petition calling on the White House to build a Death Star.

The founder of the campaign says construction of the moon-sized space station and inter-stellar weapon from the Star Wars film series will strengthen national security and create jobs.

And US officials will be forced to consider replicating the Death Star - complete with a laser capable of destroying a planet - if the petition gains more than 25,000 digital signatures by December 14.

Started by a John D, from Longmont, Colorado, the petition on the White House website demands work should begin on the project within the next four years.

It reads: "Those who sign here petition the United States government to secure funding and resources, and begin construction on a Death Star by 2016.

"By focusing our defence resources into a space-superiority platform and weapon system such as a Death Star, the government can spur job creation in the fields of construction, engineering, space exploration, and more, and strengthen our national defence."

Among more than 3,500 signatories to the petition at the time of writing were at least four people giving the name 'Darth V', and one called 'Boba F'.

It is not the first time a government body has faced pressure from a Star Wars-related campaign.

More than 400,000 Britons stated their religion as Jedi on their 2001 Census forms, in a failed attempt to have it recognised as an official religion.

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AK-47 Shipment: British Man Gary Hyde Jailed

A British arms dealer who helped ship thousands of AK-47 assault rifles and millions of rounds of ammunition from China to Nigeria has been jailed for seven years.

Gary Hyde, 43, looked tearful as he was sentenced at London's Southwark Crown Court following his conviction for two counts of breaching UK trade controls and concealing criminal property.

Hyde, of Mask Lane, Newton on Derwent, near York, moved the weapons without a licence and hid more than £620,000 in commission payments.

The deal between the two countries' governments was lawful, but Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith said middleman Hyde was caught out by his own greed.

He failed to apply for a licence to take part in the deal, fearing it would be refused, but was attracted by the "enormous profits" to be made, the judge said.

Hyde, who was supported in court by his family, legitimately ran and expanded the wholesale business York Guns to the point where it employed 20 staff in 2003.

He helped broker various arms deals including some for the British government.

But in 2006 he got involved in the deal between China and Nigeria which saw up to 40,000 AK-47s, 30,000 rifles and 10,000 9mm pistols go to the African nation along with 32 million rounds of ammunition.

Hyde was convicted after a retrial on two counts of becoming knowingly concerned in the movement of controlled goods between March 2006 and December 2007.

He was also found guilty of one count of concealing criminal property between March 2006 and December 2008 after he hid the profits in a bank in Liechtenstein.

Hyde, who was of previous good character and served as a special constable for seven years, was also reluctant to apply for a licence in case the UK authorities discovered his tax haven account and his "very substantial earnings", the judge said.

He told him: "You got carried away by the enormous profits that could be made elsewhere and, it would seem, in some less responsible company."

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