British tourist plunges to death off Australia waterfall






SYDNEY: Police on Monday were attempting to retrieve the body of a British tourist who slipped over the edge of a waterfall in Australia's Blue Mountains and plunged to his death.

The 20-year-old man was walking with friends at Wentworth Falls, west of Sydney, on Sunday afternoon when he lost his footing and fell some 80 metres (260 feet).

Police said a friend summoned help and while paramedics were able to establish that he was dead, their helicopter crew was unable to retrieve the body due to high winds.

A guard was placed at the scene overnight and officers walked into the bushland Monday morning to help winch him out.

A witness told state broadcaster ABC she had seen a group of friends gathered on some rocks.

"Then they went down to the next one and I knew something was going to happen," she said.

"We just saw them all panic and a 20-year-old boy fell over, down the waterfall."

The Blue Mountains are a popular tourist attraction some 60 kilometres (40 miles) west of Sydney. Consisting mainly of a sandstone plateau, the area is dissected by gorges up to 760 metres deep.

-AFP/ac



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Faridkot minor dalit girl rape case: Main accused discharged from hospital, arrested

FARIDKOT: The prime accused in the rape case of a minor dalit girl was formally arrested by police on Sunday, after he was discharged from the hospital where he was admitted for consuming poison. Meanwhile, police officials visited the victim's village, where people demanded strict action against the accused.

SSP Gurpreet Singh Toor said, "We are investigating why the prime accused had consumed a poisonous substance. He has been arrested (on Sunday) after being discharged from the hospital. Search is on to nab Chaina Singh, the third accused."

The girl, 16, was abducted, raped and forced to swallow some pesticide by an upper caste accused. Along with his two associates, he had then dumped the victim outside her house in Matta village in Faridkot district on Saturday morning. In her statement, the girl has stated that she was abducted by three men on Friday night from outside her house when she was going to a relative's place nearby. She was taken to a room in the fields, where Jagmeet Singh allegedly raped her and Jagsir Singh and Chaina Singh stood guard outside.

Jagsir was arrested on Saturday and produced in the court of duty magistrate on Sunday, who sent him in one day police remand. Police have arrested prime accused Jagmeet, 21, on Sunday.

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Hagel to Be Obama's Defense Secretary Nominee


Jan 6, 2013 4:52pm







gty chuck hagel kb 121220 wblog Obama Will Nominate Chuck Hagel as Next Defense Secretary

(Junko Kimura/Getty Images)


WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama will nominate former senator Chuck Hagel to be his next Secretary of Defense tomorrow.


Senior officials within the administration and Capitol Hill confirmed the pick to ABC News today after the Nebraska Republican had emerged as a frontrunner among potential candidates several weeks ago.


Hagel, 66, is a decorated Vietnam veteran and businessman who served in the senate from 1997 to 2009. After having sat on that chamber’s Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committees,  he has in recent years gathered praise from current and former diplomats for his work on Obama’s Intelligence Advisory Board as well as the policy board of the current Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.


But the former lawmaker faces an upscale battle in the coming confirmation hearings in Congress; critics on both sides of the aisle have taken aim at his record toward Israel and what some have called a lack of experience necessary to lead the sprawling Pentagon bureaucracy or its operations.


Progressives have also expressed concern about comments he made in 1998, questioning whether an “openly, aggressively gay” James Hormel could be nominated to an ambassador position by then-President Clinton. Hagel apologized for the comments last month, adding that he also supported gays in the military – a position he once opposed.


Who Is Chuck Hagel? Meet Obama’s Top Pentagon Pick


The friction with his former colleagues has left a degree of uncertainty in the air going into the hearings. Today on ABC’s “This Week,” Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell demurred when asked whether he would support the man who, in 2008, he had championed for his candidness and stature in foreign policy.


“I’m going to wait and see how the hearings go and see whether Chuck’s views square with the job he would be nominated to do,” he told George Stephanopoulos.


Senator Lindsey Graham was more blunt in his opposition to Hagel on CNN. The Georgia Republican called Hagel an “in your face nomination,” and said he “would be the most antagonistic secretary of defense towards the state of Israel in our nation’s history.”


If confirmed, Hagel will join a crop of new cabinet members expected to join the president in his second term, including Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., who was nominated in December to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State.


ABC’s Elizabeth Hartfield and Devin Dwyer contributed reporting.



SHOWS: Good Morning America This Week World News







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After ‘fiscal cliff,’ Obama finishes recharging on Hawaiian holiday



The president’s vacation with his family and friends had already been cut short by the protracted, painful negotiations in Washington over taxes and spending. Obama was eager to get away from it all and enjoy a few final days of rest before the next round of legislative battles begins.


“I think Hawaii for him is a place where he gets to recharge both physically and emotionally. The schedule is one that’s relaxing. The climate is warm like he likes it. And he’s surrounded constantly by family and the friends he grew up with,” said Robert Gibbs, Obama’s former press secretary and a longtime adviser. “It’s the perfect elixir for having had a long and busy year in national politics.”

The president was scheduled to leave Hawaii late Saturday, returning to Washington on Sunday a little before noon. He will have spent a total of nine days here, over two separate trips, and roughly 40 hours in the air going back and forth.

“Like any parent, the president enjoyed spending as much time with his family over the holidays as he could,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said.

The president first flew here Dec. 21, urging lawmakers to drink some eggnog and cool off over the Christmas holiday. Obama, his wife, Michelle, and their daughters, Malia, 14, and Sasha, 11, rented a house overlooking the beach in the town of Kailua, on the east side of Oahu, Hawaii’s most-populous island.

As has become his custom, Obama spent his time eating at Hawaii hot spots with family and friends, golfing with buddies for six-hour stretches and hanging out at home and around Oahu with his girls. He spent his first night in Hawaii out until 11:30, dining at Morimoto Restaurant Waikiki, owned by Masaharu Morimoto of “Iron Chef” fame.

The next day began with a memorial service for Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii), whom Obama had previously called his “earliest political inspiration.” Following the service, which was at a veterans cemetery known as the Punchbowl, for the topographical imprint left by volcanic eruptions tens of thousands of years ago, Obama and his wife walked about a half-mile southeast to visit the grave of his grandfather Stanley Dunham, who served in World War II.

Obama went for a hike with his family later that day and then spent part of Dec. 24 with his family at the beach. Many of the president’s activities were confined to the Marine Corps base here, about a 10-minute drive from his rental home.

The Obamas’ Christmas activities are an established routine. On Christmas Eve, Obama calls members of the armed forces and his wife calls children tracking Santa’s whereabouts, before the family sits down for dinner. The next morning, they open Christmas gifts, eat breakfast and sing carols. Later in the day, the president and his wife meet with a few hundred service members at the Marine Corps base.

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Football: Messi targets record fourth Ballon d'Or






ZURICH: Record-breaking Lionel Messi is poised to become the first player to win four successive Ballon d'Or awards on Monday, sealing his status as the greatest player of his generation.

The 25-year-old is the overwhelming favourite to see off the challenge of Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta and great Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo for the prize.

It will crown another landmark year for the Argentine who is the top scorer in La Liga this season with 25 goals having also broken Gerd Mueller's 40-year record for the most goals in a calendar year.

He finished 2012 with an astonishing 91 goals in all competitions.

But Messi has insisted that his scoring records will mean nothing if Barcelona do not go on to take La Liga title off Real or fail to win the Champions League.

"It's nice to beat records but the win for the team is what is important. My goals are to win titles with the team, the Spanish league, Spanish Cup or Champions League is more important than any personal records."

He remains just as modest when it comes to Monday's awards in Zurich.

"If Iniesta wins, it will be well-deserved for all that he has done, for the way he plays. Again, it will also be a prize for the dressing room."

Messi and former French star, UEFA president Michel Platini, are the only players to win three straight Ballon d'Or awards while Dutch stars Johan Cruyff and Marco Van Basten have also won three accolades.

Barca coach Tito Vilanova has no doubt that Messi will be a deserving winner.

"Leo's great quality is that he plays as if he still a child," said Vilanova.

"He was always good as a youngster and you didn't need to be a coach to say that. It was a joy to see him play as a 15-year-old and that continues now."

Portugal captain Ronaldo admits he would love to win but it would not be the end of the world if the prize went elsewhere.

"If I win, perfect. If I don't, never mind, life goes on. But obviously I'd love to win. I'm not going to lie or be hypocritical," said the 27-year-old Real Madrid forward.

"Fair or unfair, the decision will be what it will be... I'll maybe be very happy or maybe very sad. But that's life. I can't live according to an individual prize," the 2008 Ballon d'Or winner added.

Other awards on Monday will see Vicente Del Bosque -- who led Spain to Euro 2012 glory and made them the first side to win three back-to-back tournaments -- in line for the best coach award.

He will be up against Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho and former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola.

For women's player of the year, five-time Brazilian champion Marta goes up against US pair Aby Wambach and Alex Morgan.

- AFP/fa



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Minor girl raped repeatedly, pregnant

SHIMLA: A 13-year-old pregnant rape victim's life is at risk as doctors have ruled out abortion in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district.

The orphaned girl was allegedly raped repeatedly by her maternal uncle and medical examination found she is 29-week pregnant.

The elder sister of the girl had approached the Manali police on December 25 after she found out her sister was raped. After the death of their parents, they had been living with their 85-year-old maternal grandfather where the incidents occurred.

Police had registered a case but failed to arrest the accused so far. The victim was shifted to Shimla on December 28 where her medical examination was done.

As poor health and delayed detection have wiped out the chances of abortion, medical experts now say that delivering the child too will not be an easy task as her body is not ready to deliver a baby putting her life at risk.

According to sources, victim has slipped into depression.

A gynecologist from a prominent Shimla hospital said the victim would face complications during pregnancy as her body is not developed. "She would face problems related to anemia, bone and calcium besides undergoing mental trauma." She said as the minor cannot go through normal delivery so she would have to undergo delivery by a cesarean operation which will also be risky.

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City Answers Gang-Rape Cover-Up Allegations












As Steubenville, Ohio, prepares for the high-profile rape trial of two high school football players, officials, battling allegations of a cover-up, announced the creation of a new website today to debunk rumors and create what they said would be a transparent resource for the community.


"This site is not designed to be a forum for how the Juvenile Court ought to rule in this matter," the website, called Steubenville Facts, said.


A timeline of the case, beginning with the alleged gang rape of a 16-year-old girl at a party on Aug. 11-12, 2012, is posted on the site. Summaries of Ohio law relating to the case and facts about the local police force including statistics on how many graduated from Steubenville schools, is included.


The case gained national attention last week when hacking collective Anonymous leaked a video of Steubenville high school athletes mocking the 16-year-old female victim and making crude references to the alleged rape.






Steubenville Herald-Star, Michael D. McElwain/AP Photo







"It's disgusting, and I've had people calling, numerous people call here, upset, they have seen it, one woman, two women were crying, because of what they witnessed," Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla said. "It really is disgusting to watch that video."


Anonymous has called for more arrests, however Steubenville Police have said their hands are tied.


"Steubenville Police investigators are caring humans who recoil and are repulsed by many of the things they observe during an investigation," the website said, addressing the video. "Like detectives in every part of America and the world, they are often frustrated when they emotionally want to hold people accountable for certain detestable behavior but realize that there is no statute that allows a criminal charge to be made."


Occupy Steubenville, a grassroots group, estimated 1,300 people attended a rally today outside the Jefferson County Courthouse, where rape victims and their loved ones gathered to share their stories.


The father of a teenage rape victim was met with applause when he shared his outrage.


"I've tried to show my girl that not all men are like this, but only a despicable few," he said. "And their mothers that ignore the truth that they gave birth to a monster."


Authorities investigated the case and charged two Steubenville high school athletes on Aug. 22, 2012.


The teenagers face trial on Feb. 13, 2013 in juvenile court before a visiting judge.


Attorneys for the boys have denied charges in court.



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Microsoft, AT&T help fund inauguration



Obama banned corporate donations for his 2009 inauguration and the Democratic convention last year in Charlotte, N.C., but the president announced after his reelection in November that he was removing his objections for this year’s swearing-in ceremony and surrounding events.


So far, however, Obama has received little in return for the policy change. Fewer than a dozen corporations have donated to the official Presidential Inaugural Committee, compared to more than 400 individuals who have given $200 or more. Contribution amounts were not released.

Other corporate donors include: Genentech, a biotechnology company owned by Swiss drugmaker Roche; Stream Line Circle LLC, run by billionaire Obama backer and gay-rights activist Jon Stryker; and the Centene Corporation, a Medicaid administration company and one of the major beneficiaries of the president’s signature health-care law.

Another donor was Financial Innovations, Inc., a maker of promotional products that got $1.8 million in business from Obama’s 2012 campaign.

Donors get access to special briefings and inaugural balls and tickets to the swearing-in ceremony and parade in exchange for their donations. Obama raised more than $50 million for the events four years ago.

Many of the individual inaugural donors were major backers of Obama’s reelection through an independent “super PAC” that spent millions on his behalf. Irwin Jacobs, the founder of the telecommunications company Qualcomm, gave more than $2 million to the Priorities USA PAC while New York author Amy Goldman, who writes books on gardening, gave $1 million to the group.

For his 2009 inauguration, Obama voluntarily limited individuals to $50,000 in addition to the ban on corporate funds. This time around, he kept a restriction only on lobbyist donations while allowing unlimited donations from individuals and companies.

“It’s not worth indebting yourself to corporate interests just to have a big party,” said Craig Holman, an advocate for tighter restrictions on money in politics at the Public Citizen watchdog group. “It’s very unfortunate and quite a reversal of what this president stood for.”

The inaugural committee voluntarily released the list of donors, but failed to live up to the standard of disclosure it set in 2009. That year, organizers released the employer and state of residence for each donor, along with the amount given.

“This is just a list of names,” Holman said.

The inaugural committee, which is only required to disclose detailed information to the Federal Election Commission after the Jan. 21 event, said it will continue to update the list that is publicly available on its Web site.

“The Presidential Inaugural Committee is continuing its pledge of transparency for the American people and is taking extra steps to provide the public with ongoing updates about who is donating to the inaugural,” said Addie Whisenant, a spokeswoman for the committee. “In keeping with FEC requirements, we will also make public the final list of donors and the amounts they contributed to the [committee] 90 days after the presidential inauguration.”

After Democrats banned corporate donations for their 2012 convention, organizers had a hard time raising enough money to pay for the lavish affair, using a workaround to solicit corporate money to fund events near the convention site. In the end, the two organizations set up by Charlotte city officials were more than $8 million in debt after Democrats left town.

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