Egyptians Vote In Constitution Referendum

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

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

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

Queues formed across Egypt as polling stations opened

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

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

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

President Mohamed Morsi casts his vote in the referendum

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

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

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

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

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

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Emotional Obama Responds To School Shooting

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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US School Shooting: Gunman Kills 27

The United States is in shock after a man murdered his mother at home before gunning down 20 children and six adults in a Connecticut school.

The heavily armed gunman, named as 20-year-old Adam Lanza, shot the children - aged between five and 10 years old - at Sandy Hook Elementary School, where his mother had worked as teacher.

Dawn Hochsprung, the head teacher at the school in Newtown, was among those killed in the shooting, which began at around 9:30am - just after school day started.

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

A police officer leads two women and a child from the school

An emotional US President Barack Obama wiped tears from his eyes as he told a stunned country: "Our hearts are broken today."

Mr Obama hinted at possible gun law reform, declaring that the latest atrocity signals that the country should come together to take meaningful action, "regardless of the politics".

The President also used his weekly address to express his sadness in the wake of the shooting.

A young boy weeps after learning of the school massacre

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

Children told their parents they had heard bangs and, at one point, a scream over the intercom. Teachers ordered them to hide in closets or corners.

"I was going back to my classroom and I heard like a person kicking on the door and I turned around I smelled smoke," an eight-year-old boy told NBC.

Reports said Lanza killed his mother, Nancy Lanza, and then drove to the school in her car.

Mr Obama wiped away tears and struggled to maintain his composure

At least three guns were found - a Glock and a Sig Sauer, both pistols, inside the school, and a high-powered rifle in the back of the car, authorities said.

A law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity said some of the guns used in the attack may have belonged to Lanza's mother, who had legally purchased five weapons.

The attack, just two weeks before Christmas, was America's second-deadliest school shooting, exceeded only by the Virginia Tech university massacre in 2007 that left 32 dead.

Authorities offered little clue as to the motive for the shootings in the picturesque small town northeast of New York City.

The gunman was believed to suffer from a personality disorder and lived with his mother in an affluent part of Newtown.

Lanza's older brother Ryan was questioned

State police Lt Paul Vance said just one person suffered an injury and survived, indicating that the gunman was unusually accurate or methodical in his fire.

Lanza's older brother Ryan, 24, of Hoboken, New Jersey, has been questioned by police but a law enforcement official said he was not believed to have had any role in the shooting and was "extremely cooperative".

Ryan Lanza told law enforcement he had not been in touch with his brother since about 2010.

Hours after the shooting, hundreds of people gathered for a vigil, the crowd filling the church to capacity and spilling outside its doors.

Some lit candles while others joined hands to sing Christmas songs.

Vigils were held in the town on Friday evening

"Evil visited this community today," State Governor Dan Malloy said earlier.

David Connors, whose triplets were at the school during the shooting but were unharmed, said he was still horrified.

"It's hard. I've never imagined a thing like that could happen here."

Police said they expected to be able to make public the identities of the victims later on Saturday.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "It is heartbreaking to think of those who have had their children robbed from them."

The shooting happened at a school in the town, 60 miles from New York

The Queen sent a message to Mr Obama in which she said she was "deeply shocked and saddened".

Pope Benedict XVI sent a letter of condolence to the community, which was read aloud at a vigil in Newtown on Friday evening.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon wrote to Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy to give his "deepest condolences at the shocking murders," a statement said.

"The targeting of children is heinous and unthinkable," he added in condemning the "horrendous" crime.

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Mandela Recovering After Gallstones Removed

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

More follows...

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North Korea Rocket: Mass Rally Staged

Hundreds of thousands of North Koreans have gathered for a government-staged rally to celebrate a long-range rocket launch, state TV has shown.

Below a grey sky and with flags flying high, the huge crowd of soldiers and civilians stood in neat ranks and applauded various speeches from officials.

State media released footage of the launch

Military and party figures praised the country's young leader Kim Jong-Un and hailed the success of Wednesday's launch, which has been condemned by the international community.

Jang Chol, president of the State Academy of Sciences, said: "This was achieved thanks to the Great Marshall Kim Jong-Un's endless loyalty, bravery and wisdom."

North Korea has said the launch was designed to place a satellite in orbit for peaceful research. Critics say it amounted to a banned ballistic missile test.

The communist state is not thought to have a nuclear warhead small enough to mount on a missile, but the launch has been seen by many as an advance in its weapons programme.

South Korea's navy has retrieved rocket debris that fell into sea and it will be studied to determine the North's rocket-launching capabilities.

The rally in Pyongyang came hours after state media published a statement by Mr Kim ordering more launches in spite of global outrage.

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US Missiles And Troops To Protect Turkey

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leon Panetta has been meeting troops and politicians in Afghanistan

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

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

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

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

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

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Earthquakes Hit US West Coast In Pacific

Two large earthquakes have struck off the coast of southern California and Mexico.

The US Geological Survey said the first quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 and hit 163 miles southwest of the Californian city of Avalon.

Within seconds of the initial tremor, a second quake with a magnitude of 6.1 struck 88 miles from Avalon.

Both were recorded at relatively shallow depths, although no tsunami warning has been issued.

Residents in parts of southern California reportedly experienced shaking, but no major effects were expected in the greater Los Angeles area.

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Russia Journalist Murder: Ex-Policeman Jailed

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

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

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

Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov admitted tracking Politkovskaya

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anna Politkovskaya with former spy Alexander Litvinenko before her death

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

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

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

Meanwhile, Russia has denied that it was involved in the murder of the former spy and Kremlin critic, Alexander Litvinenko, in London in 2006.

It comes after a coroner in London was told that Russia was involved in the murder of Mr Litvinenko in November 2006.

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

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Royal Prank Call Nurse 'Left Three Notes'

The nurse tricked by a radio prank call was found hanged in her hospital living quarters, an inquest has heard.

Jacintha Saldanha died days after falling victim to the hoax that targeted the hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated.

The opening of her inquest at Westminster Coroner's Court heard injuries were found on her wrists - and that she had left three notes.

Two were found in her room at London's King Edward VII hospital. The other was among her possessions.

The inquest was told police were exploring emails and texts sent by the 46-year-old, who was discovered by a colleague and a security guard on Friday.

Officers are also interviewing Ms Saldanha's friends and family and staff at the Australian radio station responsible for the prank.

Detective Chief Inspector James Harman said: "On Friday December 7 Jacintha Saldanha was found by a colleague and a member of security staff. Sadly she was found hanging.

"There were also injuries to her wrists. The London Ambulance Service was called to the scene. At this time there are no suspicious circumstances."

Michael Christian and Mel Greig gave tearful interviews after the hoax

The inquest came as pressure mounted on bosses at the radio station to name the executives responsible for airing the hoax call.

Sky News understands Australia's independent media watchdog, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), has had 2,500 complaints from around the world over the 2Day FM segment.

ACMA has announced a rare fast-track investigation into the prank, which saw Ms Saldanha put two radio hosts through to a fellow nurse who unwittingly revealed details about Kate's treatment.

DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian impersonated the Queen and Prince Charles, with the "monarch" making enquiries about her "granddaughter".

Australia's radio broadcasting code stipulates that it is a breach to record a person in conversation, and also air it, without their knowledge.

The radio station insists it did not break the law and says it tried to contact the hospital on five separate occasions. The hospital disputes any contact was ever sought.

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Man Held Over Facebook Child Abuse Video

Police have arrested a mechanic for alleged child abuse after a video of a toddler being hit by his stepdad was put on Facebook.

A 32-year-old suspect was held over the nine-minute video which was first posted by Facebook user Vasu Amaithi Padai on Tuesday, according to the New Straits Times.

The video, which has 44,537 shares, shows the three-year-old being physically abused by his stepfather whilst a baby and another toddler are in the room.

The child is slapped to the ground, held in the air and punched repeatedly and beaten with a various objects.

He is now being treated in a Malaysian hospital and under the supervision of social welfare officers.

Many Facebook users expressed outrage and demanded the police take action against the individual and the video-maker.

Facebook user, Alice Perumal, commented: "Oh my god! It is so cruel! Is this his real father? Who is doing the shooting (the video)? I can't stop crying after watch this ..."

In a statement to the media through their Facebook account, the Royal Malaysian Police confirmed that the man in the footage was the stepfather to the three-year-old toddler, said the newspaper.

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