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U.S. Army sergeant referred to court martial over Afghan slayings

Label: World

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The publisher of "Life & Style" and "In Touch," which is being sued by Tom Cruise for printing that the "Jack Reacher" star had abandoned his daughter Suri following his divorce from Katie Holmes, has fired back at the actor's suit. In an answer to Cruise's defamation lawsuit, filed in October, Bauer Publishing Co. says that its reporting is "substantially true." Bauer's answer, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in California, also asserts a number of defenses, including that it's protected by the First, Fifth and 14th amendments of the U.S. ...

Football: Wilshere, four others sign new Arsenal deals

Label: Technology

LONDON: Arsenal were given a major fillip on Wednesday when they announced that English midfielder Jack Wilshere and four other players have agreed new long-term contracts with the club.

Wilshere joins fellow England internationals Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs and Carl Jenkinson and Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey in committing his future to the Emirates Stadium.

"We are delighted that these five young players have all signed new long-term contracts," manager Arsene Wenger said.

"The plan is to build a team around a strong basis of young players, in order to get them to develop their talent at the club.

"Jack is certainly the best known, the leader of this group -- but the other four players are exceptional footballers, and we're very happy that we could conclude their new deals at the same time.

"Gibbs, Jenkinson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey and Wilshere represent a core of the squad and it's an extension for a long period for all of them.

"I'm a strong believer in stability and I believe when you have a core of British players, it's always easier to keep them together and that's what we'll try to achieve going forward."

Arsenal did not reveal details of the lengths of the five players' new contracts.

Wenger will now hope to persuade another England international, winger Theo Walcott, to commit himself to the club, with talks over a new contract for the former Southampton player currently at an impasse.

The 23-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of the current season, reportedly wants a higher salary and assurances that he will be given more opportunities to play as a striker.

Arsenal have endured an arduous season, notably being eliminated from the League Cup by fourth-tier Bradford City last week.

However, their 5-2 victory at Reading on Monday took them up to fifth place in the Premier League and they are also in the hat for Thursday's Champions League last 16 draw.

- AFP/de

Delhi gang rape case: Sonia visits hospital, asks govt to take strictest possible action

Label: Lifestyle

NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi has asked the government to take the strictest possible measures to ensure that there is no recurrence of incidents like the barbaric gang-rape of a 23-year-old girl in the national capital that has shaken the country.

Sonia Gandhi visited Safdarjung Hospital late on Tuesday evening to inquire about the condition of the gang rape victim.

Gandhi was at the hospital here for about 15-20 minutes during which she inquired about the condition of the girl from the doctors and met her parents, according to Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi.

The doctors told Gandhi that the girl was in a critical state, he said.

According to doctors, the condition of the para-medical student, who was gang-raped and brutally assaulted by a group of men in a moving bus here on Sunday, had deteriorated in the evening after which she was put on "full-time ventilator support".

The Congress president has written to home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Delhi chief minister Shiela Dikshit and National Commission for Women chairperson Mamta Sharma and told them to ensure that all possible measures should be taken so that such incidents do not occur again.

She spoke to home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Delhi chief minister Shiela Dikshit and National Commission for Women chairperson Mamta Sharma and told them to ensure that all possible measures should be taken so that such incidents do not occur again.

Gandhi, who is also UPA chairperson, wanted the guilty to be brought to book at the earliest, Congress general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi said.

Earlier in the day, both Houses of Parliament expressed shock and outrage over the heinous gangrape of the girl in a moving bus in south Delhi. Members, cutting across party lines, made strong demands for capital punishment to perpetrators of such crimes.

Opposition members demanded a categorical assurance from the home minister that such an incident will not recur.

Women members in both Houses were in the forefront in expressing shock and anguish over the incident, voicing concern over the safety of the fair sex in Delhi. Cinestar- turned-MP Jaya Bachchan even broke down while speaking on the issue in the Upper House.

In Lok Sabha, Speaker Meira Kumar led the House in expressing outrage over the "spine-chilling" incident, saying it was shameful for the entire society.

Experts: No link between Asperger's, violence

Label: Health

NEW YORK (AP) — While an official has said that the 20-year-old gunman in the Connecticut school shooting had Asperger's syndrome, experts say there is no connection between the disorder and violence.

Asperger's is a mild form of autism often characterized by social awkwardness.

"There really is no clear association between Asperger's and violent behavior," said psychologist Elizabeth Laugeson, an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Little is known about Adam Lanza, identified by police as the shooter in the Friday massacre at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school. He fatally shot his mother before going to the school and killing 20 young children, six adults and himself, authorities said.

A law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the unfolding investigation, said Lanza had been diagnosed with Asperger's.

High school classmates and others have described him as bright but painfully shy, anxious and a loner. Those kinds of symptoms are consistent with Asperger's, said psychologist Eric Butter of Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, who treats autism, including Asperger's, but has no knowledge of Lanza's case.

Research suggests people with autism do have a higher rate of aggressive behavior — outbursts, shoving or pushing or angry shouting — than the general population, he said.

"But we are not talking about the kind of planned and intentional type of violence we have seen at Newtown," he said in an email.

"These types of tragedies have occurred at the hands of individuals with many different types of personalities and psychological profiles," he added.

Autism is a developmental disorder that can range from mild to severe. Asperger's generally is thought of as a mild form. Both autism and Asperger's can be characterized by poor social skills, repetitive behavior or interests and problems communicating. Unlike classic autism, Asperger's does not typically involve delays in mental development or speech.

Experts say those with autism and related disorders are sometimes diagnosed with other mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

"I think it's far more likely that what happened may have more to do with some other kind of mental health condition like depression or anxiety rather than Asperger's," Laugeson said.

She said those with Asperger's tend to focus on rules and be very law-abiding.

"There's something more to this," she said. "We just don't know what that is yet."

After much debate, the term Asperger's is being dropped from the diagnostic manual used by the nation's psychiatrists. In changes approved earlier this month, Asperger's will be incorporated under the umbrella term "autism spectrum disorder" for all the ranges of autism.

AP Writer Matt Apuzzo contributed to this report.

___

Online:

Asperger's information: http://1.usa.gov/3tGSp5

Threat Closes Newtown Elementary School

Label: Business

Local officials closed a Newtown, Conn., elementary school following a threat on what would have been the first day of classes since a shooting rampage at nearby Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Classes at Head O'Meadow Elementary School were scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. ET, but as parents and students arrived at the school they encountered police who turned them away.

Principal Barbara Gasparine sent an email to parents telling them that school would be closed rather than locked down due to the threats, the nature of which was not specified.

CLICK HERE FOR A TRIBUTE TO THE SHOOTING VICTIMS

"As was predicted by the police that there would be some threats, the police were prepared and have us in lockdown, which is our normal procedure. Due to the situation, students will not come to school today. Please make arrangements to keep them home," Gasparine wrote parents in an email obtained by ABC News.

Newtown police would not specify the type of threat, calling the school closure a "precautionary measure" in the wake of last week's shooting that left 20 children and six adults of Sandy Hook dead.

Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting: Victims Laid to Rest Watch Video

Gun Control Debate Resurfaces After Sandy Hook Shooting Watch Video

Sandy Hook Shooting: What Was Wrong with Adam Lanza? Watch Video

Reporters at the school to cover the arrival of Newtown students on the first day since the massacre were pushed back by police a quarter of mile away from the school.

Sandy Hook Elementary and Head O'Meadow are 4.5 miles away from each other, and in the same district.

Sandy Hook is classified an active crime scene and will remain closed "indefinitely," according to authorities.

Officials are moving furniture and supplies from Sandy Hook classrooms to a former middle school in nearby Monroe, Conn. A start date for those students has yet to be determined.

It was a somber day for many parents who sent their students back to school. Green and white ribbons adorned the grilles of Newtown school buses this morning.

There was a heavy police presence atthe schools-- 15 police departments had been called in to help with security and there were several units at each school, an officer said.

At Hawley Elementary, families walked their children to school. One tearful mother told ABC that the time is right to go back to school for her fourth grader. Another father told us that this is "a day of great sadness" but that "it will be good to get back into a routine." He addressed concerns of a premature return, saying that "There's no rulebook for this...is there ever a right day?"

At Newtown Middle School, lines of parents waited to drop off their kids. One teacher hugged a student as he exited the car. Children in school buses waved at reporters as they drove by.

And at Reed Intermediate, a memorial has been set up in the center island. Encircling the flag pole are three wreaths, bouquets of flowers, a host of green and white balloons, and what appears to be notes.

Egypt opposition protests against constitution

Label: World

CAIRO (Reuters) - Opponents of Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi staged protests in Cairo on Tuesday against an Islamist-backed draft constitution that has divided Egypt but looks set to be approved in the second half of a referendum this weekend.

Several hundred protesters outside the presidential palace chanted "Revolution, revolution, for the sake of the constitution" and called on Mursi to "Leave, leave, you coward!". While the protest was noisy, numbers were down on previous demonstrations.

Mursi obtained a 57 percent "yes" vote for the constitution in the first part of the referendum last weekend, state media said, less than he had hoped for.

The opposition, which says the law is too Islamist, will be encouraged by the result but is unlikely to win the second part this Saturday, which is to be held in districts seen as even more sympathetic towards Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood.

The National Salvation Front opposition coalition said there were widespread voting violations last Saturday and called for protests to "bring down the invalid draft constitution".

The Ministry of Justice said it was appointing judges to investigate complaints of voting irregularities.

Opposition marchers converged on Tahrir Square, cradle of the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak almost two years ago, and Mursi's presidential palace, still ringed with tanks after earlier protests.

A protester at the presidential palace, Mohamed Adel, 30, said: "I have been camping here for weeks and will continue to do so until the constitution that divided the nation, and for which people died, gets scrapped."

The build up to the first day of voting saw clashes between supporters and opponents of Mursi in which eight people died. Recent demonstrations in Cairo have been more peaceful, although rival factions clashed on Friday in Alexandria, Egypt's second biggest city.

RESIGNATION

Egypt's public prosecutor resigned under pressure from his opponents in the judiciary, dealing a blow to Mursi and drawing an angry response from his supporters in the Muslim Brotherhood.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the Islamist group that propelled Mursi to power in an election in June, said the enforced departure of public prosecutor Talaat Ibrahim was a "crime" and authorities should not accept the resignation.

Further signs of opposition to Mursi emerged when a judges' club urged its members not to supervise Saturday's vote. But the call is not binding and balloting is expected to go ahead.

If the constitution is passed, national elections can take place early next year, something many hope will help end the turmoil that has gripped Egypt since the fall of Mubarak.

The closeness of the first referendum vote and low turnout give Mursi scant comfort as he seeks to assemble support for difficult economic reforms.

"This percentage ... will strengthen the hand of the National Salvation Front and the leaders of this Front have declared they are going to continue this fight to discredit the constitution," said Mustapha Kamal Al-Sayyid, a professor of political science at Cairo University.

Mursi is likely to become more unpopular with the introduction of planned austerity measures, Sayyid told Reuters.

To tackle the budget deficit, the government needs to raise taxes and cut fuel subsidies. Uncertainty surrounding economic reform plans has already forced the postponement of a $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. The Egyptian pound has fallen to eight-year lows against the dollar.

Mursi and his backers say the constitution is needed to move Egypt's democratic transition forward. Opponents say the document is too Islamist and ignores the rights of women and of minorities, including Christians who make up 10 percent of the population.

Demonstrations erupted when Mursi awarded himself extra powers on November 22 and then fast-tracked the constitution through an assembly dominated by his Islamist allies and boycotted by many liberals.

The referendum has had to be held over two days because many of the judges needed to oversee polling staged a boycott in protest. In order to pass, the constitution must be approved by more than 50 percent of those voting.

(Additional reporting by Tamim Elyan and Edmund Blair; Writing by Giles Elgood; Editing by Alison Williams)

Football: Benitez promises handshake with old rival Warnock

Label: Technology

COBHAM, England: Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez insists he is willing to shake hands with Leeds United boss Neil Warnock at Wednesday's League Cup quarter-final in a bid to end their simmering feud.

Benitez has clashed with Warnock on several occasions in the past, with the most high-profile incident coming in 2007 when the Spaniard sent out a weakened Liverpool team against Fulham.

Fulham went on to beat Liverpool and in the process pushed Sheffield United, then managed by Warnock, closer to eventual relegation from the Premier League.

Warnock said that he would "never forgive" Benitez and he poured more fuel on the fire this week when he revealed the pair's last contact came shortly after that incident when he received an email from the Spaniard's lawyers warning of possible legal action were he to continue to criticise their client.

But with their latest touchline showdown looming on Wednesday, Benitez tried to draw a line under the issue at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

Asked if he would shake hands with Warnock ahead of the match, Benitez said: "I saw that he said he has an email from me threatening to sue him. It's true, but I didn't remember it.

"I will concentrate on my job and hopefully we can talk about football, which is best for the fans and everyone. We need to leave things on the pitch.

"I'm professional so I won't have any problem (shaking Warnock's hand). There will be a lot of people watching us, so we have to behave.

"Every person has their ideas of each other. I will try to do my job and won't be involved in anything, but what I will say is that the league is 38 games and not just one match."

Warnock also seems keen to move on, although he stopped short of agreeing to a pre-match handshake.

"Enough water's passed under the bridge," Warnock said. "It's one of those things that disappoints you in life and you have to get on with it really.

"You get disappointments in every walk of life and I've made my feelings clear over the last few years -- and nothing will change that.

"I think it (the email) had his name on, I think it was his solicitor (lawyer) who was threatening legal action and I've got it in a scrapbook at home."

Meanwhile, Benitez wouldn't be drawn on the future of Frank Lampard, who is likely to captain Chelsea at Elland Road but looks set to leave the club by the end of the season.

Lampard, who is out of contract in June and has yet to sign a new deal, could even be sold during the January transfer window, with QPR and Monaco linked with the England midfielder.

"Frank is fully committed in every training session and every game. He's an important player for us," Benitez said.

"But I can't say too much about what he feels or doesn't feel. He's doing well and I'm happy about his attitude."

- AFP/fa

War memorial can be built on defence ministry plot near Delhi cantonment

Label: Lifestyle

We take pride in our armed forces and whether the National War Memorial (NWM) should be built or not is not what this entire controversy is all about. It is about where it should be built. The defence minister seems to have set his heart on India Gate while the chief minister is desperately trying to protect the greens as a public place.

Is there any need for the memorial, which should get its due place in the capital, to be built in a manner that would be in conflict with the magnificent heritage of the Central Vista?

Over two decades ago, the ministry of urban development and DDA had identified a piece of land near the Dhaula Kuan Jheel, located just off the Dhaula Kuan junction of Outer Ring Road and NH-8, adjacent to the Delhi cantonment, R&R Hospital and the Subroto Park Air Force station. It was allotted to the ministry of defence. This 32-acre land parcel has the cantonment on one side and the city on the other. It is easily accessible from both Outer Ring Road and now the Dhaula Kuan Metro station. Adjacent to it is a small natural lake.

This would be an ideal location for the war memorial since it is just a kilometre or so from the diplomatic enclave area, on the main road and rail spine of the city and near the cantonment. It is also large enough to accommodate an iconic memorial structure as well as a befitting museum to go with it.

The ministry of defence's insistence on using the India Gate park and Central Vista goes against all principles of urban planning, redevelopment and renewal for the following reasons:

Firstly, the superimposition of another memorial over India Gate, which itself is a memorial at the eastern focal point of Lutyen's Rajpath Vista, will adversely affect its position and stature. India Gate's height and magnificence give it prominence on the Vista but without interrupting the Vista. One of the primary reasons for creation of Lutyens Bungalow Zone - with its attendant restrictive regulations and the Central Vista Committee to oversee any development in the area - was to ensure that this one-of-its-kind urban vista is conserved in consonance with the original intent and vision.

Secondly, this green lung is one of the few open public spaces left in the city, the others being Lodhi Gardens and the Chanakyapuri Vista. It has over the decades become the natural green lung for the old city, a place where families seek refuge after escaping from their congested habitat. If the war memorial were to be allowed here, the fauji could shoo away the common man from the place.

A few years ago a committee of high-ranking officials of the ministry of urban development and professionals (who had been tasked with examining this location for the proposed National War Memorial) was rudely asked by defence personnel at Amar Jawan Jyoti to leave the area since a senior naval officer was coming to visit the place. They protested in vain. The common man will not even raise his voice.

Thirdly, the track record of the ministry of defence on vacating lands which had been only temporarily given to them is dismal. Two of the 10 plots meant for princely palaces during World War II, allowed to the ministry of defence (MoD) for building barracks to house British and US soldiers and pilots - now Princes Park and Raksha Bhawan facing the Vista, besides several others in the capital, have not been vacated till now. The Master Plan of Delhi - since it came into force in 1962 - designated these plots for PSP (public and semi-public) or green. Other examples are Race Course and the Santushti complex.

A national war memorial deserves to be iconic and, therefore, should command a large enough space to express its magnificence and glory. Attempting to create it at India Gate would mean that it will be always overshadowed by the magnificence of the former. The Dhaula Kuan Jheel land parcel is conveniently located and accessible and will allow unrestrained creativity in its design. Its proximity to Delhi cantonment shall help in organizing all military ceremonies which come as part and parcel of such a memorial.

The solution to this seemingly vexatious issue is rather simple. The ministry should understand that Central Vista Park belongs to the aam aadmi and take a relook at the Dhaula Kuan Jheel plot.

(Sudhir Vohra is a prominent architect and urban planner)

Speak Out: Should the national war memorial be built at India Gate?