Sex abuse link to high rates of mental illness live

Researchers from the University of Melbourne and the University of NSW also found that a high proportion of the abused women suffered from alarmingly high rates of mental illness - up to three times higher than the general population. Public health expert Dr Susan Rees, who led the research, says she is especially concerned about the suicide rate of women who are abused. "What we found was that there's a high association or a strong association between exposure to gender-based violence and all the three broad classes of mental disorder - so that includes mood, anxiety, substance abuse - and a very high association with attempted suicide," she said. "Women who've not experienced gender-based violence have about a 1.6 per cent rate of attempted suicide and that increased to 6 per cent of women who had experienced one type of gender-based violence. "Then for those women who had experienced more - like three to four types - that rose to 34 per cent." Another alarming statistic uncovered is how many younger women and girls are abused. The median age for those abused is 13, and Dr Rees says many more sexual assaults are not reported so the figure could be higher. "Because we're not open about this problem in society enough, then women and young girls are not able to disclose [that] easily and so it's something that remains under-reported," she said. Karen Willis, who runs the NSW Rape Crisis Centre, says the level of abuse against women is a national disgrace. She acknowledges anti-violence campaigns and counselling have helped but says more needs to be done. "We cannot continue to allow such appalling violence to be inflicted on our population, especially in the knowledge of the terrible mental health impacts that sexual assault and domestic violence has," she said. Ms Willis says sexual abuse is under-reported because of society's attitude to those who experience this sort of violence. "When someone says 'I've been sexually assaulted', we want to know where they were, what they were doing, how they were dressed, how they were behaving, had they been drinking, had they had sex before, had they had sex before with that person - 20 million questions including did they say no - before we make a decision about whether we're even going to believe that this person is telling us about having experienced a serious crime," she said. "Those attitudes, that blame the victim or look for excuses for the offender's behaviour, impact greatly on people's capacity to say 'I've experienced a shocking crime'." Time for action But Ms Willis says there are other reasons. "One is that we know that in 70 per cent of sexual assaults the offender is well known to the victim," she said. "Most commonly it's a family member, close family friend, someone the person works or goes to school with. "So there's other issues, you know, taking the husband - the father of your children to court for sexual assault, making a report about your dad for sexual assault, making a report about your boss, making a report about someone you've got to go and sit next to in a classroom next week, creates all sorts of other difficulties, and of course there's fear of the criminal justice process." The Greens say the report highlights the need for urgent policy action. NSW Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon says it is time government policy reflected the severity of the problem. "We've known this trend has been there for a long time and it does really put pressure on the Government, and indeed all political parties, that we need to ensure that these issues do not fall through the cracks," she said. "And we need to be looking at funding of rape counselling services and refuges and the other intervention programs that are available to ensure that the funding is reliable. And one the Greens are looking at is should they come under the health funding in a more extensive way." The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Sydney woman caught in suburban bomb ordeal Live

The NSW bomb squad has surrounded a house in an exclusive Sydney street amid reports that a woman there has an explosive device strapped around her neck. Nearby streets have also been evacuated while bomb squad officers assess the situation in Burrawong Avenue at Mosman on Sydney's north shore. Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch refused to be drawn on whether the device was attached to the woman, saying it was "in the near vicinity". He says bomb technicians and police negotiators are with her inside the house. An earlier police statement said the incident was not being treated as self-harm, while Sydney media outlets have reported it may be related to an extortion attempt. Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch says police are treating the device as "live". "Our initial responders found a young woman alone in the house with a suspicious package," he said. "The young lady at this particular point in time is fine and doing her best to assist police. "We are treating the device as live until we know otherwise. "I'm not confirming anything at this particular point in time, we just need to play our cards pretty close to our chest." The girl, who turned 18 just weeks ago, belongs to one of Sydney's wealthiest families, the Daily Telegraph reported. The Telegraph is also reporting a ransom note is attached to the girl's neck. Authorities were called to the house about 2:30pm (AEST) and a command post has been set up in the street, where multi-million-dollar properties include one belonging to horse trainer Gai Waterhouse. Police are calling for witnesses and anyone who might have information about the situation to call CrimeStoppers on 1300 333 000.

Egypt's Mubarak on Hospital Bed at Historic Trial Read more

An ailing, 83-year-old Hosni Mubarak lay on a hospital bed inside a cage of mesh and iron bars in a Cairo courtroom Wednesday as his historic trial began on charges of corruption and ordering the killing of protesters during the uprising that ousted him. The scene, shown live on Egypt's state TV, was Egyptians' first look at their former president since Feb. 10, the day before his fall when he gave a defiant speech refusing to resign. Inside the cage, an ashen-looking Mubarak craned his head up to see the proceedings, a sheet drawn up to his chest. His two sons -- Gamal and Alaa, who are on trial with him -- stood next to his bed, leaning over to talk with him. The elder Mubarak and his nine co-defendants, also including his former interior minister, all wore white prison uniforms. Outside the Cairo police academy where the trial wasx being held, hundreds of his opponents and angry supporters scuffled. In a chaotic scene, hundreds of policemen in gleaming white uniforms and riot police with shields and helmets separated demonstrators hurling stones and bottles at each other. It was a sign of the profound emotions stirred by the unprecedented prosecution of the man who ruled Egypt with unquestioned power for 29 years until he was toppled in February by an 18-day uprising. For many Egyptians, the trial is a chance at retribution for decades of oppressive rule in which opponents were tortured, corruption was rife, poverty spread and political life was stifled. But for others, he was a symbol of stability. The courtroom itself is divided. Relatives of the defendants sat in rows of seats near the cage. A fence running through the middle of the chamber divided them from the rest of the audience of around 300 people, including a few relatives of of protesters killed in the uprising, kept far enough that they cannot shout or throw anything at the former leader. Security was extremely heavy outside the courtroom, set up in a lecture hall at what was once named the Mubarak Police Academy in the capital Cairo. Early in the morning, some 50 of Mubarak's supporters chanting slogans and holding portraits of the former leader gathered outside the venue. "We will demolish and burn the prison if they convict Mubarak," they screamed at hundreds of police and army troops backed by armored personnel carriers. The pro-Mubarak protesters threw stones toward a giant screen set up outside the police academy, though a police cordon kept them a distance away. Anti-Mubarak protesters held up shoes at the screen in a sign of contempt for the ousted president. For the president's opponents, it was an unbelieveable moment. "I have many feelings. I am happy, satisified. I feel this a real success for the revolution, and I feel that the moment of real retribution is near," Mostafa el-Naggar, one of the leading youth activists who organized the anti-Mubarak uprising and a member of one of Egypt's newest parties, Justice, said after Mubarak's arrival at the venue. "This is a moment no Egyptian ever thought was possible." The trial answers, at least partially, a growing clamor in Egypt for justice not only for the wrongs of Mubarak's authoritarian regime but also for the violent suppression of the largely peaceful uprising, in which 850 protesters were killed. It came only after heavy pressure by activists on the now ruling military -- one of the few demands that still unites the disparate protest movement. Near Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the protesters, a dozen people swarmed around newspapers at a stand, reading headlines about the trial. One man spit on a picture of Mubarak on a front page. "When he is in the cage and we know he is there, then we know we have started to put our feet on the path of justice," said the newspaper seller, Nabil Hassan, 65. "If he and his accomplices are in court, he becomes one of the people no different from anyone else facing justice. I have faith in Egyptian judges." Before giving up power, as protests raged around him, Mubarak vowed he would die on Egyptian soil. After his fall, he fled to one of his residences in Sharm. In April, he was moved to a hospital there and placed under arrest as he underwent treatment. Doctors say he suffers from heart problems. There had been skepticism up to the moment Mubarak left the hospital for the airport in a six-car convoy that he would actually appear for the opening of his trial. He was flown by helicopter from Sharm directly to the police academy for the trial Wednesday morning. Mubarak, his former Interior Minister Habib el-Adly, and six top police officers are charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with the protesters killed during the uprising, according to the official charge sheet. All eight could face the death penalty if convicted. Separately, Mubarak and his two sons -- one-time heir apparent Gamal and wealthy businessman Alaa -- face charges of corruption. The two sets of charges have been lumped together in one mass trial. For weeks after his fall, while Mubarak lived in a palace in Sharm el-Sheikh, the ruling generals who took power from him -- and who were all appointed by Mubarak before the uprising -- appeared reluctant to prosecute him. Their hand forced, the generals now seem eager to show the public that they are bringing the fruits of the revolution. The trial will be televised live on state TV, and judges say proceedings will be expedited, without long postponements. Many Egyptians are eagerly anticipating the chance at retribution against the longtime ruler. But they also question whether the trial will truly break with the injustices of the past. Some worry that Egypt's new military rulers are touting the trial as proof that democratic reform has been accomplished, even as activists argue that far deeper change is still needed. The prosecution is an unprecedented moment in the Arab world, the first time a modern Mideast leader has been put on trial fully by his own people. The closest event to it was former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's trial, but his capture came at the hands of U.S. troops in 2003 and his special tribunal was set up with extensive consultation with American officials and international experts. Tunisia's deposed president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, has been tried and convicted several times since his fall several weeks before Mubarak's, but all in absentia and he remains in exile in Saudi Arabia. Up until Mubarak was moved from his hospital early Wednesday morning, there had been heavy skepticism that he would actually show. It was thought that he might be exempted for health reasons, after weeks of reports of his worsening condition from the Sharm hospital where he has been held in custody. If he had not shown, it could have triggered another upheaval of rancorous protests. For the military, the trial is a chance to try to strengthen its position. The broader public has grown discontented with the breakdown in security around the country and faltering economy since the uprising began. Youth groups that led the uprising have continued protests against the military, saying they are fumbling the transition to civilian rule and have not moved to dismantle remnants of Mubarak's regime still in place. The military itself has been tainted by reports of human rights violations, including torture. The generals have tried to turn the public against activists, accusing them of receiving foreign funds and training. On Monday, tensions were hiked when troops broke up a 3-week-old sit-in in Tahrir Square by hard-core protesters. Prosecuting Mubarak is widely popular among a public angered by widespread corruption, police abuses and his lock on political power. Regime opponents, whether Islamists or pro-democracy activists, are eager for retribution after years of crackdowns and torture against them. The question is whether it will mean a real uprooting of the system he headed. Mubarak was placed under arrest in April but was admitted to the Sharm hospital for a heart condition, sparing him the indignity of detention in Cairo's Torah Prison, where his sons and some three dozen former regime figures have been held. Media reports have spoken of Mubarak refusing to eat and suffering from depression. On Monday, state television said the most recent tests showed his health was "relatively stable" given his age but that his psychological condition was worsening. But Health Minister Amr Helmy said last week that Mubarak was fit to travel to Cairo to stand trial.

Zarine Khan Says No To Bikini Live

Actress Zarine Khan is flying high after the tremendous response to her item number with mentor Salman Khan. And Zareen, who has always been spotted with the Khan makes no bones accepting the fact that the duo are close. “I have known Salman since my debut and whatever I am today is because of him. It’s fine when people say he is promoting me, I am okay with it. So what if he is? I am glad I’m being promoted and recommended by someone like Salman.” The actress, known for her resemblance to Katrina Kaif, looks much slimmer, smarter and sexier in her new avatar. Zarine also seemed to be very cool in handling the media persons. She said she loved the catwalk and the item number "Character dheela" in 'Ready'. She would soon start shooting for 'Houseful 2'. When asked whether she would don a two-piece suit in a song sequence in 'Houseful 2', Zarine said a firm 'no'. But her costars Deepika Padukone and Lara Dutta have agreed to don bikinis for the movie. Her weight had also become a topic of discussion, but Zareen is far from being bothered by it. While she did manage to knock off a few pounds for 'Character Dheela...', she says the response has been extremely positive. Zareen has been the latest addition to the cast of Housefull sequel and apparently all the leading ladies will wear a bikini. But denying the reports she says, “No I won’t be wearing a bikini. And I’m not at all comfortable with unnecessary skin show. I would rather be known for my acting skills than my body.” Constant comparisons with actress Katrina Kaif have been doing the rounds ever since she stepped into the industry. But the actor reveals that she’s now learnt to take things in her stride . “It doesn’t really bother me, but it’s high time now that people started recognising me for what I am, which they have somewhere started. The industry doesn’t need clones and I’m definitely here to create my individuality and probably will be successful in doing so with my work in a matter of sometime. Katrina is my senior. I respect her immensely.”

U.S. lawmakers unexpectedly shot back hurting Congress

Senator Gabrielle Giffords Women, who had been shot in the head during the assassination attempt earlier this year, has suddenly returned to the U.S. Congress voted last night to support an important bill. Senator Giffords appear in the House in the applause of his colleagues. Ms. Giffords, Democrat senator from Arizona, has surprised his colleagues when entering the halls of Congress immediately after at 7 pm in support of the bill raising the debt ceiling. A few minutes earlier, her assistant Giffords announced on Twitter: "Mrs. Gabrielle returned to Washington to support legislation raising the debt ceiling to prevent the economic crisis." Senator Gabrielle Giffords Women, who had been shot in the head during the assassination attempt earlier this year, has suddenly returned to the U.S. Congress voted last night to support an important bill. Senator Giffords appear in the House in the applause of his colleagues. Ms. Giffords, Democrat senator from Arizona, has surprised his colleagues when entering the halls of Congress immediately after at 7 pm in support of the bill raising the debt ceiling. A few minutes earlier, her assistant Giffords announced on Twitter: "Mrs. Gabrielle returned to Washington to support legislation raising the debt ceiling to prevent the economic crisis." Ms. Giffords, 41, received resounding applause lasted nearly 10 minutes while she hugged colleagues and chat happily with people. In a statement, Ms. Giffords said she was "very disappointed" about the political controversy in recent weeks. Nancy Pelosi, Democratic leaders in the House, described Ms. Giffords "symbol of courage." In a speech later, Ms Pelosi said: "Across America, there is no character to rouse love, admiration and respect than she. The appearance of her in this room, as well as her service in Congress, has brought honor to the House. " The back yesterday marked her extraordinary recovery from the attack Giffords Wednesday 8 / 1. Ms. Giffords was seriously injured when a gunman fired indiscriminately into the crowd while she Giffords is meeting voters in the city of Tucson. 6 people, including a 9-year-old girl and a federal judge, were killed in the attack, while 13 others were injured. Jared Lee Loughner, a young 22 years old, was convicted in the attack Ms. Giffords, 41, received resounding applause lasted nearly 10 minutes while she hugged colleagues and chat happily with people. In a statement, Ms. Giffords said she was "very disappointed" out the political controversy in recent weeks. Nancy Pelosi, Democratic leaders in the House, described Ms. Giffords "symbol of courage." In a speech later, Ms Pelosi said: "Across America, there is no character to rouse love, admiration and respect than she. The appearance of her in this room, as well as her service in Congress, has brought honor to the House. " The back yesterday marked her extraordinary recovery from the attack Giffords Wednesday 8 / 1. Ms. Giffords was seriously injured when a gunman fired indiscriminately into the crowd while she Giffords is meeting voters in the city of Tucson. 6 people, including a 9-year-old girl and a federal judge, were killed in the attack, while 13 others were injured. Jared Lee Loughner, a young 22 years old, was convicted in the attack

Media Blackout in China After Wreck

BEIJING — After days of growing public fury over last month’s high-speed train crash and the government’s reaction, Chinese authorities have enacted a virtual news blackout on the disaster except for positive stories or information officially released by the government. The sudden order from the Communist Party’s publicity department, handed down late Friday, forced newspaper editors to frantically tear up pages of their Saturday editions, replacing investigative articles and commentaries about the accident that killed 40 people in eastern China with cartoons or unrelated features. Major Internet portals removed links to news reports or videos related to the crash near Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province, in which 192 people were also hurt. The government’s decision to muzzle the media followed a remarkable outpouring of online criticism of the government over the July 23 accident. For many in China, the train wreck has crystallized concerns about whether the government is sacrificing people’s lives and safety in pursuit of breakneck development and is cloaking its failures in secrecy or propaganda. As it did in other recent scandals over health or safety, like the collapse of poorly built schools in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, the government has moved aggressively to shut down an outcry that, if left unchecked, might spiral into social unrest beyond its control. Tens of millions of Chinese have posted messages on the Chinese equivalents of Twitter questioning why the two high-speed trains crashed, whether the rescue effort was bungled and why images from the site showed wrecked train cars being buried in pits even before investigators began their work. After initially playing down the event, the state-run media also began to challenge why the accident occurred and how the government had handled it. While the government censors have no easy way to control the rising tide of microblog posts, they curtailed discussion of the issue in the traditional news media. Outraged by the order to silence themselves, dozens of journalists insisted in online messages that given the many troubling questions that remain, it was almost impossible to swallow the directives. The government has placed huge importance on the construction of high-speed rail, mounting the world’s largest public works project. “Tonight, hundreds of papers are replacing their pages; thousands of reporters are having their stories retracted; tens of thousands of ghosts cannot rest in peace; hundreds of millions of truths are being covered up,” the editor of Southern Metropolis Daily, a newspaper based in Guangzhou, wrote Friday. “This country is being humiliated by numerous evil hands.” His post, on the site Sina Weibo, was later deleted. “My story will not go to print today and looks like I will have to write something else,” wrote another journalist. “I’d rather leave the page blank with one word — ‘speechless.’ ” It was a rare display of unity among Chinese journalists. All are under the thumb of propaganda authorities, but some work for state-owned publications while others work for privately owned media outlets that are typically more daring. One prominent weekly, the Beijing-based Economic Observer, ignored the directive, rolling out nine pages of coverage of the accident in its Saturday edition. The report described the Railway Ministry as a runaway operation; reconstructed the events in Wenzhou from the viewpoint of dozens of survivors; and examined the failure of the official, state-operated media to report the accident when it occurred. One of the Economic Observer’s journalists said the pages were already printed when the orders came. But many others paid heed: editors said the 21st Century Business Herald and China Business Journal each tore up eight pages of articles while The Beijing Times jettisoned four pages. One discarded article, based on the account of the wife of one victim, was titled: “There was no miracle for them.” The headline was a pointed reference to a case that has been relentlessly trumpeted by officials and the state-run press — the rescue of a toddler 21 hours after the crash, after rescuers had given up all hope and been told to quit. “There were three calls,” one editor in Beijing said. “The first came around 9 p.m., ordering us to ‘cool down’ coverage of the Wenzhou accident as much as possible.” An hour later, the newspaper was instructed “to print only Xinhua’s wire and not to print anything we had gotten ourselves. No comments, no analysis,” the editor said, referring to the official news agency. A third call at midnight ordered the accident coverage off the front page. The authorities even postponed the publication of an article prepared by Xinhua, according to one editor who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions. That report focused on the Railway Ministry’s failure to answer a series of questions about the crash. On its Web site, the Hong Kong Journalists Association protested, noting that only Thursday, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, speaking at a news conference in Wenzhou, had insisted that the “investigation into the accident should be open, transparent and monitored by the public.” After initially playing down the accident, the state-run news media had grown more assertive in recent days. They were invigorated in part by the so-called netizens who all week staged an end run around the mainstream press with 140-character updates on China’s Twitter equivalents. But some may have paid a price: the producer of one news program on CCTV, China’s state-owned television network, was reportedly reprimanded after one hard-hitting segment two days after the accident. A colleague said rumors the producer was fired were false, but declined to describe the repercussions. In that segment, the host of the program asked: “If nobody can be safe, do we still want this speed? Can we drink a glass of milk that’s safe? Can we stay in an apartment that will not collapse?” “China, please slow down,” the host said. “If you’re too fast, you may leave the souls of your people behind.”

Southern Railway to run special trains

Southern Railway will operate special trains to clear the extra rush of passengers during Onam, Ramzan and pooja festival seasons. According to a press release, Chennai Central - Nagercoil Weekly Special (T No 06047) will leave Chennai Central at 7.30 pm on Sundays from 14 August to 9 October and arrive Villupuram at 10.50 pm and will leave at 10.55 pm and reach Tiruchi at 3.20 pm, the next day and will leave at 3.35 am to reach Nagercoil at 11.15 am. . Nagercoil - Chennai Central Weekly Special ( T No 06048) will leave Nagercoil at 1.30 pm on Mondays from 15 August to 10 October and will reach Tiruchi at 8.45 pm and will leave at 9 pm and reach Villupuram at 12.45 am, the next day and will leave at 12.55 am to reach Chennai Central at 5 am. Coimbatore - Rameswaram Weekly Special (T No 06051) will leave Coimbatore at 7.45 pm on Saturdays from 6 August to 8 October and reach Tiruchi at 12.25 am, the next day and will leave at 12.30 am to reach Rameswaram at 7 am. Rameswaram - Coimbatore Weekly Special (T No 06052) will leave Rameswaram at 7 pm on Sundays from 7 August to 9 October and reach Tiruchi at 12.45 am, the next day and will leave at 12.55 am to reach Coimbatore at 5 am. Tiruchi - Chennai Egmore Weekly Special (T No 06058) will leave Tiruchi at 10.10 pm on 22 August, 29 August and 5 September and reach Mayiladuthurai at 11.47 pm and will leave at 11.49 pm and reach Villupuram 2.45 am the next day and will leave at 3 am to reach Chennai Egmore at 6 am. Chennai Egmore - Tiruchi Weekly Superfast Special (T No 06057) will leave Chennai Egmore at 10.45 pm on 25 August, 1 September and 8 September and reach Villupuram at 1 am, the next day and will leave 1.20 am and will reach Mayiladuthurai at 3.43 am and will leave at 3.45 am to reach Tiruchi at 6 am. Chennai Egmore - Velankanni Special (T No 06059) will leave Chennai Egmore at 10.45 pm on on 23 August, 30 September and 6 October and reach Villupuram at 1.10 am, the next day and will leave at 1.20 am, reach Mayiladuthrurai at 3.43 am and will leave at 3.45 am to reach Velankanni at 8 am. Velankanni - Chennai Egmore Special (T No 06060) will leave Velankanni at 9.45 pm on 24 August, 31September and 7 October and reach Mayiladuthurai at 1.58 am, the next day and will leave at 2 am, reach Villupuram at 4.10 am and will leave at 4.20 am, to reach Chennai Egmore at 7.20 am, the next day. Tiruchi - Chennai Egmore Weekly Special (T No 06062) will leave Tiruchi at 10. 10 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1 August to 12 October (except 24 August, 31 August and 7 August) and arrive Mayiladuthurai at 11.47 pm and will leave at 11.49 pm, reach Villupuram at 2.45 am, the next day and will leave at 3 am to reach Chennai Egmore at 6 am, the next day. Chennai Egmore - Tiruchi Weekly Superfast Special (T No 06061) will leave Chennai Egmore at 10.45 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 August to 13 October (except 23 August, 30 August and 6 August) and arrive Villupuram at 1.10 am, the next day and will leave at 1.20 am, reach Mayiladuthurai at 3.43 am and will leave at 3.45 am to reach Tiruchi at 6 am, the next day. Advance reservation for the above trains are open.

New York still at risk of al-Qaeda's attack Live

The New York City continues to be at the risk of a terrorist attack even after the killing of al-Qaeda's longtime chief Osama bin Laden, city police chief said on Sunday. 'The elimination of Osama bin Laden was an important milestone, but not a game-changer. We're still very much at risk,' New York City Police Chief Ray Kelly told the ABC news in an interview. . 'We're concerned, as we get closer to the 9/11/11 memorial, because we know Osama bin Laden spoke about that date twice in the last two-year period,' he said. He was apparently referring to the information obtained from the materials seized from the Abbottabad residence of bin Laden, in which the al-Qaeda leader was reportedly planning to have a major terrorist attack on New York City on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of 9/11. 'The federal government, local and state authorities are very much aware of the threat and are on alert,' he said. Kelly said the New York City Police Department has a task force in its intelligence division that looks at white supremacist/anti-government groups and individuals. 'In fact, just a few days before the Norway massacre, we had a teleconference with our century partners -- this is 100 law enforcement agencies in the northeast quadrant of the country -- and that was the specific subject. We talked about certain groups and individuals that we're concerned about,' he said. 'But it's an issue that can pop up, you know, quickly, without any advanced notice, because these individuals play their cards very closely. They don't show their hand. Just a few blocks from where you're sitting, we had a white supremacist walk into the Holocaust Museum in 2009, shoot and kill one of the security guards. He himself was shot, but clearly he had mayhem in mind,' Kelly said. 'So it is a ongoing issue that law enforcement has to continue to focus on, and I believe we are,' he said. 'There are individuals who get together and sort of follow a neo-Nazi philosophy, not unlike Anders Breivik in Norway. But they are difficult to spot. And to a certain extent, they tend to get together in rural areas. They stay away from large city centers,' he noted. 'But in New York, we have to be concerned about someone planning or plotting an event away from the city and it coming into New York. So we're on a lookout for this sort of thing, but it's difficult to identify,' Kelly said.

Strikes deal over debt Bill, Obama

US President Barack Obama has said top lawmakers have reached an agreement to reduce the budgetary deficit and avert a debt default, that would have had a devastating effect on American economy. 'Leaders of both parties, in both chambers, have reached an agreement that will reduce the deficit and avoid default -- a default that would have had a devastating effect on our economy,' Obama said in his remarks to the White House press late last night, after the agreement was reached. . 'The first part of this agreement will cut about USD one trillion in spending over the next 10 years -- cuts that both parties had agreed to early on in this process. 'The result would be the lowest level of annual domestic spending since Dwight Eisenhower was President -- but at a level that still allows us to make job-creating investments in things like education and research,' he said. The bipartisan agreement would raise the debt limit and cut spending between USD two trillion and USD three trillion. 'We also made sure that these cuts wouldn't happen so abruptly that they'd be a drag on a fragile economy,' Obama said, noting that this was the best he could get under the current circumstances. 'Is this the deal I would have preferred? No. I believe that we could have made the tough choices required -- on entitlement reform and tax reform -- right now, rather than through a special congressional committee process. 'But this compromise does make a serious down payment on the deficit reduction we need, and gives each party a strong incentive to get a balanced plan done before the end of the year. Most importantly, it will allow us to avoid default and end the crisis that Washington imposed on the rest of America,' the US President said.

Uproar over 2G scam leads to adjournment of RS

With the Opposition seeking to corner the government in Parliament on the issue of corruption and price rise, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today appealed to all parties to jointly tackle problems facing the nation and promised a structured debate on matters raised by them. 'It is our sincere desire that this session should run smoothly and Parliament should discuss all issues of national importance and the government is quite prepared for any subject which the Opposition would like to be taken up,' Manmohan Singh told reporters outside Parliament. . The Prime Minister said the government would welcome a structured debate on various issues. Manmohan Singh said the matters which are in the courts should be left to the courts to decide. 'The matters that are in the courts, that are best left to the courts to decide,' he said. Hoping the session will be 'productive and constructive', the Prime Minister said, 'I appeal to all segments of Parliament. My appeal to the Opposition is to unite on this occasion to tackle jointly and collectively major problems that our nation is faced with.' Echoing similar sentiments, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said,'I hope the House will run smoothly. All leaders have given an assurance to me (in this regard).' Confrontation between Government and the Opposition appears imminent with the Prime Minister yesterday telling the opposition bluntly that it has too many skeletons in its cupboard', a remark that raised the hackles of the BJP. Meanwhile, the main opposition BJP and other parties today forced a adjournment of the Rajya Sabha for the day by creating uproar over several issues including the 2G spectrum scam. Immediately after Chairman Hamid Ansari read out obituary references, BJP members were up on their feet raising the issue of statements made by former Telecom Minister A Raja in the court. They were supported by members of AIADMK who displayed copies of a Tamil newspaper. BSP members raised the issue of farmers plight and were seen moving into the aisles. Ansari said he could not hear anyone as members were speaking simultaneously. Minutes into the din, he adjourned the house for 15 minutes till 12 noon. However the House was reconvened, following continuous upraor over 2G scam, it was adjourned for the day. The Lok Sabha was today adjourned for the day after paying tributes to former Haryana Chief Minister and sitting member Bhajan Lal, who died during the inter-session period. As soon as the House met on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Speaker Meira Kumar made obituary reference to Lal, a member from Hissar, who died on June 3. The House also made obituary references to former members Dharmabhiksham, Sribatcha Digal, Sripal Singh Yadav, L S Tur and Chaturanan Mishra. The House also mourned the loss of lives in twin attacks in Norway, the terrorist attack in Mumbai on 13 July, train accidents at Thanagaon on 7 July and at Fatehpur, both in Uttar Pradesh, on 10 July. The members observed silence for a while before the House was adjourned for the day.