Delhi gang rape suspects appear in India court

The BBC's Shilpa Kannan: "Some advocates have... volunteered to defend them"

Five men accused of the abduction, gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman in Delhi have been remanded in custody after a preliminary hearing in a case that has shocked India.

The judge ordered a closed hearing after chaotic scenes in open court.
The case is expected to be transferred to a new fast-track court for trial.
It comes as four policemen have been suspended over the handling of another suspected rape and murder case in Delhi over the weekend.
The father of a 21-year-old woman whose body was found on Saturday has told the BBC she was gang-raped.
He said police initially failed to react when he reported her disappearance, suggesting instead that she had gone off with someone.
The case has triggered protests in the Delhi suburb of Noida, where the woman was employed in a factory.
Two men have been arrested and a third suspect is reported to have fled.
Outcry

At the scene

Andrew North BBC News, Delhi

There could hardly be a more poignant place for this case to be happening. On the other side of the road from the Delhi court and the battalions of TV satellite trucks covering the trial is the cinema where the 23-year-old student and her friend watched the film Life of Pi on the evening of 16 December and then tried to get a taxi home.
After being turned down by several rickshaw drivers, they boarded a bus they thought was offering a legitimate passenger service.
It feels a lot more than three weeks ago now, with the protests and angry debate her rape and killing has started in India.
A wary police force spirited the five accused men into the court unseen - as a whole country now finds itself on trial.

The magistrate adjourned an initial hearing on Monday in the case of the five men accused of gang rape and murder after chaotic scenes in court.

A later hearing took place behind closed doors.
The charges were read to the accused, the AFP news agency reports.
The BBC's Andrew North, outside the building in the Saket district of Delhi, says the room was filled with arguing lawyers, police and watching journalists - but there was no sign of the accused, although they were believed to be still inside the courthouse.
A row broke out after some lawyers volunteered to represent the accused and were shouted down by their colleagues, who said the suspects did not deserve representation.
The Saket district lawyers' association has refused to defend the accused because of the outcry the crime has provoked.
A van carrying the five suspects has now left the court, our correspondent says.
A sixth suspect, who is thought to be 17, will be tried separately in a youth court if it is confirmed he is a minor.

If convicted, the suspects could face the death penalty. Prosecutors have said they have extensive forensic evidence.
The five accused have been named as Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur.
Two of the suspects have offered to give evidence, possibly in return for a lighter sentence.
The victim and a male friend were attacked on a bus in south Delhi on 16 December. She died two weeks later in a hospital in Singapore.
Campaigners are calling for tougher rape laws and reforms to the police, who - critics say - often fail to file charges against accused attackers.
The victim's father has denied weekend reports in a British newspaper that he wanted his daughter's name published.
He told BBC Hindi last week that he would have no problem with her name being used on a new law against rape.

Happy Birthday to Me

Another year starts and another birthday celebrated. For me holidays season doesn't end until January sixth (my birthday is on the fifth and my wife's is on the sixth). Even though my birthday is very close to the new year, I have always found that my reflections for the past year being so different.
   For me when it comes to new year my reflections are more of events and physical planing and achievements. On the other hand birthdays are more internal, more of my physical and emotional well being. It's more of that general sense of searching for happiness and worries of getting old. It's that time to reminisce of the younger days, things that you could do easily but now are much harder to do. The childhood days of no responsibilities( mainly financial,and family). The dreams I use to have, of where I will be at this age, the dreams that now have to be adjusted to match the reality.
   Things I dream of now are much different from back in the days. The dreams are no longer the selfish personal oriented. I have a wife and daughter and my dreams are more of there happiness and what I could do to make them happier. Some call that being a grown up but I call that maturity. People grow older each day but not everyone one reach maturity.
For my birthday this year my reflections are more into counting my blessings and have a chuckle on those stupid things I have done in my past, dream of tangible success and day dream of impossible and just have fun with all of it. Happy Birthday to Me.

Sent via the HTC Vivid™, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone

Rodgers fires Sturridge warning

By Richard Jolly

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has warned his new signing Daniel Sturridge that he is is already in the last-chance saloon as far as top clubs are concerned.

GettyImagesDaniel Sturridge takes a seat at Anfield to watch Liverpool take on Sunderland

Sturridge, 23, became Rodgers' first signing in January after completing a £12 million move from Chelsea, signing on a long-term contract.
But after only starting 31 league games in three-and-a-half years at the Blues - many of them on the right wing, rather than in his preferred position as a stiker - Rodgers believes the England international has to make the most of his opportunity at Anfield.
"We are bringing in a player who has to perform if he wants to be at one of the biggest clubs in the world," Rodgers said. "If he wants to stay at the big level, this is probably his last chance. That was one of the reasons as well."
Despite this, the Liverpool manager believes his new signing will be a major success at Anfield.
"I have got every faith he will be a real hit. He gives us another threat at the top end of the field," he said. "He gives us the power, he gives us the presence, he gives us the mobility at the top end of the field and the biggest thing in his game is hunger."
Rodgers revealed he had been tracking Sturridge for more than a decade and hopes he will see a repeat of the prolific return the striker produced on loan at Bolton, when he scored eight goals in 12 games.
"He's a player that I have known since he was about 12 years of age, and have seen him come through at various clubs," Rodgers said. "He made his name as a youngster at Man City, one of the top young strikers in European football.
"He made a move [to Chelsea] and it was always going to be difficult as a young player because what he is is a goalscorer and the only real spell he has had [as a striker] has been at Bolton and when he has played games he has got goals."

Sturridge to push Suarez out of centre

By ESPN staff

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez could relinquish his role as a central striker to accommodate the club's newest signing Daniel Sturridge, according to manager Brendan Rodgers.

GettyImagesDaniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez: Too alike to play well together?

Sturridge, 23, revealed his frustration at not being used through the middle while at Chelsea, insisting he could not make an impact as a wide player.
The England international's deal with Liverpool has raised doubts over where he will be played in the Reds' attack and Rodgers claims Suarez is likely be sacrificed to compliment Sturridge's direct style.
"Daniel's best position is as a central striker, and I think the best role for him will be straight through the middle, with his pace," he said. "Where will Luis play then? He'll play for the common good of the team.
"But don't tell me it's a problem - it's never a problem having good players. Wherever Luis plays, he will make the same movements and find the space, because he is a world class player.
"There is not just one way to play 4-3-3. You can have one up and two wingers, a floating nine like Luis. Or you can have one like Daniel playing central, two in and around him narrow, with the full-backs bombing on."
While the changes could rile some Liverpool fans, with Suarez scoring 15 goals already this season, Rodgers is confident the 25-year-old can be prolific from anywhere on the pitch.
"When Luis was at Ajax he lpayed in behind as a number 10, in between the lines, and he played as a reverse winger from the left," he said. "So he wasn't quite out wide, he was tucked in round the corner.
"I spoke with Luis at length on it a number of times. This has been in the plan for a few months. The principles of your game are based on your players."
The Liverpool boss is confident in his decision to recruit Sturridge after initial doubts when trying to acquire the striker on a loan deal in the summer.
"You need to look in the player's eyes and see if they have that hunger," Rodgers said. "I've had time to speak to him and look around and see how he's going to fit in.
"Daniel is 23 years old and a wonderful talent. You put him in this group and all of a sudden you get stature and presence. He can learn from the likes of Steven Gerrard, not just about football, but about being a human being too."
Captain Steven Gerrard urged Sturridge to make his mark early on at Anfield, although he believes the consistency of Suarez will be difficult to match.
"He [Suarez] is a warrior. It's very rare to see in a centre-forward that mentality, that they never give up and fight for every ball - even when you are 3-0 up," Gerrard said. "It's 'kids in the street' stuff. He's the same every day in training.
"The players in the Premier League are lucky they only have to test themselves against him twice a season. They should be very glad of that because he's running rings around us every day, all year round. We have to put up with it every day.
"He's just world class. There are a handful of players in the world who operate on a different level and he is one of them.
"He can score all types of goals. I was looking in the programme at his goal record: for someone who the critics say doesn't score enough, just have a look at his record [Suarez has scored 31 in 64 league games].''
Information from the Press Association was used in this report.

Joe Cole set for West Ham move

By ESPN staff

After undergoing a medical, Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole is set to complete a move to West Ham on Friday, who have confirmed Yossi Benayoun has returned to his parent club Chelsea.

PA PhotosJoe Cole failed to make a positive impression at Liverpool

Cole, 31, has started only nine Premier League games since he signed for Liverpool from Chelsea in the summer of 2010, with the player sent out on loan to Lille last season.
Having begun his career at West Ham, the Englishman appears set to return to Upton Park as the Hammers aim to seal a deal before midday on Friday ahead of Saturday's FA Cup tie with Manchester United.
It is understood that Liverpool would pay Cole a negotiated settlement in order to get his estimated £100,000-a-week salary off the wage bill and West Ham owner David Gold's son Jack seemed to confirm the deal on Thursday when he tweeted: "Joe cole is now a #whu player ones again #hammercominghome."
Benayoun, meanwhile, has returned to Chelsea, having joined West Ham on loan at the start of the season only to see the switch plagued by injuries.
"West Ham United can confirm that the loan of @YossiBenayoun15 has ended and he has returned to @chelseafc," a statement on West Ham's Twitter feed read.
"The club would like to thank Yossi for his efforts during his second spell with the Hammers and wish him the best of luck for his future career."
Benayoun made six appearances under Sam Allardyce during his second spell at Upton Park, having previously been with the club from 2005 to 2007.
Information from the Press Association was used in this report.

Kevin-Prince Boateng's racism walk-off wrong - Clarence Seedorf

AC Milan legend Clarence Seedorf says former team-mate Kevin-Prince Boateng was wrong to lead the Italian side off the pitch because of racist abuse.

The Ghana midfielder walked off in protest in the 25th minute of a friendly at Pro Patria on Thursday.
Seedorf said: "I don't see it as such a positive thing because [it] empowers more and more of this behaviour."

“We are just empowering that little group with their behaviour to make this mess”

             Clarence Seedorf

However, Patrick Vieira, Rio Ferdinand and Vincent Kompany all backed Boateng's stance.

Speaking on Twitter,  World Cup-winner Vieira said: "It was brave of Kevin-Prince Boateng to do what he did and it was the right thing. We need to stand up and stand together. Well done."
Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand tweeted:  "Fair play to him. Well done #UefaStandUp"
And Manchester City skipper Kompany tweeted:  "Act of racism against Boateng during Milan's friendly. How about becoming extremely intolerant towards racist idiots? They need to be told."
But Seedorf, 36, who now plays for Botafogo in Brazil, would have preferred a different approach against those chanting abuse.
"They should just be identified and kicked out of the stadium, and leave the 90% that were enjoying the match in the stadium and finish the game," he said.
"If Boateng was able to identify the whole corner, you just kick the whole corner out, That is how I think it should be handled. Walking away? Yes you send a signal. But this has happened more than once and I don't think it really changes all that much.
"We are just empowering that little group with their behaviour to make this mess."
Seedorf played for Milan from 2002 to 2012 and won the Champions League with the side in 2003 and 2007.
Source: BBC

From Running to Office to Mass Murderer

Deadly gun attack in Philippines town of Kawit

 

 The suspect ran unsuccessfully in elections for village chief

A gunman has opened fire in a town near the Philippine capital, Manila, killing at least seven people and wounding six before being shot dead by police.

The gunman, reported to be a former local election candidate, ran through the streets of Kawit, 40km (25 miles) south of Manila, shooting at random.
A seven-year-old girl and a pregnant woman were among the dead, police said.
They are searching for an accomplice who reportedly helped the gunman load his semi-automatic pistol.
'Waving his gun' Police named the gunman as Ronald Bae and said he had been drinking heavily on Thursday night.
Mr Bae had once unsuccessfully contested a local election for village chief, they said.
Police spokesman Arnulfo Lopez told AFP news agency: "It was random. He would fire at anybody who crossed his path."

No motive has yet been determined, but police are hunting a man said to be a caretaker at Mr Bae's home who was seen reloading the weapon during the attack.
One of Mr Bae's neighbours, Maita Lacorte, told AFP: "He was running swiftly and waving his gun. I told my children and grandchildren to run."
The gun attack reportedly started close to Mr Bae's home, where a neighbour and the neighbour's dog were shot dead.
Resident Edwin Lacorte told the Associated Press the gunman had shot and killed his seven-year-old niece, and wounded another niece and nephew. The nephew was Mr Bae's godson.
"I could not do anything," Mr Lacorte said. "I could hear them screaming and I heard the shots."
The gunman then went to a nearby market, continuing to fire, before returning to his house.
Police surrounded the building and an exchange of fire ensued, during which the gunman was killed.
Cavite provincial Governor Jonvic Remulla told AP that Mr Bae had left Kawit about a year ago after losing the local election, but returned on Monday following a row with his wife in northern Pampanga province.
Police figures show there were 1.2 million registered firearms in the Philippines last year, and about half that number again in unlicensed weapons, AFP reports.