News in Brief

Egypt courts order 21 women freed
Afp, Cairo

 
Egyptian appeals courts yesterday ordered 14 women jailed after a protest to be freed, reducing 11-year prison terms to one-year suspended sentences, as seven girls were also ordered released. The 21 were all convicted of taking part in a violent protest demanding Islamist president Mohamed Morsi's reinstatement following his overthrow by the army in July.

US war veteran released from N Korea
Afp, Seoul

 
North Korea yesterday released a detained American veteran of the Korean War as US Vice President Joe Biden visited the world's last Cold War frontier. US officials said Merrill Newman, an 85-year-old from California, headed home after arriving in Beijing. North Korea deported him "from a humanitarian viewpoint", its official Korean Central News Agency said.

Tejpal's custody extended by four days
Pti, panaji

 
Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal's police custody was extended by four days by a Goa court over a sexual assault case filed by one of his subordinates. The Goa police crime branch had made an application seeking more time to interrogate Tejpal in custody.

67% of India's RS members millionaires
Tnn, New Delhi

 
Over two-thirds of Rajya Sabha members (67%) are crorepatis while 17% have criminal cases pending against them, according to latest data analyzed by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). In a report based on analysis of 227 out of 245 Rajya Sabha members — excluding the 12 nominated members and seats lying vacant — ADR said 38 members have declared criminal cases against them, out which 15 (7%) face serious criminal cases.

UK Marine jailed 10 yrs for Taliban killing
The Guardian Online

 
The Royal Marine convicted of murdering a wounded Taliban insurgent will start a life sentence in a civilian prison tomorrow after being told he will serve at least 10 years behind bars for betraying and tarnishing the reputation of all British forces.
Jailing Sergeant Alexander Blackman the judge said the court had to deal with him severely to show the international community that battlefield crimes by UK troops would not be tolerated.