Newtown Principal Dawn Hochsprung Among Dead

A headteacher and a school psychologist went to the aid of their pupils after hearing gunshots at a Connecticut school, according to reports.

Dawn Hochsprung and therapist Diane Day were in a meeting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown on Friday morning when the gunman, thought to be the son of a teacher at the school, began shooting at around 9.30am.

The pair leaped out of their seats after hearing gunshots and ran to see what was going on, according to Ms Day.

She told the Wall Street Journal: "We were there for about five minutes chatting, and we heard Pop! Pop! Pop!

"I went under the table. They didn't think twice about confronting or seeing what was going on."

Ms Hochsprung is believed to have switched on a loudspeaker system in the school to alert students and staff to the danger.

Fourth-grade teacher Theodore Varga said: "You could hear the hysteria that was going on.

"Whoever did that saved a lot of people. Everyone in the school was listening to the terror that was transpiring."

He added that a school caretaker also ran out warning people there was a gunman on the premises.

A candlelit vigil was held for the victims

Ms Hochsprung was confirmed to be among seven adults and 20 children killed during the rampage. The school psychologist was also reported to have been killed.

The masked gunman - reportedly armed with a Glock and a Sig Sauer handguns as well as a .223-calibre rifle - has been named as 20-year-old Adam Lanza.

Robert Licata, whose six-year-old son was in one of the classrooms when the gunman burst in and opened fire, said he told him the shooter did not say anything.

He said: "That's when my son grabbed a bunch of his friends and ran out the door.

"He was very brave. He waited for his friends."

First-grade teacher Kaitlin Roig barricaded her 15 students inside a tiny bathroom with a bookshelf and told them to be "absolutely quiet".

She told ABC News: "I said, 'there are bad guys out there now. We need to wait for the good guys'.

"They asked, 'Can we go see if anyone is out there? I just want Christmas. I don't want to die, I just want to have Christmas.'"

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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.

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".

"There is not a parent in America who does not feel the same overwhelming grief I do," he said.

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.

Many of those killed in the rampage were between the ages of five and 10.

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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.

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

A young boy weeps after learning of the elementary school massacre

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".

Of the children killed, Mr Obama said: "They had their entire lives ahead of them - birthdays, graduations, wedding, kids of their own." 

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.

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.

Lanza's older brother Ryan was questioned

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.

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.

Frantic parents rushed to the school to find out if their children were OK

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.

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

"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.

US flags were flown at half mast over the Capitol and White House

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

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

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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Serbian FA Fined For Racist Behaviour Of Fans

The Serbian Football Association has been fined £65,000 over the improper conduct of fans involving racist chanting during a match against England's Under-21s.

UEFA, the governing body of football in Europe, also ordered Serbia to play their next Under-21 international fixture behind closed doors, following the violent scenes during and after the game at the Mladost Stadium in Krusevac in October.

But the FA, which complained of the racism to UEFA after the incident, said the sanctions were not tough enough.

FA General Secretary Alex Horne said: "We are disappointed with the sanctions levied by UEFA with regards to the racist behaviour displayed towards England's players.

"Let's be clear, racism is unacceptable in any form, and should play no part in football.

"The scenes were deplorable and we do not believe the sanction sends a strong enough message."

FA General Secretary Alex Horne says he is "disappointed" by the sanctions

The control and disciplinary body also banned six players for varying terms, including English duo Thomas Ince and Steven Caulker, as well as two Serbian coaches, after ugly scenes marred the end of the European Championship play-off which England won 1-0.

It means defender Caulker will play no part in the ties against Italy and Norway in June next year, while midfielder Ince will miss just the first fixture.

They have three days to lodge an appeal against the decisions.

A charge against the Football Association of failing to control their players was dismissed by UEFA.

Serbian midfielder Goran Causic was handed a four-match ban, teammates Ognjen Mudrinski and Filip Malbasic were suspended for three games, and Nikola Ninkovic for two.

Serbia fitness coach Andreja Milunovic, who attacked England officials, was banned for two years, the second of which has been suspended for three years.

Assistant coach Predrag Katic was also banned for two years, the final six months of which were suspended for three years.

Disciplinary proceedings against Serbian defender Aleksandar Pantic were dismissed.

Ninkovic (L) and England's Danny Rose (R) clash during the October 16 match

The FA had reported the racist abuse to UEFA plus a number of other incidents.

Full-back Danny Rose, who was dismissed after the final whistle for kicking the ball away in anger, complained he had been particularly targeted.

He claimed he was subjected to monkey chants throughout the match - and as he left the pitch.

Players from both sides were charged with misconduct after the game and an investigation launched into the incidents.

Mr Horne added: "It is the FA's vehement belief that its players and staff acted correctly in the face of provocation, including racist abuse and missiles being thrown.

"We are therefore surprised to see that two of our players have been given suspensions.

"We shall await UEFA's reasoning but it is our intention, at this stage, to support our players and appeal these decisions."

Head Coach Stuart Pearce said: "I am concerned to see our players suspended by UEFA and we will continue to support them.

"I maintain that our players played no part in the aggression. From what I witnessed our players and staff were forced to protect themselves in the violent scenes that followed the game."

Rose will still face a one-match suspension from UEFA for his sending off after the final whistle.

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Barcode Co-Creator N Joseph Woodland Dies

Norman Joseph Woodland, the co-creator of the barcode, has died aged 91.

He was a graduate student when he teamed up with classmate Bernard Silver to create the thick-and-thin line system in the 1940s.

Mr Woodland is said to have come up with the Morse code-inspired idea while sitting on a chair surrounded by sand.

He told Smithsonian magazine in 1999: "I poked my four fingers into the sand and for whatever reason - I didn't know - I pulled my hand toward me and drew four lines.

Norman Joseph Woodland pictured in 1947 (Drexel University Archives)

"I said: 'Golly! Now I have four lines, and they could be wide lines and narrow lines instead of dots and dashes'."

The idea was patented in the US 60 years ago and sold to battery storage company Philco for $15,000 (£9,300), a figure that today would be worth $130,000 (£80,000).

When the patent expired in the 1960s IBM - where Mr Woodland was working - tweaked the design into the one we recognise today.

The first item scanned was a packet of chewing gum in an Ohio supermarket in 1974.

Known as the universal product code (UPC), it is now printed on millions of devices around the world and scanned billions of times every day.

Mr Woodland's family said he died on Sunday at his home in Edgewater, New Jersey.

In 2011 both Mr Woodland and Mr Silver were inducted into the US National Inventors Hall of Fame.

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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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Argentina Sex Slavery Court Ruling Sparks Riots

Riots have broken out in Argentina after 13 people were acquitted over the disappearance of a young woman who was allegedly kidnapped and forced into sex slavery.

The court ruling has also prompted calls by political leaders to impeach the three judges who delivered the verdict.

Many have called the ruling a setback for Argentina's efforts to combat sex trafficking.

When Maria de los Angeles "Marita" Veron vanished in 2002, her mother, Susana Trimarco, launched a one-woman campaign to find her - and rescued hundreds of women from sex slavery along the way.

Ms Trimarco's search exposed an underworld of organised crime figures who operate brothels with protection from authorities across Argentina.

Maria Veron went missing in 2002

The 13 people on trial - seven men and six women - faced up to 25 years in prison if convicted on charges they abducted Ms Veron and made her work as a prostitute.

The three-judge panel delayed for more than four hours on Tuesday night before reading their unanimous verdict: not guilty of any of the charges.

The courtroom erupted at the news, with the defendants sobbing and spectators shouting expletives.

President Cristina Fernandez personally called Ms Trimarco to express her surprise and outrage.

"I thought I would find her destroyed, but I found her more together than ever, more committed to keep fighting," she said.

Susana Trimarco has helped free many sex trade victims

Ms Fernandez also said that while she cannot prove it, she is sure that judicial corruption influenced the verdicts.

Security minister Nilda Garre called the verdict "a tremendous slap in the face for the prospect of justice".

The judges later explained from the bench that despite the testimony of more than 130 witnesses, including a dozen former sex slaves who described brutal conditions in brothels, there was no physical evidence linking any of the defendants to Ms Veron, and no trace of her whereabouts.

Prostitution is legal in Argentina, but managing brothels and trafficking in people have been federal crimes since 2008.

Last year 938 people were saved from trafficking, 215 people from the sex trade and 723 from other workplace exploitation. More than 800 have been rescued so far this year.

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Brussels: Deal On ECB Banking Supervision

European finance ministers have taken a major step towards full banking union by agreeing to create a single supervisor for Eurozone banks.

The deal reached just before dawn in Brussels follows months of negotiations and will be put before European Union leaders later on Thursday.

The political agreement will give the European Central bank oversight for banks in the 17 EU countries that use the Euro and any other country in the union that wants to opt in.

It will give the ECB sweeping powers and pave the way for Europe's bailout fund to give direct aid to ailing banks - a measure seen as vital to helping the Eurozone break free of its debt crisis.

"Piece by piece, brick by brick, the banking union will be built on this first fundamental step today," said EU Commissioner Michel Barnier.

The EU had promised markets to have an outline deal by New Year, and the finance ministers delivered - after yet another all-night emergency session.

Herman van Rompuy's plans aim to prevent another Eurozone debt crisis

"We stick to what we promised," said German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.  "Painstakingly, we advance the cause of Europe."

But markets seemed to largely shrug off the deal, perhaps because the broad strokes have been known for some time.

Under the deal, banks with more than €30bn (£23bn) in assets or those that represent 20% of gross domestic product of their national economies will be placed under the direct oversight of the European Central Bank.

The ECB can also decide to supervise any other bank it wants when it gains supervisory powers - which could be in place by 2014.

The deal marks a compromise for France and Germany, who had been at loggerheads on the structure of banking union.

EU leaders believe this first step towards banking union can be put in place without having to change current treaties - but the UK's House of Lords EU Committee has said it does not believe effective banking union can happen without new agreements.

David Cameron has vowed to fight hard for British interests

Other issues are on the agenda at the summit of EU leaders, including how to enforce fiscal discipline in the Euro area and a push for implementation of the so-called "two-pack", which would involve Eurozone governments showing their budgets to EU officials before submitting them to their own parliaments.

So-called "out" countries which have retained their currencies, including the UK, are concerned that any move towards tightening the inner core could distort the single market.

David Cameron and the Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt, want to ensure they retain their voice at the top table on financial matters and that the London-based European Banking Authority is not usurped by the new proposals.

A senior EU official has also indicated that Britain wants to ensure there is not a rush to amend the EU treaties, which is a long and often divisive process.

Any significant power-shift from London to Brussels could automatically trigger a referendum. The UK government knows a vote on Britain's involvement with the EU is perhaps unavoidable, but would rather wait until the next parliament.

The issue of the UK's budget spat with the European Union will not be discussed - that is waiting for another summit in the New Year.

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McAfee Back In US After Release From Jail

Anti-virus software pioneer John McAfee has arrived in the US after being deported from Guatemala.

The 67-year-old, who is wanted for questioning in Belize over the murder of his neighbour, had spent a week in a cell after arriving in Guatemala illegally.

A short time after the jet carrying Mr McAfee landed in Miami, a posting on his website announced he was at a hotel in the city's upscale South Beach area.

"I have no phone, no money, no contact information," the post says. Earlier, as he prepared to board the plane in Guatemala he told reporters he felt "10 years older".

British-born Mr McAfee, who travelled home in economy class, frequently blogged and spoke to reporters as he spent nearly a month in hiding.

John McAfee taking a taxi to his Miami hotel

Reached by telephone at his hotel, Mr McAfee told an Associated Press reporter that he was unable to talk because he was waiting for a call from his 20-year-old Belizean girlfriend, who did not travel with him.

The former tycoon has been described as a "person of interest" by the Belizean authorities following the killing of Gregory Faull.

Mr McAfee and Mr Faull are understood to have had several arguments over the behaviour of Mr McAfee's dogs.

Mr McAfee acknowledges his pets were unruly, but denies any involvement in the fatal shooting of Mr Faull.

He has previously told Sky News he went on the run for his own "safety" because the authorities wanted to silence him.

After three weeks in hiding, he crossed into Guatemala with his girlfriend Samantha Vanegas to evade the Belizean authorities. He was arrested on December 5 for illegal entry.

Samantha Vanegas remained in Guatemala

Mr McAfee sold his stake in the anti-virus software company that is named after him and moved to Ambergris Caye in Belize three years ago.

He told The New York Times in 2009 he had lost all but $4m (£2.5m) of his $100m (£62.4m) fortune in the US financial crisis.

However, a story on the Gizmodo website quoted him as describing that claim as "not very accurate at all".

US officials have said there is no active arrest warrant for him in America.

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Obama: US Recognises Syrian Opposition

Syria: A War Tearing Apart Families

Updated: 8:59am UK, Wednesday 12 December 2012

By Tim Marshall, Foreign Affairs Editor, in Damascus

At night the Rizak extended family come together in one room and listen to the sounds of shelling, gunfire, and explosions.

They are from Jaramana in Damascus, close to the road leading to the international airport which continues to see fierce fighting between Syrian troops and opposition fighters.

It is a mixed district, but the majority of residents are from the minority Druze and Christian communities.

They mix freely with Alawites and some Sunni Muslims who also live there.

It is a microcosm of Syrian society, one which is slowly being destroyed as people cleave to their own amid the violence pushing them apart from others.

The Rizaks gather in a room away from the windows in case a stray shell hits their building.

Tragedy has already struck them.

Two weeks ago, two car bombs exploded in the street next to their home. Some 68 people were killed and 130 injured. Annan Rizak, 20, was killed alongside his uncle Haldoon.

Annan's father Salim, an engineer, invited us into their front room, reserved for guests, and now adorned with a large photo of the deceased.

Over small cups of Arabic coffee, Salim told me of the hopes he had that Annan would have a successful life.

"He was very clever, he always had good grades," he said.

"Now in the evenings, we are all in one room. We sit very close so we can help each other. There is too much noise, too many explosions coming down."

Two floors up, in the same building, Ghias Rizak lies in bed, his leg shattered in the same explosion that killed Annan and Haldoon.

The attack was blamed on the then Jihadist al Nusra Front, which has carried out a number of such attacks including suicide bombings. Other victims included Iraqis who had fled the violence in Baghdad.

As we talked Ghias' wife, Malak, bustled in tidying up because of the presence of a TV crew. She insisted we have coffee and eat some fruit and told of how she had heard the first explosion and rushed out onto her balcony to see what was happening.

"I looked down and there was Ghias, and then there was the second bomb, and I saw him thrown several metres by the blast," she said.

Ghias and Malak have two children who join Salim and others in the evenings.

Ghias, who will be off work for three months because of his injuries, said their two children are always asking questions: "Will we go to school tomorrow? Can I see my friends? What is going to happen?"

On the ground floor the family's patio is crowded with bags of candles brought by neighbours of other religions to help them light the house during the frequent electricity cuts, and to remember their loss.

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