Teen raped, burned to death in India
NEW DELHI • Two men burned a teenager alive at her home in eastern India a day after raping her, the police said yesterday, in the latest case of sexual violence in the country.
The 16-year-old was abducted from her home when her family was away to attend a wedding and raped by the men in a forested area of Jharkhand state last Thursday, police said.
The family complained to the local village council which last Friday ordered the accused to do 100 sit-ups and pay a fine of 50,000 rupees (S$1,000). Police said the punishment enraged the men, who beat the girl's parents before setting her on fire.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Britain keen on Europe defence force
SOFIA • Britain is backing a French plan to create a European military intervention force as a way to maintain strong defence ties with the European Union after Brexit, a minister said yesterday.
British junior defence minister Frederick Curzon said London was "very keen to support" French President Emmanuel Macron's plan for a force that could be deployed rapidly to deal with crises. The force, known as the European Intervention Initiative, would be separate from other EU defence cooperation, meaning there would be no obstacle to Britain taking part after it leaves the bloc.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Germany accepts Chinese Marx statue
TRIER (Germany) • A statue of German revolutionary thinker Karl Marx was unveiled yesterday in his native city of Trier in south-western Germany.
The statue by Chinese artist Wu Weishan is a present from China on the occasion of Marx's 200th birth anniversary.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
