New Zealand cabinet agrees tougher gun laws in 'principle'
Wellington: New Zealand's cabinet agreed measures to tighten gun control laws "in principle" Monday, just days after a deadly mass shooting killed more than 50 people.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said details of the measures would be rolled out before a cabinet meeting next Monday, saying "the time to act is now".
Ardern also announced an inquiry into Friday's twin mosque attack in Christchurch, which raised questions about how the suspected gunman -- a white supremacist -- was not picked up by intelligence agencies.
Although details have yet to be hashed out, the speed of New Zealand's move has resonated around the world -- particularly in the United States, where reforms have spluttered for decades, and similar debates are re-run after each new mass shooting.
It took us 72 hours, Ardern said.
"We have made a decision as a cabinet, we are unified," she added, flanked by her coalition partner and deputy prime minister, Winston Peters.
Peters, whose New Zealand First party has previously opposed changes, said he backed the prime minister fully.
"The reality is that after one pm on Friday our world changed forever and so will our laws," he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Kerala court acquits actor Dileep in 2017 actress assault case, six found guilty
Kochi (PTI): A Kerala court on Monday acquitted Malayalam actor Dileep in a case relating to the sexual assault of a South Indian actress in Kochi in 2017.
The court, however, found six others, including prime accused Sunil N S alias Pulsar Suni, who directly committed the crime, guilty.
Apart from Dileep, the court also acquitted three other persons in the case.
The verdict was pronounced by Ernakulam Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese, who had concluded the hearing in the lengthy trial on November 25.
ALSO READ: Chinnaswamy Stadium will continue hosting IPL matches: D K Shivakumar
The assault on the actress, who has worked in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films, after her car was abducted for two hours, had shaken the conscience of Kerala society.
According to the prosecution, several persons forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017 and later escaped in a busy area.
The ten accused who faced trial are Sunil NS alias Pulsar Suni, Martin Antony, Manikandan B, Vijesh V P, Salim H, Pradeep, Charly Thomas, actor Dileep (real name P Gopalakrishnan), Sanil Kumar alias Mesthri Sanil, and Sharath.
Police arrested the accused soon after the incident and filed the first charge sheet against seven persons in April 2017.
During further investigation, Dileep was arrested on July 10, 2017 after the probe team found that the prime accused, Suni, had allegedly sent a letter to him from jail.
Dileep was granted bail on October 3, 2017.
