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    • Indian guru Asaram given life sentence in second rape case

    Asaram Bapu, centre, is brought for interrogation by police in Jodhpur, India, on Sept. 1, 2013. (Sunil Verma / AP) Asaram Bapu, centre, is brought for interrogation by police in Jodhpur, India, on Sept. 1, 2013. (Sunil Verma / AP)
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    An Indian court on Tuesday sentenced self-proclaimed spiritual guru to life imprisonment on charges of rape and sodomy, according to his lawyer.

    The verdict is the second life term against the octogenarian, who is already serving a life sentence following his conviction for raping a 16-year-old girl.

    Asaram's lawyer C.B. Gupta told CNN the court in the western state of Gujarat also ordered him to pay 50,000 rupees (about US$600) in compensation to the victim.

    "We may appeal the judgment in the high court," the lawyer said.

    Asaram, 81, described on his website as a "spiritual revolutionist" and "great teacher," is one of India's best-known spiritual gurus.

    Known as "Bapuji" or "father" among his followers, he rose to prominence in the 1970s before building a vast religious empire that includes hundreds of thousands of followers, about 400 religious schools across India, and numerous global outreach programs.

    The latest ruling against him comes at a time when India's poor track record on violence has been under the spotlight.

    Last August, an Indian court freed 11 Hindu men who had been sentenced to life for the gang-rape of a pregnant Muslim woman during deadly riots in 2002, angering rights groups and activists.

    On average, there is one rape reported every 17 minutes in India, according to government figures. Campaigners say deeply-entrenched misogynistic and patriarchal values in the country of 1.3 billion are partly to blame.

    Spiritual gurus in India can draw millions of devotees to religious schools known as ashrams that are spread across the country.

    In recent years, sexual assault accusations against some of these gurus have sparked violent skirmishes.

    After Asaram was arrested in 2013 on the first rape charge, clashes broke out between his supporters and police in several major cities.

    In 2019, , head of the spiritual sect Dera Sacha Sauda, was sentenced to life in prison for the 2002 murder of a journalist who helped expose the sexual abuse of women within his group. The guru was already serving a life sentence for raping two of his followers.

    After the first verdict against Singth, riots erupted that left 36 people dead and hundreds injured.

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    Three men were injured after a man armed with a knife entered a Montreal-area Islamic cultural centre Friday afternoon.

    A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

    Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

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    The parents of a teenager who died after allegedly consuming the poisonous products of a Mississauga man are now suing him, as well as several doctors involved in her care.

    The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

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    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Three men were injured after a man armed with a knife entered a Montreal-area Islamic cultural centre Friday afternoon.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • The parents of a teenager who died after allegedly consuming the poisonous products of a Mississauga man are now suing him, as well as several doctors involved in her care.

    • The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    • Relatives of a 60-year-old man who took his own life in a Nova Scotia jail after long periods of confinement in his cell have launched a lawsuit against the province.

    • A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

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      Three men were injured after a man armed with a knife entered a Montreal-area Islamic cultural centre Friday afternoon.

    • A new garden and microforest, years in the making, have been inaugurated at John Abbott College in Montreal.

    • The Montreal couple from Mexico and their three children facing deportation have received a temporary residence permit.

    • Mounties say there was an increased police presence in the Emerald Hills area of Sherwood Park on Friday morning as officers searched for a man who is wanted by police.

    • There are plenty of fun happenings in Edmonton this weekend. It's time to savour that last little bit of the summer season before the leaves really start coming down.

    • Alberta Health Services says an E. coli outbreak at a daycare in Blackfalds has ended.

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    • Relatives of a 60-year-old man who took his own life in a Nova Scotia jail after long periods of confinement in his cell have launched a lawsuit against the province.

    • Family, friends and fans of late hip hop artist and battle rapper, Pat Stay will gather at events held in his honour on Saturday and Sunday.

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    • A Manitoba veterinary clinic has two new ways of figuring out what’s causing a horse to be lame.

    • Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

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      A large police presence can be seen outside Regina’s Miller High School on Friday afternoon.

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    • A Brampton driver, 27, was charged this week when northern Ontario police stopped the SUV he was driving on Highway 17 after a reported shooting and found more than $100,000 in cash.

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