SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2016 INTERNATIONAL ’s masked heroes train police

MEXICO CITY: Wearing colorful masks, two pro Feeling Healthier wrestlers show off their moves to a crowd, but this The wrestlers come twice a week to train the offi- time it’s not in an arena: They’re teaching Mexico cers in the densely populated borough, where mur- City police officers how to subdue villains. “How are ders are up this year with 150 people killed so far. you doing?” Dragon Rojo Jr, wearing a red mask with “You go into your patrol car and the truth is that yellow horns and a crest, shouts at the 190 men and your get rusty,” said officer Joel Garcia, who admit- women at the courtyard of a police station in ted that a suspect got away from him once. “With Iztapalapa, a crime-plagued borough of the mega- this you get more active, you start running, feeling capital. “Good!” the officers reply in chorus before better, lighter and healthier,” he said as he worked the ring gladiators lead them through a series of out following a 24-hour shift. stretches, push-ups, squats and situps, making many Garcia grew up admiring legends sweat and pant heavily (while some take a break). such as , and El Matematico. After warming up, Dragon Rojo (Red Dragon) and Now he was trying to imitate his idols. With the his fellow “Lucha Libre” star Polvora, whose ring deliberate motion of a rookie wrestler, Garcia name means Gunpowder in English, demonstrate crossed his arms and raised them to block his smil- one of their moves. The burly Polvora lunges for- ing colleague from fake-stabbing him in the head. ward with a stabbing motion, but Red Dragon grabs Captain Alfredo Alvarez, a former marine, had the his assailant’s arm, twists it, pins him down and idea of bringing luchadores to train officers after he places a knee on his chest to immobilize him. The took over as the police station’s coordinator three “Lock 4” submission was among the clutches, holds months ago and realized that his colleagues were and other moves that the pro wrestlers presented to “somewhat sedentary.” The station commander, the officers, who then practiced the move against Israel Rodriguez, told him he knew Dragon Rojo Jr each other on the concrete. and Polvora because they were both from But snatching suspects is not the only benefit to Iztapalapa. “All the special police forces in the world this intense training. “We are proud to change an have their specialty: Russia has sambo, Brazil has image of the Mexican police that is not very good: capoeira, China has kung-fu, Japan has karate. In Fat, short, unfit,” said Polvora, who grew up in Mexico, our martial art is lucha,” Alvarez said. The Iztapalapa. “We are trying to make a contribution to wrestlers agreed to provide free lessons to some 380 : World wrestling champion Red Dragon Jr (left) and Polvora train local police in change this image,” he said through a mask decorat- officers every week out of “friendship and commit- the Iztapalapa neighborhood to help them subdue suspects without using weapons on Oct 6, ed with golden and red flames. ment” to their borough, Alvarez said. — AFP 2016. — AFP US accuses Russia of cyber attacks to disrupt election Washington vows reponse

WASHINGTON: US officials formally accused USA, but we do not blame the White House or Jason Healey, a former White House director the Russian government Friday of trying to Langley each time.” of critical infrastructure protection who is now a “interfere” with the American presidential elec- The American statement said the disclosures researcher at Columbia University and with the tion, and vowed to respond at an undisclosed of alleged hacked emails on WikiLeaks and oth- Atlantic Council, said the US has tools to time and place. The assertion against Russia er websites and by the online persona “Guccifer respond. “The initial response will be to protect comes with relations already frayed over NATO 2.0” were “consistent with the methods and and thwart what the other side wants to do,” defenses and stalled efforts to end the bloody motivations of Russian-directed efforts”. “These Healey told AFP. Healey said Washington is also civil war in Syria. A joint statement from the thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere capable of “counteroffensive cyber actions” Department of Homeland Security and Office of with the US election process,” the statement which can limit or deter attacks. “Don’t attack the Director of National Intelligence was the said. The statement, however, stopped short of them back but use our own cyber capabilities to first official accusation by Washington against accusing Russia in the recent cyber attacks on disrupt them,” he said. “I would not call that NEW YORK: In this July 18, 2015 file photo, a demonstrator holds a sign call- Moscow in the spate of cyber attacks, although state election databases. “Some states have also offensive, it’s counteroffensive.” many analysts had said the hacks appeared to recently seen scanning and probing of their The FBI has been investigating a leak of ing for justice during a rally where several hundred people rallied outside be from Russia. election-related systems, which in most cases Democratic National Committee emails, which the federal courthouse in Brooklyn to demand action in the fatal chokehold A US administration official said Washington originated from servers operated by a Russian were published by WikiLeaks in July. A hacker death of Eric Garner by a white police officer. — AP would respond to the cyber attacks, without company,” the statement said. “However, we are group using the name Guccifer 2.0 has also offering details. “We will take action to protect not now in a position to attribute this activity to released leaked emails and has claimed to have Public can watch NYPD our interests, including in cyberspace, and we the Russian government.” hacked into the Clinton Foundation, led by for- will do so at a time and place of our choosing,” It was not immediately clear how mer US president Bill Clinton, whose wife Hillary the official said. “The public should not assume Washington would respond in the matter. is the Democratic presidential nominee. trials, can’t get results that they will necessarily know what actions Officials have in the past said any cyber attacks But the US statement said that “it would be have been taken or what actions we will take.” on important US institutions would prompt a extremely difficult for someone, including a NEW YORK: Each day in a drab set of Garner in a fatal chokehold in 2014. A The official statement said the US intelli- response, which could take the form of diplo- nation-state actor, to alter actual ballot counts courtrooms, anybody can sit and watch grand jury declined to indict the officer on gence community “is confident that the Russian matic or economic sanctions, or possibly cyber or election results by cyber attack or intrusion”. New York City police officers face adminis- criminal charges, but he’s still the subject of government directed the recent compromises measures. That is because of the decentralized nature of trative trials accusing them of misconduct an administrative case that could end his of emails from US persons and institutions, the US election system, which is operated by ranging from disobeying orders to aggres- police career. including from US political organizations”. “We ‘Strong Response’ thousands of state and local government enti- sive arrests resulting in a suspect’s death. Around the time the city filed its appeal, believe, based on the scope and sensitivity of US Senator Dianne Feinstein, who last month ties. “States ensure that voting machines are not But most outcomes of such trials - whether the NYPD stopped providing the outcomes these efforts, that only Russia’s senior-most offi- said she and other lawmakers believed Moscow connected to the Internet, and there are numer- an officer is reprimanded, docked pay or of administrative proceedings to the media, cials could have authorized these activities,” it was seeking to disrupt the election, said the ous checks and balances as well as extensive put on probation - are not disclosed. The which it had previously done for decades. added. The Kremlin labeled the allegations as new statement “conveys the seriousness of the oversight at multiple levels built into our elec- secrecy is the result of a state law protect- Department lawyers justified both moves “rubbish”. “Every day (President Vladimir) Putin’s threat” to the vote. “Attempted hacking of our tion process,” the statement said. “Nevertheless, ing the privacy of officer disciplinary by saying they needed stricter compliance website gets attacked by several tens of thou- election system is intolerable, and it’s critical to DHS continues to urge state and local election records, and a recent city decision to with a state law meant to protect the priva- sands of hackers,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry convince the Russian government to cease officials to be vigilant and seek cybersecurity adhere to the confidentiality rules more cy of police officers, jail guards and fire- Peskov told Russian news agency Interfax. “A lot these activities,” the California senator said. “If it assistance from DHS. A number of states have closely - a move that puts America’s largest fighters - a position strongly backed by of these attacks are traced to the territory of the does not, we must develop a strong response.” already done so.” — AFP police force at odds with a national move- police unions. ment to make law enforcement more In response to an outcry by politicians transparent to the public. and police reform advocates, Mayor Bill de “It’s striking to have a system where the Blasio said the city had to follow the law, hearings are open and the decisions are but also said he’d favor changes that would From ‘Ohio of India’ to the secret, but that’s exactly what we have at allow more openness. That response didn’t the NYPD,” said Christopher Dunn, associate satisfy Graham’s mother, Constance legal director at the New York Civil Liberties Malcolm, who accused the mayor of not real one for political lessons Union, who has fought for full disclosure of doing enough to keep victims’ families the penalties. Two high-profile alleged informed. At a recent rally, she complained abuse cases involving white officers and that she knew that the department was COLUMBUS, Ohio: Eight political professionals black men could thrust the tribunals’ incon- preparing a case against the shooter only from “the Ohio of India” are working at cam- gruities into the spotlight: the slaying of because of news reports. “How would any- paign offices in the American bellwether state unarmed teenager Ramarley Graham in a body in my neighborhood find out about as part of an international fellowship program. Bronx home in 2012 and the roughing up this information?” Malcolm said. They’re all University of Akron International of former professional tennis player James In high-profile cases such as fatal shoot- Campaign Fellows, participating in a new pro- Blake last year. Both officers are expected ings, police officials regularly name officers gram that allows students to swap campaign to face administrative hearings before the accused of wrongdoing, announce if they lessons with the political battleground. “Indians end of the year. have been placed on desk duty or suspend- have a lot of interest in U.S. elections, and I think Concerns over transparency of the ed pending the outcome of criminal or the entire world has a lot of interest,” said NYPD’s disciplinary system took hold in administrative charges, and confirm if Pankhuri Pathak, a fellow who works as spokes- recent months after the city appealed a they’ve been fired - a practice that’s not woman for India’s 24-year-old Samajwadi Party. decision by a state court judge ordering expected to change. What’s not available is “Over here, campaigning techniques are more the release of the records of Daniel records of punishment for misbehavior in sophisticated, more advanced. So we thought Pantaleo, the officer accused of putting Eric an officer’s past. — AP maybe we could learn something from here and apply it back home.” The fellows are high-ranking professionals in their home country - political scientists, commu- Job hunting substantial nications specialists and strategists from India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. Unlike Ohio, part of Bayh’s last year UP sends more legislators to the national gov- erning body, Parliament, than any other state. WASHINGTON: Evan Bayh spent sub- Leading Authorities, Inc speaker’s But like Ohio, it has huge sway over which party stantial time during his last year in the bureau, and the investment firm RLJ wins a national majority and gets to influence Senate searching for a job in the private Companies. At the same time the Senate who becomes prime minister. “We call it ‘the sector, even as he cast votes on issues of was weighing major pieces of legislation, Ohio of India’ because you can’t win an election interest to his future corporate bosses, including the Dodd-Frank financial over- in India without winning UP,” said Hari Kasula, according to the former Indiana lawmak- haul bill and an extension of the Bush tax the program’s deputy director. Groups from er’s 2010 schedule, obtained exclusively cuts, and in some cases Bayh was casting Liberia and Brazil arrive later this month. by AP. The Democrat held more than four votes that seemed to align with the inter- No Republican has ever won the White House dozen meetings and phone calls with ests of his future employers. Under the without winning Ohio, and the last Democrat to COLUMBUS, Ohio: In this Sept 17, 2016 photo, Anil Yadav, a political professional head hunters and future corporate Senate’s self-policing rules, it may all do so was John F Kennedy in 1960. The state is from India participating in the University of Akron’s new International Campaign employers over the months, beginning have been perfectly allowable. an attractive laboratory for these political Fellows program, speaks with other volunteers at a campaign field office. — AP just days after announcing his surprise A 2007 law requires senators to file a observers because of its compact mix of big retirement from the Senate on Feb. 15, disclosure with the secretary of the cities, suburbs, mountains and farms that attract State Community College and on the university’s them about what we do.” 2010, through the remainder of that year Senate within three days of beginning almost nonstop presidential stops in election main campus more than two hours away - that The Indian fellows can discuss the effects in as his term came to an end. Bayh is now negotiations for private-sector employ- years. Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican were digitally linked by audio and video. The their country of making Election Day a national running to get his old seat back and help ment. But after the law went into effect, Donald Trump have visited the state about 25 guest speaker was Tim Monaco from the office holiday, casting all votes into a central digital his party retake Senate control. the Senate Ethics Committee defined times combined since they clinched their parties’ of Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, the state system - and greeting the first voters at polling Announcing his retirement, Bayh negotiations as employment discussions nominations. elections chief. He fielded dozens of technical places with flowers. “The Indian system is more claimed he’d grown fed up with the grid- that occur after a job offer has been Besides working full-time knocking on doors, questions about how Ohio elections work. easy, and more safe,” Kasula said, while noting he lock and that it was time for him to “con- made. So Bayh would not have had to making phone calls and stuffing mail for political and his colleagues are especially interested in tribute to society in another way.” Two disclose his job meetings to anyone, as campaigns, all fellows must complete the uni- International Connections the voter micro-targeting - tailored messages to days later, on Feb 17, Bayh was on the long as they occurred prior to a solid versity’s class on battleground politics. Gerald Austin said international connections made individual voters based on data such as voting phone with a job headhunter. In the offer. “It’s outrageous,” said Craig Holman, Austin, a longtime Ohio Democratic strategist, through the program are valuable to both sides. patterns and internet habits - employed by months to come, Bayh met and talked a lobbyist with Public Citizen who helped conceived the program and says it’s unique in “All these folks are very skilled, experienced in American campaigns. repeatedly with headhunters at more than Democrats write the ethics language embedding international fellows with US politi- their own country,” Austin said. “India’s the Indian ballots also feature an option that may a half-dozen recruiting firms, and with offi- intended to eliminate conflicts of inter- cal campaigns. He team-teaches the battle- largest democracy in the world. They’ve got 1.3 have come in handy this year in the US, when cials at Apollo Global Management, est. “What we were unaware of at the ground politics class with the University of billion people, and 800 million of them vote. two of the least popular candidates on record Marathon Oil Co, and three other compa- time was how Congress would manipu- Akron’s John Green, director of the Bliss Institute They’re astounded to hear we actually vote, are running for president: None of the above. nies he would work with after his retire- late the rule so that they really don’t of Applied Politics. count and declare a winner all on Election Day. There’s less time to grow weary of the candi- ment: the McGuireWoods law firm, abide by it.” — AP On a recent Wednesday night, the class gath- So they have a lot to teach us about what they dates, though. India’s election season is just 45 ered in two separate classrooms - at Columbus do that we don’t do, and we have a lot to teach days long. — AP