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Total 100 articles, created at 2016-07-03 18:01 1 No Filipino casualties so far in deadly Baghdad suicide blasts THE Philippine Embassy in Baghdad asked Filipinos to remain (1.03/2) vigilant following the deadly suicide bombings that killed at least 83 people and injured 176 others in the Iraqi capital on 2016-07-03 18:01 2KB globalnation.inquirer.net 2 Wales pulls off historic 3-1 victory over Belgium in Euro 2016 quarter-final — RT Sport (1.02/2) Wales has pulled off a shock victory over Belgium in their Euro 2016 quarter-final, winning 3-1 to set up a semi-final clash with Portugal. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 3 Hostage situation as ISIS gunmen attack restaurant in Bangladeshi capital’s embassy (1.02/2) district — RT News Armed men have attacked a restaurant in Dhaka’s diplomatic quarter, taking up to 40 hostages and killing at least 2 police officers. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack. 2016-07-03 18:00 5KB www.rt.com 4 United welcomes Ibrahimovic with huge billboard — RT Sport (1.02/2) New Manchester United star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been welcomed to the city with a giant poster provocatively hung just a few steps away from the official fan store of rivals Manchester City. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 5 Bangladesh in mourning after hostage bloodbath

(1.02/2) Bangladesh began two days of national mourning Sunday after 20 hostages were slaughtered at a restaurant as the government insisted the attackers were homegrown jihadists and not followers of the Islamic State group. 2016-07-03 18:00 5KB www.timeslive.co.za 6 Bela-Bela bids for Durban July glory The waiting's over. A gong will sound at Greyville racecourse at 4.20pm tomorrow, starting gates will clang open, 18 of South (0.02/2) Africa's best thoroughbred horses will spring into action and start belting along a narrow strip of turf. 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.timeslive.co.za 7 New Jersey declares state of emergency over infrastructure — RT America (0.01/2) After counting the potholes on the New Jersey Turnpike, Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency over the condition of the Garden State’s roads. He ordered officials to shut down all current work after lawmakers failed to reach a funding deal. 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.rt.com 8 Hillary Clinton interviewed by FBI over classified email scandal probe – campaign (0.01/2) spokesman — RT America Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has been interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation over her use of a private email server to store classified information, her campaign spokesman has said. 2016-07-03 18:00 4KB www.rt.com 9 Of the People Americans share their hopes, fears and frustrations in interviews from the campaign trail. 2016-07-03 18:00 1KB www.nytimes.com 10 Canada is not a-moosed: Men charged for riding swimming elk rodeo-style — RT America Like many stupid ideas, this one probably started with a comment about holding beer. Two British Columbian men are charged with a variety of wildlife-related crimes for a moose-riding stunt that went viral. 2016-07-03 18:00 1KB www.rt.com 11 Man nearly lynched after threatening mosque-goers with bomb – Turkish media — RT News A man was almost beaten to death by an angry mob at Sabanci Mosque in southern Turkey after he threatened to detonate a bomb. Police were only able to rescue him from the crowd after firing into the air. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 12 ‘Austria will stay in EU if Turkey stays out’ – presidential candidate Hofer to RT — RT News There will be no need for a referendum on EU membership in Austria if the European Union decides not to let Turkey become a member, Norbert Hofer, the head of Austria’s eurosceptic Freedom Party (FPO) told RT. 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.rt.com 13 Russian hockey star Alexander Radulov returns to NHL, signs with Montreal Canadiens — RT Sport Russian forward Alexander Radulov is making a return to the National Hockey League after signing a one-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens, reportedly worth $5.75 million. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 14 Holy macaroni! Noodles & Co. faces customer data breach in 27 states — RT America Oh, manicotti. If you’ve eaten at a Noodles & Company restaurant in the first half of this year, you may want to keep a close watch on your credit card statement. The pasta chain experienced a data breach that may have put customers’ information at risk. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 15 US-led coalition airstrike kills 2 ISIS 'senior military commanders' – Pentagon — RT America Islamic State's “deputy minister of war” and a military commander were killed in an airstrike in Mosul on June 25, a Pentagon official said Friday. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 16 Disabled woman undergoing brain tumor treatment sues after bloody TSA beating at Memphis airport — RT America A young woman with several physical handicaps was bloodied by TSA agents and arrested at the Memphis International Airport when she became confused and anxious upon extra security screening. She has now sued over the incident. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 17 Democratic platform unveiled — RT America A newly revised version of the Democratic Party's platform was released Friday, ahead of the July 4 three-day holiday weekend. It includes a plank calling for a $15 per hour minimum wage and criticism of global trade deals. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 18 Tiny NZ town swamped with bids from all over world after sending out call for new residents — RT News The mayor of a New Zealand town failing to deal with low unemployment and affordable housing has cried out for help, inviting newcomers from other cities and abroad. Thankfully, his plea has been answered by thousands worried about the town’s plight. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 19 Breedlove’s war: Emails show ex-NATO general plotting US conflict with Russia — RT America Hacked private emails of the US general formerly in charge of NATO reveal a campaign to pressure the White House into escalating the conflict with Russia over Ukraine, involving several influential players in Washington. 2016-07-03 18:00 5KB www.rt.com

20 Thousands of Iranians stage anti-Israel rallies to mark ‘Al-Quds Day’ (VIDEO, PHOTOS) — RT Viral Demonstrations have taken place across Iran to mark Al-Quds Day, the country’s annual event to show solidarity with Palestinians. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 21 Trump protests turn violent in Denver, 3 arrested — RT America In what has become a typical Trump rally brouhaha, a protest against the presumptive Republican presidential nominee in Denver, Colorado grew violent, with pushing and shoving. At least three people were arrested. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 22 Maldonado appeals controversial Fedor Emelianenko victory — RT Sport Fabio Maldonado's manager has submitted an appeal to the World Mixed Martial Arts Association (WMMAA) asking for an investigation into the result of his recent fight against Russia’s Fedor Emelianenko. 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.rt.com 23 Obama admin says up to 116 civilians 'accidentally' killed in US drone strikes — RT America The US drone strikes have accidentally killed up to 116 civilians in countries that the US is not at war with, the White House said. The number is lower than the figures cited by various human rights organizations. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 24 Guccifer 2.0 reveals Clinton expenses, clues on identity & slams presidential hopefuls — RT America Releasing a new batch of documents from the Democratic National Committee, hacker Guccifer 2.0 mocked allegations he works for the Kremlin, praised Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, and Chelsea Manning and dismissed all the US presidential contenders. 2016-07-03 18:00 4KB www.rt.com 25 First world problem: Salsa-inspired brawl wrecks Dallas eatery (VIDEO) — RT Viral First world problems. A massive late-night fight, apparently over chips and salsa, devastated a Dallas restaurant and subsequently warmed the internet. 2016-07-03 18:00 1KB www.rt.com

26 Chicago woman claims police attacked, searched her for being Muslim — RT America A Muslim woman is accusing Chicago police of racial profiling after she was tackled by officers when she was running to catch a train home. 2016-07-03 18:00 1KB www.rt.com 27 NFL players “illegally drugged” with painkillers to start legal action against former teams — RT Sport NFL teams could be set for a legal face-off with more than 1,500 former football players after a California judge gave the green light for a case regarding the misuse of painkillers to proceed. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 28 Queen calls for calm but never mentions Brexit in opening Scottish Parliamentary session — RT UK Queen Elizabeth II avoided making any direct comments on last week’s historic Brexit vote as she opened a new session of the Scottish Parliament, but stressed the importance of staying “calm and collected” in a “complex and demanding” world. 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.rt.com 29 Stink over sewage running down streets of Secunda township Residents of Embalenhle Township in the Mpumalanga town of Secunda have been forced to tolerate human waste and stinking sewage running down their streets and properties for two years‚ the Congress of the People party (COPE) says. 2016-07-03 18:00 955Bytes www.timeslive.co.za 30 Quiet on SA side of Beitbridge border post of protest It was quiet on the South African side of the Beitbridge border post on Saturday following a protest that shut down the post for five hours on Friday‚ police confirmed. 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.timeslive.co.za 31 Muslim call to prayer heard from inside Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia — RT News A muezzin has performed an Islamic call to prayer for the first time in 81 years in one of Istanbul’s iconic monuments, Hagia Sophia, famous for its grandiose dome. 2016-07-03 18:00 1KB www.rt.com 32 South African firefighters deployed in Canada finally paid The 300 South African firefighters who were deployed in Canada last month to help fight a massive forest blaze but quit after only one week over a pay dispute have finally been paid‚ according to the Canadian government. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 33 US woman gets suspended sentence for death threats to Stephen Hawking — RT News A stalker received a 4 month suspended sentence and was slapped with a restraining order for bombarding renowned British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking with dozens of death threats when he arrived in Tenerife, Spain for the Starmus science festival. 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.rt.com 34 Over 1,100 Arab citizens of Israel killed since 2000 – official — RT News The mayor of an Israeli-Arab town has stated that 1,165 Arab Israeli citizens have been murdered since 2000. Crime in the Arab sector has hit an all-time high, but Israeli law enforcement has failed to address the issue, experts told the local parliament. 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.rt.com 35 Skydivers fall to their deaths in Olympic rings performance in Brazil — RT Sport The tragedy occurred on Wednesday when a group of 28 people attempted to form the famous five rings associated with the Olympics. 2016-07-03 18:00 1KB www.rt.com 36 Russian warplanes will fly over Baltic with transponders on, if NATO does the same — RT News All Russian military aircraft could begin flying their missions over the Baltic Sea with their identification transponders switched on as part of a package of trust-building measures with NATO, Russia’s defense minister said. 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.rt.com 37 Armed fighters demanding warlord’s release Kiev court — RT News Armed members of a Ukrainian volunteer battalion back from fighting the self-proclaimed republics in the country’s east are blocking a court in the capital Kiev where a former commander is standing trial for kidnapping and organizing a mob. 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.rt.com

38 ‘Sharktivity’ app launched to detect great whites swimming off coast of Cape Cod — RT America As Americans hit the beach to celebrate the fourth of July holiday weekend, bathers at Cape Cod will be able to learn of any great white lurking underwater in the area with a new smartphone app that tracks the movement of the deadly predators. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 39 Zuma’s pals can’t stop corruption: Msimanga President Jacob Zuma’s pals can’t stop corruption because the ANC cannot operate without it‚ the Democratic Alliance’s mayoral candidate for Tshwane‚ Solly Msimanga‚ charged on Saturday. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 40 Two senior NFP leaders resign National Freedom Party President Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi has accepted the resignation of two senior leaders. 2016-07-03 18:00 1KB www.timeslive.co.za 41 SABC banned coverage of EFF – Jimi Matthews Former South African Broadcasting Corporation acting CEO Jimi Matthews has confirmed that the public broadcaster banned coverage of the Economic Freedom Fighters ahead of the 2014 general elections. 2016-07-03 18:00 1KB www.timeslive.co.za 42 Cope slams ANC’s ‘mutists of Parliament’ for silence on SABC censorship The Congress of the People (Cope) labelled ruling party members of Parliament as “mutists” for their “deathly silence…regarding the destructive censorship of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)”. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 43 Johnson’s used, never-used water cannon to be sold off by new mayor — RT UK Three water cannon bought by London’s former mayor, Boris Johnson, are to be sold off by the incumbent, Sadiq Kahn, who says he will use the money raised from selling the crowd control vehicles to fund services for youths in the capital. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 44 Croatian football hooligans attack national team player following Euro 2016 exit — RT Sport Following their teams exit from Euro 2016, Croatian hooligans targeted Barcelona and Croatian international Ivan Rakitic and his family, terrorizing them while they were on holiday on the island of Ugljan. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 45 Turkish aid ship sails to Gaza after talks with Israel ‘largely lift’ blockade — RT News The Lady Leyla, a humanitarian aid ship loaded with 11,000 tons of food, toys, and other supplies, has left Turkey’s largest port, Mersin, for Gaza. The sea blockade of the Palestinian strip has been “largely lifted” by a Turkish-Israeli peace agreement. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 46 ANC councillor candidate in KZN shot dead The African National Congress has confirmed that one of their councillor candidates for Newcastle in Kwazulu-Natal‚ Thembi Mbongwa‚ was shot dead on Saturday night. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 47 Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel dies Elie Wiesel, the Holocaust survivor, writer and Nobel peace laureate who worked to keep alive the memory of Jews slaughtered during World War II, has died aged 87. 2016-07-03 18:00 4KB www.timeslive.co.za 48 File 17: Fresh documents hint at possible Saudi ties to 9 The US government has declassified a report that lists more than three dozen people that investigators looking into the 9/11 terrorist attacks wanted to probe for possible links from Saudi Arabia to the hijackers. 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.rt.com 49 Tens of thousands of anti-Brexit protesters hit streets of London — RT UK More than 50,000 people were estimated to march through London Saturday in hope of pressuring politicians to keep Britain in the European Union. 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.rt.com 50 RT behind scenes with Prisma app — RT Viral Delve behind the scenes of RT's routine with this new Russian app that turns photos into art using filters inspired by artists such as Kandinsky, Mucha, Lichtenstein, Munch and Chagall. 2016-07-03 18:00 812Bytes www.rt.com 51 Lions pick up where they left off as they maul Sharks Even without influential captain the Lions continued to run riot in with an impressive win against the Sharks at Ellis Park on Saturday night. 2016-07-03 18:00 4KB www.timeslive.co.za

52 'We weren't really effective' in Western Cape, admits ANC's Ehrenreich The leader of the opposition in the Cape Town City Council and the province's Cosatu secretary, Tony Ehrenreich, has conceded that he led an ineffective opposition in the council. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 53 It’s haul in your head! Record amount of cocaine found in horse sculpture by N. Zealand police — RT News New Zealand Police uncovered the drugs haul of a lifetime after smugglers used a blinged horse’s head to import a record amount of coke into country, apparently not thinking the huge diamante- incrusted horse sculpture would draw any attention. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 54 China to ‘eavesdrop’ on alien life with giant, multimillion dollar radio telescope (VIDEO) — RT News China has completed construction of the world’s largest radio telescope, which required the resettlement of more than 9,000 people. It will be used to hunt for signs of alien life in deep space. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.rt.com 55 Nick Young responds to Iggy Azalea cheating claims Nick Young has responded publicly after former fiancee Iggy Azalea revealed she caught him cheating on her via the security cameras set up at their home. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 56 Ahmed Kathrada Foundation’s response to Rivers Church pastor It is to be appreciated that Pastor Olivier apologised for the statements he made in a sermon on Sunday‚ 26 June 2016. 2016-07-03 18:00 7KB www.timeslive.co.za 57 From the BET red carpet to Hollywood Hills She wowed fans with her gold Gert-Johan Coetzee dress at the BET Awards last Sunday. Now Enhle Mbali has conquered the Hollywood Hills and is showing fans just how much she is winning at life. 2016-07-03 18:00 1KB www.timeslive.co.za

58 Father & son create 'highest power per unit of weight' motor — RT America The admittedly ambitious father-and-son team of Nikolay and Alexander Shkolnik are pursuing what they hope to be the most compact, fuel-efficient, low-noise combustion engine in the world. 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.rt.com 59 Keys to the kingdom Madison Keys, the woman tipped as the most likely American successor to the Williams sisters, powered to a 6-4 4-6 6-3 victory against Kirsten Flipkens in the second round of Wimbledon yesterday. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 60 Battle of the flyhalves Talk of the Sharks being more desperate to win tomorrow's crunch Super rugby clash was brushed aside by Lions coach yesterday. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 61 What's King Dalindyebo smoking? In a last-ditch attempt to evade justice, jailed abaThembu king Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, a self-proclaimed dagga smoker, has asked the Constitutional Court to allow traditional leaders to run their own sovereign territories. 2016-07-03 18:00 4KB www.timeslive.co.za 62 Israeli minister slams social network for ‘sabotaging’ police work — RT News Gilad Erdan, Israel’s minister of public security, has berated Facebook for “sabotaging the work of Israeli police” and urged the nation to confront its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, “in every possible place.” 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.rt.com 63 Special prosecutor appointed in Laquan McDonald case — RT America In the murder trial of the Chicago police officer who shot Laquan McDonald 16 times, an independent special prosecutor will be appointed to investigate whether other officers on the scene engaged in a cover-up. 2016-07-03 18:00 3KB www.rt.com 64 Legislation around doping abuse must be tightened Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that legislation around doping abuse needs to be tightened, as well as more investigations based on facts. 2016-07-03 18:00 4KB www.rt.com

65 What is OurMine and why should tech bosses be concerned? What do Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai have in common? They’ve all been victims of OurMine, which over recent weeks has gone on a hacking spree on . 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.thedrum.com 66 Virgin to take on Sky as it expands into programme making Virgin Media is set to create its own original television programmes in a move that will place it directly in competition with rival Sky. 2016-07-03 18:00 1KB www.thedrum.com 67 Ad of the Day: First Choice asks David Hasselhoff to create the 'ultimate summer song' Our pick of the day stars former Baywatch favourite David Hasselhoff, whom First Choice has tasked to flex his musical muscle in bid to create the ultimate summer song as part of its 'Summer Hoff Music' campaign. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.thedrum.com 68 Nestlé to dial up Spotify presence in bid to capitalise on people’s mindsets Nestlé is in talks with Spotify to see how it can take advantage of the music streaming site’s highly engaged user base and is exploring the potential of creating branded play lists to reach listeners who spend on average two hours a day on the platform. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.thedrum.com 69 Disney releases LOL app to make social sharing child friendly Disney has created a new app featuring short-form social content to make social media safer for children. 2016-07-03 18:00 1KB www.thedrum.com 70 IMAX releases first ad campaign shot using its own cameras IMAX has created its first ever advertising campaign using its own cameras, in a spot that features a variety of different film genres from fantasy to superhero. 2016-07-03 18:00 1KB www.thedrum.com 71 Marketing Moment 94: 1980s sitcom ‘Who’s the Boss?’ features a divorced woman as an ad executive To celebrate the Ad Club of New York's 120th anniversary, The Drum is inviting readers to share their favorite marketing moments from the past 120 years. 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB www.thedrum.com

72 ITV in hot water after broadcasting fully exposed sex on Love Island ITV has angered watchdogs after broadcasting a couple having fully exposed sex on its Love Island TV programme. 2016-07-03 18:00 1KB www.thedrum.com 73 Bohol cop to face raps after testing positive for illegal drug use TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol—A police officer in the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) will face administrative charges after he was tested positive for illegal drug use. Senior Insp. Jojit 2016-07-03 18:00 1KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 74 Gilas focused on getting gameplan together, says Norwood WITH all of the six teams participating in the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) housed under one roof, noted that this is where the real work starts. "I'm happy 2016-07-03 18:00 2KB sports.inquirer.net 75 Demecillo doesn’t let injury dampen her spirit as return nears Cyd Demecillo is yet to play a single minute in the current Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino Conference but her downtime hasn’t dampened her spirits as she remained as bubbly as a kid with a 2016-07-03 18:01 2KB sports.inquirer.net 76 Baldwin brings in Gilas ‘taxi squad’ LESS than two days away from Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament in , Gilas Pilipinas coach brought in his "taxi squad" for the team's practice session at Mall of 2016-07-03 18:01 2KB sports.inquirer.net 77 Tropical storm to enter PAR Tuesday, to be named ‘Butchoy’ The state weather bureau said on Sunday that a tropical storm will enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday. Once it enters PAR, it will be named 2016-07-03 18:01 1KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 78 Still no Cabinet post for Leni despite ‘warm’ meeting with Duterte DAVAO CITY, —A Palace official on Sunday said that President Rodrigo Duterte will have the final say on whether he would give Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo a position 2016-07-03 18:01 2KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 79 Is July 6 a holiday? No official word yet on Eid al-Fitr DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Not yet official. Malacanang on Sunday said that the public should wait for an official announcement with regard to the declaration of July 6 as a national holiday in 2016-07-03 18:01 1KB newsinfo.inquirer.net 80 Duterte admin to honor contracts left by Aquino gov’t THE Duterte administration will respect existing contracts left by the Aquino administration, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said on Sunday. "As of the present, we are to honor 2016-07-03 18:01 4KB business.inquirer.net 81 Probing the cosmos: Is anybody out there? From a remote valley in Northern California, Jill Tarter is listening to the universe. 2016-07-03 14:45 6KB rss.cnn.com 82 Mars Science Lab launch delayed two years NASA's launch of the Mars Science Laboratory -- hampered by technical difficulties and cost overruns -- has been delayed until the fall of 2011, NASA officials said at a news conference Thursday in Washington. 2016-07-03 14:45 4KB rss.cnn.com 83 Indian lunar orbiter hit by heat rise Scientists have switched off several on-board instruments to halt rising temperatures inside India's first unmanned lunar spacecraft. 2016-07-03 14:45 2KB rss.cnn.com 84 Shuttle Endeavour lands at California air base Space shuttle Endeavour landed safely Sunday afternoon at California's Edwards Air Force Base after NASA waved off two opportunities for a Florida landing because of poor weather. 2016-07-03 14:45 3KB rss.cnn.com 85 What the... 'Bhakts' rush to support singer Abhijeet for his abusive tweets Bollywood singer Abhijeet has raked a fresh controversy with his abusive tweets on the Infosys murder case and personal attacks on a senior journalist. But what's more shocking is that he was egged on... 2016-07-03 16:49 2KB www.mid-day.com 86 New research considers 'growing' drones The BBC's defence correspondent Jonathan Beale finds out more about the development of new military technology, including whether a drone can be chemically "grown". 2016-07-03 14:44 3KB www.bbc.co.uk 87 Harry Studley: Two charged after baby shot in head in Bristol Two people are charged after a one-year-old boy is shot in the head with an air rifle in Bristol. 2016-07-03 14:44 1KB www.bbc.co.uk 88 Trade unions 'can broker Labour peace' The "coup" against Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn "has failed" and trade union leaders can now broker peace within the party, Unite leader Len McCluskey says. 2016-07-03 14:44 4KB www.bbc.co.uk 89 Man steals car with baby and young girl in back in Enfield A man steals a car and drives away with a baby boy and a young girl sitting in the back in north London. 2016-07-03 14:44 1KB www.bbc.co.uk 90 Tony Blair: UK should keep Brexit options open Former prime minister Tony Blair says "we should keep our options open" on the UK leaving the European Union. 2016-07-03 14:44 3KB www.bbc.co.uk 91 Caroline Aherne: Her best-loved characters A look at some of the best-loved characters - and comedy moments - created by writer and comedian Caroline Aherne, who has died at the age of 52. 2016-07-03 14:44 2KB www.bbc.co.uk 92 Kenya's school arson attacks lead to national debate School arson attacks carried out by students appear to have become a trend in Kenya, which has left people speculating about the causes, but no-one seems to agree. 2016-07-03 14:44 3KB www.bbc.co.uk 93 Thunderbird Preparatory Academy Tour Thunderbird Preparatory Academy Tour 2016-07-03 14:44 2KB www.charlotteobserver.com 94 The American Spectator The polls had barely closed in the ’s Brexit referendum when people on the losing side were calling for a revote. So far... 2016-07-03 14:44 7KB spectator.org 95 Pay No Attention to the Woman in Front of the Curtain When Barrack Obama ran for the White House in 2008, he promised he would run a transparent administration. Well, it has been... 2016-07-03 14:44 1KB spectator.org 96 The Libertarian Alternative, Gary Johnson Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson sees a path to the White House. The former Republican governor of New Mexico can boast a running mate,... 2016-07-03 14:44 4KB spectator.org 97 Declarations of Independence A personal note: On Thursday morning, I had the opportunity to interview Delaney Henderson, a remarkable and courageous young woman who recently... 2016-07-03 14:44 8KB spectator.org 98 Calling Out Radical Islam “The bombs in Vietnam explode at home,” admonished Martin Luther King at the outset America’s incursion in Southeast Asia. The ensuing carnage from... 2016-07-03 14:44 5KB spectator.org 99 Jeh Johnson’s Radical Evasions: Shhh! Don’t Say ‘Radical Islam’ Making the words “Jihad” and “Islamic terrorism” unsayable within the government changes how people think and therefore act regarding warning signs of impending attacks... 2016-07-03 14:44 1KB spectator.org 100 VIDEO: "They decided to shut my business and throw me away" Former medical marijuana dispensary owners in Tacoma discuss the shutdown of their businesses and their concern for disadvantaged patients. 2016-07-03 14:44 2KB www.thenewstribune.com Articles

Total 100 articles, created at 2016-07-03 18:01

1 No Filipino casualties so far in deadly Baghdad suicide blasts (1.03/2) THE Philippine Embassy in Baghdad asked Filipinos to remain vigilant following the deadly suicide bombings that killed at least 83 people and injured 176 others in the Iraqi capital on Sunday. Chargé d’Affaires Elmer Cato said on Sunday that he has not received any information of Filipino casualties in the blasts, which the Embassy described as the deadliest to hit Baghdad this year. “The Philippine Embassy joins the people of Baghdad in mourning the loss of many innocent lives,” Cato said in a statement. “In anticipation of more attacks before the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the Embassy reiterates its call for our kababayans in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq to remain vigilant in the coming days and to restrict movement,” he added. Cato said that about 300 Filipinos are in Baghdad despite the existing mandatory repatriation program after Iraq was placed under Alert IV status in 2014. In all, around 2,000 Filipinos live in Iraq, 1,500 of them are working in northern Kurdistan region while the rest are in Basra and in the southern provinces of the said country. The Associated Press reported that two separate bombings ripped the Iraqi capital—first, a car bomb exploded in the shopping district of Karada; in the second, an improvised explosive device was detonated in eastern Baghdad. The terrorist group Isis has claimed responsibility for the bombing in Karada./ rga/ac 84 people die in car bomb attacks in Baghdad mid-day.com 2016-07-03 18:01 Aries Joseph globalnation.inquirer.net

2 Wales pulls off historic 3-1 victory over Belgium in Euro 2016 quarter-final — RT Sport (1.02/2) Belgium took the lead in the 13th minute when Radja Nainggolan fired in a stunning strike from 25 yards out. But Wales captain Ashley Williams equalized with a bullet header from a corner in the 31st minute. Hal Robson-Kanu then gave them the lead with a smart finish on 55 minutes, when he received the ball with his back to goal in the Belgian penalty box, turned two defenders and swept the ball past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois into the corner of the net. Wales sealed the win five minutes from full-time when substitute Sam Vokes headed in a cross from Chris Gunter. Welsh fans went delirious in the crowd at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, with their side now set to play in the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time ever. The Belgian side – the highest-ranked team in the tournament at #2 in the FIFA ratings – were widely fancied to progress, but faced a resilient Wales, who defended well and caused problems with fast counter-attacks and in particular corners by Arsenal man Aaron Ramsey. Wales – inspired by Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale – had reached the quarter- final thanks to a narrow 1-0 win over Northern Ireland, after emerging through the group stage as winners of Group B, which included England, Russia and Slovakia. Belgium had reached the last eight in style, seeing off Hungary 4-0, and a team including star players such as Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne appeared to be ready to fulfil its potential. However, Welsh passion proved too strong as they secured a win that will go down as one of the greatest in the country’s sporting history. Euro 2016 is shaping up to be a tournament known for its shocks, after Iceland – a nation of just 330,000 people – stunned England 2-1 in their last-16 tie on Monday. The Icelanders will be hoping to beat host-nation France on Sunday and join Wales at the semi-final stage. Italy plays world champions Germany in the other quarter-final tomorrow, with the winner of that game going on to play either Iceland or France.

Hazard returns to his 'home' to harpoon Wales timeslive.co.za 2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

3 Hostage situation as ISIS gunmen attack restaurant in Bangladeshi capital’s embassy district — RT News (1.02/2) 03 July 2016 Bangladeshi Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan maintains that the Islamists killed during a hostage crisis at a Dhaka restaurant were not members of the Islamic State terror group (ISIS/ISIL). “They are members of the Jamaeytul Mujahdeen Bangladesh,” the minister told AFP, stressing that the terrorists that slaughtered 20 hostages, all of whom were foreigners, “have no connections with the Islamic State.” The Jamaeytul Mujahdeen Islamist group has been banned in Bangladesh for over a decade now. Since the very beginning of the 11-hour siege that ended in the deaths of 26 people, six of whom were terrorists, the government has consistently denied that any internationally-linked terrorists were operating in Bangladesh. A seventh terrorist was arrested and is currently being interrogated. Minister Khan specifically noted that most of the gunmen that were killed came from wealthy families and had been well educated. “They are all highly educated young men and went to university. No one is from a madrassa,” the minister said, explaining that the young men had become Islamic extremists because “it has become a fashion.” 02 July 2016 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the Dhaka attack “ despicable ” and said it “ pained us beyond words” during his conversation with his Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina. India stands firmly with our sisters & brothers of Bangladesh in this hour of grief. All the attackers in Friday's deadly attack on the cafe in Dhaka were Bangladeshi citizens, Police Inspector General Shahidul Hoque told CNN on Saturday. He also said that police had previously tried to arrest five of the assailants. The United States stands with Bangladesh. Read the statement by @PressSec : pic.twitter.com/9PGlPTjKAZ The US State Department has confirmed that an American citizen was also among those killed in the terror attack in Bangladesh. “ We can confirm that a US citizen was also among those senselessly murdered in this attack, ” the department said in a statement on Saturday, which gave no further details were given on victim’s identity. Thirteen hostages were rescued from the besieged cafe in Dhaka on Saturday, but some had already been killed, according to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who spoke to the nation in a televised speech. She said that six gunmen were killed and one was captured alive in a dawn raid conducted by Bangladeshi commandos. Hasina condemned the attack, calling it a “ heinous act ” unworthy of a Muslim, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. “ Because of the effort of the joint force, the terrorists could not flee. It was an extremely heinous act. What kind of Muslims are these people who kill other humans during Ramadan? They don't have any religion, their only religion is terrorism, ” Hasina stressed. In an official statement issued on Saturday, French President Francois Hollande expressed support for and solidarity with the Bangladeshi authorities in the wake of the attack on the cafe in Dhaka, while stressing the need to mobilize forces to fight Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ ISIL) terrorists globally. “ Islamist terrorism strikes everywhere. The global community must unite to ruthlessly fight [the terrorists, ” the statement released by the Élysée Palace read. Seven Japanese citizens have been confirmed dead after the deadly attacks in Bangladesh’s capital. The announcement was made by the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga. Two students from Emory University in Georgia were among those killed by terrorists. One of the victims, named as Abinta Kabir, was an undergraduate student at the university in Atlanta from Miami, Florida. She was in Bangladesh to visit family and friends. The second student was named as Faraaz Hossain, who was from Dhaka. Our thoughts and prayers go out on behalf of Faraaz and Abinta, their friends and family for strength and peace at this unspeakably sad time “The Emory community mourns this tragic and senseless loss of one of our university family. Our thoughts and prayers go out on behalf of Abinta and her family and friends for strength and peace at this unspeakably sad time,” a statement on the university’s website read. "Our thoughts and prayers go out on behalf of Faraaz and Abinta, their friends and family for strength and peace at this unspeakably sad time," the university also tweeted. Bangladesh’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina Wazed, has declared two days of national mourning for those who died in the deadly attack on a cafe in the country’s capital city of Dhaka, according to Reuters.

The Latest: Pope prays after attacks in Bangladesh, Iraq washingtontimes.com 2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

4 United welcomes Ibrahimovic with huge billboard — RT Sport (1.02/2) The poster displayed at the Arndale Shopping Centre greets the star Swede in United’s signature devil red, and is just a stone’s throw away from Manchester City's club shop. Ibrahimovic took to Instagram yesterday to reveal he was coming to Manchester United, before the club could make an official statement. The poster welcoming him to Manchester is rumored to be a ploy by Adidas, which sponsors Manchester United. During a training session at Euro 2016 – where Ibrahimovic was captaining the Swedish national team – he was seen in Adidas boots before switching back to his current sponsor Nike for Sweden’s game against Italy. Adidas owns a store next to where the current sign is fixed. The poster of Ibrahimovic mimics a previous display by Manchester City in 2009 that displayed the message “Welcome to Manchester” with a blue image of Carlos Tevez when they signed him ahead of their cross-city rivals – even though Tevez had spent the best part of two years playing under a loan agreement at United. The club officially announced the signing on Friday evening. "I am absolutely delighted to be joining Manchester United and am looking forward to playing in the Premier League," said Ibrahimovic. Ibrahimovic moved to the Old Trafford club on a free transfer from French side Paris Saint-Germain, where his contract has expired. The last time he played was in Euro 2016 in June representing Sweden, which failed to progress beyond the group stage of the competition. The 34-year-old announced his retirement from international football following the competition. Rumours of Ibrahimovic joining Manchester United had been rife since Jose Mourinho was announced as the club’s new manager. Ibrahimovic previously played under Mourinho when he was manager at Inter Milan in 2008. Cheeky 'Welcome to Zlatan' Manchester United billboard displayed opposite Manchester City shop thedrum.com 2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

5 Bangladesh in mourning after hostage bloodbath (1.02/2) Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina decreed the mourning period as she vowed to drag Bangladesh back from the brink, warning of a concerted bid to turn one of the world's most populous nations into a failed state. Amid mass condemnation of the killings in Dhaka, whose victims included 18 foreigners, the Islamic State group said it had targeted a gathering of "citizens of crusader states" on Friday night at a Western-style cafe. But a government minister insisted the killers, six of whom were gunned down at the end of the siege, were members of a homegrown militant outfit and had no links to international jihadist networks. "They are members of the Jamaeytul Mujahdeen Bangladesh," Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told AFP, referring to a group which has been banned in Bangladesh for more than a decade. "They have no connections with the Islamic State. " As well as the 20 slain hostages whose bodies were found amid pools of blood after commandos stormed the cafe to end the siege, two policemen were also shot dead in a fierce gunbattle at its outset. Six gunmen were shot dead by the commandos at the final stages of the siege at the Holey Artisan Bakery cafe but one of the hostage-takers was taken alive and was being interrogated by Bangladeshi intelligence. Security officials said most of the victims were slaughtered with sharpened machete-style weapons. Hasina's government has previously blamed a string of deadly attacks against religious minorities and foreigners on domestic opponents but the latest will heighten fears that IS's reach is spreading. "Islam is a religion of peace. Stop killing in the name of the religion," Hasina said in an impassioned televised address to the nation. The 68-year-old premier said the people behind the attacks were trying to ruin Bangladesh, a mainly Muslim nation of 160 million people. "By holding innocent civilians hostage at gunpoint, they want to turn our nation into a failed state," she said. Analysts say that the government is wary of acknowledging that groups such as IS or Al-Qaeda have gained a foothold in Bangladesh over fears that it will frighten off foreign investors. But Shahedul Anam Khan, an analyst for the Dhaka-based Daily Star, said the attack meant the government could no longer plausibly deny that international jihadist groups were active in Bangladesh. "While one is not sure that these people are organically linked to the international extremist groups, the government must own up to the reality that the footprints of the IS in this country is very real and no amount of denying can alter the fact," he wrote. Flags were being flown at half-mast in government offices while prayer services were being held across the country. Italy was mouring the loss of nine of its nationals in the attack while seven Japanese were also killed. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke of his "profound anger that so many innocent people have lost their lives in the cruel and nefarious terrorism" with Pope Francis also joining the welter of condemnation. The other victims included an American citizen and a 19-year-old Indian who was studying in California. A Bangladeshi survivor of the massacre told how the attackers split the diners into groups of foreigners and locals, making clear that their targets were non-Muslims. "They kept saying: 'Do not worry, we are here to kill foreigners and non- Muslims. You should pray to God, pray five times a day'," the unnamed survivor told the Dhaka Tribune newspaper. Home minister Khan said that all of the attackers were well-educated and most came from wealthy families. "They are all highly educated young men and went to university. No one is from a madrassa," the minister said. Asked why they would have become Islamist militants, Khan said: "It has become a fashion. " The attack, by far the deadliest of a recent wave of killings claimed by IS or a local Al-Qaeda offshoot, was carried out in the upmarket Gulshan neighbourhood which is home to the country's elite and many embassies. Last month authorities launched a crackdown on local jihadists, arresting more than 11,000 people but critics allege the arrests were arbitrary or designed to silence political opponents. Bangladesh's main Islamist party has been banned from contesting polls and most of its leaders have been arrested or else executed after recent trials over their role in the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.

A timeline of the weekend hostage crisis in Bangladesh washingtontimes.com 2016-07-03 18:00 AFP www.timeslive.co.za

6 Bela-Bela bids for Durban July glory (0.02/2) Just over two minutes later we'll salute the 119th victor of the fabled Durban July. Perhaps you'll have backed that very horse. Well done! Any chance you'll buy a round, you jammy bastard? 1 FRENCH NAVY 5-1. No Frexit here, sailor boy; he's well in the fold of our final choices. Top weight, but favourably handicapped against younger rivals. Money coming. 3 ABASHIRI 14-1. Triple Crown hero, but heavily weighted for a three-year- old. Still, there are plenty of "Aba" fans for the Super Trouper. If he wins, imagine the singing: "The Winner Takes it All", "Mama Mia", "Money, Money, Money". Please, no. 4 MASTER SABINA 28-1. Summer Cup winner who had bad luck in a Cape Town campaign. Track and distance suited, well drawn and weighted, champion jockey and going like a train in training. Very dangerous outsider. 5 BLACK ARTHUR 6-1. One-time July favourite, but dumped by ace jockey Anthony Delpech in favour of a sweet young thing. Hong Kong multiple champ, and Durban's own, Dougie Whyte jets in to take over in the irons. Obvious chance, but big weight and wide draw are negatives. 8 SOLID SPEED 11-2. Same owner-trainer-jockey combo as last year's winner. Preparation and form look similar, too. Should be in the frame. 9 IT'S MY TURN 11-1. That's what they all say. Maybe next time, with a better draw and fewer well-backed stablemates. Though a win wouldn't be a major surprise. 10 ROCKETBALL 35-1. Can you hear me, Major Tom? 11 MAMBO MIME 16-1. Dark horse. The one you worry about when you leave him out. 12 TEN GUN SALUTE 25-1. "Boom! ", in a bad way, if he turns up in the winner's box. 13 MARINARESCO 12-1. Not considered good enough for trainer Mike Bass' seasonal string in KwaZulu-Natal, but he started beating up on rats and mice back home in Cape Town and they shipped him up the coast pronto. He got a starting-gate draw out on the Marine Parade. Respect a top stable, but it looks tough for him. 14 THE CONGLOMERATE 18-1. Not even on the beachfront; surf will be lapping the fetlocks, so wide is this guy's draw. A few horses have won the July from out there in the not-too-distant past and he has scheming "Striker" Strydom to help him along. 15 DYNAMIC 35-1. His main task might be to ride shotgun for stablemate Bela-Bela in a race that's always full of rough-and-tumble. Alternatively, might go out and make the pace. His form is reasonable and an upset victory is not inconceivable. 16 ST TROPEZ 10-1. The record has a progressive, "come-on" look about it, though he could have done with a second prep run after a long holiday. A significant chance for master rider Anton Marcus to claim a record-breaking fifth Durban July victory 18 BELA-BELA 11-1. Backed into favourite when jockey Anthony Delpech declared her nearly as good a filly as 2011 July champ Igugu and promptly hopped off fancied Black Arthur in favour of this little grey minx. Certainly a brilliant horse with blinding acceleration. If she has luck in running and isn't bullied by the blokes, she should be to the fore in the final dash from the subway. 19 TROPHY WIFE 25-1. Reserve runner substituted into the race when Rabada was scratched. Useful filly, but might not have quite enough from an outside gate.

In Pictures: Durban July fashion timeslive.co.za 2016-07-03 18:00 Mike Moon www.timeslive.co.za

7 New Jersey declares state of emergency over infrastructure — RT America (0.01/2) Christie issued the executive order declaring the emergency late Thursday, the day when the Senate negotiations to save the Transportation Trust Fund – which is expected to run out of money this summer – failed. Christie said that he is instructing the New Jersey Department of Transportation to shut down all work by the end of Saturday that isn’t directly essential to the safety and welfare of citizens. “As this executive order states, in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of this state, it is necessary that the remaining amounts held by the TTF not be spent on any transportation project that is not absolutely essential,” Christie said in a statement. The governor’s rejected proposal called for the ratcheting up of New Jersey’s gasoline taxes from 14.5 cents per gallon, the second-lowest lowest in the nation, to 24.5 cents per gallon. The tax increase would have generated an estimated $550 million in additional funding for fiscal year 2017 and roughly $100 million per year in additional funding after that. Christie, a Republican, reached a deal with the Democrat-controlled State Assembly earlier in the week to raise the gasoline tax in exchange for a lowered sales tax that would save New Jersey residents billions. Democratic leaders in the Senate rejected that deal, saying that the tax cut would harm the state’s budget. “The Senate’s inaction ignored the benefits the package would bring to the overburdened taxpayers of New Jersey, who would benefit daily from the sales tax cut it would provide and the retirement income tax elimination for 81 percent of senior citizens, ” Christie said. “The Senate’s inaction also ignored New Jersey’s necessary transportation infrastructure improvements, as well as the hundreds of private-sector workers who came to Trenton today with their jobs hanging in the balance, because the Senate failed to re-authorize this Transportation Trust.” Senate President Joseph Sweeney said in a separate statement Friday that he disagrees with Christie’s move, and is worried that a lot of people hired on road projects would be laid off over the emergency measure. "I'm disappointed Governor Christie has decided to act so quickly to freeze so many important transportation projects," Sweeney said in a separate statement to the press Friday. "Most painful will be the workers laid off because of this immediate stoppage. " Lawmakers said that the fund’s money would last for at least a month, and stressed that attempts to reach a deal would pick up again in mid-July. New Jersey’s roads system is considered to be among the worst in the nation. The American Society of Civil Engineers recently gave the state a D+ infrastructure rating, and analysis from transportation research TRIP found that 40 percent of major urban roads in the state are in “poor” condition.

Florida declares state of emergency over ‘guacamole-thick’ algae — RT America rt.com 2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

8 Hillary Clinton interviewed by FBI over classified email scandal probe – campaign spokesman — RT America (0.01/2) “ Secretary Clinton gave a voluntary interview this morning about her email arrangement while she was Secretary. She is pleased to have had the opportunity to the Department of Justice in bringing this review to a conclusion, ” Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill said after a three and a half hour interview. “Out of respect for the investigative process, [Clinton] will not comment further on her interview,” Merrill added. READ MORE: FBI to grill Hillary Clinton over classified email scandal as early as Saturday Clinton was interviewed at FBI Headquarters in Washington DC. Clinton was up for questioning after evidence emerged in March 2015 that, while performing the duties of Secretary of State, she had been using a personal, unsecured email server installed in her New York home. The FBI is investigating whether anyone in Clinton's operation mishandled classified information due to it not being properly protected at the time. Several of Clinton's staff members have already been interrogated over the case, as well as her top aide Huma Abedin. Clinton released some 30,000 emails from her time as Secretary of State, with 2,028 of them containing confidential information. The use of an external, personal server violated the Federal Records Act which sets out “ recordkeeping requirements ,” but the investigation is yet to determine whether the presidential candidate should be indicted on criminal charges. Despite criminal prosecution being unlikely, the ongoing investigation poses a major risk for Democrats only four weeks away from formally nominating the party's presidential candidate. Republican lawmakers have repeatedly called for an independent investigation into the case, saying that they do not trust the impartiality of the Justice Department in dealing with the case. Donald Trump, the Republican Party's nominee, repeatedly pushed the email scandal issue, stressing that the probe undermines Clinton's bid for office. Nicknaming her “ Crooked Hillary ,” Trump said she cannot be trusted with the post. Clinton, however, still holds a nine-point lead over Trump, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Friday. In a Twitter post David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, commented on the timing of the FBI interview and said that Clinton would be better off to “put it behind her” at this point, with the upcoming nomination. He used to serve as the chief strategist for two of Obama’s presidential campaigns. The email scandal “ cast a shadow ” over Clinton’s campaign, with a report by the US State Department inspector general in May criticizing “ systemic weaknesses ” found in the cybersecurity in Clinton's office. The questioning came just a day after Attorney General Loretta Lynch, under scrutiny for a private meeting with Bill Clinton on her plane in Phoenix earlier this week, said she is stepping away from deciding whether Hillary Clinton will be indicted in the classified email investigation. America’s top law officer, Lynch usually oversees FBI investigations and makes decisions over indictments. This time however she said that she intended to accept the findings and recommendations of the prosecutors who have spent months investigating the case. “ This case will be resolved by the team that has been working on it from the beginning, ” Lynch added. “ Supervisors always review matters, in this case the review will be career people in the DOJ, and also the FBI will review it, up to and including the FBI director, and that will be the finalization of not just the factual findings, but the next steps in this matter, ” Lynch told Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart on Friday.

FBI to grill Hillary Clinton over classified email scandal as early as Saturday – reports — RT America rt.com 2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

9 Of the People Mayor Shirley Franklin started a program in the city of Atlanta in which every single student who graduated from a public school, she’d find a way to pay for their first year of college. And, after hearing my story, she took an interest in me. She gave me a job in her office and she helped me get into college. Summer came, and I didn’t go to work because I didn’t have a suit. I got a call saying, “You need to get to work,” and she had someone take me suit shopping. They took me and bought me like five different suits and said, “This is how you invest in your kids.” I’m the first person in my family to graduate from college. That is the kind of local politics I grew to love in Atlanta. National politics is more messy. But I have hope that is going to change. Photograph by Ryan Stone for The New York Times 2016-07-03 18:00 The New www.nytimes.com

10 Canada is not a-moosed: Men charged for riding swimming elk rodeo-style — RT America It appeared to be a beautiful day on the remote Tuchodi Lakes in the northwestern British Columbia, so a large moose decided to take a swim. Like a celebrity sun- tanning on vacation, however, the casual dip soon went viral thanks to some pesky paparazzi. In a video posted last June to the Wolftracker TV YouTube channel that subsequently went viral, the moose is chased by a boat across the otherwise serene waters. A shirtless man standing astride the bow then jumps aboard the hapless Alces alces and proceeds to take a spin on the moose for 15 seconds before falling off like a rodeo rider tossed from a bucking bronc. Much like the moose, the Conservation Officer Service of British Columbia was not amused by the viral video, which they believed to have been recorded in the summer of 2014 based on snowpack in the background. The COS quickly opened an investigation to discover the identities of those involved. On Thursday, the COS announced charges against two men, later identified as Bradley Crook and Jaysun Pinkerton by CTV News. Crook and Pinkerton have each been charged with three offenses under the province’s Wildlife Act : harassing wildlife with the use of a boat, attempting to capture wildlife and hunting big game that is swimming. They are scheduled to appear in court on August 8.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

11 Man nearly lynched after threatening mosque- goers with bomb – Turkish media — RT News Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said the incident took place during Friday prayers. The man climbed onto the pulpit during the sermon reading, forced the microphone out of the imam’s hands and shouted: “I have a bomb on me!” Haberler reports that he then pulled up his shirt revealing a cable dangling over a white corset claimed to have “live bombs” in it. The majority of the congregation moved toward the door, while others walked to the perpetrator and tried to grab him. Istanbul Haber newspaper states the man was dragged outside and beaten by the angry congregation, until police arrived and started firing into the air to drive the crowd away. The man was then arrested and brought to the local Adana police headquarters. Turkish media identified the man as 33-year-old Mahmoud K., a local resident thought to be mentally unstable. Police said his hand-made explosive corset did contain explosive materials, but was not properly prepared to be detonated. Zaman reports that police had to evacuate people from the mosque, fearing there could still be a bomb there. The newspaper reports, however, that police did not find any explosives within the mosque or in the yard. READ MORE: Mosque in Perth, Australia firebombed, sprayed with anti- Islam graffiti as hundreds pray inside Ambulances were sent to the mosque yard to take care of those injured in a stampede that took place while the crowd of several thousand people was trying to flee the mosque. An investigation has been launched into the incident. The general mood in Turkey has been that of fear following the deadly triple suicide bombing in Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport that took the lives of 44 people and left hundreds injured.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

12 ‘Austria will stay in EU if Turkey stays out’ – presidential candidate Hofer to RT — RT News “I believe that people are able to learn, that political structures are able to develop, and that Austria will contribute to making Europe better. There is one exception, however, that is if the EU decides to let Turkey join the Union,” Hofer said, adding that under such circumstances “Austrians will have to be asked whether they want this.” “I hope that there will be no need for a referendum [on EU membership] in Austria, and that the Union will develop in a positive manner,” he added. “But I am fully certain that Austrian people will not accept Turkish membership in the bloc, as well as the situation where Austria is deprived of its powers in favor of the authorities in Brussels.” READ MORE: Austrian court cancels presidential election result, orders re- run Hofer said the EU must learn the lesson the posed by the British referendum, namely to divide the powers between its central authority in Brussels and the 27 member states. “Of course I was concerned about the future of the EU [in view of the British referendum results]. I respect the decision the British nation made, all democratic decisions must be respected,” he said. “However, the European Union must learn this lesson: we must be creating Europe for the people, not Europe for bureaucrats. This means that we need to come up with better agreements, we must divide the powers between the EU, on the one hand, and its member states, on the other, and get the citizens involved in these projects,” Hofer said. He said that the EU has a chance to avoid the of other European states following the UK out of the bloc if it becomes a subsidiary union, which “takes into consideration, which powers are exercised by its authorities, and which – by member states.” "Bottom line, it all depends on the direction the EU chooses for its further development,” Hofer said. READ MORE: ‘We’re center right, not far fight’ – Austria’s Freedom party Earlier, Hofer warned that Austria could hold its own referendum on EU membership within a year if the bloc insists on political “centralization.” The FPO leader and his establishment see the bloc as based on economic, rather than political, cooperation. And his views have an increasing influence on the public opinion in Austria, especially now that Hofer has a chance to become Austrian president after the country’s Constitutional Court ruled a re-run of last month’s presidential election which saw him narrowly lose the post by just 31,000 votes. “If the EU chooses the right path, there will be no need for a referendum in Austria,” Hofer told RT.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

13 Russian hockey star Alexander Radulov returns to NHL, signs with Montreal Canadiens — RT Sport The deal between the Canadian team and the energetic Russian was confirmed on Friday. The announcement comes the same week that Montreal traded one of the league's top defenseman, P. K. Subban, for Nashville Predators team captain Shea Weber, a move that left many fans surprised. While the Canadiens’ move may also be seen by some fans as a little surprising ‒ Radulov is known for his eccentric behavior on and off the ice ‒ Montreal General Manager Marc Bergevin said they’ve done their “homework” on Radulov but confirmed that “it’s always a gamble.” Radulov is leaving the KHL after three seasons with CSKA Moscow. With his contract coming to an end this year, rumors had been rife that Radulov was keen to return to the NHL, where he previously spent two stints with the Nashville Predators. READ MORE: Alexander Radulov might move to NHL next season - report The 29-year-old attacker had been no stranger to the scoreboard with the Preds, netting 47 goals and providing 55 assists in 154 NHL games. He was suspended in 2012, however, after breaking curfew with his teammate Andrei Kostitsyn during the Predators’ playoff run. He then returned to Moscow on a contract that reportedly earned him $9.2 million annually. Radulov continued his scoring ways while in Russia, trailing only fellow Russian Sergei Mozyakin on the KHL all-time scoring list, with 492 regular season points to his name. He also holds the records for most career assists in the KHL. During the 2015/2016 season with CSKA, he led the team in both goals (23) and points (65), and helped his team to get to the Gagarin Cup finals.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

14 Holy macaroni! Noodles & Co. faces customer data breach in 27 states — RT America Noodles began investigating “unusual activity” reported by its credit card processor on May 17, the company said in a statement. At the beginning of June, Noodles & Company “discovered suspicious activity on its computer systems that indicated a potential compromise of guests’ debit and credit card data for some debit and credit cards used” in locations across 27 states and the District of Columbia. The investigation revealed that “malware may have stolen credit or debit card data from some credit and debit cards” between January 31 and June 2. The at-risk information includes the cardholder’s name, card number, expiration date and card verification value (CVV), the three-digit code on the back of cards. “Noodles & Company takes the security of our guests’ information extremely seriously, and we apologize for the inconvenience this incident has caused our guests,” Kevin Reddy, chairman and CEO of Noodles & Company, said. “We continue to work with third-party forensic investigators and law enforcement officials to ensure the security of our systems on behalf of our guests.” The incident did not involve any purchases made online at noodles.com, the company said. Noodles & Company has set up a dedicated assistance line for customers to receive additional information about the incident. Guests can call 888- 849-1067, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday (excluding U. S. holidays) or find out more information about the breach and what they can do to better protect against fraud and identity theft at www.noodles.com/security . Of the more than 400 affected locations, 60 are in Noodles & Company’s home state of Colorado, the Washington Times reported. The malware has since been removed from the chain’s computer systems. Noodles & Company is only the latest in a string of restaurant chains that have experienced data breaches in recent years, including Wendy’s, P. F. Chang’s, Elephant Bar and Landry’s, according to the Nation’s Restaurant News. Both Trump and Hyatt hotels have been breached recently; mobile provider T-Mobile and health insurer Anthem are among other companies that have experienced similar incidents.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

15 US-led coalition airstrike kills 2 ISIS 'senior military commanders' – Pentagon — RT America The strike killed Basim Muhammad Ahmad Sultan al-Bajari, deputy minister of war for Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIL/ISIS), who oversaw the militant groups capture of Mosul in 2014, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said in a statement, according to Reuters. “These deaths are the latest in coalition efforts to systemically eliminate ISIL's cabinet wherever they hide, disrupting their ability to plot external terror attacks and hold onto the territory they use to claim legitimacy,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook in a released statement on Friday. The Pentagon added that the deaths of the senior IS men “critically degraded ISIL leadership in Mosul.” The military said Al-Bajari was an experienced terrorist and a former member of al Qaeda, who brought military skills to IS. He was instrumental in IS’s capture of Mosul in June 2014. Hatim Talib al-Hamduni was an IS military commander in Mosul and the head of military police for the self- proclaimed Ninawa state. Coalition forces have been bombing Mosul and Falluja, two cities to the west of Baghdad trying to squeeze ISIS fighters out of there. Iraqi forces recaptured the last remaining district held by Islamic State militants in the city of Fallujah on June 26. The Iraqi Army’s ground operations were backed by US-led coalition air strikes and paramilitary troops, mostly Shi'ite militias. Coalition and counter-terrorism forces have been targeting IS leaders to eliminate them from the battlefield, as part of a “coordinated campaign.” A separate airstrike Sunday, June 26 killed IS’s head of finance in Mosul. The death of Hatm Al-Hmdoni was confirmed by the Kurdistan Region’s Security Council in a tweet. The Pentagon press secretary said in recent days that the coalition “has freed Fallujah from IS's grip; launched devastating strikes against IS forces fleeing that city; completed the encirclement of Manbij, a key node in the flow of foreign fighters between Syria and Turkey; and started to clear key terrain south of Mosul of ISIL forces.”

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

16 Disabled woman undergoing brain tumor treatment sues after bloody TSA beating at Memphis airport — RT America On June 30, 2015, Hannah Cohen, 19, was leaving Memphis, Tennessee, where she had received a final treatment for a brain tumor at St. Jude's Hospital. Her mother, Shirley Cohen, said Hannah is partially deaf, blind in one eye, paralyzed, and easily confused, according to WREG. At the airport security checkpoint, Hannah set off metal detectors, prompting agents with the US Transportation Security Administration to conduct further security screening. “They wanted to do further scanning, she was reluctant, she didn't understand what they were about to do," Shirley Cohen said. She tried to tell TSA agents about her daughter's condition, Shirley Cohen said, but she was kept at a distance by police. Hannah attempted to run away from TSA agents, who then violently accosted the young woman. “She's trying to get away from them but in the next instant, one of them had her down on the ground and hit her head on the floor. There was blood everywhere,” said Shirley Cohen, adding that "they grabbed her from both sides, it freaked her out. " Hannah was arrested and sent to jail, according to WREG. The charges were later dismissed, and now the family has filed a lawsuit against the airport, airport police, and the TSA. None of the sued entities have commented on the incident, though a TSA spokesperson issued a statement to WREG indicating that some passengers should set up special screenings. “Passengers can call ahead of time to learn more about the screening process for their particular needs or medical situation," wrote Sari Koshetz.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

17 Democratic platform unveiled — RT America A word finder shows the name "Trump" appearing 35 times in the 35-page document. The names Clinton and Sanders do not appear at all, however. Calling for an abolition to the death penalty and for a “public option” in healthcare, the platform is being hailed by both supporters and critics as the most progressive outlook on issues in recent history. A word search turned up 46 mentions for the word “jobs,” while “education” appeared 34 times along with 25 entries for the phrase “health care.” Immigrants or immigration was mentioned 19 times, while “terrorism” and “Wall Street” each received nine references. Big banks are another priority in the platform, which lays out a multi-pronged approach to "tackle dangerous risks" posed by them and the rest of the financial system. Democrats "need to prohibit Wall Street from picking and choosing which credit agency will rate their products" as well as prevent them "from imposing excessive fees on consumers. " The platform adds that "no bank can be too big to fail and no executive too powerful to jail. " Championing their own history as "the party that created Social Security," the Democrats promised to keep the entitlement program afloat for future generations "by asking those at the top to pay more," specifying that incomes over $250,000 would see an increase in taxes. Under the party's plans for improving the nation's infrastructure, "a major federal jobs program that puts millions of Americans back to work" serves as the centerpiece for restoring manufacturing jobs, advancing to environmentally friendly energy sources, improving transportation and revitalizing a deteriorating middle class. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who has yet to officially bow out of the presidential race, won enough delegates to have substantial influence over the platform. "Millionaires and billionaires" are targeted in a call to implement a "multimillionaire surtax" and the phrase "starvation wage" appears in the party's condemnation of the current minimum wage, saying it "must be increased to a living wage. " The platform does not, however, oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which Sanders lamented on Twitter. Additionally, there is no mention of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, another issue close to Sanders' campaign and supporters.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

18 Tiny NZ town swamped with bids from all over world after sending out call for new residents — RT News The mayor of the South Otago town of Kaitangata, located 10 kilometers from the city of Balclutha, received more than 5,000 messages by phone, email, and social media from people all over the world interested in starting a new life in his city, which promises an attractive range of perks, local media reported. The town’s population of only 800 people has long been struggling to fill job openings and find owners for the good quality houses built in the area that currently stand vacant. The proposal was explicitly outlined in a prospectus , drawn up by local activists in a bid to increase the town’s population density. Consequently, thousands of people from all over the world are apparently packing up and getting ready to go. “When I was unemployed and had a family to feed, the Clutha gave me a chance, and now we want to offer that opportunity to other Kiwi families who might be struggling,” Bryan Cadogan, mayor of the Clutha district that includes Kaitangata, told . The offer applies to non-Kiwi citizens as well, providing that they are eligible for a visa. A house and plot of land in the town are available for 230,000 NZD (nearly $164,000), according to the prospectus. People from Syria, Poland, the US, and Britain have demonstrated especially high interest in the offer. “We’ve been getting smashed. It has perked the spirits of the locals up hugely, we don’t know how to deal with this, we’re unprepared,” the mayor said. Third-generation dairy farmer Evan Dick, who is taking part in the initiative, has been “overwhelmed” by the scope of interest. “It’s gone nuts. A mother and her two children just flew in. I took them to their section and the look on her face was magical. ‘Is this all ours?’ I can already see positivity and vibrancy flowing through the town. Who would have thought Kaitangata would ever be on the world map?” Dick said, according to the Guardian. The Kaitangata Promotions group, which stands behind the project, consists of local residents trying to develop their town. They are planning to hold a meeting with community groups and businesses to decide on the campaign’s next steps on Monday, July 4.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

19 Breedlove’s war: Emails show ex-NATO general plotting US conflict with Russia — RT America The emails, posted by the site DCLeaks, show correspondence between General Philip M. Breedlove, former head of the US European Command and supreme commander of NATO forces, with several establishment insiders concerning the situation in Ukraine following the February 2014 coup that ousted the elected government in favor of a US-backed regime. Breedlove served as the NATO Supreme Commander between May 2013 and March 2016. His personal email incorporated his Air Force call sign “Bwana” – a Swahili word for “boss.” The hacked emails reveal his frequent and intense communications with retired General Wesley Clark, as well as former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and involving a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, State Department official Victoria Nuland, and US Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt. Clark, who commanded NATO during the 1999 war in Yugoslavia, reached out to Breedlove in April 2014. On April 8, he forwarded “intelligence” obtained by Anatoly Pinchuk and Dmitry Tymchuk, activists close to the new regime, claiming a Russian invasion was in the works. The information was conveyed by Phillip Karber, an ex-Marine and president of the Potomac Foundation, whom Clark calls a “colleague” and “our guy.” Karber wrote about observing the Russian border from inside a Ukrainian tank, and eagerly transmitted Tymchuk and Pinchuk’s calls for support. Contacted by The Intercept on Friday, Karber confirmed the authenticity of several emails in the leaked cache. Reporting on his meeting with Ambassador Pyatt on April 6, Karber wrote: “State is the one trying to be pro-active and recognizes need to do more faster,” while General Martin Dempsey – at that point the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – was “dragging his feet in order to save [military] relations with Russians.” In an email dated April 12, Clark referred to his exchange with “Toria” Nuland – the assistant secretary of state for Europe and Eurasia, who personally backed the Ukrainian revolution – pushing for open US support for the regime in Ukraine to use force against protesters in the east. Prior to the coup, Washington had strongly warned Kiev not to use force against the anti-government demonstrators in the city. Kiev’s summer “anti-terrorist operation” ended in crushing defeat in August, and the first armistice between the government and rebels was signed in Minsk in September. Meanwhile, the so-called Islamic State jihadist group arose in Iraq and Syria, drawing US attention away from Eastern Europe with gruesome beheadings of Westerners. Frustrated by the White House’s reluctance to back his belligerent agenda in Ukraine, Breedlove reached out to Powell, a retired general and former secretary of state. “I seek your counsel on two fronts,.... how to frame this opportunity in a time where all eyes are on ISIL all the time,... and two,... how to work this personally with the POTUS,” Breedlove wrote to Powell in September 2014. Powell’s response was not made available. Breedlove was introduced to Powell by Harlan Ullman , a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and the author of the “shock and awe” doctrine used by the Bush administration in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In October 2014, Ullman urged Breedlove to reach out to Vice President Joe Biden. Aside from Powell, Ullman wrote, “I know of no better way of getting into 1600,” referring to the White House’s address on Pennsylvania Avenue. In November, Ullman also suggested Breedlove should get together with David O'Sullivan, the new EU envoy to Washington. Noting that Europe “seems to be a six letter expletive in the White House,” Ullman adds that “perhaps quiet collaboration between him and NATO (SecGen) as well might be useful.” “Obama or Kerry needs to be convinced that Putin must be confronted,” Ullman wrote in February 2015, before the ‘Minsk II’ talks. He also gave Breedlove pointers on getting into the good graces of Ash Carter, the new Defense Secretary. “I would take or pretend to take careful notes. Ash is an academic. And he is trained that students who take good notes rise to be A grades. This may be maskarova. But it is useful maskarova,” Ullman wrote, misspelling the Russian word for camouflage ( maskirovka ). Washington did approve hundreds of millions of dollars in “non-lethal” aid to Ukrainian troops, including the notorious “volunteer battalions,” in the 2016 military budget. Breedlove continued to push for more aggressive US involvement, claiming a heavy Russian troop presence in Ukraine – which was later denied even by the government in Kiev. In March this year, the general was telling US lawmakers that Russia and Syria were “deliberately weaponizing migration in an attempt to overwhelm European structures and break European resolve.” Breedlove was replaced at the helm of EUCOM and NATO in May, and officially retired from the military on July 1. He was replaced by US Army General Curtis Scaparrotti, whose public statements suggest a similar level of hostility for Russia.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

20 Thousands of Iranians stage anti-Israel rallies to mark ‘Al-Quds Day’ (VIDEO, PHOTOS) — RT Viral Mass crowds held up banners with slogans such as “Stop Israeli terrorism, free Palestine” in Tehran on Friday with some protesters chanting “Death to Israel,” while others burned American flags and a replica of the Statue of Liberty with the Star of David on its head and other effigies. Some protesters held up signs with portraits of Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump and Barack Obama sporting beards, with slogans reading “Is Daeishian,” in reference to terrorist group Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL,) during the parade. In a tweet ahead of the event, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, said: “Once again united cries defending oppressed people of Palestine will rise across Iran and [the] Muslim world.” The country’s president, Hassan Rouhani, also attended the rally, calling for unity between Muslims and said conflicts in the region were making it harder to address the issue of Palestine. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif also marched alongside protesters for the event. Some children had their faces painted with the Iranian flag as they marched to celebrate the event, which coincided with the last Friday of Ramadan. Named after the historic Arabic term for Jerusalem, Al-Quds Day has been marked by the Islamic Republic of Iran since the beginning of the 1979 revolution. Iran does not recognize Israel as a legitimate state. In Pakistan, demonstrators burned the Israeli and American flags as they marched through Islamabad. Smaller demonstrations to commemorate the day also took place in India. READ MORE: Palestinians clash with police as Jews try to access Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

21 Trump protests turn violent in Denver, 3 arrested — RT America As Donald Trump spoke at the Western Conservative Summit on Friday morning, hundreds demonstrators gathered outside the Colorado Convention Center and in Civic Center Park. About half an hour after the GOP candidate was scheduled to begin his remarks, pushing and shoving broke out between protesters. Denver Police, expecting a large number of protesters and hoping to prevent violence, had a strong presence outside the convention center, KUSA reported. “We have certainly taken into account that there have been issues at similar events in other cities, and we have incorporated that into our safety plan,” Denver Police Department spokesperson Doug Schepman told reporters on Thursday. Three people were taken into custody during the protest, authorities said. The Western Conservative Summit, an annual event hosted by the Centennial Institute, is a three day conference that bills itself as "the largest gathering of conservatives outside of Washington, DC. " A man in a EZLN t-shirt emblazoned with the logo of the communist Mexican rebels, hung Trump in effigy. Black Bloc protesters and members of Occupy Denver were also present. In Civic Center Park, groups built a 9-foot high, 30-foot long wall out of 3- foot by 3-foot boxes to protest Trump’s visit. The structure is meant as a visible demonstration against the candidate’s proposal to build a wall along the US-Mexican border, organizers told KDVR. After the wall is constructed, artists will paint the boxes, which will then be filled with donated goods and given to charities that help immigrants. “Instead of building walls of separation and hatred and supremacy, we are actually showing that we as a community can come together and build something good for the community,” Ian Silverii, executive director of ProgressNow Colorado, told the Colorado Springs Gazette. “We’re showing the world that Colorado doesn’t break out into the violence and chaos that seems to happen whenever Trump shows up. We’re bringing people together to do something good instead.” So much for that idea...

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

22 Maldonado appeals controversial Fedor Emelianenko victory — RT Sport The news comes despite the Brazilian fighter himself said that he wouldn't appeal the result at the post-fight press conference. Maldonado was a huge underdog in his first post- UFC fight against the legendary Russian and was judged to have lost the contest by a controversial majority decision. Stefano Sartori has now asked the WMMAA to appoint an independent judges' commission to investigate the result. In an email to the WMMAA, Sartori wrote: "We are writing this email to officially appeal about the result of my client’s fight against Fedor Emelianenko on June 17 on the Main Event of Fight Nights 50. "We watched the tape many times with a cool head and we realized there is no way we lost the fight. It's either a draw or Fabio's victory. "We won R1 with a clear 10-8, not to mention that everyone else in the world besides the Official Referee would have stopped that fight. "Fedor was tough and came back to win R2 10-9. The last one is really close and could go either way. So it's either Fabio's victory or a draw. "We were extremely surprised to have learned that all the judges of the bout were Russian and they all are employed by none other than Fedor Emelianenko who is the president of the Russian MMA Union that sanctioned these judges. "Even worse, Radmir Gabdullin who was the head judge of the bout is the Russian MMA Union's vice-president. "If it is not a clear case of conflict of interest, I don't know what to call this. To have a fair judgement of this fight it is required to have independent international judges and that is what we claim with this official letter. "Since Mr Gabdullin said to the Russian press that he would refuse to accept our appeal and considering that we feel that Russian judges would be under too much pressure on this case, we have no other choice but to appeal to the World MMA Association that is an umbrella organization with the Russian MMA union being part of it. "Before finishing I want to say that I truly believe that Russian MMA Judges haven't done anything to intentionally harm my client. "The conflict of interest, to my eyes, is natural when you judge someone who is personally so close to you. That's why we respectfully ask for another referee team to watch and judge this fight. " WMMAA Secretary General Alexander Engelhardt is responsible for handling the appeal. Engelhardt will appoint a group of international judges led by experienced referee/judge Marco Broersen to watch the fight again and deliver their verdict. WMMAA's head judge Radmir Gabdullin has been temporarily suspended from his position pending the outcome of the appeal.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

23 Obama admin says up to 116 civilians 'accidentally' killed in US drone strikes — RT America No information was released on the number of unintended civilian deaths in countries the US is at war with, however. The long-awaited announcement came on Friday afternoon acknowledges that between 64 and 116 civilians were killed by US drone operations in Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen and other African countries, compared to 2,500 members of terrorist groups. Deaths resulting from strikes in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria were not counted in the report. The government said that the number of civilian deaths from drone strikes isn’t always clear, meaning that the numbers it released may be revised. The total is far lower than estimates made by non-governmental organization. “As the statement today from the DNI notes, in releasing these figures, the U. S. Government also acknowledges that there are differences between U. S. Government assessments and reporting from non-governmental organizations on non-combatant deaths resulting from U. S. operations,” the White House said. “Although the U. S. Government has access to a wide range of information, the figures we are releasing today should be considered in light of the inherent limitations on the ability to determine the precise number of combatant and non-combatant deaths outside areas of active hostilities, including the non-permissive environments in which these strikes often occur. “ Jennifer Gibson, a lawyer from the human rights organization Reprieve, estimates that more than 4,000 people have been killed by drones including hundreds of children, and said the Obama administration’s estimation of casualties “is unlikely to be worth the paper it’s printed on.” Drone strikes in countries that are not technically US battlefields are the purview of the CIA and the US military’s secretive Joint Special Operations Command. Critics point out that the White House wouldn’t even mention the word “drone” for years, and that no entity outside of the administration reviews strikes. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said that official warzones are being excluded from the count because drone assassinations in those areas are done by the Pentagon, which has its own process of disclosing civilian deaths. CIA Director John Brennan and Dianne Feinstein, top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, has previously put the estimates for civilian at single digits per year.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

24 Guccifer 2.0 reveals Clinton expenses, clues on identity & slams presidential hopefuls — RT America The hacker revealed he is male, from somewhere in Eastern Europe, and denied working for the Russian government. The new documents reveal conversations about the Clinton Foundation and attacks it suffered in the media. One document details various attacks on Clinton by Republicans via Twitter on topics such as the Clinton Foundation, healthcare, Iran, the military and coal - with links to the tweets in question. Details of the Clinton Foundation’s donations are also featured, along with documents arguing that there is “nothing unusual about presidential libraries and foundations receiving contributions from foreign governments.” The document lists donations to other presidential libraries including Ronald Reagan and George W Bush. Emails from March 2015, a month before Clinton announced her presidential bid, detail talking points to “defend the good work of the Foundation.” One 313-page document focuses on foreign policy arguments, using research from debates between Obama and Mitt Romney and covers all angles of foreign policy, from counter points to attacks on Romney. Another document details donations from PACs and contact details of PAC lobbyists. There is also a document revealing Clinton’s travel on private jets and who paid for them - big banks feature frequently in this document. This is the third release by Guccifer 2.0. The first came on June 15, and revealed DNC opposition research on Donald Trump along with a list of famous donors to the Democratic Party and a strategy to use the mainstream media to amplify Clinton’s selling points through reporter outreach. The second featured past attacks on Clinton by 2016 Republican presidential candidates and arguments to counter them. The greatest revelation in his previous leaks was evidence that the DNC had been pushing for Clinton to be the candidate before she even announced her run, confirming accusations that the DNC has been biased towards Clinton from the beginning. This has led to a lawsuit being filed by Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’ supporters, who accuse the DNC of fraud, negligent misrepresentation and breach of fiduciary duty over its favoring of Clinton and its claims of impartiality. Guccifer gave more details about his ability to access the DNC’s server, which he claims he was inside for more than a year before he was finally blocked in June after the system was rebooted. “The DNC had NGP VAN software installed on their system so I used the 0- day exploit and then deployed my backdoor.” he explained. “The DNC used Windows on their server, so it made my work much easier. I installed my Trojan like virus on their PCs. I just modified the platform that I bought on the hacking forums for about $1.5k”. He dismissed claims made by Crowdstrike, the cybersecurity company hired to investigate the DNC hack, which concluded it had been the work of the Russian government. He claims the ‘Russian government’ narrative is a way for the DNC’s cybersecurity company to “justify their incompetence and failure. It’s much easier for them to accuse powerful foreign special services.” Guccifer said he has passed documents on to Wikileaks, who has announced it will release more Clinton emails and that it has enough to indict the former secretary of state. Guccifer claims he is not afraid of being caught by the FBI, claiming he has taken precautions and “it it won’t be that easy to catch me.” Explaining his targeting of the DNC, Guccifer said “the US election race is one of the most exciting events that attracts people from all over the world.” The hacker revealed he has no sympathy for any of the presidential candidates, and believes “each of them has skeletons in the closet and I think people have the right to know the truth about the politicians.” Guccifer described Clinton as a “slave of moguls, she is bought and sold,” and accused her and the DNC of turning the primaries “into a farce.” While he described Trump as being sincere in what he says, he disagrees with his ideas about closing borders and deportations, describing it as “nonsense, absolute bullsh*t.” Responding to a question about who inspires him, Guccifer pointed to Assange, Snowden and Manning as “the heroes of the computer age.” Marcel Lazar, the original Guccifer hacker, was another hero of his.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

25 First world problem: Salsa-inspired brawl wrecks Dallas eatery (VIDEO) — RT Viral The brawl-vid is peaking at more than 2 million Facebook views and generating some spicey comment too. Here’s when it starts. Stage two - shouting and chair throwing, bystanders exit scene. The fight kicked off around 2.30 a.m. at the El Paisano Mexican Restaurant in Dallas, Texas. The problem? “chips were $5 and they wanted green salsa instead of red,” according to witness Isael Rojas, who filmed the heated moment. But this was clearly more than just a food fight. You can catch five minutes of fury right here. No arrests were made, according to the Daily Mail , but one thing is for sure, customers may want to get their orders right next time.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

26 Chicago woman claims police attacked, searched her for being Muslim — RT America The incident occurred on the Fourth of July last year. Itemad “Angel” Almatar said that she was also kicked, and had her hijab taken off by five Chicago police officers at a train station, CBS Chicago reported. READ MORE: NYPD to review beard ban after Muslim officer sues Almatar was charged with reckless conduct and resisting arrest over the incident, which a Cook County judge found her not guilty of on Wednesday. "They asked me why I put my food inside my bag, why I'm Muslim, why I'm fasting, why I'm wearing these clothes, why I cover my body,” Almatar told CBS. Prosecutors claimed Almatar was told to stop by police as they chased her up the stairs, but video surveillance footage shows nobody else in the crowd turning their heads in response to the supposed command. “She was strip searched, videographed, and at the same time men were allowed to see her naked. This is the ultimate horror you can do to a Muslim woman,” said Imam Malick Mujahid, a local Muslim community leader, according to CBS. No charges have been filed against the Chicago Police Department, but CBS reported Almatar intends to pursue a federal civil rights lawsuit soon.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

27 NFL players “illegally drugged” with painkillers to start legal action against former teams — RT Sport The case filed in May 2015 by 13 plaintiffs, including Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer Mel Renfro and the widow of Minnesota Vikings player Chuck Evans, who died of heart failure in 2008, has been given the go- ahead. The players allege they were loaded with painkilling drugs and injections during their careers without warning of the side effects, reported to include internal organ damage and muscular deficiencies. According to the Associated Press , California federal judge William Alsup denied a motion to dismiss the players’ suit, which names all 32 NFL teams. Steve Silverman, the attorney handling the case, said the ruling has “opened the doors of justice for those players who were illegally drugged.” “Plaintiffs will now have the opportunity to put the NFL teams to task as to where these painkillers came from, how they were namelessly purchased in bulk, and why there is no record of examinations and prescriptions as to most players,” he added. The NFL has not yet commented on the decision. The use over decades of prescription drugs to get footballers through injury and back on the field has come under the spotlight, after a similar case was filed in 2014 by former stars Richard Dent, Keith Van Horne and Jim McMahon. Instead of being allowed to heal naturally, the players alleged the NFL “illegally and unethically substituted pain medications for proper health to keep the NFL’s tsunami of dollars following,” according to court documents seen by the Washington Post . That particular lawsuit is currently being appealed after being dismissed on the grounds that the correct forum to settle the dispute was the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the players’ union.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

28 Queen calls for calm but never mentions Brexit in opening Scottish Parliamentary session — RT UK This marked the fifth term of Scottish Parliament formally opened by Britain’s head of state in Edinburgh. This session comes at a rather turbulent time, politically speaking. The Queen remained true to the practice of royal neutrality and did not mention the Brexit referendum despite being given the opening to do so by Holyrood’s presiding officer, Ken MacIntosh, who brought up Brexit in his introduction of the monarch, noting that the last few “weeks of unprecedented political turbulence” had “borne witness to the politics of hate.” He also referred specifically to the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox and the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in the US city of Orlando before asking her majesty to address the parliament. The Queen avoided mentioning any of these issues explicitly, but did call on political leaders to take time for “contemplation.” “Of course we all live and work in an increasingly complex and demanding world, where events and developments can and do take place at remarkable speed. And retaining the ability to stay calm and collected can at times be hard. “As this parliament has successfully demonstrated over the years, one hallmark of leadership in such a fast moving world is allowing sufficient room for quiet thinking and contemplation, which can enable deeper, cooler consideration of how challenges and opportunities can be best addressed.” Despite the challenges that lay ahead of the Scottish Parliament, MacIntosh’s speech was one full of optimism. “We have five years to make a difference, five years to make Scotland a fairer, kinder and more prosperous country, five years to build a better place for us all to live, government or opposition, front or back bench, each one of us has something to contribute ," he said. MacIntosh also echoed the words of the late Jo Cox, saying “We have far more in common than what divides us.” Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, looked to the future positively as well at a time when she is facing a fight to secure Scotland’s relationship with the EU. The majority of people in Scotland voted to remain in the EU, and Sturgeon has said that a new referendum on Scottish independence is “highly likely” to take place. READ MORE: Scotland’s Sturgeon hits dead end in talks on EU status She told parliament that MSPs had been given the “precious opportunity to contribute to building a better country – and build it we will.” “To do so we must be bold and ambitious. We must show courage and determination. Our collective commitment to the people of Scotland today is that we will not shy away from any challenge we face, no matter how difficult or deep-rooted,” she added. Sturgeon noted that Scots come from a wealth of nations and it is a “privilege” to have them living here. “We are so much stronger for the diversity that shapes us, we are one Scotland and we are simply home to all those who have chosen to live here,” she said. Meanwhile tens of thousands have taken part in the March for Europe in London on Saturday, calling for Britain to remain part of the EU. READ MORE: Anti-Brexit protesters hit streets of UK capital London

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

29 Stink over sewage running down streets of Secunda township It would be no surprise if more South Africans in the post-isolation era had been to watch football at Old Trafford than to play a test at the cricket ground of the same name.

2016-07-03 18:00 TMG Digital www.timeslive.co.za

30 Quiet on SA side of Beitbridge border post of protest A group of South African traders staged blockaded the border post following a clampdown on trade with South African businesses by the Zimbabwean authorities. “There have been no incidents since yesterday afternoon. It’s quiet there‚” said Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Ronel Otto. She added that police were nevertheless keeping a watchful eye in case of any further flare-ups. The South African Revenue Service said Friday’s protest blockade ran between 9am and 1pm and brought traffic to a halt. SARS spokesman Sandile Memela said the matter had been resolved when SARS‚ the South African Police Service and Department of Home Affairs officials held negotiations with the leaders of the group. "The meeting agreed that the grievances of the South African traders will be presented to the Department of Trade & Industry to take up the matter with Zimbabwean authorities. "SARS wishes to commend South African officials for the speedy resolution of the matter that was occasioned by the attitude of the Zimbabwean authorities. " The situation on the Zimbabwean side of the border however remains tense. The state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation reported that Zimbabwean police and the country’s army had been deployed in full force in the border town of Beitbridge which has been hit by violent protests over the government’s decision to limit imports from South Africa. ZBC reported that a warehouse in Beitbridge owned by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) had been burnt on Friday as protests over the ban on imports continued. “Three people have since been arrested‚ with the police and army now in full force in the town. “Shops were closed for the better part of today as residents protested against the ban on imports‚” the state broadcaster said. Meanwhile‚ it said‚ ZIMRA and the Department of Immigration were advising members of the public that contrary to some reports circulating in the social media‚ Beitbridge Border Post had not been closed. “In a statement to ZBC News‚ ZIMRA and the Immigration Department said the border post is operational in spite of the minor disturbances in residential areas of Beitbridge town that have been caused by the implementation of Statutory Instrument (SI) 64 of 2016.” The Zimbabwean government says the limit on imports is aimed at boosting the country’s economy. Goods are cheaper in South Africa than in Zimbabwe. Those wanting to bring in even basic goods like peanut butter‚ jam‚ body lotion and shoe polish have to apparently get a permit to do so. They're being threatened with a hefty fine if they arrive at the border with any of these goods but without a permit.

2016-07-03 18:00 TMG Digital www.timeslive.co.za

31 Muslim call to prayer heard from inside Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia — RT News The traditional call to prayer, the adhan, has been played from Hagia Sophia’s minarets for the last four years. However, the muezzin had chanted it from a prayer room, not from inside the historic landmark, which began as a church in 537. The cathedral was converted into a mosque in 1453, when the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople, and ending up as a museum in 1935. Hagia Sophia was the world’s largest cathedral for almost ten centuries until Seville Cathedral, a Roman Catholic cathedral in Spain, was completed in 1520. Last month, Ankara allowed Hagia Sophia to be used for Islamic Ramadan prayers. The move came under fire from Athens, however, where Greece’s New Democracy opposition party called the prayers “provocative and incomprehensible.” “The decision of Turkish authorities to schedule the Koran reading in Hagia Sophia for the next month, has virtually transformed it into a mosque for the first time in 80 years. It is a provocative and incomprehensible act and shows disrespect against Orthodox Christians across the world and is not in line with Turkey’s European course,” the coordinator of Foreign Affairs and Defence of New Democracy, Dora Bakoyannis, and head of the party’s Foreign sector Ioannis Kefalogiannis, said in a joint statement.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

32 South African firefighters deployed in Canada finally paid Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Oneil Carlier said this week that the government had received confirmation from South Africa that the firefighters had been paid in accordance to Canadian labour laws. They were paid "in the same salary range as Alberta wildland firefighters‚" Carlier said in a statement. "We are grateful that these women and men came to help us in our time of need. We are pleased to get confirmation that they have been paid in accordance with our province's labour laws‚" Carlier added. The South African firefighters arrived in Canada amid much fanfare to help fight the massive blaze in Alberta’s Fort McMurray area‚ singing and dancing at the airport. However‚ they downed their hoses and returned home after only one week‚ claiming that they were only being paid C$50 a day for a 12-hour shift‚ while their Canadian counterparts were apparently getting C$21 an hour. The South African organisation Working on Fire‚ which recruited the firefighters‚ said no one had ever agreed to pay $21 an hour. At the time‚ Premier Rachel Notley weighed in and said the province had contracted with the agency to pay the firefighters roughly $170 a day. She was disgusted that the agency were pocketing a huge portion and made it her mission to insure that the firefighters got every cent that they had paid‚ according to Canadian media reports.

2016-07-03 18:00 TMG Digital www.timeslive.co.za

33 US woman gets suspended sentence for death threats to Stephen Hawking — RT News READ MORE: Rogue robots ‘could be hard to stop’ & 3 others things we learned from Stephen Hawking on Larry King The 37-year old American, identified as Jenny Theresa C., was apprehended by police on Wednesday near the location set up for the festival after Hawking’s children alerted police to a spate of messages containing death threats that were sent to their father’s email and social media accounts over a few hours, La Opinión de Tenerife reported on Friday. The perpetrator, who is believed to be mentally challenged, refused to undergo a psych evaluation ordered by the court and was given a four- month suspended sentence and was slapped with an eight-month restraining order that prohibits her from reaching out to Hawking via any means of communication or getting closer to him than 500 meters. The court took into account the woman’s lack of criminal history and the fact she pleaded guilty when deciding on her sentence, the Daily Mail reported, citing a court source. The worst the woman could have gotten is up to 2 years in jail. “The American citizen arrested for threatening Stephen Hawking has been released because the four month prison sentence she received was suspended as she didn’t have a criminal record in Spain… She has agreed to the sentence and recognized that she committed a crime of serious threats,” the court source said . The woman, who is a Norway resident, has been reportedly stalking the British science star for several years. However, this time Hawking’s family took her ill-wishes seriously after she wrote “I’m next to you and can kill you!” implying that she had actually travelled to Tenerife and might be present in the conference hall during the conference. READ MORE:Stephen Hawking announces first recipients of his Starmus Festival award (VIDEO) “She had been pursuing Mr. Hawking throughout the world and in the last few days had sent him grave threats through social media and to his personal email,” Spanish police said in a statement. However, the woman herself reportedly argued that she had never meant any harm to Hawking and claimed she was in love with the professor. Fearing for the scientist’s life, the family contacted local police, who sent two bodyguards to provide for Hawking’s safety, which led to rumors being circulated among attendees that there might be a possible terrorist threat at the event. READ MORE: People, ever more greedy and stupid, destroy the world - Stephen Hawking to Larry King The physicist was attending the festival as a guest speaker along with many other leading researchers in physics, chemistry, and medicine from all over the world, including Nobel Prize winners. At the conference Hawking called on the international community and governments to look for inhabitable planets for humans in space, as he does not believe Earth will last another thousand years.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

34 Over 1,100 Arab citizens of Israel killed since 2000 – official — RT News “It is true that police arrive late to [crime scenes]. The statistics would shock anyone,” Deputy Commissioner Jamal Hachrush told a meeting of the Knesset’s Internal Affairs and Environment Committee, which was held to discuss the level of violence in the Arab sector, according to The Jerusalem Post. “This is why we have drawn up a plan to reinforce the police and provide the services that are required by law,” he said. Hachrush entered the history books earlier this year when he was promoted to the rank of assistant-chief, making him the first Muslim to hold the second-highest rank. “We are recruiting 1,350 officers, and we have started building police stations. We can’t do it alone. We need help. We are in charge of curbing crime,” added Hachrush, who has been put in charge of a branch of the special police that is currently being set up to focus on the problems facing Israel’s Arab communities. “We want to build police stations in the [Arab] communities, but there is a minority which objects. There is a plan to recruit young Arab men and women, but there is no cooperation; people are getting cold feet,” he noted. Sakhnin Mayor Mazen Ganaim, who told the Knesset meeting that 1,165 Arab citizens have been murdered since 2000, said that people want police to treat them “like citizens.” “A senior police official said during a recent meeting that in a certain Arab community there are more than 20,000 weapons. We expect the police to treat us like citizens. People do not allow their children to leave the house after 4 pm. In other countries ministers would resign over these statistics,” he added, according to the press-release. According to Amnon Beeri-Sulitzeanu, co-executive director of the Abraham Fund, an NGO set up in 1989 designed to promote “coexistence and equality” among Israel’s Jewish and Arab-Palestinian citizens, the police are not doing a good job in the Arab sector. Beeri-Sulitzeanu told The Jerusalem Post that one of the fund’s key initiatives, called the Police and Community Safety Partnerships, “creates a permanent mechanism for dialogue and accountability between the community leaders of each Arab locality and the adjacent police station.” Asked whether the Israeli police have proved to be more responsive to people’s needs in the Arab sector, Beeri-Sulitzeanu told the newspaper that law enforcers may simply not be listening enough and have failed to prioritize the resources needed. Beeri-Sulitzeanu said the Abraham Fund has come up with the idea of having a third party arrange regular meetings between the police and the local community. “There needs to be dialogue every few weeks, where each side voices demands and complaints,” he noted.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

35 Skydivers fall to their deaths in Olympic rings performance in Brazil — RT Sport Police are investigating the cause of an accident that saw two skydivers die in an Olympic ring aerial performance in Brazil, reports as.com . National champion and holder of several South American records, Gustavo Correa Garcez, 39, and instructor, Guilherme Bastos Padilha, 47, fell to their deaths in the incident at Boituva, 117 kilometers (72 miles) from Sao Paulo. Bastos Padilha died at the scene due to traumatic brain injury, while Correa Garcez died at a hospital just minutes after arriving. Boituva is a popular location for parachuting and sky diving performances. Police are now doing checks on the equipment that the two professionals used for the test performance. The Rio 2016 Games organizing committee said that the aerial show was not a part of the official preparations for the opening ceremony on August 5.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

36 Russian warplanes will fly over Baltic with transponders on, if NATO does the same — RT News Following a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu ordered “technical and organizational measures” to be taken to improve air traffic security in the Baltic region, which include the Russian Air Force flying missions with their transponders activated. This would allow regional flight control services to identify Russian military aircraft, the Defense Ministry’s press-service reported. However, the ministry is only prepared to implement the measure if NATO member states are willing to do the same. The issue of air traffic control and safety is likely to be discussed at the upcoming Russia-NATO Council planned for July 13 after the NATO summit in Warsaw, which is set to kick off on July 8. When Russia’s leader was visiting Finland on Friday, the host country’s president, Sauli Niinisto, said Russian military aircraft should avoid turning off their identification devices in the region, which is frequented by both Russian and NATO planes. “We all know the risk with these flights and I have suggested that we should agree that transponders are used on all flights in the Baltic Sea region,” Niinisto said. In turn, Putin noted that “The number of NATO planes [with transponders off] is twice as high as that of Russian planes.” “We welcome the Finnish President’s proposal. Upon my arrival back in Moscow I will order the Foreign and Defense Ministries to raise this matter at the upcoming Russia-NATO Council meeting,” the Russian president said. There has been a string of air incidents involving NATO surveillance aircraft and Russian fighter jets scrambled to intercept them, when both parties were flying with their transponders turned off. In late April, the Russian Defense Ministry suggested that US surveillance planes should either keep their distance from Russia’s borders while flying over the Baltic Sea, or at least keep transponders switched on for identification purposes. The statement came after an incident on April 14 when a Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet performed a barrel roll within 25 feet (7.6 meters) of a US Boeing RC-135 surveillance plane spotted in international airspace above the Baltic Sea with its transponder switched off. The Pentagon accused the Russian pilot of acting in an “an unsafe and unprofessional manner.” “There are two solutions for the US Air Force [operating in the Baltic Sea]: either do not fly near our borders, or turn on transponders for automatic identification by our radars,” Defense Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said in an official statement at the time.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

37 Armed fighters demanding warlord’s release block Kiev court — RT News Valentin “Wardaddy” Likholit, a field commander in the notorious Aidar battalion, was detained on June 1 on allegations of committing grievous crimes, including organizing an armed gang and an assault related to robbery. Two other members of the battalion were arrested along with Likholit. The court has now ruled that Valentin Likholit is to remain under arrest for two more months. When the judge was announcing the Pechorsky court’s decision, members of volunteer regiments that were present in the courtroom started a brawl with the police officers who were guarding the session. Likholit’s supporters insist the accusations against their leader are “absurd” and are demanding that the warlord be released on bail as soon as possible. They have threatened to organize a new tent camp protest in downtown Kiev to support their commander. MP Igor Mosiychuk, a renowned member of Ukraine’s Radical Party, stated on his Facebook page that the new wave of public protests in Kiev would mark the beginning of a “new stage of Ukrainian revolution.” READ MORE: 2 Ukrainian ultra-radical MPs face investigation for kidnappings, torture Egor Sobolev, another Ukrainian MP who is a member of the Self Reliance party, told 112. Ukraine TV channel that lifting the restrictive measures applied to Likholit would be the best move for the authorities, since he is not going to try to flee. Some of the fighters blocking the court are armed with “legal weapons,” Sobolev said, noting the ceremonial weapons brandished by certain MPs at the scene. In case of “provocations,” these people would use the weapons “to protect people’s lives,” Sobolev announced. “This isn’t just a joke, the situation is serious,” he said. Apart from conducting counterinsurgency operations in eastern Ukraine, the Aidar battalion has been involved in the killing of two Russian journalists. Valentin Likholit is the former commander of Nadezhda Savchenko, the Ukrainian helicopter pilot that a Russian court found guilty of murdering Russian journalists Igor Kornelyuk and Anton Voloshin near Lugansk in eastern Ukraine. Savchenko was exchanged for two Russian citizens in late May. She had promised to be present at Likholit’s trial, but failed to attend the session. Members of Ukraine’s volunteer battalions have been repeatedly accused of committing grave crimes against the civilian population of the eastern part of the country since Kiev launched a military operation against the rebel Donetsk and Lugansk regions. READ MORE: Investigate claims of Ukrainian torture & repression, Duma lawmakers tell international groups In June of this year, Ukraine’s Chief Military Prosecutor’s Office arrested eight members of the Tornado volunteer battalion on allegations of kidnapping and torturing citizens of the Lugansk region, as well as rape and pillaging. Over the past two years, Ukrainian radicals, among them members of the ultranationalist Right Sector group and fighters from nationalist volunteer battalions such as Aidar, Donbass, Tornado, and Azov, have repeatedly staged marches through the center of the Ukrainian capital.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

38 ‘Sharktivity’ app launched to detect great whites swimming off coast of Cape Cod — RT America The app in question, “Sharktivity,” lets members of the public report sightings or encounters with sharks and can be downloaded by iPhone users. Developed by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, a non-profit group in Chatham, Massachusetts that works with biologists, it also shows where great whites that have been previously tagged are located. “This app will be yet another tool to raise awareness and provide the public with information on white shark activity across the East Coast,” Cynthia Wigren of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy said, as cited by the Boston Globe. However, she added that the team hopes to use the app to change the public’s attitude towards great whites, which have for decades been synonymous with the Jaws films. “A big part of what the organization does is to work to try and change public perception by supplying them with fact based information and we’re gathering that information by funding the science,” Wigren said. The app can send out alerts to those going to the beach, warning them of any great whites in the area, as the shark season is in full swing. Wigren added that the app is not just for those looking to find or avoid sharks off Cape Cod, as it can be used anywhere along the US coast and she believes it will not be hard to get the word out about the new app. Last summer, lifeguards at Surfside Beach in California used miniature drones to detect sharks. If they found sharks that were showing aggressive behavior, they would close the beaches to the public to prevent any accidents. “If we get bigger sharks or we get sharks that are aggressive, we’re actually going to close the water. But right now, we have sharks that are 5- to 6-feet long, non-aggressive, acting like normal sharks, feeding on bottom fish, doing exactly what we would expect them to do,” Chief Joe Bailey, a Seal Beach lifeguard, told CBS Los Angeles. “That’s why we have it posted just to let people know that they are there.”

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

39 Zuma’s pals can’t stop corruption: Msimanga Speaking at the launch of the DA’s plan for corruption-free cities‚ Msimanga said the ANC had allowed corruption to become part and parcel of the party’s very fabric by its sheer unwillingness and inability to deal decisively with corruption. “From President Zuma‚ who still faces 783 charges of corruption‚ fraud and racketeering‚ to outgoing mayor of Tshwane‚ Sputla Ramokgopa‚ whose corrupt and unlawful PEU smart-meter contract‚ has cost our City (Tshwane) in excess of R2 billion. “We cannot sit by and watch scarce resources squandered by a selfish and uncaring ANC government that places political patronage above the needs of the people‚” Msimanga asserted. He said that corruption was more than stolen money and favours for friends. It was a disease that had infected every aspect and every level of the ANC government. This disease now stood in the way of making progress towards a better life for all. “The only way that we‚ as a City and a country‚ can start moving forward again is if we cut this disease out like the cancer that it is.” Msimanga added that the first step toward combating corruption was to create an environment that encouraged people to report corruption when they see it. “This requires the establishment of an effective system that allows individuals to report fraud and corruption easily‚ confidentially and without the fear. “This will allow whistle-blowers to provide tip-offs anonymously by telephone‚ e-mail‚ social media or any other platform that makes individuals feel secure and protected‚” he stated. Among other measures to curb corruption‚ Msimanga said the DA advocated that lists for housing opportunities‚ including serviced sites‚ must be managed in a transparent and credible way that is free from manipulation. People should be able to see their position on the housing list and their progress. “Queue jumping” and advantage based on “who you know” should not be tolerated. Public servants should also be prohibited from doing business with government. A zero-tolerance policy should be adopted countrywide and offenders should be forced to vacate their posts. Tender processes should be opened up to the public at the adjudication stage to ensure that they were awarded fairly to companies which offered the most value for money‚ he added.

2016-07-03 18:00 TMG Digital www.timeslive.co.za

40 Two senior NFP leaders resign National Chairperson Maliyakhe Shelembe and former Secretary-General Prof Nhlanhla Khubisa tendered their resignation from the party on Saturday and Sunday respectively. "Their resignations were not surprising as the NWC of our party held a meeting on Saturday afternoon‚ which ran until very late where they deliberated extensively on various issues affecting the NFP which had brought our party into disrepute‚ including the non-compliance to the IEC processes resulting in a court case currently before the Electoral Court‚" kaMagwaza-Msibi said. She added: "I wish them well in their future endeavours and at the same time I urge our members and supporters not to panic and not do anything that could jeopardise our party in any way. " The NFP leader maintained that her party "is stable and will come out of this situation even more stronger than before". "I also want to emphasise that the NFP is not a two-men party and it is for this reason that I call upon our members and supporters to unite even more so that we can contest the forthcoming elections vigorously‚ as they are the embodiment of our strength" said kaMagwaza-Msibi.

2016-07-03 18:00 Julia Madibogo www.timeslive.co.za

41 SABC banned coverage of EFF – Jimi Matthews Speaking to author and radio host Eusebius Mckaiser on his new show Meet The Media on eNCA on Sunday‚ Mathews said the decision not to cover the EFF was made by “certain individuals” including COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng. "Certain individuals in the ruling party including people like Hlaudi were of the view that we should not be giving Julius and his crowd coverage‚" Matthews said. He added: "I should have said ‘no that’s ridiculous’ certainly‚ with the growing popularity around the 2014 elections and if anything the EFF is out of all the political parties probably the masters of the media so we should have given them a lot more coverage… That is one of the decisions I was part of and from a journalistic point of view is unjustified. " Matthews resigned from the SABC on Monday following mounting pressure on the public broadcaster after its recent decisions not to broadcast footage of protests or any negative reports about President Jacob Zuma. The former acting CEO told the City Press newspaper that Motsoeneng “is conducting a reign of terror at the SABC‚ where people are being bludgeoned to toe the line”.

2016-07-03 18:00 Julia Madibogo www.timeslive.co.za

42 Cope slams ANC’s ‘mutists of Parliament’ for silence on SABC censorship This censorship‚ Cope’s Dennis Bloem said as pickets were held outside the SABC offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg‚ was largely the work of the broadcaster’s chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng and Communications Minister Faith Muthambi”. “There was a time not too long ago when Africa and the world admired both our Parliament as well as the SABC‚” said Bloem. “They were seen as institutions singularly belonging to the people and fulsomely serving the people. Not so anymore. Both have regressed dangerously since 2009 to become shadows of their former selves and betrayers of their respective mandates. “…Parliament’s role in exercising scrutiny on the public broadcaster has withered.” Bloem said that President Jacob Zuma – whose “antipathy towards smart and educated people‚ [was] matched ferociously by Motsoeneng” – “wants South Africa to be mute also while insurgency grows and the National Treasury is rapidly depleted by the political elite through state capture at every level”. He said this was being helped along by African National Congress members of Parliament as “they think nothing‚ they see nothing‚ they say nothing” while the country’s hard-fought “freedom is being eroded daily by the Zuma-Muthambi-Motsoeneng axis”. “They are the ‘mutist’ MPs of South Africa‚” Bloem added. “This is therefore a time for all of us to stop the speak up and to support the South African National Editors Forum‚” urged Bloem of the body which on Thursday said it would make presentations to MPs in light of allegations of censorship and disciplinary action taken against six SABC employees. “This is the time for all of us to stop the immolation of our democracy. We cannot be mere uninvolved bystanders while journalist of great integrity and competence are being bullied‚ stifled and muzzled.”

2016-07-03 18:00 TMG Digital www.timeslive.co.za

43 Johnson’s used, never-used water cannon to be sold off by new London mayor — RT UK In his mayoral campaign, Kahn said he would sell off the vehicles, which were bought by Johnson for over £218,000 ($289,000), and now he says he intends to live up to that promise. “One of the deals Boris Johnson managed to do with the Germans was to buy three water cannon. What I’m going to do is sell them and use the money for youth services,” Kahn said, as cited by The Guardian. Johnson purchased the 25-year-old water cannon from German police in 2014, as he believed they would be necessary if violence were to break out in London. He did not have the backing of Home Secretary Theresa May, however, who said their use would not be allowed on the British mainland. The machines have been gathering dust ever since. “This shows the inability of Boris Johnson to get a good deal – secondhand, paid almost a quarter of a million pounds. We want to get rid of them. We are paying for storage facilities for these water cannon – that beggars belief,” Kahn added, according to The Guardian. Kahn, who took office in May after beating Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith, says he hopes to use the money raised to help fund youth services. However, a spokesperson for the mayor said that nothing has been done yet to try to sell the vehicles. Johnson was criticized for buying the crowd control vehicles in 2014, as they were seen as a waste of money by Green party politician Jenny Jones, who claimed that 98 percent of Londoners were against the idea. The former mayor, who just days ago said he would not be standing as a candidate to become the Conservative Party’s new leader, tried to deflect attention away from the moral issues surrounding the purchase of the water cannon by saying he would be willing to have the crowd control machines tested on himself. In July of 2015, May announced that the water cannon would not be used to quell riots in the capital, telling the House of Commons that “without safeguards” the cannons could “cause harm” to the public. In addition, May said she was “unconvinced” of the “operability ” of the cannons Johnson purchased, which are already 25 years old. She concluded by expressing concern over the “potential impact of water cannon on public perceptions of police legitimacy.”

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

44 Croatian football hooligans attack national team player following Euro 2016 exit — RT Sport The 28-year-old, who was part of the Croatia team that was beaten in the second round of the Euro 2016 by Portugal last weekend, had rented the luxurious Villa Marija nested in the Ceprljanda bay. Rakitic and his family were forced to flee their vacation home on a speed boat less than half an hour after a group of hooligans began throwing rocks at the villa they were in. Reports describe how a group of six men arrived on the island and headed for the villa, where they threw rocks at the house, smashing doors and windows, while encouraging others to join in. Relations between Croatia’s fans and players became strained during the tournament when a group stage match against Turkey was interrupted by fans throwing flares onto the pitch, which led to a warning from the UEFA. There was even speculation that the fans might try to sabotage the players’ efforts and get them kicked out of the tournament due to a long-running feud between the fans and the Croatian FA. Croatia FA chief and Euro 96 Golden Boot winner Davor Suker has become the target of supporter apathy, as fans see him as a figurehead for a so-called mafia run by former Dinamo Zagreb chief, Zdravko Mamic. READ MORE: Croatian football hooligans bid to get country thrown out of Euro 2016 After winning their group, thanks to a late win over Spain, Croatia was knocked out by Portugal after extra time when Ricardo Quaresma headed home. Portugal has since progressed to the semi-finals with a penalty shoot-out victory over Poland.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

45 Turkish aid ship sails to Gaza after talks with Israel ‘largely lift’ blockade — RT News The Panama-flagged ship is carrying 2,000 tons of rice, five tons of flour, packs of sugar, at least 10,000 toys, and some 10,000 packages of food and aid for children in the Gaza Strip. The goods are expected to be delivered via the Israeli port of Ashdod within 30 hours, the Hürriyet reported. Lady Leyla received a blessing from Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Veysi Kaynak and Palestinian Ambassador to Ankara Faed Mustafa during a farewell ceremony on Friday. Ibrahim Kalin, Turkey’s presidential spokesm an, said earlier this week that the ship’s departure would be “the first test to see if Israel will play a facilitator role ” in calming down the situation in Gaza. Israel and Turkey reached the long-awaited agreement to normalize ties on Sunday following a six-year hiatus in relations, according to Reuters. The deal finally put an end to a rift that formed after the Israeli Navy killed nine Turkish and one Turkish-American pro-Palestinian activists during a raid on a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza in May of 2010. The Mavi Marmara was among six civilian vessels trying to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza when Israeli troops stormed it. Israel says it needs to maintain the blockade to prevent Hamas from importing weaponry. Ankara demanded a formal apology from Israel following the incident, as well as compensation for the victims’ families. It also demanded that Israel lift the Gaza blockade. READ MORE: Israel, Turkey reach agreement to normalize ties – Israeli official Apart from agreeing to Turkey’s humanitarian work in Gaza, Israel will reportedly pay $20 million in compensation to the families of the activists killed by IDF soldiers. Turkey in turn, has agreed to approve a law that would put an end to lawsuits from the families of the victims killed in the raid, the Hürriyet reported. Israel offered an apology and the compensation to bring about a thaw with Turkey, the Times of Israel reported, adding that Ankara is also to invest in infrastructure projects in Gaza under the deal.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

46 ANC councillor candidate in KZN shot dead ANC spokesman Mdumiseni Ntuli in Kwazulu-Natal said Mbongwa was killed in front of her husband and children at her home. "We are saddened and devastated by the news of comrade Mbongwa who was shot at her home in front of her family. We believe that the family is traumatised at the moment as this happened last night‚" Ntuli said. He added however that details of the killing were sketchy at the moment. The ANC in the province would visit the family on Sunday‚ Ntuli said. "I myself will be one of the people who will visit her family. We will offer any sort of support as you can imagine the family is going through a very tough time at the moment. " It is believed that two armed men entered her home late on Saturday night and shot her before fleeing the scene. No arrests have yet been made. News of Ntuli's killing has sparked outrage on social media and put the spotlight on politically-motivated killings ahead of the August 3 local government elections. Here's what some people had to say on Twitter: Bonolo @Ralegae "#ANCKZN is mad dangerous. People killing each other just for positions. " Tambai @tambai07: "#ANCKZN politics of stomach in full force‚ sharks eating each other for state resources. Sies maan" Bulumko @bhlabl: "Then you tell me to vote for ANC? Never vote political of Mafia's. ANC is died long time ago to me #ANCkzn" M . @Morena_Thinane "What-What Zikalala‚ is focusing on showing his absolute loyalty to Zuma‚ while his comrades are murdering each other. #ANCKZN. "

2016-07-03 18:00 TMG Digital www.timeslive.co.za

47 Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel dies Wiesel, a Romanian-born US citizen, was perhaps best known for his memoir "Night" detailing his experiences in the Auschwitz concentration camp. He won the Nobel peace prize in 1986, when he was described as having "made it his life's work to bear witness to the genocide committed by the Nazis during World War II". Once known as "the world's leading spokesman on the Holocaust," Wiesel died at his home in Manhattan on Saturday, the New York Times reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who reportedly tried to convince Wiesel to run for president in 2014, called him "an exemplar of humanity". "Elie, a master of words, expressed in his unique personality and fascinating books the victory of human spirit over cruelty and evil," the premier said in a statement. "In the darkness of the Holocaust, in which six million of our brothers and sisters perished, Elie Wiesel was a beacon of light and an exemplar of humanity that believes in man's good. " Born Eliezer Wiesel on September 30, 1928, the Nobel prize winner grew up in a small town in Romania. His parents raised him and his three sisters in a Jewish community, until they were all detained during the Holocaust when he was a teenager. The Dalai Lama greets fellow Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel after Wiesel's remarks at a ceremony in Washington His mother and younger sister were killed in the gas chamber at Auschwitz, according to his biography. His father died of dysentery and starvation at Buchenwald, where Wiesel was freed by US soldiers at the age of 17. He was reunited with his two older sisters in France, and eventually studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. French President Francois Hollande said his country "salutes the memory of a great humanist" and a "tireless advocate of peace". Wiesel travelled back to Auschwitz in 2006 with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey. He also accompanied US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on a tour of the Buchenwald camp. "After we walked together among the barbed wire and guard towers of Buchenwald... Elie spoke words I've never forgotten -- 'Memory has become a sacred duty of all people of goodwill,'" Obama said Saturday. "Elie was not just the world's most prominent Holocaust survivor, he was a living memorial. "His life, and the power of his example, urges us to be better. " Wiesel's internationally acclaimed "Night" was published in 1956 and has been translated into more than 30 languages. It was later expanded into a trilogy with "Dawn" and "Day". Nobel Prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel says the body may not be eternal, but the soul is. In this interview with Oprah he shares what he believes happens when he dies. Accepting the Nobel peace prize, he said the award "both frightens and pleases me. "It frightens me because I wonder: Do I have the right to represent the multitudes who have perished? Do I have the right to accept this great honour on their behalf? "I do not. That would be presumptuous. No one may speak for the dead, no one may interpret their mutilated dreams and visions. " While Wiesel's focus was the Holocaust and the plight of the Jewish people, he was also a rights activist and a professor of Judaic studies and the humanities. Michael Zank, director of the Elie Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies at Boston University, where Wiesel taught for nearly 40 years, said staff were heartbroken at his passing. Soon after he won the Nobel prize, Wiesel and his wife Marion founded The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity with a mission to "combat indifference, intolerance and injustice through international dialogue and youth-focused programs. " US Secretary of State John Kerry said Wiesel's "words carried the weight of experience that could not and must not be forgotten -- an experience we each are called upon to prevent in our own time. " UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Wiesel had turned "the nightmare of his youth into a lifelong campaign for global equality and peace. " Ban added: "The world has lost one of its most important witnesses - and one of its most eloquent advocates of tolerance and peace. "

2016-07-03 18:00 Mike Smith www.timeslive.co.za

48 File 17: Fresh documents hint at possible Saudi ties to 9 The document, known as “File 17,” was compiled by Dana Lesemann and Michael Jacobson. It offers clues as to what may be hidden in the secret 28 pages of the congressional report on the 9/11 attacks, which is rumored to implicate the Saudis. “Much of the information upon which File 17 was written was based on what’s in the 28 pages,” former Democratic Senator Bob Graham of Florida told the AP. Graham, who was the co- chairman of the congressional inquiry, believes that the hijackers had access to an extensive Saudi support system while they were in the US prior to the attacks. “File 17 said, ‘Here are some additional unanswered questions and here is how we think the 9/11 Commission, the FBI and the CIA should go about finding the answers,’” Graham added, according to the AP. Among the three-dozen names listed in File 17 are Fahad Al-Thumairy and Omar Al-Bayoumi Al-Thumairy, an imam at the King Fahad Mosque in Culver City, California accredited with the Saudi consulate in Los Angeles, is suspected of helping two of the hijackers after they arrived in the city. The commission also states that Al-Thumairy and Al-Bayoumi knew each other and had regular phone conversations. Al-Bayoumi, a Saudi national, is also reported to have provided hijackers Nawaf Al-Hazmi and Khalid Al-Mihdhar with considerable assistance after they arrived in San Diego in February 2000. “Al-Bayoumi has extensive ties to the Saudi government and many in the local Muslim community in San Diego believed that he was a Saudi intelligence officer,” the report stated. Al-Bayoumi left the US weeks before the 9/11 attacks. In June, John Brennan, the head of the CIA, said that the missing 28 pages would be published, but that they contain no evidence implicating the Saudis in aiding the terrorists. “I think the 28 pages will be published and I support their publication and everyone will see the evidence that the Saudi government had nothing to do with it,” Brennan said in an interview with Saudi-owned Arabiya TV last month. President Barack Obama ordered the declassification of the 28 pages back in 2014. It had initially been blocked by former President George W. Bush, as he did not want America’s relations with Saudi Arabia to suffer. In May, the US Senate passed the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, which allows victims of terror attacks or surviving family members to bring lawsuits against nation-states for activities supporting terrorism. However, President Obama has threatened to veto the bill, while Saudi Arabia has spoken out strongly against the legislation, threatening to sell $750 billion in US treasury securities and other assets if it is signed into law. Riyadh has also repeatedly denied supporting the 19 terrorists involved in the attack, 15 of whom were Saudi citizens.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

49 Tens of thousands of anti-Brexit protesters hit streets of London — RT UK Organizers of the March For Europe, which includes popular event planners , said they want politicians to fully understand how the move could affect millions of British and European people. “We call for an end to political indecision about Britain’s future. We want our elected representatives to outline what our future is in Europe, to be transparent about how our country can thrive in troubling times,” a statement on the Facebook event page read. Organizer Keiran MacDermott added, “The referendum was a massive mistake for our country and is a step in the wrong direction. We started this initiative to demand this situation be reconsidered and the UK’s relationship with the EU maintained. A good solution can and must be found.” Campaigners took to the stage at Parliament Square to share stories and poetry, while giving speeches condemning the “lies” of the “Leave” campaign and calling for Britain to remain part of the EU. One campaigner told the crowd that “Remain” supporters need to reach out to those who voted to leave. “We need to find a better alternative which involves staying in the EU and building their livelihoods,” she said. Sir Bob Geldof spoke from the stage and condemned far-right UKIP leader Nigel Farage, claiming he used and lied to those “who have been left behind” by the government to convince them to vote for Brexit out of protest last week. “What they didn’t tell them was that the only way to stop unemployment and stop austerity is to grow an economy,” he said. Geldof urged those who voted to stay in the EU to talk to their neighbors that voted leave and ask them why they want a Brexit. “Don’t get angry, explain,” he said. Labour MPs David Lammy and Catherine West also spoke during the rally in Parliament Square. Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron said the Brexit result “broke his heart” and told EU citizens living in the UK that “this is your home, and we’ll fight for your right to stay.” “We will continue to be a European country,” he declared. The group Another Europe Is Possible, which had the endorsement of shadow chancellor John McDonnell and backs the Remain side, also attended the demonstration. Campaigner Luke Cooper told RT: “It’s brilliant to see thousands of young people are mobilizing in a wave of spontaneous anger at the Tory Brexit we see unfolding around us. It’s only too right young people are taking a lead; they didn’t vote for Brexit, now they’re taking to the streets to say not in my name.” Secret Cinema founder Fabien Riggall said he was “dismayed” at the results of the EU referendum and subsequent “political instability, community division and market uncertainty.” He added that he marched on Saturday because “there seems to be no clear route map for the country’s future. We have come together to demand our elected representatives outline what our future is in Europe – to be transparent and show us a vision of how these issues can be fixed. " WATCH MORE:

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

50 RT behind scenes with Prisma app — RT Viral With a million downloads in the first five days from the App Store, the AI- powered Prisma has become a hit with users, topping the charts worldwide. Investors are now pouring in and the man behind the four-person-strong team, Alexey Moiseyenkov, had to double the app’s server capacity from week one - and it's still growing. 2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

51 Lions pick up where they left off as they maul Sharks For three-quarters of the match in a chilly Johannesburg‚ the Lions dominated the visiting Sharks with team work seeing the home side running to a 37-0 lead with 20 minutes to go in the clash. It was in that last quarter that the Sharks saved themselves from an embarrassing defeat with a strong fight to bring some deference to the scoreline by preventing a whitewash as the final score ended 37-10 to the Lions. The bonus point win for the Johannesburg-based side ensured they continue to sit pretty at the top of the South African conference as the competition nears the playoff stages. The Lions picked up where they left off before the Super Rugby break at the end of May‚ where they went into the June break on the back of an emphatic 56-20 win over the at Loftus Versfeld in the last round of matches before the bulk of the Lions players went on international duty for the Springboks and SA ‘A’ side. From the first whistle the home side took charge of the match as they put the visiting Sharks side on the back foot. It was Bok pivot who got the first points of the match on the board through a ninth minute penalty that opened the points flood gates in the first half for Johan Ackermann's pride. The Lions could smell the blood of the wounded Sharks‚ who have had a topsy-turvy campaign so far where they have blown hot and cold. The Johannesburg pride prowled across the breadth and length of the field‚ mauling a nervy Sharks side and scoring four tries in the first half. New Bok winger continued where he left off from the international stage when he scored the first five-pointer of the match. ‚ and the coach's son ‚ playing in his first start for the Lions‚ contributed with tries of their own to take the half-time score to 27-0. The start of the second half was no different to how the Lions had started the match. The Lions' bite in the first 40 minutes had surely left the Sharks finding it hard to swim at Ellis Park. Nerves‚ errors and being in awe of the Lions' attacking brand of rugby left the visiting side in a slight state of confusion as they desperately defended for the bulk of the encounter. The nightmare continued for Sharks' Bok winger Lwazi Mvovo‚ who found the going tough during the test series against Ireland‚ also at provincial level as the Lions repeated what the Irish did by kicking into his channel with the winger struggling to take charge of the aerial bombardment that came his way. Sharks captain and Bok prop Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira also failed to have any impact on the game‚ so too did pivot Garth April‚ from whom much is expected but failed to impress. For the Lions‚ stand-in captain ‚ fellow Boks ‚ Julian Redelinghuys‚ ‚ Jantjies and Combrinck continued the fine form they have shown for both province and country as they led the Lions side to the impressive victory. It was after Kriel's 58th minute try that the Sharks forged a fightback‚ although it was always going to be an uphill battle for the visitors. Lwazi Mvovo got the first points for the Sharks when he scored a try in the 63rd minute. Replacement hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle followed up with a five-pointer of his own in the 69th minute. The late 10 points spurred the Sharks on in the last quarter of the game as they attempted to prevent the Lions from securing a try bonus point with a spirited fight towards the death of the game.

2016-07-03 18:00 Chumani Bambani www.timeslive.co.za

52 52 'We weren't really effective' in Western Cape, admits ANC's Ehrenreich His shocking admission comes in the wake of chaos that erupted in Nyanga over the exclusion of an ANC councillor from the party's candidate list. "I think our effectiveness was between 10 and 12%. We weren't really effective at all," said Ehrenreich who addressed the Cape Town Press Club yesterday. The ANC chose Ehrenreich as its mayoral candidate in 2011 hoping to pull votes from the DA. His statement comes a month after he was shafted by the party as its mayoral candidate. His replacement is his chief whip, Xolani Sotashe. Ehrenreich blamed the ruling DA for the ANC's ineffectiveness, saying the party used its majority to change council processes to effectively silence them. "One of the practices in council is that the mayor addresses council . then the leader of the opposition [is given time] to talk about the main challenges," he said. But because his party attracted great media attention he claimed council scrapped the practice. "We never got to the podium anymore. We can ask the questions from the floor and they can switch off the mics," said Ehrenreich. He said the DA administration had spent R50-million to boast about having the best-run city in the country. But, said Ehrenreich, it failed to build affordable housing near the CBD or foster social cohesion. Ehrenreich lambasted the ANC along with the DA. He said there were grave dangers should both parties continue to gain strength. "You can see the party bosses taking centre stage, whether it's in Pretoria . or some of the things that are done by the DA in the City of Cape Town," he said. Meanwhile, there are fears that violence by ANC supporters in Nyanga could spread. Authorities shut down a section of the N2 after protesters torched Golden Arrow buses. The scenes were reminiscent of the violence in Tshwane where the ANC appointed Thoko Didiza as its mayoral candidate.

2016-07-03 18:00 APHIWE DE www.timeslive.co.za

53 It’s haul in your head! Record amount of cocaine found in horse sculpture by N. Zealand police — RT News The statue, which was transported from Mexico in May, contained 35 one-kilo bricks of cocaine, all stacked in the base of the horse’s neck. The stack, worth NZ$14 million (about $10 million), is the biggest haul of cocaine ever seized in New Zealand, where about 250 kilos a year is usually impounded. “This is obviously an extremely large amount of cocaine and in the past we’ve only found very small amounts of this drug,” Detective Senior Sergeant Colin Parmenter, who is responsible for dealing with organized crime in Auckland, told The Guardian. However, there is more behind this haul, he added. “What this find tells us, though, is that there is obviously a demand for it. While it’s possible that this statue may have been sent on to another country… there’s every possibility that the cocaine was destined for the New Zealand market and we would be naive to think otherwise.” Detective Superintendent Virginia Le Bas from the organized crime unit said they were still working to establish the intended final destination of the statue, adding that the operation is “a significant win for New Zealand,” as quoted by AFP. Three people were detained in connection with the crime after a six-week investigation. A Mexican and a US citizen were arrested in Auckland over the weekend as they were getting ready to fly to Hawaii, and another Mexican was detained in Christchurch. They have been charged with importing and possessing a class-A drug. Importing cocaine is punishable by a life sentence in New Zealand. Online crowd has questioned whether it was such a smart idea to hide such a huge stack of cocaine in the eye-catching statue.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

54 China to ‘eavesdrop’ on alien life with giant, multimillion dollar radio telescope (VIDEO) — RT News The Single-Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), as it is known, is an enormous dish made up of 4,450 reflector panels with a diameter of half a kilometer and an area the size of around 30 football pitches, according to the Xinhua news agency. It was completed in southwestern China’s Guizhou Province on Sunday, when the last reflector was fitted into a natural bunker, which is situated among the mountains of Pingtang County. The telescope is tasked with looking for intelligent life in deep outer space. Once up and running, FAST will be able to detect radio signals from as far away as one-thousand light years. Work on the massive project began in March of 2011 and cost 700 million yuan ($105,385,980) to complete. The project was originally scheduled to be finished in September of 2016. READ MORE: China to resettle more than 9,000 for building of world’s biggest telescope The radio telescope’s diameter of 500 meters (1600-feet) makes it the largest single aperture telescope in the world. The previous record holder, Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory, has a diameter of 300 meters. The telescope was built in a karst depression, which will protect it from electromagnetic disturbances. READ MORE: ‘Fast’ & vast: China building world’s largest 500-meter radio telescope While China’s National Development and Reform Commission may have found the perfect spot for the alien eavesdropping device, thousands of people who already lived there had to be sent packing to make way for the edifice. It was reported earlier this year that the local residents had to be resettled to “create a sound electromagnetic wave environment” for the alien snooper. Those displaced were given 12,000 yuan ($1,800) in compensation and moved to newly built accommodation.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

55 Nick Young responds to Iggy Azalea cheating claims Iggy dumped the basketball player last month after discovering his infidelities and Nick has taken to Twitter to admit he messed up but insisted he will ''learn from it and move on''. He tweeted: ''If you perfect then be perfect I live in a world where ppl f**k up learn from it and move on... ''That's life ... hate me or love me I'm still going to love life man (sic).'' Iggy recently revealed she had no choice but to kick Nick, 31, to the curb after discovering his infidelities in the worst way possible. In a series of tweets, she revealed: ''I broke up with Nick because I found out he had brought other women into our home while I was away and caught them on the security footage... People in this world really are f***ed up. (sic)'' Iggy, 26, also commented on a report that Keonna Green, the mother of Nick's son Nick Jr, is four-months pregnant with his second child. She tweeted: ''I have never even been told by nick that his baby mother is pregnant so if this is true I'm finding out via E news... This is just like a second shot to the chest. And I feel like I don't even know who the hell it is I've been loving all this time. (sic)'' Iggy and Nick began dating at the beginning of 2014 and got engaged in 2015. Previously it was believed that Iggy's trust in Nick had been shaken after she had to suffer the indignity of a video leaking online which showed Nick admitting to his Los Angeles Lakers teammate D'Angelo Russell that he had cheated on her.

2016-07-03 18:00 Bang Showbiz www.timeslive.co.za

56 Ahmed Kathrada Foundation’s response to Rivers Church pastor It is important‚ though‚ not simply to forgive him and move on‚ since his words were not only “poorly chosen” (as he says in his Twitter apology)‚ but reveal deep- seated attitudes and approaches that keep on bedevilling relationships between black and white people in this country. Let us start with the fact that the short clip from his sermon‚ which was circulated by News24‚ was clearly an “aside” during the course of his sermon‚ in which he digressed from his prepared text and “spoke from his heart”. This is clear when at the end of the clip he says: “Back to the message.” This incident reveals something typical about the life of many white people in South Africa: we have learnt to be “politically correct” most of the time‚ particularly when we are speaking in public or in the presence of black people. We do this to “avoid trouble” or to prevent being accused of racism. But sometimes‚ when our guard drops‚ we reveal what we really think and who we really are. And then our untransformed mind-sets emerge into the open. This usually happens when we are angry or disgusted at a specific incident‚ like Penny Sparrow’s experience on a Durban beach‚ or Vicki Momberg’s tirade after the smash-and-grab incident. It also happens around the braaivleis fire‚ when we let our inhibitions go and say what we really think about black people (and about ourselves). Pastor Olivier lowered his guard during his sermon on Sunday and revealed his real feelings and thinking about the history of South Africa and the nature of the relationship between black and white people. That is what we need to address; not his unfortunate choice of words. There are six basic assumptions or thinking patterns evident in Pastor Olivier’s personal aside during his sermon: - God uses people who are different from us to “speak into our lives;” we should therefore not “drive them away”‚ but listen to them and let them be “God’s voice” to us; - White people took nothing from black people; whoever says that is lying; - White people have the right to get annoyed when such lies are repeated in public; - White people have money because they work; black people are poor because they are lazy; - Because white people worked (and are still working) for their wealth‚ thereby earning it rightfully‚ there is no need for them to share it with anyone or to “give away some of it”; and - White people are not “the problem” in South Africa; perhaps the law favoured them‚ but they worked hard to “build this nation”. Some time ago‚ I suggested that white people who want to overcome racism need to bid farewell to innocence‚ ignorance‚ and to arrogance – in order to embrace and be embraced by black South Africans and to join the movement to overcome racism. Let me show how that applies to Pastor Olivier. Pastor Olivier’s denial of responsibility for anything that is wrong in South Africa is baffling. When he says‚ “Maybe the law favoured us‚” he is revealing a false innocence as well as dishonesty‚ because the apartheid laws definitely favoured white people (there is no maybe about that). But he is also unhistorical: where did “the law” come from? Did it drop from the sky? Who made those laws that favoured white people and humiliated black people? Who passed the Land Acts of 1913 and 1936 that determined that white people would own 87% of the land? Who passed the Group Areas Act‚ which forced millions of black people into homelands or racially exclusive townships with matchbox houses‚ outside the cities and towns of South Africa? One could go on like this for a long time‚ since there are more than 150 laws that were passed by an all-white parliament between 1948 and 1990 that deliberately “favoured us” and thereby harmed and oppressed black people. And there are even more laws and policies that Dutch and British colonial authorities enacted on this soil since 1652 to give shape to the particular kind of racialised and divided society that we are today. How can any white South African honestly say: “We took nothing from no one”? In a way this has already been addressed in the previous section. Perhaps Pastor Olivier really does not know South African history. Perhaps his only sources are the history textbooks of the apartheid schooling that he underwent or possibly the ideological indoctrination he underwent as a military conscript in the old SADF. But as the “senior pastor” of an obviously successful church in upmarket Sandton‚ he owes his congregation (and South Africans as a whole) more than that. His view that wealth is produced by hard work and (by implication) that poverty is caused by laziness is something he will begin to qualify when he understands more about South African economic history. There is too much evidence of successful black farmers who lost their land in the late 19th and early 20th centuries due to various taxes that were imposed on them‚ forcing them to become underpaid workers in white-owned farms‚ mines and factories. The destruction of African family life through the migrant labour system‚ with its humiliating pass laws‚ is well documented for anyone willing to read. Pastor Olivier needs to turn away from his pseudo-innocence about the role of white people in South African history‚ by allowing black South Africans to be God’s instruments to speak into his life the truth about the things that white people have done. And then to admit complicity in all that‚ acknowledging all the benefits that he has enjoyed since birth‚ which has given white people a huge head start economically‚ academically and in every other way. Following on directly from the previous section‚ if Pastor Olivier can acknowledge complicity in the racist policies and practices that have divided our nation and oppressed the majority of its citizens for more than 360 years‚ then he may be able to find the humility not to be annoyed when black fellow South Africans keep on pointing out just how broken and unhealed our society still is. It is therefore not merely a question of an unfortunate choice of words; but of the underlying political‚ economic and cultural assumptions that are revealed in his words. While everyone appreciates his public apology‚ he can only be forgiven if he admits that he was wrong in his fundamental assumptions‚ not only in his choice of words. That is the only way to genuine reconciliation and transformation. And then the discussion can begin about how he‚ along with other white Christians who benefitted from 360 years of colonial rule and 46 years of apartheid‚ can follow the example of the early church in the Book of Acts by sharing their possessions with the poor. If we follow this way‚ we will stop identifying anybody or any group as “the problem”. We will be able to identify the problems that we have as a society‚ analyse them‚ and commit ourselves to addressing them together. We do not want to shame or humiliate Pastor Olivier; we invite him into this shared journey. We trust that he will receive this intervention – from people who are different from him – as the way that God is “speaking into his life” at this point in time. - This piece was written at the request of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation‚ and the views expressed herein are endorsed by the Foundation.

2016-07-03 18:00 Prof Jnj www.timeslive.co.za

57 From the BET red carpet to Hollywood Hills She's the glam wife to world- famous DJ Black Coffee. She's at his side at every big event, showing her man massive support. When there were reports that he had cheated on her, the couple held their head high and declined to comment, instead taking matters to the authorities. Enhle is more than just gorgeous wife to Black Coffee: she's an actress and recently launched her own clothing range aimed at pregnant women. While the couple are super private, hardly even attending local events together, Enhle has slowly been letting us in on her life.

2016-07-03 18:00 TMG Entertainment www.timeslive.co.za

58 Father & son create 'highest power per unit of weight' motor — RT America Nikolay Shkolnick told RT in an interview that the engine is believed to have achieved the "highest power per unit of weight" thanks to the novel thermodynamic cycle he co-invented with his son. "This is the major advantage of this engine because physics defines how well an engine's going to work," he said. "And, according to our calculations — it has been published and checked and rechecked a number of times — if the thermodynamic cycle holds true, then the engine will be the most efficient engine. " The LiquidPiston X-mini engine is a rotary engine but with "a fundamentally different thermodynamic cycle, architecture and operation," the LiquidPiston website says. The X-mini engine operates on a "compression-ignition HEHC (high-efficiency hybrid cycle)," an improved thermodynamic cycle that helps enable max fuel efficiency. The engine's two basic moving parts, the shaft and the rotor, allow it to come in a compact size and operate with little vibration or noise, the company says. The engine is scaleable from 1 horsepower to more than 1,000 horsepower, the Connecticut-based company says. The LiquidPiston engine has been in development for eight years, the company says, and the LiquidPiston team has "a good two years ahead of us to put this engine into production," Shkolnick said. "The engine will first probably start in a smaller application, such as generators, unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopter drones, lawn and garden space, smaller applications," he said. "We will then gradually move into larger horsepower applications. Our engine is technically scaleable to thousands of horsepower. Of course we haven't done it yet, but there is nothing theoretically that prevents us from doing that. " Engine efficiency, he said, is one goal of LiquidPiston's work. We "want to build the most efficient, the most compact, the less noisy, less polluting engine, the best engine in the world. We are ambitious, that's true," Shkolnick said. "But also the second part of the equation is financial success. We will build a company that sets itself to succeed financially either by licensing the technology to multiple entities or being acquired by a bigger organization. But there is no talk about this, it's all in the future. " Shkolnick said his team is cautiously optimistic about what is next for the X- mini engine. "Right now, this is the first version of our engine that we took out of the lab and put it in a specific application," Shkolnick said, referring to a go-kart that was powered by one of LiquidPiston's engines. "But it's just proving the viability of the engine. There's still a lot of work ahead of us to prove the efficiency is indeed the highest efficiency in the world. "

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

59 Keys to the kingdom On the same day, the elder Williams sister, Venus, kept her wits about her to down a Greek qualifier. A time-violation warning, a few spots of rain and the thunderous ground strokes of her rival could not throw Williams off her long-limbed stride as she reached the third round with a 7-5 4-6 6-3 win over Maria Sakkari. Playing an opponent who was not even aged three when she won the first of her seven grand slam titles at Wimbledon in 2000, Williams proved it was going to take more than determination to topple the eighth seed. Barring a defeat by an unranked Kim Clijsters at the 2009 US Open, Williams had not lost to a player ranked outside the world's top 100 at a grand slam this century. World No15 Sakkari's hopes of ending that run gathered momentum when she broke the 36-year-old three times in the second set. But Williams, who dropped her serve in the seventh game of the first set after incurring a time violation warning for switching rackets, was back into her groove in the third set and set up a meeting with Russian Daria Kasatkina. Her heir apparent, Keys, the ninth seed and a quarterfinalist last year, suffered a second-set blip against the Belgian, and wavered late on having roared into a 5-0 lead. But she managed to nip a Flipkens comeback in the bud and will face Italy's 20th seed Sara Errani or Alize Cornet in the next round. - AFP

2016-07-03 18:00 AFP www.timeslive.co.za

60 60 Battle of the flyhalves "The next three weeks is as important to us as it is for them. The players know we must get over this hurdle," said Ackermann. Defeat for the Sharks at Ellis Park will almost certainly extinguish their Super rugby prospects. It's also about a battle of the No10s - between the experience and finesse of Elton Jantjies against the Sharks' preocious Garth April. The Lions are in pursuit of conference honours, which will bring home- ground advantage once the knockout stages come around. The challenge for the coach is to quickly bring his players up to the breakneck speed they were operating at before the break. The Lions are now Bok-laden and Ackermann has to ensure his players' feet remain on terra firma. "I trust that hunger is still there," he said. "I don't care if a guy has 50 caps or one. If he's not going to work hard on the field he is not going to get selected. " Ackermann must also ensure his players, especially those who did duty against Ireland, quickly familiarise themselves with the Lions' play book. His team plays with a joi de vivre far removed from the obdurate ethos of Test rugby. The coach doesn't believe he has to purge his team of questionable habits developed over the past few weeks. "The players know how we want to play. The reason they got selected for the Boks is because they did certain things well. "It was like riding a bicycle earlier this week at training because everything fell back into place again. There is no [need for] assimilation. We can't say 'do what you did at the Boks'. Do what you normally do for us. " He said he hoped his team would pick up the continuity that proved so valuable early in the season. "We need that fluency we had before the break. Every team would want that. " The coach named a team with its entire Springbok complement, bar the injured Warren Whiteley, in the starting lineup. Whiteley's place goes to Ruan Ackermann. The coach said his son had performed well against and the . Flank Jaco Kriel steps up as captain.

2016-07-03 18:00 LIAM DEL www.timeslive.co.za

61 What's King Dalindyebo smoking? The disgraced king's latest application, labelled as "wacky" by one constitutional law expert, has been filed on an urgent basis. Among other "bizarre" pleas, the 52-year-old royal wants Constitutional Court judges to develop customary law that will recognise him, the abaThembu nation and its territory as sovereign and not subject to the country's laws. He also wants his transgressions, for which he is serving a 12-year sentence, to be treated under customary law - meaning his sentence would be nullified. "The king expressly waivers his right to 'recognition as a person' and expressly waivers the benefit of incarceration and expressly dissents to the subject-matter-jurisdiction by which the rulings were made," said his self- proclaimed secretary Karl Lang. "The king may have erred in his defence [in] that he neither understands legalese nor the foreign procedures of the court of South Africa. The king's freedoms and rights cannot be taken away without his consent," said Lang. Lang said Dalindyebo had been denied justice by being subject to laws that should not apply to him. He would petition international tribunals if denied by the court. "Roman-Dutch law was retributive and foreign, as opposed to African indigenous justice, which addresses the victim's rights. " If the Constitutional Court grants Dalindyebo's wish, the country's map will be greatly altered. The dagga-smoking king believes his lands consist of wide swathes, including most of Eastern Cape and the land where Mthatha stands. But constitutional law expert professor Warren Freedman of the University of KwaZulu-Natal said Dalindyebo was unlikely to succeed: "There are parts of it that I think are completely bizarre. From a legal perspective there are many, many strange, almost crazy, things said in those papers. " In a letter to President Jacob Zuma, filed with the papers, Dalindyebo claims: Dalindyebo said since 1994 South Africa had not developed customary law and had recognised its independent jurisdiction and standing. "The justices of the Constitutional Court are hereby invited to stand by their solemn vow to 'be faithful to the Republic of South Africa' and to 'uphold and protect the constitution and the human rights entrenched in it' as in this case. " Dalindyebo's letter was in response to Zuma's withdrawal of his certificate of recognition as a king following his 2009 criminal conviction and eventual incarceration in December last year. The conviction relates to incidents between 1995 and 1996 at Tyhalarha village, where Dalindyebo torched three properties belonging to local men, kidnapped the wife and children of one, and assaulted two boys who had been accused of rape. He instructed that a third boy be assaulted; he died of his injuries. Freedman said what Dalindyebo was asking for would bring back the apartheid homeland system. "It is completely unlikely that the Constitutional Court will develop customary law in the way they want. I would say that they are clutching at straws and it's not realistic legal argument. I see no hope of success in this," he said. Dalindyebo previously approached the Constitutional Court to have his conviction and sentence set aside, but his bid failed. Following this, the abaThembu royal family petitioned Zuma to withdraw his recognition as king in January. Daludumo Mtirara, spokesman for the royal family, said the council had removed him as king by custom and was in the process of appointing an individual to act in his place. He distanced the royal family from the application. "The royal family of Ngangelizwe and Dlomo have nothing to do with this Lang. " Dalindyebo's incarceration saw him lose his benefits, including his official vehicle and petrol card, and his salary of just over R1-million. The government, Minister of Justice Michael Masutha, National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete and chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Thandi Modise are listed as respondents in the matter.

2016-07-03 18:00 SABELO SKITI www.timeslive.co.za

62 Israeli minister slams social network for ‘sabotaging’ police work — RT News The minister, who comes from the right-wing Likud party, chaired by PM Benjamin Netanyahu, claimed the social networking site refuses to cooperate with Israeli authorities in the West Bank. This referred to the Judea and Samaria Area, which Israel officially considers to be its own administrative region. The territory is generally regarded to be Palestinian land under Israeli occupation by the international community. "Facebook today sabotages, it should be known, sabotages the work of the Israeli police, because when the Israeli police approach them, and it is regarding a resident of Judea and Samaria, Facebook does not cooperate," Erdan lamented in an interview to the Israeli Channel 2. In addition to that, the high-ranking politician blamed he company for refusing to delete “ inciteful content and posts ” by making it extremely difficult to meet the standards qualifying the hateful speech to be removed. READ MORE: Thousands of Iranians stage anti-Israel rallies to mark ‘Al- Quds Day’ (VIDEO, PHOTOS) While Erdan admitted that Facebook was not evil in the first place, as it managed to bring “an amazing, positive revolution to the world,” he said the company has “simply become a monster” in the recent years which marked the rise in terror activity all over the world and Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terror group onslaught. Facebook’s reluctance to assist Israel in its struggles against Palestinian insurgents can be blamed directly on the company’s founder Mark Zuckerberg, Erdan said, while going as far as saying that "some of the victims' blood is on Zuckerberg's hands," according to Haaretz. The minister was referring to the recent murder of a 13-year old teenage girl, Hallel Yaffa Ariel, who was stabbed to death by a 17-year old Mohammed Nasser Tra'ayra, a resident of the Palestinian village of Bani Naim. The girl, who was later confirmed by US State Department to be a US citizen, was assaulted in her bedroom in the Kiryat Arba settlement in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The attacker was shot at the scene. It later emerged, that the assailant, who was an active Facebook user, posted a series of alarming messages on his page, expressing his admiration for martyrdom after his relative and friend Yousef Walid Tarayrah was killed by the Israeli forces in March. READ MORE: ‘Once occupation ends, terrorism will disappear’: Abbas speech in EU parliament enrages Israel “Yousef is not the first martyr nor the last…God willing I will walk in the martyr’s footsteps”, he wrote in a post from March 17, according to The Times of Israel. Apart from grieving over his friend, he also reportedly praised Palestinian attacks on Israelis, posting pictures of stone-throwing Palestinians and hailing a woman who allegedly deliberately wreaked car into the Israeli vehicle. Erdan said Facebook " could have reported to the police or defense officials about the post put up by that despicable murderer, " Haaretz reported. In order to pressure Zuckerberg into changing the Facebook policy guidelines, Israelis should “flood him in every possible place with the demand to monitor the platform he established and from which he earns billions,” Erdan said. Since October, 34 Israelis and two US tourists fell victims to the new violent spiral of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. IDF forces, in their turn, killed 201 Palestinians with 137 of them considered to be perpetrators, according to the data, provided by Reuters.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

63 Special prosecutor appointed in Laquan McDonald case — RT America Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan granted the special prosecutor’s request on Friday. The special prosecutor will be designated to specifically investigate why the accounts of Chicago police officers who were there when Officer Jason Van Dyke killed Laquan McDonald differ from what is shown on the police dashboard video, the Chicago Tribune reported . The witness accounts of the police officers said that McDonald, who was holding a knife, lunged at Van Dyke. However, the video, which Judge Gaughan ordered released despite objections from city administrators, showed the teen walking away from police. The video’s release caused a massive public outcry, forcing the resignation of the city police chief and spawning a Justice Department investigation along with promises of police reform. State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez withdrew from the case after losing her reelection campaign. In February, a coalition of some 25 community groups, attorneys, critics of Alvarez and a member of McDonald’s family filed a petition seeking a special prosecutor. Their petition also alleged that Alvarez had failed too often over her two terms in office to charge police officers and that when her office brought cases, the trials were often botched. After Friday's court hearing, Locke Bowman, an attorney for the coalition, told reporters the appointment of the special prosecutor "could not be more important. " “If the Chicago Police Department had had its way, if no videotape had surfaced of how that shooting had happened, the false account in the Police Department's official records would have become the quote ‘truth’ unquote about how Laquan McDonald met his death," said Bowman, according to the Associated Press. "That injustice is so momentous and so horrifically appalling that it frankly has disappointed us that it has taken this long for a process to begin whereby we can be assured there will be an investigation and possible prosecution of the officers involved in the cover-up," he added. No other officers currently stand charged in the case, but with the appointment of the special prosecutor, there will be parallel probes of those officers. Federal prosecutors also have been looking into possible charges against those officers for many months. The shooting took place in October 2014, but Van Dyke was not charged until late last November, hours before the judge ordered the release of the video showing the shooting. Judge Gaughan said in the court hearing that he hopes to name the special prosecutor by August 4, AP reported .

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

64 Legislation around doping abuse must be tightened “The responsibility (for doping abuse) must be tightened,” Putin said, stressing that he had discussed the topic with the government on Thursday. “We’ve made a decision to support amendments to tighten legislation: to enhance responsibility and to adopt legislation allowing the use of detective and policing methods to let our law enforcers use investigative methods to expose the use and proliferation of doping substances,” Putin said. READ MORE: IAAF allows Russian former drug cheat Stepanova to take part at Rio 2016 The Russian president added that he hopes State Duma votes in support of the amendments. Putin’s comments come after accusations of doping abuse by Russian athletes. He said that Russia is “thankful” to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and pledged to investigate their findings. “We should be thankful to our counterparts from WADA and should treat the information they've provided in a most serious way,” he said. He noted that Russia has always been against doping at state level. “We hope the information we'll be receiving ourselves or will be getting otherwise will be unbiased,” Putin said. The president also warned that investigations must be based on facts and not rumors. “We must get facts,” he said. The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office and the Investigative Committee is looking into the accusations right now, Putin added. “It is inadmissible to rely on the words of people who say it was them who committed violations and spread doping,” Putin said. “It is them who are the violators and who are responsible for this situation.” The first allegations against Russian athletes came in November when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accused the country’s athletics and anti-doping bodies of massively breaching anti-doping rules. Russia's track and field team was suspended last November after WADA allegations. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) upheld the IAAF's decision to ban Russia from this summer's Olympic Games in Rio, after deciding the All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF) had failed to adequately tackle doping issues. Russia’s Olympic Committee spoke out for the Russian athletes earlier in June, writing to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and asking the body to allow those who didn’t use doping to compete. “These athletes are the majority in Russia. They try to reach their goal – participation in the Olympic Games – due to their hard work and constant training,” the letter said. Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko also wrote an open letter to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) head Sebastian Coe, so that the world knows that “Russian sport is healthy and clean, and not like it is shown abroad.” “Russia's athletes must not be singled out as the only ones to be punished for a problem that is widely acknowledged to go far beyond our country's borders,” he wrote. READ MORE: Russia ‘to take 380 athletes to Rio’ as Isinbayeva submits individual application to compete A week ago, the IAAF confirmed it has amended its regulations so that Russian track and field athletes can submit individual applications to compete in tournaments. "A rule amendment was also passed which means that if there are any individual athletes who can clearly and convincingly show that they are not tainted by the Russian system because they have been outside the country and subject to other effective anti-doping systems, then they should be able to apply for permission to compete in international competitions, not for Russia but as a neutral athlete," the IAAF said on its official website.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.rt.com

65 65 What is OurMine and why should tech bosses be concerned? What do Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai have in common? They’ve all been victims of OurMine, which over recent weeks has gone on a hacking spree on Twitter. The hacking group, which appears to be targeting high profile tech names, including the former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo, this week took control of Kalanick’s account via Quora, and posted the following tweet: “You have been hacked by OurMine Team visit our website to secure yourself ourmine.org?”. The Tweet has since been deleted. OurMine this week told Buzzfeed that it has not yet picked a new target and that it can take anywhere between an hour and several days to carry out a hack. The group’s Facebook page last month appeared to threaten Bill Gates of an imminent hack after posting that it had access to “some” of his accounts. OurMine has been active since the beginning of June when the group targeted the Twitter and Pinterest accounts of Zuckerberg and revealed his password, which was reportedly found in a database of user data stolen from Linkedin in 2011. Rather than directly accessing accounts, OurMine is using apps such as Bitly and Quora to gain access. It also bills itself as a ‘Security Group’ and offers personal and enterprise security checks. One hacker recently told Wired: “We don’t need money, but we are selling security services because there is a lot [of] people [who] want to check their security…We are not blackhat hackers, we are just a security group…we are just trying to tell people that nobody is safe.” The attacks will no doubt raise alarm bells for other high-profile social media users, that have such accounts linked to their social media.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.thedrum.com

66 66 Virgin to take on Sky as it expands into programme making Virgin Media is set to create its own original television programmes in a move that will place it directly in competition with rival Sky. The broadcaster has teamed up with production company All3media to jointly create four original drama series over the next two years, according to the Telegraph. Sky already commissions its own exclusive TV programmes under its Sky Atlantic channel such as Game of Thrones and Fortitude. The news comes as Virgin Media looks to drive a resurgence of its pay TV offering, which had fallen in to decline. It is also reported that its Irish arm is in talks to acquire UTV Ireland from ITV. Virgin Media was taken over by Liberty Global three years ago.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.thedrum.com

67 Ad of the Day: First Choice asks David Hasselhoff to create the 'ultimate summer song' Our pick of the day stars former Baywatch favourite David Hasselhoff, whom First Choice has tasked to flex his musical muscle in bid to create the ultimate summer song as part of its 'Summer Hoff Music' campaign. Following on from the brand's 2015 seasonal push, in which it partnered with Spotify to figure out the formula for the perfect holiday song, the travel company now wants to bring the tune to life with the help of The Hoff. First choice has enlisted Hasselhoff because he's a "summer icon," and has rolled out the tongue-in-cheek promotion via a content series that will folllow the Knight Rider actor in his musical journey from the boardroom to the studio. Award winning comedy production company Hoot Comedy was commissioned to capture the videos, with the first installment launching this week. First choice has championed the importance of having a solid holiday playlist for the past few years in its ads, working with some the likes of The Saturdays and Alesha Dixon on previous incarnations of the campaign . “Music is a key component to making holiday experiences memorable and fundamental to the all-inclusive mix – whether it’s packing, lying by the pool relaxing or running down the beach in slow-mo," said Jeremy Ellis, marketing and customer experience director for First Choice. "We are excited to be taking our music campaign one step further this year by challenging ‘The Hoff’ to produce the ultimate summer track. David brings to mind memories of sun, sea and sand so let's see if this intriguing collaboration can become the soundtrack to the summer," he added. To keep up to date with the latest advertising, design and creative projects visit our Creative Works homepage .

2016-07-03 18:00 www.thedrum.com

68 Nestlé to dial up Spotify presence in bid to capitalise on people’s mindsets Nestlé is in talks with Spotify to see how it can take advantage of the music streaming site’s highly engaged user base and is exploring the potential of creating branded play lists to reach listeners who spend on average two hours a day on the platform. With close to 100 million users globally and a total of 17 billion hours of music streamed in 2015, Spotify is a veritable beast of a platform, and one that Nestlé’s global head of digital and social media told The Drum could be "gold” to its marketing if the company can figure how to get its brands in front of Spotify’s user base. “Spotify’s listeners are there two hours a day and a surprising amount are active so it’s not just people there passively. They are manipulating and sharing their lists. I’m not even sure they [Spotify] know what they are sat on. The music stuff really gets to the heart of consumer emotion and if you think about how music can bring back an old emotion or memory there is gold there if we can really figure it out. “That is the platform where if you interview me next year I probably won’t say that we wrote huge checks, but we made a lot of progress… when there is two hours of consumer activity a day we’d better figure that one out.” While too early to say exactly what a Nestlé/Spotify advertising partnership might look like, Blackshaw said he could see playlists created around activities that surround its brands such as cooking or drinking coffee, with a KitKat Break one example of a potential idea. The maker of Nescafé and Cheerios is also betting on Facebook Live, which Blackshaw said presents Nestlé with the opportunity to connect people with its offline activity such as its sponsorship of events like the Tour de France or London Marathon. “How do you take Live and use that as an extension of existing brand investments especially sponsorships? We are very early in that but we know it’s popular. It’s thrilling to get a live interaction even it is a small group. Smart brands will carve out their territory in the live streaming area and that is something we are encouraging nestle brand builders to do.” Nestlé is next month set to open up a new innovation centre in San Francisco that will offer start-ups the chance to ‘bid’ for brand briefs within the business.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.thedrum.com

69 Disney releases LOL app to make social sharing child friendly Disney has created a new app featuring short-form social content to make social media safer for children. The 'LOL' app offers families and kids a daily dose of GIFs, videos, and non- episodic content from Disney, Disney–Pixar, Disney Channel, and Disney XD. The app is free to download and available for iOS and Android in the United States and Canada. LOL is designed to compliment Disney's social media offering, which comprises 1.15 billion followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, YouTube, Snapchat and Vine, driving 325 million views per month. “Our audience engages when we interpret classic Disney stories in new ways, with bite-sized, shareable pieces of content relatable to all ages,” Michael Hundgen, director of content strategy and editorial, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media said. “By bringing Disney’s social content into the Disney LOL app experience, we’re making it possible for all audiences to access this engaging content. We’re creating content for digitally-native families every day, and these new experiences offer Disney stories and characters in formats that are familiar to our audience and on the devices they use most.” The app will soon be supported by advertising, with ads set to be produced by Disney content creators on behalf of advertisers.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.thedrum.com

70 IMAX releases first ad campaign shot using its own cameras IMAX has created its first ever advertising campaign using its own cameras, in a spot that features a variety of different film genres from fantasy to superhero. The 60-second ad, created in conjunction with Mistress, was filmed on IMAX's own brand-name cameras, and replicates the feel of films such as Gravity and Deadpool. According to Mistress creative director Damien Eley, the idea for the campaign, named 'I Love Movies, IMAX Movies' was triggered by a poem that creatives at the agency had written about their love of film. Other components of the campaign include animated movie posters with lines such as 'I Feel Movies, IMAX Movies'.

2016-07-03 18:00 www.thedrum.com

71 Marketing Moment 94: 1980s sitcom ‘Who’s the Boss?’ features a divorced woman as an ad executive To celebrate the Ad Club of New York's 120th anniversary , The Drum is inviting readers to share their favorite marketing moments from the past 120 years. Today’s marketing moment was chosen by Jess Jakubas, managing partner at Maxus. Below, find out why the characters in the 1980s sitcom ‘Who’s the Boss?’ help make the series one of her favorite marketing moments. One of my most vivid memories, and my introduction to advertising, was watching Angela Bower on Who’s the Boss? In my small world at the time, I’d only been exposed to a household with two working parents, or a working father and stay-at-home mother; never to career-driven women. I hadn’t come in contact with a different type of family until I met the characters of Who’s the Boss – Tony, a retired MLB player, and Angela, a divorced advertising executive – brought to life so vividly by Tony Danza and Judith Light. After Tony convinces Angela to take a much-needed vacation in the show’s third season, she returns to work only to be fired by a room full of all male co-workers. Just before hearing the news, she explains why it’s important for employees to take vacations, and replenish and enjoy themselves. The male head of the agency states that he never takes vacations and is perfectly happy… as he frowns. In a true pull-up-your-bootstraps spin, Angela decides to start her own company and the Bower agency is born. With the help and support of Tony and her mother, in running the household and taking care of her son, Angela is able to achieve one of her greatest dreams and be her own boss. Thirty-two years after its premiere, the themes of gender role swaps, unique family structures and the minority of female ad execs are still incredibly relevant, and Angela’s approach to these issues still inspires me today. To submit your own favorite marketing moment, email [email protected] and include 'Marketing Moments' in the subject line or tweet @TheDrum using the hashtag #marketingmoments. 2016-07-03 18:00 www.thedrum.com

72 ITV in hot water after broadcasting fully exposed sex on Love Island ITV has angered watchdogs after broadcasting a couple having fully exposed sex on its Love Island TV programme. Viewers saw the pair, Emma-Jane Woodham and Terry Walsh, having sex ten minutes after the watershed had passed, prompting family watchdog Mediawatch-UK to release a statement. A spokesperson said: “sex in the context of Love Island is being sensationalised and demonstrates nothing of real loving committed relationships," the Metro reported. Ofcom said that it had received six complaints in relation to the show, with four regarding sexual content and the remaining two to do with bullying. ITV defended the show and said that "the scenes in question are inexplicit".

2016-07-03 18:00 www.thedrum.com

73 Bohol cop to face raps after testing positive for illegal drug use TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol— A police officer in the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) will face administrative charges after he was tested positive for illegal drug use. Senior Insp. Jojit Manangquil, deputy chief of the BPPO’s Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB), said his urine, which was collected during a surprise random drug test last week, tested positive for drugs. The identity of the police was withheld pending results of confirmatory test conducted by Philippine National Police Regional Crime Laboratory in Central Visayas. The policeman was among the 32 out of 42 policemen who underwent the random drug test last week. Some of the policemen did not show up because they were either attending court hearings or were in operations. Nevertheless, those who did not show up were required to submit a letter stating their explanation, said Mananquil. RAM RELATED STORIES 2 Mati City cops face dismissal after testing positive for drugs Policeman tests positive in surprise drug test

2016-07-03 18:00 Leo Udtohan newsinfo.inquirer.net

74 Gilas focused on getting gameplan together, says Norwood WITH all of the six teams participating in the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) housed under one roof, Gabe Norwood noted that this is where the real work starts. “I’m happy that they’re here safely. This is what you come to expect, all of them here under the same roof,” he said on Sunday. Sofitel Philippine Plaza will serve as the team’s official residence for the duration of the Manila OQT, and for Norwood, there’s just no time for pleasantries as all teams prepare to snag that elusive ticket to the 2016 Rio Olympics. “There’s a couple of familiar faces, but for the most part, it’s guys you don’t build too much relationship with,” he said. “There’s a couple of guys that I know. Brady Heslip of Canada went to college with one of my brothers. Other than that, H (N’Diaye) from Senegal played here with Kia.” Norwood shared that the key for Gilas Pilipinas now is to keep things in check and not be overwhelmed with the gravity of the situation, and instead, shifting their focus on the bigger concerns like preparing for the all- important games. “It feels the same. Until the games get started, I feel it’s the same. Right now, we’re just focused on getting our gameplan together and get ready for Tuesday,” he said. Gilas Pilipinas will first face off against France on Tuesday, before tussling against New Zealand the next day at Mall of Asia Arena. The national team will need at least a victory to advance to the semifinals, where it will go up against the top two from Group A, consisting of Canada, Turkey, and Senegal. “It’s just a matter of mentally executing and getting on the same page,” said Norwood.

2016-07-03 18:00 Randolph B sports.inquirer.net

75 Demecillo doesn’t let injury dampen her spirit as return nears Cyd Demecillo is yet to play a single minute in the current Philippine Super Liga All- Filipino Conference but her downtime hasn’t dampened her spirits as she remained as bubbly as a kid with a balloon. A leg injury has prevented the outside hitter to partake in the Cargo Movers’ romp of the competition as Demecillo saw her teammates take down opponent after opponent for a 4-0 record. Demecillo admitted she was getting a little bored from just watching on the sidelines, however, she said she knows she has to rest her legs before taking the court. “Many times nababagot na ako pero kailangan kong bigyan oras yung injury (Many times I get bored but I need to give time for my injury [to heal]),” said a pouting Demecillo. While she’s out of action, however, all she can do is be the cheerleader of the team that consists mostly of fellow Lasallians. “Kung ano matutulong ko, ke cheer or pag abot ng tubig as long as makakatulong sa team (I do what I can even giving water to them as long as I can help the team ),” said Demecillo. A return nears, however, as Demecillo can finally play in less than a month’s time. Demecillo said she returned to training but only limited to the ground game. “Okay na rin naman ako, puwede na ako mag laterals sa training, pero bawal muna tumalon, parang libero uli (I’m in good condition, I can do laterals in training but I should refrain from jumping, like the role of a libero),” said a smiling Demecillo. RAM RELATED STORIES Decision to keep playing pays off for Cyd Demecillo Demecillo dances her way to finals rematch with Ateneo

2016-07-03 18:01 Bong Lozada sports.inquirer.net

76 Baldwin brings in Gilas ‘taxi squad’ LESS than two days away from Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila, Gilas Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin brought in his “taxi squad” for the team’s practice session at Mall of Asia Arena. “We want to use what we call a ‘taxi squad’ in the States to learn some of France’s stuff and try to execute it,” he said in a short chat on Sunday. Meralco forward Jared Dillinger, TNT big man Mo Tautuaa and Gilas cadets Kiefer Ravena, and Von Pessumal all lent a hand to Gilas and participated in the team’s training. Gilas assistant coach Nash Racela shared that more cadets could have joined, but only these handful of players were available for the day. Baldwin noted, “We appreciate the guys coming in and it’s important to help us out. Everybody’s on board and it’s great.” With these guys on hand, the American-Kiwi coach eyes to pinpoint the specifics which could help the national team prepare for its game against France on Tuesday. “We’re looking at France in the video and on the court. All of our attention is on how we could counter the strengths of the team and the systems that they run. That’s what we’re doing,” he said. Aside from mimicking the nuances of Les Bleus, Baldwin also sees the inclusion of the five players as a much needed boost as he hopes to conserve the team’s energy in time for the Manila OQT. “It takes a little bit of the energy burden off of our team and it gives us a different group of guys to face. We can also talk about the strengths of the players we’re facing so we could better prepare for France,” he said.

2016-07-03 18:01 Randolph B sports.inquirer.net

77 Tropical storm to enter PAR Tuesday, to be named ‘Butchoy’ The state weather bureau said on Sunday that a tropical storm will enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday. Once it enters PAR, it will be named “Butchoy.” According to the weather bulletin issued by Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (Pagasa) at 5 p.m., the center of tropical storm with international name “Nepartak” was estimated to be at 2,060 kilometers east of Mindanao. “Nepartak” packs maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph. It is moving northwest at 7 kph. While “Nepartak” is still outside PAR, Pagasa said that a low pressure area (LPA) has developed 85 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar. It said the LPA will bring cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rains over the Bicol region and the provinces in Samar. Meanwhile, cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms will be experienced over Metro Manila, Calabarzon ((Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), Central Luzon, Northern Mindanao, rest of the Visayas, Pangasinan and Tarlac. AJH/RAM/rga RELATED STORY Pagasa says more rain, floods expected in Cebu this week

2016-07-03 18:01 newsinfo.inquirer.net

78 Still no Cabinet post for Leni despite ‘warm’ meeting with Duterte DAVAO CITY, Philippines— A Palace official on Sunday said that President Rodrigo Duterte will have the final say on whether he would give Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo a position in his Cabinet. Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar was asked if the decision of the President not to give any Cabinet post to Robredo was final. He said: “Ito po ay prerogative ng Presidente po kung bibigyan po ang isang Bise Presidente ng Cabinet post (It’s the President’s prerogative if he will give the Vice President a Cabinet post).” The statement was issued two days after Duterte and Robredo met for the first time during the change of command ceremony of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. READ: Duterte, Robredo finally meet in Camp Aguinaldo Andanar described the meeting of the country’s leaders as “very warm.” “Siguro po naman ay nakita natin ‘yung unang pagtatagpo ni Vice President Leni Robredo at Presidente Rody Duterte at nakita natin sa telebisyon at nasaksihan ko rin na (We viewed the first time Vice President Leni Robredo and President Rody Duterte met and we saw on television and I witnessed that) it was very warm,” the Palace official said. In an interview with reporters in her hometown Naga City in Camarines Sur on Saturday, Robredo said that she was no longer expecting any seat in the President’s official family. READ: Even after meeting Duterte, Robredo no longer expects Cabinet post “Hindi na siguro. Ako naman, nakakasa na na hindi ako bibigyan. Handa na rin naman ako na wala (I no longer expect to be given a Cabinet post. I am prepared for that possibility),” Robredo said. She said that a Cabinet post would be a bonus for her but said she was ready to serve Filipinos even without it. Robredo won against Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in the recently concluded May 9 general polls by more than 200,000 votes. The President earlier said that he would not give Robredo a Cabinet post so as not to hurt the feelings of his longtime friend Marcos. RAM/rga RELATED VIDEOS

2016-07-03 18:01 Aries Joseph newsinfo.inquirer.net

79 Is July 6 a holiday? No official word yet on Eid al-Fitr DAVAO CITY, Philippines— Not yet official. Malacanang on Sunday said that the public should wait for an official announcement with regard to the declaration of July 6 as a national holiday in observance of the end of Ramadan, or Eid al- Fitr. In an interview over state-run radio dzRB, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar said that the announcement may be made on Monday or Tuesday. “Well, napag-usapan namin iyan ni Executive Secretary (Salvador) Medialdea at ito po ay sa July 6. Pero hintayin na lang po natin ‘yung opisyal na announcement ngayong darating na Lunes or Martes po,” Andanar said. (Executive Secretary Medialdea and I talked about [Eid al-Fitr] which will be on July 6. But let us just wait for the official announcement on Monday or Tuesday.) Eid al-Fitr is the first day marking the end of the 30-day fasting period during Ramadan. Republic Act No. 9177, which was approved by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2002, provides that only the Office of the President can declare the Eid al-Fitr as a regular holiday, upon the recommendation of the National Commission of Muslim Filipinos. RAM/rga RELATED STORIES One with Muslims on end of Ramadan Filipino-Muslims looking forward to family reunions during Eid’ul Fitr holidays

2016-07-03 18:01 Aries Joseph newsinfo.inquirer.net

80 Duterte admin to honor contracts left by Aquino gov’t THE Duterte administration will respect existing contracts left by the Aquino administration, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said on Sunday. “As of the present, we are to honor existing contracts. The sanctity of contracts must be respected,” Aguirre said. Aguirre exercises administrative supervision over the Office of Government Corporate Counsel and attached agencies of the Department of Justice (DOJ). He, however, said that such assurance is without prejudice to possible review if necessary. “Because we just assumed office, there is no directive yet to review any particular contract,” Aguirre explained. Port developers who earlier expressed optimism in doing business with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said the move by the Duterte administration came just in time for the local port and logistics business, which declined in terms of global competitiveness based on a World Bank (WB) study. They earlier complained of a series of BOC directives issued last year, saying it introduced uncertainties to live contracts with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA). According to port developers, these BOC memorandums encroached the PPA’s regulatory authority in licensing port operators and which port stakeholders also considered as a midstream change in rules. In the WB’s Logistic Performance Index (LPI) biennial report entitled “Connecting to Compete 2016: Trade Logistics in the Global Economy,” the Philippines fell 14 places this year to 71st place out of 160 countries from 57th in 2014. The country scored 2.89 this year, which was a huge decline since 2010 when it recorded 3.14 and ranked 44th. The report ranked countries based on key criteria of logistics performance, including border clearance efficiency, infrastructure quality, timeliness of shipments, ease of arranging competitively priced shipments, competence and quality of logistics services and ability to track and trace consignments. The Philippines’ score in the WB report dropped in all criteria except in timeliness of shipments, which jumped to 70th this year from 90th in 2014. The survey showed that on the criteria involving customs services, the country’s ranking dropped drastically. In the efficiency of the clearance process that included speed, simplicity and predictability of formalities by border control agencies including customs, the country declined to 78th place from 47th in 2014. For the quality of trade- and transport-related infrastructure – such as ports, railroads, roads, information technology – the country decelerated to 82nd from 75th previously and also declined to 60th place from 35th in the ease of arranging competitively priced shipments criteria. For competence and quality of logistics services, for example transport operators and customs brokers, the country slipped to 77th from 61st. It also fell to 73rd from 64th on the ability to track and trace consignments. “The LPI plays an important role in raising awareness, and is often the starting point of a policy dialogue,” Daniel Saslavsky, trade specialist and co-author of the report, said. For the second time in a row, Germany is the top performer with a score of 4.23, while Syria ranked last with 1.6. In the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Philippines placed seventh, with Singapore still leading. /rga

2016-07-03 18:01 Tetch Torres business.inquirer.net

81 Probing the cosmos: Is anybody out there? (CNN) -- From a remote valley in Northern California, Jill Tarter is listening to the universe. Her ears are 42 large and sophisticated radio telescopes, spread across several acres, that scan the cosmos for signals of extraterrestrial origin. If intelligent life forms do exist on other planets, and they try to contact us, Tarter will be among the first to know. Are we citizens of Earth alone in the universe? It's a question that has long fascinated astronomers, sci-fi authors, kids with backyard telescopes and Hollywood executives who churn out spectacles about alien encounters. Polls have found that most Americans believe that some form of life exists beyond our planet. "It's a fundamental question," said Tarter, the real-life inspiration for Jodie Foster's character in the 1997 movie "Contact. " "And it's a question that the person on the street can understand. It's not like a... super-collider or some search for neutrinos buried in the ice. It's, 'Are we alone? How might we find out? What does that tell us about ourselves and our place in the universe?' "We're trying to figure out how the universe began, how galaxies and large- scale structures formed, and where did the origins of life as we know it take place? " Tarter said. "These are all valid questions to ask of the universe. And an equally valid question is whether the same thing that happened here [on Earth] has happened elsewhere. " Watch a preview of CNN's "In Search of Aliens" series » Thanks to advancements in technology, scientists hope to get an answer sooner rather than later. Rovers have snapped photographs of the surface of Mars that show fossil-like shapes. NASA hopes to launch within a decade a Terrestrial Planet Finder, an orbiting observatory that would detect planets around nearby stars and determine whether they could support life. Such developments are catnip to scientists like Geoffrey Marcy, a professor of astronomy at the University of California-Berkeley who has discovered more extrasolar planets than anyone else. "It wasn't more than 13 years ago that we hadn't found any planets around the stars, and most people thought that we never would. So here we are not only having found planets, we are looking for habitable planets, signs of biology on those planets," Marcy told CNN. "It's an extraordinary explosion of a field of science that didn't even exist just a few years ago. " Then there's Tarter, whose quest for signs of extraterrestrial life kept her on the fringes of mainstream science for decades. While pursuing her doctorate at UC-Berkeley, Tarter came across an engineering report that floated the idea of using radio telescopes to listen for broadcasts by alien beings. It became her life's work. In 1984 Tarter founded the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI) in California. Using telescopes in Australia, West Virginia and Puerto Rico, she conducted a decade-long scouring of about 750 nearby star systems for extraterrestrial radio signals. None was found, although Tarter had some false alarms. In 1998, she intercepted a mysterious signal that lasted for hours. Tarter got so excited she misread her own computer results: The signal was coming from a NASA observatory spacecraft orbiting the sun. Today, Tarter listens to the heavens with the Allen Telescope Array, a collection of 20-foot-wide telescopes some 300 miles north of San Francisco. The dish-like scopes are a joint effort of SETI and UC-Berkeley's Radio Astronomy Lab and have been funded largely by Microsoft co- founder Paul Allen, who donated more than $25 million to the project. Unlike previously existing radio telescopes, which scan the sky for limited periods of time, the Allen Telescope Array probes the universe round the clock. Each of the 42 scopes is aimed at a different area of the sky, collecting reams of data that are continually studied by computers for unusual patterns. Then the listeners must filter out noise from airplanes and satellites. "We're listening for something that we don't think can be produced by Mother Nature," Tarter said. "We're using the radio frequency, other people are using optical telescopes... and in both cases we're looking for an artificial nature to a signal. "In the case of radio, we're looking for a lot of power being squished into just one channel on the radio dial. In the optical, they're looking for very bright flashes that last a nanosecond... or less, not slow pulsing kinds of things. To date we've never found a natural source that can do that. " Signals that any extraterrestrials might be transmitting for their own use would be difficult to detect, Tarter said. Astronomers are more likely to discover a radio transmission broadcast intentionally at the Earth, she said. Astronomers at SETI, however, are not sending a signal into space in an attempt to communicate with aliens. University of California professor Marcy is skeptical about the existence of intelligent alien life and believes our galaxy's vast distances would make communication between Earth and beings on other planets almost impossible. "The nearest neighbor might be halfway across our galaxy, 50,000 light- years away. Communicating with them will take a hundred thousand years for a round-trip signal," he said. Still, Tarter remains undaunted. The Allen Telescope Array already does in 10 minutes what once took her scientists 10 days. When the project is completed, it will have 350 telescopes that, combined, can survey tens of thousands of star systems. "We can look in more places and more frequencies faster than we ever could. And that will just get better with time. We're doing something now we couldn't do when we started, we couldn't do five years ago," she said. "Think of it as a cosmic haystack. There's a needle in there somewhere. If you pull out a few straws, are you going to get disappointed because you haven't found the needle yet? No. We haven't really begun to explore. " All About Astronomy • UFOs and Alien Abductions • SETI Institute

2016-07-03 14:45 By Brandon rss.cnn.com

82 Mars Science Lab launch delayed two years WASHINGTON (CNN) -- NASA's launch of the Mars Science Laboratory -- hampered by technical difficulties and cost overruns -- has been delayed until the fall of 2011, NASA officials said at a news conference Thursday in Washington. The mission had been scheduled for launch in the fall of 2009. The Mars Science Lab is a large, nuclear-powered rover designed to traverse long distances with a suite of onboard scientific instruments aboard. It is, according to NASA's Web site, part of a "long-term effort of robotic exploration" established to "study the early environmental history of Mars" and assess whether Mars has ever been -- or still is -- able to sustain life. The delay of the launch, according to NASA, is due to a number of "testing and hardware challenges that must (still) be addressed to ensure mission success. " "The progress in recent weeks has not come fast enough on solving technical challenges and pulling hardware together," said Charles Elachi, director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Changing to a 2011 launch "will allow for careful resolution of any remaining technical problems, proper and thorough testing, and avoid a mad dash to launch," argued NASA Associate Administrator Ed Weiler. The overall cost of the Mars Science Lab is now projected to be roughly $2.1 billion, according to NASA spokesman Dwayne Browne. The project originally carried a price tag of $1.6 billion. NASA's entire budget for the current fiscal year, according to Browne, is approximately $15 billion. According to NASA, the Mars rover will use new technologies and be engineered to explore greater distances over rougher terrain than previous missions to the planet. This will be done in part by employing a new surface propulsion system. "Failure is not an option on this mission," Weiler said. "The science is too important and the investment of American taxpayer dollars compels us to be absolutely certain that we have done everything possible to ensure the success of this flagship planetary mission. " Weiler asserted that, based on the agency's preliminary evaluations, additional costs tied to the delay of the Science Lab launch would not result in the cancellation of other NASA programs over the next two years. He did, however, concede that it would result in other unspecified program delays. Critics have charged that the delay and cost overruns associated with the Mars Science Lab are indicative of an agency that is plagued by a lack of accountability and inefficiency in terms of its management of both time and taxpayer dollars. "The Mars Science Laboratory is only the latest symptom of a NASA culture that has lost control of spending," wrote Alan Stern, a former NASA associate administrator, in a November 24 op-ed in the New York Times. "A cancer is overtaking our space agency: the routine acquiescence to immense cost increases in projects. " Stern charged that the agency's cost overruns are being fueled by "managers who disguise the size of cost increases that missions incur" and "members of Congress who accept steep increases to protect local jobs. " Browne replied in a written statement saying that NASA administrators are "constantly working to improve (the agency's) cost-estimating capabilities. ... We continually review our projects to understand the true risk in terms of performance, cost and schedule. " "The fact of life at NASA, where we are charged with creating first-of-a-kind missions of scientific discovery, is that estimating the costs of... science can be almost as difficult as actually doing the science," Browne said. NASA's most recent Mars project -- the mission of the Phoenix Mars Lander -- came to an end last month after the solar-powered vehicle's batteries ran down as the result of a dust storm and the onset of Martian winter. It had operated two months beyond its initial three-month mission. NASA officials had landed the vehicle on an arctic plain after satellite observations indicated there were vast quantities of frozen water in that area, most likely in the form of permafrost. They thought such a location would be a promising place to look for organic chemicals that would signal a habitable environment. Scientists were able to verify the presence of water-ice in the Martian subsurface, find small concentrations of salts that could be nutrients for life, and observe snow descending from the clouds, NASA said Thursday.

2016-07-03 14:45 Alan Silverleib rss.cnn.com

83 Indian lunar orbiter hit by heat rise NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- Scientists have switched off several on-board instruments to halt rising temperatures inside India's first unmanned lunar spacecraft. Mylswamy Annadurai, the project director for the lunar mission, told CNN that temperatures onboard Chandrayaan-1 had risen to 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit). The increase occurred as the craft, the moon -- which it is orbiting -- and the sun lined up, a phenomenon which Annadurai said was not unexpected and which would likely last until the end of December. "We have switched off the systems (aboard) that are not needed to be on," Annadurai said, ruling out the possibility of damage and adding that the temperature was now down to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Heat on board the Chandrayaan-1 should not exceed 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), Annadurai said -- but insisted the orbiter is designed to withstand up to 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit). The Chandrayaan-1 -- Chandrayaan means "moon craft" in Sanskrit -- was successfully launched from southern India on October 22. Watch the launch of India's first lunar mission » Its two-year mission is to take high-resolution, three-dimensional images of the moon's surface, especially the permanently shadowed polar regions. It also will search for evidence of water or ice and attempt to identify the chemical composition of certain lunar rocks, the group said. Earlier this month the Moon Impact Probe detached from Chandrayaan-1 and successfully crash-landed on the moon's surface. Officials say that the TV-size probe, which is adorned with a painting of the Indian flag, hit the moon's surface at a speed of 5,760 kilometers per hour (3,579 mph). It transmitted data to Chandrayaan-1 ahead of impact but was not intended to be retrieved after that. Chandrayaan-1 is carrying payloads from the United States, the European Union and Bulgaria. India plans to share the data from the mission with other programs, including NASA.

2016-07-03 14:45 Harmeet Shah rss.cnn.com

84 Shuttle Endeavour lands at California air base (CNN) -- Space shuttle Endeavour landed safely Sunday afternoon at California's Edwards Air Force Base after NASA waved off two opportunities for a Florida landing because of poor weather. The shuttle, steered by commander Christopher Ferguson, landed at 1:25 p.m., ending a mission that lasted more than two weeks. Wind, rain and reports of thunderstorms within 30 miles of the shuttle landing facility at Florida's Kennedy Space Center prompted NASA to cancel the landing attempts there. Those had been scheduled for 1:19 p.m. and 2:54 p.m. ET. After determining Monday's weather forecast at Kennedy Space Center was equally unpromising, flight controllers decided they would try to land the shuttle and its seven astronauts at Edwards AFB, about 100 miles from Los Angeles, California, where Sunday's forecast was sunny. Flight controllers prefer landings at Kennedy Space Center because of cost and schedule. NASA has estimated it costs about $1.7 million to bring a shuttle home to Kennedy Space Center from California. Watch Endeavour's Sunday landing in California » It also takes at least a week to get the shuttle ready for the trip, but schedule is not a major factor for the Endeavour; it is not scheduled to fly again until May. Endeavour's 15-day mission to the international space station began on November 14 and included four spacewalks. During that time, the crew brought key pieces -- including exercise equipment, more sleeping berths and a urine recycling system -- for a project to double the capacity of the station from three in-house astronauts to six. The recycling system was installed to turn urine and sweat from the astronauts into drinking water. Other modules are scheduled to arrive on a February shuttle flight. The goal of expanding the station's capacity to six astronauts is expected to be reached by the summer. The crew also worked on a joint that helps generate power for the space station. Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Steve Bowen spent hours cleaning and lubricating the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, which is designed to allow the solar panels on the left side of the station to rotate and track the sun. The astronauts also removed and replaced several trundle bearing assemblies. The mission went according to plan, despite a minor interruption on the first spacewalk when a grease gun in Stefanyshyn-Piper tool's bag leaked, coating everything inside with a film of lubricant. While she was trying to clean it up, the bag -- with $100,000 in tools -- floated away. CNN's Kate Tobin and Miles O'Brien contributed to this report.

2016-07-03 14:45 rss.cnn.com

85 What the... 'Bhakts' rush to support singer Abhijeet for his abusive tweets Bollywood singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya who has a penchant for being in the news with his controversial statements, has made not one, but many and raked up an all-new controversy. His insensitive tweet, in which he tagged even the Prime Minister's Office, on the murder of S. Swathi, the Infosys techie in Chennai, has raised people's heckles. In the the tweet, Abhijeet suggested that the murder was due to 'love jihad'. Abhijeet is no stranger to controversy He posted an article by a Hindu right-wing website that suggested that the murder was meant to terrorise other love iihad victims. Abhijeet's tweet, which he has deleted since, read, "Hindu parents want #JusticforSwati /revenge 4 our child #SWATI who ws butchered by #LoveJihad. " This got him a lot of brickbats on Twitter with people condemning him and asking for his arrest. Responding to his tweet, journalist Swati Chaturvedi tweeted, " @abhijeetsinger is jealous of Pakistani singers who took his mediocre career! Even tried to incite SS against them! " This got Abhijeet's goat and he started ranting against her, Pakistanis and singers from the neighbouring country. What made matters worse was that he was egged on by 'right-wing' bhakts. HERE'S WHAT ABHIJEET TWEETED AFTER BEING EGGED ON: Swati filed an FIR with Mumbai Police's cyber cell. The Mumbai police have responded and are looking into the tweets posted by Abhijeet. Chaturvedi got some support from Twitterati for Abhijeet's personal attacks on her and his rants against Pakistani singers. But as usual he got a lot of support from 'bhakts' who came out of the woodwork to egg him on. While we have included some of the posts supporting the singer, the others were too abusive and deregatory to be included. HERE'S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY:

2016-07-03 16:49 By mid www.mid-day.com

86 New research considers 'growing' drones Can you chemically "grow" a military drone? It sounds like an idea for a science fiction film, but here in the UK scientists and engineers are spending time and money to see if they can do exactly that. British warplanes are already flying with parts made from a 3D printer. Researchers are already using that same technology to build drones. The military advantage is obvious - building equipment quickly and close to the battlefield - without long waits and long supply chains - gives you an enormous advantage over any enemy. But the latest innovation being developed by Prof Lee Cronin at Glasgow University takes 3D printing to another level. With industrial advice from BAE Systems, he is developing something called a "chemputer" which, in theory, would be able to "grow" small scale unmanned aircraft, or drones in a laboratory. While a 3D printer physically makes the parts for a machine, the "chemputer" speeds up the chemical reactions from the molecular level. Such a breakthrough could mean it would take weeks rather than months or years to build an aircraft from scratch. An animated video of what it might be like is almost a scene out of Star Wars "Attack of the Clones". Prof Cronin admits that creating even small aircraft out of chemicals "would be very challenging". But he says that by developing an autonomous digital synthesis engine they will be able to assemble "complex objects with minimal human assistance". At least at some point in the future. That still seems a long way off. But another innovation may be much nearer. A small British company, Reaction Engines Limited, is already developing a rocket that could one day fly at hypersonic speeds. Hypersonic speed is roughly defined as Mach 5 and above (Mach 1 is about 760mph). BAE Systems has already invested more than £20m in the project. It sees the potential for developing military aircraft that could reach a target much faster than any jet. Flying at high speed and high altitude in space, it could also avoid air defence systems and anti-aircraft missiles. BAE System has produced an animation that shows such an aircraft delivering swift support to special forces troops thousands of miles away. Rather than bombs, the rocket releases small surveillance drones. But it is clear the defence industry is already looking at their potential use on the battlefield. The advance for commercial flight too is pretty obvious, slashing the time to cross the Atlantic. Before dismissing such ideas as the stuff of nonsense, it is always worth remembering the speed of change. 3D printers are being used widely by the military. I was recently on board a US Navy aircraft carrier which has its own 3D printer. Armed forces across the world are also relying much more on unmanned land, air and underwater vehicles that can work remotely. The US Air Force now trains more drone operators than fighter pilots. In fact its newest aircraft - the F35 - has been called the last manned fighter. As Prof Nick Colosimo of BAE Systems notes, "the world of military and civil aircraft is constantly evolving".

2016-07-03 14:44 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

87 Harry Studley: Two charged after baby shot in head in Bristol Two people have been charged after a one-year-old boy was shot in the head with an air rifle in Bristol. Harry Studley remains in a critical condition in Bristol Children's Hospital after being shot on Friday. Walters, 24, and Emma Jane Horseman, 23, of Bishport Avenue, have been charged with causing grievous bodily harm. They have been remanded in custody to appear before Bristol Magistrates' Court on Monday. Police were called to a flat in Bishport Avenue in Hartcliffe at about 16:10 BST. Harry's parents, Amy Allen and Edward Studley, said in a statement issued through the police: "We would like to thank everyone for their continuing support at this time. "Harry is still very poorly and we would reiterate that our request for privacy be respected as we and our family come to terms with what has happened. " They said they were "concentrating our focus on our son Harry's recovery".

2016-07-03 14:44 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

88 Trade unions 'can broker Labour peace' The "coup" against Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn "has failed" and trade union leaders can now broker peace within the party, Unite leader Len McCluskey says. He called on MPs to "desist" from any formal leadership challenge to Mr Corbyn - who he said had been the victim of a "political lynching". Labour MPs opposing him had been "seduced by sinister forces", he added. Writing in the Sunday Mirror , Mr Corbyn said he was "ready to reach out" to Labour MPs who oppose his leadership. Appearing on the Andrew Marr Show, the general secretary of Unite said trade unions were "professional negotiators" and could "resolve this issue" inside the Labour Party. "The trade unions can broker a peace - with Jeremy as our leader and the genuine concerns of the PLP, we can bring people together," he said. It follows dozens of resignations from the Labour front-bench team and a motion of no confidence in Mr Corbyn, passed by 172 to 40 Labour MPs on Thursday . Former party leaders - including Lord Kinnock - have also called on him to resign. However, Mr McCluskey said it was "unhelpful" for ex-Labour leaders who had lost previous elections to be "dragged out to be part of an unedifying coup". He said Mr Corbyn had been "undermined, humiliated and attacked", but said he was "made of stronger stuff". "He is a man of steel and he's made it clear he will not step down," the Unite boss added. Mr McCluskey said legal opinion was "crystal clear" that Mr Corbyn would definitely appear on the ballot paper of any future leadership election. However, Lord Kinnock - who faced a leadership challenge from Tony Benn in 1988 - told the same programme the Labour leader would have to secure nominations from MPs. He would require support by 20% of MPs and MEPs, which meant there was "no basis on which Jeremy really could or should stay", he added. Lord Kinnock repeated his call for Mr Corbyn to stand down - saying there had been "a significant shift" away from supporting him at a grassroots level. He said there were now "deep residual doubts" about his ability to lead the party to electoral success. Despite speculation, no Labour MP has yet confirmed they will stand against Mr Corbyn in a leadership contest. However, a number of MPs have called on him to resign, in the wake of the EU referendum. Former prime minister Tony Blair told Sky's Murnaghan programme he had "resolutely refused" to intervene in the debate about Mr Corbyn's leadership. But he said: "For a democracy to function, you've got to have an opposition with the minimum level of credibility to challenge the government and to hold it to account. " Labour MP Chris Bryant, who resigned from the shadow cabinet last week, said the present situation was "unsustainable and the only person who can break that log-jam is Jeremy". Mr Corbyn's leadership could "break the back of the Labour Party", he added. Barry Gardiner, a shadow cabinet member and Corbyn ally, said someone who has "stayed neutral" could bring the two opposing sides together, suggesting Lord Prescott. The former deputy prime minister did not rule out performing such a role, but he told BBC's the Daily Politics a leadership election could leave Labour "bitterly divided". Lord Prescott - who said he did not vote for Mr Corbyn - argued that while the Labour leader had to improve, MPs also had to recognise "the course the party is on" and come together to "avoid a civil war". Shadow chancellor John McDonnell told Murnaghan there had been a "mass hysteria" sweeping through Westminster following the EU referendum, but called on Labour MPs to "keep calm". Emily Thornberry, a close ally of Mr Corbyn, urged MPs to "take a step back". The shadow foreign secretary told ITV's Peston on Sunday: "I think the future of the country is at stake here. " Writing in the Sunday Mirror, Mr Corbyn said: "I am ready to reach out to Labour MPs who didn't accept my election and oppose my leadership - and work with the whole party to provide the alternative the country needs. "But they also need to respect the democracy of our party and the views of Labour's membership, which has increased by more than 60,000 in the past week alone. "Our priority must be to mobilise this incredible force to oppose the Tories, and ensure people in Britain have a real political alternative. "That is my priority and always will be as leader of our party. "Those who want to challenge my leadership are free to do so in a democratic contest, in which I will be a candidate. "

2016-07-03 14:44 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

89 Man steals car with baby and young girl in back in Enfield A man stole a car and drove away with a baby boy and a young girl sitting in the back in north London. The man got into the Vauxhall Astra after the children's mother parked and left the car in Kempe Road, Enfield on Saturday at 12:45 BST. The 12-year-old girl managed to get out of the vehicle as he drove off, but the baby was still inside. The child was later found on a doorstep in Cheshunt. Police said the car was abandoned nearby. They are searching for the man. The 11-month-old boy, who was not injured, was found by a member of the public in Guinevere Gardens who then contacted police. The black Vauxhall Astra was discovered in Coopers Walk, Cheshunt, later that afternoon. Metropolitan Police described the driver of the stolen car as a white man, in his late teens, with light spiky hair. They have appealed for witnesses to contact them.

2016-07-03 14:44 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

90 Tony Blair: UK should keep Brexit options open Former prime minister Tony Blair has said "we should keep our options open" on the UK leaving the European Union. He told the BBC the 48% who had voted to Remain felt "disenfranchised" and it was not clear "what we are moving to". He said that "if the will of the people shifts" as details of what Brexit means for the country begin to emerge, then, "Why shouldn't we recognise that? " Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn have both ruled out a second EU referendum. When asked on Radio 4's The World This Weekend whether "keeping our options open" meant a second EU referendum, Mr Blair replied: "It means whatever we decide it should mean as we see how this debate develops. " But he said the case for leaving the EU had "crumbled". He said a vote of "seismic importance" had happened to the country but David Cameron's resignation and the leadership contest meant the focus would be on appealing to Conservative Party members rather than the country's national interest. He said the government should engage now with other European Union countries to see what room there was for manoeuvre, stressing the continuing importance of Prime Minister David Cameron's role in this, rather than waiting for the outcome of the Tory leadership race. He said: "If... once we look through the rest of our European partners, we start to see where there is a possible route for compromise, my point is this: We are sovereign. Let's just keep our options open. " He added that, once the practical effects of the UK's decision to leave the EU became clearer, then there should be a role for Parliament, adding: "The country should carry on being engaged in this debate, it should carry on expressing its view. " "Yes right now, it's clear, we're leaving. But we don't know what we are going to. " He said Britain had "diminished" its place in the world and would have to "fight to get it back". "My point is why do all this unless there's some huge gain we can see on the other side, which right now we can't," he said. On the issue of immigration, he said there was not much more the UK could achieve by being out of the EU than it could from within and that it should explore options for what could be done without "having to eject ourselves from the entirety of the European Union". But he said: "Even if you apply an Australian points system to European migration, you are going to get European migrants. " He would not be drawn into debate over whether Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn should stay or go, but said: "We have to have an opposition that holds the government to account. "

2016-07-03 14:44 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

91 Caroline Aherne: Her best-loved characters Caroline Aherne, who has died at the age of 52, created some of the best- loved comedy characters in recent years. We take a look back at some of her memorable moments. Among Aherne's first characters on the Manchester stand-up comedy circuit were country singer Mitzi Goldberg and a nun called Sister Mary Immaculate, whose ambition was to kiss the Pope's ring. She found national fame with her spoof chat show The Mrs Merton Show in the mid 1990s. The grey-haired, bespectacled Mrs Merton's seemingly innocent - but actually razor sharp - questions to celebrities of the day became the stuff of TV legend. (To Debbie McGee, wife of late magician Paul Daniels) (To legendary footballer and long-time alcoholic George Best) (To the daughter of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher) (To sprinter Kris Akabusi) (To Carry On and EastEnders actress Barbara Windsor) One of her most famous characters on The Fast Show was Poula Fisch, a weather presenter for the fictional Channel 9 where the weather was only ever 45 degrees and: She also starred as the checkout girl on the show, commenting on customers' purchases: And as chatterbox Renee alongside John Thompson, who played her long- suffering husband Roy: As Denise Royle, she spent much of her time engaged in bickering with - and talking about - the other members of the Royle family. But there were also many touching moments, as well as the day-to-day of family life - such as mum Barbara frequently asking what everyone has had for dinner. When she wasn't in character, Aherne spoke candidly about her life, and her struggles with depression and ill health. At a speech at a conference to improve cancer care in Manchester, she said: She was less forthcoming about her father, an alcoholic, but did tell newspaper in 1999 that he was in part the inspiration for the character of Jim Royle, the dad in The Royle Family: In a behind-the-scenes documentary about The Royle Family, Aherne talked about her typical working day with co-writer Craig Cash.

2016-07-03 14:44 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

92 Kenya's school arson attacks lead to national debate School arson attacks carried out by students appear to have become a trend in Kenya, leaving people to speculate about the causes, although no- one seems to agree. Last Saturday's incident, when dormitories were burned down at a boarding school in western Kenya , was one of many this year. But it caught people's attention as it appeared to be the result of anger that students were not allowed to watch a live broadcast of a Euro 2016 football match. Many thought that there must be a more profound reason. This week alone, there have been four other school fires, and media reports say there have been at least 16 fire incidents in schools in western Kenya this year, mostly around Kisii. Kenyans have been debating the issue on social media and radio talk shows. Some suggest that this is a matter of indiscipline, caused by poor parenting, and that caning should be reintroduced. Kenya banned corporal punishment in 2001. The experts and politicians are also looking into the issue and offering their own solutions. Kenya's Standard newspaper reports that education officials have identified several reasons behind the school unrest. These include: There was also the suggestion that some teachers may have been involved in the planning of the attacks. Kenya's Education Minister Fred Matiang'i joined the chorus of people blaming parents for the indiscipline. He said they should take responsibility for "instilling the right values" and prevent students from taking antisocial behaviour into schools. On a visit to the school affected on Saturday, Mr Matiang'i said the parents of those behind the arson should pay for the damage. Deputy President William Ruto proposed his own solutions, calling for student mentoring and more prayers in schools. Meanwhile, some local education officials have blamed politicians for not being good role models. John Mugo, head of education charity Twaweza, believes the problem lies with poorly prepared teachers. He told the BBC that indiscipline was the result of the absence of guidance to teachers on how to manage students' behaviour. "The government banned caning in schools and has failed to introduce alternative ways of dealing with indiscipline," he added. He also thinks that the ministry of education, school management and students are not properly communicating with each other. As if to underline how serious and difficult the problem is, on Monday, hours after the education minister visited a school to talk about arson there was a fire in one of its dormitories. The Nation newspaper reported that school officials blamed an electrical fault rather than student action. Fires were also reported at two other schools on Wednesday but the causes are yet to be established. As Kenyans mull over who or what to blame for the worrying and frequent cases of school fires, a Facebook post which has been widely shared suggests that there is a yawning generation gap that will never be bridged. "The average high school student does not know what [Minister] Matiang'i looks like, and they don't care... They wouldn't listen to authority from Nairobi even if it came with a fire-breathing dragon. "

2016-07-03 14:44 BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

93 Thunderbird Preparatory Academy Tour VIDEO: Architectural anomaly on N. C. State campus will be replaced by green space as renovation costs are not an option. The project could take two months to complete. Find prior coverage at http://nando.com/3sq Eight-year-old Amare Leggette’s reading ability is taking him on the biggest adventure of his life Camaree Paige was born very premature and given a poor prognosis for a normal life. He's graduating from Hopewell High as an ordained minister, and heading off to seminary in August. North Carolina native and UNC graduate Donovan Livingston delivers a powerful speech at Harvard's Graduate School of Education's convocation. Livingston, a Fayetteville native was receiving his Masters. He received his undergraduate degree from UNC-Chapel Hill will return to UNC to pursue his PH. D. According to Shannon Stein, superintendent, while compensation is important keeping teachers is about more than pay. Angel McDuffie graduated with an associate's degree as well as a diploma ONE Charlotte urges Mecklenburg County commissioners to put school bonds on the November ballot Alvan Makoundi-Tchibinda, 22, from the Congo in central Africa, is the oldest of eight children. He will graduate Thursday with two degrees: an associate's degree in applied science and an associate of arts degree, along with a certification in accounting. He plans to attend Queens University in the fall to study finance. CMS board holds a public hearing on guiding principals for student assignment Wednesday night at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center. English as a Second Language students at South Meck have put out a book, "My America," to tell their stories of immigration.

2016-07-03 14:44 www.charlotteobserver.com

94 The American Spectator The polls had barely closed in the United Kingdom’s Brexit referendum when people on the losing side were calling for a revote. So far nearly four million people have signed petitions to hold another contest. It’s unlikely. The margin of victory was decisive, about four percent and 1.3 million votes. Prime David Cameron declared that while he was disappointed in the result, he accepted it: “I’m a democrat.” Yet he will be out of office soon. And Westminster will remain dominated by parties that favor continued membership in the EU. The Tories are divided but a majority of Conservative MPs want to stay. So does the bulk of the Labour Party. As well as the Scottish Nationalists and Liberal Democrats. Due to the vagaries of the electoral system, the United Kingdom Independence Party has but one MP. Which means a new government could find any old excuse — perhaps a newfound willingness of the Eurocrats to negotiate concessions for Britain —for another vote. In which case a bare majority again would rule, though perhaps for the other side. But should a simple majority be enough to trigger such a dramatic change in policy? What if the victory margin out of nearly 34 million votes cast had been 13,000 instead of 1.3 million? Would that have been enough to launch Brexit? There’s also the issue of turnout. The Brexit question brought 72.2 percent of people to the polls, seemingly a solid turnout. Some people contend the minimum should be more, say at least 75 percent. While that would seem to discourage most any change, should a vote drawing far less people, say under 50 percent, be seen as equally valid? If only half of eligible voters show up and just half of them (plus one) make up the winning side, only a quarter of the public “decision-makers” will have spoken. In fact, the petitioners proposed requiring a 60 percent majority and 75 percent turnout. In fact, the last British vote on “joining” Europe was in 1975, with 67.2 percent in favor of participating in the European Economic Community, or Common Market, a precursor to the EU. Should a simple majority be able to sunder what a super-majority put together? (Turnout in 1975 was a bit lower, at 64.5 percent.) On the other hand, four decades ago the British people were debating membership in a far different form of European organization. In succeeding years they were not consulted as the UK Parliament approved treaties creating a continental government most notable for its labyrinthine bureaucracy, regulatory intrusiveness, and lack of democratic accountability. Promises made to the Brits (and other peoples) have been broken. Hence the Brexit result. The regional distribution of votes also brought criticism. The English voted strongly in favor of leaving, the Scots even more strongly in favor of staying. By lesser margins the Welsh voted to go and the Northern Irish to remain. Some Scots, at least, believe every region in the UK should have to assent, but that was not a requirement for previous referendums. And the city of London arguably had a bigger complaint: it provided more votes to stay than did Scotland, but was strongly outpolled by the rest of England. Another factor fueling the revote petitions is the theory that “Leave” voters expected the initiative to lose and therefore merely wanted to make a protest vote. It’s a convenient theory for those on the losing side, but is without support, other than quotes from a couple of remorseful voters. Anyway, voting should be treated as a serious decision. There’s no do over. Of course, driving the latest criticism of democracy is the outcome. Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff called for a much tougher requirement for “irreversible, nation-defining” decisions. He proposed requiring a supermajority and victory in two successive votes a couple years apart. That’s fine in principle, but obviously reflected his conclusion that the moronic British public had no idea what it was doing and had recklessly loosed all sorts of horror upon the rest of mankind. Prior efforts at secession, in Quebec and Scotland had failed, but this time the game of Russian roulette left the bullet in the chamber, so “it is time to rethink the rules of the game.” There’s good reason to leave most details of governing up to legislators, those theoretically chosen to study, debate, and decide. It is difficult to do detailed policy via popular vote. However, “big” issues properly go to the electorate. Such as whether to subordinate one’s national government to a supra-national organization in return for access to a large regional market. There is no objectively correct answer to that question. Thus, there’s nothing irrational in what the British electorate did. They simply chose something other than economics as their highest objective. They obviously don’t like being governed by other people in another land. That’s a pretty common preference around the world, including in America. UK voters also didn’t like being routinely lied to. For instance, the Lisbon Treaty expanding the EU’s authority included provisions explicitly barring any bail-out of improvident members. Those provisions have been simply ignored. The migrant crisis reflected a breakdown of EU rules and procedures. The result in both cases might have been good policy (though I think not), but violated the rules agreed to. The absence of respect for the rule of law within the EU is a serious, ongoing flaw. Finally, the economic anxieties underlying many voters were real. Tearing down the structure isn’t a particularly constructive answer, but if they believed they weren’t being listened to otherwise they might have viewed it as the only tactic possible. Irrespective of the merits of Brexit, the controversy warrants rethinking our voting procedures. Important issues with profound impact should be decided by something other than a wafer-thin, potentially evanescent majority. However, that doesn’t end the matter. For instance, what is the status quo to benefit from the new rules? Everything as it is now, or the situation before past changes by narrow majorities? Moreover, what electoral restrictions should be imposed? A supermajority ensures that most voters agree on the change. Adding a turnout requirement ensure that most people agree. Holding successive votes ensures that the sentiment endures. Together the three create a significant bar to change. Yet setting the standard too high would encourage action via other means. For instance, it is quite difficult to amend the U. S. Constitution. So the courts simply “reinterpret” the document to reflect their position. The Supreme Court has become a continuing constitutional convention. Better would be to more rigorously interpret the Constitution as written while making it easier to amend. Britain’s Brexit vote may have killed the Eurocrats’ campaign to build a superstate by stealth. The reaction against that vote in the UK may help spark a global rethink of the rules over how to make radical policy and political changes. Now, in between controversial polls, is a good time to act. Just how democratic do we want to be?

2016-07-03 14:44 Doug Bandow spectator.org

95 Pay No Attention to the Woman in Front of the Curtain When Barrack Obama ran for the White House in 2008, he promised he would run a transparent administration. Well, it has been. But not the way he meant. The most recent transparent head fakes from the administration have to do with Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s protestations that the Justice (Stop laughing!) Department’s investigation of Hillary Clinton will be above board, conducted by non- political professionals who will do the right thing. Pay no attention to these distractions. These are just the illusionist directing our attention to something irrelevant while the trick is being put through elsewhere. There are actually sentient beings who believe Barack Obama’s Justice (if you don’t care what you say) Department will indict the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee if the evidence is there (which, as anyone paying attention can see, it is). These people are invited to get in line with the people who believe Elvis is alive and living in Scottsdale with the Tooth Fairy.

2016-07-03 14:44 Larry Thornberry spectator.org

96 The Libertarian Alternative, Gary Johnson Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson sees a path to the White House. The former Republican governor of New Mexico can boast a running mate, former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, who also is the former Republican governor of a blue state. When they were Republicans, they won in blue states not just once but also when they ran for re-election. They’ve never been social-issue conservatives. Both support efforts to legalize marijuana for recreational use. With Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton their parties’ presumptive nominees — Johnson branded Clinton and Trump the “two most polarizing figures” to ever run for the White House — the Libertarian ticket has a shot in November. Before he spoke at the Lincoln Initiative’s Reboot Conference on Thursday, I sat down with Johnson and asked him what the chances are that he could win. “They exist,” he answered, and that is a game change. Johnson was the Libertarian nominee in 2012 and garnered 1.2 million votes, or just under 1 percent of the vote. His name did not appear on any national polls. In 2016, that has changed. Johnson polled with 10 percent support in two recent national polls included in the RealClearPolitics polling average, which computes his support at 7.9 percent. Third-party candidates need to exhibit 15 percent or more support in five national polls to win a seat at the national presidential debates. Johnson thinks his ticket will exceed that threshold. If the American people have a chance to hear what Johnson and Weld have to say, their smaller- government approach could resonate with middle-of-the-road voters. Johnson urges people who are interested in his candidacy to take the iSideWith quiz that asks voters their positions on domestic and national security issues and then matches them up with presidential candidates. I tried it and found I side with Johnson on 94 percent of issues — whereas with Trump it’s 81 percent of the time and with Clinton it’s 67 percent. Most Republican candidates give lip service to fiscal restraint, without offering specifics about which spending they would cut. When I interviewed him in 2011, Johnson boasted about his record number of vetoes and asserted that he could have cut “a third of state government and no one would have noticed the difference.” If he could wave a magic wand, Johnson told me Thursday, he “would abolish the Department of Education.” He also would abolish the Department of Housing and Urban Development because local governments should choose what works for them. But he doesn’t have a magic wand, so if elected, he’d have to work with the government as it exists. He said he will propose a 20 percent cut in spending. If Congress were to give him legislation that would cut spending less than he asked, well, anything under zero percent growth presents a drastic improvement over past practices. Clinton is vulnerable, Johnson believes, because with her, “government’s the solution to everything. Everything’s free, so taxes are going to go up.” The former governor of a border state, Johnson has been appalled at Trump’s characterization of undocumented immigrants as rapists and other types of criminals. Some Republicans will support Clinton because they prefer her hawkish foreign policy approach to Johnson’s less martial stands. Johnson wants to break with the status quo. He supports letting U. S. troops finish their mission to destroy the Islamic State group. (“ISIS has attacked us,” he explained.) But Johnson wants to get U. S. troops out of Afghanistan. He believes they should have been deployed to go after al-Qaida, but not the Taliban. If we don’t pull out troops now, Johnson said, Washington will leave troops in Afghanistan for decades. I have my own fear — a destabilized region that will breed havoc around the world. It’s an honest disagreement, which is more than I can say about so much of 2016 politics. Somehow both parties have nominated candidates who don’t really pass the smell test. Shame on Democrats for nominating a candidate likely to invite dozens of ethics investigations. Shame on Republican voters for picking the one candidate who could hand the White House to Clinton. Voters who are hungry for a positive alternative should pay attention. You can listen to Gary Johnson for a whole hour and not feel dirty afterward.

2016-07-03 14:44 Debra J spectator.org

97 Declarations of Independence A personal note: On Thursday morning, I had the opportunity to interview Delaney Henderson, a remarkable and courageous young woman who recently made national headlines with an open letter to the still- anonymous Stanford rape victim. The letter was informed by Delaney having suffered through a similar experience when she was 16 years old. It was one of the most moving conversations I’ve had in my career in radio and I hope you will listen and share. The link is here. Last night, I was pondering the American presidents of my adult lifetime; the first presidential election in which I was eligible to vote was in 1988, when I cast my ballot for George H. W. Bush who, like so many Republicans, proceeded to let me down. Following Bush the Elder, we had two terms of Bill Clinton, two terms of George W. Bush, and two remarkably harmful terms of President Barack Hussein Obama. And now, unless Donald Trump can start appealing to more than just white men, we face at least four years of President Hillary Rodham Clinton, a prospect so simultaneously frightening and dreary that I can barely type the words. To win his victories, Bill Clinton defeated the incumbent George H. W. Bush in 1992 and then the sacrificial lamb of Senator Bob Dole in 1996. Barack Obama beat John McCain and Mitt Romney. And Hillary Clinton, if she is to win, must defeat Donald Trump. While Trump is something of a special case, these matchups share a feature which says much about the two major political parties and, sadly, about the American electorate: Democrats nominate people who are known to be of low moral character, Republicans nominate honorable but uninspiring opposition (again, with the exception of Trump who doesn’t strike me as honorable but nevertheless inspires many), and the American people go with the candidate they’d never hire to work at their own companies. Bill Clinton was widely known to be a philanderer, including post-election coverage of the still-controversial “Troopergate” stories published in The American Spectator in 1993. The Washington Post, sympathetic as ever to the sleazy Clinton, lays out a list of some of his sexual contacts with both voluntary participants and involuntary victims. In 2007, writing for Vanity Fair, Marjorie Williams offered the ugly case against “feminists” who supported Clinton, rationalizing away his victims as they never would if the offender were a Republican. Nevertheless, with George H. W. Bush having violated his “read my lips…no new taxes” pledge, the American people elected a man they wouldn’t leave alone with their wives or daughters. Or was that just part of his “charm”? And they voted for him again in 1996 when Kansas Senator Bob Dole, WWII veteran and recipient of the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart (with oak leaf cluster), running with the more interesting and inspiring Jack Kemp, was on the losing end of a 379-159 electoral college vote shellacking. Character mattered not a whit to the American public. In 2008, a politically inexperienced radical leftist named Barack Obama was known to have associated with domestic terrorists and raging haters of America and mobbed-up Chicago Democratic Party moneymen. His inspiration was a truly evil man named Saul Alinsky, whose book Rules for Radicals was dedicated in part to “the very first radical,” Lucifer. Here’s a typical line from Alinsky: “In a fight almost anything goes. It almost reaches the point where you stop to apologize if a chance blow lands above the belt.” It’s not so much that Alinsky’s tactics are wrong-headed; rather they are Machiavellian to the extreme and perhaps effective in “community organizing.” But the idea that the American people would want as president a man who would be guided by the advice to “pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it” should at least cause us to remember the maxim that people get the government they deserve. Barack Obama has been a perfect Alinskyite, right down to talking about Republicans as “enemies,” right down to inviting Paul Ryan to a speech for the sole purpose of then attacking him in public, right down to knowingly violating the law (admissions of guilt are available in text and video forms) and daring anybody to stop him; fortunately a federal judge in Texas did just that even though four so-called justices of the Supreme Court would have allowed his obviously illegal acts. Obama’s foreign policy failings are also legion, but the point is not his record while in the White House. The point is that his behavior was utterly predictable given his history, his friendships and associations, and his voting record in the Illinois State Senate — so frequently voting “present” rather than taking a position and voting against a bill to guarantee medical care to a baby born alive following a failed abortion, a vote even that this pro-choice columnist finds utterly reprehensible and mystifying, despite Obama’s ridiculous attempts at explanation. This is, and always has been, a man without judgment or a moral compass. He remains, as he always was, nothing more than a radical community organizer. And yet the Democratic Party nominated him and the American people elected him twice, beating two honorable but uninspiring candidates, Arizona Senator and Vietnam War veteran John McCain and businessman and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in 2008 and 2012, respectively. Again, there is precious little consideration of character by too many voters generally and, Q. E. D. given their nominations, by the majority of the Democratic Party. Which brings us to 2016, in which the Democratic Party will soon consummate the nomination of Hillary Rodham Clinton, herself infatuated with Saul Alinsky, and who, unsurprisingly given her connection to Alinsky and her marriage of political convenience to Slick Willy, would be the most thoroughly corrupt, self-dealing, incompetent person to occupy the Oval Office in modern, or perhaps all, American history. Mrs. Clinton has brazenly lied to the American public about the deaths of four Americans in Benghazi, including lying to the families of the fallen. She has brazenly lied about the use of her illegal private e-mail server when serving as Secretary of State. She has, through the Clinton Slush Fund Foundation, taken tens of millions of dollars in “charitable” donations from foreign countries while serving in the office most important to carrying out those nation’s wishes within our foreign policy establishment. That’s big- time larceny for a woman who started out much smaller, pilfering merely tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of items when leaving the White House. She simply cannot be trusted and is, by any reasonable measure, disqualified from holding political office, much less the office of the presidency. Yet here we are, with recent polls showing her expanding a lead among voters against the reckless and often feckless Donald Trump, the Republican who, as I’ve long argued, is least likely to be able to beat the most beatable Democratic nominee of my lifetime (or at least since Michael Dukakis) and certainly the one who most deserves to be beaten. During my adult years, the two Democrats who have won the presidency — along with the Democrat who seems likely to win it in November — have, respectively, sullied the political process and polluted the White House with tawdry extramarital sex, anti-constitutional arrogance and law-breaking in furtherance of economic incompetence, political radicalism, and intentional weakening of the United States’ position as the world’s sole superpower, and shocking corruption matched by utter failure to achieve anything other than emboldening our foreign enemies and competitors. It is one thing to regret the unexpected and perhaps unpredictable failure of an otherwise honorable president, such as with George H. W. Bush. It is another thing entirely when a plurality of the country aligns with a political party which routinely nominates for the highest office in the land candidates whose fundamental characters are so conspicuously flawed. And it is an indictment of both the Republican Party and the American electorate that those candidates, as radical and criminal and reprehensible as they are, nevertheless defeat Republicans with ease.

2016-07-03 14:44 Ross Kaminsky spectator.org

98 Calling Out Radical Islam “The bombs in Vietnam explode at home,” admonished Martin Luther King at the outset America’s incursion in Southeast Asia. The ensuing carnage from that ill-fated war has taken on new dimensions four decades later in the aftermath of Bush’s equally disastrous invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. Afghanistan is the ancestral country of the radical Muslim terrorist Omar Mateen who declared his allegiance to ISIS as he perpetrated the deadliest terrorist offensive on American soil since 911. It is no accident that the devastating Istanbul airport suicide bombing perpetrated by ISIS was inflicted on a country that had likewise participated in those invasions. Three years ago I put forward an innovative method of identifying terrorists and preempting their intent using a fusion of psychological profiling and breakthrough Israeli WeCU technology (designed also to protect the innocent). I wrote, “FBI procedure of investigating and interviewing suspected terrorists — which failed to identify the Army recruiting station shooter Carlos Bledsoe in 2009, the Fort Hood assassin Major Nadal Hasan the same year, and the Boston bombers — is inadequate and outmoded.” Now add the Orlando mass murderer to the noxious radical Muslim mix. He was interviewed three times by the FBI and incredulously taken off a terrorist watch list. In the wake of the Orlando massacre CIA director John Brennan admitted that ISIS is intensifying its global initiative and that we are “losing the battle.” And yet Obama and Hillary Clinton and a good many Republican politicians are fastidious in not calling out radical Islam, refusing even to name the declared credo of the enemy. It is as if identifying radical “Islam” and its history is somehow anathema to humane sensitivities. At present the intrepid Trump stands alone in employing the term and confronting the malaise, albeit amidst vast media ignorance and vilification. This decline in media discernment was presaged by William Buckley, arguably the most prescient intellect in American journalism in the 20th century. In a discussion on Firing Line entitled “The Rising Tide of Islam,” he cautioned, “The general ignorance in the Western world concerning Islam and its power, latent and active, to move men and create historical events is widely deplored and universally cultivated.” The time when a prominent political figure like President John Quincy Adams could speak the truth about the usurping nature of radical Islam with impunity is long past. Yet we are now experiencing the “desolation and delusion” he observed in this form of Islam spreading over an “extensive portion of the earth.” Not even Voltaire’s Enlightenment critique of Mohammed’s brutality and proliferating influence, candidly articulated in a letter to Frederic II of Prussia, would be heeded in the present climate of craven ‘political correctness,’ timid denial, and false, saccharine sentimentality. Nor the reflection of Alexis de Tocqueville, the preeminent French historian of America’s unique democratic institutions, “There have been few religions in the world as deadly” as that of Islam. Mahatma Gandhi, the foremost moral leader of our time, valiantly contended with what he saw as the culmination of “thirteen hundred years of imperialist expansion” of Islam. Gandhi perceived its “bullying” bearing as the “natural excrescence of an aggressive spirit.” Still, it was none other than Thomas Jefferson, conceivably the most brilliant and far-sighted of our presidents, who, having read the Qur’an eleven years before composing the Declaration of Independence, envisioned Muslims as one day being assimilated as citizens of our republic. Yet this ideal was tempered by the eruption of those same usurping elements in radical Islam that is sweeping across Europe and encroaching on America today. When the Barbary states of North Africa waged a war of piracy, enslavement, and submission on American ships, the then President Jefferson asked Libya’s ambassador to London by what right this was taking place. He related the answer to Secretary of State John Jay, and to Congress: The ambassador answered us that [the right] was founded on the Laws of the Prophet, that it was written in their Koran, that all nations who should not have answered their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as prisoners, and that every Mussulman who should be slain in battle was sure to go to Paradise. The militant proselytizing of this credo, under which Churchill forewarned, “The civilization of modern Europe might fall,” continues to resonate in the Orlando massacre and indeed throughout Europe. Sweden has become the rape capital of the world since unvetted Muslim immigration was introduced in the 1970s. It was Jefferson’s first act in office to dispatch forces to counter the piracy, enslavement, and ultimatum of submission on the Barbary shore. Now as nearly a century and a half later the malaise has reached America’s own shores, it is time that rigorous, enlightened counter-measures be adapted to still more compelling mandates. There are tentative signs that the largely mute Muslim community is assisting in some measure in identifying Islamic militants in our midst, as investigative liaisons have reported. Such liaisons are incumbent on both the values of America and the Muslim-American community. The more radical Islamists continue their murderous Jihad in America, the more vulnerable to prejudice will become higher-minded Muslims, those who aspire to Jefferson’s ideal of assimilation.

2016-07-03 14:44 G. spectator.org

99 Jeh Johnson’s Radical Evasions: Shhh! Don’t Say ‘Radical Islam’ Making the words “Jihad” and “Islamic terrorism” unsayable within the government changes how people think and therefore act regarding warning signs of impending attacks. Senator Ted Cruz goes after Homeland Security chief Jeh Johnson about his double- speak but Johnson is an able weasel during the exchange. In history books, how will Islamic terrorism be treated? Will it just be a bland title? Maybe they’ll describe the post-9/11 world as time of idiopathic terrorism. World War II would recast the Nazis not as German fascists but as aggressive Europeans. SS Soldiers would be over-zealous police-military hybrids. Japanese kamikaze pilots would be Asian faux-aviators. This recasting of radical Islam is no more absurd. Yet here we are. Muzzling those who would protect us, with the media reinforcing the nonsense, creates a society where citizens who see Islamic terrorists in action refuse to report it lest they’re labeled “racist” and workers within the government who refuse to believe the evidence and their eyes and label an Islamic terrorist a terrorist. There is blood on the hands of guys like Jeh Johnson. Their war on the language is a war on the truth and ultimately a war on the culture that leads to people dying.

2016-07-03 14:44 Melissa Clouthier spectator.org

100 VIDEO: "They decided to shut my business and throw me away" Tacoma City Councilman Robert Thoms talks about the city's decision to send letters to unlicensed medical marijuana stores telling them to close down. Will Allen, a graduate of Kent Meridian H. S. gave Brynn Grimley, a reporter for The News Tribune, a aerobatic thrill ride during a media day preview of the Gig Harbor Wings Michael Conforto - a Redmond H. S. and Oregon State University product - made his first appearance at Cheney Stadium on Thursday since the Class 3A state tournament in 2011. He hit the game winning two-run home run for Las Vegas against the Rainiers in the series opener. City of Tacoma budget shortfall may force closure of Tacoma Public Library's Northwest Room which houses Tacoma's historic documents and relics. Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart - a Timberline High graduate - returns to downtown Olympia for his annual Samaritan's Feet shoe giveaway. Pierce County Sheriff's Deputy Monti Minion explains Operation Dry Water which concerns drinking and boating. Two newborn Nigerian Dwarf goats are upping the cute factor at Point Defiance Zoo Dugan Lawton faces murder charges in Thurston County Superior Court for the shooting deaths of three people on June 22. Puyallup's Jordyn Bartelson earned The News Tribune's 2015-16 senior female athlete of the year after three first-team all-league selections in girls soccer, four state wrestling titles and a state softball title. Over 5,000 attendees covered the lawns at the west plaza area of the state Capitol campus to listen to Rev. Franklin Graham's "Decision America Tour" noon prayer rally June 29. It was the tour's 31st stop along their 50- state schedule.

2016-07-03 14:44 www.thenewstribune.com

Total 100 articles. Created at 2016-07-03 18:01