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Total 100 articles, created at 2016-07-04 12:01 1 131 killed as 2 blasts rip through Ramadan crowds at Baghdad shopping areas (PHOTOS, (1.02/2) VIDEO) — RT News Two blasts have ripped through busy market areas in Baghdad, Iraq’s capital, killing at least 131 people and injuring 200 others. Islamic State has claimed responsibility. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com 2 Hazard returns to his 'home' to harpoon Wales

(1.02/2) Tonight's Euro 2016 quarterfinal against Wales will seem like a home game for Belgium. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 3 Lions pick up where they left off as they maul Sharks

(1.00/2) Even without influential captain Warren Whiteley the Lions continued to run riot in Super Rugby with an impressive win against the Sharks at Ellis Park on Saturday night. 2016-07-04 12:00 4KB www.timeslive.co.za 4 'Lions bound for glory . ' Sharks coach Gary Gold believes the Lions could become the second South African team to win a Super rugby title. (1.00/2) 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 5 SABC's noon showdown Trade unions and the Save Our SABC Coalition are expected to meet chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng at noon today to (1.00/2) discuss the suspension of six journalists who spoke out against censorship at the public broadcaster. 2016-07-04 12:01 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 6 Football fans praise surprise stars of Euro 2016 on Twitter — RT Sport (0.06/2) Iceland may have lost to France in the quarter-finals of Euro-2016, but they have won the hearts of football fans the world over. 2016-07-04 12:00 1KB www.rt.com 7 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.timeslive.co.za

8 ‘Their only religion is terrorism’: Bangladeshi PM slams ISIS hostage-taking (0.01/2) attack — RT News The ISIS attack in Dhaka that claimed 20 lives was a “heinous act” unworthy of a Muslim, said Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Wazed, adding that the only religion of those behind it is terrorism. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 9 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com 10 Olympics 2016 rowers to face feces-filled Rio waters — RT Sport (0.01/2) Olympians face the prospect of sailing and swimming through sewage infested waters at the Rio 2016 Games that will get underway next month. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com 11 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 4KB www.rt.com 12 Over 1,100 Arab citizens of Israel killed since 2000 – official — RT News (0.01/2) 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com 13 12yo and 7yo sisters take grandma’s car, police on high-speed chase — RT America Police cars got up to 126 miles per hour in order to keep up with a 12-year-old driver who took her grandmother’s car, along with her 7-year-old sister, on a joyride. The preteen girl reportedly was on her way to visit an 18-year-old boyfriend. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com

14 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 1KB www.rt.com 15 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 16 ‘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. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com 17 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 18 Stampede, panic in Paris fanzone after firecracker let off (VIDEO) — RT Sport Twitter users report a stampede at a fan zone in Paris during the Italy-Germany Euro-2016 quarter-final. The panic is said to have been caused by fireworks, which some of the fans mistook for bomb explosions and ran away in disarray. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 19 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com

20 Germany may face Istanbul-style attacks as IS fighters find way to Europe – spy chief — RT News The German spy chief has confirmed the possibility of massive terror attacks in Germany as his agency has obtained information on 17 ISIS militants who had entered Europe under the guise of refugees. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 21 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 22 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 23 Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Holocaust survivor, dies at 87 — RT News Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and author of the best- selling memoir "Night" about being a teenager survivor of the Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps, has died. He died at his home in Manhattan, at age 87. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com 24 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 25 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com

26 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 5KB www.rt.com 27 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 28 6 reasons why people are celebrating the end of Nancy Grace’s ‘horrible’ show — RT Viral Justice advocates across the US are celebrating this weekend after what they described as the “horrible” and “racist” Headline News host Nancy Grace announced she was ending her show later this year. 2016-07-04 12:00 4KB www.rt.com 29 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 30 Gigantic aurora lights up Jupiter’s North Pole, gets caught on camera — RT News They say the bigger, the better and this is especially true when it comes to northern lights. NASA’s Hubble Telescope managed to capture gigantic aurora at Jupiter’s north pole some days before Juno spacecraft arrives at the solar system’s biggest planet. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 31 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com

32 Jailed bankers, gender equality & majestic fjords Love for heroic Euro 2016 underdogs Iceland has exploded across social media like the infamous Eyjafjallajökull volcano, but what else can the Nordic nation be proud of, other than their recent football exploits? 2016-07-04 12:00 5KB www.rt.com 33 Russian geeks make chemistry cool by turning themselves into elements (PHOTOS) — RT Viral A team of enthusiastic Russian scientists came up with an idea on how to make chemistry awesome and racy by transforming themselves into the most well-known chemical substances to prove just how groovy lab work can actually be. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com 34 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 35 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 36 Muslim group break Ramadan fast with Irish LGBT community — RT Viral A Muslim group aimed at fostering peace and integration in Ireland has joined with members of the country’s LGBT community to break bread during Ramadan. 2016-07-04 12:00 1KB www.rt.com 37 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com

38 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 955Bytes www.timeslive.co.za 39 10yo girl reports from West Bank to highlight her people’s plight — RT News Janna is not your average Palestinian child. While other kids are happily playing, the 10-year-old prefers to take her camera and report from the front lines of demonstrations in the West Bank as she tries to bring Palestine’s plight to a wider audience. 2016-07-04 12:00 4KB www.rt.com 40 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.timeslive.co.za 41 Young man severely injured in Central Park explosion in NYC — RT America A 19-year-old tourist lost his foot in an accidental explosion in New York’s Central Park. Police believe that blast was caused by a either a fireworks "experiment" or a homemade device. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 42 The marathon journey to getting your new emoji approved (PHOTOS) — RT Viral Fall down the rabbit hole of emoji manufacturing and it becomes immediately apparent that it’s quite a complex, convoluted process - one that’s liable to leave you with an ‘Upside-Down Face’ rather than a visage streaming ‘Tears of Joy’. 2016-07-04 12:00 6KB www.rt.com 43 British Prime Minister hopefuls differ greatly on speed of Brexit talks — RT UK Two of the leading candidates for Britain’s next Prime Minister have expressed widely different views on when the UK should kick start negotiation talks with the EU on its exit from the bloc. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com

44 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 1KB www.rt.com 45 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 46 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com 47 Texas man ambushed & shot en-route to mosque — RT America A doctor on his way to a Houston mosque for morning prayers was reportedly surrounded by three people and shot on Sunday. The incident follows an allegedly religiously-motivated attack at the mosque of the Orlando shooter in Florida the day before. 2016-07-04 12:00 4KB www.rt.com 48 UAE tells citizens to avoid national dress while abroad after man taken for ISIS member in US — RT News The United Arab Emirates asked its citizens not to wear traditional clothes when travelling abroad after a UAE businessman was forced to the ground and detained as a member of Islamic State extremist group in Ohio. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 49 20+ girls ‘molested’ at Swedish rock fest — RT News Over 20 girls between 12 and 18 years old told police they were sexually assaulted by a group of men during a music festival in Karlstad, Sweden. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 50 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 1KB www.rt.com 51 Armed fighters demanding warlord’s release block 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com 52 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com 53 Beijing announces South China Sea drills ahead of court’s verdict on disputed islands — RT News On the eve of The Hague court’s ruling on the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, China’s maritime safety administration announced it will conduct routine naval drills in the area prohibiting other ships from entering the waters around them. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 54 ‘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 sharks lurking underwater in the area with a new smartphone app that tracks the movement of the deadly predators. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 55 German ex-minister accused of calling photographer ‘filthy Greek’ — RT News The German vice chancellor’s visit to Greece has been shadowed by a scandal, as a high-ranking member of the German delegation allegedly lashed out at a local photographer for pushing him, deriding him as a “filthy Greek.” 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 56 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)”. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 57 Johnson’s used, never-used water cannon to be sold off by new London 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 58 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 59 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com 60 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com 61 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 812Bytes www.rt.com 62 '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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za

63 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 64 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.rt.com 65 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 66 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 7KB www.timeslive.co.za 67 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 1KB www.timeslive.co.za 68 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 3KB www.rt.com 69 Serena notches up another milestone Serena Williams clinched her 300th grand slam victory as the defending champion raced into the Wimbledon fourth round with a 6-3 6-0 demolition of Germany's Annika Beck yesterday. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 70 Keep track of tracking fees Do you know how much you are paying every month for your vehicle tracking service? 2016-07-04 12:00 5KB www.timeslive.co.za 71 Clubs vs country: Stars must align for success Nobody does a sporting post-mortem quite like the English. Perhaps they have become so accustomed to major tournament melancholy that they've perfected the art of self-immolation. 2016-07-04 12:00 4KB www.timeslive.co.za 72 Warding off dreaded drop South Africa would defy market expectations a second time this year by avoiding a ratings downgrade to junk, said embattled finance minister Pravin Gordhan, who is racing to turn the flagging economy around against a backdrop of political turmoil. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 73 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. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 74 Bangs, boos and bust-ups in F1 Lewis Hamilton was booed on the podium after a last-lap collision with Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg in a wild final lap after a dramatic victory in a pulsating Austrian Grand Prix yesterday. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 75 Cavendish all class as war pain is relived World champion Peter Sagan of Slovakia won the second stage of the Tour de France, a 183km ride from Saint Lo, to take the overall leader's yellow jersey yesterday. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 76 They live longer in Cape Town On average, as a South African city-slicker, you will die shortly after retirement age, unless you live in the Cape Town metro. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 77 Djokovic's run of success had to end, says Federer One person who foresaw Novak Djokovic's shock demise at Wimbledon this year was no less an authority than Roger Federer. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za

78 Rare and precious Battiss When Jack Ginsberg bought his first Walter Battiss painting for R120, he had no idea that it would one day form part of a special multimillion-rand exhibition at the Wits Art Museum. 2016-07-04 12:00 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 79 KZN ANC candidate shot dead in front of family The local government election race in KwaZulu-Natal continues to be deadly with the killing of an ANC ward candidate on Saturday. 2016-07-04 12:01 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 80 'Red revolution coming' The Young Communist League will continue to put pressure on its mother body, the SA Communist Party, to contest future elections on its own. 2016-07-04 12:01 2KB www.timeslive.co.za 81 Replace provinces with big metros A senior ANC leader has called for the scrapping of provinces. 2016-07-04 12:01 4KB www.timeslive.co.za 82 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. 2016-07-04 12:01 4KB www.timeslive.co.za 83 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.” 2016-07-04 12:01 3KB www.rt.com 84 13 hostages freed from Dhaka cafe after overnight attack saw 20 victims killed — RT News Bangladeshi forces stormed a Dhaka cafe where up to 10 gunmen had taken dozens of people hostage, killing 20. Thirteen others were rescued and 6 gunmen were killed by police. Islamic State has taken responsibility for the attack. 2016-07-04 12:01 2KB www.rt.com

85 Polish TV host gets hand stabbed by nail as magic trick goes horribly wrong (VIDEO) — RT News The magician assistant’s worst fear during a trick – getting sawn in half or stabbed by a dagger while holding an apple on your hand. A Polish morning TV host went through just that, as she was rushed to hospital after her hand was smashed into a sharp nail. 2016-07-04 12:01 2KB www.rt.com 86 Austrian town bans women in ‘burqinis’ from swimming in public pool — RT News Wearing “burqinis,” a modest piece of swimwear used by some Muslim women, to a public pool has now become illegal in the Lower Austrian town of Hainfeld. The local council has adopted stricter dress code that was introduced by the far-right Freedom Party (FP). 2016-07-04 12:01 4KB www.rt.com 87 Suicide rates by job highest in farming, fishing and forestry — CDC — RT America Noticing that suicide rates had jumped over 21 percent within a dozen years, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study, finding that suicide rates were highest among workers who were isolated or “precariously employed.” 2016-07-04 12:01 3KB www.rt.com 88 Black Lives Matter halts Toronto Pride parade to address ‘anti-Blackness’ (PHOTOS) — RT News Toronto’s famous Pride parade was interrupted by members of the Black Lives Matter group, which halted the march for about 30 minutes. 2016-07-04 12:01 2KB www.rt.com 89 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. 2016-07-04 12:01 3KB www.rt.com 90 What you need to know — RT Viral On July 4th, NASA’s Juno spacecraft is scheduled to enter into orbit of the solar system’s largest planet, Jupiter, completing a near five-year journey toward the unknown – and embarking onto its next unprecedented mission. 2016-07-04 12:01 3KB www.rt.com

91 German job site reports spike in British visitors after Brexit vote — RT News A Berlin-based jobhunting website has reported “hundreds of thousands” more views from the UK following the referendum. As Britain is coming in terms with the outcome of the vote, latest poll indicates 5 percent of Leave voters already had a change of mind. 2016-07-04 12:01 3KB www.rt.com 92 Blast outside US consulate service in Saudi Arabia as police stop suicide bomber — RT News Saudi Arabia’s security forces shot dead a suicide bomber outside of the US consulate service in the port city of Jeddah, local media reported. The attacker was killed while trying to detonate himself as Americans kicked off 4th of July celebrations. 2016-07-04 12:01 2KB www.rt.com 93 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. 2016-07-04 12:01 4KB www.rt.com 94 UK police summon Israeli ex-FM Livni over alleged war crimes during Gaza conflict — RT News Israel has revealed its former foreign minister Tzipi Livni was summoned for questioning by the Metropolitan Police for alleged war crimes which were committed against Palestinians in 2008-9. 2016-07-04 12:01 4KB www.rt.com 95 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. 2016-07-04 12:01 2KB www.thedrum.com 96 I don’t trust tech vendors, says Standard Chartered’s Damien Cummings Agencies act as a trusted and impartial partner for brands, said Standard Chartered Bank’s global head of digital marketing, whereas tech vendors are “just trying to get commission out of us”. 2016-07-04 12:01 2KB www.thedrum.com

Total 100 articles, created at 2016-07-04 12:01

1 131 killed as 2 blasts rip through Ramadan crowds at Baghdad shopping areas (PHOTOS, VIDEO) — RT News (1.02/2) Interior Ministry spokesman Saad Maan confirmed that the first blast had come from a suicide truck bomb. "It was like an earthquake. I wrapped up my goods and was heading home when I saw a fireball with a thunderous bombing," eyewitness Karim Sami told AP. "I was so scared to go back and started to make phone calls to my friends, but none answered. " Eyewitnesses said on Twitter that many shops burned down as a result of the explosions, and there are fears that the number of casualties could grow. Karrada, an upper middle class district in the Iraqi capital, is mostly inhabited by Shia, but also has quite a large Christian minority. The area becomes very busy after sunset during the holy month of Ramadan. Shortly after the explosion hit Karrada, eyewitnesses said that a second blast targeted the Shaab neighborhood, which is located in the northern part of the city. AP said that at least five people were killed in that bombing and another sixteen were injured. Meanwhile, Sky News Arabia said a suspected homemade explosive device was used to hit a market. Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) has in an online statement claimed responsibility for the attack in Karrada, Baghdad. The tactics resemble Islamic State’s signature, as the terrorists frequently choose Shia-populated civilian areas in the capital as targets. Iraqi security officials are attempting to restore order amid the state of panic that has ensued following the attacks, Altaf Ahmad, a local journalist, told RT. “Major roads leading to the venue of the explosion [in Karrada] have been cut off. We know that the car bomb that went off in the area that is known to be crowded at this time. After sunset, after the break of fast during the holy month of Ramadan many people start to go out... We are expecting that the number could rise to 100 casualties,” Ahmad said. Meanwhile, Abayomi Azikiwe, editor at Pan-African News Wire, said the pattern of bombing in Baghdad reminded him of what happened in Istanbul. “There is some affirmation that Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. This follows a pattern for the last week with the attack in Istanbul. The sectarian divisions inside the country have exacerbated and there’s been a reaction on both sides,” Azikiwe told RT. He also noted that Islamic State had suffered tremendous losses over the past several months and could be committing such attacks in order to avenge their retreat. “They moved to other geopolitical regions, in Libya, for example, in western part of the country. A lot of these attacks are done for propaganda reasons,” he added. “[These attacks] definitely appear to be coordinated.” Earlier this week, at least 12 people were killed and 32 injured in another suicide attack west of Baghdad, where an attacker wearing a suicide vest targeted a Sunni mosque in Abu Ghraib. READ MORE: At least 12 killed in suicide attack on Abu Ghraib mosque Islamic State was recently pushed out of Fallujah by Iraqi forces, but the terrorist group still controls Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, which is located in northern Iraq. IS-claimed Baghdad blast kills at least 75: officials timeslive.co.za 2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

2 Hazard returns to his 'home' to harpoon Wales (1.02/2) It's just across the Belgian border in Lille and will be like a homecoming for captain Eden Hazard. The 25-year-old was Belgium's man of the match in their 4-0 demolition of Hungary in the last 16, scoring one superb goal and setting up another. Coach Marc Wilmots said Hazard had been driven on by the prospect of going back to Lille, barely 15km from the Belgian border. "If we had a 150000 [capacity stadium] we could fill it. It's very near the border and Eden Hazard especially wanted to play in Lille, that's why he played so well," said Wilmots. For Hazard, it will be a return to the city where his career as a player took off. From the small town of Braine-le-Comte in the French-speaking Wallonia region of Belgium, he joined the Lille academy as a 14-year-old in 2005 and has not looked back. Tomorrow night, in Evian, Germany take on Italy. Germany's Jerome Boateng and Toni Kroos insist previous failures against Italy will count for nothing. The Germans are the only team yet to concede a goal at Euro 2016 and the world champions brushed aside Slovakia 3-0 in the last 16. But the Italians will be a step up for Germany, who have never beaten Italy in eight previous attempts at a major tournament. Portugal proceeded to the Euro 2016 semifinals last night after beating Poland 5-3 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in regular time. Wales pulls off historic 3-1 victory over Belgium in Euro 2016 quarter-final — RT Sport rt.com 2016-07-04 12:00 AFP www.timeslive.co.za

3 Lions pick up where they left off as they maul Sharks (1.00/2) 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 Bulls 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 Elton Jantjies 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 Ruan Combrinck continued where he left off from the international stage when he scored the first five-pointer of the match. Rohan Janse van Rensburg‚ Malcolm Marx and the coach's son Ruan Ackermann‚ 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 Jaco Kriel‚ fellow Boks Faf de Klerk‚ Julian Redelinghuys‚ Lionel Mapoe‚ 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.

Shaping up for showdown timeslive.co.za 2016-07-04 12:00 Chumani Bambani www.timeslive.co.za

4 'Lions bound for glory . ' (1.00/2) The Lions vanquished his team 37-10, taking them to the top of the points table and securing a home quarterfinal. They have now won 10 matches in a season for the first time. Gold drew parallels with the Bulls team that won the Super rugby title in 2007. "I think they are outstanding," said Gold. "Their story is similar to that of the Bulls under Heyneke Meyer. They made a slow start under difficult conditions. But then the right players in the group got the backing. "That is how great sports teams are formed. They are a group of players and coaches who have been together for a long time. "If you can bottle confidence you'll make a lot of money. "This is a confident team that plays great rugby and is well coached. "I think that they can go all the way. " "What I saw is a team that is maturing," he said, "We haven't achieved anything yet. " However, the recent successes have not made Ackermann' s task any easier. "The week before the play-offs we have to play overseas against the Jaguares. We'll have to assess after next week [Friday against the Kings] how important that last game will be. I didn't hear good things about the travel to Argentina. Players get sick. "Maybe we won't send some of the players. " In an encounter the Lions players described as being faster than a Test match, the Sharks found the going very tough until the last 20 minutes. JP Pietersen stood tall but the odds were loaded against the Sharks from the start. The Sharks went into the game without centre Andre Esterhuizen and lost Paul Jordaan inside the first 10 minutes. Gold hopes to have Pat Lambie back this week. The flyhalf had suffered concussion in the first Test against Ireland last month. "Maybe Willie le Roux and Dan du Preez as well [will be back] but I don't think Andre will be right. " Gold said that the period against the Lions when the Sharks trailed 27-0 "was the worst half of rugby we played this season. But credit must go to the Lions who took their opportunities. "

Battle of the flyhalves timeslive.co.za 2016-07-04 12:00 LIAM DEL www.timeslive.co.za

5 SABC's noon showdown (1.00/2) Motsoeneng has promised to apply his mind to the suspensions, telling union representatives he did not know why the journalists had been disciplined. The six were suspended last week after questioning editorial interference at the SABC. Solidarity, the union representing the suspended journalists, said the disciplinary process was not conducted lawfully as journalists were not given the right to respond to allegations or provided with clear reasons for their suspension. Solidarity's Anton van der Bijl said, if necessary, the union would go to court this week to have the suspensions lifted. He said the journalists were more concerned about the bigger issue of censorship at the broadcaster. The Save Our SABC Coalition said the broadcaster's updated editorial policy would be a key focus of the meeting. Spokesman Sekoetlane Phamodi said the policy was unlawfully adopted and gave Motsoeneng control over all content. Former acting CEO Jimi Matthews, who resigned this week, admitted yesterday that it would be better off if Motsoeneng was removed. Speaking on eNCA's Meet the Media show, Matthews was asked about an affidavit to the Supreme Court of Appeal in which he vouched for Motsoeneng. In the affidavit Matthews warned of "financial consequences, instability, loss of investor confidence and also of market share and valuable trade secrets" if Motsoeneng was removed from his position. On the show Matthews would not answer questions about whether he had perjured himself in the affidavit, which is contradictory to the resignation letter in which he criticised Motsoeneng. The DA has claimed the ANC has blocked efforts to hold a special parliamentary session on troubles at the SABC. "[The ANC] indicated that a meeting can take place only after the election," said DA spokesman Phumzile van Damme. She said it was clear the ANC "was not serious at all" about restoring the credibility of the public broadcaster. Moloto Mothapo, ANC spokesman in parliament, said the SABC impasse "cannot be rushed".

Hlaudi Motsoeneng 'is abusing his power’: Vavi timeslive.co.za 2016-07-04 12:01 KATHARINE CHILD www.timeslive.co.za

6 Football fans praise surprise stars of Euro 2016 on Twitter — RT Sport (0.06/2) READ MORE: Iceland hearts broken as France wins 5-2 to reach Euro 2016 semi- final In a tournament plagued with violence and disruption, it was a moral victory for Iceland who showed an example of true sportsmanship and team discipline. Fans took to Twitter in their droves to commend the team and their supporters for their classy performance that many credited as the highlight of Euro-2016 so far. No one was more surprised than Icelanders that their team made it so far, and no one was more overjoyed. One last clap for the team that knocked the motherland of football England out of the tournament, despite having more volcanoes than professional football players. The players, the fans, the president… they have really put their country on the map for the rest of the world. It wouldn't be surprising if Iceland sees a spike in tourism this year.

Germany in Euro 2016 semi-final after beating Italy in thrilling penalty shootout — RT Sport rt.com

Wales pulls off historic 3-1 victory over Belgium in Euro 2016 quarter-final — RT Sport rt.com Croatian football hooligans attack national team player following Euro 2016 exit — RT Sport rt.com

Hundreds of football fans rally to plea for Argentina star Messi’s return — RT Sport rt.com 2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

7 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 2016-07-04 12:00 Mike Moon www.timeslive.co.za

8 ‘Their only religion is terrorism’: Bangladeshi PM slams ISIS hostage-taking attack — RT News (0.01/2) “ It was an extremely heinous act. What kind of Muslims are these people? They don't have any religion, their only religion is terrorism, ” Hasina said in a nationally televised speech. Addressing the nation for the second time in one day, she called Islam “ a religion of peace, ” and said that terrorists “ are maligning its name. ” The Bangladeshi PM said that 13 hostages were rescued from the besieged Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka, frequented by foreigners, while six gunmen were killed and one was captured alive in the raid conducted by Bangladeshi commandos. “ Because of the effort of the joint force, the terrorists could not flee, ” Hasina said, vowing to fight Islamist insurgency in the country. “ People must resist these terrorists. My government is determined to root out terrorism and militancy from Bangladesh ,” she said. Bangladesh authorities said that 22 people were killed in the attack, among them 20 hostages, mostly foreigners, and two policemen, who were killed in a gunfire exchange. “ Most of [the hostages] were killed mercilessly with sharp weapons last night, ” Army Brigadier General Naim Asraf Chowdhury said , noting that the majority of the hostages were killed before the police operation began. Authorities have released the nationalities of the 20 deceased hostages. Nine of them were Italian, seven were Japanese, one was Indian, two were Bangladeshi residents and one was a US citizen of Bangladeshi origin, the country's Joint Force Command said Saturday. All the attackers were Bangladeshi citizens, Police Inspector General Shahidul Hoque told CNN. He also said police had previously tried to arrest five of the assailants, who were known to authorities as militants. Hasina declared two days of national mourning for the victims of the attack. Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) militant group said they were behind the attack through their media branch, Amaq, which posted photos showing the cafe from the inside during the attack on an ISIS-affiliated website. The attack in Dhaka is the latest case of a gradual escalation of militant violence in the mostly Muslim country over the past three years. Most attacks were until now machete-style beheadings, carried out by militants singling out individual victims, mostly foreigners, social activists, LGBT community representatives and members of religious minorities. ISIS and al Qaeda claimed responsibility for many of these assaults. Hostage situation as ISIS gunmen attack restaurant in Bangladeshi capital’s embassy district — RT News rt.com 2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

9 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 2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

10 Olympics 2016 rowers to face feces-filled Rio waters — RT Sport (0.01/2) The controversy first reared its ugly head last summer, when a report revealed that raw sewage flows directly into major bodies of water near the venues where the competition will take place, and that viruses linked to human sewage were present at levels up to 1.7 million times higher than that considered alarming in the USA and Europe. Long-standing worries over the city’s water haven’t gone away, as Olympic preparations have continued to reveal environmental issues and some question Rio’s water is just too dirty to compete in. Rio only treats a small percentage of its sewage and for many years activists have called on the authorities to provide better sanitation services in the country. Officials have already admitted that they won’t meet their goal of treating 80 percent of the sewage entering the bay, with the most likely figure set at around 65. This has even led to some speculation about moving the Games’ sailing venues further into the ocean, where the water might be cleaner. There is still hope that emergency measures may be implemented to clean up water venues ahead of the Games, though that is hardly going to leave an Olympic legacy for the population that is most affected by these troubles. At test events, between 7 and 9 percent of the sailors participating have been getting sick – double the Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum illness rate for swimming, which is 3.6 percent. READ MORE: Budget cuts and raw sewage crippling Rio 2016 preparations The USA Olympic rowing team has already taken steps to fight the problem, fitting themselves with high-tech training unibody suits knitted with an antimicrobial finish. The suits are supposed to protect against flesh-eating diseases and other pathogens found in the water. However, it seems even that won’t be enough to fight the danger of viruses and bacteria. Katherine Mena, who researches waterborne pathogens at the UT-Houston School of Public Health, told Wired, “They will literally be immersing themselves in very high levels of pathogens. The infection risk will be pretty high.” Some athletes are already planning to arrive early to build up their immunity, while others are going to wait until as close to the competition as possible to enter the water. The USA rowing team will set up hand-washing stations for rowers for when they leave the water in order to help mitigate the pollution. Their special bacteria-killing suit can’t destroy certain bacteria quickly enough, however, and they are almost certain to have water splashes onto their face and into their eyes and mouth while competing. In Rodrigo de Freitas, where the rowers will compete, athletes in test events poured bleach onto their water bottles and rinsed with antibacterial mouthwash between events. Health concerns surrounding the Zika virus have already led to calls for the World Health Organization to push for Rio Games to be postponed or relocated.

Injured Bolt to prove fitness in London ahead of Rio 2016 — RT Sport rt.com 2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

11 11 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 assist 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 2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

12 Over 1,100 Arab citizens of Israel killed since 2000 – official — RT News (0.01/2) “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.

Israel approves 800 settler homes in & outside E. Jerusalem after teen killing — RT News rt.com 2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

13 12yo and 7yo sisters take grandma’s car, police on high-speed chase — RT America Initially reported as a kidnapping, the grandmother eventually had to pick up the 7-year-old about 40 miles away from home, while leaving the 12-year-old in police custody. The grandmother had awakened from a nap Thursday afternoon only to witness her Chevrolet Cruze being driven away from her home in New Caney, Texas. The car was then identified by the Conroe Police Department around 5:30 p.m. some 20 miles away from the grandma’s driveway, in the city of Conroe, according to KPRC. Then things got crazy. The 12-year-old girl took off, leading city police and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a high-speed chase westbound on State Highway 105. A witness told KPRC that their car’s side-view mirror was knocked off by the budding carjacker, who then took the car and her little sister onto the highway’s shoulder, heading into oncoming traffic. The estimated 11-mile chase ended once OnStar, a subsidiary of General Motors, took control of the stolen vehicle and stalled it at Montgomery High School. "I am amazed no one was killed or seriously injured," County Attorney JD Lambright told KTRK. "Of course the police car, being cautious, every time that it would come to an intersection, the police car slowing down drastically to make sure that he didn't or they didn't, a whole string of police cars didn't hit anyone. But I can't say the same thing about this 12-year-old driver. " Lambright, who watched the police dashcam footage, told the Houston Chronicle that police reached 126mph during the chase. The 12-year-old now faces charges of evading arrest and theft of property over $30,000, a third-degree felony. Based on the preteen’s actions, Lambright doubts she will be released from Montgomery County Juvenile Detention Center after she sees a judge on Tuesday. Montgomery Police Chief James Napolitano confirmed to the New York Daily News that three cars were side-swiped and that upon the arrest of the girl, she told officers she was on her way to see her 18-year-old boyfriend.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

14 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

15 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

16 ‘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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

17 17 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

18 Stampede, panic in Paris fanzone after firecracker let off (VIDEO) — RT Sport The incident occurred at the fanzone located at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, videos posted from the scene showed. The sounds of blasts can be heard on the footage, with people screaming and running away from the football screens in an attempt to escape the site. Several serious injuries have been reported by Le Parisien daily, while some people also suffered minor sprains and strains. People in the crowd knocked down several safety barriers and stalls while fleeing, according to L’Equipe newspaper. France remains on high alert since a state of emergency was declared by the French government in November in the wake of a set of deadly terror attacks on the capital that claimed lives of 130 people and injured hundreds more. In April it was extended to the end of July to cover the Euro-2016 football championship hosted by France. In another effort to boost security, France enabled police officers to carry guns while off-duty. The decision was triggered by an assassination of a police officer and his girlfriend at their home in the Paris suburb. The attacker, who was shot dead by the police in a raid, claimed allegiance to Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). France has not been the only target for terrorist attacks. On March 22, twin suicide bombings hit Brussels Airport and Maelbeek metro station in Belgium, killing 32 people. Last week an attack on Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport left at least 42 people dead and injured 239 more.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

19 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

20 Germany may face Istanbul-style attacks as IS fighters find way to Europe – spy chief — RT News The biggest threat to Germany’s security is the possibility of terror attacks similar to the shooting and bombing that took place in Istanbul last week, Hans Georg Maassen, the head of country’s domestic intelligence agency, said in an interview to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Saturday. “We can't rule out attacks like those in Istanbul also happening in our country,” Maassen said. The German Special Services know about at least 17 Islamic State militants who entered the European Union pretending to be refugees, Maassen added. “There is strong evidence that… 17 people have arrived under Islamic State instructions," Maassen said. The majority of terrorists on the list were either neutralized, or are currently behind bars. In particular, two of the suspects were killed in November during the Paris attacks. IS has recently suffered a number of military defeats in the Middle East, but it didn’t affect the intentions of those who manage to find way into Europe, Massen said. Attacks in Europe are gaining special importance for IS leaders and are used as a tool to show their followers that “we are still here,” he added. In June, Maassen told Reuters that Germany was on high alert for potential attacks. The German BfV intelligence agency carried out a few drills to get prepared, with several attacks already prevented. Three Syrian men were detained in June on suspicion of having planned multiple large-scale attacks in the German city of Dusseldorf. Maassen added that the agency is on the lookout for possible lone wolf, radicalized attackers. German authorities checked some 400 suspected jihadists among the refugees, but the majority of the cases turned out to be false alarms. 200,000 refugees have arrived in Germany since January, and over the last year, the number of migrants who arrived totaled more than 1 million people.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

21 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.”

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

22 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

23 Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Holocaust survivor, dies at 87 — RT News Wiesel, a Romanian-born author of more than 40 books, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986. Watch or read his Nobel acceptance speech “Night” sold 10 million copies after initially being turned down by a dozen publishers. Three million copies were sold after spending 80 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list when Oprah Winfrey featured it for her book club 10 years ago. Dozens of translations of Wiesel’s classic continue to be taught in schools around the world. At the age of 15, Wiesel, his parents, and three sisters were taken from the small town of Sighet, Romania, to Auschwitz, where his younger sister and mother were immediately sent to the gas chambers. His father was beaten to death by an SS officer after the rest of the family was forced to march to Buchenwald, just days before US soldiers arrived. After he and two of his sisters survived, he moved to France to study literature, philosophy, and psychology before developing an interest in journalism and becoming an author. In 1956, Wiesel was sent to New York on a journalistic assignment and was struck by a car, confining him to a wheelchair for a year and turning him into a lifetime New Yorker. After struggling with an expired visa due to the injury, Wiesel became a US citizen in 1963 and married his wife, a fellow Holocaust survivor, in 1969. The two founded the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity in 1988. Wiesel was a humanities professor at Boston University (where he commuted to from New York for 30 years). He also taught Judaic Studies at City University of New York and served as a visiting scholar at Yale University. During a 1985 ceremony honoring Wiesel at the White House, he asked President Ronald Reagan to cancel his visit to a German cemetery where Nazi war dead are buried. ' 'That place, Mr. President, is not your place ,'' Wiesel said in an emotional speech. '' Your place is with the victims of the SS .'' Despite the president being “ obviously moved ” by Wiesel’s speech, Reagan did not change his plans. During his time as chairman for the Presidential Commission on the Holocaust, Wiesel pleaded for intervention during the persecutions in Yugoslavia after a visit in December 1992, the same time that he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George H. W. Bush. In 2007, Wiesel was beaten by 22-year-old Holocaust denier Eric Hunt in San Francisco. He was also a victim of Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff, who wiped out his family investments and $15 million from the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. Nearly one-third of the foundation's assets have been replaced through new contributions, according to tax documents obtained by AP . In 2009, Wiesel revisited Buchenwald for the first time, along with Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, after urging world leaders to pay a visit during their stopover on the way to D-Day commemorations in France. " And I thought one day I would come back and talk to him and tell him of the world which had become mine. But can I tell him the world has learnt? I am not so sure ," Wiesel said during his moving speech there.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

24 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

25 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 Guardian. 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

26 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

27 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

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

28 6 reasons why people are celebrating the end of Nancy Grace’s ‘horrible’ show — RT Viral The controversial TV host has been accused of scaremongering hysteria and aggressive interrogations during her 12- year reign at HLN, sister network of CNN. Grace’s contract will expire in October, news that is apparently music to the ears of many. Grace, a former prosecutor and so-called “victim rights” advocate, is infamous for a number of disastrous, and often horrifying, attacks and witch hunts in the name of pushing buttons and getting ratings. Here are six of her most infamous moments. 1) Melinda Duckett Grace cross-examined Melinda Duckett about her missing two-year old son Trenton on CNN in 2006, and even accused her of dodging questions, despite being advised not to disclose certain information. The young mother committed suicide the next day. Grace aired the interview, adding a box informing the viewers that she had been found dead. Duckett’s family later sued CNN and reached a settlement where Grace would set up a $200,000 trust in Trenton’s name. 2) Paris Hilton During a broadcast about Paris Hilton’s probation violation, Grace stopped the show to call her producer out over the provocative footage of the heiress playing in the background. After the offending images had been removed, Grace scolded her producer on air again, claiming Hilton got away with her bad girl ways because “part of the problem is – back to you Elizabeth in the control room – people like you, and others are blinded by celebrity.” 3) Elizabeth Smart The incredible grace of kidnap victim Elizabeth Smart clashed with the “mindless callousness” of Nancy Grace, which the Columbia Journalism Review declared “might have set a new standard.” While Smart thought she was on the show to talk about a bill about a sex offenders’ registry, Grace kept asking her about her abduction, including the veil her kidnapper made her wear in public, until the Utah woman shut down the “insane” lawyer from Atlanta. 4) Horrible Hashtags One of Grace’s “talents” seems to be her creative use of hashtags that may instill shock, fear and occasionally hilarity. 5) 2Chainz During Grace’s interview of rapper 2Chainz over the “evils” of marijuana and his alleged role in influencing young people to smoke it, she showed footage of a mother giving cannabis to her child and claimed legalization allow anyone to get their hands on it. 2Chainz responded with a reality check that got the internet buzzing with glee: “Umm, I’m not sure if you know but everybody has the ability to get their hands on pot right now, whether it's legal or not.” 6) George Zimmerman Surprisingly, Nancy Grace’s “victim rights” advocacy extended to unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin, who railed against the man who killed him while “standing his ground,” George Zimmerman. However, her comments didn’t exactly endear her to #BlackLivesMatter activists. Reacting to comments made by Zimmerman’s attorney during closing arguments that his half-Hispanic, half-Jewish vigilante client wanted to “get back to his life,” Grace launched into a tirade: “Give Zimmerman back his life? He’s out on bond, driving through Taco Bell every night having a churro. Who’s going to give life back to Trayvon Martin?” She also repeated the slur “c**n” that Zimmerman allegedly said on the controversial recording of the killing, even when she had an African- American guest on the program. “I’ll tell you what I think made a difference. When that 9-1-1 tape first came out — and everybody, get ready, this is graphic language — when it first came out that Zimmerman had said ‘f*cking c**n‘ on the 9-1-1 call, to me, that was open-and-shut that that showed open ill will and hatred. Now they’ve revised it to say he said ‘These punks, they always get away with it.’ I’m wondering if that reinterpretation of what he said made a difference as to a jury finding ill will in Mr. Zimmerman’s heart.”

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

29 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...

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

30 Gigantic aurora lights up Jupiter’s North Pole, gets caught on camera — RT News The video on NASA’s Facebook page was created by joining many far- ultraviolet images of Jupiter taken at different time by Hubble. “These auroras are very dramatic and among the most active I have ever seen. It almost seems as if Jupiter is throwing a firework party for the imminent arrival of Juno,” Jonathan Nichols from the University of Leicester said in a statement. Jupiter has already attracted scientists’ attention with its nature wonders such as its colorful storms, the most famous being the Great Red Spot, but turns out it has more mysteries and beauty in store. Created when high-energy particles emerge in the atmosphere, this aurora reminds of Earth’s lightning ball or a thunder-cloud slowly rotating over Jupiter, mesmerizing and absolutely stunning. These auroras are the most active and brightest ever detected by the Hubble Telescope, having the intensity thousand times higher than those observed on Earth. This is explained by the fact that northern lights on Jupiter are created not only with the help of the Sun that sends solar wind to the planet, but also with Jupiter’s volcanic moon, Io, that also delivers charged particles to the atmosphere. Apart from that, Jupiter’s magnetosphere is nearly 20,000 times stronger than the Earth’s which also adds up to the extreme intensity of the local northern lights. Meanwhile Juno is getting closer to the biggest planet, planning to arrive on July 4. Juno is going to measure the properties of the solar wind and will combine its observations with those made by Hubble. The findings scientist hope to obtain are to help understand how the sun and other sources of charged particles influence auroras. Juno launched in 2011 also aims to find out if there is a solid core lying beneath the thick atmosphere and is the first one to travel through Jupiter’s dangerous radiation belts.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

31 31 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

32 Jailed bankers, gender equality & majestic fjords With their volcanic victory clap and Viking brand of football, Iceland has seemingly come in from the cold isolation of the North Atlantic and entered the hearts of everyone who has ever rooted for the little guy. But in truth, Iceland as a nation has been awesome for ages, punching well above its weight long before it’s football team rocked expectations at the European championships in France. Here are just a couple of reasons to love the volcanic island, home to little more than 330,000 people and 130 active volcanoes: Jailed ‘banksters’ responsible for financial meltdown Iceland remains one of the only nations to put their money where their mouth is and place the financial “fat cats ” responsible for their country’s economic demise behind bars. As in other countries, the Icelandic taxpayer has had to pay a high price for the failure of the banks. But where financial bosses got off with barely a slap on the wrist in some nations, Iceland set up a special investigative commission to probe crime within the banking sector. READ MORE: Iceland’s jailed bankers ‘a model’ for dealing with ‘financial terrorists’ It’s the least that could be done after three of the island’s main banks ran up debts of around $50 billion. To date, 29 bankers have been jailed for the 2008 crash, including the former head of “bad bank” Kaupthing, Hreidar Mar Sigurdsson, as well as Larus Welding and Gudmundur Hjaltason of the failed bank Glitnir. The ex- CEO of Landsbankinn, Sigurjon Arnason, was also convicted for market manipulation. Football heroics and ‘volcanic clap’ celebrations Iceland has exceeded all expectations by reaching the Euro 2016 quarter- finals. It’s one of the most unlikely underdog stories ever written given the island’s population is miniscule and 200 times less than its next opponents, France. In fact, the country’s pool to choose players from is so small that if you’re an Icelandic male you have about a 2,000-to-1 shot at making the team. Not only are Iceland three games away from Euro glory, but they have blazed a trail through the tournament that will live long in the memory. With approximately 8 percent of the country’s population filling the stadium and providing cacophonous Viking support, the 23-man squad are unbeaten and even knocked out eternal football “favorites” England. Iceland appreciates its women For seven years in a row Iceland has topped the World Economic Forum’s index which ranks countries in terms of gender equality. The list measures the gender gap across the economic, education, health and political spectrum. While Iceland has not completely eradicated gender inequality, it’s doing a pretty good job. In 2015, the North Atlantic nation was first in the global index, as well as in areas of economic, educational and political participation. “As of 2009, the country has fully closed its educational gender gap and ranks first in the political empowerment sub-index. In Iceland, 41 percent of parliamentarians are women, 44 percent of ministers are women and, out of the last 50 years, 20 were spent with a female head of state,” the report states. Iceland’s strides towards a more female-friendly nation may come as no surprise, since the first woman president in the world was also elected there. Icelandic music is off the charts For such a small country, Iceland has made an indelible mark on music. Perhaps the nation’s most recognizable contemporary artist is Bjork, who infamously took umbrage at the press getting all up in her grill. Oh, the songstress also has 14 Grammy nominations, four MTV Music Awards and two NME statues – to name but a few moments of recognition during a career spanning three decades. Other Icelandic artists to grace the music industry with their incredible sounds include ethereal Reykjavík rockers Sigur Ros, FM Belfast, Jonsi, Seabear and Hjaltalin. Majestic, picturesque landscape Home to more than 130 volcanoes, Iceland has one of the most unique, diverse and jaw-dropping landscapes on the planet. The 40,000-square mile island has plenty to excite nature lovers, be it the spectacular fjords to the north of the country, the aurora borealis, glaciers or icy peaks. Visitors can also become acquainted with the mighty volcano Eyjafjallajökull, which brought Europe to a standstill in 2010 with its explosion of ash. Cheap flights And if that wasn’t enough for people to throw their loving arms around Iceland, the country’s low-cost airline Wow Air is now offering super cheap flights from the US to Europe.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

33 Russian geeks make chemistry cool by turning themselves into elements (PHOTOS) — RT Viral The team , with the fitting name of ArtNauka (“ art science ” in Russian), came up with a project dubbed “ Superhero from chemistry. ” They say the photo-shoot was actually a social experiment on the scientists themselves , as they had to literally become the element they represented. “ What if we immerse the scientist in reactions and elements, not the other way around? How can we make them really experience chemistry? Well, by making them chemistry! ” the group says in describing the key idea behind the shoot. The result of their work is at hand – these juicy photographs look more like makeovers from a superhero-themed article in some high-fashioned magazine than something related to science. And, as it turns out, so much the better for the aim of the project, which is to popularize science and make it more comprehensible to the broader public. The group says the trickiest part of the photo-shoot was to actually find make-up artists who could bring their ideas to life, as knowing what, for instance, hydrogen is – whether it’s soft or solid, what it’s used for, and how to portray that – is rarely something your average make-up artist has a clue about. In addition, the shooting itself involved the use of real fire and liquid nitrogen, which could be too much for not only make-up specialists... But enthusiasm won out! This latest photo-shoot is just one of a number of projects in the group’s portfolio, however. The team, which consists of actual scientists, licensed physicists, chemists, mathematicians, engineers, and a molecular biologist, creates live scientific shows for Russia’s main state TV channel, Channel 1, and other media platforms. They also take part in festivals, lectures, and even molecular cuisine workshops. Among other things, the group participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge – the viral “ amusement ” of 2014. ArtNauka’s founder, Nikolay Novoselov, did it chemistry-style, using liquid nitrogen for his stunt instead of ice. Superhero stuff, indeed. But the gang went even further and created an entire show using liquid nitrogen in which they displayed what the substance can do, albeit while freezing your toes off. The group notes with pity that, increasingly, marketing specialists have more influence on the public nowadays than scientists do, which leads to jaw-dropping results. “ People start fearing unlikely things, from sugar, preservatives, and GMO, to artificial intelligence. Companies toy with these fears and could care less about educating the public, while scientists deal only with research and development hidden in their labs. We therefore see a great need to popularize and channel the truth to the masses, ” the scientists stress, adding that their main goal is to teach the public what science is through entertainment. And why not? We do all like to play.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

34 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

35 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

36 Muslim group break Ramadan fast with Irish LGBT community — RT Viral In an effort to display “true Islamic ideals,” the Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council invited a whole host of people from outside the faith to share in the spirit of the holy holiday on Saturday. Fasting is observed from dawn to sunset during Ramadan to display self- restraint and is one of the five pillars of Islam. During the day, participants in the holy event must refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, sex, and other pleasures until nightfall. READ MORE: #RamadanProblems: How to fast where the sun never sets “As more than one billion Muslims worldwide celebrate Ramadan by fasting and appreciating the blessings given to us it is equally important for the Irish Muslim community to reach out to our neighbors as an example of true Islamic ideals,” said Shaykh Dr. Umar Al-Qadri, imam and chairman of the council. The shared Iftar dinner, the meal when the fast is ended, took place in Dublin and was also attended by Jewish holocaust survivor and guest speaker Tomi Reichental. Dr. Al-Qadri has been an outspoken supporter of the LGBT community in Ireland, likening discrimination against gay and transgender people to that experienced by Muslims. Following the Orlando shootings at a gay nightclub in Florida, he told the Irish Examiner that he stood with the LGBT community. “I stand with the LGBT community and I am against the marginalization of any group,” he said. “It should not have happened. We are a minority ourselves, we understand what discrimination is.”

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

37 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

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

38 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 TMG Digital www.timeslive.co.za

39 10yo girl reports from West Bank to highlight her people’s plight — RT News Janna Jihad, as she is known, is something of a veteran. She began her reporting career at the age of seven. “There were not enough journalists covering things that happened, like when my friend was killed and when lots of people were injured. Others were arrested and things like that, and it was not reported by anybody,” she told RT. Janna was referring to the death of her cousin Mustafa, who was killed by a gas canister, while one of her uncles, Rushdie Tamimi, also died after being shot in the stomach by a bullet that pierced his kidney. It is no coincidence that Janna became interested in journalism, as her Uncle Bilal is a photographer who has captured the violent methods used by Israeli soldiers in the village of Nabi Saleh where they both live. Just when you thought this mercurial child couldn’t have any more surprises up her sleeve, well she does. Not content with just reporting in her native Arabic, she also produces material in English, which she has learnt while studying at school. “I report in English because English is the world language and I can send my message to the whole world,” she mentioned. Janna, who is in the fourth grade, takes her school work very seriously and would not contemplate missing lessons in order to film material for her blog or reports. “After school I can go and make a report on any village or any place, but my future is my school and if I don’t learn about my history, there will never be freedom, there will never be peace and children in Palestine will not be able to live like those around the world,” she told RT. We smelled a lot of gas Reporting from demonstrations and protests can be a dangerous occupation, especially when one takes the heightened tensions between the Palestinians and Israeli security forces into account. Janna admits that her size and age makes it easy for her to avoid the soldiers, but says she’s had a few brushes with trouble all the same. She recalls a protest when Palestinians were trying to reach a spring, but were pushed back by Israeli troops. “The army began to target us with tear gas, and I felt that we were in a cloud of tear gas. It was a very difficult time for us. We smelled a lot of gas,” she said. “In the end we were able to run away, but it was very difficult.” Like any good journalists, Janna learns from her experience and showed an RT film crew some of the essential pieces of equipment she carries with her – like remedies to help her combat the effects of tear gas. One video in particular shows the brutal world that Janna exists in. She is standing next to a young boy just a year younger than her who is lying on the ground motionless. “He has been hit by a rocket,” Janna explains in her report. Janna’s message is one of peace – something that she hopes will eventually come to Palestine. “Our God promised us that Palestine would be free one day. I hope that peace will be here and Palestine will be like the whole world, ” she explained, recalling all the bloodshed and killings that have taken place in recent times. Janna has had to grow up quickly, and some would say too quickly. The fourth grader admits that she would prefer to be playing with her friends and would rather not “be in a field where there is shooting or killing.” However, she has had to adjust to her surroundings. After she finished speaking to RT, the film crew followed her outside as she approached a group of heavily armed Israeli soldiers. Not even the apparent sound of gunfire could put her off as she approached them to deliver a message. “Why do come in the night? I can’t sleep at night because you are coming every night.”

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

40 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 TMG Digital www.timeslive.co.za

41 Young man severely injured in Central Park explosion in NYC — RT America Police say there is no evidence suggesting the explosion was terror-related and have cleared the victim and his two friends of any wrongdoing. Emergency services were filmed at the scene along with a reported bomb squad and the NYPD counter- terrorism unit. The young man, identified by police as Connor Golden from Fairfax, Virginia, was climbing down from a rock structure when he stepped onto an explosive, severely injuring his left foot. " He stepped on a rock or some object and there was an explosion that followed ," a NYPD spokesman told Reuters. Officials said that the explosive was likely “an experiment with fireworks or explosives,” but added that it didn’t look like it was meant to deliberately hurt anyone. Investigators believe the explosive device was made by a “hobbyist” amateur or someone who is familiar with chemistry, said Mark Torre, commanding officer of the NYPD bomb squad. Police described the incident as an “explosive experiment” that was meant to “make a large noise, maybe make a flash," Torre added. “We've seen a lot of experimentation with homemade fireworks,” he said, adding that the device was likely programmed to go off earlier, but failed to do so. The victim's two friends said they didn't have any fireworks at the time of the accident, according to an eyewitness as quoted by The Daily News . " I saw his friends standing there panicking. I saw the young man laying on the grass. His foot is all but gone ," said the eyewitness, adding he asked them if they had been using fireworks. " They said, 'We didn't have anything. He stepped on something!'" A call reporting a possible explosion came in at 10:53 am local time, according to FDNY, and the victim was found with a “ partial amputation ,” according to PIX11 News. Golden was reportedly taken to Bellevue hospital where he is said to be in a critical but stable condition. Police said the device could not have been in Central Park for more than one day and are investigating the incident in an effort to determine who the device belonged to. Journalist Sarah Maslin Nir first reported running to the scene after hearing a “ huge ” explosion to find “ a young man with his left leg blown off .” The explosion coincidentally happened near the funeral for Elie Wiesel, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Holocaust survivor. READ MORE: Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Holocaust survivor, dies at 87

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

42 The marathon journey to getting your new emoji approved (PHOTOS) — RT Viral The great epoch of the emoji began in Japan back in 1999. Among the first images created were a happy and sad face, along with a rather rudimentary light bulb created by Shigetaka Kurita, a worker with Japanese mobile company NTT docomo. The bright idea was to counter limited text space on early Japanese cellphones while communicating basic messages. The emoji has since whipped up social, cultural and political discussion around the world. “At first, I came up with five or six different faces such as the smiley face,” Kurita explained in an interview with Ignition . “They needed to be dotted to be digitized in the end… I was working with a sense of creating a new alphabet. It was an attempt to create texts rather than a sense of making pictures.” Today there are upwards of 1,600 official emojis and countless other derivatives - like Kim Kardashian’s backside. Unamused face. A new batch of emojis due to be released in June 2016 included: ‘Rolling on the floor’ laughing’, ‘Drooling Face’, the ‘Call Me Hand’ and a Prince. Frustratingly, there is still no ‘Tumbleweed’, but the emoji pipeline has spawned a ‘Selfie’. Unicode Consortium While Kurita laid the initial groundwork, the Unicode Consortium, based out of the San Francisco Bay area, now oversees the approval process for an emoji or digital character. It’s a non-profit corporation, made up of software producers, research institutions, companies such as Google, Facebook and, interestingly, the government of India , who one must approach to get a text or symbol entered into the global lexicon for computer devices. The group’s mantra is to “enable people around the world to use computers in any language” - which means they don’t just deal in those tiny smiley faces you send to your mates on Whatsapp. The emoji does seem to be the subject which generates most interest, though. The consortium operates a system known as the Unicode Standard, which assigns a unique number to a text character or symbol. Thus, Unicode has created a consistent coding ledger used in modern software and computing. For example, the letter ‘A’ has a Unicode number of U+0041 - while the code for the Russian Ruble is U+20BD. The coding system has since been adopted by tech giants Apple, IBM and Microsoft. Creating an Emoji So how do you get new designs past the emoji legislators? Well, it’s a bit of a marathon. After a lengthy application process, which could take at least two years, Unicode estimate that they accept only about 60 new proposals each year. People hoping to have their idea added to the Unicode list must first wade through the reams of already- proposed characters in the pipeline. Duplicate characters or similar designs won’t stand a chance. The consortium’s sprawling website carries a four page form with which applicants must approach the enigmatic ‘Emoji Subcommittee’ - co-chaired by Google’s Mark Davis and Apple’s Peter Edberg. According to the subcommittee , factors taken into consideration before approving emojis include compatibility with different platforms, expected usage, and image distinctiveness. For example, they say, there is no point asking for a ‘Stew’ emoji when one could easily use ‘Pot of Food’. Interestingly, deities apparently make for poor (and most likely divisive) emojis. Which is probably why images of Jesus Christ or Allah are absent from the Unicode world. In 2001, the proposed encoding of Star Trek Klingon Script was rejected for a number of reasons, one of them being the lack of use in published writing. While the individual design and subsequent use of an emoji is left up to companies such as Apple, Twitter, or Google, the consortium’s effective bible of characters guides creators with basic chart images. Social impact Millions of the colourful glyphs are used across social media each day, as evidenced by the constantly updating Emojitracker . Indicative of how emojis have been become a mainstay in society is the growing push for greater diversity among its images - for example, new cultures, national flags, skin tones, and foods. Unicode explain the emoji was never really meant to be anything more than a series of simplistic, generic images, but as the list of new characters grew, so too did the feeling that many people or expressions were being left out. In 2015, the consortium advised on color modifiers for human emojis, paving the way for Apple, one of the biggest emoji vendors, to include racially diverse characters in its iOS 8.3 update. The drive for variety has not only centred on race, but also hair color and food. In 2015, a Spanish rice company set up an ad campaign to have a traditional Paella emoji created. The adverts became some of the most popular in the country, The Local reported. ‘Shallow Pan of Food’ which depicts shrimps and is described as “commonly associated with paella” was approved in the recent Unicode 9.0 update, according to Emojipedia . Meanwhile, redheads are still fighting for their first emoji representation. A Change.org petition set up by Ginger Parrot last year garnered nearly 18,000 signatures demanding ‘glorious gingerness’ become an Apple emoji. “Redheads… they’ve been missed out. Again. If you say you’re going to diversify, why not add a few red-haired emoji into the mix? “Natural redhead may be rare at less than 2 percent of the world’s population, but that is 138,000,000 iPhones waiting to happen,” the petition estimated. Similar petitions have also been created for tacos, the mankini and blow-up sex dolls.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

43 British Prime Minister hopefuls differ greatly on speed of Brexit talks — RT UK Home Secretary Theresa May says Britain needs to establish a clear negotiating position with the EU before triggering Article 50, which would formally begin the process of separation. She reiterated that she would not invoke the article this year if she were successful in her bid to become Britain’s prime minister. May made the comments on Sunday during her first TV interview since announcing her candidacy. She told ITV that “what is important is that we do this in the right timescale and we do it to get the right deal for the UK.” She said the first priority is to secure a deal that not only controls free movement, but is also the best for trading goods and services as well. May, who was part of the “Remain” camp, disputed suggestions that the next Tory leader should be a “Leave” supporter. She argued that the country needs more than a “Brexit Prime Minister,” while stating her intention to unite both sides and ensure there is “a government for all the people.” READ MORE:Will Brexit ever actually happen? There are plenty of signs it won't Andrea Leadsom, the Energy Minister, who is also vying to succeed David Cameron as British prime minister, voiced a very different position on Sunday, saying she would like to see a quick start to the negotiation process. “We need to get on with it, we need to seize the opportunity,” she told BBC television. “It’s about giving certainty to businesses. It’s about saying to the world ‘we’re open for business’. Let’s start getting some free trade agreements started as soon as we can. We need to get on with it, we need to get a grip and make progress.” “The next person to lead this country has to be somebody who believes in the opportunity of leaving the EU,” Leadsom said. She claimed she has the right combination of real world and political experience to “make Britain the greatest country on earth.” Meanwhile, Justice Secretary and prominent Brexiteer Michael Gove, Work and Pensions secretary Stephen Crabb, and Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox have also thrown their hats into the ring. The successful candidate is expected to be announced on September 9. READ MORE:May launches Tory leadership challenge, as Gove & Leadsom make surprise bids

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

44 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

45 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 TMG Digital www.timeslive.co.za

46 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

47 Texas man ambushed & shot en-route to mosque — RT America According to Mohammed Imaduddin, the spokesperson for the Madrasah Islamiah Masjid Noor, the victim had parked his car along the street at around 5:30 am and was walking towards the entrance of the prayer house when the masked assailants appeared. One of them pulled out a gun, shooting the doctor twice, before the gang fled on foot. The victim was able to attract attention by throwing his phone towards the mosque. A scramble then ensued as worshippers and police flooded the scene. The man has been taken to hospital and is expected to recover, though he will be kept there overnight. He has been identified as Arslan Tajammul, an eye specialist, in his 30s. No suspects or motives have emerged, although officials have launched an appeal for witnesses to come forward. "Police said it was an attempted robbery so we're waiting to see what the investigation finds. It's a real strange occurrence because the mosque is in a poor neighborhood, and they were wearing masks, which could mean all kinds of things," said Mustafaa Carroll, executive director of the Houston branch of the Muslim rights group Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). “It is very scary right now given the current political climate,” Imaduddin, who was observing the Muslim holy month of Ramadan along with the congregation, told local news station ABC 13. “From what I hear, this is the third incident this week in the Houston area involving a Muslim getting shot. This is a community place, we have kids that come here; we have people young and old come here.” A more contentious altercation occurred on Saturday morning outside the Fort Pierce mosque occasionally visited by Omar Mateen, who killed 49 people during a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando last month. Abdul Rauf Khan, an employee of CAIR, says he witnessed the assailant spewing Islamophobic slurs at the victim, whom Khan did not know, before knocking out his teeth and likely breaking his jaw. “He said, ‘You Muslims need to go back to where you came from. He had been drinking. He was smelling bad. It was a vicious attack. He just started throwing punches,” said Khan. Police charged 25-year-old Taylor Anthony Mazzanti with felony battery before releasing him on $3,750 bail. St. Lucie County’s sheriff’s office has denied that the attack was prompted by religious or racial hatred, however. “Interviews by the deputies and supervisors on scene and a written witness statement completed by the victim do not indicate any racially-motivated comments were made by the suspect prior to, during or after the incident,” said Sheriff Ken Mascara in a statement, noting that the original 911 call had been made to report suspicions of a car burglary. The incident has been complicated by an ongoing war of words between county police and the local branch of CAIR, which has accused officials of failing to protect the mosque in the wake of the shooting. The rights group now plans to file a complaint with the US Department of Justice. “This should not have happened. For over two weeks, we have been emphasizing that the community from the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce needs to be offered security from the sheriff’s office. Unfortunately, our requests were repeatedly ignored,” said Wilfredo Amr Ruiz, CAIR-Florida’s communications director, following the attack. St. Lucie police have dismissed the accusations of the mosque, which was also attended by Moner Mohammad Abu Salha, a US-born Islamist recruit who detonated himself in Syria in 2014. “The untruthful rhetoric from the mosque and its spokesperson is doing nothing more than trying to bring empathy to their cause, which I hope our community recognizes. My office, including myself and our agency Chaplain, have repeatedly attempted to communicate with the mosque to explore options of working together and there has been no response,” said Mascara.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

48 UAE tells citizens to avoid national dress while abroad after man taken for ISIS member in US — RT News “For citizens travelling outside the country, and in order to ensure their safety, we point out not to wear formal dress while travelling, especially in public places,” the message from the country’s Foreign Ministry Twitter account reads. The ministry also posted a message on their website warning UAE nationals to “abide by the ban of burqa (the veil) applied in some European countries and cities, which prohibits the wearing of the veil (burqa) in public institutions and places.” A UAE businessman was held last week in Avon, Ohio after a female clerk at the local Fairfield Inn hotel called 911 to tell the police that she had seen a man linked to Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), the Arabic-language al- Bayan newspaper reported, as cited by Reuters. The woman had heard the man, who was wearing a traditional long white robe and headscarf, speaking on his phone in Arabic in the hotel lobby, the National media outlet reported. Police detained the Arab businessman, violently wrestling him to the ground. A picture from a video of the encounter was later posted by the Gulf News media outlet, who identified the businessman as Ahmad Al Menhali. Police released the man after they understood that they had made a mistake. The businessman was badly shaken by the incident, however, and needed to be sent to the hospital after fainting, Al-Bayan says. Avon’s chief of police, Richard Bosley, apologized to the businessman after Al Menhali said he had hired a lawyer to pursue the case. Western countries have been introducing restrictions on Muslim traditional clothes as of late. In mid-June, an indoor pool in southern Germany banned the burqini – a modest swimsuit worn by some Muslim women. In May, a Danish education center forbade six Muslim students from attending classes in niqabs. The burqa and niqab are also prohibited in parts of Switzerland and Italy, while Belgium and France have placed public nationwide bans on them. Attitudes towards Arabs in European countries have become tense since an influx of migrants intensified last year. According to the latest study , Islamophobia has skyrocketed in Germany, where 40 percent said that Muslims should be banned from entry. Seven years ago, the percentage was half that. In addition, every second German respondent said they sometimes feel like a foreigner in their own country due to the large number of Muslims there.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

49 20+ girls ‘molested’ at Swedish rock fest — RT News Police are investigating “a score of cases in which young girls have been molested,” Swedish Aftonbladet daily reported. It said that the alleged attacks occurred during the “Putte i Parken” rock festival in Karlstad in Varmland County, despite enhanced police presence. The women told police they were kissed against their will by a group of young men who groped their breasts and buttocks, SVT reported . The attacks reportedly took place in front of an overcrowded stage during the artists’ performances. “It’s awfully crowded in there in the audience, and then the young guys came up and groped the girls,” Per-Arne Eriksson, duty officer at the police in Varmland, told SVT. According to Per-Arne Eriksson, between seven and eight young men approached the women. Two assailants, aged 16 and 17, were later identified by the girls and were immediately arrested by police. It is unclear if they are locals or not. Similar attacks have happened elsewhere in Europe. In May, 18 women filed complaints with police in Germany, saying they were sexually assaulted at a musical festival in Darmstadt. There police arrested three refugees from Pakistan after three of the women immediately reported the assaults. Those attacks came just over two weeks after two female teenagers, aged 17 and 18, were sexually harassed by a group of 10 men during a street festival in Berlin. Swedish police revealed on Friday that they will offer young women wristbands with the slogan “POLICEAVSPÄRRAT #tafsainte” [Police cordon, don’t grope] printed on them in Swedish, to prevent sexual assaults. “By wearing these wristbands, young women will be able to make a stand. No one should have to accept sexual molestation. So do not grope. And if you are groped, report it to the police,” Police Chief Dan Eliasson said, according to the press release. A Swedish police report released last month said that, according to a survey carried out by the EU’s rights agency, the country has the worst rates of sexual violence against women in all of Europe. “Sweden tops the new EU Statistics on physical and sexual violence against women, sexual harassment and stalking. The conclusion is that the results are a consequence of Nordic alcohol culture, but also of non- traditional gender roles,” the report said.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

50 50 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

51 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

52 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

53 Beijing announces South China Sea drills ahead of court’s verdict on disputed islands — RT News The naval drills, which will cover the area east of China’s Hainan Island all the way to and including the Paracels, will be held on July 5-11, Reuters reports, citing a brief statement published online. Beijing’s territorial claims to the islands partly overlap those of the Philippines, Vietnam, and Taiwan, while Beijing also has ongoing territorial disputes in the area with Malaysia and Brunei. An arbitration court in the Dutch city of The Hague will be hearing the dispute between China and the Philippines on July 12. Over the last years, China has engaged in unprecedented construction of artificial islands and infrastructure on the reefs of the Paracels, preparing a base for its military, a harbor for ships, and even building a full-fledged flight landing strip on Woody Island. US officials claim that the area is protected by surface-to-air missile complexes that have been delivered by China’s military. Beijing has consistently insisted that it is within its right build whatever it wants on the island, since they have belonged to China since ancient times. The sea routes passing by the Paracels in the strategically important waters of the South China Sea are key to ship-borne trade worth $US 5 trillion annually. The shelf of the islands is also likely to hold considerable deposits of hydrocarbons. After Beijing reclaimed several atolls and built up military installations on the group of disputed islands, Washington accused China of “acting aggressively” in the South China Sea. The US has sent several ships into the archipelago over the past year, arguing that it was enforcing freedom of navigation in international waters, while drawing protests from Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping says Beijing has no plans to attack anyone, but will continue its policy of active defense. In an apparent barb at the United States, Xi said that he did not appreciate Washington’s meddling in China’s affairs in the South China Sea, stressing that “we are not afraid of trouble.” “No foreign country... should expect us to swallow the bitter pill of harm to our national sovereignty, security or development interests,” he added.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

54 54 ‘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.”

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

55 German ex-minister accused of calling photographer ‘filthy Greek’ — RT News Germany’s former federal transport minister, Peter Ramsauer of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria, was accused of insulting the photographer at the time when Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was receiving German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel at the PM’s Maximos Mansion residence in downtown Athens on Thursday. The incident was reported by leftist Avgi newspaper, which alleged that when the photographer accidentally collided with Ramsauer, the latter reportedly launched a verbal attack on the photojournalist, allegedly saying “Fass mich nicht an, Du dreckiger Grieche” (Don’t touch me you filthy Greek) in German, before repeating the phrase in English. A Greek government spokeswoman confirmed to Spiegel Online that the incident had taken place, saying the attack had caused outrage and that the German Embassy had promised to deal with it appropriately. Following the public outcry, Ramsauer took to Facebook to refute the accusations. The German politician claimed that the photographer had “heavily elbowed” him in his ribs, but denied making derogatory comments. “Statements saying I had nudged or abused a photographer in Athens are absolutely untrue. I repudiate this in due form,” he said. “I also explicitly repudiate, that I had called any person a ‘filthy’ or ‘dirty Greek’ or similar.” Peter Ramsauer, who was Germany’s former Federal Minister for Transport, Building and Urban Development from October of 2009 to December of 2013, is well known at home as a proponent of purging the German language of words borrowed from English. The confrontation has caused a stir in Greek media, since Ramsauer voted in the Bundestag to deny Greece of rescue packages.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

56 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.”

2016-07-04 12:00 TMG Digital www.timeslive.co.za

57 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.”

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

58 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

59 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

60 Tens of thousands of anti-Brexit protesters hit streets of London — RT UK Organizers of the March For Europe, which includes popular event planners Secret Cinema, 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:

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

61 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

62 '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.

2016-07-04 12:00 APHIWE DE www.timeslive.co.za

63 63 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

64 64 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

65 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 Bang Showbiz www.timeslive.co.za

66 66 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 Prof Jnj www.timeslive.co.za

67 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.

2016-07-04 12:00 TMG Entertainment www.timeslive.co.za

68 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. "

2016-07-04 12:00 www.rt.com

69 Serena notches up another milestone Williams's triple century moved the world No1 above Chris Evert into sole ownership of second place in the all-time list, with only Martina Navratilova's Open era record of 306 ahead of her. The 34-year-old has won 82 matches at Wimbledon as she remains on course to equal Steffi Graf's Open era record of 22 grand slam titles with her seventh Wimbledon crown. Williams was in peak form on centre court, hitting 25 winners and seven aces as she took just 51 minutes to set up a last-16 clash with the 13th-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia. Kuznetsova yesterday shrugged off a code violation for on-court coaching as she produced a stirring comeback to reach the fourth round for the first time in eight years with a 6-7 (1) 6-2 8-6 win over American Sloane Stephens. After Stephens had taken a 2-1 lead in the deciding set, the Russian lost her temper with umpire Marijana Veljovic when the Serbian official accused Kuznetsova of receiving illegal coaching from Carlos Martinez, who was sitting in the players' box. "I bet you all my prize money he didn't say anything," Kuznetsova yelled. The exchange continued well into the change of ends, with the 13th seed declaring: "You're not doing well. " The distraction appeared to have completely thrown Kuznetsova off her stride as she allowed Stephens, seeded 18th, to take a 5-2 lead. But just when it seemed as if the controversy would cost her dearly, Kuznetsova produced the kind of form that carried her to two grand slam titles and booked a last-16 showdown with defending champion Williams.

2016-07-04 12:00 Reuters www.timeslive.co.za

70 Keep track of tracking fees Chances are, if that cost is built into your insurance premium, you have no idea. As with cellphone contracts, the tracking device itself, like the phone, is not free - you pay it off as part of your subscription during what's known as the "initial period". In the case of cellphone contracts, that's two years, and it's three years in the case of vehicle tracking contracts. So, it stands to reason then, surely, that when that initial period is up, the subscription should reduce because the hardware is then paid off, and the subscriber is left to pay only for the service? Well, yes, in the case of a cellphone contract, if you resist the temptation to "upgrade" your contract after two years, to get your hands on the latest smartphone, your subscription will reduce. But when it comes to vehicle tracking contracts, it's not that simple, mainly because of a complex arrangement of discounted subscription deals with insurance companies. Last month I realised that my monthly Tracker subscription had not been reduced after 36 months when the hardware was paid off. I made a call to Tracker to query this, and without any argument, the consultant reduced my monthly subscription from R131 to R70. I mentioned this on a radio show in the context of finding ways to cut your monthly expenditure. Suhail Motala of Durban, who had been listening, realised that his three- year vehicle tracking contract with Netstar had rolled over to a month-to- month basis from November, but his subscription had remained R179. So he contacted the company, and after a bit of a runaround, he was told that from the end of this month his subscription would drop to R100 a month. He was still savouring that good news when he got another call from Netstar to say that the fee would be just R60 a month - a saving of R110 a month. What's more, he was told he would be refunded the "over-payment" since November, and last week Netstar deposited more than R900 into his account. Which got me thinking - how many others are overpaying for their tracking services, having paid off their hardware? Why are these subscriptions not automatically reduced from year four? Netstar's communications manager, Shona Minards, said the company did automatically reduce the amount to the service-only portion after three years but only "if the subscription they are paying at that time is more than the relevant monthly service-only fee in force at the time of contract expiry". I asked what percentage of clients had their monthly fees automatically reduced after three years. The response: "We cannot assist with providing these statistics. " In Motala's case, Minards said, Netstar's current "recommended retail pricing" for his tracking service was currently more than R169 a month - R240, in fact - so his contract amount was not reduced in November when his three-year initial period ended. Only about R60 of his monthly fee had covered payment of his tracking device, I was told. So why was Motala's fee so drastically reduced and the "over-payments" since November refunded when he raised the issue? That was a gesture of goodwill, Minards said, and a bid to retain him as a customer. Quite a gesture! If you ditch one car insurance policy for another, after shopping around for a more competitive price - an exercise you should do regularly - bear in mind that you will lose the discounted rate you got on your vehicle tracking service at the time of installation. That's what happened to me when I switched insurers. I asked Tracker the same question I asked Netstar - why aren't subscriptions automatically reduced when the initial three-year period is up, to take into account that the hardware is paid off? "Tracker's business model does not accommodate a reduction in the monthly subscription at the end of a 36-month contract period," said Tracker's communications manager Nandi Canning. "In fact, the initial cost of getting a customer on board - including the cost of the hardware and installation - is recouped over a much longer period to enable Tracker to stay competitive in the market from a price perspective. " In other words, long-standing customers are subsidising the special deals offered to new ones. So, why was my subscription substantially reduced when I made that call? The R70 monthly subscription I was offered is usually only available to my current insurer's policyholders when they are new Tracker customers, I was told. But I was given it as a goodwill gesture. And I won't be getting a refund. WHAT TO DO:

2016-07-04 12:00 Wendy Knowler www.timeslive.co.za

71 Clubs vs country: Stars must align for success When Iceland are the instigators, they of the "small mentality" who were "not going to do anything" in the Euro 2016 tournament (Ronaldo showing prediction skills as accurate as his free- kicks), then the fallout is even more severe. That the world's most resourced football nation can be humbled by a team of part-timers is testament to firstly, the appeal of sport whose outcome is never certain, and secondly, systemic failures in England's football system. Two popular theories for this latest failure were fatigue and the preponderance of foreign players in the English Premier League. That explanation was made to look less robust when Wales, who draw most of their players from the EPL, but who have far fewer players than England to call on, reached the semifinals at highly fancied Belgium's expense. That Wales have succeeded where England failed has only drawn out the agony of the English recriminations. Already, Stuart Lancaster and David Brailsford have been roped in to help plot the path forward. Lancaster was the architect of English sport's most recent bout of self-loathing when his England rugby team exited the 2015 World Cup in the group stages. Brailsford has achieved considerable success with cycling, but it's anyone's guess how well his management style will translate to football. Primary among the differences is that in football, like rugby, the national team is an infrequently grouped collection of the best players produced by the domestic competition. In and of itself, England has relatively limited scope for producing players. That job is done by the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Southampton, Tottenham and West Ham, but in a competitive manner. It should also be obvious that the national coach has a different role to that of a club coach, who is at the helm for perhaps 46 weeks a year. That's not to say a national coach cannot make an instant impact - just look at Eddie Jones with English rugby. But the speed with which unsuccessful national coaches are blamed and sacked always surprises me. In England's case, after about the sixth disastrous coach, it would seem it's time to consider the possibility that this one man may not be to blame. The same may be said for SA rugby. At a strategic level, the problem facing international teams is that their players - present and future - are owned by teams that are competitive with one another. Team A and Team B are not collaborators in the production of the top 30 players in the country, but competitors for them. Those teams have short horizons. They exist to win titles, qualify for Europe or remain in the top flight to keep their share of the lucrative television rights deal. Such horizons drive short-term decisions, and so the outcome that the English football bosses would like to prioritise - development of young players and a cohesive and consistent playing style from early on in their development - is not merely different from the set of each team's objective, it is in direct opposition to it. And herein lies the major strategic problem facing England, and it's one that South African rugby and cricket should pay attention to. International teams such as the Springboks are the outcome of actions taken for multiple generations, one level below. If that level is unregulated or unharnessed, it creates a multitude of knock-on effects. Sometimes an outstanding domestic team provides the bulk of the international players, and those conflicting incentives align. Think of Germany and Spain, and perhaps even the Springboks against Ireland recently. Healthy club teams can help the national team. But sustainable success happens when many exceptional teams, over a minimum of two generations, are aligned with a higher national interest. If England wish to move beyond empty hope, and if SA are to regain a position from which to challenge the All Blacks, that is the fundamental requirement. 2016-07-04 12:00 Prof Ross www.timeslive.co.za

72 Warding off dreaded drop The country has been losing the confidence of many investors anxious at the direction of the ANC government under President Jacob Zuma as the country slides from prolonged stagnation towards recession. The economy shrank 1.2% in the first quarter of the year as output dropped in the struggling mining sector, drought hit farming and unemployment stayed critically high. Still, a defiant Gordhan said that the government would deliver on promises made to the ratings agencies to stabilise the economy and make structural reforms, including in the highly regulated labour market, to improve the country's growth potential. "This will be another test that we will pass," Gordhan said of the ratings decision expected in December. "You have got to remain hopeful. There i s a general recognition in the country that we have won six months, and during that six months, both for our own sake and for the sake of our ratings, we need to get on with the job. " Standard & Poor's decided last month to keep its rating for South Africa's foreign debt one notch above junk, although with a negative outlook. The rand, already weak after the president suddenly sacked respected finance minister Nhlanhla Nene in December and replaced him with an unknown backbencher, sank again in the market turmoil triggered by last week's decision by the UK to leave the EU. Gordhan, who previously served as finance minister from 2009 to 2014, was appointed after the December debacle to steady the ship. Razia Khan, economist at Standard Chartered Bank, said the country had become a "proxy for emerging market weakness". Gordhan said the government was close to announcing a series of reforms to the labour market, which would entail "the minimum wage, balloting before strikes and compulsory arbitration, so that strikes don't last for ever".

2016-07-04 12:00 DAVID PILLING www.timeslive.co.za

73 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

2016-07-04 12:00 AFP www.timeslive.co.za

74 74 Bangs, boos and bust-ups in F1 Championship leader Rosberg, who had been in front with Hamilton in his slipstream, nursed his damaged car over the line for fourth place with his advantage cut to 11 points after nine of 21 rounds. "I am gutted, it's unbelievable," said the German, accusing Hamilton of turning in and causing the accident that broke his front wing. "I was on the outside, it wasn't me that had the crash," said the Briton, who now has three wins to Rosberg's five this season. The stewards appeared to back Hamilton up by opening an investigation into Rosberg's actions. The German was summoned to answer charges of causing a collision and failing to stop with a seriously damaged car. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff described the collision as "brainless", without singling out either of his drivers for blame. The team revealed that Rosberg had suffered a problem with his brake-by- wire system, which went into "passive mode" at the end of the penultimate lap as Hamilton closed in. The crowd, small by comparison with the previous two years - with rows of empty seats in the grandstands - made their disapproval evident with whistles and boos as Hamilton was interviewed on the podium. "That's not my problem, it's their problem," the Briton, who started on pole, shrugged when asked about the noise. "I left a lot of room on the inside and I guess he locked up and crashed into me. I think he had a problem with his brakes. I'm here to win. That's all. " Dutch teenager Max Verstappen finished second for Red Bull at their home track with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen third after teammate Sebastian Vettel crashed out on his 29th birthday when a rear tyre exploded. Daniel Ricciardo was fifth for Red Bull, with Britain's Jenson Button sixth for McLaren. Frenchman Romain Grosjean was seventh in a Haas ahead of Spaniard Carlos Sainz in a Toro Rosso. German rookie Pascal Wehrlein scored his first point in Formula One, and his Manor team's first of the season, with a remarkable 10th.

2016-07-04 12:00 Reuters www.timeslive.co.za

75 Cavendish all class as war pain is relived The Tinkoff cyclist beat France's Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-Quick Step) and Spain's Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), who were second and third respectively. The world's most famous cycling race started on Saturday in Normandy, at scenes where great battles were fought 72 years ago. Places such as Utah Beach, where a rider written off as past it chalked up the first victory of the tour. They said his legs had gone. They said his motivation was waning. They said he had no chance in a straight-up bunch sprint against his nemesis Marcel Kittel; that he would have to rely on his nous, on crosswinds breaking the race up in the final stages. Mark Cavendish said differently. The Manxman, riding for the South African team Dimension Data, added another entry to his claim to be the greatest cyclist Britain has ever produced as he shot to a stunning victory on the opening stage of the 103rd Tour de France, in the process, claiming the iconic yellow jersey for the first, if brief, time in his career. "I'm really emotional," he said. "It's going to be a special day tomorrow and what better way to do it than here on Utah Beach remembering the soldiers who died on D-Day and all the people who died for our freedom in the modern world. "

2016-07-04 12:00 Reuters, www.timeslive.co.za

76 They live longer in Cape Town The average retirement age for men and women in South Africa is 60. For women, the country's average life expectancy, according to the World Health Organisation, is 66 years. Men are likely to make it to 59 years. According to the South African Cities Network, men in the Mother City are likely to outlive their counterparts in other cities by up to five years. Men in Cape Town have a life expectancy of 64 and women, 70; four years more than the national average. Through its 2016 State of the Cities Report, the network - which gathered its data from Statistics SA, national government departments and city administrators - provides a glimpse into the lives of those living in nine of South Africa's metros. Those living in Free State's Mangaung municipality had the lowest life expectancy: 49 for men and 52 for women. Life expectancy in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni is 61 for men and 63 for women; for Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City, it is 53 for men and 59 for women. In eThekwini and Msunduzi, it is 53 for men and 58 for women. "Everyone, not just city administrators, must come together to figure out how to improve their cities," said Geci Kururi-Sebina, the network's executive manager. Poverty expert Mervyn Abrahams of the Pietermaritzburg Agency for Community Social Action said poverty had to be factored in as it had a direct bearing on access to healthcare, sanitation, housing and, ultimately, life expectancy. "One needs to look ataccess to services. Just because 91% of Buffalo City residents have access to toilets doesn't mean each person has their own toilet," Abrahams said.

2016-07-04 12:00 GRAEME HOSKEN www.timeslive.co.za

77 Djokovic's run of success had to end, says Federer The holder of 17 grand slam singles titles and considered the greatest tennis player of all time, had expressed doubts about Djokovic's capacity to sustain his staggering sequence of major victories. "Margins are small, and we get carried away in saying that it's impossible to beat him," said Federer, the seven-time Wimbledon champion. "But clearly, he's beatable. He cannot win 200 straight matches in tennis. It's not possible. " The verdict was to prove prescient. Djokovic seemed weighed down throughout his match by the burden of trying to become only the second man after Rod Laver to secure the calendar slam. These anxieties also sank Serena Williams as she lost a chance of winning all four majors last year by losing at the US Open to Roberta Vinci, an opponent by whom she should never have been troubled. On Saturday Djokovic, the most remorselessly dominant player tennis has ever known, limped tamely out of Wimbledon. He was cut down by the brilliant serving of the American Sam Querrey in a stunning upset that brought his assault on the record books to an abrupt halt. There will be no "golden slam" with the world No1 thwarted in his aspiration to snaffle the full set of all four major trophies and an Olympic gold medal in the same year, a feat only ever accomplished by Steffi Graf. Instead, he beat the quickest retreat from Wimbledon on Saturday night, chastened and bewildered at how he had thrown it away. True, Querrey, the first American in three years to beat a world No1, served wonderfully, overpowering Djokovic at times. But there was no disguising that Djokovic was a pale imitation of his usual self, apparently struggling with a cold and quailing, perhaps, at the magnitude of the stakes he was striving for.

78 Rare and precious Battiss Hailed as the first of its kind, the Walter Battiss: "I invented myself" - The Jack Ginsberg Collection, displays more than 700 artworks and other items Ginsberg has collected inthe past 35 years which the philanthropist has given to the museum. Battiss, who died in the 1980 s of a heart attack, was regarded as the foremost abstract painter . Ginsberg said: "I loved his work but I also loved the man. "I suppose the alternative [to giving it to the museum] is to sell it but it took me 35 years to collect and I believe it's worth more together, making it much more important as a collection. " Ginsberg has kept 20 favourite pieces of his collection which he will bequeath to the museum. The exhibition has been arranged chronologically by curator Warren Siebrits to take visitors on a journey through various stages of Battiss' life. Siebrits said it was an honour and a challenge to display the works of one of South Africa's foremost painters. Visitors will see from Battiss' early landscape pieces to his silk-screens and his more colourful and dynamic work in which he challenged the status quo by using sexual imagery. Siebrits said that Battiss' erotica collection was aimed at challenging apartheid censorship during the 1970s. Ginsberg said the "Orgy Series" was Battiss' most expensive work and could cost around R40000 a piece. The exhibition is on at the museum from July 6 to October 9.

2016-07-04 12:00 LEONIE WAGNER www.timeslive.co.za

79 KZN ANC candidate shot dead in front of family The party said yesterday the gunning down of Thembi Mbongo, 35, a candidate for Ward 6 outside Osizweni was an orchestrated campaign to derail the ANC in Newcastle and Amajuba. "This has nothing to do with candidate lists or choices. This area is not even hotly contested. This is about derailing the party's victory in a ward that is already an ANC ward," the party's regional secretary Ntokozo Mhlungu said. Mbongo's killing comes less than two months after ANC Youth League deputy regional chairman Wandile Ngubeni was gunned down in Madadeni in the same district. Mhlungu said Mbongo had not reported any threats on her life. "It was a cold-blooded assassination. She was preparing a meal for her family when two men arrived at her house asking to talk to her. She left the kitchen to see them when one of them shot her four times in front of her children and husband," Mhlungu said. ANC provincial secretary Super Zuma said yesterday the party was deeply concerned about the killing of its ward candidates. "We are very devastated and shocked at the senseless killing of comrade Thembi, who was going to represent her community as their public servant. This is a tragic loss for her family, her community and the ANC," said Zuma. He believed her killing was an orchestrated campaign to derail the ANC from "an overwhelming victory" in the area. Less than a month ago President Jacob Zuma lashed out at those who took part in political violence. He was speaking at the ANC's KwaZulu-Natal manifesto launch in Pietermaritzburg, about 5km from Imbali township, where, since June 1, four ANC leaders have been killed. At least two of the deaths are suspected to be linked to internal squabbles.

2016-07-04 12:01 NIVASHNI NAIR www.timeslive.co.za

80 'Red revolution coming' Addressing a YCL national rally at the Johannesburg City Hall yesterday, the league's secretary-general Mluleki Dlelanga said the communists must get ready to govern. Since 1994 the SACP has been supporting the ANC during national and local elections. And some of its senior leaders are serving in the government. Among them are SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande, who is the minister of higher education and training. Taking a swipe at opposition parties, Dlelanga labelled parties such as the EFF and DA as "fake". He called on the youth not to vote for these parties in the August 3 polls. "This country doesn't deserve to be led by fake people. This country deserves to be led by the ANC and ultimately by communists. This country is for communists," said Dlelanga to loud cheers. "We are urging you as young communists that for now our people must go and vote for the ANC but as the YCL we are beginning to panic because the levels of frustration that our people are experiencing require communism to take a clear path and lead. "Comrades, we don't have to wait for when the working class will be coming to Cosatu House demanding the communist party to lead this country. "We must prepare ourselves now because the Red Revolution is coming and we will fight up until we get socialism," he said. Dlelanga said the league would host a political school later this month to prepare the young communists to take over the running of the country. Speaking earlier Nzimande urged the youth to vote for the ANC "overwhelmingly". He said although the SACP was encouraging the youth to vote for the ruling party this did not mean that the SACP was "blind to the fact that there are a number of things that we might be unhappy about in the ANC as communists". But the party was willing to solve those problems internally as opposed to encouraging people to vote for other parties, he said. The SACP in Tshwane has suspended 10 members for their alleged involvement in violent protests in the capital city recently. The members will face internal party disciplinary procedures. 2016-07-04 12:01 BONGEKILE MACUPE www.timeslive.co.za

81 Replace provinces with big metros Thabo Manyoni, chairman of the SA Local Government Association and mayor of Mangaung metropolitan municipality, said it was inevitable that provinces would eventually be rendered obsolete as their functions and responsibilities were increasingly being devolved to municipalities. Manyoni said provinces should be replaced by metros and stronger district municipalities. He argued that, increasingly, municipalities were taking over electricity, water, health, education and infrastructure responsibilities, once presided over by provincial governments. He said soon some municipalities would be given powers to build houses. Manyoni insisted that the provincial sphere of government should not be retained simply for purposes of employment, saying that provinces added an unnecessary and costly layer to government. But Manyoni conceded that district municipalities were not performing optimally. For the past 10 years the ANC has been discussing the role and functions of provinces - most recently at its national general council last year - with some within the party arguing that the provincial system should be scrapped or that the number of provinces should be reduced. South Africa today has more metros and municipalities and the role of provinces is under scrutiny. In its recent submissions to parliament on the division of revenue for the 2017-2018 period, the Financial and Fiscal Commission found that most of the country's 44 district municipalities - which oversee 226 local municipalities - appeared incapable of self-sufficiency and called for them to be phased out. Stats SA's financial census on municipalities also painted an unflattering picture of ineffective local and district municipalities. The census revealed that they relied heavily on grants and subsidies as a source of income. Grants and subsidies made up 79.6% of the income among the 44 district municipalities between July 2014 and June last year and 37.1% of income for 226 local municipalities. But the Municipal Demarcation Board's latest capacity assessment found that 76% of district municipalities were performing their statutory functions. Said Manyoni: "I think we need to have stronger district municipalities. And we also need to revisit the role of provinces. For instance, we are devolving functions mostly to metros - bigger municipalities. We can devolve some of the functions to districts to assist [local] municipalities and bring services closer to people instead of [these] being [done] at a provincial level. "We have to revisit the role of provinces as we evolve and I think it is quite important [to note] that as we strengthen local government, the powers of provinces will [naturally] be eroded," Manyoni said. "And remember, it is not about positions and employment. It is about creating a South Africa that is functional and sustainable. " Manyoni said though the government was predictably slow in implementation, South Africa's governance structure could no longer defer evolution. "Unfortunately, government works slowly when it comes to evolution. It will take some time but I think there are areas already where most of the work has already been done. "Basically, some of those [provincial administrative] functions are already beginning to devolve to municipalities but I must indicate that they are devolving at a very slow pace. "But this is a reality we will eventually have to face and we must start strategising how we should deal with this matter," said Manyoni.

2016-07-04 12:01 OLEBOGENG MOLATLHWA www.timeslive.co.za

82 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.

2016-07-04 12:01 SABELO SKITI www.timeslive.co.za

83 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.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.rt.com

84 13 hostages freed from Dhaka cafe after overnight attack saw 20 victims killed — RT News "The operation is over and the situation is under control," army spokesman Colonel Rashidul Hasan told Reuters. At around 8 am, following a 13-hour siege and failed negotiations with the terrorists, over 100 heavily armed Bangladeshi forces launched an operation to free the people being held inside the upscale cafe in Dhaka’s diplomatic district. It has been reported that Italian, Japanese and Indian nationals were among the hostages. Italy’s ambassador to Bangladesh, Mario Palma, confirmed the reports, saying that seven Italians were inside the cafe. “Intense” gunfire and two massive blasts were heard from the Dhaka restaurant, according to police, though it is unclear what caused the explosions. According to a Japanese government spokesman, some 12 people have been rescued, but he did not specify whether they were foreigners. By Saturday morning, it was still unclear how many people are still in the cafe, or what their condition is. Shortly after reports about the hostage-taking started to surface, Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. One of the attackers was armed with a sword, and the others carried guns, an employee of a nearby cafe told RT. He estimated the number of hostages as at least 30. A kitchen worker who managed to escape the building said the attackers chanted “Allahu Akbar.” “They blew up several crude bombs, causing wide-scale panic among everyone. I managed to flee during this confusion,” he said, according to The Daily Star, a Bangladeshi English-language newspaper. Later, ISIS posted graphic photos claiming that those were pictures of dead foreigners killed in the assault on the cafe. Islamic State claimed it killed 24 people. However, Bangladeshi police stated earlier that only two police officers had been killed and at least 20 people wounded. Information coming out from the area remains limited, as all TV networks across Bangladesh have stopped live coverage at the request of the police.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.rt.com

85 Polish TV host gets hand stabbed by nail as magic trick goes horribly wrong (VIDEO) — RT News Marzena Rogalska, of Question for Breakfast talk show, became the unintended magician’s victim as a stunt went wrong on air Saturday. It started out as a fun trick of slamming your hand on paper bags lined up on the table. However, one of the bags was hiding a sharp nail in it. Things turned bloody pretty fast, as Rogalska’s hand was jammed into the nail. The magician, Marcin Poloniewicz, had apparently got confused amid the routine. Poloniewicz, a semi-finalist in Poland's Got Talent, first put the nail inside one of the bags, mixed them up and successfully slammed his hand on top of one of the empty bags, leaving everyone smiling. However, then he chose a bag for the TV host, took Rogalska’s hand, who already looked scared, and pushed it on top of the bag. Seconds later, the TV host was screaming as the nail was jammed into the middle of her hand. Meanwhile, her co-host remained smiling as the magician looked confused, believing Rogalska was just playing along. Realizing what just happened, Poloniewicz quickly pulled the nail out. A scared Rogalska was rushed to the hospital and bandaged up. “Thank you for your support. I'm alive. Everything will be fine,” Rogalska said on Facebook after the incident. The video was posted online over the weekend, gathering lots of angry comments. “Yes, it had to be a magic trick, but I think the [Russian roulette] is not a magic trick at all,” wrote one user.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.rt.com

86 Austrian town bans women in ‘burqinis’ from swimming in public pool — RT News “In respect to the bathing rules, we are completely pleased with the adopted variant. From how the text [of the guidelines] has been now formulated, it can be ensured, that no person wearing a burqini can enter the pool,” said Peter Terzer, a FP member and town councilor, who triggered the controversial ban, according to the local NÖN.at. Justifying the new bathing guidelines’ wording, he said the ban was based on sanitation grounds, so the water in the pool would be in accordance with hygiene requirements. The ban was backed by Hainfeld’s mayor, Albert Pitterle, who said the decision should not be considered as extraordinary as it as in line with the existing bathing rules. “Nothing in particular has prompted the ban, however, the bathing rules have been in place for decades already,” he told Krone.at. daily. Last month, a similar ban was introduced by the public pool in the German city of Neutraubling, following complaints by a fellow woman visitor. The woman opted for a full-body swimsuit during a women-only day in the pool. The choice of the attire did not go well with the town’s mayor, Heinz Kiechle, who said it “contradicts the basic idea of integration and mutual recognition which is always being discussed in many towns.” READ MORE: Refugees banned from Austrian pool after ‘foreigner’ sexually assaults teenage girl Apart from outlawing full-length swimming attire, Terzer was advocating tighter security at the pool, citing the reports of women allegedly being sexually assaulted by migrants in Austrian swimming pools, which had already prompted some leisure facilities to ban the male refugees altogether. In the most recent case, authorities of the Austrian town of Mistelbach, also in Lower Austria, had issued a temporary ban on all refugees following the sexual harassment of the 13-year old teenage girl by a young “dark- skinned” man, supposedly an asylum-seeker from nearby shelter facilities. The local officials had posted a sign in English reading “today no entry for refugees” in the wake of the incident. READ MORE: Austrian swimming pool off-limits to ‘unaccompanied refugees’ amid child rape outrage “My main concern continues to be the safety of the female bathers” , Terzer told NÖN.at, adding that it will be “fundamentally wrong” to turn a blind eye on the facts out of “political correctness,” referring to the “numerous incidents” in swimming pools across the country. However, the argument was lost on the mayor, who insisted the additional security measures would be excessive as the small size of the pool let it to be supervised by one person. “Our lifeguard ensures security and is instructed to report every incident,” he added. The sexually-related offenses allegedly committed by refugees in the EU, fleeing war in persecution in Middle East and North Africa, have been making headlines all over Europe since last year as the refugee crisis intensified with over a million of refugees pouring into Europe last year. In March, the Austrian Interior Ministry reported a spike in sex attacks, saying they have reached peak numbers not observed for many years before with 12 such crimes on average being registered every day. However, the focus on refugees` complicity in the crimes might have offered a distortive prospective on the issue. According to the data, only 25 out of 343 sex-related offences at that time were linked to asylum seekers with 175 to Austrian nationals.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.rt.com

87 Suicide rates by job highest in farming, fishing and forestry — CDC — RT America There were 40,000 suicides in 2012, according to the CDC’s Violent Death Reporting System, and out of that data, CDC researchers analyzed 12,312 suicides in 17 states, organizing them by occupational group to see the frequency of self-inflicted deaths in those fields. “Analysis… indicated that workers in the farming, fishing and forestry occupational group had the highest rate of suicide (84.5 per 100,000), followed by workers in construction and extraction (53.3), and installation, maintenance and repair (47.9),” said the CDC report released Friday. Among the dataset, 9,509, or 77.2 percent, were male, and 2,801, or 22.8 percent, were female. The highest proportion of suicides occurred among persons aged 45 to 54 years, while the lowest was among working persons aged 16 to 24 years. The CDC said factors contributing to suicide might be work-home imbalance, socioeconomic inequities – lower incomes, lower education level and lack of access to health care. The study suggested that high rates of suicide among farmers could be attributed to “chronic exposure to pesticides [which] might affect the neurologic system and contribute to depressive symptoms.” The isolation of farmers might be another factor as well, as may be the potential for financial loss, barriers or unwillingness to seek mental health services and access to lethal means. Other findings were that men in those occupations – fishing, farming, forestry – also accounted for the highest rate of suicide at 90.5 per 100,000, whereas the highest rate among females was 14.1 per 100,000 in the protective service occupational group, which includes law enforcement and firefighters. The CDC said in 2012, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death among persons aged 16 years and older in the US. The rates of suicide among persons 16 years and older increased 21.1 percent from 13.3 percent per 100,000 people to 16.1 percent between 2000 to 2012. The lowest rates of suicide were found in education, training and library occupational groups. Prior studies of suicide among professions only examined one occupation at a time, such as police suicides, or were studied from a specific state. This study had 17 states and included male and females. Military occupations were not included in the analysis, because the CDC was not able to determine whether they were on active duty or retired or what occupation they held in the military. The CDC recommended prevention strategies include enhancing social support, community connectedness, access to preventative services and reduction of stigma and barriers over mental illness, in order to help those seeking encouragement.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.rt.com

88 Black Lives Matter halts Toronto Pride parade to address ‘anti-Blackness’ (PHOTOS) — RT News Black Lives Matter Toronto addressed the issue of anti- Blackness within Pride Toronto. The group, which received Honored Group status at the parade, stopped their float during Sunday’s march for around 30 minutes, not allowing others to proceed until their demands were met. “When we accepted this year's Honored Group status from Pride Toronto, it was with the clear intention of using this platform to address what is a historical and current culture of anti-Blackness deeply embedded in the Festival,” said Alexandria Williams, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Toronto. “If they truly want to honor us, they can accept these demands.” In its news release, the Black Lives Matter said Pride Toronto “has shown little honor to black queer/trans communities, and other marginalized communities. Over the years, Pride has threatened the existence of black spaces at Pride that have existed for years.” The situation was resolved as Pride Toronto agreed and signed the list of demands, which allowed the parade to resume. Some of the demands included a commitment to increasing representation among Pride Toronto, prioritizing hiring of black transgender women and indigenous people, as well as excluding police floats from the parade. The parade kicked off Sunday 2 p.m. local time, with dozens of roaring motorcycles driving down Bloor and Church streets in Toronto, with the rainbow flag clearly displayed. The parade paused at 3 p.m. in memory of the 49 victims of the anti-LGBT attack on an Orlando nightclub. Some people who attended the march carried signs for the victims. The Pride parade made history this year after Justin Trudeau joined in. Trudeau became the first sitting Prime Minister to ever march in the event. Other politicians have joined him this year too, including Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Toronto Mayor John Tory. “Canada is united in its defense of rights and in standing up for LGBTQ rights; this is what we are truly celebrating today,” Trudeau said on June 1 when he kicked off Prime Month in Parliament Hill.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.rt.com

89 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 .

2016-07-04 12:01 www.rt.com

90 What you need to know — RT Viral Here, we break down everything you need to know about Juno’s journey so far, what’s going to happen on Monday and how this knowledge has the potential to change everything we understand about the solar system. JUPITER IS NO JOKE: Firstly, it’s important to understand the severity of Jupiter and just how (literally) massive this challenge is. Jupiter is, by far, the largest planet in the solar system - so big you could fit over a thousand Earths inside it. It’s 300 times the mass of Earth and about two-thirds the size of all the planets in the solar system put together. Jupiter’s high quantity of liquid metallic hydrogen means it is buried under the solar system’s largest magnetic field, with pressures up to 2 million times the pressure on Earth, and the most severe radiation environment of anybody in the solar system – other than the sun. The background radiation we’re exposed to on Earth is about 0.39 of a RAD, while Juno is expected to experience about 20 million RAD over the course of its mission. JUNO’S MISSION: A mission of firsts, Juno is the fastest spacecraft to ever venture into the solar system, is the first space mission to operate a solar-powered spacecraft, will be the first to fly close to Jupiter and will be the first to orbit an outer-planet from pole to pole. Launched on August 5, 2011, on a mission that cost $1.13 billion, Juno has had quite the journey so far. It went in orbit around the sun at first, passed the orbit of Mars before a couple of main engine blasts fired the spacecraft back toward Earth where it got a gravity assist to set it on a 445 million mile course to Jupiter. Juno will arrive at Jupiter on Monday, July 4th (for NASA), and the Jupiter Orbit Insertion burn begins at 8:18pm Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) and will last approximately 35 minutes. When Juno has fulfilled its purpose, the spacecraft is scheduled to plunge itself into Jupiter’s atmosphere in February 2018. JUNO’S JUPITER INSERTION: The most dangerous part of the mission will be when Juno first enters Jupiter’s orbit, aka Jupiter Orbit Insertion. Jupiter’s pressure is far too high to simply drop a probe on its surface, and so NASA’s plan is to thread a fine line by getting as close as possible to the planet, without getting sucked in by Jupiter’s magnetic field. Juno will fly as close as 2,600 miles from Jupiter’s cloud tops, an area referred to as the “safe zone,” and then circle far away before coming back to loop around the planet again, a route that will take 14 days. Juno will repeat that same loop every two weeks for about a year and a half until it has collected data from all over the entire planet. Each time Juno flies close to Jupiter’s cloud tops it will turn on its measuring instruments to collect a range of data about the planet, including the highest- resolution images ever taken of Jupiter. WHAT SCIENTISTS HOPE TO LEARN: Jupiter is the first planet formed so any information learned from the Juno mission is going to shed light on the early history of the solar system in way they can’t learn from other planets. Scientists hope to gain an understanding of how the solar system was born from analyzing Jupiter’s interior, and they also want to know things like how magnetic fields are generated by getting the first unobstructed view into Jupiter’s core. WHEN AND WHERE CAN I WATCH?: NASA TV coverage begins at 10:30pm Eastern Daylight Time.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.rt.com

91 German job site reports spike in British visitors after Brexit vote — RT News "Only in the past 10 days, the increase is in the hundreds of thousands of more UK visitors," the website’s founder Hessam Lavi said, speaking to the Local. This job search company called Jobspotting offers jobs across 10 countries, including Germany, the UK, Austria, Spain, Ireland as well as in non-European states such as South Africa or Argentina. The very next morning after Brexit vote, the website noted a boom in traffic from the UK. “Friday morning we woke and basically all of our servers were on fire,” Lavi recalls, adding that despite some of the users might have been lured by the articles outlining implications of the Brexit on the European workforce, a considerable amount of UK-based visitors were actually seeking job opportunities overseas. Although Lavi could not provide the statistics of how many of those coming to the site from Britain were actually British nationals and what was the share of foreign workers fearing restrictions on alien employees, the data indicated 60 percent of users were writing in British English, another 25 in US English, with all the remaining languages comprising about 2 percent of all searches. READ MORE:Brexit vote was a tie, Britain will never leave EU - academic "The mood is one of disbelief and shock, people are in limbo – they are disappointed and are wondering what is going to happen in the coming months," said Carrie King, editor of Journal by Jobspotting to the BBC, explaining the general sentiment held by the UK manpower in the times of economic and political uncertainty which gripped the country. The job seekers appeared to be mostly young professionals aged 25 to 34. They constituted 44 percent of the UK traffic. The vast share of users showed specific interest to the high-skilled jobs in Berlin, in particular in the IT sphere. Half of the applicants hail from London, which can indicate the UK’s capital can experience a kind of brain drain with its borders closed to the best talents all over Europe. “Without this freedom of movement, London is going to suffer,” Lavi warned, stressing that “the framework of the EU and the stability that London will lack means it can easily attract talent from across the EU given the freedom of movement.” While the country has plunged into political turmoil following the narrow victory by the Leave camp, with it gaining 51.89 percent versus 48.11 percent by Remain, the latest poll by the Ispos Mori for BBC Newsnight carried out on 29-30 June has revealed 5 percent of the 1,077 adults interviewed that voted for Brexit to happen would now change their stance compared to 2 percent of the Remain voters. The attitude to the EU citizens eyeing a job in the UK is divisive within British society, with the country being largely split along the voting lines. While 67 percent of Remain voters do not oppose the EU citizens staying and working in the UK if the country’s access to the European single market stays in place. On the contrary, 66 percent of Leave voters advocate stripping the EU citizens of freedom of movement even if it means losing the advantages of the single market.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.rt.com

92 Blast outside US consulate service in Saudi Arabia as police stop suicide bomber — RT News Two police officers were injured during the attack, according to state TV. The assailant parked his car outside a hospital near the consulate at about 2:15 a.m. local time (July 3, 2315 GMT). His device detonated shortly afterward. According to witnesses, the blast took place mere 20 meters from the gate of the consulate. An eyewitness also told Reuters that three further blasts rocked the scene. Police are believed to have carried out controlled explosions near the site. None of the consulate employees were hurt in the attack, one of the workers told ABC News. The US State Department said they were aware of the reports and were working with Saudi officials to find out more. " All personnel under chief of mission authority are accounted for at this time ," a spokesperson told Reuters. No terrorist group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. The Jeddah consulate was attacked with explosives and machine guns in 2004. Nine people were killed in the incident. The attack accomplished its task even though no one but the suicide bomber was killed, since it had a significant psychological impact on the population, Daniel McAdams from the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity told RT. “The whole point of terrorism is to have a psychological impact on people and to convince people to do what they might not normally be motivated to do. Obviously occurring on Independence Day, I would guess [it would] have an impact. This has been a week of horrific terrorism attacks from Bangladesh to Iraq and Turkey as well. What is the reason? Difficult to say, but I think it is to mobilize public opinion,” McAdams said. The Jeddah incident follows a wave of large-scale attacks claimed by or attributed to the Islamic State terror group that have struck Turkey, Iraq and Bangladesh. ISIS has been very active during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, with the group calling on its militants to carry out attacks. Threats were also reportedly made from a pro-ISIS Twitter account warning of attacks on Los Angeles International Airport LAX and New York's JFK airport as America was preparing to celebrate its July 4 Independence Day. The account said that planes flying from Heathrow Airport to the US would be used to carry out the attacks. WARNING: VERY GRAPHIC IMAGE BELOW

2016-07-04 12:01 www.rt.com

93 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.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.rt.com

94 UK police summon Israeli ex-FM Livni over alleged war crimes during Gaza conflict — RT News The summons was issued Thursday, but was only made public three days later. The summons was canceled after diplomatic talks were held between Israel and the UK, which ended in Livni’s visit to London acquiring the status of a " special diplomatic assignment ,” Haaretz reported. This effectively granted her immunity from arrest and prosecution. She had been in Britain to attend a conference organized by the Israeli newspaper and the British Jewish Community. Livni, who is now a member of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, was wanted for questioning by British police regarding her role in possible war crimes during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza in 2008, as she was the foreign minister, vice prime minister and member of the diplomatic security cabinet at the time. The summons provoked a furious response from opposition leader Isaac Herzog, leader of the Israeli Labour Party, who sent a strongly worded letter to British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond asking him to make sure that this incident would not be repeated in the future. " In the context of the last few days, during which a 13-year old girl Israeli girl and a Rabbi were among those murdered by Palestinian terrorists [this] makes a mockery of the British government's calls for unity in fighting radical Islamist terror ," the letter read, as cited by the Jerusalem Post. Abandoning normal diplomatic protocol, the UK opted to approach Livni directly, rather than going through the Israeli Embassy in London. After receiving the summons, the Israeli foreign minister informed her diplomatic mission, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Foreign Office and the Justice Ministry, Haaretz reports. Livni visited the UK last year, and was granted diplomatic immunity by the British government to avoid the possibility of arrest during her stay in the country. She was able to qualify for legal immunity by arranging meetings with British officials, exploiting a legal loophole that protects Israelis on official visits to the UK. Speaking about being summoned by the police, Livni said she had decided to go public about her ordeal. " I'm proud of the decisions I made as a cabinet minister in the Israeli government, " Livni said, as cited by Haaretz, while adding that she believed that “ the British legal system is being abused .” " The fact that Israeli decision-makers and army commanders are forced to participate in a 'theater of the absurd' when we come to London is something that is not acceptable, " she said. " It's not a personal issue, it's a moral issue and this is something that needs to be changed ,” she mentioned. As Israeli Foreign Minister during the 2008-09 Gaza War, Livni was involved in the decision to take military action in response to rocket fire coming from the Gaza Strip. The rocket fire itself was in response to a November 4, 2008 incident, when IDF soldiers killed several Hamas fighters in a military incursion. Livni told reporters at the time: “ We have proven to Hamas that we have changed the equation. Israel is not a country upon which you fire missiles and it does not respond. It is a country that when you fire on its citizens it responds by going wild – and this is a good thing.” A UN investigation found Israel had used excessive force which unfairly impacted on civilians, as well as using Palestinians as human shields by forcing them to enter houses which might be booby trapped. Some 926 Palestinian civilians were killed in the conflict, according to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights. The report concluded Israel had violated articles of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.rt.com

95 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.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.thedrum.com

96 I don’t trust tech vendors, says Standard Chartered’s Damien Cummings Agencies act as a trusted and impartial partner for brands, said Standard Chartered Bank’s global head of digital marketing, whereas tech vendors are “just trying to get commission out of us”. He spoke out in defense of the client-agency relationship, which has recently come under scrutiny as some marketers have moved to work directly with technology businesses. Speaking at ATS in Singapore today, Cummings said that clients would prefer to build their own technology for their marketing activity but with limited resources the agency is entrusted with the role. “I don’t trust tech vendors,” he said, “I trust agencies, marketers trust agencies, as they are perceived as relatively impartial. It’s often abused but there is a high level of trust.” “The reason we don’t trust tech vendors is that they only sell the feeds and speeds, the functional specs. But we know they’ll be obsolete in 6 months, they are just trying to get commission out of us,” he added. Cummings said the key need for marketers was “free and easy access to data”, which helps brands trust agencies with the outsourced task of managing marketing technology. He said control of the data should never be used against a brand, adding “we don’t want data to become a blackmail point”. In terms of partnerships with tech vendors, he described brand’s relationship with Facebook and Google as an arranged marriage. “I have to trust Google and Facebook, but I got into bed because it’s an arranged marriage. There can be love but it’s an arranged marriage,” he said. When asked if other tech vendors are a one night stand, he said they were the “sleazy guy in the bar that’s trying to hit on you who may be one night stand.” Cummings advised tech vendors not to try and go direct to brands and instead ensure that the agency is part of the conversation in order to maintain trust.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.thedrum.com

97 Blippar sets ‘early 2017’ date to hit mass awareness as it tunes ad business for visual search Augmented reality app Blippar believes its efforts to get people to use it for visual search, rather than searching through Google, should hit critical mass by early 2017 when it will have the ubiquity to appeal to more advertisers. It’s stopped short of saying how many users that equates to, though the app is already used by around 65 million worldwide. Rather, Blippar’s target will be (in part) defined by its ability to become a habit for people instead of a one-time gimmick. If the “experience isn’t habitual then the app won’t work,” admitted Omaid Hiwaizi, president of global marketing, who believes the app is poised to take advantage of people “wanting to interact visually on their smartphone”. By this, he means the explosion of mobile apps for communication, social and sharing that’s seen the top five of the most used apps in the US fall into either of those buckets. But those apps are owned by either Facebook or Google, two brands that have affixed themselves to these habits in a way that has eluded Blippar so far. Blippar…the England football team of tech startups Blippar is a little bit like the England football team, said Stefan Bardega, chief digital officer at ZenithOptimedia. “Well financed but ultimately never delivers on its promise. As an augmented reality app it struggled to gain traction with advertisers not because of its technology (which was sound) but because of the clumsy user experience and resulting lack of scale. Visual search, like voice search, is an emerging discipline that will certainly have scale at some point, so it makes sense to pivot to a growing discipline. Blippar is unlikely to make this work as a B2C proposition though; to achieve scale it will need to be integrated into either another search engine or a hardware manufacturer’s camera. Blippar should therefore focus on the B2B proposition.” No longer just an app that scans predetermined images, it now purports the ability to recognise any everyday object thanks to artificial intelligence. Since it launched at the start of the month, the artificial intelligence has been assembling a visual catalogue capable of sharing a video when a logo is scanned or the providence of certain foods. The algorithm adapts to the user, meaning that it will suggest various objects based on what they have scanned before. This content is sourced through its knowledge graph - Blipparsphere - and shows how the item is related to other cultural ideas, objects and brands. As the visual discovery behaviour grows, this in turn will make Blippar into a media platform, the business hopes. Pivoting from augmented app to visual search engine to get that ubiquity is a gamble, yet investors felt it was a $54m risk worth taking, according to Blippar’s latest round of funding. So how does Blippar plan on getting people to ‘Blipp it’ rather than ‘Google it’? As lofty a goal as it sounds, there are several layers to the app’s marketing strategy for the coming months, some of which is yet to be confirmed. They will focus on partnerships with brands and publishers that can give Blippar scale, as well as working with cultural organisations. One early prospect, for example, is the start-up’s burgeoning relationship with the Bank of England. Struck earlier this year, the tie-up allowed people to get a preview of the new design for five pound notes when they scanned it, a feature Hiwaizi believes could be used to “tell the story behind every bank note”. There’s also a deal with Visa that lets people instantly purchase designer garments straight off the backs of models via a ‘blip’. Both have happened in recent months and, moving forward, the business will be trying to get retailers on board too, “Most of our historical relationships have been with brands and not so much retailers,” said Hiwaizi. “At the moment we’re working very hard on a project to ‘turn on’ the high street. It’s not necessary going to be a panacea [to the high street’s problems] but it’s enough so that if a shopper goes out on a Saturday there’ll be several chances to ‘blipp’ on the same shop.” What Blippar means for brands That Blippar is offering brands more ways to monetise is emblematic of how much it’s changed since it launched in 2012. In those initial years the business arguably was seen as a gimmick, rather than pivotal app, and there’s a sense that – off the back of raising $54m in funding – this is its second stab at building a sustainable business around augmented reality. “Visual search is undoubtedly going to be huge,” said Jordan Harper, chief technology officer at Iris Worldwide. “Andrew Ng of Baidu said (not that long ago) that in five years time half of all searches would be either voice or image based; and recent innovations by Amazon and Apple demonstrate that voice based search is definitely being prioritised. Visual search is potentially even more powerful though, but outside the lab it's only really Google who is advancing the tech in the mainstream. It's good to see another company revving up.” Despite limited to a small pool of users for now, Hiwaizi said feedback to Blippar’s recent AI-update is “99 per cent positive”. People are already using it for longer, he continued and the branded content they scan will fall into either a “storytelling” or “shopper marketing” bucket. Both of which are at the heart of a commercial strategy that’s being built at the moment around a steady stream of use cases. Yet a rise in activity from the likes of Mac Factor and General Mills can’t mask that there is a massive education job to be done to nail the proposition with advertisers. One anecdote from Hiwaizi speaks to that confusion; “sometimes we’ll be doing a campaign for an FMCG product and nothing will be showing up on the dashboard. The client thinks it’s not working but usually the problem is that there’s been a problem with the distribution of the product and, once they get in front of customers, we start to see all the interactions.” Beyond logistical issues, Blippar’s push for ad budgets puts the onus on visual content creation to be better and more focused if it’s going to be served in the app. Laying the foundations for the future To quicken the take-up, the app revealed a slew of tools for creative agencies last month in Cannes. The pitch to the market is that, rather than paying massive amounts to have Blippar create ads, agencies can pay a fee for the tools and make money from the app off the back of the campaigns they create. “We’re saying to creative and digital agencies; 'come and get your slice of the huge augmented reality opportunity', which is expected to reach $120m by 2020,” said Hiwaizi. “Two things strike me as obvious challenges at this point, one is the ease of set up on a platform like Blippar. As the technology behind delivery of the advertising is complicated, making it easy for advertisers is important,” said Gareth Owen, managing director at search marketing specialists Roast. “The other one would be creative, for the same reasons; how easy will it be for me to create something that will work for visual search, or are we expecting flat text messages to be the output, in which case I think they are missing a trick.” Should the app take off with users then Gemma Champ, content editor at Proximity, wants to know how it will serve international content for global brands. “The visual search cuts out the need for verbal language initially, so this could have consequences for work produced across multiple territories,” she added. Publishers are also being charmed to buy into this opportunity. The bulk of its work to date with publishers has been around articles but moving forward there’s more onus to come up with ways both parties can make money from actual brand spend. “Historically we’ve told more of the editorial story which is great but necessarily that easy to monetise,” explained Hiwaizi. Any attempt to monetise the platform will fall short without robust measurement. Search is a signal of intent so “I think the main challenge will be to understand the intent signal being generated by the visual search query,” queried Bardega. “Are they looking for information, purchase or social interaction. Finding the signal in the noise will be critical to unlocking the value of visual search," he added. Hiwaizi said it's able to offer the usual metrics like unique users and time spent but the opportunity lays in its ability to measure the “end marketing outcome”. Whether that’s an “awareness shift” or “seeing direct mail as its distributed”, more attention is on assessing the actual behavioural shifts this type of media can influence in order to differentiate from other types.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.thedrum.com

98 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.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.thedrum.com

99 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 .

2016-07-04 12:01 www.thedrum.com

100 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 playlists 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.

2016-07-04 12:01 www.thedrum.com

Total 100 articles. Created at 2016-07-04 12:01