Police fired pepper spray to disperse protesters outside a&nbsp;rally&nbsp;by US&nbsp;President Donald Trump in Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday after being pelted with rocks and bottles, police said.

Police have not given an estimate of the number of protesters, but Arizona media said there were several thousand. Police did not say whether the pepper spray was used on pro- or anti-Trump protesters, or both.

&quot;People in the crowd have begun throwing rocks and bottles at police,&quot; Phoenix Police Department spokesman Sergeant Jonathan Howard said.

&quot;Police have responded with pepper balls and OC (oleoresin capsicum) spray in an attempt to disperse the crowd and stop the assaults,&quot; he said.

Four people were arrested during the protest, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams said during a news conference.

&quot;We had tens of thousands of people downtown peacefully exercising their first amendment rights,&quot; Williams said. &quot;What&rsquo;s unfortunate is that a very small number of individuals chose criminal conduct.&quot;

Police called on the crowds to disperse. Many of the protesters quit the scene, while dozens of police in riot gear and carrying shields sought to clear remaining protesters from the downtown area.

The Phoenix Fire Department said it treated 56 people for heat exhaustion and dehydration at the convention center. Twelve people were taken to the hospital.

"People in the crowd have begun throwing rocks and bottles at police," Phoenix Police Department spokesman Sergeant Jonathan Howard said

Police fired pepper spray to disperse protesters outside a rally by US President Donald Trump in Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday after being pelted with rocks and bottles, police said. Police have not given an estimate of the number of protesters, but Arizona media said there were several thousand. Police did not say whether the pepper spray was used on pro- or anti-Trump protesters, or both. "People in the crowd have begun throwing rocks and bottles at police," Phoenix Police Department spokesman Sergeant Jonathan Howard said. "Police have responded with pepper balls and OC (oleoresin capsicum) spray in an attempt to disperse the crowd and stop the assaults," he said. Four people were arrested during the protest, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams said during a news conference. "We had tens of thousands of people downtown peacefully exercising their first amendment rights," Williams said. "What’s unfortunate is that a very small number of individuals chose criminal conduct." Police called on the crowds to disperse. Many of the protesters quit the scene, while dozens of police in riot gear and carrying shields sought to clear remaining protesters from the downtown area. The Phoenix Fire Department said it treated 56 people for heat exhaustion and dehydration at the convention center. Twelve people were taken to the hospital.

Trump's Phoenix rally pelted with rocks and bottles, Police used pepper spray to disperse protesters

Protests continued through Thanksgiving Day near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, on Thursday &nbsp;but remained peaceful despite growing tensions between law enforcement and those rallying against the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Hundreds of protesters gathered on Turtle Island, where they unfurled a banner reading &quot;Indigenous sovereignty protects water&quot;, and in Mandan, where they blocked an intersection for several hours.

The September decision by the Obama administration to delay final approval for the Dakota Access Pipeline was intended to give federal officials more time to consult with Native American tribes that have faced dispossession from lands for decades.

But the delays have also caused increased consternation among company officials and led to growing violence between law enforcement and protesters, with both sides decrying the actions of the other in recent days.

The most violent clashes took place over this past weekend. Police used water hoses in below-freezing temperatures to keep about 400 protesters at bay, a move criticized by activist groups, the American Civil Liberties Union and elected officials concerned about freedom of expression and the escalation of violence.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

Hundreds of protesters gathered on Turtle Island, where they unfurled a banner reading 'Indigenous sovereignty protects water'

Protests continued through Thanksgiving Day near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, on Thursday but remained peaceful despite growing tensions between law enforcement and those rallying against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Hundreds of protesters gathered on Turtle Island, where they unfurled a banner reading "Indigenous sovereignty protects water", and in Mandan, where they blocked an intersection for several hours. The September decision by the Obama administration to delay final approval for the Dakota Access Pipeline was intended to give federal officials more time to consult with Native American tribes that have faced dispossession from lands for decades. But the delays have also caused increased consternation among company officials and led to growing violence between law enforcement and protesters, with both sides decrying the actions of the other in recent days. The most violent clashes took place over this past weekend. Police used water hoses in below-freezing temperatures to keep about 400 protesters at bay, a move criticized by activist groups, the American Civil Liberties Union and elected officials concerned about freedom of expression and the escalation of violence. (Reuters)

Protests against North Dakota pipeline project continue through Thanksgiving Day

Thousands of women protested&nbsp;across Poland today against a proposed near-total abortion ban, international news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Pro-choice activists took to social media to launch the nationwide &quot;Women strike&quot;, asking women to stay away from offices and schools to attend protests.

&nbsp;

According to the news agency, around 2,000 people rallied outside the headquarters&nbsp;of&nbsp;the governing rightwing Law and Justice (PiS) party in Warsaw.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

PiS in late September went &nbsp;ahead with a controversial bill that would allow abortions&nbsp;only if the mother&#39;s life is at risk and increase the maximum jail term for practitioners from two years to five, in the devoutly catholic country.

&nbsp;

The citizen&#39;s initiative tabled in the parliament by the &#39;Stop abortion&#39;&nbsp;coalition would make women who&nbsp;terminate pregnancies liable to jail term but judges could waive punishment in their case.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The country&#39;s highly influential Catholic church approved the initiative earlier this year, even though its bishops have since then opposed jailing women.

&nbsp;

&quot;I don&#39;t like what the Polish government is doing to women,&quot; protester Jolanta Bienicka told AFP.

&nbsp;

&quot;Unfortunately, we&#39;re going in the direction of countries like Afghanistan and the worst countries in the world.&quot;

&nbsp;

Protester Katazyna Goluch, a 17-year-old high school student, told AFP that &quot;no one has the right to decide what I am supposed to do with my uterus&quot;.

&nbsp;

&quot;If this law comes into effect and I&#39;m raped and I get pregnant, I&#39;ll have to give birth. It&#39;s the same thing if the foetus is deformed, so we just have to say no.&quot;

&nbsp;

The current law, which was introduced in 1993, &nbsp;bans all terminations except in cases of&nbsp;rape or incest, the pregnancy poses a health risk to the mother or the foetus is severely deformed.

 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

A bill introduced by the governing party last month allows abortion only if the mother's life is at risk

Thousands of women protested across Poland today against a proposed near-total abortion ban, international news agency AFP reported. Pro-choice activists took to social media to launch the nationwide "Women strike", asking women to stay away from offices and schools to attend protests. According to the news agency, around 2,000 people rallied outside the headquarters of the governing rightwing Law and Justice (PiS) party in Warsaw. PiS in late September went ahead with a controversial bill that would allow abortions only if the mother's life is at risk and increase the maximum jail term for practitioners from two years to five, in the devoutly catholic country. The citizen's initiative tabled in the parliament by the 'Stop abortion' coalition would make women who terminate pregnancies liable to jail term but judges could waive punishment in their case. The country's highly influential Catholic church approved the initiative earlier this year, even though its bishops have since then opposed jailing women. "I don't like what the Polish government is doing to women," protester Jolanta Bienicka told AFP. "Unfortunately, we're going in the direction of countries like Afghanistan and the worst countries in the world." Protester Katazyna Goluch, a 17-year-old high school student, told AFP that "no one has the right to decide what I am supposed to do with my uterus". "If this law comes into effect and I'm raped and I get pregnant, I'll have to give birth. It's the same thing if the foetus is deformed, so we just have to say no." The current law, which was introduced in 1993, bans all terminations except in cases of rape or incest, the pregnancy poses a health risk to the mother or the foetus is severely deformed. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Women protest against abortion ban in Poland

Japan issued a new protest to Beijing today after Chinese coastguard ships and about 230 fishing vessels sailed close to what Tokyo considers its territorial waters around disputed islets in the East China Sea, Japan&#39;s foreign ministry said. 
 
The latest incident comes amid heightened tensions in Asia, less than a month after an arbitration court in the Hague invalidated China&#39;s sweeping claims in the disputed South China Sea, in a case brought by the Philippines. 
 
China has refused to recognise the ruling. Japan called on China to adhere to the verdict, which it said was binding, prompting warnings from Beijing to Tokyo not to interfere. 
 
Three of the six Chinese coastguard ships that were in the so-called contiguous waters today appeared to be armed, Japan&#39;s coast guard said.&nbsp;Yesterday, a Japanese foreign ministry official said Chinese coastguard ships and fishing vessels entered what Tokyo considers its territorial waters around the islets. 
 
Beijing claims the uninhabited, Tokyo-controlled East China Sea islands, called the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, and occasionally sends its coastguard vessels near them.&nbsp;A senior Japanese foreign ministry official today issued a protest to a Chinese embassy official in Tokyo, calling on the coastguard ships to leave the area immediately and condemning the action as a unilateral escalation of tensions, the ministry said. 
 
Japanese vice foreign minister Shinsuke Sugiyama yesterday summoned China&#39;s ambassador to Japan, Cheng Yonghua, to lodge a strong protest, the ministry said.&nbsp;Chinese officials could not immediately be reached for comment on Saturday. 
 
China on Friday accused Japan&#39;s new defence minister, Tomomi Inada, of recklessly misrepresenting history after she declined to say whether Japanese troops massacred civilians in China during World War II. 
 
Ties between China and Japan, the world&#39;s second- and third-largest economies, have been plagued by the territorial row, the legacy of Japans&#39; wartime occupation of parts of China and regional rivalry. 
 
(Reuters)

Three of the six Chinese coastguard ships that were in the so-called contiguous waters appeared to be armed, Japan's coast guard said

Japan issued a new protest to Beijing today after Chinese coastguard ships and about 230 fishing vessels sailed close to what Tokyo considers its territorial waters around disputed islets in the East China Sea, Japan's foreign ministry said. The latest incident comes amid heightened tensions in Asia, less than a month after an arbitration court in the Hague invalidated China's sweeping claims in the disputed South China Sea, in a case brought by the Philippines. China has refused to recognise the ruling. Japan called on China to adhere to the verdict, which it said was binding, prompting warnings from Beijing to Tokyo not to interfere. Three of the six Chinese coastguard ships that were in the so-called contiguous waters today appeared to be armed, Japan's coast guard said. Yesterday, a Japanese foreign ministry official said Chinese coastguard ships and fishing vessels entered what Tokyo considers its territorial waters around the islets. Beijing claims the uninhabited, Tokyo-controlled East China Sea islands, called the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, and occasionally sends its coastguard vessels near them. A senior Japanese foreign ministry official today issued a protest to a Chinese embassy official in Tokyo, calling on the coastguard ships to leave the area immediately and condemning the action as a unilateral escalation of tensions, the ministry said. Japanese vice foreign minister Shinsuke Sugiyama yesterday summoned China's ambassador to Japan, Cheng Yonghua, to lodge a strong protest, the ministry said. Chinese officials could not immediately be reached for comment on Saturday. China on Friday accused Japan's new defence minister, Tomomi Inada, of recklessly misrepresenting history after she declined to say whether Japanese troops massacred civilians in China during World War II. Ties between China and Japan, the world's second- and third-largest economies, have been plagued by the territorial row, the legacy of Japans' wartime occupation of parts of China and regional rivalry. (Reuters)

Japan protests after China coastguard, fishing vessels sail near disputed islets

Thousands of socially-backward Dalits, also known as &quot;untouchables&quot;, protested in western India today against an attack on their members by cow protection vigilantes. 
 
Police surrounded the protesters in Ahmedabad, the main city in Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s home state of Gujarat, to prevent any violence, as anger among Dalits mounts over the attack. 
 
Protest organiser Jignesh Mevani said Dalit youths were trying to kill themselves to protest attacks committed against their caste, which lies at the bottom of India&#39;s complex and entrenched social hierarchy system. 
 
&quot;Neither the BJP nor Congress will come to our help,&quot; Mevani said of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and main opposition party. 
 
&quot;Only our united strength will help us fight the age-old oppression,&quot; the dalit activist told the crowd which police put at 5,000-strong. 
 
Violent protests erupted this month after video footage emerged of an attack on four Dalit villagers who were taking a dead cow to be skinned.&nbsp;Cows are considered sacred by Hindus, and killing them is banned in Gujarat, but the villagers said the animal had died of natural causes. 
 
Dalits are commonly tasked with removing the corpses of dead cows from the streets of India, where the animals often roam freely.&nbsp;Dalit leaders told the rally that a 24-year-old man who had drank poison to protest against the attack died of his injuries in hospital today. 
 
A senior hospital official in Ahmedabad confirmed the death. 
 
Mevani said such suicides were signs of deep despair among low-caste Indians after years of discrimination and violence by those from higher castes who often went unpunished. 
 
&quot;This is the failure of the Gujarat development model, wherein youths have to consume poison to demand their rights,&quot; Mevani said. 
 
The video of the attack showed the four half-naked men tied to a car as the activists took turns to thrash them with belts and batons at a crowded marketplace.&nbsp;Two more Dalits were beaten up after they tried to save the other four. 
 
Attacks by vigilante groups on cow traders and smugglers have increased since Hindu nationalist premier Modi won power in 2014. 
 
(AFP)

Violent protests erupted after video footage emerged of an attack on four dalit villagers taking a dead cow to be skinned

Thousands of socially-backward Dalits, also known as "untouchables", protested in western India today against an attack on their members by cow protection vigilantes. Police surrounded the protesters in Ahmedabad, the main city in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat, to prevent any violence, as anger among Dalits mounts over the attack. Protest organiser Jignesh Mevani said Dalit youths were trying to kill themselves to protest attacks committed against their caste, which lies at the bottom of India's complex and entrenched social hierarchy system. "Neither the BJP nor Congress will come to our help," Mevani said of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and main opposition party. "Only our united strength will help us fight the age-old oppression," the dalit activist told the crowd which police put at 5,000-strong. Violent protests erupted this month after video footage emerged of an attack on four Dalit villagers who were taking a dead cow to be skinned. Cows are considered sacred by Hindus, and killing them is banned in Gujarat, but the villagers said the animal had died of natural causes. Dalits are commonly tasked with removing the corpses of dead cows from the streets of India, where the animals often roam freely. Dalit leaders told the rally that a 24-year-old man who had drank poison to protest against the attack died of his injuries in hospital today. A senior hospital official in Ahmedabad confirmed the death. Mevani said such suicides were signs of deep despair among low-caste Indians after years of discrimination and violence by those from higher castes who often went unpunished. "This is the failure of the Gujarat development model, wherein youths have to consume poison to demand their rights," Mevani said. The video of the attack showed the four half-naked men tied to a car as the activists took turns to thrash them with belts and batons at a crowded marketplace. Two more Dalits were beaten up after they tried to save the other four. Attacks by vigilante groups on cow traders and smugglers have increased since Hindu nationalist premier Modi won power in 2014. (AFP)

Thousands protest attack on low-caste Dalits in western India

Rio&#39;s top security official vowed yesterday to review security for the Olympic torch after rioting protesters blocked the relay ceremony and apparently extinguished the flame. 
 
The violent clashes on late Wednesday in Angra dos Reis, a coastal resort south of Rio, cast a shadow over final preparations for South America`s first Olympics, which start August 5. 
 
In another worry for organisers, Rio metro employees threatened yesterday to go on strike on the eve of the Games if they do not get a 9.83 per cent salary raise, raising the possibility of transport chaos for some 500,000 tourists expected to attend.&nbsp;Rio de Janeiro state security secretary Jose Mariano Beltrame said that policing during the torch relay - which will have visited more than 300 Brazilian cities by the time of the opening ceremony in Rio`s Maracana stadium - needs improving. 
 
&quot;There has never been a problem,&quot; he was quoted as saying by G1 news site. &quot;Yesterday there was one. This needs to be reevaluated and we will be paying more attention to this question.&quot; 
 
&quot;Extinguishing the torch is a crime,&quot; he warned.The crowd, protesting a lack of public transport and the late payment of salaries by the nearly bankrupt Rio state, attacked the procession in Angra dos Reis before being driven off by police using tear gas and rubber bullets. 
 
In footage of the clashes shared online and on Globo television, someone can be heard shouting triumphantly: &quot;The torch has been put out!&quot; as the torch bearer, carrying an unlit torch, is hustled into the safety of a bus. 
 
The Rio organising committee said in a statement that the torch relay &quot;had to be temporarily interrupted&quot;.&nbsp;However, &quot;out of consideration to the inhabitants of the city who wanted to attend the relay,&quot; it was restarted at the next stage &quot;after an evaluation by the security team.&quot; 
 
Organisers portray the torch`s nationwide journey as a chance to ignite public enthusiasm for the Olympics.&nbsp;But repeated security incidents have turned the torch into a symbol of organisational glitches and social discontent. 
 
Highlight reels of torch mishaps have gone viral online, including several attempts to extinguish the flame, runners falling over, a police motorbike crashing into the parade, a man attempting to seize the torch, and political protests. 
 
In June, a rare, captive jaguar - the same animal chosen as Brazil`s Olympic mascot - was shot dead after escaping handlers at a torch ceremony.There was better news for Rio organizers in the arrival overnight of Jamaican sprinting superstar Usain Bolt, who hopes to defend his multiple gold medals. 
 
Wearing a black tracksuit with white stripes, sunglasses and headphones, Bolt was in a hurry to leave the airport. &quot;I didn`t sleep on the flight,&quot; he told a welcoming committee of journalists and officials. 
 
A more controversial set of arrivals were expected later in the day, with some 70 Russian athletes due to arrive in the early evening, their team slashed by bans in a scandal over state-sponsored doping. 
 
Rio organizers were also still racing to complete emergency repairs to the athletes` Village, where some 19,000 team members will live. 
 
Half of the buildings had problems ranging from blocked toilets to faulty wiring when teams began moving in over the weekend. 
 
Although these glitches were expected to be ironed out by the end of yesterday, new controversy was brewing over allegations by government labor inspectors that the approximately 600 workers are being made to work nearly around the clock without legal contracts. Meanwhile, officials said that a Brazilian man was arrested at his home in Nova Iguacu, in Rio de Janeiro state, on terrorism charges. However, no details of the allegations were given. 
 
The justice department said the indictment against Chaer Kalaun, 28, a Brazilian of Lebanese descent, was sealed, but had been filed under anti-terrorism laws. 
 
His lawyer, Edson Ferreira, said the allegations lacked substance.&nbsp;&quot;There`s nothing more than suspicions that he put posts on Facebook,&quot; the lawyer said.&nbsp;&quot;He did not pledge allegiance, he was not recruiting, or bringing people or collaborating or encouraging any projects of the Islamic State.&quot; 
 
Ferreira said his client is a Muslim and lived in Lebanon when he was an adolescent. 
 
Unconfirmed Brazilian media reports said police suspect Kalaun of recruiting for extremist organisations in Brazil. He was also arrested during the 2014 World Cup on charges of illegal firearms possession. 
 
The arrest came a week after 12 other Brazilian men were arrested for allegedly trying to form a terrorism cell. Officials downplayed the seriousness of the group, calling them &quot;amateur&quot; and &quot;disorganised.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The crowd protested late payment of salaries by the Rio state. Employees also threatened metro strike for a 9.83% salary raise yesterday

Rio's top security official vowed yesterday to review security for the Olympic torch after rioting protesters blocked the relay ceremony and apparently extinguished the flame. The violent clashes on late Wednesday in Angra dos Reis, a coastal resort south of Rio, cast a shadow over final preparations for South America`s first Olympics, which start August 5. In another worry for organisers, Rio metro employees threatened yesterday to go on strike on the eve of the Games if they do not get a 9.83 per cent salary raise, raising the possibility of transport chaos for some 500,000 tourists expected to attend. Rio de Janeiro state security secretary Jose Mariano Beltrame said that policing during the torch relay - which will have visited more than 300 Brazilian cities by the time of the opening ceremony in Rio`s Maracana stadium - needs improving. "There has never been a problem," he was quoted as saying by G1 news site. "Yesterday there was one. This needs to be reevaluated and we will be paying more attention to this question." "Extinguishing the torch is a crime," he warned.The crowd, protesting a lack of public transport and the late payment of salaries by the nearly bankrupt Rio state, attacked the procession in Angra dos Reis before being driven off by police using tear gas and rubber bullets. In footage of the clashes shared online and on Globo television, someone can be heard shouting triumphantly: "The torch has been put out!" as the torch bearer, carrying an unlit torch, is hustled into the safety of a bus. The Rio organising committee said in a statement that the torch relay "had to be temporarily interrupted". However, "out of consideration to the inhabitants of the city who wanted to attend the relay," it was restarted at the next stage "after an evaluation by the security team." Organisers portray the torch`s nationwide journey as a chance to ignite public enthusiasm for the Olympics. But repeated security incidents have turned the torch into a symbol of organisational glitches and social discontent. Highlight reels of torch mishaps have gone viral online, including several attempts to extinguish the flame, runners falling over, a police motorbike crashing into the parade, a man attempting to seize the torch, and political protests. In June, a rare, captive jaguar - the same animal chosen as Brazil`s Olympic mascot - was shot dead after escaping handlers at a torch ceremony.There was better news for Rio organizers in the arrival overnight of Jamaican sprinting superstar Usain Bolt, who hopes to defend his multiple gold medals. Wearing a black tracksuit with white stripes, sunglasses and headphones, Bolt was in a hurry to leave the airport. "I didn`t sleep on the flight," he told a welcoming committee of journalists and officials. A more controversial set of arrivals were expected later in the day, with some 70 Russian athletes due to arrive in the early evening, their team slashed by bans in a scandal over state-sponsored doping. Rio organizers were also still racing to complete emergency repairs to the athletes` Village, where some 19,000 team members will live. Half of the buildings had problems ranging from blocked toilets to faulty wiring when teams began moving in over the weekend. Although these glitches were expected to be ironed out by the end of yesterday, new controversy was brewing over allegations by government labor inspectors that the approximately 600 workers are being made to work nearly around the clock without legal contracts. Meanwhile, officials said that a Brazilian man was arrested at his home in Nova Iguacu, in Rio de Janeiro state, on terrorism charges. However, no details of the allegations were given. The justice department said the indictment against Chaer Kalaun, 28, a Brazilian of Lebanese descent, was sealed, but had been filed under anti-terrorism laws. His lawyer, Edson Ferreira, said the allegations lacked substance. "There`s nothing more than suspicions that he put posts on Facebook," the lawyer said. "He did not pledge allegiance, he was not recruiting, or bringing people or collaborating or encouraging any projects of the Islamic State." Ferreira said his client is a Muslim and lived in Lebanon when he was an adolescent. Unconfirmed Brazilian media reports said police suspect Kalaun of recruiting for extremist organisations in Brazil. He was also arrested during the 2014 World Cup on charges of illegal firearms possession. The arrest came a week after 12 other Brazilian men were arrested for allegedly trying to form a terrorism cell. Officials downplayed the seriousness of the group, calling them "amateur" and "disorganised." (AFP)

Brazil reviews Olympic torch security after protesters extinguish flame

Pro-opposition gunmen locked in a protracted stand-off with police in the Armenian capital Yerevan today took four medics hostage, officials said, after a shootout left five people wounded. 
 
Police said the medics were held after entering a police compound seized by the assailants 10 days ago to treat two gunmen injured in clashes that also left two attackers and a police officer hospitalised. 
 
&quot;The doctors who went into the captured territory to assist two members of the armed group who refused to go to hospital have been taken hostage,&quot; police spokesman Ashot Aharonyan wrote on Facebook. 
 
&quot;The police are taking steps to free the doctors through negotiations.&quot; 
 
 
Lengthy stand-off shakes&nbsp;tiny Caucasus republic &nbsp; 
 
The lengthy stand-off has shaken the tiny Caucasus republic and sparked clashes between police and protesters furious over the handling of the incident.&nbsp; 
 
Gunmen supporters of fringe jailed opposition leader Zhirair Sefilyan, stormed a police building in Yerevan on July 17, killing one officer, taking several more hostage and seizing a store of weapons. 
 
Over the weekend, they released the final four police officers being held captive but remained holed up inside the police building surrounded by law enforcement officers. 
 
The group has demanded the resignation of the ex-Soviet nation&#39;s President Serzh Sarkisian and the release of Sefilyan. 
 
Sefilyan, the leader of a small opposition group named the New Armenia Public Salvation Front and six of his supporters were arrested in June accused of preparing to seize government buildings and telecoms facilities in Yerevan. 
 
A fierce critic of the government, he was previously arrested in 2006 over calls for &quot;a violent overthrow of the government&quot; and jailed for 18 months. He was released in 2008. 
 
Sarkisian, a pro-Russian former military officer, has been president of the country of 2.9 million people since winning a vote in 2008 that saw clashes between police and supporters of the defeated opposition candidate in which 10 people died. 
 
(AFP)

Police said medics were held after entering a police compound seized by assailants 10 days ago to treat two gunmen injured in clashes

Pro-opposition gunmen locked in a protracted stand-off with police in the Armenian capital Yerevan today took four medics hostage, officials said, after a shootout left five people wounded. Police said the medics were held after entering a police compound seized by the assailants 10 days ago to treat two gunmen injured in clashes that also left two attackers and a police officer hospitalised. "The doctors who went into the captured territory to assist two members of the armed group who refused to go to hospital have been taken hostage," police spokesman Ashot Aharonyan wrote on Facebook. "The police are taking steps to free the doctors through negotiations." Lengthy stand-off shakes tiny Caucasus republic The lengthy stand-off has shaken the tiny Caucasus republic and sparked clashes between police and protesters furious over the handling of the incident. Gunmen supporters of fringe jailed opposition leader Zhirair Sefilyan, stormed a police building in Yerevan on July 17, killing one officer, taking several more hostage and seizing a store of weapons. Over the weekend, they released the final four police officers being held captive but remained holed up inside the police building surrounded by law enforcement officers. The group has demanded the resignation of the ex-Soviet nation's President Serzh Sarkisian and the release of Sefilyan. Sefilyan, the leader of a small opposition group named the New Armenia Public Salvation Front and six of his supporters were arrested in June accused of preparing to seize government buildings and telecoms facilities in Yerevan. A fierce critic of the government, he was previously arrested in 2006 over calls for "a violent overthrow of the government" and jailed for 18 months. He was released in 2008. Sarkisian, a pro-Russian former military officer, has been president of the country of 2.9 million people since winning a vote in 2008 that saw clashes between police and supporters of the defeated opposition candidate in which 10 people died. (AFP)

Armenia stand-off drags on: Pro-opposition gunmen take 4 medics hostage

The throngs of fired-up, potentially violent protesters expected to flood Cleveland on the sidelines on the Republican National Convention failed to materialise as the confab got underway on Monday. 
 
Events were low key and peaceful, taking place in an atmosphere that resembled a carnival more than a political hotbed, in spite of the passions aroused by the Donald Trump&#39;s controversial White House bid. 
 
Officials said the two main protests drew approximately 500 people combined. Organisers had expected to draw thousands to just one of those protests, but security concerns may have played a role in depressing turnout. 
 
&quot;One of the things that we were hearing from all kinds of people was that they were so scared about... the forecasting of violence, that people were saying I&#39;m not going to get anywhere near downtown during the week of the Republican convention,&quot; said Larry Bresler, the organizer of an anti-poverty march and rally. 
 
After recent high-profile incidents of gun violence in the United States, law enforcement was out in force. Officers were on loan from departments throughout the country. 
 
Patches on patrolling officers uniforms identified them as members of departments from as far away as California. 
 
There had been concerns of potential clashes between Trump supporters and opponents, and of racially-tinged unrest. 
 
But on Monday, commerce appeared to win over politics. Street vendors could be seen selling Trump paraphernalia; whether they agreed with the presumptive Republican nominee&#39;s positions was beside the point. 
 
Trump condoms 
&nbsp; 
&quot;Are you a Trump supporter?&quot; asked one vendor to a passing bicyclist. 
 
&quot;No, are you?&quot; came the bicyclist reply. 
 
&quot;No,&quot; was the vendor&#39;s chuckled response, as the bicyclist rode on. 
 
Street vendor Eric Yesbick, who said he was a comedian back in his home state of Georgia, came solely for the commercial opportunity. He was selling novelty condoms with Trump&#39;s image on the packaging. 
 
&quot;Everyone sells posters, bumper stickers, hats, T-shirts, buttons. I&#39;m the only person that sells political condoms,&quot; Yesbick boasted of his dubious venture. 
 
While much of the street scene around Cleveland&#39;s Quicken Loans Arena, the site of the convention, was light-hearted, there was one moment that highlighted security forces&#39; heightened state of alert. 
 
When six people dressed in black, with their faces covered with bandannas or masks, appeared about two blocks from the arena, dozens of bicycled police rushed to detain them. 
 
The six said they were part of Anonymous, the online network of activists and hackers. None were arrested, but police said they confiscated several items from the group: gas masks, a small knife and a slingshot. 
 
There was one arrest in an unrelated incident, according to police. 
 
More protests are planned throughout the week of the convention. 
 
On Wednesday, a group of Latino activists planned to showcase a wall of banners in opposition to Trump&#39;s call to build a wall on the US-Mexico border. 
 
And on Thursday, the day Trump is expected to officially receive the Republican Party&#39;s nomination, Cleveland-area physicians are planning a protest in opposition to the presumptive nominee. 
 
(AFP)

In spite of passions aroused by the Donald Trump's controversial White House bid, events were low key and peaceful

The throngs of fired-up, potentially violent protesters expected to flood Cleveland on the sidelines on the Republican National Convention failed to materialise as the confab got underway on Monday. Events were low key and peaceful, taking place in an atmosphere that resembled a carnival more than a political hotbed, in spite of the passions aroused by the Donald Trump's controversial White House bid. Officials said the two main protests drew approximately 500 people combined. Organisers had expected to draw thousands to just one of those protests, but security concerns may have played a role in depressing turnout. "One of the things that we were hearing from all kinds of people was that they were so scared about... the forecasting of violence, that people were saying I'm not going to get anywhere near downtown during the week of the Republican convention," said Larry Bresler, the organizer of an anti-poverty march and rally. After recent high-profile incidents of gun violence in the United States, law enforcement was out in force. Officers were on loan from departments throughout the country. Patches on patrolling officers uniforms identified them as members of departments from as far away as California. There had been concerns of potential clashes between Trump supporters and opponents, and of racially-tinged unrest. But on Monday, commerce appeared to win over politics. Street vendors could be seen selling Trump paraphernalia; whether they agreed with the presumptive Republican nominee's positions was beside the point. Trump condoms "Are you a Trump supporter?" asked one vendor to a passing bicyclist. "No, are you?" came the bicyclist reply. "No," was the vendor's chuckled response, as the bicyclist rode on. Street vendor Eric Yesbick, who said he was a comedian back in his home state of Georgia, came solely for the commercial opportunity. He was selling novelty condoms with Trump's image on the packaging. "Everyone sells posters, bumper stickers, hats, T-shirts, buttons. I'm the only person that sells political condoms," Yesbick boasted of his dubious venture. While much of the street scene around Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena, the site of the convention, was light-hearted, there was one moment that highlighted security forces' heightened state of alert. When six people dressed in black, with their faces covered with bandannas or masks, appeared about two blocks from the arena, dozens of bicycled police rushed to detain them. The six said they were part of Anonymous, the online network of activists and hackers. None were arrested, but police said they confiscated several items from the group: gas masks, a small knife and a slingshot. There was one arrest in an unrelated incident, according to police. More protests are planned throughout the week of the convention. On Wednesday, a group of Latino activists planned to showcase a wall of banners in opposition to Trump's call to build a wall on the US-Mexico border. And on Thursday, the day Trump is expected to officially receive the Republican Party's nomination, Cleveland-area physicians are planning a protest in opposition to the presumptive nominee. (AFP)

Cleveland peaceful as mass protests fail to materialise

A woman injured in clashes between security forces and protesters in south Kashmir died in hospital, taking the death toll in the ongoing unrest to 42, even as curfew remained in force in the Kashmir Valley today. 
 
Neelofar was injured in retaliatory firing yesterday after protesters pelted stones at an Army vehicle in Qazigund. 
 
Two other persons, including a woman, were killed and seven others injured in the incident. 
 
A police spokesman, giving details of the incident, said an army patrol had come up against a road blockade at Churaht Qazigund while moving towards&nbsp;Devsar. 
 
&quot;The security force party while removing the obstructions came under heavy stone pelting by the miscreants from two sides. The Army party warned the mob to maintain distance but it did not relent. 
 
&quot;Some miscreants tried to snatch weapons from them and tried to set ablaze the vehicles. Despite repeated warnings the mob did not disperse and army fired in self-defence in an effort to move out from the spot,&quot; the spokesman said, adding six persons were injured in the incident out of which two had succumbed last night. 
 
Curfew meanwhile remained in force across the 10 districts of the Valley, with no sign of clashes between protesters and security forces coming to an end. 
 
The clashes began soon after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in a gun battle with security forces on July 8. 
 
Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in strength across the Valley to enforce the strict implementation of prohibitory orders, the official said. 
 
He said there have been no reports of violence from anywhere in the Valley so far today. 
 
Normal life also remained paralysed for the eleventh day today due to the separatist-sponsored strike which has now been extended till July 22. 
 
In a joint statement, Kashmiri leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Mohammad Yasin Malik yesterday said the shutdown in the Valley will continue till July 22. However, they announced a half day-relaxation from 2 pm &nbsp;onwards on July 21. 
 
Mobile phones and mobile internet services stayed down while newspapers failed to hit stands for the fourth day. 
 
(PTI) 
 
&nbsp;

Life remains paralysed for the eleventh day. Mobile phones stay down, newspapers fail to hit stands for a fourth day

A woman injured in clashes between security forces and protesters in south Kashmir died in hospital, taking the death toll in the ongoing unrest to 42, even as curfew remained in force in the Kashmir Valley today. Neelofar was injured in retaliatory firing yesterday after protesters pelted stones at an Army vehicle in Qazigund. Two other persons, including a woman, were killed and seven others injured in the incident. A police spokesman, giving details of the incident, said an army patrol had come up against a road blockade at Churaht Qazigund while moving towards Devsar. "The security force party while removing the obstructions came under heavy stone pelting by the miscreants from two sides. The Army party warned the mob to maintain distance but it did not relent. "Some miscreants tried to snatch weapons from them and tried to set ablaze the vehicles. Despite repeated warnings the mob did not disperse and army fired in self-defence in an effort to move out from the spot," the spokesman said, adding six persons were injured in the incident out of which two had succumbed last night. Curfew meanwhile remained in force across the 10 districts of the Valley, with no sign of clashes between protesters and security forces coming to an end. The clashes began soon after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in a gun battle with security forces on July 8. Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in strength across the Valley to enforce the strict implementation of prohibitory orders, the official said. He said there have been no reports of violence from anywhere in the Valley so far today. Normal life also remained paralysed for the eleventh day today due to the separatist-sponsored strike which has now been extended till July 22. In a joint statement, Kashmiri leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Mohammad Yasin Malik yesterday said the shutdown in the Valley will continue till July 22. However, they announced a half day-relaxation from 2 pm onwards on July 21. Mobile phones and mobile internet services stayed down while newspapers failed to hit stands for the fourth day. (PTI)

Woman injured in clashes dies in hospital, taking death toll in Kashmir to 42

Hundreds gather to protest against the killing of a 22-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani. As they agitate they pelt stones to show their anger and injure the police. In return, the police resort to firing pellet guns instead of firing guns with bullets. This has resulted in many of the rioters being injured and some even being blinded. There are people of all ages protesting. Some of the injured standing on the sidelines are as young as five years old. One wonders how existing in this cycle of violence will impact them in the long term. 
 
History of Stone Pelting 
 
Stone pelting is not a new phenomenon. Palestinian youth and children were pelting stones between 1936 and 1939 against the British. In the 1980s stone pelting became more organised. From December 1987 till the signing of the Oslo agreement in 1993 large groups of children and youth were involved in it. The Palestinians have also used sling shots and crude bombs. It garnered global attention and many who have tried to bring similar global attention to Kashmir have adopted stone pelting as a means to do just that. 
 
Kashmir&rsquo;s stone pelting history dates back to the summer of 2008 when young men took to the streets to launch violent protests against the continued deployment of security forces. In 2010, the situation spiralled out of control when the alleged fake encounters of three youths and the accidental death of a school boy during tear-gas shelling became flash points. A rage quietly building up exploded with rare vengeance as the youth fought pitched battles with the men-in-uniform. It became a do-or-die struggle for a people determined to wrest freedom from the Indian establishment. 
 
However Bashir-ud-Din Ahmed, former Grand Mufti, called stone pelting un-Islamic. &ldquo;Islam strongly prohibits any form of violence. The stone pelting practice is surely un-Islamic. It causes inconvenience to people and propels more violence,&rdquo; the Grand Mufti said. However, this is the same Grand Mufti who banned the entry of four Christian pastors in the Kashmir valley, accusing them of forcible conversions. 
 
Impact of living with violence 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/stance-20160718012302.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
 
&nbsp;
</div>
Living with violence has a massive impact on the population, especially in the lives of children. There is a plethora of research on how turmoil and violence in society impacts children. It impacts the mental health of people in the long term. The effects also translate into increased rates of depression and substance abuse. 
 
A case in point is the increased incidence of drug abuse in Anantnag. Many blamed it on unemployment and easy availability of drugs but the core issue was the failure to recognise the real cause: violence in their society. A recent report from Baramulla district shows that 20 per cent of students in higher secondary schools and 30 per cent in colleges are consuming drugs. 
 
The most obvious fall out of living with violence is a constant state of anxiety in which one loses the sense of purpose and planning. When one wakes up each morning one has no idea how the day is going to be. There is an acute sense of helplessness and the only way for many youths is to get out of the Valley for a semblance of normality in their lives. But those who stay back are condemned to a harrowing existence. It is an experience no child must be put through in any society. 
 
Regarding military presence 
 
The argument pertaining to military presence and the resultant violence is as old as humanity. The reality is that with military presence in an area, there is bound to be a spurt in violence, which in turn affects the economy of the region. Militaries come with deep pockets and things begin to change rather dramatically. Recent reports of sexual exploitation by United Nations troops show exactly what happens when troops land at your doorstep. 
 
The military personnel are usually young, staying far away from their families and having lived with violence and threat to their lives, they may already have been suffering from psychological troubles. So when military arrives in your neighbourhood it is never great news. 
 
A few years ago I was in the Northern Afghanistan city of Kunduz. The Taliban had set up their anti-aircraft guns and other artilleries in civilian neighbourhoods. When the US troops or the Northern alliance troops would respond, it caused massive casualties among children. The world would then see the images and talk about the stupendous death toll. This is also what the NATO described as &ldquo;Friendly fire&rdquo;, when friends would get hurt while the enemy was being fired at. 
 
The reality is that armed groups will have to be kept out of your neighbourhood for peace and normality. I was in the middle of a gun battle in Kashmir in 2005. We were caught in the crossfire between the security forces and four terrorists who had taken over a home. The residents had informed the police about them after being forced to play host for a week. When the police went in and surrounded the place, a gun battle ensued and almost the whole house was destroyed. 
 
Living with violence is not easy, it destroys your existence. 
 
Encouraging terrorism as a strategy against a democratic government is not something that has worked in the long term. Terrorism works only against dictatorial societies, so in case one decides to use terrorism as a strategy against a democratic society, large investments have to go in to win the war of propaganda against the State. 
 
Kashmir has been represented by children of its own soil whether it was Omar Abdullah in the recent past or Mehbooba Mufti. They are bright Kashmiris who would like to see the best for their state and their people. 
 
Apart from being politicians and criticising the opposition party when they are out of power, they still mean well for their people. But the terrorists&rsquo; only goal is to create an Islamic State which does not fit into the idea of a modern Nation-State that is secular and has space for all, regardless of religion and ethnicity. 
 
Terrorism thrives on fear. It can only increase conservatism in liberal societies. A recent study demonstrated how Spanish attitudes gravitated towards conservative values after the Madrid train bombings. So what terrorism does is create a larger pool of conservative societies and this may change the very fabric of democracies. 
 
Two pictures that went viral recently represent the strategy and the outcome. One picture is of a five-year-old girl who was hit by pellets as police responded to stone pelting. The other is of the 12-year-old daughter of a Colonel of the Indian Army who was killed in Kashmir and she blamed Burhan Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist for it. 
 
The problem with extremist stances is that no one wins in a protracted struggle. We as humanity are losing, losing our way on the journey towards becoming a civilization.

There is very little understanding of the trauma of people living in conflict zone Kashmir

Hundreds gather to protest against the killing of a 22-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani. As they agitate they pelt stones to show their anger and injure the police. In return, the police resort to firing pellet guns instead of firing guns with bullets. This has resulted in many of the rioters being injured and some even being blinded. There are people of all ages protesting. Some of the injured standing on the sidelines are as young as five years old. One wonders how existing in this cycle of violence will impact them in the long term. History of Stone Pelting Stone pelting is not a new phenomenon. Palestinian youth and children were pelting stones between 1936 and 1939 against the British. In the 1980s stone pelting became more organised. From December 1987 till the signing of the Oslo agreement in 1993 large groups of children and youth were involved in it. The Palestinians have also used sling shots and crude bombs. It garnered global attention and many who have tried to bring similar global attention to Kashmir have adopted stone pelting as a means to do just that. Kashmir’s stone pelting history dates back to the summer of 2008 when young men took to the streets to launch violent protests against the continued deployment of security forces. In 2010, the situation spiralled out of control when the alleged fake encounters of three youths and the accidental death of a school boy during tear-gas shelling became flash points. A rage quietly building up exploded with rare vengeance as the youth fought pitched battles with the men-in-uniform. It became a do-or-die struggle for a people determined to wrest freedom from the Indian establishment. However Bashir-ud-Din Ahmed, former Grand Mufti, called stone pelting un-Islamic. “Islam strongly prohibits any form of violence. The stone pelting practice is surely un-Islamic. It causes inconvenience to people and propels more violence,” the Grand Mufti said. However, this is the same Grand Mufti who banned the entry of four Christian pastors in the Kashmir valley, accusing them of forcible conversions. Impact of living with violence Living with violence has a massive impact on the population, especially in the lives of children. There is a plethora of research on how turmoil and violence in society impacts children. It impacts the mental health of people in the long term. The effects also translate into increased rates of depression and substance abuse. A case in point is the increased incidence of drug abuse in Anantnag. Many blamed it on unemployment and easy availability of drugs but the core issue was the failure to recognise the real cause: violence in their society. A recent report from Baramulla district shows that 20 per cent of students in higher secondary schools and 30 per cent in colleges are consuming drugs. The most obvious fall out of living with violence is a constant state of anxiety in which one loses the sense of purpose and planning. When one wakes up each morning one has no idea how the day is going to be. There is an acute sense of helplessness and the only way for many youths is to get out of the Valley for a semblance of normality in their lives. But those who stay back are condemned to a harrowing existence. It is an experience no child must be put through in any society. Regarding military presence The argument pertaining to military presence and the resultant violence is as old as humanity. The reality is that with military presence in an area, there is bound to be a spurt in violence, which in turn affects the economy of the region. Militaries come with deep pockets and things begin to change rather dramatically. Recent reports of sexual exploitation by United Nations troops show exactly what happens when troops land at your doorstep. The military personnel are usually young, staying far away from their families and having lived with violence and threat to their lives, they may already have been suffering from psychological troubles. So when military arrives in your neighbourhood it is never great news. A few years ago I was in the Northern Afghanistan city of Kunduz. The Taliban had set up their anti-aircraft guns and other artilleries in civilian neighbourhoods. When the US troops or the Northern alliance troops would respond, it caused massive casualties among children. The world would then see the images and talk about the stupendous death toll. This is also what the NATO described as “Friendly fire”, when friends would get hurt while the enemy was being fired at. The reality is that armed groups will have to be kept out of your neighbourhood for peace and normality. I was in the middle of a gun battle in Kashmir in 2005. We were caught in the crossfire between the security forces and four terrorists who had taken over a home. The residents had informed the police about them after being forced to play host for a week. When the police went in and surrounded the place, a gun battle ensued and almost the whole house was destroyed. Living with violence is not easy, it destroys your existence. Encouraging terrorism as a strategy against a democratic government is not something that has worked in the long term. Terrorism works only against dictatorial societies, so in case one decides to use terrorism as a strategy against a democratic society, large investments have to go in to win the war of propaganda against the State. Kashmir has been represented by children of its own soil whether it was Omar Abdullah in the recent past or Mehbooba Mufti. They are bright Kashmiris who would like to see the best for their state and their people. Apart from being politicians and criticising the opposition party when they are out of power, they still mean well for their people. But the terrorists’ only goal is to create an Islamic State which does not fit into the idea of a modern Nation-State that is secular and has space for all, regardless of religion and ethnicity. Terrorism thrives on fear. It can only increase conservatism in liberal societies. A recent study demonstrated how Spanish attitudes gravitated towards conservative values after the Madrid train bombings. So what terrorism does is create a larger pool of conservative societies and this may change the very fabric of democracies. Two pictures that went viral recently represent the strategy and the outcome. One picture is of a five-year-old girl who was hit by pellets as police responded to stone pelting. The other is of the 12-year-old daughter of a Colonel of the Indian Army who was killed in Kashmir and she blamed Burhan Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist for it. The problem with extremist stances is that no one wins in a protracted struggle. We as humanity are losing, losing our way on the journey towards becoming a civilization.

Kashmir unrest: Whirlpool of violence

Curfew today remained in force across Jammu and Kashmir, and normal life paralysed for the eighth day in the wake of clashes following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. 
 
&quot;Curfew continues to remain in force in all 10 districts of the Kashmir Valley today as precautionary measure for maintaining law and order,&quot; a police official said. 
 
He said the decision to continue the curfew was taken in view of large number of stone-pelting incidents across the valley yesterday. 
 
Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in strength across the Valley for strict implementation of the prohibitory orders, the official said. 
 
Mobile telephone services in the Valley also remained suspended to prevent any rumour-mongering.&nbsp;&quot;Only postpaid connections of BSNL are working,&quot; the official said. 
 
Mobile Internet services continued to remain suspended for the seventh day today while trains are also off the tracks in the Valley as a precautionary measure. 
 
Violent protests rocked Jammu and Kashmir last weekend following the killing of Burhan Wani and two of his associates in an encounter with security forces on July 8 in the &nbsp;Kokernag area of the Anantnag district. 
 
In the ensuing clashes 38 persons, including one cop, have been killed, while 3,140 persons, including 1,500 security force personnel, have been injured. 
 
Normal life has remained paralysed since last Saturday in Kashmir on account of both separatist-led strikes and curfew-like restrictions imposed by authorities. 
 
The separatists groups, both factions of Hurriyat Conference and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, have been issuing strike calls, a practice reminiscent of the 2010 summer agitation.&nbsp;The separatists groups yesterday extended the strike call till Monday evening. 
 
(PTI)

Mobile telephone service is also suspended to prevent rumour-mongering

Curfew today remained in force across Jammu and Kashmir, and normal life paralysed for the eighth day in the wake of clashes following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. "Curfew continues to remain in force in all 10 districts of the Kashmir Valley today as precautionary measure for maintaining law and order," a police official said. He said the decision to continue the curfew was taken in view of large number of stone-pelting incidents across the valley yesterday. Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in strength across the Valley for strict implementation of the prohibitory orders, the official said. Mobile telephone services in the Valley also remained suspended to prevent any rumour-mongering. "Only postpaid connections of BSNL are working," the official said. Mobile Internet services continued to remain suspended for the seventh day today while trains are also off the tracks in the Valley as a precautionary measure. Violent protests rocked Jammu and Kashmir last weekend following the killing of Burhan Wani and two of his associates in an encounter with security forces on July 8 in the Kokernag area of the Anantnag district. In the ensuing clashes 38 persons, including one cop, have been killed, while 3,140 persons, including 1,500 security force personnel, have been injured. Normal life has remained paralysed since last Saturday in Kashmir on account of both separatist-led strikes and curfew-like restrictions imposed by authorities. The separatists groups, both factions of Hurriyat Conference and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, have been issuing strike calls, a practice reminiscent of the 2010 summer agitation. The separatists groups yesterday extended the strike call till Monday evening. (PTI)

Curfew in Kashmir Valley remains

Zimbabwe&#39;s government warned protesters on Tuesday they would face the &quot;full wrath of the law&quot; if they heeded a call by a detained preacher to continue with the biggest demonstrations in a decade against President Robert Mugabe. 
 
Baptist minister Evan Mawarire has become a household name in Zimbabwe since he started a social media campaign in April that has tapped into mounting public anger over corruption, high unemployment and economic woes. 
 
In a video recorded before his arrest on Tuesday, Mawarire urged supporters to go ahead with further &quot;stay at home&quot; demonstrations. He had called for a one-day protest last week which closed businesses across the southern African nation in the biggest strike since 2005. 
 
&quot;The police whose mandate is to protect life and property will be out in full force to deal with any disturbances that may arise,&quot; Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo told reporters. 
 
&quot;Let me warn the instigators behind the intended protests that they will face the full wrath of the law,&quot; said Chombo, flanked by the ministers of defence and state security.&nbsp;Chombo said there were no plans to deploy the military. 
 
Mugabe, Africa&#39;s oldest leader at 92, has led the former British colony since independence in 1980. Since then it has gone from being one of the continent&#39;s most promising economies to being a country mired in economic crisis with a reputation for human rights abuses. 
 
After initially ignoring his grainy online videos, shot on a cellphone and calling for mass protests, Mugabe&#39;s administration has started to push back, especially after they attracted support from thousands of unpaid civil servants. 
 
&quot;Yes, he has been arrested for inciting public violence and disturbing peace,&quot; Mawarire lawyer Harrison Nkomo told Reuters. He said police had raided his client&#39;s Harare home, office and church. 
 
Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba was not available to comment on the charges. 
 
A copy of a search warrant seen by Reuters said police believed Mawarire was in possession of a stolen police helmet, baton stick and &quot;other subversive material&quot; that could be used to incite public violence. 
 
The law under which the bespectacled 39-year-old has been detained carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years. According to Zimbabwean law, he must appear in court within 48 hours. He was summoned by police early on Tuesday morning. 
 
Mawarire said he broke no law in calling for the one-day shut-down last Wednesday. 
 
International Crisis Group analyst Piers Pigou said Mawarire&#39;s #ThisFlag movement had rattled Mugabe&#39;s government but was still a long way from becoming the first &quot;Arab Spring&quot; south of the Sahara. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s provoked a certain amount of panic from the authorities given the scale of the stay-away,&quot; Pigou said. &quot;But a stay-away doesn&#39;t translate into active support for rebellion against the regime.&quot; 
 
Gandhi Comparison 
 
More protests are planned for today and Thursday as part of #ThisFlag, which aims to appeal to Zimbabweans national pride and exploit the widespread use of social media in the country. 
 
In a pre-recorded video posted on Twitter under the #ThisFlag hashtag after he was charged, Mawarire said his arrest should not stop Zimbabwe&#39;s 13 million people going ahead with demonstrations. 
 
&quot;No matter what has happened to me, you and I have done well. We have stood up and raised our voices to build this nation,&quot; Mawarire said. 
 
Last Friday police summoned and arrested Prosper Mkwananzi from social media group Tajamuka - meaning &quot;We refuse&quot; on charges of public violence. Mkwananzi was released on bail on Monday. 
 
Mawarire launched #ThisFlag in April after struggling to pay school fees for his two daughters or bus fares. His complaints struck an immediate chord with Zimbabweans and 120,000 people watched his video in its first week. 
 
Within three months, some have even started likening him and his adherence to non-violence to Indian anti-colonial hero Mahatma Gandhi, who started becoming politically active as a lawyer in neighbouring South Africa in the early 1900s. 
 
&quot;There is nothing wrong from learning from the people like Gandhi because they achieved a lot of things in pushing the non-violent aspect of things,&quot; Mawarire said in an interview with the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper this month. 
 
&quot;If we fight violence with violence, the result will be more violence,&quot; he said. &quot;There comes a time when we have to use a different strategy to that being used by the people we are confronting.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Baptist minister Evan Mawarire was arrested for starting "stay at home" social media protest, the country's biggest strike since 2005

Zimbabwe's government warned protesters on Tuesday they would face the "full wrath of the law" if they heeded a call by a detained preacher to continue with the biggest demonstrations in a decade against President Robert Mugabe. Baptist minister Evan Mawarire has become a household name in Zimbabwe since he started a social media campaign in April that has tapped into mounting public anger over corruption, high unemployment and economic woes. In a video recorded before his arrest on Tuesday, Mawarire urged supporters to go ahead with further "stay at home" demonstrations. He had called for a one-day protest last week which closed businesses across the southern African nation in the biggest strike since 2005. "The police whose mandate is to protect life and property will be out in full force to deal with any disturbances that may arise," Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo told reporters. "Let me warn the instigators behind the intended protests that they will face the full wrath of the law," said Chombo, flanked by the ministers of defence and state security. Chombo said there were no plans to deploy the military. Mugabe, Africa's oldest leader at 92, has led the former British colony since independence in 1980. Since then it has gone from being one of the continent's most promising economies to being a country mired in economic crisis with a reputation for human rights abuses. After initially ignoring his grainy online videos, shot on a cellphone and calling for mass protests, Mugabe's administration has started to push back, especially after they attracted support from thousands of unpaid civil servants. "Yes, he has been arrested for inciting public violence and disturbing peace," Mawarire lawyer Harrison Nkomo told Reuters. He said police had raided his client's Harare home, office and church. Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba was not available to comment on the charges. A copy of a search warrant seen by Reuters said police believed Mawarire was in possession of a stolen police helmet, baton stick and "other subversive material" that could be used to incite public violence. The law under which the bespectacled 39-year-old has been detained carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years. According to Zimbabwean law, he must appear in court within 48 hours. He was summoned by police early on Tuesday morning. Mawarire said he broke no law in calling for the one-day shut-down last Wednesday. International Crisis Group analyst Piers Pigou said Mawarire's #ThisFlag movement had rattled Mugabe's government but was still a long way from becoming the first "Arab Spring" south of the Sahara. "It's provoked a certain amount of panic from the authorities given the scale of the stay-away," Pigou said. "But a stay-away doesn't translate into active support for rebellion against the regime." Gandhi Comparison More protests are planned for today and Thursday as part of #ThisFlag, which aims to appeal to Zimbabweans national pride and exploit the widespread use of social media in the country. In a pre-recorded video posted on Twitter under the #ThisFlag hashtag after he was charged, Mawarire said his arrest should not stop Zimbabwe's 13 million people going ahead with demonstrations. "No matter what has happened to me, you and I have done well. We have stood up and raised our voices to build this nation," Mawarire said. Last Friday police summoned and arrested Prosper Mkwananzi from social media group Tajamuka - meaning "We refuse" on charges of public violence. Mkwananzi was released on bail on Monday. Mawarire launched #ThisFlag in April after struggling to pay school fees for his two daughters or bus fares. His complaints struck an immediate chord with Zimbabweans and 120,000 people watched his video in its first week. Within three months, some have even started likening him and his adherence to non-violence to Indian anti-colonial hero Mahatma Gandhi, who started becoming politically active as a lawyer in neighbouring South Africa in the early 1900s. "There is nothing wrong from learning from the people like Gandhi because they achieved a lot of things in pushing the non-violent aspect of things," Mawarire said in an interview with the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper this month. "If we fight violence with violence, the result will be more violence," he said. "There comes a time when we have to use a different strategy to that being used by the people we are confronting." (Reuters)

Anti-Mugabe protesters to face 'full wrath' of Zimbabwe law

Chilling new details about Dallas shooter Micah Johnson fleshed out a still sketchy portrait of the 25-year-old US Army reservist and Afghanistan war veteran who apparently supported black militant organisations, some classified as hate groups, and died in the standoff with police. 
 
Johnson opened fire on Thursday evening with a powerful rifle during a peaceful protest against the shooting deaths of the two men in Louisiana and Minnesota, triggering hours of chaos in the downtown section of this major Texas city. 
 
A search of his Dallas-area home turned up bomb-making materials and a manual in which he wrote about military tactics. 
 
Police now say he had been planning something big long beforehand, and that last week&#39;s deaths were a trigger. 
 
Investigators believe that &quot;the suspect had been practicing explosive detonations and that the materials were such that it was large enough to have devastating effects throughout our city and our North Texas area,&quot; Dallas police chief David Brown told CNN&#39;s &quot;State of the Union.&quot; 
 
Johnson toyed with police as he negotiated with them during a standoff after he first started shooting. 
 
&quot;We had negotiated with him for about two hours. And he just basically lied to us, playing games, laughing at us, singing, asking how many did he get and that he wanted to kill some more,&quot; Brown said. 
 
&#39;Scrawled in his own blood&#39; 
 
Johnson insisted on speaking only to a black police officer when he began negotiating, Brown said.&nbsp;He knew the route of the Dallas march, triangulating police and started taking them out with his high-caliber rifle. 
 
At one point earlier, Johnson, apparently wounded in the exchange of gunfire with police, wrote the letters &quot;RB&quot; in his own blood on a wall at the community college where he was holed up. 
 
Brown said it was not immediately clear what those letters meant.&nbsp;Sharpshooters could not get a view of Johnson as he hid behind a brick wall, so police used a bomb carried by a robot. 
 
&quot;I&#39;ll do it again if presented with the same circumstances,&quot; Brown said. 
 
 
Moving forward 
 
?The Dallas gunman was plotting a major bomb attack, authorities said on Sunday, urging calm after 200 people were arrested in a new night of protests over police violence against blacks. 
 
Anger around America over the deaths of two black men at the hands of police in recent days - the stated reason for the black Dallas gunman&#39;s deadly rampage targeting white officers - showed no signs of abating with a prominent Black Lives Matter activist among those arrested. 
 
President Barack Obama cautioned protesting Americans against casting all police as racially biased, as the White House announced he would travel to Dallas on Tuesday to address an inter-faith memorial service. 
 
&quot;If we paint police in broad brush without recognising that the vast majority of police officers are doing a really good job... then we&#39;re going to lose allies in the reform cause,&quot; he said. 
 
The past week&#39;s violence - the black deaths, and then Dallas - have shocked a country seemingly inured to its epidemic of gun violence and injected new urgency into the national debate on race relations and how white police forces deal with black suspects. 
 
&quot;The best way to honour the memory of Alton Sterling, the Dallas law enforcement officers and Philando Castile is to protect the people here,&quot; Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards said, referring to those killed in recent days. 
 
Protesters will not be &quot;allowed to incite hate and violence, to engage in unlawful activities,&quot; he added. 
 
People inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement - which arose in response to police using lethal force against unarmed blacks - took to the streets in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in largely peaceful protests. 
 
Authorities said a full-scale riot broke out in Saint Paul, Minnesota and resulted in 102 arrests. Protesters blocked a freeway and attacked police with rocks, bottles, fireworks, Molotov cocktails and metal bars. 
 
Twenty-one officers were injured in the hours-long melee, one of them when a rioter dropped an 11-kilogram chunk of concrete on his head from a bridge or overpass, police spokesman Steve Linders said. 
 
It was in a Saint Paul suburb that one of last week&#39;s deaths occurred. 
 
In Baton Rouge, where the other death took place, one officer was injured and 102 protesters were also arrested, Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said. Among them was activist leader DeRay McKesson, who livestreamed the incident. He was released on bond on Sunday. 
 
&quot;The only people that were violent last night were the Baton Rouge police department,&quot; McKesson told reporters outside the jailhouse. &quot;The protesters remain peaceful both here and across the country.&quot; 
 
Both killings were caught on horrific video that has since gone viral. 
 
Another death 
 
In another similar case gaining attention on social media, a black man was shot dead by police on Saturday in Houston, the largest city in Texas. 
 
City police said that Alva Braziel was carrying a gun, and was believed to have pointed it at officers, but in surveillance footage from a nearby gas station, he appears to put his hands up and turn around. 
 
More than 500 people have died from US police bullets so far in 2016, according to data compiled by The Washington Post. 
 
 
(AFP)

A search of Micah's Dallas-area home turned up bomb-making materials. Investigators say he had been practicing explosive detonations

Chilling new details about Dallas shooter Micah Johnson fleshed out a still sketchy portrait of the 25-year-old US Army reservist and Afghanistan war veteran who apparently supported black militant organisations, some classified as hate groups, and died in the standoff with police. Johnson opened fire on Thursday evening with a powerful rifle during a peaceful protest against the shooting deaths of the two men in Louisiana and Minnesota, triggering hours of chaos in the downtown section of this major Texas city. A search of his Dallas-area home turned up bomb-making materials and a manual in which he wrote about military tactics. Police now say he had been planning something big long beforehand, and that last week's deaths were a trigger. Investigators believe that "the suspect had been practicing explosive detonations and that the materials were such that it was large enough to have devastating effects throughout our city and our North Texas area," Dallas police chief David Brown told CNN's "State of the Union." Johnson toyed with police as he negotiated with them during a standoff after he first started shooting. "We had negotiated with him for about two hours. And he just basically lied to us, playing games, laughing at us, singing, asking how many did he get and that he wanted to kill some more," Brown said. 'Scrawled in his own blood' Johnson insisted on speaking only to a black police officer when he began negotiating, Brown said. He knew the route of the Dallas march, triangulating police and started taking them out with his high-caliber rifle. At one point earlier, Johnson, apparently wounded in the exchange of gunfire with police, wrote the letters "RB" in his own blood on a wall at the community college where he was holed up. Brown said it was not immediately clear what those letters meant. Sharpshooters could not get a view of Johnson as he hid behind a brick wall, so police used a bomb carried by a robot. "I'll do it again if presented with the same circumstances," Brown said. Moving forward ?The Dallas gunman was plotting a major bomb attack, authorities said on Sunday, urging calm after 200 people were arrested in a new night of protests over police violence against blacks. Anger around America over the deaths of two black men at the hands of police in recent days - the stated reason for the black Dallas gunman's deadly rampage targeting white officers - showed no signs of abating with a prominent Black Lives Matter activist among those arrested. President Barack Obama cautioned protesting Americans against casting all police as racially biased, as the White House announced he would travel to Dallas on Tuesday to address an inter-faith memorial service. "If we paint police in broad brush without recognising that the vast majority of police officers are doing a really good job... then we're going to lose allies in the reform cause," he said. The past week's violence - the black deaths, and then Dallas - have shocked a country seemingly inured to its epidemic of gun violence and injected new urgency into the national debate on race relations and how white police forces deal with black suspects. "The best way to honour the memory of Alton Sterling, the Dallas law enforcement officers and Philando Castile is to protect the people here," Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards said, referring to those killed in recent days. Protesters will not be "allowed to incite hate and violence, to engage in unlawful activities," he added. People inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement - which arose in response to police using lethal force against unarmed blacks - took to the streets in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in largely peaceful protests. Authorities said a full-scale riot broke out in Saint Paul, Minnesota and resulted in 102 arrests. Protesters blocked a freeway and attacked police with rocks, bottles, fireworks, Molotov cocktails and metal bars. Twenty-one officers were injured in the hours-long melee, one of them when a rioter dropped an 11-kilogram chunk of concrete on his head from a bridge or overpass, police spokesman Steve Linders said. It was in a Saint Paul suburb that one of last week's deaths occurred. In Baton Rouge, where the other death took place, one officer was injured and 102 protesters were also arrested, Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said. Among them was activist leader DeRay McKesson, who livestreamed the incident. He was released on bond on Sunday. "The only people that were violent last night were the Baton Rouge police department," McKesson told reporters outside the jailhouse. "The protesters remain peaceful both here and across the country." Both killings were caught on horrific video that has since gone viral. Another death In another similar case gaining attention on social media, a black man was shot dead by police on Saturday in Houston, the largest city in Texas. City police said that Alva Braziel was carrying a gun, and was believed to have pointed it at officers, but in surveillance footage from a nearby gas station, he appears to put his hands up and turn around. More than 500 people have died from US police bullets so far in 2016, according to data compiled by The Washington Post. (AFP)

Dallas shooter planned larger attacks

A newly-wed and a Navy veteran of three tours in Iraq were among the five Dallas police officers killed in a sniper ambush on Thursday night. The victims were identified on Friday by officials, relatives and the media. 
 
Seven other police officers and two civilians were wounded in the shooting at the end of a protest over this week&#39;s killing of two black men by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a suburb of St Paul, Minnesota. The Dallas shooter was a US army reservist who served in Afghanistan. 
 
Following are profiles of the five officers who died. 
 
Brent Thompson 
 
Transit police officer Brent Thompson, 43, worked for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system since 2009 and was the first officer killed in the line of duty since the transit system formed a police department in 1989, DART said on its website. 
 
&quot;As you can imagine, our hearts are broken,&quot; a DART statement said. 
 
Thompson spent more than four years in Iraq, working for private US military contractor DynCorp International as a police liaison officer who supervised Americans training and mentoring the Iraqi police force, according to his LinkedIn profile. 
 
Thompson was married to a fellow DART officer, local television station WFAA reported, citing DART chief James Spiller. USA Today reported that the couple married about two weeks ago and that Thompson was also a father and a grandfather from a previous marriage. 
 
He attended the police academy at Navarro College in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and later taught classes there, according to his LinkedIn profile. 
 
Thompson&#39;s Facebook page reflected the life of a devoted father, with numerous photos of family posted to his account. &nbsp; &nbsp; 
 
Patrick &#39;Patricio&#39; Zamarripa 
 
Navy veteran Patrick Zamarripa, 32, who served three tours in Iraq, was killed in the attack, his family said. He served in the military reserves as well as working as a Dallas policeman. 
 
His uncle, Hector Zamarripa, said by telephone that Zamarripa was a proud Mexican-American who has left behind a wife, their toddler-age daughter and a stepson. Although he did not speak much Spanish, he went by the name Patricio among his Spanish-speaking friends and relatives. 
 
&quot;He enjoyed the job, that was his calling,&quot; his uncle said. 
 
&quot;Addicted to the thrill of this job. I own the night. I love my Country, Texas, Family, God, Friends, and Sports! Don&#39;t Tread on Me! &#39;Merica,&quot; Patrick wrote on his Twitter profile. 
 
A lover of Tejano music, he posted pictures of his daughter, selfies with other officers on duty and his love for the Dallas Cowboys football team and the Rangers baseball team. 
 
Many of his posts were salutes to other officers. He wrote &#39;Rest in Peace&#39; in honour of two New York cops killed in 2014 and posted an image of an eagle with a caption: &#39;Home of the Free because of the Brave&#39;. 
 
Michael Krol 
 
Michael Krol, a 40-year-old officer with the Dallas Police department, was killed, according to a statement from the Wayne County sheriff&#39;s office in Michigan, where Krol worked as a deputy in the jails from 2003 to 2007. 
 
&quot;We are saddened by the loss of the dedicated officers in Dallas - one of whom was a former member of this agency - and also the wounding of the other officers,&quot; Wayne County sheriff Benny Napoleon said in the statement. 
 
Michigan governor Rick Snyder said in a statement that he had been notified that &quot;one of the fallen officers in Dallas is a Michigan native who previously worked in law enforcement in southeast Michigan&quot;. He did not name Krol. 
 
Lorne Ahrens 
 
Senior corporal Lorne Ahrens, a 14-year veteran with the Dallas police, was one of those killed, the Dallas Morning News reported. Reuters was not able to reach Ahrens&#39; family for confirmation. 
 
Ahrens, a 48-year-old California native, was married to a Dallas police detective and had two children, ages 10 and eight, the newspaper reported. 
 
Steve Stribley, a Dallas patrol officer, told the newspaper that Ahrens was &quot;an incredible loving and devoted husband and father&quot; and a &quot;greatly respected veteran of the department&quot;. 
 
Michael Smith 
 
Michael Smith, 55, also died in the attack, KFDM television in Texas reported, citing his sister. Smith grew up in Port Arthur, Texas, and served in the military as an army ranger before joining the Dallas police in 1989, the television report said. 
 
Reuters was not immediately able to confirm the report. 
 
A GoFundMe page set up to help Smith&#39;s family said he left behind a wife of 17 years and two daughters, ages nine and 14. 
 
He was known as a friendly family man and had been given a &ldquo;Cops&rsquo; Cop&rdquo; award from the Dallas Police Association, the Dallas Morning News reported. 
 
(Reuters)

Newly-wed, Iraq veterans and fathers among the five dead in Dallas

A newly-wed and a Navy veteran of three tours in Iraq were among the five Dallas police officers killed in a sniper ambush on Thursday night. The victims were identified on Friday by officials, relatives and the media. Seven other police officers and two civilians were wounded in the shooting at the end of a protest over this week's killing of two black men by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a suburb of St Paul, Minnesota. The Dallas shooter was a US army reservist who served in Afghanistan. Following are profiles of the five officers who died. Brent Thompson Transit police officer Brent Thompson, 43, worked for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system since 2009 and was the first officer killed in the line of duty since the transit system formed a police department in 1989, DART said on its website. "As you can imagine, our hearts are broken," a DART statement said. Thompson spent more than four years in Iraq, working for private US military contractor DynCorp International as a police liaison officer who supervised Americans training and mentoring the Iraqi police force, according to his LinkedIn profile. Thompson was married to a fellow DART officer, local television station WFAA reported, citing DART chief James Spiller. USA Today reported that the couple married about two weeks ago and that Thompson was also a father and a grandfather from a previous marriage. He attended the police academy at Navarro College in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and later taught classes there, according to his LinkedIn profile. Thompson's Facebook page reflected the life of a devoted father, with numerous photos of family posted to his account. Patrick 'Patricio' Zamarripa Navy veteran Patrick Zamarripa, 32, who served three tours in Iraq, was killed in the attack, his family said. He served in the military reserves as well as working as a Dallas policeman. His uncle, Hector Zamarripa, said by telephone that Zamarripa was a proud Mexican-American who has left behind a wife, their toddler-age daughter and a stepson. Although he did not speak much Spanish, he went by the name Patricio among his Spanish-speaking friends and relatives. "He enjoyed the job, that was his calling," his uncle said. "Addicted to the thrill of this job. I own the night. I love my Country, Texas, Family, God, Friends, and Sports! Don't Tread on Me! 'Merica," Patrick wrote on his Twitter profile. A lover of Tejano music, he posted pictures of his daughter, selfies with other officers on duty and his love for the Dallas Cowboys football team and the Rangers baseball team. Many of his posts were salutes to other officers. He wrote 'Rest in Peace' in honour of two New York cops killed in 2014 and posted an image of an eagle with a caption: 'Home of the Free because of the Brave'. Michael Krol Michael Krol, a 40-year-old officer with the Dallas Police department, was killed, according to a statement from the Wayne County sheriff's office in Michigan, where Krol worked as a deputy in the jails from 2003 to 2007. "We are saddened by the loss of the dedicated officers in Dallas - one of whom was a former member of this agency - and also the wounding of the other officers," Wayne County sheriff Benny Napoleon said in the statement. Michigan governor Rick Snyder said in a statement that he had been notified that "one of the fallen officers in Dallas is a Michigan native who previously worked in law enforcement in southeast Michigan". He did not name Krol. Lorne Ahrens Senior corporal Lorne Ahrens, a 14-year veteran with the Dallas police, was one of those killed, the Dallas Morning News reported. Reuters was not able to reach Ahrens' family for confirmation. Ahrens, a 48-year-old California native, was married to a Dallas police detective and had two children, ages 10 and eight, the newspaper reported. Steve Stribley, a Dallas patrol officer, told the newspaper that Ahrens was "an incredible loving and devoted husband and father" and a "greatly respected veteran of the department". Michael Smith Michael Smith, 55, also died in the attack, KFDM television in Texas reported, citing his sister. Smith grew up in Port Arthur, Texas, and served in the military as an army ranger before joining the Dallas police in 1989, the television report said. Reuters was not immediately able to confirm the report. A GoFundMe page set up to help Smith's family said he left behind a wife of 17 years and two daughters, ages nine and 14. He was known as a friendly family man and had been given a “Cops’ Cop” award from the Dallas Police Association, the Dallas Morning News reported. (Reuters)

Profiles of the five police officers killed in Thursday's sniper ambush

Zimbabweans stayed at home on Wednesday and foreign banks and most businesses in the capital shut down, in one of the biggest protests against high unemployment, an acute cash shortage and corruption for nearly a decade. 
 
Evan Mawarire, a pastor whose social media movement #ThisFlag organised the &quot;stay-away&quot;, demanded that President Robert Mugabe fire corrupt cabinet ministers and scrap plans to introduce local bank notes or face a two-day shut-down next week. 
 
Wednesday&#39;s protest followed violent clashes between taxi drivers and police on Monday that led to the arrest of 95 people. It also coincided with a strike by doctors, teachers and nurses whose salaries had been delayed. 
 
A devastating drought has compounded economic hardships including high joblessness while an acute cash shortage has angered Zimbabwe&#39;s citizens. 
 
In a story quoting John Mangudya, the governor of Zimbabwe&#39;s central bank, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday that the African Export-Import Bank was arranging a seven-year loan of $986 million so Zimbabwe could pay back arrears to the World Bank. 
 
The FT quoted Mangudya as saying Zimbabwe hoped to pay off its arrears before the September board meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the African Development Bank, paving the way for IMF assistance to alleviate its cash crunch. 
 
African Export-Import Bank and IMF officials could not immediately be reached for comment. 
 
Campaign attracts thousands 
 
The 39-year-old Mawarire started the #ThisFlag campaign in April to protest against corruption, injustice and poverty. 
 
The campaign has attracted thousands of followers who have been speaking out against government excesses. Wednesday&#39;s protest was organised via Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp. 
 
Mawarire&#39;s campaign includes a series of demands: for Mugabe to fire and prosecute &quot;known&quot; corrupt ministers, for government salaries to be paid on time and for police to remove roadblocks which most people say are posts for bribe taking officers. 
 
&quot;The ball is in your court,&quot; Mawarire wrote on his Facebook page. &quot;We are ready to close down again and this time we will add another day, Wednesday and Thursday. We are not playing and we ask you to take us seriously.&quot; 
 
Mugabe&#39;s spokesman, George Charamba, was not available to comment. 
 
State telecoms regulator POTRAZ said in a statement it would arrest people sending &quot;subversive&quot; messages that cause unrest. 
 
Mugabe, who has held power since Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain in 1980, was attending a scheduled meeting on Wednesday of his party ZANU-PF&#39;s politburo, the party&#39;s top executive organ. Party spokesman Simon Khaya-Moyo declined to say whether ZANU-PF would discuss the protests. 
 
In the volatile township of Mufakose, to the west of Harare, hundreds of youths barricaded roads to keep people from going to work, witnesses said. 
 
More than 40 people were arrested across Zimbabwe for blocking roads and disturbing the peace, said Charity Charamba, a police spokeswoman. Among them was a Belgian tourist held in the resort town of Victoria for unlawful protests, she said, correcting her earlier statement that an Australian had been detained. 
 
There was no need to call out the military, Charamba said. 
 
&quot;The military is not there because in our assessment, for now, the situation has not deteriorated (enough) to warrant the presence of the military,&quot; Charamba told reporters. 
 
Local units of Barclays and Standard Chartered shut their branches in central Harare. Clothing retailers Edgars Stores and Truworths closed stores. 
 
Siyaso, one of the biggest and oldest informal markets in Mbare township near central Harare, was also shut. Few vehicles were on the roads of the capital. Supermarkets like Pick&#39;n&#39;Pay, Ok Zimbabwe and Choppies reported little business. Government departments were open. 
 
Local private media said Zimbabweans in other major cities had also stayed at home, with most businesses closed. Zimbabwe last witnessed such a protest in April 2007. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

In the country's biggest protest in a decade, people stay home and businesses close amid unemployment, cash shortage, corruption and drought

Zimbabweans stayed at home on Wednesday and foreign banks and most businesses in the capital shut down, in one of the biggest protests against high unemployment, an acute cash shortage and corruption for nearly a decade. Evan Mawarire, a pastor whose social media movement #ThisFlag organised the "stay-away", demanded that President Robert Mugabe fire corrupt cabinet ministers and scrap plans to introduce local bank notes or face a two-day shut-down next week. Wednesday's protest followed violent clashes between taxi drivers and police on Monday that led to the arrest of 95 people. It also coincided with a strike by doctors, teachers and nurses whose salaries had been delayed. A devastating drought has compounded economic hardships including high joblessness while an acute cash shortage has angered Zimbabwe's citizens. In a story quoting John Mangudya, the governor of Zimbabwe's central bank, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday that the African Export-Import Bank was arranging a seven-year loan of $986 million so Zimbabwe could pay back arrears to the World Bank. The FT quoted Mangudya as saying Zimbabwe hoped to pay off its arrears before the September board meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the African Development Bank, paving the way for IMF assistance to alleviate its cash crunch. African Export-Import Bank and IMF officials could not immediately be reached for comment. Campaign attracts thousands The 39-year-old Mawarire started the #ThisFlag campaign in April to protest against corruption, injustice and poverty. The campaign has attracted thousands of followers who have been speaking out against government excesses. Wednesday's protest was organised via Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp. Mawarire's campaign includes a series of demands: for Mugabe to fire and prosecute "known" corrupt ministers, for government salaries to be paid on time and for police to remove roadblocks which most people say are posts for bribe taking officers. "The ball is in your court," Mawarire wrote on his Facebook page. "We are ready to close down again and this time we will add another day, Wednesday and Thursday. We are not playing and we ask you to take us seriously." Mugabe's spokesman, George Charamba, was not available to comment. State telecoms regulator POTRAZ said in a statement it would arrest people sending "subversive" messages that cause unrest. Mugabe, who has held power since Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain in 1980, was attending a scheduled meeting on Wednesday of his party ZANU-PF's politburo, the party's top executive organ. Party spokesman Simon Khaya-Moyo declined to say whether ZANU-PF would discuss the protests. In the volatile township of Mufakose, to the west of Harare, hundreds of youths barricaded roads to keep people from going to work, witnesses said. More than 40 people were arrested across Zimbabwe for blocking roads and disturbing the peace, said Charity Charamba, a police spokeswoman. Among them was a Belgian tourist held in the resort town of Victoria for unlawful protests, she said, correcting her earlier statement that an Australian had been detained. There was no need to call out the military, Charamba said. "The military is not there because in our assessment, for now, the situation has not deteriorated (enough) to warrant the presence of the military," Charamba told reporters. Local units of Barclays and Standard Chartered shut their branches in central Harare. Clothing retailers Edgars Stores and Truworths closed stores. Siyaso, one of the biggest and oldest informal markets in Mbare township near central Harare, was also shut. Few vehicles were on the roads of the capital. Supermarkets like Pick'n'Pay, Ok Zimbabwe and Choppies reported little business. Government departments were open. Local private media said Zimbabweans in other major cities had also stayed at home, with most businesses closed. Zimbabwe last witnessed such a protest in April 2007. (Reuters)

Zimbabwe shuts down to protest financial collapse

Mexico&#39;s air force flew tonnes of grain to the southern state of Oaxaca on Friday as protests by teachers opposed to education reform spread across the country and road blocks led to dwindling food supplies in some remote regions. 
 
Tension in the state intensified after eight people died last month in clashes between police and the protesting teachers, and unrest has flared throughout Mexico. 
 
Local media reported protests by factions of Mexico&#39;s the Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educaci?n (CNTE) teachers union on Friday in the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Michoacan, Chiapas, Nuevo Leon and in Mexico City. 
 
The union has blockaded 11 highways in Oaxaca, a hotbed of dissent for protesters opposing President Enrique Pena Nieto&#39;s education reform that allows the federal government to remove teachers who fail evaluation exams. 
 
The protests have prevented food trucks from reaching remote coastal villages in Oaxaca, where some of Mexico&#39;s poorest people live, the country&#39;s federal food distribution chief Juan Manuel Valle said. 
 
Valle said 108 tonnes of corn would be flown in on a Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft by the end of the weekend, with additional provisions on standby in case the situation deteriorated. 
 
Araceli Hern?ndez Ramirez, manager of a grocery store in Puente de Coyula, a small town of some 500 inhabitants close to the beach resort of Huatulco, and located about 146 miles (235 kilometres) from the state capital, said she had no rice, corn or flour. 
 
&quot;There are no products,&quot; said Hernandez, waiting for a shipment from Diconsa to supply customers. &quot;They go home empty-handed.&quot; 
 
Fifty tonnes of corn were also sent from the neighbouring state of Guerrero by truck, in addition to regular shipments of beans, and rice. 
 
On Friday, Mexico&#39;s secretary of the interior promised action against the blockades in Oaxaca, saying dialogue with teachers&#39; unions could not continue without respect for citizens&#39; rights. 
 
&quot;Blockades and public damage must end,&quot; Miguel Osorio Chong said. &quot;Therefore, soon, we will be taking necessary decisions to allow traffic on strategic routes and supplies for communities.&quot; 
 
He did not specify what action the government would take. 
 
Osorio said the protests affected thousands of families, forcing businesses in Oaxaca and neighbouring Chiapas to close and impeding shipments of medicine. 
 
A spokesperson for the CNTE union could not be immediately reached for comment. 
 
The protests have affected fuel distribution in parts of Oaxaca, but a Pemex official said operations at Salina Cruz, the company&#39;s largest refinery, had not been affected. 
 
(Reuters)

Eight died last month in clashes between police and the protesters. The growing unrest has prevented poor, remote villages from getting food

Mexico's air force flew tonnes of grain to the southern state of Oaxaca on Friday as protests by teachers opposed to education reform spread across the country and road blocks led to dwindling food supplies in some remote regions. Tension in the state intensified after eight people died last month in clashes between police and the protesting teachers, and unrest has flared throughout Mexico. Local media reported protests by factions of Mexico's the Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educaci?n (CNTE) teachers union on Friday in the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Michoacan, Chiapas, Nuevo Leon and in Mexico City. The union has blockaded 11 highways in Oaxaca, a hotbed of dissent for protesters opposing President Enrique Pena Nieto's education reform that allows the federal government to remove teachers who fail evaluation exams. The protests have prevented food trucks from reaching remote coastal villages in Oaxaca, where some of Mexico's poorest people live, the country's federal food distribution chief Juan Manuel Valle said. Valle said 108 tonnes of corn would be flown in on a Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft by the end of the weekend, with additional provisions on standby in case the situation deteriorated. Araceli Hern?ndez Ramirez, manager of a grocery store in Puente de Coyula, a small town of some 500 inhabitants close to the beach resort of Huatulco, and located about 146 miles (235 kilometres) from the state capital, said she had no rice, corn or flour. "There are no products," said Hernandez, waiting for a shipment from Diconsa to supply customers. "They go home empty-handed." Fifty tonnes of corn were also sent from the neighbouring state of Guerrero by truck, in addition to regular shipments of beans, and rice. On Friday, Mexico's secretary of the interior promised action against the blockades in Oaxaca, saying dialogue with teachers' unions could not continue without respect for citizens' rights. "Blockades and public damage must end," Miguel Osorio Chong said. "Therefore, soon, we will be taking necessary decisions to allow traffic on strategic routes and supplies for communities." He did not specify what action the government would take. Osorio said the protests affected thousands of families, forcing businesses in Oaxaca and neighbouring Chiapas to close and impeding shipments of medicine. A spokesperson for the CNTE union could not be immediately reached for comment. The protests have affected fuel distribution in parts of Oaxaca, but a Pemex official said operations at Salina Cruz, the company's largest refinery, had not been affected. (Reuters)

Mexico air lifts food into villages as teacher blockades spread

Dozens of protesters in Louisiana yesterday chanted slogans and held up signs demanding justice for a black man fatally shot in an altercation with two police officers hours earlier, video postings on social media showed. 
 
The shooting comes at a time of fierce national debate and heightened scrutiny over the use of excessive force by police, especially against black men, in major US cities, such as New York, Baltimore and Chicago. 
 
Posts on Twitter showed the demonstrators gathered outside the Triple S Food Mart convenience store in Baton Rouge, where, police said in a statement, the man, Alton Sterling, 37, was shot by officers soon after midnight. 
 
&quot;No justice, no peace,&quot; chanted the protesters, who held up signs and occasionally blocked traffic, in images transmitted by media outlets in Baton Rouge. 
 
Police officials were not immediately available to comment on the shooting or the protest. Reuters could not immediately trace relatives of Sterling, or a representative, to seek comment. 
 
The altercation was reported outside a convenience store&nbsp; 
 
At about 12:30 am on Tuesday, two police officers responded to a disturbance at the convenience store where they encountered Sterling, the Baton Rouge Police Department said. 
 
Sterling was shot in the ensuing altercation and died at the scene. The officers where placed on administrative leave, police said. 
 
Several news stations on Tuesday evening aired what they said was cell phone video of the incident. It showed an officer using a stun gun on a red-shirted black man in a store parking lot and ordering him to get on the ground. 
 
The two officers then tackled the man to the ground, and one pulled a gun from his holster to point it at the man&#39;s chest, the video showed. 
 
At least three gunshots then ring out on the video clip, followed by the sound of a woman screaming and crying and a man asking whether &quot;they shot him.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The shooting comes at a time of fierce national debate over use of excessive force by police, especially against black men

Dozens of protesters in Louisiana yesterday chanted slogans and held up signs demanding justice for a black man fatally shot in an altercation with two police officers hours earlier, video postings on social media showed. The shooting comes at a time of fierce national debate and heightened scrutiny over the use of excessive force by police, especially against black men, in major US cities, such as New York, Baltimore and Chicago. Posts on Twitter showed the demonstrators gathered outside the Triple S Food Mart convenience store in Baton Rouge, where, police said in a statement, the man, Alton Sterling, 37, was shot by officers soon after midnight. "No justice, no peace," chanted the protesters, who held up signs and occasionally blocked traffic, in images transmitted by media outlets in Baton Rouge. Police officials were not immediately available to comment on the shooting or the protest. Reuters could not immediately trace relatives of Sterling, or a representative, to seek comment. The altercation was reported outside a convenience store At about 12:30 am on Tuesday, two police officers responded to a disturbance at the convenience store where they encountered Sterling, the Baton Rouge Police Department said. Sterling was shot in the ensuing altercation and died at the scene. The officers where placed on administrative leave, police said. Several news stations on Tuesday evening aired what they said was cell phone video of the incident. It showed an officer using a stun gun on a red-shirted black man in a store parking lot and ordering him to get on the ground. The two officers then tackled the man to the ground, and one pulled a gun from his holster to point it at the man's chest, the video showed. At least three gunshots then ring out on the video clip, followed by the sound of a woman screaming and crying and a man asking whether "they shot him." (Reuters)

Protests erupt in Louisiana after black man gets fatally shot during altercation with police

The French socialist government was reportedly poised today to push through labour reforms without a vote as protesters gathered for their 12th show of opposition to the controversial package since March. 
 
&quot;The decision has been taken and the prime minister will announce it officially in parliament, likely at the start of the debate at 3:00 pm (1300 GMT),&quot; a political source told AFP. 
 
It would be the second time Prime Minister Manuel Valls will have used the so-called 49-3 provision for this package of reforms because he could not count on the support of the left flank of the Socialist Party in parliament when it first came up for a vote in May. 
 
The move prompted the opposition to call a vote of no-confidence, which the government survived by a comfortable margin. 
 
Today the head of the centre-right Republicans parliamentary group, Christian Jacob, said they would not call such a vote this time around. 
 
An opinion poll published last week found that 73 per cent of the French would be &quot;shocked&quot; if the government used the 49-3 provision for the final passage of the reforms, which are aimed at reining in unemployment by freeing up the job market. 
 
Union and student-backed demonstrations against the reforms which they see as too pro-business and threatening to cherished workers rights began in early March, with some protests descending into violence. 
 
The worst unrest was seen in Paris on June 14, just four days after the start of the Euro 2016 football championships in France, when around 40 people were hurt and dozens were arrested. 
 
President Francois Hollande, who faces a re-election bid next April, had hoped for a signature reform to reverse his dire approval ratings.But pressure from the street, as well as parliament`s back benches, caused the government to water down the proposals, which only angered bosses while failing to assuage critics. 
 
Unions say the main remaining sticking point is a measure giving precedence to agreements negotiated between companies and their staff over deals reached with unions across entire industrial sectors notably on working hours. 
 
Pierre Gattaz, the head of the employers` federation MEDEF, said last week that he was &quot;very disappointed&quot; with the bill in its watered-down form, calling it a &quot;monument of complexity, absolutely illegible&quot; for small and medium-sized businesses. 
 
&quot;No one on the ground understands anything anymore and it`s a law that will be of absolutely no use for employment,&quot; Gattaz said after meeting with Valls. 
 
Last week the right-dominated Senate approved a more business-friendly version of the legislation. 
 
The Senate bill, passed by a vote of 185 to 156, would scrap the 35-hour work week and restore a cap on the amount employers would have to pay out when they lose labour disputes.&nbsp; 
 
With the two chambers unlikely to agree a final version, the lower house has the final say, but now the government is expected to invoke clause 49-3 and force through its version. 
 
The embattled socialist government also had to force a package of economic reforms through parliament last year using the constitutional measure, to prevent the rebel left flank of the party from sinking it.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Labour bill, if passed in the Parliament, will give freedom to companies to set work conditions and tailor pay

The French socialist government was reportedly poised today to push through labour reforms without a vote as protesters gathered for their 12th show of opposition to the controversial package since March. "The decision has been taken and the prime minister will announce it officially in parliament, likely at the start of the debate at 3:00 pm (1300 GMT)," a political source told AFP. It would be the second time Prime Minister Manuel Valls will have used the so-called 49-3 provision for this package of reforms because he could not count on the support of the left flank of the Socialist Party in parliament when it first came up for a vote in May. The move prompted the opposition to call a vote of no-confidence, which the government survived by a comfortable margin. Today the head of the centre-right Republicans parliamentary group, Christian Jacob, said they would not call such a vote this time around. An opinion poll published last week found that 73 per cent of the French would be "shocked" if the government used the 49-3 provision for the final passage of the reforms, which are aimed at reining in unemployment by freeing up the job market. Union and student-backed demonstrations against the reforms which they see as too pro-business and threatening to cherished workers rights began in early March, with some protests descending into violence. The worst unrest was seen in Paris on June 14, just four days after the start of the Euro 2016 football championships in France, when around 40 people were hurt and dozens were arrested. President Francois Hollande, who faces a re-election bid next April, had hoped for a signature reform to reverse his dire approval ratings.But pressure from the street, as well as parliament`s back benches, caused the government to water down the proposals, which only angered bosses while failing to assuage critics. Unions say the main remaining sticking point is a measure giving precedence to agreements negotiated between companies and their staff over deals reached with unions across entire industrial sectors notably on working hours. Pierre Gattaz, the head of the employers` federation MEDEF, said last week that he was "very disappointed" with the bill in its watered-down form, calling it a "monument of complexity, absolutely illegible" for small and medium-sized businesses. "No one on the ground understands anything anymore and it`s a law that will be of absolutely no use for employment," Gattaz said after meeting with Valls. Last week the right-dominated Senate approved a more business-friendly version of the legislation. The Senate bill, passed by a vote of 185 to 156, would scrap the 35-hour work week and restore a cap on the amount employers would have to pay out when they lose labour disputes. With the two chambers unlikely to agree a final version, the lower house has the final say, but now the government is expected to invoke clause 49-3 and force through its version. The embattled socialist government also had to force a package of economic reforms through parliament last year using the constitutional measure, to prevent the rebel left flank of the party from sinking it. (AFP)

French labour law poised for passage amid protest

Brazilian police protesting unpaid salaries and officers&#39; deaths shocked travellers arriving at Rio de Janeiro&#39;s main airport on Monday with banners reading &#39;Welcome to Hell&#39; a month before the Olympics. 
 
The protest by workers of more than 100 emergency services, including firefighters, took place in the arrival hall at Galeao International Airport, which will be a key entry point for the expected half-million tourists to the Games starting August 5. 
 
Officers held up a banner reading: &quot;Welcome to hell. Police and firefighters don&#39;t get paid, whoever comes to Rio de Janeiro will not be safe.&quot; 
 
Mannequins dressed in uniform were laid out on the floor to represent the more than 50 officers killed in Rio de Janeiro so far this year. A female officer with fake blood smeared on her face and hands clutched a mannequin dressed in a T-shirt reading &quot;SOS policia.&quot; 
 
&quot;We are here to show citizens and tourists from abroad the realities of Brazil,&quot; said veteran police officer Alexander Neto, 56. &quot;They&#39;ve been conned and we too have been conned. You have to understand there is no public security.&quot; 
 
Rio police began staging street protests, including another at the airport, last week, saying that they have not been fully paid for months as Rio state hovers on the edge of bankruptcy. 
 
An emergency federal bailout received last week started to be doled out on Monday, local news reports said, with the government beginning to meet delayed commitments to emergency services workers, teachers, hospital staff and prison administrators. 
 
Rio is set to become the first South American city in history to host the Olympics. However, there are growing fears about the ability of police to control crime during the event. 
 
Murders in the first quarter of 2016 are up 15 per cent on the same period last year. 
 
Non-lethal crimes such as street robberies are also on the rise, highlighted by the hijacking on Friday of a truck carrying some $445,000 worth of television equipment to be used for Olympics news coverage. 
 
David Cervantes, a Colombian tourist who came across the airport protest on arrival in Rio, said he was shocked. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s not the best welcome we could get from Rio de Janeiro, which has the reputation of being such a wonderful city,&quot; he said. &quot;I&#39;m not quite sure what to think.&quot; 
 
Rio mayor Eduardo Paes admits that crime has become a serious issue on the eve of the Olympics but blames the security problems on the state, not city, government. 
 
&quot;This is the most serious issue in Rio and the state is doing a terrible, horrible job,&quot; he told CNN. 
 
In addition to violence and the effects of a bruising recession, preparations for the Rio Olympics have been plagued by Brazil&#39;s political instability and a series of corruption scandals. 
 
Huge construction companies building stadiums and other Olympic infrastructure have been implicated in a multi-billion dollar embezzlement scheme centered on state oil company Petrobras. 
 
Now police are investigating the suspected embezzlement of subsidies for Brazilian athletes, a television channel reported. 
 
The probe centers on deals signed by sports confederations and SB Marketing e Promocoes, a promotional company, the channel said in a report aired on late Sunday. 
 
The marketing firm was hired by the sports ministry to channel subsidies to fund athletes&#39; training, worth around nine million dollars, it said.&nbsp; 
 
SB Marketing declined to comment on the report. 
 
(AFP)

Close to bankruptcy, state hasn't been able to pay salaries of cops, firefighters casting a shadow over security during the Games

Brazilian police protesting unpaid salaries and officers' deaths shocked travellers arriving at Rio de Janeiro's main airport on Monday with banners reading 'Welcome to Hell' a month before the Olympics. The protest by workers of more than 100 emergency services, including firefighters, took place in the arrival hall at Galeao International Airport, which will be a key entry point for the expected half-million tourists to the Games starting August 5. Officers held up a banner reading: "Welcome to hell. Police and firefighters don't get paid, whoever comes to Rio de Janeiro will not be safe." Mannequins dressed in uniform were laid out on the floor to represent the more than 50 officers killed in Rio de Janeiro so far this year. A female officer with fake blood smeared on her face and hands clutched a mannequin dressed in a T-shirt reading "SOS policia." "We are here to show citizens and tourists from abroad the realities of Brazil," said veteran police officer Alexander Neto, 56. "They've been conned and we too have been conned. You have to understand there is no public security." Rio police began staging street protests, including another at the airport, last week, saying that they have not been fully paid for months as Rio state hovers on the edge of bankruptcy. An emergency federal bailout received last week started to be doled out on Monday, local news reports said, with the government beginning to meet delayed commitments to emergency services workers, teachers, hospital staff and prison administrators. Rio is set to become the first South American city in history to host the Olympics. However, there are growing fears about the ability of police to control crime during the event. Murders in the first quarter of 2016 are up 15 per cent on the same period last year. Non-lethal crimes such as street robberies are also on the rise, highlighted by the hijacking on Friday of a truck carrying some $445,000 worth of television equipment to be used for Olympics news coverage. David Cervantes, a Colombian tourist who came across the airport protest on arrival in Rio, said he was shocked. "It's not the best welcome we could get from Rio de Janeiro, which has the reputation of being such a wonderful city," he said. "I'm not quite sure what to think." Rio mayor Eduardo Paes admits that crime has become a serious issue on the eve of the Olympics but blames the security problems on the state, not city, government. "This is the most serious issue in Rio and the state is doing a terrible, horrible job," he told CNN. In addition to violence and the effects of a bruising recession, preparations for the Rio Olympics have been plagued by Brazil's political instability and a series of corruption scandals. Huge construction companies building stadiums and other Olympic infrastructure have been implicated in a multi-billion dollar embezzlement scheme centered on state oil company Petrobras. Now police are investigating the suspected embezzlement of subsidies for Brazilian athletes, a television channel reported. The probe centers on deals signed by sports confederations and SB Marketing e Promocoes, a promotional company, the channel said in a report aired on late Sunday. The marketing firm was hired by the sports ministry to channel subsidies to fund athletes' training, worth around nine million dollars, it said. SB Marketing declined to comment on the report. (AFP)

'Welcome to Hell', protesting Rio police tell tourists

Pablo Cuevas and playing partner Marcel Granollers held a sit-down protest at Wimbledon after they received warnings for threatening to urinate in a can and blasting a ball out of the court when the Uruguayan was refused a toilet break. 
 
The 15th-seeded pair were knocked out of the men&#39;s doubles tournament on Monday when they lost a controversial third round clash 6-3 4-6 6-4 3-6 14-12 to Jonny Marray and Adil Shamasdin. 
 
Britain&#39;s Marray sympathised with his opponents, feeling the situation could have been handled better by umpire Aurelie Tourte, while calling for toilet breaks to be added if matches went into a fifth set. 
 
&quot;You have to take bad calls on the chin at some point. I went to the bathroom twice during the match and obviously the fifth set was a long one,&quot; Marray told British media. 
 
&quot;I think you should be allowed an extra toilet break if it&#39;s five sets. You have to respect the officials regardless of whatever happened in the match. You can have a word or two but they&#39;re trying to do a job and you have to respect that.&quot; 
 
Shamasdin believed that Tourte had crumbled under pressure after making several early errors in the match. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think the chair umpire really had the match controlled. She made a few mistakes early on at both ends. We were all on her and she was definitely flustered,&quot; the 34-year-old Canadian said. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think she handled it correctly.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Left with little choice after the refusal, they had threatened to urinate in a can

Pablo Cuevas and playing partner Marcel Granollers held a sit-down protest at Wimbledon after they received warnings for threatening to urinate in a can and blasting a ball out of the court when the Uruguayan was refused a toilet break. The 15th-seeded pair were knocked out of the men's doubles tournament on Monday when they lost a controversial third round clash 6-3 4-6 6-4 3-6 14-12 to Jonny Marray and Adil Shamasdin. Britain's Marray sympathised with his opponents, feeling the situation could have been handled better by umpire Aurelie Tourte, while calling for toilet breaks to be added if matches went into a fifth set. "You have to take bad calls on the chin at some point. I went to the bathroom twice during the match and obviously the fifth set was a long one," Marray told British media. "I think you should be allowed an extra toilet break if it's five sets. You have to respect the officials regardless of whatever happened in the match. You can have a word or two but they're trying to do a job and you have to respect that." Shamasdin believed that Tourte had crumbled under pressure after making several early errors in the match. "I don't think the chair umpire really had the match controlled. She made a few mistakes early on at both ends. We were all on her and she was definitely flustered," the 34-year-old Canadian said. "I don't think she handled it correctly." (Reuters)

Refused toilet break, Cuevas and Granollers hold sit-down protest at Wimbledon

An Angolan court today ordered the conditional release of 17 young activists, including a well-known rapper, three months after they were jailed for rebellion against President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. 
 
Most of group were arrested during a book club meeting in June last year where one of the books on the line-up was about non-violent resistance to repressive regimes. 
 
The activists maintained throughout their trial they were peaceful campaigners for the departure of dos Santos, who has been in power since September, 1979 and rules the oil-rich country with an iron fist. 
 
&quot;Release warrants under house arrest were issued on behalf of 17 applicants to be executed from the present day,&quot; the Supreme Court in Luanda said in a statement. 
 
The ruling overturns sentences ranging from two to eight years in prison, which were handed down at the end of a lengthy trial in March amid complaints about political repression. 
 
One of the accused, rapper Luaty Beirao, went on hunger strike for over a month last year to protest against his detention. 
 
Defence lawyer Francisco Miguel Michel said today that he was &quot;very happy&quot;. 
 
&quot;Any court concerned with the application of justice would have ruled the same,&quot; he said, insisting his clients &quot;committed no crime&quot;. 
Human Rights Watch researcher Zenaida Machado told AFP the ruling was &quot;long overdue&quot;. 
 
&quot;The order should have been given immediately after the verdict in March... I am satisfied that the Supreme Court is upholding the law of the country,&quot; she said. 
 
(AFP)

The activists were jailed for rebellion against President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who has been in power since 1979

An Angolan court today ordered the conditional release of 17 young activists, including a well-known rapper, three months after they were jailed for rebellion against President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. Most of group were arrested during a book club meeting in June last year where one of the books on the line-up was about non-violent resistance to repressive regimes. The activists maintained throughout their trial they were peaceful campaigners for the departure of dos Santos, who has been in power since September, 1979 and rules the oil-rich country with an iron fist. "Release warrants under house arrest were issued on behalf of 17 applicants to be executed from the present day," the Supreme Court in Luanda said in a statement. The ruling overturns sentences ranging from two to eight years in prison, which were handed down at the end of a lengthy trial in March amid complaints about political repression. One of the accused, rapper Luaty Beirao, went on hunger strike for over a month last year to protest against his detention. Defence lawyer Francisco Miguel Michel said today that he was "very happy". "Any court concerned with the application of justice would have ruled the same," he said, insisting his clients "committed no crime". Human Rights Watch researcher Zenaida Machado told AFP the ruling was "long overdue". "The order should have been given immediately after the verdict in March... I am satisfied that the Supreme Court is upholding the law of the country," she said. (AFP)

Angolan court frees 17 jailed activists

Democrats demanding action on gun control turned to Twitter&#39;s Periscope and Facebook&#39;s live video platform to broadcast their &quot;sit-in&quot; on the floor of the US House of Representatives on Wednesday after the chamber&#39;s cameras shut down. 
 
Representative Scott Peters of California told Reuters he downloaded the online video platform Periscope from the House floor after it became clear that chamber cameras were not operating. 
 
The protest was the latest move by Democrats to persuade the Republican majority in Congress to take up votes on gun control measures in response to last week&#39;s mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, the deadliest in modern US history. 
 
In video streamed on Facebook Live by Congressman Beto O&#39;Rourke, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi can be seen speaking into a microphone that was turned off. She could be heard asking the House Speaker to turn the microphones back on. 
 
At about noon EDT (1600 GMT), presiding House officer and Republican Representative Ted Poe declared the House not in order, as Democratic protesters sat at the front of the chamber. 
 
Cable news channel C-SPAN, which typically uses the House cameras to broadcast live footage of Congress, broadcast Peters&#39; Periscope feed instead. 
 
The hashtag #NoBillNoBreak became a rallying cry for gun control supporters on Twitter and quickly became the top-trending hashtag in the United States on the social media platform. 
 
Politicians and average social media users alike used the hashtag as a sign of solidarity with the sit-in.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

After Orlando shooting, Republicans face more pressure to stop voting against gun control measures

Democrats demanding action on gun control turned to Twitter's Periscope and Facebook's live video platform to broadcast their "sit-in" on the floor of the US House of Representatives on Wednesday after the chamber's cameras shut down. Representative Scott Peters of California told Reuters he downloaded the online video platform Periscope from the House floor after it became clear that chamber cameras were not operating. The protest was the latest move by Democrats to persuade the Republican majority in Congress to take up votes on gun control measures in response to last week's mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, the deadliest in modern US history. In video streamed on Facebook Live by Congressman Beto O'Rourke, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi can be seen speaking into a microphone that was turned off. She could be heard asking the House Speaker to turn the microphones back on. At about noon EDT (1600 GMT), presiding House officer and Republican Representative Ted Poe declared the House not in order, as Democratic protesters sat at the front of the chamber. Cable news channel C-SPAN, which typically uses the House cameras to broadcast live footage of Congress, broadcast Peters' Periscope feed instead. The hashtag #NoBillNoBreak became a rallying cry for gun control supporters on Twitter and quickly became the top-trending hashtag in the United States on the social media platform. Politicians and average social media users alike used the hashtag as a sign of solidarity with the sit-in. (Reuters)

Democrats broadcast House sit-in on social media to protest gun control impasse

Dozens of Turkish demonstrators gathered in Istanbul to protest the arrests of two journalists and an academic on charges of disseminating &quot;terrorist propaganda&quot;. A fourth journalist was released after a brief detention. 
 
Yesterday, protesters chanted &quot;a free press cannot be silenced&quot; and &quot;arrests, oppression cannot intimidate us&quot;. Others held up a banner that read: &quot;Thinking cannot be jailed&quot;. 
 
The demonstration comes a day after a Turkish court ordered the pre-trial arrest of Reporters Without Borders&#39; Turkey representative Erol Onderoglu, journalist Ahmet Nesin and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci. 
 
The three had participated in a solidarity campaign in support of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish publication subject to multiple investigations and lawsuits. 
 
Press freedom advocates warn that freedom of expression has dramatically declined in Turkey. More than a dozen journalists are in prison, although the government insists they have been jailed for criminal activity, not journalistic work. 
 
The state-run Anadolu Agency said Onderoglu, Nesin and Fincanci had acted as chief editors for a day for the pro-Kurdish publication and issues they edited in May and June included alleged terrorist propaganda. The news agency also said the court ordered the suspects&#39; arrest on &quot;strong criminal suspicion&quot;. 
 
Reporters Without Borders condemned their arrests as &quot;an unbelievable low for press freedom in Turkey&quot;. Human Rights Watch slammed the &quot;spurious allegations&quot; that led to the detention of three out of 44 participants in the solidarity campaign and urged their immediate release. 
 
HRW Europe and Central Asia Director, Hugh Williamson, said the arrests showed that &quot;Turkish authorities have no hesitation about targeting well-known rights defenders and journalists who have played a key role in documenting the sharp deterioration in human rights in the country&quot;. 
 
In a separate development, a New York-based journalist who covers the United Nations for the Turkish Hurriyet daily was released Tuesday morning. Razi Canikligil was detained for almost a full day after flying into Istanbul airport with his family. 
 
&quot;They arrested me in front of my three boys,&quot; Canikligil told the AP. &quot;They were very afraid.&quot; 
 
The journalist said an arrest warrant had been issued against him over a 2014 Twitter post on a troll account, which was mistakenly attributed to him and deemed to be offensive to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 
 
No charges were pressed against Canikligil, and his passport was returned to him after a night in detention at Istanbul Ataturk Airport. 
 
&quot;Everyone was suggesting that this was government pressure to shut me down,&quot; added the journalist. &quot;We didn&#39;t know what the issue 
was.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Reporters Without Borders calls the arrests 'an unbelievable low for press freedom in Turkey', which has imprisoned over a dozen journalists

Dozens of Turkish demonstrators gathered in Istanbul to protest the arrests of two journalists and an academic on charges of disseminating "terrorist propaganda". A fourth journalist was released after a brief detention. Yesterday, protesters chanted "a free press cannot be silenced" and "arrests, oppression cannot intimidate us". Others held up a banner that read: "Thinking cannot be jailed". The demonstration comes a day after a Turkish court ordered the pre-trial arrest of Reporters Without Borders' Turkey representative Erol Onderoglu, journalist Ahmet Nesin and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci. The three had participated in a solidarity campaign in support of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish publication subject to multiple investigations and lawsuits. Press freedom advocates warn that freedom of expression has dramatically declined in Turkey. More than a dozen journalists are in prison, although the government insists they have been jailed for criminal activity, not journalistic work. The state-run Anadolu Agency said Onderoglu, Nesin and Fincanci had acted as chief editors for a day for the pro-Kurdish publication and issues they edited in May and June included alleged terrorist propaganda. The news agency also said the court ordered the suspects' arrest on "strong criminal suspicion". Reporters Without Borders condemned their arrests as "an unbelievable low for press freedom in Turkey". Human Rights Watch slammed the "spurious allegations" that led to the detention of three out of 44 participants in the solidarity campaign and urged their immediate release. HRW Europe and Central Asia Director, Hugh Williamson, said the arrests showed that "Turkish authorities have no hesitation about targeting well-known rights defenders and journalists who have played a key role in documenting the sharp deterioration in human rights in the country". In a separate development, a New York-based journalist who covers the United Nations for the Turkish Hurriyet daily was released Tuesday morning. Razi Canikligil was detained for almost a full day after flying into Istanbul airport with his family. "They arrested me in front of my three boys," Canikligil told the AP. "They were very afraid." The journalist said an arrest warrant had been issued against him over a 2014 Twitter post on a troll account, which was mistakenly attributed to him and deemed to be offensive to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. No charges were pressed against Canikligil, and his passport was returned to him after a night in detention at Istanbul Ataturk Airport. "Everyone was suggesting that this was government pressure to shut me down," added the journalist. "We didn't know what the issue was." (AFP)

Turkish demonstrators protest arrest of 2 journalists and 1 academic for 'terrorist propaganda'

The band Maroon 5 is cancelling concerts planned in North Carolina, the latest musical act to take a stand against a state law on bathroom use that has been criticized as discriminatory against transgender people.

&quot;This was a difficult decision for us to make as a band,&quot; the American pop rock group said on its website on Friday.

&quot;We don&rsquo;t want to penalize our fans in North Carolina by not performing for them, but in the end it comes down to what we feel is morally right AS WE FEEL EVERYONE SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY.&quot;

With a law passed in March, North Carolina became the first state in the country to require transgender people to use multiple-occupancy public restrooms and changing facilities that correspond with the gender on their birth certificate rather than their gender identity.

The law, approved by the Republican-led legislature in a one-day special session, also blocks local governments from passing anti-discrimination ordinances that include protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

It has sparked lawsuits by both supporters and opponents of the law, and a mounting backlash from corporations, conventions, tourists and entertainers. Last week, the U.S. Justice Department asked a federal district court to declare that the state is violating the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

On Tuesday, renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman also backed out of a scheduled performance in North Carolina in protest of the law. Other performers who have canceled shows in the state include Bruce Springsteen, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Boston, Pearl Jam, Ringo Starr and the group Cirque du Soleil.

The upcoming shows by Maroon 5, known for hits such as &ldquo;Moves Like Jagger,&rdquo; were to be held in Raleigh and Charlotte. The band&#39;s decision drew praise and criticism from fans posting comments on its website.

&quot;You shouldn&#39;t punish your fans who have no control over the politics!&quot; one post said.

Republican Governor Pat McCrory&#39;s campaign spokesman Ricky Diaz questioned the timing of the band&#39;s &quot;political statement.&quot; McCrory is up for re-election in November.

&quot;At this point, the only people they are hurting by hypocritically targeting North Carolina for selective outrage are their fans and the hardworking men and women servicing these shows while they keep tour dates overseas &ndash; even in Russia,&quot; Diaz said in a statement.

The band Maroon 5 is cancelling concerts planned in North Carolina, the latest musical act to take a stand against a state law on bathroom use that has been criticized as discriminatory against transgender people.

The band Maroon 5 is cancelling concerts planned in North Carolina, the latest musical act to take a stand against a state law on bathroom use that has been criticized as discriminatory against transgender people. "This was a difficult decision for us to make as a band," the American pop rock group said on its website on Friday. "We don’t want to penalize our fans in North Carolina by not performing for them, but in the end it comes down to what we feel is morally right AS WE FEEL EVERYONE SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY." With a law passed in March, North Carolina became the first state in the country to require transgender people to use multiple-occupancy public restrooms and changing facilities that correspond with the gender on their birth certificate rather than their gender identity. The law, approved by the Republican-led legislature in a one-day special session, also blocks local governments from passing anti-discrimination ordinances that include protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation. It has sparked lawsuits by both supporters and opponents of the law, and a mounting backlash from corporations, conventions, tourists and entertainers. Last week, the U.S. Justice Department asked a federal district court to declare that the state is violating the 1964 Civil Rights Act. On Tuesday, renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman also backed out of a scheduled performance in North Carolina in protest of the law. Other performers who have canceled shows in the state include Bruce Springsteen, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Boston, Pearl Jam, Ringo Starr and the group Cirque du Soleil. The upcoming shows by Maroon 5, known for hits such as “Moves Like Jagger,” were to be held in Raleigh and Charlotte. The band's decision drew praise and criticism from fans posting comments on its website. "You shouldn't punish your fans who have no control over the politics!" one post said. Republican Governor Pat McCrory's campaign spokesman Ricky Diaz questioned the timing of the band's "political statement." McCrory is up for re-election in November. "At this point, the only people they are hurting by hypocritically targeting North Carolina for selective outrage are their fans and the hardworking men and women servicing these shows while they keep tour dates overseas – even in Russia," Diaz said in a statement.

Maroon 5 cancels shows in North Carolina in protest against transgender bathroom law

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