<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/passenger-plane-crashes-in-cuba-killing-more-than-100-people-138046">Passenger plane crashes in Cuba, killing more than 100 people</a>

More than 100 people were killed in a fiery crash of a Boeing 737 passenger plane in Cuba on Friday, with just three seriously injured survivors in hospital after being pulled from the wreckage, officials and state media said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ten-dead-in-texas-school-shooting-student-arrested-138048">Ten dead in Texas school shooting, student arrested</a>

Ten people, mostly students, were killed in a deadly attack when a 17-year-old fellow student opened fire at his Texas High school on Friday.&nbsp

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jds-congress-mlas-head-back-to-bengaluru-for-floor-test-today-138058">JD(S), Congress MLAs arrive in Bengaluru for floor test today</a>

Newly-elected JD(S) and Congress lawmakers from Karnataka, who had been camping in two hotels in Hyderabad to avoid any poaching bids, arrived in Bengaluru today&nbspfor the crucial floor test in the state assembly.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ahead-of-floor-test-in-karnataka-section-144-imposed-in-mangalore--138055">Ahead of floor test in Karnataka, section 144 imposed in Mangalore</a>

To avoid any kind of mishap in Karnataka ahead of the floor test, the&nbspadministration has imposed Section 144 in the state's Mangalore city.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/pm-modi-to-inaugurate-india's-longest-road-tunnel-in-j&k-today-138056#photo-138050">PM Modi to inaugurate India's longest road tunnel in J&K today</a>

Zojila tunnel will India's longest road tunnel and Asia's longest bi-directional tunnel. The 14.2 km tunnel is estimated to cost over 6,000 crores and will cut travel time between Srinagar to Leh

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jammu-and-kashmir-pm-modi-to-inaugurate-kishanganga-hydroelectricity-plant-that-was-once-halted-by-pakistan-138063">J&K: PM Modi to inaugurate Kishanganga Hydroelectricity plant that was once halted by Pakistan</a>

PM Modi will inaugurate&nbspKishanganga Hydroelectric Plant, the Megawatt hydroelectricity project&nbspin Jammu and Kashmir today.&nbsp

Passenger plane crashes in Cuba, killing more than 100 people More than 100 people were killed in a fiery crash of a Boeing 737 passenger plane in Cuba on Friday, with just three seriously injured survivors in hospital after being pulled from the wreckage, officials and state media said. Ten dead in Texas school shooting, student arrested Ten people, mostly students, were killed in a deadly attack when a 17-year-old fellow student opened fire at his Texas High school on Friday. JD(S), Congress MLAs arrive in Bengaluru for floor test today Newly-elected JD(S) and Congress lawmakers from Karnataka, who had been camping in two hotels in Hyderabad to avoid any poaching bids, arrived in Bengaluru today&nbspfor the crucial floor test in the state assembly. Ahead of floor test in Karnataka, section 144 imposed in Mangalore To avoid any kind of mishap in Karnataka ahead of the floor test, the&nbspadministration has imposed Section 144 in the state's Mangalore city. PM Modi to inaugurate India's longest road tunnel in J&K today Zojila tunnel will India's longest road tunnel and Asia's longest bi-directional tunnel. The 14.2 km tunnel is estimated to cost over 6,000 crores and will cut travel time between Srinagar to Leh J&K: PM Modi to inaugurate Kishanganga Hydroelectricity plant that was once halted by Pakistan PM Modi will inaugurate&nbspKishanganga Hydroelectric Plant, the Megawatt hydroelectricity project&nbspin Jammu and Kashmir today.

News brief: Big stories of the day

A 17-year-old boy in Plano, Texas, has been arrested for allegedly plotting a mass shooting attack inspired by the Islamic State at a shopping mall, law enforcement agencies said on Wednesday.

The FBI and police said high school student Matin Azizi-Yarand had planned the attack for mid-May and had sought to recruit others for the shooting. Authorities also said he had drafted a "Message to America" justifying his planned attack.

The FBI and local authorities in Collin County, Texas, said that at the time of his arrest, Azizi-Yarand had sent "more than $1400 to others" to buy weapons and tactical gear.

In an affidavit, investigators said Azizi-Yarand began communicating online with an FBI "confidential human source" last December about his desire to travel abroad or to conduct an attack in the United States.

He compared himself to other recent "lone wolf" attackers, investigators said. "Look at all the other lone wolves// What training did they have yet they simply killed the kuffar? (Arabic for 'disbelievers')," Azizi-Yarand told the FBI source, according to the affidavit.

Prosecutors say Azizi-Yarand told the FBI source: "The brothers in Europe the brother in spain the brother in New York? Had no military training//it's not about numbers it's about getting a message across to these taghut countries," using an Islamic term denoting a focus of worship other than Allah.

Later in the discussion, investigators say, Azizi-Yarand told the FBI source he wanted "to put America in the state that Europe is in which is having to have soldiers deployed in streets" and also do "something that will cost them a lot financially too."

While the FBI and a Joint Terrorism Task force conducted the investigation leading to Azizi-Yarand's arrest, so far he has only being charged under Texas state law. Authorities said if he is convicted, he would face up to life in prison for soliciting others to participate in his planned attack, and up to 10 years in prison for making a terroristic threat.

He is currently in custody and bond has been set at $3 million.

The FBI and local police said high school student Matin Azizi-Yarand had planned the attack for mid-May and had sought to recruit others to participate in the shooting

A 17-year-old boy in Plano, Texas, has been arrested for allegedly plotting a mass shooting attack inspired by the Islamic State at a shopping mall, law enforcement agencies said on Wednesday. The FBI and police said high school student Matin Azizi-Yarand had planned the attack for mid-May and had sought to recruit others for the shooting. Authorities also said he had drafted a "Message to America" justifying his planned attack. The FBI and local authorities in Collin County, Texas, said that at the time of his arrest, Azizi-Yarand had sent "more than $1400 to others" to buy weapons and tactical gear. In an affidavit, investigators said Azizi-Yarand began communicating online with an FBI "confidential human source" last December about his desire to travel abroad or to conduct an attack in the United States. He compared himself to other recent "lone wolf" attackers, investigators said. "Look at all the other lone wolves// What training did they have yet they simply killed the kuffar? (Arabic for 'disbelievers')," Azizi-Yarand told the FBI source, according to the affidavit. Prosecutors say Azizi-Yarand told the FBI source: "The brothers in Europe the brother in spain the brother in New York? Had no military training//it's not about numbers it's about getting a message across to these taghut countries," using an Islamic term denoting a focus of worship other than Allah. Later in the discussion, investigators say, Azizi-Yarand told the FBI source he wanted "to put America in the state that Europe is in which is having to have soldiers deployed in streets" and also do "something that will cost them a lot financially too." While the FBI and a Joint Terrorism Task force conducted the investigation leading to Azizi-Yarand's arrest, so far he has only being charged under Texas state law. Authorities said if he is convicted, he would face up to life in prison for soliciting others to participate in his planned attack, and up to 10 years in prison for making a terroristic threat. He is currently in custody and bond has been set at $3 million.

Texas teen arrested for allegedly plotting IS-inspired mass shooting at mall: US authorities

A powerful spring storm pummeled the US Midwest and Plains on Saturday with blizzard conditions and high winds, while tornadoes and thunderstorms menaced some of the South.

Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota were under warnings for blizzard-like conditions. The city of St&nbspPaul, Minnesota, declared a snow emergency.

Forecasters were expecting more than a foot (30 cm) of snow in parts of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Wind gusts around Duluth, Minnesota, had exceeded 50 miles (80 km) per hour, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

"Mother nature continues to troll us," the agency's office serving the Minneapolis/St. Paul region said on Twitter, posting a video of snow falling at a rate of 1 to 2 inches (2 to 5 cm) per hour.

As the storm pushed south into Saturday evening, authorities warned that severe thunderstorms could bring gusting winds, flooding and hail. Severe weather warnings extended from Texas to central Alabama, which was under a tornado watch.

At least one tornado packing winds up to 90 miles (145 km) per hour was reported near Jackson, Mississippi, the NWS said.

Freezing rain and ice storms were expected to move into northern New England through Monday.

National weather forecasters also cautioned that high winds were producing critical fire conditions in the Southern Plains. 
&nbsp 
On Friday, the system produced 17 reports of tornadoes in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas, the weather service said. Four people were injured and 160 buildings damaged in a possible tornado in northwest Arkansas, local media reported.

An overnight storm killed a 1-year-old girl when a tree fell on a recreational vehicle where she was sleeping, the sheriff's office in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, said. State Governor John Bel Edwards said in a statement that emergency responders had been activated in anticipation of severe weather.

Some 750 flights in and out of airports in Minnesota and Toronto were canceled, the website flightaware.com reported.

The airport in Rochester, Minnesota, said on Twitter it had canceled all flights until Sunday morning "due to the extreme weather conditions." Rapidly falling snow also prompted Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to suspend flight operations into Saturday evening.

About 29,000 customers in Texas and Louisiana were without power on Saturday afternoon, along with an additional 50,000 in Michigan and Wisconsin, the website Poweroutage.us reported.

A powerful spring storm pummeled the US Midwest and Plains on Saturday with blizzard conditions and high winds, while tornadoes and thunderstorms menaced some of the South

A powerful spring storm pummeled the US Midwest and Plains on Saturday with blizzard conditions and high winds, while tornadoes and thunderstorms menaced some of the South. Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota were under warnings for blizzard-like conditions. The city of St&nbspPaul, Minnesota, declared a snow emergency. Forecasters were expecting more than a foot (30 cm) of snow in parts of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Wind gusts around Duluth, Minnesota, had exceeded 50 miles (80 km) per hour, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. "Mother nature continues to troll us," the agency's office serving the Minneapolis/St. Paul region said on Twitter, posting a video of snow falling at a rate of 1 to 2 inches (2 to 5 cm) per hour. As the storm pushed south into Saturday evening, authorities warned that severe thunderstorms could bring gusting winds, flooding and hail. Severe weather warnings extended from Texas to central Alabama, which was under a tornado watch. At least one tornado packing winds up to 90 miles (145 km) per hour was reported near Jackson, Mississippi, the NWS said. Freezing rain and ice storms were expected to move into northern New England through Monday. National weather forecasters also cautioned that high winds were producing critical fire conditions in the Southern Plains. On Friday, the system produced 17 reports of tornadoes in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas, the weather service said. Four people were injured and 160 buildings damaged in a possible tornado in northwest Arkansas, local media reported. An overnight storm killed a 1-year-old girl when a tree fell on a recreational vehicle where she was sleeping, the sheriff's office in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, said. State Governor John Bel Edwards said in a statement that emergency responders had been activated in anticipation of severe weather. Some 750 flights in and out of airports in Minnesota and Toronto were canceled, the website flightaware.com reported. The airport in Rochester, Minnesota, said on Twitter it had canceled all flights until Sunday morning "due to the extreme weather conditions." Rapidly falling snow also prompted Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to suspend flight operations into Saturday evening. About 29,000 customers in Texas and Louisiana were without power on Saturday afternoon, along with an additional 50,000 in Michigan and Wisconsin, the website Poweroutage.us reported.

'Snow Emergency' As Powerful Spring Storm Pounds Parts Of United States

The US states of Texas and Arizona on Friday announced plans to send National Guard troops to the southern border with Mexico after President Donald Trump ordered a thousands-strong deployment to combat drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

The Texas National Guard said it would send 250 troops to the border within 72 hours and had already deployed two Lakota helicopters, while Arizona's governor said he would send 150 personnel next week.

"The Texas national guard is preparing to immediately deploy with supporting aircraft, vehicles and equipment to the Texas-Mexico border," Brigadier General Tracy Norris, the commanding general of the Texas National Guard, told reporters at a briefing.

"This deployment has begun with the movement of equipment and troops today. Within 72 hours the Texas military department will have 250 personnel along with ground surveillance vehicles as well as light and medium aviation platforms," she added.

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey announced his plans in a tweet.

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis signed an order for "up to 4,000 National Guard personnel to support DHS's southern border security mission while under the command and control of their respective governors through September 30, 2018," according to a Department of Defense memo.

The memo set out that troops would not carry out law enforcement activities without the defense secretary's approval and would be armed only in "circumstances that might require self-defense."

Mattis and homeland security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said the decision came after their departments "identified security vulnerabilities that could be addressed by the National Guard."&nbsp

"Together, the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense are committed to using every lever of power to support the men and women of law enforcement defending our nation's sovereignty and protecting the American people," they said in a joint statement.

"We will continue to work with the governors to deploy the necessary resources until our nation's borders are secure."

Trump had said on Thursday that the final deployment would range from 2,000 to 4,000 troops, and he would "probably" keep many personnel on the border until his promised border wall is built -- spelling out a lengthy mission.

The move has heightened tensions with Mexico, whose President Enrique Pena Nieto said Trump's "threatening or disrespectful attitudes" were unjustified.

It has also raised questions about who will fund the mission.

The Pentagon could not say where the money would come from and Trump admitted the White House was still "looking at" costs.

If 4,000 troops were deployed, that would be about double the current US military presence in Syria and about half as many as the number of US troops in Iraq.

The National Guard has previously been deployed to help patrol the southern border, including in 2010 under former president Barack Obama, and from 2006-2008 under George W. Bush. Both deployments were limited to around a year.

The Texas National Guard said it would send 250 troops to the border within 72 hours and had already deployed two Lakota helicopters, while Arizona's governor said he would send 150 personnel next week

The US states of Texas and Arizona on Friday announced plans to send National Guard troops to the southern border with Mexico after President Donald Trump ordered a thousands-strong deployment to combat drug trafficking and illegal immigration. The Texas National Guard said it would send 250 troops to the border within 72 hours and had already deployed two Lakota helicopters, while Arizona's governor said he would send 150 personnel next week. "The Texas national guard is preparing to immediately deploy with supporting aircraft, vehicles and equipment to the Texas-Mexico border," Brigadier General Tracy Norris, the commanding general of the Texas National Guard, told reporters at a briefing. "This deployment has begun with the movement of equipment and troops today. Within 72 hours the Texas military department will have 250 personnel along with ground surveillance vehicles as well as light and medium aviation platforms," she added. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey announced his plans in a tweet. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis signed an order for "up to 4,000 National Guard personnel to support DHS's southern border security mission while under the command and control of their respective governors through September 30, 2018," according to a Department of Defense memo. The memo set out that troops would not carry out law enforcement activities without the defense secretary's approval and would be armed only in "circumstances that might require self-defense." Mattis and homeland security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said the decision came after their departments "identified security vulnerabilities that could be addressed by the National Guard." "Together, the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense are committed to using every lever of power to support the men and women of law enforcement defending our nation's sovereignty and protecting the American people," they said in a joint statement. "We will continue to work with the governors to deploy the necessary resources until our nation's borders are secure." Trump had said on Thursday that the final deployment would range from 2,000 to 4,000 troops, and he would "probably" keep many personnel on the border until his promised border wall is built -- spelling out a lengthy mission. The move has heightened tensions with Mexico, whose President Enrique Pena Nieto said Trump's "threatening or disrespectful attitudes" were unjustified. It has also raised questions about who will fund the mission. The Pentagon could not say where the money would come from and Trump admitted the White House was still "looking at" costs. If 4,000 troops were deployed, that would be about double the current US military presence in Syria and about half as many as the number of US troops in Iraq. The National Guard has previously been deployed to help patrol the southern border, including in 2010 under former president Barack Obama, and from 2006-2008 under George W. Bush. Both deployments were limited to around a year.

Texas, Arizona announce troop deployments to Mexico border

Federal investigators on Thursday combed through the home of the 23-year-old man they say was behind this month&#39;s deadly Texas bombing spree, seeking clues about what motivated his attacks, the day after he killed himself in a confrontation with police.

Mark Conditt, an unemployed man from the Austin suburb of Pflugerville, confessed to the three-week string of bombings in a 25-minute video found on his cellphone, police said. Conditt blew himself up with one of his own bombs on Wednesday as police closed in on him in his car.

The bombs, which killed two people and wounded five others, primarily targeted Austin, the Texas capital and a fast-growing city of 1 million people. The attacks drew national attention when the second and third bombs went off during Austin&#39;s annual South by Southwest music and culture festival, which draws thousands of visitors.

The video showed a troubled young man, according to Austin Police Chief Brian Manley, but did not outline a clear motive for the attacks that began on March 2.

Investigators sought further clues from the home he moved into last year and shared with two roommates in Pflugerville, which is within walking distance of his family&#39;s house.

Five of Conditt&#39;s bombs exploded, one was recovered before it went off, and the seventh Conditt detonated as officers rushed his vehicle early on Wednesday.

Mark Conditt, an unemployed man from the Austin suburb of Pflugerville, confessed to the three-week string of bombings in a 25-minute video

Federal investigators on Thursday combed through the home of the 23-year-old man they say was behind this month's deadly Texas bombing spree, seeking clues about what motivated his attacks, the day after he killed himself in a confrontation with police. Mark Conditt, an unemployed man from the Austin suburb of Pflugerville, confessed to the three-week string of bombings in a 25-minute video found on his cellphone, police said. Conditt blew himself up with one of his own bombs on Wednesday as police closed in on him in his car. The bombs, which killed two people and wounded five others, primarily targeted Austin, the Texas capital and a fast-growing city of 1 million people. The attacks drew national attention when the second and third bombs went off during Austin's annual South by Southwest music and culture festival, which draws thousands of visitors. The video showed a troubled young man, according to Austin Police Chief Brian Manley, but did not outline a clear motive for the attacks that began on March 2. Investigators sought further clues from the home he moved into last year and shared with two roommates in Pflugerville, which is within walking distance of his family's house. Five of Conditt's bombs exploded, one was recovered before it went off, and the seventh Conditt detonated as officers rushed his vehicle early on Wednesday.

US investigators search house of Austin bomber

Police said today that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/police-suspect-serial-bomber-in-deadly-austin-attacks-36410">Austin bomber who reportedly</a> planted four bombs which had gone off in Texas areas is now dead.

On Sunday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/police-searching-for-austin-shooter-who-killed-1-woman-and-injured-4-3829">the bomber had reportedly </a>planted bombs as packages on people&#39;s doorsteps to be activated by a trip wire.

&quot;A man being sought over the Austin parcel bombings blew himself up early Wednesday inside his car as authorities moved in to arrest him,&quot;&nbsp;police said.

Two men received minor injuries after the crude bombs went off on Sunday. The police had termed it as the work of a &quot;serial bomber&quot;.

&quot;The suspect is deceased,&quot; Austin police chief Brian Manley said.

Police had traced the man&#39;s car to a hotel outside Austin.

As authorities waited for tactical teams to arrive, the man started to drive away.

As police moved to stop and arrest him, the man detonated a bomb inside his car and was killed, Manley said. One police officer was injured by the blast.

The first bombing on March 2&nbsp;killed Anthony Stephan House, a 39-year-old man. A bomb last Monday morning killed Draylen Mason, a 17-year-old African-American teenager. A few hours later, a third bomb injured the 75-year-old Hispanic woman, who has not been identified.

The police had offered a reward of $115,000 has for information leading to the arrest of the serial bomber.

On Sunday, the bomber had reportedly planted bombs as packages on people's doorsteps to be activated by a trip wire.

Police said today that Austin bomber who reportedly planted four bombs which had gone off in Texas areas is now dead. On Sunday, the bomber had reportedly planted bombs as packages on people's doorsteps to be activated by a trip wire. "A man being sought over the Austin parcel bombings blew himself up early Wednesday inside his car as authorities moved in to arrest him," police said. Two men received minor injuries after the crude bombs went off on Sunday. The police had termed it as the work of a "serial bomber". "The suspect is deceased," Austin police chief Brian Manley said. Police had traced the man's car to a hotel outside Austin. As authorities waited for tactical teams to arrive, the man started to drive away. As police moved to stop and arrest him, the man detonated a bomb inside his car and was killed, Manley said. One police officer was injured by the blast. The first bombing on March 2 killed Anthony Stephan House, a 39-year-old man. A bomb last Monday morning killed Draylen Mason, a 17-year-old African-American teenager. A few hours later, a third bomb injured the 75-year-old Hispanic woman, who has not been identified. The police had offered a reward of $115,000 has for information leading to the arrest of the serial bomber.

Austin bomber blew himself up: Police

US President Donald Trump denounced Tuesday a series of package bombings in Texas, calling those behind them &quot;very, very sick,&quot; following an explosion at a FedEx facility that officials said appeared to be linked to four others.

A series of blasts that has killed two people and injured several others has left the Texas state capital of Austin on edge.&nbsp;

Authorities responded late Tuesday en masse to the scene of another reported explosion, which turned out to be unrelated to the previous cases and caused by an &quot;incendiary device,&quot; not an explosive package, according to Austin police.&nbsp;

In the early morning hours, a package exploded at a FedEx facility in Schertz, outside of San Antonio and approximately 65 miles (105 kilometers) south of Austin.&nbsp;

Officials connected that blast to four other bombings since early March, which killed two people and injured several more.

There were no serious injuries in the incident that saw a package at a FedEx sorting facility detonate.

&quot;It was mailed from Austin, it was to an Austin resident and it blew up on the conveyor belt,&quot; state attorney general Ken Paxton told KXAN television.

US Congressman Michael McCaul, the head of the House Homeland Security Committee who said he had spoken to law enforcement, added: &quot;All these devices are very similar.&quot;

Law enforcement confirmed they had found another package connected to the bombings at a separate FedEx facility near the Austin airport.

That package was discovered early in the day.&nbsp;

FedEx said it &quot;secured and turned over to law enforcement&quot; the second package, sent by &quot;the individual responsible&quot; for the blasts.&nbsp;

The company said in a statement that it had also provided &quot;extensive evidence related to these packages and the individual that shipped them collected from our advanced technology security systems.&quot;&nbsp;

The finding could be significant to investigators looking for evidence in their efforts to identify the perpetrator or a motive.&nbsp;

As the series of bombings held Austin on edge for another week, the White House weighed in for the first time since the crime wave began.&nbsp;

&quot;The bombings in Austin are terrible. Local, state and federal law enforcement working hand in hand to get to the bottom of it,&quot; Trump said.&nbsp;

&quot;This is obviously a very, very sick individual or maybe individuals. These are sick people, and we will get to the bottom of it.&quot;&nbsp;

&#39;Absolutely no clue&#39;&nbsp;

Despite hundreds of police officers and federal agents working the case, authorities appeared to have few leads.&nbsp;

&quot;We have no clue who this is, absolutely no clue,&quot; Texas Congressman Brian Babin told the Fox Business Network.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;m sure the FBI and the law enforcement agencies that are looking into this have some tips, some clues, but I haven&#39;t heard anything about it.&quot;

Senator Ted Cruz said he had spoken to Austin&#39;s mayor and police chief about the &quot;coordinated attacks,&quot; saying no effort should be spared to catch the bomber and &quot;put him behind bars before anyone else&#39;s life is at risk.&quot;

&quot;It&#39;s truly horrific what is happening in Austin,&quot; Cruz told reporters in Washington.

Austin&#39;s police chief Brian Manley said the bombings seemed to be evolving.

The first three explosive devices were concealed in packages left at residents&#39; doorsteps. A fourth was detonated with a tripwire, which Manley said suggested a perpetrator who &quot;shows a higher level of sophistication, a higher level of skill&quot; than initially believed.

&quot;And with what just occurred in Schertz, Texas, we&#39;ve now brought in a new element that that device was actually going through one of the carrier services, instead of being hand-delivered,&quot; Manley told an Austin city council hearing.

More than 1,200 calls have come in from residents since police urged them to report suspicious activities and items, Austin police said.

&quot;I will reach out to the suspect or suspects and ask that you contact us... communicate with us so that we can put this to an end,&quot; Manley said.

Authorities increased the reward offered for information leading to an arrest, bringing the total bounty to $115,000. 
&nbsp;

A series of blasts that has killed two people and injured several others has left the Texas state capital of Austin on edge.

US President Donald Trump denounced Tuesday a series of package bombings in Texas, calling those behind them "very, very sick," following an explosion at a FedEx facility that officials said appeared to be linked to four others. A series of blasts that has killed two people and injured several others has left the Texas state capital of Austin on edge. Authorities responded late Tuesday en masse to the scene of another reported explosion, which turned out to be unrelated to the previous cases and caused by an "incendiary device," not an explosive package, according to Austin police. In the early morning hours, a package exploded at a FedEx facility in Schertz, outside of San Antonio and approximately 65 miles (105 kilometers) south of Austin. Officials connected that blast to four other bombings since early March, which killed two people and injured several more. There were no serious injuries in the incident that saw a package at a FedEx sorting facility detonate. "It was mailed from Austin, it was to an Austin resident and it blew up on the conveyor belt," state attorney general Ken Paxton told KXAN television. US Congressman Michael McCaul, the head of the House Homeland Security Committee who said he had spoken to law enforcement, added: "All these devices are very similar." Law enforcement confirmed they had found another package connected to the bombings at a separate FedEx facility near the Austin airport. That package was discovered early in the day. FedEx said it "secured and turned over to law enforcement" the second package, sent by "the individual responsible" for the blasts. The company said in a statement that it had also provided "extensive evidence related to these packages and the individual that shipped them collected from our advanced technology security systems." The finding could be significant to investigators looking for evidence in their efforts to identify the perpetrator or a motive. As the series of bombings held Austin on edge for another week, the White House weighed in for the first time since the crime wave began. "The bombings in Austin are terrible. Local, state and federal law enforcement working hand in hand to get to the bottom of it," Trump said. "This is obviously a very, very sick individual or maybe individuals. These are sick people, and we will get to the bottom of it." 'Absolutely no clue' Despite hundreds of police officers and federal agents working the case, authorities appeared to have few leads. "We have no clue who this is, absolutely no clue," Texas Congressman Brian Babin told the Fox Business Network. "I'm sure the FBI and the law enforcement agencies that are looking into this have some tips, some clues, but I haven't heard anything about it." Senator Ted Cruz said he had spoken to Austin's mayor and police chief about the "coordinated attacks," saying no effort should be spared to catch the bomber and "put him behind bars before anyone else's life is at risk." "It's truly horrific what is happening in Austin," Cruz told reporters in Washington. Austin's police chief Brian Manley said the bombings seemed to be evolving. The first three explosive devices were concealed in packages left at residents' doorsteps. A fourth was detonated with a tripwire, which Manley said suggested a perpetrator who "shows a higher level of sophistication, a higher level of skill" than initially believed. "And with what just occurred in Schertz, Texas, we've now brought in a new element that that device was actually going through one of the carrier services, instead of being hand-delivered," Manley told an Austin city council hearing. More than 1,200 calls have come in from residents since police urged them to report suspicious activities and items, Austin police said. "I will reach out to the suspect or suspects and ask that you contact us... communicate with us so that we can put this to an end," Manley said. Authorities increased the reward offered for information leading to an arrest, bringing the total bounty to $115,000.

Trump slams 'sick people' for Texas bombings after fifth blast

A package exploded early Tuesday at a FedEx distribution facility in Texas, news reports said, two days after the latest in a series of blasts in Austin attributed to a serial bomber.

This time the explosion rocked a facility in the town of Schertz, in the San Antonio area. Reports said one employee was injured.

The Washington Post, quoting the FBI, reported that the package had been bound for Austin, the state capital.

Hundreds of police officers and FBI agents are searching for a mysterious &quot;serial bomber&quot; after Sunday`s blast in Austin - the fourth this month - left two young men seriously injured and the city on edge.

Police said the explosion was connected to three previous bombings in Austin and the bomber used a tripwire in the latest attack, showing a higher level of skill.

&quot;We`re clearly dealing with what we expect to be a serial bomber at this point,&quot; Austin police chief Brian Manley told reporters.

But Manley said police have been unable to determine a motive for the bombings that have killed two people in the city of nearly one million people and injured another four.

&quot;Is this terrorism? Is it hate-related?&quot; Manley asked. &quot;As we said from the very beginning, we were not willing to classify this as terrorism, as hate, because we just don`t know enough.&quot;

In the earlier bombings, two African American men were killed by packages left on their doorsteps, raising the possibility of a racially motivated crime. A 75-year-old Hispanic woman was also injured in a blast.

But Manley said the bombing Sunday seriously wounded two white men aged 22 and 23 as they walked along a sidewalk or on the road in a quiet residential neighbourhood.

He said it appeared random and was triggered by a tripwire.

Manley said the use of a tripwire also means police are dealing with someone who &quot;shows a higher level of sophistication, a higher level of skill&quot; than initially believed.

Manley appealed to the bomber to contact the authorities and to the public to report anything suspicious.

&quot;I will reach out to the suspect or suspects and ask that you contact us, ask that you reach out to us, communicate with us so that we can put this to an end,&quot; Manley said. &quot;There are innocent people getting hurt in this community and it needs to come to a stop.&quot;

The authorities said they were increasing the reward offered for information leading to an arrest, bringing the total city and state bounty money to $115,000.

An exploding package killed 39-year-old Anthony House on March 2. A 17-year-old African American teenager, Draylen Mason, was killed on March 12 and the Hispanic woman was critically injured the same day.

All of the cardboard packages were hand-delivered, not sent through the mail, and the bombs were built with household items available at hardware stores.

A task force of hundreds of members of law enforcement are working the case, including criminal profilers and experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).

The Washington Post, quoting the FBI, reported that the package had been bound for Austin

A package exploded early Tuesday at a FedEx distribution facility in Texas, news reports said, two days after the latest in a series of blasts in Austin attributed to a serial bomber. This time the explosion rocked a facility in the town of Schertz, in the San Antonio area. Reports said one employee was injured. The Washington Post, quoting the FBI, reported that the package had been bound for Austin, the state capital. Hundreds of police officers and FBI agents are searching for a mysterious "serial bomber" after Sunday`s blast in Austin - the fourth this month - left two young men seriously injured and the city on edge. Police said the explosion was connected to three previous bombings in Austin and the bomber used a tripwire in the latest attack, showing a higher level of skill. "We`re clearly dealing with what we expect to be a serial bomber at this point," Austin police chief Brian Manley told reporters. But Manley said police have been unable to determine a motive for the bombings that have killed two people in the city of nearly one million people and injured another four. "Is this terrorism? Is it hate-related?" Manley asked. "As we said from the very beginning, we were not willing to classify this as terrorism, as hate, because we just don`t know enough." In the earlier bombings, two African American men were killed by packages left on their doorsteps, raising the possibility of a racially motivated crime. A 75-year-old Hispanic woman was also injured in a blast. But Manley said the bombing Sunday seriously wounded two white men aged 22 and 23 as they walked along a sidewalk or on the road in a quiet residential neighbourhood. He said it appeared random and was triggered by a tripwire. Manley said the use of a tripwire also means police are dealing with someone who "shows a higher level of sophistication, a higher level of skill" than initially believed. Manley appealed to the bomber to contact the authorities and to the public to report anything suspicious. "I will reach out to the suspect or suspects and ask that you contact us, ask that you reach out to us, communicate with us so that we can put this to an end," Manley said. "There are innocent people getting hurt in this community and it needs to come to a stop." The authorities said they were increasing the reward offered for information leading to an arrest, bringing the total city and state bounty money to $115,000. An exploding package killed 39-year-old Anthony House on March 2. A 17-year-old African American teenager, Draylen Mason, was killed on March 12 and the Hispanic woman was critically injured the same day. All of the cardboard packages were hand-delivered, not sent through the mail, and the bombs were built with household items available at hardware stores. A task force of hundreds of members of law enforcement are working the case, including criminal profilers and experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).

Another parcel blast reported in Texas

A package bomb blew up at a FedEx Corp distribution center near San Antonio on Tuesday, officials said, and the FBI was investigating whether it was linked to a series of four homemade bombs that hit the Texas capital of Austin this month.

The bomb went off before 1 am local time at a FedEx facility in Schertz, Texas. It follows an explosion in Austin on Sunday night, the fourth there since early March in a series of incidents that police are blaming on a &ldquo;serial bomber.&rdquo;

Officials also said they couldn&#39;t confirm where the package was bound, but interim Austin Police Chief Brian Manley reportedly told the Austin City Council on Tuesday that the &quot;working theory&quot; is that it was coming to their city.

US President Donald Trump vowed Tuesday that authorities will get to the bottom of a series of bombings in Texas, saying whoever carried them out was &quot;very, very sick.&quot; 
 
&quot;It`s terrible,&quot; he said. &quot;This is obviously a very, very sick individual or maybe individuals. These are sick people, and we will get to the bottom of it.&quot;

The blast at the FedEx facility in Schertz was the fifth in the state in the last 18 days. If it is linked to the others, it would be the first outside the Austin area and the first that involves a commercial parcel service.

Police discovered another package at the same location that they believe is also loaded with an explosive device, San Antonio Police Chief Bill McManus told reporters.

&quot;There was one other package that we believe was also loaded with an explosive device that they are looking at right now,&quot; McManus told reporters in Schertz, which is about 20 miles (30 km) northeast of San Antonio.

The blast knocked a female employee off her feet and may have caused a concussion, McManus said. Federal officials on the scene said she had ringing in her ears and was treated and released.&nbsp;

The package, filled with nails and metal shrapnel, exploded shortly after midnight local time (0500 GMT) at the facility, about 65 miles (105 km) south of Austin, the San Antonio Fire Department said on Twitter.

Meantime, police and fire departments in Austin said on Twitter Tuesday morning that they were responding to reports of a suspicious package at another FedEx facility in that city. The fire department said there was a hazardous-materials investigation under way.

The recent Austin blasts have killed two people and injured several more.

More than 500 federal agents from a variety of agencies are helping local police investigate the bombings.

US President Donald Trump vowed Tuesday that authorities will get to the bottom of a series of bombings in Texas, saying whoever carried them out was 'very, very sick'

A package bomb blew up at a FedEx Corp distribution center near San Antonio on Tuesday, officials said, and the FBI was investigating whether it was linked to a series of four homemade bombs that hit the Texas capital of Austin this month. The bomb went off before 1 am local time at a FedEx facility in Schertz, Texas. It follows an explosion in Austin on Sunday night, the fourth there since early March in a series of incidents that police are blaming on a “serial bomber.” Officials also said they couldn't confirm where the package was bound, but interim Austin Police Chief Brian Manley reportedly told the Austin City Council on Tuesday that the "working theory" is that it was coming to their city. US President Donald Trump vowed Tuesday that authorities will get to the bottom of a series of bombings in Texas, saying whoever carried them out was "very, very sick." "It`s terrible," he said. "This is obviously a very, very sick individual or maybe individuals. These are sick people, and we will get to the bottom of it." The blast at the FedEx facility in Schertz was the fifth in the state in the last 18 days. If it is linked to the others, it would be the first outside the Austin area and the first that involves a commercial parcel service. Police discovered another package at the same location that they believe is also loaded with an explosive device, San Antonio Police Chief Bill McManus told reporters. "There was one other package that we believe was also loaded with an explosive device that they are looking at right now," McManus told reporters in Schertz, which is about 20 miles (30 km) northeast of San Antonio. The blast knocked a female employee off her feet and may have caused a concussion, McManus said. Federal officials on the scene said she had ringing in her ears and was treated and released. The package, filled with nails and metal shrapnel, exploded shortly after midnight local time (0500 GMT) at the facility, about 65 miles (105 km) south of Austin, the San Antonio Fire Department said on Twitter. Meantime, police and fire departments in Austin said on Twitter Tuesday morning that they were responding to reports of a suspicious package at another FedEx facility in that city. The fire department said there was a hazardous-materials investigation under way. The recent Austin blasts have killed two people and injured several more. More than 500 federal agents from a variety of agencies are helping local police investigate the bombings.

Police on hunt to find 'serial bomber' as fifth device blows up in Texas

Shampa Mukerji, an Indian-American attorney, is running for a judge seat in the US state of Texas.

Mukerji launched her candidacy for the seat in the 269th Civil District Court of Harris County, Texas.

The Democratic candidate said she is running for the seat because she believes she can make a great contribution to the civil courts in the county.

&quot;I will uphold the laws of the state of Texas and be fair and equitable to all parties that come before me,&quot; she said on her campaign site.

&quot;I believe in the Seventh Amendment, the right to a trial by jury and access to the courts for all,&quot; she said.

Early voting for party primaries began on February 20 Election Day is tomorrow.

The winner of this primary will face Republican incumbent Judge Dan Hinde in the general election.

A native of Houston, Mukerji is the daughter of immigrant parents who came to the US in the late 1960s to pursue the American dream.

Her father was an engineer who spent his career in the oil and gas industry and earned a doctorate in philosophy after he retired. Her mother, a college graduate, dedicated her time to raising their three children. Her husband Sam Mukerji is a trial attorney.

Mukerji graduated with a bachelor&#39;s in communications from Northwestern University in three years. She then went to law school at the University of Houston Law Center, during which she served on the Houston Journal of Health Law &amp; Policy as an editor and as chief justice of the Honor Court.

Her main objective is to ensure clients receive the best possible resolution to their case and she continually strives to protect the rights of individuals and families.

Mukerji has been endorsed thus far by the Area 5 Democrats, the Bay Area New Democrats, the Communication Workers of American Local 6222, the Harris County Labor Assembly COPE, AFL-CIO and the South Asian Bar Association.

Shampa Mukerji, the Democratic candidate said she is running for the seat because she believes she can make a great contribution to the civil courts in the county

Shampa Mukerji, an Indian-American attorney, is running for a judge seat in the US state of Texas. Mukerji launched her candidacy for the seat in the 269th Civil District Court of Harris County, Texas. The Democratic candidate said she is running for the seat because she believes she can make a great contribution to the civil courts in the county. "I will uphold the laws of the state of Texas and be fair and equitable to all parties that come before me," she said on her campaign site. "I believe in the Seventh Amendment, the right to a trial by jury and access to the courts for all," she said. Early voting for party primaries began on February 20 Election Day is tomorrow. The winner of this primary will face Republican incumbent Judge Dan Hinde in the general election. A native of Houston, Mukerji is the daughter of immigrant parents who came to the US in the late 1960s to pursue the American dream. Her father was an engineer who spent his career in the oil and gas industry and earned a doctorate in philosophy after he retired. Her mother, a college graduate, dedicated her time to raising their three children. Her husband Sam Mukerji is a trial attorney. Mukerji graduated with a bachelor's in communications from Northwestern University in three years. She then went to law school at the University of Houston Law Center, during which she served on the Houston Journal of Health Law & Policy as an editor and as chief justice of the Honor Court. Her main objective is to ensure clients receive the best possible resolution to their case and she continually strives to protect the rights of individuals and families. Mukerji has been endorsed thus far by the Area 5 Democrats, the Bay Area New Democrats, the Communication Workers of American Local 6222, the Harris County Labor Assembly COPE, AFL-CIO and the South Asian Bar Association.

Indian-American running for Judge seat in Texas

It seems like United States President, Donald Trump has mixed his updates on California and Texas mass shootings and tweeted about the wrong incident.&nbsp;

A gunman opened fire on a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gunman-opens-fire-in-california-school-4-killed-24235">local elementary school</a> in rural Rancho Tehama near Sacramento in California killing at least four people, on Wednesday.

But, Trump wrote about the Texas shooting where an armed man opened fire inside a church, killing around 25 people and wounding about 20 in the deadliest shooting in history for Texas which happened on November 5.&nbsp;

Trump has offered condolences to the wrong shooting on Wednesday&nbsp;in a Tweet which read &ldquo;May God be with the people of Sutherland Springs, Texas. The FBI and Law Enforcement has arrived&quot;&nbsp;

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May God be with the people of Sutherland Springs, Texas. The FBI and Law Enforcement has arrived.
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/930655291569524736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Naturally, people on Twitter soon picked up the mistake and trolled the situation.&nbsp;

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Trump just tweeted about the wrong mass shooting... <a href="https://t.co/tfgXp1TTMh">pic.twitter.com/tfgXp1TTMh</a>
&mdash; Rantt News (@RanttNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/RanttNews/status/930656835606073344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Did u just copy &amp; paste this &amp; forget to change the city?
&mdash; Name cannot be blank (@cadillaccannon) <a href="https://twitter.com/cadillaccannon/status/930660154768535556?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Just now? They&#39;re nine days late.
&mdash; Jason (@OMJason) <a href="https://twitter.com/OMJason/status/930655635779309568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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sigh...don&#39;t you get tired of being this dumb? Like I&#39;m exhausted for you.
&mdash; Youse A BIGLY Bum (@kelleent) <a href="https://twitter.com/kelleent/status/930667520285081600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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... a little late? <a href="https://t.co/3Am5gqHH3u">https://t.co/3Am5gqHH3u</a>
&mdash; Bryson (@Bryson_M) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bryson_M/status/930655535782694912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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getting your shootings mixed up, very presidential
&mdash; Bryson (@Bryson_M) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bryson_M/status/930657948228993025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Um. That was last week&#39;s tragedy. We had a new one today in Northern Califorina. 
You might want to ask your physician what &quot;sundowning&quot; means. Seriously.
&mdash; Peter Delacroix (@DocPeteyJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/DocPeteyJ/status/930662416404439041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Nobody is better at uniting the nation during a time of crisis than President Trump!
&mdash; Jacob Wohl (@JacobAWohl) <a href="https://twitter.com/JacobAWohl/status/930655580439511040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Trump offered condolences to the wrong shooting on Wednesday.

It seems like United States President, Donald Trump has mixed his updates on California and Texas mass shootings and tweeted about the wrong incident. A gunman opened fire on a local elementary school in rural Rancho Tehama near Sacramento in California killing at least four people, on Wednesday. But, Trump wrote about the Texas shooting where an armed man opened fire inside a church, killing around 25 people and wounding about 20 in the deadliest shooting in history for Texas which happened on November 5. Trump has offered condolences to the wrong shooting on Wednesday in a Tweet which read “May God be with the people of Sutherland Springs, Texas. The FBI and Law Enforcement has arrived" May God be with the people of Sutherland Springs, Texas. The FBI and Law Enforcement has arrived. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2017 × Naturally, people on Twitter soon picked up the mistake and trolled the situation. Trump just tweeted about the wrong mass shooting... pic.twitter.com/tfgXp1TTMh — Rantt News (@RanttNews) November 15, 2017 × Did u just copy & paste this & forget to change the city? — Name cannot be blank (@cadillaccannon) November 15, 2017 × Just now? They're nine days late. — Jason (@OMJason) November 15, 2017 × sigh...don't you get tired of being this dumb? Like I'm exhausted for you. — Youse A BIGLY Bum (@kelleent) November 15, 2017 × ... a little late? https://t.co/3Am5gqHH3u — Bryson (@Bryson_M) November 15, 2017 × getting your shootings mixed up, very presidential — Bryson (@Bryson_M) November 15, 2017 × Um. That was last week's tragedy. We had a new one today in Northern Califorina. You might want to ask your physician what "sundowning" means. Seriously. — Peter Delacroix (@DocPeteyJ) November 15, 2017 × Nobody is better at uniting the nation during a time of crisis than President Trump! — Jacob Wohl (@JacobAWohl) November 15, 2017 ×

Trump tweets about the wrong mass shooting, gets trolled

A black-clad gunman armed with an assault rifle opened fire on a small-town Texas church during Sunday morning services, killing 26 people and wounding 20 in the last mass shooting to shock the United States.

Authorities did not identify the gunman, saying only that he was a &quot;young white male, maybe in his early 20s,&quot; who was wearing a bulletproof vest and found dead in his vehicle after being confronted by a local resident.

Governor Greg Abbott warned the toll may rise.

&quot;There are 26 lives that have been lost. We don&#39;t know if that number will rise or not, all we know is that&#39;s too many, and this will be a long, suffering mourning for those in pain,&quot; he said.

Exactly five weeks after the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/las-vegas-shooting-at-least-58-dead-more-than-500-wounded-20918" target="_blank">worst shooting in modern US history</a>, the latest tragedy prompted an outpouring of condolences, led by US President Donald Trump.

The victims, who ranged in age from five to 72, were gunned down at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, a rural community of about 400 people located 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of San Antonio.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/texas-church-shooter-had-assault-rifle-wore-ballistic-vest-official-23560" target="_blank">Texas church shooter was dressed all in black, was armed with assault rifle</a>

The gunman fired outside at the church before entering the building and continuing to spray bullets, said Freeman Martin, regional director of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

&quot;As he exited the church, a local resident grabbed his rifle and engaged that suspect. The suspect dropped his rifle, which was a Ruger AR assault-type rifle, and fled from the church. Our local citizen pursued the suspect at that time,&quot; Martin said.

Law enforcement later found the gunman dead in his car, which had crashed, on the Wilson-Guadalupe county line. It was not clear if he had committed suicide or was shot by the resident who had confronted him.

US media outlets had identified the shooter as a 26-year-old veteran who had faced a court-martial and was dishonorably discharged from the Air Force.&nbsp;

Victims 
&quot;There&#39;s so many families who have lost family members. Fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters,&quot; Abbott said.&nbsp;

&quot;The tragedy, of course, is worsened by the fact that it occurred in a church, a place of worship, where these people were innocently gunned down. We mourn their loss, but we support their family members.&quot;

The wounded had been transported to various hospitals with &quot;injuries that vary from minor to very severe,&quot; Martin said.&nbsp;

The dead included the 14-year-old daughter of pastor Frank Pomeroy, the church leader told ABC News.

Annabelle Renee Pomeroy &quot;was one very beautiful, special child,&quot; her father said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-condemns-horrific-shooting-says-our-hearts-are-broken-23561" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;Trump condemns &#39;horrific shooting&#39;, says &#39;our hearts are broken&#39;</a>

Frank Pomeroy had been in the neighboring state of Oklahoma at the time of the shooting, and was driving back to Texas after the tragedy.

Other victims, some of whom were evacuated by helicopter, included a six-year-old boy named Rylan who was in surgery after being shot four times, his uncle told CBS News. A two-year-old was also shot and wounded, The Dallas Morning News reported.

A spokeswoman for Connally Memorial Medical Center in nearby Floresville said the hospital received eight patients with gunshot wounds. Four were transferred to San Antonio.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/a-history-of-violence-14" target="_blank">A history of violence: America and guns</a>

Trump vows &#39;full support&#39; 
Police formed a perimeter around the area. Tearful relatives and neighbors stood outside, nervously awaiting news from inside the traditional, white-frame church.

Agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were headed to Sutherland Springs, the agencies said.

President Donald Trump, who is traveling in Asia, denounced the &quot;horrific shooting.&quot;

&quot;This act of evil occurred as the victims and their families were in their place of worship. Our hearts are broken,&quot; he said.

&quot;We pull together, we join hands, we lock arms and through the tears and through the sadness, we stand strong.&quot;

The president promised his administration&#39;s &quot;full support&quot; to the investigation.

US Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said on Twitter: &quot;Keeping all harmed in Sutherland Springs in our prayers and grateful for our brave first responders on the scene.&quot;

The shooting comes just over a month after a gunman in Las Vegas fired down from a hotel room onto an outdoor concert, killing 58 people and wounding hundreds. It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

And Sunday&#39;s tragedy came just over two years after a white supremacist, Dylann Roof, entered a historically black church in Charleston, South Carolina, and shot nine people to death.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned the toll may rise

A black-clad gunman armed with an assault rifle opened fire on a small-town Texas church during Sunday morning services, killing 26 people and wounding 20 in the last mass shooting to shock the United States. Authorities did not identify the gunman, saying only that he was a "young white male, maybe in his early 20s," who was wearing a bulletproof vest and found dead in his vehicle after being confronted by a local resident. Governor Greg Abbott warned the toll may rise. "There are 26 lives that have been lost. We don't know if that number will rise or not, all we know is that's too many, and this will be a long, suffering mourning for those in pain," he said. Exactly five weeks after the worst shooting in modern US history, the latest tragedy prompted an outpouring of condolences, led by US President Donald Trump. The victims, who ranged in age from five to 72, were gunned down at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, a rural community of about 400 people located 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of San Antonio. Texas church shooter was dressed all in black, was armed with assault rifle The gunman fired outside at the church before entering the building and continuing to spray bullets, said Freeman Martin, regional director of the Texas Department of Public Safety. "As he exited the church, a local resident grabbed his rifle and engaged that suspect. The suspect dropped his rifle, which was a Ruger AR assault-type rifle, and fled from the church. Our local citizen pursued the suspect at that time," Martin said. Law enforcement later found the gunman dead in his car, which had crashed, on the Wilson-Guadalupe county line. It was not clear if he had committed suicide or was shot by the resident who had confronted him. US media outlets had identified the shooter as a 26-year-old veteran who had faced a court-martial and was dishonorably discharged from the Air Force. Victims "There's so many families who have lost family members. Fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters," Abbott said. "The tragedy, of course, is worsened by the fact that it occurred in a church, a place of worship, where these people were innocently gunned down. We mourn their loss, but we support their family members." The wounded had been transported to various hospitals with "injuries that vary from minor to very severe," Martin said. The dead included the 14-year-old daughter of pastor Frank Pomeroy, the church leader told ABC News. Annabelle Renee Pomeroy "was one very beautiful, special child," her father said. Also read: Trump condemns 'horrific shooting', says 'our hearts are broken' Frank Pomeroy had been in the neighboring state of Oklahoma at the time of the shooting, and was driving back to Texas after the tragedy. Other victims, some of whom were evacuated by helicopter, included a six-year-old boy named Rylan who was in surgery after being shot four times, his uncle told CBS News. A two-year-old was also shot and wounded, The Dallas Morning News reported. A spokeswoman for Connally Memorial Medical Center in nearby Floresville said the hospital received eight patients with gunshot wounds. Four were transferred to San Antonio. A history of violence: America and guns Trump vows 'full support' Police formed a perimeter around the area. Tearful relatives and neighbors stood outside, nervously awaiting news from inside the traditional, white-frame church. Agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were headed to Sutherland Springs, the agencies said. President Donald Trump, who is traveling in Asia, denounced the "horrific shooting." "This act of evil occurred as the victims and their families were in their place of worship. Our hearts are broken," he said. "We pull together, we join hands, we lock arms and through the tears and through the sadness, we stand strong." The president promised his administration's "full support" to the investigation. US Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said on Twitter: "Keeping all harmed in Sutherland Springs in our prayers and grateful for our brave first responders on the scene." The shooting comes just over a month after a gunman in Las Vegas fired down from a hotel room onto an outdoor concert, killing 58 people and wounding hundreds. It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. And Sunday's tragedy came just over two years after a white supremacist, Dylann Roof, entered a historically black church in Charleston, South Carolina, and shot nine people to death.

Gunman walks into Texas church, shoots 26 people dead

US President Donald Trump on Monday condemned what he described as a &quot;horrific shooting&quot; after 26 people were killed in a rampage at a Texas church.

&quot;This act of evil occurred as the victims and their families were in their place of worship. Our hearts are broken,&quot; Trump said on a visit to Japan.

&quot;We pull together, we join arms through the tears and the sadness we stand strong,&quot; added the president, addressing business leaders on day two of his Asian trip.

A gunman stormed into a Baptist church during Sunday morning services and killed at least 26 people.

The shooter, whose motives were not immediately clear, was dressed all in black and wearing a ballistic vest, authorities said.

Though officials did not identify the gunman, multiple media outlets named him as Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, adding that he had been dishonorably discharged from the Air Force.

He also died in the assault.

Trump&#39;s host, Japanese Prime Minister &nbsp;Shinzo Abe, tweeted his &quot;deepest condolances&quot;, saying: &quot;I wish to express heartfelt solidarity with the people of the United States during this difficult time.&quot;

He added: &quot;My thoughts are with those who suffered injuries in the incident.&quot; &nbsp;

'This act of evil occurred as the victims and their families were in their place of worship. Our hearts are broken,' Trump said

US President Donald Trump on Monday condemned what he described as a "horrific shooting" after 26 people were killed in a rampage at a Texas church. "This act of evil occurred as the victims and their families were in their place of worship. Our hearts are broken," Trump said on a visit to Japan. "We pull together, we join arms through the tears and the sadness we stand strong," added the president, addressing business leaders on day two of his Asian trip. A gunman stormed into a Baptist church during Sunday morning services and killed at least 26 people. The shooter, whose motives were not immediately clear, was dressed all in black and wearing a ballistic vest, authorities said. Though officials did not identify the gunman, multiple media outlets named him as Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, adding that he had been dishonorably discharged from the Air Force. He also died in the assault. Trump's host, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, tweeted his "deepest condolances", saying: "I wish to express heartfelt solidarity with the people of the United States during this difficult time." He added: "My thoughts are with those who suffered injuries in the incident."

Trump condemns 'horrific shooting', says 'our hearts are broken'

Just a day after the body of three-year-old, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/missing-indian-girl-in-us-foster-father-arrested-after-he-changes-story-22845">Sherin Mathews, was discovered&nbsp;in Richardson, Texas, police informed</a> that the father,&nbsp;Wesley Mathews, altered&nbsp;his statement and admitted&nbsp;that he had &ldquo;removed the body&rdquo; of his adopted daughter from his house after she choked to death on milk.

Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that the <a href="http://body?discovered?by officers and search dogs while">body&nbsp;discovered&nbsp;by officers and search dogs while </a>inspecting&nbsp;a culvert near Spring Valley, just half a mile away from Sherin&#39;s&nbsp;home in a tunnel beneath a road,&nbsp;was&nbsp;her&#39;s.&nbsp;

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Wesley Mathews, who hails from Kerala, was booked into the Richardson City Jail on a USD one million bond. (Others)
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Mathews releaved in a police report&nbsp;that&nbsp;his daughter &ldquo;wouldn&rsquo;t listen to him&rdquo; when he initially tried to feed her milk. After she began to drink it&nbsp;on her own, Mathews &ldquo;physically assisted&rdquo; her until she &ldquo;began to choke,&rdquo; said the police on Tuesday.

&ldquo;She was coughing and her breathing slowed,&rdquo; the authorities informed. &ldquo;Eventually, Wesley Mathews no longer felt a pulse on the child and believed she had died.&rdquo;

Mathews had initially&nbsp;claimed that Sherin went missing after he sent her outside their home at around 3 am on October 7 as punishment for not drinking her milk.

Wesley has been charged with&nbsp;first-degree felony injury to a child and is held on a bond of $1 million. He is reportedly lodged in Richardson City Jail.

State Child Protective Services took&nbsp;Wesley and his wife, Sini Mathews&#39;, 4-year-old biological daughter from their home shortly&nbsp;after Sherin was announced&nbsp;missing. The&nbsp;judge told&nbsp;that the girl will remain in foster care until a custody hearing in November.

Just a day after the body of three-year-old was discovered,?Wesley Mathews altered?his statement and admitted?that he had ?removed the body? of his adopted daughter from his house

Just a day after the body of three-year-old, Sherin Mathews, was discovered in Richardson, Texas, police informed that the father, Wesley Mathews, altered his statement and admitted that he had “removed the body” of his adopted daughter from his house after she choked to death on milk. Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that the body discovered by officers and search dogs while inspecting a culvert near Spring Valley, just half a mile away from Sherin's home in a tunnel beneath a road, was her's. Wesley Mathews, who hails from Kerala, was booked into the Richardson City Jail on a USD one million bond. (Others) × Mathews releaved in a police report that his daughter “wouldn’t listen to him” when he initially tried to feed her milk. After she began to drink it on her own, Mathews “physically assisted” her until she “began to choke,” said the police on Tuesday. “She was coughing and her breathing slowed,” the authorities informed. “Eventually, Wesley Mathews no longer felt a pulse on the child and believed she had died.” Mathews had initially claimed that Sherin went missing after he sent her outside their home at around 3 am on October 7 as punishment for not drinking her milk. Wesley has been charged with first-degree felony injury to a child and is held on a bond of $1 million. He is reportedly lodged in Richardson City Jail. State Child Protective Services took Wesley and his wife, Sini Mathews', 4-year-old biological daughter from their home shortly after Sherin was announced missing. The judge told that the girl will remain in foster care until a custody hearing in November.

Missing 3-year-old choked to death on milk, her foster father tells police

The foster father of a missing 3- year-old Indian girl was today arrested and charged with first-degree felony injury to a child after he changed his story about the circumstances surrounding her mysterious disappearance over two weeks ago.

Wesley Mathews, 37, was arrested after the Indian- American changed his story about his adoptive daughter Sherin Mathew&#39;s disappearance from outside their home in suburban Dallas in Texas state.

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<h5>Mathews has been charged with first-degree felony injury to a child</h5>
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Mathews had previously claimed that Sherin went missing after he sent her outside their home at around 3 am on October 7 as punishment for not drinking her milk.

Yesterday, the Richardson Police announced that they discovered the remains of a small child in a tunnel beneath a road, expressing apprehension that it was &quot;most likely&quot; that of Sherin. They, however, did not confirm the identity.

&quot;He voluntarily arrived at the Richardson Police Station with his attorney and asked to speak with detectives. He provided an alternate statement of events from those which he had given previously, regarding the disappearance of Sherin,&quot; Richardson Police Department Spokesman Sergeant Kevin Perlich said.

The particulars of his statements that might have led to the charge have not yet been explained by authorities.

Mathews, who hails from Kerala, was booked into the Richardson City Jail on a USD one million bond.

The father was previously arrested and charged with felony endangerment to a child and was placed on electronic ankle monitoring. He surrendered his passport as a condition of making bond on October 9. He was later released.

First-degree felony injury to a child is punishable by up to life imprisonment or from five to 99 years in prison, US media reported.

Sherin, who has developmental issues and limited verbal communication skills, was last seen outside her family&#39;s backyard in Richardson city on October 7.

Mathews and his wife Sini reportedly adopted Sherin two years ago from an orphanage in Bihar.

The body of a small child was discovered in a culvert beneath a road with the help of search dogs. Police have not released any details about how the child died. The body was found about one km from the house of Mathews.

&quot;We are still awaiting a positive identification from the Dallas County Medical Examiners office for the child&#39;s body found yesterday, believed to be Sherin Mathews,&quot; Perlich said.

Child Protective Services took custody of the Indian-American couple&#39;s other biological daughter shortly after Mathews was arrested.

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Wesley Mathews, who hails from Kerala, was booked into the Richardson City Jail on a USD one million bond. (Others)
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Sini Mathews, the girl&#39;s mother does not face any charges. She was in the house at the time, but was reportedly asleep and unaware of what her husband was doing, police had said earlier.

Earlier in the day Mathews and his wife, Sini, attended a court hearing to determine whether they could regain custody of their 4-year-old biological daughter who was placed in protective custody after Sherin went missing.

But the judge at a Dallas County court decided that the older sibling of Sherin will remain in foster care for at least three more weeks.

The judge postponed custody hearing until November 13 to allow Mathews to hire a civil attorney.

The girl will remain in foster care until that hearing or until a judge orders a change in custody, said Marissa Gonzales, a spokeswoman for Child Protective Services.

&quot;We do have the names of some relatives who have expressed interest in taking care of her,&quot; Gonzales said.

&quot;We can begin looking into those relatives, but it is entirely up to the judge where she is placed,&quot; she said.

On Monday evening, people gathered near the culvert where police found the body of a small child.

Many people expressed shock at the father&#39;s second arrest.

&quot;Justice should be done for this little child,&quot; said Indian-American Anthony Sabu. &quot;This little child has gone through the worst things in her life. She was abandoned when she was born and this family adopted her, and this is not what we expected,&quot; Sabu was quoted as saying by NBC News.

Sherin&#39;s case also caught the attention of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

&quot;We are deeply concerned about the missing child. Indian Embassy in US is actively involved and they keep me informed,&quot; Swaraj tweeted on October 19.

&quot;We are closely monitoring the Sherin Mathews case. We have established contact with the community and authorities,&quot; India&#39;s Consul General in Houston, Anupam Ray had tweeted.&nbsp;

Wesley Mathews had previously claimed Sherin had gone missing after he sent her outside at around 3 am on October 7 as punishment for not drinking her milk

The foster father of a missing 3- year-old Indian girl was today arrested and charged with first-degree felony injury to a child after he changed his story about the circumstances surrounding her mysterious disappearance over two weeks ago. Wesley Mathews, 37, was arrested after the Indian- American changed his story about his adoptive daughter Sherin Mathew's disappearance from outside their home in suburban Dallas in Texas state. Mathews has been charged with first-degree felony injury to a child × Mathews had previously claimed that Sherin went missing after he sent her outside their home at around 3 am on October 7 as punishment for not drinking her milk. Yesterday, the Richardson Police announced that they discovered the remains of a small child in a tunnel beneath a road, expressing apprehension that it was "most likely" that of Sherin. They, however, did not confirm the identity. "He voluntarily arrived at the Richardson Police Station with his attorney and asked to speak with detectives. He provided an alternate statement of events from those which he had given previously, regarding the disappearance of Sherin," Richardson Police Department Spokesman Sergeant Kevin Perlich said. The particulars of his statements that might have led to the charge have not yet been explained by authorities. Mathews, who hails from Kerala, was booked into the Richardson City Jail on a USD one million bond. The father was previously arrested and charged with felony endangerment to a child and was placed on electronic ankle monitoring. He surrendered his passport as a condition of making bond on October 9. He was later released. First-degree felony injury to a child is punishable by up to life imprisonment or from five to 99 years in prison, US media reported. Sherin, who has developmental issues and limited verbal communication skills, was last seen outside her family's backyard in Richardson city on October 7. Mathews and his wife Sini reportedly adopted Sherin two years ago from an orphanage in Bihar. The body of a small child was discovered in a culvert beneath a road with the help of search dogs. Police have not released any details about how the child died. The body was found about one km from the house of Mathews. "We are still awaiting a positive identification from the Dallas County Medical Examiners office for the child's body found yesterday, believed to be Sherin Mathews," Perlich said. Child Protective Services took custody of the Indian-American couple's other biological daughter shortly after Mathews was arrested. Wesley Mathews, who hails from Kerala, was booked into the Richardson City Jail on a USD one million bond. (Others) × Sini Mathews, the girl's mother does not face any charges. She was in the house at the time, but was reportedly asleep and unaware of what her husband was doing, police had said earlier. Earlier in the day Mathews and his wife, Sini, attended a court hearing to determine whether they could regain custody of their 4-year-old biological daughter who was placed in protective custody after Sherin went missing. But the judge at a Dallas County court decided that the older sibling of Sherin will remain in foster care for at least three more weeks. The judge postponed custody hearing until November 13 to allow Mathews to hire a civil attorney. The girl will remain in foster care until that hearing or until a judge orders a change in custody, said Marissa Gonzales, a spokeswoman for Child Protective Services. "We do have the names of some relatives who have expressed interest in taking care of her," Gonzales said. "We can begin looking into those relatives, but it is entirely up to the judge where she is placed," she said. On Monday evening, people gathered near the culvert where police found the body of a small child. Many people expressed shock at the father's second arrest. "Justice should be done for this little child," said Indian-American Anthony Sabu. "This little child has gone through the worst things in her life. She was abandoned when she was born and this family adopted her, and this is not what we expected," Sabu was quoted as saying by NBC News. Sherin's case also caught the attention of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. "We are deeply concerned about the missing child. Indian Embassy in US is actively involved and they keep me informed," Swaraj tweeted on October 19. "We are closely monitoring the Sherin Mathews case. We have established contact with the community and authorities," India's Consul General in Houston, Anupam Ray had tweeted.

Missing Indian girl in US: Foster father arrested after he changes story

Police in the US today discovered the body of a child, which they say is &quot;most likely&quot; of a three-year-old Indian girl who went missing two weeks ago.

Sherin Mathews, who has developmental issues and limited verbal communication skills, was last seen outside her family&#39;s backyard in Richardson city in Texas on October 7 after her foster father reportedly upbraided her and sent her alone outside late at night as punishment for not finishing her milk.

The Richardson Police announced that they discovered the remains of a child in a tunnel beneath a road, expressing apprehension that it was &quot;most likely&quot; of Sherin. They, however, did not confirm the identity.

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Sherin&#39;s body was found about half a mile from the house of her adoptive parents Wesley and Sini Mathews.

As part of their search operation, officers blocked off an area near Spring Valley and Bowser roads, east of Central Expressway.

The body was found in a culvert beneath a road around 11 AM (local time) with the help of search dogs. Police have not released any details about how the child died.

They, however, indicated they had no reason to believe that the body of a different child had been found. The identification process was underway. The medical examiner was working to determine the cause of death.

The child&#39;s foster father, Wesley Mathews, 37, was arrested on a charge of abandoning or endangering a child. A day later, he was released from custody after posting USD 250,000 bond.

As per an arrest-warrant affidavit, Mathews, said to be from Kerala, told police that he sent Sherin outside and told her to stand next to a large tree at around 3 AM October 7.

Mathews admitted to police that he knew coyotes or wild dogs had been seen in the alley, the affidavit said.

Some 15 minutes later, Mathews allegedly went to check on Sherin but did not find her.

After looking around for her, he said he then went inside to do laundry and decided to wait until morning to continue searching or for her to return on her own, police sergeant Kevin Perlich said.

Police were not alerted to her disappearance until about five hours later.

The Mathews reportedly adopted the girl two years ago from an Indian orphanage.

Sherin&#39;s case also caught the attention of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

&quot;We are deeply concerned about the missing child. Indian Embassy in US is actively involved and they keep me informed,&quot; Swaraj tweeted on October 19.

&quot;We are closely monitoring the Sherin Mathews case. We have established contact with the community and authorities,&quot; India&#39;s Consul General in Houston, Anupam Ray had tweeted.&nbsp;

The three-year-old Indian girl went missing two weeks ago

Police in the US today discovered the body of a child, which they say is "most likely" of a three-year-old Indian girl who went missing two weeks ago. Sherin Mathews, who has developmental issues and limited verbal communication skills, was last seen outside her family's backyard in Richardson city in Texas on October 7 after her foster father reportedly upbraided her and sent her alone outside late at night as punishment for not finishing her milk. The Richardson Police announced that they discovered the remains of a child in a tunnel beneath a road, expressing apprehension that it was "most likely" of Sherin. They, however, did not confirm the identity. Sherin has developmental issues and limited verbal communication skills × Sherin's body was found about half a mile from the house of her adoptive parents Wesley and Sini Mathews. As part of their search operation, officers blocked off an area near Spring Valley and Bowser roads, east of Central Expressway. The body was found in a culvert beneath a road around 11 AM (local time) with the help of search dogs. Police have not released any details about how the child died. They, however, indicated they had no reason to believe that the body of a different child had been found. The identification process was underway. The medical examiner was working to determine the cause of death. The child's foster father, Wesley Mathews, 37, was arrested on a charge of abandoning or endangering a child. A day later, he was released from custody after posting USD 250,000 bond. As per an arrest-warrant affidavit, Mathews, said to be from Kerala, told police that he sent Sherin outside and told her to stand next to a large tree at around 3 AM October 7. Mathews admitted to police that he knew coyotes or wild dogs had been seen in the alley, the affidavit said. Some 15 minutes later, Mathews allegedly went to check on Sherin but did not find her. After looking around for her, he said he then went inside to do laundry and decided to wait until morning to continue searching or for her to return on her own, police sergeant Kevin Perlich said. Police were not alerted to her disappearance until about five hours later. The Mathews reportedly adopted the girl two years ago from an Indian orphanage. Sherin's case also caught the attention of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. "We are deeply concerned about the missing child. Indian Embassy in US is actively involved and they keep me informed," Swaraj tweeted on October 19. "We are closely monitoring the Sherin Mathews case. We have established contact with the community and authorities," India's Consul General in Houston, Anupam Ray had tweeted.

US police find body, 'most likely' of missing Indian girl

An Indian student in Houston lost her life last night <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/storm-harvey-moves-inland-in-texas-rescue-operations-underway-19743">as a result of Hurricane Harvey</a>. Shalini Singh died days after being rescued from<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/harvey-makes-landfall-again-texas-death-toll-mounts-from-record-floods-19676"> a swollen lake in the badly affected area of Texas</a>.&nbsp; 
 
Last Saturday, Shalini had gone swimming to Lake Bryan along with another Indian student, Nikhil Bhatia, who was also rescued with her. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-indian-student-dies-another-critical-in-hurricane-ravaged-texas-19706">Nikhil died in hospital on August 30.</a>

Shalini, who belonged to Delhi, came to the US a month back to pursue a two-year masters degree in public health from Texas A&amp;M University. She did her undergraduation in Dental Surgery from ITS Dental College in Greater Noida.&nbsp;

Her younger brother and maternal uncle flew in from India and were present with her at the time of death. She was on life support until intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. The Consulate officials were constantly in touch with the family members in the hospital.

Friends and witnesses claim that Singh and Bhatia, during the swim, were pushed deeper into the lake because of a sudden current.

Friends accompanying them noticed that they were in struggling and alerted the nearby police officers.&nbsp; 
 
Bryan Police officers rescued and provided cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the duo until medics arrived, according to Bryan Mayor Andrew Nelson.

Singh will be cremated in Bryan next week.

Dr. Anupam Ray, Consul General of India in Houston,&nbsp;had been constantly keeping a check on her medical needs.

The catastrophic hurricane has affected roughly 13 million people in Texas, claiming at least 50 lives.

According to a local report, at least 150,000 Indian-Americans live in the vicinity of the area hit by the hurricane.

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25-year-old Shalini came to the US last month to pursue her masters degree in public health

An Indian student in Houston lost her life last night as a result of Hurricane Harvey. Shalini Singh died days after being rescued from a swollen lake in the badly affected area of Texas. Last Saturday, Shalini had gone swimming to Lake Bryan along with another Indian student, Nikhil Bhatia, who was also rescued with her. Nikhil died in hospital on August 30. Shalini, who belonged to Delhi, came to the US a month back to pursue a two-year masters degree in public health from Texas A&M University. She did her undergraduation in Dental Surgery from ITS Dental College in Greater Noida. Her younger brother and maternal uncle flew in from India and were present with her at the time of death. She was on life support until intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. The Consulate officials were constantly in touch with the family members in the hospital. Friends and witnesses claim that Singh and Bhatia, during the swim, were pushed deeper into the lake because of a sudden current. Friends accompanying them noticed that they were in struggling and alerted the nearby police officers. Bryan Police officers rescued and provided cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the duo until medics arrived, according to Bryan Mayor Andrew Nelson. Singh will be cremated in Bryan next week. Dr. Anupam Ray, Consul General of India in Houston, had been constantly keeping a check on her medical needs. The catastrophic hurricane has affected roughly 13 million people in Texas, claiming at least 50 lives. According to a local report, at least 150,000 Indian-Americans live in the vicinity of the area hit by the hurricane.

Hurricane Harvey: Another Indian student dies in US

A 24-year-old Indian student has succumbed to his injuries after he was rescued from Lake Bryan in Texas which was battered by Hurricane Harvey.

Nikhil Bhatia along with another Indian girl Shalini Singh had gone for swimming at Lake Bryan when the waters in the lake swelled.

Bhatia was a student of Texas A&amp;M University.

The Indian girl Shalini Singh is said to be in a critical condition.

Bhatia, who hails from Jaipur, was brought to the hospital along with Shalini Singh in a critical condition.

The Consul General of India in Houston is keeping a track of their medical condition.

Texas has seen record flooding in the wake of powerful Hurricane Harvey which dumped record downpour in the city of Houston.

At least 200 Indian students trapped in the Houston University were being evacuated to safety. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The duo were reportedly swimming in a lake when the waters suddenly swelled

A 24-year-old Indian student has succumbed to his injuries after he was rescued from Lake Bryan in Texas which was battered by Hurricane Harvey. Nikhil Bhatia along with another Indian girl Shalini Singh had gone for swimming at Lake Bryan when the waters in the lake swelled. Bhatia was a student of Texas A&M University. The Indian girl Shalini Singh is said to be in a critical condition. Bhatia, who hails from Jaipur, was brought to the hospital along with Shalini Singh in a critical condition. The Consul General of India in Houston is keeping a track of their medical condition. Texas has seen record flooding in the wake of powerful Hurricane Harvey which dumped record downpour in the city of Houston. At least 200 Indian students trapped in the Houston University were being evacuated to safety.

Indian student dies, another critical in hurricane-ravaged Texas

US petroleum giant ExxonMobil said Sunday it was temporarily closing its enormous refinery in Baytown, Texas, after flooding caused by monster storm Harvey had led to &quot;operational issues.&quot;

&quot;We are in the process of a safe and systematic shutdown of operations,&quot; a company statement said.

ExxonMobil said it was &quot;taking all precautions&quot; to ensure workers&#39; safety and minimise the impact of the closure on employees and the local community.

The group said all of its other Gulf Coast facilities were continuing to operate normally.

The Baytown complex is one of the biggest refining and petrochemical sites in the world.

Situated some 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Houston, it produces an average 584,000 barrels of crude oil a day and employs 7,000 workers.

Harvey, the most powerful hurricane to strike the US mainland since 2005 and to hit Texas since 1961, roared onto the state&#39;s Gulf Coast late Friday as an immensely powerful category four hurricane.

It has since been downgraded to tropical storm status but is continuing to drop record amounts of rain.

The area from Houston to Galveston was hit by some two feet (60 centimeters) of rain in 24 hours, and authorities have warned of catastrophic flooding of historic proportions.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the former CEO of ExxonMobil, was asked about the storm during an appearance Sunday on Fox News Sunday.

He said his former industry had been through many major storms and was probably among the &quot;most prepared for these types of events.&quot;

But, he added, &quot;there will be challenges that are created by a storm of this magnitude.&quot;

US petroleum giant ExxonMobil said Sunday it was temporarily closing its enormous refinery in Baytown, Texas, after flooding caused by monster storm Harvey had led to "operational issues."

US petroleum giant ExxonMobil said Sunday it was temporarily closing its enormous refinery in Baytown, Texas, after flooding caused by monster storm Harvey had led to "operational issues." "We are in the process of a safe and systematic shutdown of operations," a company statement said. ExxonMobil said it was "taking all precautions" to ensure workers' safety and minimise the impact of the closure on employees and the local community. The group said all of its other Gulf Coast facilities were continuing to operate normally. The Baytown complex is one of the biggest refining and petrochemical sites in the world. Situated some 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Houston, it produces an average 584,000 barrels of crude oil a day and employs 7,000 workers. Harvey, the most powerful hurricane to strike the US mainland since 2005 and to hit Texas since 1961, roared onto the state's Gulf Coast late Friday as an immensely powerful category four hurricane. It has since been downgraded to tropical storm status but is continuing to drop record amounts of rain. The area from Houston to Galveston was hit by some two feet (60 centimeters) of rain in 24 hours, and authorities have warned of catastrophic flooding of historic proportions. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the former CEO of ExxonMobil, was asked about the storm during an appearance Sunday on Fox News Sunday. He said his former industry had been through many major storms and was probably among the "most prepared for these types of events." But, he added, "there will be challenges that are created by a storm of this magnitude."

Baytown refinery shuts down in Texas due to cyclonic disruption

Nearly 400 migratory birds of brilliant plumage were killed when they smashed into an office tower in Texas while flying in a storm, officials said on Friday.

Office workers arrived at the tallest skyscraper in downtown Galveston on Thursday morning and found the birds with feathers of blue, green, yellow and other hues dead on the ground, said Josh Henderson, animal services supervisor for Galveston police.

The birds were coming from Central and South America and arrived in the coastal city of Galveston, likely fatigued from their flight over the Gulf of Mexico. The birds migrate to several areas across North America during the warmer months of the year.

&quot;These are showy, beautiful birds that bird watchers really get excited to see,&quot; said Richard Gibbons, conservation director at the Houston Audubon.

More than 20 species were represented among the 395 birds that died, Henderson said. The biggest group was Nashville Warblers, followed by Blackburnian Warblers.

Henderson said he did not know if all the birds were flying together or if they struck the office tower at different times.

A storm was battering the city, which probably forced the birds to fly low, Gibbons said. In the dark, they may have mistaken the skyscraper&#39;s lights for the sun or moon, he said.

&quot;It was really a freak accident,&quot; said Gibbons, whose organization has called for tall buildings to limit their lighting at night to avoid such mishaps.

Three surviving birds were taken to a wildlife centre.

(Reuters)

Office workers arrived at the tallest skyscraper in downtown Galveston on Thursday morning and found the birds with feathers of blue, green, yellow and other hues dead on the ground

Nearly 400 migratory birds of brilliant plumage were killed when they smashed into an office tower in Texas while flying in a storm, officials said on Friday. Office workers arrived at the tallest skyscraper in downtown Galveston on Thursday morning and found the birds with feathers of blue, green, yellow and other hues dead on the ground, said Josh Henderson, animal services supervisor for Galveston police. The birds were coming from Central and South America and arrived in the coastal city of Galveston, likely fatigued from their flight over the Gulf of Mexico. The birds migrate to several areas across North America during the warmer months of the year. "These are showy, beautiful birds that bird watchers really get excited to see," said Richard Gibbons, conservation director at the Houston Audubon. More than 20 species were represented among the 395 birds that died, Henderson said. The biggest group was Nashville Warblers, followed by Blackburnian Warblers. Henderson said he did not know if all the birds were flying together or if they struck the office tower at different times. A storm was battering the city, which probably forced the birds to fly low, Gibbons said. In the dark, they may have mistaken the skyscraper's lights for the sun or moon, he said. "It was really a freak accident," said Gibbons, whose organization has called for tall buildings to limit their lighting at night to avoid such mishaps. Three surviving birds were taken to a wildlife centre. (Reuters)

US: Nearly 400 birds die after hitting Texas skyscraper

Sergio Hernandez died at 15, shot dead by policeman Jesus Mesa. His would have been a story of American violence both tragic and banal if the victim had not been in Mexico and the shooter in the US.

The thorny legal question raised by the cross-border homicide heads to the US Supreme Court on Tuesday.

At issue is whether the teen&#39;s family has the constitutional right to sue Mesa, a Border Patrol agent, in US courts.

The Supreme Court takes up the case amid a deeply divisive national debate on President Donald Trump&#39;s vow to build a US wall on the border with Mexico to stem illegal immigration.

The shooting occurred June 7, 2010. Hernandez was playing around with three friends in the dry riverbed of the Rio Grande that separates the Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez from its Texan neighbor El Paso.

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<h5>Mesa later explained that Hernandez and his friends had refused to obey his order to stop the game and had thrown rocks at him. Mesa left the scene without helping his victim</h5>
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The four friends were racing up the concrete embankment to touch the barbed-wire fence on the US side, and racing back down. The unmarked border line runs through the middle of the culvert.

Their game bothered Mesa, who was patrolling the area on bicycle. He shot Hernandez in the head, and the teen died just 60 feet (18 meters) from the border on Mexican soil.

The Border Patrol agent later explained that Hernandez and his friends had refused to obey his order to stop the game and had thrown rocks at him.

Mesa left the scene without helping his victim, accompanied by colleagues who had come to give him back-up.

According to the family of the victim, the teen was shot while unarmed and presented no danger.

Angry Mexico 
The case sparked protests in Ciudad Juarez and a diplomatic mini-crisis between the neighboring countries, with Mexico&#39;s then-president Felipe Calderon demanding a &quot;profound and impartial&quot; investigation by the Obama administration.

The previous week, another Mexican teenager, Anastasio Hernandez Rojas, had died after being beaten and shocked with a Taser by border police at the southwest crossing between Tijuana and the US city of San Diego.

It was in this context of repeated US official violence against Mexican nationals at the border that the parents of Hernandez decided to sue Mesa, accusing him of violating the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution, which bars unjustified deadly force.

Their lawsuit for unlawful use of lethal force also cites the Fifth Amendment, which among other provisions says that a life cannot be taken without the &quot;due process of law.&quot;

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ultimately upheld a decision to dismiss the case, stating that US courts had no jurisdiction since the victim was Mexican and died in Mexico.

&#39;Intolerable&#39; 
In the appeal, the New Orleans court decided that the complaint of unlawful use of lethal force could not be applied.

Rights group Amnesty International called the ruling &quot;intolerable&quot; and &quot;in violation of basic principles of international law.&quot;

According to Bob Hilliard, an attorney with Hilliard, Munoz, &amp; Gonzales, the firm representing the Hernandez family before the Supreme Court, US border patrols have fatally shot at least eight Mexicans between 2006 and 2016 in cross-border incidents.

&quot;Innocent Mexican nationals have been murdered with no ability to speak through the court system to the person who committed a crime,&quot; he said.

His partner, Jose Luis Munoz, pointed out the case has broad implications.

&quot;Beyond politics, this case is about humanity,&quot; he told AFP.

&quot;Human worth is not determined by place of birth and justice is not determined by where a life ends -- especially a young life cut short when a US law enforcement agent, standing inside the US and governed by this country&#39;s constitutional constraints, pulls the trigger.&quot;

After lengthy hesitation, the Supreme Court decided last October to hear the case, which has gathered numerous arguments in support of the parties.

The US federal government is backing Mesa, warning that authorization of such lawsuits could &quot;significantly disrupt the ability of the political branches to respond to foreign situations involving&quot; US national interests.

The Mexican government has warned that blocking the case could damage US-Mexican relations.

&quot;Applying US law in this case would not interfere with operations of the Mexican government within Mexico,&quot; it said in a court brief.

&quot;On the contrary, providing an adequate and effective remedy would show appropriate respect for Mexico&#39;s sovereignty on its own territory and for the rights of its nationals.&quot;&#39;

(AFP)

Sergio Hernandez, 15, was playing around with friends on the dry riverbed of the Rio Grande which separates the two countries

Sergio Hernandez died at 15, shot dead by policeman Jesus Mesa. His would have been a story of American violence both tragic and banal if the victim had not been in Mexico and the shooter in the US. The thorny legal question raised by the cross-border homicide heads to the US Supreme Court on Tuesday. At issue is whether the teen's family has the constitutional right to sue Mesa, a Border Patrol agent, in US courts. The Supreme Court takes up the case amid a deeply divisive national debate on President Donald Trump's vow to build a US wall on the border with Mexico to stem illegal immigration. The shooting occurred June 7, 2010. Hernandez was playing around with three friends in the dry riverbed of the Rio Grande that separates the Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez from its Texan neighbor El Paso. Mesa later explained that Hernandez and his friends had refused to obey his order to stop the game and had thrown rocks at him. Mesa left the scene without helping his victim × The four friends were racing up the concrete embankment to touch the barbed-wire fence on the US side, and racing back down. The unmarked border line runs through the middle of the culvert. Their game bothered Mesa, who was patrolling the area on bicycle. He shot Hernandez in the head, and the teen died just 60 feet (18 meters) from the border on Mexican soil. The Border Patrol agent later explained that Hernandez and his friends had refused to obey his order to stop the game and had thrown rocks at him. Mesa left the scene without helping his victim, accompanied by colleagues who had come to give him back-up. According to the family of the victim, the teen was shot while unarmed and presented no danger. Angry Mexico The case sparked protests in Ciudad Juarez and a diplomatic mini-crisis between the neighboring countries, with Mexico's then-president Felipe Calderon demanding a "profound and impartial" investigation by the Obama administration. The previous week, another Mexican teenager, Anastasio Hernandez Rojas, had died after being beaten and shocked with a Taser by border police at the southwest crossing between Tijuana and the US city of San Diego. It was in this context of repeated US official violence against Mexican nationals at the border that the parents of Hernandez decided to sue Mesa, accusing him of violating the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution, which bars unjustified deadly force. Their lawsuit for unlawful use of lethal force also cites the Fifth Amendment, which among other provisions says that a life cannot be taken without the "due process of law." The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ultimately upheld a decision to dismiss the case, stating that US courts had no jurisdiction since the victim was Mexican and died in Mexico. 'Intolerable' In the appeal, the New Orleans court decided that the complaint of unlawful use of lethal force could not be applied. Rights group Amnesty International called the ruling "intolerable" and "in violation of basic principles of international law." According to Bob Hilliard, an attorney with Hilliard, Munoz, & Gonzales, the firm representing the Hernandez family before the Supreme Court, US border patrols have fatally shot at least eight Mexicans between 2006 and 2016 in cross-border incidents. "Innocent Mexican nationals have been murdered with no ability to speak through the court system to the person who committed a crime," he said. His partner, Jose Luis Munoz, pointed out the case has broad implications. "Beyond politics, this case is about humanity," he told AFP. "Human worth is not determined by place of birth and justice is not determined by where a life ends -- especially a young life cut short when a US law enforcement agent, standing inside the US and governed by this country's constitutional constraints, pulls the trigger." After lengthy hesitation, the Supreme Court decided last October to hear the case, which has gathered numerous arguments in support of the parties. The US federal government is backing Mesa, warning that authorization of such lawsuits could "significantly disrupt the ability of the political branches to respond to foreign situations involving" US national interests. The Mexican government has warned that blocking the case could damage US-Mexican relations. "Applying US law in this case would not interfere with operations of the Mexican government within Mexico," it said in a court brief. "On the contrary, providing an adequate and effective remedy would show appropriate respect for Mexico's sovereignty on its own territory and for the rights of its nationals."' (AFP)

Teen playing on Mexico side of border shot by US cop, case now in Supreme Court

Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff in the case that led to the Supreme Court&#39;s controversial Roe v. Wade ruling that legalised abortion in the United States in 1973, died Saturday. She was 69.

She died of heart failure in a Texas assisted-living facility, said Joshua Prager, a New York journalist who has written about her in Vanity Fair magazine.

McCorvey was known as &quot;Jane Roe&quot; in the case as she fought for the constitutional right to an abortion, a hot-button social issue that has divided the American public roughly in half for decades.

She became a hero to abortion rights supporters but a villain to those seeking to outlaw abortion. Years later in 1995, she announced she had switched her allegiance to the anti-abortion movement.

The Roe v. Wade decision was handed down on January 22, 1973 with seven justices backing it and two dissenting.

In the four decades since the Supreme Court ruling, tens of millions of legal abortions have been performed in the country.&nbsp;

The ruling ended a lengthy legal drama that had begun in the state of Texas three years earlier, where abortions were permitted only in cases in which pregnancies endangered the mothers or children.

A single mother who had had a rough childhood, McCorvey was pregnant for a third time and wanted an abortion.

Encouraged by two feminist lawyers, she filed suit against Dallas district attorney Henry Wade over the Texas law under the pseudonym Jane Roe.

Although her child was born, the case took on a life of its own, becoming one of the most important and best-known decisions ever made by the Supreme Court.

McCorvey later became a fervent abortion opponent, converting to evangelical Protestantism and then Catholicism. She also declared herself a lesbian.

(AFP)

Norma McCorvey died of heart failure in a Texas assisted-living facility

Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff in the case that led to the Supreme Court's controversial Roe v. Wade ruling that legalised abortion in the United States in 1973, died Saturday. She was 69. She died of heart failure in a Texas assisted-living facility, said Joshua Prager, a New York journalist who has written about her in Vanity Fair magazine. McCorvey was known as "Jane Roe" in the case as she fought for the constitutional right to an abortion, a hot-button social issue that has divided the American public roughly in half for decades. She became a hero to abortion rights supporters but a villain to those seeking to outlaw abortion. Years later in 1995, she announced she had switched her allegiance to the anti-abortion movement. The Roe v. Wade decision was handed down on January 22, 1973 with seven justices backing it and two dissenting. In the four decades since the Supreme Court ruling, tens of millions of legal abortions have been performed in the country. The ruling ended a lengthy legal drama that had begun in the state of Texas three years earlier, where abortions were permitted only in cases in which pregnancies endangered the mothers or children. A single mother who had had a rough childhood, McCorvey was pregnant for a third time and wanted an abortion. Encouraged by two feminist lawyers, she filed suit against Dallas district attorney Henry Wade over the Texas law under the pseudonym Jane Roe. Although her child was born, the case took on a life of its own, becoming one of the most important and best-known decisions ever made by the Supreme Court. McCorvey later became a fervent abortion opponent, converting to evangelical Protestantism and then Catholicism. She also declared herself a lesbian. (AFP)

Plaintiff in landmark US abortion case Roe v. Wade dies

The pilot killed along with 15 other people in the crash of a hot air balloon in central Texas on Saturday had numerous convictions for drunk driving and at least one drug-related charge dating back to 1990, according to online records.

The balloon, flown by Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides chief pilot and owner Alfred &quot;Skip&quot; Nichols, hit a power line, setting its basket on fire, and plummeted into a pasture near Lockhart, about 30 miles (50 km) south of the state capital Austin, killing all aboard.

Authorities have not yet issued findings of their investigation into the cause of the crash.

Online records in Missouri&#39;s St. Louis County show Nichols pleaded guilty to drunk driving charges at least three times between 1990 and 2010, as well as several other vehicular charges.

In 2000, he also pleaded guilty to a drug-related charge and spent time in prison, according to criminal records.

Following his 2010 conviction for drunk driving, Nichols was sentenced to seven years in prison and was released on parole in January 2012 after less than a year and a half.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the company expressed its condolences to those killed in the crash.

&quot;There are simply no words to express our profound sadness at this event that has taken away so many of our loved ones,&quot; it said in a Facebook post.

The company said it has not been in contact with the relatives of those killed in the crash as it is being probed by US&nbsp;investigators. It could not be reached for further comment.

The names of the passengers killed have not been officially released but social media posts and local media reports indicate the victims included a couple celebrating their 23rd wedding anniversary with a balloon ride at sunrise.

Aerial television footage showed flattened remnants of the red, white and blue balloon, adorned with a yellow smiley face wearing sunglasses.

The US&nbsp;National Transportation Safety Board two years ago recommended greater oversight of the hot air balloon industry, said Robert Sumwalt, who is heading the federal agency&#39;s investigation of the accident.

It was the deadliest crash involving a hot air balloon in the Western Hemisphere, according to the Balloon Federation of North America. 
 
(Reuters)

Online records show Nichols had pleaded guilty to drunk driving charges at least three times between 1990 and 2010

The pilot killed along with 15 other people in the crash of a hot air balloon in central Texas on Saturday had numerous convictions for drunk driving and at least one drug-related charge dating back to 1990, according to online records. The balloon, flown by Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides chief pilot and owner Alfred "Skip" Nichols, hit a power line, setting its basket on fire, and plummeted into a pasture near Lockhart, about 30 miles (50 km) south of the state capital Austin, killing all aboard. Authorities have not yet issued findings of their investigation into the cause of the crash. Online records in Missouri's St. Louis County show Nichols pleaded guilty to drunk driving charges at least three times between 1990 and 2010, as well as several other vehicular charges. In 2000, he also pleaded guilty to a drug-related charge and spent time in prison, according to criminal records. Following his 2010 conviction for drunk driving, Nichols was sentenced to seven years in prison and was released on parole in January 2012 after less than a year and a half. In a statement on its Facebook page, the company expressed its condolences to those killed in the crash. "There are simply no words to express our profound sadness at this event that has taken away so many of our loved ones," it said in a Facebook post. The company said it has not been in contact with the relatives of those killed in the crash as it is being probed by US investigators. It could not be reached for further comment. The names of the passengers killed have not been officially released but social media posts and local media reports indicate the victims included a couple celebrating their 23rd wedding anniversary with a balloon ride at sunrise. Aerial television footage showed flattened remnants of the red, white and blue balloon, adorned with a yellow smiley face wearing sunglasses. The US National Transportation Safety Board two years ago recommended greater oversight of the hot air balloon industry, said Robert Sumwalt, who is heading the federal agency's investigation of the accident. It was the deadliest crash involving a hot air balloon in the Western Hemisphere, according to the Balloon Federation of North America. (Reuters)

Pilot in Texas balloon crash had drunk driving, drug convictions

At least 16 people were feared dead after a hot air balloon caught fire and crashed in a pasture near the central Texas city of Lockhart on Saturday morning, according to federal and local authorities.

&quot;It does not appear at this time that there were any survivors of the crash,&quot; Caldwell County sheriff Daniel Law said in a statement, according to his office.

Emergency responders in Texas said the fire hit the basket portion of the hot air balloon.

The accident is likely to be one of the deadliest hot air balloon crashes on record. It comes about three years after 19 people, mostly Asian and European tourists, were killed in a hot air balloon crash in Luxor, Egypt.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the Lockhart crash, about 30 miles (50 km) south of Austin. It did not offer any information on fatalities but said at least 16 people were on board the balloon.

The Caldwell County sheriff&#39;s office said it was working to determine the identities of those aboard.

More than a dozen police vehicles could be seen on pasture land at the site of the crash, in live video provided by Austin TV station KVUE.

The FAA said the crash took place at about 7:40 AM&nbsp;(1240 GMT) and that the National Transportation Safety Board had been notified.

Texas governor Greg Abbott offered his condolences to those killed in the crash.

&quot;Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, as well as the Lockhart community,&quot; he said.

Lockhart is a town of about 13,000 people near state parks and home to a variety of barbecue restaurants considered to be among the best in the state.

The crash in Egypt occurred after a mid-air gas explosion.

A year before that incident, a hot air balloon burst into flames and crashed in New Zealand, killing all 11 people on board in the country&#39;s worst air accident in more than three decades. 
 
(Reuters)

The crash happened after the balloon basket caught fire. The Federal Aviation Administration has not offered information on fatalities yet

At least 16 people were feared dead after a hot air balloon caught fire and crashed in a pasture near the central Texas city of Lockhart on Saturday morning, according to federal and local authorities. "It does not appear at this time that there were any survivors of the crash," Caldwell County sheriff Daniel Law said in a statement, according to his office. Emergency responders in Texas said the fire hit the basket portion of the hot air balloon. The accident is likely to be one of the deadliest hot air balloon crashes on record. It comes about three years after 19 people, mostly Asian and European tourists, were killed in a hot air balloon crash in Luxor, Egypt. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the Lockhart crash, about 30 miles (50 km) south of Austin. It did not offer any information on fatalities but said at least 16 people were on board the balloon. The Caldwell County sheriff's office said it was working to determine the identities of those aboard. More than a dozen police vehicles could be seen on pasture land at the site of the crash, in live video provided by Austin TV station KVUE. The FAA said the crash took place at about 7:40 AM (1240 GMT) and that the National Transportation Safety Board had been notified. Texas governor Greg Abbott offered his condolences to those killed in the crash. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, as well as the Lockhart community," he said. Lockhart is a town of about 13,000 people near state parks and home to a variety of barbecue restaurants considered to be among the best in the state. The crash in Egypt occurred after a mid-air gas explosion. A year before that incident, a hot air balloon burst into flames and crashed in New Zealand, killing all 11 people on board in the country's worst air accident in more than three decades. (Reuters)

At least 16 feared dead in Texas hot air balloon crash

The Dallas Police Department, which was struggling to recruit officers, has seen a surge in job applications after the ambush shooting this month that killed five officers and brought global attention to the Texas city, officials said on Friday. 
 
During the 12 days following the July 7 shooting, the department said it got 467 job applications, a 344 per cent increase compared with the 136 in a similar period in June.&nbsp; 
 
That is an average of 38.9 requests per day to become a police recruit compared with an average of 11.3 submissions a day for 12 days in June. 
 
In recent months, the police department has had to cancel academy classes because there were not enough applicants. 
 
Potential officers in the north Texas region have often opted for departments in fast-growing cities surrounding Dallas where starting pay is typically higher than in Dallas. 
 
Dallas police chief David Brown put out the call for new recruits at a news conference last week where he spoke of the deaths of five officers and the actions of others to save lives at a rally in the city in the incident that marked the deadliest day for US law enforcement since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. 
 
&quot;We are hiring. Get out of that protest line and put an application in,&quot; Brown said. 
 
US police forces have been the target of protests following the fatal shootings of black men by patrolmen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and outside St. Paul, Minnesota, that were caught on video. 
 
Further, the series of high-profile police killings of black men in the past two years have sparked the most intense debate on race and justice in America in years. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a shame it took a tragedy to get people to apply, but glad to see so many people willing to serve their community,&quot; Dallas resident Ben Shaw wrote on the department&#39;s Facebook page on Friday. 
 
(Reuters)

Potential officers in north Texas usually opted for departments in fast-growing cities surrounding Dallas where starting pay is higher

The Dallas Police Department, which was struggling to recruit officers, has seen a surge in job applications after the ambush shooting this month that killed five officers and brought global attention to the Texas city, officials said on Friday. During the 12 days following the July 7 shooting, the department said it got 467 job applications, a 344 per cent increase compared with the 136 in a similar period in June. That is an average of 38.9 requests per day to become a police recruit compared with an average of 11.3 submissions a day for 12 days in June. In recent months, the police department has had to cancel academy classes because there were not enough applicants. Potential officers in the north Texas region have often opted for departments in fast-growing cities surrounding Dallas where starting pay is typically higher than in Dallas. Dallas police chief David Brown put out the call for new recruits at a news conference last week where he spoke of the deaths of five officers and the actions of others to save lives at a rally in the city in the incident that marked the deadliest day for US law enforcement since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. "We are hiring. Get out of that protest line and put an application in," Brown said. US police forces have been the target of protests following the fatal shootings of black men by patrolmen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and outside St. Paul, Minnesota, that were caught on video. Further, the series of high-profile police killings of black men in the past two years have sparked the most intense debate on race and justice in America in years. "It's a shame it took a tragedy to get people to apply, but glad to see so many people willing to serve their community," Dallas resident Ben Shaw wrote on the department's Facebook page on Friday. (Reuters)

Dallas police job applications surge after fatal ambush attacks

Three police officers were shot to death and three others wounded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Sunday, in what authorities said was an ambush less than two weeks after an African-American was killed by police, sparking nationwide protests. The situation is still unfolding as the authorities look to secure the area and bring it under control. 
 
One suspect is dead and police are checking for explosives, Baton Rouge Police spokesman L&#39;Jean Mckneely said. 
 
The officers in Baton Rouge were responding to a call of shots fired when they were ambushed by at least one gunman, Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden said.
A spokesman for the East Baton Rouge Sheriff&#39;s Office said police and sheriff&#39;s deputies were involved in the shooting incident. &quot;Multiple officers from both agencies sustained injuries and were transported to local hospitals,&quot; he said in an email. He said there were no firm numbers on the number hurt or the extent of injuries. 
 
WAFB television aired video footage of police responding to the scene in Baton Rouge. Multiple shots could be heard as civilian cars quickly backed away. Citizens took to Twitter about the shooting, warning others to stay away from the troubled area.
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Mayor&#39;s office confirms 2 police officers have been killed in Baton Rouge shooting. They say stay home. Stay off the streets.
&mdash; Rebekah Allen (@rebekahallen) <a href="https://twitter.com/rebekahallen/status/754692055952076802">17 July 2016</a></blockquote>
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The officers were taken to a local hospital, Police spokesman Sergeant Don Coppola told the local CBS affiliate, adding he did not know the extent of their injuries. 
 
&quot;The scene, we feel now, is contained,&quot; Coppola said, adding that he had no information on the extent of injuries or whether a suspect or suspects had been detained. The&nbsp;police have still not taken the shooter into custody and warned local residents to stay away from the scene, near Airline Highway. 
 
The reports come a week after a wave of protests against police violence in Baton Rouge and other cities after a 37-year-old father of five was shot and killed at close quarters by law enforcement officers. At one of the demonstrations in Dallas, a gunman opened fire on white officers assigned to the protest, killing five of them. 
 
(Agencies)

Multiple shots were heard as civilian cars backed away. Officers responding to the situation were ambushed by at least one gunman: US media

Three police officers were shot to death and three others wounded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Sunday, in what authorities said was an ambush less than two weeks after an African-American was killed by police, sparking nationwide protests. The situation is still unfolding as the authorities look to secure the area and bring it under control. One suspect is dead and police are checking for explosives, Baton Rouge Police spokesman L'Jean Mckneely said. The officers in Baton Rouge were responding to a call of shots fired when they were ambushed by at least one gunman, Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden said. A spokesman for the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office said police and sheriff's deputies were involved in the shooting incident. "Multiple officers from both agencies sustained injuries and were transported to local hospitals," he said in an email. He said there were no firm numbers on the number hurt or the extent of injuries. WAFB television aired video footage of police responding to the scene in Baton Rouge. Multiple shots could be heard as civilian cars quickly backed away. Citizens took to Twitter about the shooting, warning others to stay away from the troubled area. Mayor's office confirms 2 police officers have been killed in Baton Rouge shooting. They say stay home. Stay off the streets. — Rebekah Allen (@rebekahallen) 17 July 2016 The officers were taken to a local hospital, Police spokesman Sergeant Don Coppola told the local CBS affiliate, adding he did not know the extent of their injuries. "The scene, we feel now, is contained," Coppola said, adding that he had no information on the extent of injuries or whether a suspect or suspects had been detained. The police have still not taken the shooter into custody and warned local residents to stay away from the scene, near Airline Highway. The reports come a week after a wave of protests against police violence in Baton Rouge and other cities after a 37-year-old father of five was shot and killed at close quarters by law enforcement officers. At one of the demonstrations in Dallas, a gunman opened fire on white officers assigned to the protest, killing five of them. (Agencies)

3 police officers and 1 gunman dead in Louisiana shooting

Across the United States (US) police departments are searching for new tactics for a more difficult era of racial tension, increasingly lethal mass shootings and global terrorism. 
 
After last week&#39;s killing of five officers in Dallas, the deadliest assault on US law enforcement since the September 11, 2001 attacks, nearly half of America&#39;s 30 biggest cities have issued directives to pair up police officers on calls to boost safety, according to a Reuters survey of police departments.&nbsp; 
 
One, Indianapolis, said it would consider the use of robots to deliberately deliver lethal force, an unprecedented tactic until Thursday when the Dallas police department used a military-grade robot to deliver and detonate explosives where the shooter was holed up. 
 
Ambushes against police added to a sense of being under siege&nbsp; 
 
While a wave of anti-police protests since the 2014 killing of an unarmed black teen in Ferguson, Missouri, has revived memories of 1960s protests over civil rights and the Vietnam War, Thursday&#39;s shooting marked something different: a willingness to take up arms against police. 
 
Ambushes against police on Thursday and Friday in Tennessee, Georgia and Missouri added to a sense of them being under siege and vulnerable at a time when many departments already were grappling with heightened community suspicion over the use of deadly force. 
 
Responding to the Dallas shooting, Denver&rsquo;s police union wants officers to wear riot gear for local protests and to be armed with AR-15 assault rifles while patrolling Denver International Airport, the union said in a letter to the mayor published in The Denver Post. 
 
The most immediate change is the pairing up of officers. Thirteen of the country&#39;s 30 biggest city police department said they are pairing up officers - a change that could strain already thinly staffed police ranks in some regions. 
 
(The 13 are New York City, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Seattle, Memphis, Boston and Portland.) 
 
In Albuquerque, New Mexico &mdash; one of several cities dealing with an officer shortage &mdash; pairing officers could mean &ldquo;possibly longer response times for lower priority calls,&rdquo; said its police spokesman, Simon Drobik. And for cities with tight municipal budgets, some question whether this expensive strategy can last beyond the short term. 
 
Doubling up officers &quot;is a resource-intense approach and it will be a significant challenge for some police departments to sustain that strategy for very long,&quot; said Thomas Manger, president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA), which represents police chiefs from the country&#39;s largest cities. 
 
He predicted over the longer term that police will increase surveillance and expand their security presence at major events across the country. &quot;This will cause complaints about violating people&#39;s constitutional rights to free assembly, but it is the only way to guarantee safety,&quot; he said. 
 
&#39;Targets on their back&#39; 
 
The attack in Dallas came during a demonstration on Thursday over the shooting by police of two African-American men. Alton Sterling, 37, was shot by police in Baton Rouge on Tuesday and Philando Castile, 32, was killed on Wednesday night in a St. Paul, Minnesota suburb. 
 
The Dallas shooting also left seven officers injured. 
 
&quot;We need to figure out a way to ensure that police officers don&#39;t get targeted, because right now they do have targets on their backs,&quot; said Andrea Edmiston, director of governmental affairs for the National Association of Police Organisations, which represents about 241,000 US police officers. 
 
Few of the police forces approached by Reuters said they could discuss specific changes in tactics beyond pairing officers on the beat. Los Angeles and Denver, for instance, declined for safety reasons to discuss tactics. 
 
Indianapolis police spokesman Kendale Adams said his department would consider using a robot to deliver a bomb. &quot;Our team will consider all options in (a) deadly force encounter,&quot; he said in an e-mail. 
 
If every police department had New York City&#39;s resources, the challenges would be much less. 
 
New York police spokesman Stephen Davis said some 1,500 of the city&#39;s 36,000 police officers have received coordinated heavy weapons training.Davis said there are officers around the clock who can respond to an active shooter situation in an estimated three to five minutes. 
 
&quot;As most active shooter situations last under ten minutes, that speed is crucial,&quot; he said. &quot;But we are well aware of the luxury that we have with so many resources available to us.&quot; 
 
Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a law enforcement policy group, said that as 90 per cent of America&#39;s 18,000 police forces have under 50 officers, many simply cannot afford the kind of staff needed to respond as quickly as needed to mass shootings. 
 
Wexler said the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 had been a milestone for police in realising that major public events could become targets. 
 
&quot;Police departments will have to deploy additional forces to what have traditionally been low-risk events,&quot; he said, &quot;because those events now have the potential for some extremist or madman to commit violent acts.&quot; 
 
But he said that the best way to reduce deaths from attacks with semi-automatic weapons is to gain the trust of local communities so people will come forward and help prevent attacks. Once an attack starts, there is only so much the police can do. 
 
The MCCA&#39;s Manger said that beyond police strategy and tactics, what America needs is a change of mindset. 
 
&quot;Everyone on both sides needs to take a step back.&rdquo; 
 
(Reuters)

Half of America's 30 biggest cities have issued directives to pair up police officers

Across the United States (US) police departments are searching for new tactics for a more difficult era of racial tension, increasingly lethal mass shootings and global terrorism. After last week's killing of five officers in Dallas, the deadliest assault on US law enforcement since the September 11, 2001 attacks, nearly half of America's 30 biggest cities have issued directives to pair up police officers on calls to boost safety, according to a Reuters survey of police departments. One, Indianapolis, said it would consider the use of robots to deliberately deliver lethal force, an unprecedented tactic until Thursday when the Dallas police department used a military-grade robot to deliver and detonate explosives where the shooter was holed up. Ambushes against police added to a sense of being under siege While a wave of anti-police protests since the 2014 killing of an unarmed black teen in Ferguson, Missouri, has revived memories of 1960s protests over civil rights and the Vietnam War, Thursday's shooting marked something different: a willingness to take up arms against police. Ambushes against police on Thursday and Friday in Tennessee, Georgia and Missouri added to a sense of them being under siege and vulnerable at a time when many departments already were grappling with heightened community suspicion over the use of deadly force. Responding to the Dallas shooting, Denver’s police union wants officers to wear riot gear for local protests and to be armed with AR-15 assault rifles while patrolling Denver International Airport, the union said in a letter to the mayor published in The Denver Post. The most immediate change is the pairing up of officers. Thirteen of the country's 30 biggest city police department said they are pairing up officers - a change that could strain already thinly staffed police ranks in some regions. (The 13 are New York City, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Seattle, Memphis, Boston and Portland.) In Albuquerque, New Mexico — one of several cities dealing with an officer shortage — pairing officers could mean “possibly longer response times for lower priority calls,” said its police spokesman, Simon Drobik. And for cities with tight municipal budgets, some question whether this expensive strategy can last beyond the short term. Doubling up officers "is a resource-intense approach and it will be a significant challenge for some police departments to sustain that strategy for very long," said Thomas Manger, president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA), which represents police chiefs from the country's largest cities. He predicted over the longer term that police will increase surveillance and expand their security presence at major events across the country. "This will cause complaints about violating people's constitutional rights to free assembly, but it is the only way to guarantee safety," he said. 'Targets on their back' The attack in Dallas came during a demonstration on Thursday over the shooting by police of two African-American men. Alton Sterling, 37, was shot by police in Baton Rouge on Tuesday and Philando Castile, 32, was killed on Wednesday night in a St. Paul, Minnesota suburb. The Dallas shooting also left seven officers injured. "We need to figure out a way to ensure that police officers don't get targeted, because right now they do have targets on their backs," said Andrea Edmiston, director of governmental affairs for the National Association of Police Organisations, which represents about 241,000 US police officers. Few of the police forces approached by Reuters said they could discuss specific changes in tactics beyond pairing officers on the beat. Los Angeles and Denver, for instance, declined for safety reasons to discuss tactics. Indianapolis police spokesman Kendale Adams said his department would consider using a robot to deliver a bomb. "Our team will consider all options in (a) deadly force encounter," he said in an e-mail. If every police department had New York City's resources, the challenges would be much less. New York police spokesman Stephen Davis said some 1,500 of the city's 36,000 police officers have received coordinated heavy weapons training.Davis said there are officers around the clock who can respond to an active shooter situation in an estimated three to five minutes. "As most active shooter situations last under ten minutes, that speed is crucial," he said. "But we are well aware of the luxury that we have with so many resources available to us." Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a law enforcement policy group, said that as 90 per cent of America's 18,000 police forces have under 50 officers, many simply cannot afford the kind of staff needed to respond as quickly as needed to mass shootings. Wexler said the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 had been a milestone for police in realising that major public events could become targets. "Police departments will have to deploy additional forces to what have traditionally been low-risk events," he said, "because those events now have the potential for some extremist or madman to commit violent acts." But he said that the best way to reduce deaths from attacks with semi-automatic weapons is to gain the trust of local communities so people will come forward and help prevent attacks. Once an attack starts, there is only so much the police can do. The MCCA's Manger said that beyond police strategy and tactics, what America needs is a change of mindset. "Everyone on both sides needs to take a step back.” (Reuters)

US police forces search for new tactics in wake of Dallas

President Barack Obama assured a shocked America on Saturday that the black army vet who shot dead five cops in Dallas was a lone wolf -- and that the country can overcome its racial divisions, as the groundswell of anger over police brutality surged on. 
 
Fresh protests were planned in at least half a dozen cities to demand justice for two African-Americans whose fatal shooting by police triggered the Dallas rampage of an angry radical bent on revenge. 
 
The nightmare scenes in Texas, where a peaceful protest turned to horror, left many fearing a new, dark chapter in America&#39;s troubled race relations. 
 
But as Dallas honoured its slain officers, Obama sought to cut short that narrative. 
 
&quot;I firmly believe that America is not as divided as some have suggested,&quot; he told a news conference at a NATO summit in Warsaw. &quot;There is sorrow, there is anger, there is confusion... but there is unity.&quot; 
 
Obama described the 25-year-old gunman, Micah Johnson, as a &quot;demented individual&quot; who in no way represented the African-American community at large. 
 
Dallas officials say they are now certain the atrocity was the work of a lone shooter -- killed in a showdown with police -- and not a group of co-conspirators as initially feared. 
 
At Dallas police headquarters, people flocked to leave flowers and messages of sympathy for the slain officers amid an outpouring of support that saw crowds in the city line up to hug police officers. 
 
After visiting the memorial Saturday, Mayor Mike Rawlings voiced hope that the shock from the killings could serve a purpose &quot;in a grander plan to make us a stronger country, a stronger city, and a stronger world.&quot; 
 
&#39;Dangerous to be black&#39;&nbsp; 
 
The Black Lives Matter activist movement, which has spearheaded months of nationwide protests over police brutality, has demanded an end to the violence -- not an escalation. 
 
As thousands marched in US cities overnight, there were nasty scenes in Phoenix, Arizona, where police used pepper spray to disperse stone-throwing protesters. And in Rochester, New York, 74 people were arrested over a sit-in protest. 
 
But elsewhere -- from Atlanta to Houston, New Orleans, Detroit and Baltimore -- protests held over the fatal shootings of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota passed off without trouble. 
 
Cities expecting new gatherings on Saturday included Seattle, Indianapolis and Philadelphia -- where organizers called for a &quot;Weekend of Rage.&quot; 
 
Obama is to visit Dallas early next week in the effort to chart a way forward, while a raft of US politicians sought to appear as unifiers after a week of violence graphically highlighted America&#39;s racial challenges. 
 
&quot;White Americans need to do a better job of listening when African Americans talk about the barriers they face,&quot; Democratic White House hopeful Hillary Clinton tweeted. 
 
That message was echoed by prominent members of the Republican Party, which has often jumped to defend law enforcement amid accusations of racial bias. 
 
&quot;It is more dangerous to be black in America,&quot; Newt Gingrich, a Republican former House speaker tipped as a possible White House running mate for Donald Trump, said in an interview on Facebook Live. 
 
&quot;Sometimes it&#39;s difficult for whites to appreciate how real that is. It&#39;s an everyday danger.&quot; 
 
Republican Florida senator Marco Rubio had a similar message. &quot;Those of us who are not African American will never fully understand the experience of being black in America,&quot; he said. 
 
Trump himself put out a video statement, seated presidential-style behind a large desk, in which he acknowledged the Louisiana and Minnesota shootings and spoke of &quot;how much work we have to do in order to make every American feel that their safety is protected.&quot; 
 
&nbsp;Police on edge&nbsp; 
 
The Dallas ambush marked the single biggest loss of life for law enforcement in the United States since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. 
 
Police were set further on edge as it emerged that several officers had been targeted across the country by individuals apparently angered at the recent fatal shootings. 
 
In Bristol, Tennessee, a man opened fire Thursday on a hotel, killing a woman, wounding several others and grazing a police officer with a bullet. 
 
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said the gunman &quot;may have targeted individuals and officers after being troubled by recent incidents involving African-Americans and law enforcement officers.&quot; 
 
And in Racine, Wisconsin, police said a 43-year-old man was arrested over threatening social media posts that read: &quot;I encourage every Black man in America to strap up... I encourage every white officer to kiss there (sic) love ones goodbye.&quot; 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

'There is sorrow, there is anger, there is confusion... but there is unity,' says the US President

President Barack Obama assured a shocked America on Saturday that the black army vet who shot dead five cops in Dallas was a lone wolf -- and that the country can overcome its racial divisions, as the groundswell of anger over police brutality surged on. Fresh protests were planned in at least half a dozen cities to demand justice for two African-Americans whose fatal shooting by police triggered the Dallas rampage of an angry radical bent on revenge. The nightmare scenes in Texas, where a peaceful protest turned to horror, left many fearing a new, dark chapter in America's troubled race relations. But as Dallas honoured its slain officers, Obama sought to cut short that narrative. "I firmly believe that America is not as divided as some have suggested," he told a news conference at a NATO summit in Warsaw. "There is sorrow, there is anger, there is confusion... but there is unity." Obama described the 25-year-old gunman, Micah Johnson, as a "demented individual" who in no way represented the African-American community at large. Dallas officials say they are now certain the atrocity was the work of a lone shooter -- killed in a showdown with police -- and not a group of co-conspirators as initially feared. At Dallas police headquarters, people flocked to leave flowers and messages of sympathy for the slain officers amid an outpouring of support that saw crowds in the city line up to hug police officers. After visiting the memorial Saturday, Mayor Mike Rawlings voiced hope that the shock from the killings could serve a purpose "in a grander plan to make us a stronger country, a stronger city, and a stronger world." 'Dangerous to be black' The Black Lives Matter activist movement, which has spearheaded months of nationwide protests over police brutality, has demanded an end to the violence -- not an escalation. As thousands marched in US cities overnight, there were nasty scenes in Phoenix, Arizona, where police used pepper spray to disperse stone-throwing protesters. And in Rochester, New York, 74 people were arrested over a sit-in protest. But elsewhere -- from Atlanta to Houston, New Orleans, Detroit and Baltimore -- protests held over the fatal shootings of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota passed off without trouble. Cities expecting new gatherings on Saturday included Seattle, Indianapolis and Philadelphia -- where organizers called for a "Weekend of Rage." Obama is to visit Dallas early next week in the effort to chart a way forward, while a raft of US politicians sought to appear as unifiers after a week of violence graphically highlighted America's racial challenges. "White Americans need to do a better job of listening when African Americans talk about the barriers they face," Democratic White House hopeful Hillary Clinton tweeted. That message was echoed by prominent members of the Republican Party, which has often jumped to defend law enforcement amid accusations of racial bias. "It is more dangerous to be black in America," Newt Gingrich, a Republican former House speaker tipped as a possible White House running mate for Donald Trump, said in an interview on Facebook Live. "Sometimes it's difficult for whites to appreciate how real that is. It's an everyday danger." Republican Florida senator Marco Rubio had a similar message. "Those of us who are not African American will never fully understand the experience of being black in America," he said. Trump himself put out a video statement, seated presidential-style behind a large desk, in which he acknowledged the Louisiana and Minnesota shootings and spoke of "how much work we have to do in order to make every American feel that their safety is protected." Police on edge The Dallas ambush marked the single biggest loss of life for law enforcement in the United States since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. Police were set further on edge as it emerged that several officers had been targeted across the country by individuals apparently angered at the recent fatal shootings. In Bristol, Tennessee, a man opened fire Thursday on a hotel, killing a woman, wounding several others and grazing a police officer with a bullet. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said the gunman "may have targeted individuals and officers after being troubled by recent incidents involving African-Americans and law enforcement officers." And in Racine, Wisconsin, police said a 43-year-old man was arrested over threatening social media posts that read: "I encourage every Black man in America to strap up... I encourage every white officer to kiss there (sic) love ones goodbye." (AFP)

Yes, we can overcome our racial divisions, says Obama

Dallas police headquarters heightened security on Saturday after receiving a threat against officers, police said on the scene told AFP two days after a gunman killed five officers in the Texas city. 
 
&quot;The Dallas police department received an anonymous threat against law enforcement across the city and has taken precautionary measures,&quot; to heighten security, Dallas police said in an emailed statement to media. 
 
Although police officers told AFP the headquarters were on lockdown, the department tweeted that that was not the case. 
 
SWAT officers were deployed at the main building, local media reported. 
 
The sight of a masked man caused police to go on heightened alert, the Dallas Morning News reported. 
 
&quot;A man wearing a black mask was spotted in a parking garage behind the headquarters,&quot; the paper said. 
 
&quot;Officers have completed manual search of the garage. No suspect found,&quot; the police department tweeted. &quot;As a precautionary measure, K9 is conducting a secondary search.&quot; 
 
The police asked reporters at the building to stop broadcasting live video from the scene. 
 
(AFP)

Dallas Morning News reported that a masked man was spotted in a parking garage behind the headquarters

Dallas police headquarters heightened security on Saturday after receiving a threat against officers, police said on the scene told AFP two days after a gunman killed five officers in the Texas city. "The Dallas police department received an anonymous threat against law enforcement across the city and has taken precautionary measures," to heighten security, Dallas police said in an emailed statement to media. Although police officers told AFP the headquarters were on lockdown, the department tweeted that that was not the case. SWAT officers were deployed at the main building, local media reported. The sight of a masked man caused police to go on heightened alert, the Dallas Morning News reported. "A man wearing a black mask was spotted in a parking garage behind the headquarters," the paper said. "Officers have completed manual search of the garage. No suspect found," the police department tweeted. "As a precautionary measure, K9 is conducting a secondary search." The police asked reporters at the building to stop broadcasting live video from the scene. (AFP)

Dallas police headquarters on security alert after threat

Thousands of protesters took to the streets in US cities on Friday after a black extremist shot dead five cops in Texas during an otherwise peaceful march against police brutality.&nbsp;Five officers were shot dead in the late Thursday shooting, with seven other officers and two civilians wounded. 
 
The shooting revives an emotional debate over lethal use of force by police, and problems of alleged police bias towards racial minorities, especially African-Americans. 
 
Leaders of the Black Lives Matter protest movement condemned the Dallas violence, but vowed to uphold planned weekend marches.&nbsp;Vast crowds marched Friday in US cities including Houston, New Orleans, Detroit, Baltimore, and San Francisco. One of the largest was in Atlanta, where protesters blocked a major road. 
 
In Phoenix, police in riot gear used pepper spray to disperse a large crowd blocking streets after rocks were hurled at them. At least one person was arrested.&nbsp;Addressing a prayer service honoring the fallen officers, Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings urged Americans to &quot;step up&quot; to heal the country&#39;s racial wounds. 
 
&quot;We will not shy away from the very real fact that we as a city, as a state, as a nation are struggling with racial issues,&quot; he told the crowd. 
 
Rawlings echoed Obama&#39;s message that black lives matter -- and so do &quot;blue&quot; lives, those of police officers.&nbsp;&quot;We must step up our game and approach complicated issues in a different way,&quot; Rawlings said. &quot;And race is complicated.&quot; 
 
&#39;This must stop&#39; 
&nbsp; 
Obama, who ordered flags on government buildings lowered to half-mast for five days, said that there was &quot;no possible justification&quot; for violence against police. 
 
The Dallas shootings sparked chaos as people ran for their lives during a march by several hundred demonstrators in the city of 1.2 million, near the site where president John F Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. 
 
The peaceful protest was one of several nationwide over the deaths of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota that prompted Obama to make an emotional appeal for urgent police reform. 
 
The ambush marks the single biggest loss of life for law enforcement in the United States since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.&nbsp;&quot;This must stop -- this divisiveness between our police and our citizens,&quot; Dallas police chief David Brown said. 
 
&#39;Every rabbit trail&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Johnson was killed in a tense showdown with police in a parking garage, by a bomb robot sent in by officers after hours of negotiations and an exchange of fire. 
 
&quot;This was a well-planned, well-thought out, evil strategy,&quot; said Brown of the gunman.&nbsp;&quot;He said he was upset about the recent police shootings,&quot; Brown said. &quot;The suspect said he was upset at white people. The suspect stated he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers.&quot; 
 
Earlier, officials said three other people had been detained, but it was unclear if any remained in custody.&nbsp;US homeland security secretary Jeh Johnson said the gunman appeared to have acted alone. 
 
Texas governor Greg Abbott said police would &quot;continue down every rabbit trail... ensuring that we eliminate any other possible suspects or co-conspirators who may have aided this gunman in any way.&quot; 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

It has revived the debate over lethal use of force by cops and systemic bias towards racial minorities, especially African-Americans

Thousands of protesters took to the streets in US cities on Friday after a black extremist shot dead five cops in Texas during an otherwise peaceful march against police brutality. Five officers were shot dead in the late Thursday shooting, with seven other officers and two civilians wounded. The shooting revives an emotional debate over lethal use of force by police, and problems of alleged police bias towards racial minorities, especially African-Americans. Leaders of the Black Lives Matter protest movement condemned the Dallas violence, but vowed to uphold planned weekend marches. Vast crowds marched Friday in US cities including Houston, New Orleans, Detroit, Baltimore, and San Francisco. One of the largest was in Atlanta, where protesters blocked a major road. In Phoenix, police in riot gear used pepper spray to disperse a large crowd blocking streets after rocks were hurled at them. At least one person was arrested. Addressing a prayer service honoring the fallen officers, Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings urged Americans to "step up" to heal the country's racial wounds. "We will not shy away from the very real fact that we as a city, as a state, as a nation are struggling with racial issues," he told the crowd. Rawlings echoed Obama's message that black lives matter -- and so do "blue" lives, those of police officers. "We must step up our game and approach complicated issues in a different way," Rawlings said. "And race is complicated." 'This must stop' Obama, who ordered flags on government buildings lowered to half-mast for five days, said that there was "no possible justification" for violence against police. The Dallas shootings sparked chaos as people ran for their lives during a march by several hundred demonstrators in the city of 1.2 million, near the site where president John F Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. The peaceful protest was one of several nationwide over the deaths of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota that prompted Obama to make an emotional appeal for urgent police reform. The ambush marks the single biggest loss of life for law enforcement in the United States since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. "This must stop -- this divisiveness between our police and our citizens," Dallas police chief David Brown said. 'Every rabbit trail' Johnson was killed in a tense showdown with police in a parking garage, by a bomb robot sent in by officers after hours of negotiations and an exchange of fire. "This was a well-planned, well-thought out, evil strategy," said Brown of the gunman. "He said he was upset about the recent police shootings," Brown said. "The suspect said he was upset at white people. The suspect stated he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers." Earlier, officials said three other people had been detained, but it was unclear if any remained in custody. US homeland security secretary Jeh Johnson said the gunman appeared to have acted alone. Texas governor Greg Abbott said police would "continue down every rabbit trail... ensuring that we eliminate any other possible suspects or co-conspirators who may have aided this gunman in any way." (AFP)

Protests in US cities as Dallas shooting rocks race relations

The gunman behind a sniper-style attack in Dallas was an army veteran and a loner driven to exact revenge on white officers after the recent deaths of two black men at the hands of police, authorities said on Friday. 
 
Micah Johnson, 25, had no criminal history, Dallas police said in a statement. 
 
Police found bomb-making materials and other weaponry at his suburban home following his deadly rampage on Thursday night at a rally held to protest this week&#39;s fatal shooting of two black men by the police in other states. 
 
Johnson told negotiators during an hours-long standoff he was upset about the deaths and wanted to kill white people, &quot;especially white officers&quot;, Dallas police chief David Brown said. 
 
Five policemen were shot dead and seven were wounded, as were two civilians. Johnson was killed by a bomb carried by a police robot device. 
 
There were no links to domestic or international terrorism and Johnson appeared to have acted alone, authorities said. 
 
However, a Facebook page attributed to Johnson showed &#39;likes&#39; for violent black militant movements classified as hate groups. 
 
A search of the gunman&#39;s home in suburban Dallas turned up &quot;bomb-making materials, ballistic vests, rifles, ammunition, and a personal journal of combat tactics&quot;, police said, adding that detectives were analysing the information in the journal. 
 
&quot;Information provided through the course of the investigation indicates that the suspect was an army veteran and others have identified him as a loner.&quot; 
 
Johnson served six years as a private in the army reserve and was in Afghanistan from November 2013 to July 2014, the army said. He was a carpentry and masonry specialist. 
 
Facebook trail&nbsp; 
 
Dallas police said Johnson&#39;s Facebook page referred to Richard Griffin of the rap group Public Enemy, aka Professor Griff, who the department said &quot;embraces a radical form of Afrocentrism&quot;. 
 
A photo on Johnson&#39;s Facebook page shows him with his right fist raised in a pose reminiscent of the black power movement of decades ago in America. 
 
In the photo, Johnson was wearing a colourful African-style tunic against the backdrop of the red, black and green Pan-African flag, which became popular during the black liberation drive of the 1960s in the United States. 
 
AFP viewed screen shots of Johnson&#39;s Facebook page after the social media company took it down on Friday. 
 
His &#39;likes&#39; included the New Black Panther Party (NBPP) and the Nation of Islam, organisations listed as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which studies such movements in the United States. 
 
Both groups are known for expressing virulently anti-Semitic and anti-white views, the SPLC said in a statement. 
 
Another of his &#39;likes&#39; is a group called the African American Defense League. 
 
One of that organisation&#39;s leaders is a self-described psychotherapist, poet and black nationalist named Mauricelm-Lei Millere. 
 
After this week&#39;s police shooting death of a black man named Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Millere called for violent retaliation by blacks. 
 
He did so in a posting on the league&#39;s Facebook page. 
 
&quot;You and I know what we must do and I don&#39;t mean marching, making a lot of noise, or attending conventions,&quot; it said. &quot;We must &#39;Rally The Troops!&#39; It is time to visit Louisiana and hold a barbeque. The highlight of our occasion will be to sprinkle Pigs Blood!&quot; 
 
(AFP)

25-year-old Johnson's Facebook page and his 'likes' show him ascribing to violent black militant movements classified as hate groups

The gunman behind a sniper-style attack in Dallas was an army veteran and a loner driven to exact revenge on white officers after the recent deaths of two black men at the hands of police, authorities said on Friday. Micah Johnson, 25, had no criminal history, Dallas police said in a statement. Police found bomb-making materials and other weaponry at his suburban home following his deadly rampage on Thursday night at a rally held to protest this week's fatal shooting of two black men by the police in other states. Johnson told negotiators during an hours-long standoff he was upset about the deaths and wanted to kill white people, "especially white officers", Dallas police chief David Brown said. Five policemen were shot dead and seven were wounded, as were two civilians. Johnson was killed by a bomb carried by a police robot device. There were no links to domestic or international terrorism and Johnson appeared to have acted alone, authorities said. However, a Facebook page attributed to Johnson showed 'likes' for violent black militant movements classified as hate groups. A search of the gunman's home in suburban Dallas turned up "bomb-making materials, ballistic vests, rifles, ammunition, and a personal journal of combat tactics", police said, adding that detectives were analysing the information in the journal. "Information provided through the course of the investigation indicates that the suspect was an army veteran and others have identified him as a loner." Johnson served six years as a private in the army reserve and was in Afghanistan from November 2013 to July 2014, the army said. He was a carpentry and masonry specialist. Facebook trail Dallas police said Johnson's Facebook page referred to Richard Griffin of the rap group Public Enemy, aka Professor Griff, who the department said "embraces a radical form of Afrocentrism". A photo on Johnson's Facebook page shows him with his right fist raised in a pose reminiscent of the black power movement of decades ago in America. In the photo, Johnson was wearing a colourful African-style tunic against the backdrop of the red, black and green Pan-African flag, which became popular during the black liberation drive of the 1960s in the United States. AFP viewed screen shots of Johnson's Facebook page after the social media company took it down on Friday. His 'likes' included the New Black Panther Party (NBPP) and the Nation of Islam, organisations listed as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which studies such movements in the United States. Both groups are known for expressing virulently anti-Semitic and anti-white views, the SPLC said in a statement. Another of his 'likes' is a group called the African American Defense League. One of that organisation's leaders is a self-described psychotherapist, poet and black nationalist named Mauricelm-Lei Millere. After this week's police shooting death of a black man named Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Millere called for violent retaliation by blacks. He did so in a posting on the league's Facebook page. "You and I know what we must do and I don't mean marching, making a lot of noise, or attending conventions," it said. "We must 'Rally The Troops!' It is time to visit Louisiana and hold a barbeque. The highlight of our occasion will be to sprinkle Pigs Blood!" (AFP)

Texas gunman was an army veteran and a loner

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