Ecuador on Saturday deported 29 undocumented Cubans who asked the government to transfer them to Mexico en route to the United States, the Interior Ministry said. 
 
The 20 men and nine women could not justify their presence in Ecuador, and were returned to Cuba on an air force plane, the ministry said. 
 
The dozens of Cuban migrants who returned home were part of a group of 99 Cubans demonstrating outside the Mexican embassy this week, seeking humanitarian visas so they can move forward in their effort to reach the United States. 
 
After the Cubans were removed from the embassy area, they started protesting in a nearby park. 
 
Most of those who were not yet deported were still having Interior Ministry interviews, its statement added. 
 
Foreign minister Guillaume Long said on Tuesday that the Cubans had not requested asylum in Ecuador but that they wanted to be flown to Mexico in Ecuadoran government planes, on their way to the United States. 
 
Long said Quito &quot;should not be taking part in illegal migration, that involves people trafficking, nor in people trafficking itself by giving people planes to use.&quot; 
 
Under a US law dating back to the Cold War, Cubans who reach US soil. whether by plane, foot or boat, are allowed to stay and to work. 
 
Those spotted and picked up at sea, in contrast, are returned to the Communist-ruled Caribbean nation. 
 
Cubans in their thousands have been fleeing to try to reach US shores urgently since many are convinced the special treatment will end soon now that the United States and Cuba have buried the hatchet and restored diplomatic relations. 
 
(AFP)

A Cold War era law allows Cubans who reach the US by plane, boat or foot to stay and work while those spotted at sea are sent back

Ecuador on Saturday deported 29 undocumented Cubans who asked the government to transfer them to Mexico en route to the United States, the Interior Ministry said. The 20 men and nine women could not justify their presence in Ecuador, and were returned to Cuba on an air force plane, the ministry said. The dozens of Cuban migrants who returned home were part of a group of 99 Cubans demonstrating outside the Mexican embassy this week, seeking humanitarian visas so they can move forward in their effort to reach the United States. After the Cubans were removed from the embassy area, they started protesting in a nearby park. Most of those who were not yet deported were still having Interior Ministry interviews, its statement added. Foreign minister Guillaume Long said on Tuesday that the Cubans had not requested asylum in Ecuador but that they wanted to be flown to Mexico in Ecuadoran government planes, on their way to the United States. Long said Quito "should not be taking part in illegal migration, that involves people trafficking, nor in people trafficking itself by giving people planes to use." Under a US law dating back to the Cold War, Cubans who reach US soil. whether by plane, foot or boat, are allowed to stay and to work. Those spotted and picked up at sea, in contrast, are returned to the Communist-ruled Caribbean nation. Cubans in their thousands have been fleeing to try to reach US shores urgently since many are convinced the special treatment will end soon now that the United States and Cuba have buried the hatchet and restored diplomatic relations. (AFP)

Ecuador starts deporting Cubans bent on getting to US

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

Hillary Clinton disputed a scathing assessment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation that she was &quot;extremely careless&quot; with classified government secrets, saying on Friday she relied on the judgment of her subordinates at the US state department. 
 
After maintaining for more than a year that she did not send or receive classified information through her unauthorised private email system, she acknowledged in a string of interviews on Friday she may have at least unwittingly done so, three days after the FBI concluded this happened at least 110 times. 
 
Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said she &quot;certainly did not believe&quot; that she was handling classified information on her email system at the time, but emphasised that she followed the lead of her subordinates on whether information was classified. 
 
&quot;I did not have a basis for second-guessing their conclusion,&quot; Clinton said in an interview with CNN, saying she had the &quot;highest regard&quot; for her former colleagues. 
 
&quot;These are experienced diplomats, they have expertise in handling classified material,&quot; she said in a separate interview with PBS Newshour. &quot;They were not careless and the material that they sent, they did not believe that was classified.&quot; 
 
Clinton, who was the department&#39;s most senior classifying authority during her four-year tenure at its helm, did not address the FBI&#39;s conclusion that she herself sent information on topics classified as &quot;top secret&quot;, the highest level, through a private server she kept in her basement. 
 
&quot;I have said, and I repeated, that it was a mistake to use personal email and I regret that,&quot; she said in another interview with ABC. 
 
It is a crime to mishandle classified information, and while FBI Director James Comey said on Tuesday there was evidence Clinton or her aides may have broken these laws, there was not enough evidence of criminal intent for a prosecution. 
 
In an unusual 15-minute announcement explaining the FBI&#39;s findings, Comey ended up dismaying both Republicans and Democrats. 
 
While Clinton&#39;s Republican opponents have fumed at the decision not to file criminal charges, Clinton and her staff have disputed some of Comey&#39;s criticisms that undermine her argument that she has better judgment than Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate. 
 
Comey called her and her staff &quot;extremely careless&quot; and said that any &quot;reasonable&quot; government employee should have recognised that such information should not be aired in emails. Her server was so poorly secured the FBI could not eliminate the possibility it had not been hacked by the country&#39;s enemies, Comey said. 
 
Asked if she agreed that she was &quot;extremely careless&quot;, Clinton told CNN she was not, adding that Comey had &quot;clarified&quot; his remarks. It was unclear what clarification Clinton meant. 
 
In lengthier comments before lawmakers on Thursday, Comey again spoke of Clinton&#39;s and her staff&#39;s carelessness and &quot;real sloppiness&quot;, adding that it seemed she was not &quot;particularly sophisticated with respect to classified information&quot;. 
 
(Reuters)

Presidential candidate was called 'careless', and 'not particularly sophisticated with respect to classified information'

Hillary Clinton disputed a scathing assessment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation that she was "extremely careless" with classified government secrets, saying on Friday she relied on the judgment of her subordinates at the US state department. After maintaining for more than a year that she did not send or receive classified information through her unauthorised private email system, she acknowledged in a string of interviews on Friday she may have at least unwittingly done so, three days after the FBI concluded this happened at least 110 times. Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said she "certainly did not believe" that she was handling classified information on her email system at the time, but emphasised that she followed the lead of her subordinates on whether information was classified. "I did not have a basis for second-guessing their conclusion," Clinton said in an interview with CNN, saying she had the "highest regard" for her former colleagues. "These are experienced diplomats, they have expertise in handling classified material," she said in a separate interview with PBS Newshour. "They were not careless and the material that they sent, they did not believe that was classified." Clinton, who was the department's most senior classifying authority during her four-year tenure at its helm, did not address the FBI's conclusion that she herself sent information on topics classified as "top secret", the highest level, through a private server she kept in her basement. "I have said, and I repeated, that it was a mistake to use personal email and I regret that," she said in another interview with ABC. It is a crime to mishandle classified information, and while FBI Director James Comey said on Tuesday there was evidence Clinton or her aides may have broken these laws, there was not enough evidence of criminal intent for a prosecution. In an unusual 15-minute announcement explaining the FBI's findings, Comey ended up dismaying both Republicans and Democrats. While Clinton's Republican opponents have fumed at the decision not to file criminal charges, Clinton and her staff have disputed some of Comey's criticisms that undermine her argument that she has better judgment than Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate. Comey called her and her staff "extremely careless" and said that any "reasonable" government employee should have recognised that such information should not be aired in emails. Her server was so poorly secured the FBI could not eliminate the possibility it had not been hacked by the country's enemies, Comey said. Asked if she agreed that she was "extremely careless", Clinton told CNN she was not, adding that Comey had "clarified" his remarks. It was unclear what clarification Clinton meant. In lengthier comments before lawmakers on Thursday, Comey again spoke of Clinton's and her staff's carelessness and "real sloppiness", adding that it seemed she was not "particularly sophisticated with respect to classified information". (Reuters)

Clinton disputes scathing FBI assessment

Thousands of people took to the streets in US cities on Friday to denounce the fatal police shootings of two black men this week, marching the day after a gunman killed five police officers watching over a similar demonstration in Dallas. 
 
Protesters clogged roadways in New York City, Atlanta and Philadelphia on Friday evening, and events were also planned for San Francisco and Phoenix. Local media reports did not indicate any immediate instances of major clashes or injuries. 
 
Thousands marched in Atlanta in what appeared to be the largest demonstration, chanting and waving signs demanding justice, video posted on social media showed. Footage from local broadcasters showed the massive crowd facing off with dozens of police vehicles that were stopped on a local interstate highway.&nbsp; 
 
Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed tweeted that the rally was largely peaceful, though about 10 people had been arrested. 
 
Friday was the second day of widespread demonstrations against use of force by police in the wake of the fatal shootings of 32-year-old Philando Castile near St Paul, Minnesota and 37-year-old Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 
 
Castile was killed by the police during a traffic stop late on Wednesday, and his girlfriend posted live video on the internet of the bloody scene minutes afterward. 
 
Sterling was killed during an altercation outside a convenience store with two white police officers. Graphic video of that incident caused an outcry on social media. 
 
The two shootings stoked racial tensions that have flared repeatedly across the country following the 2014 killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teen, by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. 
 
Thursday&#39;s demonstrations were largely peaceful until gunfire erupted at a Dallas rally that was winding down. 
 
Authorities said 25-year-old Micah Johnson, a black US military veteran of the Afghan war who said he wanted to &quot;kill white people&quot;, launched a sniper attack that killed five police officers and wounded nine other people. 
 
Police killed the gunman with a bomb-carrying robot after cornering him in a parking garage, ending an hours-long standoff. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Friday was the second day of protests against police brutality in the wake of fatal shootings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling

Thousands of people took to the streets in US cities on Friday to denounce the fatal police shootings of two black men this week, marching the day after a gunman killed five police officers watching over a similar demonstration in Dallas. Protesters clogged roadways in New York City, Atlanta and Philadelphia on Friday evening, and events were also planned for San Francisco and Phoenix. Local media reports did not indicate any immediate instances of major clashes or injuries. Thousands marched in Atlanta in what appeared to be the largest demonstration, chanting and waving signs demanding justice, video posted on social media showed. Footage from local broadcasters showed the massive crowd facing off with dozens of police vehicles that were stopped on a local interstate highway. Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed tweeted that the rally was largely peaceful, though about 10 people had been arrested. Friday was the second day of widespread demonstrations against use of force by police in the wake of the fatal shootings of 32-year-old Philando Castile near St Paul, Minnesota and 37-year-old Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Castile was killed by the police during a traffic stop late on Wednesday, and his girlfriend posted live video on the internet of the bloody scene minutes afterward. Sterling was killed during an altercation outside a convenience store with two white police officers. Graphic video of that incident caused an outcry on social media. The two shootings stoked racial tensions that have flared repeatedly across the country following the 2014 killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teen, by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. Thursday's demonstrations were largely peaceful until gunfire erupted at a Dallas rally that was winding down. Authorities said 25-year-old Micah Johnson, a black US military veteran of the Afghan war who said he wanted to "kill white people", launched a sniper attack that killed five police officers and wounded nine other people. Police killed the gunman with a bomb-carrying robot after cornering him in a parking garage, ending an hours-long standoff. (Reuters)

Thousands take to streets across US to protest police violence

President Barack Obama will cut short a trip to Europe and travel to Dallas next week in the wake of the deadly ambush in the city that left five police dead, the White House said on Friday. 
 
&quot;The President has accepted an invitation from Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings to travel to Dallas early next week,&quot; spokesman Josh Earnest said in a statement, adding that Obama would return to the United States Sunday night -- one day ahead of schedule. 
 
Obama, who was in Warsaw this week attending a NATO summit, weighed in on the attacks from the Polish capital, calling the episode &quot;vicious, calculated and despicable&quot;. 
 
Micah Johnson, the 25-year-old black Army veteran who carried out the sniper-style attack, killed five police while wounding seven more, as well as injuring two civilians. 
 
Before being killed by police, he told officers he wanted to kill white cops in retaliation for the harsh treatment of African Americans by law enforcement.&nbsp; 
 
Earlier in the week, two black men were killed by officers in other US cities, drawing protests across the nation.&nbsp; 
 
After travelling to Dallas, Earnest said Obama will &quot;continue the work to bring people together to support our police officers and communities and find common ground by discussing policy ideas for addressing the persistent racial disparities in our criminal justice system&quot;. 
 
According to the White House, Obama will depart for Madrid today. On Sunday he will meet with his Spanish counterpart before speaking to US military personnel serving at the naval base of Rota. 
 
He is trimming a visit to Seville off his travel itinerary to arrive back in Washington on Sunday night. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The US President called the attack which killed 5 police officers 'vicious, calculated and despicable'

President Barack Obama will cut short a trip to Europe and travel to Dallas next week in the wake of the deadly ambush in the city that left five police dead, the White House said on Friday. "The President has accepted an invitation from Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings to travel to Dallas early next week," spokesman Josh Earnest said in a statement, adding that Obama would return to the United States Sunday night -- one day ahead of schedule. Obama, who was in Warsaw this week attending a NATO summit, weighed in on the attacks from the Polish capital, calling the episode "vicious, calculated and despicable". Micah Johnson, the 25-year-old black Army veteran who carried out the sniper-style attack, killed five police while wounding seven more, as well as injuring two civilians. Before being killed by police, he told officers he wanted to kill white cops in retaliation for the harsh treatment of African Americans by law enforcement. Earlier in the week, two black men were killed by officers in other US cities, drawing protests across the nation. After travelling to Dallas, Earnest said Obama will "continue the work to bring people together to support our police officers and communities and find common ground by discussing policy ideas for addressing the persistent racial disparities in our criminal justice system". According to the White House, Obama will depart for Madrid today. On Sunday he will meet with his Spanish counterpart before speaking to US military personnel serving at the naval base of Rota. He is trimming a visit to Seville off his travel itinerary to arrive back in Washington on Sunday night. (AFP)

Obama will leave Europe early to travel to Dallas after deadly ambush

NATO leaders agreed on Friday to deploy military forces to the Baltic states and eastern Poland for the first time, and also to increase air and sea patrols to reassure allies who were once part of the Soviet bloc following Russia&#39;s seizure of Crimea from Ukraine. 
 
The 28-nation Western defence alliance decided to move four battalions, totalling 3,000 to 4,000 troops, into northeastern Europe on a rotating basis to display its readiness to defend eastern members against any Russian aggression. 
 
However, they also underlined their willingness to pursue a dialogue with Moscow and revive confidence-building measures that Russia has spurned since its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for Russian-speaking rebels in eastern Ukraine. 
 
&quot;These battalions will be robust and they will be multinational. They make clear that an attack on one ally will be considered an attack on the whole alliance,&quot; NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference after the summit&#39;s first working session in Warsaw, the Polish capital. 
 
President Barack Obama said the United States would deploy about 1,000 soldiers in Poland under the plan &quot;to enhance our forward presence in central and eastern Europe&quot;. Germany will lead the battalion in Lithuania, Britain in Estonia and Canada in Latvia. Other nations such as France will supply troops. 
 
White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters that what he called continued aggression by Russia would provoke a response by NATO and a greater alliance presence in Eastern Europe. 
 
Obama said earlier that Britain&#39;s referendum vote to leave the European Union, an outcome he sought to avoid, should not weaken the Western alliance but raised &quot;significant questions&quot; about the future of European integration. America&#39;s &quot;special relationship&quot; with the UK would survive, the President said. 
 
Obama discussed the procedure for Britain&#39;s withdrawal with the heads of the main EU institutions, Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker, and was assured there would be an orderly transition to as close an economic relationship as possible and no punishment of Britain, Rhodes told reporters. 
 
Host nation Poland set a tone of mistrust of Russian intentions. Foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski told a pre-summit forum: &quot;We have to reject any type of wishful thinking with regard to pragmatic cooperation with Russia as long as it keeps on invading its neighbours.&quot; 
 
Obama was more diplomatic, calling for dialogue with Russia, but he too urged allies to keep sanctions on Moscow in place until it fully complies with a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine. 
 
Ukraine is not a member of NATO but President Petro Poroshenko will meet allied leaders today, where he may face pressure to fulfil Kiev&#39;s part of the agreement by accepting more decentralisation and local elections in the rebel-held eastern Donbass region. 
 
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that while NATO was increasing its defence capabilities, it was always keen for dialogue with Moscow. A planned meeting of the long frozen NATO-Russia Council next week would address ways to avoid dangerous situations in Baltic air space, she said. 
 
Russian warplanes have been buzzing Western civilian and military aircraft and switching off their identification signals as part of an apparent campaign of intimidation in response to Western economic sanctions over its action in Ukraine. 
 
&quot;Just as there are understandings between the United States and Russia in Syria, it&#39;s in both sides&#39; interests that NATO and Russia also coordinate their activities,&quot; Merkel said. 
 
Adversary and partner 
 
Coinciding with the NATO summit, the US state department announced it had expelled two Russian diplomats on June 17, in response to an attack by a Russian policeman on a US diplomat in Moscow earlier last month. It was not clear why the United States waited until Friday to disclose the news. 
 
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland had requested a permanent NATO presence, fearing Moscow will seek to destabilise their pro-Western governments through cyber attacks, stirring up Russian speakers, hostile broadcasts or territorial incursions. 
 
The three Baltic states, as well as Ukraine, are former Soviet republics that gained independence when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. 
 
The head of NATO&#39;s military committee, Czech general Petr Pavel, said Russia was attempting to restore its status as a world power, an effort that included using its military. &quot;We must accept that Russia can be a competitor, adversary, peer or partner and probably all four at the same time,&quot; he said. 
 
The Kremlin said it was absurd for NATO to talk of any threat from Russia and it hoped &quot;common sense&quot; would prevail at the Warsaw summit. Moscow remains open to dialogue with NATO and is ready to cooperate with it, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with journalists. 
 
Russia often depicts NATO as an aggressor whose members are moving troops and military hardware further into former Soviet territory, which it regards as its sphere of influence. 
 
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed diplomatic efforts for a settlement in Ukraine in a phone call with Merkel and French President Francois Hollande just before the summit began. The Kremlin said he asked them to &quot;influence more actively the Ukrainian side&quot; to grant wider autonomy to eastern Ukraine. 
 
Moscow has declared its intention to deploy nuclear-capable missiles in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania, in response to NATO&#39;s activation of a US-built missile shield on Polish soil. 
 
Brexit 
 
Outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron vowed Britain would not turn its back on European security once it leaves the EU following the Brexit vote. Britain is Europe&#39;s biggest military spender, followed by France. 
 
Hollande, who has sent French forces on missions against Islamist militants in Mali, the Central African Republic, Iraq and Syria, urged other European allies to increase their defence budgets - veiled criticism of Germany, which spends just over one per cent of GDP on the military, or half the NATO objective. 
 
NATO and the EU signed an agreement on deeper military and security cooperation. The US-led alliance is set to announce today its support for the EU&#39;s Mediterranean interdiction operation. NATO is already backing EU efforts to stem a refugee influx from Turkey into Greece, in conjunction with an EU-Turkey deal to curb migration in return for benefits for Ankara. 
 
Stoltenberg also said NATO defence ministers would consider calls from Romania and Bulgaria for a stronger allied air and sea presence in the Black Sea, where Russia has a fleet based in Crimea and is building up its interdiction capacity. 
 
(Reuters)

The Kremlin often depicts NATO as an aggressor whose members move troops and military hardware further into former Soviet territory

NATO leaders agreed on Friday to deploy military forces to the Baltic states and eastern Poland for the first time, and also to increase air and sea patrols to reassure allies who were once part of the Soviet bloc following Russia's seizure of Crimea from Ukraine. The 28-nation Western defence alliance decided to move four battalions, totalling 3,000 to 4,000 troops, into northeastern Europe on a rotating basis to display its readiness to defend eastern members against any Russian aggression. However, they also underlined their willingness to pursue a dialogue with Moscow and revive confidence-building measures that Russia has spurned since its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for Russian-speaking rebels in eastern Ukraine. "These battalions will be robust and they will be multinational. They make clear that an attack on one ally will be considered an attack on the whole alliance," NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference after the summit's first working session in Warsaw, the Polish capital. President Barack Obama said the United States would deploy about 1,000 soldiers in Poland under the plan "to enhance our forward presence in central and eastern Europe". Germany will lead the battalion in Lithuania, Britain in Estonia and Canada in Latvia. Other nations such as France will supply troops. White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters that what he called continued aggression by Russia would provoke a response by NATO and a greater alliance presence in Eastern Europe. Obama said earlier that Britain's referendum vote to leave the European Union, an outcome he sought to avoid, should not weaken the Western alliance but raised "significant questions" about the future of European integration. America's "special relationship" with the UK would survive, the President said. Obama discussed the procedure for Britain's withdrawal with the heads of the main EU institutions, Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker, and was assured there would be an orderly transition to as close an economic relationship as possible and no punishment of Britain, Rhodes told reporters. Host nation Poland set a tone of mistrust of Russian intentions. Foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski told a pre-summit forum: "We have to reject any type of wishful thinking with regard to pragmatic cooperation with Russia as long as it keeps on invading its neighbours." Obama was more diplomatic, calling for dialogue with Russia, but he too urged allies to keep sanctions on Moscow in place until it fully complies with a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine. Ukraine is not a member of NATO but President Petro Poroshenko will meet allied leaders today, where he may face pressure to fulfil Kiev's part of the agreement by accepting more decentralisation and local elections in the rebel-held eastern Donbass region. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that while NATO was increasing its defence capabilities, it was always keen for dialogue with Moscow. A planned meeting of the long frozen NATO-Russia Council next week would address ways to avoid dangerous situations in Baltic air space, she said. Russian warplanes have been buzzing Western civilian and military aircraft and switching off their identification signals as part of an apparent campaign of intimidation in response to Western economic sanctions over its action in Ukraine. "Just as there are understandings between the United States and Russia in Syria, it's in both sides' interests that NATO and Russia also coordinate their activities," Merkel said. Adversary and partner Coinciding with the NATO summit, the US state department announced it had expelled two Russian diplomats on June 17, in response to an attack by a Russian policeman on a US diplomat in Moscow earlier last month. It was not clear why the United States waited until Friday to disclose the news. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland had requested a permanent NATO presence, fearing Moscow will seek to destabilise their pro-Western governments through cyber attacks, stirring up Russian speakers, hostile broadcasts or territorial incursions. The three Baltic states, as well as Ukraine, are former Soviet republics that gained independence when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. The head of NATO's military committee, Czech general Petr Pavel, said Russia was attempting to restore its status as a world power, an effort that included using its military. "We must accept that Russia can be a competitor, adversary, peer or partner and probably all four at the same time," he said. The Kremlin said it was absurd for NATO to talk of any threat from Russia and it hoped "common sense" would prevail at the Warsaw summit. Moscow remains open to dialogue with NATO and is ready to cooperate with it, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with journalists. Russia often depicts NATO as an aggressor whose members are moving troops and military hardware further into former Soviet territory, which it regards as its sphere of influence. Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed diplomatic efforts for a settlement in Ukraine in a phone call with Merkel and French President Francois Hollande just before the summit began. The Kremlin said he asked them to "influence more actively the Ukrainian side" to grant wider autonomy to eastern Ukraine. Moscow has declared its intention to deploy nuclear-capable missiles in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania, in response to NATO's activation of a US-built missile shield on Polish soil. Brexit Outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron vowed Britain would not turn its back on European security once it leaves the EU following the Brexit vote. Britain is Europe's biggest military spender, followed by France. Hollande, who has sent French forces on missions against Islamist militants in Mali, the Central African Republic, Iraq and Syria, urged other European allies to increase their defence budgets - veiled criticism of Germany, which spends just over one per cent of GDP on the military, or half the NATO objective. NATO and the EU signed an agreement on deeper military and security cooperation. The US-led alliance is set to announce today its support for the EU's Mediterranean interdiction operation. NATO is already backing EU efforts to stem a refugee influx from Turkey into Greece, in conjunction with an EU-Turkey deal to curb migration in return for benefits for Ankara. Stoltenberg also said NATO defence ministers would consider calls from Romania and Bulgaria for a stronger allied air and sea presence in the Black Sea, where Russia has a fleet based in Crimea and is building up its interdiction capacity. (Reuters)

NATO sends military troops to Poland, Baltic states against Russia

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

A Utah resident infected with the Zika virus has died, becoming the first Zika-related fatality in the continental United States, officials said on Friday. 
 
The elderly victim, who had an underlying health condition, died in late June after traveling to a country where the mosquito-transmitted virus is active, the Salt Lake County health department said. 
 
&quot;While this individual did test positive for Zika virus, the exact cause of death has not been determined, and it may not be possible to determine how the Zika infection contributed to the death,&quot; the health department said in a statement. 
 
The victim&#39;s identity and travel history would not be released, it added. 
 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in April that a man in his 70s infected with the Zika virus had died of complications from the infection on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, which is part of US territory. 
 
The virus is spreading fast on the island, infecting as many as 50 pregnant women per day, health officials said earlier this week. 
 
So far, however, no cases of locally transmitted, mosquito-borne Zika have been reported in the continental United States, the CDC said in a statement on Friday. 
 
As of July 6, a total of 1,132 cases of people who contracted the virus while traveling abroad had been registered in the United States, it said. 
 
However, health officials are bracing for outbreaks of the virus among local mosquito populations.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;CDC has been working with state, local, and territorial health officials to prepare for the possibility of locally-acquired Zika infection in the United States,&quot; the CDC said. 
 
No vaccine or treatment for the Zika virus currently exists and many of those infected will not show symptoms, the CDC says. 
 
Pregnant women are the focus of greatest concern because the virus causes birth defects. 
 
US President Barack Obama has requested $1.9 billion to fight the virus, but lawmakers are deadlocked over the issue and there are fears Congress will fail to address the growing health crisis until after its summer recess in September. 
 
(AFP)

A public health institute said the US has around 1,132 registered cases of people who contracted the virus while travelling abroad

A Utah resident infected with the Zika virus has died, becoming the first Zika-related fatality in the continental United States, officials said on Friday. The elderly victim, who had an underlying health condition, died in late June after traveling to a country where the mosquito-transmitted virus is active, the Salt Lake County health department said. "While this individual did test positive for Zika virus, the exact cause of death has not been determined, and it may not be possible to determine how the Zika infection contributed to the death," the health department said in a statement. The victim's identity and travel history would not be released, it added. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in April that a man in his 70s infected with the Zika virus had died of complications from the infection on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, which is part of US territory. The virus is spreading fast on the island, infecting as many as 50 pregnant women per day, health officials said earlier this week. So far, however, no cases of locally transmitted, mosquito-borne Zika have been reported in the continental United States, the CDC said in a statement on Friday. As of July 6, a total of 1,132 cases of people who contracted the virus while traveling abroad had been registered in the United States, it said. However, health officials are bracing for outbreaks of the virus among local mosquito populations. "CDC has been working with state, local, and territorial health officials to prepare for the possibility of locally-acquired Zika infection in the United States," the CDC said. No vaccine or treatment for the Zika virus currently exists and many of those infected will not show symptoms, the CDC says. Pregnant women are the focus of greatest concern because the virus causes birth defects. US President Barack Obama has requested $1.9 billion to fight the virus, but lawmakers are deadlocked over the issue and there are fears Congress will fail to address the growing health crisis until after its summer recess in September. (AFP)

Continental US records first Zika-related death

The US Federal Aviation Administration restricted airspace over Dallas after gunmen shot at least 11 police officers in the Texan city, killing four during a protest over police shootings of black men. 
 
&quot;No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM,&quot; the FAA Notice to Airmen read. 
 
&quot;Only relief aircraft operations under direction of Dallas Police Department are authorised in the airspace,&quot; it added.&nbsp; 
 
The restrictions, which are due to last from 0335 to 1130 GMT cover a radius of 2.5 nautical miles. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

'Only relief aircraft operations under direction of Dallas Police Department are authorised in the airspace'

The US Federal Aviation Administration restricted airspace over Dallas after gunmen shot at least 11 police officers in the Texan city, killing four during a protest over police shootings of black men. "No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM," the FAA Notice to Airmen read. "Only relief aircraft operations under direction of Dallas Police Department are authorised in the airspace," it added. The restrictions, which are due to last from 0335 to 1130 GMT cover a radius of 2.5 nautical miles. (AFP)

US aviation authorities restrict flights over Dallas in wake of deadly shooting

Australia will pay an extra $300 million to help develop Afghanistan&#39;s security forces, the government said on Friday ahead of a NATO leaders&#39; summit in Warsaw, where tenuous security in Afghanistan will be a central discussion topic. 
 
Australia, a firm US ally in its wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, had originally pledged $500 million from 2010-2017 but will now provide an extra $100 million annually until 2020. 
 
The announcement of extra funding came two days after US President Barack Obama said he had decided to postpone plans to cut the number of US forces in Afghanistan almost in half by the end of the year, instead keeping 8,400 troops there from January. 
 
There are also another 3,000 international troops serving in the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan. 
 
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited Kabul in January, and the Australian Defence Force announced two months later its troops would remain there for at least another three years. About 270 Australian troops are serving in the NATO-led force. 
 
No senior Australian government members will attend the Warsaw summit, with a cliffhanger nation election a week ago still without a clear result. 
 
The $100 million annual commitment comprises an $80 million contribution to the Afghan National Army and $20 million for the Afghan police. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The announcement came two days after US President said he had decided to postpone plans to cut the number of US forces in Afghanistan

Australia will pay an extra $300 million to help develop Afghanistan's security forces, the government said on Friday ahead of a NATO leaders' summit in Warsaw, where tenuous security in Afghanistan will be a central discussion topic. Australia, a firm US ally in its wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, had originally pledged $500 million from 2010-2017 but will now provide an extra $100 million annually until 2020. The announcement of extra funding came two days after US President Barack Obama said he had decided to postpone plans to cut the number of US forces in Afghanistan almost in half by the end of the year, instead keeping 8,400 troops there from January. There are also another 3,000 international troops serving in the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited Kabul in January, and the Australian Defence Force announced two months later its troops would remain there for at least another three years. About 270 Australian troops are serving in the NATO-led force. No senior Australian government members will attend the Warsaw summit, with a cliffhanger nation election a week ago still without a clear result. The $100 million annual commitment comprises an $80 million contribution to the Afghan National Army and $20 million for the Afghan police. (Reuters)

Ahead of NATO summit, Australia pledges extra $300 million for Afghan security forces

The United States is seeking trade sanctions against India after winning a dispute at the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding Indian restrictions on imports of US poultry meat, eggs and live pigs, the WTO said on Friday. 
 
The United States has requested a WTO meeting on July 19 to launch the claim for compensation, according to an agenda circulated by the WTO. 
 
The agenda did not give any details, but the US trade representative&#39;s office has previously said US annual exports of poultry meat to India could exceed $300 million once the restrictions are removed, and are likely to grow substantially in the future as Indian diets and pockets grow richer. 
 
The United States won the dispute in June last year, when the WTO&#39;s appellate body ruled that India&#39;s restrictions were discriminatory and based on unsubstantiated fears over bird flu. India had 12 months to comply with the ruling. 
 
At the time, US secretary of agriculture Tom Vilsack called it a &quot;major win for US agriculture&quot; and said it would help keep markets open based on international standards. 
 
The United States argued that it had not had an outbreak of high pathogenic avian flu since 2004, while India had 90 such outbreaks between 2004 and 2014. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

India's restrictions on imports of US poultry, eggs and pigs were discriminatory and based on unsubstantiated fears over bird flu: US

The United States is seeking trade sanctions against India after winning a dispute at the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding Indian restrictions on imports of US poultry meat, eggs and live pigs, the WTO said on Friday. The United States has requested a WTO meeting on July 19 to launch the claim for compensation, according to an agenda circulated by the WTO. The agenda did not give any details, but the US trade representative's office has previously said US annual exports of poultry meat to India could exceed $300 million once the restrictions are removed, and are likely to grow substantially in the future as Indian diets and pockets grow richer. The United States won the dispute in June last year, when the WTO's appellate body ruled that India's restrictions were discriminatory and based on unsubstantiated fears over bird flu. India had 12 months to comply with the ruling. At the time, US secretary of agriculture Tom Vilsack called it a "major win for US agriculture" and said it would help keep markets open based on international standards. The United States argued that it had not had an outbreak of high pathogenic avian flu since 2004, while India had 90 such outbreaks between 2004 and 2014. (Reuters)

US seeks trade sanctions in India poultry dispute: WTO

The beloved American children&#39;s book character Curious George is breaking fast for Ramadan this year, with chocolate-covered bananas, of course. 
 
The just-released children&#39;s book It&#39;s Ramadan, Curious George celebrates the Muslim holiday, teaching kids about the sacred month. 
 
It comes amid rising tensions fueled by worries about Islamist extremism and a heated Presidential campaign during which Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump has called for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States. 
 
US author Hena Khan &quot;wanted to focus on the celebratory aspects&quot; of Ramadan, so George attends family gatherings and accompanies his friend Kareem to a mosque to put together charity baskets, she said. 
 
A writer of Pakistani origin from Rockville, Maryland, Khan has already written two children&#39;s books about Islam, &quot;but there&#39;s something different about having Curious George, a mainstream, well-known, iconic character recognise your tradition and make you feel included&quot;. 
 
The story assumes the humorous tone of other volumes in the series, which has sold more than 75 million books since it debuted 1941 and went on to become an animated television series and 2006 feature film. 
 
At one point in the story, the playful monkey - who has also celebrated Christmas and Hanukkah - falls over while trying to put together a charity package, failing to control his hunger. 
 
Khan said the publisher granted her freedom to shape the project, and that she focused on making the holiday approachable. 
 
&quot;It was really a reflection of the way Americans that I know celebrate and observe Ramadan, in a very simple way that&#39;s understandable for children,&quot; the mother of two said. 
 
The book&#39;s release coincides with a particular rise in anti-Islamic rhetoric, she noted. 
 
&quot;There&#39;s a very dangerous narrative being spread about Muslims and inaccurate things being said,&quot; the author said. The book &quot;comes at the right time in terms of trying to promote understanding and tolerance&quot;. 
 
(AFP)

It is an attempt to teach kids about the sacred month and promote tolerance, even as Trump amps up Islamophobia

The beloved American children's book character Curious George is breaking fast for Ramadan this year, with chocolate-covered bananas, of course. The just-released children's book It's Ramadan, Curious George celebrates the Muslim holiday, teaching kids about the sacred month. It comes amid rising tensions fueled by worries about Islamist extremism and a heated Presidential campaign during which Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump has called for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States. US author Hena Khan "wanted to focus on the celebratory aspects" of Ramadan, so George attends family gatherings and accompanies his friend Kareem to a mosque to put together charity baskets, she said. A writer of Pakistani origin from Rockville, Maryland, Khan has already written two children's books about Islam, "but there's something different about having Curious George, a mainstream, well-known, iconic character recognise your tradition and make you feel included". The story assumes the humorous tone of other volumes in the series, which has sold more than 75 million books since it debuted 1941 and went on to become an animated television series and 2006 feature film. At one point in the story, the playful monkey - who has also celebrated Christmas and Hanukkah - falls over while trying to put together a charity package, failing to control his hunger. Khan said the publisher granted her freedom to shape the project, and that she focused on making the holiday approachable. "It was really a reflection of the way Americans that I know celebrate and observe Ramadan, in a very simple way that's understandable for children," the mother of two said. The book's release coincides with a particular rise in anti-Islamic rhetoric, she noted. "There's a very dangerous narrative being spread about Muslims and inaccurate things being said," the author said. The book "comes at the right time in terms of trying to promote understanding and tolerance". (AFP)

This Ramzan, US children's book character Curious George breaks fast

Pakistan men's cricket team captain Babar Azam continues to face flak from former cricketers and fans after his team lost the T20 World Cup match against India. After legendary pacer Wasim Akram went on an explosive rant against the team, former allrounder Shahid Afridi has suggested that Babar needs to be dropped at no. 3 for the balance of the team.

Pakistan have been struggling to get off the blocks in the powerplay overs, primarily due to Babar and Mohammad Rizwan being similar kind of players. Afridi&nbsp;suggested that head coach Gary Kirsten&nbsp;make the necessary changes as Pakistan still had not exited the tournament.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I think now is the time for Gary Kirsten and Babar Azam to make some changes. I would like to see Salman Ali Agha come into the side in place of Usman Khan and Abrar Ahmed to come in for Shadab Khan,” said Afridi.&nbsp;

“Most of all, I believe Fakhar Zaman should be promoted to open the innings alongside Mohammad Rizwan, with Babar dropping down to number three," he added.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/legendary-pacer-wasim-akram-goes-on-explosive-rant-against-pakistan-players-after-capitulation-vs-india-730513">Also read |&nbsp;Legendary pacer Wasim Akram goes on explosive rant against Pakistan players after capitulation vs India</a>

Pakistan are in the precipice of exiting the World Cup. A poor outing against Canada on Tuesday (Jun 11) could be curtains for the team that has struggled in the shortest format of the game in the last couple of years. &nbsp;

“There are some tough conversations and choices to come but we need to remember that there is still hope,&nbsp;Pakistan are not out of the tournament yet," said Afridi.&nbsp;

While Afridi has argued for change in the batting order for Babar, other former cricketers have targetted the skipper for playing favouritism in the team and fooling the public.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pcb-made-deals-hafeez-drops-bombshell-makes-big-claim-on-amir-wasims-retirement-u-turn-for-t20-wc-730777">Also read |&nbsp;'PCB made deals...': Hafeez drops BOMBSHELL, makes big claim on Amir, Wasim's retirement U-turn for T20 WC</a>

<h2>Favouritism in the squad?</h2>

There have been gossip coming out from the Pakistan dressing room that Babar opted for certain players that were close to him instead of picking those who had performed consistently on the domestic circuit.&nbsp;

"You are making a team with your friends, keeping your friends in the team," said former opener Ahmed Shehzad on a Pakistani TV channel.

"You guys have performed against B, C, D teams and fooled the people.&nbsp;Your salaries were hiked, PCB paid you to evolve yourself and your cricket," he added.&nbsp;

Mohammed Hafeez, who recently served as director of the senior team, echoed similar sentiments and questioned the selection of Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir who made the squad despite having retired from the format.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Snapchat became a hit with messages that disappear shortly after being viewed.?The new feature lets people only save images they send

Pakistan men's cricket team captain Babar Azam continues to face flak from former cricketers and fans after his team lost the T20 World Cup match against India. After legendary pacer Wasim Akram went on an explosive rant against the team, former allrounder Shahid Afridi has suggested that Babar needs to be dropped at no. 3 for the balance of the team. Pakistan have been struggling to get off the blocks in the powerplay overs, primarily due to Babar and Mohammad Rizwan being similar kind of players. Afridi suggested that head coach Gary Kirsten make the necessary changes as Pakistan still had not exited the tournament. “I think now is the time for Gary Kirsten and Babar Azam to make some changes. I would like to see Salman Ali Agha come into the side in place of Usman Khan and Abrar Ahmed to come in for Shadab Khan,” said Afridi. “Most of all, I believe Fakhar Zaman should be promoted to open the innings alongside Mohammad Rizwan, with Babar dropping down to number three," he added. Also read | Legendary pacer Wasim Akram goes on explosive rant against Pakistan players after capitulation vs India Pakistan are in the precipice of exiting the World Cup. A poor outing against Canada on Tuesday (Jun 11) could be curtains for the team that has struggled in the shortest format of the game in the last couple of years. “There are some tough conversations and choices to come but we need to remember that there is still hope, Pakistan are not out of the tournament yet," said Afridi. While Afridi has argued for change in the batting order for Babar, other former cricketers have targetted the skipper for playing favouritism in the team and fooling the public. Also read | 'PCB made deals...': Hafeez drops BOMBSHELL, makes big claim on Amir, Wasim's retirement U-turn for T20 WC Favouritism in the squad? There have been gossip coming out from the Pakistan dressing room that Babar opted for certain players that were close to him instead of picking those who had performed consistently on the domestic circuit. "You are making a team with your friends, keeping your friends in the team," said former opener Ahmed Shehzad on a Pakistani TV channel. "You guys have performed against B, C, D teams and fooled the people. Your salaries were hiked, PCB paid you to evolve yourself and your cricket," he added. Mohammed Hafeez, who recently served as director of the senior team, echoed similar sentiments and questioned the selection of Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir who made the squad despite having retired from the format. (With inputs from agencies)

Vanishing message app Snapchat lets Memories linger

Four US investment banks promised British finance minister George Osborne on Thursday that they would help London keep its top spot as a global financial centre following the country&#39;s vote to leave the European Union. 
 
Since the June 23 referendum there have been fears of an exodus from the City of London if access to the EU&#39;s single market becomes significantly harder. Banks like JPMorgan have said they could move thousands of jobs. 
 
On Thursday JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, as well as Britain&#39;s Asia-focused Standard Chartered said they would try to support London&#39;s financial sector. 
 
&quot;Today we met and agreed that we would work together ... with a common aim to help London retain its position as the leading international financial centre,&quot; the banks said in a joint statement with Osborne. 
 
The statement said no other city in Europe had capital markets as deep as those of London, but the banks made no commitment about keeping jobs in Britain. 
 
The French government pledged on Wednesday to make its tax regime for expatriates the most favourable in Europe in a landgrab for London banking business. 
 
Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have denied speculation they were poised to shift London-based staff and operations to Frankfurt 
 
Jamie Dimon, the head of JPMorgan Chase, said before the referendum that the bank could have to move up to 4,000 staff from the UK in the event of a Brexit vote. 
 
On Wednesday, the municipal authority for the City of London, the district in the capital that is home to many large banks, said the government needed to ensure EU exit talks preserved financial services firms&#39; &quot;passporting&quot; rights that allow them to use London as a base for EU-wide activities. 
 
Osborne, who was senior figure in the failed campaign to keep Britain in the EU, has spent years trying to expand London&#39;s role as a global hub for trade in China&#39;s renminbi and India&#39;s rupee, as well as Islamic finance. 
 
On Tuesday, he met British domestic banks, whose share prices have tumbled since the Brexit vote, and encouraged them to make more funds available for UK lending after the Bank of England eased capital rules. 
 
(Reuters)

The banks said they would work at helping London 'retain its position as the leading international financial centre'

Four US investment banks promised British finance minister George Osborne on Thursday that they would help London keep its top spot as a global financial centre following the country's vote to leave the European Union. Since the June 23 referendum there have been fears of an exodus from the City of London if access to the EU's single market becomes significantly harder. Banks like JPMorgan have said they could move thousands of jobs. On Thursday JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, as well as Britain's Asia-focused Standard Chartered said they would try to support London's financial sector. "Today we met and agreed that we would work together ... with a common aim to help London retain its position as the leading international financial centre," the banks said in a joint statement with Osborne. The statement said no other city in Europe had capital markets as deep as those of London, but the banks made no commitment about keeping jobs in Britain. The French government pledged on Wednesday to make its tax regime for expatriates the most favourable in Europe in a landgrab for London banking business. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have denied speculation they were poised to shift London-based staff and operations to Frankfurt Jamie Dimon, the head of JPMorgan Chase, said before the referendum that the bank could have to move up to 4,000 staff from the UK in the event of a Brexit vote. On Wednesday, the municipal authority for the City of London, the district in the capital that is home to many large banks, said the government needed to ensure EU exit talks preserved financial services firms' "passporting" rights that allow them to use London as a base for EU-wide activities. Osborne, who was senior figure in the failed campaign to keep Britain in the EU, has spent years trying to expand London's role as a global hub for trade in China's renminbi and India's rupee, as well as Islamic finance. On Tuesday, he met British domestic banks, whose share prices have tumbled since the Brexit vote, and encouraged them to make more funds available for UK lending after the Bank of England eased capital rules. (Reuters)

After Brexit, London gets a little help from 4 US banks

China&#39;s foreign minister spoke with the US secretary of state John Kerry over telephone on Wednesday, ahead of a key international court ruling on China&#39;s South China Sea claims, and warned Washington against moves that infringe on China&#39;s sovereignty, Beijing&#39;s official Xinhua news agency reported. 
 
Xinhua said Wang Yi repeated China&#39;s rejection of the jurisdiction of the International Court of Arbitration in a case the Philippines has brought against China&#39;s claims to nearly all of the South China Sea, calling it a &quot;farce&quot; that should come to an end.&nbsp; 
 
The court, based in The Hague, is due to give its ruling on Tuesday, raising fears of confrontation in the region. US officials say the US response should China stick to its vow to ignore the ruling could include stepped up freedom-of-navigation patrols close to Chinese claimed islands in what is one of the world&#39;s business trade routes. 
 
In the call initiated by Kerry, Wang &quot;urged the United States to honour its commitment to not to take sides on issues related to sovereign disputes, to be prudent with its actions and words, and not to take any actions that infringe upon the sovereignty and security interests of China,&quot; Xinhua said. 
 
Wang said that regardless of the tribunal&#39;s ruling, China would &quot;firmly safeguard its own territorial sovereignty and legitimate maritime rights and firmly safeguard the peace and stability,&quot; Xinhua said. 
 
Wang also said that relations between China and the United States were generally on a sound track and that the two sides should further focus on cooperation while properly managing their differences. 
 
The US State Department confirmed that Kerry had spoken by phone to Wang. 
 
&quot;The two discussed issues of mutual interest. We are not going to get into the details on this private diplomatic conversation,&quot; State Department spokeswoman Gabrielle Price said. 
 
China has been angered by US patrols in the South China Sea in recent months and on Tuesday launched what the Defense Ministry termed &quot;routine&quot; military drills there.&nbsp; 
 
On Tuesday, Beijing sought to downplay fears of conflict in the South China Sea after an influential state-run newspaper said Beijing should prepare for military confrontation. 
 
US officials say they fear China may respond to the ruling from The Hague by declaring an air defence identification zone in the South China Sea, as it did in the East China Sea in 2013, and by stepping up its building and fortification of artificial islands. 
 
(Reuters)

Regional tension increases as China calls The Hague 'a farce' before the court releases its verdict

China's foreign minister spoke with the US secretary of state John Kerry over telephone on Wednesday, ahead of a key international court ruling on China's South China Sea claims, and warned Washington against moves that infringe on China's sovereignty, Beijing's official Xinhua news agency reported. Xinhua said Wang Yi repeated China's rejection of the jurisdiction of the International Court of Arbitration in a case the Philippines has brought against China's claims to nearly all of the South China Sea, calling it a "farce" that should come to an end. The court, based in The Hague, is due to give its ruling on Tuesday, raising fears of confrontation in the region. US officials say the US response should China stick to its vow to ignore the ruling could include stepped up freedom-of-navigation patrols close to Chinese claimed islands in what is one of the world's business trade routes. In the call initiated by Kerry, Wang "urged the United States to honour its commitment to not to take sides on issues related to sovereign disputes, to be prudent with its actions and words, and not to take any actions that infringe upon the sovereignty and security interests of China," Xinhua said. Wang said that regardless of the tribunal's ruling, China would "firmly safeguard its own territorial sovereignty and legitimate maritime rights and firmly safeguard the peace and stability," Xinhua said. Wang also said that relations between China and the United States were generally on a sound track and that the two sides should further focus on cooperation while properly managing their differences. The US State Department confirmed that Kerry had spoken by phone to Wang. "The two discussed issues of mutual interest. We are not going to get into the details on this private diplomatic conversation," State Department spokeswoman Gabrielle Price said. China has been angered by US patrols in the South China Sea in recent months and on Tuesday launched what the Defense Ministry termed "routine" military drills there. On Tuesday, Beijing sought to downplay fears of conflict in the South China Sea after an influential state-run newspaper said Beijing should prepare for military confrontation. US officials say they fear China may respond to the ruling from The Hague by declaring an air defence identification zone in the South China Sea, as it did in the East China Sea in 2013, and by stepping up its building and fortification of artificial islands. (Reuters)

China warns US about controversial South China Sea sovereignty ahead of court ruling

The United States placed North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un on its sanctions blacklist for the first time on Wednesday, calling him directly responsible for a long list of serious human rights abuses. 
 
US officials said Kim and 10 other top officials also blacklisted were behind widespread abuses including extrajudicial killings, forced labour and torture in the country&#39;s system of prison camps for political detainees that has made North Korea &quot;among the world&#39;s most repressive countries&quot;. 
 
They also were responsible for harsh censorship of media, academic and cultural activities, including imprisoning people accused of viewing foreign films. 
 
&quot;Under Kim Jong-Un, North Korea continues to inflict intolerable cruelty and hardship on millions of its own people, including extrajudicial killings, forced labour, and torture,&quot; said Adam Szubin, acting treasury under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. 
 
Treasury said that Kim, North Korea&#39;s &#39;Supreme Leader&#39;, was responsible for abuses in his roles as head of the country&#39;s ministry of state security and ministry of people&#39;s security. 
 
According to officials in Washington, the ministry of state security holds 80,000 to 120,000 prisoners in political prison camps where torture, execution, sexual assault, starvation, and slave labour are common. 
 
Meanwhile, the ministry of people&#39;s security overseen by Kim runs a network of police stations, detention centres and labour camps where suspects under interrogation &quot;are systematically degraded and tortured&quot;, the United States said. 
 
Kim is &quot;rather plainly ultimately responsible for the actions of his regime including its repressive policies&quot;, a senior US official said, speaking anonymously. 
 
But authorities in Washington for the first time identified other top officials directly involved in rights abuses, including Choe Pu Il, the minister of people&#39;s security, Ri Song Chol, a senior official in the ministry of people&#39;s security, and Kang Song Nam, a bureau director with the ministry of state security. 
 
Another on the new sanctions list, Cho Yon Jun of the powerful Organization and guidance department, is in charge of enforcing loyalty to Kim, including executing those who defy his will, the senior US official said. 
 
The sanctions were announced in parallel with the state department&#39;s release of a new report which documents the abuses throughout the North Korean security apparatus and political prison camp system. 
 
It is not the first time the United States has placed a head of state on a sanctions list. Previously sanctioned leaders include Saddam Hussein of Iraq, Charles Taylor of Liberia, and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. 
 
Sanctions &#39;send a message&#39; 
 
US officials said they do not expect immediate consequences from the sanctions, which freeze the US-based assets of those named, and forbids Americans from doing business with them. 
 
But senior officials said that naming those directly involved could make them think twice about what they are doing. 
 
&quot;With these efforts, we aim to send a signal to all government officials who might be responsible for human rights abuses, including prison camp managers and guards, interrogators, and defector chasers, with the goal of changing their behavior,&quot; said state department spokesman John Kirby. 
 
The senior official said there was evidence that an increasing number of people inside North Korea, including inside Kim&#39;s regime, are conscious that Kim&#39;s strongman rule might have its limits. 
 
&quot;What this report does is sends a message to people within the North Korean regime, particularly at those lower to mid levels, that if you become involved in abuses like running concentration camps or hunting down defectors, we will know who you are and you will end up on a blacklist that leaves you at a significant disadvantage in the future,&quot; Kirby said. 
 
(AFP)

In a bid to send a message of deterrence, blacklisted personnel also include other officials from Kim's government

The United States placed North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un on its sanctions blacklist for the first time on Wednesday, calling him directly responsible for a long list of serious human rights abuses. US officials said Kim and 10 other top officials also blacklisted were behind widespread abuses including extrajudicial killings, forced labour and torture in the country's system of prison camps for political detainees that has made North Korea "among the world's most repressive countries". They also were responsible for harsh censorship of media, academic and cultural activities, including imprisoning people accused of viewing foreign films. "Under Kim Jong-Un, North Korea continues to inflict intolerable cruelty and hardship on millions of its own people, including extrajudicial killings, forced labour, and torture," said Adam Szubin, acting treasury under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. Treasury said that Kim, North Korea's 'Supreme Leader', was responsible for abuses in his roles as head of the country's ministry of state security and ministry of people's security. According to officials in Washington, the ministry of state security holds 80,000 to 120,000 prisoners in political prison camps where torture, execution, sexual assault, starvation, and slave labour are common. Meanwhile, the ministry of people's security overseen by Kim runs a network of police stations, detention centres and labour camps where suspects under interrogation "are systematically degraded and tortured", the United States said. Kim is "rather plainly ultimately responsible for the actions of his regime including its repressive policies", a senior US official said, speaking anonymously. But authorities in Washington for the first time identified other top officials directly involved in rights abuses, including Choe Pu Il, the minister of people's security, Ri Song Chol, a senior official in the ministry of people's security, and Kang Song Nam, a bureau director with the ministry of state security. Another on the new sanctions list, Cho Yon Jun of the powerful Organization and guidance department, is in charge of enforcing loyalty to Kim, including executing those who defy his will, the senior US official said. The sanctions were announced in parallel with the state department's release of a new report which documents the abuses throughout the North Korean security apparatus and political prison camp system. It is not the first time the United States has placed a head of state on a sanctions list. Previously sanctioned leaders include Saddam Hussein of Iraq, Charles Taylor of Liberia, and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. Sanctions 'send a message' US officials said they do not expect immediate consequences from the sanctions, which freeze the US-based assets of those named, and forbids Americans from doing business with them. But senior officials said that naming those directly involved could make them think twice about what they are doing. "With these efforts, we aim to send a signal to all government officials who might be responsible for human rights abuses, including prison camp managers and guards, interrogators, and defector chasers, with the goal of changing their behavior," said state department spokesman John Kirby. The senior official said there was evidence that an increasing number of people inside North Korea, including inside Kim's regime, are conscious that Kim's strongman rule might have its limits. "What this report does is sends a message to people within the North Korean regime, particularly at those lower to mid levels, that if you become involved in abuses like running concentration camps or hunting down defectors, we will know who you are and you will end up on a blacklist that leaves you at a significant disadvantage in the future," Kirby said. (AFP)

In a first, US sanctions North Korea's Kim Jong-Un for 'serious' human rights abuses

NATO leaders will this week formally endorse its biggest military revamp since the end of the Cold War at a landmark summit in Warsaw, in the shadow of a resurgent Russia and Britain&#39;s shock EU exit vote. 
 
The centrepiece of the summit in the former heart of the Soviet-led Warsaw pact is a &quot;Readiness Action Plan&quot; to counter a more aggressive Russia after Moscow&#39;s shock 2014 annexation of Crimea and intervention in Ukraine. 
 
But also important is an EU-NATO cooperation accord, laying out how the alliance -- which includes 22 of the 28 EU member states -- can work with the EU in face of failing states across the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. 
 
Security is heavy, especially around the National Stadium venue, as Poland prepares to welcome world leaders, including US President Barack Obama for his last NATO summit.&nbsp; 
 
Jens Stoltenberg, the Norwegian secretary general of NATO, said this week that the summit &quot;comes at a defining time for our security with threats and challenges from many directions&quot;. 
 
But while Russia is still the main theme, just as at the last NATO summit in Wales in 2014, it is the vote for a so-called &quot;Brexit&quot; that will be on everyone&#39;s lips. NATO insists Brexit makes no difference, but it clearly adds to uncertainty amid fears Russia may exploit any opening as Britain negotiates its way out of the EU in difficult and complex talks. 
 
The Ukraine crisis proved a rude wake-up call for NATO and the summit is meant to convey a clear message to Moscow that it will not be caught napping again. 
 
The Readiness Action Plan, agreed at the 2014 Wales summit, included a pledge to spend two per cent of annual economic output on defence, ending years of cuts. 
 
To reassure nervous east European allies, once ruled from Moscow, NATO also tripled the size of its fast Response Force to some 40,000 troops and created a 5,000-strong &quot;Spearhead&quot; unit to deploy within days to any new crisis point. 
 
Poland, the summit host, and the three Baltic states have however pushed hard for more, to get a NATO tripwire presence on the ground to deter any Russian adventurism. 
&nbsp; 
Leaders will accordingly approve sending one multinational battalion each to Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, up to 4,000 troops in all. Russia bitterly opposes NATO&#39;s expansion into its Soviet-era satellites, which it sees as a threat to its own security requiring an appropriate response. 
 
&quot;We don&#39;t intend to give in to this militaristic frenzy, but it seems that is what they are pushing us to, to provoke a costly and pointless arms race,&quot; Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month. 
 
Moscow reserves it direst warnings however for a Ballistic Missile Defence system the United States is building and which the summit is due to declare has reached an initial operating level. 
 
Washington says the shield is designed to counter missile threats from Iran or the Middle East, but Russia says that once the system becomes fully operational in 2018, it will undercut its strategic nuclear deterrent. 
 
The NATO upgrade has largely been driven by the Ukraine crisis, but leaders are increasingly worried by threats to the south in the shape of massive flows of illegal migrants across the Mediterranean and terror groups such as Islamic State gaining ground in Libya. 
 
NATO leaders are expected to endorse plans to &quot;project stability&quot; by providing advice and assistance in the region to head off future problems. 
 
NATO diplomatic sources say that while the alliance has a role to play, it does not consider itself to be the &quot;first responder&quot; which should be the EU&#39;s role. 
 
(AFP)

The 'Readiness Action Plan' to counter a more aggressive, Crimea-annexing Russia will be the Warsaw summit's main theme

NATO leaders will this week formally endorse its biggest military revamp since the end of the Cold War at a landmark summit in Warsaw, in the shadow of a resurgent Russia and Britain's shock EU exit vote. The centrepiece of the summit in the former heart of the Soviet-led Warsaw pact is a "Readiness Action Plan" to counter a more aggressive Russia after Moscow's shock 2014 annexation of Crimea and intervention in Ukraine. But also important is an EU-NATO cooperation accord, laying out how the alliance -- which includes 22 of the 28 EU member states -- can work with the EU in face of failing states across the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. Security is heavy, especially around the National Stadium venue, as Poland prepares to welcome world leaders, including US President Barack Obama for his last NATO summit. Jens Stoltenberg, the Norwegian secretary general of NATO, said this week that the summit "comes at a defining time for our security with threats and challenges from many directions". But while Russia is still the main theme, just as at the last NATO summit in Wales in 2014, it is the vote for a so-called "Brexit" that will be on everyone's lips. NATO insists Brexit makes no difference, but it clearly adds to uncertainty amid fears Russia may exploit any opening as Britain negotiates its way out of the EU in difficult and complex talks. The Ukraine crisis proved a rude wake-up call for NATO and the summit is meant to convey a clear message to Moscow that it will not be caught napping again. The Readiness Action Plan, agreed at the 2014 Wales summit, included a pledge to spend two per cent of annual economic output on defence, ending years of cuts. To reassure nervous east European allies, once ruled from Moscow, NATO also tripled the size of its fast Response Force to some 40,000 troops and created a 5,000-strong "Spearhead" unit to deploy within days to any new crisis point. Poland, the summit host, and the three Baltic states have however pushed hard for more, to get a NATO tripwire presence on the ground to deter any Russian adventurism. Leaders will accordingly approve sending one multinational battalion each to Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, up to 4,000 troops in all. Russia bitterly opposes NATO's expansion into its Soviet-era satellites, which it sees as a threat to its own security requiring an appropriate response. "We don't intend to give in to this militaristic frenzy, but it seems that is what they are pushing us to, to provoke a costly and pointless arms race," Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month. Moscow reserves it direst warnings however for a Ballistic Missile Defence system the United States is building and which the summit is due to declare has reached an initial operating level. Washington says the shield is designed to counter missile threats from Iran or the Middle East, but Russia says that once the system becomes fully operational in 2018, it will undercut its strategic nuclear deterrent. The NATO upgrade has largely been driven by the Ukraine crisis, but leaders are increasingly worried by threats to the south in the shape of massive flows of illegal migrants across the Mediterranean and terror groups such as Islamic State gaining ground in Libya. NATO leaders are expected to endorse plans to "project stability" by providing advice and assistance in the region to head off future problems. NATO diplomatic sources say that while the alliance has a role to play, it does not consider itself to be the "first responder" which should be the EU's role. (AFP)

NATO faces up to Russia in Brexit's shadow

An official inquiry into Britain&#39;s role in the Iraq War will finally deliver its findings on July 13, seven years after it was set up, with attention firmly focused on how far it will criticise former prime minister Tony Blair. 
 
Britain&#39;s role in the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq and Blair&#39;s justification for military action in which 179 British soldiers died, is a highly charged issue for many Britons, millions of whom opposed the invasion. The issue still overshadows foreign policy. 
 
Blair&#39;s involvement divided Labour party&nbsp; 
 
It also remains a divisive issue for Blair&#39;s Labour Party which has been plunged into crisis since Britain voted to leave the European Union last week and the report&#39;s publication is likely to reopen old wounds. 
 
One of the key issues will be the inquiry&#39;s conclusion on the legal basis for going to war, with many Britons believing Blair deliberately misled the public, an accusation he denies. 
 
The main reason given for the invasion -- that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction -- has been debunked after none was found. A spokesman for Blair declined to comment. 
 
A lowdown on how inquiry unfolded&nbsp; 
 
The inquiry, headed by civil servant John Chilcot, was set up in July 2009, shortly after the last British combat troops returned home, by former prime minister Gordon Brown to learn the lessons of the war and its aftermath. 
 
Public hearings, including two appearances by Blair, ended in 2011 but since then the writing of the report has been dogged by rows over the release of secret government files and details of contacts between the British leader and the then US president George W. Bush. 
 
It was further delayed to allow those who faced criticism to give their response ahead of publication. 
 
The inquiry has taken longer to complete than the British military involvement in the conflict itself, has cost well over 10 million Pounds ($13.5 million), and runs to some 2.6 million words in length, about three times the length of the Bible or four times that of Leo Tolstoy&#39;s epic novel War and Peace. 
 
One of the five members of the inquiry committee, historian Martin Gilbert, died last year. 
 
The inquiry will publish details of notes from Blair to former US president George W. Bush and quotes from more than 130 records of conversations. 
 
However, the inquiry has previously said that it is not seeking to use material that reflects Bush&#39;s views. 
 
The war is now widely regarded by both politicians and the public in Britain as a huge mistake. 
 
For many Britons, a report that fails to heap opprobrium on Blair and his senior team of ministers will be nothing more than a whitewash. A YouGov poll of 7,983 adults in May found 53 per cent said they could never forgive Blair and just 8 per cent thought he had done nothing wrong. 
 
Labour&#39;s current leader, socialist Jeremy Corbyn, has said he believes the war was illegal and that Blair should be tried for war crimes if evidence showed he broke international law. Corbyn is currently facing a challenge to his own position which his allies blame on Blair supporters within the party. 
 
(Reuters)

The war is now widely regarded as a 'huge mistake' by British politicians and the public

An official inquiry into Britain's role in the Iraq War will finally deliver its findings on July 13, seven years after it was set up, with attention firmly focused on how far it will criticise former prime minister Tony Blair. Britain's role in the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq and Blair's justification for military action in which 179 British soldiers died, is a highly charged issue for many Britons, millions of whom opposed the invasion. The issue still overshadows foreign policy. Blair's involvement divided Labour party It also remains a divisive issue for Blair's Labour Party which has been plunged into crisis since Britain voted to leave the European Union last week and the report's publication is likely to reopen old wounds. One of the key issues will be the inquiry's conclusion on the legal basis for going to war, with many Britons believing Blair deliberately misled the public, an accusation he denies. The main reason given for the invasion -- that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction -- has been debunked after none was found. A spokesman for Blair declined to comment. A lowdown on how inquiry unfolded The inquiry, headed by civil servant John Chilcot, was set up in July 2009, shortly after the last British combat troops returned home, by former prime minister Gordon Brown to learn the lessons of the war and its aftermath. Public hearings, including two appearances by Blair, ended in 2011 but since then the writing of the report has been dogged by rows over the release of secret government files and details of contacts between the British leader and the then US president George W. Bush. It was further delayed to allow those who faced criticism to give their response ahead of publication. The inquiry has taken longer to complete than the British military involvement in the conflict itself, has cost well over 10 million Pounds ($13.5 million), and runs to some 2.6 million words in length, about three times the length of the Bible or four times that of Leo Tolstoy's epic novel War and Peace. One of the five members of the inquiry committee, historian Martin Gilbert, died last year. The inquiry will publish details of notes from Blair to former US president George W. Bush and quotes from more than 130 records of conversations. However, the inquiry has previously said that it is not seeking to use material that reflects Bush's views. The war is now widely regarded by both politicians and the public in Britain as a huge mistake. For many Britons, a report that fails to heap opprobrium on Blair and his senior team of ministers will be nothing more than a whitewash. A YouGov poll of 7,983 adults in May found 53 per cent said they could never forgive Blair and just 8 per cent thought he had done nothing wrong. Labour's current leader, socialist Jeremy Corbyn, has said he believes the war was illegal and that Blair should be tried for war crimes if evidence showed he broke international law. Corbyn is currently facing a challenge to his own position which his allies blame on Blair supporters within the party. (Reuters)

With Iraq war report due to be published, former British PM Tony Blair comes under spotlight

China should prepare itself for military confrontation in the South China Sea, an influential Chinese paper said today, a week ahead of a decision by an international court on a dispute there between China and the Philippines. 
 
Tensions have been rising ahead of a July 12 ruling by an arbitration court hearing the argument between China and the Philippines over South China Sea in the Dutch city of The Hague. 
 
In joint editorials in its Chinese and English editions, the state-run Global Times said the dispute, having already been complicated by US intervention, now faces further escalation due to the threat posed by the tribunal to China&#39;s sovereignty. 
 
&quot;Washington has deployed two carrier battle groups around the South China Sea, and it wants to send a signal by flexing its muscles: As the biggest powerhouse in the region, it awaits China&#39;s obedience,&quot; it said. 
 
China should speed up developing its military deterrence abilities, the paper added. 
 
&quot;Even though China cannot keep up with the US militarily in the short-term, it should be able to let the US pay a cost it cannot stand if it intervenes in the South China Sea dispute by force,&quot; it said. 
 
&quot;China hopes disputes can be resolved by talks, but it must be prepared for any military confrontation. This is common sense in international relations.&quot; 
 
The newspaper is published by the ruling Communist Party&#39;s official People&#39;s Daily, and while it is widely read in policy-making circles it does not have the same mouthpiece function as its parent. 
 
China, which has been angered by US patrols in the South China Sea, will be holding military drills in the waters there starting from Wednesday. 
 
China&#39;s defence ministry said the drills are routine, the official China Daily reported. 
 
US officials have expressed concern that the Hague court ruling could prompt Beijing to declare an air defence identification zone (ADIZ)&nbsp;as it did over the East China Sea in 2013. 
 
What response China takes will &quot;fully depend&quot; on the Philippines, the China Daily added, citing unidentified sources. 
 
&quot;There will be no incident at all if all related parties put aside the arbitration results,&quot; one of the sources told the English-language publication. 
 
&quot;China has never taken a lead in ... stirring up regional tension,&quot; another source&nbsp;added. 
 
About $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year though the energy-rich, strategic waters of the South China Sea, where China&#39;s territorial claims overlap in parts with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. 
 
(Reuters)

Tensions are rising ahead of a July 12 ruling in The Hague where an arbitration court will hear the argument between China and Philippines

China should prepare itself for military confrontation in the South China Sea, an influential Chinese paper said today, a week ahead of a decision by an international court on a dispute there between China and the Philippines. Tensions have been rising ahead of a July 12 ruling by an arbitration court hearing the argument between China and the Philippines over South China Sea in the Dutch city of The Hague. In joint editorials in its Chinese and English editions, the state-run Global Times said the dispute, having already been complicated by US intervention, now faces further escalation due to the threat posed by the tribunal to China's sovereignty. "Washington has deployed two carrier battle groups around the South China Sea, and it wants to send a signal by flexing its muscles: As the biggest powerhouse in the region, it awaits China's obedience," it said. China should speed up developing its military deterrence abilities, the paper added. "Even though China cannot keep up with the US militarily in the short-term, it should be able to let the US pay a cost it cannot stand if it intervenes in the South China Sea dispute by force," it said. "China hopes disputes can be resolved by talks, but it must be prepared for any military confrontation. This is common sense in international relations." The newspaper is published by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily, and while it is widely read in policy-making circles it does not have the same mouthpiece function as its parent. China, which has been angered by US patrols in the South China Sea, will be holding military drills in the waters there starting from Wednesday. China's defence ministry said the drills are routine, the official China Daily reported. US officials have expressed concern that the Hague court ruling could prompt Beijing to declare an air defence identification zone (ADIZ) as it did over the East China Sea in 2013. What response China takes will "fully depend" on the Philippines, the China Daily added, citing unidentified sources. "There will be no incident at all if all related parties put aside the arbitration results," one of the sources told the English-language publication. "China has never taken a lead in ... stirring up regional tension," another source added. About $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year though the energy-rich, strategic waters of the South China Sea, where China's territorial claims overlap in parts with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. (Reuters)

State must prepare for conflict in South China Sea: Chinese newspaper

A suicide bomber was killed and two other wounded in a blast near the US consulate in Saudi Arabia&#39;s second city of Jeddah early today, state TV said, the first bombing in years to attempt to target foreigners in the kingdom. 
 
The attacker parked his car outside a hospital opposite the consulate at about 2.15 am and detonated his device after being approached by two security men, killing him and lightly wounding them, it said, quoting a security spokesman. 
 
Three further blasts rocked the location of the bombing hours later, a witness told Reuters, as police carried out what appeared to be controlled explosions near the site. 
 
A video sent by the witness showed police taking cover behind vehicles and covering their ears before an explosion sounded. 
 
Reuters could not immediately reach officials to give more details. A photograph on the Sabq news website showed what appeared to be the remains of a man lying next to a taxi. 
 
The statement on state television referred to the location of the consulate by its street address and did not refer directly to the presence of the diplomatic mission there, an apparent effort to downplay the attack&#39;s likely target. 
 
A spokesman for the US state department said it was aware of reports of a blast in Jeddah and was seeking more information from the Saudi government. He added that all staff at the consulate were accounted for. 
 
A state department message sent to US citizens in Saudi Arabia noted the reports of the attack and reiterated earlier advice to remain aware of their surroundings and take extra precautions when travelling in the country. 
 
The witness said the area had been closed off by the security forces and that helicopters were flying overhead. He said the explosion appeared to have taken place about 20 metres (65 feet) from an outer checkpoint of the consulate. Concrete barriers protect the street outside the consulate. 
 
Islamic State has carried out a series of bombing and shooting attacks in Saudi Arabia since mid-2014 that have killed scores of people, mostly members of the Shi&#39;ite Muslim minority and security services. 
 
A decade ago, an al-Qaeda campaign focused on Western expatriates in the world&#39;s top oil exporter, killing hundreds in attacks on businesses and residential compounds. One 2004 attack hit the US consulate in Jeddah, killing nine. 
 
(Reuters)

The bomber parked his car outside a hospital near the US consulate in Jeddah and detonated the device when two security men walked up to him

A suicide bomber was killed and two other wounded in a blast near the US consulate in Saudi Arabia's second city of Jeddah early today, state TV said, the first bombing in years to attempt to target foreigners in the kingdom. The attacker parked his car outside a hospital opposite the consulate at about 2.15 am and detonated his device after being approached by two security men, killing him and lightly wounding them, it said, quoting a security spokesman. Three further blasts rocked the location of the bombing hours later, a witness told Reuters, as police carried out what appeared to be controlled explosions near the site. A video sent by the witness showed police taking cover behind vehicles and covering their ears before an explosion sounded. Reuters could not immediately reach officials to give more details. A photograph on the Sabq news website showed what appeared to be the remains of a man lying next to a taxi. The statement on state television referred to the location of the consulate by its street address and did not refer directly to the presence of the diplomatic mission there, an apparent effort to downplay the attack's likely target. A spokesman for the US state department said it was aware of reports of a blast in Jeddah and was seeking more information from the Saudi government. He added that all staff at the consulate were accounted for. A state department message sent to US citizens in Saudi Arabia noted the reports of the attack and reiterated earlier advice to remain aware of their surroundings and take extra precautions when travelling in the country. The witness said the area had been closed off by the security forces and that helicopters were flying overhead. He said the explosion appeared to have taken place about 20 metres (65 feet) from an outer checkpoint of the consulate. Concrete barriers protect the street outside the consulate. Islamic State has carried out a series of bombing and shooting attacks in Saudi Arabia since mid-2014 that have killed scores of people, mostly members of the Shi'ite Muslim minority and security services. A decade ago, an al-Qaeda campaign focused on Western expatriates in the world's top oil exporter, killing hundreds in attacks on businesses and residential compounds. One 2004 attack hit the US consulate in Jeddah, killing nine. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia: Suicide bomber blows himself up near US consulate, 2 hurt

Two decades after Scotland&#39;s Dolly, the sheep, became the first cloned mammal, consumers may well wonder whether they are drinking milk or eating meat from cookie-cutter cows or their offspring. 
 
The simple answer: &quot;probably&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
The fact is, there is no way to know for sure, say experts, even in Europe, which has come closer to banning livestock cloning than anywhere else in the world. 
 
With the possible exception of the ram sacrificed by Abraham in the Bible, Dolly must be the world&#39;s most famous sheep.&nbsp;The ewe&#39;s birth in an Edinburgh laboratory on July 5, 1996 was front-page news, provoking hype and hand-wringing in equal parts.&nbsp; 
 
For the most part, cloning turned out to be a dead end. 
 
But there is one sector in which Dolly&#39;s legacy is alive and well: the duplication of prize breeding animals. 
 
How aggressively the private sector has developed this niche market has depended in a large part on national or regional regulations, with key differences between the United States, China and the European Union.&quot;The most dramatic impact of the cloning of Dolly has been on animal cloning in the United States,&quot; said Aaron Levine, an expert in bioethics and cloning at Georgia Tech. 
 
In 2008, the US Food and Drug Administration concluded that &quot;food from cattle, swine and goat clones is as safe to eat as food from any other cattle, swine or goat&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
&#39;Cloned animals are not intended to enter food supply directly&#39; 
 
Not even scientists can distinguish a healthy clone from a conventionally bred animal, the regulatory agency said. 
 
There are no requirements to label meat or milk from a cloned animal or its offspring, whether sold domestically or abroad. 
 
For the industry, the aim was never to set up assembly-line production -- cloning is difficult and expensive at more than 10,000 Euros ($11,000) a pop, and the success rate low, with few clones surviving to birth. 
 
So the focus, instead, is on copying genetically outstanding specimens so they may naturally sire exceptional progeny. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s fairly widespread in US to use cloning to produce breeding stock,&quot; said Levine. &quot;Cloned animals are not intended to enter the food supply directly.&quot; 
 
&quot;I suspect some may have,&quot; he added. 
 
US companies typically produce hundreds or few thousand clones per year&nbsp; 
 
Among the leaders in commercial livestock cloning in the US are Cyagra, based in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, and ViaGen, in Austin, Texas. 
 
At least one company, ViaGen, also provides services for copying cherished cats and dogs. US companies typically produce hundreds or a few thousand clones per year. 
 
The Boyalife Group&#39;s cloning new factory near the northern coastal city of Tianjin in China, however, is aiming for an annual output of 100,000 cows this year, scaling up to a million by 2020. 
 
Also in the pipeline are thoroughbred racehorses, pets and police dogs specialised in searching and sniffing. 
 
Boyalife has said it is working with South Korean partner Sooam and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to improve primate cloning technology, to create better test animals for human disease research. 
 
And in December, Boyalife&#39;s lead scientist and chief executive Xu Xiaochun, said he would not shy away from cloning humans if regulations allowed it. Faced with strong public opinion against cloning of any kind, the European Union does not allow the practice in animal husbandry. 
 
But officials acknowledge that meat or milk derived from cows with a cloned ancestor may very well have made its way into the market, whether directly imported, obtained from a live imported animal, or one bred domestically from genetic material brought into the EU. 
 
&quot;Without knowing it, Europeans are probably eating meat from the descendents of clones that cannot be traced,&quot; said Pauline Constant, spokeswoman for the European Office of consumer associations, based in Brussels. 
 
Officials say they are not concerned about any impact on human health. 
 
In September, the European Parliament called, by a large majority, not only for a ban on cloned animals, but also on products derived from them.&nbsp; 
 
The final decision rests with the European Commission, which has taken a less hard-line position.&nbsp; 
 
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and Australia are among the other countries which clone livestock. 
 
(AFP)

'Not even scientists can distinguish a healthy clone from a conventionally bred animal'

Two decades after Scotland's Dolly, the sheep, became the first cloned mammal, consumers may well wonder whether they are drinking milk or eating meat from cookie-cutter cows or their offspring. The simple answer: "probably". The fact is, there is no way to know for sure, say experts, even in Europe, which has come closer to banning livestock cloning than anywhere else in the world. With the possible exception of the ram sacrificed by Abraham in the Bible, Dolly must be the world's most famous sheep. The ewe's birth in an Edinburgh laboratory on July 5, 1996 was front-page news, provoking hype and hand-wringing in equal parts. For the most part, cloning turned out to be a dead end. But there is one sector in which Dolly's legacy is alive and well: the duplication of prize breeding animals. How aggressively the private sector has developed this niche market has depended in a large part on national or regional regulations, with key differences between the United States, China and the European Union."The most dramatic impact of the cloning of Dolly has been on animal cloning in the United States," said Aaron Levine, an expert in bioethics and cloning at Georgia Tech. In 2008, the US Food and Drug Administration concluded that "food from cattle, swine and goat clones is as safe to eat as food from any other cattle, swine or goat". 'Cloned animals are not intended to enter food supply directly' Not even scientists can distinguish a healthy clone from a conventionally bred animal, the regulatory agency said. There are no requirements to label meat or milk from a cloned animal or its offspring, whether sold domestically or abroad. For the industry, the aim was never to set up assembly-line production -- cloning is difficult and expensive at more than 10,000 Euros ($11,000) a pop, and the success rate low, with few clones surviving to birth. So the focus, instead, is on copying genetically outstanding specimens so they may naturally sire exceptional progeny. "It's fairly widespread in US to use cloning to produce breeding stock," said Levine. "Cloned animals are not intended to enter the food supply directly." "I suspect some may have," he added. US companies typically produce hundreds or few thousand clones per year Among the leaders in commercial livestock cloning in the US are Cyagra, based in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, and ViaGen, in Austin, Texas. At least one company, ViaGen, also provides services for copying cherished cats and dogs. US companies typically produce hundreds or a few thousand clones per year. The Boyalife Group's cloning new factory near the northern coastal city of Tianjin in China, however, is aiming for an annual output of 100,000 cows this year, scaling up to a million by 2020. Also in the pipeline are thoroughbred racehorses, pets and police dogs specialised in searching and sniffing. Boyalife has said it is working with South Korean partner Sooam and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to improve primate cloning technology, to create better test animals for human disease research. And in December, Boyalife's lead scientist and chief executive Xu Xiaochun, said he would not shy away from cloning humans if regulations allowed it. Faced with strong public opinion against cloning of any kind, the European Union does not allow the practice in animal husbandry. But officials acknowledge that meat or milk derived from cows with a cloned ancestor may very well have made its way into the market, whether directly imported, obtained from a live imported animal, or one bred domestically from genetic material brought into the EU. "Without knowing it, Europeans are probably eating meat from the descendents of clones that cannot be traced," said Pauline Constant, spokeswoman for the European Office of consumer associations, based in Brussels. Officials say they are not concerned about any impact on human health. In September, the European Parliament called, by a large majority, not only for a ban on cloned animals, but also on products derived from them. The final decision rests with the European Commission, which has taken a less hard-line position. Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and Australia are among the other countries which clone livestock. (AFP)

The Dolly legacy: Are you eating cloned meat?

A doctor headed for morning prayers at a Houston mosque was reportedly ambushed by three masked men who shot and wounded him today, a day after a Muslim man was beaten outside a Florida mosque. 
 
The victim of the Texas incident, identified as Dr Arslan Tajammul, an eye specialist, was undergoing surgery and was expected to survive, according to KTRK, an ABC television affiliate. 
 
The doctor had parked his car and was walking to the Madrasah Islamiah mosque when he was ambushed and shot twice at about 5:30am. The three attackers fled on foot, KTRK reported. 
 
The victim was able to toss his cell phone to someone at the entrance to the mosque on Bintliff Drive and DeMoss Drive , in southwest Houston, and ask them to call 911, the TV station said. 
 
Houston police did not immediately respond to a request for information. 
 
The shooting took place a day after a Muslim man was beaten outside a Florida mosque that had been attended by the gunman who killed 49 people at an Orlando nightclub. 
 
The victim in that case was punched in the head and face outside the Fort Pierce Islamic Center just after 4am on Saturday, the St. Lucie County sheriff&#39;s office said. 
 
Taylor Anthony Mazzanti, 25, was arrested in the attack and was charged with felony battery, the sheriff&#39;s office said. 
 
No racially motivated comments were made to the suspect during the incident, said the sheriff&#39;s office, which added the case is under investigation. 
 
The Florida branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), however, said the attacker uttered racially offensive comments including &quot;you Muslims need to get back to your country&quot;, before assaulting the victim. 
 
The Islamic Center&#39;s imam had requested extra security in the wake of last month&#39;s mass shooting by Omar Mateen at the Orlando gay nightclub Pulse. Mateen used to pray at the center. 
 
( Reuters)

Attack comes a day after a Muslim man was beaten outside a Florida mosque that had been attended by Omar Mateen

A doctor headed for morning prayers at a Houston mosque was reportedly ambushed by three masked men who shot and wounded him today, a day after a Muslim man was beaten outside a Florida mosque. The victim of the Texas incident, identified as Dr Arslan Tajammul, an eye specialist, was undergoing surgery and was expected to survive, according to KTRK, an ABC television affiliate. The doctor had parked his car and was walking to the Madrasah Islamiah mosque when he was ambushed and shot twice at about 5:30am. The three attackers fled on foot, KTRK reported. The victim was able to toss his cell phone to someone at the entrance to the mosque on Bintliff Drive and DeMoss Drive , in southwest Houston, and ask them to call 911, the TV station said. Houston police did not immediately respond to a request for information. The shooting took place a day after a Muslim man was beaten outside a Florida mosque that had been attended by the gunman who killed 49 people at an Orlando nightclub. The victim in that case was punched in the head and face outside the Fort Pierce Islamic Center just after 4am on Saturday, the St. Lucie County sheriff's office said. Taylor Anthony Mazzanti, 25, was arrested in the attack and was charged with felony battery, the sheriff's office said. No racially motivated comments were made to the suspect during the incident, said the sheriff's office, which added the case is under investigation. The Florida branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), however, said the attacker uttered racially offensive comments including "you Muslims need to get back to your country", before assaulting the victim. The Islamic Center's imam had requested extra security in the wake of last month's mass shooting by Omar Mateen at the Orlando gay nightclub Pulse. Mateen used to pray at the center. ( Reuters)

Doctor shot by three masked attackers outside Houston mosque

The seven militants, who killed 20 at a restaurant in Dhaka, were local Bangladeshis and authorities had tried before to arrest five of them, police said, as the country began a two-day period of mourning today. 
 
Gunmen stormed the upmarket restaurant popular with expatriates in the diplomatic zone late on Friday, before killing 18 foreigners in a coordinated mass killing that experts said marked a level of scale and sophistication not previously seen in the South Asian country. 
 
Most of the victims were hacked to death with machetes before commandos entered the building, killing six of the militants and capturing a seventh, after a 12-hour standoff, police said. 
 
&quot;All gunmen were Bangladeshi. Five of them were listed as militants and law enforcers made several drives to arrest them,&quot; national police chief Shahidul Hoque told reporters in Dhaka late on Saturday. 
 
Police have yet to comment on Islamic State&#39;s claims of responsibility, but security sources said authorities were probing deeper for possible ties between the gunmen and trans-national Islamist extremist groups given the scale and sophistication of the attack. 
 
Bangladesh has blamed two home-grown groups for a series of grisly killings targeting liberals or members of minority groups over the past 18 months, and local authorities have maintained that no operational links exist between Bangladeshi militants and international jihadi networks. 
 
Islamic State posted photos on Saturday of five fighters it said were involved in the killings but its claim has not been confirmed. 
 
Police said nine Italians, seven Japanese, two Bangladeshis, an Indian and a US citizen were killed during the attack at the Dhaka building, split between the Holey Artisan Bakery and the O&#39;Kitchen Restaurant. 
 
Italian media said several of the Italians victims worked in the garment industry, and the attack will frighten expatriates working in the $26 billion garment sector that accounts for 80 per cent of its exports. 
 
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced two days of national mourning on Saturday and said the country would stand up and fight the &quot;terror threat&quot;. 
 
(Reuters)

The national police chief said five of the gunmen were listed as militants and law enforcers had tried to arrest them in the past.

The seven militants, who killed 20 at a restaurant in Dhaka, were local Bangladeshis and authorities had tried before to arrest five of them, police said, as the country began a two-day period of mourning today. Gunmen stormed the upmarket restaurant popular with expatriates in the diplomatic zone late on Friday, before killing 18 foreigners in a coordinated mass killing that experts said marked a level of scale and sophistication not previously seen in the South Asian country. Most of the victims were hacked to death with machetes before commandos entered the building, killing six of the militants and capturing a seventh, after a 12-hour standoff, police said. "All gunmen were Bangladeshi. Five of them were listed as militants and law enforcers made several drives to arrest them," national police chief Shahidul Hoque told reporters in Dhaka late on Saturday. Police have yet to comment on Islamic State's claims of responsibility, but security sources said authorities were probing deeper for possible ties between the gunmen and trans-national Islamist extremist groups given the scale and sophistication of the attack. Bangladesh has blamed two home-grown groups for a series of grisly killings targeting liberals or members of minority groups over the past 18 months, and local authorities have maintained that no operational links exist between Bangladeshi militants and international jihadi networks. Islamic State posted photos on Saturday of five fighters it said were involved in the killings but its claim has not been confirmed. Police said nine Italians, seven Japanese, two Bangladeshis, an Indian and a US citizen were killed during the attack at the Dhaka building, split between the Holey Artisan Bakery and the O'Kitchen Restaurant. Italian media said several of the Italians victims worked in the garment industry, and the attack will frighten expatriates working in the $26 billion garment sector that accounts for 80 per cent of its exports. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced two days of national mourning on Saturday and said the country would stand up and fight the "terror threat". (Reuters)

Dhaka bakery attackers Bangladeshis, 5 on militant watch list: Police

In the aftermath of the Islamic State attack on a Bangladesh restaurant that left 20 dead, Democratic White House hopeful Hillary Clinton has asserted that the US stands firmly with its allies in the fight to defeat the terror group. 
 
She said her &quot;thoughts and prayers&quot; were with the people of Bangladesh, and stressed that the terror group&#39;s &quot;campaign of fear, hatred and violence&quot; would not succeed. 
 
&quot;The terrorist assault on a bakery and restaurant in Dhaka is a reminder that an attack halfway around the world is still an attack on all of us, in the everyday places we hold dear,&quot; Clinton said in a statement. 
 
The victims in Dhaka came from all over-- Italy, Japan, India and Bangladesh, she said, adding that at least three, including an American citizen, attended college in the United States. 
 
&quot;Today, we say with one voice: this campaign of fear and hatred and violence will not succeed. We will not retreat,&quot; Clinton said. 
 
&quot;We will not turn our backs on each other. The United States stands firmly with our friends and allies in the fight to defeat ISIS and radical jihadism around the world. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the people of Bangladesh,&quot; she said. 
 
Mourning the loss of life in the attack, Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said the United States is ready to help Bangladesh. 
 
&quot;With heavy hearts, we pray for the victims, survivors, and the loved ones affected by this horrific assault. With determined spirits, we will continue to stand firm against these vicious acts wherever they occur,&quot; she said. 
 
&quot;We must continue to confront terrorists with strength, unity, and a comprehensive strategy. Extremists fuelled by hatred can never extinguish the light of international cooperation and the beacon of hope aflame in communities around the world,&quot; Pelosi said. 
 
(PTI)

Dhaka is a reminder that an attack halfway around the world is still an attack on all of us, she said

In the aftermath of the Islamic State attack on a Bangladesh restaurant that left 20 dead, Democratic White House hopeful Hillary Clinton has asserted that the US stands firmly with its allies in the fight to defeat the terror group. She said her "thoughts and prayers" were with the people of Bangladesh, and stressed that the terror group's "campaign of fear, hatred and violence" would not succeed. "The terrorist assault on a bakery and restaurant in Dhaka is a reminder that an attack halfway around the world is still an attack on all of us, in the everyday places we hold dear," Clinton said in a statement. The victims in Dhaka came from all over-- Italy, Japan, India and Bangladesh, she said, adding that at least three, including an American citizen, attended college in the United States. "Today, we say with one voice: this campaign of fear and hatred and violence will not succeed. We will not retreat," Clinton said. "We will not turn our backs on each other. The United States stands firmly with our friends and allies in the fight to defeat ISIS and radical jihadism around the world. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the people of Bangladesh," she said. Mourning the loss of life in the attack, Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said the United States is ready to help Bangladesh. "With heavy hearts, we pray for the victims, survivors, and the loved ones affected by this horrific assault. With determined spirits, we will continue to stand firm against these vicious acts wherever they occur," she said. "We must continue to confront terrorists with strength, unity, and a comprehensive strategy. Extremists fuelled by hatred can never extinguish the light of international cooperation and the beacon of hope aflame in communities around the world," Pelosi said. (PTI)

IS campaign of fear and violence will not succeed: Hillary Clinton

The FBI quizzed Democratic White House hopeful Hillary Clinton on Saturday about her use of personal email while serving as secretary of state, a campaign spokesman said. 
 
Questions over Clinton`s use of a private account and homebrew server during her time as America&#39;s top diplomat have dogged her presidential campaign for more than a year, and fueled voter concerns that she is not trustworthy. 
 
An aide said the interview at FBI headquarters in Washington lasted about 3.5 hours. 
 
&quot;Secretary Clinton gave a voluntary interview this morning about her email arrangements while she was secretary,&quot; spokesman Nick Merrill said in a statement.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;She is pleased to have had the opportunity to assist the Department of Justice in bringing this review to a conclusion. Out of respect for the investigative process, she will not comment further on her interview.&quot; 
 
Clinton, aiming to become the nation&#39;s first female commander-in-chief, has apologized for exclusively using a private email account and her own server during her time as secretary of state from 2009 to 2013. 
 
Opponents argue that this breached rules about protecting classified documents from cyber attack and may have amounted to a crime. 
 
The FBI interview came amid revelations that US Attorney General Loretta Lynch held an impromptu meeting with Clinton`s husband, former president Bill Clinton, at the airport in Phoenix, Arizona this week. 
 
The exchange touched off a political firestorm. 
 
On Friday, Lynch vowed to respect the decisions of the FBI and the prosecutors on whether to charge Hillary Clinton. 
 
The top US law enforcement official admitted that the private encounter with Bill Clinton had &quot;cast a shadow&quot; over the investigation into the emails in the runup to the November general election. 
 
But Lynch insisted that she, as a political appointee, will not overrule investigators or otherwise interfere in the legal process regarding the probe, and that the integrity of the Justice Department will be upheld. 
 
(AFP)

According to a spokesman Clinton gave a 'voluntary interview' to FBI over her use of personal email while she was secretary

The FBI quizzed Democratic White House hopeful Hillary Clinton on Saturday about her use of personal email while serving as secretary of state, a campaign spokesman said. Questions over Clinton`s use of a private account and homebrew server during her time as America's top diplomat have dogged her presidential campaign for more than a year, and fueled voter concerns that she is not trustworthy. An aide said the interview at FBI headquarters in Washington lasted about 3.5 hours. "Secretary Clinton gave a voluntary interview this morning about her email arrangements while she was secretary," spokesman Nick Merrill said in a statement. "She is pleased to have had the opportunity to assist the Department of Justice in bringing this review to a conclusion. Out of respect for the investigative process, she will not comment further on her interview." Clinton, aiming to become the nation's first female commander-in-chief, has apologized for exclusively using a private email account and her own server during her time as secretary of state from 2009 to 2013. Opponents argue that this breached rules about protecting classified documents from cyber attack and may have amounted to a crime. The FBI interview came amid revelations that US Attorney General Loretta Lynch held an impromptu meeting with Clinton`s husband, former president Bill Clinton, at the airport in Phoenix, Arizona this week. The exchange touched off a political firestorm. On Friday, Lynch vowed to respect the decisions of the FBI and the prosecutors on whether to charge Hillary Clinton. The top US law enforcement official admitted that the private encounter with Bill Clinton had "cast a shadow" over the investigation into the emails in the runup to the November general election. But Lynch insisted that she, as a political appointee, will not overrule investigators or otherwise interfere in the legal process regarding the probe, and that the integrity of the Justice Department will be upheld. (AFP)

Hillary Clinton quizzed by FBI

The United States has expressed disappointment over India not getting entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), and asserted that it will continue to work constructively with other countries of the group for New Delhi&#39;s inclusion in the 48-nation atomic trading bloc. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re not going to let that go,&quot; state department spokesman John Kirby told reporters yesterday. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re obviously disappointed that India was not admitted during this recent session, but I can tell you that we&#39;re going to continue to work constructively with India and all the other NSG members on India&#39;s accession in the months ahead,&quot; he said while responding to a question. 
 
He added that India has a strong record and the US believes it deserves to be included in the NSG. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s why the Administration, including senior White House and state department officials, made a concerted effort and I do mean concerted effort to secure India&#39;s membership in the recent NSG plenary that was held in Seoul, we talked about this,&quot; Kirby said. 
 
(PTI)

State department spokesman John Kirby said India has a strong record and it deserves to be included in the 48-nation atomic trading bloc

The United States has expressed disappointment over India not getting entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), and asserted that it will continue to work constructively with other countries of the group for New Delhi's inclusion in the 48-nation atomic trading bloc. "We're not going to let that go," state department spokesman John Kirby told reporters yesterday. "We're obviously disappointed that India was not admitted during this recent session, but I can tell you that we're going to continue to work constructively with India and all the other NSG members on India's accession in the months ahead," he said while responding to a question. He added that India has a strong record and the US believes it deserves to be included in the NSG. "That's why the Administration, including senior White House and state department officials, made a concerted effort and I do mean concerted effort to secure India's membership in the recent NSG plenary that was held in Seoul, we talked about this," Kirby said. (PTI)

US is disappointed India was refused entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group

Republican Donald Trump said today that if elected president on November 8 he would be open to drawing NATO forces into the fight against Islamic State militants in a new mission for an alliance he has called obsolete. 
 
Trump made the comments in an interview with ABC News. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has for months raised questions about the money the United States pours into NATO, which he says needs to be reconfigured to take account of today&#39;s threats. 
 
&ldquo;I like the idea of using NATO and also neighbours that aren&rsquo;t in NATO and take them out. You gotta take them out,&rdquo; Trump said. 
 
Under President Barack Obama, the United States has relied heavily on US airstrikes to attack Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq. Republicans have criticised this policy as not enough to stop the militants. 
 
Trump said the idea of using the Cold War-era alliance would be to ease the load on American forces. 
 
&quot;I don&rsquo;t want to get too much of ours involved. I want NATO to be involved,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;We spend a tremendous amount of money on NATO. We take care of countries that frankly should be taking care of themselves in terms of economically.&rdquo; 
 
Trump&#39;s comments came amid an uproar over a meeting between former president Bill Clinton and attorney general Loretta Lynch at a time when Clinton&#39;s wife, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, is under federal investigation. 
 
The private meeting took place on Lynch&#39;s plane after she landed in Phoenix on Monday night and Bill Clinton was leaving the airport after a rally he held for his wife earlier that day. 
 
Hillary Clinton is under an FBI investigation for her use of a private email server when she was President Barack Obama&#39;s first-term secretary of state. 
 
Trump told conservative radio talk show host Mike Gallagher that the meeting was proof of his charge that the US political system is &quot;rigged&quot; in favor of political elites. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s unheard of,&quot; Trump told ABC News. &quot;You have this massive investigation on emails and they&#39;d have a meeting like this.&quot; 
 
Lynch, appointed to her position by Obama more than a year ago, said she did not discuss the email investigation or other pending matters before the justice department with Bill Clinton. 
 
&quot;When I was landing at the airport, I did see president Clinton at the Phoenix airport as I was leaving and he spoke to myself and my husband on the plane,&quot; Lynch told reporters. 
 
&quot;Our conversation was a great deal about grandchildren. It was primarily social and about our travels. He mentioned the golf he played in Phoenix and he mentioned travels he had to West Virginia...But there was no discussion of any matter pending for the department or any matter pending before any other body,&quot; Lynch said. 
 
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating Hillary Clinton about her email use and has already interviewed some of her aides. The investigation into whether laws were broken as a result of the server kept in her New York home has overshadowed Clinton&#39;s campaign. 
 
Special counsel 
 
Obama is preparing to campaign with Hillary Clinton for the first time in her 2016 White House bid. They are to appear together in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Tuesday. A Reuters/Ipsos poll this week showed Clinton 11 points ahead of the billionaire businessman 
 
At the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest made clear that Obama believes an impartial investigation is crucial and noted that Lynch had said the conversation was benign. 
 
&quot;I think the bottom line is simply that both the president and the attorney general understand how important it is for the department of justice to conduct investigations that are free of political interference,&quot; Earnest told reporters. 
 
US senator John Cornyn of Texas, the Number 2 Senate Republican, cited the incident in renewing his call for an independent counsel to take over the Clinton probe from the FBI. 
 
(Reuters)

'I like the idea of using NATO and also neighbours that aren?t in NATO and take them out. You gotta take them out,' he told ABC News

Republican Donald Trump said today that if elected president on November 8 he would be open to drawing NATO forces into the fight against Islamic State militants in a new mission for an alliance he has called obsolete. Trump made the comments in an interview with ABC News. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has for months raised questions about the money the United States pours into NATO, which he says needs to be reconfigured to take account of today's threats. “I like the idea of using NATO and also neighbours that aren’t in NATO and take them out. You gotta take them out,” Trump said. Under President Barack Obama, the United States has relied heavily on US airstrikes to attack Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq. Republicans have criticised this policy as not enough to stop the militants. Trump said the idea of using the Cold War-era alliance would be to ease the load on American forces. "I don’t want to get too much of ours involved. I want NATO to be involved,” Trump said. “We spend a tremendous amount of money on NATO. We take care of countries that frankly should be taking care of themselves in terms of economically.” Trump's comments came amid an uproar over a meeting between former president Bill Clinton and attorney general Loretta Lynch at a time when Clinton's wife, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, is under federal investigation. The private meeting took place on Lynch's plane after she landed in Phoenix on Monday night and Bill Clinton was leaving the airport after a rally he held for his wife earlier that day. Hillary Clinton is under an FBI investigation for her use of a private email server when she was President Barack Obama's first-term secretary of state. Trump told conservative radio talk show host Mike Gallagher that the meeting was proof of his charge that the US political system is "rigged" in favor of political elites. "It's unheard of," Trump told ABC News. "You have this massive investigation on emails and they'd have a meeting like this." Lynch, appointed to her position by Obama more than a year ago, said she did not discuss the email investigation or other pending matters before the justice department with Bill Clinton. "When I was landing at the airport, I did see president Clinton at the Phoenix airport as I was leaving and he spoke to myself and my husband on the plane," Lynch told reporters. "Our conversation was a great deal about grandchildren. It was primarily social and about our travels. He mentioned the golf he played in Phoenix and he mentioned travels he had to West Virginia...But there was no discussion of any matter pending for the department or any matter pending before any other body," Lynch said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating Hillary Clinton about her email use and has already interviewed some of her aides. The investigation into whether laws were broken as a result of the server kept in her New York home has overshadowed Clinton's campaign. Special counsel Obama is preparing to campaign with Hillary Clinton for the first time in her 2016 White House bid. They are to appear together in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Tuesday. A Reuters/Ipsos poll this week showed Clinton 11 points ahead of the billionaire businessman At the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest made clear that Obama believes an impartial investigation is crucial and noted that Lynch had said the conversation was benign. "I think the bottom line is simply that both the president and the attorney general understand how important it is for the department of justice to conduct investigations that are free of political interference," Earnest told reporters. US senator John Cornyn of Texas, the Number 2 Senate Republican, cited the incident in renewing his call for an independent counsel to take over the Clinton probe from the FBI. (Reuters)

If elected president, Trump pledges to use NATO in fight against ISIS

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives, under mounting pressure to advance gun-control legislation, will vote next week on a measure to keep guns out of the hands of people on government terrorism watch lists. 
 
Republican and gun lobby sources said the legislation, due to be introduced as part of a terrorism package, was likely to be a National Rifle Association (NRA)-backed bill brought by Representative Lee Zeldin of New York as the companion to a Senate Republican measure from senator John Cornyn of Texas. 
 
House Democrats, who last week staged a 25-hour sit-in on the House floor to push for gun control after the June 12 mass shooting in Orlando, condemned the Cornyn-Zeldin measure as the handiwork of the NRA. Senate Democrats blocked the same legislation last week. 
 
&quot;House Democrats will keep up our efforts to push for the majority to allow a vote on gun violence legislation, but bringing up a bill authored by the NRA just isn&#39;t going to cut it,&quot; said Drew Hammill, an aide to House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. The NRA denied writing the legislation. 
 
House speaker Paul Ryan announced the plan in a conference call with lawmakers. Republican leadership aides declined to provide details. One said the package was still being negotiated. 
 
After the Orlando, Florida, shooting that killed 49 people and wounded 53 more at a gay nightclub, gun-control proponents ratcheted up pressure for meaningful legislation. 
 
&quot;We are going to get something done this year, I predict,&quot; Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid told reporters. &quot;I think we&rsquo;re going to take a bite out of the NRA.&quot; 
 
Reid said he was hopeful for a bill introduced by Republican senator Susan Collins of Maine, and a bipartisan House companion bill backed by Republicans including representative Carlos Curbelo of Florida, to prevent gun sales to anyone on the government&#39;s &quot;No Fly List&quot; for terrorism suspects or the &quot;Selectee List&quot; for extra airport screening. 
 
Before Thursday&#39;s announcement, representative Bob Dold of Illinois, a Republican backer of the Collins-Curbelo bill, urged Ryan and House majority Leader Kevin McCarthy to opt for the bipartisan measure, according to a Dold aide. 
 
But hopes for a vote on that measure could be dashed if House Republicans move first on the Cornyn-Zeldin bill, which would allow party leaders to say they had acted on gun control. 
 
&quot;It would really be a sharp blow,&quot; said Representative Scott Rigell, a Virginia Republican and NRA member who supports the Collins-Curbelo measure. 
 
The NRA-backed measure would give officials three days to decide whether a gun sale should be blocked. Democrats argue the timetable is insufficient and say the government would have to persuade a court that a would-be buyer &quot;has committed or will commit an act of terrorism&quot; before it could block a gun sale. 
 
Under the Collins-Curbelo bills, a court would have 14 days to decide on appeals. 
 
(Reuters)

The legislation will be a part of terrorism package and will prevent gun sales to anyone on the government's 'No Fly List'

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives, under mounting pressure to advance gun-control legislation, will vote next week on a measure to keep guns out of the hands of people on government terrorism watch lists. Republican and gun lobby sources said the legislation, due to be introduced as part of a terrorism package, was likely to be a National Rifle Association (NRA)-backed bill brought by Representative Lee Zeldin of New York as the companion to a Senate Republican measure from senator John Cornyn of Texas. House Democrats, who last week staged a 25-hour sit-in on the House floor to push for gun control after the June 12 mass shooting in Orlando, condemned the Cornyn-Zeldin measure as the handiwork of the NRA. Senate Democrats blocked the same legislation last week. "House Democrats will keep up our efforts to push for the majority to allow a vote on gun violence legislation, but bringing up a bill authored by the NRA just isn't going to cut it," said Drew Hammill, an aide to House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. The NRA denied writing the legislation. House speaker Paul Ryan announced the plan in a conference call with lawmakers. Republican leadership aides declined to provide details. One said the package was still being negotiated. After the Orlando, Florida, shooting that killed 49 people and wounded 53 more at a gay nightclub, gun-control proponents ratcheted up pressure for meaningful legislation. "We are going to get something done this year, I predict," Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid told reporters. "I think we’re going to take a bite out of the NRA." Reid said he was hopeful for a bill introduced by Republican senator Susan Collins of Maine, and a bipartisan House companion bill backed by Republicans including representative Carlos Curbelo of Florida, to prevent gun sales to anyone on the government's "No Fly List" for terrorism suspects or the "Selectee List" for extra airport screening. Before Thursday's announcement, representative Bob Dold of Illinois, a Republican backer of the Collins-Curbelo bill, urged Ryan and House majority Leader Kevin McCarthy to opt for the bipartisan measure, according to a Dold aide. But hopes for a vote on that measure could be dashed if House Republicans move first on the Cornyn-Zeldin bill, which would allow party leaders to say they had acted on gun control. "It would really be a sharp blow," said Representative Scott Rigell, a Virginia Republican and NRA member who supports the Collins-Curbelo measure. The NRA-backed measure would give officials three days to decide whether a gun sale should be blocked. Democrats argue the timetable is insufficient and say the government would have to persuade a court that a would-be buyer "has committed or will commit an act of terrorism" before it could block a gun sale. Under the Collins-Curbelo bills, a court would have 14 days to decide on appeals. (Reuters)

US reignites gun-control debate with planned vote

Tesla said on Thursday a driver was killed while using its &quot;autopilot&quot; self-driving mechanism on its Model S electric car, leading to a US federal safety investigation. 
 
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that it has opened a &quot;preliminary evaluation&quot; into the performance of Autopilot after the electric car company notified the agency of a fatal crash in Florida in May. 
 
In a statement, Tesla said the fatality was &quot;a tragic loss&quot; and was the first such incident with its Autopilot system activated. 
 
&quot;This is the first known fatality in just over 130 million miles (209 million kilometers) where Autopilot was activated,&quot; the company said. 
 
&quot;Among all vehicles in the US, there is a fatality every 94 million miles. Worldwide, there is a fatality approximately every 60 million miles,&quot; it said. 
 
&quot;It is important to emphasize that the NHTSA action is simply a preliminary evaluation to determine whether the system worked according to expectations.&quot; 
 
NHTSA communications director Bryan Thomas said in a release that the agency deployed a special team to the scene of the crash and opened a &quot;defects investigation&quot; focused on the automated driving system. 
 
Preliminary reports indicated that the crash happened when a tractor-trailer made a left turn in front of the Tesla at an intersection, according to Thomas. 
 
Tesla said the car was on a divided highway when the tractor-trailer drove across the road to be situated perpendicular to the Tesla. 
 
The NHTSA cautioned that it was too early in the investigation to determine whether a defect existed or played a part in the crash. 
 
Tesla, known for its high-end electric cars, unveiled the system last year which allows the vehicle to automatically change lanes, manage speed and even hit the brakes. The system is activated and overridden by the driver. 
 
Blinded by light 
&quot;Neither Autopilot nor the driver noticed the white side of the tractor-trailer against a brightly lit sky, so the brake was not applied,&quot; the statement said. 
 
&quot;The high ride height of the trailer combined with its positioning across the road and the extremely rare circumstances of the impact caused the Model S to pass under the trailer, with the bottom of the trailer impacting the windshield of the Model S.&quot; 
 
Tesla said that if there had been an impact against the front or rear of the trailer, even at high speed, &quot;its advanced crash safety system would likely have prevented serious injury as it has in numerous other similar incidents.&quot; 
 
Tesla said it followed &quot;our standard practice&quot; by informing federal safety officials. 
 
&quot;It is important to note that Tesla disables Autopilot by default and requires explicit acknowledgement that the system is new technology and still in a public beta phase before it can be enabled,&quot; Tesla said. 
 
When drivers activate the system, they see a warning saying that it is &quot;an assist feature that requires you to keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times,&quot; and that &quot;you need to maintain control and responsibility for your vehicle&quot; while using it, according to the company. 
 
The news comes amid growing interest in self-driving cars following tests over the past few years by Google and research by several major automakers. 
 
Investments are also being made in autonomous trucks and small buses. 
 
A major study released earlier this month said the looming arrival of self-driving vehicles is likely to vastly reduce traffic fatalities, but also poses difficult moral dilemmas. 
 
The scientists said autonomous driving systems will require programmers to develop algorithms to make critical decisions that are based more on ethics than technology, such as whether to sacrifice a driver or passenger rather than pedestrians. 
 
(AFP)

The carmaker's self-driving Autopilot system regulates speed, allows a vehicle to change lanes, and even applies the brakes

Tesla said on Thursday a driver was killed while using its "autopilot" self-driving mechanism on its Model S electric car, leading to a US federal safety investigation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that it has opened a "preliminary evaluation" into the performance of Autopilot after the electric car company notified the agency of a fatal crash in Florida in May. In a statement, Tesla said the fatality was "a tragic loss" and was the first such incident with its Autopilot system activated. "This is the first known fatality in just over 130 million miles (209 million kilometers) where Autopilot was activated," the company said. "Among all vehicles in the US, there is a fatality every 94 million miles. Worldwide, there is a fatality approximately every 60 million miles," it said. "It is important to emphasize that the NHTSA action is simply a preliminary evaluation to determine whether the system worked according to expectations." NHTSA communications director Bryan Thomas said in a release that the agency deployed a special team to the scene of the crash and opened a "defects investigation" focused on the automated driving system. Preliminary reports indicated that the crash happened when a tractor-trailer made a left turn in front of the Tesla at an intersection, according to Thomas. Tesla said the car was on a divided highway when the tractor-trailer drove across the road to be situated perpendicular to the Tesla. The NHTSA cautioned that it was too early in the investigation to determine whether a defect existed or played a part in the crash. Tesla, known for its high-end electric cars, unveiled the system last year which allows the vehicle to automatically change lanes, manage speed and even hit the brakes. The system is activated and overridden by the driver. Blinded by light "Neither Autopilot nor the driver noticed the white side of the tractor-trailer against a brightly lit sky, so the brake was not applied," the statement said. "The high ride height of the trailer combined with its positioning across the road and the extremely rare circumstances of the impact caused the Model S to pass under the trailer, with the bottom of the trailer impacting the windshield of the Model S." Tesla said that if there had been an impact against the front or rear of the trailer, even at high speed, "its advanced crash safety system would likely have prevented serious injury as it has in numerous other similar incidents." Tesla said it followed "our standard practice" by informing federal safety officials. "It is important to note that Tesla disables Autopilot by default and requires explicit acknowledgement that the system is new technology and still in a public beta phase before it can be enabled," Tesla said. When drivers activate the system, they see a warning saying that it is "an assist feature that requires you to keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times," and that "you need to maintain control and responsibility for your vehicle" while using it, according to the company. The news comes amid growing interest in self-driving cars following tests over the past few years by Google and research by several major automakers. Investments are also being made in autonomous trucks and small buses. A major study released earlier this month said the looming arrival of self-driving vehicles is likely to vastly reduce traffic fatalities, but also poses difficult moral dilemmas. The scientists said autonomous driving systems will require programmers to develop algorithms to make critical decisions that are based more on ethics than technology, such as whether to sacrifice a driver or passenger rather than pedestrians. (AFP)

Tesla driver on 'autopilot' mode killed in crash, US opens probe

The Pentagon today ended its ban on openly transgender people serving in the US military, formally removing the risk to an estimated thousands of US troops who once could have been kicked out of the armed forces due to gender identity. 
 
The repeal, which ends one of the last barriers to serving in the military, comes after a 2011 decision to end the US military&#39;s ban on openly gay and lesbian people serving, despite concerns - which proved unfounded - that such a move could be too great a burden in wartime and would undermine battle readiness. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re eliminating policies that can result in transgender members being treated differently from their peers based solely upon their gender identity rather than upon their ability to serve,&quot; defence secretary Ash Carter told reporters. 
 
Carter said that within 90 days, the Pentagon would create a guide book for commanders on how to lead transgender service members and medical guidance to doctors. 
 
Within one year, transgender individuals would be allowed to join the armed forces, he said. 
 
Carter said that based on a study carried out by the Rand Corporation, there were about 2,500 transgender active-duty servicemembers and 1,500 reserve transgender service members. Still, Rand&#39;s figures were within a range, which at the upper end reached 7,000 active duty forces and 4,000 reserves. 
 
&quot;The reality is that we have transgender service members serving in uniform today,&quot; Carter said, acknowledging the policy change will have implications for issues including deployment and medical treatment. 
 
He added that at least 18 countries already allowed transgender personnel to serve openly in their militaries. 
 
Carter announced in 2015 that he intended to lift the ban and laid out a series of steps, including a six-month study on the implications of lifting the restrictions. But advocates for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community said the process, which eventually stretched to nearly a year, has taken too long. 
 
Advocates praised Carter&#39;s announcement today and said it followed several moves by the military to be more inclusive in the last decade. 
 
&quot;I would hope that it showcases the fact that the sky will not fall, the world will not come apart, by us being a more inclusive and open society,&quot; said Matt Thorn, executive director of OutServe-SLDN, an advocacy group for LGBT military personnel. &quot;I don&#39;t think anybody should be concerned or afraid about moving forward with this policy.&quot; 
 
But critics have argued that Carter is putting the political agenda of the Democratic administration of President Barack Obama ahead of military readiness. 
 
&quot;Over the next few weeks, we are going to continue to push for actual answers to the readiness questions we&rsquo;ve been asking for nearly a year to which we have still not received a response,&quot; Republican representative Mac Thornberry, chairman of the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, said in a statement. 
 
(Reuters)

Commanders will be given handbooks detailing how they are to be led, and doctors will be provided medical advice

The Pentagon today ended its ban on openly transgender people serving in the US military, formally removing the risk to an estimated thousands of US troops who once could have been kicked out of the armed forces due to gender identity. The repeal, which ends one of the last barriers to serving in the military, comes after a 2011 decision to end the US military's ban on openly gay and lesbian people serving, despite concerns - which proved unfounded - that such a move could be too great a burden in wartime and would undermine battle readiness. "We're eliminating policies that can result in transgender members being treated differently from their peers based solely upon their gender identity rather than upon their ability to serve," defence secretary Ash Carter told reporters. Carter said that within 90 days, the Pentagon would create a guide book for commanders on how to lead transgender service members and medical guidance to doctors. Within one year, transgender individuals would be allowed to join the armed forces, he said. Carter said that based on a study carried out by the Rand Corporation, there were about 2,500 transgender active-duty servicemembers and 1,500 reserve transgender service members. Still, Rand's figures were within a range, which at the upper end reached 7,000 active duty forces and 4,000 reserves. "The reality is that we have transgender service members serving in uniform today," Carter said, acknowledging the policy change will have implications for issues including deployment and medical treatment. He added that at least 18 countries already allowed transgender personnel to serve openly in their militaries. Carter announced in 2015 that he intended to lift the ban and laid out a series of steps, including a six-month study on the implications of lifting the restrictions. But advocates for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community said the process, which eventually stretched to nearly a year, has taken too long. Advocates praised Carter's announcement today and said it followed several moves by the military to be more inclusive in the last decade. "I would hope that it showcases the fact that the sky will not fall, the world will not come apart, by us being a more inclusive and open society," said Matt Thorn, executive director of OutServe-SLDN, an advocacy group for LGBT military personnel. "I don't think anybody should be concerned or afraid about moving forward with this policy." But critics have argued that Carter is putting the political agenda of the Democratic administration of President Barack Obama ahead of military readiness. "Over the next few weeks, we are going to continue to push for actual answers to the readiness questions we’ve been asking for nearly a year to which we have still not received a response," Republican representative Mac Thornberry, chairman of the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, said in a statement. (Reuters)

US Army ends ban on transgender people

Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri warned United States of the &quot;gravest consequences&quot; if Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev or any other Muslim prisoners is executed. 
 
Tsarnaev, named in Zawahri&#39;s online video message, was sentenced to death by lethal injection on June 24 last year for the 2013 bomb attack\ which killed three people and injured more than 260. 
 
(Reuters)

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was sentenced to death by lethal injection on June 24 last year for the 2013 bomb attack

Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri warned United States of the "gravest consequences" if Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev or any other Muslim prisoners is executed. Tsarnaev, named in Zawahri's online video message, was sentenced to death by lethal injection on June 24 last year for the 2013 bomb attack\ which killed three people and injured more than 260. (Reuters)

Al-Qaeda leader warns of 'gravest consequences' if Boston marathon bomber executed

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