|  |  |  | | | | | The Guardian World News | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | At 06.14 BST Nasa's Curiosity rover touched down safely in Gale Crater on Mars following a complex landing sequence, leading to scenes of jubilation at mission control. Follow the landing, as it happened, here 8.04am: Geraint Jones, planetary scientist from UCL, who is here at the Guardian, says: Very keen amateurs have started looking at the images taken after the landing - there's a curious cloud-like feature that appears in images taken by two separate cameras. Some are suggesting that it might be a cloud of dust thrown into the air when the descent stage hit the ground a few hundred metres away after delivering the rover to the surface.
8.00am: NASA Administrator, Charles Bolden, writes: I am so proud of the NASA team that has made tonight's challenging milestone possible. However, tomorrow we begin to plan for the next great challenge -- and start compiling incredible scientific data from Curiosity. For the past 50 years, NASA has specialized in doing the hard things. Thanks to the ingenuity of our teams across America and the world, we are poised for even greater success.
7.58am: Second question of the press conference...
"Can you tell us the file type and compression used to send the image back?" Steltzner saves us all with: "I absolutely cannot" He goes on to say: "Curiosity is perhaps the central defining human attribute." 7.55am: Steltzner emphasising the data that has come in to date is preliminary. He says the landing "looked to be extremely clean", with the rover coming down in conditions that were calmer than they had prepared for. "Our powered flight appeared to be excellent." The spacecraft landed with 140kg of fuel left over. "Looks like we landed in a nice, flat spot. Beautiful." 7.52am: Adam Steltzner, head of NASA JPL's Mars landing team, describes himself on his twitter feed as "Master of Mars" 7.51am: Wonderful panoramic view of the press conference, where people are now captivated by the team describing their thoughts on touchdown. 7.49am: Adam Steltzner, head of the Entry, Descent and Landing phase team, is overwhelmed by the success. I am terribly humbled by this experience. I, forever, secretely, have felt I do not deserve to be in the position of leading the team I lead...In my life I will be forever satisfied if this is the greatest thing I have ever given.
7.44am: Tom Watson MP tweets:
Am I misguided to think that humankind landing a robot on Mars -on Mars! - is the biggest story of the day? Got to follow: #MSL While Stuart Clark, Guardian space blogger, adds: Let us enjoy and celebrate achievement. This is Olympian science. Years of dedication and effort - paying off. 7.38am: Great NPR interview with Adam Stelzner, head of the Entry, Descent and Landing phase for Mars Curiosity here. I was sort of studying sex, drugs and rock and roll in high school," says Steltzner. It wasn't just the long hair. "I liked to wear this strange Air Force jump suit. And my first car was a '69 Cadillac hearse. I put a bed in the back.
7.35am: Charles Elachi, director of Jet Propulsion Lab, is having a nightmare trying to calm everyone down for the press conference. 7.34am: This just in from John Bridges at University of Leicester: From cruise stage separation, atmospheric entry at 6 km/s, parachute deployment - slowing down - then Skycrane deployment , it went without a hitch. The first images have already got us talking...
The press conference is settling down now... 7.28am: Charles Bolden, the NASA administrator, tells the press conference that the President's science adviser, John Holdren "nearly threw-up", presumably with the stress and excitement of the landing. 7.27am: John Bridges at Leicester University blogs: Lots of very happy and excited people in this room! What an opportunity we have now to explore this fascinating planet.
7.15am: Susanne Schwenzer, a postdoc at Open University, has sent this: Curiosity is on Mars. Seven minutes of landing went by very fast, it was so intense. The parachute deploy was the moment I took the first deep breath, thinking this may work. And it did. How exciting! We now have the chance to explore Gale crater. This unique place on Mars, which contains a series of geological features, which we now can start investigating with the most advanced rover ever. For me as a mineralogist it will be especially interesting to find out more about the formation conditions of the clays, that have been seen from orbit. They will tell us more about past water and the potential for habitability. Personally, being part of Dr. John Bridges participating scientist team is a unique, probably once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of exploration of Mars. I am looking forward to the science to come - and in the short term to the first panorama image after mast deploy in the days to come.
7.12am: Measurements from Mars point to a gentle landing for the Curiosity rover, the nearest thing to an SUV that has ever been sent to another planet. The impact speed was just 0.67 metres per second, or 1.5mph. The sideways drift of the rover was a minuscule 0.044 metres per second, less than 0.1mph. 7.08am: NASA is holding a press conference on the Mars Curiosity landing at 7.30am UK. So far the mission has gone without hitch, and there was plenty of opportunity for failure. The rover - the largest ever built by NASA - will spend the next year exploring the Gale Crater and its central mountain in the hope of finding geological evidence that Mars was once hospitable to life. 7.03am: Celebrations at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab in California as the Mars Curiosity rover touches down on the red planet. A huge success for the US space agency. 6.59am: Tweet from Brian Cox Absolutely wonderful. What a year! First the Higgs, now the search for Life on Mars begins ! #MSL Of course Mars Curiosity is famously not looking for life on Mars, but for signs of ancient habitable environments. This is a prospecting mission. The first job is to find areas where life may have survived had it ever evolved on Mars. Once those places are found - if they exist - scientists will know where to send future missions to look for direct signs of past life on the planet. 6.57am:As Geraint Jones, planetary scientist at UCL, who is here with me today, says: The good news is that there are no big rocks. That'll make it easier to drive around.
6.53am: Lovely picture - the shadow of Curiosity in Gale Crater. 6.52am: The first pictures from Mars are now on NASA's website. 6.50am: Here's one of the first pictures to arrive from Mars Curiosity. This is the live stream of Nasa TV, courtesy of Ustream. 6.42am: I've not seen scenes of such joy since CERN found the Higgs boson. Worth waiting for will be the video feed from underneath the spacecraft as it flew to its target and began lowering the Curiosity rover on those nylon ropes. That will be truly extraordinary to see. The NASA Curiosity team will now spend a good while on Mars time so they can synchronise their operations with the rover. 6.39am: And here is the first picture from Curiosity after touchdown. 6.38am: "We have just blown dust all over the place with our descent engines," says one NASA scientist. A high resolution image showing the horizon and dust particles on the camera have just arrived. Amazing stuff. Extraordinary to see this work so smoothly. The landing was the complex ever attempted on an alien world. 6.36am: "It's the wheel!" exclaims one of the NASA scientists. The first image from Mars Curiosity has arrived. More pictures are on their way. We'll be grabbing those images to post as soon as we can. 6.34am: Scenes of complete jubilation in NASA's mission control. That was extraordinary. Images are on their way. 6.33am: "Touchdown confirmed. We are safe on Mars!" 6.32am: The sky crane is now lowering the rover. 6.32am: The probe is being monitored by Mars Odyssey. Now around 4km from the surface. The retrorockets are firing. Velocity is 50metres per second. Standing by for sky crane - the amazing system that lowers the rover by nylon ropes. 6.30am: Parachute deployed. The probe is decelerating. 6.28am: Early days, but all looking good. The spacecraft is "heading directly to the target", according to Nasa scientist. The seven minutes of terror are underway! 6.25am: One minute to entry. "We are now beginning to feel the atmosphere," says Nasa scientist. Tweet from Brian Cox
Now admit it,this is more exciting than the 100m last night #MSL 6.24am: Geraint Jones, a planetary scientist from UCL's Mullard Space Science Laboratory in Surrey, is here in the office with me. In answer to a question left on the blog earlier, he says: @wwwwwlllll: The surface winds expected at the landing site are around 0-32 km/h. MSL is designed to cope with much stronger gusts than that if they arise. There was a dust storm spotted towards the end of last week around 1000km away, but this isn't causing the team any worries.
6.22am: The spacecraft is still accelerating under the planet's gravitational pull and will reach 13,000 mph before it starts to feel the outer atmosphere of the planet. The atmospheric pressure on Mars is about one hundredth that on Earth. Surface winds are typically up to 20 miles per hour, with gusts up to 90mph. The atmosphere is 95.3 per cent carbon dioxide, 2.7 percent nitrogen and 1.6 per cent argon. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, is tracking the probe. 6.17am: The spacecraft has separated from its cruise stage. Small thrusters on the back shell of the probe have now fired to halt the two-revolutions-per-minute spin that the spacecraft maintains during flight. The thrusters fire next to bring the heat shield into position, in a move called "turn to entry". A tweet from Curiosity: I'm inside the orbit of Deimos and completely on my own. Wish me luck! In case you were wondering, Deimos is the outer of Curiosity's two moons. 6.13am: If the rover lands safely, what will we see first from the surface? This is from Curiosity's mission pages: The very first images are likely to arrive more than two hours after landing, due to the timing of NASA's signal-relaying Odyssey orbiter.
They will be captured with the left and right Hazcams at the back and
front of the rover, and they will not yet be full-resolution (the two
images arriving on Earth first are "thumbnail" copies, which are 64 by
64 pixels in size). The Hazcams [Hazard-Avoidance cameras] are
equipped with very wide-angle, fisheye lenses, initially capped with
clear dust covers. The covers are designed to protect the cameras from
dust that may be kicked up during landing; they are clear just in case
they don't pop off as expected.
6.12am: More Mars trivia: The canyon system of Valles Marineris on Mars is the largest and deepest known in the solar system. It extends for more than 2,500 miles (4,000km) and in places reaches 10km from floor to the surrounding plateaus. 6.07am: It takes just under 14 minutes for radio signals to reach Earth from Mars. So when mission controllers hear that Curiosity has entered the atmosphere, it will already have been on the ground - safely or otherwise - for seven minutes. The gravity on Mars is 38% as strong as Earth's. 6.03am: Mars is around half the size of Earth, but the planet has a similar land mass. The target landing spot for Curiosity is the Gale Crater, which is thought to be around 3.5billion years old. The Curiosity rover will spend most of its Martian year exploring Mount Sharp, an enormous mound in the centre of the crater that rises 5km above the ground. The spacecraft is now 20 minutes from entry. 6.00am: Adam Stelzner, NASA's lead scientist for the Entry, Descent and Landing Phase has just given brief thanks to his team for getting Mars Science Laboratory so far so smoothly. He said:
Curiosity is in great shape...See you on the other side, on Mars.
5.57am: The spacecraft is now inside the orbit of the Martain moon, Phobos. During the entry, landing and descent phase, some 76 pyrotechnic charges will be fired aboard to probe to release weights and release the parachute. Shedding twin 75kg tungsten weights on arrival allows the spacecraft to get aerodynamic lift: instead of dropping like a stone, it can fly through the thin Martian atmosphere. The spacecraft has to sense its position and atmospheric conditions and use small onboard thrusters to steer its way to the landing site. 5.53am: The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft is now within 10,000km (6,200 miles) of the planet. The probe accelerates as it arrives at Mars, then slows as it ploughs into the atmosphere. One of the first moves the spacecraft makes pulls the heat shield into a forwards position. Friction with the atmosphere will raise the temperature of the shield to more than 2000C. 5.45am: During the descent, the spacecraft must shed tungsten weights to shift its centre of gravity, fly through the Martian atmosphere, pop a huge parachute, fire retrorockets, and finally lower the car-sized rover to the ground. In these "seven minutes of terror", the spacecraft will go from 13,000mph to a standstill on the Martian surface. Touchdown is due at 6.31am BST. 05.44am: Good morning and welcome to our live blog of one of the most hair-raising landings ever attempted by Nasa: the Mars Science Laboratory mission and its intrepid Curiosity rover. This is the live stream of Nasa TV, courtesy of Ustream.
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Warning of deteriorating security situation in Sinai after gunmen kill Egyptian border guards and hijack armoured vehicles Israel warned of a deteriorating security situation in the Sinai after gunmen killed about 15 Egyptian border guards and hijacked armoured vehicles to launch an attack across the Israeli border. The assault on a security checkpoint in the Egyptian town of Rafah, where the borders of Egypt, Israel and Gaza converge, began at about 8pm on Sunday. According to a spokesman for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), eight armed men attacked while the Egyptian security guards were eating the traditional iftar meal that breaks the Ramadan fast. A further seven guards were injured. The militants commandeered two armoured vehicles, which they drove towards the Israeli border. According to Arab media reports, one vehicle exploded on the Egyptian side of the border, the other broke through the security fence near the Kerem Shalom border crossing and was hit by Israeli air force planes. Israeli government spokesman Ofir Gendelman said seven militants were killed, four on the Israeli side of the border and three in Egypt. He said Israeli soldiers were combing the area for other militants who might still be on the Israeli side of the border. The military instructed Israeli civilians to stay inside their homes. Defence minister Ehud Barak said the attack "again raise[s] the need for determined Egyptian action to enforce security and prevent terror in the Sinai", and the country's security forces had "thwarted an attack that could have injured many". Israel has become increasingly concerned about a security vacuum in the Sinai in the 18 months since the Egyptian revolution. There have been a number of attacks and attempted attacks on Israel from across the border. Israel says some militant groups in Gaza have joined forces with Islamists operating in Sinai. In the past year, Israel has permitted the Egyptian government to station more troops in Sinai than is allowed under the 1979 peace treaty in the hope of beefing up security. According to Egypt's state news agency, the attack was the responsibility of militants from Gaza who entered Egypt through the tunnels beneath the border. Hamas, the Islamist organisation that rules Gaza, condemned the attack. It has tried to contain militant activity since the end of its war with Israel three-and-a-half years ago. "Hamas condemns this ugly crime which killed a number of Egyptian soldiers and extends its deep condolences to the families of the victims and to the leadership and the people of Egypt," it said. Earlier on Sunday, a militant in Gaza was killed and another injured in an Israeli air strike on a motorcycle near the Egyptian border. The IDF said it had targeted a "global jihad-affiliated terrorist squad in the southern Gaza Strip" which was responsible for an attack on the Israel-Egypt border in June in which an Israeli civilian was killed. Another attack was being planned, the IDF said. The two incidents were not connected, according to an IDF spokesman.
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | At 06.30 BST Nasa's Curiosity rover is scheduled to touch down in Gale Crater on Mars following a complex landing sequence. Follow its progress here 6.32am: The sky crane is now lowering the rover. 6.32am: The probe is being monitored by Mars Odyssey. Now around 4km from the surface. The retrorockets are firing. Velocity is 50metres per second. Standing by for sky crane - the amazing system that lowers the rover by nylon ropes. 6.30am: Parachute deployed. The probe is decelerating. 6.28am: Early days, but all looking good. The spacecraft is "heading directly to the target", according to Nasa scientist. The seven minutes of terror are underway! 6.25am: One minute to entry. "We are now beginning to feel the atmosphere," says Nasa scientist. Tweet from Brian Cox
Now admit it,this is more exciting than the 100m last night #MSL 6.24am: Geraint Jones, a planetary scientist from UCL's Mullard Space Science Laboratory in Surrey, is here in the office with me. In answer to a question left on the blog earlier, he says: @wwwwwlllll: The surface winds expected at the landing site are around 0-32 km/h. MSL is designed to cope with much stronger gusts than that if they arise. There was a dust storm spotted towards the end of last week around 1000km away, but this isn't causing the team any worries.
6.22am: The spacecraft is still accelerating under the planet's gravitational pull and will reach 13,000 mph before it starts to feel the outer atmosphere of the planet. The atmospheric pressure on Mars is about one hundredth that on Earth. Surface winds are typically up to 20 miles per hour, with gusts up to 90mph. The atmosphere is 95.3 per cent carbon dioxide, 2.7 percent nitrogen and 1.6 per cent argon. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, is tracking the probe. 6.17am: The spacecraft has separated from its cruise stage. Small thrusters on the back shell of the probe have now fired to halt the two-revolutions-per-minute spin that the spacecraft maintains during flight. The thrusters fire next to bring the heat shield into position, in a move called "turn to entry". A tweet from Curiosity: I'm inside the orbit of Deimos and completely on my own. Wish me luck! In case you were wondering, Deimos is the outer of Curiosity's two moons. 6.13am: If the rover lands safely, what will we see first from the surface? This is from Curiosity's mission pages: The very first images are likely to arrive more than two hours after landing, due to the timing of NASA's signal-relaying Odyssey orbiter.
They will be captured with the left and right Hazcams at the back and
front of the rover, and they will not yet be full-resolution (the two
images arriving on Earth first are "thumbnail" copies, which are 64 by
64 pixels in size). The Hazcams [Hazard-Avoidance cameras] are
equipped with very wide-angle, fisheye lenses, initially capped with
clear dust covers. The covers are designed to protect the cameras from
dust that may be kicked up during landing; they are clear just in case
they don't pop off as expected.
6.12am: More Mars trivia: The canyon system of Valles Marineris on Mars is the largest and deepest known in the solar system. It extends for more than 2,500 miles (4,000km) and in places reaches 10km from floor to the surrounding plateaus. 6.07am: It takes just under 14 minutes for radio signals to reach Earth from Mars. So when mission controllers hear that Curiosity has entered the atmosphere, it will already have been on the ground - safely or otherwise - for seven minutes. The gravity on Mars is 38% as strong as Earth's. 6.03am: Mars is around half the size of Earth, but the planet has a similar land mass. The target landing spot for Curiosity is the Gale Crater, which is thought to be around 3.5billion years old. The Curiosity rover will spend most of its Martian year exploring Mount Sharp, an enormous mound in the centre of the crater that rises 5km above the ground. The spacecraft is now 20 minutes from entry. 6.00am: Adam Stelzner, NASA's lead scientist for the Entry, Descent and Landing Phase has just given brief thanks to his team for getting Mars Science Laboratory so far so smoothly. He said:
Curiosity is in great shape...See you on the other side, on Mars.
5.57am: The spacecraft is now inside the orbit of the Martain moon, Phobos. During the entry, landing and descent phase, some 76 pyrotechnic charges will be fired aboard to probe to release weights and release the parachute. Shedding twin 75kg tungsten weights on arrival allows the spacecraft to get aerodynamic lift: instead of dropping like a stone, it can fly through the thin Martian atmosphere. The spacecraft has to sense its position and atmospheric conditions and use small onboard thrusters to steer its way to the landing site. 5.53am: The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft is now within 10,000km (6,200 miles) of the planet. The probe accelerates as it arrives at Mars, then slows as it ploughs into the atmosphere. One of the first moves the spacecraft makes pulls the heat shield into a forwards position. Friction with the atmosphere will raise the temperature of the shield to more than 2000C. 5.45am: During the descent, the spacecraft must shed tungsten weights to shift its centre of gravity, fly through the Martian atmosphere, pop a huge parachute, fire retrorockets, and finally lower the car-sized rover to the ground. In these "seven minutes of terror", the spacecraft will go from 13,000mph to a standstill on the Martian surface. Touchdown is due at 6.31am BST. 05.44am: Good morning and welcome to our live blog of one of the most hair-raising landings ever attempted by Nasa: the Mars Science Laboratory mission and its intrepid Curiosity rover. This is the live stream of Nasa TV, courtesy of Ustream.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Fifth time in less than three months that violence was directed against the independent aid agency in Libya Unknown assailants attacked a compound of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Libyan port of Misrata on Sunday with grenades and rockets, forcing it to suspend its work there and in the eastern city of Benghazi, the agency said. The ICRC said seven of its aid workers were inside their residence when it came under attack. No one was hurt, but damage to the building was extensive. It was the fifth time in less than three months that violence was directed against the independent aid agency in Libya, the ICRC said in a statement, which stressed its neutrality. "Given the circumstances, we are forced to announce, with considerable regret, that we will be suspending all our activities in Misrata and Benghazi and that our delegates in those cities will be temporarily relocated," said Ishfaq Muhamed Khan, the head of the ICRC's delegation in Libya. Several violent incidents have rocked Libya in recent days and included the kidnapping on Tuesday in Benghazi of seven Iranians relief workers who were official guests of the Libyan Red Crescent Association. Also on Sunday, security forces killed three armed men who were suspected of being behind seven failed bomb plots, said Saleh Darhoub, a spokesman for the National Transitional Council. It was the first deadly clash since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in October. Darhoub promised to bring the attackers to court and condemned their act against what he described as "hosts" of Libyans "who did great things for the revolution including in Misrata". In Geneva, ICRC spokesman Jean-Yves Clemenzo said that the seven staff had withdrawn to its delegation in the capital Tripoli. "We do not know who carried out the attack. Grenades and RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) were used, it was a serious incident," he told Reuters. The ICRC has a humanitarian mandate to protect people affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance, it said. "The ICRC is not involved in political or religious activities of any kind, neither in Libya nor anywhere else," it added. Clemenzo said that the organisation was sometimes mistaken for a religious movement, which is not the case. Throughout the revolt last year that ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, ICRC aid workers delivered food and medical assistance to civilians, including those trapped in Misrata, which was long held by rebels under siege by Gaddafi's troops. "We are appalled by this latest act and by the deliberate targeting of our staff: they have put their lives at risk to serve the Libyan people both during and after the conflict," Khan said.
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Gunman shoots senior figures at Wisconsin temple, killing six and injuring three others, before being shot dead by police A gunman shot dead six worshippers at a Sikh temple before opening fire on officers in what police described as an act of US "domestic terrorism". The attack began shortly before 10.30am local time on Sunday as dozens of people were gathering at a place of worship in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. After killing a number of people inside the temple, the gunman then fired on a police officer who was helping a wounded victim outside the building. A second officer fired on the suspect, who died at the scene. The wounded officer – who was shot multiple times – was taken to hospital for surgery. He is expected to survive. At a press conference held outside the temple on Sunday, Oak Creek police chief John Edwards said the "heroic actions" of the two officers "stopped this from being worse than it could have been", noting that many people had gathered for worship at the time of the attack. Edwards said that authorities were treating the killing as a "domestic terrorism incident", but added that it was too early to suggest a motive. Some Sikh members of the community told the media they feared that it was a hate crime. "We are at the beginning stages of this investigation," Edwards said. The FBI has taken over the criminal inquiry. It is thought that around 50 people were in the temple as the shootings took place. Prominent members of the local Sikh community were among those thought to have been injured or killed by the gunman. Jatin Der Mangat, 38, of Racine, said his uncle, temple's president Satwant Singh Kaleka was one of those wounded, but he didn't know how serious his injuries were. "It was like the heart just sat down," he said. "This shouldn't happen anywhere." Sukhwindar Nagr, also of Racine, said he called his brother-in-law's phone and a priest at the temple answered and told him that his brother-in-law had been shot, along with three priests. Children hid in closets in the temple amid fears that the suspect was still on the loose, the priest told Nagr. CNN reported that two handguns were recovered by forensic experts at the scene. But initial fears that the gunman may have had an accomplice appear to be unfounded. There are often reports of multiple gunmen at incidents of mass shootings, because of the confusion, large number of witnesses and different perspectives. Police said sweeps of the temple and the surrounding area suggested that the shooting was the act of a lone killer. Alongside the six people the suspect shot, three people were injured and taken to a nearby hospital. They were all in a critical condition. The officer who was shot by the gunman is among those being treated. "We expect him to recover", Edwards said. Police said the unnamed officer was "ambushed" by the gunman as he and a colleague responded to a 911 call alerting authorities to the scene of the shootings. Emergency teams later found the bodies of four victims inside the temple. Three more corpses lay outside the building, including that of the suspect. For hours after the initial incident, a cordon was placed around the temple amid fears that a second armed man remained at large. Ambulances and police marksman surrounded the temple. The cordon was raised when it police were sure that no other peope were involved. Bradley Wentlandt, police chief of the nearby town of Greenfield, confirmed later that there was only one suspect. "There is no evidence of additional shooters at the temple," he said. Despite fears that the attack may have had a racist motive, some in the Sikh community cautioned against jumping to conclusions. Sapreet Kaur, executive director of the Sikh Coalition, the largest Sikh American civil rights organisation in the US, said: "There have been multiple hate crime shootings within the Sikh community in recent years and the natural impulse of our community is to unfortunately assume the same in this case. "Let's let law enforcement investigate the case and as new facts emerge the dialogue can change," he urged. Kaur added: "Americans died today in a senseless act of violence and Americans of all faiths should stand in unified support with their Sikh brothers and sisters." The incident in Wisconsin comes just 16 days after 12 people were killed and nearly 60 injured in a mass shooting at a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado, during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises. President Barack Obama was informed of the latest atrocity shortly before 1pm ET by homeland security adviser John Brennan. In a statement, the president said he was "deeply saddened". He added: "At this difficult time, the people of Oak Creek must know that the American people have them in our thoughts and prayers, and our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who were killed and wounded." Obama's Republican challenger for the White House, Mitt Romney, expressed his condolences to those caught up in America's latest mass shooting.
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Warning of deteriorating security situation in Sinai after gunmen kill Egyptian border guards and hijack armoured vehicles Israel warned of a deteriorating security situation in the Sinai after gunmen killed about 15 Egyptian border guards and hijacked armoured vehicles to launch an attack across the Israeli border. The assault on a security checkpoint in the Egyptian town of Rafah, where the borders of Egypt, Israel and Gaza converge, began at about 8pm on Sunday. According to a spokesman for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), eight armed men attacked while the Egyptian security guards were eating the traditional iftar meal that breaks the Ramadan fast. A further seven guards were injured. The militants commandeered two armoured vehicles, which they drove towards the Israeli border. According to Arab media reports, one vehicle exploded on the Egyptian side of the border, the other broke through the security fence near the Kerem Shalom border crossing and was hit by Israeli air force planes. Israeli government spokesman Ofir Gendelman said seven militants were killed, four on the Israeli side of the border and three in Egypt. He said Israeli soldiers were combing the area for other militants who might still be on the Israeli side of the border. The military instructed Israeli civilians to stay inside their homes. Defence minister Ehud Barak said the attack "again raise[s] the need for determined Egyptian action to enforce security and prevent terror in the Sinai", and the country's security forces had "thwarted an attack that could have injured many". Israel has become increasingly concerned about a security vacuum in the Sinai in the 18 months since the Egyptian revolution. There have been a number of attacks and attempted attacks on Israel from across the border. Israel says some militant groups in Gaza have joined forces with Islamists operating in Sinai. In the past year, Israel has permitted the Egyptian government to station more troops in Sinai than is allowed under the 1979 peace treaty in the hope of beefing up security. According to Egypt's state news agency, the attack was the responsibility of militants from Gaza who entered Egypt through the tunnels beneath the border. Hamas, the Islamist organisation that rules Gaza, condemned the attack. It has tried to contain militant activity since the end of its war with Israel three-and-a-half years ago. "Hamas condemns this ugly crime which killed a number of Egyptian soldiers and extends its deep condolences to the families of the victims and to the leadership and the people of Egypt," it said. Earlier on Sunday, a militant in Gaza was killed and another injured in an Israeli air strike on a motorcycle near the Egyptian border. The IDF said it had targeted a "global jihad-affiliated terrorist squad in the southern Gaza Strip" which was responsible for an attack on the Israel-Egypt border in June in which an Israeli civilian was killed. Another attack was being planned, the IDF said. The two incidents were not connected, according to an IDF spokesman.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | London 2012: Jamaican runner storms to victory, breaking Olympic record with time of 9.63 seconds Usain Bolt became only the second man in Olympic history to take a second gold medal in the men's 100m final on Sunday night, blasting to victory in 9.63, knocking five hundredths of a second off the mark he set in Beijing four years ago as he beat Yohan Blake, his fellow Jamaican and training partner, in a race in which the first seven runners went under 10 seconds. The bronze medal was taken by Justin Gatlin, the champion of 2004. Thanks to Jessica Ennis, Bradley Wiggins and one or two local favourites, Bolt may never become the face of London 2012 in the way that he dominated memories of Beijing. But there was still a sense, as there always is with the final of the men's 100 metres, that this was the focal point of the 2012 Olympic Games, the moment most likely to produce a feat of superhuman dimensions. As the eight runners stepped into their blocks, the Olympic stadium seethed with a combination of tension and glee. Four years ago, when he burst into the global consciousness, Bolt loped his way to a world record time of 9.69, which many believed could have been a tenth of a second faster had he not spent the last 20 metres looking for the faces of his friends in the crowd. In Berlin a year later he took the record down to an all but unbelievable 9.58, and that time he was trying. He was trying on Sunday night too, too, and although he prefaced his run with his customary repertoire of cartoon-hero gestures, there was no messing about once the gun had gone off. In repeating his success, Bolt emulated Carl Lewis, who won in Los Angeles in 1984 and was then promoted to victory four years later in Seoul after Ben Johnson was disqualified for a positive drugs test. Saturday's six heats, which took place while Jessica Ennis and her fellow heptathletes were going through their javelin phase, started with Gay posting a relatively unexceptional 10.08 but the series woke up with a start when Gatlin, with a 9.97, became the first man ever to go under 10 seconds in the first round of an Olympic 100m contest. Normally the qualifying round is used as a leg-stretcher, with one favourite and a decent outsider or two in each heat and no real pressure on the designated ace. But in the third heat the spectators received another unexpected treat when Ryan Bailey, the third and least familiar of the Americans, came out of nowhere to stop the watch at 9.88, equalling a personal best set in a meeting in Rieti two years ago. The crowd buzzed with excitement, knowing that the three Jamaicans were still to come. None, however went under the magic 10 seconds at that stage, preferring to keep their powder dry for the genuine head-to-head contests. Bolt claimed that he stumbled out of the blocks and he certainly displayed nothing that could be called more than a jog as he crossed the line in a time of 10.09, slowing down. Powell clocked 10.04, followed by Blake with 10 seconds flat. After the British gala on Super Saturday night, Sunday night was Jamaica evening in the stadium. Britain's representatives still received the loudest cheers, but the competitors sporting Cedella Marley's Jamaican gold, green and black kit – such as Kaliese Spencer, Nickiesha Wilson and Melaine Walker in the 400 hurdles, Novlene Williams-Mills in the flat 400 and Trecia Smith in the triple jump – all got more than anyone else. The ceremony at which their compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce received her gold medal for the previous night's 100m, a repeat of her success in Beijing, was also warmly received, with Veronica Campbell-Brown accepting the bronze. The sound of Jamaica's national anthem was a reminder that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the island's independence from Britain. In another life, Bolt and Blake might have been opening the bowling for West Indies against England earlier this year. Born in adjacent parishes on the north side of the island – Trelawny for Bolt, St James for Blake – both were enthusiastic cricketers before they took up sprinting. Now they work with the same coach, Glen Mills, at the Racers Track Club in Kingston while Powell is supervised by Stephen Francis at the MVP (Maximising Velocity and Power) Club. The 80,000 crowd – the lucky ones after 2 million had applied for tickets to watch the world's fastest men – were also presented with the sight of two runners who had served extended bans for doping offences in the recent past: Gatlin, suspended for four years in 2006 for the use of amphetamines, and Dwain Chambers, who returned to competition in 2006 after serving a ban for the use of human growth hormone. Both were given a more than polite reception when introduced at the start of their heats. Blake, it might be noted, also served a ban at the age of 19 for the misuse of a stimulant. The suspension was limited to three months since the substance in question was not actually on the banned list, but merely similar to one that was proscribed, and he was able to return in time to win the 2011 world championship in Daegu. There was a worry for the Jamaican fans in the first of the three semi-finals when Powell faded after leading at 50m and finished behind Gatlin, who had time to take a leisurely look at the runners on both sides of him before recording 9.82. Churandy Martina of the Netherlands, a finalist four years ago, edged Powell out of second place and leaving the Jamaican hoping that his time of 9.94 – the 88th sub-10 second run of his life – would be good enough to earn him a place in the final, which it did. Bolt got off to his usual mildly disorganised getaway in the second race, but he had overhauled the fast-starting Dwain Chambers by half-distance and pulled clear before easing up to finish ahead of Bailey, neither man looking stretched while posting times of 9.87 and 9.96, leaving the British runner in fourth place with 10.05 and unable to take any further part in the contest. Blake led Gatlin home in the third and last semi-final, with times of 9.85 and 9.90, the Jamaican slowing down long before the end. A brilliant third place was taken by Adam Gemili, the 18-year-old former Dagenham and Redbridge footballer and current member of Blackheath and Bromley Harriers, who was given a rapturous welcome by the crowd. After a discreet start to his race, the 2012 junior world champion pushed hard to overtake the 20-year-old Ryota Yamagata of Japan and two much more experienced competitors, Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas and Justyn Warner of Canada in the last 30 metres, urged on by a crowd whose attention had switched from the cruise of the two frontrunners to the teenager's thrilling late surge. Gemili's time of 10.06 – just one hundredth behind than that of Chambers – was too slow by five hundredths of a second to give him a place among the final eight, but this was a performance of immense promise, not to be overlooked as the stage was set for the ultimate shootout.
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | At least 15 policemen have died in an attack on a police station in North Sinai At least 15 Egyptian policemen were killed and seven wounded in an armed attack on a police station in North Sinai on the border between Egypt and Israel on Sunday in what the Israeli government said was an attempt to storm its border. Egyptian state television reported that an Islamist militant group was behind the attack. A spokeswoman for the Israeli army said a "group of terrorists" had attacked the border post killing about 15 people. The Israeli air force had targeted one vehicle that tried to infiltrate Israel, while a second vehicle had exploded at the border crossing, she said. Egyptian security sources said the attackers had used a stolen police vehicle to launch the attack and fired live ammunition at police officers at the station. A television journalist based in North Sinai said the area was sealed off by security forces, blocking the road from the main town of al-Arish in the direction of the Gaza border crossing at Rafah. Earlier on Sunday, an Israeli air strike killed a Palestinian gunman from a radical Islamist group and wounded another as they rode a motorbike in southern Gaza near the Egyptian border. It was not immediately possible to confirm whether the two incidents were linked.
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Government sent 2,000 troops into Hakkari two weeks ago as it tries to stop PKK rebels using Syria as a base for attacks Turkey's security forces have killed as many as 115 Kurdish rebels during a major security offensive over the past two weeks, the country's interior minister said on Sunday. Idris Naim Sahin said the rebels were killed in an offensive backed by airpower near the town of Semdinli in Hakkari province, which sits on the border with Iraq. He said the offensive began on 23 July. Sahin provided few other details, but said the security forces were trying to block the rebels' escape routes into northern Iraq. Private NTV television said earlier that as many as 2,000 troops were taking part in the offensive and that public access to some roads was blocked. Earlier on Sunday, rebels fired on military posts in Hakkari, including the paramilitary station near the village of Gecimli, some 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the frontier. Orhan Alimoglu, the governor of Hakkari, said the attack near Gecimli triggered clashes that claimed the lives of 22 rebels, soldiers and village guards. At least 15 soldiers, another village guard and five civilians were also injured. There were no reports of any casualties in the attacks on the other posts. The attack comes some six weeks after a similar raid on a military unit, also in Hakkari, killed 18 rebels and eight soldiers, prompting Turkey's military to send warplanes and attack helicopters to hit Kurdish rebel targets inside Iraq. The rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), are fighting for autonomy in Turkey's Kurdish-dominated southeast region and to maintain bases in northern Iraq, from where they launch hit-and-run attacks on Turkish targets. The conflict between the PKK and Turkish government forces has killed tens of thousands of people since the rebels took up arms in 1984. The group is considered a terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union. Turkey has raised concerns that Kurdish rebels could now also exploit a power vacuum in neighbouring Syria and warned it would "not tolerate" any rebel threats from the Syrian territory. Ankara said last month that Turkish Kurdish rebels have seized control of five towns along the border in collaboration with Syria's Democratic Union Party, an ethnic Kurdish grouping. It has launched military drills near the frontier in a show of muscle aimed at the rebels. The military on Sunday sent reinforcements to Hakkari, launching ground and air operations to chase the rebels. State-run TRT television said attack helicopters were firing on the rebels' escape routes in the rugged, mountainous border region. Turkey's leaders condemned the attack, which came during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, and said the government was determined to keep up the fight against the PKK. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister, said the attack was a "dastardly assault" and issued a warning to countries allegedly backing the PKK, saying Turkey was "powerful enough to bring into line enemy-country (puppet masters) who hold the strings of the terror organisation". Erdogan has recently ruled out negotiating with the PKK and said state security forces would continue their struggle against the group until it lays down arms. The government has acknowledged that some officials have in the past held secret talks with the rebels, but these were subsequently abandoned. "Terrorism is, sooner or later, doomed to lose and to go up in smoke in the face of the people's resolve and determination," Erdogan said on Sunday. An estimated 20 percent of Turkey's 75 million population are Kurds. The government is trying to appease the Kurdish minority by granting it more cultural rights. Erdogan's government recently announced plans to introduce elective Kurdish classes in schools, building on moves that allowed Kurdish language television broadcasts, Kurdish-language institutes and private Kurdish courses. However, the government refuses demands by Kurdish activists and politicians for full education in the Kurdish language, fearing it would divide Turkey along ethnic lines.
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The Scot beat the most successful tennis player of all time 6-2 6-1 6-4 at Wimbledon to seal Britain's 16th gold medal The atmosphere on Wimbledon's Centre Court at just after 4 o'clock on Sunday afternoon was part hysteria, part disbelief. Roger Federer, the greatest player ever to grace the game of tennis, had just been demolished 6-2 6-1 6-4 in a shade under two hours by Andy Murray, who produced a performance of breathtaking power and passion to win the gold medal. Murray looked as stunned as everyone else when he produced a succession of aces to close out the match. Instead of sinking to the floor or leaping the net in the traditional manner, he just stood there. Then, after a few seconds, the realisation dawned - he had just annihilated his old nemesis and was Britain's first Olympic men's singles champion since Josiah Ritchie in 1908. Odd how 1908 is becoming the touchstone for so much at these Olympics. As Federer left the court - can he ever have suffered such a humiliation? - Murray, emulating Pat Cash when he became Wimbledon champion in 1987, scaled the stands to make his way into the box reserved for friends and family, where he embraced girlfriend, father, coaches and, finally, his mother, the indomitable Judy, who tempered the metal from which the gold was made. The ultimate alchemist. Last month, when he lost to Federer in the Wimbledon final, Murray blubbed, feeling he'd let down the hopes of a nation. This time he was completely in control - both during the match, in which he showed unrelenting concentration, and during the medal ceremony that followed. As he left the court with the gold round his neck, his final gesture was to shake the hand of a small boy at the side of the court. Don't wash that hand, son. Someday it will be worth a fortune on eBay. Afterwards, he said he had been inspired by both the crowd and the performances of his fellow athletes in Team GB. "I watched the athletics last night, and it gave me a boost coming into today. The momentum the team's had the last couple of days has been so good." He said he was surprised to have won gold. "I didn't expect that at the start of the week. I had a chance of going deep into the tournament, but I was a little bit tired after Wimbledon, and playing the mixed as well. But I felt so fresh. On the court today I didn't really feel nervous at all, apart from at the beginning of the match. I've had a lot of tough losses in my career, and this is the best way to come back. I'll never forget it." Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, but to be a union jack umbrella seller was very heaven. It bucketed down all morning at Wimbledon. But the rain relented just in time for the patriotic decision to be made to open the roof - all the pundits reckoned Murray's best chance was en plein air. Every cloud had a golden lining. Murray, who has never won a Grand Slam, had made it clear all week that this meant just as much as one of the big four titles. He was relishing playing for his country, and the crowd on centre court drove him on. When he broke Federer's serve early in the first set, the noise was enough to lift the roof - had it been on. The brutal forehand that secured the opening point of the next game produced another eruption. Federer had a few supporters in the crowd, but they were overwhelmed. The greatest player of all time was being swept away by a passionate Scot and his 15,000 acolytes. It was not always thus. "I didn't used to like him - he was no Tim," said Sian Jenkins, who had taken up residence with a group of friends on Murray Mount (formerly Henman Hill). "I started liking him when he showed some emotion after losing to Federer in the Wimbledon final. He really cares. You can see how much it means to him." Murray Mount was a sea of union flags, and there was hardly a saltire in sight - this has been a tricky week for Alex Salmond, with a vibrant new Britishness born before our eyes. The only St Andrew's crosses visible were painted on the faces of a family who had travelled down from Edinburgh, and even they were sitting on a large union flag. The Olympics at Wimbledon is subtly different from the annual championship. It's not just that Adele is blasting out on the concourse, white towels have replaced the Wimbledon-branded ones, and the posh stewards with purple arm bands have given way to policemen with machine guns. There is a different atmosphere; a more full-throated patriotism. For one week, the All-England club has become the All-British club, though chants of "Team GB, Team GB" still sound odd. This is Wimbledon, after all, not Wyoming. The second set turned on a monumental 15-minute game, when Federer - who was 2-0 down - tried to turn the screw on Murray. In the Wimbledon final, Murray had taken an early advantage and then been hauled back, but here he was indomitable, matching everything Federer could throw at him and saving six break points. "We still love you, Roger," said one wag in the crowd - the low quality of waggishness is one thing which never changes at Wimbledon. Federer, seven times the champion here, can't often have been patronised. Federer's small band of fans refused to bow to what seemed inevitable. "C'mon Roger," screamed one large British woman after every game. The Federer recusants - Brits who refused to toe the patriotic line - were an interesting bunch. "He plays beautiful tennis," said a woman in red Federer ear-rings standing in the forlorn queue for return tickets before the match. "And I don't like all the swearing on the court from Murray - it's just not necessary." On this occasion, it certainly wasn't necessary, and the undoubted beauty of Federer's groundstrokes counted for nothing. Everything Murray did was determined, decisive; he even snatched his towel decisively from a ballboy at the end of each game. This was his moment. Denied a grand slam - he has lost four grand slam finals, three of them to Federer - this was his chance at sporting immortality. Usually, in so one-sided a final, support would at some point switch to the underdog, but not this time. The scream that greeted the break of the Federer serve in the fifth game of the third set was visceral. Now, everyone believed Murray would win, and centre court was a sea of red, white and blue, save for one confused young man in the front row who was waving a Brazilian flag. Even the large lady had stopped shouting "C'mon, Roger". Murray was talking to himself perpetually, urging himself on; he had his foot on Federer's throat and didn't intend to release it. All he had to do now was hold his serve, which he did it with a string of aces that left Federer flailing. "Andy had a clear plan," said Federer later, "and never looked like he was doubting himself." He need never doubt himself again.
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Afghan president has agreed to unseat his two top security officials but said they would remain until he found replacements Afghanistan faces a period of damaging uncertainty after President Hamid Karzai bowed to parliament's surprise decision to unseat his two top security officials, but said they would stay in their jobs indefinitely while he looked for replacements. The coming shakeup at the defence and interior ministries has the potential to complicate the ongoing handover of security from Nato to Afghan forces, unbalance a cabinet stacked with powerful rivals, and stir up western fears about loss of influence. Western officials have long argued Afghanistan needs to move away from the politics of personality, and strengthen its institutions. But while that process is still going on, diplomats warn the country may struggle to replace the men who have been in charge of building up the army and police for several years. "Afghan Parliament vote of no confidence in Ministers of Defence & Interior … could have significant consequences for transition," the head of the UK's civilian mission in Helmand province, Catriona Laing, warned on Twitter. Karzai gave no date for proposing new candidates, raising the possibility that the men could linger in the posts for several months. The president has thumbed his nose at parliament before by naming ministers rejected by MPs as "acting" officials, in some cases for well over a year. But he also virtually promised new jobs to defence minister Abdul Rahim Wardak and interior minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi. His statement said he would ask the two former mujahideen commanders "to serve their nation and their country in other capacities within their government". In the case of Mohammadi, the president may have little choice; a powerful politician with a strong powerbase in northern Afghanistan, he is unlikely to accept his dismissal unless he gets another good portfolio. "The problem is BK," said one western diplomat, using a common shorthand for the outgoing interior minister. "He is too big for the president, with a solid constituency." The vote of no confidence was widely seen as an attempt by parliamentarians to flex their political muscles in the face of a president who has often been inclined to ignore them. There was some applause for their attempt to hold the government to account over corruption and nepotism. But the dramatic vote may damage their credibility in the long run, as concerns mount about the wisdom of dismissing the heads of the police and army while the country is at war, with little warning and after just a few hours of questioning on disparate issues.
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Minute-by-minute report: Join Sean Ingle in the Olympic Stadium with all tonight's action, including the men's 100m final
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Suspected gunman shot dead by police officer who was critically wounded amid initial fears of a second gunman At least six people were killed and more wounded when a gunman opened fire on worshippers at a Sikh temple in the US. The shooting took place shortly before 10.30am local time at a place of worship in Oak Creek, south of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Police said the gunman was shot by an officer who enagaged him in fire immediately after arriving on the scene. The officer was hit several times, but was able to return fire. The suspect is believed to have died, and the officer was taken to hospital, where he is critically ill. Emergency teams found the bodies of four victims inside the temple. Three more corpses lay outside the building, apparently including that of the suspect. A police spokesman said the officer who arrived on the scene was able to "put down" the gunman. The officer was taken to hospital and was admitted for surgery. It is thought he is one of three people said to have been left in a critical condition as a result of gunshot wounds. There were no confirmed reports of the total number of people injured, but early reports put the figure between four and up to 30. Police said Sunday afternoon that the situation was contained. There had earlier been fears that a second gunman remained at large and was holding worshippers hostage. A cordon was placed around the temple on Sunday afternoon – leading to conflicting initial reports as to how many people remained inside, and the extent of their injuries. Ambulances and police marksman surrounded the temple. But early tactical sweeps by officers indicated the shootings were carried out by a sole gunman. Bradley Wentlandt, police chief of the nearby town of Greenfield, confirmed later that there was only one suspect. "There is no evidence of additional shooters at the temple," he said during a press briefing outside the temple. Officers began bringing worshippers out of the building on Sunday afternoon after establishing that there was no further threat. The injured police officer responded to a 911 call at around 10.25 local time. "An officer arrived at the scene. He engaged immediately in active shooting [with the suspect]. He was shot multiple times," a police spokesman said. Police said it was too early to speculate over a motive for the attack. But some worshippers at the centre told media that they feared it was a hate crime. A spokeswoman for Froedert Hospital, the main trauma centre in the area, told CNN that two men had been admitted with gunshot wounds, but that that staff had been told to prepare for more. It is thought that around 50 people were trapped inside the temple as the shootings took place. Prominent members of the local Sikh community were amongst those thought to have been injured by the gunman. Jatin Der Mangat, 38, of Racine, said his uncle, temple's president Satwant Singh Kaleka was one of those wounded, but he didn't know how serious his injuries were. "It was like the heart just sat down," he said. "This shouldn't happen anywhere." Sukhwindar Nagr, also of Racine, said he called his brother-in-law's phone and a priest at the temple answered and told him that his brother-in-law had been shot, along with three priests. Children hid in closets in the temple amid fears that the suspect was still on the loose, the priest told Nagr. Meanwhile in a statement, Wisconsin governor Scott Walker said: "Our hearts go out to the victims and their families, as we all struggle to comprehend the evil that begets this terrible violence." Barack Obama was informed of the latest atrocity shortly before 1pm ET by homeland security adviser John Brennan. In a statement, the president said he was "deeply saddened". He added: "At this difficult time, the people of Oak Creek must know that the American people have them in our thoughts and prayers, and our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who were killed and wounded." The incident in Wisconsin comes two weeks after 12 people were killed and nearly 60 injured in a mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises.
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Shooter thought to still be at large as hospitals in town south of Milwaukee have been notified to expect up to 20 wounded A gunman opened fire at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee on Sunday, with reports of multiple injuries. The incident was confirmed by a police dispatcher, but details as to how many people were caught up in the shooting are as yet unclear. Local reports have suggested that hospitals have been told to prepare for between four and 20 people suffering from gunshot wounds. It is thought the gunman has yet to be apprehended. The shooting took place at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, south of Milwaukee along Lake Michigan. Fran McLaughlin, spokeswoman for the Milwaukee County sheriff's department, said officers are at the scene, but she had no immediate information to report. There have been no immediate reports of fatalities.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Shooter thought to have been incapacitated outside temple as hospitals told to expect more wounded Police were engaged in a shootout at a Sikh temple in the US on Sunday after a gunman – or gunmen – opened fire on worshipers. Early reports suggest that between four and 20 people were injured, with more potentially taken hostage inside the building. An officer was shot multiple times during the incident, but was able to "take down" the suspect, a police spokesman confirmed. But amid fears of a second gunman, a cordon was placed around the centre on Sunday afternoon – leading to conflicting reports as to how many people remained inside, and the extent of their injuries. Ambulances and police marksman surrounded the temple in Wisconsin amid confusion over how many suspects – if any – remained at large. The incident began shortly before 10.30am at a Sikh place of worship in Oak Creek, south of Milwaukee, along Lake Michigan. Police and ambulances rushed to the scene, but authorities were unable to say how many people had been injured. A spokeswoman for Froedert Hospital, the main trauma centre in the area, told CNN that two men had been admitted with gunshot wounds, but that the centre had been told to prepare for more. Local reports suggest that dozens may have been injured in the shooting. The Wisconsin Journal Sentinel carried unconfirmed reports that as many as 30 people had been wounded. Other sources have said that the figure is lower, between four and eight. There were also reports that some of the congregation remained in hiding at the temple, fearing that the gunman was still on the loose. In a press briefing at the scene, a spokesman for Oak Creek Police Department said he could give numbers as to how many people had been wounded by the gunman. "This is an ongoing and very fluid situation," he told reporters. But he did confirm that one of those shot was a police officer who responded to a 911 call at 10.25. "An officer arrived at the scene. He engaged immediately in active shooting (with the suspect). He was shot multiple times," the spokesman said. The wounded policeman was taken to hospital. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. Meanwhile, the gunman he engaged with also hit and "taken down". It was not immediately clear if this meant that he was killed in the shoot out, or merely that he was removed as a threat. "We do not know if there are addition shooters inside the temple," the spokesman said. As emergency response teams continued to assess the situation, media were warned not to broadcast police movement or to carry overhead shots, in case a gunman was still at large and was able to access the footage. The incident comes just two weeks after a gunman embarked on a gun rampage at a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado. On that occasion, 12 people were killed while watching a late night showing of the latest Natman movie, The Dark Knight Rises. Many more were injured
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Coming days likely to be decisive as Syria army reinforcements rumoured to be making their way towards city From where he sits behind the headmaster's desk in an old school house, the battle for northern Aleppo is going better than expected. But as artillery shells and heavy rounds from a circling helicopter thundered ever closer into nearby buildings on Sunday, Abu Suleiman, the commander of rebel operations in the city's north, seemed to waiver. "I expected that we'd get to this point in close to two weeks," he said. "But the coming days will be the most important of the revolution." Aleppo is now undeniably a city at war. Crippling petrol shortages have whittled traffic flow by around 90%; festering garbage bags are now teaming so high that they resemble road blocks and the few people who brave the city's foreboding streets do so with one eye to the ground and the other tilted towards the ever present attack helicopter as it circles. The rigid order that has helped make this city a tenant of regime power for more than four decades is no more – for now. Most police stations have been overrun, their vehicles are now being used to ferry fighters to one of two front lines – a small enclave called Sarhour near the centre of the city. The government hospital in the east of the city, which was commandeered by regime forces until last week is now in rebel hands. So too part of the central city near the citadel, which has towered above this ancient city throughout the ages and appeared resolute under floodlights as fighting raged nearby on Saturday night. In the Salahedine district in the city's south-west, where it all began in late July, there has been no let up in daily battles which have reduced large parts of the suburb to a crumbling wasteland. All 30,000 or so residents have left. Only guerillas remain here. Even the canaries have died. "We were feeding 20 canaries that the people has left behind and only one has survived," said Sheikh Abu Omar, who brought rebel reinforcements to Salahedin from the nearby city of al-Bab on Saturday. "Haram. I am taking the last one with me. He's like a refugee now." The battle for Salehedin has now settled into a violent rhythmn. Rebel snipers perched behind sand berms shoot down streets towards regime positions around 200 metres away. Cars that still have petrol in their tanks – there aren't many – are used to drive behind the berms and tempt regime snipers to expose themselves. All the time a jet hovers menacingly above, dropping bombs when it chooses and strafing rebel positions. The jets are a constant reminder that no matter their gains on the ground, the rebels cannot match the regime's firepower. Even getting to the fight is becoming more difficult by the day. Petrol – or the poorly mixed sludge that passes for it – now costs around $4 per litre. All petrol stations have closed and roadside vendors have mixed the remaining fuel with other things like cooking oil to keep the guerilla force moving. As two fighters waited in Abu Suleiman's office for him to give them fuel coupons, the helicopter's cannon again thundered to life, causing both to wince and the overworked commander to pause. "We have many more weapons than we used to have," he said. "The regime is running away and they are tired, so tired. Even more than us. I would say that of the force they are bringing to fight us, only 20% are brave and committed to battle. "We had around 120 defectors this morning alone." If the consistent rumours among rebel ranks are right, the Free Syria Army will need many more men to defend its gains in Aleppo in the coming days. Rebel commanders across northern Syria say the rump of the regime army, including all its key divisions and units, is travelling north from Damascus, Hama and Idlib to join the battle. "We are expecting them on Tuesday," said a rebel colonel from Idlib, who has sent spotters to monitor the progress of the regime reinforcements. "They are sending the Republican Guards." Word of the loyalist advance is everywhere in Salahedin. At dusk on Saturday, spotters on the rooftops of abandoned apartment blocks mistook the movement of three tanks on a nearby highway for the arrival of the advance guard. One spotter sent a frantic radio message and commanders preparing for the iftar meal to break the Ramadan fast, sent a runner to report back to them. The 16-year-old rebel volunteer grabbed a nearby rocket-propelled grenade – captured from regime forces – and rode in the gathering dark through broken glass and masonry that littered the empty street. Minutes later, he reported back: three flashes of his torch through the gloom to indicate the number of tanks on the move. Behind us, the tangerine glow from a massive fire ignited three days ago by regime shells, helped illuminate the evening feast, which was brought to the fighters in a cardboard box by a tired rebel in flip-flops. The men circled round an eggplant and tomato stew served on containers on the kerb. A gust of wind buffered patio awnings above, which filled like spinnakers and showered the men below in concrete dust that had gathered over days of explosions. The wind also stirred the unmistakable smell of death; the foul scent of six nearby corpses – all civilians – who have lain there since they were killed 10 days ago. As Abu Suleiman continued to give directions, the jet made its closest strike yet, sending bombs into a factory near the entrance to the city and sending fighters scrambling from the building firing wildly into a vacant blue sky. Back in his office, he said: "We have anti-aircraft rockets, you know. We will use them when the time is right. They can't win, because they are not fighting for the right reasons. God is with us and so are the people." The latter remains to be seen. Aleppo locals seem yet to fully embrace the rebel army, preferring to wait to see who can fill the vacuum. Abu Sleiman is trying to change that by preparing a letter for locals calling for volunteers to help with civic services and explaining what role the new sheriff in town intends to play. But as another day ended in war-ravaged Aleppo, the city clearly remained in play. The next week will go a long way towards telling who gets to call the shots.
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Coming days likely to be decisive as Syria army reinforcements rumoured to be making their way towards city From where he sits behind the headmaster's desk in an old school house, the battle for northern Aleppo is going better than expected. But as artillery shells and heavy rounds from a circling helicopter thundered ever closer into nearby buildings on Sunday, Abu Suleiman, the commander of rebel operations in the north of the city, seemed to waver. "I expected that we'd get to this point in close to two weeks," he said. "But the coming days will be the most important of the revolution." Aleppo is now undeniably a city at war. Crippling petrol shortages have reduced traffic by around 90%; festering garbage bags are now piled so high that they resemble road blocks; and the few people who brave the city's foreboding streets do so with one eye to the ground and the other tilted towards the ever-present circling attack helicopters. The rigid order that has helped make this city a tenant of regime power for more than four decades is no more – for now. Most police stations have been overrun, and their vehicles are now being used to ferry fighters to one of two front lines – a small enclave called Sarhour near the centre of the city. The hospital in the east of the city, which was commandeered by regime forces until last week, is now in rebel hands. So, too, is part of the central city near the citadel, which has towered above this ancient settlement throughout the ages and appeared resolute under floodlights as fierce fighting raged nearby on Saturday night. In the Salahedin district in the city's south-west, where it all began in late July, there has been no letup in daily battles which have reduced large parts of the suburb to a crumbling wasteland. All 30,000 or so residents have left. Only guerilla fighters remain here. Even the canaries have died. "We were feeding 20 canaries that the people had left behind and only one has survived," said Sheikh Abu Omar, who brought rebel reinforcements to Salahedin from the nearby city of al-Bab on Saturday. "Haram. I am taking the last one with me. He's like a refugee now." Outgunned The battle for Salahedin has now settled into a violent rhythm. Rebel snipers perched behind sand berms shoot down streets towards regime positions around 200 metres away. Cars that still have petrol in their tanks – there aren't many – are used to drive behind the berms and tempt the snipers to expose themselves. All the time, a jet passes menacingly overhead, dropping bombs when it chooses and strafing rebel positions. The jets are a constant reminder that no matter what their gains on the ground, the rebels cannot match the regime's firepower. Even getting to the fight is becoming more difficult by the day. Petrol – or the poorly mixed sludge that passes for it – now costs around $4 per litre. All petrol stations have closed and roadside vendors have mixed the remaining fuel with other things such as cooking oil to keep the guerilla force moving. As two fighters waited in Abu Suleiman's office for him to give them fuel coupons, the helicopter cannon again thundered into life, causing both to wince and the overworked commander to pause. "We have many more weapons than we used to have," he said. "The regime is running away and they are tired, so tired. Even more than us. I would say that of the force they are bringing to fight us, only 20% are brave and committed to battle. "We had around 120 defectors this morning alone." If the consistent rumours among rebel ranks are right, the Free Syrian Army will need many more men to defend its gains in Aleppo in the coming days. Rebel commanders across northern Syria say the rump of the regime's army, including all its key divisions and units, is travelling north from Damascus, Hama and Idlib to join the battle. "We are expecting them on Tuesday," said a rebel colonel from Idlib, who has sent spotters to monitor the progress of the regime reinforcements. "They are sending the Republican Guards." Word of the loyalist advance is everywhere in Salahedin. At dusk on Saturday, spotters on the rooftops of abandoned apartment blocks mistook the movement of three tanks on a nearby highway for the arrival of the advance guard. One spotter sent a frantic radio message and commanders preparing for the iftar meal to break the Ramadan fast sent a runner to report back to them. The 16-year-old rebel volunteer grabbed a nearby rocket-propelled grenade – captured from regime forces – and rode in the gathering dark through broken glass and masonry that littered the empty street. Minutes later, he reported back: three flashes of his torch through the gloom to indicate the number of tanks on the move. Behind us, the tangerine glow from a massive fire ignited three days ago by regime shells helped illuminate the evening feast, which was brought to the fighters in a cardboard box by a tired rebel in flip-flops. The men circled round an eggplant and tomato stew served in containers on the kerb. A gust of wind buffered patio awnings above, which filled like spinnakers and showered the men below in concrete dust that had gathered over days of explosions. The wind also stirred the unmistakable smell of death, the foul scent of six nearby corpses – all civilians – who have lain there since they were killed 10 days ago. Power vacuum As Abu Suleiman continued to give directions, the aircraft made its closest strike yet, sending bombs into a factory near the entrance to the city and fighters scrambling from the building firing wildly into a vacant blue sky. Back in his office, he said: "We have anti-aircraft rockets, you know. We will use them when the time is right. They can't win, because they are not fighting for the right reasons. God is with us and so are the people." The latter remains to be seen. Aleppo locals seem yet to fully embrace the rebel army, preferring to wait to see who can fill the vacuum. Abu Suleiman is trying to change that by preparing a letter for locals calling for volunteers to help with civic services, and explaining what role the new sheriff in town intends to play. But as another day ended in war-ravaged Aleppo, the city clearly remained in play. The next week will go a long way towards telling who gets to call the shots.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Hundreds file into shelters as fires rage across the state, including at least one authorities suspect is arson Several wildfires raging around the parched Oklahoma landscape prompted more evacuations Sunday as emergency workers sought to shelter those forced out by flames that destroyed dozens of homes and threatened others in the drought-stricken region. One roaring fire near Luther, about 25 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, destroyed nearly five dozen homes and other buildings before firefighters gained a measure of control Saturday. Authorities said several state roads remained closed early Sunday because of drifting smoke or nearby fires. Mike Donegan, a communications supervisor with the Oklahoma state highway patrol in the scorched region, said evacuations continued overnight. He had no immediate details on the numbers forced from their homes but said officers went door to door in some communities, getting people to leave. He said he saw thick smoke from a distance of about 50 miles from one of the fires as he drove into work. "When I came in today ... we got ash falling even where I live. I thought it was raining at first. The smoke was thick," Donegan said. The Luther fire was one of at least 10 burning Saturday in Oklahoma, where a severe drought has settled on the countryside in a summer in which temperatures have topped 110 degrees in spots. The fires include a large one in Creek County, in northeastern Oklahoma, that officials said had claimed about 78 square miles, and another about 35 miles to the west in Payne County. Authorities suspect the fire near Luther may have been intentionally set, while the cause of the others was undetermined. The Oklahoma County sheriff's department said it was looking for someone in a black pickup truck seen throwing newspapers out a window after setting them ablaze. Department spokeswoman Mark Myers said there were "no arrests, no suspects" but deputies were "working around the clock" to find anyone responsible. Nigel Holderby, a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross, inspected one shelter set up in Cushing, northeast of Oklahoma City. She reported about 50 people sought refuge there overnight. "We do have several shelter operations in full swing," she said early Sunday. "We are providing food and water and we are also making sure the firefighters are hydrated and feeding them." Though the fires are scattered across the region, she said a largely volunteer effort has been able to respond and several shelters have been set up. Governor Mary Fallin toured Luther on Saturday, hugging residents whose homes and belongings were destroyed by the fire that swept through treetops on 24 mph winds. "It's heartbreaking to see families that have lost so much," Fallin said after talking with some who were milling around the still-smoking debris that had been their homes. "I gave them a hug, told them I was sorry." In Creek County, county Commissioner Newt Stephens asked residents to be patient and to stay away from the flames in the northern part of the county. On Saturday, those able to return their homes found charred timbers poking from the debris and the burned out shells of refrigerators, washers and dryers. "It makes me feel sad," said Victoria Landavazo, clutching a young child in her arms. "It's all gone. All of our family pictures, everything."
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | • British No1 records emphatic 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 victory
• Juan Martín del Potro beats Novak Djokovic for bronze Andy Murray was desperate for gold, and, crushing Roger Federer in straight sets on the same court where he lost to him in four in the Wimbledon final only a month ago, he took the prize in the most emphatic fashion. He is yet to win a slam title, but he is an Olympic champion, his single greatest achievement in the game so far. A major cannot be far away. After the early jousting, it was almost embarrassingly one-sided as Federer, recently restored to No1 in the world, went fully an hour without winning a game. That is a remarkable statistic. "Definitely easier winning in the final than losing," Murray said. "This is the way to come back from the Wimbledon final. I'll never forget it. "It's the biggest win of my life. This week has been incredible so far I've had a lot of fun, the support's been amazing. All of the events I've watched, the support has been amazing. "I didn't expect that at the start of the week, but I felt so fresh. I didn't feel nervous, apart from the start. Tough conditions, very windy. I played a good match." Even Jeremy Clarkson and Virginia Wade must have been moved – if not to tears, then certainly a quiet, Little Englander hand-clap to go with the raucous reception he received from his new fan club on Centre Court. They would have raised the roof had it been left on after the morning rain. As it was, their long, lusty cheers floated into the bright blue skies in celebration of Great Britain's 16th gold medal at these lovely London Olympics, and one of the most convincing. Murray won 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 in just under two hours and, once he started to pull away from his strangely anxious opponent, the shots flowed. It would be asking a lot for him to play like this all the time but there have been significant signs since he took Ivan Lendl on board in January that his game is getting towards a pleasing blend of safe and dangerous. From the middle of the first set to the end, nearly everything clicked for him, cross-court passing shots, to clipped net cords that fell kindly for him, and his serve, which put three aces past Federer at the very end. He climbed into the box to embrace his girlfriend Kim Sears and the rest of his team, as well as his dad, Willie and, longest of all, his mum, Judy, perhaps the biggest influence on his interesting life. Laura Robson, his partner in the following mixed doubles, got a little hug, as did a small, tearful boy who emerged from the crowd to acclaim his hero. Federer, meanwhile, had disappeared down the tunnel. In the third round of the championships, Federer recovered from two sets down to beat Julien Benneteau. With the best will in the world, the Frenchman is no Murray. And this was not the same Federer. "I don't think I played too badly," the Swiss player said, "but he played well, good shot selections. I didn't convert any break points. I made wrong decisions from time to time. Andy looked like never doubted himself. I'm very happy for him." Did Murray want it more than Federer? Maybe, although it is impossible to differentiate between Federer's levels of intensity because he rarely changes gear. Still, there could be no mistaking the Scot's determination to put behind him the memories of their last match. If the crowd lifted him, they deserve a medal too, because they carried none of the freight of the regulars who come here annually to cheer in hope rather than expectation. These ingenus had the advantage of innocence and their joy transmitted itself to Murray, who is playing with a little more freedom, certainly less anxiety. He still bases his game on his solid defensive play and was rarely sucked into machismo exchanges with Federer, who, increasingly, raids the net in search of quick winners and exposes himself to the lob and passing shot. Three days shy of his 31st birthday, the Swiss trusts his brain more than his legs. In response, Murray played some intelligent tennis, none more so than when leading 2-0 in the second set and struggling to hold serve as Federer launched his last proper fightback, not dissimilar to one at a similar stage of their Wimbledon final. It lasted quarter of an hour and Federer had five break points but could take none of them as Murray powered down his first serve and steered rather than barged to 3-0. After that, his clean hitting carried him clear to a relatively unfussed victory. He broke him in the fifth game of the third set and, although he failed to convert three break points at the next available opportunity, was dominant when the end came. John McEnroe said he suspected Murray might do something special when he saw him responding positively to fans one night during the week in nearby Wimbledon village. As For Federer, McEnroe observed, "It's the first time in a long time he looked his age. Djokovic won the Australian. Nadal won the French. Roger won Wimbledon. Andy won the Olympic gold. Could he win the ATP World Tour Finals in Greenwhich and be ranked No 1 by the end of the year? He could." Could these be the Golden Years for Andy Murray? Possibly. No longer, though, will he run for the shadows. His tennis has changed and so has his demeanour. The release of emotion from Murray was as strong as it had been in defeat four weeks ago to the day, except these tears were ones of exultation.
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | • British No1 records emphatic 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 victory
• Murray cries tears of exultation after easy win Andy Murray was desperate for gold, and, crushing Roger Federer in straight sets on the same court where he lost to him in four in the Wimbledon final only a month ago, he took the prize in the most emphatic fashion. He is yet to win a slam title, but he is an Olympic champion, his single greatest achievement in the game so far. A major cannot be far away. After the early jousting, it was almost embarrassingly one-sided as Federer, recently restored to No1 in the world, went fully an hour without winning a game. That is a remarkable statistic. "Definitely easier winning in the final than losing," Murray said. "This is the way to come back from the Wimbledon final. I'll never forget it. It's the biggest win of my life. This week has been incredible so far – I've had a lot of fun, the support's been amazing. All of the events I've watched, the support has been amazing. I didn't expect that at the start of the week, but I felt so fresh. I didn't feel nervous, apart from the start. Tough conditions, very windy. I played a good match." Even Jeremy Clarkson and Virginia Wade must have been moved – if not to tears, then certainly a quiet, Little Englander hand-clap to go with the raucous reception he received from his new fan club on Centre Court. They would have raised the roof had it been left on after the morning rain. As it was, their long, lusty cheers floated into the bright blue skies in celebration of Great Britain's 16th gold medal at these lovely London Olympics, and one of the most convincing. Murray won 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 in just under two hours and, once he started to pull away from his strangely anxious opponent, the shots flowed. It would be asking a lot for him to play like this all the time but there have been significant signs since he took Ivan Lendl on board in January that his game is getting towards a pleasing blend of safe and dangerous. From the middle of the first set to the end, nearly everything clicked for him: cross-court passing shots to clipped net cords that fell kindly for him, and his serve, which put three aces past Federer at the very end. He climbed into the box to embrace his girlfriend, Kim Sears, and the rest of his team, as well as his dad, Willie, and, longest of all, his mum, Judy, perhaps the biggest influence on his interesting life. Laura Robson, his partner in the following mixed doubles, got a little hug, as did a small, tearful boy who emerged from the crowd to acclaim his hero. Federer, meanwhile, had disappeared down the tunnel. In the third round of the championships, Federer recovered from two sets down to beat Julien Benneteau. With the best will in the world, the Frenchman is no Murray. And this was not the same Federer. "I don't think I played too badly," the Swiss player said, "but he played well, good shot selections. I didn't convert any break points. I made wrong decisions from time to time. Andy looked like he never doubted himself. I'm very happy for him." Did Murray want it more than Federer? Maybe, although it is impossible to differentiate between Federer's levels of intensity because he rarely changes gear. Still, there could be no mistaking the Scot's determination to put behind him the memories of their last match. If the crowd lifted him, they deserve a medal too, because they carried none of the freight of the regulars who come here annually to cheer in hope rather than expectation. These ingénus had the advantage of innocence and their joy transmitted itself to Murray, who is playing with a little more freedom, certainly less anxiety. He still bases his game on his solid defensive play and was rarely sucked into machismo exchanges with Federer, who, increasingly, raids the net in search of quick winners and exposes himself to the lob and passing shot. Three days shy of his 31st birthday, the Swiss trusts his brain more than his legs. In response, Murray played some intelligent tennis, none more so than when leading 2-0 in the second set and struggling to hold serve as Federer launched his last proper fightback, not dissimilar to one at a similar stage of their Wimbledon final. The game lasted a quarter of an hour and Federer had five break points but could take none of them as Murray powered down his first serve and steered rather than barged to 3-0. After that, his clean hitting carried him clear to a relatively unfussed victory. He broke Federer in the fifth game of the third set and, although he failed to convert three break points at the next available opportunity, was dominant when the end came. John McEnroe said he had suspected Murray might do something special when he saw him responding positively to fans one night during the week in nearby Wimbledon village. As for Federer, McEnroe observed: "It's the first time in a long time he looked his age. Djokovic won the Australian. Nadal won the French. Roger won Wimbledon. Andy won the Olympic gold. Could he win the ATP World Tour Finals in Greenwich and be ranked No1 by the end of the year? He could." Could these be the Golden Years for Andy Murray? Possibly. No longer, though, will he run for the shadows. His tennis has changed and so has his demeanour. The release of emotion from Murray was as strong as it had been in defeat four weeks ago to the day, except these tears were ones of exultation.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Republican reaches out to pro-Israeli lobby in US and goes on the offensive after Harry Reid accuses him of not paying taxes After a torrent of poor headlines in recent days, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney sought to go on the offensive Sunday, attacking Barack Obama's over "policy failures" and his perceived coolness towards Israel. In a tweet sent to some 700,000-plus followers, Romney criticised Obama for not visiting the middle eastern country during his near-four years in office, adding: "We need a leader who stands with our allies". It comes a week after the Republican challenger caused anger amongst Palestinians during a visit to the region by suggesting that Israel's economic dominance was due to a superior culture and the "hand of providence". In a campaign ad linked to in the tweet, Romney is seen speaking in Jerusalem, "the capital of Israel" he says, in a further overture towards the pro-Israeli lobby in the US. The attack on the White House's perceived stance on Israel has been a constant in the Republican election campaign. In the primary season, Obama was accused by rivals for the GOP candidacy of presiding over a policy of "appeasement" in regards to the Palestinians. Meanwhile, Romney has previously accused the president of throwing Israel "under the bus". In a further bid to steal back political initiative after being hammered over missteps during his first overseas trip as candidate and his refusal to release further tax returns, Romney tore into the administrations record on Saturday, attacking what he called "an extraordinary series of policy failures". While on the stump in Indiana, the former Massachusetts governor seized on the latest jobs report as evidence that his Democratic opponent's economic policies aren't working. On Friday, it emerged that the American economy added 163,000 jobs in July, the best pace of hiring in five months. But even so, the jobless rate ticked up to 8.3% from 8.2% in June. "These are real families having real hard times," Romney told supporters. "This has been an extraordinary series of policy failures on behalf of the president," he added. But despite his efforts to change the political narrative, issues of personal tax continued to dog the Republican this weekend. On Thursday, Senate leader Harry Reid accused Romney of not paying tax for a decade, and challenged the White House hopeful to publish more of his annual returns to the IRS to prove him wrong. The former Massachusetts governor angrily decried Reid's comments, telling him to "put up" his source, or "shut up". "I have paid taxes every year, and a lot of taxes. So Harry is wrong," he said on Friday. But Democrats sought to keep up the heat on Romney in regards to his tax arrangements on Sunday. Speaking on CNN's State of the Union, senior Obama aide Robert Gibbs said: "Have you ever seen anybody go to such lengths to not put something out? And when you generally don't put something out, isn't it because you're generally hiding something?" So far Romney has refused to release any more tax records other than the two years' worth he made public back in January. Those documents revealed that the former Massachusetts governor and his wife recorded an income of $21.6m in 2010. Of that, they handed over $3m in tax at a rate just shy of 14%. The couple's effective tax rate is expected to increase a little on 2011's earnings, when they are expected to pay 15.4% on $20.9m. On both years the rate of tax paid is far lower than the average American. Gibbs told CNN that if the Republican candidate had nothing to hide, he should release more documents. He even joked that he would lend Romney the money to get the paperwork copied. "I'll send him the nickels," the Obama aide said, adding: "I think it's a nickel a page".
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | • British No1 records emphatic 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 victory
• Murray to go for second gold in mixed doubles final Andy Murray was desperate for gold, and, crushing Roger Federer in straight sets on the same court where he lost to him in four in the Wimbledon final only a month ago, he took the prize in the most emphatic fashion. He is yet to win a slam title, but he is an Olympic champion, his single greatest achievement in the game so far. A major cannot be far away. After the early jousting, it was almost embarrassingly one-sided as Federer, recently restored to No1 in the world, went fully an hour without winning a game. That is a remarkable statistic. "Definitely easier winning in the final than losing," Murray said. "This is the way to come back from the Wimbledon final. I'll never forget it. "It's the biggest win of my life. This week has been incredible so far I've had a lot of fun, the support's been amazing. All of the events I've watched the support has been amazing. "I didn't expect that at the start of the week, but I felt so fresh. I didn't feel nervous, apart from the start. Tough conditions, very windy. I played a good match." Even Jeremy Clarkson and Virginia Wade must have been moved – if not to tears, then certainly a quiet, Little Englander hand-clap to go with the raucous reception he received from his new fan club on Centre Court. They would have raised the roof had it been left on after the morning rain. As it was, their long, lusty cheers floated into the bright blue skies in celebration of Great Britain's 16th gold medal at these lovely London Olympics, and one of the most convincing. Murray won 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 in just under two hours and, once he started to pull away from his strangely anxious opponent, the shots flowed. It would be asking a lot for him to play like this all the time but there have been significant signs since he took Ivan Lendl on board in January that his game is getting towards a pleasing blend of safe and dangerous. From the middle of the first set to the end, nearly everything clicked for him, cross-court passing shots, to clipped net cords that fell kindly for him, and his serve, which put three aces past Federer at the very end. He climbed into the box to embrace his girlfriend Kim Sears and the rest of his team, as well as his dad, Willie and, longest of all, his mum, Judy, perhaps the biggest influence on his interesting life. Laura Robson, his partner in the following mixed doubles, got a little hug, as did a small, tearful boy who emerged from the crowd to acclaim his hero. Federer, meanwhile, had disappeared down the tunnel. In the third round of the championships, Federer recovered from two sets down to beat Julien Benneteau. With the best will in the world, the Frenchman is no Murray. And this was not the same Federer. Did Murray want it more than Federer? Maybe, although it is impossible to differentiate between Federer's levels of intensity because he rarely changes gear. Still, there could be no mistaking the Scot's determination to put behind him the memories of their last match. If the crowd lifted him, they deserve a medal too, because they carried none of the freight of the regulars who come here annually to cheer in hope rather than expectation. These ingenus had the advantage of innocence and their joy transmitted itself to Murray, who is playing with a little more freedom, certainly less anxiety. He still bases his game on his solid defensive play and was rarely sucked into machismo exchanges with Federer, who, increasingly, raids the net in search of quick winners and exposes himself to the lob and passing shot. Three days shy of his 31st birthday, the Swiss trusts his brain more than his legs. In response, Murray played some intelligent tennis, none more so than when leading 2-0 in the second set and struggling to hold serve as Federer launched his last proper fightback, not dissimilar to one at a similar stage of their Wimbledon final. It lasted quarter of an hour and Federer had five break points but could take none of them as Murray powered down his first serve and steered rather than barged to 3-0. After that, his clean hitting carried him clear to a relatively unfussed victory. He broke him in the fifth game of the third set and, although he failed to convert three break points at the next available opportunity, was dominant when the end came. Could these be the Golden Years for Andy Murray? Possibly. No longer, though, will he run for the shadows. His tennis has changed and so has his demeanour. The release of emotion from Murray was as strong as it had been in defeat four weeks ago to the day, except these tears were ones of exultation.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Marvin Wilson's planned execution draws spotlight on state's lack of accepted standard for who qualifies as mentally disabled A death row prisoner who has been medically diagnosed as "mentally retarded" and therefore exempt from execution is set to die on Tuesday in Texas, a state that rejects scientific consensus and instead applies its own definition of learning difficulties based on a character in a John Steinbeck novel. Barring a last minute intervention by the courts, Marvin Wilson, 54, will be put to death by lethal injection even though he has been subjected to scientifically-recognised tests that show him to be intellectually disabled – or "mentally retarded" as the US legal system still calls the condition. In 2002, the US supreme court banned executions for all such prisoners under the Eighth Amendment of the constitution that prohibits excessive punishment. The 2002 ban, in Atkins v Virginia, is categorical: individuals with mental retardation cannot be put to death. The court allowed some discretion on the part of individual states to devise procedures for administering the injunction, but no right to ignore it. Texas took that discretion to mean – wrongly in the view of many lawyers and mental health experts – that it could set its own definition of retardation. Instead of a clinical or scientific approach, based on widely recognized tests set out by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Texas decided to go its own way. It came up with a set of seven criteria, known as "Briseno factors" after the decision that announced them, to determine which prisoners with learning difficulties should live and which should die. The determinants were posited around the character Lennie Small in Steinbeck's 1937 novel Of Mice and Men. "Most Texas citizens," the argument ran, "might agree that Steinbeck's Lennie should, by virtue of his lack of reasoning ability and adaptive skills, be exempt" from execution. By implication anyone less impaired than Steinbeck's fictional migrant ranch worker should have no constitutional protection. "If Wilson is executed on Tuesday, Texas will be rendering the US supreme court's Eighth Amendment prohibition on the execution of mentally retarded prisoners a prohibition in name only," said Lee Kovarsky, Wilson's lawyer. Kovarsky will be petitioning the supreme court on Monday for a stay of execution to give time for Texas's out-lying approach to intellectual disability to be confronted. The supreme court has a growing problem in this area with states coming close to open defiance of the will of the highest judicial panel in the land in relation to the execution of people with learning difficulties. Last month Warren Hill came within 90 minutes of execution in Georgia. The prisoner had been diagnosed by the state's own courts as being "mentally retarded" in all probability, but Georgia is the only state in the union that insists on a standard of proof of intellectual impairment that is "beyond a reasonable doubt". Texas's unique system for defining 'retardation'Marvin Wilson was put on death row for the 1992 murder of a police drug informant in Beaumont, Texas. The circumstances of the crime had all elements that make death sentences for people with learning difficulties problematic: Wilson was one of two perpetrators, leaving him vulnerable to his more sophisticated accomplice, and the main witness against him was that accomplice's wife who claimed she heard him confess to pulling the trigger. Wilson was subjected to a raft of tests to determine his intellectual abilities, using internationally recognised clinical procedures. The tests were carried out by Dr Donald Trahan, a neuropsychologist who has evaluated more than 500 patients with learning difficulties. Trahan personally administered to Wilson the TONI-II, the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices, the Peabody Individual Achievement Test-Revised, the Wide Range Achievement Test-3rd, the Language Assessment Battery, the Orientation Evaluation, the Verbal Selective Reminding Test, the Visual Reproduction Subtest and the Remote Sensory Evaluation. In addition, Trahan interviewed Wilson for eight hours and analysed his past school records that showed he had a reading and writing level of a seven-year-old. The young Wilson was placed in special education classes, where he was bullied by other kids who called him "stupid", "dummy" and "retarded".
He was deemed unable to manage his own money and was incapable of self-direction. He could not, for instance, cut the grass or use a ladder on his own, or dress himself properly with matching socks and buttoned up shirt. The tests gave Wilson an IQ score of 61 – putting him in the lowest percentile of the population. After all that evidence gathering, Trahan diagnosed the prisoner as having "mental retardation". Though it was mild, the condition still clearly fell under the US supreme court's prohibition. Texas, by contrast, applying its Lennie Small criteria, carried out not a single cognitive assessment of Wilson. It adduced no evidence and requested no testimony. Experts in intellectual disability have warned that Texas's unique system for defining "retardation" puts at risk many people with learning difficulties who should be covered by the constitutional ban. As the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities has put it in another capital case, Texas's "impressionistic 'test' directs fact-finders to use 'factors' that are based on false stereotypes about mental retardation that effectively exclude all but the most severely incapacitated."
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The latest 'honour killing' in Hyderabad has shocked people because the family is middle class and it happened in open court So-called honour killings by families who believe their daughters have disgraced them are increasingly common in Pakistan. But the gunning down last week of a woman by her brother, a lawyer, in front of dozens of witnesses in a packed courtroom in the bustling city of Hyderabad marks an alarming new low. The family of 22 year-old Raheela Sehto had already made their fury at her marriage to Zulfiqar Sehto – a love match struck without their permission – abundantly clear. They reacted by filing a claim with local police that their daughter had been kidnapped by her 30-year-old husband, a life-long neighbour who had wooed Raheela over the years, although largely through clandestine mobile phone conversations. Her uncle had tried to throttle her with a scarf at an earlier appearance at the high court in Hyderabad in July. The couple had petitioned the court for its protection and to try and have the kidnapping charges thrown out. But Sehto, a university graduate working for the local electricity company, said they felt they had no reason to fear for their lives in court, even when in the earlier part of the morning he was sitting almost directly in front of his wife's eventual killer, Javed Iqbal Shaikh, her brother. Shortly after the two judges had returned to their seats after a break, Shaikh, dressed in the black suit and tie of his profession, produced a gun he had smuggled into court, lunged at Raheela and shot her point-blank in the left side of the head. "Before she fell to the ground, my wife was looking straight at me," said Sehto. The gunman, Shaikh, then tried to shoot Sehto, but was overpowered by police. Although furious families have succeeded in killing their daughters in police custody before, it is the first time such an incident has occurred in open court. The killer managed to evade security checks, including two sets of metal detectors and body searches, because he was one of the country's obstreperous lawyers – an entitled group that has been known to assault policemen violently. "The lawyers, they don't like to be searched," said Amjad Shaikh, a police superintendent in Hyderabad, the main city in Pakistan's southern province of Sindh. "Security is a little bit of a problem there." Apparently unrepentant, Shaikh gave interviews to journalists later, while in custody, saying he had "lost my mind". "I did that in rage because she had dishonoured the family," he said to a Pakistani newspaper. Four other family members who accompanied him in court have also been charged over the killing. "Everyone is very shocked by this because it happened in an educated family," said the police officer. "Normally, honour killings happen in the rural areas where people are not educated." In the countryside such crimes can even be given the imprimatur of local "jirgas", informal and illegal justice systems run by communities that enforce tribal lore. The superintendent added that the involvement of the Shaikhs was also unusual, saying they are known for being "peaceful". The Shaikhs of Sindh, originally migrants from neighbouring Punjab, tend to enjoy high levels of education, are traditionally involved in trade and are little connected with tribal custom. According to the latest survey of violence against women by the Aurat Foundation, a rights group, there were 2,341 honour killings in 2011 in Pakistan – a 27% jump on the year before. The report also said there were more than 8,000 abductions and 3,461 rapes and gang rapes. But the figures were just "the tip of the iceberg", it warned, saying researchers relied on those cases that were reported in the media only. Amar Sindhu, a professor of philosophy at Sindh University and a women's rights activist, said the phenomenon was less to do with "cultural and social practices" and more to do with "the complete absence of the rule of law". "Even in the nineteenth-century, the colonial authorities were able to reduce these crimes by enforcing laws when social, cultural and religious practices were just as male dominated and anti-woman as they are today," she said. Sehto struggled to speak as he described the loss of his young wife, whom he had known for almost his entire life, growing up in the small town of Behlani. "She was my neighbour and we went to each other's home since we were children." he said. "We began to fall in love more than 18 months ago, but they kept refusing my family's request to marry her." Raheela agreed to elope with Sehto only after her father attempted to marry her off to a Shaikh from Punjab whom she did not know, he said. His family has now quit Behlani, and he said he will never return. "All I want is justice, I want the court to convict Javed and his accomplices with the death penalty," he said.
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Journalists who have questioned rightwing party's austerity policy have lost jobs at RTVE A government making a raft of public spending cuts might not be expected to win many friends. But critics of Mariano Rajoy's rightwing Partido Popular (PP) claim that a series of departures from Spain's leading state broadcasting organisations are a sign that it will not tolerate any criticism. A number of journalists who have presumed to question the administration's austerity policy have been purged from the national RTVE radio and TV channel. And this weekend the most high-profile exit in recent months – that of Ana Pastor, the presenter of Los Desayunos de TVE, a popular breakfast news magazine programme – was announced. Spanish politicians tend to get an easy ride from the press and rarely face a grilling. Pastor, however, has a reputation for calling the people she interviews to account and asking difficult questions. "They're getting rid of me for acting as a journalist," Pastor declared, adding that it was a political decision. On Saturday the channel said Pastor was leaving after refusing the offer of a job as a presenter of a night-time programme. For her part, Pastor said: "I thought they were going to offer me something [else] but there was nothing of substance. The head of news said we should both think about my future but it was all vague. He said let's see what happens between now and January. They didn't want to say I was sacked, but I was, and I'm not one to hang around earning public money and doing nothing." Pastor said it was clear that politicians "don't like uncomfortable interviews", while another source at TVE said the government was "allergic to discussion". The departure – one of a number of controversial exits critics insist are sackings – comes after the removal of Fran Llorente, the RTVE head of news whom the government accused of political bias. Pepa Bueno, a former news anchor who, according to one source, "would have been sacked if she hadn't already left last month", said Llorente was under constant pressure from PP officials. "I never received any sort of political instructions from Llorente," Bueno added. "He always took the heat and left the rest of us to get on with being journalists." Some 70% of staff voted against the appointment of Llorente's successor, Julio Somoano. Since 1980 RTVE staff have been public appointees. In 2006 the law was changed so that appointments had to be approved by a two-thirds majority of parliament. This year the PP used its overall majority to scrap the 2006 amendment and has begun staffing the channel with veterans of the last PP government, which lost power in 2004 in the wake of the Madrid bombings. TVE was found guilty by Spain's high court of "manipulation" during its coverage of the 2002 general strike. This manipulation included the spectacle of reporters standing in deserted city centres insisting that life was going on as normal. In January 2010 TVE stopped carrying advertising and was funded by a €550m state subsidy plus €500m raised by levying a special tax on telecommunications of 0.9% of pre-tax profits and 3% in the case of privately owned TV channels, both of which have appealed to the European court against the imposition of this tax. Pastor is one of the country's best-known journalists. It is not just Spanish politicians whom she has discomfited. During the course of an interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in which she questioned him about the Arab spring, her headscarf gradually slipped backwards, revealing her hair. She claimed it was unintentional.
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Game-by-game report: Will Andy Murray avenge his Wimbledon defeat against the world No1 in the Olympic final? Find out with Simon Burnton
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Game-by-game report: Andy Murray beat the world No1 Roger Federer in straight sets to avenge his Wimbledon defeat
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Tuesday's mental status check will become a change-of-plea hearing as Loughner's mental state appears to have improved Jared Loughner, the man accused of killing six people and wounding then-U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords in 2011, is set to plead guilty in a Tucson court on Tuesday, a person familiar with the case said. The source confirmed that the federal government believed Loughner was now competent to stand trial and will argue that in court on Tuesday. Loughner is willing to change his plea to guilty at the previously scheduled hearing, the source said. Psychiatric experts who have examined Loughner were scheduled to testify in a mental competency hearing on Tuesday that he was competent to stand trial and understood the 49 charges against him, the Los Angeles Times reported earlier. A spokesman for the US attorney's office in Phoenix said he could "neither confirm nor deny" whether Loughner would plead guilty. The team of four attorneys representing Loughner had not responded to emailed requests for comment. Giffords, an Arizona Democrat seen as a rising star in the party, was holding one of her regular "Congress On Your Corner" events at a Tucson supermarket in January 2011 when she was shot through the head at close range by a gunman who killed six other people, including a federal judge and a 9-year-old girl. Loughner, 23, is charged with 49 criminal offenses including first-degree murder over the shooting rampage, which wounded 13 people. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf last year. The Wall Street Journal, which also reported that Loughner would plead guilty, said Tuesday's mental status hearing had been changed to a change-of-plea hearing, citing an official familiar with the case. If US district judge Larry Burns were to determine at Tuesday's hearing that he was fit for trial, Loughner – who is being forcibly medicated to treat his psychosis – could face the death penalty if found guilty. The Los Angeles Times said it was unclear on the details of the plea arrangement, or whether Loughner would plead guilty to all or just some of the charges in exchange for prison time rather than risk being sentenced to death at trial. Tuesday's hearing was to be Loughner's fourth to determine if he is fit to stand trial. Burns ordered the hearing in June at the request of prosecutors and defense attorneys who wanted a status report after more than a year of treatment and legal wrangling over his mental competency. The college dropout was determined unfit for trial in May 2011 after experts said he suffered from schizophrenia, disordered thinking and delusions.
Loughner has been held at a US bureau of prisons psychiatric hospital in Springfield, Missouri, where he is forcibly medicated against his will to treat psychosis and make him fit for trial. Giffords resigned from the US House of Representatives in January to focus on her recovery. Her former aide Ron Barber won a special election to fill her seat and will have to win re-election in November to serve a full two-year term.
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Leader of main political opposition group says he is ready to talk to officials whose hands are not 'stained with blood' The leader of Syria's main political opposition group has said he is ready to negotiate with government officials whose hands are not "stained with blood" once the president, Bashar al-Assad, and his associates leave power. Abdelbasset Seida, the head of the Syrian National Council, also told the pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat newspaper in an interview published on Sunday that the resignation of the Syria peace envoy Kofi Annan may open the door for a new initiative to resolve the crisis. His comments came as forces loyal to the regime pounded rebel positions in Syria's second city, Aleppo, on Sunday. The key battle there appeared to be looming, sources in the city indicated. The British foreign secretary, William Hague, warned that the coming days were likely to see an escalation of violence and bloodshed. On the future of the ruling group, Seida said: "As far as we are concerned, the authorities have lost their credibility and legitimacy, and we have said this in Moscow bluntly: that dialogue with this regime is no longer possible. "Bashar and his gang must leave and after that we will move to negotiate with other officials whose hands were not stained with Syrian blood and who were not involved in big corruption cases." Annan resigned as the UN and Arab League envoy on Syria last week as a result of frustration at the world body's failure to act decisively to end 17 months of bloodshed. On Friday, UN member states voted overwhelmingly to condemn the Syrian government for the violence at a special session of the general assembly. Syria's allies Russia and China opposed the non-binding resolution but were not able to use the veto they have used in the security council. Seida welcomed Friday's vote: "We believe that the vote at the United Nations general assembly represents the start of a new initiative that may be coming in the near future." He did not elaborate. Reports from Aleppo – Syria's largest city and commercial hub – said that Assad's forces were using heavy artillery, planes and a helicopter gunship to bombard rebel positions in a battle that could determine the outcome of the uprising. Hague warned that the regime's reliance on violence, rather than negotiations, in responding to challenges to Assad's rule, could lead to "a collapse in all authority" in the country. Separately, the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, will travel to Istanbul this week to hold talks with the Turkish government on the crisis, a state department spokeswoman said on Sunday. "Secretary Clinton goes to Istanbul for bilateral consultations with the Turkish government on Syria as well as to cover other timely issues," Victoria Nuland said in a statement sent to reporters during Clinton's visit to Malawi. Concern is growing in Turkey about the growing influence in northern Syria of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), a group linked to Kurdish separatists fighting Ankara. Clinton's planned talks in Istanbul on 11 August will form part of renewed international efforts to tackle the escalating crisis in Syria. Despite Seida's comments on Sunday and the vote in the UN general assembly on Friday, it is widely perceived that prospects of a negotiated solution have dimmed since Annan resigned. Nuland also said that Clinton, whose current tour will take her to South Africa later on Sunday, will visit Nigeria, Ghana and Benin on her way to Istanbul.
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Rolling report: Follow all of today's action, including Andy Murray v Roger Federer in the tennis final and the buildup to the race everyone has been waiting for, the men's 100m final
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Gunman shoots senior figures at Wisconsin temple, killing six and injuring three others, before being shot dead by police A gunman shot dead six worshippers at a Sikh temple before opening fire on officers in what police described as an act of US "domestic terrorism". The attack began shortly before 10.30am local time on Sunday as dozens of people were gathering at a place of worship in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. After killing a number of people inside the temple, the gunman then fired on a police officer who was helping a wounded victim outside the building. A second officer fired on the suspect, who died at the scene. The wounded officer – who was shot multiple times – was taken to hospital for surgery. He is expected to survive. At a press conference held outside the temple on Sunday, Oak Creek police chief John Edwards said the "heroic actions" of the two officers "stopped this from being worse than it could have been", noting that many people had gathered for worship at the time of the attack. Edwards said that authorities were treating the killing as a "domestic terrorism incident", but added that it was too early to suggest a motive. Some Sikh members of the community told the media they feared that it was a hate crime. "We are at the beginning stages of this investigation," Edwards said. The FBI has taken over the criminal inquiry. It is thought that around 50 people were in the temple as the shootings took place. Prominent members of the local Sikh community were among those thought to have been injured or killed by the gunman. Jatin Der Mangat, 38, of Racine, said his uncle, the temple's president Satwant Singh Kaleka, was one of those wounded, but he didn't know how serious his injuries were. "It was like the heart just sat down," he said. "This shouldn't happen anywhere." Sukhwindar Nagr, also of Racine, said he called his brother-in-law's phone and a priest at the temple answered and told him that his brother-in-law had been shot, along with three priests. Children hid in closets in the temple amid fears that the suspect was still on the loose, the priest told Nagr. CNN reported that two handguns were recovered by forensic experts at the scene. But initial fears that the gunman may have had an accomplice appear to be unfounded. There are often reports of multiple gunmen at incidents of mass shootings, because of the confusion, large number of witnesses and different perspectives. Police said sweeps of the temple and the surrounding area suggested that the shooting was the act of a lone killer. Alongside the six people the suspect shot, three people were injured and taken to a nearby hospital. They were all in critical condition. The officer who was shot by the gunman is among those being treated. "We expect him to recover", Edwards said. Police said the unnamed officer was "ambushed" by the gunman as he and a colleague responded to a 911 call alerting authorities to the scene of the shootings. Emergency teams later found the bodies of four victims inside the temple. Three more corpses lay outside the building, including that of the suspect. For hours after the initial incident, a cordon was placed around the temple amid fears that a second armed man remained at large. Ambulances and police marksman surrounded the temple. The cordon was raised when police were sure that no other peope were involved. Bradley Wentlandt, police chief of the nearby town of Greenfield, confirmed later that there was only one suspect. "There is no evidence of additional shooters at the temple," he said. Despite fears that the attack may have had a racist motive, some in the Sikh community cautioned against jumping to conclusions. Sapreet Kaur, executive director of the Sikh Coalition, the largest Sikh American civil rights organisation in the US, said: "There have been multiple hate crime shootings within the Sikh community in recent years and the natural impulse of our community is to unfortunately assume the same in this case. "Let's let law enforcement investigate the case and as new facts emerge the dialogue can change," he urged. Kaur added: "Americans died today in a senseless act of violence and Americans of all faiths should stand in unified support with their Sikh brothers and sisters." The incident in Wisconsin comes just 16 days after 12 people were killed and nearly 60 injured in a mass shooting at a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado, during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises. President Barack Obama was informed of the latest atrocity shortly before 1pm ET by homeland security adviser John Brennan. In a statement, the president said he was "deeply saddened". He added: "At this difficult time, the people of Oak Creek must know that the American people have them in our thoughts and prayers, and our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who were killed and wounded." Obama's Republican challenger for the White House, Mitt Romney, expressed his condolences to those caught up in America's latest mass shooting.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | China's foreign ministry is protesting about remarks made by the US over rising tensions in the disputed South China Sea China's foreign ministry has called in a senior US diplomat to express "strong dissatisfaction" at remarks by the US state department raising concerns over tensions in the disputed South China Sea, in the latest political spat between the two countries.
In a statement released late on Saturday, China's foreign ministry said assistant foreign minister Zhang Kunsheng summoned the US embassy's deputy chief of mission Robert Wang to make "serious representations" about the issue. The state department on Friday said it was monitoring the situation in the seas closely, adding that China's establishing of a military garrison for the area runs "counter to collaborative diplomatic efforts to resolve differences and risk further escalating tensions in the region". The South China Sea has become Asia's biggest potential military flashpoint as Beijing's sovereignty claim over the huge area has set it against Vietnam and the Philippines as the three countries race to tap possibly huge oil reserves. Beijing and Washington are already at odds over numerous issues, including the value of China's currency, Tibet and Taiwan. Zhang said the US statement "disregarded the facts, confused right with wrong, sent a seriously wrong signal and did not help with efforts by relevant parties to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea or the Asia Pacific. "China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition, urges the US side to immediately to mend the error of its ways, earnestly respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and do more to genuinely benefit stability and prosperity in the Asia Pacific," he added. A separate statement by ministry spokesman Qin Gang repeated that China had absolute sovereignty over the sea and its myriad islands and had every right to formally set up a city to administer the region, which it did last month.
"Why does the US turn a blind eye to the facts that certain countries opened a number of oil and gas blocks, and issued domestic laws illegally appropriating Chinese islands and waters?" Qin said. "Why does the US avoid talking about the threats of military vessels to Chinese fishermen by certain countries and their unjustified claims of sovereignty rights over Chinese islands?" he added. In all, six parties have rival claims to the waters, which were a central issue at an acrimonious Asean regional summit last month that ended with its members failing to agree on a concluding statement for the first time in 45 years. The stakes have risen in the area as the US military shifts its attention and resources back to Asia, emboldening its long-time ally the Philippines and former foe Vietnam to take a bolder stance against Beijing. The United States has stressed it is neutral in the long-running maritime dispute, despite offering to help boost the Philippines' decrepit military forces. It says freedom of navigation is its main concern about a waterway that carries $5 trillion in trade - half the world's shipping tonnage.
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Activists hope pop singer, due to sing in Moscow, will publicly express support for trio jailed after performing a 'punk prayer' Campaigners are hoping that pop superstar Madonna will publicly express her support for three imprisoned members of the feminist punk collective Pussy Riot when she gives a concert in Moscow this week. Three members of Pussy Riot – Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich – face up to seven years in prison if found guilty on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred. The trio were arrested after going to Moscow's Christ the Saviour cathedral in February and performing a "punk prayer" critical of the Orthodox church's support for the president, Vladimir Putin. The women's plight has become a cause célèbre in the music world, with numerous stars taking a public stance in their support of the group. American rockers Faith No More started the trend by inviting members of the Russian group who remain free to join them on stage during a recent performance at Moscow's Stadium Live club. Anthony Kiedis, lead singer with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the name Pussy Riot at a recent concert in St Petersburg. Indie band Franz Ferdinand, Peter Gabriel and Sting have all also issued messages of support. "Surely the Russian authorities will completely drop these spurious charges and allow the women, these artists, to get back to their lives and to their children," Sting said in a statement. Meanwhile, a group of British musicians, including Jarvis Cocker, the lead singer of Pulp, and the Who's Pete Townshend published an open letter of support in the Times last week. So far Madonna has not gone as far as her music industry comrades. The group view the star as an inspiration because of her willingness to upset the Roman Catholic church with her music, but she has not come out openly in support of them. In a recent television interview with a state-run Russian station, Madonna would only say she was "sorry that they've been arrested". When Madonna takes the stage in Moscow this week, there will be many Pussy Riot fans and supporters in Russia and around the world hoping that she will take a stronger stance.
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