Man faces 2 capital murder charges in Mississippi nun deaths
LEXINGTON, Miss. (AP) — A man has been arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in connection with the deaths of two nuns who were slain in Mississippi, police said.
Rodney Earl Sanders, 46, of Kosciusko, was charged in the deaths of Sister Margaret Held and Sister Paula Merrill, both 68, Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesman Warren Strain said in a statement released late Friday night.
Their bodies were discovered Thursday after they failed to show up for work at a clinic in Lexington, Mississippi, about 10 miles from where they lived.
This undated photo provided by Sisters of Charity of Nazareth shows Sister Paula Merrill. Sister Margaret Held and Merrill, two nuns who worked as nurses and helped the poor in rural Mississippi, were found slain in their home and there were signs of a break-in and their vehicle was missing, officials said Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. (Sisters of Charity of Nazareth via AP)
"Sanders was developed as a person of interest early on in the investigation," Lt. Colonel Jimmy Jordan said in the statement.
Sanders was being held in an undisclosed detention center awaiting his initial court appearance.
Meanwhile, in the poverty-stricken Mississippi county where the two nuns were slain, forgiveness for their killer is hard to find, even if forgiveness is what the victims would have wanted.
Sisters Margaret Held and Paula Merrill were nurse practitioners who dedicated their lives to providing health care to people in the poorest county in the state. And as authorities sought the killer, many residents wondered how they will fill the hole the women's deaths have left.
"Right now, I don't see no forgiveness on my heart," said Joe Morgan Jr., a 58-year-old former factory worker who has diabetes and was a patient of Merrill's at the clinic where the two nuns worked.
He said Merrill would want him to forgive whoever killed the women, but he hopes the perpetrator is arrested, convicted and executed.
"She doesn't deserve to die like this, doing God's work," Morgan said, shaking his head. "There's something wrong with the world."
Both women worked Man, 46, faces 2 at the clinic, where they gave flu shots, dispensed insulin and provided other medical care for children and adults who couldn't afford it.
Their stolen car was found abandoned a mile from their home, and there were signs of a break-in, but police haven't disclosed a motive.
Authorities have not said how the women were killed, but the Rev. Greg Plata of St. Thomas Catholic Church in Lexington, where the nuns had led Bible study for years, said police told him they were stabbed.
The state posted a reward of $20,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Plata said both nuns' religious communities have asked that people pray for the killer or killers. Asked about people's struggles to forgive, the priest said: "Forgiveness is at the heart of being a Christian. Look at Jesus on the cross: 'Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.'"
On Friday, a handwritten sign on the front door of Lexington Medical Clinic said it was closed until Monday.
The clinic and the nuns' home in Durant are in Holmes County, population 18,000. With 44 percent of its residents living in poverty, Holmes is the seventh-poorest county in America, according to the Census Bureau.
The slayings did more than shock people and plunge the county into mourning. They leave a gaping hole in what was already a strapped health care system.
Dr. Elias Abboud, who worked with the sisters for years and helped build the clinic, said it provided about 25 percent of all medical care in the county.
The two nuns cultivated relationships with drug company representatives, who often left extra free samples, according to clinic manager Lisa Dew.
"This is a poor area, and they dignified those who are poor with outreach and respect for them," Plata said. "They treated each person as a child of God."
Merrill's sister Rosemarie, speaking by telephone from her Stoneham, Massachusetts, home, said her sister had been in Mississippi helping the poor since 1981 and had previously worked in Holly Springs, where she used to ride around on a moped and was instrumental in locating the source of a tuberculosis outbreak.
Merrill was raised in the suburbs of Boston and came from a working-class family, her father a laborer and her mother a bookkeeper, her nephew David said. He said his aunt had worked with Held for many years.
"We always considered Margaret just part of the family," he said. "The word 'sister' has many meanings, and they fulfilled all of them."
Rosemarie Merrill said she doesn't know what will happen to the clinic now and worries about the effect on health care in Holmes County. She said her sister and Held would often go into the clinic on Sundays after Mass or on their days off.
"It's just going to be a disaster," she said.
Genette Pierce, who works at a home health and hospice business a few doors down from the clinic, said: "Their patients — all of them — they're going to be lost without them right now."
___
Associated Press writer Rebecca Santana in New Orleans contributed to this report.
This 2015 photo provided by the School Sisters of St. Francis shows Sister Margaret Held. Sister Paula Merrill and Held, two nuns who worked as nurses and helped the poor in rural Mississippi, were found slain in their home and there were signs of a break-in and their vehicle was missing, officials said Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. (Michael O'Loughlin/School Sisters of St. Francis via AP)
"Sister Paula was an angel," says Joe Morgan Jr., of Lexington, Miss., Friday, Aug. 26, 2016, standing at a businesses adjacent to the Lexington Medical Clinic where he was a patient of Sister Paula Merrill, one of two nurse practitioners who were found slain Thursday in their Durant, Miss., home, a few miles away. Merrill and Sister Margaret Held, were known for their kindness and community involvement in the mostly rural Mississippi Delta towns. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Traffic passes along Mississippi Highway 12 that runs adjacent to the closed Lexington Medical Clinic where Sister Margaret Held and Sister Paula Merrill, both nurse practitioners worked, Friday, Aug. 26, 2016 in Lexington, Miss. The two women, who worked in the rural Mississippi Delta, were found slain in their home in neighboring Durant, Miss., Thursday. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Durant Police Chief John Haynes, left, and assistant Police Chief James Lee reassure Lexington Medical Clinic employees Lisa Dew, right, and Viola Turner, seated, that the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation was giving the home of two slain Catholic nuns who worked as nurses at the clinic a through crime scene investigation, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016, in Durant. The clinic office manager and a Durant police officer discovered their bodies inside the house after both nuns did not report for work. Authorities said there were signs of a break-in and their vehicle was missing. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
A Mississippi Bureau of Investigation agent takes a bag with evidence from the Durant, Miss., home of two slain Catholic nuns who worked as nurses at the Lexington Medical Clinic, to her vehicle, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. The clinic office manager and a Durant police officer discovered their bodies inside the house after both nuns did not report for work. Authorities said their were signs of a break-in and their vehicle was missing. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Two Mississippi Bureau of Investigation agents inspect a car in the garage of the Durant, Miss., home of two slain Catholic nuns who worked as nurses at the Lexington Medical Clinic, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. The clinic office manager and a Durant police officer discovered their bodies inside the house after both nuns did not report for work. Authorities said their were signs of a break-in and their vehicle was missing. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Rev. Greg Plata, speaks outside the St. Thomas Catholic Church that he pastors Friday, Aug. 26, 2016 in Lexington, Miss., about the community loss with the murders of Sister Margaret Held and Sister Paula Merrill, both nurse practitioners in the town. The two women, who worked in the rural Mississippi Delta, were found slain in their home in neighboring Durant, Thursday. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)


LEXINGTON, Miss. (AP) — A man has been arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in connection with the deaths of two nuns who were slain in Mis...


Man faces 2 capital murder charges in Mississippi nun deaths


OTTAWA – Contract talks continued between Canada Post and its largest union Sunday afternoon, with neither side hinting as to whether any progress had been made.
A federally appointed mediator began meeting with the two sides on Friday to try to reach a deal.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers said if there was no deal by midnight, it would begin job action on Monday by having its members refuse to work overtime on a rotating basis, starting in Alberta and the Northwest Territories.
CUPW served 72 hour strike notice Thursday night, accusing Canada Post of forcing a labour disruption by refusing to bargain in good faith.
The two sides have been deadlocked for months on the issues of pay scales for rural letter carriers and proposed changes to pensions for future employees.
On Sunday, the union said its initial plans for job action would have little effect on Canada Post customers.
“Our action will cause little to no disruption to the public,” national president Mike Palecek said in a statement. “We’ll still be delivering mail every day.”
But a spokesman for Canada Post said the union’s threat of job action was still creating uncertainty for customers.
“Anyone who is trying to plan their usage of the postal system in the coming days is questioning whether or not it will be able to get there, and that is going to have a huge impact on the business whether the union likes it or not,” Jon Hamilton said in a phone interview.

Canada Post, union continue to talk as midnight deadline looms


CUPW said without a deal, its members would refuse to work overtime on a rotating basis starting Monday


Bongo seeks to prolong 50-year family rule in Gabon vote
By Gerauds Wilfried Obangome
LIBREVILLE, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Voters in Gabon turned out for an election on Saturday that could mark the greatest challenge yet to President Ali Bongo, whose family has controlled the oil-producing central African nation for nearly half a century.
Bongo, 57, took over in 2009 when his father Omar died after 42 years in power, and he won a poll in the same year. With state machinery and entrenched patronage networks behind him, both lubricated by oil largesse, he is likely to win again this time.
Polls close at 6 p.m. (1700 GMT) but results aren't expected until Monday or Tuesday. Land and sea borders were shut at midnight on Friday and will remain so until midnight on Saturday.
Bongo faces nine other candidates - compared with 22 in the last election - but his main rival is veteran diplomat Jean Ping. The ballot paper actually showed 11 names, but one of those, Roland Desire Aba'a, withdrew from the race two days ago.
Ping, 73, has harnessed discontent over a perceived failure to raise living standards, despite vast oil wealth spread over a population of less than two million.
"The Gabonese are suffering. We are not well paid, our children don't live in good conditions. That's why I voted for change," said Marie Ange N'no, 40, a civil servant outside a polling station in the capital Libreville, but she declined to say who she'd voted for.
Gabon, which has just rejoined OPEC after two decades, has a GDP per capita of $10,000 a year, making it one of the continent's richest countries, yet nearly a third of people live below its national poverty line.
"I want to launch a merciless fight against poverty," Bongo said on the outskirts of Libreville on Thursday.
"It must disappear from our country and I will not stop until we have achieved this."
But the country faces worsening fiscal woes owing to a long-term decline in oil output and a sharp fall in the price of crude over the past two years. Efforts to diversify into agriculture and tourism have yet to bear much fruit.
Oil wealth has flowed mostly to the elite -- for a period Gabon was the world's top per capita champagne importer -- trickling down only via its bloated civil service.
During his father's rule, Gabon was a pillar of "La Francafrique", an intricate, shadowy web of diplomacy, commerce and French military might that kept African autocrats in power and gave French companies privileged access to them.
Bongo has tried to shake off this legacy by presenting a modern face with a development programme run by technocrats.
"As his son, it is difficult to present yourself as something new and technocratic when the whiff of corruption hangs over from the last administration," said Anthony Goldman, head of West Africa-focused PM Consulting.
Yet the opposition has focused on peddling slurs about whether Bongo is Gabonese or an adopted child from eastern Nigeria, a charge he denies. Tensions between the two camps could yet boil over into unrest.
The mixed-race son of a wealthy Chinese trader, Ping is a former foreign minister and African Union Commission chairman who was once close to Omar Bongo and even had a relationship with his daughter, Pascaline, fathering two children by her.
But he fell out with "Bongo Junior", as Gabonese call the president, leaving the ruling party in 2014 to become an outspoken critic.
Ping faces an uphill struggle, not least because Gabon's one-round system means the winner doesn't need a majority as long as he gets more votes than any others.


By Gerauds Wilfried Obangome LIBREVILLE, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Voters in Gabon turned out for an election on Saturday that could mark the greatest challenge yet...


Bongo seeks to prolong 50-year family rule in Gabon vote


U.S. lauds fragile respite between Turkey, Kurdish fighters in Syria
By Angus McDowall , Orhan Coskun and Phil Stewart
BEIRUT/ANKARA/WASHINGTON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - The United States welcomed an apparent pause in fighting between Turkish-backed forces and Kurdish militia fighters in Syria on Tuesday, both of them members of the coalition fighting Islamic State, but it was far from clear that any truce would hold.
Washington has been alarmed by NATO ally Turkey's incursion into northern Syria, launched almost a week ago. The operation, dubbed "Euphrates Shield," aims to push back Islamic State but also to prevent U.S.-backed Kurdish militia fighters from seizing more territory along the Turkish border.
Ankara fears advances by Kurdish fighters as Islamic State is pushed out are aimed at establishing a Kurdish enclave along Syria's northern border, a move which could embolden a three-decade-long Kurdish insurgency on Turkish soil.
The Turkish incursion has left Washington scrambling to get its feuding allies to focus their firepower on Islamic State instead of each other after clashes that have threatened to unravel America's war strategy in Syria.
"The United States welcomes the overnight calm between the Turkish military and other counter-ISIL forces in Syria," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said, using an acronym for the militant group.
U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said the period of calm had lasted 12 to 18 hours and the United States would like it to continue so that all members of the coalition could focus their efforts on fighting Islamic State militants.
A Kurdish military official said a ceasefire between Turkey and Kurdish-backed militia fighters was holding. But Turkish military sources denied there was any such agreement, while a Turkish-backed Syrian rebel commander characterised it only as a "pause" and said that military operations would soon resume.
Turkish-backed forces began their offensive last week by capturing the Syrian frontier town of Jarablus from Islamic State; they then advanced on areas controlled by Kurdish-aligned militias which have U.S. support in battling jihadists.
Washington said the offensive risked undermining the fight against Islamic State.
French President Francois Hollande said he understood Turkey's need to defend itself but that targeting Kurdish forces battling jihadists could further inflame the five-year-old Syrian conflict.
"Those multiple, contradictory interventions carry risks of a general flare-up," he told a meeting of French ambassadors.
Ankara says it will not take orders from anyone on how to protect the nation. The Turkish foreign ministry said on Tuesday military operations in Syria would continue until all threats to Turkish security were removed and that U.S. comments on Turkey's targets in the operation were "unacceptable".
"The statements of U.S. officials about the content and the targets of the Euphrates Shield operation ... are unacceptable and are not in line with the alliance between the two countries," a foreign ministry spokesman said, adding that a complaint had been lodged with the U.S. ambassador to Turkey.
"CROWDED BATTLESPACE"
Eager to avoid more clashes between Turkey and U.S.-backed Syrian fighters, the Pentagon said the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State was establishing communications channels to better coordinate in a "crowded battlespace".
"The improved coordination of armed activities in northern Syria will seek to assure the safety of all forces," Pentagon spokesman Matthew Allen said.
Sharfan Darwish, a spokesman for the Manbij Military Council, said a ceasefire between Turkey and the Jarablus Military Council was holding.
Both councils are allied with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S.-backed alliance of groups including the powerful Kurdish YPG militia that is fighting Islamic State insurgents and has expanded along Syria's frontier with Turkey.
The Jarablus Military Council subsequently said the temporary ceasefire was "under the oversight of the international coalition led by the United States".
Two senior Turkish military sources denied any such truce had been agreed. A commander in one of the Turkish-backed Syrian rebel groups that have clashed with SDF-allied groups south of Jarablus also denied such a deal.
"There is no truce and no ceasefire. But there has been a pause for some time," the commander, who declined to be identified, told Reuters by telephone, adding that the operation would resume shortly.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, also declined to describe the pause in fighting as a ceasefire as such, though he said the intent was similar.
In a boost elsewhere to the fight against Islamic State, its Amaq News Agency reported that the group's spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, one of its longest-serving and most prominent leaders, had been killed in Aleppo.
AFTER COUP, MARK OF TURKISH PRIDE
Turkey's army chief earlier signalled no let-up in Ankara's Syria offensive, saying its successes showed a failed coup in Turkey last month had done nothing to dent the military's power.
"By pursuing the Euphrates Shield operation, which is crucial for our national security and for our neighbours' security, the Turkish Armed Forces are showing they have lost none of their strength," Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar said in a statement to mark a national holiday.
Turkey is still reeling from an attempted coup in July in which rogue military commanders used warplanes and tanks to try to oust President Tayyip Erdogan and the government, exposing splits in the ranks of NATO's second-biggest military.
In a purge of suspected coup sympathisers, 80,000 people have been removed from both civilian and military duties, including many generals, officers and rank-and-file soldiers.
In its Syria offensive, Turkish forces and their rebel allies have taken a string of villages in areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and advanced towards Manbij, a city the SDF seized from Islamic State this month in a U.S.-backed campaign.
Turkey says its forces have struck multiple positions held by the Kurdish YPG militia, part of the SDF coalition.
The YPG says its forces withdrew from the region before the Turkish assault and have already crossed the Euphrates, in line with a demand from the United States to withdraw to the eastern side of the river that flows through Syria or lose U.S. support.


By Angus McDowall , Orhan Coskun and Phil Stewart BEIRUT/ANKARA/WASHINGTON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - The United States welcomed an apparent pause in fighting betwe...


U.S. lauds fragile respite between Turkey, Kurdish fighters in Syria


WASHINGTON — Seven months after a federal judge ordered the State Department to begin releasing monthly batches of the detailed daily schedules showing meetings by Hillary Clinton during her time as secretary of state, the government told The Associated Press it won't finish the job before Election Day.
The department has so far released about half of the schedules. Its lawyers said in a phone conference with the AP's lawyers that the department now expects to release the last of the detailed schedules around Dec. 30, weeks before the next president is inaugurated.
The AP's lawyers late Friday formally asked the State Department to hasten that effort so that the department could provide all Clinton's minute-by-minute schedules by Oct. 15. The agency did not immediately respond.
The schedules drew new attention this week after the AP analyzed the ones released so far. The news agency found that more than half the people outside the government who met or spoke by telephone with Clinton while she was secretary of state had given money — either personally or through companies or groups — to the Clinton Foundation. The AP's analysis focused on people with private interests and excluded her meetings or calls with U.S. federal employees or foreign government representatives.
The AP's reporting was based on official calendars covering Clinton's entire term plus the more-detailed daily schedules covering roughly half her time as secretary of state. The AP first asked for Clinton's calendars in 2010 and again in 2013. It then sued the State Department in federal court to obtain the detailed schedules, and the department so far has provided about half of them under court order.
Clinton has said the AP's analysis was flawed because it did not account fully for all meetings and phone calls during her entire term as secretary. She also said the analysis should have included meetings with federal employees and foreign diplomats. The AP said it focused on her meetings with outsiders because those were more discretionary, as Clinton would normally meet with federal officials and foreign officials as part of her job.
Clinton said she met with people outside government regardless of whether they gave money or charitable commitments to her family's charity.
"These are people I would be proud to meet with, as any secretary of state would have been proud to meet with, to hear about their work and their insights," Clinton said this week on CNN.
With the foundation drawing continued attention, Clinton promised Friday to put in place additional safeguards to prevent conflicts of interest with the charity should she win the White House.
The foundation issue, along with continued focus on her use of a private email server, has dogged Clinton politically throughout the week, drawing strong criticism from opponent Donald Trump.
Trump spokesman Jason Miller released a statement Friday night saying: "It is unacceptable that the State Department is now refusing to release her official schedule before the election in full. Voters deserve to know the truth before they cast their ballots."
Former President Bill Clinton said last week that if she is elected president, the foundation will no longer accept foreign or corporate donations.
The State Department is now estimating there are about 2,700 pages of schedules left. Under its process, it is reviewing and censoring them page-by-page to remove personal details such as private phone numbers or email addresses. In some cases it has censored names of people who met privately with Clinton or the subjects they discussed.
A State Department spokeswoman, Elizabeth Trudeau, declined to discuss the ongoing case and noted the agency is struggling with thousands of public records requests.
In court, the AP in December had asked U.S. District Judge Richard Leon to order the State Department to produce specific percentages of the remaining schedules every 30 days under a formula so that all would be released before the presidential primary elections were complete.
Instead, because the State Department said it did not know how many pages were left, Leon ordered it in January to release at least 600 pages of schedules every 30 days. Each 600-page group covers about three months of Clinton's tenure.
Under the present rate, a government attorney working on behalf of the State Department notified the AP's lawyers, it will take about four and one-half months — or until Dec. 30 — to release all the remaining schedules through the end of Clinton's term, in February 2013. The government's notice late Thursday was the first time the State Department has provided the AP with a measure of how many pages were remaining and when it expected to complete the job.
It was unclear whether the judge will reconsider his earlier decision and order faster results. In the AP's lawsuit over other Clinton-related files, Leon has said it would be "ridiculous" to allow the State Department to delay until even weeks before the election. He also cited "mounting frustration that this is a project where the State Department may be running out the clock."

US: Clinton calendars won't be released until after election


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Saturday, August 27, 2016 at 10:25 pm |
WASHINGTON (AP) - Seven months after a federal judge ordered the State Department to begin releasing monthly batches of the detailed daily schedules showing meetings by Hillary Clinton during her time as secretary of state, the government told The Associated Press it won’t finish the job before Election Day.
The department has so far released about half of the schedules. Its lawyers said in a phone conference with the AP’s lawyers that the department now expects to release the last of the detailed schedules around Dec. 30, weeks before the next president is inaugurated.
The AP’s lawyers late Friday formally asked the State Department to hasten that effort so that the department could provide all Clinton’s minute-by-minute schedules by Oct. 15. The agency did not immediately respond.
The schedules drew new attention this week after the AP analyzed the ones released so far. The news agency found that more than half the people outside the government who met or spoke by telephone with Clinton while she was secretary of state had given money — either personally or through companies or groups — to the Clinton Foundation. The AP’s analysis focused on people with private interests and excluded her meetings or calls with U.S. federal employees or foreign government representatives.
The AP’s reporting was based on official calendars covering Clinton’s entire term plus the more-detailed daily schedules covering roughly half her time as secretary of state. The AP first asked for Clinton’s calendars in 2010 and again in 2013. It then sued the State Department in federal court to obtain the detailed schedules, and the department so far has provided about half of them under court order.
Clinton has said the AP’s analysis was flawed because it did not account fully for all meetings and phone calls during her entire term as secretary. She also said the analysis should have included meetings with federal employees and foreign diplomats. The AP said it focused on her meetings with outsiders because those were more discretionary, as Clinton would normally meet with federal officials and foreign officials as part of her job.
Clinton said she met with people outside government regardless of whether they gave money or charitable commitments to her family’s charity.
“These are people I would be proud to meet with, as any secretary of state would have been proud to meet with, to hear about their work and their insights,” Clinton said this week on CNN.
With the foundation drawing continued attention, Clinton promised Friday to put in place additional safeguards to prevent conflicts of interest with the charity should she win the White House.
The foundation issue, along with continued focus on her use of a private email server, has dogged Clinton politically throughout the week, drawing strong criticism from opponent Donald Trump.
Trump spokesman Jason Miller released a statement Friday night saying: “It is unacceptable that the State Department is now refusing to release her official schedule before the election in full. Voters deserve to know the truth before they cast their ballots.”
Former President Bill Clinton said last week that if she is elected president, the foundation will no longer accept foreign or corporate donations.
The State Department is now estimating there are about 2,700 pages of schedules left. Under its process, it is reviewing and censoring them page-by-page to remove personal details such as private phone numbers or email addresses. In some cases it has censored names of people who met privately with Clinton or the subjects they discussed.
A State Department spokeswoman, Elizabeth Trudeau, declined to discuss the ongoing case and noted the agency is struggling with thousands of public records requests.
In court, the AP in December had asked U.S. District Judge Richard Leon to order the State Department to produce specific percentages of the remaining schedules every 30 days under a formula so that all would be released before the presidential primary elections were complete.
Instead, because the State Department said it did not know how many pages were left, Leon ordered it in January to release at least 600 pages of schedules every 30 days. Each 600-page group covers about three months of Clinton’s tenure.
Under the present rate, a government attorney working on behalf of the State Department notified the AP’s lawyers it will take about four and one-half months — or until Dec. 30 — to release all the remaining schedules through the end of Clinton’s term, in February 2013. The government’s notice late Thursday was the first time the State Department has provided the AP with a measure of how many pages were remaining and when it expected to complete the job.
It was unclear whether the judge will reconsider his earlier decision and order faster results. In the AP’s lawsuit over other Clinton-related files, Leon has said it would be “ridiculous” to allow the State Department to delay until even weeks before the election. He also cited “mounting frustration that this is a project where the State Department may be running out the clock.”

U.S.: Clinton Calendars Won't Be Released Until After Election


WASHINGTON — Seven months after a federal judge ordered the State Department to begin releasing monthly batches of the detailed daily schedules showing meetings by Hillary Clinton during her time as secretary of state, the government told The Associated Press it won’t finish the job before Election Day.
The department has so far released about half of the schedules. Its lawyers said in a phone conference with the AP’s lawyers that the department now expects to release the last of the detailed schedules around Dec. 30, weeks before the next president is inaugurated.
The AP’s lawyers late Friday formally asked the State Department to hasten that effort so that the department could provide all Clinton’s minute-by-minute schedules by Oct. 15. The agency did not immediately respond.
The schedules drew new attention this week after the AP analyzed the ones released so far. The news agency found that more than half the people outside the government who met or spoke by telephone with Clinton while she was secretary of state had given money — either personally or through companies or groups — to the Clinton Foundation. The AP’s analysis focused on people with private interests and excluded her meetings or calls with U.S. federal employees or foreign government representatives.
The AP’s reporting was based on official calendars covering Clinton’s entire term plus the more-detailed daily schedules covering roughly half her time as secretary of state. The AP first asked for Clinton’s calendars in 2010 and again in 2013. It then sued the State Department in federal court to obtain the detailed schedules, and the department so far has provided about half of them under court order.
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Clinton has said the AP’s analysis was flawed because it did not account fully for all meetings and phone calls during her entire term as secretary. She also said the analysis should have included meetings with federal employees and foreign diplomats. The AP said it focused on her meetings with outsiders because those were more discretionary, as Clinton would normally meet with federal officials and foreign officials as part of her job.
Clinton said she met with people outside government regardless of whether they gave money or charitable commitments to her family’s charity.
“These are people I would be proud to meet with, as any secretary of state would have been proud to meet with, to hear about their work and their insights,” Clinton said this week on CNN.
With the foundation drawing continued attention, Clinton promised Friday to put in place additional safeguards to prevent conflicts of interest with the charity should she win the White House.
The foundation issue, along with continued focus on her use of a private email server, has dogged Clinton politically throughout the week, drawing strong criticism from opponent Donald Trump.
Trump spokesman Jason Miller released a statement Friday night saying: “It is unacceptable that the State Department is now refusing to release her official schedule before the election in full. Voters deserve to know the truth before they cast their ballots.”
Former President Bill Clinton said last week that if she is elected president, the foundation will no longer accept foreign or corporate donations.
The State Department is now estimating there are about 2,700 pages of schedules left. Under its process, it is reviewing and censoring them page-by-page to remove personal details such as private phone numbers or email addresses. In some cases it has censored names of people who met privately with Clinton or the subjects they discussed.
A State Department spokeswoman, Elizabeth Trudeau, declined to discuss the ongoing case and noted the agency is struggling with thousands of public records requests.
In court, the AP in December had asked U.S. District Judge Richard Leon to order the State Department to produce specific percentages of the remaining schedules every 30 days under a formula so that all would be released before the presidential primary elections were complete.
Instead, because the State Department said it did not know how many pages were left, Leon ordered it in January to release at least 600 pages of schedules every 30 days. Each 600-page group covers about three months of Clinton’s tenure.
Under the present rate, a government attorney working on behalf of the State Department notified the AP’s lawyers, it will take about four and one-half months — or until Dec. 30 — to release all the remaining schedules through the end of Clinton’s term, in February 2013. The government’s notice late Thursday was the first time the State Department has provided the AP with a measure of how many pages were remaining and when it expected to complete the job.
It was unclear whether the judge will reconsider his earlier decision and order faster results. In the AP’s lawsuit over other Clinton-related files, Leon has said it would be “ridiculous” to allow the State Department to delay until even weeks before the election. He also cited “mounting frustration that this is a project where the State Department may be running out the clock.”

Hillary Clinton calendars won’t be released until after election


The AP's lawyers late Friday formally asked the State Department to hasten that effort so that the department could provide all Clinton's minute-by-minute schedules by Oct. 15. The agency did not immediately respond.


US: Clinton calendars won't be released until after election
WASHINGTON (AP) — Seven months after a federal judge ordered the State Department to begin releasing monthly batches of the detailed daily schedules showing meetings by Hillary Clinton during her time as secretary of state, the government told The Associated Press it won't finish the job before Election Day.
The department has so far released about half of the schedules. Its lawyers said in a phone conference with the AP's lawyers that the department now expects to release the last of the detailed schedules around Dec. 30, weeks before the next president is inaugurated.
The AP's lawyers late Friday formally asked the State Department to hasten that effort so that the department could provide all Clinton's minute-by-minute schedules by Oct. 15. The agency did not immediately respond.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton looks up to audience members as she leaves a campaign event at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nev., Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
The schedules drew new attention this week after the AP analyzed the ones released so far. The news agency found that more than half the people outside the government who met or spoke by telephone with Clinton while she was secretary of state had given money — either personally or through companies or groups — to the Clinton Foundation. The AP's analysis focused on people with private interests and excluded her meetings or calls with U.S. federal employees or foreign government representatives.
The AP's reporting was based on official calendars covering Clinton's entire term plus the more-detailed daily schedules covering roughly half her time as secretary of state. The AP first asked for Clinton's calendars in 2010 and again in 2013. It then sued the State Department in federal court to obtain the detailed schedules, and the department so far has provided about half of them under court order.
Clinton has said the AP's analysis was flawed because it did not account fully for all meetings and phone calls during her entire term as secretary. She also said the analysis should have included meetings with federal employees and foreign diplomats. The AP said it focused on her meetings with outsiders because those were more discretionary, as Clinton would normally meet with federal officials and foreign officials as part of her job.
Clinton said she met with people outside government regardless of whether they gave money or charitable commitments to her family's charity.
"These are people I would be proud to meet with, as any secretary of state would have been proud to meet with, to hear about their work and their insights," Clinton said this week on CNN.
With the foundation drawing continued attention, Clinton promised Friday to put in place additional safeguards to prevent conflicts of interest with the charity should she win the White House.
The foundation issue, along with continued focus on her use of a private email server, has dogged Clinton politically throughout the week, drawing strong criticism from opponent Donald Trump.
Former President Bill Clinton said last week that if she is elected president, the foundation will no longer accept foreign or corporate donations.
The State Department is now estimating there are about 2,700 pages of schedules left. Under its process, it is reviewing and censoring them page-by-page to remove personal details such as private phone numbers or email addresses. In some cases it has censored names of people who met privately with Clinton or the subjects they discussed.
A State Department spokeswoman, Elizabeth Trudeau, declined to discuss the ongoing case and noted the agency is struggling with thousands of public records requests.
In court, the AP in December had asked U.S. District Judge Richard Leon to order the State Department to produce specific percentages of the remaining schedules every 30 days under a formula so that all would be released before the presidential primary elections were complete.
Instead, because the State Department said it did not know how many pages were left, Leon ordered it in January to release at least 600 pages of schedules every 30 days. Each 600-page group covers about three months of Clinton's tenure.
Under the present rate, a government attorney working on behalf of the State Department notified the AP's lawyers, it will take about four and one-half months — or until Dec. 30 — to release all the remaining schedules through the end of Clinton's term, in February 2013. The government's notice late Thursday was the first time the State Department has provided the AP with a measure of how many pages were remaining and when it expected to complete the job.


WASHINGTON (AP) — Seven months after a federal judge ordered the State Department to begin releasing monthly batches of the detailed daily schedules showing ...


Seven months after a federal judge ordered the State Department to begin releasing monthly batches of the detailed daily schedules showing meetings by Hillary Clinton during her time as secretary of state, the government has told The Associated Press it won’t finish the job before Election Day.
The department has so far released about half of the schedules. Its lawyers said in a phone conference with the AP’s lawyers that the department now expects to release the last of the detailed schedules around Dec. 30, weeks before the next president is inaugurated.
The AP’s lawyers late Friday formally asked the State Department to hasten that effort so that the department could provide all of Clinton’s minute-by-minute schedules by Oct. 15. The agency did not immediately respond.
The schedules drew new attention this past week after the AP analyzed the ones released so far. The news agency found that more than half of the people outside the government who met or spoke by telephone with Clinton while she was secretary of state had given money — either personally or through companies or groups — to the Clinton Foundation. The AP’s analysis focused on people with private interests and excluded her meetings or calls with U.S. federal employees or foreign government representatives.
The AP’s reporting was based on official calendars covering Clinton’s entire term plus the more-detailed daily schedules covering roughly half her time as secretary of state. The AP first asked for Clinton’s calendars in 2010 and again in 2013. It then sued the State Department in federal court to obtain the detailed schedules, and the department so far has provided about half of them under court order.
Clinton has said the AP’s analysis was flawed because it did not account fully for all meetings and phone calls during her entire term as secretary. She also said the analysis should have included meetings with federal employees and foreign diplomats. The AP said it focused on her meetings with outsiders because those were more discretionary, as Clinton would normally meet with federal officials and foreign officials as part of her job.
Clinton said she met with people outside government regardless of whether they gave money or charitable commitments to her family’s charity.
“These are people I would be proud to meet with, as any secretary of state would have been proud to meet with, to hear about their work and their insights,” Clinton said this past week on CNN.
With the foundation drawing continued attention, Clinton promised Friday to put in place additional safeguards to prevent conflicts of interest with the charity should she win the White House.
The foundation issue, along with continued focus on her use of a private email server, dogged Clinton throughout the week, drawing strong criticism from Republican opponent Donald Trump.
Trump spokesman Jason Miller released a statement Friday night saying: “It is unacceptable that the State Department is now refusing to release her official schedule before the election in full. Voters deserve to know the truth before they cast their ballots.”
Former President Bill Clinton said a week ago that if she is elected president, the foundation will no longer accept foreign or corporate donations.
The State Department is now estimating there are about 2,700 pages of schedules left. Under its process, it is reviewing and censoring them page by page to remove personal details such as private phone numbers or email addresses. In some cases it has censored names of people who met privately with Clinton or the subjects they discussed.
A State Department spokeswoman, Elizabeth Trudeau, declined to discuss the ongoing case and noted the agency is struggling with thousands of public records requests.
In court, the AP in December had asked U.S. District Judge Richard Leon to order the State Department to produce specific percentages of the remaining schedules every 30 days under a formula so that all would be released before the presidential primary elections were complete.
Instead, because the State Department said it did not know how many pages were left, Leon ordered it in January to release at least 600 pages of schedules every 30 days. Each 600-page group covers about three months of Clinton’s tenure.
Under the present rate, a government attorney working on behalf of the State Department notified the AP’s lawyers, it will take about four and a half months — or until Dec. 30 — to release all the remaining schedules through the end of Clinton’s term, in February 2013. The government’s notice late Thursday was the first time the State Department has provided the AP with a measure of how many pages were remaining and when it expected to complete the job.
It was unclear whether the judge will reconsider his earlier decision and order faster results. In the AP’s lawsuit over other Clinton-related files, Leon has said it would be “ridiculous” to allow the State Department to delay until even weeks before the election. He also cited “mounting frustration that this is a project where the State Department may be running out the clock.”

U.S. won't finish releasing details of Clinton's meetings as secretary of state until after election


Seven months after a federal judge ordered the State Department to begin releasing monthly batches of the detailed daily schedules showing meetings by Hill


ISTANBUL Suspected Kurdish militants fired rockets at the airport in Turkey's main southeastern city of Diyarbakir on Saturday, sending passengers and staff scrambling for shelter, Dogan news agency said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Four rockets were fired at a police checkpoint outside the VIP lounge, and passengers and staff were taken inside the terminal building for safety, the private news agency said. The attack happened not long before midnight (5.00 p.m. ET) on Saturday.
Broadcaster NTV said the rockets landed on wasteland nearby. There were no casualties and no disruption to flights, Diyarbakir governor Huseyin Aksoy told the news channel.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
Diyarbakir is the main city in Turkey's largely Kurdish southeast, where Kurdish militants have waged a three-decade insurgency. The attack comes days after Turkey launched a military incursion into Syria aimed at driving back Islamic State and preventing territorial gains by Kurdish fighters.
Rebels supported by Turkey fought Kurdish-backed forces in northern Syria on Saturday, and Ankara said it had launched air strikes against both Kurdish militia fighters and Islamic State.
Turkey fears Kurdish militia fighters will fill the void as Islamic State is pushed back. It wants to stop Kurdish forces gaining control of a continuous stretch of Syrian territory on its frontier, which it fears could deepen the insurgency by Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants on its own soil.
Diyarbakir airport largely handles domestic flights and is served by carriers including Turkish Airlines.
The PKK, which first took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984, is considered a terrorist organization by Ankara, the United States and the European Union. A ceasefire collapsed just over a year ago, and violence has since surged.
(Reporting by Yesim Dikmen; Writing by Nick Tattersall)

Suspected Kurdish militants fire rockets at Turkey's Diyarbakir airport: media


Suspected Kurdish militants fired rockets at the airport in Turkey's main southeastern city of Diyarbakir on Saturday, sending passengers and staff scrambling for shelter, Dogan news agency said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.


The 36th anniversary of the Terry Fox Run is less than a month away, and registration is open. The run will take place on Sunday, Sept. 18 at 10 a.m., starting and finishing at Blackburn Park. There will be two-kilometre, four-km and 10-km distances. To register, visit www.terryfox.org/Run/_BritishColumbia_.html.


The 36th anniversary of the Terry Fox Run is less than a month away, and registration is open


MASON, W.Va. — The Community Foundation of Mason County, W.Va., has announced Miss Ohio USA 2016, Megan Wise, will speak at the annual benefit dinner at 6 p.m. Nov. 3 at the Riverside Golf Club in Mason.
Wise was born on the military base of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. After her father completed his active duty service, she moved to Ohio to reunite with the rest of her family at the age of five. Megan has called the small town of Gallipolis, Ohio, home for the majority of her life. She pursued a degree in elementary education and graduated from the University of Rio Grande. She recently obtained her master’s degree in educational leadership from Concordia University of Chicago. Wise is currently a first-grade teacher at Meigs Primary school. She also has family roots in Mason County, with the historic Kisar Home in downtown Point Pleasant formerly belonging to her great-grandparents, the late Wayne and Margaret Kincaid.
Megan is energetically involved and very passionate about children’s literacy as she works to instill a love of reading in today’s youth. She inspires audiences through her public speaking engagements to embrace children and provide them with the opportunity to develop a love for reading and education.
“I am elated to have been asked to be the annual benefit speaker for the foundation this year. Sharing my experiences as both a teacher and as Miss Ohio will be an honor,” Wise said.
Christy Crowell, executive director for the Community Foundation of Mason County, said she is anxious to listen to the advice and experiences that Wise can incorporate into the foundation’s theme, “Building a Stronger Future for Mason County Youth.”
“Megan’s love and appreciation for local communities, as well as the message she will deliver at our foundation benefit, make her one of the top sought-after speakers for our event. Our goal is to emphasize the need for youth based programs. You will not want to miss this opportunity to hear Miss Ohio USA and give back to the youth of Mason County at the same time,” Crowell said.
“The Community Foundation of Mason County is delighted to host the reigning Miss Ohio. Children are her passion and children are our focus for our benefit this year. Megan will do an excellent job in inspiring our guests to help sustain a valuable future for the youth of Mason County,” said Marion Liberatore, board chair, Community Foundation of Mason County.
The focus of the MCCF Inc. is to draw attention to and raise funds for charities that directly affect children in need. The foundation’s goal is to encourage community members to help “Build a Stronger Future for Mason County Youth.”
Tickets are on sale now ($50 for seniors and $60 for adults) and table sponsorships can be reserved for the MCCF Inc. Celebration Benefit by calling the foundation office 304-372-4500; or through email at info@cfofmc.com. Seating will be assigned (front row to back) for individual tickets and sponsorships by the date the confirmation is made.
The Community Foundation of Mason County is a non-profit public charity created by local citizens to build permanent endowment funds and issue grants and scholarships to meet community needs. You can learn more about the Community Foundation of Mason County at cfofmc.com or contact Crowell at 304-372-4500 or email at christyc@cfofmc.com.
Meigs Primary School teacher and Miss Ohio USA Megan Wise, pictured, a graduate of the University of Rio Grande, speaks at URG’s commencement earlier this year. http://mydailysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_8.26-PPR-Megan-02.jpg Meigs Primary School teacher and Miss Ohio USA Megan Wise, pictured, a graduate of the University of Rio Grande, speaks at URG’s commencement earlier this year.


SPENCERVILLE — Patrick Henry coach Bill Inselmann didn’t roll out anything too fancy on his return to coaching.
And why should he when he has a tailback like Donny Johnson?
Johnson ended up with 239 yards on 22 carries with four TDs in Patrick Henry’s 34-7 victory over Spencerville on Friday at Spencerville.
It was not only the opener for both teams, it marked the first game back at Patrick Henry for Inselmann, after he took two years off from football.
From 1991 to 2013 he led Patrick Henry to a 200-64 record.
“It’s awesome,” Inselmann said of his return. “It’s a great feeling. I’m really proud of the kids. I really missed it.”
The 5-foot-8, 175-pound Johnson’s four TDs were runs of 51, 9, 80 and 1 yards.
“If it wasn’t for the offensive line, I’m nobody,” Johnson said.
Spencerville also made its share of mistakes, losing three fumbles, which each one resulting in seven Patrick Henry points.
“They are very good and they are very well coached,” Spencerville coach John Zerbe said. “But I think their intensity level surpassed ours and we could never match their intensity. And we’re not the kind of team that can make mistakes and we did make mistakes. And it ended up biting us in the end.”
The first Bearcats’ turnover came with Spencerville driving after it had taken a 7-0 lead on Calvin Wilson’s 36-yard TD run.
Leading 7-0 after its first series, the Bearcats moved the ball to the PH 17 before losing a fumble at the 17.
The Patriots then went 83 yards in five plays to score. Johnson’s 51-yard run off a trap play tied the game at 7 with 2:09 left in the first quarter.
“That was huge,” Inselmann said. “What if we go down 14-0? Then our kids are doubting.”
Zerbe said, “We can’t afford mistakes on the style of offense we play (run oriented).”
Patrick Henry took the lead to stay on an 11-play, 80-yard drive in the second quarter.
On a fourth-and-5 from the Spencerville 25, PH quarterback Mitchell Bonner hit Kent Petersen with a 25-yard TD pass. That gave the Patriots a 14-7 lead with 4:56 left in the first half.
Spencerville lost its second fumble of the game with 37 seconds left before halftime. That proved to be costly.
On the fifth play after the lost fumble, Johnson ran a sweep to the left side for a 9-yard TD to give PH a 21-7 lead with 10 seconds left before halftime.
Johnson’s 80-yard TD run off left tackle made it 27-7, PH, with 8:14 left in the third quarter. During the run, Johnson stopped and then hit a jet stream through the cut-back hole.
“I saw the hole and I accelerated. That’s why I kind of think I’m good at football,” Johnson said with a laugh.
Patrick Henry ended up running for 321 yards.
Spencerville’s Wing-T offense ran for 230 yards. Wilson had 87 yards on 15 carries. Keaton Lotz ran for 85 yards on 16 carries.
In the second half, PH prevented the Bearcats’ runners from getting to the outside.
“I think the defensive coordinator moved the defensive tackles out a little bit wider,” Inselmann said. … “I thought our kids played smart and our kids did not have one turnover. That was a big difference in the game.”
Spencerville’s Calvin Wilson battles for yardage against Patrick Henry’s JJ Rettig (11) and Trey Zimmer (56) during Friday night’s game in Spencerville. http://limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_SpencervilleFB-vs-Patrick-Henry-DS4.jpg Spencerville’s Calvin Wilson battles for yardage against Patrick Henry’s JJ Rettig (11) and Trey Zimmer (56) during Friday night’s game in Spencerville.
By Tom Usher [email protected]
The Lima News sports department can be reached at 567-242-0451.
The Lima News sports department can be reached at 567-242-0451.


. Reveals what they did to his wife while he was away for the Olympics
• Says he can no longer work with those running sports now
• May only return when there’s a true change in sports
• Recalls the efforts of President Buhari through Osibanjo, Lai ` Mohammed, Adeosun
• Wants money meant for the failed chartered flight to be accounted for
C HIEF Coach of the National U-23 team, Samson Siasia is certainly not new to Nigerian football. His latest foray where he led the team to win Nigeria’s only medal at the just concluded Rio 2016 Olympic Games was not the first time the former Super Eagles striker will be on the saddle. Before now he had coached the same team to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games where he won the silver medal after another silver medal in Under 20 World Cup in Holland. In this last assignment for the Rio Olympics, the sports minister Solomon Dalung called him names for taking the team to Atlanta for preparation.
Before then the same minister publicly condemned him for dropping some players who played in the African Championship in Senegal. The minister wanted all those who played in Senegal to be in Rio their fitness level or injuries notwithstanding. The Nigeria Football Federation owed him salaries running up to five months. He never got the support he needed from the ministry to the federation. In this interview with Correspondent Jude Opara, Siasia speaks on his future in Nigeria and many more. Excerpts.
Welcome from Rio Olympics. How does it feel?
It feels good because the end justifies the means. We wanted the gold but we are still happy with the bronze because it made Nigerians happy. The minister accused you of child trafficking for taking the team to Atlanta without his knowledge or consent. How can I take a national team out of the country without their knowledge of the NFF and the Sports Ministry? I really don’t know were that was coming from.We had the plan to travel from Atlanta to Brazil on the 29th of July. But the agent who was handling that did not get us the chartered flight or pay for our tickets, but nothing actually happened and that was when I, on my own, decided to contact an agent, Greg.
But the guy said he would not do anything until he saw that the money was paid into his account. After three days, the guy said he was no longer interested and even told other operators not to deal with us that we were not a serious people. Back to the camp in Atlanta. How was it? The first 10 days was like a hell because we had to struggle to pay for hotel accommodation and feeding because the person, Bunmi, who opted to assist us did not get the necessary support he expected. But after the fist 10 days the Ministry came through the NFF and paid for our bills. But we were stranded in Atlanta because the money they said they paid to one Poopola for us to travel never came and nobody has heard anything about it. What was your level of communication with the both the NFF and the Ministry while in Atlanta? No, nobody called me from the ministry. The Minister was dealing with Mikel may be because he was the captain of the Olympic team. But when we had the plane issue, the Vice President called and I spoke with him like two times, the Finance Minister called and indeed the first person to call was the Minister for Information, Lai Mohammed. I must say he did a nice job to see how to solve our problem because I think the President heard about our plight and instructed that they should find a way to solver the problem. They were, I believe, embarrassed because the issue was even on CNN every time. However, the chartered flight thing never worked out because the guy they were discussing with called me and we tried to see how to arrange the fight but there was no money sent to him and so it didn’t work out too. So the option we had was to arrive Rio the very day we were to play and that could have resulted in a walk-over of our team. We had a chartered 36-seater flight that was to take us to arrive Rio by 2 o’clock while our game was at 9 o’clock. But the players were afraid of that flight because it was very small and when we got to the airport, Delta called thought the same Bunmi guy. In fact, they were supposed to partner with Delta but I don’t know what happened. When they heard of our plight they called him to offer a big plane to fly us the next day so as to arrive five hours before the match. Indeed we were already at the airport to fly that small plane which was paid for by a friend of mine, but when the players heard that Delta was coming, they insisted that we should watt for it. In fact they were almost dying out of fear. When I called Mikel to tell him about the development, he said ‘I beg, please let us wait for tomorrow for the bigger plane which is safer and better’. All the players were happy and excited that we were not going to fly that small plane and perhaps that is the reason they came out to play the way they did with all their mind. Indeed Delta did a great job. Even when the CBN 46 came to the hotel, we refused to tell them about our problems because it was about Nigeria, even though every thing was already in the public domain. Talking to them would not have changed anything. Now Delta said the cost of flying us was about $250,000 dollars but that they were not charging us. They said if we had it the money could be paid to any charity organization of mine or Mikel but we have not seen anything and that appears like another fraud. We took pictures with Delta to promote them and thank them for their support. I am telling you what actually happened. We are still waiting to see where the money that was meant for us to fly to Brazil has gone to. Nobody has said anything. The federal government sent the money to the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) and the NOC said they sent the money to the airline in Florida which up till now they have not received anything, even the airline is planning to sue them for breach of contract because they were supposed to pay some money to them even if they were to cancel the arrangement. That is even another issue. We don’t even know how they are going to settle that. The Minister categorically said he never knew where you were and that you were engaging in human trafficking, is that true? (Laughs) I don’t know what he was talking about. When I first heard about human trafficking and such stuff, I was angry because the Minister knew that we were going to Atlanta. If not that they stole my phone, I would have shown to you his text message to me before we travelled. That day the U-20 defeated us 3-2 in our last warm-up match, the Minister sent me a text that I should come so that we can chat but when I went they said he went to the Villa.
He knew exactly what was going on because there was no way he would not know because the Olympic team is statutorily under his control, it is his baby and that has been the way it is. So I don’t understand why he should say I was engaging in child trafficking. How did you feel about that statement? As I said before I felt very bad but later I didn’t want it to bother me because I know it is not true and I had other more important things to worry about than such comments. Would you say that yours trip to Atlanta has been justified? Yes because they say that the end justifies the means and if not for that it would have been very annoying because after working very hard for two years without anything to show for it would have been disastrous. It would have been a waste of time and effort. I am happy because in spite of all that we went through both here at home and in Atlanta, this is the only team that won a medal for the country.
It felt so good when the Nigerian team was called alongside the Brazilian and German national teams with the Nigerian flag hoisted there, that is what we were talking about, putting Nigeria where so many other countries didn’t have the chance to be and that is why I say that these boys need to be commended for what they did. This is something that money cannot even buy. What did you really play for? We didn’t play for money and in fact there was even no money to play for. So what I told the boys was to ensure they played for their country and for their pride and future so that they could get better clubs because that is the only thing to point to motivate them, given our situation. What was it like in camp? We were on and off the camp for two years with only two training jerseys. You know everything was just wrong from the beginning. The only good thing from this camp is the fact that the boys really came out to play and Mikel showed character and leadership among the younger boys. We worked together to ensure that we got something out of them. It appears that the team has been disbanded because there was no official reception and send forth of the team, so what is the next thing for Samson Siasia? Personally, I was not really surprised that they did not welcome us because most of them were actually waiting and praying for us to fail but we disappointed them by winning that medal. But most sports loving Nigerians who were not on the saddle came out on their own and they were the ones that really appreciated what we did.
Look at this way, if things were done properly, they should have at least informed the Lagos State government that the Olympic team was arriving so that they could welcome us on behalf of the government but nobody told them anything. There was no connection from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) or the Ministry of Sports. They knew we were coming. It was only one staff of the ministry that was sent to take us to hotel. What is your next step with the national team? My next step is that I am done with Nigeria for now. You can’t keep going to a place where they don’t appreciate you. It does not worth it. Sometimes it is not about the money but the approach. They seem not to appreciate the sacrifices. I know how much I have sacrificed since the team began camping two years ago. How can you keep going to people who don’t appreciate you? It does not make sense, so I am done for now. I have to go somewhere else where they will appreciate what I have done and what I can do and pay me the respect that I deserve. But many Nigerians out there still appreciate you. I know and that is why I keep coming to do the dirty jobs for them because of my numerous fans out there but I can’t just continue because those fans are not the policy makers. How can you keep toiling for five months without even your salary? Nothing has changed in the last two years.
It has been from bad to worse, so we must sit down and do something about the structure of Nigerian football and by extension sports in general. It doesn’t worth it to work with the people running sports now in Nigeria. From the Federation to the sports ministry. They don’t have it and will not give what they don’t have. It feels bad. It is like you already have somewhere in mind. No, I don’t have any place in mind. I just have to go an d rest for two months and while I am resting, I will not be the one looking for where to go. There are people who will be doing that. But for me I am done with Nigeria until things change. Imagine any time they have a problem, they will call on me to come and help but they will use me and later dump me.
I have not started any team of the Super Eagles from the beginning, not even one time. I want to thank them very very much. Even before I returned from the Olympics, the only car they gave me, they took it away from my wife. That is just awesome. That is not how to treat someone who was out there seeking glory for the nation. Let them eat their national team. Are you saying you will never come to work for Nigeria again? No not now, I will not change my mind when the same people are there doing the same thing over and over again. If the right people come on board tomorrow then I may reconsider my position because I am also a Nigerian but truly, I will no longer work with these people. We are out of the AFCON, U-20 and U-17 teams have all crashed out, what hope do we have to qualify for the 2018 World Cup? I wish the country well, but before we talk of qualifying we must do the right thing. When we don’t do the right thing and still want to qualify, then it does not work that way. Yes we pray, but other countries also pray and God is a fair God and I believe God will most likely answer the prayer of the person who has worked and prayed. To succeed you must plan and if you don’t plan in any human endeavour, you have planed to fail. But they have hired a new Coach and that is the first step towards succeeding Well they have hired a coach, I wish them well but what time does he have to even know the players he intends to work with? I sincerely pray that he qualifies us for the World Cup. But there is this talk out there that the reason they usually go for foreign coaches is because you Nigerian coaches always collect money to invite players to camp or collect money from players. That is cheep blackmail. No coach who knows his onion will take money and take people who will not assist him to deliver in a championship. We have seen players like Kelechi Iheanacho graduate from the cadet team. If they were taking money how could you discover such good players who are doing well outside?
Probably, they usually run for foreign coaches because those are the ones that may give them cuts from their salary, it is a cheep propaganda to destroy Nigerian coaches. If they want to go for the foreign coaches, let them just do that. Some of them that came before what happened to them?
They ran away but we are here grounded because this is our country. We want to do everything to see her succeed. Even good or bad, we will return here because it is our country, that’s it. If they think we are taking money to recruit these players, what money do these players even have to give to any coach? Mention one of them. Most of them are from poor families. But their agents do pay If the agents succeed in bribing any coach to take a player who is not good enough, then that coach does not know what he is doing and he is not worthy to be called a coach because there is no amount of money that will make a bad player to become a good player. How much can a coach get out of these players and their agents? Again it is two folds, the only reason that a coach may accept to take money is when they don’t pay him for months, and he has pressing problems, even as I insist it is not a good reason. That brings us to the issue of corruption. If you are working and they don’t pay you, that is also corruption on their part.
So they are the architect of all these problems and if they have seen one coach that has taken money, have they confronted him with the player he was said to have collected money from? If they have the fact let them challenge the coach that this player said you took money or that you didn’t play him because he didn’t pay you. If you take such money, you are putting yourself in a lot of problem because if the player is not good he will affect your team and game plan, also if you don’t play him he will talk because he has proof that you took money from him. To me I will never take money to play any player.


The Sao Paolo Orchestra arrived at the Festival last Monday with their principal conductor Marin Alsop with a programme of unusual choral works and a hunk of Shostakovich – his fifth symphony, written in a climate of extreme fear after the murderous Stalin pointed the finger at the composer for “a mess instead of music”.
The Brazilians, revitalised in recent years under Alsop’s stirring baton, have a vigorous, likeable sound that sometimes descends into mild disorder, apparent in Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. But the early evening belonged to the Festival Chorus, impassioned, subtle despite their great numbers, and sweet, clear-voiced treble Taylor Torkington from St Mary’s Music School. More choral amplitude in Villa-Lobos’ Choros No 10, 12 minutes of rhythmic intricacy, the chorus tight and incisive as the rhythms itched about the orchestra. The Shostakovich was less successful – Alsop coaxed intensity from her Brazilian band, but the lot seemed a little flat.
The following night, the Minnesota Orchestra were in the hall, back from the brink of oblivion after an extended pay dispute. This crack orchestral troupe are the quintessential big glossy American orchestra, the strings rich and sweeping, all sections fanatically ordered and cooperative. The effect can lack clarity at times, but the orchestra’s majesty is in its richness of sound.
Chief Conductor Osmo Vanska fielded Sibelius and Beethoven, including a breathtakingly conversational telling of the composer’s Violin Concerto in D minor under the vocal bow of Pekka Kuusisto that trimmed flamboyant dramatic excesses with a dissembling lightness, as if playing a simple folk tune.
Afterwards, Kuusisto spoke of people travelling “not of their own free will” before playing a very moving Swedish folk song “We have sold our homes”. Kuusisto duetting with Vanska on the clarinet, whilst the orchestra laid down their instruments and hummed. It showed the relevance of classical music – indeed music itself – to communicate human experience and feeling in a way that is more direct and immediate than any other art form. A thoroughly gripping telling of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony ended the evening.
Steven Isserlis was no less gripping in his second Queen’s Hall recital of Beethoven sonatas with fortepianist Robert Levin. I could listen to Isserlis all day in this mode, his cello plangent in the opening Adagio sostenuto of the Cello Sonata in G Minor and leaping energetically through the Rondo against the clarity of the fortepiano. More affecting adagio in the late Cello Sonata in C Major, before the Sonata in D Major, written as the composer finally went deaf. Isserlis played the Adagio as if inhabiting a distant world before a triumphant and fiendish finale filled with emphatic playing from both cellist and pianist.
Cosi fan Tutte, in a new co-production between the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Opera de Lille, Korea National Opera and Edinburgh International Festival closed this year’s opera programme on Thursday night in unsettling, incisive vein.
Director Christophe Honore is, in his native France, a respected journalist, author and film director. Cosi is a difficult opera to stage. Its central misogyny is so repugnant that the humour is difficult to stomach. Honore, conversely, re-finds the humour – what there is – by making his characters so dislikeable that they seem to invite their own demise. He removes the action from 17th century Naples to 1930s Africa in a backwater Italian Fascist colony that exists on inhumanity and cruelty. Women are sex objects, usually unwilling – society is caught in a downward spiral of no moral boundaries.
Sexism is bracketed here with racism, women and Africans brutalised, used, and cast aside in equal measure. In the opening scene, set to a 1930s tune about “Mussolini’s” gold in Africa, a local woman is raped by Guglielmo, one of the four central lovers in the piece. It makes the comedy difficult, but Honore admits this and the audience is almost never allowed to relax into familiarity.
When the women, represented by the maid Despina, played by the perky Sandrine Piau, try to play men at their own game, it never works out. Despina nearly gets raped and sings the rest of her aria, shaken, vulnerable; Dorabella and Fiordiligi (the excellent Kate Lindsey and Lenneke Ruiten) are humiliated by their lovers, themselves abhorrent in “blackface”. The only quiet moment is during the barren still of the trio “Soave sia il vento”. And the curtain goes down on Fiordiligi putting a gun in her mouth. What seems clear is that it is that petty power and the lust for it that does for humanity.
The Freiburger Barockorchester are urgent and incisive in the pit under conductor Jeremie Rhorer the cast very fine indeed, backed by the excellent Cape Town Opera Chorus. And if Don Alfonso climbs triumphally on the table in the tawdry interior as he announces “cosi fan tutte” – all women are like this – there is nothing triumphal in the depiction. There is no safe place here but, perhaps, the small love found by Despina and her African servant lover. And Alfonso’s few casual words, set to ravishing music, still repulse more than any directorial tableaux. ■


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A dad falsely claimed almost £10,000 in disability benefits over a three-year period - during which time he had worked as a matchday steward at the Stadium of Light.
John Milburn, 48, was in receipt of disability living allowance, jobseekers allowance and employment support allowance from 2012.
He had been suffering from problems with arthritis and said he was unable to work.
However, his situation improved as such that he gained a door supervisor licence and began to work as a matchday steward at Sunderland Football Club.
Milburn’s dishonesty was uncovered when it was found that he could walk further than the 10 metres at a time he had told the Department for Work and Pensions.
Prosecutor Jeanette Smith told a hearing at Sunderland Magistrates’ Court: “The total overpayment is £9,700.
“He said he was unable to walk for more than 10 metres due to a problem with his hips.
“But he had his door supervisor’s licence and was a steward at the Stadium of Light.
“To do that job he has to be fit.
“He got his door supervision licence in 2012 and he didn’t start work at Sunderland Football Club until September 2014.
“But there is evidence to say he worked sporadically as a door supervisor.”
Milburn, of Sunningdale Road, in Springwell, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to three counts of dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances affecting his entitlement to benefits.
The offences covered a three-year period from January 2012 to April 2015.
Anna Haq, defending, said that her client had suffered from health issues and a relationship problem meant he took on the steward’s job.
“The reason he was entitled to Jobseekers Allowance at the time was that he was suffering from arthritis.
“Since this happened his mental health has been affected quite severely.
“He even struggled to get to court today.”
Ms Haq added: “He accepted casual work at the Stadium of Light and it was only seven hours a fortnight.
“He said he knew the manager and was given the easier jobs.
“His partner at the time, who he had two children with, said if he did not take the job, he would not be able to see the children.
“He does now seek assistance from his GP in relation to his mental health and he is having tests on his liver, so he is a man with a number of health issues.”
Chairman of the bench David Gostling made Milburn, who is now paying the £9,700 overpayment back, the subject of a six-week curfew order while also ordering him to pay £85 in costs.

Sunderland dad falsely claimed £10,000 in benefits while working as Stadium of Light steward


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(CNN) Cape Verde, a remote Atlantic archipelago, is not the most likely candidate for soccer supremacy. And yet, remarkably, the island nation has risen from obscurity to the point where, until a few months ago, they were the top ranking team in Africa.
But how? The obstacles standing in the way of the archipelago, 600 km off the west coast of mainland Africa, are many. The standard of league football isn't that high and resources are limited -- for instance teams based in Santiago, the largest island, all play in the same, old-fashioned stadium. Unlike football-mad Nigeria, with a population of 181 million, Cape Verde only has 500,000 people from which to source footballing excellence.
In April 2000, Cape Verde were languishing at 182nd in the FIFA world rankings. They'd never qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations. Known as the Blue Sharks, in reality they were minnows among the big fish of African soccer. But then Cape Verde won the now defunct Amilcar Cabral Cup, a competition between West African countries, and the ball started rolling.
Over the following 14 years Cape Verde moved into ascendancy, due in part to the -- sometimes literal -- groundwork of FIFA initiatives. In 1998 the nation had no grass pitches -- now there are 25.
"They made great contributions to the development of football in Cape Verde," explains former president of the Cape Verde FA Mario Semedo. "FIFA projects were indispensable in fostering the soccer culture of the region."
It's a soccer culture that humbled former colonial masters Portugal 0-2 in March 2015 and, but for fielding a suspended player , would have taken them to the World Cup in Rio in 2014.
Caught in the dragnet of national team success is a generation of children hoping to emulate their idols. From Semedo to coach Jose Maria Lobo to national team goalkeeper Nilson Batilha, all agree injecting money into grassroots soccer is key.
"Cape Verde is producing excellent players from the senior level down to the youth level," says Batilha. "There is a lot of talent amongst youth and if we don't invest in youth, we won't be able to have good players later."
Another challenge is talent retention. Batilha is one of the few national team players still based in Cape Verde. Most of his teammates have traveled abroad to play in other leagues in pursuit of glory.
This exodus is mostly keenly felt in those who have turned away from the Cape Verdean national squad. Valencia and ex-Manchester United player Nani was born in Praia but opted to represent Portugal; Gelson Fernandes, once of Manchester City, plays for Switzerland. Soccer royalty such as French international Patrick Vieira and Swedish legend Henrik Larsson could both have played for Cape Verde given their parentage.
JUST WATCHED Cape Verde football team defies odds Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Cape Verde football team defies odds 07:06
"Before it was really hard for a player to have any interest in playing for the national team," Semedo admits. "But today things have changed... We have examples of players who have turned down offers to play in other countries so they could play for Cape Verde instead -- and they have no regrets.
"[They] can't buy what we offer them. We give them love, caring and friendship. They aren't admired only when they score a goal or play for the team. Even after retirement, they are cared for; the friendship continues. That is one important aspect about how we and Africa must treat our players so they may contribute to their countries of origin."
They may be able to offer their players love, but former player, coach, and 40 year veteran of Cape Verde soccer Luiz Da Silva says the nation needs to open its coffers if it wants to secure longterm success.
"How is it possible that a team that has made it to the qualifiers, and then qualified [for the African Cup of Nations] must rely on donations to play?" he asks. "That's unheard of."
Cape Verde is not a rich nation, and hardly ever plays friendlies because of the expense incurred. It's a serious handicap, preventing the national coach from experimenting or introducing fresh blood from local teams. Silva argues the lack of trickle-down opportunities stymies soccer at a domestic level.
How long Cape Verde can continue to defy the odds remains to be seen. It's going to take time and money to maintain their remarkable trajectory, and sustained exposure at international level. For the players on the pitch the job is much simpler: keep on winning.
"[Soccer] happens to unify everyone," says captain Marcos Soares. "We hope to continue getting good results so that we can give a good example to the country, particularly for the youth to follow."

Cape Verde's remarkable journey to the top of African football


Cape Verde, a remote Atlantic archipelago, is not the most likely candidate for soccer supremacy. And yet, remarkably, the island nation has risen from obscurity to the point where, until a few months ago, they were the top ranking team in Africa.


Alan Hawe was found dead along with his wife and three sons
This is the first picture of a teacher found dead suspecting of slaughtering his wife and three sons in a murder-suicide at the family home.
Alan Hawe and wife Clodagh were found dead in the downstairs of the property by police before sons Liam, 13, Niall, 11 and six-year-old Ryan were discovered upstairs.
Police are understood to believe Mr Hawe stabbed his wife and three children to death before turning the knife on himself.
A worried relative raised the alarm before the bodies were found in Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan, Ireland at around 10.45am this morning.
Police say the family had been seen in the local community yesterday and officers had 'no reason to suspect anything was untoward' prior to the incident.
PA Five hearses took coffins from the family home
PA The bodies of Alan and Clodagh Hawe and their sons, Liam, Niall and Ryan, were found this morning
The Garda confirmed they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the five deaths.
Assistant Commissioner John O'Disscoll told a press conference: "We believe all the answers are in that house and the most likely scenario is that one person in that house took the life of others.
"Nothing had happened prior to this grim discovery which gave rise to the Garda having any suspicion anything was untoward."
PA It is believed Mr Hawe, a primary school deputy principal, and his school teacher wife were discovered downstairs in the house near Ballyjamesduff
PA One of the hearses leaves the scene at Oakdene following the tragedy
Castlerahan National School, where Mr Hawe worked and the three boys went to school, released a statement expressing the shock of staff and pupils.
It said: "At lunch time today we learnt of the tragic deaths the Hawe family.
"This is a terrible tragedy for the family, our school and our community. We are deeply saddened by this event. Our sympathy and our thoughts are with the extended family and friends.
"Alan was a valued member of our school staff and community. Niall and Ryan were pupils in our school and Liam was a past pupil. They were wonderful children who will be greatly missed by all who knew them.
"Our school has implemented our Critical Incident Management Plan."
Collins Photo Agency Police at the scene of the knife rampage, which has shocked locals
Collins Photo Agency Tributes were today being paid to the family of five
The principal of Castlerahan primary school, Anne Foley, where Mrs Hawe worked revealed that they heard the tragic news this afternoon.
She said: "We learned this afternoon of the death of our colleague Clodagh Hawe.
"This is a terrible tragedy for the families, schools and the communities involved.
"We are deeply saddened by this event. Our sympathies and thoughts are with Clodagh’s family and friends.
"Clodagh was a much loved and valued teacher in our school and will be greatly missed by all who knew her. "
Locals said the father was believed to be from Co Kilkenny originally and was a deputy principal at a national school in Co Cavan.
His wife was believed to be from Co Cavan.
The family, who have all been named locally, were involved with the Gaelic Games Association (GAA) club.
Google Streetview A press conference was held at Ballyjamesduff Garda Station
PA The hearses were pictured leaving the scene today as an investigation got under way
Paddy Smith, a local councillor, said the deaths have been very distressing to all who knew the family in the tight-knit community.
"This has come as complete and utter shock to everybody in the area and everybody who knew the family because they were a very steady, hard working family," he said.
"It is a complete shock, out of the dark, people are just unable to grasp or comprehend what has happened."
Mr Smith added: "They are a very hard working and tight knit community, people just don't know what to say, they are shell shocked at this terrible tragedy."
It comes as investigators have said they believe the family were most likely victims of a murder-suicide.
Their bodies were discovered at the house in Oakdene Downs in the townland of Barconey at around 10.45am.
Garda assistant commissioner John O'Driscoll said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.
"We believe all the answers are within that house - so therefore the most likely scenario is that one person in that house may have caused the death of the others," he said.
"All the circumstances will be explored but as it stands at the moment that is the position."
Mr O'Driscoll described the case as very sensitive.
Investigating gardai have found no evidence that a firearm was used in the incident.
A technical examination being carried out at the property - which has been sealed off as a crime scene - and follow up post mortem examinations are expected to give a more definitive answer as to the cause of the deaths.
A number of objects found in the house are also being subjected to "detailed technical examination".
The family had been mixing with the local community on Sunday and did not raise any suspicions as to what would later happen, Mr O'Driscoll told reporters.
Ah jesus no, that's absolutely shocking. :( RIP to that poor family in Cavan. Dreadfully sad. — Chris Hardiman (@AJoyForever83) August 29, 2016
Dreadful reports emerging regarding deaths of family of five, incl three boys, in Ballyjamesduff, Cavan — Cormac O'Keeffe (@CormacJOKeeffe) August 29, 2016
"Nothing had happened prior to this grim discovery this morning that gave rise to anyone - including An Garda Siochana - having any suspicion that anything was untoward and this family were engaged with the community and seen yesterday," he said.
"None of the activity and interaction with other people gave rise to any suspicion as to what was to happen."
The alarm was raised shortly this morning after someone, thought to be a relative, called to the house but got no answer.
Two officers dispatched to the scene from Monaghan Garda station gained entry to the house and made the grim discovery.
Investigators are continuing to talk to neighbours and the extended family of the victims to piece together clues as to what happened.

First picture of teacher who 'slaughtered wife and three sons in murder-suicide stabbing' in family home


Alan Hawe and wife Clodagh were found dead in the downstairs of their home by police before sons Liam, 13, Niall, 11 and six-year-old Ryan were discovered upstairs


Hillary Clinton attacked her rival Donald Trump last week for his cozy relationship with a new political movement, the Alternative Right, or Alt-Right. The Alt-Right rejects American democracy as did the American communists of the 1930s and the New Left of the 1960s. The main challenge to our way of life today now comes not from the radical left, but the Alt-Right.
Starting in the 1960s, anti-Semites, overt racists, and John Birch Society adherents were cast out of the political mainstream. These outcasts lay low for a while, but they didn’t just disappear. Now their ideological descendants are trying to take over the Republican Party (as well as the country).
The Alt-Right supports the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants and protectionist trade policies. It opposes feminism, diversity, gay rights, globalism, gun control and civil rights.
But it is the underlying ideology of the Alt-Right, rather than its controversial policy positions, that is truly sinister. Alt-Right thought is based on white nationalism and anti-Americanism. The Alt-Right holds, in essence, that all men are not created equal, and that as racial equality has displaced white dominance, America has declined and no longer merits the allegiance of its white citizens.
Alt-Right leaders, unlike Neo-Nazis or KKK supporters, are intellectually and rhetorically sophisticated. Jared Taylor, editor of the American Renaissance website, holds degrees from Yale and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris. On his site, Taylor published “An Open Letter to Cuckservatives” — the Alt-Right’s insulting term for moderate conservatives — laying out his beliefs.
In the letter, Taylor denies the notion that “the things you love about America … are rooted in certain principles.” Rather, “they are rooted in certain people.” That is, white people: “Germans, Swedes, Irishmen, and Hungarians could come and contribute to the America you love,” Taylor says. “Do you really believe that a future Afro-Hispanic-Caribbean-Asiatic America will be anything like the America your ancestors built?” White nationalism is more important than inalienable rights because “Even when they violate your principles, white people build good societies. Even when they abide by your principles, non-whites usually don’t.”
Richard B. Spencer of the National Policy Institute, who went to the Universities of Chicago and Virginia, is openly anti-American. In an interview last July with the New York Times he said: “America as it is currently constituted — and I don’t just mean the government; I mean America as constituted spiritually and ideologically — is the fundamental problem … I don’t support and agree with much of anything America is doing in the world.” He despises “cuckservatives” because “we’ve recognized the bankruptcy of this ideology, based on ‘free markets,’ ‘values,’ and ‘American exceptionalism.’”
In short, this new strain of reactionary thought goes beyond the garden-variety racial prejudice of yore — which certainly was bad enough — to a root-and-branch rejection of American 21st century values. The Alt-Right represents the first new philosophical competitor to liberalism, broadly defined, since the fall of Communism.
Is anyone listening to the Alt-Right? Yes: Key Alt-Right websites the American Renaissance and VDARE — named after Virginia Dare, “the first white child of English parentage born in America” — both received more web visits last November than Dissent and Ms. The National Policy Institute and its Radix Journal together had many more visits than the neoconservative policy journal National Affairs.
So the Alt-Right has an audience — and in Trump, it has a candidate. Trump’s rants about Mexican rapists charging across the southern border, his attacks on an American-born judge of Mexican descent, and his calls to ban Muslims from entering the country, are all in line with Alt-Right ideology. Accordingly, Alt-Right organizations made robocalls for Trump in the Iowa, New Hampshire and Utah primaries.
VDARE declared in July: “We are all Donald Trump Now.” And the website’s editor, Peter Brimelow, wrote last week: “Trump is the best presidential candidate on immigration that we’ve ever had. That’s not saying a lot, goodness knows — but it’s a YUGE advance.”
But VDARE isn’t the Alt-Right flavored publication most closely associated with Trump. That distinction goes to Breitbart News, whose former chair, Stephen K. Bannon, is now the Trump campaign CEO. Bannon has described Breitbart as a “platform for the Alt-Right.” The site even published a helpful “Guide to the Alt-Right” which explained that “young rebels” are drawn to the cause “for the same reason that young Baby Boomers were drawn to the New Left in the 1960s: because it promises fun, transgression, and a challenge to social norms they just don’t understand.” Those norms apparently include tolerance and the concept of racial equality.
The Alt-Right is the first explicitly anti-American political movement to attach itself to a major-party presidential candidate since 1948, when Communists supported the Progressive, former Vice President Henry Wallace. All schools of American political thought — and especially mainstream conservatives — must reject this dangerous ideology.
Thomas J. Main is a professor at the School of Public and International Affairs, Baruch College, CUNY. He is writing a book on the Alt-Right and American politics. He wrote this for the Los Angeles Times.


Hillary Clinton attacked her rival Donald Trump last week for his cozy relationship with a new political movement, the Alternative Right, or Alt-Right. The Alt-Right rejects American democracy as did the American communists of the 1930s and the New Left of the 1960s. The main challenge to our way of life today now comes not from the radical left, but the Alt-Right.