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The North Sea Tall Ships Regatta 2016 is now well and truly under way with large crowds flocking to the waterfront in Blyth for the first day of the event.
The video above shows the scene from the water with the Tall Ships berthed in the Port of Blyth at the North, Commissioners and Dun Cow Quays.
They will be here until Monday when they head out to race across the North Sea to Gothenburg, in Sweden, following a weekend packed full of events and entertainment.
Opening the event, Northumberland County Council leader, Grant Davey, said: "This is the biggest ever event we have hosted for Northumberland and I can’t tell you how pleased I am to see all these magnificent ships lined up along the Quayside. It really is an awe-inspiring sight."
Find our live blog on the homepage to follow all of the action from across the weekend, which is expected to see around 500,000 people descend on the town.
Northumberland County Council, in partnership with the Port of Blyth and Sail Training International, is hosting the prestigious regatta - the only one in the UK this year. Fergusons of Blyth, one of the UK’s leading privately owned haulage companies and the biggest in the North East, is the principal sponsor for the event in celebration of their 90th anniversary.
The Dar Mlodziezy is the largest of the Tall Ships at Blyth. Picture by Ben O'Connell
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The North Sea Tall Ships Regatta 2016 is now well and truly under way with large crowds flocking to the waterfront in Blyth for the first day of the event.


WATCH: Tall Ships in Blyth for start of regatta


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A spectacular display of fire and lights thrilled the crowds at Blyth quayside last night.
Spotlights illuminated the forest of masts from the Tall Ships and performers waved flaming torches, before the ships sounded their horns.
Fire and lights at the Tall Ships.
The display was part of the nightly fireworks display which has lit up the night sky during the four-day event, the biggest event Northumberland has hosted.
The nightly fireworks were accompanied by a film and musical score created by Swedish artist Cecilia Stenbom and UK composer Chris Sharkey, who have worked with the people of Blyth and Gothenburg to produce the show.

VIDEO: Spectacular fire and light display at Tall Ships


A spectacular display of fire and lights thrilled the crowds at Blyth quayside last night.


On the day that Blyth’s Tall Ship Regatta began, the town’s new pub, The Commissioners Quay Inn, took delivery of a handcrafted replica of HMS Victory.
The intricate model of Nelson’s flagship in the Battle of Trafalgar was gifted to the quayside-based pub after it made a donation to The Friends of the Church of Our Lady – a group of volunteers working to preserve the historic 11th century church at Seaton Delaval Hall.
Standing at 88cm high and more than a metre long, the model was donated to the Friends by Margaret McBriarty – whose late husband Terry painstakingly crafted the replica – to help raise funds for the church’s restoration project.
It was presented to The Commissioners Quay Inn general manager Catherine Bellhouse by Mrs McBriarty, where it will take pride of place long after the actual Tall Ships have left Blyth at the end of the festival on Monday.
Catherine Bellhouse said: “We were delighted to support such a worthy, local cause as The Friends of the Church of Our Lady and feel humbled to have such a magnificent artifact on permanent display here at The Commissioners Quay Inn.
“It is very fitting that Mrs McBriarty was able to present the ship to us on the actual day that the Tall Ships themselves arrived at the quay outside and will be a legacy of their visit.
“The model has attracted a lot of attention and interest and certainly bears a striking resemblance to some of the ships in front of the inn today. It’s a real talking point.”
Mrs McBriarty said: “The model of HMS Victory was crafted by my husband. He found building these ships a way of concentrating and relaxing after he took early retirement due to his ill health.
“I’m really pleased that it has linked up with the new Commissioners Quay Inn. My husband would have been delighted that thanks to their generous financial donation he has been able to support this beautiful little chapel.”
The Church of Our Lady has been closed for more than two years due to structural issues, but the volunteers hope to reopen the Norman church next year. Visitors are still able to view the church’s fascinating interior from its porch. Click here to arrange a visit or to make a donation.

Blyth pub takes delivery of handcrafted replica of HMS Victory


On the day that Blyth’s Tall Ship Regatta began, the town’s new pub, The Commissioners Quay Inn, took delivery of a handcrafted replica of HMS Victory.


Another key sponsor has come on board for the North Sea Tall Ships Regatta.
Northumbrian Water has been confirmed as one of the highlight sponsors and will provide important logistical support to the event in August.
Up to 30 Tall Ships are expected to gather at Blyth for the Regatta which takes place over the weekend of August 26 to 29, and features five zones of free family entertainment.
The water company, who supply 2.7 million people across the north east with water and waste water services every day, will supply and manage water supplies to the ships and crew.
These supplies will be provided via temporary overland pipework and hydrants, which will be securely installed along Commissioner’s Quay and Dun Cow Quay.
Northumbrian Water’s external relations manager, Maureen Berne, said: “Water is at the heart of the North Sea Tall Ships Regatta, so it is a natural fit that we are supporting the event.
“As well as providing tap water for ships, we will also treat their waste water at our sewage treatment works on Tyneside, and return it safely back to the environment.
“Northumbrian Water plays a key part in looking after the stunning Northumberland coastline by protecting bathing water quality through our wastewater treatment operations.
“We are very proud to sponsor this event. The tourism and economic benefits the Regatta will bring to the region also support our commitment to help the north east thrive.”
Northumbrian Water estimate that they will treat up to 120,000 litres of waste water from the ships during the course of the event.
Coun Val Tyler, cabinet member for arts, leisure and culture at Northumberland County Council, said: “We are delighted to have Northumbrian Water on board as one of our official partners for this water-based event.
“It’s very fitting that Northumbrian Water plays a key part in looking after our stunning Northumberland coastline, working daily to protect our bathing water quality through its waste water treatment operations.
“It is fantastic that this beautiful stretch of our coastline will be showcased regionally, nationally and internationally during this amazing bank holiday weekend.”
Northumberland County Council, in partnership with the Port of Blyth and Sail Training International, is hosting the prestigious North East Tall Ships Regatta with Fergusons of Blyth confirmed as the Principal Sponsor.
Martin Lawlor, Chief Executive, Port of Blyth, said: “The support of Northumbrian Water as one of our event sponsors is invaluable. They will be providing an important service to the ships and crews and the fact that they will do this in a way that’s sustainable and non-harmful to the local environment is hugely important.”
Northumbrian Water’s leisure team will be in Ridley Park during the event.

BLYTH TALL SHIPS: New sponsor on board for Regatta


Another key sponsor has come on board for the North Sea Tall Ships Regatta.


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I invite readers to join me in hosting a World Tea Party this summer.


Northumbria Police’s Op Dragoon team are supporting a European day of action to reduce the number of people killed on our roads.
European road safety network TIPSOL is hoping that September 21 will be the world’s first European Day Without A Road Death and called on the support of all road users on the continent.
The campaign is aimed at encouraging the public to reflect on their behaviour and attitude towards driving in a bid to reduce the risk of a serious accident on our roads.
The Op Dragoon team has already been working hard to educate people about the dangers of our roads and regularly visit schools, colleges and events to spread the road safety message.
In the past 12 months, the number of fatalities on our roads has fallen by 32 per cent following a number of road-safety campaigns, but despite that, 26 people were still killed on our region’s roads.
Now Op Dragoon is throwing its weight behind the initiative – dubbed Project Edward – and want the public to show their support by posting pictures of the number zero on Twitter. People will be encouraged to make the number zero with their hands or using road-related objects such as a tyre, steering wheel or a branded logo on their vehicle.
Chief Inspector John Heckels, head of the Op Dragoon team, said: “One death as a result of a road traffic accident is one too many and more work still needs to be done to help make our roads safer.
“Losing a member of your family is devastating and one of the most difficult parts of our job is knocking on the door of a victim’s family to break the news that their loved one has passed away.
“People may get behind the wheel and think they are invincible, but we know that is simply not the case. Collisions can happen in a blink of the eye and the results can be horrendous.
“We know that there will probably be more fatalities on our roads in the future, but those types of incidents are far less likely to occur if people treat the roads, and other road users, with respect.
“Everyone is a road user in some way or another whether you’re a taxi driver, farmer, motorcyclist, pedal cyclist, haulier, public transport provider, horse rider, walker, young child or patient transport user.
“We want you all to be involved in this campaign and play your part in making our roads safer. Tweet us a picture and make it obvious to us what kind of road user you are.
“If you’re a lollipop person, let us see your uniform. If you’re a tractor driver, show us your boiler suit. We want everyone to get behind this campaign and get everyone to back this campaign.”

Police team backs European road-safety day


Northumbria Police’s Op Dragoon team are supporting a European day of action to reduce the number of people killed on our roads.


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Ships crews - real and make-believe - paraded through the streets of Blyth today.
More than 1,000 crew and local people took part in a fabulous event to commemorate the second day of the Tall Ships coming to Northumberland.
The Tall Ships crew and community parade. Picture by John Tuttiett Photography
Crews from the 23 ships berthed in the town for the four-day spectacular wound their way through their adopted home.
Alongside the uniformed crews were bands of pirates, Vikings and even a kilted Scot on a mobility scooter
The Blyth Carnival, organised by Headway Arts, was part of an exciting cultural programme of events for The North Sea Tall Ships Regatta Blyth 2016 thanks to support from the Arts Council England. The carnival last took place in the late 1980s.
Regatta organisers secured £120,000 from Arts Council England and National Lottery funded Grants for the Arts programme to support the plans which include the re-imagining of the carnival.
The grant is also supporting the large scale evening performances of music, image and pyrotechnics complemented as well as international street theatre, music and circus over the August bank holiday event.
Coun Val Tyler, cabinet member for arts, leisure and culture, Northumberland County Council: “It’s been another amazing day in Blyth, with the carnival and crew parade being a personal highlight - the efforts by everyone involved was very evident from the smiles on the faces of everyone who came.”
Martin Lawlor, chief executive, Port of Blyth said: “The Regatta is in full-swing now and today has been extremely popular with visitors coming from near and far to see the ships and enjoy all the entertainment. It really is an impressive sight.”
Alan Ferguson, chairman of Fergusons of Blyth, the event’s principal sponsor, said: “The sights, sounds and colour of the Regatta today have been truly memorable and testament to all the hard work which has gone on in the run-up to and during the Regatta."
Lisa O’Connor, from Blyth, said: “I want to say what a spectacular event my home town Blyth has put on for us. The organisers have done an amazing job - made us all proud of this town. The organisers certainly planned this event amazing. Thank you for a wonderful time, fireworks, etc. You made us all proud of our home town.”
The county council, in partnership with the Port of Blyth and Sail Training International, is hosting the prestigious Regatta. Fergusons of Blyth, one of the UK’s leading privately-owned haulage companies and the biggest in the North East, is the principal sponsor in celebration of its 90th anniversary.
The Regattat will be open until 10pm today and Sunday and 5pm on Monday.
Visitors can still benefit from the discounted event parking rate of £5 (+50p booking fee) until midnight the night before the day they wish to attend, by visiting http://www.tallshipsblyth2016.com/parkandride#info Or parking is £10 cash only on the day.
There is no event parking in Blyth town centre over the weekend but an extensive park and ride system is in operation. For full details visit www.tallshipsblyth2016.com
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story TALL SHIPS SLIDESHOW: Crews and colourful characters on parade Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area...


Ships crews - real and make-believe - paraded through the streets of Blyth today.


TALL SHIPS SLIDESHOW: Crews and colourful characters on parade


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A special relationship between Blyth and Gothenburg, in Sweden, which has helped see the Tall Ships Regatta come to Northumberland, has been praised.
The Blyth and Gothenburg programme brings together the communities of South East Northumberland and Sweden to celebrate the Blyth Tall Ships Regatta to Gothenburg. The ships leave Blyth today and will race to Gothenburg, which will then host its own celebration event.
Conny Brannberg
The cultural collaboration agreement with West Sweden was first signed by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership in 2012.
And Swedish representative Conny Brannberg, president of the cultural affairs committee, has praised the event in Blyth and says Gothenburg is looking forward to hosting the ships.

VIDEO: Cultural relationship between Blyth and Gothenburg praised


A special relationship between Blyth and Gothenburg, in Sweden, which has helped see the Tall Ships Regatta come to Northumberland, has been praised.


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The Tall Ships Regatta is a photographer's dream and we've got another selection of pictures to give you a flavour of the event.
This slideshow shows crew members of the Dar Mlodziezy meeting some of the thousands of visitors to the quayside; some of the 200 members of the St John Ambulance Brigade who are doing sterling work at the Regatta; Branson Reay, from Killingworth, getting a lesson in knot tying from Nigel Horn of the Ocean Youth Trust and a crew member of the Fryderyk Chopin out on the yard arm.
Crew from the Dar Mlodziezy meet some of the visitors. Picture by John Tuttiett Photography
And of course more pictures of the magnificent Tall Ships themselves.
Thanks to John Tuttiett Photography and Anne Hopper for the pictures.


The Tall Ships Regatta is a photographer


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Families have been enjoying live music and other fun activities in the sunshine at the Blyth Tall Ships regatta this afternoon.
As well as the parade that is currently taking place, entertainment is being provided at the beach, bandstand, in the Market Place and at Ridley Park.
A large crowd enjoy a circus skills show in Ridley Park.
There is also a stage at Dun Cow Quay and the video shows the Sing Morpeth community choir in action.
Funfair attractions are across the site and those coming along will likely run into a pirate or two.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story WATCH: Plenty of entertainment on offer at Tall Ships Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area...


Families have been enjoying live music and other fun activities in the sunshine at the Blyth Tall Ships regatta this afternoon.


WATCH: Plenty of entertainment on offer at Tall Ships


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The North Sea Tall Ships Regatta reached its climax today with a stunning Parade of Sail.
The majestic Tall Ships set sail from Blyth this afternoon, in what was a fitting finale to the four-day nautical extravaganza the town has hosted over the bank holiday weekend.
One of the Tall Ships in the Parade of Sail.
The ships started to leave the port at about 12.45pm. The fleet set sail south along the coast towards St Mary’s Lighthouse before heading to a point several miles off the coast to prepare for the race start to Gothenburg, Sweden.
Ships in the Parade of Sail included Dar Mlodziezy, of Poland, which was the largest vessel at the regatta; the Shtandart, from Russia, which is a replica of the 1703 frigate built by Peter the Great; and Lord Nelson, from Hartlepool.

WATCH: Tall Ships leave Blyth in spectacular Parade of Sail


The North Sea Tall Ships Regatta reached its climax today with a stunning Parade of Sail.


The sharp drop in GCSE grades nationally does not mirror the regional picture, with top grades in the North East seeing the smallest change.
This year’s GCSE grades have seen a significant fall in pupils achieving A* and A grades. However, the official results show that while the North East has seen a dip of 0.3 per cent in numbers of pupils achieving the coveted top grades, it is the region with the smallest change since last year.
Other regions, such as the North West and Eastern Regions, have seen a one per cent drop since 2015, while the North East leads the way with the lowest drop, followed by London with 0.5 per cent.
However, the region did experience a change for the worse in A* to C grades since 2015, down 2.1 per cent from last year’s 67.2 per cent.
The overall drop in GCSE grades is being blamed on the significant number of pupils aged 17 or over being required to resit English and maths. An extra 31,038 entries for English and 42,649 in maths have skewed this year’s results, as candidates resitting these exams have achieved significantly lower grades than their younger counterparts taking the exam for the first time.
Mike Parker, director of SCHOOLS NorthEast, said: “Nationally, schools were expecting mixed results and this year’s GCSEs are a reflection of the impact that ‘one-size-fits-all’ government policies can have on education.
“There are significant issues stemming from this year’s results that need addressing. The gender gap has widened further, with far more girls achieving grade C or above than boys. The choice of subjects remains heavily divided, continuing to fuel gender stereotypes; a far greater proportion of boys chose STEM-related (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects, while girls showed a heavy inclination toward humanities and social sciences.
“The Government’s emphasis on the English Baccalaureate and the new Progress 8 assessment criteria seem to be putting schools off teaching more creative and vocational subjects. The Government should reconsider their approach and make sure they provide all pupils with the opportunity to excel, whether it is in English and maths or design and technology.”

GCSE RESULTS: North East schools buck trend


The sharp drop in GCSE grades nationally does not mirror the regional picture, with top grades in the North East seeing the smallest change.


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Tonight is the last chance to see the fabulous fireworks display which has been lighting up the night sky at the Tall Ships festival.
The fireworks, visible for miles around and seen here on a video by John Tuttiett Photography, have been thrilling both visitors and people all around the area for the last two nights.
Fabulous fireworks at Blyth. Picture by Brian Smith
The display is accompanied by a film and musical score created by Swedish artist Cecilia Stenbom and UK composer Chris Sharkey, who have worked with people from Blyth and Gothenburg to produce the stunning experience.
Tonight's display starts at 9pm.

VIDEO: Watch the stunning Tall Ships fireworks display


Tonight is the last chance to see the fabulous fireworks display which has been lighting up the night sky at the Tall Ships festival.


Sorry, we're having problems with our video player at the moment, but are working to fix it as soon as we can
The chief executive of Blyth Tall Ship project says that the four-day regatta will put the town on the map.
The ambitious project is restoring a 100-year-old Baltic Trader in a bid to recreate the original voyage of Captain William Smith that discovered the first land in Antarctica in 1819. Captain Smith’s vessel was built in Blyth after he raised funds to do so.
Clive Gray, chief executive of Blyth Tall Ship project.
As a result, Blyth Tall Ship is helping to transform the lives of young people through heritage boat-building. Volunteers – including unemployed teenagers and experienced maritime engineers – are working on the restoration project.
And speaking from the group’s workshop in the town, chief executive Clive Gray is delighted that Blyth is hosting the Tall Ships Regatta, which runs from today until Monday.
He said: “It’s one of the biggest things that has happened in the county. It shows that Blyth is mature enough and is in a good enough place to host something of this nature.
“It’s a fantastic event and it puts Blyth on the map. Long term, it will change the way that people think about the town and give people a lot of confidence in the town.”
For updates, pictures, videos and interviews from the regatta, follow our live feed throughout the weekend.

WATCH: ‘Tall Ships Regatta puts Blyth on the map’


The chief executive of Blyth Tall Ship project says that the four-day regatta will put the town on the map.


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Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to visit Blyth this bank holiday weekend as it hosts the North Sea Tall Ships Regatta 2016.


Beer Today, Gone Tomorrow is the one-stop home for Asheville-area beer news. Check back throughout the week for updates and send your own to wncbeertoday@gmail.com.
Bottle/can releases
Following its release at the Funkatorium last Saturday, bottles of, Wicked Weed Brewing‘s collaboration with Athens, Ga.-based Creature Comforts Brewing Co., are expected to hit specialty retail shelves this week. As the name would imply, Juiceless is a fruit-forward IPA brewed entirely without fruit, deriving all fruit notes from its hop bill.
Bolo Coconut Brown will return on draft and in 16 -ounce cans on Friday, Sept. 2, at the Burial Beer Co. taproom and specialty retailers.
will return on draft and in 16 -ounce cans on Friday, Sept. 2, at the Burial Beer Co. taproom and specialty retailers. On Saturday, Sept. 3, Burial Beer Co. will release Adoration of the Mystic Lamb Session Brett fermented with 100 percent brettanomyces, dry-hopped with Galaxy hops and bottle conditioned for two months on fruit nectar. Bottles will be for sale at the indoor and patio bars. The 750-milliliter bottles will cost $14 each and will not see distribution. There is no purchase limit.
Small-batch beers
Brewed in collaboration with the Pink Boots Society, Asheville Brewing Co. brings back its 5 percent ABV Apricot Gose at both brewpubs Friday, Sept. 2, at 5 p.m. Pink Boots Apricot Gose is brewed with Azacca hops, coriander seed, and pink Himalayan sea salt with apricot purée.
is brewed with Azacca hops, coriander seed, and pink Himalayan sea salt with apricot purée. Twin Leaf Brewery is releasing a Blackberry Basil Saison , a 5.8 precent ABV light pink saison brewed with fresh blackberries and African basil from Rayburn Farms.
, a 5.8 precent ABV light pink saison brewed with fresh blackberries and African basil from Rayburn Farms. Boojum Brewing Co. in Waynesville releases Hop Fiend IPA on draft at the taproom and through distribution. Hop Fiend is 6.5 percent ABV, 80 IBU IPA hopped with Mosaic, Simcoe and Citra.
Special events

Beer today, gone tomorrow: Asheville beer happenings Aug. 30-Sept. 5


Wicked Weed's collaboration with Creature Comforts hits distribution, breweries benefit the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and Thirsty Fest 2016 kicks off.


NEW ORLEANS (AP) — U.S. Coast Guard officials say one person has been rescued and crews are searching for two others after a small plane crashed into a lake near a New Orleans airport.
Multiple media reports say Coast Guard personnel responded to the scene Saturday night after the aircraft crashed in the vicinity of the Seabrook Bridge near New Orleans Lakefront Airport. The airport is located adjacent to Lake Ponchatrain, about 10 miles northeast of downtown New Orleans, Louisiana.
Coast Guard officials say the Cessna training flight crashed about 8:30 p.m.
The person rescued was transferred to a New Orleans hospital in unknown condition.
No further details were immediately available.

1 rescue, water search ongoing after New Orleans plane crash


ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta police investigating a woman’s report that she was sexually assaulted by an Uber driver say they now believe the suspect posed as a driver to lure her into his car, the most recent of several attacks by phony Uber drivers around the nation.
Within the past 12 months, police in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Orlando, Florida, have issued alerts to warn residents about people pretending to be Uber drivers and preying on unsuspecting customers.
The 20-year-old woman told officers she was leaving the Park Bench Pub on Atlanta’s north side about 2:30 a.m. Aug. 13 when she contacted Uber to get a ride home, police said.
The woman told officers that instead of taking her home, the driver took her to Chastain Park, about 2 miles away, and assaulted her. Police say the driver eventually pushed her out of the car after she fought back.
Atlanta police Sgt. Warren Pickard told reporters at a news conference Thursday that some Uber drivers wait outside bars anticipating that people will need rides, much like taxis do.
“He just generally picked up on that methodology and it just so happened that she got into the car,” Pickard said.
Similar cases have been reported in several cities, including Los Angeles, where a man in April was arrested and accused of luring a woman into his SUV, and then raping her and choking her until she became unconscious.
The woman fought back and was choked unconscious at least three times before she managed to scream loud enough to alert neighbors, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said.
In Washington, D.C., police warned residents to be on guard after a woman on Oct. 10 entered a silver sedan, “which she mistook as an Uber car,” the Metropolitan Police Department’s alert states. The driver had a knife, and sexually assaulted her, police said in the statement.
Within the past week, University of Florida police warned students that a man in a Chevy Malibu with Uber stickers on the car has been soliciting rides around campus. The driver, who is not affiliated with Uber, “is specifically targeting female students,” police said in a statement on Sunday, warning students to be vigilant about their safety. University police said they knew of no criminal activity, but asked that anyone with information about the driver contact them.
Uber advises that customers take several steps to ensure that their driver is an actual Uber driver, a company spokeswoman said in a Friday statement to The Associated Press.
Riders are advised to only ride with drivers they request through the Uber app, not by flagging down cars. Before the trip begins, customers also should double check the vehicle’s license plate, the driver’s name and photo to make sure they match the information they receive through the app when requesting a ride, the statement said.
Customers may also share details during the trip with family and friends, such as their estimated time of arrival and specific route, Uber said in the statement.

Police seek man who posed as Uber driver, attacked woman


BELLMEAD, Texas (AP) — Police say a Texas man is accused of beheading his wife just hours after officers visited the couple for a welfare check.
Bellmead police Sgt. Kory Martin says officers visited 23-year-old Davie Dauzat and his 21-year-old wife, Natasha, on Thursday at their mobile home in Bellmead after a relative called police. Officers found no trouble and left.
Martin says a relative called police again two hours later to say Dauzat had killed his wife. Police returned and found Natasha Dauzat had been decapitated. The couple’s two toddlers were home, but not hurt.
McLennan County jail records show Dauzat is being held Friday on a murder charge. Bond is set at $500,000. No attorney is listed to speak on his behalf.
Bellmead is 80 miles south of Dallas.

Texas man charged with beheading wife after police visit


YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) — Tourist John Gleason crept through the grass, four small children close behind, inching toward a bull elk with antlers like small trees at the edge of a meadow in Yellowstone National Park.
“They’re going to give me a heart attack,” said Gleason’s mother-in-law, Barbara Henry, as the group came within about a dozen yards of the massive animal.
The elk’s ears then pricked up, and it eyed the children and Washington state man before leaping up a hillside. Other tourists — likewise ignoring rules to keep 25 yards from wildlife — picked up the pursuit, snapping pictures as they pressed forward and forced the animal into headlong retreat.
Record visitor numbers at the nation’s first national park have transformed its annual summer rush into a sometimes dangerous frenzy, with selfie-taking tourists routinely breaking park rules and getting too close to Yellowstone’s storied elk herds, grizzly bears, wolves and bison.
Law enforcement records obtained by The Associated Press suggest such problems are on the rise at the park, offering a stark illustration of the pressures facing some of America’s most treasured lands as the National Park Service marks its 100th anniversary.
From Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains to the Grand Canyon of Arizona, major parks are grappling with illegal camping, vandalism, theft of resources, wildlife harassment and other visitor misbehavior, according to the records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
In July alone, law enforcement rangers handled more than 11,000 incidents at the 10 most visited national parks.
In Yellowstone, rangers are recording more wildlife violations, more people treading on sensitive thermal areas and more camping in off-limit areas. The rule-breaking puts visitors in harm’s way and can damage resources and displace wildlife, officials said.
Often the incidents go unaddressed, such as when Gleason and the children approached the bull elk with no park personnel around. Gleason said he was “maybe” too close but felt comfortable in the situation as an experienced hunter who’s spent lots of time outdoors.
These transgressions add to rangers’ growing workload that includes traffic violations, searches for missing hikers and pets running off-leash in parks intended to be refuges of untrammeled nature
“It’s more like going to a carnival . If you look at the cumulative impacts, the trends are not good,” said Susan Clark, a Yale University professor of wildlife ecology who has been conducting research in the Yellowstone area for 48 years. “The basic question is, ‘What is the appropriate relationship with humans and nature?’ We as a society have not been clear about what that ought to be, and so it’s really, really messy and nasty.”
Recent events at Yellowstone grabbed national headlines:
— A Canadian tourist who put a bison calf in his SUV hoping to save it, ending with wildlife workers euthanizing the animal when they could not reunite it with its herd.
— Three visitors from Asia cited on separate occasions for illegally collecting water from the park’s thermal features.
— A Washington state man killed after leaving a designated boardwalk and falling into a near-boiling hot spring.
The flouting of park rules stems from disbelief among visitors that they will get hurt, said Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk. “I can’t tell you how many times I have to talk to people and say, ‘Step back. There’s a dangerous animal,’ and they look at me like I have three heads,” he said.
Inconsistent record keeping, including a recent switch to a new criminal offenses reporting system, makes it difficult to identify trends that apply uniformly across the major parks.
But the records reviewed by the AP reveal the scope of visitor misbehavior is huge. In Yellowstone, administrators and outside observers including Clark say the park’s problems have become more acute. That threatens its mission to manage its lands and wildlife “unimpaired” for future generations.
Beyond incidents that lead to citations are many more that result in warnings. More than 52,000 warnings were issued in 2015, up almost 20 percent from the year before.
Washington state resident Lisa Morrow’s son was among the children Gleason led toward the elk. Despite safety advisories — and numerous examples of visitors getting gored by bison, mauled by bears and chased by elk — Morrow declared herself unafraid of the park’s wildlife. She said she was eager to see a grizzly up close.
“I want to see one right there,” Morrow said, pointing to a spot just feet away. “I’d throw it a cookie.”
The top 10 parks by visitation collectively hosted almost 44 million people last year, according to National Park Service figures. That’s a 26 percent increase from a decade earlier, or more than 9.1 million new visitors combined at Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite and the other national parks on the list.
Yellowstone boasts the most large, dangerous carnivores among those parks, but each has its risks. In Rocky Mountain National Park, it’s elk that become more aggressive during mating season. In Yosemite, it’s towering waterfalls where visitors insist on swimming near the edge. In the Grand Canyon, it’s squirrels habituated to humans and sometimes quick to bite an outstretched hand.
Wenk said the rise in popularity of social media complicates keeping visitors safe.
“You take a picture of yourself standing 10 feet in front of a bison, and all of a sudden a few hundred people see it, and it’s reposted — at the same time we’re telling everybody wildlife is dangerous,” Wenk said. “They get incongruous messages and then it happens. They get too close, and the bison charges.”
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Associated Press writer Amy Beth Hanson in Helena contributed to this report.
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Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter at https://twitter.com/matthewbrownap

Visitor misbehavior abounds as US parks agency turns 100


LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on reports of a shooter and evacuations at Los Angeles airport (all times local):
10:15 p.m.
Police say no gunman has been found and no shots were fired at Los Angeles International Airport after reports of an active shooter brought a scare to hundreds of travelers.
Los Angeles police spokesman Andy Neiman said Sunday night that the reports were spurred by loud noises only, and police are still investigating to find the source of them.
The reports caused people to pour on to sidewalks and out on to the tarmac at the airport.
Later, people could be seen walking back into the airport and flights starting to take off again.
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9:40 p.m.
Police say they are searching the terminals and social media posts show many people fleeing Los Angeles International Airport amid rumors of a possible shooting.
Airport police say they are searching terminals on Sunday night, but there is no confirmation of any shootings or injuries.
Scores of people could be seen on social media and on TV news running from the terminal out on to the sidewalks and streets. Many other evacuees are standing on the airport tarmac.
Airport police say traffic to the terminal area has been closed.

The Latest: Police find no gunman at Los Angeles airport


CHICAGO (AP) — After threatening to sue, the Chicago Tribune has obtained data from the city’s police department that tracks every time an officer has opened fire in the city over the past six years. The vast majority of those hit were black men or boys.
There were 435 police shootings from 2010 through 2015, in which officers killed 92 people and wounded 170 others. In all, officers fired 2,623 bullets.
The newspaper’s findings (http://trib.in/2bkSzNO ) show about four out of every five people shot were African-American males. It found that about half of the officers involved were African-American or Hispanic and most of them had years of experience and were not rookies.
The review also said the number of police shootings has declined over the period, from more than 100 in 2011 to 44 last year.
The city is making major changes to the department and various oversight bodies after the uproar over a 2014 shooting in which a white officer fired 16 bullets into a black teenager. Video of that fatal shooting, which was released upon a judge’s order in November, contradicted officers’ accounts that the teen lunged at them threateningly with a knife. The officer who fired those shots has been charged with first-degree murder.
Despite heightened scrutiny of the department and promises from the city of more transparency, the Tribune said it took seven months of arguing and the threat of a lawsuit to prod the city to release the data.
Most of the police shootings took place in South and West Side neighborhoods beset by gang violence and poverty. At least one of every five shootings involved plainclothes tactical officers charged with taking on gangs, the newspaper found.
Police union President Dean Angelo Sr. defended the department’s record against accusations of racial bias.
“When you look at the map, 80 percent of narcotics arrests, gun arrests and gang arrests happen in these poor areas,” he told the newspaper. “Where you’ve got dope, you’ve got guns. It’s not about ethnicity — it’s about criminal involvement.”
He also said officers face split-second decisions about when to use lethal force to protect themselves.
But community activist Charles Jenkins told the Tribune he believes the race of those shot influences the investigations into the shootings.
“It’s easier to believe, because they’re black, that an officer was in fear of their life and get(s) off,” he said.
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Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com

Report: Black men, boys shot most by Chicago police


CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A prominent opposition leader has been jailed again after being picked up by intelligence agents before dawn at the Caracas home where he was held under house arrest on civil rebellion charges.
Patricia Gutierrez said that the agents arrived at her apartment at 3 a.m. Saturday saying they were taking her husband, Daniel Ceballos, in an ambulance to have a medical exam. She says they instead transported the former mayor of San Cristobal to the same jail where was held for more than a year until August 2015, when he was granted house arrest for kidney problems.
The government did not immediately comment, but Gutierrez published a copy of the judge’s order on Twitter.
Ceballos was a leader of anti-government unrest in 2014 that was blamed for dozens of deaths.

Venezuelan police jail prominent activist in pre-dawn raid


ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) — Police in New York are investigating a brawl on the campus of Cornell University that left an Ithaca College student dead and another Ithaca student injured.
Both schools posted statements on their websites on Sunday, saying the two students were stabbed around 2 a.m. during a large fight.
“There is nothing more important than the safety of our community; as such, this incident is deeply disturbing,” said Ryan Lombardi, the vice president for student and campus life at Cornell.
Police said several hundred college-age people had attended a student-organized event at the student union, and that several fights broke out afterward.
Officials identified the slain student as Anthony Nazaire, a 19-year-old sophomore majoring in business administration from Brooklyn.
“He graduated from Brooklyn Theatre Arts High School, and at IC he was a member of the executive board of Brothers4Brothers, a student organization dedicated to empowering men of color on our campus,” said Ithaca College President Tom Rochon.
The other unidentified Ithaca student was treated and released from a hospital.
“I ask that you keep Anthony’s family, the student who was injured, and their friends and loved ones in your thoughts and prayers,” Rochon said.
Police did not identify any suspects in the stabbing. They said they were interviewing witnesses, and urged anyone with video of the incident to come forward.
Both schools said that counseling would be available to students, faculty and staff.
Rochon said a campus-wide gathering is scheduled for Monday at 4 p.m. at the school’s chapel.

Police probe Cornell brawl that left Ithaca student dead


Suddenly unsure on immigration, Trump trying to clear it up
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — It’s been the driving issue of Donald Trump’s campaign. Build a wall along the southern border. Make Mexico pay for it. And expel everyone living in the U.S. illegally with the help of a “deportation force.”
Ten weeks before the election, however, buffeted by conflicting advice from aides and advisers, Trump has seemed to be in full indecision mode.
At a Fox News town hall tall taping last week, in the face of pressing questions, he proceeded to poll the audience at length on the fate of an estimated 11 million people.
Trump is now planning a major speech Wednesday, during which he’s expected to finally clarify his stance. Supporters are hoping for a strong, decisive showing. But for critics, many already disposed to vote against him, his wavering on what has been his signature issue seems like a warning that he’s unable to handle a central element of any president’s job — making decisions.
It also underscores how little his Republican campaign has invested in the nitty-gritty of outlining what he would do as president, especially when compared with the more detailed plans of his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.
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Clinton aide Abedin dumps husband Weiner over new scandal
NEW YORK (AP) — Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin is done playing the good wife to Anthony Weiner, announcing Monday she is leaving the serially sexting ex-congressman after he was accused of sending raunchy photos and messages to yet another woman.
Abedin, who as vice chair of Clinton’s campaign is destined for big things if the Democrat is elected president, stayed with Weiner after a sexting scandal led him to resign from Congress in 2011 and after a new outbreak of online misbehavior wrecked his bid for New York mayor in 2013. She didn’t leave even when a recent documentary blew up tense moments in their marriage to big-screen proportions.
But on Monday, she effectively declared she had had enough.
“After long and painful consideration and work on my marriage, I have made the decision to separate from my husband,” she said in a statement issued by the campaign. “Anthony and I remain devoted to doing what is best for our son, who is the light of our life.”
The New York Post published photos late Sunday that it said Weiner had sent last year to a woman identified only as a “40-something divorcee” who lives in the West and supports Republican Donald Trump. The photos included two close-ups of Weiner’s bulging underpants.
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Brazil’s Rousseff defends self ahead of Senate’s ouster vote
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — On what could prove to be her last day as Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff mounted a forceful defense of her time leading Latin America’s most populous nation, warning senators that ousting her would hurt a young democracy while defiantly promising to go down fighting in what many see as a losing battle.
Rousseff, who has been suspended since May, delivered a 30-minute address Monday at her impeachment trial in the Senate, then sat for questioning by senators that ran for more than 14 hours, until just before midnight. The Senate was scheduled to begin proceedings for a final vote on whether to remove her permanently Tuesday.
Some exchanges were heated, but most were civil and traversed themes that the country has been wrestling with since an impeachment measure was introduced in the lower House of Deputies late last year, polarizing the nation.
Opposition senators accused Rousseff of breaking fiscal responsibility laws to hide holes in the federal budget, saying that exacerbated a recession that has led to 10 percent inflation and daily announcements of layoffs.
She called that nonsense, contending she broke no laws and noting previous presidents used similar accounting measures. She said she was forced to make tough choices on the budget in the face of declining revenues and a refusal by opponents in Congress to work with her.
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Actor Gene Wilder, star of Mel Brooks movies, dies at 83
Gene Wilder, the frizzy-haired actor who brought his deft comedic touch to such unforgettable roles as the neurotic accountant in “The Producers” and the mad scientist of “Young Frankenstein,” has died. He was 83.
Wilder’s nephew said Monday that the actor and writer died late Sunday at his home in Stamford, Connecticut, of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. No funeral arrangements have been announced.
Jordan Walker-Pearlman said in a statement that Wilder was diagnosed with the disease three years ago, but kept the condition private so as not to disappoint fans.
Wilder started his acting career on the stage, but millions knew him from his work in the movies, especially his collaborations with Mel Brooks on “The Producers,” ”Blazing Saddles” and “Young Frankenstein.” The last film — with Wilder playing a California-born descendant of the mad scientist, insisting that his name is pronounced “Frahn-ken-SHTEEN” — was co-written by Brooks and Wilder and earned the pair an Oscar nomination for adapted screenplay.
“Gene Wilder, one of the truly great talents of our time, is gone,” Brooks wrote in a statement Monday. “He blessed every film we did together with his special magic and he blessed my life with his friendship. He will be so missed.”
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Kaepernick’s decision to sit through anthem scrutinized
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — From the White House to San Francisco police union headquarters, Colin Kaepernick’s name came up Monday as his decision to sit down during the national anthem reached far beyond football.
And many aren’t thrilled with the 49ers quarterback’s strong words about why he is doing it : To instigate change and challenge authority when it comes to race relations and what he considers police brutality.
Even his former coach, outspoken Michigan leader Jim Harbaugh, chimed in from afar in disagreement with Kaepernick’s tactics — clarifying some earlier remarks that questioned the quarterback’s motivation.
“I apologize for misspeaking my true sentiments. To clarify, I support Colin’s motivation. It’s his method of action that I take exception to,” Harbaugh posted on Twitter.
A day after Kaepernick called Donald Trump “openly racist,” the Republican presidential candidate fired back on Seattle’s KIRO radio.
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North Carolina warily watching 2 tropical weather systems
RODANTHE, N.C. (AP) — Beachgoers, boat captains and business owners on North Carolina’s Outer Banks warily eyed a potent tropical weather system Monday that could rain out one of the last busy weeks of the summer.
The first system was expected by forecasters to become a tropical storm before brushing the North Carolina coast Tuesday, bringing heavy rain and high winds to barrier islands popular for serene beaches.
Another tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico could hit northern Florida as a tropical storm later in the week and possibly head toward the Atlantic coast, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. They cautioned that the storm’s exact path remained uncertain days in advance.
Coastal Dare County in North Carolina could face winds of up to 45 mph with higher gusts and heavy rain that could flood low-lying areas from through Wednesday, according to an emergency management news release. To the south, Carteret County officials also warned of flooding and advised residents to monitor forecasts.
A tropical storm warning was issued for areas of the coast from Cape Lookout to the Oregon Inlet along the Outer Banks.
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2 slain nuns remembered for helping the needy
DURANT, Miss. (AP) — Hundreds of people filled a cathedral in Mississippi’s capital city on Monday to remember two nuns who spent decades helping the needy and were found stabbed to death last week in their home in one of the poorest counties of the state.
Bail was denied during the initial court appearance for the man charged with two counts of capital murder in the slayings of Sisters Margaret Held and Paula Merrill, both 68. Rodney Earl Sanders, 46, of Kosciusko, Mississippi, was also charged with one count of burglary and one count of grand larceny. He was not represented by an attorney during his appearance Monday afternoon in Durant city court. City Judge Jim Arnold said the state will appoint an attorney for Sanders.
Capital murder is punishable by execution or life in prison; the sisters’ religious orders have issued a joint statement against the death penalty.
“We are going to consider the heinous nature of the crime and their wishes,” District Attorney Akillie Malone-Oliver said Monday, referring to the families of the sisters and their religious orders.
Sanders confessed to the killings but gave no reason, said Holmes County Sheriff Willie March, who was briefed by Durant police and Mississippi Bureau of Investigation officials who took part in Sanders’ interrogation. Sanders had been living about 15 miles east of the sisters’ Durant home. He has been held at an undisclosed jail since his arrest late Friday.
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Airport scare hard to avoid with cascade of false reports
LOS ANGELES (AP) — In the moments before reports of gunshots spread panic at Los Angeles International Airport, police with weapons drawn had confronted a masked man outside a terminal who was carrying a plastic sword and dressed like Zorro.
Authorities have now determined there were no gunshots. The only people at the airport with guns Sunday night were officers, but false reports of an active shooter triggered a ripple of chaos that sent frantic travelers racing to the street and onto the tarmac.
As police tried Monday to sort out the cause of the disruption, experts said the incident — the second of its kind at a major U.S. airport in two weeks — highlights one of the challenges faced by airports at a time of terrorism and frequent unsubstantiated reports.
“You can’t always avoid them, and when they occur you need to respond as if it’s a legitimate attack every single time,” said Anthony Roman, who runs a security consulting firm in Lynbrook, New York. “There are false alarms. There are pranksters who pull fire alarms, and we evacuate right away because we’re all terrified of fire.”
Investigators were focusing on what prompted the first of several 911 calls from multiple terminals, airport police officer Rob Pedregon said. The initial call came from Terminal 8 around 8:45 p.m. — about five minutes after officers detained the man dressed as Zorro.
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Slain New Mexico girl’s relatives mystified over mom’s role
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Michelle Martens kept her new relationship with a man convicted of child endangerment a secret from friends and family for weeks — as she helped plan her daughter’s 10th birthday party, sent the girl off daily to the school bus and held down her job at a local grocery store.
Now relatives and friends of the 35-year-old single mother are trying to figure out why they never knew about her involvement with the boyfriend and her invitation for his cousin who is a convicted felon to live in her apartment.
Court records show all three face charges in the death of Victoria Martens, who was expected to celebrate her 10th birthday the day her body was found last week after police say she was drugged, raped and killed in the apartment as her mother watched.
“Whatever demons she had we don’t know because she didn’t share them with us,” said Laura Bobbs, who lived in Martens’ apartment complex for five years and now serves as a spokeswoman for Victoria’s relatives. “I should have been the one to see all this and I didn’t.”
An officer responding to a report of a pre-dawn Aug. 24 disturbance at the apartment found Victoria’s remains in a bathtub, partially wrapped in a blanket that had been set on fire.
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Human Rights Watch: Palestinians abuse media, activists
JERUSALEM (AP) — Palestinian authorities are silencing dissent by cracking down on free speech and abusing local journalists and activists critical of their policies, a leading international human rights group said Tuesday.
Human Rights Watch said both the Western-backed Palestinian Authority led by President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank and its rival, the ruling Islamic militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, are “arresting, abusing, and criminally charging journalists and activists who express peaceful criticism of the authorities.”
In 2007, Hamas ousted Abbas’ Fatah forces from Gaza in bloody street battles, leaving the Palestinians divided between two governments. Attempts at reconciliation have repeatedly failed, and both Hamas and the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority have periodically launched crackdowns against their rivals in efforts to consolidate power.
“The Palestinian governments in both Gaza and the West Bank are arresting and even physically abusing activists and journalists who express criticism on important public issues,” said Sari Bashi, the Israel and Palestine country director at Human Rights Watch.
HRW said that in the West Bank, Palestinian forces arrested activists and musicians who “ridiculed Palestinian security forces” and “accused the government of corruption” in statements posted on Facebook or stated in graffiti and rap songs.


ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) — Suspected members of a little-known rebel group killed eight soldiers in an attack in northern Paraguay on Saturday, just days after guerrillas and officials in Colombia reached a peace deal to end the longest-running insurgency in Latin America.
Paraguayan Interior Minister Francisco De Vargas reported the first five deaths from the attack in Arroyito, a town about 305 miles (490 kilometers) from Asuncion. Dr. Bernardo Jacquet, a physician at Hospital Concepcion, located some 55 miles (90 kilometers) from where the attack occurred, later said the death toll had risen to eight.
Authorities suspect the attack was carried out by a little-known Paraguayan guerrilla group called the Paraguayan People’s Army.
Federico Delfino, the country’s prosecutor for anti-kidnapping efforts, said the attackers got away with eight M4 carbines, bulletproof vests and the victims’ personal belongings.
President Horacio Cartes vowed to “personally lead the fight against these terrorists.”
The spike in rebel violence in Paraguay came as Colombia’s government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia on Wednesday announced the finalization of a peace agreement after more than four years of grueling negotiations. A cease-fire in the Colombian conflict that lasted more than a half-century will take effect at midnight next Monday.
The Paraguayan government considers members of the Paraguayan People’s Army to be terrorists under an anti-terrorism law.
The group was blamed last year in the killing of a German couple. Their bodies were found after the rebels abducted the pair from their cattle farm and demanded that the owner of a farm pay $300,000 and give food to the poor.

8 troops killed in suspected rebel attack in north Paraguay


DURANT, Miss. (AP) — The Latest on the killing of two nuns in Mississippi (all times local):
1:30 a.m.
Authorities say they have charged a 46-year-old man in connection with the killing of two nuns who were killed in Mississippi,
Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesman Warren Strain said in a statement Friday night that Rodney Earl Sanders of Kosciusko has been charged with two counts of capital murder in the deaths of Sister Margaret Held and Sister Paula Merrill, both 68.
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.
Lt. Colonel Jimmy Jordan says “Sanders was developed as a person of interest early on in the investigation.”
Sanders is being held in an undisclosed detention center awaiting his initial court appearance.
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3:45 p.m.
Services have been scheduled for two nuns who were killed in Mississippi.
The bodies of Sister Margaret Held and Sister Paula Merrill, both 68, were discovered Thursday after they failed to show up for work at a clinic in Lexington, Mississippi, about 10 miles from where they lived.
The Catholic Diocese of Jackson says a wake will be held Sunday at St. Thomas Church in Lexington. A memorial Mass is scheduled Monday at the Cathedral of Saint Peter the Apostle in Jackson.
The diocesan chancellor, Mary Woodward, says the memorial service will be “an opportunity for the diocesan community and friends to celebrate the lives of these two remarkable women.”
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3:10 p.m.
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety has increased the reward by $20,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the deaths of two nuns.
Sister Paula Merrill and Sister Margaret Held were found dead Thursday in their homes in Durant. Authorities have not released a motive or cause of death, but the Rev. Greg Plata said police told him the sisters were stabbed.
The Holmes County Crime Stoppers chapter had initially put up $2,500, so the total reward money is now $22,500.
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2 p.m.
The sister of a nun who was killed in rural Mississippi says her sister was called to “serve the underserved.”
Rosemarie Merrill on Friday described her sister Paula and the second nun who was killed with her, Margaret Held, as generous women who would give you the shirt off their backs.
Both women were found dead Thursday.
Rosemarie Merrill says her sister moved to Mississippi in 1981. For a time when she lived in Holly Springs, Mississippi she would ride around town on a moped. She was instrumental in locating the source of a tuberculosis outbreak in the town while she was there.
The clinic where the women worked served underinsured and uninsured people in the poorest county in the state.
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1:30 p.m.
A minister in Mississippi says a memorial Mass will be held for two Catholic nuns were found slain inside their home.
Father Greg Plata said Friday that the nuns, Sister Paula Merrill and Sister Margaret Held, had led Bible study for years at St. Thomas Catholic Church. He says Held will be buried in Wisconsin and Merrill will be buried at her congregation’s headquarters in Nazareth, Kentucky.
He says the sisters’ work as nurses dignified the poor.
Authorities have not released a motive or cause of death, but Plata said police told him the sisters were stabbed.
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12 p.m.
People in the Mississippi community where two nuns were killed say they are having a hard time finding forgiveness, even though that’s what the sisters would have wanted.
Joe Morgan Jr. says he was a patient of Sister Paula Merrill and last saw her about four months ago.
Morgan went to Lexington Medical Clinic where the sisters worked as nurses on Friday in hopes of talking to grieving staff members, but a handwritten sign in the front door says the clinic is closed until Monday.
Morgan says the nuns would’ve wanted him to forgive whoever killed them, but right now he doesn’t have any forgiveness. Also slain was Sister Margaret Held. Both nuns were 68.
Authorities have not released a motive or cause of death, but the Rev. Greg Plata said police told him the sisters were stabbed.
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9:45 a.m.
Authorities say autopsies are being done on two nuns who were found slain in their Mississippi home.
Department of Public Safety spokesman Warren Strain said the autopsies would be done Friday on Sister Margaret Held and Sister Paula Merrill. The women were nurses who were found in their home Thursday when they didn’t show up for work at a clinic that helps poor people.
Authorities have said they found a car that was missing from their home and towed it to a crime lab for analysis. Authorities have not released a motive or cause of death, but the Rev. Greg Plata said police told him the sisters were stabbed.
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3 a.m.
Friends say two nuns who were found slain in their Mississippi home “would do anything for anybody.”
Sister Margaret Held and Sister Paula Merrill were found dead Thursday morning when they didn’t report to work at the nearby clinic where they provided flu shots, insulin and other medical care for children and adults who couldn’t afford it.
Dr. Elias Abboud, who worked with the sisters for years and helped build the Lexington Medical Clinic, says he’s not sure what will happen to the facility in light of their deaths.
Authorities didn’t release a cause of death, but the Rev. Greg Plata said police told him the nuns were stabbed. Their bodies were taken to a state crime lab for autopsies.

The Latest: Services set for nuns killed in Mississippi


NEW DELHI (AP) — Bangladesh police kill 4 militants, including suspect behind last month’s Dhaka cafe attack.


LOS ANGELES (AP) — The horror movie “Don’t Breathe” has reason to let out a big sigh of relief. Audiences turned out in droves for the late summer thriller, which brought in $26.1 million, according to studio estimates released Sunday.
That’s more than double the early predictions for how the scary pic would perform and far above the modest production budget, which was reportedly less than $10 million. Stage 6 Films produced and Sony’s Screen Gems oversaw distribution.
“Don’t Breathe” is about a group of Detroit teens who chose the wrong house to rob — that of a blind, vengeful veteran. It stars Jane Levy and Dylan Minnette and was directed by Fede Alvarez, who is known for the “Evil Dead” remake.
Sony Pictures Marketing Chief Josh Greenstein noted how rare it was for a film in this genre to have resonated so deeply with critics. The current Rotten Tomatoes score is a very fresh 87 percent. It also continues Sony’s summer of seeing successes with original films that cost very little to make.
“This marks a string of very profitable hits for Sony with very modest budgets. ‘The Shallows,’ ‘Sausage Party’ and now ‘Don’t Breathe’ were all incredibly profitable because they were made for modest budgets and did incredibly well at the box office,” Greenstein said.
It’s also the latest horror success for Hollywood this summer, which has seen films like “Lights Out,” ”The Conjuring 2,” and “The Purge: Election Year” thrive while their bigger budget, spectacle-driven counterparts flailed.
“As it turns out horror is the least scary genre this summer, especially to the bean counters in Hollywood,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for box office tracker comScore. “(They) can almost always be counted on to make money.”
Horror films, Dergarabedian said, perform very well on home video too.
“Don’t Breathe” effectively unseated “Suicide Squad” from its three week run atop the box office. This weekend, the comic book film “Suicide Squad” grossed $12.1 million, bringing its domestic total to $282.9 million.
Laika’s “Kubo and the Two Strings” took third place in its second weekend in theaters with $7.9 million. The $60 million film has now earned $24.8 million domestically.
“Sausage Party,” meanwhile, continued to have a ball at the box office, earning $7.7 million for a fourth place finish and an $80 million domestic total.
The poorly reviewed Jason Statham-led sequel “Mechanic: Resurrection,” meanwhile, placed fifth in its opening weekend with $7.5 million, according to Lionsgate. The first film opened to $11.4 million in 2011.
Among specialty releases, the Barack and Michelle Obama first date movie “Southside With You” launched in 813 theaters to an estimated $3.1 million, while The Weinstein Company’s Roberto Duran boxing biopic “Hands of Stone” opened in 810 theaters to $1.7 million.
Overall the box office was up slightly from this weekend last year when “Straight Outta Compton” opened. Next weekend closes out the summer movie season with the release of the sci-fi film “Morgan” and the romantic drama “The Light Between Oceans.”
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1.”Don’t Breathe,” $26.1 million.
2.”Suicide Squad,” $12.1 million.
3.”Kubo and the Two Strings,” $7.9 million.
4.”Sausage Party,” $7.7 million.
5.”Mechanic: Resurrection,” $7.5 million.
6.”Pete’s Dragon,” $7.3 million.
7.”War Dogs,” $7.3 million.
8.”Bad Moms,” $5.8 million.
9.”Jason Bourne,” $5.2 million.
10.”Ben-Hur,” $4.5 million.
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Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by 21st Century Fox; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.
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Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/ldbahr

‘Don’t Breathe’ scores, ousts ‘Suicide Squad’ at box office


ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) — Eight soldiers were killed in an attack in Paraguay’s north by suspected members of a little-known rebels group, authorities said Saturday, just days after Colombian officials and guerrillas reached a peace deal to end the longest running insurgency in Latin America.
Paraguayan Interior Minister Francisco De Vargas reported the first five deaths from the Saturday attack in Arroyito, a town about 305 miles (490 kilometers) from Asuncion. Dr. Bernardo Jacquet, a physician at Hospital Concepcion, located some 55 miles (90 kilometers) from where the attack occurred, later said that the death toll had risen to eight.
Authorities suspect the attack was carried out by a little-known Paraguayan guerrilla group called the Paraguayan People’s Army.
Federico Delfino, the country’s prosecutor for anti-kidnapping efforts, says that the attackers got away with eight M4 carbines, bulletproof vests, and the victims’ personal belongings.
The Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, on Wednesday announced the finalization of a peace agreement after more than four years of grueling negotiations in Cuba. A cease-fire in the Colombian conflict that lasted more than a half-century will take effect at midnight next Monday.
The Paraguayan government considers members of the Paraguayan People’s Army to be terrorists under an anti-terrorism law.
The Paraguayan People’s Army was blamed last year in the killing of a German couple. Their bodies were found after the rebels abducted the pair from their cattle farm and demanded that the owner of a farm pay $300,000 and give food to the poor.


Warning of ‘war’ on farmers, Trump seeks support in Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Donald Trump warned Saturday of a “war on the American farmer,” telling a crowd in Iowa that rival Hillary Clinton “wants to shut down family farms” and implement anti-agriculture policies.
Trump’s speech at the annual “Roast and Ride” fundraiser for Republican Sen. Joni Ernst came just hours after Clinton received her first national security briefing as the Democratic presidential nominee.
Trump skipped the 42-mile motorcycle ride that preceded the event in a state where polls show a tight contest, a rare bright spot for Trump amid a sea of challenging battleground states. Joining him on stage were top Iowa Republicans — among them Ernst, Gov. Terry Branstad, Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Steve King — in a rare show of support for a candidate who has struggled to unite his party.
In a hat tip to Iowa’s agriculture industry, Trump renewed his commitment to continuing a requirement that all gasoline sold contain an ethanol-based additive, an issue important to corn growers. He also promised to cut taxes on family farms, which he called the “backbone” of the country.
“Hillary Clinton wants to shut down family farms just like she wants to shut down the mines and the steelworkers,” he said in front of a wall of straw bales at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. “She will do this not only through radical regulation, but also by raising taxes on family farms – and all businesses – to rates as high as nearly 50 percent.”
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Nevada becomes one of Trump’s big hopes for swing state win
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Russ Wheeler bears the financial scars of Nevada’s lost decade, and he hopes Donald Trump can heal them.
He worked for a Las Vegas roofing company when the real estate bust crushed the state’s economy. He took two pay cuts before getting laid off. He had to commute into the California desert to find work after that.
Wheeler considers himself one of the lucky ones. He was able to build up enough savings to retire, but even now his wife had her teaching hours reduced at a community college, dramatically reducing their household’s income.
“It’ll be better with Trump because he’ll bring the jobs back,” Wheeler, 66, said as he stopped by a Republican Party office to scoop up some “Make America Great Again” yard signs and bumper stickers. “Everybody I know is a Trump supporter. He resonates well in Nevada.”
Nevada is the most diverse battleground state. On paper, it should be secure for Democrats. But there are enough people like Wheeler, still rattled by the recession and frustrated about other things, to make it one of Trump’s best swing states.
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Kurdish-led Syria forces face off with Turkish-backed rebels
BEIRUT (AP) — Backed by Turkish tanks and reports of airstrikes, Turkey-allied Syrian rebels clashed with Kurdish-led forces in northeastern Syria in a new escalation that further complicates the already protracted Syrian conflict.
Turkey’s military didn’t specify what the airstrikes hit, saying only that “terror groups” were targeted south of the village of Jarablus, where the clashes later ensued. A Kurdish-affiliated group said their forces were the target and called the attack an “unprecedented and dangerous escalation.” If confirmed, it would be the first Turkish airstrikes against Kurdish allied forces on Syrian soil.
Late Saturday night, Turkey’s official news agency reported that one Turkish solider had been killed and three wounded by what it said was a Kurdish rocket attack in Jarablus, near where the fighting has raged. It is the first reported Turkish fatality in Syria.
The new escalation highlights concerns that Turkey’s incursion into Syria this week could lead to an all-out confrontation between Ankara and Syrian Kurds, both American allies, and hinder the war against the Islamic State group by diverting resources.
Sherwan Darwish, a spokesman for Kurdish-led forces in the village of Manbij, said on Twitter Saturday night: “While our forces fighting #IS Some #Turkey backed militias r attacking our positions & hampering our & Intl Coalition’s fight against terror.”
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Sheriff: Man confesses in killings of 2 Mississippi nuns
DURANT, Miss. (AP) — A man suspected in the slayings of two nuns found dead in their Mississippi home confessed to the killings, a sheriff said Saturday, in the latest twist to a crime that has horrified people in the small communities where the women served.
Rodney Earl Sanders, 46, of Kosciusko, Mississippi, was arrested and charged in the deaths of Sister Margaret Held and Sister Paula Merrill, Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesman Warren Strain said late Friday. Both women were 68.
Willie March, the sheriff of Holmes County where the killings occurred, said Saturday he had been briefed by police from the town where the killings occurred and Mississippi Bureau of Investigation officials who took part in Sanders’ interrogation.
Sanders confessed in the interrogation to the killings and gave no reason for the crimes, March said.
The sheriff said police work and tips from the community led police to Sanders, and the investigation is ongoing.
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The embrace of life: A story of 2 sisters in Italy’s quake
ASCOLI PICENO, Italy (AP) — In the chaos of Italy’s devastating earthquake, an older sister’s embrace allowed a young girl to survive.
The heartbreaking story of 9-year-old Giulia Rinaldo and her younger sister Giorgia was recounted Saturday by the bishop who celebrated a funeral Mass for 35 of the 290 people killed by the quake that ravaged central Italy before dawn Wednesday.
Bishop Giovanni D’Ercole recalled that around 6 or 6:30 p.m. Wednesday — 15 hours after the quake struck — he returned to a church in his diocese in the town of Pescara Del Tronto to recover its crucifix.
At the time, only meters (yards) from the church, firefighters were using their hands to dig out the two sisters, he said.
“The older one, Giulia, was sprawled over the smaller one, Giorgia. Giulia, dead, Giorgia, alive. They were in an embrace,” D’Ercole said.
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Scams & waste loom as charity millions donated after Orlando
The more than 430 fundraisers posted on the GoFundMe website after the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando have exposed weaknesses inherent in these popular do-it-yourself charity campaigns: waste, questionable intentions and little oversight.
The fundraisers — an average of more than four for each of the 49 killed and 53 wounded — include travelers asking for cash, a practitioner of ancient healing, a personal safety instructor who sells quick loaders for assault rifles, and even convicted identity impostors.
“There was a deluge,” said Holly Salmons, president of the Better Business Bureau for Central Florida. “It was almost impossible for us or anyone else to be able to vet.”
The crowdfunding sites operate outside traditional charitable circles and often beyond the reach of government regulation. Appeals can be created in minutes by almost anyone and shared around the world.
The officially sanctioned Equality Florida campaign raised more than $7 million via GoFundMe, but another $1.3 million went to smaller appeals — mostly set up by people with little or no charity experience.
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Colombian rebels announce final conference of peace talks
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Top commanders from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia are preparing to gather one final time in mid-September to ratify a peace accord reached this week with government negotiators and map out the group’s political strategy without weapons.
“The historic importance of this event merits that the people of Colombia and the world see firsthand the development and conclusions of what will be the last conference of our armed organization,” the FARC said in a statement Saturday inviting media to cover the 10th conference.
The summit will take place Sept. 13-19 in jungled surroundings of San Vicente del Caguan, an area where the rebels have long been dominant and which was the center of a Switzerland-sized demilitarized zone ceded to the FARC during a previous attempt at peace more than a decade ago.
Some 200 delegates are expected to attend, including 29 members of the FARC’s central command, a top decision-making body. Several foreign dignitaries it didn’t name are also invited.
The 297-page peace accord reached this week in Cuba seeks to bring an end to Latin America’s oldest guerrilla war, which has caused more than 220,000 deaths and driven 5 million people from their homes over five decades. As part of the deal, FARC members must turn over their weapons within six months after the deal is formally signed and instead seek to persuade skeptical Colombians that it’s ready to play by the rules of democracy.
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In wake of cousin’s fatal shooting, Dwyane Wade speaks out
CHICAGO (AP) — NBA star Dwyane Wade’s cousin was an innocent bystander, police said, pushing her baby in a stroller near a Chicago school where she intended to register her children when she was fatally shot Friday.
Nykea Aldridge’s famous relative, who grew up in Chicago’s south suburbs, tweeted to his nearly 6 million followers about her death, saying Friday it was an “act of senseless gun violence” and posting Saturday morning that Chicago needs “more help& more hands on deck.” Wade ended both days of tweets with the hashtag “EnoughIsEnough.”
The 32-year-old mother of four recently relocated to an area on the city’s South Side, her family said. She was near the school, which is about a mile and a half southwest of the University of Chicago, when two males walked up and fired shots at a third man but hit Aldridge in the head and arm. She wasn’t the intended target, police said.
Police said Saturday afternoon that two “people of interest” were being questioned by detectives but no one has been charged in the shooting. Authorities are investigating whether the encounter between the men was a robbery, possibly involving a driver from a ridesharing company, police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.
Chicago has been plagued by gun violence for years, especially in a few South and West Side neighborhoods. This July alone, there were 65 homicides — the most that month since 2006.
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Olympic champions Raisman, Hernandez feted by hometowns
Thousands of people turned out to welcome gymnasts Aly Raisman and Laurie Hernandez back to their hometowns Saturday after they wowed the judges in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The two were on the gold-medal winning U.S. women’s gymnastics team, dubbed “The Final Five,” and also won individual medals.
In the Boston suburb of Needham, Massachusetts, a “Rally for Aly” was held for 22-year-old Raisman, who also won silver medals in the floor exercise and the individual all-around. Raisman arrived at the rally atop a fire truck and on Friday she threw out the first pitch at Fenway Park before the Red Sox game.
The town also hosted a parade and rally for her when she returned from the 2012 Olympic games in London with two gold medals and a bronze medal.
In New Jersey, residents of Old Bridge staged an elaborate ceremony Saturday to honor Hernandez’s accomplishments. In addition to the team medal, she won an individual silver medal in the balance beam competition.
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Niners QB Kaepernick refuses to stand for anthem in protest
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is refusing to stand for the national anthem before games because he believes the United States oppresses African Americans and other minorities.
Kaepernick sat on the team’s bench Friday night during the anthem before the Niners played host to the Green Bay Packers in an exhibition game. He later explained his reasoning in an interview with NFL Media .
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Saturday that “players are encouraged but not required to stand during the playing of the national anthem.”
The 49ers issued a statement after Pro Football Talk initially reported on Kaepernick’s stand, saying that Americans have the right to protest or support the anthem.


WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. presidential race (all times EDT):
1:30 p.m.
Donald Trump’s presidential campaign now has its own mobile app.
The campaign on Wednesday unveiled its “America First” smartphone application, aimed at engaging the GOP nominee’s supporters.
Supporters can earn points by contributing to the campaign, attending events and sharing messages and videos.
They can also unlock “up to 8 levels of activist badges,” with names like “Apprentice,” the name of his reality television show, and “Big League,” a phrase commonly used by the Republican nominee on the campaign trail.
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10:10 a.m.
Hillary Clinton has a new television ad that reiterates her message that opponent Donald Trump is a bad bet for the African-American voters he is trying to woo.
The spot opens with a news clip of the Republican presidential nominee saying at a rally, “What do you have to lose?” as he asks black voters to pick him. “You’re living in poverty. Your schools are no good. You have no jobs.”
The commercial then reminds viewers — as Clinton did in a speech Thursday in Reno, Nevada — that Trump’s real estate company was once charged with discriminating African Americans and breaking federal law.
The campaign says the 30-second spot is set to run on cable channels across Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Those are the same four states in which the Trump campaign aired its first general election ad.
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8:55 a.m.
Hillary Clinton is defending the work of her family foundation, saying the organization needs more time to ensure the continuity of their programs.
If elected, Clinton says she’ll take additional steps to make sure there are no conflicts of interest between her administration and the global charitable network founded by her husband.
Winding down the programs and finding partners, she says, takes time.
“We’re going to make sure we don’t undermine the excellence and the results,” she says.
Former President Bill Clinton announced last week that if Hillary Clinton is elected president, the Clinton Foundation would no longer accept foreign and corporate donations, he would step down from its board and he no longer would raise money for the organization.
Clinton spoke in an interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
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3:30 a.m.
Donald Trump’s waffling on his hard-line immigration program reflects voter ambivalence and confusion on the emotional and complex issue.
Polls often show large majorities support letting people in the country illegally stay here. But they also show support for tough measures that could lead to those immigrants’ deportation. Majorities in Republican primary states told pollsters they backed letting immigrants stay but also voted for Trump.
Now Trump is trying to soften his hard-line program. Advocates of a more lenient immigration approach say that proves the hard-line position is politically untenable. Those who want to limit immigration argue that it mainly reflects Trump’s erratic nature.

The Latest: Trump unveils ‘America First’ mobile app


MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Gaston has reformed, gathering strength as it moves northwestward in the Atlantic.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Gaston reformed as a hurricane Saturday night, clocking 85 mph (140 kph) winds. The storm was located about 655 miles (1,055 kilometers) east southeast or Bermuda. Gaston was moving at about 8 mph (13 kph).
Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 15 miles (30 kilometers) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 kilometers).
There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect early Saturday.
Forecasters say Gaston should slow down during the next day or so and turn northward on Monday.

Hurricane Gaston reforms, moves northwest in the Atlantic


NEW YORK (AP) — Drake, in love with Rihanna since he was 22, presented his crush with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award on Sunday night, but he didn’t turn over the Moon Man until he went in for a kiss.
It was a slightly awkward moment in an otherwise adorable, heartfelt speech by Drake — and his landing in the region of Rihanna’s neck was the gif that kept on giving on Twitter.
Where was he headed? We’ll never know. He leaned in. She leaned back. He skimmed her cheek before moving south.
Vulture.com tweeted it was “The curve to end all curves.” The Twitter account of the VMAs itself put the kiss on a loop, tweeting: “I’m just gonna leave this gem right here.”
The two have dated in the past, having known each other since they were kids.

Drake went in. Rihanna leaned back. Twitter was all over it.


ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey’s president vowed on Sunday to “destroy terrorists” after months of deadly attacks throughout the country and reiterated his claim that a child suicide bomber was responsible for last weekend’s explosion that claimed at least 54 lives in the southeast.
Speaking at a rally in Gaziantep where the suicide bombing took place at a Kurdish wedding, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the “terrorists” are being “picked up one by one” by Turkey’s security forces.
“They will all be cleansed out like a cancer cell,” he told a roaring crowd of his supporters. “We will find them and punish them.”
Last week, Erdogan said a 12- to 14-year-old child was the suicide bomber, but Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said later that the bomber was still unidentified and investigations continued. On Sunday, Erdogan reiterated the claim without saying whether it’s a result of the investigation.
“Terror has used a 14-year-old child as a suicide bomber and shed blood, killed people,” he said. “In this attack, our 54 citizens, including 34 children, died.”
Authorities have blamed the Islamic State group for the Gaziantep attack, but neither IS nor any other militant groups have claimed responsibility.
Erdogan repeated that the country’s parliament will decide whether to reintroduce a death penalty in the wake of a failed coup on July 15 that claimed at least 270 lives. That has triggered an outcry by rights groups in Turkey and the West.
“My nation wants the death penalty,” he said. “That is the decision of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.”
Turkey has sent tanks across the Syrian border following weeks of deadly attacks by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or the PKK, and IS. The move aims to both fight IS and halt the advance of Syrian Kurdish groups.
On Sunday, two separate blasts in the Turkey’s Kurdish-dominated southeast killed one Turkish soldier and wounded eight others, and Kurdish militants launched a rocket-propelled grenade at a civilian airport, officials and the state-run news agency said.
One soldier was killed and three were wounded after a roadside bomb was triggered remotely by rebels linked to the PKK in the Hakkari province, the state-run Anadolu Agency said. In the ensuing firefight that included army helicopters, 10 militants were killed, the private Dogan news agency said. The report couldn’t be independently verified.
In another attack, five civilian village guards were wounded in Siirt province after their van hit an improvised explosive device on a road, Anadolu said, blaming PKK for the blast.
Earlier, Kurdish rebels, apparently targeting a police checkpoint at Diyarbakir Airport, fired a grenade that exploded near the airport’s VIP passenger entrance, shattering windows, the local governor’s office said. No injuries were reported. Passengers were taken to safety after the attack and flights resumed after a brief pause during the police investigation.
Violence between the PKK and security forces resumed last year, after the collapse of a two-year peace process in July. Since then, more than 600 Turkish security personnel and thousands of PKK militants have been killed, according to Anadolu. Rights groups say hundreds of civilians have also been killed in the clashes.
On Friday, a Kurdish suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden truck into a checkpoint near a police station in the southeast, killing at least 11 Turkish police officers and wounding 78 other people.
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Associated Press writer Zeynep Bilginsoy contributed to this report.

Turkish president vows to ‘destroy terrorists’


NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks were mostly lower on Wall Street in afternoon trading on Friday, giving up modest gains following a generally upbeat assessment of the economy from Fed Chair Janet Yellen. Phone companies and utilities, widely considered safe-play stocks, led the list of decliners, while health care stocks rose. AT&T and Verizon each fell about 1 percent.
KEEPING SCORE: The Dow Jones industrial average fell 59 points, or 0.3 percent, to 18,390 as of 1:15 p.m. Eastern time. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index slipped 4 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,168. The Nasdaq composite dipped 3 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 5,209.
YELLEN UPBEAT: Federal Reserve Chair Yellen said in a speech that the Fed is moving toward raising interest rates in light of a solid job market and an improved outlook for the U.S. economy and inflation. But she stopped short of signaling any timetable for the next rate hike.
BOND REACTION: After initially rising after Yellen’s speech, U.S. government bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year note, which moves in the opposite direction of the price, rose to 1.59 percent from 1.54 earlier Friday. The yield was 1.58 percent late Thursday.
THE QUOTE: “Who would think the Fed would raise interest rates two months before a very important election and with economic growth that has been back and forth and back and forth for years?” said Bruce Bittles, chief investment strategist at R.W. Baird. “She suggests the economy is improving, but the GDP numbers for the past three quarters are closer to 1 percent than three percent. That is very anemic.”
HERBALIFE FALLS: Herbalife fell $3.39, or 5.6 percent, to $58.54 after the Wall Street Journal reported that Carl Icahn, the company’s biggest shareholder and defender, has been trying to unload his stake. Federal regulators recently ordered the company to change its sales practices, but did not agree with Wall Street critics that it was a pyramid scheme.
SOFTWARE SURGE: Design software company Autodesk rose $4.08, or 6 percent, to $67.78 after reporting a small profit, beating expectations of a loss.
PROFIT PICTURE: Earnings per share for companies in the S&P 500 index are expected to fall 1.8 percent in the second quarter, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. That would be the fourth quarter in a row of drops.
ONE MAN’S VIEW: “We’ve been in a bit of an earnings recession,” said Thomas Wilson, senior investment manager at Brinker Capital, but stocks are holding near record highs because financial analysts expect earnings to “go up” toward the end of the year.
OVERSEAS: Britain’s FTSE 100 rose 0.3 percent, Germany’s DAX gained 0.6 percent, and France’s CAC 40 climbed 0.8 percent. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.2 percent after consumer prices fell the most in three years in July. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 0.4 percent.
OIL: Benchmark U.S. crude oil rose 10 cents to $47.43 a barrel. Brent crude, used to price oil internationally, fell 8 cents to $49.59 a barrel.
CURRENCIES: The dollar rose to 101.53 yen from 100.57 yen the previous day. The euro fell to $1.1231 from $1.1281.

Stocks slip into losses in the afternoon after Yellen speech