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Ringgit rebounds in early trade Posted: 24 Jun 2013 06:55 PM PDT The ringgit rebounded against the US dollar, in early trade today, on fresh buying interest, dealers said. At 9.10am, the currency was quoted 3.2055/2085 against 3.2180/2210 yesterday. A dealer said the greenback had retreated from a near three-week peak on renewed concerns after Federal Reserve officials released a comment saying the Fed's exit strategy was still way out in the future. The local currency was lower against the Singapore dollar at 2.5149/5188 from 2.5141/5168 on Monday but strengthened against the yen to 3.2704/2748 from 3.2797/2844 previously. The ringgit depreciated against the British pound to 4.9504/9564 from 4.9454/9510 yesterday but was stronger against the euro at 4.2062/2108 from 4.2175/2224 on Monday.-- Bernama

KL shares open lower Posted: 24 Jun 2013 06:53 PM PDT Bursa Malaysia opened lower this morning as investors took cue from the overnight losses on Wall Street amid weak global sentiment, dealers said. At 9.03am, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 13.03 points lower at 1,725.16 after opening 10.46 points easier at 1,727.73. The composite index was dragged down by losses mostly seen in finance counters and key heavyweights like Maybank, CIMB, Petronas Chemicals and UMW. HwangDBS Vickers Research said the selling momentum was set to continue today. "Key US equity bellwethers slid between 0.9 per cent and 1.2 per cent at the closing bell on persistent concerns over premature quantitative easing withdrawal by the Federal Reserve and weakening economic fundamentals in China. "The bearish external backdrop will likely pile additional selling pressure on Malaysian equities ahead," it said in a note. The benchmark FBM KLCI, after slipping below the 1,750 points level, remains vulnerable to further downside risk, possibly pulling back deeper towards the major support line of 1,720 points, the research firm added. On the scoreboard, the Finance Index erased 131.93 points to 16,372.99, the Industrial Index decreased 19.62 points to 2,894.76 and the Plantation Index trimmed 4.7 points to 8,155.69. The FBM Emas Index fell 90.81 points to 11,941.43, the FBMT100 Index lost 91.49 points to 11,724.16, the FBM Mid 70 Index trimmed 118.05 points to 13,580.85 and the FBM Ace Index erased 5.09 points to 4,644.35. Market breadth was negative as losers thumped gainers 156 to 48, with 90 counters unchanged, 1,298 untraded and 22 others were suspended. Volume amounted at 40.792 million shares worth RM55.387 million. Among actives, Flonic Hi-Tech inched up half-a-sen to 8.5 sen, Cybertowers added one sen to 18 sen and TDM gained three sen to 78.5 sen. As for heavyweights, Maybank lost 12 sen to RM10.02, CIMB erased eight sen to RM8.05, both Sime Darby and Petronas Chemicals were seven sen lower at RM9.33 and RM6.51, respectively, while Axiata Group slipped three sen to RM6.57.-- Bernama

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Snowden whereabouts unknown as Russia resists US pressure - Reuters Posted: 24 Jun 2013 09:05 AM PDT By Lidia Kelly and Katya Golubkova MOSCOW | Mon Jun 24, 2013 11:44am EDT (Reuters) - Former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden's whereabouts were a mystery on Monday as Russia resisted White House pressure to send him back to the United States or stop him continuing on his journey to escape U.S. prosecution. Snowden, whose exposure of secret U.S. government surveillance raised questions about intrusions into private lives, was allowed to leave Hong Kong on Sunday despite Washington asking the Chinese territory to arrest him on espionage charges. Julian Assange, the founder of anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks which is assisting Snowden, said the 30-year-old had fled to Moscow en route to Ecuador and was in good health in a "safe place" but did not say where he was now. There are no direct flights to Ecuador from Moscow and reports that he would fly there via Cuba were put in doubt when witnesses could not see him on the plane, despite tight security before take-off. A WikiLeaks spokesman muddied the waters by saying an approach had also been made to Iceland for asylum. Ecuador, which is already sheltering Assange at its London embassy, said it was considering Snowden's request for asylum and that human rights were its main concern. "He didn't take the flight (to Havana)," a source at Russia's national airline Aeroflot told Reuters. As speculation grew about where he would go next, Washington was stung by Russian defiance. Snowden's flight to Russia, which like China challenges U.S. dominance of global diplomacy, is an embarrassment to President Barack Obama who has tried to "reset" ties with Moscow and build a partnership with Beijing. The White House said it expected the Russian government to send Snowden back to the United States and lodged "strong objections" to Hong Kong and China for letting him go. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said during a visit to India that it would be "deeply troubling" if Moscow defied the United States over Snowden, and said the fugitive "places himself above the law, having betrayed his country". But the Russian government ignored the appeal and President Vladimir Putin's press secretary denied any knowledge of Snowden's movements. Asked if Snowden had spoken to the Russian authorities, Peskov said: "Overall, we have no information about him." He declined comment on the expulsion request but other Russian officials said Moscow had no obligation to cooperate with Washington, after it passed legislation to impose visa bans and asset freezes on Russians accused of violating human rights. The Russian news agency Interfax quoted an unnamed source as saying Moscow could not arrest or deport Snowden because he had not entered Russian territory - suggesting he had remained in the transit area at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport. U.S. HYPOCRISY "Why should the United States expect restraint and understanding from Russia?" said Alexei Pushkov, the head of the foreign affairs committee in the lower house of parliament. Putin has missed few chances to champion public figures who challenge Western governments and to portray Washington as an overzealous global policeman. But Russian leaders have not paraded Snowden before cameras or trumpeted his arrival. Since leaving Hong Kong, where he feared arrest and extradition, Snowden has been searching for a country that can guarantee his security. Ecuador's foreign minister, Ricardo Patino, said during a trip to Vietnam that Quito would take into account a U.S. request about Snowden and is in "respectful" contact with Russia about him. He gave no details of the U.S. request. "We will consider the position of the U.S. government and we will take a decision in due course in line with the (Ecuadorean) constitution, the laws, international politics and sovereignty," Patino told a news conference in Hanoi. A source at Aeroflot said on Sunday Snowden was booked on the flight due to depart for Havana on Monday at 2:05 p.m. (1005 GMT). But a correspondent aboard could not see him and the seat he was supposed to occupy, 17A, was taken by another passenger. It was not immediately clear whether the plane had a crew section where Snowden might have been concealed. U.S. Senator Charles Schumer said Putin had probably known about and approved Snowden's flight to Russia, and saw "the hand of Beijing" in Hong Kong's decision to let Snowden leave. But taking the higher ground after being accused of hacking computers abroad, the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed "grave concern" over Snowden's allegations that the United States had hacked computers in China. It said it had taken up the issue with Washington. CHILL Some Russians have praised Snowden's revelations. Others fear a new chill in relations with the United States. "We are a pretty stubborn country and so is the United States. Both are mighty countries, so I would say this has a good potential to turn into a big fuss in bilateral relations," said Ina Sosna, manager of a Moscow cleaning company. "I guess it would be best if they just let him move on from Russia to avoid any more controversy over him being here." WikiLeaks said Snowden was supplied with a refugee document of passage by Ecuador and that a British legal researcher working for the anti-secrecy group had accompanied him. Ecuador, like Cuba and Venezuela, is a member of the ALBA bloc, an alliance of leftist governments in Latin America that pride themselves on their "anti-imperialist" credentials. The Quito government has been sheltering Assange at its London embassy for the past year. Snowden, who had worked at a U.S. National Security Agency facility in Hawaii, had been hiding in Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to China in 1997, since leaking details about secret U.S. surveillance programs to news media. He has been charged with theft of federal government property, unauthorized communication of national defense information and willful communication of classified communications intelligence to an unauthorized person, with the latter two charges falling under the U.S. Espionage Act. (Additional reporting by Gabriela Baczynska and Alexei Anishchuk in Moscow, Martin Petty in Hanoi, Sui-Lee Weein in Beijing,; Andrew Cawthorne, Mario Naranjo and Daniel Wallis in Caracas, Alexandra Valencia in Quito and Mark Felsenthal, Paul Eckert and Mark Hosenball in Washington; Writing by Timothy Heritage and Elizabeth Piper, Editing by Mark Heinrich and Anna Willard)

Supreme Court Returns Affirmative-Action Case to Lower Court - Wall Street Journal Posted: 24 Jun 2013 09:01 AM PDT By JESS BRAVIN And BRENT KENDALL The Supreme Court avoided a sweeping ruling on affirmative action in a closely watched case involving the University of Texas, sending the case back to a lower court for a new review. Jess Bravin and Ashby Jones discuss the ruling. Photo: Getty Images. The Supreme Court avoided a sweeping ruling on affirmative action in a closely watched case involving the University of Texas, sending the case back to a lower court for a new review. The court's ruling on Fisher v. University of Texas was 7-1, with the majority opinion by Justice Anthony Kennedy. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dissented, and Justice Elena Kagan, who was solicitor general when the Obama administration weighed in on the case, recused herself from the decision. Justice Kennedy said the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals made legal errors when it upheld the university program. The lower court should have scrutinized the university program more strictly, Justice Kennedy said. The justices were ruling on the case of Abigail Fisher, who alleged the university rejected her because she is white. Read the Ruling See the full text of the ruling in Fisher v. University of Texas. The University of Texas's use of diversity in the admissions process will face a new test in the 5th Circuit Court. Ashby Joes and Jess Bravin discuss. AP Photo. Justice Kennedy said the Supreme Court wants the lower court to hear the case again "so that the admissions process can be considered and judged under a correct analysis." UT gives automatic entry to any Texas student who graduates in roughly the top 10% of his or her high-school class. That program was designed to maintain ethnic and racial diversity after a 1996 federal-appeals-court ruling restricted affirmative action in Texas and nearby states. But after 2003, when the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to reinstate affirmative action, UT quickly supplemented its top-10% plan with an additional admissions pathway that allowed consideration of race and other factors beyond grades and test scores. UT said that pathway was designed for middle- or upper-class children of African-American and Hispanic professionals who attend more competitive schools. While the top-10% plan vastly expanded the number of Texas high schools sending graduates to the state's flagship campus, UT administrators frowned at having to accept applicants from less competitive high schools, whose top students often had lower test scores and poorer academic preparation than middle-tier students from leading suburban high schools that traditionally served as the university's principal feeders. The university said the presence of better-off minority students could help dispel stereotypes that could be perpetuated by the presence of those admitted through the top-10% program. That stance drew harsh questioning from the Supreme Court's conservative wing at arguments last October. "I thought that the whole purpose of affirmative action was to help students who come from underprivileged backgrounds, but you make a very different argument that I don't think I've ever seen before," said Justice Samuel Alito. When UT's lawyer, Gregory Garre, attempted to explain the admissions formula as a "holistic" review of individual attributes, Justice Kennedy heard something else. "So what you're saying is that what counts is race above all," said Justice Kennedy, considered a swing vote on affirmative action. "You want underprivileged of a certain race and privileged of a certain race. So that's race." Other state universities, such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said that using a race-blind top-10% plan could actually increase racial diversity on campus, but at the unacceptable price of admitting less-qualified applicants who would lower the institution's national ranking. Ms. Fisher, the white student who sued UT, was recruited by lawyer Edward Blum, an activist opposed to affirmative action and other race-conscious government policies. Her suit alleged that the admissions formula violated her 14th Amendment right to "equal protection of the laws." A federal district court and the Fifth Circuit disagreed, finding that the UT system met the standards established by the Supreme Court's 2003 decision, Grutter v. Bollinger, which suggested that race-conscious admissions practices might be justifiable for another quarter-century. Since 2003, the Supreme Court's composition shifted to the right on matters of race, when Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, author of the Grutter decision, retired and was succeeded by Justice Alito, who has shown far greater skepticism toward race-conscious polices. Associated Press People waited outside the Supreme Court in Washington on Monday. At the arguments last year, liberal justices seemed frustrated that so recent a ruling was being reconsidered. "Grutter said it would be good law for at least 25 years, and I know that time flies, but I think only nine of those years have passed," said Justice Stephen Breyer. "Why overrule a case into which so much thought and effort went and so many people across the country have depended on?" Although Ms. Fisher's lawyers contended that the UT policy violated even the 2003 Grutter precedent, all sides saw the case as intended to end affirmative action outright. The Obama administration backed UT, arguing that affirmative action was important for several official objectives, particularly in the military. The Pentagon said ethnic and racial diversity of the enlisted force was necessary to foster morale and retain discipline in the ranks. For most of its history, the University of Texas, like Texas itself, was segregated by law. A 1950 Supreme Court ruling forced UT to admit an African-American to its law school, paving the way for the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision holding segregated schools unconstitutional. Even so, UT didn't agree to accept black undergraduates until 1956, and it continued to operate whites-only dormitories into the 1960s. After she was rejected by UT's flagship Austin campus, Ms. Fisher had the option of attending another UT campus and transferring after one year to Austin if she performed adequately. She chose instead to attend Louisiana State University, across the state line in Baton Rouge. She has since graduated and moved to Austin. Write to Jess Bravin at jess.bravin@wsj.com and Brent Kendall at brent.kendall@dowjones.com

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Edward Snowden lands in Moscow - CBS News Posted: 23 Jun 2013 08:56 AM PDT Updated 11:43 a.m. ET MOSCOW A former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing highly classified surveillance programs has landed in Moscow after fleeing Hong Kong. Play Video Feinstein: Snowden fleeing Hong Kong for Moscow "a very big surprise" Play Video Garrett: U.S. "doesn't know what happened" with Snowden extradition Reporter Kevin O'Flynn told host Bob Schieffer on CBS' "Face the Nation" that Edward Snowden landed at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport at around 9:15 a.m. ET. While his current whereabouts are unknown, most reports indicate he will not stay in Moscow, but will instead continue to another destination on Monday. A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was unaware of Snowden's whereabouts or travel plans. Diplomats from at least two South American nations mentioned as possible final destinations for Snowden - Ecuador and Venezuela - were seen at the Moscow airport, although it's unclear whether they had any contact with Snowden. Both Russia's state ITAR-Tass news agency and Reuters have cited an unnamed Aeroflot airline official as saying Snowden will continue along to Cuba on Monday, and possibly travel from their to Venezuela. Snowden said in recent interviews that Iceland was also a destination he preferred. Ecuador has also been mentioned as a possible destination. WikiLeaks, the organization that has released reams of classified material online from the U.S. government and others, claims to have aided Snowden in his flight. They released a statement saying he was bound for a "democratic nation via a safe route for the purpose of asylum." An Aeroflot agent told Russia's Interfax news service that Snowden is traveling with one other person with the surname Harrison, but the agent declined to release the traveler's full name. U.K. journalist Sarah Harrison is a known close adviser to WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange, prompting speculation that she was with Snowden during his flight from Hong Kong. WikiLeaks tweeted out her profile Sunday morning, as well as another tweet asking followers to read about her "before the smears arrive." Early Sunday morning, Hong Kong officials said Snowden had been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with their laws. Snowden had been in hiding in Hong Kong for several weeks since he revealed information on the highly classified spy programs. Interpol said there is no public Red Notice -- an international alert that an individual is wanted for arrest by an Interpol member country -- at the moment for Snowden. A U.S. Department of Justice spokesperson, Nanda Chitre, told CBS News they had been informed Snowden had left Hong Kong. "We will continue to discuss this matter with Hong Kong and pursue relevant law enforcement cooperation with other countries where Mr. Snowden may be attempting to travel," Chindre said. Play Video U.S. pressures Hong Kong to extradite Snowden Play Video How much damage did NSA surveillance leaks do? Play Video NSA docs show govt. can keep copies of calls, emails indefinitely The White House itself has not commented yet on Snowden's departure, which came a day after the United States made a formal request for his extradition and gave a pointed warning to Hong Kong against delaying the process of returning him to face trial in the U.S. The Hong Kong government said in a statement that Snowden left "on his own accord for a third country through a lawful and normal channel." It acknowledged the U.S. extradition request, but said U.S. documentation did not "fully comply with the legal requirements under Hong Kong law." It said additional information was requested from Washington, but since the Hong Kong government "has yet to have sufficient information to process the request for provisional warrant of arrest, there is no legal basis to restrict Mr. Snowden from leaving Hong Kong." Russian officials have given no indication that they have any interest in detaining Snowden or any grounds to do so. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Russia would be willing to consider granting asylum if Snowden were to make such a request. Russia and the United States have no extradition treaty that would oblige Russia to hand over a U.S. citizen at Washington's request. WikiLeaks said it was providing legal help to Snowden at his request and that he was being escorted by diplomats and legal advisors from the group. Its founder, Julian Assange, who has spent a year inside the Ecuadorean Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden to face questioning about sex crime allegations, told the Sydney Morning Herald that his organization is in a position to help because it has expertise in international asylum and extradition law. The Cuban government had no comment on Snowden's movements or reports he might use Havana as a transit point. Michael Ratner, Assange's lawyer, said he didn't know Snowden's final destination, but said his options were not numerous. "You have to have a country that's going to stand up to the United States," Ratner said. "You're not talking about a huge range of countries here." Ratner said a country's extradition treaty with the U.S. is "not going to be relevant" because the country he ends up going to will likely be one willing to give him a political exemption.

Plane With Wing Walker Crashes at Ohio Show; 2 Die - ABC News Posted: 23 Jun 2013 08:14 AM PDT An air show in southwestern Ohio reopened with a moment of silence Sunday, a day after a pilot and wing walker died in a horrifying, fiery crash in front of thousands of spectators. The Vectren Air Show near Dayton, which closed right after Saturday's crash, resumed Sunday in honor of pilot Charlie Schwenker and veteran stuntwoman Jane Wicker, both of Virginia. "As a pilot, you accept the fact that accidents do happen — it's an accepted risk we take," said John King, president of the Flying Circus Airshow, which employed Wicker. "They were both dedicated to flying and the act. They were true, ultimate professionals," King said. "I don't know of anyone who could have done any better than what they were doing." Wicker and Schwenker were killed when their plane crashed in front of spectators who screamed in shock as the aircraft became engulfed in flames. No one else was hurt. Video of the crash showed their plane gliding through the sky before abruptly rolled over, crashing and exploding into flames. Wicker, performing at the Dayton show for the first time, had been sitting atop the 450 HP Stearmans. The decision to resume the show a day after the crash was an emotional one supported by Wicker's ex-husband, said air show general manager Brenda Kerfoot. "He said, 'This is what Jane and Charlie would have wanted,'" Kerfoot said. "'They want you to have a safe show and go out there and do what you do best.'" Wicker, 44, who lived in Bristow, Va., was a mother of two boys and engaged to be married, Kerfoot said. Schwenker, 64, of Oakton, Va., was married. The cause of the crash is unclear and the conclusion of an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board likely will take months. Investigators picked through the debris of the crash site Saturday. Wicker's website says she responded to a classified ad from the Flying Circus Airshow in Bealeton, Va., in 1990, for a wing-walking position, thinking it would be fun. She was a contract employee who worked as a Federal Aviation Administration budget analyst, the FAA said. In one post on Wicker's site, the stuntwoman explains what she loved most about her job. "There is nothing that feels more exhilarating or freer to me than the wind and sky rushing by me as the earth rolls around my head," the post says. "I'm alive up there. To soar like a bird and touch the sky puts me in a place where I feel I totally belong. It's the only thing I've done that I've never questioned, never hesitated about and always felt was my destiny." She also answered a question she said she got frequently: What about the risk? "I feel safer on the wing of my airplane than I do driving to the airport," she wrote. "Why? Because I'm in control of those risks and not at the mercy of those other drivers." A program for the air show touted Wicker as a performer of "heart-stopping" feats who did moves that "no other wing walker is brave enough to try." "Wing riding is not for this damsel; her wing walking style is the real thing," the program said. "With no safety line and no parachute, Jane amazes the crowd by climbing, walking, and hanging all over her beautiful ... aircraft. "Spectators are sure to gasp as this daredevil demonstrates in true form the unbelievable art of wing walking," it says. On the video of the crash, an announcer narrates as Wicker's plane glides through the air.

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WikiLeaks' Assange urges support for Snowden, slams Obama 'betrayal' - CNN International Posted: 22 Jun 2013 08:27 AM PDT STORY HIGHLIGHTS Assange says President Obama has betrayed a generation, according to the text of a speech "Edward Snowden's ordeal is just beginning," Assange says of the NSA leaker Snowden is charged by federal prosecutors with espionage and theft of government property "This isn't a phenomenon that is going away," says Assange of young, tech-savvy leakers London (CNN) -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange urged the world Saturday to "stand with" Edward Snowden, the man who admitted leaking top-secret details about U.S. surveillance programs, according to the text of a speech posted on Twitter. As he appealed for a "brave country" to step forward and offer Snowden asylum, Assange also accused U.S. President Barack Obama of betraying a generation of "young, technically minded people." Assange was scheduled to speak from the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London on Saturday, but the appearance was postponed at short notice "due to a security situation," WikiLeaks said on Twitter. Wednesday marked a year since Assange sought refuge in the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over allegations that he raped one woman and sexually molested another. Army Pfc. Bradley Manning is accused in the largest leak of classified documents in U.S. history. His court-martial is set to begin Monday, June 3, at Fort Meade, Maryland. He has pleaded guilty to 10 of 22 charges against him and faces up to two decades in jail. He has not pleaded guilty to the most serious charge -- that of aiding U.S. enemies, which carries the potential for a life sentence. At a February proceeding, Manning read a statement detailing why and how he sent classified material to WikiLeaks, a group that facilitates the anonymous leaking of secret information through its website. Key WikiLeaks figures as trial begins HIDE CAPTION << < 1 2 3 4 5 > >> Assange has repeatedly said the allegations in Sweden are politically motivated and tied to the work of his website. Ecuador's government granted him asylum in August, but British authorities have said they will arrest him if he leaves the premises. As a result of his decision to seek refuge in the embassy, "I have been able to work in relative safety from a U.S. espionage investigation," said Assange, according to the text of the speech. "But today, Edward Snowden's ordeal is just beginning." Assange's words came hours after Snowden was charged by U.S. federal prosecutors with espionage and theft of government property, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in U.S. District Court in Virginia on Friday. Snowden, 30, has admitted in interviews that he was the source behind the leak of classified documents about the NSA's surveillance programs. Those leaks were the basis of reports this month in Britain's Guardian newspaper and The Washington Post. He is believed to be in hiding in Hong Kong. The United States has asked authorities there to detain the former National Security Agency contract analyst on a provisional arrest warrant, The Washington Post reported, citing unnamed U.S. officials. Assange, in his published speech, said the espionage charge had come "like clockwork," making Snowden the eighth "leaker" to be charged with that count by the Obama administration. "Two dangerous runaway processes have taken root in the last decade, with fatal consequences for democracy," he said. "Government secrecy has been expanding on a terrific scale. Simultaneously, human privacy has been secretly eradicated ... The U.S. government is spying on each and every one of us, but it is Edward Snowden who is charged with espionage for tipping us off." Also among the eight "leakers" is WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning, Assange said. Manning is being court-martialed on charges he aided U.S. enemies by leaking documents he obtained as an Army intelligence analyst. He named the others as Barrett Brown, Jeremy Hammond, Aaron Swartz, Gottfrid Svartholm and Jacob Appelbaum. Assange suggested Obama was the real "traitor" for his failure to live up to his promises of hope, change and transparency in government. And he warned that the U.S. government will lose the battle if it tries to take on the tech-savvy people now calling its actions into question. "Edward Snowden is one of us. Bradley Manning is one of us. They are young, technically minded people from the generation that Barack Obama betrayed. They are the generation that grew up on the Internet, and were shaped by it," he said. "The U.S. government is always going to need intelligence analysts and systems administrators, and they are going to have to hire them from this generation and the ones that follow it. "One day, they will run the CIA and the FBI. This isn't a phenomenon that is going away." Assange added that charging Snowden "is intended to intimidate any country that might be considering standing up for his rights" and appealed for efforts to find asylum for him to be intensified. CNN's Susannah Palk contributed to this report. 0 Comments » SHARE THIS Print Email More sharing

Zimmerman judge rules experts can't testify on screams in 911 tape - Los Angeles Times Posted: 22 Jun 2013 08:59 AM PDT The judge in the George Zimmerman murder trial ruled that two prosecution audio experts will not be allowed to testify in the case of the neighborhood watch volunteer accused of second-degree murder in the shooting of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin. The ruling by Judge Debra S. Nelson was released Saturday morning after hearings stretching over four days in her courtroom in Seminole County, Fla. The judge was asked to decide about background screams recorded on a 911 police tape and whether the voice could be identified. The defense had sought to exclude the prosecution experts, arguing that the science used to make such audio identifications was not reliable. The expert testimony, identifying the voice and screams as Martin's, would prejudice the jury against Zimmerman, defense attorneys argued. The prosecution insisted the science was valid and that it was up to the jury to decide whose voice was heard screaming In her ruling, Nelson held that the 911 tape could be played in court, but that prosecutors will not be allowed to use the audio experts to identify the screams in the background as the voice of Martin. However, the prosecution will be allowed to present any witnesses familiar with Martin's voice to testify, the judge stated. Zimmerman, 29, is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting of Martin in February, 2012, in Sanford, Fla. He said he shot Martin in self-defense. Opening statements in the trial are scheduled for Monday. The 911 tape is a call from a neighbor who heard the confrontation between Zimmerman and Martin and called police. The recording includes sounds in the background such as screams and possibly words. The screams abruptly stop and a gunshot is heard. Prosecution expert Alan Reich testified that it was Martin who is heard screaming and saying the word "stop" in the background of the call. "He's making it up," Don West, one of Zimmerman's lawyers, argued during the hearing, insisting there's no method to reliably test the sounds, which last just seconds. James Wayman, a defense forensic voice expert, said Reich's report was baffling, and methods used by another prosecution expert, Tom Owen, have never been used to evaluate recordings like the 911 call. "A lot of this appears to be like magic," Wayman testified. "I was baffled." Owen, the other prosecution experts, will not be allowed to testify, Nelson ruled. ALSO: Judge bars some words in Zimmerman murder trial Lawyer involved in gulf oil spill claims quits amid allegation Solstice draws scores of yogis to Times Square seeking inner peace michael.muskal@latimes.com

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For Re-Enactors, Gettysburg Is Pinnacle of Hobby - ABC News Posted: 21 Jun 2013 08:42 AM PDT Thousands of Civil War buffs are getting ready for the pinnacle of their re-enacting careers when they gather in Pennsylvania for the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. This year's commemoration is such a big deal that it's getting two giant re-enactments. One starts the weekend of June 28, while the other begins on Independence Day. They'll bookend the actual anniversary of the pivotal battle that took place July 1-3, 1863. There's a bit of competitiveness over which group will put on the better re-enactment. But leaders of both groups say they share the same goals of educating the public and commemorating the war's bloodiest skirmish. Re-enactments occur on private properties, outside of Gettysburg National Military Park.

Alberta premier warns of downstream floods to come - CBC.ca Posted: 21 Jun 2013 08:34 AM PDT Alberta Premier Alison Redford warned today that people downstream of Calgary still "have not yet felt the full force" of flooding as swollen rivers overrun their banks. Albertans faced more rain Friday after seeing the worst flooding in decades, which caused evacuations in Calgary and throughout southern areas of the province. She praised the work of first responders at all levels, but reminded people that when asked to leave their homes, they must do so. She said she had spoken with Prime Minister Stephen Harper. "He of course is watching this in real time on social media along with Mrs. Harper and offered to work closely with us and provide any possible support," she said. Speaking at the same news conference, Municipal Affairs Minister Doug Griffiths echoed Redford's assurances to Albertans that emergency management efforts are underway. "I want you to know that we are keenly aware that now we are managing a crisis situation," Griffiths said. "But we are also planning for the future already." When the water subsides and it's time to clean up the debris and rebuild, he said, Albertans will be doing that as quickly as possible. The swollen Bow and Elbow rivers carried water fast and furious overnight through Calgary and towns such as Canmore, High River, Black Diamond and Turner Valley. Both rivers were believed to have crested in the Calgary area by about 6 a.m. MT. "That is not to say there won't be some secondary surges," the CBC's Meghan Grant reported from Calgary's Emergency Operations Centre at about 7 a.m. Much depends on the weather. Rain was forecast to continue for the next 12 hours. Numerous Calgary neighbourhoods have been evacuated, with an estimated 75,000 people affected. While not as intense as Thursday, more rain was forecast for Friday, with an additional 15-30 mm possible, said CBC meteorologist Jay Scotland. "The greatest amounts were expected west of Calgary and just north of Canmore, and an additional five to 10 mm tonight through Saturday morning," he said. "Showers also remain in the forecast this weekend." Mudslides forced the closure of the Trans-Canada Highway, isolating the mountain resort towns of Banff and Canmore. Alberta Health Services issued a boil-water order for specific parts of Canmore on Friday morning. Residents and businesses in parts of Cougar Creek east of the creek were told to bring water to a full boil for one minute before any consumption.​ At about 4:30 a.m. MT, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi tweeted: "We think the Elbow is now at peak. But peak could last a while. Bow still has about 30-35% more flow, expected in next couple of hours." Communities were hit hard just south of Calgary, a city of more than a million people that hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics. Earlier reports that Calgary Zoo's big cats had been taken to the city's courthouse for their safety were contradicted by police tweets. The zoo normally houses four such species, according to its website: lions, tigers, snow leopards and cougars. Many downtown neighbourhoods were ordered evacuated as Thursday evening went on. Officials said the evacuation would take place in stages over the next few days. The province reported that 12 communities were under states of emergency. In a 3 a.m. briefing, Nenshi praised "the incredible calm and orderly way in which we are managing this, both citizens and public servants." He said some police officers had been on the job for 20 hours at that point, helping with evacuations. Still, it has been a shock: "I grew up here, I spent a lot of time on the Bow and Elbow rivers, and I have never seen the river that high and that fast," Nenshi said. Calgary officials expanded evacuation orders and opened more emergency shelters Thursday night. The evacuation orders have grown to cover parts of at least 25 neighbourhoods. All Calgary public and Catholic schools are closed Friday. Many neighbourhoods are shut even to local traffic. The only movement allowed is people heading out of the area, the city says. "Everyone's safety is much more important than anything else that might be going on on a Friday." Mike Crawford, who lives in Calgary, said he had to leave his home just after noon Thursday. View a map of the evacuated areas "I'm not really sure what I'm going to be walking into tomorrow or the next day," he told CBC's Ian Hanomansing The evacuation orders cover the communities of Beltline, Bonnybrook, Bowness, Bridgeland Industrial Area, Chinatown, Eau Claire, Cliff Bungalow, Deer Run, Discovery Ridge, Downtown, East Village, Elbow Park, Erlton, Inglewood, Hillhurst, Mission, Montgomery, Quarry Park, Rideau, Riverbend, Riverdale, Roxboro, Stanley Park, Elboya, Sunnyside, Victoria Park, Westmount and Windsor Park. CBC's Calgary station was also in the evacuation zone. Staff were putting together a morning radio show from a temporary headquarters at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, and it was to be broadcast to the whole province with the help of CBC Edmonton. Reporters and producers — many of whom spent the night being evacuated from their own homes — were deployed throughout the southern half of the province. In Bowness, CBC's Kristina Barnes said water levels were high, nearing the top of the bridge. Police were driving along the bridge with a loudspeaker, urging people to stay away. In Calgary, residents are encouraged to find shelter with family or friends for at least 72 hours. Reception at Southland Leisure Centre and Acadia Recreation Complex centres have been set up for residents who cannot find alternate accommodations. You can find information from the City of Calgary here. Reception centres Reception centres are located at Southland Leisure Centre and Acadia Recreation Complex. People should bring identification, prescription medications and other critical personal items with them. Calgary Transit and Access Calgary are on standby to help residents who cannot leave on their own. Those requiring assistance are asked to identify themselves to emergency responders going door to door. Red Cross contact The City of Calgary says people unable to reach family members who live in areas that have been evacuated can contact the Red Cross in Calgary by phone at: 403-541-6100. People with general or donation inquiries are asked to contact the Red Cross at: WeCare@redcross.ca or 1-800-418-1111.

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EPF to buy rest of RHB? Posted: 20 Jun 2013 06:47 PM PDT SINGAPORE/KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's state pension fund has hired Goldman Sachs to consider its options with the fund's 41 per cent stake in RHB Capital Bhd, according to people familiar with the matter, which include a plan to buy the rest of the bank. RHB, Malaysia's fourth-largest bank, has a market capitalisation of US$6.8 billion. Its second-largest shareholder, Abu Dhabi's Aabar Investment, holds a 22 per cent stake. Malaysia's Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Aabar were not immediately available to comment. A spokeswoman for Goldman Sachs declined to comment.-- Reuters

KL shares tumbles on global sell-off Posted: 20 Jun 2013 06:52 PM PDT Malaysia's benchmark stock index dropped in early trade as global equity markets continued to sell after the Federal Reserve said this week it was encouraged by the US economy's growth to begin slowing its stimulus. The bond buying programme by the Fed had given support to the US economy and global financial markets by pushing interest rates to record lows. The Kuala Lumpur stock index fell 1.4 per cent, led by losses in property developer UEM Sunrise and autos-to-oil and gas conglomerate UMW Holdings. "Asian bourses will inevitably take a beating," Hwang DBS said in a research note to clients. "Back home, the benchmark KLCI, which could test (and fall under) its immediate support level of 1,750 points, may revisit last week's intra-week low of 1,742.87 points." HwangDBS also said investors will watch shares in the country's top lender, Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank), after its disposal of a nine per cent stake in Jakarta listed PT Bank Internasional Indonesia. It also picked out MBM Resources as a key stock to watch, as the auto distributor is targeting to lift its revenue to RM4 billion by 2015 from RM2.3 billion in 2012.-- Reuters

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50 Years After Ich Bin ein Berliner, Obama Urges 'Peace With Justice' - The Atlantic Posted: 20 Jun 2013 07:52 AM PDT In a major speech at the Brandenburg Gate, the president called for a reduction in nuclear weapons. U.S. President Barack Obama, left, stands in front of Brandenburg Gate at Pariser Platz in Berlin on June 19, 2013. (AP) Over the centuries, it's been the site of grandiose military displays under the Kaisers, the symbol of East and West German division during the Cold War, and the setting for "Tear down this wall." And today, President Obama channeled Kennedy as he finally got his own chance to speak at Berlin's historic Brandenburg Gate. In a wide-ranging speech, Obama called on Americans and Europeans to work together to solve the world's biggest challenges, including climate change, youth unemployment, and political oppression. Echoing the words of JFK, who said he was "a citizen of Berlin" in the city 50 years ago on June 26, Obama implored the audience to remember those suffering from poverty and war. "They are who you were," he said. "They deserve our support, for they too, in their own way, are citizens of Berlin. And we have to help them every day." Obama used the event to call for reductions in deployed nuclear warheads, saying the world should aim to cut existing nukes by one-third. The New START treaty, signed in April 2010 between the U.S. and Russia, limited the number of deployed nuclear warheads to 1,550. He also called for treaties that would ban nuclear tests and the production of fissile materials, and for reductions in U.S. and Russian tactical weapons in Europe. "We may no longer live in fear of global annihilation, but so long as nuclear weapons exist, we are not truly safe," Obama said. The president also echoed Kennedy's 1963 call to look "to the day of peace with justice, beyond yourselves and ourselves to all mankind." Obama said fostering "peace with justice" means promoting tolerance, investments in education, and meeting moral obligations on public health. "The greatest tribute that we can pay to those who came before us," he said, "is by carrying on their work to pursue peace and justice not only in our countries but for all mankind."

Supreme Court strikes down anti-prostitution pledge as condition of AIDS funding - Washington Post Posted: 20 Jun 2013 08:33 AM PDT WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday said the government cannot force private health organizations to denounce prostitution as a condition to get taxpayer money to fight AIDS around the world. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court, said the anti-prostitution pledge in a 2003 AIDS funding law improperly restricts the groups' First Amendment rights. Four organizations that work in Africa, Asia and South America challenged the provision in the law, arguing their work has nothing to do with prostitution. The Obama administration countered that it is reasonable for the government to give money only to groups that oppose prostitution and sex trafficking because they contribute to the spread of HIV and AIDS. It said that if groups were not held to a pledge to oppose prostitution and sex trafficking, they could spend private funds in a way that might undermine the government's mission. But Roberts, in the 6-2 decision, wrote that the pledge "goes beyond preventing recipients from using private funds in a way that would undermine the federal government." "It requires them to pledge allegiance to the government's policy of eradicating prostitution," he wrote. That, Roberts wrote, the government cannot do. Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas dissented. Scalia said the pledge "is nothing more than a means of selecting suitable agents to implement the government's chosen strategy to eradicate HIV/AIDS." "That is perfectly permissible under the Constitution," Scalia wrote. Roberts noted that Congress has made available billions of dollars for private groups to combat the spread of HIV and AIDS through the law, formally known as the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003. Another condition of funding that was not at issue in this case prohibits those groups from doing anything to promote the legalization of prostitution or sex trafficking. A federal appeals court in New York struck down the pledge as an unacceptable intrusion on the groups' right to speak freely. Another appeals court, in Washington, upheld the provision against a similar challenge. Two groups — Alliance for Open Society International Inc., which runs a program in Central Asia to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS by reducing drug use, and Pathfinder International, which provides family planning and reproductive health services in more than 20 countries — went to the courts after they adopted policy statements opposing prostitution in order to keep their eligibility for funding intact. The other two groups are Global Health Council and Interaction. The organizations "fear that adopting a policy explicitly opposing prostitution may alienate certain host governments, and may diminish the effectiveness of some of their programs by making it more difficult to work with prostitutes in the fight against HIV/AIDS," Roberts said. The groups pointed out in court papers that the World Health Organization and other international organizations receive U.S funds to fight AIDS and do not have to comply with the anti-prostitution pledge. Indeed, some of the international agencies support lesser penalties for prostitution as part of their AIDS-fighting strategy. Justice Elena Kagan did not take part in the case, presumably because she worked on it while serving in the Justice Department as the Obama administration's top Supreme Court lawyer. The case is United States Agency for International Development v. Alliance for Open Society International, 12-10. Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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