One Direction’s Zayn Malik Is Engaged to Perrie Edwards

Hear that? It’s the sound of 1,000,000 hearts breaking.
One Direction’s Zayn leader is engaged to very little combine singer Perrie Edwards, the bride-to-be’s brother confirmed via Twitter.

“Right. My sister and Zayn square measure Engaged! It’s true!” Jonnie Edwards tweeted. “You seen the ring on the finger and every one that Jazz! CONGRATS!!!”
Malik and Edwards, 20, hit the red carpet weekday night for the London premiere of the boy band’s documentary, “One Direction: this is often U.S.A.,” with Edwards flaunting the new ring on her left.
“Aww the trends,” Perrie Edwards noted this morning. “#Zerrie #CongratsZaynandPerrie
Malik projected last weekend when 2 years of geological dating, consistent with British newspaper The Mirror.
“It’s one in every of the primary weekends they’ve spent with one another, as they’ve each been on tours with their bands. He needed to attend for the right moment,” a supply told the newspaper. “All her bandmates were at V competition, and she or he couldn’t wait to inform them. They’re all extremely excited for her, because the remainder of One Direction square measure for Zayn.”

James Forcillo Murder Charge: Sammy Yatim Shooting Prompts Second-Degree Murder Charge

TORONTO - A Toronto police officer is facing a rare murder charge in the death of a young man who was shot multiple times while apparently wielding a knife on an empty streetcar.
Const. James Forcillo was charged Monday with second-degree murder in 18-year-old Sammy Yatim's death last month.
The shooting was captured on cellphone and surveillance video on which nine shots can be heard, seconds after shouts for Yatim to drop a knife. The final six shots appear to come after Yatim had already fallen to the floor of the streetcar and he is Tasered.
It's not known how many of the shots hit Yatim, but Ontario's police watchdog — the Special Investigations Unit — has said the young man was shot multiple times.
The videos sparked outrage and prompted hundreds of people to take to the streets in two separate marches, demanding justice for Yatim.
His family released a statement Monday saying they are relieved by the charge, but hope the SIU will look into the actions of the supervising officers and other officers who were on scene "for their lack of intervention in this tragedy."
"Over 20 uniformed police officers were present and no one stepped forward to stop the gun shots or offer any mediation," the family wrote.
"Moving forward we expect complete transparency and accountability. We want to work now to ensure that Sammy's blood wasn't wasted and to prevent any other families from enduring such a tragedy."
Yatim's sister took to Twitter to share her reaction to news of the charge.
"The SIU charged the cop with 2nd degree murder!!! Good morning JUSTICE," tweeted Sarah Yatim.
If convicted, Forcillo would be the first Toronto cop to go to prison on an SIU charge. Since the agency's inception in 1990, 10 other police officers have been charged with second-degree murder or manslaughter, but only one was convicted, and that was overturned on appeal.
Forcillo has arranged through his lawyer to turn himself in Tuesday morning, at which time he will be taken into custody and appear in court, the SIU said in a statement.
Since the officer has received threats, the SIU would not say where Forcillo will surrender himself. Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack said he is concerned for Forcillo's safety in and out of custody.
"We're always concerned when one of our officers goes before the courts or gets remanded in custody," McCormack said.
"We'll ensure just like anybody else that somebody who's vulnerable is protected...We've had death threats against this officer."
Peter Brauti, the lawyer representing Forcillo, could not immediately be reached for comment. But McCormack spoke to Forcillo and said though he wasn't surprised by the charge, he was disappointed.
"He's obviously upset about the charge, the nature of the charge, concerned about it," McCormack said. "It's definitely had an adverse impact on his life."
In Saskatoon on Monday, federal Justice Minister Peter MacKay called it a "very tragic case."
"It highlights a number of important issues, not the least of which is issues that pertain to mental health questions — police training," MacKay said.
The SIU, which investigates deaths, injuries or allegations of sexual assault involving police, has investigated more than 100 firearm deaths since 1990.
Forcillo is the third to be charged with second-degree murder. One of the other officers was acquitted, while the second had his charge dismissed, though that decision is under appeal.
Eight police officers have been charged with manslaughter in Ontario since 1990 — four of them for the same death — and all were acquitted. Not all were firearm deaths.
The total of seven doesn't include Toronto Police Const. David Cavanagh, who was originally charged with manslaughter but later had his charge upgraded to second-degree murder.
Cavanagh was charged after 26-year-old Eric Osawe was shot as the Emergency Task Force guns and gangs unit searched an apartment in Toronto's west end in 2010. The Osawe family's lawyer has said the man was shot in the back.
The charge was later upgraded, but at the end of a preliminary inquiry this spring, a judge decided there was insufficient evidence to commit Cavanagh to trial on second-degree murder and dismissed the charge.
The Crown has appealed and is asking the judge to reinstate the manslaughter charge.
York Region Const. Randy Martin was acquitted in 2000 of second-degree murder for the shooting death of 44-year-old Tony Romagnuolo. Martin shot Romagnuolo four times in a scuffle outside the man's home after police showed up to arrest his son.
The Romagnuolos testified at the trial that the officers pulled their guns and began shooting during fist fights. Martin said his life hung in the balance as he fought for control of his gun. The son was also shot by another officer, but he survived.
McCormack cited Cavanagh's case as an example of why the public shouldn't rush to judgment against Forcillo.
"Our officer should be judged in this incident based on what the facts and the evidence are, not just a video or not just what somebody saw on YouTube, but looking at the larger, bigger picture," McCormack said.
In addition to the SIU's investigation, Toronto's police chief has said retired justice Dennis O'Connor will lead a separate review of police procedures, use of force and police response to emotionally disturbed people in the wake of Sammy Yatim's death.
Chief Bill Blair has said he understands the public has many questions about police conduct in Yatim's case and has said O'Connor's review will be "extraordinary" in its scope.
Ontario's ombudsman has also launched an investigation, probing what kind of direction the provincial government provides to police for defusing conflict situations.
Andre Marin has said Yatim's shooting raises the question of whether it's time for Ontario to have consistent and uniform guidelines on how police should de-escalate situations before they lead to the use of force.

Famous Jett Jackson, Rizzoli & Isles Star Lee Thompson Young Dead at 29

Lee Thompson Young, who played the title character on Disney's The Famous Jett Jackson and currently stars on TNT's Rizzoli & Isles, has died at age 29, TMZreports. Authorities believe the cause of death is suicide.
See other celebrities we've lost this year
Young's body was found by his landlord with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to TMZ. The actor was currently starring as Barry Frost on Rizzoli & Isles. Members of the show's staff became concerned when Young didn't show up for work Monday morning, and called his landlord to check up on him, TMZ reports.
"We are all without the words to truly express our collective grief and profound sadness at the loss of such a sweet, bright light," Rizzoli & Isles creator Janet Tamaro tweeted Monday afternoon. "We are broken-hearted. #RIPLeeThompsonYoung"
Tamaro later released a joint statement with Warner Bros. and TNT that reads, "Everyone at Rizzoli & Isles is devastated by the news of the passing of Lee Thompson Young. We are beyond heartbroken at the loss of this sweet, gentle, good-hearted, intelligent man. He was truly a member of our family. Lee will be cherished and remembered by all who knew and loved him, both on- and offscreen, for his positive energy, infectious smile and soulful grace. We send our deepest condolences and thoughts to his family, to his friends and, most especially, to his beloved mother."
Born in Columbia, S.C., Young landed the lead role in The Famous Jett Jackson in 1998. His subsequent TV credits included roles on Scrubs, FlashForward andSmallville, as well as the Friday Night Lights movie.

Crossrail unearths evidence humans lived on Thames in 7,000 BC

Rare evidence that humans lived on the River Thames 9,000 years ago has been discovered by archaeologists working on the Crossrail project.

Gold has also been discovered at its site in Liverpool Street.

Archaeologists said they were mystified as to how such a precious and expensive gold item made its way to what was then regarded as a deprived area.

They believe the 16th Century gold coin was used as a sequin or pendant, similar to those worn by wealthy aristocrats and royalty.

Also at Liverpool Street, a well made Roman road has been discovered - complete with a human bone found in the road's foundations.

Next year, archaeologists will begin excavating 3,000 skeletons from Bedlam, a 17th Century burial ground close to Liverpool Street.

'Exceptionally important location'
Archaeologists are hopeful that when they start large scale excavations to remove the skeletons they will also locate more of the Roman road, along with foundations of Roman buildings that stood alongside it.
Of the tool-making discovery, Crossrail lead archaeologist Jay Carver said: "This is a unique and exciting find that reveals evidence of humans returning to England and in particular the Thames Valley after a long hiatus during the Ice Age.

"It is one of a handful of archaeology sites uncovered that confirms humans lived in the Thames Valley at this time.

"The concentration of flint pieces shows that this was an exceptionally important location for sourcing materials to make tools that were used by early Londoners who lived and hunted on Thames Estuary islands."


Starting in 2018, Crossrail will link Maidenhead, Berkshire, in the west to Shenfield, Essex, and Abbey Wood, south-east London, in the east.

2 face charges in case of Canadian girl who hanged self after alleged rape

Two 18-year-old men face child pornography charges in connection with the case of a 17-year-old girl who hanged herself after she was allegedly gang-raped and bullied online, Canadian authorities said Thursday evening.
A police statement did not provide details, but the family of Rehtaeh Parsons has said she developed suicidal thoughts after she was sexually assaulted in 2011 and a picture of the incident was shared by phone and online.
The two men whose names were not released were arrested Thursday morning at their homes in Halifax, Nova Scotia, according to Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Halifax Regional Police.
One man faces two counts of distribution of child pornography, authorities said. The other is accused of one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of making child pornography.
The two, who were minors at the time of the incident, were released on a promise to appear August 15 in youth court.
Parsons was taken off life support in April, three days after she hanged herself.
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The alleged sexual assault by four boys happened in November 2011 when Rehtaeh was 15, her family said.
Authorities confirmed that a photograph was circulated to friends' mobile phones and computers.
Police investigated, but no criminal charges were filed at that time. In April, police in eastern Canada announced they would reopen the case "in light of new and credible information that has recently been brought forward to police."
Chief Superintendent Roland Wells of Halifax District RCMP said he hoped the arrests will help the community heal.
"A young girl has died in what was a tragic set of circumstances," Wells said in Thursday evening's statement. "We all need to reflect on how we as a community can come together in Rehtaeh's memory and see what we can do to work together to support our youth."
When evidence goes viral
Parsons' mother told CNN affiliate CBC on Thursday that she felt "better" now that arrests have been made.
Leah Parsons said she learned of the arrests when police came to her house to tell her.
"I felt a little bit of relief, just to say, finally -- like I hope -- they keep saying they want to tell their side of the story, but they have never given a statement. The police have never spoken to them in all this time. So at least, here is your chance. Tell your side of the story," she said.
News of the arrests came one day after cybersafety legislation inspired by Parsons was implemented in Nova Scotia.
Opinion: The dark side of social media
The law allows victims, among other things, to sue their alleged cyberbullies. If a bully is a minor, the bully's parents can be held liable.
Officials said the timing of the arrests and the implementation of the legislation was merely a coincidence.

New chill whistles through US-Russia relations

Even before the Snowden affair, US-Russian relations were in trouble. The interaction and body language between Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland in June was astoundingly tense.

After a meeting on the sidelines of the summit, the two men sat on stage for a few snapshots, silent and sullen, until they made an effort for the rolling cameras, said a few words and forced a smile or two.

Despite efforts to reset the relationship at the start of the first Obama administration, and make progress on some dossiers, the US and Russia remained far apart on issues like missile defence and nuclear arsenal reductions.

Despite acknowledged differences, they worked together on Iran and North Korea and other global issues. But they clashed very openly on Syria.
Since the war in Syria started in March 2011, Russia's support for President Bashar al-Assad and America's backing of the rebels has reawakened the worst of the Cold War dynamic between the two powers and given Moscow a proxy battleground to spite the West.

The return of Vladimir Putin to the presidency in May 2012 solidified that trend.

The White House had already been mulling whether to go ahead with the Obama-Putin summit or not. With no progress on any of the issues at stake, there would be nothing to announce after the talks, no deliverables - so why hold a meeting at the presidential level?

While Mr Putin seemed keen on the prestige of having such a meeting on his home turf, he was offering nothing in return - except another blow to the relationship.

Russia's decision to grant whistleblower Edward Snowden asylum - and the timing of the move - infuriated Washington. It became impossible for the White House to justify the summit, especially to a domestic US audience.

Mr Obama has been criticised for being too soft on Russia. He was excoriated by Republicans last year when he was caught on an open microphone telling Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to ask Mr Putin for more space, and saying that he would have more flexibility after his re-election.

Edward Snowden, centre, in Moscow. 12 July 2013
Russia's decision to grant Edward Snowden temporary asylum angered the US
Even the New York Times chimed in on 6 August, calling on the White House to cancel the summit.

"There is no reason for Mr Obama to attend unless Mr Putin provides solid assurances that he is prepared to address contentious issues in a substantive and constructive way. Otherwise, what's the point?"

The decision to cancel the summit is a very rare diplomatic snub but the White House made it a very public one too.

When Mr Putin cancelled his visit to the US in May 2012, the White House went through all sorts of linguistic contortions to downplay the importance of his absence, insisting it was not a snub in an effort not to cause further upheaval in the relationship.

But there were no diplomatic niceties or talk about scheduling conflict to explain why the September meeting in Moscow was being cancelled. A stop in Sweden instead was immediately announced.

But during the Cold War, the US continued to talk to the Soviet Union even at the worst times. And so now too, the talks will continue, just not at the presidential level.

On Friday, the US secretaries of state and defence John Kerry and Chuck Hagel will meet their Russian counterparts Sergei Lavrov and Sergei Shoigu for previously scheduled talks in Washington.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visits Daraya. 1 Aug 2013
The US is frustrated by Russia's support for Syria's President Bashar al-Assad
From Mr Snowden, and the reduction of nuclear arsenals, to Iran and human rights, the agenda is heavy and the onus will be on the ministers to make some progress or at least keep the relationship somewhat on track.

The only issue where there could be a tangible outcome, if the two sides want it, is on the nuclear warheads, where talks for the reduction of the active stockpile have stalled.

The biggest victim of continued fallout between Russia and the US will be Syria.

The Obama administration still believes in a political solution to the conflict, and none can be reached without Moscow. But even when they talk, Moscow and Washington are nowhere near a common vision about how to end the conflict.

In 2009 when then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov with a button symbolising the reset in the relationship, a translation error meant the word used in Russian actually meant ''overload''.


Four-and-a-half years later, overload now seems to be the accurate word to describe the state of US-Russian relations.

Zimbabwe's MDC challenges Robert Mugabe election victory

Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has filed a legal challenge to Robert Mugabe's victory in last week's presidential elections.

The electoral petition seeks an order for the result to be declared null and void and a new election to be called within 60 days.

The MDC's 15 grounds include alleged bribery, abuse of "assisted voting" and manipulation of the electoral roll.

Mr Mugabe, 89, won with 61% of the presidential vote.

His Zanu-PF party gained a parliamentary majority of more than two-thirds, with 160 seats against 49 for the MDC.
The MDC is to file a complaint on the parliamentary results at a later date, reports the BBC's Brian Hungwe in the capital Harare.

With a two-thirds majority, Zanu-PF is able to amend the constitution, potentially restoring presidential powers which were reduced earlier this year.

'Turned away'
Lawyers for the MDC, which filed its petition with the country's constitutional court, told the BBC they had "strong evidence of electoral irregularities".

They said a shockingly high number of people were unable to vote at the polls, and that food and other bribes were used to persuade voters to back Mr Mugabe, our correspondent says.

"The Movement of Democratic Change has filed its election petition... what we seek is that this election be declared null and void in terms of section 93 of the constitution of Zimbabwe," said MDC spokesman Douglas Mwonzora.

The challenge comes a day after Zimbabwe's electoral commission said nearly 305,000 voters had been turned away from polling stations on election day. The MDC says the true number is about 900,000.

Mr Mugabe's margin of victory was some 940,000 votes.

A week after the election, Mr Mugabe dismissed criticism of the polls and lashed out at Western countries for their response.

Zimbabwe's nine-member constitutional court has up to 14 days to respond to the legal challenge.

Correspondents say some of the judges are believed to be Mugabe loyalists.

White House warns some US embassies could remain closed for another month

Jay Carney also sought to downplays effect of widespread closures on US diplomacy in Middle East and Africa.

committee noted yesterday that this information was collected using section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, rather than the Patriot Act. I still haven't seen any evidence that the NSA's dragnet surveillance of Americans' phone records is providing any unique value to American counterterrorism efforts."

Privacy campaigners criticised the linking of the latest terror alerts with the debate over the domestic powers of the NSA. Amie Stepanovich, a lawyer with the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said: "The NSA's choice to publish these threats at this time perpetuates a culture of fear and unquestioning deference to surveillance in the United States."

News of the fresh terror alert came as Congress looked increasingly likely to pursue fresh attempts to limit the NSA's domestic powers when it returns in September.

"The NSA takes in threat information every day. You have to ask, why now? What makes this information different?" added Stepanovich.

"Too much of what we hear from the government about surveillance is either speculation or sweeping assertions that lack corroboration. The question isn't if these programs used by this NSA can find legitimate threats, it's if the same threats couldn't be discovered in a less invasive manner. This situation fails to justify the NSA's unchecked access to our personal information."

US embassies have been closed temporarily in response to similar perceived terrorist threats, but rarely for this long. Four embassies were closed for the first anniversary of 9/11 in 2002; six African embassies were closed for 3 days in June of 1999; and 38 embassies shut for 2 days in December 1998.

"I don't want anyone to think we're leaning toward indefinite closure," Harf said, emphasizing that many of the embassies would largely have been closed or on relaxed hours due to the Eid holiday.


Harf said the threat "looks credible" in response to a question about whether it might have been a decoy once revelations of NSA surveillance became public.

Sun's magnetic field "is about to flip", warns NASA

The whole of the sun's magnetic field is about to "flip", according to NASA - with warning signs being spotted by observatories around the world this year. 

This "flip" happens every 11 years, and coincides with the greatest solar activity in the "cycles" of the sun, known as "Solar Maximum" - with sunspots and "coronal mass ejections" on the surface of the sun.

"It looks like we're no more than 3 to 4 months away from a complete field reversal," says solar physicist Todd Hoeksema of Stanford University. "This change will have ripple effects throughout the solar system."

The effects are so powerful they will be felt beyond Pluto - and may affect phenomena such as cosmic rays, which some believe can alter the climate on Earth. 

Scientists have recorded these "flips" for decades, but the process is still not fully understood. This particular "flip" has already puzzled scientists - with one magnetic pole of the sun appearing to flip "too early" last year.
The sun's magnetic influence (also known as the "heliosphere") extends billions of kilometers beyond Pluto - changes to the field's polarity ripple all the way out to NASA's Voyager probes, on the doorstep of interstellar space.

When solar physicists talk about solar field reversals, their conversation often centers on the "current sheet."  

The current sheet is a sprawling surface jutting outward from the sun's equator where the sun's slowly-rotating magnetic field induces an electrical current. 

During field reversals, the current sheet becomes very wavy - Scherrer likens the undulations to the seams on a baseball.  As Earth orbits the sun, we dip in and out of the current sheet. Transitions from one side to another can stir up stormy space weather around our planet.

Cosmic rays are also affected. These are high-energy particles accelerated to nearly light speed by supernova explosions and other violent events in the galaxy.  

Cosmic rays are a danger to astronauts and space probes, and some researchers say they might affect the cloudiness and climate of Earth. 

The current sheet acts as a barrier to cosmic rays, deflecting them as they attempt to penetrate the inner solar system. A wavy, crinkly sheet acts as a better shield against these energetic particles from deep space.

As the field reversal approaches, data from Wilcox show that the sun's two hemispheres are out of synch. 


"The sun's north pole has already changed sign, while the south pole is racing to catch up," says Scherrer. "Soon, however, both poles will be reversed, and the second half of Solar Max will be underway."

Argentine explosion leaves 8 dead

A POWERFUL blast from a gas leak has ripped through a ten-story apartment building setting it ablaze in Argentina's third largest city, leaving at least eight dead and 61 injured.

City officials in Rosario said at least 19 people were still missing following Tuesday's blast as hundreds of firefighters and rescuers searched the rubble of the edifice that was in danger of collapse.

"There are eight dead. The search in the rubble will continue all night," Mayor Monica Fein said at a press conference.

"There is a list of 19 people whose families said they have not been heard from."

The blast wiped away the front of the building, leaving the insides of people's homes and gutted balconies visible from the street below.

Among the wounded was at least one child who suffered head injuries, hospital officials said.

Rosario's health ministry declared an emergency, calling all dispatchers into action.

Mayor Fein said earlier 17 ambulances were on the scene to help people injured in the fire.

People within a 2km radius of the explosion, including 11 schools, were evacuated, as the gas supply to the building could not be cut off.

Civil defence officers were able to rescue survivors via the roof of a neighbouring supermarket.

But civil defence director Raul Reinone said that the magnitude of the event may cause the building to collapse.

"The shock wave was tremendous," the superintendent of a building 200 metres from the site of the explosion told the TV station C5N.

The blast sent flames roaring through the building as fire engine sirens sounded and traffic clogged Rosario's city centre. The area around the building includes shops, schools and banks.

Shards of shattered glass littered the streets.

Rosario is home to 1.1 million people and is located 300km north of Buenos Aires. It is Argentina's main port for farm exports.

Bush after heart surgery: ‘Get regular checkups’

If the famously fitness-minded George W. Bush can develop an artery blockage prompting heart surgery, those of us whose main form of exercise is jumping to conclusions are surely toast.
The former president’s office announced early Tuesday that he had undergone successful heart surgery after his annual physical examination detected the problem. Doctors implanted a stent to open the blockage, and Bush, 67, is due to spend the night in the hospital.
“President Bush is in high spirits, eager to return home tomorrow and resume his normal schedule on Thursday,” spokesman Freddy Ford said in a statement. “He is grateful to the skilled medical professionals who have cared for him. He thanks his family, friends, and fellow citizens for their prayers and well wishes. And he encourages us all to get our regular check-ups.”
Good advice, of course, but as someone who covered Dubya's two White House terms and remembers his rigorous exercise routines (running, then mountain biking when his knees couldn’t take the abuse), this is a little depressing. He out-biked reporters decades his junior, and before that outran aides barely into their 20s. This is a guy who managed to avoid — not block, or catch, but duck — two shoes hurled at him by a reporter in Iraq in 2008 from just a few feet away.
Plus, I’m programmed now. I hear “heart” and “stent” and I think "Vice President Dick Cheney."
But about that “regular checkups” thing: Bush never shied away from sending that kind of public health message while in office. He fought like H, E, double-hockey-sticks for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. He ramped up U.S. aid to Africa to fight malaria. He had a couple of colonoscopies in office (June 2002 and July 2007), after which the White House highlighted the importance of preventive care “surveillance.”
And then, of course, there was the tongue-in-cheek advice he gave reporters after a January 2002 incident in which he choked on a pretzel, fell and sustained a cut to his cheek.
“My mother always said when you're eating pretzels, chew before you swallow. Listen to your mother,” Bush said.
And get regular checkups.

Obama warns on housing: 'We can't just re-inflate a housing bubble'

President Barack Obama took his economic road show to Phoenix on Tuesday, where he highlighted the effect his housing policies could have on furthering the recovery of the housing market in the Arizona city and dozens of other towns like it that were hit hard by last decade’s mortgage crisis.
The president called for a series of reforms for both borrowers and lenders, which he said would help boost homeownership and protect the housing market from another crash similar to the one which devastated American financial system and prompted the onset of the 2008 recession.
"As home prices rise, we can’t just re-inflate a housing bubble," the president told a crowd at a high school in Phoenix. "That’s the second thing I’m here to talk about today: laying a rock-solid foundation to make sure the kind of crisis we just went through never happens again
Obama’s remarks were the latest in a series of speeches the president has delivered across the country in recent weeks to both boost his vision for middle-class growth and to set the contours for a debate with congressional Republicans this autumn over federal spending and the mounting national debt.
“We've got to give to more hard-working Americans the chance to buy their first home. We have to help more responsible homeowners refinance their mortgages,” Obama said in Phoenix, a southwestern city hurt particularly hard by the subprime mortgage crisis. “And we've got to turn the page on this kind of bubble-and-bust mentality that created this mess in the first place, and build a housing system that’s durable and fair and rewards responsibility for generations to come.”
The president, however, did not touch on an issue that has commanded his administration’s attention in recent days: the threat of a terror attack against U.S. interests abroad, which prompted the government to order the closure of almost two dozen embassies and led to the evacuation of U.S. diplomatic staff from Yemen this week.
Obama instead focused his remarks squarely upon a series of housing reforms that he said would help advance the industry’s recovery.
On the consumer side, Obama asked Congress to pass legislation to allow homeowners to refinance their mortgage at current rates, and to cut down regulations for qualified borrowers. He argued for projects that would put construction workers on jobs repairing rundown homes or clearing vacant properties, and called for policies to ensure affordable housing. The president also asserted that immigration reform, which he’s championed, would also help add value to the housing market.
As to lenders, Obama endorsed a bipartisan effort in the Senate to reform mortgage-backing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which were taken into government conservatorship at the height of the financial crisis.
He also called for the government to decrease its role in the housing market.
Obama said that private lenders, rather than the government, should lead the housing market. (“I know that must sound confusing to the folks who call me a socialist,” he joked in one of his few barbs toward Republicans – a minor contrast with some of his other economic speeches.)
The president also warned lenders who approve mortgages for subprime borrowers not to expect government assistance in the future. “We encourage the pursuit of profit – but the era of expecting a bailout after your pursuing your profit ... we're not going to do that anymore,” he said.
Obama further called for lenders to preserve the use of familiar instruments like the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage; he also encouraged lenders to support affordable housing and preserve advantages for first-time homebuyers as a way to encourage homeownership.
The president’s speech was relatively sparse in terms of calling out Republicans compared to some of his preceding stops on his economic tour. Beyond his joke about being called a “raging socialist,” Obama goaded senators to vote soon on Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C., his nominee to head up the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
“He’s the right person for the job," Obama said. "Congress and the Senate should give his nomination an up-or-down vote without any more obstruction or delay."

Taliban leader says still willing to start peace negotiations

KABUL, Afghanistan –  The Taliban's reclusive leader said Tuesday that his group was willing to start peace negotiations, even as he urged more attacks -- including insider shootings by government security forces -- on foreign troops.
In a wide-ranging emailed message, Mullah Mohammad Omar blamed America and the Afghan government for the derailment of talks two months ago.
He also called Afghans to boycott next year's presidential elections, describing them as being manipulated by the United States.
In a message issued ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the one-eyed chief of the Afghan insurgency urged the army and police turn their guns on foreign forces, government officials and the Afghan troops who are cooperating with the U.S.-led coalition forces.
The Taliban's longstanding policy is to continue attacks even as it pursues negotiations.
The five-page message was emailed to news organizations. Mullah Omar regularly issues such messages for the two yearly Eid holy days.
Striking a conciliatory tone elsewhere in the message, he denied that the insurgents were seeking to monopolize power in Afghanistan and said that his group favored what he described as an "Afghan-inclusive government based on Islamic principles."
He called on Afghans, however, to stay away from the April 5 elections for a new president and councils that will run Afghanistan's 34 provinces, saying the polls were "a waste of time."
The reclusive leader has not been seen he reportedly fled a village in southern Afghanistan on motorcycle three months after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001. There are no known audio recordings of his voice since early 2002 or any pictures of Mullah Omar. He mainly communicates in messages relayed by his spokesmen.
In the message, Mullah Omar did repeat a key U.S. demand opening the way for peace talks by pledging not to use Afghanistan as a base to threaten other countries, although he again did not openly denounce al-Qaida -- one of the original conditions set by the United States that was temporarily dropped to get talks going.
"Our fundamental principle according to our unchanging policy is that we do not intend to harm anyone, nor we allow anyone to harm others from our soil," the message said, echoing the original language used by the Taliban on June 18 when they announced the opening of a political office in the Gulf state of Qatar. Some elements of the Taliban, including the Pakistan-based Haqqani network, are believed to still have ties with al-Qaida.
Those talks foundered before they even began when the Taliban marked the opening with the flag, anthem and symbols of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan -- the group's name when they ruled the country. President Hamid Karzai immediately pulled the plug on talks saying the office had all the trappings of an embassy of a government in exile.
"The aim of our contacts and talks with the invaders which are conducted through the Political Office is to put an end to occupation of Afghanistan. No one should perceive that the Mujahedeen will relinquish of their lofty religious principles and national interests. I assure you that I will not reach any illegitimate compromise or unlawful deal," said the message, which was also written in English.
He complained the talks faltered because "the invaders and their allies are creating obstacles in the way of resolving problems by making various pretexts."
The Taliban have already held secret talks with Karzai's representatives to try to jumpstart a peace process, Afghan officials and a senior Taliban representative recently told The Associated Press.
The discussions with members of the Afghan High Peace Council, appointed by Karzai three years ago to conduct talks with the Taliban, have so far been unofficial and preliminary. They are seen as an attempt to agree on conditions for formal talks.
But Mullah Omar warned that whatever the result of peace talks, the Taliban would not accept the signing of a bilateral security agreement between Afghanistan and the United States that would allow the presence of foreign troops beyond the end of 2014, when all international combat forces are to leave the country. When signed, such an agreement would allow a small force of trainers and possibly counterterrorism troops to remain. Although no numbers have been announced yet, it is believed they would be about 9,000 from the U.S. and 6,000 from its allies.
"The Afghans consider the presence of a small number of invading troops as an encroachment against their independence as they are not willing to accept presence of thousands of foreign troops," the message said.
The Taliban have intensified their campaign against Afghan and foreign forces in recent months, especially after the coalition handed over responsibility for security to the army and police forces they have been training in recent years. They have especially targeted areas in their traditional homelands in southern and eastern Afghanistan in an effort to take advantage of the withdrawal of foreign troops.
As a result casualties among both Afghan forces and civilians have increased dramatically.
Mullah Omar denied responsibility for increased civilian casualties, despite a recent U.S. report that blamed insurgents for more than three-quarters of them.
But he said his fighters would not stop fighting, despite conciliatory hints about political inclusiveness and his belief that Afghan youth should have a "modern education."
"I urge all Afghans who perform duties in the ranks of the enemy to turn barrels of their guns against the infidel invaders and their allies instead of martyring their Muslim Afghans," the message said. "The Islamic Emirate considers it its religious and national obligation to liberate the country from the occupation. When the occupation ends, reaching an understanding with the Afghans will not be a hard task because, by adhering to and having common principles and culture, the Afghans understand each other better."

Iran is ready to enter 'serious and substantive' nuke talks

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a news conference in Tehran on Tuesday.

TEHRAN – Iran’s new president said the country was determined to resolve the nuclear disagreement with the U.S. and the West and was ready to enter “serious and substantive'' negotiations.
In his first newsconference since taking the oath of office Saturday, President Hassan Rouhani defended Iran’s nuclear program and was critical of U.S. and Western economic sanctions.
Asked by NBC News if a new round of economic sanctions against Iran passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week would complicate negotiations, Rouhani criticized the U.S. for sending both conciliatory and bellicose messages.

"The United States has sent conflicting messages in the way it acts. What they say and do differs,” said Rouhani. "It is important that America responds in practice – not just talk."
Iran is under U.N. sanctions and unilateral Western oil and banking sanctions over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a process that can be used to build nuclear weapons. Iran says the program is aimed at generating electricity and producing treatments for cancer patients.

Rouhani said Iran would not abandon its nuclear program, but rather that would continue under the terms of the non-proliferation treaty.   
Iran is under U.N. sanctions and unilateral Western oil and banking sanctions over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a process that can be used to build nuclear weapons. Iran says the program is aimed at generating electricity and producing treatments for cancer patients.
Rouhani said Iran would not abandon its nuclear program, but rather that would continue under the terms of the non-proliferation treaty.   

"We will not do away with the right of the nation,” he said. 
“However, we are for negotiations and interaction. We are prepared, seriously and without wasting time, to enter negotiations which are serious and substantive with the other side.''
“If the other party is also prepared like we are, then I am confident that the concerns of both sides will be removed through negotiations within a period which will not be very long.''
Rouhani was very careful with his words during the news conference, pausing before he would answer questions. For instance, he was clear to say he was “neither optimistic, nor pessimistic” about future nuclear negotiations.
Despite the conciliatory tone, Rouhani made an apparent reference to Israel, though never directly mentioning the Jewish country by name. He said the U.S. Congress “follows the welfare of one foreign country and takes orders from them. The interests of this foreign country and certain groups are imposed on Congress and it does not serve the interests of the American people, but of another country.”
Rouhani was heckled by some of the Iranian media for answering questions posed to him by American reporters – even though only four American journalists asked questions and the rest of the journalists asking questions were all Iranian. 
Hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear impasse have risen with Rouhani's win over conservative rivals in June, when voters replaced the former president hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The White House indicated that it hoped that nuclear tensions would ease under Rouhani, the country’s former nuclear negotiator.
“The inauguration of President Rouhani presents an opportunity for Iran to act quickly to resolve the international community’s deep concerns over Iran’s nuclear program,” according to a statement put out by the White House.  “Should this new government choose to engage substantively and seriously to meet its international obligations and find a peaceful solution to this issue, it will find a willing partner in the United States.”
Last week, however, the U.S. House overwhelmingly passed new restrictions on Iran's oil sector and its mining and construction industries. Senators are expected to take up the same package in September.
Iran's critics say that it has used previous nuclear negotiations as a delaying tactic while continuing to develop nuclear weapons-related technology.

The U.S. State Department said Tuesday that “the ball is in their court” for the Iranians to take credible actions.