Suspect believed to have caused deadly blasts in Thailand
Explosions went off in a number of Thailand’s prominent resort and beach cities on Aug. 11, killing approximately four people and wounding dozens more. While authorities were quick to rule out any connection between the bombings and foreign militants, they have identified a Thai native, Ahama Lengha, as a suspect, immediately issuing an arrest warrant. The suspected criminal has not yet been taken into custody. Thailand authorities are not sure if he is still in the country, according to ABC.
2016 Rio Paralympics facing huge budget cuts
While the 2016 Rio Paralympics will be held next month, the organization is facing major budget cuts that will derail a venue, various facilities, and transport services, as well as reduce the event’s workforce. According to International Paralympic Committee President Philip Craven, this is the first time the games have dealt with these circumstances in their 56 years of operation. They believe 10 countries will have trouble with transportation costs to Rio but are working diligently to find a solution, Craven explained to ABC.
US Olympic swimmers apologize for false accusations
Ryan Lochte and three teammates have recently faced trouble with Brazilian authorities when inconsistencies in the Olympic athletes’ accusations concerning a robbery at gunpoint by police impersonators were uncovered during questioning. Authorities discovering video footage of Lochte and fellow teammates leaving a Rio gas station and entering a taxi. Gas station attendants identified the swimmers, declaring they were drunk and unruly. Lochte left Rio a day before authorities found proof of the incident, while the Brazilian government confiscated the other swimmers’ passports, denying them transportation back to the U.S. until they apologized for damaging Rio’s reputation. The athletes were quick to confess and apologize for their behavior, promptly returning to the U.S.
Military campaigns have reduced ISIS fighters by 45,000
Iraqi and Syrian military campaigns have driven 45,000 enemy fighters from the battlefield, reducing ISIS combatants from approximately 23,000 to as low as 15,000. Many of the ISIS soldiers are believed to be untrained and unwilling, as the U.S. commander for the fight against ISIS said the enemy is running away from the fight. Sending 560 more troops to Iraq, President Obama’s next move is to mold the established air base into a battlefield in order to regain control of Mosul, a city ISIS has governed since 2014. While recovering the city will not put an end to ISIS destruction, it is one step closer to dissolving the terrorist group, according to Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland.
Trump and Clinton promise to give parents a break
With debate regarding paid family leave and affordable child care on the rise among parents and advocates, presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have proposed solutions to these growing concerns. Clinton has explained her plans to cap the cost of child care, taking no more than 10% of family income to cover expenses; to ensure paid family leave, guaranteeing three month’s pay; and to develop a universal pre-K, giving children four years and up access to high-quality education. Trump has proposed a tax break for parents paying child care costs, allowing them to deduct the average cost of child care from their taxes. However, the logistics of the plan are not fully developed.
