SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY AUGUST 8, 2016 High of 90 Low of 78 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. Politics A plan too heavy on details 4 World Overwork kills in Japan 10 5 Myths HIPAA privacy rules 23 THE SCENT OF DANGER Humankind’s best friend may be our best bet for preventing attacks PAGE 12 ABCDE NATIONAL WEEKLY Travel Epic trip to 47 national parks 17 THE WEEK OF SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016. IN COLLABORATIO N WITH THE WASHINGTON POST The scent of danger EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 WHAT READERS DESERVE FROM THEIR MEDIA FOUR LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU BETTER: SEVEN MILE BEACH, WATERFRONT, WALKERS ROAD, TOWN CENTRE PLAZA Cayman athletes take on Rio First two Cayman athletes, the Butler siblings, competed over the weekend in swimming events Cayman’s Olympic athletes, led by flag- bearer Ronald Forbes, joined thousands of athletes from around the world Friday in the parade of nations at the 2016 Summer Games opening ceremony in the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Wearing custom-designed “turtle ranger” outfits, the five athletes – sprinter Kemar Hyman, hurdler Forbes, sailor Flor- ence Allan and swimmers Geoff and Lara Butler – and six accompanying officials marched behind the Cayman flag. The opening ceremony was watched by an au- dience of more than 3 billion. The 206 countries taking part in the games were led by Greece, followed in alphabetical order in Portuguese. The Cayman Islands was the 41st country, following Kazakhstan. Uniforms The uniforms worn by the Cayman delegation in the opening ceremony were “1930s style with a modern twist,” ac- cording to the outfits’ designers. The men wore khaki pants, light blue shirts, thatch hats and boat shoes, US gives green light to GM mosquito tests in Florida Full releases begin in Cayman this week CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com As Oxitec and the Mosquito Research and Control Unit ramp up releases of geneti- cally modified mosquitoes in West Bay, regu- lators in the U.S. gave the company the green light to test the GM mosquitoes on an is- land in the Florida Keys. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Friday gave what it calls a “finding of no sig- nificant impact,” deciding that Oxitec’s mos- quitoes will not have a significant impact on the environment. The decision clears the way for Oxitec to run a trial – similar to what the company is doing in West Bay – in Key Haven, Florida, a small island next to Key West. In Cayman, Oxitec project manager Renaud Lacroix said the company released 75,000 mosquitoes Saturday morning. Speaking over the weekend, he said the release program will “start to be at full speed” in the coming week, with plans to release 150,000 mos- quitoes on Tuesday. Between 100,000 and 200,000 mosqui- toes will be released three times a week during the project. The GM mosquitoes are being tested to see how well they can impact the Aedes aegypti mosquito population, which is responsible for spreading a number of viruses, including Zika, dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. Mr. Lacroix, who helped set up Oxitec’s lab- oratory in the United States several years ago, said, “We’re really pleased the FDA found that this is safe for the environment and for people.” PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Cayman Islands’ athlete Geoff Butler competes in a heat of the men’s 400m freestyle during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics on Saturday. He was the first of the Cayman athletes to compete in the games in Rio. - PHOTO: MATT SLOCUM/AP The Cayman Islands delegation enters the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Friday night at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. - PHOTO: RICHARD HEATHCOTE/POOL PHOTO VIA AP PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 5 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL MONDAY AUGUST 8, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. y x *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - MONDAY - SUICIDE SQUAD 3D (PG13) 1:00 I 1:30 2D I 3:45 I 4:15 2D I 6:30 7:00 2D I 9:15 I 9:45 2D JASON BOURNE (PG13) 1:20 I 4:15 I 7:15 I 10:00 THE INFILTRATOR (R) 12:45 I 4:00 I 6:50 I 9:50 THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 3D (PG) 1:10 2D I 3:30 I 7:10 2D I 9:30 ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE 3D (PG) 2:00 I 4:20 2D I 7:20 I 9:40 2D Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) Jamaican Independence Day celebrated Food and music among highlights of celebration Jamaicans, as well as lo- cals and visitors, converged on George Town on Friday to join in the celebrations for the 54th anniversary of Ja- maican independence. Although Aug. 6 marks the date of Jamaica’s indepen- dence, the party began a day early in Cayman, with a street party in Cardinall Avenue that included traditional dance, music, speech and crafts, as well as food stalls offering up the food for which Jamaica is rightly famous, including ackee and saltfish, rundown, and jerk chicken and pork. The stalls carried names of places in Jamaica re- nowned for their food, such as Faith’s Pen, Little Ochie, Devon House and Hellshire. The daytime celebrations were followed by music and dancing at the Jacques Scott compound in the evening.Lorna Campbell displays food for sale: fried fish, left, and curry goat. Johnathon Bedasse, 14, from Savannah plays the Jamaican national anthem and some Bob Marley on his keyboard. Decked out in Jamaican colors, Cailyn Khouri, 7, and Cade Khouri, 5, join the celebrations. – PHOTOS: MATT LAMERS JURY NOTICE All current Grand Court jurors in the July 6 to Oct. 4 session who were scheduled to re- port to court on Monday, Aug. 8, are now advised to report on Wednesday, Aug. 10 instead. Call the Jury Infor- mation line on 945-5072 for the most up-to-date information. Earl wreaks havoc in Belize, Guatemala and Mexico Cayman’s premier sends message of support to Belize Weather that led to the Cayman Islands being placed under tropical storm watch last week brought huge downpours, strong winds and damage across Belize, Guatemala and Mexico. After passing south of Cayman Tuesday, Tropical Storm Earl had been up- graded to a Grade 1 hurri- cane by Thursday morning when it hit Belize, where 80 mph winds ripped off roofs and downed power lines. By the time it moved over northwestern Guatemala and into Mexico, the hurri- cane was downgraded to a tropical storm, as its winds dropped to 40 mph. Damage in Belize Much of Belize was without electricity Thursday morning as residents began assessing the damage. Around the capital, some roofs were torn off, power lines were down, trees were uprooted and there was lo- calized flooding. There was still some phone service, but television and radio stations were largely off the air on Thursday. The country’s emergency management agency issued a statement declaring the “all clear” on the storm, but warned people near rivers to head to higher ground. It said all of the country’s dams were at flood stage. The statement said there was major infrastructure damage in the offshore cayes, as well as in Belize City and Belmopan. Premier’s message In a statement released Friday, Cayman Islands Pre- mier Alden McLaughlin said, “Our hearts and prayers go out to the people and Govern- ment of Belize as they face the road ahead to rebuild fol- lowing the damage caused by Hurricane Earl on Thursday. “We have many Cayma- nians who have roots in Be- lize. To them, we also offer our prayers and condolences. Belizeans, like Caymanians, know well the frustration of living through and surviving a major storm. I am confident that the Government and people of Belize will quickly recover from this storm as they have faced this situation many times in the past and have bounced back stronger than before.” He urged individuals to reach out to anyone in the Cayman Islands community who has been affected by the storm, highlighting that many residents have connec- tions with Belize. “We should keep the people of Belize and indeed all of the countries impacted by Earl in our thoughts and prayers,” he said. Storm hits Mexico Six people died in land- slides in the eastern Mexican state of Veracruz as what had been Tropical Storm Earl dumped heavy rains on the region, authorities said Saturday. Veracruz Civil Protection Secretary Yolanda Gutierrez Carlin said the dead included a child, and officials in neigh- boring Puebla state warned that rivers in the moun- tainous area were in danger of flooding. “The heavy rains caused two landslides leading to the deaths of six people in the townships of Coscomatepec and Tequila,” Gutierrez Carlin said. In Coscomatepec, about 62 miles south of the Vera- cruz state capital, Xalapa, a married couple and their 1-year-old son were buried by the mudslide. Three others died in the other slide in Te- quila, a town about 30 miles to the south. Earl was downgraded to a tropical depression as it continued westward into the mountains of central Mexico. Associated Press contributed to this report. Power lines brought down by Hurricane Earl hinder traffic on the road from Flores, in Peten, the northern Guatemalan border state with Belize on Thursday. - PHOTO: AP3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY AUGUST 8, 2016 HomeOptions BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, Grand Cayman KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, P.O. Box 254, Cayman Brac KY2-2101 Tel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International insurance, health, pensions, life In 1984, customers knew us as BritCay. In 2016, they and the next generation still do. insurance, health, pensions, life Home owners across two generations know BritCay as a company that offers security, stability and great customer service. When you asked us to stay by your side through Hurricane Ivan we did. $300 million claims and 12 years on, we are stronger and more capable. The company remains a partnership of local family shareholders and CGI and we’re proud to still be known as BritCay. CALL 949-8699 or visit www.britcay.ky Save $250*with new home insurance policies! Interest-free monthly payment option for home insurance Save 10% on car insurance with home insurance Lowest standard deductible for private car insurance - $200 cgigrp coverwithoutaddedcosts! CI$10 Million ASSET PROTECTION! at no extra cost with motor $250* CERTIFICATE WITH BUILDINGS INSURANCE *$250 BritCay gift certificate applies to new buildings insurance policies only New housing found for fire victims JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A family who lost their George Town home in a sus- pected arson attack last week have been temporarily relo- cated to government housing in West Bay. Five people, including a mother and two chil- dren, were left homeless by the blaze on Cruz Lane last Sunday. Samantha Bodden, who was rescued from the building along with her 6-year-old daughter, told the Cayman Compass she was grateful the community had stepped up to help. CayBrew manager and community activist Matthew Leslie orchestrated efforts to assist, putting the displaced families up in a hotel and co- ordinating donations in the aftermath of the fire. He said government had now found accommoda- tion for all the victims of the blaze and a private com- pany had stepped in to do- nate furnishings, while con- cerned community members had given clothes, toys and other supplies. Mr. Leslie praised the way the community had come together, as they did a year ago for the Buttrum family who lost their home to another devastating fire in George Town. “I think when people see a coordinated effort taking place, they are willing to con- tribute because they know their contribution means something,” he said. “It does take a community to make these things happen. If we don’t support each other, there is going to be a breakdown because one day it might be you. This sort of thing can happen to anyone.” Community Affairs Min- ister Osbourne Bodden was on the scene early last week with other government mem- bers. He said temporary ac- commodation had been found and assistance was being granted to the fami- lies through the Housing Repair Fund to rebuild the homes that were de- stroyed and repair those that were damaged. Two adjoining timber- framed homes suffered sig- nificant damage in the fire and had to be leveled last week. Another neigh- boring home suffered some fire damage but is able to be repaired. Vann Webb, who built the homes with his brother Linford Webb more than 30 years ago, said he planned to rebuild. Mr. Webb, his tenant Eldon Walton, his niece Ms. Bodden and her children Darianna Frederick, 6, and Daegon Frederick, 11, were left homeless and lost all their belongings in the fire. Minister Bodden said he was concerned it could have been worse. “If the fire had been started on the southeast side of that property, we would have had a real disaster on our hands, with likely loss of life. Thank God once again it didn’t and thanks to all who helped that night and in the days since, especially the community effort spear- headed by Matthew Leslie, which has provided much comfort and relief.” He acknowledged con- cerns about the state of some of the housing in the area and said planning would have to look care- fully at such family com- pounds in future. Mr. Leslie also raised concerns about the safety of some of the self-built timber and zinc buildings in George Town. “We have to look at some of these homes a little closer. Some of the tenement yards are not safe,” he said. Police said last week they were investigating the cause of the fire, but no update has been provided since. TASER USED ON ARMED SUSPECT OUTSIDE BAR BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Police used a Taser to subdue a George Town man who was carrying a loaded firearm outside a local bar early Friday, according to a police report. The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service said around 2 a.m. armed offi- cers were sent to Bananas Bar on Eastern Avenue, where they had been told a man with a gun was threat- ening people. Police saw several people in the parking lot of the bar, including the man believed to be the armed suspect. According to a police statement, “Officers re- quested to search [the sus- pect’s] person, but he re- sisted. The officer deployed a Taser, yet the suspect continued to resist. The suspect was eventually re- strained without incident and a search of his person revealed a loaded firearm.” The arrest was carried out while a crowd gathered outside the bar, police said. Acting Police Commissioner Anthony Ennis praised the officers for safely restraining the suspect without harming anyone else. “This adds to a series of incidents involving firearms as of late when officers have demonstrated judgment and restraint by not resorting to lethal force,” Mr. Ennis said. “They continue to put them- selves in harm’s way and demonstrate their training and professionalism.” The 35-year-old sus- pect was arrested on suspi- cion of possessing an unli- censed firearm. Vann Webb stands in the doorway of his burnt-out home last week. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER Five people, including a mother and two children, were left homeless by the blaze on Cruz Lane last Sunday.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” Inserted into today’s Cayman Compass, as it is every Monday, is a copy of The Washington Post National Weekly, which we publish under an agreement with the Washington Post News Service and Syndicate. This publication, free to our readers, is a compendium of the best material The Post has published in the previous week and includes a wide offering of articles, ranging from politics and economics to arts and culture. While “The Weekly” continues to be a high-quality pub- lication, we are monitoring it closely to be certain it doesn’t become infected with the bias that has found its way into The Washington Post newspaper under the ownership of bil- lionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com, who purchased The Post for $250 million from the Graham family in 2013. Under the ownership of Bezos and the daily stewardship of his editor Martin Baron and editorial page editor Fred Hiatt, The Post is rapidly losing its reputation as a credible news organization. This is most regrettable, since before Bezos bought it, The Post was widely viewed as one of the world’s most preeminent newspapers. Under the direction of its legendary editor Benjamin C. Bradlee, the newspaper for decades piled up Pulitzer Prizes and eventually reached its zenith with its Watergate coverage, which led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. (For disclosure, Compass Publisher David R. Legge worked for 12 years at The Washington Post Company.) Compare the once-greatness of The Post with these recent headlines: • “Republicans nominate insane person, then panic when he proves he’s insane” • “The unbearable stench of Trump’s B.S.” • “Donald Trump makes his most dangerous comments yet” • “Post interview should terrify Republicans” • “The Republican Party has lost its soul” • “Donald Trump’s ignorance about sexual harassment” • “There is something very wrong with Donald Trump” This is not journalism, opinion or otherwise, and it is certainly not the journalism we have come to expect from a great newspaper. Either Mr. Bezos and his top editors do not know what they’re doing – or they don’t care. All of this has relevance in Cayman, not just because the Compass distributes The Washington Post Weekly but because of the critically important role that the media every- where play in a democracy – and in their communities. Consider this troubling but salient study conducted recently by the American Press Institute and the Asso- ciated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. It found that just 6 percent of American adults have a “lot of confidence” in the media. That’s about the same per- centage of Americans who have confidence in the U.S. Congress, one of the lowest-ranked institutions anywhere. Readers have every right to expect basic fairness, objectivity and accuracy in their news pages, as well as on radio and television broadcasts. (Opinions in print publica- tions, of course, should be expressed ONLY on editorial pages (this page) where at the Compass we include edi- torials, syndicated columns, letters to the editor, political cartoons, etc.) At the Compass we are well aware of the responsibility and accountability that go along with publishing a daily newspaper. We have multiple layers of pre-print safeguards, including skilled reporters, careful editors, fact checkers and proof readers. They are backed up by knowledgeable (and cautious) lawyers whom we regularly consult to ensure that our articles are neither defamatory nor libelous and meet various local legal criteria. And do we still make errors? Unfortunately, we do. Part of the challenge is the speed at which a daily news- paper is produced (it would astonish most readers). Literally hundreds of decisions go into publishing each issue. While all errors are regrettable, some are more venial than others (such as grammatical or syntactical missteps). Significant factual errors are more serious, and we correct them willingly and promptly. What The Washington Post and too many other news- papers are doing is of a far different magnitude. They are abandoning any pretense of fairness or objectivity in their reporting, and their readers and advertisers are abandoning them. What readers deserve from their media MONDAY AUGUST 8, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Following the devastating effects of Hurricane Ivan in September 2004 and claims of oppressive and unfair treat- ment to tenants by their land- lords following damage to leased housing, the Law Re- form Commission conducted a review of the existing law regulating the relationship of landlord and tenant in the Cayman Islands in July 2008. Chaired by the distin- guished Mr. Langston Sib- blies (now a QC), the Com- mission recommended an overhaul of the law and tabled the Residential Tenancies Bill, which sought to address long- standing areas of inequity in residential tenancies, in- cluding discrimination of ten- ants with children; the need to create an obligation on land- lords to insure their tenanted units or buildings; and the in- clusion of implied terms. Despite the considerable attention to detail and schol- arship in the submission of the report, I have one criti- cism. The Commission con- cluded that the existing law in Cayman on commercial tenan- cies was satisfactory and did not require revision. The report, in fact, states: “The Commission is of the opinion that the law regu- lating commercial tenancies does not require reform. The common law rules gov- erning the relationship be- tween landlords and tenants of commercial property oper- ated satisfactorily in the un- precedented situation which existed in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan.” The Valuation Office of the Lands and Survey Depart- ment, who was consulted, strongly disagreed with this conclusion at the time and saw this as a missed oppor- tunity to comprehensively re- vise all tenancies: The factors they cited in support of their position were: ■■ There is no distinction between commercial and residential tenancies within the Registered ■■ Land Law, Stamp Duty Law or the existing Land- lord and Tenants Law ■■ Some commercial leases do not grant basic tenant rights such as the right to quiet enjoyment ■■ The lack of formal leases. Leases for many com- mercial premises in the Islands have been re- newed orally, affecting the issue of stamp duty ■■ There were similar experi- ences of price gouging in the commercial market as in the residential market. The Valuation Office was right in 2008 but it is even more imperative today for government to review the law on commercial leases, con- sidering that tenants are in- creasingly at the mercy of powerful corporate land- lords where tenants have very little say in how a con- tract is negotiated because the balance of power is not remotely balanced. Ironically, in many cases, this landlord is turning out to be the gov- ernment themselves. Mr. Stephen Hall-Jones in his submission on Nov. 24, 2005, was of the opinion that Part V, Division 2 of the Registered Land Law (2004 Revision) and the Landlord and Tenant Law (1998 Re- vision) should be repealed and where appropriate in- corporated into a new com- pendium law dealing with leasehold property and other housing law matters. He also noted that the Land- lord and Tenant Law mainly deals with “distrait” and re- lated topics rather than any wider matters of the law of leaseholds. The law of distrait involves seizing tenant property to settle ar- rears in rent (a remedy now abolished in many ju- risdictions worldwide). As far as I am aware, no significant changes have been made since the Commission published its report in 2008, and although a Residential Tenancies Law (2009 Revi- sion) was drafted following the Commission’s recommen- dation, it is not yet in force some seven years later. The Valuation Office in supporting the need for re- form at that time stated: “The existing law is archaic, has no relevance in modern-day society and deals with little more than the landlord’s right of distress in the event of forfeiture or default by the tenant.” True then, true now. This is 2016 and many of the ter- ritories whose laws the Com- mission examined when they conducted their review, in- cluding the U.K., have found it necessary over the years to make significant changes to their landlord and tenant law, including those affecting commercial tenancies. Considering that the Val- uation Office objected to the Commission’s conclusion that a reform of commer- cial tenancies was not nec- essary and considering that the law on residential tenan- cies is not yet in force, I am now calling on the Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agricul- ture, Housing and Infrastruc- ture to lead the way forward in a comprehensive drive to modernize the entire law and introduce legislation that ad- dressees much needed re- forms for both commercial and residential leases. Robert Hamaty Chairman of the RWT Tenants Association Limitied and the ORA Tenants Association Limited LETTER TO THE EDITOR Reforms needed for landlord/tenant legislation A ‘For Rent’ sign hangs on a tree in Cayman.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY AUGUST 8, 2016 while the women wore navy blue dresses with white floral detailing, thatch hats and espadrilles. Chef de Missions Jennifer Powell said, “Most Caribbean athletes commented on our Olympic uniforms at the vil- lage. They were a hit.” E! News tweeted a photo of the Cayman delegation saying, “The Cayman Is- lands athletes know how to do casual Friday right,” and the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper in Australia listed Cayman among the best dressed athletes, stating “With their unassuming straw hats and little cotton dresses they look like they’re on holiday.” Local artist Wray Banker conceptualized the look, which was designed by Is- land Company. The Cayman Islands Olympic Committee ap- proached Island Company to help deliver the concept. “The goal for the team was to re- late back to the original heri- tage and roots of the Cayman Islands,” Spencer Antle, Is- land Company creative di- rector and founder, said in a press release. “Doing a national cos- tume isn’t easy,” Mr. Banker said in the release. “When you look back to the old days, no one wore a formal blue jacket; it was the ‘Turtle Ranger’ outfits, khaki pants, a light blue shirt and a thatch hat.” Butlers compete Siblings Geoff and Lara Butler, both swimmers, were the first of the Cayman ath- letes to compete. Geoff Butler swam in the 400 meter freestyle compe- tition on Saturday. He fin- ished 48th overall, although he came first in his heat, against Andorra’s Pol Arias Dourdet and Pakistan’s Haris Bandey, with a time of 4 minutes, 7.87 seconds. His time was not fast enough to qualify him for the next round. The final was won by Mack Horton of Australia, who finished in a time of 3:41:55. Speaking to the Cayman Islands press representa- tive, Jade Webster, imme- diately after the swim, Mr. Butler called being able to take part in the Olympics “a dream come true.” He said he was disappointed his time in the heat was slower than his personal best, but added, “It was an awesome experience.” “I could hear my heart- beat in my ears even before I got on the box. It was an in- credible moment,” he said. Commenting on his per- formance, he said, “I didn’t go out fast enough and I had too much left in the tank the whole way because … on the first 50-75-100 meters, you kind of set the tone for the rest of the race, and so if you go out too fast, you die, and if you don’t go out fast enough, you can’t pick up the speed …. The nerves might have just spooked me the first 50 maybe.” From the side of the pool, his sister Lara, who swam on Sunday, and coach Bailey Weathers cheered him on. “I could hear Lara and Bailey in the end, and that was great,” Mr. Butler said. “It felt good, I have always had Lara at my big races so she has been for all my best ones and biggest ones and it’s always great and reassuring.” Next up for Mr. Butler, now that his 2016 Olympic journey is at an end? “Enjoy summer,” he said. Shortly after 11 a.m. Cayman time, it was Lara Butler’s turn in the pool, when she competed in the 100 meter backstroke. She came fifth place in her heat, with a time of 1:04:98, and was 29th overall. Her time, although a per- sonal and national best, was not fast enough to qualify for the semifinals. “I’m happy, it was a good swim for me,” Ms. Butler said after the race. “It was a [personal best] so I couldn’t really ask for much more, it was also a national record.” Describing the race it- self, she said, “I just kept thinking, ‘Oh my God, it’s just the last 25 meters, just finish it.’ Literally, the last 25 meters, you could just see it and was, like, just finish it hard. “I couldn’t really see anyone next to me and nor- mally I can, so I was saying ‘Where is everyone?’ but I was happy about it.” The Butlers were se- lected for Rio 2016 through the International Olympic Committee’s Universality Programme, aimed to help smaller countries send ath- letes to the games even if they did not meet quali- fying standards. Ms. Butler said she may end her swimming career on the high note of competing at the Olympics, saying she may concentrate on her KMPG job, which she started in October, and do master’s classes. “I will just see how things kind of pan out and see where I am at,” she said. She added, “The Olym- pics, that is the pinnacle of swimming, this is the best thing, so if I do end, I couldn’t end on a better note than this. Watching all the best swimmers in the entire world swimming here, like world records being broken yesterday in the heats, it’s pretty incredible.” Cayman athletes take on Rio CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Lara Butler begins the 100m backstroke heat. Fireworks explode above the Maracana Stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics. - PHOTO: LEO CORREA/AP Jorge Alberto Oliveira Gomes lights the Olympic cauldron. - PHOTO: GREGORY BULL/AP The opening ceremony was watched by an audience of more than 3 billion.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days George Town MONDAY AUGUST 8, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Trust camp takes in the National Gallery A group of youngsters re- cently got a fun-filled sam- pling of art and heritage at the National Gallery. More than 20 campers and camp councilors from the National Trust Summer Camp visited the National Gallery of the Cayman Is- lands on Thursday, July 28. Campers walked the gal- lery’s sculpture gardens, learning about ecosystems before heading into the upper gallery for a tour of the permanent collection to learn about the art history of the Cayman Islands. Students also enjoyed creative worksheets based on the temporary exhibi- tion in the lower gallery, “A Legacy of Light: Early Watercolours from the National Collection,” which runs until Sept. 16. The National Gallery’s Education Department has produced the worksheets for children of all ages to sup- port the exhibition, and they are available for free down- load from the gallery’s web- site. They will be made avail- able during school tours and can be requested at recep- tion throughout the duration the exhibition. After a busy session at the gallery, students headed back to the Na- tional Trust headquarters at Dart Park for a watercolor painting session with artist John Broad. “It was fantastic to see a group of enthusiastic campers engage with our cultural heritage through the works of art on display at the National Gallery,” said the gallery’s communications and public engagement man- ager Kaitlyn Elphinstone. “Tours for school groups, campers and youth groups are always free, thanks to the generous support from National Gallery members and corporate patrons.” Free guided tours of “A Legacy of Light” exhibi- tion are available for stu- dents and summer camp groups of all ages at the Na- tional Gallery. Students will discuss the exhibition and get hands-on with interac- tive activity sheets. Topics covered include art, social studies, narratives, literacy and numeracy. For information or to book a tour contact NGCI at (345) 945-8111 or education@nationalgallery.org.ky. Campers work on their activity sheets.Campers had lots of fun exploring the gallery. The National Trust’s Karie Bounds with one of the young campers. 50 years ago: Girls’ Brigaders leave for Canada In the Aug. 10, 1966 edition of the Cayma- nian Compass, a pre- cursor of the Cayman Compass, George Town correspondent Frances Bodden wrote: “Captain Tracy Bodden of Tampa returned home on the July 28 after a grand old time. “Misses Gail Mc- Intyre and Susan Mc- Bride of Canada left after a wonderful time in Grand Cayman. They were accom- panied by Misses Betty Ebanks and Carol Ann Ebanks of West Bay Girls’ Brigade who are on an ex- change to visit Canada. It is hoped that these girls will prove wonderful representatives for the is- lands and have a memo- rable stay. “Mr. and Mrs. Karl Brandon and children, Catherine, 11 years, and Ian, 3½ years, left by B.W.I.A. Thursday, Aug. 4, for Jamaica. Mrs. Brandon is a medical student at the university in Jamaica and Catherine has gone back to school. She leaves Ja- maica in September 1967 for Roedean School in the south of England where she will become a boarder. Mr. Brandon returns to- morrow, Thursday, Aug. 11, and will immediately board the Cayman Brac plane to attend an inquest in Cayman Brac, returning to Grand Cayman Saturday evening. “Mr. Ainslie Bodden ar- rived from Austin, Texas on the 4th. It has been some time since he last visited his home and he has seen many changes. “Misses Ruthlyn and Deborah Bodden, daugh- ters of the late Capt. John Bodden and Mrs. Ruth Bodden of San Francisco arrived on the 6th for a short visit to the island. There are 4 children in all, Ruthlyn, the eldest, Johnnie, Deborah and David. Mrs. Bodden was here last year with David when she visited her fa- ther, the late Major Jos. R. Watler. Ruthlyn and Deb- orah were met at the air- port by their grandmother, Mrs. Blanche Watler, aunt Miss Eulene Watler and cousin Miss Frances L. Bodden. The whole family, with the exception of David (who was not yet born), vis- ited Grand Cayman in 1960 and had a wonderful time. “We are happy to have our good friend, Dr. R.E. McTaggart back home after his visit to the U.S. and trust he is feeling quite well again after his recent illness. “Mr. Alexander and Mr. and Mrs. Halsall re- turned to Jamaica on the 6th. Messrs. Alexander and Halsall have been in the Cayman Islands au- diting the government ac- counts. Mrs. Halsall was here for one week only as the guest of Mrs. Ferdi- nand Seymour. “Mrs. Louis Ebanks and baby daughter Mag- alyn and Miss Iva Myles left on a visit to Jamaica on the 6th. “Mrs. Jasper Henry and her three children, Hilda, Neville, and Cleveland, left for Jamaica on the 6th to visit the children’s grand- parents in Clarendon.” The National Gallery’s Education Department has produced the worksheets for children of all ages to support the exhibition, and they are available for free download from the gallery’s website.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man was shot during an early morning dispute outside a central George Town eatery Sunday. Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service of- ficers said they received a report of a shooting on Rock Hole Road, behind the George Town Primary School campus, around 3:30 a.m. Sunday. When police arrived, the victim had already been taken to hospital by private car, officers said. He was being treated at the Cayman Islands Hos- pital Sunday and medical personnel said it appeared he would survive. Later Sunday, RCIPS of- ficers investigating the shooting scene in the parking lot outside Lynn’s restaurant in Rock Hole towed away a Honda sedan that appeared to have been linked to the incident. No arrests were reported by press time Sunday. CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY AUGUST 8, 2016 “It’s a great achievement for us,” Mr. Lacroix added. He likened Key Haven, the site for the U.S. trials, to Pat- rick’s Island in Cayman. Key Haven, he said, is a residen- tial area that is “small, kind of isolated and surrounded by water.” Releasing its findings Friday, the U.S. regulator wrote, “After considering thousands of public com- ments, the FDA has pub- lished a final environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) that agrees with the EA’s conclusion that the pro- posed field trial will not have significant impacts on the environment.” The decision does not give Oxitec’s mosquitoes ap- proval for commercial use. But it does mean that the company can work with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, similar to Cayman’s MRCU, to begin work to do field trials on the small island. Oxitec and local officials will still have to meet requirements with other local, state and fed- eral agencies to operate the Florida trial. Public health officials in the U.S. recently announced that the Zika virus, respon- sible for severe birth defects in children born to infected mothers, is being locally transmitted in at least one neighborhood in Miami. There have been four im- ported cases of Zika in the Cayman Islands, but so far there has been no evidence of local transmission, ac- cording to the Public Health Department. Oxitec’s mosquito con- trol method uses geneti- cally modified male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to mate with females. The genetic modifica- tion is intended to cause the next generation of mosquitoes to die before they can reproduce. Conservation Council begins search for land to protect JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The National Conserva- tion Council is seeking nom- inations from the public for land to be protected for con- servation purposes. Up to $6 million has been allocated from the Environ- mental Protection Fund in the current budget year to buy land to create the first protected zones under the National Conservation Law. The council is accepting nominations between Aug. 1 and Oct. 31. Christine Rose-Smyth, chairwoman of the Na- tional Conservation Council, said, “In a nutshell, the land should have strong conser- vation value for biodiver- sity. The Council will be as- sessing the nominations against the criteria set out in the law. Good candidates will be expected to be strong in one or more of the purposes, for example, by providing habitat for critically endan- gered or threatened species or being an outstanding ex- ample of representative or unique ecological systems.” Nominations can be made for land currently in private ownership, but the council has no powers to compel owners to sell. Ms. Rose-Smyth said anyone can make a nomination. She added, “This is also an opportunity for owners to consider obtaining the ben- efit of protected status for land for which they have con- servation intentions, through the mechanism of a conser- vation agreement.” A conservation agreement allows for land to be pro- tected in perpetuity without being sold to government. Currently a small per- centage of land in the Cayman Islands is protected through the National Trust. The National Conserva- tion Law created the frame- work for further protection of environmentally important land and species. Ms. Rose-Smyth said, “If we are going to ensure the security of our biodi- versity and sustainable use of natural resources for the present and future genera- tions, the Cayman Islands must raise the amount of permanently protected hab- itat from the current low … in terms of generally ac- cepted standards. “This is true, notwith- standing the extraordinary efforts of the National Trust and private individuals in the stewardship of their, often family, land.” The allocation of $6 million from the Environmental Pro- tection Fund to buy land caused some friction during government’s Finance Com- mittee debate on the budget. Though the fund was ex- plicitly set up for that pur- pose, some opposition legis- lators argued that the money should not be allocated until land had been identified and a fee negotiated. At the time, Ms. Rose- Smyth said, “The law’s nom- ination process is open and transparent and re- quires evaluation according to strict criteria, landowner consultation and involve- ment at every step and, ulti- mately, agreement with Cab- inet. There is no possibility for compulsion in the law. If a landowner is not willing that her land be purchased by the Crown, the council is not permitted to make any recommendation.” Money from the Environmental Protection Fund has been used previously to help purchase land for the Parrot Reserve on Cayman Brac. US gives green light to GM mosquito tests in Florida The decision clears the way for Oxitec to run a trial – similar to what the company is doing in West Bay – in Key Haven, Florida, a small island next to Key West. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Oxitec project manager Renaud Lacroix beside the vehicle from which genetically modified mosquitos will be released via a fan mechanism into neighborhoods in West Bay. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Man shot in dispute outside restaurant This green sedan was later towed from the scene as part of police investigation. – PHOTO: BRENT FULLER RUSSIANS BANNED FROM PARALYMPICS RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — After escaping a blanket ban from the Olympics, Russia was kicked out of the up- coming Paralympics on Sunday as the ultimate pun- ishment for the state run- ning a doping operation that polluted sports by priori- tizing “medals over morals.” Paralympic leaders ex- pelled one of its most sig- nificant members as the IOC announced that 278 Russians have been given clearance to compete at the Olympics after their eligi- bility in Rio de Janeiro was left to individual sports. Russia’s years of doping deception, including tam- pering with samples at the 2014 Olympics and Para- lympics in Sochi, were out- lined last month by World Anti-Doping Agency investi- gator Richard McLaren. “The facts really do hurt,” IPC President Philip Craven said. “They are an unprecedented attack on every clean athlete who competes in sport. The anti- doping system in Russia is broken, corrupted and en- tirely compromised.” In contrast to IOC Presi- dent Thomas Bach, who op- posed the “nuclear option” of banning Russia ahead of Friday’s Olympic opening ceremony, Craven di- rectly condemned the Rus- sian state’s involvement in doping but stopped short of blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Tragically, this situa- tion is not about athletes cheating a system, but about a state-run system that is cheating the athletes,” Craven said. “The doping culture that is polluting Rus- sian sport stems from the Russian government and has now been uncovered in not one, but two independent re- ports commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY AUGUST 8, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Air quality alerts at London bus stops Londoners will soon be able to get air quality reports when they check what time their bus will arrive. Mayor Sadiq Khan has ordered that 2,500 bus stop information signs display air quality alerts on high pollution days. Pistorius treated at South African hospital; back to jail JOHANNESBURG (AP) – Oscar Pistorius was treated for minor wrist injuries at a hos- pital and has been returned to a South African jail where the Olympian is serving a six- year sentence for murdering girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, prison officials said Sunday. The report of injuries to Pistorius, who denied he had attempted suicide, came as athletes compete at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Pistorius and his coach said before Steen- kamp’s 2013 killing that they wanted to retire together at the Rio games. Pistorius told officials that he suffered the inju- ries after falling out of bed, said Singabakho Nxumalo, a spokesman for the South Africa’s correctional ser- vices department. The former track star was initially treated by medical staff at the Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria, and then transferred to Kala- fong hospital, said Manelisi Wolela, another official at the department. Pistorius was returned to his cell on Saturday, and an investiga- tion is under way. “Oscar Pistorius denied speculations of a suicide at- tempt,” Wolela said in a text message to media. “As a policy principle, we cannot further discuss a par- ticular offender’s personal condition in the public do- main,” he said. Pistorius’ family declined to comment, referring inqui- ries to the correctional ser- vices department. Pistorius has been held in a single cell in the hos- pital wing of the prison, re- ducing his interaction with other inmates. During Pistorius’ sen- tencing hearing in June, a psychologist testified for the defense that the athlete was a “broken” man whose mental state had deteriorated over the last two years, and that he should be hospital- ized and not jailed. Prosecu- tors have challenged such as- sessments, saying Pistorius has an aggressive streak and may have played up vulnera- bilities in an attempt to win leniency from the judge pre- siding over his case. Commenting on the de- cision to send Pistorius to a hospital, Nxumalo, the correctional services offi- cial, referred to past reports of tension between the con- victed murderer and a prison nurse who testified about al- leged confrontations over medication and other issues while the runner was serving an earlier manslaughter sen- tence. Pistorius’ defense team suggested those reports were exaggerated. Last month, South African prosecutors said they would appeal Pistorius’ jail sen- tence, saying it was too le- nient. The double-amputee athlete, who was sentenced on July 6, could be released on parole after three years. The prescribed minimum sentence for murder in South Africa is 15 years, though a judge can reduce that penalty in some circumstances. Pistorius also previ- ously served one year in prison for manslaughter for shooting 29-year-old Steen- kamp, a model and reality TV star. That manslaughter conviction was upgraded to the more serious offense of murder after an earlier pros- ecution appeal, leading to a new sentencing. Pistorius shot Steen- kamp multiple times through a toilet cubicle door in his home in the pre-dawn hours of Valentine’s Day, 2013. Pis- torius testified that he killed Steenkamp by mistake, thinking there was an in- truder hiding in the bath- room. Prosecutors said he shot her intentionally after an argument. Pistorius, known as “Blade Runner” for his carbon- fiber running blades, gained worldwide fame when he ran against able-bodied athletes at the 2012 London Olympics, the first amputee runner to compete at the games. Pistorius was born without fibulas, the slender bones that run from below the knee to the ankle. His lower legs were amputated when he was 11 months old. The report of injuries to Pistorius, who denied he had attempted suicide, came as athletes compete at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Even with US airstrikes, a struggle to oust ISIS from Libyan stronghold SIRTE, Libya – The black flag of the Islamic State flutters above a two-story house that serves as a sniper’s nest. The deserted street is under their control, as are all the nearby buildings. The banner and the occasional crack of the marksman’s bullet are the onlysigns of the militants on this afternoon. Two blocks north, less than a football field away, Libyan militiamen are gath- ered with hand-held rocket launchers and Mad Max- style pickup trucks mounted with large machine guns. Since Monday, U.S. airstrikes have pounded Islamic State targets in this battered sea- side city, the stronghold of the Middle Eastern mili- tants’ Libyan affiliate. Yet the pro-government militia forces have not crossed this front line. “If we move forward, their snipers will be firing at us like hell,” said Suleiman Shwairf, a pro-government fighter, peering at the flag from behind a wall Friday. The American air intervention has altered the military equation on the ground and given a much- needed boost to the morale of the fighters battling the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIS. But in a densely packed urban environment, where territory is seized street by street and house by house, eradicating the mili- tants from Sirte remains a formidable struggle, illumi- nating the limits of the U.S. air campaign. The fall of Sirte could be a major setback to the ambi- tions of the Islamic State. But since May, when the cam- paign to liberate Sirte began, the militias have been con- fronted with a sophisticated and coordinated strategy used by ISIS fighters to pro- tect their bastion in Sirte’s urban center. Hundreds of pro-government fighters have been killed or wounded by buried mines, explosive-laden doors, trip-wire bombs, sui- cide attackers and snipers. The Islamic State remains in control of roughly 70 percent of the city’s urban area over a stretch of four miles. In their first week, U.S. air- strikes have mostly targeted ISIS tanks and armored per- sonnel carriers, as well as mobile ammunition depots and rocket launchers. Now, the Islamist fighters are al- tering their tactics to counter the air assault, hiding their military vehicles, moving command posts frequently, and staying out of sight during the day, according to pro-government commanders. “The armored personnel carriers, the tanks are not their strongest weapons, anyway,”said Mohamed Darat, the top commander for the largest front-line in the city. “Their strongest weapons are the land mines, booby-traps, and the snipers. Those are the biggest prob- lems we face.” Still, of the several thou- sand ISIS militants initially in the city, most have ei- ther fled or been killed. Only an estimated 500 to 1,000 remain, and they are sur- rounded – by pro-government forces on land and Libyan vessels patrolling the sea. Add the American air sup- port, and a long-term hold on Sirte by the militants seems implausible. The questions many Lib- yans ask: When will the city fall? And at what human cost? In early 2015, the Is- lamic State seized this sprawling metropolis in the heart of Libya’s oil crescent, home to most of its pet- rochemical resources. The birthplace of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, the city was the last major strong- hold of his loyalists during the revolution five years ago that toppled his regime. Gad- hafi was killed here by rebel fighters in October 2011. The Islamic State swiftly consolidated its grip on Sirte, using it as a base to stage attacks on oil facilities and other targets. With pressure growing on militants’ parent body in Syria and Iraq from U.S. airstrikes and attacks by Iraqi forces, Sirte was viewed as a possible future capital of the ISIS “caliphate.” It was those ambitions that triggered the current fighting here. When ISIS fighters advanced west up the coast in May, militia bri- gades from the nearby city of Misurata counterattacked. Within days, they had pushed the militants back inside Sirte, retaken the outer sub- urbs of the city and pushed into the urban zones. A Libyan soldier moves along a road within the range of sniper fire in Sirte, Libya, on Friday. – PHOTO FOR THE WASHINGTON POST BY LORENZO TUGNOLI Oscar Pistorius, seen here arriving at the High Court in Pretoria, South Africa, for a sentencing hearing for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home in 2013, was treated for injuries to his wrist at a private hospital, and has returned to a jail where he is serving a six-year sentence. – PHOTO: AP/SHIRAAZ MOHAMED9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY AUGUST 8, 2016 Cayman Mac Store Back to school sale! Stop by our Camana Bay location to take advantage of amazing limited time discounts ranging from 5% to 10% on select products and models. Terms and conditions apply so please check with a sales agent in the store for more information. Come in and learn more Visit Cayman MAC Store to see the full range of Apple Macs, iPads, unlocked iPhones, iPods, Apple watches, accessories and iTunes Gift Cards. Gift Certi cates are also available. Open 10am to 6pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 6:30pm Friday and Saturday for your shopping convenience. Visit our store online at: www.caymanMACstore.ky Cayman MAC Store The Paseo, Camana Bay Across from Books & Books email: sales@caymanmacstore.ky phone: 943-4763 TM and © 2016 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Authorized Reseller Authorized Service Provider August 8 to August 31, 2016 Clinton acknowledges trust issues, blames GOP WASHINGTON (AP) – Hillary Clinton acknowledged Friday the challenge she had face leading a country where most Americans do not trust her, saying she takes “seriously” the work she must do to build confidence in her character. But the Democratic presi- dential nominee also claimed that a broad electoral victory over Donald Trump in No- vember would give her the capital needed to push her plans through Congress with Republican support and ap- peared to blame her political opponents for her low ap- proval ratings. Clinton pointed to the high ratings she won as sec- retary of state and as a sen- ator from New York, arguing that voters like her more when she’s working than when she’s campaigning – something she attrib- uted to campaign attacks on her character. “Were 67 percent of the people in New York wrong? Were 66 percent of the Amer- ican public wrong?” Clinton said. “Just maybe, when I’m actually running for a job, there is a real benefit to those on the other side with trying to stir up as much trouble as possible.” Clinton’s trustworthiness has emerged as her biggest weakness in the fall campaign, one worsened by her responses to questions about her use of private emails servers as sec- retary of state and her reluc- tance to take regular questions from journalists. The questions-and-an- swer session Friday at a joint meeting of the National As- sociation of Black Journal- ists and National Associa- tion of Hispanic Journalists marked the first time she’s talked about how that po- litical problem could impact her future administration. Clinton attempted to “clarify and explain” a re- cent statement on “Fox News Sunday” that FBI Director James Comey had said her answers about her emails practices were “truthful.” “I may have short-cir- cuited and for that I will try to clarify,” she said. Comey was speaking solely about her responses in a closed- door FBI interview, and not her public comments on the issue, which have included inconsistencies. Clinton has claimed she never sent or received any- thing marked classified. In reviewing the FBI’s investiga- tion, Comey said seven email chains dealt with matters that were “that were classi- fied at the Top Secret/Special Access Program level when they were sent and received.” During the short ques- tion-and-answer session, Clinton also detailed some of her plans should she win the White House, promising to make an overhaul of Amer- ica’s immigration system a “clear, high priority.” She argued that a broad victory, one that included Democrats winning control of the Senate and tightening their margin in the House, would put pressure on Re- publicans to come along. TRUMP QUESTIONS CLINTON’S MENTAL HEALTH Donald Trump unleashed a series of nasty personal attacks Saturday against his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, mocking her appearance and questioning her mental health several times during a New Hamp- shire campaign rally and on social media. “She is a totally un- hinged person. She’s un- balanced. And all you have to do is watch her, see her, read about her,” Trump said during a campaign rally in Windham, New Hampshire, Saturday evening. “She will cause – if she wins, which hopefully she won’t – the destruction of our country from within.” The GOP presidential nominee called Clinton un- stable and incompetent several times throughout the rally. At one point, he also called her “Hillary Rotten Clinton,” a play on her maiden name, Rodham. The attacks went far beyond what is consid- ered appropriate or digni- fied in political discourse. And notably, his most vit- riolic attacks focused spe- cifically on ad hominem attacks rather than on policy differences. “I think the people of this country don’t want somebody that’s going to short-circuit up here,” Trump said, pointing to his head. “Not as your presi- dent, not as your president.” “Now you tell me she looks presidential, folks. I look presidential,” he said in another instance. Trump said Clinton is a “dangerous liar” and ac- cused her of failing to achieve anything during her long career in public service – except, he said, avoiding criminal charges for using a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state. The FBI cleared her of criminal wrongdoing after a lengthy investigation but nonetheless sharply criti- cized her handling of classi- fied information over email. Clinton was blasted by re- porters for recently mis- characterizing FBI Director James Comey’s comments about whether her public statements about the emails were truthful. She explained during a question-and- answer session in Wash- ington that she had “short- circuited” when giving the initial response, a phrase which Trump repeatedly parodied Saturday. © 2016, The Washington Post Trump ends standoff with House Speaker Ryan GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – In an effort to repair some of the damage he had inflicted on his presidential campaign, Donald Trump endorsed House Speaker Paul Ryan to end a four-day standoff that exposed the deeps chasms in the Republican Party over his candidacy. Trump struck a rare con- ciliatory tone at a Wisconsin rally on Friday, imploring his party to unite behind him and opening a full-throttle attack on Democratic candi- date Hillary Clinton. “Arm in arm, we will rescue the country from the Obama-Clinton disaster,” Trump told supporters after formally declaring his sup- port for Ryan in next week’s congressional primary. “We will have disagree- ments,” Trump said just days after refusing to endorse the Wisconsin Republican. “But we will disagree as friends and never stop working to- gether toward victory.” It was an unusual ges- ture for Trump, who is known for his refusal to admit mistakes and his tendency to double down when he’s under attack. Trump’s general election campaign has been defined by his constant attacks on fellow Republicans – a habit that has baffled party leaders, who have begged him to stay focused on his Democratic rival. The refusal to back Ryan had been seen by many as a final straw. Trump had told The Washington Post in an interview earlier this week that he was “just not quite there yet” when it came to backing Ryan – language that echoed the words used by Ryan as he weighed whether to endorse the par- ty’s nominee. In addition to praising Ryan, Trump also threw his support behind Arizona Sen. John McCain, saying he held the senator “in the highest esteem … for his service to our country in uniform and in public office.” In the past, Trump questioned McCain’s status as a war hero, and told the Post he felt McCain “should have done a much better job for the vets.” Trump also endorsed New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, with whom he has also sparred, calling her “a rising star.” Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at the 2016 National Association of Black Journalists’ and National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ Hall of Fame Luncheon at Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, Friday. – PHOTO: AP/ANDREW HARNIKNext >