US election: Obama officially endorses Hillary Clinton

President Barack Obama has officially endorsed Hillary Clinton as the Democratic Party presidential nominee.

His endorsement came after meeting Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders who has been battling Mrs Clinton for the nomination.

Speaking in a video tweeted out by Mrs Clinton, Mr Obama said she may be the most qualified person "ever" for the role of president.

Leading liberal politician Elizabeth Warren also endorsed Mrs Clinton.

"I am ready to get in this fight and work my heart out for Hillary Clinton to become the next president of the United States," the Massachusetts senator told MSNBC, "and to make sure that Donald Trump never gets any place close to the White House."

President Obama and Mrs Clinton are set to start campaigning together soon.

"I want those of you who've been with me from the beginning of this incredible journey to be the first to know that 'I'm with Her.' I am fired up and cannot wait to get out there and campaign for Hillary," Mr Obama said in the video.

"Secretary Clinton and Senator Sanders may have been rivals during this primary, but they're both patriots who love this country and they share a vision for the America that we all believe in."

Image copyrightTWITTER

The two ran against one another for the Democratic nomination in 2008 and Mr Obama later made Mrs Clinton secretary of state.

Speaking to Reuters following the endorsement, Mrs Clinton said Mr Obama's endorsement "means the world".

"It is absolutely a joy and an honour that President Obama and I, over the years, have gone from fierce competitors to true friends," she said.

Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump tweeted that Mr Obama's endorsement means he wants "four more years of Obama" and "nobody else does".

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Analysis - Anthony Zurcher, BBC News North America reporter

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Image captionMr Obama has made his endorsement official

Barack Obama is now in the game. In a slickly produced video endorsement, the president has thrown his support behind Hillary Clinton's bid to keep the White House in Democratic hands.

Given the high production value of the video, the announcement had obviously been in the works for some time. In fact, astute observers have noted that Mr Obama is sporting the tie he wore on Tuesday.

Bernie Sanders has said he will continue to campaign in Washington DC, leading up to the capital city's primary next week - but expect most Democrats to close ranks quickly. The Vermont senator even struck a more conciliatory tone after a meeting at the White House, saying he looks forward to "working together" with the former secretary of state to defeat Donald Trump.

Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton will make their first joint appearance together in Wisconsin next week. Before that she's visiting Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The Democrats clearly view the general election battleground as the industrial Rust Belt states. And for the first time since 1998 there is a popular, scandal-free second-term incumbent president working hard on the campaign trail to preserve his legacy.

What an Obama endorsement will mean for Hillary

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Narendra Modi’s US visit begins with a bang as 19-gun salute welcomes him

Washington: Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off his three-day visit to Washington starting on Monday by visiting the 'Tomb of the Unknown Soldier' at the Arlington National Cemetery.

As Modi laid a wreath at the cemetery, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.

Modi was received by Defence Secretary Ashton Carter at the US' most hallowed military ground. The Arlington sarcophagus contain the remains of service members from the First and Second World Wars, and the Korea and Vietnam wars. The 3rd US Infantry Regiment has famously stood guard over the monument through howling blizzards and hurricanes since 1948.

Modi also paid tribute to astronaut Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian woman in space and her six crew members who died as the Columbia space shuttle flew apart while re-entering Earth's orbit on 1 February, 2003.

Modi interacted with Chawla's husband, Jean-Pierre Harrison, complimenting him warmly on his Gujarati Kutch embroidered jacket. A charmed Harrison presented Modi with his wife’s biography The Edge of Time. Harrison’s memoir about his wife describes how Punjab Engineering College graduate Chawla emigrated to the US in the 1980s to become an astronaut in 1994. Chawla made her first space flight in 1997 as a mission specialist and prime robotic arm operator.

After the wreath laying ceremony, Modi interacted with astronaut Sunita Williams and her father Deepak Pandya. Senior officials from Nasa also met Modi at the Space Shuttle Columbia Memorial. Nasa has a long and successful history of space cooperation with India, beginning in 1963 when India first launched a US-manufactured sounding rocket from Thumba to study Earth’s magnetic equator.

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Modi, 65, has kept the most grueling of travel schedules on his five nation tour: He scored a big win in Geneva on Monday for India's bid to be admitted to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). He touched down in Washington later on Monday afternoon to hurl himself into a flurry of activities.

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Let BCCI decide on captaincy, says Dhoni

Dhoni believes his challenge on Zimbabwe tour will be identifying the strengths of his young side in a short span of time. © Getty

Successive defeats in One-Day International series against Bangladesh, South Africa and Australia, followed by an unsuccessful 2016 ICC World Twenty20 campaign at home, coupled with his own lack of form has recently sparked a debate on whether it is time for Mahendra Singh Dhoni to step down and let Virat Kohli, India's Test captain, take over the reigns across all three formats of the game.

Dhoni, who quit Test cricket after the drawn Melbourne game against Australia in December 2014, was replaced by Kohli at the helm in the longest format. The wicketkeeper-batsman, however, continued to lead the team in the shorter formats of the game. He has, by far, been India's most successful skipper - leading India to both the 50-over and Twenty20 world titles and was also in charge when India climbed to the top spot in the Test rankings. His form, however, has deserted him in recent past.

Ravi Shastri, team's outgoing director, too, advocated for the change last week, suggesting that it was time for the selectors to take a call in the 'interest of Indian cricket'.

Quite naturally, Dhoni had to face the tricky question before India's departure for the short limited-overs tour of Zimbabwe. The Indian skipper, however, decided to play it safe. "It is a decision that BCCI will take, it is not up to me to decide that," Dhoni retorted at the pre-departure press meet in Mumbai on Tuesday (June 7).

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Dhoni, however, was more forthcoming when his opinion on the ongoing hunt for the new head coach of the team was asked for. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) called for a Hindi-speaking candidate as one of its nine-point criteria for the selection, the captain believes, more than language it is the understanding of the country's culture that will help the new man gel well with the team.

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Ten Beautiful Brutalist Buildings 2016

Impressive concrete structures from around the world are collected in a new book, This Brutal World. Jonathan Glancey chooses his favourites.

Basel College of Art and Design Basel, Switzerland, 1961 by Baur, Baur, Bräuning, Dürig

Brutalism has become something of a catch-all term for highly expressive concrete architecture dating from the mid-1950s. Quite how brutal this Swiss art and design college is, is open to question. Its architect, Hermann Baur [1894-1980], called it “poetically utilitarian”. Comprising a cluster of four buildings around a courtyard centred on a Hans Arp sculpture, the highlight is undoubtedly the college gym. Its folded roof and walls - concrete origami - form an elegant hall, used today as a lecture room and art students’ studio. One wall is a floor-to-ceiling window: the play of light on concrete is quite beautiful. (Credit: Roberto Conte)

Tower House, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan, 1966

Rugged and idiosyncratic, this six-storey house rises from a tiny plot of land measuring just 20 sq m (215 sq ft). Built as a family home by the architect Takamitsu Azuma, today it is dwarfed by later buildings. Despite a floor area of just 65 sq m (700 sq ft), it boasts a roof terrace and car port as well as a generous sense of space in a sequence of open and well-lit raw concrete rooms unfolding from an exposed concrete stair. Azuma describes the Tower House as a “continual vertical room”. This is Brutalism realised with the economy of a Japanese haiku. (Credit: Azuma Architect)

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Orange County Offices and Court House, Goshen, New York, US, 1967

In 2015, this critically acclaimed complex was demolished in an act of civic vandalism. Comprising three concrete pavilions, with projecting bays, around a courtyard, it offered a rich variety of imaginatively lit and free-flowing spaces. Designed by Paul Rudolph, former chair of Yale University’s Department of Architecture, whose alumni included Norman Foster and Richard Rogers, it needed remedial work even before, in 2011, it was damaged by Hurricane Irene. Despite an offer by the New York architect Gene Kaufman to buy and restore it as an art space, Orange County had more brutal designs on this memorable public building. (Credit: Photo Nicolás Saieh)

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Trellick Tower, London, England, UK, 1972 by Ernö Goldfnger

This defiant and distinctive 31-storey local authority tower block was the defining work of Ernö Goldfinger, a Hungarian émigré who lent his name, and daunting character, to a famous James Bond villain. The building’s 217 generously planned flats are detached from a striking lift and service tower, connected to it on every third floor by vertiginous sky bridges. Sinking early on into social decline, from the late 1980s Trellick Tower became fashionable among young architects, designers and writers who saw in it a sublime grandeur rather than concrete horror. In 1998, with Brutalism fashionable again, Trellick Tower was listed. (Credit: Riba Collections)

Centro de Exposições, Salvador, Bahía, Brazil, 1974

This astonishing exhibition hall is suspended five metres above ground, its rough surfaced concrete body supported by steel struts held in tension by a pair of slim masts housing a lift and stairs. An amphitheatre in the guise of an inverted pyramid below one end of the suspended hall is balanced ̵ visually and physically ˗̵̵ by a sky-lit, pyramid gallery above the opposite end. While it seems odd to find such a Brutal design in a tropical climate, its concrete shell protects exhibits and visitors from heat and glare. It was designed by the inventive Brazilian architect João Filgueiras Lima. (Credit: Courtesy Fran Parente)

Ministry of Highway Construction, Tbilisi, Georgia, 1975

More Constructivist than Brutalist, this tour-de-force is by George Chakhava who, as deputy minister of the Georgia Ministry of Road Construction, was both client and architect. Although influenced by Russian Revolutionary architects of the 1920s, Chakhava says that the building’s monumental interlocking structural grid is rooted in nature. His aim was to occupy as little ground space as possible with the various floors of the building opening out like branches from the central root of a tree. Whatever his reasoning, this is a truly spectacular design. Restored, from 2007 it has been the headquarters of The Bank of Georgia. (Credit: Courtesy Phaidon Press)

Jenaro Valverde Marín Building, CCSS, San José, Costa Rica, 1976 by Alberto Linner Díaz

Set between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean, Costa Rica might seem like the last country anyone would expect to find Brutalist architecture. Pre-fabricated concrete construction, however, allowed Central and South American architects to launch into the Modern world at low cost and on a grand scale. From the 1940s, Oscar Niemeyer, had paved the way in Brazil. Although simple in plan and section, this social security administration building by the Nicaraguan born architect Alberto Linner Díaz has the look of a bold and complex concrete sculpture, its powerful character offset by colourful plants and swaying palms. (Credit: Magda Biernat/OT TO)

Embassy of Russia, Havana, Cuba 1985 by Aleksandr Rochegov

Once a symbol of Soviet domination, the high and mighty Russian Embassy soars above the treeline of Havana’s Fifth Avenue like some vast concrete sword plunged firmly into the Cuban soil. The Soviet Union collapsed soon after the completion of this towering concrete complex. Its architect was Aleksandr Rochegov, also known for the design of the Leningradskaya Hotel, Moscow. Housed in one of Stalin’s operatic Seven Sister skyscrapers and dating from 1954, it is owned today by the US Hilton chain. Determinedly Russian, the Havana embassy lurks, as best it can, behind a severe wall of barbed wire and jagged glass. (Credit: Courtesy Phaidon Press)

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Manohar Aich: Top Indian bodybuilder dies, aged 104

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Image captionThe 1.49m- (4ft-10.5in) tall bodybuilder was popularly known as 'Pocket Hercules'

Tributes have been paid to a celebrated Indian body-builder, Manohar Aich, who has died in the city of Kolkata (Calcutta), aged 104.

Mr Aich died of age-related "complications" on Sunday, his family said. He is survived by four children.

Mr Aich was the first Indian to become Mr Universe in 1952, five years after the country's independence.

The 1.49m (4ft 10in) tall bodybuilder was popularly known as "Pocket Hercules".

He began his career as a stunt man performing with a famous magician and would often enthral the audience by bending steel with his teeth or resting his belly on swords.

Mr Aich, who once stood for election and lost, gave his last performance at the age of 89.

"He was an inspiration to everyone, young and old. Death is inevitable but Manohar Aich will be remembered by all, across every sporting discipline," footballer Chuni Goswami told The Indian Express newspaper.

India's centenarian Mr Universe

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Mr Aich's death had "ended a historic era".

"He made us proud," Ms Banerjee said.

After getting a job as a physical instructor in the Royal Air Force in British India in 1942, Mr Aich led his team to rebel against what he felt was the "oppression" of their British commanders.

Image copyrightAFP

Image captionMr Aich gave his last performance at the age of 89

An argument ensued and Mr Aich ended up slapping a British officer, for which he was sent to a Calcutta jail a year before India achieved independence from British rule in 1947.

With little else to do in jail, Mr Aich practiced his metal-bending skills on the bars of his cell.

After the triumphs of his youth he continued to display his strength at shows across India and is credited with inspiring millions of Indians to get fit.

When Mr Aich competed in the 1952 Mr Universe contest in London, his statistics were awe-inspiring: bicep 46cm, chest 1.2m when swollen, forearm 36cm and wrist 16.5cm.

"I have been blessed with this body," he told the BBC in 2012. "What else does one want?"

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What we learned at French Open?

Garbine Muguruza of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia.

French Open women’s champion Garbine Muguruza moves up to a career-best No. 2 in the rankings and Djokovic finally capture the trophy that had eluded him

It would be hard to blame Novak Djokovic for not exactly being thrilled, as he began his ascension to tennis’ upper reaches, about having to deal with a couple of all-time greats such as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

“At the beginning,” Djokovic said, “I was not glad to be part of their era.”

That eventually changed. He rose to the challenge.

“Later on, I realized that in life, everything happens for a reason. You’re put in this position with a purpose, a purpose to learn and to grow and to evolve,” Djokovic continued. “Fortunately for me, I realized that I need to get stronger, and that I need to accept the fact that I’m competing with these two tremendous champions.”

Djokovic said this Sunday evening, after beating Andy Murray 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in the French Open final to finally capture the trophy that had eluded him. With it, he completed a career Grand Slam, joining a group of seven other men, including Federer and Nadal. But Djokovic also now has done something neither Federer nor Nadal, for all of their accomplishments, ever managed- win four Grand Slam titles in a row, a feat last pulled off by Rod Laver in 1969.

Djokovic’s major trophy count is now up to 12, trailing only three men Federer (who has 17), Nadal (14) and Pete Sampras (14).

Just as tennis rivalries of the past served to boost all parties Sampras vs. Andre Agassi, say, or Bjorn Borg vs. John McEnroe Djokovic credits his two key contemporaries (and Murray, too) with forcing him to figure out ways to get better.

That includes certain strokes, sure, but also changes to his diet and physical preparation.

Djokovic is the unquestioned No. 1 in the game right now, and at an age, 29, where more titles should be attainable.

“He’s the best player now,” said Marian Vajda, who co-coaches Djokovic with Boris Becker, “and (getting) the French will give him a boost.”

Raise the roof

The clay-court major tournament needs a roof, but it’s not going to get one anytime soon. Everyone was thankful the 15-day event did not require 16 or more to complete, after one full washout of a day and only 2 hours of play on another. The Australian Open and Wimbledon are able to get matches in under the protection of a roof in case of wet weather, and the U.S. Open will have a retractable cover this year. Alas, the French Open’s will not be ready until 2020, at the earliest.

So close, so far

For Murray, born a week before Djokovic, it can’t be easy to keep coming so close to Grand Slam titles. Yes, Murray has won two, but he also now has lost in eight major finals, five against Djokovic, three against Federer.

Star is born

French Open women’s champion Garbine Muguruza moves up to a career-best No. 2 in the rankings Monday and appears to be a real star-in-the-making. She’s 22, equipped with flat and furious groundstrokes, is fearless on court witness the way she kept attacking during a 7-5, 6-4 victory over No. 1 Serena Williams in Saturday’s final and quite confident off it. Plenty of folks, including the Spaniard herself, expect this to be the first of many major trophies. “I’m ambitious,” she declared.

What now for Serena?

After collecting four consecutive Grand Slam trophies through Wimbledon last year to raise her career count to 21, one short of Steffi Graf’s Open-era record, Williams has stalled, losing in the semifinals at the U.S. Open and in the finals at the last two majors. So, at 34, is she done? “No, no, no, no, no, no, no,” replied Muguruza’s coach, Sam Sumyk.

Roger and Rafa

For the first time in a long time, Federer, 34, and Nadal, who turned 30 on Friday, were not factors at Roland Garros. Federer sat out a major for the first time since 1999, and Nadal withdrew before the third round; both cited injuries. Who knows how much longer each will be around in the latter stages of Slams? Eventually, new faces will come along. One promising newcomer who could be part of the next generation of contenders is Dominic Thiem, a 22-year-old Austrian who reached his first major semifinal before losing to Djokovic in Paris.

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Wife of Bangladeshi anti-terrorism policeman stabbed, shot dead

Three assailants riding a motorcycle stabbed and then shot Mahmuda Aktar, 33, while she was on her way to put her son onto a school bus near her home in the southeastern port city of Chittagong, police said.

BRIEFCASE

• 1

  Wife of a cop known for battling Islamist extremism shot dead.
• 2

  Assailants riding bike stabbed and then shot Mahmuda Aktar.
• 3

  Government launches security crackdown on militant groups.

The wife of a senior Bangladeshi police official known for battling Islamist militants was stabbed and shot to death today, and machete-wielding assailants killed a Christian grocer in a separate incident.

Both attacks appeared to be the work of Islamist militants who have killed at least 30 people, including religious minorities, liberal bloggers and academics, since February last year, police said.

DETAILS OF THE CASE:

Three assailants riding a motorcycle stabbed and then shot Mahmuda Aktar, 33, while she was on her way to put her son onto a school bus near her home in the southeastern port city of Chittagong, police said.

"She was stabbed first. Then they shot her in the head three times," Humayan Kabir, deputy police commissioner of Chittagong, told Reuters.

Her husband, police superintendent Babul Aktar, has played an important role in cracking down on militants in the region.

"Babul Aktar is an efficient police officer and played a key role in apprehending Islamists. They might have killed his wife because they failed to get him," Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told reporters.

Aktar, who was recently posted to police headquarters in the capital, Dhaka, busted several hideouts of the banned group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen. His team also arrested one of the group's leaders, who was later killed in a grenade blast during a police raid in October.

GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES CRACKDOWN ON MILITANT GROUPS

The government has launched a crackdown on militant groups who want to impose strict Islamic law on Bangladesh, whose population of 160 million are mostly moderate Muslims.

In Sunday's other killing, Sunil Gomes, a 60-year-old shopkeeper, was hacked to death in his shop in the northern district of Natore, local police official Manirul Islam said.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for killing Gomes, according to the U.S.-based monitoring service SITE.

Islamic State and al Qaeda have claimed responsibility for many killings in the past but the government denies either group has a presence in Bangladesh and says home-grown radicals are responsible.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam told Reuters in an interview last month that Islamic State was trying to ride a wave of religious radicalisation by falsely claiming killings, and said there was enough evidence implicating domestic militant groups.

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