Stand with Israel, a democracy fighting a ruthless terrorist organization committed to our destruction. There is only one place for decent, civilized people to stand and that's to stand with Israel.

Israeli officials say they won't participate in indirect cease-fire talks with Hamas and stance in Israel plans to scale back as its nearly four-week-old offensive in Gaza on its own terms. Palestinian Health Ministry says more 1,600 people have been killed, more than 9,000 wounded. The Israeli military says 69 soldiers have been killed and three civilians have died.

 

 

Lawyers for a group of unaccompanied minors detained at the southern border are asking a Federal Court to block the Justice Department from fast track in deportation hearings. As NPR's Richard Gonzales reports, they *simplest require the government to provide the minors with legal representation. 

The suit is brought by a coalition of immigration advocacy groups, including the ACLU on behalf of eight minors ranging in age from 10 to 17. The suit alleges that they are unable to defend themselves against deportation. Ahilan Arulanantham, of ACLU, says the speed of their hearings will result in unfair deportations.

...so if we want a fair process, then we have to provide representation for children.

The suit comes as the Obama Administration is under pressure to stand the tide of minors entering the country. Richard Gonzales, NPR news, San Francisco.

 

 

California's Department of Corrections has begun overhauling its policies on how the state's 33,000 mentally-ill inmates are restrained and isolated. Danielle Karson reports that changes comply with a court order issued in April. US District Judge Lawrence Karlton ruled the California prison system's use of force policies violated the constitutional right against cruel and unusual punishment. He were shown graphic video of guards throwing chemical grenades and pepper spray to mentally-ill prisoners to force them from their cells. The Corrections Department has agreed to limit using pepper spray and placing mentally-ill inmates in segregated housing. The changes also give medical staff increased authority to block the use of force by prison guards. Corrections and court officials are hammering out details. Both sides must reach agreement by August 15th. For NPR news, I am Danielle Karson in Los Angeles.

 

 

Six major wildfires are burning in central and northern California and four of them strengthened overnight. That prompted the evacuations of houses, caverns and recreation areas. Thousands of Federal, State and local firefighters are battling those blazes. Cal. fire officials say three of the fires were sparked by dry lightning. Officials say most of the fires were in forests and rural areas. 

 

 

This is NPR.

 

 

The Prime Minister of Japan says its country needs to look towards Latin America to take advantage of increasing trade flows. Shinzō Abe is in Brazil to meet with business leaders. * hiss visit to five different countries in Latin America was geared towards more cooperation. Japanese banks have lent 700 million dollars to different Brazilian projects.

 

 

Severe weather has emergency crews in Phoenix on the run this weekend. As Mark Maron, a member station KJZZ reports, officials continued to warn residents to stay off the roads in the rain storms. 

During summer time's storms in Phoenix, rain comes down. Faster of them can run off streets and roadways. Typically dry areas, known as washes, run full during heavy rain and they access water ponds in intersection. More than 1.5 inch of rain fell and lasted more than an hour Friday night, stranding at least half a dozen cars, forcing some drivers to be rescued. Despite been warned, drivers often try to make it through huge pools of standing water, not knowing how deep the water is. It gets to be echoed all the time, Phoenix Fire Captain Scott McDonald said, people think they can drive across it and always get caught. For NPR news, I am Mark Maron, in Phoenix.

 

 

DC police are putting out the words litterbugs are not welcome in the nation's capital. Police will now issue 75-dollar tickets to pedestrians caught throwing trash on the ground or in the water. Drivers will be fined 100 dollars. Police say it starts in parts of the city now, and the rest of the city next month.

 

 

Twins from around the world are gathering in Ohio this weekend its three-days of contest, talent shows and Double Take Parades. Twin's day started in 1976, as a way for twins to bond with other twins.

 

 

I am Jeanie Herbst, NPR news, in Washington.