Beltway Insider: Obama/Singapore; Rio Games; ISIS Loses Ground/Belgium/London Attack; Election 2016; Teala Thompson

President Obama welcomed Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to the White House as the two celebrated the more than fifty years of cooperation between the two nations which began under the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson.

According to Gallup, President Obama's job approval, over the past week, increased by three percentage point to 52% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President decreased one percentage point to 45%. 

Obama Reinforces Relations With Gateway Nation

President Obama opened the doors to the White House this week greeting Prime Minister Lee, of Singapore, in the first official state visit in more than thirty years.

“I’m very grateful for this opportunity to renew our partnership on this 50th anniversary milestone.  And I look forward to having many more occasions and reasons to celebrate this special relationship together,” the Prime Minister said.

The two leaders, one nearing the end of his term and the other remaining steadfast to the ideals built, that allow the two nations to come together as allies. The dedication to education, to advancement of people, the solidarity of a nations and more recently the ideologies, ethics and philosophies set in motion over the last eight years including directives agreed upon during the Paris Climate Summit, the dedication to the elimination of the Islamic State fighters and continued partnerships in business and industry.

“Today, our friendship and shared interests bring us together in common pursuit of a common vision -- a peaceful and prosperous Asia Pacific and a more secure world.  As the United States has rebalanced our foreign policy to the Asia Pacific, Singapore -- and Prime Minister Lee, in particular -- have been solid-rock partners.  Singapore is an anchor of our presence in the region. We stand together for a regional order where every nation, large and small, plays and trades by the same rules,” Obama said.

Singapore, often thought of as the Gateway to the East, was praised for its continued commitments to education, technology and President Barak Obama is hosting the Prime Minister of Singapore at the White House to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries. The two leaders will meet to discuss the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal, which has come under criticism from both candidates in the 2016 presidential election.

Rio Olympic Games

The XXXI Olympiad, hosted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, have begun with athletes around the world showing up despite the myriad of possible, probable and fantastical challenges that have been circulated throughout the global media.

Security is heightened and concerns are very present with Day 1 already producing a controlled explosion as a woman’s handbag was left on a steel drum. The incident exposed the fine line of uneasiness participants and media are walking.

Rio showered the world with the beauty, finery, vivid neon colors in an opening ceremony that set the tone of celebration of culture, history past, present, of life and the ability of the world’s athletes to embrace the refusal to allow fear to rule.

The introduction of athletics was especially heartwarming as the Olympic Committee welcomed the Olympic Refugee Team of athletes featuring Yusra Mardini, who during her escape from Syria, swam pulling the raft when the motor died and she and 17 others were faced with sure death. She now lives in Berlin, Germany.

Presidential Olympic Delegation

President Obama announced the official Presidential delegation led by United States Secretary of State The Honorable John Kerry. Members of the Presidential Delegation include The Honorable Liliana Ayalde, U.S. Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil, Department of State; The Honorable Mari Carmen Aponte, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Department of State; The Honorable Liz Allen, Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Deputy Communications Director; The Honorable Ellie Schafer, Special Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Visitors Office and Mr. Mark Spitz, nine-time Olympic gold medalist, one-time Olympic silver medalist, one-time Olympic bronze medalist, men’s swimming.

Russian Doping Scandal Widens

After a long history involving up to the last four Olympics, the International Olympic Committee noted a methodology called the Disappearing Positive Methodology, in which positive test results disappeared and indicating a systemic acceptance of doping and corruptive atmosphere that allowed for a complete cover-up of any positive results, the IOC had issued total bans for all Russian athletes.

It then rescinded the blanket ban, allowing for individual athletes to petition the sport federation. One day before the Rio Games were set to begin, 270 Prussian Athletes were given a reprieve and approved for competition, 117 were not and remained banned.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) then announced the entire Russian Para-Olympic Team, 267 Athletes, had been banned from competition when the Paralympics begin in September, 2016.

Highlights and Upsets As Olympic Competition Begins

The Rio Olympics, a celebration of the world’s best athletes and the best in human spirit, holds the promise of unexpected victories and upsets and even with one day into the XXXI Olympiad the Rio Olympics are proving to live up to the same.

Hungarian Swimmer Katinka Hossuz Wins Big; Husband Rocks the House

Hungarian Swimmer, Katinka Hosszu, came to Rio to win and she was not going to be denied or shaken by the champion swimmer from Australian or the United States. Shaving a full .02 seconds off the world record. Her performance smashed the World Record in the 400M IM. She faced all challengers and challenges and walked away golden.

Her husband, and trainer, became the Olympic internet sensation as he pounded his chest, and cheered her to victory in both the trials and final heat. She stunned and he showed it.

First Medal Goes To American

American Virginia Thrasher, 19, won the first gold medal of the Rio 2016 Olympics on Saturday, edging out two Chinese Olympic champions to clinch the women's 10m air rifle event.

US Women’s Soccer Wins over France

The United States women's soccer team, led by Hope Solo and Carli Lloyd, defeated France 1-0.  As much as the thought of taking a dive, may have passed through the minds of Team USA, to allow Team France to win and give the victory to the nation so tragically affected by the hatred of the Islamic State, one can be sure President Hollande and the women of the French team would not want a victory of sympathy.

Horrific French Gymnast Accident

French Gymnast Samir Ait Said, in a routine vault demonstration, landed wrong and shattered his femur. The horrific injury snapped so loudly, spectators have indicated the cracking of the bone reverberated throughout the venue, most turned away as the gymnast raised his leg showing the limp calf hanging to one side. The injury, while grotesque is fortunately not life threatening. Said, is hospitalized and sidelined. He has already declared his intent to win Gold in Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He was carried out to a standing ovation.

Kosovo Wins First Olympic Gold

Once war torn Kosovo has won its first Olympic Gold Medal in Rio’s 2016 Olympic as Judo contender Majlinda Kelmendi, a favorite, defeated Odette Giuffrida of Italy to take the top spot in the 52kg.

Zika Spreads To Miami

Zika, the mosquito born disease, has continued to advance to epidemic levels in the hothouse nations of South America has migrated to South Miami in the United States.

The CDC has warned pregnant woman to avoid the Miami-area, and is urging couples in Southern Florida to put off having children for at least two months. This warning comes after 14 reported cases of Zika in Miami were likely due to mosquito bites in the United States.

For most Americans, mosquito's are small often undetectable pestilence, the Zika mosquitoes of South America are considerable larger, visually noticeable and more aggressive.

The absence of a freeze, in these nations, will play a large role in the continual regeneration of the Zika blood borne mosquito. Even if the mosquitoes penetrate the United States beyond states that aren’t affected by cold weather, the deep freeze and heavy frosts generally kill pestilence.

Of course, when humans become infected with the Zika virus no vaccine is available. 

ISIS Claims Responsibility for Belgium Attack; London Terror Attack

The Islamic State has lost ground over the past week in Iraq, pushed back, through ground forces and coalition airstrikes, from territories in Mosul, Raqqa and Fallujah with heavy losses of equipment and land and water transport vehicles.

In retaliation for the losses, ISIS captured 3000 Iraqis fleeing the strongholds of northern Iraq. Reports indicate ISIS troops began firing indiscriminately upon the families already displaced and those whom they didn’t kill they took hostage.

ISIS Continues Assaults Abroad

The Islamic State struck out again this week with repeated attacks by lone wolf extremists with loose ISIS ties. Although radicalized the attackers have not remained within the fold and are acting out alone.

Some of the more recent attacks linked to Islamic State in Europe have been carried out away from the more heavily guarded capitals, including the July 14 attack in Nice, in southern France; the July 24 suicide bombing in Ansbach, Germany, and the July 26 killing of a French priest in Normandy.

The recent machete attack on two Police Officers in Belgium, in which the Islamic State has claimed responsibility, was carried out by a lone wolf, who had been living in Belgium since 2012. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack and acknowledge the Algerian man, known only as K.B., 33, as one of their soldiers.

The Belgian Attack comes on the heels of a stabbing rampage in London’s Russell Square in which five people were injured and an American woman killed. Police have yet to link ISIS to the attack and the Islamic State has not claimed the attack in the United Kingdom’s homeland.

Election 2016: Post Convention Bounces Evens Out; Clinton Soars; Trump Hits Sophomoric Low

Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic Presidential candidate and Donald J. Trump, the Republican Presidential candidate, spent the week stumping, securing pivotal endorsements, and gearing up to the last heat of what has been an historic election.

While both candidates enjoyed post-convention bounces, the polls have evened out and indicate Clinton has secured and maintains a solid 8point lead against Trump.

The GOP candidate has experienced a tough week as the media exposed his wife in a Green Card marriage, modeling pictures that for conservative Americans are considered racy, and hit the former Secretary of State with a mind blowing graphic that left industry insiders wondering if he returned to the tenth grade.

Trump did bury the hatchet and endorsed Speaker of the House Representative Paul Ryan, who seemed to be having trouble in his district for his less than warm welcome of the party’s chosen leader, and with a quickly approaching primary he was concerned over keeping his seat.

As always a less than appreciative, Ryan, through an aide indicated the Speaker "appreciates the gesture and is going to continue to focus on earning the endorsement of the voters in Southern Wisconsin."

GOP frustration soars as party leaders scramble to get the nominee to abandon controversial tactics, and wealthy Republicans are choosing to back Clinton.

Clinton Gains Republican Endorsements

Clinton, who should handily win the November 8 election, is losing the youth demographic, her chief challenger during the primary season Bernie Sanders easily gathered, as his message has continued to reverberate and is a testament to the power of rhetoric.

Sanders, and Clinton, now have the daunting task of deprogramming those voters and shifting their loyalty to the Clinton/Kaine Team.

Trump Critiques Clinton; Posts Smoking Brain Melt Down Graphic

Donald Trump is attacking Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton over the news that the United States government sent $400 million to Iran in January, which coincided with the release of four American prisoners. The Obama administration has denied any accusations of paying ransom to Iran for the prisoners.

Vertical DNA Solves Half Century Cold Case Murder – Teala Thompson

A Jane Doe cold case child murder left unsolved for nearly five decades, in Pennsylvania, has finally hurdled the first critical step in finding the killer of the unidentified 13-year-old by establishing her identity.

Forty-nine years ago, a child was found dead in a rural Pennsylvania landfill has finally been identified, through vertical DNA and the efforts of detective of Pennsylvania State Trooper Brian Gross who had been given the cold case.

Teala Patricia Thompson, 13, who walked out of her home in September 1967 to head over to a local fast food stand, never returned. Two weeks after she was reported missing, her decomposing body was found and for whatever reason the connection was never made.

The Landfill Jane Doe, was found with a baby boy which could be the reason behind the failure to make the connection, was buried, by court order, in Potter’s Field.  

Forensic sciences have advanced throughout the years to the point that after State Trooper Gross ordered the body exhumed specific and scientific testing could pinpoint a determination of plausible death.

The official cause of death for Teala Patricia Thompson has now been ruled as a blow to the back of the head, blunt force trauma. Her mother died with the belief that her daughter would someday return. While it is not the manner in which she hoped, the search for Teala finally ended. Her sister, Mary Thompson, provided the confirming DNA sample.

For more information on President Barack Obama: www.whitehouse.gov

Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Wikipedia.com,

Haute Tease