Identity of the Oregin University shooter.

The gunman who asked for his victims' faiths before shooting them at a Oregon college on Thursday appeared to be sympathetic to Irish Republican Army — but also posted online that he was "not religious."

Former acquaintances and social-media postings paint a picture of 26-year-old Christopher Harper Mercer — who was killed in a firefight with police at Umpqua Community College — as a withdrawn young man who spent a lot of time on the Internet.

Public records show that one person of that name was born in Los Angeles County in 1989. Police declined to confirm the shooter's identity late Thursday, in an attempt to not "glorify" the actions of the gunman behind a rampage that left 10 dead and seven others wounded.

Investigators said it was too soon to identify a motive, though Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin told NBC's TODAY he wasn't aware of any "specific red flags" for the shooter.

"He is a local resident and I know personally I haven't heard of any warning signs coming from this person," Hanlon said.

Christopher Harper Mercer, 26. Myspace.com

A MySpace page that appeared to be linked to the shooter featured Mercer holding what appeared to be a rifle while several other postings were sympathetic to theIrish Republican Army and featured masked gunmen and logos.

The IRA is a predominantly Catholic paramilitary group which waged a bloody three-decade campaign to make Northern Ireland an independent republic separate from Great Britain. It was responsible for terrorist attacks in Northern Ireland and England, including an attempt to assassinate British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher by bombing a hotel in 1984. More than 3,600 people were killed in the armed conflict.

The MySpace account — which is listed under Chris Harper-Mercer — also featured a formal photo with a caption reading "me in a tuxedo on the day of my sister's wedding."

A man listing the same birthday — and whose profile picture strongly resembles Mercer — also held a listing on a dating and penpal site for "spiritual singles" that listed Los Angeles as his location.

 Sheriff: 'You Will Never Hear Me Mention His Name' 3:28

"Looking for someone who shares my beliefs, and is similar to me," the profile says, listing "Internet, killing zombies, movies, music" and reading among hobbies and interests.

The profile describes "not religious, but spiritual" beliefs and was linked to a group called "doesn't like organized religion."

Survivors of the Umpqua shooting old relatives that Harper Mercer asked people whether they were Christian or not. Anyone who responded "yes" was shot in the head and those who said "other" or didn't answer were shot elsewhere in the body, said Autumn Vicari, whose brother was in the classroom.

Sci-fi and horror were listed as favorite types of movies on the MySpace profile — along with romantic comedies.

The profile described the poster as "shy at first, but warm up quickly" and "better in small groups" — consistent with what Mercer's acquaintances said.

Christopher Harper Mercer, 26. Myspace.com

Former neighbors in the Los Angeles-suburb of Torrance confirmed that Mercer lived with his mother in a downstairs apartment before moving to Oregon about four years ago.

Bryan Clay said he'd encounter the shooter "every day" when he'd come home from school — and that Mercer kept to himself.

"I'd see Chris, shaved head, combat boots, camo pants and a plain brown or white shirt," Clay told NBC Los Angeles. "He would really just walk really fast, avoid anybody who came towards him."

Mercer's father, though, told NBC Los Angeleshis son was a "nice guy" who "put everyone before himself."

An online public records search for Chris Harper Mercer shows one man by that name having lived in Torrance before moving to an apartment in Winchester, Oregon — just 2.1 miles from Umpqua Community College. NBC News could not immediately verify whether it referred to the gunman.

Another college shooting in US: Nine dead in Roseburg attack

Nine people have been killed and seven injured in a shooting at a college in the US state of Oregon, say police.

The gunman, 26, opened fire at Umpqua Community College on Thursday morning and was killed in a police shootout.

There were conflicting reports on casualties but Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin said 10 dead, including the gunman, was "the best" figure.

Police have not identified the attacker but un-named officers have told US media his name is Chris Harper Mercer.

Mr Hanlin said he would not confirm the name, adding: "I will not give him the credit he probably sought prior to this horrific and cowardly act."

The killer's motive is not known, although police said they were investigating reports that he had warned of his intentions on social media.

Hours after the attack, in which seven were also injured, a visibly frustrated President Barack Obama demanded tighter gun laws, saying prayers are "no longer enough".

Media captionUS President Obama: "Somehow shootings have become routine"

Such shootings - and his own response - had become routine, he said, barely concealing his exasperation.

"We are not the only country on Earth that has people with mental illnesses or want to do harm to other people.

"But we are the only advanced country on Earth that sees these mass shootings every few months."

he said countries like the UK and Australia showed that effective legislation was possible.

Media caption"The suspect is down" - exchange between the emergency services

Image copyrightAPImage captionStudents were reunited with their families at a nearby fairground

Lorie Andrews, who lives opposite the campus, said she heard what sounded like fireworks and when she came out of her home she saw students streaming out.

"One girl came out wrapped in a blanket with blood on her," she said.

Hannah Miles, 19, said that she and fellow students were led to a nearby book shop, where they hid in a back room.

"No-one really was sure what was going on," she said. "The next thing we knew, there were three or four more gun shots and everybody just looked at each other - and we knew."

The 3,000-student school is located in Roseburg, Oregon, a rural area about 175 miles (280 km) south of Portland.

Hundreds of people gathered for a vigil in a Roseburg park in the evening.

Image copyrightAPImage captionPolice searched students and their bags after the shootingImage copyrightAPImage captionMore than 100 police officers responded to the scene of the shootingImage copyrightAPImage captionPolice said they killed the gunmanImage copyrightGetty ImagesImage captionA vigil was held in a Roseburg park on Thursday evening

In audio from police radio channels an officer can be heard saying the suspect was down and that there were "multiple gunshot wounds" and calling for multiple ambulances to the scene.

The suspect supposedly used a "long gun".

Students were transported by bus to a local fairground to be reunited with their loved ones.

According to Umpqua Community College's website, the average age of students is about 38.

U.S. Republican debate brings outsider Fiorina to the fore

Jeb Bush speaks.

Carly Fiorina speaks during the debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, September 16, 2015.

Donald Trump gives Jeb Bush a thumbs up after Bush said he would want his Secret Service code name to be ''Energizer''.

Donald Trump talks with Carly Fiorina after the conclusion of the debate.

Dr. Ben Carson and businessman Donald Trump talk.

Chris Christie reacts during the debate.

Candidates pose before the start of the debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, September 16, 2015.

Donald Trump and Ben Carson arrive.

John Kasich makes a point.

Jeb Bush speaks.

Carly Fiorina speaks during the debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, September 16, 2015.

Once among the most powerful women in American business, Carly Fiorina emerged as a leading contender in the 2016 Republican presidential campaign alongside Donald Trump, another outsider from the corporate world.

Fiorina's performance in the party's Wednesday night debate elicited praise on social media and from political strategists as she commanded the stage equally with the likes of billionaire Trump, 69, and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, 62.

CNN, which hosted the prime-time debate, said it drew 22.9 million viewers, making it the most watched program in the cable news network's 35-year-old history.

The former Hewlett-Packard CEO, Fiorina, 61, was one of Trump's strongest challengers from 10 candidates anxious to pile on the real-estate mogul who leads opinion polls.

At one point, she got into a fracas with Trump over her record at HP, the information technology company, and lectured him about the U.S. Constitution.

"Carly won it," said John Feehery, a Republican strategist in Washington. "She was passionate and tough."

Fiorina spoke nearly the longest, and according to a Thomson Reuters measure of social media mentions she was the second most tweeted candidate with 19,400 tweets following Trump with 35,312.

Fiorina's campaign for the November 2016 White House race had been slow to get off the ground and she was a late addition to the second prime-time Republican debate.

She took a victory lap on the TV shows on Thursday morning.

"This is an important election and we are going to have a fight about really important principles and really important policies and really important differences. And so if you can't fight on a debate stage, then you are not going to be able to stand up and fight for the American people," Fiorina told CNN.

A breast cancer survivor who lost a stepdaughter to drug addiction, Fiorina was forced out of HP in 2005 amid weak earnings as the company struggled to digest a $19 billion merger with computer maker Compaq.

After her ouster from HP, she was dubbed the "anti-Steve Jobs" by respected tech news website InfoWorld.

In 2010, she lost the election for a U.S. Senate seat in California to Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer, failing to benefit from a wave of pro-Republican sentiment nationally.

REBUKE OF TRUMP

At Wednesday's debate in Simi Valley, California, Fiorina rebuked Trump for his comment in an interview that voters might not back her because of her face.

"I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said," Fiorina said, drawing applause at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

The outspoken Trump said early polls showed he had won the debate but he acknowledged that Fiorina had a good outing. "I think Carly did well ... but I didn't see it as standout," he told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" show.

Fiorina argues that as a woman she will be in a unique position to challenge Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton if each wins her party's nomination.

She attacked Clinton's handling of the Syrian civil war when she served as America's top diplomat from 2009-2013.

"When we do not lead, the world becomes a more dangerous and more tragic place. The failure in Syria lies at the feet of President (Barack) Obama and Secretary of State Clinton," she told MSNBC.

Reuters/Ipsos opinion polling before the debate showed Trump leading the 2016 race among Republicans with 32 percent. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson was second at 15 percent followed by Bush at 9 percent. Fiorina shared 10th place at 1.9 percent.

Fiorina's social media score - a computation of the skew between positive and negative tweets - placed her in the top four of the candidates at the debate. Her score averaged 6.3 to Trump's 8.3.

Carson finished atop the sentiment ranks with a score of 10.4, although he garnered less than half the traffic seen by Fiorina. Bush's social media score was barely in the positive territory.

For more on the 2016 presidential race, see the Reuters blog, “Tales from the Trail.”

Source: REUTERS

"The President and Mrs. Obama will host President Xi and Madame Peng Liyuan at an official State Dinner on the evening of September 25."

President Barack Obama will host Chinese President Xi Jingping for a state visit on Sept. 25, the White House said on Tuesday.

"President Xi's visit will present an opportunity to expand U.S.-China cooperation on a range of global, regional, and bilateral issues of mutual interest, while also enabling President Obama and President Xi to address areas of disagreement constructively," the White House said in a statement.

"The US President and Mrs. Obama will host President Xi and Madame Peng Liyuan at an official State Dinner on the evening of September 25."

Kenyan man sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty in US terrorism support case

A kenyan man has been sentenced to 15 years in U.S. prison after pleading guilty to providing money and recruits to foreign terrorist groups.

U.S. District Judge Ursula Ungaro imposed the maximum possible sentence on  Friday 27-year-old Mohamed Said. He admitted in May that he conspired to support  Africa's violent al-Shabaab organization and al-Qaida affiliates in Syria and elsewhere.

Said's attorney had sought a more lenient eight-year sentence because Said never plotted directly against the U.S. But Ungaro said terrorist groups he supported have an avowed intent to attack the U.S.

Said and co-defendant Gufran Mohammed were arrested in 2013 in Saudi Arabia in a case that evolved from FBI monitoring of Internet chat rooms frequented by Islamic extremists. Mohammed is already serving a 15-year prison sentence.

Nigerian Ambassador to U.S, Adebowale Adefuye is dead!

The Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Adebowale Adefuye, is dead.
According to Sahara Reporters, Mr. Adefuye, a former History professor died on Thursday at an undisclosed hospital in Washington DC.

Mr. Adefuye was appointed the head of the Nigerian mission to the U.S. in 2010 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Mr Adefuye will be remembered for his dogged lobbying for declassification of Nigeria as “a country of interest” in the American terrorism watch list.

He also tackled the U.S. government over its refusal to sell arms to Nigeria to aid the country in the war against the extremist Boko Haram sect.

He was born in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State in 1947. He was a graduate of the University of Ibadan where he bagged his first degree in 1969.

He was also a Fulbright Scholar and did further studies and research work at the Columbia University in New York, the University of North Florida, and the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Prior to his being named Nigeria’s ambassador to the US, he served as ambassador to Jamaica, and deputy high commissioner in the U.K.

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