Bomber shows emotion at trial

BOSTON — For the first time since his trial began four months ago, Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev dropped his blank, impassive demeanor and showed emotion as his Russian aunt sobbed uncontrollably and had to leave the witness stand.

Tsarnaev, 21, grabbed a tissue and repeatedly dabbed his eyes and cheeks while his aunt became so upset that she was unable to testify on his behalf as his lawyers try to persuade a federal jury to spare his life.

Tsarnaev had maintained an uninterested expression since his trial began in January, most of the time staring straight ahead and only occasionally glancing over at witnesses, including people who lost loved ones in the 2013 bombing.

His aunt, Patimat Suleimanova, cried as she sat down about 10 feet from Tsarnaev. She was only able to answer questions about her name, her year of birth and where she was born before she stepped down from the witness stand after she was unable to compose herself.

Five Russian relatives — three cousins and two aunts — took the witness stand for the defense.

Pentagon: Texas has nothing to fear

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has a message for Texas: chill.

Defense officials Monday dismissed as “wild speculation” an Internet-fueled claim that a massive summertime exercise called Jade Helm 15 for special operations commandos is a covert operation by President Barack Obama to take over Texas.

That claim was given legitimacy by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s order last week for the Texas State Guard to monitor the exercises.

“Operation Jade Helm poses no threat to any American’s civil liberties,” Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, said Monday. “Operation Jade Helm is being conducted by Americans — by, specifically, American special forces personnel.”

Jade Helm 15 will be one of the biggest peacetime military exercises in six decades. It will start July 15 and last two months.

Obama nominates Marine general

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is choosing a widely respected, combat-hardened commander who led the Afghanistan war coalition during a key transitional period during 2013-14 as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

U.S. officials say he is nominating Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr. to the post to succeed Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, who will have served four years as chairman.

Obama plans to make the announcement at the White House today, said officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly ahead of the announcement.

From combined wire services