Could
The Next House Speaker Do More On Immigration Reform?
With Speaker John Boehner's imminent retirement, the conventional wisdom
is that his second-in-command will take his place. "I think Kevin McCarthy
would make an excellent speaker," Boehner said Friday of the California
Republican who has been serving as his chief deputy since June. While he'll
face plenty of competition, McCarthy has an advantage, largely because
he's raised and spent more money helping to elect the Republicans who will
be voting on whether to give him a promotion. That could raise some intriguing
political possibilities for one issue that's been stalled in the House.
On paper, McCarthy is one member of the House leadership team who has a
vested interest in moving forward with immigration reform. His district,
based in Bakersfield, Calif., is 35 percent Latino and heavily dependent
on migrant labor for its agricultural industry, which brought in $7.5 billion
to Kern County in 2014. Bloomberg
VOA VIEW: McCarthy will have a difficult
time getting the Speaker position if he supports Obama's immigration reform.
U.S.
Aims To Cut HIV Infections In Young Women In Africa
The Obama administration is announcing a $300 million program to drastically
reduce HIV infections in girls and young woman in 10 sub-Saharan African
nations hard hit by the virus. Administration officials are aiming for
a 25 percent infection reduction in females between ages 15-24 by the end
of next year and a 40 percent reduction by the end of 2017. "No greater
action is needed right now than empowering adolescent girls and young women
to defeat HIV/AIDS," National Security Adviser Susan Rice said. The new
targets mark the next phase for the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for
AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR. The program, started by President George
W. Bush and expanded by President Barack Obama, is credited with saving
millions of lives in Africa. Las
Vegas Sun
New
York Governor Calls For National Gun Control In Eulogy For Aide
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo renewed his call for national gun control
legislation on Saturday as he delivered a eulogy for the top state attorney
who was fatally wounded by a stray bullet in Brooklyn earlier this month.
State officials and family members gathered at Brooklyn's Emmanuel Baptist
Church in a private service for Carey Gabay, 43, who was struck in the
head at a pre-dawn outdoor celebration on Sept. 7 before the annual West
Indian Day parade, an event plagued by violence in recent years. Gabay
is believed to have been an unintended target, police said. Reuters
VOA VIEW: The Constitution Second Amendment
is clear.
Why
Your Credit Card Is Going 'Chip-And-PIN'
Many Americans have received a new credit or debit card in the mail
in with a computer chip on the front. If you're not sure what the chip
is all about, you're not alone: One survey showed that about 75 percent
of respondents didn't understand why they were being sent the new chip-embedded
cards. It's all part of a nationwide shift in the way we pay, with the
goal of beefing up credit-card security. The new "smart" chip cards use
EMV (which stands for Europay, MasterCard and Visa) technology, which generates
a unique code every time the card is used.It's more secure than the traditional
magnetic-strip cards, because the code in those strips don't change. If
a hacker got a hold of that strip information, they could make a physical
copy of the card. MSNBC
Congressman
Protests Punishment Of Soldiers Who Confronted Alleged Child Rapist
Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., is demanding that the Army overturn the
punishment given to two Special Forces soldiers after they stood up to
an Afghan commander who kept a young boy as a "sex slave." Hunter, who
served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Marine officer, has blasted the treatment
of Sgt. 1st Class Charles Martland and Capt. Danny Quinn after they had
an angry confrontation with an Afghan police commander. Martland admits
hitting the commander after he said he found that he had repeatedly raped
an 11-year-old boy and beaten the boy's mother, Hunter said in letters
to Defense Secretary. Ashton Carter and the inspector general of the Department
of Defense, Jon Rymer. Kansas
City Star
Raúl
Castro Makes His Debut At The United Nations
The table is set for the United States and Cuba to make headlines as
Cuban leader Raúl Castro addresses the 70th General Assembly on
Monday a few hours after President Barack Obama speaks. Its the first
U.N. General Assembly session since the United States and Cuba renewed
diplomatic relations on July 20 after a break of more than 54 years, and
Cuba has made it clear that a condemnation of the U.S. embargo, or blockade
as it prefers to call it, is its priority. At a gathering of world leaders
at the U.N. on Saturday, Castro said the re-establishment of diplomatic
relations between his country and the United States constitutes major
progress, but the blockade against Cuba is the main obstacle to his
country's development and is rejected by 188 U.N. member states. Miami
Herald
GOP
Religious Conservatives Channeling Anger Toward Victory
Religious activists in the Republican Party, bolstered by House Speaker
John Boehner's sudden exit, say the next GOP presidential nominee must
share their uncompromising stance on abortion rights, gay marriage and
other priorities to get to the White House. "You cannot win a primary and
then succeed in the general election without having strength within the
ranks of social conservative voters," said Tony Perkins, the president
of the Family Research Council Action. The group's annual Values Voter
Summit drew nearly 2,700 activists to Washington this weekend. "Conservatives
are on fire at the moment," said Gary Bauer, a former president of the
Family Research Council who spoke at the conference. SF
Gate
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Hilton
Says Checking Claims Of Hacking At hotels
Hilton Worldwide Holdings said on Saturday it was investigating claims
that hackers had compromised registers in gift shops and restaurants at
a large number of Hilton Hotel and franchise properties across the United
States. Cyber-security blogger Brian Krebs said in a post on Friday that
Visa Inc had sent confidential alerts to financial organizations warning
of a breach at a business between April 21 and July 27.Sources at five
different banks have determined that the cards in the alert had all been
used at Hilton, Krebs said. The report said several unnamed financial industry
sources told Krebs that the incident may still be ongoing and could date
back as far as November 2014. Reuters
Hyundai
Recalls 470,000 U.S. Sonatas To Fix Engine Debris Defect
Hyundai is recalling and replacing the engines in nearly a half-million
Sonata sedans in the U.S. because of a manufacturing defect that could
cause them to stall. The recall covers 470,000 vehicles made between Dec.
11, 2009, and Apr. 12, 2012 at the company's Alabama assembly plant equipped
with 2-liter or 2.4 liter gasoline engines. A document published by the
U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration state that metallic
debris may remain in the crankshaft area, restricting oil flow. "Engine
failure would result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash,"
it says. Worn parts "will produce a metallic, cyclic knocking noise from
the engine," it said. MSNBC
Ted
Cruz Wins Values Voter Straw Poll
GOP White House hopeful Ted Cruz ruled the roost once again at the
annual Values Voter Summit by winning the annual presidential preference
straw poll here for the third straight year - further cementing his status
a favorite among social conservatives that will play a pivotal role in
picking the partys nominee. The Texas Republican captured 35 percent of
the votes cast, outpacing his closest rival Ben Carson, who received 18
percent. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee finished third and Florida
Sen. Marco Rubio placed fifth. Washington
Times
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Carson
Campaign Expects To Raise Nearly $20 Million This Quarter
Ben Carson's presidential campaign says it's close to having raised
$20 million in the traditionally slow summer fundraising quarter, a figure
that would be the largest announced haul of any Republican so far this
cycle and give the insurgent new political durability. Carson, a retired
neurosurgeon who has never held public office, said in a fundraising email
to supporters Saturday that his campaign was "on the verge of our biggest
month ever -- a whopping $10 million dollars raised." The campaign has
previously said that he raised $9 million total in July and August, and
the $20 million figure was confirmed by campaign spokesman Doug Watts.
CNN
Trump:
GOP Rivals Want To Start WWIII Over Syria, Should Let Russia Fight Islamic
State
GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump shared more of his views
on foreign policy Friday, telling an audience in Oklahoma his 2016 rivals
want to start World War III over Syria and suggesting the U.S. let Russia
take up the fight against the Islamic State in the region. They want to
start World War III over Syria. Give me a break, Mr. Trump said at the
State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City, The Hill reported. You know Russia
wants to get ISIS right, Mr. Trump said, using the acronym for the Islamic
State of Iraq and Syria. We want to get ISIS. Russias in Syria. Maybe
we should let them do it? Let them do it. What the hell are we, crazy?
Washington
Times
Pope
Calls For Church To Place Greater Value On Women
Pope Francis arrived in the City of Brotherly Love on Saturday for
the final leg of his U.S. visit - a festive weekend devoted to celebrating
Catholic families - and immediately called for the church to place greater
value on women. The pontiff's plane touched down at the Philadelphia airport
after takeoff from New York, bringing him to a city of blocked-off streets,
sidewalks lined with portable potties, and checkpoints manned by police,
National Guardsmen and border agents. After speeches to Congress and the
United Nations earlier this week aimed at spurring world leaders toward
bold action on immigration and the environment, he is expected to focus
more heavily on ordinary Catholics during his two days in Philadelphia.
CBS
YOU can speak out and be heard by having your own "Column" - Visit the "Public Opinion" Section above.
Russian
Fighter Jets Enter Syria With Transponders Off
A U.S. official told CNN Thursday that Russian fighter jets turned
off their transponders as they flew into Syria in an apparent attempt to
avoid detection. The official said the fighters flew very close to a transport
plane that had its transponder on and functioning. U.S. satellites rapidly
saw that the aircraft were there, according to the official. The assessment
over the weekend was that the fighter jets were on their way. The same
official said the Russians have begun flying drones around the coastal
city of Latakia. With no ISIS fighters in the area, the move raises serious
questions about the Russians' intentions with their military buildup, which
the U.S. has questioned the purpose of and watched with wariness. The action
points to a higher likelihood that the Russian plan is to prop up Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad rather than fight the terror group. CNN
GOP
To Form Special Panel Investigating Planned Parenthood
As the fight to defund Planned Parenthood threatens to shut down the
federal government, House Republicans are launching a new investigation
into the women's health organization, forming a select congressional panel
to examine its abortion services. "We have all been so shocked and outraged
by the videos portraying the grisly practices of Planned Parenthood," Rep.
Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, said in a recorded address Saturday. In
response to anti-abortion activists' undercover footage of Planned Parenthood
officials discussing the use of fetal parts for medical research, Blackburn
announced a GOP-led initiative to "establish a new select subcommittee
that will focus its full attention, resources and subpoena power on getting
to the bottom of these horrific practices." CBS
New
Emails Show Clinton Used Private Server Earlier Than She Said
Newly disclosed emails from Hillary Clinton to then CENTCOM chief David
Petraeus show that the former secretary of state was using a private server
earlier than she had previously said. The new set of emails, from January
to February 2009, was turned over to the State Department by the Department
of Defense, State Department spokesman John Kirby told ABC News, confirming
a story originally reported by The Associated Press. The State Department
said its record of Clinton emails begins on March 18, 2009. Over the nearly
two months she was in office before that, Clinton has said she used a Blackberry
email account that she can no longer access. The discovery appears to contradict
Clinton's sworn statement that she had turned over all the email from her
private server to the State Department. ABC
VOA VIEW: Another discovered lie should
be no surprise.
Rise
In Polls Comes With New Challenges For Fiorina
Mary Catherine Johnson skipped class to sound out Carly Fiorina and
left convinced shell be the next president. Randy Sperling drove about
an hour to hear the Republican speak and left more unsettled than ever
over whether shes fit for the White House. The former Hewlett-Packard
chief executive has rocketed to second or third place in national polls
with strong debate performances and vigorous attacks on front-runner Donald
Trump. But her rapid rise also brings new scrutiny to her business background
and her bare-bones campaign as she tries to sustain the momentum into the
barrage of votes that begin in February. Atlanta
Journal
Draft
Bill Would Alter Search For Top UNC Job
State lawmakers apparently are poised to intervene in the search for
the next UNC president, according to draft legislation. With only a few
days left in the current session, its unclear whether such a move will
be attempted or executed. But several versions of legislation have been
prepared, according to documents obtained by The News & Observer. Some
of the options have included: prescribing a more public process for presidential
finalists; capping the future presidents salary; and requiring that the
General Assembly have final approval. That would represent unprecedented
involvement by the legislature into the hiring of a UNC leader, which is
now decided by the UNC Board of Governors in a vote following the recommendation
of a board search committee. The possibility comes amid reports of dissension
on the UNC board as an 11-member search committee interviews candidates
to succeed President Tom Ross. Charlotte
Observer
France
Fires First Airstrikes On Extremists In Syria
France has carried out its first airstrikes in Syria, expanding its
military operations against Islamic State extremists, President Francois
Hollande's office announced Sunday. The strikes make good on a promise
to go after the group that the president has said is planning attacks against
several countries, including France. Hollande's office said that "France
has hit Syria" based on information from French reconnaissance flights
sent earlier this month. It did not provide further details. "Our nation
will strike each time our national security is at stake," the presidential
statement said. Kansas
City Star
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Circuit
Court Remands Terrorism Case On Grounds FBI Withheld Info Of Al-Awlaki
Investigation
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has remanded
a post 9/11 terrorism case on the grounds that the FBI withheld evidence
of its 2002 investigation into the first American on the CIA's kill or
capture list, Anwar al-Awlaki, as well as into a northern Virginia Islamic
scholar, according to recently released federal court document. Anwar al-Awlaki
was killed in Yemen by a drone strike in 2011. The case focused on allegations
that Dr. Ali Al-Timimi -- a cancer researcher and self-described Muslim
scholar - inspired a group of young men from Virginia to travel to Pakistan
to join Lashkar-e-Taiba, one of the largest terror organizations in South
Asia. Fox
News
Planned
Parenthood Protesters Throw Condoms At Carly Fiorina Supporters
Planned Parenthood protesters threw condoms at Carly Fiorina today
while she campaigned at a tailgate party for the Iowa Hawkeyes. The protesters,
some of whom were affiliated with the women's health group and others who
were supporters, were dressed in pink and waved pink pom-poms as they followed
the Republican presidential candidate around the tailgate, chanting "Carly
Fiorina offsides for telling lies" and "women are watching and we vote."
ABC
Stocks
Slump Toward Worst Quarter In 4 Years Amid Fed Confusion
Sneakers or tractors? That choice was emblematic of the conflict stock
investors faced this week amid mixed messages on the health of the U.S.
economy. A sales warning from Caterpillar Inc. showed the risks of slowing
global growth, while Nike Inc. provided a more upbeat view of demand overseas.
Investors weighed a slip in equipment orders against a pickup in gross
domestic product. A tweet by Hillary Clinton roiled the biotechnology industry,
highlighting the volatility facing markets.
And above it all loomed the Federal Reserve, whose officials fueled
the debate over whether the American economy is robust enough to withstand
higher interest rates amid the recent turmoil. Bloomberg
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Two
Leaders, Worlds Apart
When Chinese President Xi Jinping's handlers arranged his flight from
Seattle to Washington on Thursday, they made sure he would land after Pope
Francis had left. Xi didn't want to be overshadowed by the rock-star pope.
As it turned out, the Chinese leader was unable to avoid the pope's shadow.
The elaborate reception ceremonies for Xi on the White House lawn were
eclipsed on TV by the pope's address to the United Nations. But, apart
from timing, comparisons between the pope and Xi are unavoidable. The two
leaders command the two largest constituencies in the world, 1.2 billion
Catholics and 1.2 billion Chinese, respectively. And they hold polar opposite
views on how to address the problems of their flocks and the world. Philadelphia
Inquirer
VW
Warned About Illegal Emissions Tricks Year Ago
German media report that Volkswagen received warnings years ago about
the use of illegal tricks to defeat emissions tests. The automaker admitted
last week that it used special software to fool U.S. emissions tests for
its diesel vehicles. German weekly Bild am Sonntag reported Sunday that
VW's internal investigation has found a 2007 letter from parts supplier
Bosch warning Volkswagen not to use the software during regular operation.
Weekly Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung reported that a Volkswagen
technician raised concerns about illegal practices in connection with emissions
levels in 2011. The paper also cited VW's internal investigators. Philadelphia
Inquirer
Hillary
Enlisted Steven Spielberg To Make Her More Likeable
In his new book, Unlikeable, journalist Edward Klein unveils the
lengths Hillary Rodham Clintons campaign will go to avoid the mistakes
of the 2008 race when Obama famously said, Youre likeable enough, Hillary.
In an exclusive excerpt to The Post, Klein reveals how Bill Clinton reached
out to a famous friend for help.
Hillary was taking lessons on how to be more likeable. She was doing
it for Bill, not for herself. It was all his idea. One evening while they
were having drinks with friends, he turned to Hillary and said, Lets
ask Steven for help. Their old Hollywood buddy Steven Spielberg could
supply Hillary with acting coaches to help her when she had to give a speech.
Hillary didnt think she needed help. I get $250,000 to give a speech,
she said, according to one of her friends, and these Hollywood jackasses
are going to tell me how to do it! But Bill insisted. NY
Post
Putin
To Offer Russian Military For Fight Against ISIS
In his address to the UN on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin
will offer Moscows military might to help in the fight against Islamic
State militants, according to a report. The message at the UN will be:
Look, lets put our geopolitical differences aside and come together to
fight the real threat of Islamic terrorism. Were all in this together,
a source close to the Kremlin told the Sunday Times of London. NY
Post
Clinton,
Sanders Planning Separate Visits To Massachusetts
The two top Democratic candidates for president are planning to visit
Massachusetts this coming week. On Thursday, former Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton is expected to discuss substance-abuse issues with Attorney
General Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. The state has experienced
a spike in opioid-related overdose deaths in recent years. The stop is
also expected to include a fundraising event. On Saturday, Oct. 3, U.S.
Sen. Bernie Sanders will hold rallies in Springfield and Boston. Sanders
is expect to discuss a range of issues including income and wealth inequality,
campaign finance changes, high prescription drug costs, criminal justice
reform, and college affordability. Tampa
Tribune
John
Boehner Could Cash In As A Lobbyist Once He Leaves Congress
House Speaker John Boehner, who will walk away from a 25-year career
in Congress next month, wont say what his next step is. But if the Ohio
Republican chooses to travel the short distance between Capitol Hill and
K Streets famous lobbying firms, the son of a blue-collar bar owner likely
will end up a very wealthy man. Hell get seven figures on the street,
said Tom Davis, a fellow Republican and former Virginia congressman who
now lobbies for the financial-consulting giant Deloitte. Hes got a lot
of friends and allies in Congress. But its not necessarily his Rolodex
thats valuable. Its just that he knows Congress inside and out. USA
Today
Race
To Replace Boehner Expected To Be Another Leadership vs. Conservative Caucus
Showdown
The battle among Capitol Hill Republicans to replace House Speaker
John Boehner will likely unfold like the one that led to Boehner's resignation:
GOP leadership vs. the party's most conservative caucus. "Before we rush
headlong into leadership elections, we need to take time to reflect on
what has happened and have a serious discussion about
what we expect
of our leaders, and how we plan to accomplish our goals," Illinois GOP
Rep. Peter Roskam said Saturday in a letter to fellow House GOP members.
Fox
News
VOA VIEW: It's time for strong Republican
leadership.
Conservatives
To 2016 GOP Field: Defy Us At Your Own Peril
The Republican Party's conservative wing, pumped up by House Speaker
John Boehner's stepping down, is warning the 2016 presidential candidates
that defying its wishes will come at their peril. Religious activists forcefully
conveyed this message Saturday: embrace our uncompromising stance against
abortion rights and gay marriage, among other priorities, even if doing
so risks a federal government shutdown. An emboldened conservative movement
signals fresh trouble for White House candidates viewed by the party's
frustrated base as insufficiently committed to their cause. Chief among
them is former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. Las
Vegas Sun
Tech
Giants, Hollywood Stars Among Guests At State Dinner For China's Xi Jinping
President Obama hosted a lavish state dinner for Chinese President
Xi Jinping on Friday with a guest list featuring Hollywood and Silicon
Valley glitterati, including the heads of Apple, Facebook, Disney and Dreamworks.
Apple CEO Tim Cook and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg sat at the dinner's
head table alongside Obama and Xi. Disney CEO Bob Iger and DreamWorks chief
Jeffrey Katzenberg were also seated at the president's side. The four CEOs
lead companies doing billions of dollars of business in China, with the
exception of Zuckerberg, whose Facebook is banned in the country. Apple
is seeking to expand its sales in China and Iger is preparing to open Disney
Shanghai, the company's first park in mainland China. UPI
Judge:
Mentally Disabled Immigrants May Return To U.S., Reopen Deportation Cases
Hundreds of mentally disabled immigrant detainees deported after representing
themselves in immigration court may return to the United States for a second
chance to contest their expulsion, a judge ruled Friday. U.S. District
Court Judge Dolly M. Gee approved a class-action lawsuit settlement, clearing
the way for immigrants with "serious mental disabilities" to request their
cases be reopened. If approved, the United States will pay for transportation
in some cases. "Today's ruling is a victory for due process," Hector Villagra,
executive director of the ACLU of Southern California, said in a statement.
"For too long, individuals with mental disabilities were forced to represent
themselves in deportation proceedings or allowed to languish in immigration
jails." UPI
VOA VIEW: Total madness.
Pope
To Celebrate Mass On Final Day In U.S.
Pope Francis on Sunday will wrap up his U.S. tour, completing his historic
visit with an outdoor Mass in the City of Brotherly Love that organizers
say will draw hundreds of thousands of participants. But before Francis,
who made stops in Washington and New York before arriving in Philadelphia
on Saturday, celebrates Mass on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, he will
meet with bishops and prison inmates. John Thavis, a former Catholic News
Service reporter and author of The Vatican Diaries, said that Francis wants
a more welcoming church. In his meeting with bishops from around the globe,
the pope may address the specifics about how they should deal with family
issues, Thavis said. USA
Today
Senator
Calls For Changes In Eyeglass Rules To Aid Consumers
A U.S. senator is calling on the Federal Trade Commission to update
regulations on eyeglass prescriptions to create more competition in the
industry, which he says would lead to better deals for consumers. Sen.
Charles Schumer, D-New York, says in a statement released early Sunday
that the FTC, which is reviewing its regulations on eyeglasses, should
require eyecare providers to give complete eyeglass prescription information
to consumers. Schumer says consumers could then use this information to
shop around for the best deals on glasses. Schumer is also calling for
the FTC to require eyecare providers to verify information about a prescription
to third-party sellers in a reasonable amount of time. He adds that the
FTC should pass a rule mandating that the prescriptions last longer than
one year, a move Schumer says would give consumers more time to shop. Houston
Chronicle
Third
4.7-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Northwest Nevada
The U.S. Geological Survey reports that a 4.7-magnitude earthquake
hit the northwest corner of Nevada on Saturday night the third earthquake
of this size to hit the region in the past 10 months. The USGS says the
earthquake, which had its epicenter about 38 miles southeast of Lakeview,
Oregon, hit at 7:44 p.m. There are no reports of damage in the region.
On Sept. 14, a 4.7-magniture earthquake hit the Shelton National Wildlife
Refuge near the Oregon and California borders. That earthquake was the
second of 4.7 magnitude to hit the Sheldon wildlife refuge. The first one,
recorded on Nov. 6, 2014, was the largest one to hit since the thousands
of earthquakes started in July 2014. Houston
Chronicle
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US
Reports 25 Air Strikes Against Islamic State In Iraq And Syria
The United States and its allies conducted 25 air strikes against Islamic
State militants in Iraq and Syria on Friday, a US military statement said.
Twenty-four air raids were carried out against targets near 10 cities in
Iraq, including Mosul and Ramadi, it said. In Syria, an Islamic State vehicle
was destroyed in an air attack near Al Hawl, the statement added. Jerusalem
Post
In
Meeting With Iran's Zarif, Kerry Says Sees Chance For Syria Progress
US Secretary of State John Kerry said he saw an opportunity for progress
this week in ending Syria's four-year civil war before meeting Iran's Foreign
Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly
on Saturday. Western officials said Kerry wants to launch a new initiative
to find a political solution to the Syrian conflict, which has taken on
a new urgency in light of Russia's military build-up in support of Syrian
President Bashar Assad and a refugee crisis that has spilled over into
Europe. The new US approach, which officials stressed was in its infancy,
could bring Russia, a major ally of Assad, together with countries such
as Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar that support Syrian opposition groups
against Assad. Jerusalem
Post
Syria
Crisis: US-Trained Rebels Give Equipment To Al-Qaeda Affiliate
A group of US-trained Syrian rebels has handed over their vehicles
and ammunition to fighters linked to al-Qaeda, the US military has admitted.
It said one rebel unit had surrendered six pick-up trucks and ammunition
to the al-Nusra Front this week - apparently to gain safe passage. Congress
has approved $500m (£323m) to train and equip about 5,000 rebels
to fight against Islamic State militants. But the first 54 graduates were
routed by al-Nusra Front, the military said. Gen Lloyd Austin told US lawmakers
last week that only "four or five" US-trained rebels were still fighting.
BBC
Volkswagen
Models Sale Halted In Switzerland
Switzerland has temporarily banned the sale of Volkswagen (VW) diesel-engine
models which could have devices capable of tricking emission tests. It
said the move could affect 180,000 cars - not yet sold or registered -
in the Euro5 emission category. This comes after VW, the biggest carmaker
in the world, admitted cheating on emissions tests in the US. Meanwhile,
Matthias Mueller has been named new VW chief executive in the wake of the
scandal. Mr Mueller, the former head of Porsche, succeeds Martin Winterkorn,
who resigned on Wednesday. The row erupted after it emerged that some VW
cars being sold in the US had devices in diesel engines that could detect
when they were being tested, changing the engine performance to improve
results. BBC
As
Cobras And Vipers Spread Their Deadly Venom, Its Getting Harder To Save
Lives
In the late 1970s, a 50-year-old farmer was working in his fields in
the Hausa region of west Africa when was he was bitten on the ankle by
a snake, probably a carpet viper. Within two hours his leg was badly swollen.
The unnamed man, whose case is included in a report by a group of doctors
led by Oxford University tropical medicine specialist David Warrell took
herbal medicine but continued to sicken. Six days later he was taken to
hospital, where doctors found that his urine was bloodstained and he had
suffered intense internal haemorrhages. A day later, he died. Guardian
Orthorexia:
When Healthy Eating Turns Against You
The summer Kaila Prins turned 13, she started breaking out in hives
all over her body. Her mother remembered that when she was a baby she had
tested allergic to soy, so encouraged Prins to cut that out of her diet,
bringing her attention to ingredients for the first time. Prins had never
paid much attention to what she ate, enjoying the occasional McDonalds
meal or a few chunks of cookie dough like many other teens. But what began
as an allergy-related need to pay attention to food labels slowly turned
into an obsession that took a toll on the young girls health. Guardian
Further
Use Of Nuclear Weapons Would Be Horrific, Ban Says On International Day
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today highlighted that
2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the first and last use of a nuclear
weapon in war, as he renewed his call for complete global nuclear disarmament.
The norm against the use of nuclear weapons the most destructive weapons
ever created, with potentially unparalleled human costs has stood strong
for seven decades, Mr. Ban said in a message for the International Day
for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, observed annually on 26 September.
But the only absolute guarantee that they are never used again is through
their total elimination, he added. UN
News
Business
Leaders Pledge Investments Worth Millions To Boost Gender Equality
Top global companies and foundations, including the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation and Unilever, are committing millions of dollars to promote
gender equality as they gather at a United Nations event in New York. Commitments
made at the Business and Philanthropy Leaders Forum, hosted by the UN
entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women (UN Women),
seek to close the deep financing gaps that hinder progress for women and
girls. Achieving gender equality is one of the 17 Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) that comprise the 2030 Agenda, which world leaders adopted
on Friday. According to UN Women, gender equality is crucial to realizing
the transformative promise of the new global development agenda. UN
News
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