NEWS   FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015   NEWS

House Republicans Repudiate McCarthy Comments On Benghazi Probe
House Republicans on Wednesday sharply repudiated Rep. Kevin McCarthy's comments that suggested the Benghazi oversight committee had succeeded by tarnishing Hillary Clinton, saying it undermined their party's messaging on a key issue and raised questions about his ability to be the GOP's top communicator. The California Republican, who is the leading contender to become the next speaker of the House, said Tuesday night that the GOP-led Congress had succeeded by bringing down Clinton's poll numbers because of the long-running investigation into the 2012 terror attack that killed four Americans. "Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right?" McCarthy said on Fox News. "But we put together a Benghazi special committee, a select committee. What are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping. Why? Because she's untrustable. But no one would have known any of that had happened had we not fought." CNN
VOA VIEW: McCarthy made a dumb statement.

WH: Russian Airstrikes 'An Indication Of How Concerned They Are About Losing Influence' In Syria
Hours after the Russians told the U.S. not to interfere with Russian air strikes in support of the Assad regime in Syria, the Obama White House downplayed the Russian offensive as a defensive move. "We are seeing the Russians ramp up their support for President Assad. They've been supporting him for quite some time, and it's clear that they've made a significant military investment now in further popping him up. "The fact that Russia has to take these noteworthy steps to ramp up their support for Assad is an indication of how concerned they are about losing influence in the one-client state that they have in the Middle East." CNS News

Colin Powell: I Continue To Be A Republican ‘Because It Annoys Them’
Former secretary of state Colin Powell joked Wednesday that he remains in the Republican Party so he can continue to “annoy” ultraconservatives. “I think the party has shifted much further right than where the country is and it should be obvious to party leaders that they cannot keep saying the things that they are saying and doing the things that they were doing and hope to be successful in national level elections in the future, not just 2016,” the retired four-star Army general said at the Washington Ideas Forum in downtown D.C., the Daily Mail reported. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: Powell's achievements have been a result of affirmative action - calling himself a Republican has worked in his best interests.

Is Jeb Bush In Trouble In New Hampshire?
In recent days, New Hampshire polls have made clear what Republicans around the state have been whispering about for weeks: Jeb Bush hasn't exactly been a hit in the Granite State. Bush's slipping poll numbers -- a CNN/WMUR New Hampshire survey released last week showed the former Florida governor falling from his second place standing in July poll to fifth place now -- have unsettled his supporters here and financial supporters around the country who know how important the Granite State is to Bush's candidacy. That sentiment prompted this question to Bush at a town hall in Bedford on Thursday: "What would you have done differently," a young voter asked, "if you knew you would be struggling in the polls at this point in the race?" CBS

PLEASE DO BUSINESS WITH THOSE WHO DO BUSINESS WITH US -- OUR ADVERTISERS.

Pelosi: Benghazi Probe’s Focus On Clinton Breaks Ethics Rules
Democrats are trying to shut down the Benghazi investigative committee two weeks before the panel is scheduled to hear testimony, saying a top House Republican unwittingly exposed the political goals of the long-running probe. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy,  the California Republican who is the front-runner to be the next House Speaker, said in an interview this week that the committee, formed to probe the 2012 terrorist attack in Libya that killed four Americans, has been worth it because it exposed former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s email practices. Washington Times

Rare Q Fever Outbreak Hits U.S. Medical Tourists
Five Americans came down with an unusual illness after traveling to Germany for a controversial treatment involving injections with sheep cells, health officials reported Wednesday. The treatment is not permitted in the United States. The five New York residents received the "live cell therapy" in May last year. About a week later, they developed fever, fatigue and other symptoms of a dangerous bacterial illness called Q fever. Two told investigators that they were part of a group that, for the last five years, had traveled to Germany twice a year for the injections. They said they get them to improve their health and vitality. There is no published clinical proof the treatments work, health officials say. CBS

Al Gore Won't Give Outright 'No' To Presidential Bid
Is Al Gore running in 2016? He's been asked repeatedly -- and often gives the same answer -- but it is never a straight up "no." “I am a recovering politician. The longer I go without a relapse the less likely one becomes,” the former Vice President and 2000 Presidential candidate told the Atlantic's James Fallows at the Washington Ideas Forum. Gore admitted that he had overused this answer, but said, "I'm gonna give it anyway." Gore gave a virtually identical answer to Fusion's Jorge Ramos, in an excerpts of an interview that will broadcast on October 6. After hearing Gore's first answer, Ramos subsequently asked, “Are you ruling out any possibility of running for president in this campaign?” and “I just wanted to know if you want to run for president again.” Gore repeated his claim about being a recovering politician. ABC

Cubans Retire To Florida – With Help From U.S. Taxpayers
More Cubans are coming to Florida in their golden years to retire, able to tap U.S. government assistance even though they never lived or worked here. The number of Cubans arriving over the age of 60 grew fivefold since 2010, according to state refugee data. At least 185 made the crossing in their 80s or 90s. Unlike most other immigrants, Cubans qualify immediately for food stamps and Medicaid. If they are over 65 with little or no income, they also can collect a monthly check of up to $733 in Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Cubans’ special status has enabled an increasing number of elderly to retire to the U.S. with taxpayer support. The number of Cubans immigrating after age 60 and eligible for refugee assistance in Florida has increased fivefold since 2010. Sun Sentinel
VOA VIEW: Total madness.

Rolling Past His Deadline, Biden Still Steeped In Indecision
Long past the time Joe Biden hoped to announce his plans for 2016, the vice president is still steeped in indecision, breeding uncertainty among Democrats eagerly looking for clues to whether he'll run for president. For those hoping he'll enter the race, he's offering obvious winks: His staff is poring over filing deadlines and courting potential donors while Biden drops casual references to the presidential campaign into his public speeches. "I'm not Bernie Sanders," he said Thursday evening, bringing up the Democratic presidential candidate unprompted during a speech on public-private partnerships in New York. "He's a great guy, by the way. He really is. I'm not a populist. But I'm a realist." Tampa Tribune

Here They Come Again: Broader Health Care Debate For 2016
After seven years of the political drama known as "Obamacare," you might think voters would be tired of big ideas for revamping health care. If so, the presidential candidates seem to have missed the memo. The 2016 hopefuls in both parties are offering a full spectrum of options, from a system wholly run by the federal government to dialing back Washington's lead role. Much is promised by the candidates, but each approach has pitfalls. On the left, part of the appeal of Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders is his years-long advocacy of "single payer," a tax-supported, Medicare-like plan for all. The idea is in the political DNA of liberals, and Sanders as president would lead a movement to make it happen, his campaign says. Tampa Tribune

THANK YOU FOR VISITING OUR WEB PORTAL.  PLEASE TELL A FRIEND.

Trump Reverses Himself On Accepting Syrian Migrants
In New Hampshire Wednesday night, Donald Trump stated that any migrants coming to the United States are "going back" if he becomes president. "I'm putting people on notice that are coming here from Syria as part of this mass migration, that if I win, they're going back!" he said, adding: "They could be ISIS …This could be one of the great tactical ploys of all time. A 200,000-man army maybe, or if you said 50,000 or 80,000 or 100,000, we got problems and that could be possible. I don't know that it is, but it could be possible so they're going back — they're going back." But that's a significant reversal from what Trump said in early September, telling Fox News' Bill O'Reilly that "something has to be done" to help the Syrian migrants. And he suggested he was open to the United States taking them in. MSNBC

Stronger Hiring, Steady Unemployment: What To Expect In Friday's Jobs Report
The September payrolls report is bound to be more thoroughly scoured than most. Coming amid a rout in financial markets and jitters about a global slowdown, it'll offer a window into how the U.S. labor market — the engine powering the world's largest economy — is faring. Despite steady hiring in the U.S. this year, international risks threaten to dent growth and depress inflation, as Federal Reserve policy makers noted in September when they delayed raising interest rates. With the central bankers meeting again later this month, all eyes will be on how much the job-market scorecard bolsters the case for the Fed to move. Here's what to look for when the Labor Department releases the data on Friday at 8:30 a.m. in Washington: Bloomberg

Trump: I’ll Drop Presidential Run If I Fall Behind In Polls
Sinking poll numbers would be the one thing to force Donald Trump out of the presidential campaign, he said Thursday. Asked whether he’d quit if he could no longer boast he’s “leading in every poll,” Trump told CNBC: “Well, I’m not a masochist. “If I fell behind badly, I would certainly get out. I’m in this for the long haul.” The RealClearPolitics average of recent national polls has Trump at 23 percent, ahead of Ben Carson’s 16 percent. They are followed by Carly Fiorina (12 percent), Sen. Marco Rubio (10 percent) and Jeb Bush (9 percent). NY Post
VOA VIEW: It is clear the liberal media and most all but the voters want Trump out.

Hillary Clinton Heading To ‘SNL’ To Make Voters Like Her Again
 Hillary Rodham Clinton’s desperate attempt to soften her image is taking her back to the stage of “Saturday Night Live,” where she hopes to reverse her falling poll numbers with self-deprecating jokes about pantsuits. Her sketch this week is another in a string of recent lighthearted appearances on such programs as “The Tonight Show” and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” that Clinton has used to try to counter the endless drumbeat of negative stories about her private e-mail server and polls questioning her trustworthiness. The unannounced performance will pair Clinton with cast member Kate McKinnon, who has developed a devilish impression of the former first lady’s belly laugh. Miley Cyrus will host the season premiere of “SNL,” on which Clinton previously appeared during her 2008 presidential campaign. NY Post

Nancy Pelosi Confronted By Reporter On Abortion Views
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi defended her position on abortion Thursday, responding forcefully to a confrontational question about whether a fetus is a human being at her weekly news conference. "Leader Pelosi, in reference to funding of Planned Parenthood, is an unborn baby with a human heart and a human liver a human being?" asked the reporter, who did not identify himself. "I am a devout, practicing Catholic," Pelosi replied. "A mother of five children. When my baby was born, my fifth child, my oldest child was six years old. "I think I know more about this subject than you, with all due respect," she continued. "I do not intend to respond to your question which has no basis in what public policy we do here." ABC

Amazon To Ban Sale Of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
Amazon.com Inc. will stop selling media-streaming devices from Google Inc. and Apple Inc. that aren’t easily compatible with its video service, the latest example of the company using its clout to promote products that fit with its own retailing strategy. The Seattle-based Web retailer sent an e-mail to its marketplace sellers that it will stop selling the Apple TV and Google’s Chromecast since those devices don’t "interact well" with Prime Video. No new listings for the products will be allowed and posting of existing inventory will be removed Oct. 29, Amazon said. Prime Video doesn’t run easily on its rival’s hardware. Roku Inc.’s set-top device, Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox and Sony Corp.’s PlayStation, which work with Amazon’s video service, aren’t affected, it said. Amazon’s Fire TV stick, which plugs into an HDMI port to connect televisions with streaming services such as Netflix and Prime Video, is the company’s best-selling electronic device. Bloomberg

YOU can speak out and be heard by having your own "Column" - Visit the "Public Opinion" Section above.

EPA Says 'Likely' Recall Of VW Diesel Cars
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Thursday that a recall of affected Volkswagen < diesel cars in the ongoing emissions scandal would "likely" take place. "EPA will require VW to remedy the noncompliance. It is likely that there will be a recall of affected vehicles," an EPA spokesperson said, adding that no specific timeline had been ordered yet. The German car maker has said it would refit up to 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide. Reuters

Clinton Campaign Starts More Nevada Latino Outreach Efforts
Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton is announcing more initiatives focused on getting Nevada Hispanics on board with her campaign. Clinton's campaign announced events statewide within the next week, including a Latino-to-Latino phone bank in Reno on Monday and canvassing Tuesday in the heavily Hispanic community of East Las Vegas. The campaign also appointed four organizers focused on Latino outreach in Reno, Las Vegas and Fernley. Nevada campaign director Emmy Ruiz said the efforts aim to get more people to choose Clinton in the caucus. The announcement comes shortly after Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush unveiled a 26-member Latino leadership team focused on reaching Nevada's sizeable Hispanic voting bloc. Las Vegas Sun

Congress To Probe VA Relocation Payments
A congressional committee said Thursday it will hold a hearing on allegations that senior officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs - including the director of the Philadelphia benefits office - misused the agency's relocation program for their own gain. The news came three days after the VA's top watchdog asked federal prosecutors to investigate whether Diana Rubens, the Philadelphia director, broke the law by orchestrating her reassignment to the job and then had the agency pay almost $300,000 to relocate her from Virginia to Havertown, Delaware County. Rubens will be among those called to answer questions at the Oct. 21 hearing, said Rep. Jeff Miller (R., Fla.), chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. Also on the prospective witness list are her predecessor, Robert McKenrick; Under Secretary for Benefits Allison Hickey; and Deputy Inspector General Linda Halliday, whose investigation and report sparked the congressional hearing. Philadelphia Inquirer

Meehan, Toomey Behind Push To Make Iran Pay For Terrorism
Bills sponsored by two Pennsylvania Republicans that seek to derail the international nuclear deal with Iran unless the country pays $43.5 billion it owes U.S. victims of terrorism moved ahead in the House and the Senate on Thursday despite a veto threat from the White House. The measure, led by Rep. Pat Meehan of Delaware County, passed the House in a largely party-line vote. His plan would bar President Obama from lifting sanctions on Iran until it pays restitution for terrorism it sponsored. Sen. Pat Toomey introduced a companion bill in the Senate, where it advanced out of a committee Thursday. "Until they pay these victims what they're owed, let's say no to Iran - not one cent," Meehan said, echoing a phrase that House Republicans, including Speaker John A. Boehner, used to promote the measure on Twitter. Philadelphia Inquirer
VOA VIEW: Republicans must pass bills and put Obama on the veto spot.

Donald Trump Probably Doesn't Follow You On Twitter
They may not realize it, but Bill O’Reilly, Magic Johnson, Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, and a few past contestants on Celebrity Apprentice are part of a small and special club. They are followed on Twitter by one Donald J. Trump. A frequent filer on Twitter, Trump is very particular about who he follows — there are only 44 accounts on his list, compared with the whopping 4.3 million accounts that follow him. Beyond family members, more than a third of the accounts begin with the same word: “Trump.” They include a realty company, as well as various Trump hotels from New York to Las Vegas, from Panama to Hawaii. The Republican front-runner has had his ups and downs with Fox News, but he follows a number of its personalities on Twitter, a list that includes O’Reilly, Greta Van Susteren, Bret Baier and Geraldo Rivera. There aren’t that many overtly political accounts on Trump’s list, though he does follow Tea Party organizer Jenny Beth Martin. USA Today

Obama: 'Our Thoughts And Prayers Are Not Enough'
A visibly frustrated President Obama offered condolences to the victims of the mass shooting at an Oregon college on Thursday, but he added that "our thoughts and prayers are not enough," and voters should demand changes to the nation's gun laws. Having now spoken after more than a dozen senseless killings during his administration, Obama again called for "common sense" legislation aimed at preventing gun violence, and he mocked opponents of past initiatives he has pushed.
"Each time this happens, I'm going to bring this up," Obama said during emotional remarks in the White House press room. "Each time this happens, I am going to say that we can actually do something about it, but we're going to have to change our laws." USA Today

Vatican: Pope's Encounter With Davis Not A Form Of Support
The Vatican on Friday distanced Pope Francis from Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who went to jail for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses, saying she was one of dozens of people the pope greeted in the U.S. and that their encounter "should not be considered a form of support of her position." After days of confusion, the Vatican issued a statement Friday clarifying Francis' Sept. 24 encounter with Davis, an Apostolic Christian who has become a focal point in the gay marriage debate in the U.S. In a statement, the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said Francis met with "several dozen" people at the Vatican's embassy in Washington just before leaving for New York. Charlotte Observer

 WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK ALL OUR SOURCES FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS IN MAKING US AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE NEWS & INFORMATION PORTAL.

Boehner Defends Benghazi Panel After Dems Seize On McCarthy Gaffe
House Speaker John Boehner on Thursday staunchly defended his chamber's Benghazi investigation committee after senior Democrats called for it to be disbanded, claiming Boehner's top deputy -- and the favorite to step into the speaker's shoes -- implied in an interview the panel was created to politically damage Hillary Clinton.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., stirred the Democratic backlash after he seemed to link Clinton's dropping poll numbers to the committee's work. The comments gave Democrats an opening to reprise allegations the committee is merely a political tool. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the chamber's top Democrat, said Thursday that the investigation is "unethical" and the panel should be shut down. Pelosi also questioned whether the panel violates House rules forbidding spending taxpayer dollars for political purposes. Fox News

Hurricane Joaquin Strengthens To Category 4
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency Thursday as powerful Hurricane Joaquin grew to a Category 4 storm and headed toward the U.S. East Coast. "I'd say be prepared but don't panic," Christie said during a morning news conference. The storm bore down Thursday on the lightly populated islands of the central and eastern Bahamas. Some minor flooding and storm surge were reported, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage as the storm reached the island chain, said Capt. Stephen Russell, the director of the Bahamas National Emergency Management Agency. Islands such as San Salvador, Cat Island and Rum Cay were expected to be hit hardest before the storm begins an expected shift toward the north, forecasters said. Fox News

Donald Trump Slams Carly Fiorina's Business Record
Jeb Bush and Donald Trump clashed over how to handle the Syrian refugee crisis -- and just about everything else, including whether Bush is really friends with Marco Rubio -- during dueling Wednesday night town hall events in New Hampshire. By the end of the night, Bush had even told Trump to put on his "big boy pants." In their most substantive policy dispute, the two disagreed sharply over whether refugees who fled the Middle East amid ISIS' rise should be allowed in the United States. "I think we're duty-bound to provide support," Bush said in Bedford. Down Route 101 in Keene, Trump called the refugees a "tactical ploy," suggesting that "they could be ISIS, I don't know." "If I win, they are going back," he said. CNN
VOA VIEW: Trump believes in America first.

Weight-Loss Surgery May Prevent Cancer In At-Risk Obese Women
A study on the effects of bariatric surgery on obese women most at risk for cancer showed it eliminated precancerous uterine growths, among other positive effects it had on the women's health. The surgery also reduced study participants' weight by a third, improved their insulin levels and ability to use glucose, altered their gut bacteria and improved their overall quality of life, researchers reported. "If you look at cancers in women, about a fifth of all cancer deaths would be prevented if we had women at normal body weight in the U.S.," said Dr. Susan Modesitt, MD, a researcher at the University of Virginia Cancer Center, in a press release. "When you're looking at obesity-related cancers, the biggest one is endometrial cancer, but also colon cancer, breast cancer, renal cancer and gall bladder cancer. UPI

At Boston Drug Abuse Forum, Hillary Clinton Praises Local Leaders
At a forum in Boston, Hillary Clinton quoted a recovering drug abuse victim she had met on the campaign trail. “We are not bad people trying to become good,” she said. “We are sick people trying to become well.” That was the focus Thursday afternoon, as Clinton joined Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey to talk about addressing the epidemic of substance abuse at the Boston Teachers Union building in Dorchester. The former secretary of state emphasized the need to treat addiction as a health—rather than criminal—issue and praised Walsh, a former alcoholic, for being an “open” leader on the issue. Boston Globe

'God Bless The Military' Sign Sparks Religious Freedom Fight On Marine Base
A large sign was erected on a Hawaii military base in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks with the message, "God bless the military, their families and the civilians who work with them." Now, 14 years later, a nonprofit religious rights group is demanding it be removed, claiming it violates the Constitution. In a Sept. 24 message to Col. Sean C. Killeen, commanding officer of Marine Corps Base Hawaii on Oahu, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation said the sign is a "brazen violation" of the Constitution's Establishment Clause and "sends the clear message that your installation gives preference to those who hold religious beliefs over those who do not, and those who prefer a monotheistic, intervening god over other deities or theologies." Atlanta Journal

Feds, States, Others Oppose Patriot Coal Reorganization Plan
Patriot Coal's latest reorganization plan is drawing opposition from the federal government, regulators in four states, creditors and others ahead of a bankruptcy court hearing on whether it should be approved. Opponents say in motions filed this week that the plan is not feasible and contains provisions that violate bankruptcy law. A hearing on the plan is set for Monday in U.S. Bankruptcy in Richmond, Virginia. Several environmental groups, the federal government and regulators in Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia questioned how the company's obligations, including the multimillion-dollar cost of cleaning up mine pollution, would be fulfilled once a substantial amount of its assets are sold to Blackhawk Mining. They also said provisions that would release future owners or operators from obligations, liabilities and causes of action are overly broad and violate bankruptcy law. Charlotte Observer

ATTENTION TALK SHOW HOSTS:We are honored that many radio talk show hosts use our Web Portal for their "show prep."  We would appreciate your occasional mention of our site to your audience.  Thanks!

Sen. Mikulski Emails Hillary: Dems 'Only Offering Spending Plans. Not Solutions --'
Among the 3,869 Hillary Clinton emails released Wednesday by the State Department is one from Clinton's former Senate colleague Barbara Mikulsi, in which the Maryland Democrat expresses dismay with the way things were going in Washington in January 2010, one year after President Obama took office. Among other things, Mikulski describes the Democratic caucus as "a volcano ready to erupt"; she admits to frustration with President Obama's White House team, because of their "tin ear/thin plans to deal with deep economic anxiety"; she notes that the "middle class feels their way of life slipping away." CNS News

Oregon Becomes Third U.S. State To Allow Recreational Marijuana Sales
Marijuana sales for recreational use began in Oregon on Thursday as it joined Washington state and Colorado in allowing the sale of a drug that remains illegal under U.S. federal law. Oregon residents 21 years and older can buy up to a quarter-ounce (seven grams) of dried pot at roughly 200 existing medical-use marijuana dispensaries as a new law took effect. Backers hope the law will help curb a flourishing black market, but opponents say it heightens drug use and access by children.
About 40 people lined up outside the medical pot dispensary Shango in a strip mall near Portland International Airport for the chance to buy recreational pot one minute after midnight, when the changes went into effect. Reuters

House Passes Defense Bill That Obama Threatens To Veto
The Republican-led House on Thursday approved a multibillion-dollar defense policy bill despite a White House veto threat. The vote was 270-156, more than enough to sustain a veto. The $612 billion bill — covering new ships, aircraft and pay raises for military personnel — authorizes an increase in spending that President Barack Obama had requested, but he strenuously opposes the way Congress did it. Lawmakers increased defense spending by padding a separate war-fighting account with an extra $38.3 billion. That account — for overseas contingency operations — is not subject to spending limits. A vote is scheduled in the Senate next week. Las Vegas Sun

VW's Audi Offers Online Check If Vehicle Has Trick Software
Volkswagen subsidiary Audi says customers in Germany can now go to its website to see if their vehicles are among those installed with software that the company says was used to manipulate U.S. emissions testing. Audi said Friday that customers in Germany could enter their car's serial number on the www.audi.de site to see if their car is affected. Audi says the function will be extended worldwide over national Audi sites in the coming week. The company says customers can also go to Audi dealers to check on their vehicles, and that a fix will be presented to authorities in October. San Diego Union

U.S. Airlines ‘Eager’ To Begin Scheduled Service To Cuba
Five or six major U.S. airlines are “eager” to begin scheduled service to the island, but after a second round of talks between the United States and Cuba on civil aviation matters this week, there’s still no timetable for when such service could begin, a U.S. State Department official said Thursday. The U.S. and Cuba held talks on civil aviation matters Monday and Tuesday in Havana and had “a good, candid exchange of views,” the official said. The first round of aviation talks was held in Washington in March and it’s possible there will be a third round in coming months. “U.S. carriers are generally eager” to reach an informal arrangement that would allow scheduled service to begin “as soon as possible,” said the official, who declined to be more specific. Miami Herald

County Sheriff In Charge Of Response To Roseburg College Killings: ‘Gun Control Is NOT The Answer’
Today, Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin was the face of the first response to a deadly shooting at a community college in Roseburg, Oregon, that’s already drawing calls for stronger gun control. Early reports indicate dozens of people were shot – at least 13 fatally – during a Thursday morning shooting at Umpqua Community College. The gunman was among the dead in what’s been regarded as the country’s 45th school shooting of the year. Two years ago, though, Hanlin was among a group of Oregon sheriffs decrying efforts made by the Obama administration after the massacre at a Connecticut elementary school. In a letter penned to Vice President Joe Biden on Jan. 15, 2013, Hanlin issued a “formal request that you NOT tamper with or attempt to amend the 2nd Amendment.” SF Gate

ADVERTISEMENT:If you want to advertise your business or web site on this Web Site, send us an email by clicking on to "Contact" above.  It could be the best business decision you make.

North Korea's Nuclear Bombs More 'Powerful Than Hiroshima,' Envoy Says
North Korea's ambassador to Britain said Pyongyang could launch rockets "at any time," and that North Korea could send nuclear warheads 10 times more powerful than the Hiroshima atomic bomb across the Pacific. In an unusual public appearance on Wednesday, Ambassador Hyon Hak Bong said the threat of sanctions would not prevent North Korea from launching rockets for what Pyongyang has called "peaceful purposes," The Guardian reported. "Launching satellites is the work performed by every country. It is the legitimate right of a sovereign state to develop a space program," Hyon told an audience at London's Chatham House. "They wouldn't use any such kind of sanctions against other countries." UPI

Bahrain Recalls Ambassador From Iran After Bomb-Factory Find
 Bahrain said on Thursday it had recalled its ambassador to Iran, a day after it said security forces had discovered a large bomb-making factory and arrested a number of suspects linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Bahrain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had also declared the Iranian charge d'affaires in Bahrain a "persona non grata" and gave him 72 hours to leave the country. In a statement on its website, the ministry said the decision to recall its ambassador had come "in light of continued Iranian meddling in the affairs of the kingdom of Bahrain ... in order to create sectarian strife and to impose hegemony and control." The Gulf Arab kingdom has been cracking down on militants behind recent bomb attacks on security forces that killed several people this year. Jerusalem Post

Netanyahu Cancels Dinner Reservation To Avoid Awkward Run-In With Pakistani PM
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu avoided an awkward dinner run-in Wednesday night, when his team cancelled reservations at a popular Italian eatery where Pakistani Prime Minster Nawaz Sharif was due to dine. With no running diplomatic relations between Israel and Pakistan, an unexpected encounter between the two leaders would have undoubtedly been filled with uncomfortable silences. Or with heated debate. According to the New York Post, Netanyahu's team had booked tables at the popular white-tablecloth eatery Serafina Always in midtown New York, yet decided to cancel due to "security reasons" after learning that the Pakistani politician would be in attendance. Sharif went on to dine at the Italian spot with his wife, a party of 10, and security detail who sat at separate tables. Jerusalem Post

Syria Conflict: US Says Russian Air Strikes 'Indiscriminate'
The White House says Russian air strikes against militants in Syria are "indiscriminate" and threaten to draw Russia more deeply into the crisis. Spokesman Josh Earnest said Russia was carrying out random air strikes against the Syrian opposition. Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia was targeting the same terror groups as the US-led coalition. He rejected suggestions that Moscow was trying to bolster the Syrian military. Russia has said it is targeting Islamic State (IS) and other militant groups but the Syrian opposition and others have suggested rebel factions opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - the Kremlin's ally - are bearing the brunt of the attacks. BBC

Peeple App For Rating Human Beings Causes Uproar
A new app that promises to let users review individuals has caused controversy before it has even launched. Peeple will allow members to give star ratings to people they know via the app, much as restaurants and hotels are rated on sites such as Yelp. The app has caused uproar online, with web users descrying it as "creepy" and "terrifying". Peeple's founders say they will pre-screen for negative abuse. However, users will not be able to delete comments made about them. Nor will they be able to remove themselves from the site once on it. Among those raising concern was University of East Anglia law lecturer and privacy advocate Paul Bernal. "The bottom line is this is extremely creepy," he told the BBC. "It is an ideal trolling tool." Mr Bernal added that he was sceptical that the app could ensure users knew the person they were rating. BBC

Experian Back Exposes 15 Million People's Personal Information
Experian, one of the largest credit agency data brokers in the world, has been hacked. Some 15 million people who used the company’s services, among them customers of cellular company T-Mobile who had applied for Experian credit checks, may have had their private information exposed, the company confirmed on Thursday. Information from the hack includes names, addresses, and social security, driver’s license and passport numbers. The license and passport numbers were in an encrypted field, but Experian said that encryption may also have been compromised. The company said its consumer credit database was not affected and that “no other clients’ data was accessed”, presumably meaning the damage is limited to T-Mobile. Guardian

If The Face Fits: Science Of Attraction Is Based On Personal Experience – Study
If your partner has a face that could curdle milk, you only have yourself to blame. Scientists have found that the faces we fancy are shaped more by our personal experiences than genetics or other influences. Their study into facial attraction showed that when it came to rating people as hot or not, even identical twins who grew up together disagreed. In fact, genetics turned out to explain only a fifth of the variation in people’s tastes, meaning very little was inherited. The greatest influence on people’s preferences was their own life experiences - a mass of factors that could include the friends they make, the odd chance encounter, and even the face of their first love. Guardian

Lauding progress to date, UN official urges Malian parties to adhere to peace accord
Noting the progress that has been made to date to secure stability in Mali, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General today urged all parties to adhere to the peace accord signed earlier this year, while also stressing the need to address development challenges. “This ministerial meeting must send a strong message to the signatory parties, particularly to the political-military movements,” Jan Eliasson told participants at a gathering at UN Headquarters aimed at continuing to build international support for the country’s peace process and the implementation of the June 2015 Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali. UN News

ABC Online  Canada National Post  Daily Telegraph  The Observer Wired News Xinhua News

VOA VIEW --Is the opinion of "Voice of Americans", which is a private entity not affiliated in any way with the United States government or any of its agencies.  The opinions expressed here, in whatever medium or format, are not necessarily the opinions of the ownership or advertisers of this web site - 0415.

News Gathering, Information & Commentary © 2024, all rights reserved