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
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Pelosi:
Benghazi Probes 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 Clintons 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
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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:
Ill 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 hed quit
if he could no longer boast hes leading in every poll, Trump told CNBC:
Well, Im not a masochist. If I fell behind badly, I would certainly
get out. Im in this for the long haul. The RealClearPolitics average
of recent national polls has Trump at 23 percent, ahead of Ben Carsons
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 Clintons 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 ladys 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 arent 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 Googles Chromecast since those devices dont "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
doesnt run easily on its rivals hardware. Roku Inc.s set-top device,
Microsoft Corp.s Xbox and Sony Corp.s PlayStation, which work with Amazons
video service, arent affected, it said. Amazons Fire TV stick, which
plugs into an HDMI port to connect televisions with streaming services
such as Netflix and Prime Video, is the companys 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 OReilly, 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 OReilly, Greta Van Susteren, Bret Baier
and Geraldo Rivera. There arent that many overtly political accounts on
Trumps 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
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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 healthrather than criminalissue 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
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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, theres 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 its 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,
thats 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
whats been regarded as the countrys 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
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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 companys 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, drivers 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 peoples tastes,
meaning very little was inherited. The greatest influence on peoples 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 countrys peace
process and the implementation of the June 2015 Agreement for Peace and
Reconciliation in Mali. UN
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