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Azerbaijan Elections 2015: Ruling New Azerbaijan Party Wins Majority

Diane A. Wade
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Azerbaijan Elections 2015: Ruling New Azerbaijan Party Wins Majority

Azerbaijan’s ruling party, New Azerbaijan, has won the country’s parliamentary elections that were boycotted by the main opposition parties, the electoral commission said.

The New Azerbaijan party had won at least 70 seats in the 125-seat parliament, the commission said.

A host of small parties and candidates loyal to President Ilham Aliyev took almost all the rest.

The opposition has accused the government of jailing its opponents.

International monitors from the OSCE did not observe the vote, citing government restrictions.

Photo AP
Photo AP

More than a dozen political parties were vying for 125 seats in Azerbaijan’s National Assembly.

However, analysts say those that could be considered genuine in their opposition to the government refused to participate.

“The pre-election period was marred by massive violations. That’s why we decided not to participate,” opposition Musavat Party leader Arif Gajily told Reuters news agency.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the leading international monitoring group, has not considered any of Azerbaijan’s elections since independence to be free and fair.

In 2015 – for the first time in more than two decades – the OSCE chose not to send a mission, condemning the Azerbaijani government’s “crackdown on independent and critical voices”.

ISIS Captures Syrian Town of Maheen

Roy Siemens
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ISIS Captures Syrian Town of Maheen

ISIS militants have reportedly captured the Syrian town of Maheen, in central Homs Province, from government forces.

The fighters launched the offensive with two suicide car blasts on October 31, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says.

Clashes were also taking place in nearby Sadad, a mostly-Christian town.

The latest development comes amid air campaigns in Syria by Russia and a US-led coalition.

ISIS has been expanding from its mainly northern and eastern strongholds towards Homs in central Syria in recent months. The group overran the town of Tadmur – home to the ancient ruins of Palmyra – and al-Qaryatain town.

The latest offensive on Maheen and Sadad brings ISIS to within 13 miles of the main road that links the Syrian capital Damascus to Homs and other cities further north.ISIS captures Maheen in Syria

The Observatory said at least 50 government soldiers were killed or wounded in the fighting. The attack on Maheen began late on October 31 with twin suicide car bombs, a favored tactic for ISIS militants launching an assault.

By November 1 the Observatory reported that the whole town was reported to be in ISIS hands. An ISIS statement also said the group had taken Maheen.

Maheen is home to a large military complex and arms depot.

Meanwhile, clashes between government troops and ISIS are said to be continuing on the outskirts of Sadad. The town is home to Syria’s Assyrian Christian minority, where the ancient language of Aramaic is still spoken.

It comes amid continued Russian air strikes in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which Russian officials say are targeting ISIS and other “terrorist groups”.

However, activists on the ground say the strikes have been hitting moderate rebels and civilians in western areas, where ISIS have little or no presence.

They said more than 60 people were killed by Syrian army raids and Russian strikes in the northern province of Aleppo on October 31.

On October 30, more than 70 people were reported killed and hundreds more wounded in an air strike and shelling on a market in the rebel-held Damascus suburb of Douma.

In an attempt to ward off the attacks, rebel groups in Douma are reportedly using captured soldiers and other people associated with the government as human shields.

The US-led coalition, which is also hitting ISIS targets in Syria, said on November 1 it had conducted nine air strikes across the country, including in Mar’a and al-Hawl, in the north.

This week the White House announced that fewer than 50 US special forces troops would be sent to Syria to assist anti-government rebels in fighting ISIS.

Separately on November 1, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem met UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura in Damascus to discuss ongoing international talks on the Syria conflict.

Turkey Elections 2015: AKP Wins Majority

Diane A. Wade
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Turkey Elections 2015: AKP Wins Majority

Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has won Turkey’s parliamentary election, regaining the majority it lost in June.

Qccording to Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency, with almost all ballots counted, AKP had won 49.4% of the vote, with the main opposition CHP on 25.4%.

PM Ahmet Davutoglu called the result a “victory for our democracy and our people”.

The pro-Kurdish HDP crossed the 10% threshold needed to claim seats.

The nationalist MHP will also take seats in Ankara.

Polls had indicated the AKP would receive only between 40-43% of the vote, in line with how it fared in June, when it lost its majority for the first time in 13 years.

Attempts to form a coalition government after the June election failed.Turkey elections 2015 ballot counting

With almost all of the results counted, the AKP won substantially more than the 276 seats needed to get a majority, allowing it to form a government on its own.

However, the AKP fell 14 seats short of the amount needed to call a referendum on changing the constitution and increasing the powers of the president, the party founder Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

With 60 more seats, the new government would have been able to bring in those changes without a referendum.

The AKP’s opponents had said the vote was a chance to curb what it sees as the increasingly authoritarian tendencies of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Since elections in June, a ceasefire between the Turkish army and militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) collapsed after a suicide bombing in July by suspected Islamic State (ISIS) militants.

The attack near the border with Syria killed more than 30 Kurds.

Turkey then suffered its deadliest attack in its modern history when more than 100 people were killed after a peace rally in Ankara attended by mainly left-wing demonstrators, including many HDP supporters, was targeted by two suicide bombers.

The government said they were linked to ISIS.

Critics have accused Recep Tayyip Erdogan of renewing violence to curb support for the HDP – something the government denies.

The HDP won 10.7% of the vote – enough to give it 59 parliamentary seats, 21 fewer than it claimed in June’s election.

The party cancelled rallies following the Ankara attack, and its co-chairman Selahettin Demirtas said on November 1 that it had not been “a fair or equal election”.

Clashes were reported in the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir as the results were being counted. Reuters said police fired tear gas at protesters throwing stones.

Bucharest Nightclub Fire Death Toll Rises to 30

Diane A. Wade
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Bucharest Nightclub Fire Death Toll Rises to 30

Bucharest nightclub fire’s death toll has risen to 30 after three more people died of injuries, Romanian doctors say.

Dozens of others remain in critical condition after the fire in the Colectiv club, apparently caused by fireworks set off by a heavy metal band.

According to officials, it is possible the number of fatalities could double.

The news came as 12,000 people marched silently through the Romanian capital in memory of the victims.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

People carried flowers and lit candles at a memorial outside the nightclub.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has said safety regulations seem to have been ignored at the club.

The fire broke out at about 22:30 local time on October 30 at the Colectiv club, which was hosting a free rock concert by the band Goodbye to Gravity. Up to 400 people are thought to have been inside.

Survivors say the fireworks caused the ceiling and a pillar to catch fire and produce heavy smoke.

A stampede for the exit followed. More than 140 people are being treated in hospital, some with severe burns.

On November 1 officials said all of the dead had been identified.

Romania has declared three days of national mourning after the tragedy.

Gulag Museum Opened in Moscow

James J. Williams
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Gulag Museum Opened in Moscow

A Gulag museum has been opened in Moscow on October 30, the Russian authorities have announced.

The museum is dedicated to the millions who were persecuted in Soviet labor camps in 1930-1950 – in the so-called Gulag system.

The opening coincided with a national day of remembrance for the victims of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

Earlier, thousands of victims’ names were read out near the Lubyanka, the former base of the KGB secret police.

The new Gulag museum is bigger than a previous one founded in 2001.

Under President Vladimir Putin’s rule Russian officials have tended to downplay Stalin’s crimes, focusing more on Stalin’s role in the Soviet World War Two victory over Nazi Germany.

Photo AFP
Photo AFP

Portraits of Joseph Stalin have reappeared in public – yet they were taboo for decades after his death and the 1956 denunciation of Stalinism by his Communist successor Nikita Khrushchev.

The new five-storey museum shows personal effects of Gulag prisoners, the dimensions of prison cells, and original doors from camps in remote Magadan, Anadyr and Vorkuta.

Up to 170 prisoners were crammed into one cell.

There are also grim discoveries from execution pits – bullets and casings, and wire used to tie up victims.

An estimated 20 million people died during Stalin’s reign of terror. At the height of the terror, in the 1930s, victims accused of plotting against Soviet power were executed en masse.

On entering the museum visitors hear the chilling clank of cell doors being shut and loud footsteps in prison corridors.

“I want visitors to be able to touch the doors and immerse themselves in this theme, to feel it,” said museum director Roman Romanov, quoted by the government newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta.

A huge map of Russia shows the camp locations – described in detail in Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s chronicle The Gulag Archipelago, which was banned by the Soviet authorities.

Visitors can also read about the experiences and suffering of individual prisoners.

By focusing on the Stalin period the museum does not however include the persecution of dissidents that went on after Joseph Stalin’s death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4sG3d8B0sE

China, Japan and South Korea Announce Complete Restoration of Trade and Security Ties

Diane A. Wade
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China, Japan and South Korea Announce Complete Restoration of Trade and Security Ties

China, Japan and South Korea have announced they have “completely restored” trade and security ties, at the first meeting of the countries’ leaders in three years.

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, Chinese PM Li Keqiang and South Korean President Park-Geun-hye said in a statement they had agreed to resume regular trilateral meetings, not held since 2012.

They also agreed more economic co-operation.

The talks in the South Korean capital Seoul were an attempt to ease ill-feeling fuelled by territorial disputes and historical disagreements.

China and South Korea say Japan has not done enough to atone for its troops’ brutality in World War Two.

They talks were held regularly until three-and-a-half years ago, when they were called off as bad feeling towards Japan intensified.Asia trilateral summit November 2015

“We shared the view that trilateral cooperation has been completely restored on the occasion of this summit,” South Korean President Park Geun-hye, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in a joint statement, quoted by AFP.

Park Geun-hye said the three leaders had agreed to work together to conclude the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a 16-nation free trade area favored by Beijing.

She said they maintained their goal of “denuclearizing” North Korea, AFP reported.

South Korea and Japan are torn between their allegiance to the US and their need to get on economically with Beijing.

Li Keqiang met Park Geun-hye on October 31 and the two agreed to try to increase trade, particularly through more Korean exports of food to China and co-operation on research into robotics.

The two leaders were joined by Shinzo Abe on November 1.

Somalia Hotel Attack: At Least 15 People Killed in al-Shabab Assault at Sahafi Hotel

Roy Siemens
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Somalia Hotel Attack: At Least 15 People Killed in al-Shabab Assault at Sahafi Hotel

At least 15 people have been killed and dozens wounded in a suicide attack claimed by al-Shabab on a hotel in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, officials say.

A car bomb exploded at the main gate of the Sahafi Hotel early on November 1, with attackers then storming the hotel as they exchanged gunfire with security guards, police say.

A suicide bomber detonated a second set of explosives inside the hotel.

African Union troops and government forces say they have regained control of the hotel after a fierce gun battle.

The Sahafi Hotel is popular with Somalia’s members of parliament.

A website associated with al-Shabab claimed responsibility, saying that fighters from the al-Qaeda linked group had infiltrated the hotel after an explosion.Mogadishu Sahafi Hotel attack

Those killed in the attack included parliamentarian Mohamed Abdi Abtidoon and a freelance photographer.

Several prominent people were among the injured, including a journalist and a local businessman.

Medical sources confirmed that a top Somali military commander, General Gacma Duule, and Somalia’s ambassador to Ethiopia, Abdisalam Haji Adam, were also injured.

The attack comes a day after deadly clashes between jihadist fighters and African Union (AU) troops in the Bakool region near the border with Ethiopia.

The AU is helping the government battle al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaeda.

Security in Somalia has improved, but al-Shabab still attacks Mogadishu regularly.

The militants have also targeted neighboring countries, killing almost 150 people in an assault on Garissa University College in Kenya in April.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yF3SUCwqpE

Sinai Plane Crash: Egypt Rejects ISIS Claim

Roy Siemens
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Sinai Plane Crash: Egypt Rejects ISIS Claim

According to Egypt’s PM Sharif Ismail, a technical fault was the most likely to cause Russia’s Kogalymavia plane crash in Sinai dismissing claims from Islamic State militants that they were responsible.

An investigation is under way after all 224 people on board were killed.

However, three airlines – Emirates, Air France and Lufthansa – have decided not to fly over the Sinai Peninsula until more information is available.

The plane’s black boxes have been found and sent for analysis, officials said.

The Kogalymavia Airbus A-321 came down early on October 31, shortly after leaving the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh for the Russian city of St Petersburg.

Egypt’s civil aviation minister Hossam Kamal said there had been no sign of any problems on board the flight, contradicting earlier reports that the pilot had asked to make an emergency landing.

An Egyptian official had previously said that before the plane lost contact with air traffic controllers, the pilot had said the aircraft was experiencing technical problems and he intended to try to land at the nearest airport.

Russian and French investigators have joined the Egyptian-led probe, along with experts from Airbus, which is headquartered in France.Egypt Sinai plane crash

A criminal case had been opened against Kogalymavia for “violation of rules of flight and preparation for them”, Russia’s Ria news agency reported.

Police have searched the company’s offices.

Kogalymavia spokeswoman Oksana Golovina insisted the 18-year-old plane was “fully, 100% airworthy” and added that the pilot had 12,000 hours of flying experience.

In Sinai itself, where jihadists groups are active, militants allied to IS made a claim on social media that they brought down flight KGL9268.

However, Egyptian PM Sharif Ismail dismissed the claim, saying experts had confirmed that a plane could not be downed at the altitude the Airbus 321 was flying at.

Russian Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov told Interfax news agency that “such reports cannot be considered true”. No evidence had been seen that indicated the plane was targeted, he said.

Egypt’s civilian aviation ministry said the plane had been at an altitude of 31,000ft when it disappeared.

Security experts say a plane flying at that altitude would be beyond the range of a shoulder-launched surface-to-air missile (Manpad), which Sinai militants are known to possess.

However, German carrier Lufthansa said it would avoid flying over the Sinai peninsula “as long as the cause for today’s crash has not been clarified”.

On Saturday evening, Air France-KLM and Emirates said they were following suit.

British Airways and easyJet said their routes were regularly reviewed, but that they had no plans to alter their routes to and from Sharm el-Sheikh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZeDLS3VFio

Turkey Elections 2015: Security Is Key Issue after Weeks of Violence

Diane A. Wade
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Turkey Elections 2015: Security Is Key Issue after Weeks of Violence

Turkish voters are going to the polls in parliamentary elections for the second time in five months.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party failed to retain its majority in June’s poll.

Attempts to form a coalition government since then have proved unsuccessful.

Security is the key issue in the election after weeks of violence involving Kurdish militants and bomb attacks blamed on the Islamic State (ISIS) group.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised a return to stability if his party wins a majority.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

“This election will be for continuity of stability and trust,” he said after praying at a new mosque in Istanbul on Saturday. He vowed to respect the result.

However, his opponents warn that an outright victory would fuel what they see as his increasingly authoritarian tendencies.

If the AK Party again fails to secure a single-party majority in the 550-seat parliament, it may be forced back to the negotiating table with either the country’s main secularist CHP opposition or the nationalist MHP.

At June’s election, Recep Tayyip Erdogan sought a two-thirds majority to turn Turkey into a presidential republic, but his Islamist-rooted AK Party fell short.

The pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) upset his ambitions by crossing the 10% threshold, securing seats in parliament for the first time.

In July, a ceasefire between the Turkish army and militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) collapsed after a suicide bombing by suspected Islamic State (ISIS) militants near the border with Syria, which killed more than 30 Kurds.

Turkey then suffered its worst terror attack when more than 100 people were killed after a peace rally attended by mainly left-wing demonstrators was attacked by two suicide bombers. The government said they were linked to ISIS.

Critics have accused Recep Tayyip Erdogan of renewing violence to curb support for the HDP – something the government denies.

The HDP’s leader Selahattin Demirtas said on October 31 that some of his party’s officials had been taken into custody, and questioned whether the election would be fair.

“We took the dictator down despite everything, and tomorrow we will show him how strong the power of the people is despite his impositions,” he said.

However, analysts say today’s vote is unlikely to resolve the deep divisions in Turkish society.

Sharp Operating Profit Falls by 86% in Q3 of 2015

Clyde K. Valle
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Sharp Operating Profit Falls by 86% in Q3 of 2015

Sharp’s operating profit fell by 86% in Q3 of 2015 from a year ago.

The Japanese tech giant’s operating profit fell to 3.5 billion yen ($29 million) in its fiscal second quarter from 24.5 billion yen in 2014.

The earnings were impacted by falling sales of smartphone displays and delays in reducing inventory.

The struggling consumer electronics maker has been bailed out two times in the last three years by its banks.

In May, Sharp announced losses in the year to March and cut more jobs.Sharp operating profit October 2015

The company has been under pressure from its lenders to sell its loss-making LCD business. The unit reported a loss of 12.7 billion yen in the quarter.

Sharp CEO Kozo Takahashi told a news conference in Tokyo that the company was in talks with several companies over a deal for its LCD unit.

“I cannot provide any names, but we are currently in negotiations with multiple companies,” he said, adding that he could not reveal a timeline for when a deal would be finalized.

In the six months to September, Sharp also saw an operating loss of 25.2 billion yen – which is its biggest half year loss in three years.

Sharp announced earlier this week that it would report an operating loss in the six month period and also lowered its annual operating profit forecast to 10 billion yen from 80 billion yen.

Eurozone Consumer Prices Remain Flat in October 2015

Clyde K. Valle
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Eurozone Consumer Prices Remain Flat in October 2015

The eurozone inflation returned to zero in October 2015 from (-0.1%) in the previous month.

According to Eurostat estimates, price growth in food, alcohol and tobacco increased slightly, while energy prices were still considerably lower than last year.

The EU statistics agency also estimated the unemployment rate in the 19 countries that use the euro was 10.8% in September, down from 10.9% in August.

The rate for the 28 EU members was 9.3%, down from 9.4% the month before.

The eurozone rate is the lowest since January 2012 while the rate for the whole EU is the lowest since September 2009.Eurozone inflation rate October 2015

Greece had the highest rate at 21.6%. The country is expected to be higher but has yet to report September figures, while Germany had the lowest at 4.5%.

The inflation figures are an early, flash estimate from Eurostat and so are not broken down by member state.

It does give broad indications of which groups of products have gone up or down.

Food, alcohol and tobacco prices were estimated to be rising 1.5% in October, compared with 1.4% in September.

Energy prices were falling an annual 8.7%, compared with 8.9% a month earlier.

Services prices were up 1.3% compared with 1.2% the month before.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi suggested this month that he might be prepared to extend the bank’s program of quantitative easing given the low levels of eurozone inflation.

Bucharest Nightclub Fire: Romania Declares Three Days of National Mourning

Nancy Clayson
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Bucharest Nightclub Fire: Romania Declares Three Days of National Mourning

Safety regulations seem to have been ignored by the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest, where a fire killed 27 people last night, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has said.

Survivors say the fire started after Goodbye to Gravity heavy metal band set off fireworks, causing the ceiling and a pillar to catch alight and producing heavy smoke.

A stampede for the exit followed. At least 184 people are being treated in Bucharest hospitals, some with severe burns.

Romanian government has declared three days of national mourning.

“I am saddened, but also revolted that a tragedy of this scale could have taken place in Bucharest,” President Klaus Iohannis said.

Photo Romania TV
Photo Romania TV

“We already have indications that the legal regulations had not been respected,” he said.

“I hope that the authorities manage their inquiry with speed and rigor.”

The fire broke out at about 22:30 at the Colectiv club, which was hosting a free rock concert by the band Goodbye to Gravity. Up to 400 people are thought to have been inside.

Some people initially thought the fire was part of the show, survivors said.

The Colectiv club was in a converted former factory with two small exit doors, only one of which was possible to open initially.

More than 180 people suffered injuries, including from burns and smoke inhalation. Officials have warned that the death toll may rise.

Hundreds of people who responded to appeals for blood donations queued outside hospitals and blood banks on October 31.

PM Victor Ponta cut short a visit to Mexico to return to Bucharest.

Faisal Arefin Dipon: Bangladeshi Secular Publisher Killed in Dhaka

Roy Siemens
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Faisal Arefin Dipon: Bangladeshi Secular Publisher Killed in Dhaka

Bangladeshi secular publisher Faisal Arefin Dipon has been hacked to death in the capital Dhaka in the second attack of its kind on October 31, police say.

Faisal Arefin Dipon, 43, was killed at his office in the city center, hours after another publisher and two secular writers were injured in an attack.

They are the latest victims in a series of deadly attacks on secularists since blogger Avijit Roy was hacked to death by suspected Islamists in February.

Both publishers published Avijit Roy.Bangladeshi Secular Publisher Faisal Arefin Dipon Killed in Dhaka

Faisal Arefin Dipon was found dead at the Jagriti Prokashoni publishing house, in his third-floor office.

Earlier on Saturday, armed men burst into the offices of publisher Ahmedur Rashid Tutul.

They stabbed Ahmedur Rashid Tutul and two writers who were with him, locked them in an office and fled the scene, police said.

The three men were rushed to hospital, and at least one of them is in a critical condition.

Avijit Roy, a US citizen of Bangladeshi origin and critic of radical Islamism, was murdered in February. His wife and fellow blogger Bonya Ahmed was badly injured in the attack.

Three other Bangladeshi bloggers have since been killed.

China Building Collapse Kills 17 Construction Workers in Henan

Nancy Clayson
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China Building Collapse Kills 17 Construction Workers in Henan

At least 17 construction workers have died after a two-storey building has collapsed in China’s central Henan province, state media has reported.

Other 23 people are reported injured in the accident.

Rescue workers searched overnight pulling bodies and survivors from the debris in Beiwudu in Wuyang county.

Nine of the injured, being treated at a hospital in nearby Luohe city, are in a serious condition, officials said.

Renovation work was being carried out on the foundations of the building when the accident happened, they said.

The local government in Wuyang county has now called off the search for survivors.China building collapse October 2015

An investigation is under way to establish the exact cause of the accident, which happened on October 30.

It will renew concerns about enforcing building safety regulations in China, correspondents say.

In May, a nursing home in Henan province that was destroyed by fire, killing 38 people, was found to have been poorly constructed using flammable material.

One of the survivors from October 30 collapse told state-run CCTV that many of the workers had come from Nanyang city in south-west Henan province to work on the site.

Some of his colleagues had previously worked as farmers and had received little or no training, one man, Feng Guoqing, said.

They had been using a lifting jack to push up a corner of first floor, but the jack suddenly gave way leading to the collapse, he said.

Chinese officials said the building had been built in the 1990s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpxJgdV7Ua8

Al Molinaro Dies at the Age of 96

Sonia Pantiss
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Al Molinaro Dies at the Age of 96

Happy Days actor Al Molinaro has died at the age of 96.

Al Molinaro appeared as the owner of Arnold’s Drive-in, where the main characters would gather, from 1976 until 1982.

The actor, who also spent five years playing Murray the cop in the TV version of The Odd Couple, retired from acting in the 1990s.

Al Molinaro died in a California hospital of complications from a gallstone infection, his son Michael said.Al Molinaro dead at 96

He had taken over the role of Al two years into the series’ run and starred in more than 100 episodes, according to the LA Times.

The part had originally been played by Pat Morita, who went on to star as Mr. Miyagi in Karate Kid.

Al Molinaro told the LA Times: “When you live with a character as long as I have, you know how he would talk in almost any situation.”

The actor also appeared in Happy Days spin-off series Joanie loves Chachi in the 1980s.

After retirement, Al Molinaro became best known for commercials and set up a chain of diners called Big Al’s. He also reprised the character of Al in the music video for Weezer’s song, Buddy Holly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJh7vs-cVDM

Denis Cuspert Dead: German Rapper Deso Dogg Turned ISIS Fighter Killed by US Strike in Syria

Roy Siemens
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Denis Cuspert Dead: German Rapper Deso Dogg Turned ISIS Fighter Killed by US Strike in Syria

Former German rapper Deso Dogg, real name Denis Cuspert, who had become an ISIS fighter, has been killed by a US air strike in Syria, defense officials have confirmed.

Denis Cuspert had been designated a global terrorist by the US State Department and had threatened President Barack Obama.

Officials said Denis Cuspert, who encouraged Muslims to work for ISIS, was killed in an October 16 air strike near Raqqa.

He used the stage name “Deso Dogg” before converting to Islam in 2010.Denis Cuspert killed in Syria

“Cuspert is emblematic of the type of foreign recruit IS seeks for its ranks – individuals who have engaged in criminal activity in their home countries who then travel to Iraq and Syria to commit far worse crimes,” the State Department wrote of Denis Cuspert in February.

A spokesman for Germany’s Interior Ministry would not confirm or deny his death.

In April 2014 Denis Cuspert was reported to have been killed in Syria but that claim was later retracted.

Denis Cuspert, whose rap career ended before he starting working for ISIS, would use social media to attract youth and Westerners, especially Germans, to the group.

He left his music career behind in 2010. Previously, he had toured with American rapper DMX in 2006, the New York Times reported.

In Germany, Denis Cuspert became popular for singing nasheeds – Islamic devotional music – in German.

Russian Plane Crashes in Sinai Killing over 220 People

Diane A. Wade
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Russian Plane Crashes in Sinai Killing over 220 People

A Russian plane with more than 220 people on board has crashed in central Sinai, the office of Egypt’s prime minister has confirmed.

The Airbus A-321 had just left the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, bound for the Russian city of St Petersburg.

The plane wreckage has been found in the Hassana area. It disappeared from radar screens when travelling at 31,000ft, Egyptian officials said.

Egyptian officials said most on board are likely to have died.

The plane was operated by the small Russian airline Kogalymavia, based in western Siberia.

Russian authorities say it was carrying 217 passengers, 17 of them children, and seven crew. Most were Russian tourists.

Initially there were conflicting reports about the fate of the plane, some suggesting it had disappeared over Cyprus.Russian plane crash in Egypt

The office of Egyptian PM Sharif Ismail confirmed in a statement that a “Russian civilian plane… crashed in the central Sinai”.

It added that Sharif Ismail had formed a crisis committee to deal with the crash.

Media reports say at least 40 ambulances have been sent to the scene.

The Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsiya said in a statement that flight 7K 9268 left Sharm el-Sheikh at 06:51 Moscow time and had been due into St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport at 12:10.

The authority added that the aircraft failed to make scheduled contact with Cyprus air traffic control 23 minutes after take-off and disappeared from the radar.

Egypt’s civilian aviation ministry said the plane had been at an altitude of 31,000ft when it disappeared.

Live flight tracking service Flight Radar 24’s Mikail Robertson confirmed the altitude.

A centre to help relatives of the passengers has been set up at Pulkovo airport, Tass news agency quoted St Petersburg city officials as saying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR6SYjolJJk

Hillary Clinton Rally Interrupted by Black Lives Matter Activists

Diane A. Wade
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Hillary Clinton Rally Interrupted by Black Lives Matter Activists

A Hillary Clinton campaing rally at Clark Atlanta University has been interrupted by Black Lives Matter activists as she began a speech about reforming the criminal justice system.

The Democratic presidential contender spoke over the shouting, saying if elected she would carry on the work on President Barack Obama.

The group of 10 Black Lives Matter protesters were quickly escorted away.

They have interrupted campaign events to highlight police brutality, racism and mass incarceration.

The activists have mostly targeted Democrats – including Hillary Clinton and her chief rival Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have responded to the protests with policy proposals, meeting activists and talking about racial issues on the campaign trail.

The Black Lives Matter movement was originally formed after George Zimmerman, a Hispanic man in Florida, was acquitted of the shooting death of black teenager Trayvon Martin.

Photo EPA
Photo EPA

It grew to greater prominence after a white police officer killed Michael Brown – an unarmed black teenager – in Ferguson, Missouri, last year.

The protest movement has continued to gain strength over the past year after several controversial police-involved deaths of black people including those of Freddie Gray and Sandra Bland.

Friday’s rally was entitled “African Americans for Hillary”. Guests included pop singer Usher and civil rights activist and Congressman John Lewis.

The crowd of about 2,000 chanted “Let her talk!” and John Lewis asked them to stop.

“I’m sorry they didn’t listen, because some of what they demanded I am offering and intend to fight for as president,” Hillary Clinton said.

“We have to come together as a nation.”

In 1994, Hillary Clinton lobbied for one of the largest crime bills in US history, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which provided billions for prisons. The law also introduced the “three strikes” policy, which called for mandatory life imprisonment without parole for federal offenders with three or more felony or drug trafficking convictions.

Hillary Clinton has changed her position since she has been on the campaign trail, calling for the end of mass incarceration and expressing her concern over police violence and black people.

On October 30, Hillary Clinton also proposed a legal ban on racial profiling by police.

The policy would forbid federal, state and local officers from “relying on a person’s race when conducting routine or spontaneous investigatory activities,” unless they have information linking a suspect to a crime.

Hillary Clinton also supported the “ban the box” movement, an effort to prevent job applicants from being disqualified because of their criminal history.

Bucharest Nightclub Fire: At Least 27 Dead and 155 Injured

Diane A. Wade
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Bucharest Nightclub Fire: At Least 27 Dead and 155 Injured

At least 27 people have been killed and more than 155 injured in an explosion and fire at a nightclub in Bucharest, Romanian government and health officials say.

The blast happened on Friday night at a heavy metal concert inside the Colectiv nightclub, and a large fire broke out.

The death toll was confirmed by Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea and Health Secretary Raed Arafat.

Photo RomaniaTV
Photo RomaniaTV

Raed Arafat said 155 people were injured and were now being treated in Bucharest hospitals.

According to local media, fireworks may have been let off inside the club.

More than 500 people may have been inside the club, which was hosting a heavy metal concert.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis wrote on his Facebook page that he was “deeply grieved by the tragic events that happened this evening in downtown.”

He added: “It is a very sad day for all of us, for our nation and for me personally.”

Halloween Recipe: Pumpkin Cider Cake

Kathryn R. Bown
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Halloween Recipe: Pumpkin Cider Cake

Pumpkin cider cake recipe

Ingredients:

For the pumpkin purée:

  • 1 small pumpkin

For the cake:

  • butter for greasing
  • 9oz light brown sugar
  • 10½oz pumpkin purée
  • 3½fl oz medium dry cider
  • 3½fl oz vegetable oil
  • 2 large free-range eggs
  • 9oz plain flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp sodium bicarbonate
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves

For the decoration:

  • 2¾oz unsalted butter, softened
  • 7oz full fat cream cheese at room temperature
  • 3½oz icing sugar, sifted
  • brown fondant (optional)Pumpkin cider cake recipe

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
  2. To make the pumpkin purée halve the pumpkin, scrape out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon and discard. Place the pumpkin halves, cut side down, onto a baking tray and bake for 45 minutes, until it feels soft to the touch. Allow to cool, then scrape out the cooked flesh and mash with a fork until smooth. Set aside to cool.
  3. Grease and lightly flour a small Bundt tin 8¼in in diameter.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, pumpkin purée, cider and oil. Beat with a handheld electric mixer until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until they are completely mixed in.
  5. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and the spices. Beat this into the wet ingredients for 2-3 minutes until it is thick and smooth.
  6. Measure out half the batter into the prepared Bundt tin (it should be about 1lb 4oz of mixture). Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is springy to the touch and a wooden skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  7. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wash, dry, and grease and flour your Bundt tin again, and bake the other half.
  8. Meanwhile, make the cream cheese icing. Beat the softened butter in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer until it is light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until well incorporated.
  9. When both cakes are completely cool, use a sharp knife to slice off a thin layer of the bottom of the cake to flatten it (reserve the cake trimmings). Place the 2 cakes, cut sides together, to see if it makes a convincing pumpkin shape. If necessary, trim off a little more so that the curves of the Bundt tin line up with each other.
  10. Spread a little of the icing onto the bottom cake, then cover with the top cake layer. Use the reserved cake trimmings to fill in the hole in the middle of the cake. Spoon the icing onto the top of the cake and let it run down the sides. Create a fondant stem from the brown fondant, stick a toothpick in the end of the stem and secure it in the cake.

US Ground Troops Sent to Syria to Fight ISIS

Roy Siemens
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US Ground Troops Sent to Syria to Fight ISIS

President Barack Obama has sent US troops to Syria to assist anti-government rebels in fighting the so-called Islamic State (ISIS), officials have said.

There will be “fewer than 50” forces deployed in the region to “train, advise and assist” vetted opposition forces, officials added.

This will be the first time US troops are working openly on the ground in Syria.

However, there have been US special forces raids on ISIS militants there.

For more than a year, the US and coalition forces have been carrying out air strikes on ISIS, which controls a large part of northern Syria and parts of neighboring Iraq.US ground troops sent to Syria

The US recently abandoned its Syria rebel training effort, opting to provide equipment and arms directly to rebel leaders instead.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said President Barack Obama wanted to provide additional support for Syrian rebel fighters who’ve been having success on the battlefield.

“There are now moderate opposition forces that are 45 miles outside Raqqa,” he said.

“The president is prepared to intensify the elements that have shown promise.”

Josh Earnest said: “This is an intensification of a strategy he discussed a year ago.”

US special operations forces have previously taken part in at least two raids in Syria.

In May, troops killed senior ISIS member Abu Sayyaf and captured his wife in eastern Syria.

Last summer, forces failed in an operation to rescue American hostages including journalist James Foley, who was later beheaded by ISIS fighters.

Last week, American forces assisted Kurdish troops in the rescue of dozens of hostages held by ISIS in Iraq. One American was killed in the raid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHivgH1Hec

4 Household Items Worth Spending More Money On

Nancy Clayson
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4 Household Items Worth Spending More Money On

Household furnishings and amenities are things that can change a lot from person to person. From the college student’s thrifted furnishings and a futon to the corporate exec’s tastefully-appointed penthouse, household items serve as a measure of the lifestyle of the dweller. Of course, not all of us can afford to live the high life, and household goods can be a place where we try to cut back. For some items, though, such as those listed below, skimping can be a big mistake.

Sofas and Chairs

In most places, your living room is the first thing visitors will see. Since your seating, such as couches and chairs, are the most noticeable part of this room, making a smart buy is important. While a Salvation Army couch might serve you well when you’re in your first off-campus apartment, low-cost furniture can cause problems. Not only is it unlikely to hold up, but used upholstered goods can bring parasites into your home, infesting you. Older furniture can also retain hard-to-vanquish odors. Save yourself the headache; buy new and comfortable from the start.

Dishes and Silverware

Silverware

When you have guests over, you may be expected to feed them. Mismatched plates and oddly sized, rusty eating utensils will kill the mood of your dinner party quicker than anything else. Have at least one nice set of matching plates and bowls, as well as a nice set of the major utensils. Moreover, don’t neglect serving dishes like large bowls and pots. The finest meal in the world tastes a little worse coming out of a melted plastic bowl and a corroded Goodwill cooking vessel.

Cleaning Supplies

Nobody likes to clean. Well, some do, but they are certainly the exception. If you are not one of those lucky few, it can be tough to spend your hard-earned money on top-notch cleaning gear. That is where many mistakes are made, because old and worn equipment only makes cleaning more of a chore. Replace disposable gear like sponges regularly. Look at new vacuum cleaners rather than thrift-store models. Finally, pick a cleanser with a pleasant scent rather than the cheapest one. Investing a little can make cleaning more bearable.

Mattress

One important piece of furniture is your mattress. You spend at least a third of your hours in the bedroom, so why not invest in a mattress that is comfortable and will give you the best sleep possible? The best way to pick the perfect mattress is to get a customizable one that is tailored to fit your personal needs. Mattresses like the Helix mattress are 100% customizable by the purchaser and also offer blended and split mattress types for you and your partner. Before you order the mattress, you must fill out a quiz based on the sleeper’s requirements. This includes but is not limited to mattress size, height, weight, cooling needs, firmness, and medical issues. Your results are then based on four major pillars: support, point elasticity, feel, and temperature regulation. The mattress is then made based on these specifications which is incredibly beneficial to the sleeper. Having a mattress that fits your preferences can improve overall sleep quality and help manage any pain you might experience, which allows you to receive enough rest so that you feel rejuvenated the next day. The Helix mattress review can give you an idea of the price range of these mattresses, information on the personalization process, and the materials used in these customizable mattresses.

Bargain shopping has its place, but there are some things in life you can’t skimp on. Knowing where and how much to splurge is key to making the most of your money and your time. Budget your income and spend wisely so that you can enjoy the finer things in the right places.

4 High Tech Features for Your Home

Ricky Robinson
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4 High Tech Features for Your Home

If you think your home isn’t futuristic enough, you probably haven’t added the latest high-tech features. These four gadgets will put your house on the cutting edge.

Petcube Pet Sitter

Pets often get bored during the day while their families are away at work and school. This boredom often turns into mischief. It doesn’t take long before your dog discovers that chewing the couch is a lot more fun than sleeping on it.

A nanny cam can show you what happens when you’re not at home, but it can’t prevent your pet from getting into trouble. That’s where the Petcube comes in.

Petcube is a camera that lets you monitor your animals at any time. Unlike most monitoring devices, though, it has a built-in microphone that offers two-way communication. When you see your furry friend doing something naughty, you can command her to stop through the Petcube.

It’s not certain whether pets are following commands or just really confused by a disembodied voice. Regardless, it does the trick.

Smart Thermostat

Samsung

Smart thermostats connect to your home’s computer network so you can take control of the temperature and track your energy use. You can also control a smart thermostat from your smartphone.

NewAge Air installs a variety of WiFi-enabled thermostats that will help you lower your monthly utility bill. When you have a smart thermostat in your home, you can program it to follow a specific temperature schedule. Most people set thermostats so their HVAC systems don’t do as much work during the day while they are at work.

Since smart thermostats let you track your energy usage, you can also look for easy ways to reduce the amount of electricity and natural gas used to heat and cool your home.

WiFi Speakers

You want a good sound system for your home, but you don’t want a bunch of wires strung across the rooms. Some people avoid this problem by running wires through the ceiling and under the carpet. That way, at least they aren’t an eyesore.

WiFi speakers offer a more convenient way to get great sound without the wires. You can position them anywhere inside or outside your house, which is perfect for days spent by the pool.

Best of all, you won’t have to damage your ceiling or floor to hide ugly wires.

Self-sterilizing Door Handles

Door handles have to be some of the most disgusting objects in your home. With so many people touching them throughout the day, you never know what kinds of germs, bacteria, and viruses accumulate there.

With a self-sterilizing door handle, you’ll have fewer worries about spreading sickness in your home.

These door handles have special designs that include UV lamps. After you use the handle, UV light shines on it, killing nasty bacteria and germs. It’s a pretty straightforward idea, but for some reason designers have just recently started to incorporate it into their handles.

There are plenty of high-tech features that you can add to your home. Start with these and see where you can go from there.

Roman Polanski Extradition Rejected by Poland Court

Sonia Pantiss
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Roman Polanski Extradition Rejected by Poland Court

A Krakow court has ruled against a US request to extradite Roman Polanski.

Judge Dariusz Mazur said the request was “inadmissible”.

Roman Polanski was not present in court on October 30. Prosecutors can still appeal against the ruling.

The Oscar-winning director, who admitted unlawful s** with a minor, fled from the US ahead of sentencing in 1978.

Photo AFP/Getty Images
Photo AFP/Getty Images

Roman Polanski, 82, has French and Polish citizenship. He lives in France – which does not extradite its own citizens – but has been working in Poland on a movie project.

Swiss authorities turned down a US extradition warrant in 2010, after placing Roman Polanski under house arrest for nine months.

Roman Polanski’s Polish lawyers had argued against his extradition, citing claimed legal flaws in the US process and the 42 days Polanski served in prison at the time, according to the Associated Press news agency.

The director grew up in Poland and is regarded as one of the country’s greatest living artists.

Roman Polanski survived World War Two in the Krakow ghetto but his mother died at Auschwitz.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32_Gl98QUa0

Greece: At Least 22 Refugees Drown off Aegean Islands

Diane A. Wade
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Greece: At Least 22 Refugees Drown off Aegean Islands

At least twenty two refugees have drowned trying to reach Kalymnos and Rhodes from Turkey, in the second major boat tragedy off Greek islands this week.

Greek officials said 19 people died and 138 were rescued near Kalymnos.

Three others died off Rhodes and three were missing. Six were rescued there.

Greece’s PM Alexis Tsipras said he felt “shame” over “the inability of Europe to deal effectively with this human drama”.

Speaking in parliament, the left-wing Syriza leader condemned the “level of debate at a senior level, where one is passing the buck to the other” in the EU.

“Crocodile tears are being shed for the dead children on the shores of the Aegean, because dead children always arouse sorrow, but what about the children that are alive who come in thousands and are packed on the refugee trail? Nobody cares for them,” Alexis Tsipras added.Refugees Greece islands

Meanwhile, rescuers in southern Spain are searching for 35 refugees missing after their boat broke up on its way from Morocco. Four bodies have been found.

The unseaworthy, overcrowded boat set off from Alhucemas. Fifteen refugees were rescued.

In recent months the main migrant influx has been to the Greek holiday islands lying off Turkey’s Aegean coast.

In this week’s previous sinking in the Aegean, Greek authorities confirmed the deaths of 16 refugees off Lesbos after their boat broke up in rough seas late on October 28. Rescuers managed to save 274 people.

Thousands have been arriving on Lesbos every day after making the dangerous journey from Turkey. People traffickers usually pack them onto unseaworthy boats, often inflatable dinghies.

The UN estimates that more than 700,000 refugees have crossed to Europe by boat so far this year – many of them refugees from war-torn Syria. The approach of winter has so far done little to slow the flow.

The EU is deploying its Frontex border force to new “hotspots” – refugee reception centers in Greece and Italy where local officials are overwhelmed by the numbers. Frontex aims to help speed up the registration of refugees.

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