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Japanese Tourist Dies While Taking Selfie at Taj Mahal’s Royal Gate

Kathryn R. Bown
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Japanese Tourist Dies While Taking Selfie at Taj Mahal’s Royal Gate

A Japanese tourist has died in what appears to be a tragic accident while taking a selfie at the Taj Mahal’s Royal Gate in India.

Police said the 66-year-old tourist lost consciousness immediately after the fall and succumbed to head injuries in hospital.

The Taj Mahal, a 17th Century mausoleum built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan after his wife’s death, attracts about 12,000 visitors a day.Japanese tourist dies at Taj Mahal

According to local reports, the Japanese tourist had been with three other people when the incident occurred.

One of his colleagues fractured his leg, after both fell from the staircase of the monument in the afternoon, police said.

The Japanese embassy has been informed about the death, and an investigation is being conducted into the incident.

There have been several deaths linked to selfies in recent years.

Earlier this year, the Russian government reportedly launched a campaign to make young people think twice before snapping selfies in risky situations.

In May, a 21-year-old woman survived accidentally shooting herself in the head while posing for a selfie with a gun in Moscow. There have also been several cases of children being electrocuted while taking selfies on top of railway carriages in Russia.

In August, a man in Spain was gored to death by a bull while taking a selfie at the annual bull running festival in the town of Villaseca de la Sagra.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU_D0EDbFhg

Europe Markets Trade Lower After Fed’s Decision to Keep Interest Rates Unchanged

Clyde K. Valle
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Europe Markets Trade Lower After Fed’s Decision to Keep Interest Rates Unchanged

European stocks have traded lower on September 18 after the Federal Reserve’s decision not to change interest rates, as concerns about the health of the global economy were renewed.

The Federal Reserve made it clear that worries about the global economy had influenced its decision to keep rates on hold.

“The outlook abroad appears to have become less certain,” said Fed chair Janet Yellen, at a news conference.

At lunchtime, the UK’s FTSE 100 was down 66.66 points, or 1%, at 6,120.33.Europe stock markets September 2015

Bigger falls were seen elsewhere in Europe, with Germany’s Dax index down 2.5% and France’s Cac 40 dropping 2.6%.

Markets could now face a prolonged period of uncertainty as to the direction of US interest rates.

In London, banking stocks saw some of the biggest falls, with Royal Bank of Scotland down 2.6% and Barclays dropping 2.1%.

On the currency markets, the pound rose 0.35% against the dollar to $1.5646, and was up 0.4% against the euro at €1.3684.

Following the Fed’s decision the dollar fell sharply against the yen, dropping below the 120 yen mark. The move hit shares in Japan – particularly among exporting companies – and the country’s Nikkei index closed down 2%.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSLy6By1GVg

Japan Stock Market Falls on Fed’s Decision to Keep Interest Rates Unchanged

Clyde K. Valle
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Japan Stock Market Falls on Fed’s Decision to Keep Interest Rates Unchanged

Japan’s stock market fell on September 18 as the yen strengthened against the dollar in the wake of the Federal Reserve’s decision not to raise interest rates.

The Nikkei 225 index closed down 2% at 18,070.21. The dollar fell against the yen following the Fed’s decision to keep its interest rates unchanged, which hit shares in Japanese exporters.

Shares in Toyota and Honda dropped 1.4%, while Panasonic was 2.1% lower.

A stronger yen against the dollar affects exporters, as it makes their goods more expensive to sell overseas.

The Fed’s decision to hold interest rates also renewed concerns about the strength of the global economy.

Photo WSJ
Photo WSJ

The US central bank said worries over the global economy, particularly China, had influenced its decision not to raise rates.

US shares saw choppy trade after the decision, with both the Dow Jones and S&P 500 closing lower.

Chinese shares were mixed after government data showed that property prices had shown some signs of recovery.

New home prices rose for a fourth consecutive month in August, up 0.3% from the previous month, but were down 2.3% from a year ago.

The property sector accounts for 15% of China’s economic growth, so even minimal gains have a positive impact on the world’s second largest economy.

The Shanghai Composite index ended 0.4% higher at 3,097.92, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index closed up 0.3% at 21,920.83.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 index erased earlier losses to end up 0.6% at 5,178.50.

South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index finished 1% higher at 1,995.95.

Donald Trump Comes Under Fire in Barack Obama Muslim Row

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Comes Under Fire in Barack Obama Muslim Row

Donald Trump has come under fire after failing to correct a supporter who said President Barack Obama was a Muslim and “not even an American”.

The Republican presidential hopeful sought to laugh off the comment, which was preceded by the supporter saying: “We have a problem in this country – it’s called Muslims.”

The comments were made at a campaign rally for Donald Trump in New Hampshire.

Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton said Donald Trump’s failure to denounce “hateful rhetoric” was “disturbing and wrong”.

Pointing to his first questioner at the campaign event in Rochester, Donald Trump said: “I like this guy.”

“We have a problem in this country called Muslims,” the man said.

“We know our current president is one. You know he’s not even an American.”Donald Trump New Hampshire rally

“We need this question?” Donald Trump said, laughing.

“But anyway,” the man continued, “we have training camps growing where they want to kill us. That’s my question: When can we get rid of them?”

Donald Trump failed to clarify that Barack Obama is a Christian American, instead replying that “bad things are happening” and saying he would look into them.

Hillary Clinton joined criticism of Donald Trump on social media, tweeting: “Donald Trump not denouncing false statements about POTUS & hateful rhetoric about Muslims is disturbing & just plain wrong. Cut it out.”

In a statement, Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz said Donald Trump’s “racism knows no bounds”.

“This is certainly horrendous but unfortunately unsurprising given what we have seen already. The vile rhetoric coming from the GOP candidates is appalling,” Debbie Wasserman Schultz added, calling on his rivals to denounce him.

Donald Trump’s campaign manager Corey Lewandowski sought to play down the incident, telling media that “all he heard was a question about training camps”.

“The media wants to make this issue about Obama. The bigger issue is that Obama is waging a war against Christians in this country,” Corey Lewandowski told the Washington Post.

Barack Obama, who has spoken openly about his Christian faith, was born to an American mother and Kenyan father in Hawaii.

In 2011, Donald Trump was one of the leading skeptics, challenging Barack Obama to produce his birth certificate to disprove rumors that he was born in Kenya, which the president did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y0ohc1KnlQ

Refugee Crisis: Croatia Shuts Border Crossings with Serbia

Diane A. Wade
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Refugee Crisis: Croatia Shuts Border Crossings with Serbia

Croatia has decided to close seven of its eight road border crossings with Serbia following a huge influx of refugees.

Croatian officials said they had no choice after more than 13,000 people entered the country since Hungary fenced off its border with Serbia earlier this week.

Many refugees have been taken by bus to reception centers but some say they plan to walk to neighboring Slovenia.

Huge numbers of people heading north from the Mediterranean have created a political crisis in the EU.

Croatian officials said roads leading to the border crossings had also been shut.

Photo AFP/Getty Images
Photo AFP/Getty Images

The crossing on the main road linking Belgrade and Zagreb – at Bajakovo – appeared to be the only one left open.

On September 17, Croatian Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic said his country was “absolutely full”.

Ranko Ostojic said his message to the refugees was: “Don’t come here anymore. Stay in refugee centers in Serbia and Macedonia and Greece. This is not the road to Europe. Buses can’t take you there. It’s a lie.”

However, a Reuters journalist at the scene reported that refugees were walking through fields to bypass one of the border crossings.

Scuffles broke out in two locations on the border with Serbia on September 17 after people were left waiting for hours for transport further north.

Crowds briefly broke through police lines at Tovarnik and Batina – two of the crossings now closed.

Buses arrived just before midnight but not enough to transport everyone. Drivers said people were being taken to a reception centre.

Many refugees appear to have slipped away to continue their journey north on foot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpT_v_HBA_8

Ahmed Mohamed: Clock Making Student Invited to Visit MIT

Nancy Clayson
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Ahmed Mohamed: Clock Making Student Invited to Visit MIT

Ahmed Mohamed, the 14-year-old Muslim student arrested in Texas for bringing a homemade clock to school, has continued to receive an outpouring of support from scientists, politicians and celebrities.

The Irving MacArthur High School student has been invited to visit Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by a professor who called him an “ideal student”.

Ahmed Mohamed also told ABC News he will accept an invitation to the White House.

The student’s arrest was sharply criticized and the charges against him were dropped.

Ahmed Mohamed hopes to one day attend MIT, one of the top engineering universities in the US. He told ABC he was more excited about the MIT tour than the White House invitation.

Some of the biggest names in the world of science have welcomed Ahmed Mohamed with open arms.

NASA, Google Science Fair, Space Camp USA and astronaut Chris Hadfield were among those applauding Ahmed Mohamed for his ingenuity.Ahmed Mohamed to visit MIT

Officials at MacArthur High School alerted police because they thought the device Ahmed Mohamed built was a “hoax bomb”.

In a news conference on September 16, Ahmed Mohamed said he plans to transfer schools.

He told reporters it was “very sad” that his teacher thought his clock was a threat.

“I built a clock to impress my teacher but when I showed it to her she thought it was a threat to her. I’m very sad that she got the wrong impression of it.”

Ahmed Mohamed’s father, Mohamed Elhassan Mohamed, who is originally from Sudan, praised his son’s ingenuity, saying he fixes everything around the house, including his father’s phone and computer.

“He’s a very smart, brilliant boy and he said he just wanted to show himself to the world,” he said.

The police have rejected the claim made by Ahmed Mohamed’s family that he was detained because of his name.

“We have always had an outstanding relationship with the Muslim community,” Irving Police Department chief Larry Boyd said on September 16.

“Incidents like this present challenges. We want to learn how we can move forward and turn this into a positive,” Larry Boyd added.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations says it is investigating the incident.

Under the hashtag #IstandwithAhmed, thousands of Twitter users – including NASA scientists, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and President Barack Obama – praised Ahmed Mohamed’s initiative and questioned why he was detained.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7KlMAxFiGQ

El Gil: Guerrero Gang Leader Gildardo Lopez Astudillo Arrested in Mexico

Roy Siemens
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El Gil: Guerrero Gang Leader Gildardo Lopez Astudillo Arrested in Mexico

Guerrero gang leader Gildardo Lopez Astudillo, a key figure in the disappearance of 43 Mexican students last year in the town of Iguala, has been arrested.

The Mexican government says Gildardo Lopez Astudillo, known as “El Gil” is a leader of the Guerreros Unidos drug cartel.

It alleges Gildardo Lopez Astudillo, 36, gave the orders to abduct and kill the students.

There have so far been 111 arrests over the 2014 disappearances.Gildardo Lopez Astudillo Arrested in Mexico

The Mexican attorney-general’s office says its investigations show the Guerreros Unidos gang were handed the students by corrupt police in Iguala.

The office has said because Guerreros Unidos thought the students were members of a rival gang, they murdered them and then disposed of the bodies by burning them at a rubbish dump outside the city.

Official accounts contrast with a report issued by an international group of experts appointed by the Inter-American Human Rights Commission (IAHRC).

Their report earlier this month alleges that the Mexican authority’s investigations were deeply flawed, and included the disappearance of key evidence.

According to the experts, who visited the site where the Mexican authorities say the bodies were burnt, a fire fierce enough to incinerate the 43 students would have lasted over 60 hours and would have required tons of wood or rubber which would have burnt down the surrounding vegetation.

No fire was reported in the area at the time of the disappearance.

Earlier this week Austrian forensic experts announced they had identified the remains of a second victim found at the rubbish dump where the students’ bodies were allegedly burnt.

The relatives of the 43 students have demanded that the government investigates the possible involvement of high-ranking members of the military in the disappearances.

The apparent massacre of poor, rural students has posed problems for President Enrique Pena Nieto who took office in 2012 promising to stamp out drug-related violence.

Enrique Pena Nieto has been criticized for his handling of the case and accused of trying to wrap it up without a comprehensive investigation.

Correspondents say by charging “El Gil” with the disappearance of the students, the President would enable a swift end to the investigation.

International experts have disputed the government’s accounts of what happened and have said its investigation was deeply flawed.

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

Christie Brinkley Is Officially Dating John Mellencamp

Lisa.Felice
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Christie Brinkley Is Officially Dating John Mellencamp

Former supermodel Christie Brinkley is officially dating rocker John Mellencamp, ET reports.

The couple was spotted having dinner together at The Bowery Hotel in New York City on September 14.

Christie Brinkley, 61, and John Mellencamp, 63, once again enjoyed a night out together on September 16.Christie Brinkley dating John Mellencamp

They also got into the same car following John Mellencamp’s appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

John Mellencamp’s last reported relationship was with Meg Ryan, who he reportedly split with last August after three years together.

Christie Brinkley’s last public relationship was with her ex-husband, Peter Cook, whom she divorced in 2008.

Jose Cabanas Becomes First Cuban Ambassador to US in 54 Years

Diane A. Wade
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Jose Cabanas Becomes First Cuban Ambassador to US in 54 Years

Cuba has announced the appointment of Jose Cabanas as the new ambassador to the US – the first since 1961 – as part of the ongoing thaw in relations between the two countries.

Jose Ramon Cabanas is a veteran diplomat who has run Cuba’s “interests section” in Washington since 2012.

The diplomat was received at the White House with 15 other new diplomats from other countries.

Washington has yet to make an announcement about who will serve as its new ambassador in Cuba.

The announcement comes ahead of a visit to Cuba by Pope Francis and days before Cuban President Raul Castro goes to New York to address the United Nations.Jose Cabanas first Cuban ambassador to US

Raul Castro’s visit will mark the first time a president of Cuba has publically set foot on American soil since 1995 when President Fidel Castro, his older brother, spoke before the UN.

In July 2015, Cuba and the US formally re-established their relations.

The process began publically when Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro announced simultaneously that they planned to set a new course on US-Cuba relations.

Soon after, the US traded three Cubans they had convicted on spying charges for Alan Gross, an American aid worker accused of espionage by a Cuban court.

Since then US and Cuban delegations have met several times to discuss a range of issues.

Jose Cabanas is a career diplomat trained in Havana. He served as vice minister of foreign relations and has occupied various high level posts in several countries.

Which Are The Most Popular San Francisco Neighborhoods, Demographics & Auto Insurance Rates?

Ricky Robinson
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Which Are The Most Popular San Francisco Neighborhoods, Demographics & Auto Insurance Rates?

We found an infographic with great information about the insurance rates in San Francisco.


Popular San Francisco Neighborhoods, Demographics and Auto Insurance Rates (Infographic)

Federal Reserve Holds Interest Rates Unchanged

Clyde K. Valle
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Federal Reserve Holds Interest Rates Unchanged

The Federal Reserve has decided to hold interest rates unchanged, keeping them at the same level since December 2008.

The central bank said nine members of its Federal Open Market Committee voted to hold the key federal funds rate target at 0 to 0.25%.

Committee member Jeffrey Lacker was the only dissenter, favoring a 0.25 percentage point rise.

The Fed hinted that concerns about the strength of the global economy influenced the decision.

“Recent global economic and financial developments may restrain economic activity somewhat and are likely to put further downward pressure on inflation in the near term,” the committee said in a statement.Federal Reserve interest rates unchanged 2015

Signs of weaker growth and stock market turmoil in China have led to fear among investors about US economic growth.

The Federal Reserve’s long-term policy is to keep interest rates low until employment levels improve further and the main US inflation rate approaches its 2% target. Inflation is currently at about 1.2% in the US, kept down by cheaper oil and a strong dollar.

The Fed said in its statement that it still wants to see more improvement in the labor market, even though recent data showed the unemployment rate for August was at 5.1%, the lowest since 2008.

It also wants to be “reasonably confident” that inflation will increase.

“The committee currently anticipates that, even after employment and inflation are near mandate-consistent levels, economic conditions may, for some time, warrant keeping the target federal funds rate below levels the Committee views as normal in the longer run,” it said.

Following the Fed’s announcement, US stocks rose and the dollar fell.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.28%, to 16,786.58, the S&P 500 rose 0.45%, to 2,004.26 and the NASDAQ gained 0.61%, to 4,918.90.

The dollar index, which compares the value of the currency with six other currencies, fell 0.81%, to 94.651.

GM Agrees to Pay $900 Million Settlement for Defective Ignition Switches

Clyde K. Valle
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GM Agrees to Pay $900 Million Settlement for Defective Ignition Switches

The Justice Department has reached a $900 million settlement with General Motors over the issue of faulty ignition switches.

GM was being investigated for not checking millions of cars, despite staff knowing for more than a decade about the defect.

The fault has been linked to more than 100 confirmed deaths.

It could shut down engines, disable power-assisted steering and brakes and prevent airbags working.

GM has admitted it did not alert regulators and the public, failing to issue a timely recall of vehicles.

The DoJ has agreed not to seek a conviction in exchange for the settlement and the appointment of an independent monitor at the company.

However, the US Attorney’s Office did say that GM “admits that it failed to disclose a safety defect to NHTSA [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] and misled US consumers about that same defect”.GM faulty ignition switch settlement

The settlement was disclosed in papers filed on September 17 at a Manhattan federal court.

General Motors, the largest carmaker in the US, did not begin recalling some 2.6 million cars worldwide until February 2014, after years of avoiding any acknowledgement of the problem.

This quickly ballooned to nearly 30 million cars by the end of 2014, as the company began actively recalling any cars that could possibly have defects.

It also set up a claims fund to compensate victims who could prove they suffered harm as a result of the defect.

GM filed for bankruptcy in 2009 during the height of the financial crisis.

The carmaker’s boss, Mary Barra, who took over in January 2014, is keen to show she has changed the culture within the company.

Previously Mary Barra has said that GM engineers, managers and workers know they must come forward once a problem has been identified or they will be held responsible.

American Airlines Flights Grounded at Major US Airports

Nancy Clayson
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American Airlines Flights Grounded at Major US Airports

A computer glitch has grounded all American Airlines flights from Miami, Dallas and Chicago, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced.

According to the FAA, American Airlines requested to hold departures at the Miami, Dallas Fort-Worth and Chicago O’Hare airports.

Photo Wikipedia
Photo Wikipedia

In response to passengers’ complaints on Twitter, American Airlines said it was having technical issues.

The FAA expects to lift the hold – which began about 12:00 local time in Miami – shortly.

Passengers hoping to get to their destinations on time are not hesitating to tell American Airlines they are unhappy.

Refugees Push Through Croatian Police Lines in Tovarnik

Diane A. Wade
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Refugees Push Through Croatian Police Lines in Tovarnik

Thousands of refugees pushed through the Croatian riot police lines in the town of Tovarnik at the Serbian border.

Refugees waiting for hours in blazing heat grew frustrated, though the situation is quieter now.

Croatia is struggling to deal with at least 7,300 arrivals since September 16 after Hungary closed its border with Serbia, blocking the previous route into the EU.

European Union leaders will hold an emergency summit next week to discuss the crisis.Refugees in Tovarnik Croatia

Croatian officials say refugees must apply for asylum there or be treated as illegal immigrants.

Authorities seem to be overwhelmed and surprised by the number of refugees – most of whom wish to travel on to other EU countries – and the Croatian interior minister has said the country is “absolutely full”.

Correspondents described the scenes in Tovarnik as mayhem, after several thousand refugees who had crossed from Serbia were held back by riot police, trying to get them to wait for transport on from the border.

Croatian police eventually gave way under pressure. Some of the refugees said they intended to walk to Slovenia.

Many are exhausted with supplies of food and water running low.

Croatia’s President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic has asked the army to be ready to protect the country’s borders from “the illegal migration”, state news agency Hina reported.

Hungarian media reported that dozens of refugees were crossing from Croatia into Hungary at Illocska – thus avoiding the fence on Hungary’s border with Serbia.

Croatia said it would allow migrants to travel into northern Europe, but officials in Slovenia – which borders Croatia to the north – have said they would tighten their border security and would stick to rules which require asylum-seekers to register on arrival.

Slovenia, like Hungary, is an entry point to the Schengen zone, which normally allows people to travel between member countries without restrictions.

On September 16, hundreds of refugees were involved in clashes at the Hungary-Serbia border after Hungarian authorities used water cannon and tear gas to stop migrants forcing their way through.

Zeid Raad al-Hussein, a UN top human rights official, said the images from the Hungarian border were “truly shocking”.

New Zealand Vetoes Lochinver Station Purchase by China’s Shanghai Pengxin

Clyde K. Valle
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New Zealand Vetoes Lochinver Station Purchase by China’s Shanghai Pengxin

New Zealand’s government has decided to block the $56 million purchase of local farm Lochinver Station by Chinese company Shanghai Pengxin.

The government said it was not satisfied that the sale of the Lochinver Station would be of substantial benefit to New Zealand, which is a key requirement for a big land purchase.

The move comes after the body that oversees bids for sensitive assets in New Zealand had approved the sale.

There have been growing concerns about foreign land ownership in New Zealand.

Those fears were stoked after Shanghai Pengxin New Zealand, which is a unit of the Chinese parent firm Shanghai Pengxin, bought 16 dairy farms in New Zeland in 2011.Lochinver Station sale New Zealand

China is New Zealand’s biggest market for many dairy and meat products. Dairy products are also New Zealand’s biggest export.

Shanghai Pengxin said in a statement that it was “surprised and extremely disappointed with the decision and will be considering our options”.

The 13,800-hectare Lochinver farm is located in North Island and is used to breed sheep, as well as cattle for beef and dairy products.

The Chinese government has encouraged its companies to look to overseas markets to meet the demands of its growing consumer class.

Stevenson Group, the company selling the farm, said it was also disappointed by the outcome after a 14-month process.

“We are unclear as to why this property is different to the many others that have been approved through the Overseas Investment Office process, given the obvious benefits both to the farm and to Stevenson Group,” the compny said in a statement.

Japan Stock Market Closes Higher Despite August Trade Data

Clyde K. Valle
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Japan Stock Market Closes Higher Despite August Trade Data

Japan’s stock market headed higher on September 17 despite trade data for August coming in below market expectations.

Japanese exports rose 3.1% from a year ago, falling short of the 4% predicted, while imports fell a more-than-expected 3.1% in the same period.

Investors also ignored a credit rating downgrade for Japan by S&P rating agency, because of a weakening outlook for the economy.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed up 1.4% to 18,432.27.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The index has risen for a third consecutive day.

Australian shares headed higher, following the global lead, after US shares were positive ahead of the Federal Reserve’s decision on whether to raise interest rates for the first time in almost a decade.

In Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 index closed up 0.9% to 5,146.80 points.

Chinese shares headed higher, following on from yesterday’s trend, when mainland shares rallied to close up nearly 5%.

The Shanghai Composite was up 1.6% to 3,202.42, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was higher by 0.6% at 22,089.24 in afternoon trade.

South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index finished trading flat at 1,976.49 as investors awaited the Fed’s decision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNEvZyL98es

Suzuki Buys Back Nearly 20% Stake Held by Volkswagen for $3.8 Billion

Clyde K. Valle
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Suzuki Buys Back Nearly 20% Stake Held by Volkswagen for $3.8 Billion

Suzuki has bought back a nearly 20% stake held by Volkswagen for 460 billion yen ($3.8 billion).

The Japanese carmaker bought almost 120 million shares at 3,842.50 yen each in after-hours trading on September 17, ending a partnership between the carmakers.

The deal between Suzuki and Volkswagen soured soon after it was formed in 2009.

Last month, an international arbitration court ordered the German carmaker to sell its holding.Suzuki buys back stake held by Volkswagen

The tie up, which resulted in Volkswagen becoming Suzuki’s biggest shareholder, included co-operation on technology and expansion in emerging markets like India, where the Japanese carmaker had a leading position.

However, Suzuki filed for arbitration in November 2011 after the partnership failed.

The carmakers had agreed to work together on fuel-efficient cars, but Suzuki accused Volkswagen of withholding information it had promised to share.

Volkswagen, meanwhile, had objected to a deal Suzuki made to buy diesel engines from Italian carmaker Fiat.

In a statement, Suzuki said that it did not see a need to change its earnings forecasts for the business year ending in March 2016 in light of the share purchase.

Shares of Suzuki, Japan’s fourth largest carmaker, jumped as much as nearly 5% in Tokyo after the announcement.

Steve Rannazzisi Admits Lying About Surviving 9/11 Attacks

Sonia Pantiss
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Steve Rannazzisi Admits Lying About Surviving 9/11 Attacks

Steve Rannazzisi has admitted lying over escaping from the twin towers during the 9/11 terror attacks.

The comedian has previously described working at Merrill Lynch’s offices on the 54th floor of the South Tower when the first plane struck the North Tower.

However, Steve Rannazzisi, who stars in FXX show The League, told the New York Times, it was a fabrication.

“This was inexcusable. I am truly, truly sorry,” he said.

Steve Rannazzisi had claimed in several interviews over the years that he had fled to the street just minutes before a second plane hit his building.

He said he had decided that life was too precious to waste opportunities, so left his desk job to pursue a career as an entertainer.

Steve Rannazzisi was confronted by the newspaper ahead of his own one-hour special due to be broadcast this weekend on Comedy Central and admitted that it was all a lie.Steve Rannazzisi fake 9-11 story

In a series of tweets, the comedian apologized saying: “For many years, more than anything, I have wished that with silence, I could somehow erase a story told by an immature young man. It only made me more ashamed.

“How could I tell my children to be honest when I hadn’t come clean about this?”

Alongside his TV work, Steve Rannazzisi also has a commercial endorsement with Buffalo Wild Wings, which gave a statement to the NY Times saying it was “re-evaluating our relationship with Steve pending a review of all the facts”.

Saturday Night Live comic Pete Davidson, who lost his firefighter father on September 11, 2001, posted and later deleted a tweet which read: “It’s ok @SteveRannazzisi people make mistakes … Can’t wait to meet my dad for lunch later.”

Pete Davidson later tweeted: “We all sometimes lie and exaggerate a story to seem cooler …Unfortunately this is a very touchy topic n very near n dear 2 peoples hearts. Its years later but he apologized n owned up 2 it like a man.”

Comedy Central has not yet commented on Steve Ranazzasisi’s future with the network.

The comedian blamed his fabrication on “an early taste of having a public persona”.

Steve Rannazzisi added: “It is to the victims of 9/11 and to the people that love them – and the people that love me – that I ask for forgiveness.

“It was profoundly disrespectful to those who perished and those who lost loved ones. The stupidity and guilt I have felt for many years has not abated.”

Burkina Faso Coup: General Gilbert Diendere Named Country’s New Leader

Roy Siemens
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Burkina Faso Coup: General Gilbert Diendere Named Country’s New Leader

General Gilbert Diendere, a close ally of former Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, has been named the country’s new leader after presidential guard officers have seized power in a coup, with shooting reported in the capital, Ouagadougou.

French President Francois Hollande condemned what he called a coup in the former French colony.

Presidential forces opened fire to disperse protesters in Ouagadougou, and some were arrested, reports say.

The coup leaders have imposed a night-time curfew across Burkina Faso, and have ordered the closure of land and air borders, AFP reports.Burkina Faso coup 2015

The headquarters of Blaise Compaore’s Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP) party were ransacked in Ouagadougou as news of the coup spread, it adds.

Francois Hollande called for the immediate release of interim President Michel Kafando and PM Isaac Zida, who were detained at a cabinet meeting in the president palace on September 16.

Their transitional government was due to hand power to a new government after elections on October 11.

Blaise Compaore was ousted in a popular uprising last year after 27 years in power, and is currently in exile.

Some of his key allies had been barred from contesting the election.

A statement issued by the coup leaders said Burkina Faso would be led by Gen. Gilbert Diendere, Blaise Compaore’s former chief-of-staff.

An earlier announcement on state television said wide-ranging talks would be held to form a new interim government that would organize “peaceful and inclusive elections”.

Transitional parliamentary speaker Cheriff Sy said the move was “clearly a coup”.

Cheriff Sy said the presidential guard had “sequestrated” the interim government, and he urged people to protest on the streets.

“We are in a resistance situation against adversity,” he added.

Earlier, there was heavy shooting by presidential forces at the capital’s Revolution Square, where protesters had gathered to demand the release of the interim leaders.

The elite presidential guard has been trained, in part, by the US. It is the most powerful armed group in Burkina Faso and often disrupted the activities of the transitional government as it tried to cling to the privileges it enjoyed under Blaise Compaore’s rule.

It is seen to be close to him, and is not popular on the streets. So its seizure of power could be a recipe for serious violence.

The transitional government might have made two mistakes – preventing politicians loyal to Blaise Compaore from running in next month’s elections and allowing the Reconciliation Commission, formed to heal wounds after the end of his authoritarian rule, to release a report calling for the presidential guard to be disbanded.

Some argue that a newly elected president would have had greater legitimacy to take such action.

Refugee Crisis: UN Condemns Treatment of Asylum Seekers at Hungary-Serbia Border

Diane A. Wade
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Refugee Crisis: UN Condemns Treatment of Asylum Seekers at Hungary-Serbia Border

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said he is “shocked” after Hungarian riot police used tear gas and water cannon against refugees at Serbian border.

According to Ban Ki-moon, such treatment of asylum seekers was “unacceptable”.

Hundreds of refugees were involved in clashes at the Hungary-Serbia border on September 16, trying to breach a razor-wire fence.

More than 5,000 refugees have entered Croatia so far – avoiding Hungary – police say, and another 7,266 entered Germany on September 16.

German police said this was more than double the number that crossed the previous day, adding that most were picked up on the border with Austria.

Germany is the final goal of many refugees, as the EU remains divided over how to deal with the crisis.

Hungary defended its action, saying that 20 police officers were injured as refugees tried to break through a gate, and a spokesman accused migrants of using children as “human shields”.

At least two refugees were also injured, Hungarian and Serbian officials said.Hungary police fire at refugees

Hungary closed its entire border with Serbia on September 15 after making it illegal to enter the country or damage the border fence. The Hungarian courts have started fast-track trials of arrested refugees.

More than 200,000 people have already crossed into Hungary this year to enter the EU’s Schengen zone, which normally allows people to travel between member countries without restrictions.

Many are now heading for the Croatian border. Croatian police said 5,650 had crossed into the country.

Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic told national TV that the police were currently in control of the situation but if refugees continued to arrive in large numbers the authorities would have to think about taking a different approach.

On September 16, the Croatian officials said the country would allow migrants to travel to northern Europe.

Several hundred left the border by train, but thousands more have gathered to wait for further trains.

On September 16, there were chaotic scenes near the town of Horgos, with fires burning and police vehicles and ambulances arriving on the Serbian side of the border, across from massed ranks of riot police on the other side.

Some refugees threw missiles, including stones and water bottles.

The firing of tear gas and water cannon created a stampede of refugees away from the border.

Several people received treatment from the Serbian ambulance service, some suffering the effects of tear gas.

Serbian PM Aleksandar Vucic accused Hungary of being “brutal and “non-European”.

Serbia has said it will send additional police to its border with Hungary.

Chile Earthquake 2015: One Million People Evacuated as Tremor Triggers Tsunami Alert

Diane A. Wade
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Chile Earthquake 2015: One Million People Evacuated as Tremor Triggers Tsunami Alert

More than one million people have been evacuated in Chile after an 8.3-magnitude earthquake hit the country’s central region.

At least five people died when the quake hit at 19:54 local time.

A tsunami alert was originally issued for the entire Chilean coast but has been partly lifted since.

Chile’s deputy interior minister said it was the sixth most powerful quake to hit the country. Seismologists have reported dozens of aftershocks.

Three people died of heart attacks and another two were crushed by falling walls and masonry, officials said.

A local mayor reported a sixth victim, a 19-year-old who was crushed to death in the town of Monte Patria, although this has not been confirmed.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck off the coast of Chile’s Coquimbo region, 29 miles west of the city of Illapel.

The USGS said it was at a depth of 16 miles, while Chilean seismologists calculated its depth at 7 miles.

Residents of Illapel fled into the streets in terror, local media reported.

Photo AP
Photo AP

People in coastal areas sought shelter on higher ground while those in cities sought safety in the streets.

The earthquake caused buildings to sway in cities as far away as the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.

The tremor struck as thousands of Chileans were travelling to the coast ahead of a week of celebrations for Independence Day.

The authorities were quick to issue tsunami alerts keen to avert a repeat of the slow response to the 8.8-magnitude quake in 2010, which devastated large areas of Chile.

More than 500 people died in the quake and the tsunami it triggered and memories of the tragedy are still raw.

Tsunami alerts were issued shortly after the earthquake struck for the entire Chilean coast as well as Peru, Hawaii, parts of California and as far away as New Zealand.

They remain in effect in some of the worst affected areas, but have been lifted in those further away from the quake’s epicenter.

President Michelle Bachelet said that “once again we must confront a powerful blow from nature”.

The president will travel to the affected areas on September 17.

Officials said 1,800 people in the worst hit town of Illapel were left without drinking water.

Electricity providers said hundreds of thousands of their clients had no power.

Chile is one of the most seismically active locations on the globe.

It runs along the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juzNPM7wRbg

GOP Debate 2015: Donald Trump Still Dominates Second Republican Debate

Diane A. Wade
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GOP Debate 2015: Donald Trump Still Dominates Second Republican Debate

Donald Trump has dominated a second Republican debate between the top GOP presidential candidates in the 2016 election.

The front-runner has come under attack from all sides in a debate with an outsider candidate – former tech executive Carly Fiorina – challenging Donald Trump in a way few rivals have.

Donald Trump, a billionaire businessman with no political experience, refused to apologize over comments about the wife of Jeb Bush.

And he was on the receiving end when Carly Fiorina drew huge applause facing up to his recent jibe over her looks.

Fifteen Republicans are vying to be the party’s White House nominee in 2016.

With more than a year until polling day, the second Republican debate in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California saw Jeb Bush and Donald Trump trading blows several times.Donald Trump second Republican debate 2015

Their most notable clash in the debate, hosted by CNN, came when former Florida Governor Jeb Bush demanded that the tycoon apologize to his wife for saying he was weak on immigration because she is Mexican. Donald Trump refused.

But the loudest audience response of the night came when Carly Fiorina was asked about an interview in which Donald Trump said she could not be president because: “Look at that face.”

Carly replied, to thunderous applause: “I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said.”

Moderator Jake Tapper gives Carly Fiorina the chance to respond to Donald Trump’s comments about her in Rolling Stone magazine in which he said: “Look at that face. Would anyone vote for that. Can you imagine that as the face of our next president?”

Donald Trump later said he was talking about her persona, not her appearance.

If Donald Trump predictably took plenty of punches, as the candidate who has held a commanding lead for much of the campaign, he gave as good he got throughout the debate in his trademark style.

Donald Trump returned fire on Kentucky Senator Rand Paul with an oblique personal insult about his appearance, mocked the fiscal record of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and introduced himself with the words: “I say, not in a braggadocios way, I’ve made billions and billions of dollars.”

A second-tier debate for the four other Republican candidates happened on the same stage earlier.

In a combative atmosphere, the four were split over the case of Kim Davis, a Kentucky clerk jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples due to her Christian faith.

The Democratic Party will hold its first debate in Nevada in October, also hosted by CNN.

By next summer, each party will have a presidential nominee who will do battle in the race for the White House.

Votes will finally be cast in November 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8sEy7DJIZQ

Robert Mugabe’s Deputy Submits Correct Speech to Zimbabwe Parliament

Diane A. Wade
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Robert Mugabe’s Deputy Submits Correct Speech to Zimbabwe Parliament

Zimbabwe’s Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa has submitted to parliament a speech that President Robert Mugabe was supposed to deliver a day after the 91-year-old leader accidentally gave the wrong one.

On September 15, Robert Mugabe read a state-of-the-nation address he gave in August.

The error has been blamed on a mix-up in the president’s office.

It took Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa two hours to submit the correct version because of demands from opposition members of parliament for an apology.Robert Mugabe wrong speech 2015

Today’s extraordinary session was called so that Robert Mugabe’s speech could be officially recorded. The state-run Herald newspaper has printed the speech in full.

It says that the government plans to introduce legislation requiring senior public officials to declare assets as part of measures to tackle corruption.

The speech mix-up has prompted questions from the opposition over whether President Robert Mugabe remains fit to lead.

The state broadcaster had canceled its live feed of the opening of parliament on September 15 fearing further disruptions.

Opposition members of parliament belonging to Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) reportedly kept quiet during the speech, as Zanu-PF supporters clapped at regular intervals.

However MDC spokesman Obert Gutu later told the Reuters news agency that it was “a historic blunder”, adding: “Anyone who is still of a sound mind would have quickly picked it up that the speech was the wrong one.”

Robert Mugabe, who has been in power since 1980, is Africa’s oldest leader.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml8U3RNtN5Q

Ahmed Mohamed: No Charges for Clock-Making Student

Nancy Clayson
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Ahmed Mohamed: No Charges for Clock-Making Student

Police have decided not to charge Ahmed Mohamed, the 14-year-old Muslim student who was arrested for bringing a homemade clock to school.

Officials at MacArthur High School in Irving alerted police because they thought the device was a “hoax bomb”.

Ahmed Mohamed’s arrest has been sharply criticized, and the boy has received an outpouring of support including an invitation to the White House.

The teenager’s family believes he was detained because of his name.

“We have always had an outstanding relationship with the Muslim community,” Irving Police Department chief Larry Boyd said on September 16.Ahmed Mohamed clock making student

“Incidents like this present challenges. We want to learn how we can move forward and turn this into a positive.”

Ahmed Mohamed was placed in handcuffs and fingerprinted. He was released after it was determined there was no threat.

Under the hashtag “#IstandwithAhmed,” thousands of Twitter users praised the boy’s initiative and questioned why he was detained including NASA scientists, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and President Barack Obama.

“Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It’s what makes America great,” Barack Obama wrote on Twitter.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations says it is investigating the incident.

Ahmed Mohamed said that he had made a clock at home and brought it to school to show his engineering teacher.

He said his engineering teacher had congratulated him but advised him “not to show any other teachers”.

Ahmed Mohamed said another teacher became aware of it when the device beeped during the lesson.

“She was like – it looks like a bomb,” he said.

The homemade clock consisted of a circuit board with wires leading to a digital display.

Later in the day Ahmed Mohamed was pulled out of class, interviewed by the head teachers and four police officers, and put into juvenile detention.

The school issued a statement saying it “always ask our students and staff to immediately report if they observe any suspicious items”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq7hBuvb5KU

Refugee Crisis: Hungary Police Use Tear Gas and Water Cannon at Serbian Border

Diane A. Wade
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Refugee Crisis: Hungary Police Use Tear Gas and Water Cannon at Serbian Border

Hungary police have used tear gas and water cannon to force refugees back from the Serbian border.

Hundreds of refugees have massed at a closed crossing point near the Serbian town of Horgos, and are involved in a tense stand-off with police on the other side of the border.

Some migrants threw missiles, including stones and water bottles.

Many of the refugees want to reach Germany, amid divisions within the EU over how to deal with the crisis.

Tens of thousands of people have crossed into Hungary to enter the EU’s Schengen zone, which normally allows people to travel between member countries without restrictions.

Hungary closed its entire border with Serbia on September 15 after making it illegal to enter the country or damage a new razor-wire border fence. The country’s courts have started fast-track trials of arrested migrants.

Serbia’s foreign ministry – which has protested over the firing of tear gas and water cannon into its territory – says Hungary has now closed the main border crossing between the two countries to all traffic for 30 days.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

There were chaotic scenes near Horgos, with fires burning and police vehicles and ambulances arriving on the Serbian side of the border, across from massed ranks of riot police on the Hungarian side.

The Hungarian government says 20 police officers were injured as migrants tried to break through a gate.

The firing of tear gas and water cannon created a stampede of migrants away from the border.

Several people received treatment from the Serbian ambulance service, some suffering the effects of tear gas.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said he is “shocked” by the treatment of migrants.

Serbian minister Aleksandar Vulin, visiting the scene, said the migrants’ frustration was understandable after Hungary closed the border.

“Hungary must show it is ready and capable to accept these people,” he said.

Serbia has said it will send additional police to its border with Hungary and try to distance migrants from the fence.

“The aim is to prevent further attacks on the Hungarian police from our territory and in a humane and respectful way distance the migrants from the fence and the Hungarian police,” said Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic in a statement.

Meanwhile, Croatia has said it will allow migrants to travel on to northern Europe, opening up a new route a day after Hungary sealed its border with Serbia.

A steady stream of migrants is crossing into Croatia from Serbia, with some of those stranded on Serbia’s border with Hungary now using the same route.

Croatian PM Zoran Milanovic said: “We are ready to accept and direct those people… to where they apparently wish to go.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8ZRapsZIFA

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