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Harvey Weinstein Scandal: NYPD and UK Police Launch Investigations into Assault Allegations

Lisa.Felice
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Harvey Weinstein Scandal: NYPD and UK Police Launch Investigations into Assault Allegations

The US and UK police are conducting investigations into assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein.

The NYPD is looking into an allegation dating from 2004 and is reviewing whether there are any additional complaints.

Meanwhile, London’s Metropolitan Police has received an allegation of assault in the London area in the 1980s.

Harvey Weinstein, 65, has “unequivocally denied” any allegations of non-consensual intercourse.

The NYPD said it was “looking to speak” to an individual who had made an allegation dating from 2004.

Assistant Commissioner J. Peter Donald said: “Based on information referenced in published news reports, the NYPD is conducting a review to determine if there are any additional complaints relating to the Harvey Weinstein matter.

“No filed complaints have been identified as of this time.”

The force also appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

Image source Flickr

Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow Latest to Accuse Harvey Weinstein of Harassment

Georgina Chapman Leaves Harvey Weinstein Following Harassment Scandal

Matt Damon Denies Helping to Cover Up Harvey Weinstein Story in 2004

London’s Met Police, meanwhile, said it had been passed the allegation of assault by Merseyside Police.

A Merseyside Police statement said it “can confirm a report was received at 8.40 am on Wednesday (October 11, 2017) of an alleged s**ual assault in the London area in the 1980s”.

The investigations come as more women publicly accuse Harvey Weinstein of inappropriate behavior, harassment or assault.

Kate Beckinsale is one of the latest, saying she had an encounter with the film producer at the age of 17, at the Savoy Hotel in London.

The actress said on Instagram she was told to go to Harvey Weinstein’s room, where he “opened the door in his bathrobe”.

“After declining alcohol and announcing that I had school in the morning I left, uneasy but unscathed.

“A few years later he asked me if he had tried anything with me in that first meeting. I realized he couldn’t remember if he had assaulted me or not,” the British actress said.

Cara Delevingne also said Harvey Weinstein tried to kiss her as she tried to leave a hotel room.

Emma Thompson also said sh4 found him to be a “bully” when his company Miramax owned the rights to her film Nanny McPhee.

According to The New Yorker, three women have accused Harvey Weinstein of rape.

His spokeswoman Sallie Hofmeister has said the producer “obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations, but with respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr. Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual.

“Mr. Weinstein has begun counseling, has listened to the community and is pursuing a better path.”

Speaking on October 11, Harvey Weinstein said: “We all make mistakes – second chance I hope.”

The movie mogul told TMZ: “Guys I’m not doing OK but I’m trying; I’ve got to get help. I’m hanging in – I’m trying my best.”

TMZ reported Harvey Weinstein was heading to Arizona to a treatment facility.

As he departed in a car, the producer made a plea for fair treatment from reporters, saying: “I’ve always been loyal to you guys… I’ve been a good guy.”

Meanwhile, the hosts of the Oscars are to hold emergency talks this weekend to consider Harvey Weinstein’s future role.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said the allegations of assault against him were “repugnant”.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has already suspended Harvey Weinstein’s membership.

A statement has also been issued by Cannes Film Festival, which Harvey Weinstein attended many times.

President Pierre Lescure said the festival had been “dismayed to learn of the accusations”.

US and Israel Quit UNESCO

Diane A. Wade
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0
US and Israel Quit UNESCO

The US has decided to pull out of the UN’s cultural organization UNESCO, after US officials cited “anti-Israel bias”.

Following its decision, Israel has announced it will join the US in quitting UNESCO.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu praised the US decision as “brave and moral”, a statement said.

UNESCO is known for designating world heritage sites such as Syria’s Palmyra and the US Grand Canyon.

The agency’s head Irina Bokova earlier called the US withdrawal a matter of “profound regret”.

Image source Wikimedia

UNESCO suspends US voting rights

Syrian Army Retakes Palmyra from ISIS

ISIS destroys historic artefacts at Mosul museum

The US withdrawal will become effective at the end of December 2018 – until then, the US will remain a full member. The US will establish an observer mission at the Paris-based organization to replace its representation, the state department said.

Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted he had instructed his foreign ministry to “prepare Israel’s withdrawal… in parallel with the United States”.

The decision follows a string of UNESCO decisions that have drawn criticism from the US and Israel.

In 2011, the US cut its funding to UNESCO in protest at its decision to grant full membership to the Palestinians.

Last year, Israel suspended co-operation with UNESCO after the agency adopted a controversial resolution which made no reference to Jewish ties to a key holy site in Jerusalem.

The resolution also criticized Israel’s activities at holy places in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

Then earlier this year, PM Benjamin Netanyahu condemned UNESCO for declaring the Old City of Hebron in the West Bank a Palestinian World Heritage site.

He accused UNESCO of ignoring Judaism’s ancient connection to the city, which includes the crypt where its matriarchs and patriarchs are buried.

What To Inspect Before You Sign An Office Lease

Dana R
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What To Inspect Before You Sign An Office Lease

Office leases vary from city to city, and the laws regarding them do also. Getting yourself an office for your business is a big step, and thus requires a lot of consideration. First of all, you’ll need to know whether you can expand, and secondly, what expansion is going to take out of you. Below are a few of those important considerations that absolutely need to be thought out at length, usually with the entire company in mind.

contract

Image Source

Whether the Space is Big Enough

This is the main concern for obvious reasons, yet there’s a great amount of variance in why. For example, if you need to hold a meeting and your table isn’t big enough to fit everyone who needs to be there, can an event furniture rental fit in more items for you?

Of course, this is a small consideration compared to the other elements: the rentable space inside your office may come to a lot more than you originally thought, as each square foot is taxed by the landlord.

Also be sure to consider where in a building you want to be. The ground floor has walk in privileges, and the top floor has the view. Usually, the ground floor will have a higher taxable rate, so weigh up whether or not that will be a good investment.

Whether You Can Keep Up with the Costs

This isn’t only the rent each month, but the maintenance and utility bills that you’re going to incur. Knowing who has to pay for what is integral to bypassing any extraneous costs that you did not know you agreed upon when signing the lease. If the lease lasts longer than the usual year, you may be in for a downfall if you find yourself in a situation like this.

To make sure you aren’t accosted by extra expenses, have an agreement set out with a landlord from the beginning, of everything you would have to pay for. Anything that they can claim back when it comes to garnering money out of you should be defined by the law and not whimsical means. It means you won’t have random bills slipped through your door when the landlord needs the money, and you won’t be down in your profit due to this kind of manipulation.

When it comes to the rent cost, this can go up and down depending on how long you plan to stay, and where you are situated. Knowing why your rent may go up is a good preliminary step to take, and therefore calculating your taxes and expenses in advance will give you a good baseline on how much is needed to set aside.

Commercial real estate has both benefits and drawbacks to it, and with the rising inflation across the world, you can never be sure if the rent prices will be up or down. Do your research, get the lease length you know you can keep up with, and let your business growth soar as a result.

President Donald Trump Threatens to Challenge NBC’s License Following Nuclear Report

Diane A. Wade
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President Donald Trump Threatens to Challenge NBC’s License Following Nuclear Report

President Donald Trump has threatened to challenge media licenses for NBC News and other news networks after unfavorable reports.

The president took aim at NBC, which made him a star on The Apprentice, after the broadcaster reported he wanted to boost America’s nuclear arsenal almost tenfold.

President Trump labeled NBC report “fake news” and “pure fiction”.

NBC also angered the White House last week when it said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had called President Trump “a moron”.

Donald Trump tweeted on October 12: “With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License? Bad for country!”

Welcoming Canadian PM Justin Trudeau to Washington later in the day, the president denied the NBC story.

“It is frankly disgusting the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write, and people should look into it,” President Trump said at the White House.

When asked if he wanted to increase the country’s arsenal, the president said he only ever discussed keeping it in “perfect condition”.

“No, I want to have absolutely perfectly maintained – which we are in the process of doing – nuclear force.

“But when they said I want 10 times what we have right now, it’s totally unnecessary, believe me.”

Donald Trump added: “I want modernization and I want total rehabilitation. It’s got to be in tip-top shape.”

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis also disputed NBC’s story, saying in a statement: “Recent reports that the President called for an increase in the US nuclear arsenal are absolutely false.

“This kind of erroneous reporting is irresponsible.”

Image source Flickr

Donald Trump Dumped by NBC over Mexico Comments

Brian Williams quits NBC Nightly News for several days after false Iraq story

Ann Curry takes $10M from NBC after she was fired from the Today Show

President Trump’s tweet about news networks provoked a free-speech uproar.

Walter Shaub, who led the US Office of Government Ethics under President Barack Obama, said it could lead to “the point when we cease to be a democracy”.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said President Trump’s comment was a poor example for other world leaders.

NBC News reported that President Trump told a top-level meeting at the Pentagon in July that he wanted to dramatically boost the American stockpile of atomic missiles.

The president reportedly made the request after seeing a downward-sloping curve on a briefing slide charting the gradual decrease in US nuclear weapons since the 1960s.

Attributing its report to three officials in the room, NBC said President Trump’s request surprised those present, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

NBC reported that President Trump had also called for additional US troops and military equipment.

The US has 7,100 nuclear weapons and Russia has 7,300, according to the US non-partisan Arms Control Association.

Media commentators say Donald Trump would struggle to remove broadcasters’ licenses if he wished to do so.

The Federal Communications Commission, which regulates broadcasters, issues licenses not to networks as a whole, but to local stations.

NBC owns nearly 30 local stations.

Vietnam Floods Kill at Least 37, Thousands Evacuated

Diane A. Wade
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Vietnam Floods Kill at Least 37, Thousands Evacuated

At least 37 people have died and dozens are missing as floods and landslides ravaged northern and central Vietnam.

Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes, as a tropical depression sweeps across northern and central Vietnam.

Among the missing is a local journalist reporting on the floods, who was swept away after a river bridge collapsed.

Vietnam often experiences severe storms, and sees several deaths every year from floods.

Image source Wikimedia

Vietnam floods: At least 28 people died as heavy rains hit Quang Ngai province

Vietnam seeks international help as mystery skin disease killed 19 people

The latest bout began on October 9, and weather officials have warned that the tropical depression may intensify into a more powerful storm in coming days.

The northern Yen Bai and Hoa Binh provinces have been particularly hard hit, with reports of widespread inundation and deadly landslides, and homes washed away.

On October 11, several people, including a Vietnam News Agency reporter, were swept away by a torrential river after a bridge they were crossing in Yen Bai collapsed, local media said.

According to state media, meanwhile 18 people were buried in an overnight landslide in Hoa Binh, with most of them still missing by October 12.

Hundreds of soldiers have been deployed for rescue efforts. A disaster agency official told AFP that they were “mobilizing all forces to search for the missing”.

What Is It About Games That Keeps Us Coming Back For More?

Dana R
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0
What Is It About Games That Keeps Us Coming Back For More?

If you’re a gamer, it makes sense to want to know a little more about how games function and why they’re so successful and getting us hooked. No one wants to feel like a lemming that gets easily trapped in the need to keep playing and coming back. But anyone who has ever played games will know that we all do that. So, how does it happen? Here are some of the factors that are most important in keeping is coming back for more.

Simplicity and Complexity

Once we feel like we’ve mastered the mechanic of the game, we want to push further or even learn even more about it. Some of the most simple games actually have the most to learn. For example, fighting games are simple on the surface. Two in-game characters fight each other until one wins. But there is a huge range of combos and moves that can be learned. So, the simplicity draws people in, while the complexity keeps them coming back.

Rewards

Rewards are often given in games. This can happen in many different ways. For example, if you continue playing through a game, you will often unlock new things that allow you to do new things and get more mileage out of the game. Then there are the more overt examples of games that give out rewards for winning, such as Unibet roulette. These all work on the same basis. We want to win and be rewarded, and that makes us want to keep playing.

Going One Better

High scores have long been features of gaming, and this goes all the way back to Pac-Man. It’s a great way to keep us coming back because we can see how well we did last time and how well we might do if you just give the game one more try. And then one more, and one more. It’s no surprise that so many very simple games have lasted a long time and remained popular when they use this basic technique.

Image Source

Social Connections

For many games, it’s our need for social connections that keep us coming back for more. Large online multiplayer games can feed our need to interact with other people and make connections. They simulate that social interaction very well. And these days, most gamers use gaming as a tool for socialising with friends. They play games together and talk to each other via microphones and headsets.

In-Game Leveling Up

Studies and research have found that games that have a leveling up mechanic build into them are much more successful at getting us hooked on the gameplay. If we’re a level 1, we want to become a level 2. And if we’re a level 78, we want to be a level 79. And on it goes. You can see this in expansive video games like Skyrim, Destiny and World of Warcraft. We want to feel like we’re getting better and continually pushing on to the next level.

Video games keep us coming back for more, and now you know how. If they didn’t, we wouldn’t spend so much time playing them.

Matt Damon Denies Helping to Cover Up Harvey Weinstein Story in 2004

Lisa.Felice
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Matt Damon Denies Helping to Cover Up Harvey Weinstein Story in 2004

Matt Damon has denied trying to “kill” a story about Harvey Weinstein’s behavior when it was investigated by journalist Sharon Waxman thirteen years ago.

Sharon Waxman has said she looked into rumors that an employee of Harvey Weinstein in Italy was procuring women for him.

The journalist said Matt Damon and Russell Crowe called her to vouch for the employee.

However, Matt Damon has said he did not know the detail of the allegations.

“I would never, ever, ever try to kill a story like that,” the actor told Deadline.

“I just wouldn’t do that. It’s not something I would do, for anybody.”

Sharon Waxman, who then worked for the New York Times, was ultimately unable to publish any allegations relating to Harvey Weinstein’s behavior.

Image source Wikimedia

Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow Latest to Accuse Harvey Weinstein of Harassment

Georgina Chapman Leaves Harvey Weinstein Following Harassment Scandal

Matt Damon disappointed by Barack Obama

Matt Damon said Harvey Weinstein told him the New York Times story would be claiming the Italian executive “had no professional experience”. He said the producer asked him to “tell her that he was a professional and you had a good experience, and that was it”.

He said: “I was never conscripted to do anything. We vouch for each other, all the time.”

The actor added: “I’m sure I mentioned to her that I didn’t know anything about the rest of her piece, because I didn’t.”

Matt Damon said that he had never seen inappropriate behavior during time spent making films with Harvey Weinstein.

“I think a lot of actors have come out and said, <<everybody’s saying we all knew>>. That’s not true,” the actor said.

“This type of predation happens behind closed doors, and out of public view. If there was ever an event that I was at and Harvey was doing this kind of thing and I didn’t see it, then I am so deeply sorry, because I would have stopped it.”

Russell Crowe hasn’t commented.

Sharon Waxman claimed the 2004 New York Times story was “gutted” after “intense pressure” from Harvey Weinstein. The paper went on to break the story of the latest allegations at the weekend.

The New York Times’ executive editor Dean Baquet, who wasn’t working for the paper in 2004, said: “It is unimaginable to me that The Times killed a story because of pressure from Harvey Weinstein, who was and is an advertiser.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YTzHTAeW2w

California Wildfires: At Least 17 Dead and More Than 150 Missing

Nancy Clayson
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California Wildfires: At Least 17 Dead and More Than 150 Missing

According to California police, more than 150 people are missing in wildfires that have ravaged the state’s northern wine region.

At least 17 people are now confirmed dead and more than 2,000 buildings have been destroyed by the fires which broke out on October 8.

Eleven of the deaths have been in Sonoma County.

One of the worst affected towns there is Santa Rosa, north of San Francisco, where entire districts have been destroyed.

According to the Sonoma County sheriff’s office, 155 people were still unaccounted for, although that could be due to the chaotic pace of the evacuations.

Image source Wikimedia

California Wildfires Kill at Least 13 in Wine Country

California wildfires spark evacuations

California Sand Fire: Wildfires Prompt Evacuations Near Los Angeles

In neighboring Napa County, victims included 100-year-old Charles Rippey and his 98-year-old wife, Sarah, police said.

The wildfires are among the deadliest in California’s history and have sent smoke as far south as San Francisco, about 60 miles away.

According to officials, more than 17 fires had burned about 115,000 acres in the past 24 hours.

There was some good news when winds that had been fanning the flames eased, helping firefighters to bring some of the blazes under control.

In Santa Rosa, a Hilton hotel and a mobile home park were destroyed. Tens of thousands of Sonoma County residents have fled, authorities said.

At least four wineries had suffered “total or very significant losses”, Napa Valley Vintners said, with nine others reporting some damage to buildings or vineyards.

More than 91,000 homes and businesses are without power.

California Governor Jerry Brown declared states of emergency in Sonoma, Napa and five other counties.

President Donald Trump has also approved a disaster declaration, allowing federal emergency aid to be disbursed.

North Korea Crisis: US Flies Bombers over Korean Peninsula

Roy Siemens
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North Korea Crisis: US Flies Bombers over Korean Peninsula

The US and South Korea have conducted a joint military exercise, flying two strategic bombers over the Korean peninsula.

The B-1B combat bombers were joined by two South Korean F-15K fighter jets, and carried out air-to-ground missile drills off South Korean waters.

The move comes amid heightened tensions with North Korea over its nuclear program.

North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test, and launched two missiles over Japan, in recent months.

The bombers took off from the US Pacific territory of Guam on October 10, before entering South Korean airspace and conducting firing exercises over the East Sea and Yellow Sea, South Korea’s military said.

The training was part of a program of “extended deterrence” against North Korea, it added.

Image source Andersen Air Force Base

North Korean Hackers Reportedly Stole US, South Korea War Plans and Other Military Secrets

US Extends Travel Ban to North Korea, Venezuela and Chad

North Korea Warns that More Sanctions Will Accelerate Its Nuclear Program

The US said Japan’s air force also took part in the drill.

According to the White House, President Donald Trump met top officials from his national security team on Tuesday night for a briefing on ways to respond to threats from North Korea.

President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have exchanged heated rhetoric in recent weeks.

In aspeech at the UN last month, President Trump accused Kim Jong-un of being “on a suicide mission” – while the North Korean leader responded by vowing to “tame the mentally deranged US dotard with fire”.

On October 11, a South Korean lawmaker said North Korean hackers had reportedly stolen a large cache of military documents from his country, including a plan to assassinate Kim Jong-un, and wartime contingency plans drawn up by the US and South Korea.

The South Korean defense ministry refused to comment about the allegation, while North Korea denied the claim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zYmXZ8Hq0Q

Georgina Chapman Leaves Harvey Weinstein Following Harassment Scandal

Lisa.Felice
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0
Georgina Chapman Leaves Harvey Weinstein Following Harassment Scandal

Harvey Weinstein’s wife, Georgina Chapman, says she is leaving the Hollywood producer following allegations of harassment against him from a string of actresses.

Georgina Chapman, 41, said Harvey Weinstein’s actions were “unforgivable”.

Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow are the latest actresses to come forward with accusations of harassment. Both said the incidents happened early in their careers.

On October 10, Harvey Weinstein also denied allegations of rape made in The New Yorker magazine.

On October 8, Harvey Weinstein was fired from his own film studio. The Weinstein Company board said on October 10 that they would help any criminal investigation.

Georgina Chapman told People magazine: “My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions.”

The London-born designer and Harvey Weinstein, 65, have two children together.

Image source Wikimedia

Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow Latest to Accuse Harvey Weinstein of Harassment

Weinstein brothers sue Warner Bros over The Hobbit installments

Harvey Weinstein’s SEAL Team Six: The Raid On Osama Bin Laden film was re-cut to add more Barack Obama footage

Meanwhile former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have joined the growing public condemnation.

In a statement the Obamas said they were “disgusted by the recent reports about Harvey Weinstein” and added that they “celebrate the courage of women who have come forward”.

Harvey Weinstein was a big donor to the Democratic Party under Barack Obama’s leadership. The Obamas’ eldest daughter Malia worked as an intern at The Weinstein Company in New York earlier this year.

Harvey Weinstein also donated to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. Hilalry Clinton said she was “shocked and appalled” by the revelations.

Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow both sent statements about Harvey Weinstein’s behavior to the New York Times, which first reported allegations against him last week.

Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow Latest to Accuse Harvey Weinstein of Harassment

Lisa.Felice
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0
Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow Latest to Accuse Harvey Weinstein of Harassment

Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow are the latest actresses to allege they were victims of harassment by Harvey Weinstein.

Both actresses said the incidents happened early in their careers.

Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow join a string of actresses accusing the Hollywood producer of harassment.

On October 10, the producer denied allegations of rape made in The New Yorker magazine.

His wife, designer Georgina Chapman, said on the same day that she was leaving him.

Georgina Chapman, 41, told People magazine: “My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions.”

London-born Georgina Chapman, co-founder of fashion label Marchesa, and Harvey Weinstein, 65, have two children together.

The mogul has also been fired over the allegations by his Hollywood studio The Weinstein Company.

Image source Flickr

Harvey Weinstein’s SEAL Team Six: The Raid On Osama Bin Laden film was re-cut to add more Barack Obama footage

Weinstein brothers sue Warner Bros over The Hobbit installments

Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have added their voice to growing demonstrations of public outrage. Their eldest daughter Malia worked as an intern at The Weinstein Company in New York earlier this year.

A statement released by the Obamas says they “have been disgusted by the recent reports about Harvey Weinstein”.

It adds they “celebrate the courage of women who have come forward”.

Also on October 10, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie both sent statements to the New York Times, which first reported allegations against him last week.

Angelina Jolie said in an email: “I had a bad experience with Harvey Weinstein in my youth, and as a result, chose never to work with him again and warn others when they did.

“This behavior towards women in any field, any country is unacceptable.”

In a statement, Gwyneth Paltrow alleged that, after Harvey Weinstein cast her in the leading role in Emma, he summoned her to his hotel suite, where he placed his hands on her and suggested massages in his bedroom.

“I was a kid, I was signed up, I was petrified,” the actress told the NYT.

Gwyneth Paltrow said she told her then-boyfriend Brad Pitt about the incident, and said he confronted Harvey Weinstein.

“I thought he was going to fire me,” she said.

The separate New Yorker report says that 16 former and current employees at Harvey Weinstein’s companies told the magazine “they witnessed or had knowledge of unwanted advances and touching at events associated with Weinstein’s films and in the workplace”.

The magazine quotes actress and director Asia Argento and Lucia Stoller, now Lucia Evans – who says she was an aspiring actress when Harvey Weinstein allegedly approached her in 2004. Both say they were forced into s**ual acts by the producer.

A third woman, who did not want to be named, said Harvey Weinstein had “forced himself on me s**ually”.

Asia Argento said she has not spoken until now because she feared it would ruin her career to do so.

“That’s why this story – in my case, it’s 20 years old, some of them are old – has never come out,” she told the New Yorker.

Other allegations in the piece came from Mira Sorvino, who won an Oscar in 1996 for her role in Mighty Aphrodite for Miramax, a studio headed by Harvey Weinstein at the time. She told the magazine that Harvey Weinstein had tried to pressure her into a relationship.

Roseanna Arquette also said that she rejected Harvey Weinstein’s advances and that she believes her acting career suffered as a result.

Harvey Weinstein’s spokeswoman Sallie Hofmeister issued a statement in response to the article.

“Any allegations of non-consensual s** are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein,” she said.

“Mr. Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances.

“Mr. Weinstein obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations, but with respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr. Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual. Mr. Weinstein has begun counseling, has listened to the community and is pursuing a better path.”

Former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton shared a statement saying that she was “shocked and appalled” by the revelations about Harvey Weinstein, who donated to her 2016 presidential campaign and has been a major donor to the Democratic Party.

Donald Trump Challenges Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to IQ Test

Diane A. Wade
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0
Donald Trump Challenges Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to IQ Test

President Donald Trump is challenging Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to an IQ test, in the latest sign of discord between the two.

The president made the remark during an interview with Forbes magazine when asked about reports that Rex Tillerson had called him a moron.

“I think it’s fake news,” Donald Trump told the magazine, “but if he did that, I guess we’ll have to compare IQ tests. And I can tell you who is going to win.”

On October 10, President Trump had lunch with Rex Tillerson.

Shortly beforehand, President Trump maintained he still had confidence in the secretary of state.

“I did not undercut anybody,” he also told reporters.

“I don’t believe in undercutting people.”

Image source Wikimedia

Rex Tillerson: “US Is In Direct Contact with North Korea”

Rex Tillerson: “US Government Is Not Seeking Regime Change in North Korea”

Military Action against North Korea Is An Option on Table, Says Rex Tillerson

Asked about Donald Trump’s IQ test challenge, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told the daily news briefing: “It was a joke. You should get a sense of humor.”

Reports have swirled of a schism in the Trump administration between the commander-in-chief and his top diplomat, as the US faces a host of vexatious foreign policy conundrums, from North Korea to Iran.

Last week, Rex Tillerson called a news conference to dismiss reports that he was considering quitting.

However, Rex Tillerson did not deny an NBC News report that he had called Donald Trump a moron after a July meeting at the Pentagon.

Earlier this month, President Trump publicly undercut the former ExxonMobile chief executive by tweeting that he was “wasting his time” trying to negotiate with nuclear-armed North Korea.

Last week, the New York Times reported that the secretary of state was astonished at how little President Trump grasps the basics of foreign policy.

According to the newspaper, quoting sources close to the secretary of state, President Trump has been irritated by Rex Tillerson’s body language during meetings.

Rex Tillerson is said to roll his eyes or slouch when he disagrees with the president’s decisions.

Catalonia Signs Declaration of Independence from Spain, But Proposes to Suspend Vote Result

Diane A. Wade
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Catalonia Signs Declaration of Independence from Spain, But Proposes to Suspend Vote Result

Catalan leaders, including President Carles Puigdemont, have signed a declaration of independence from Spain, following the October 1 disputed referendum.

However, the Catalan leaders say the move will not be implemented immediately to allow talks with the Spanish central government.

It is unclear whether the document – calling for Catalonia to be recognized as an “independent and sovereign state” – has any legal status.

The move was immediately dismissed by the Spain’s government.

Catalonia independence referendum – which Catalan leaders say resulted in a Yes vote for independence – was declared invalid by Spain’s Constitutional Court.

Earlier in the day, Carles Puigdemont told the Catalan parliament in Barcelona that the region had won the right to be independent as a result of the referendum.

According to Catalan officials, the referendum resulted in almost 90% of voters backing independence. However, anti-independence voters largely boycotted the ballot – which had a reported turnout of 43% – and there were several reports of irregularities.

Image source Wikimedia

Catalonia Independence: Spain’s Constitutional Court Suspends Catalan Parliament’s Session

Catalonia Independence: King Felipe VI of Spain Says Referendum Organizers Put Themselves Outside the Law

Catalonia Independence Referendum: Carles Puigdemont Says Spanish Region Won Right to Statehood

Catalonia Independence: Mossos d’Esquadra Major Josep Lluis Trapero In Madrid Court on Suspicion of Sedition

National police were involved in violent scenes as they manhandled voters while implementing the legal ruling banning the referendum.

The declaration reads: “We call on all states and international organizations to recognize the Catalan republic as an independent and sovereign state.”

Carles Puigdemont told the regional parliament that the “people’s will” was to break away from Madrid, but he also said he wanted to “de-escalate” the tension around the issue.

“We are all part of the same community and we need to go forward together. The only way forward is democracy and peace,” the Catalan president told deputies.

He also said Catalonia was being denied the right to self-determination, and paying too much in taxes to the central government in Madrid.

Spain’s Deputy PM Soraya Saenz de Santamaria responded to the declaration by saying: “Neither Mr. Puigdemont nor anybody else can claim… to impose mediation.

“Any dialogue between democrats has to take place within the law.”

Spain’s PM Mariano Rajoy has called an extraordinary cabinet meeting for October 11 to address the latest moves in the crisis.

Independence supporters had been sharing the Catalan hashtag #10ODeclaració (10 October Declaration) on Twitter, amid expectations that Carles Puigdemont would ask parliament to declare independence on the basis of the referendum law it passed last month.

However, influential figures including Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau and European Council President Donald Tusk had urged Carles Puigdemont to step back from declaring independence.

Catalonia, a region of Spain for centuries but with its own distinct language and culture, enjoys broad autonomy under the Spanish constitution.

However, a 2005 amendment redefining the region as a “nation”, boosting the status of the Catalan language and increasing local control over taxes and the judiciary, was reversed by the Constitutional Court in 2010.

The economic crisis further fuelled discontent and pro-independence parties took power in the region in the 2015 elections.

Catalonia is one of Spain’s wealthiest regions, accounting for a quarter of the country’s exports. However, a stream of companies have announced plans to move their head offices out of Catalonia in response to the crisis.

The EU has made clear that should Catalonia split from Spain, the region would cease to be part of the European Union.

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

Kenya Elections 2017: Raila Odinga Pull Out of Election Re-Run

Diane A. Wade
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0
Kenya Elections 2017: Raila Odinga Pull Out of Election Re-Run

Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga has decided to withdraw from October’s election re-run.

Raila Odinga said his decision would give the electoral commission enough time to introduce reforms that will help deliver a more credible election.

The Supreme Court annulled the result of the original August 8 poll, which saw Uhuru Kenyatta declared winner, after finding irregularities.

However, Uhuru Kenyatta says he is ready to proceed with the new vote as planned.

Kenya’s electoral commission said Uhuru Kenyatta had won the August vote by a margin of 1.4 million votes – or 54% of the total, compared to Raila Odinga’s 44%.

Image source Wikimedia

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VP William Ruto has now called on the commission to declare Uhuru Kenyatta president as a result of Raila Odinga’s announcement.

The election re-run was due to take place on October 26, but Raila Odinga said on October 10: “We have come to the conclusion that there is no intention on the part of the IEBC [electoral commission] to undertake any changes to its operations and personnel… All indications are that the election scheduled for 26 October will be worse than the previous one.”

As a result, Raila Odinga said, “considering the interests of the people of Kenya, the region and the world at large” it was best that he withdrew from the race.

His coalition party believes the election will have to be cancelled as a result of his withdrawal, allowing “adequate time to undertake the reforms necessary to conduct an election that is in strict conformity with the constitution, the relevant laws and the constitution”.

However, Uhuru Kenyatta, speaking at a rally in the southern town of Voi, said: “We have no problem going back to elections. We are sure we will get more votes than the last time.”

North Korean Hackers Reportedly Stole US, South Korea War Plans and Other Military Secrets

Roy Siemens
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0
North Korean Hackers Reportedly Stole US, South Korea War Plans and Other Military Secrets

According to new reports, North Korean hackers have stolen a large cache of military documents from South Korea, including a plan to assassinate the country’s leader Kim Jong-un.

South Korean lawmaker Rhee Cheol-hee said the information was from his country’s defense ministry.

The compromised documents include wartime contingency plans drawn up by the United States and South Korea.

The documents also include reports to the allies’ senior commanders.

The South Korean defense ministry has so far refused to comment about the allegation.

Plans for South Korea’s special forces were reportedly accessed, along with information on significant power plants and military facilities in the South.

Rhee Cheol-hee belongs to South Korea’s ruling party, and sits on its parliament’s defense committee. He said some 235 Gb of military documents had been stolen from the Defense Integrated Data Centre, and that 80% of them have yet to be identified.

The hack took place in September 2016. In May 2017, South Korea said a large amount of data had been stolen and that North Korea may have instigated the cyber attack – but gave no details of what was taken.

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According to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, Seoul has been subject to a barrage of cyber attacks by its North Korea in recent years, with many targeting government websites and facilities.

North Korea is believed to have specially-trained hackers based overseas, including in China.

Pyonyang has accused South Korea of “fabricating” the claims.

News that North Korea is likely to have accessed the Seoul-Washington plans for all-out war in the Koreas will do nothing to soothe tensions between the US and North Korea.

The US and North Korea have been at verbal loggerheads over Pyongyang’s nuclear activities, with the US pressing for a halt to missile tests and the North vowing to continue them.

North Korea recently claimed to have successfully tested a miniaturized hydrogen bomb, which could be loaded onto a long-range missile.

In a speech at the UN last month, President Donald Trump threatened to destroy North Korea if it menaced the US or its allies, and said its leader “is on a suicide mission”.

Kim Jong-un responded with a rare statement, vowing to “tame the mentally deranged US dotard with fire”.

President Trump’s latest comment took the form of a cryptic tweet at the weekend, where he warned that “only one thing will work” in dealing with North Korea, after years of talks had proved fruitless. The president did not elaborate further.

California Wildfires Kill at Least 13 in Wine Country

Nancy Clayson
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0
California Wildfires Kill at Least 13 in Wine Country

At least 13 people have been killed by fast-spreading fires that are ravaging parts of California’s wine region.

Mass evacuations have been ordered in the region after 1,500 properties were destroyed and a state of emergency was declared in northern areas.

About 20,000 people fled from Napa, Sonoma and Yuba counties in response to some California’s worst-ever wildfires.

Such fires are more common in southern California but a combination of dry weather and strong winds has fuelled the destruction in the north.

On October 10, Cal Fire officials said that 17 wildfires in nine counties have burned more than 115,000 acres in just the past 12 hours.

California Governor Jerry Brown said: “These fires have destroyed structures and continue to threaten thousands of homes, necessitating the evacuation of thousands of residents.”

Image source Wikimedia

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On October 9, the governor appealed to President Donald Trump in a five-page letter to declare a major disaster and send federal emergency aid to the fire-ravaged state.

Meanwhile, in southern California, a separate wildfire burnt 24 homes or other buildings in the wealthy Anaheim Hills area of Orange County, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate.

The fires – considered among the deadliest in state history – have sent smoke as far south as San Francisco, located about 60 miles away.

A new fire is reportedly burning near the Oakmont area of Santa Rosa, a city that has already been devastated by the blazes.

Hundreds of homes have been destroyed in the city by flames so hot that glass melted on cars.

Details of how the seven people died in Sonoma were not immediately available, but country sheriff Rob Giordano said he expected the death toll to rise.

“There is a lot of burned homes and a lot of burned areas, so it’s just logical that we’re gonna find more people,” he said.

Two people also died in Napa county and one in Mendocino county when thousands of acres burned in one valley.

Sonoma County officials said they had received more than 150 missing-person reports by Tuesday.

Dozens of vineyard workers were reportedly airlifted to safety overnight.

Wineries belonging to the rich and famous were abandoned. One belonging to musician Dave Matthews was closed and at risk of being burned to the ground, staff said, as was the nearby Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

The vine harvest is already under way and many of the grapes have been picked.

It is not yet known how the fires started on October 8, but such blazes are particularly fast-spreading because of a combination of 60mph winds, low humidity and hot, dry weather.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bYu649MuQo

Melania Trump Firing Back at Ivana Trump’s First Lady Comments

Lisa.Felice
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0
Melania Trump Firing Back at Ivana Trump’s First Lady Comments

First Lady Melania Trump has responded through a spokeswoman to the president’s ex-wife Ivana, who claimed during an ABC’s Good Morning America interview that she is the actually the first lady.

Melania Trump’s spokeswoman described comments made by Ivana Trump as “attention seeking and self-serving noise”.

Ivana Trump told GMA she was “basically first Trump wife, I’m first lady”.

Donald Trump’s ex-wife said she had a direct line to the White House but did not want to “cause any kind of jealousy”.

Ivana Trump is promoting her book Raising Trump, to be released on October 10.

She was married to Donald Trump in 1977 but they divorced in the 1990s over his affair with Marla Maples, who became his second wife.

Ivana and Donald Trump had three children – Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump.

She described President Trump as a dad: “He was not the father which would take a stroller and go to Central Park.”

Image source Wikipedia

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Ivana Trump also told GMA she spoke to her former husband about once a fortnight.

“I have the direct number to White House, but I no [sic] really want to call him there because Melania is there,” she said.

“I don’t want to cause any kind of jealousy or something like that because I’m basically first Trump wife. I’m first lady, OK?”

First Lady Melania Trump responded with a barbed statement through her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham.

The statement read: “Mrs. Trump has made the White House a home for [their son] Barron and The President.

“She loves living in Washington, DC and is honored by her role as First Lady of the United States. She plans to use her title and role to help children, not sell books.

“There is clearly no substance to this statement from an ex. Unfortunately only attention seeking and self-serving noise.”

The exchange is thought to be the only public row between a first lady and a president’s former wife.

Before Donald Trump, Ronald Reagan was the only divorcee president.

2017 Nobel Prize for Economics Awarded to Richard Thaler

James J. Williams
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2017 Nobel Prize for Economics Awarded to Richard Thaler

This year’s Nobel Prize for Economics has been awarded to American economist Richard Thaler, one of the founding fathers of behavioral economics.

Prof. Richard Thaler, of Chicago Booth business school, co-wrote the global best seller Nudge, which looked at how people make bad or irrational choices.

Judges said Richard Thaler, 72, had demonstrated how “nudging” – a term he coined – may help people to exercise better self-control.

He will receive 9 million Swedish krona from the committee.

“I will try to spend it as irrationally as possible!” Richard Thaler said.

Image source Wikimedia

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One of the Nobel prize judges, Per Stroemberg, said Prof. Richard Thaler’s work had explored how human psychology shaped economic decisions.

“Richard Thaler’s findings have inspired many other researchers coming in his footsteps and it has paved the way for a new field in economics which we call behavioural economics,” Per Stroemberg said.

The panel said Prof. Richard Thaler’s insights helped people to recognize marketing tricks and avoid bad economic decisions.

In particular, his work looked at how to “nudge” people into doing more long-term planning, such as saving for a pension.

Richard Thaler also made a cameo appearance in the Hollywood movie, The Big Short, explaining the complex financial instruments that led to the financial crisis of 2007 and 2008.

It is the final Nobel to be announced this year, after prizes for medicine, physics, chemistry, literature and peace were awarded last week.

The economics prize is the only Nobel not created by Alfred Nobel, and was instead launched in 1968, long after the philanthropist’s death.

To date the US has dominated the prize, with American economists accounting for roughly half of laureates since it started. Between 2000 and 2013, American academics won or shared the prize every year.

Venezuela Crisis: Argentine Airlines Becomes Latest Carrier to Suspend Flights to Caracas

Clyde K. Valle
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Venezuela Crisis: Argentine Airlines Becomes Latest Carrier to Suspend Flights to Caracas

Argentine Airlines is the latest carrier to suspend flights to Venezuela.

The carrier said it had concerns over security in Venezuela because of increasing criminal violence and political uncertainty.

Aerolineas Argentinas joins dozens of airlines who have taken similar action.

IATA, the trade body for the world’s airlines, says Venezuela is becoming increasingly isolated.

The body’s vice-president, Peter Cerdá, said last week: “The situation has become increasingly difficult, most of IATA’s members have left Venezuela. There are only six or seven carriers left operating a very low flight frequency.

“Venezuela is becoming disconnected, it’s practically disconnected from the rest of the world, above all by air, and we can’t see any solution in the short term.”

Since 2003 Venezuela has operated a series of currency exchange controls managed by the government.

Image source Wikimedia

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Airline companies have been attempting for years to change the local bolivar currency it receives when it sells tickets in Venezuela into dollars.

However, the government strictly controls the amount of foreign currency it allows onto the market.

Peter Cerdá said passenger traffic in Venezuela had dropped by 75% in the last four years.

Most of the airlines that have left reported disputes with the Venezuelan government over unpaid contracts and worries over crew safety.

In August 2017, the president of the Panamanian airline Copa, Pedro Heilbron, told AFP that the company would continue to operate in Venezuela despite the difficulties.

He said: “We are becoming practically the only operator in the market but our intention is not to leave, not to abandon the market in Venezuela.”

Pedro Heilbron said Copa crews would not stay the night in Venezuelan cities.

American airlines United and Delta, and the Colombian airline Avianca, suspended flights to Venezuela this year. Lufthansa left in 2016.

Between 2014 and 2015, Air Canada, Aeromexico, Alitalia, Lan, Tam, and Gol suspended their flights to Venezuela.

US and Turkey Mutually Suspend Most Visa Services Following Diplomatic Row

Diane A. Wade
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0
US and Turkey Mutually Suspend Most Visa Services Following Diplomatic Row

The US and Turkey have become embroiled in a consular row, mutually suspending most visa services.

The Turkish embassy in Washington said it needed to “reassess” the US government’s commitment to the security of the mission and personnel.

A very similar statement was earlier made by the US embassy in Ankara.

This comes after a US consulate worker in Istanbul was held last week on suspicion of links to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen blamed for the 2016 failed coup in Turkey.

The US condemned the move as baseless and damaging to bilateral relations.

According to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency, the arrested consulate employee was a male Turkish citizen.

Image source Wikimedia

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In its statement on October 8, the Turkish embassy in Washington said: “Recent events have forced the Turkish government to reassess the commitment of the government of the US to the security of the Turkish mission facilities and personnel.

“In order to minimize the number of the visitors to our diplomatic and consular missions in the US while this assessment proceeds, effective immediately we have suspended all visa services regarding the US citizens at our diplomatic and consular missions in the US.

“This measure will apply to sticker visas as well as e-visas and border visas.”

The Turkish’s embassy statement is virtually the same as the earlier American one, with only country names being replaced.

The American mission said that “all non-immigrant visa services at all US diplomatic facilities in Turkey” had been suspended.

Non-immigrant visas are issued to those travelling to the US for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work or study.

Those seeking citizenship or permanent residency apply for US immigrant visas.

Turkey has for months been pressing the US to extradite Fethullah Gulen over his alleged role in the coup attempt in July 2016.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuses Fethullah Gulen of instigating the unrest – a charge the cleric denies.

In the aftermath of the coup attempt, which was led by military officers, 40,000 people were arrested and 120,000 sacked or suspended.

Nelly Arrested on Second Degree Rape Charge

Lisa.Felice
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0
Nelly Arrested on Second Degree Rape Charge

Nelly has been arrested in Auburn after a woman accused him of raping her on his tour bus following a concert near Seattle.

Auburn police said they arrested the rapper after a woman called emergency services at 03:48 to report an assault.

Nelly strongly denies the allegations and has now been released.

The artist tweeted: “I have not been charged… therefore no bail was required.

“I was released, pending further investigation.”

Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., tweeted that he was “beyond shocked that I have been targeted with this false allegation”.

“I am completely innocent,” the artist said.

“I am confident that once the facts are looked at, it will be very clear that I am the victim of a false allegation.”

Image source WIkimedia

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According to TMZ, Nelly was taken into custody on a second degree rape charge.

In a statement, the artist’s lawyer also described the allegation as “completely fabricated”.

Scott Rosenblum said in a statement: “Our initial investigation clearly establishes this allegation is devoid of credibility and is motivated by greed and vindictiveness.”

Nelly, 42, is best known for his No 1 hits Hot in herre and Dilemma, but has not released new music for a number of years.

In 2015, the rapper was arrested on felony charges after police found drugs and guns on board his tour bus.

He is currently on tour with the Backstreet Boys and Florida Georgia Line, and performed in Auburn on October 6.

The bus was parked near a local Walmart at the time of the alleged incident. A police statement said they were continuing to investigate.

Nelly was due to perform on the Smooth Stadium Tour in Ridgefield near Portland on October 7.

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

Hurricane Nate Hits Louisiana and Mississippi

Nancy Clayson
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Hurricane Nate Hits Louisiana and Mississippi

Hurricane Nate has it the Gulf Coast bringing strong winds, torrential rain.

The storm, with maximum sustained winds of 85mph, made landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana on October 7.

Moving north, Nate made a second landfall at Biloxi, Mississippi.

Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and parts of Florida earlier issued warnings and evacuation orders amid fears of rapidly rising sea waters.

Tropical Storm Nate killed at least 25 people in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Honduras.

It then strengthened to a category one hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale as it headed towards the US.

Although not as strong as last month’s Maria and Irma, officials had warned Nate was a fast-moving storm that could bring flooding to low-lying areas.

On October 7, President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration for Louisiana, allowing the state to seek federal help with preparation and possible relief efforts.

Image source Wikimedia

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In Alabama, Republican Governor Kay Ivey urged residents in areas facing heavy winds and storm surges to take precautions.

Five ports along the Gulf Coast were closed to shipping as a precaution.

Most oil and gas platforms in the US Gulf of Mexico evacuated their staff and stopped production ahead of the storm.

In an update at 03:00 GMT, the NHC said a hurricane warning was in effect for the “mouth of the Pearl River to the Alabama-Florida border”.

Evacuation orders were put in place for some low-lying areas.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency ahead of the hurricane, saying more than 1,000 National Guard troops had been mobilized with a number sent to New Orleans to monitor the drainage pumps there.

A mandatory curfew from 18:00 local time was in place in New Orleans, where residents from areas outside the city’s levee system were evacuated.

A tropical storm warning is currently in effect for New Orleans.

The NHC said that Hurricane Nate “is expected to weaken quickly after landfall, and it is likely to become a tropical storm on October 8.

“It should degenerate into a remnant low late Monday.”

Nate went past Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula – home to the popular beach resorts of Cancun and Playa del Carmen – on Friday night as it headed north, the NHC said.

Nate caused heavy rains, landslides and floods which blocked roads, destroyed bridges and damaged houses as it tore through central America.

At least 13 people died in Nicaragua, eight in Costa Rica, three in Honduras and one in El Salvador.

The tail of the storm is still causing problems in the region, where thousands have been forced to sleep in shelters and some 400,000 people in Costa Rica were reported to be without running water.

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

2017 Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)

James J. Williams
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0
2017 Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) has been awarded the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.

The Geneva-based group was formed in 2007 and inspired by a similar campaign to ban the use of landmines.

As a coalition of hundreds of NGOs from across the world, they have highlighted the humanitarian risk of nuclear weapons.

The group’s 10 years of advocacy helped pave the way for the introduction of a UN treaty banning the weapons, which was signed this year.

While 122 countries backed the treaty, the talks were notably boycotted by the world’s nine known nuclear powers and the only NATO member to discuss it, the Netherlands, voted against.

Berit Reiss-Andersen, the Nobel committee chair, said: “We live in a world where the risk of nuclear weapons being used is greater than it has been for a long time.”

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Tensions between President Donald Trump and North Korea have been mounting for several months over North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

President Trump is also threatening to withdraw from an agreement which monitors and limits Iran’s nuclear development.

In a statement posted on Facebook, ICAN said the prize “shines a needed light on the path the ban treaty provides towards a world free of nuclear weapons”.

“This is a time of great global tension, when fiery rhetoric could all too easily lead us, inexorably, to unspeakable horror,” the statement read.

“If ever there were a moment for nations to declare their unequivocal opposition to nuclear weapons, that moment is now.”

The number of nuclear weapons worldwide has been steadily decreasing since the 1980s, but none of the world’s nuclear powers have fully disarmed – an ambition set out in the 1970 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

Nuclear armed nations boycotted the latest talks because they favor working within the NPT’s original framework to reduce stockpiles.

Unlike the NPT, the 2017 treaty explicitly bans nuclear weapons. It calls for signatories not to develop, test or threaten to use the weapons. It also forbids nations from having weapons tactically stationed in their countries from allied partners.

However, so far it has only been acceded to by 53 of the world’s countries including Cuba, Ireland and New Zealand.

Trump Administration Rolls Back Free Birth Control Access

Diane A. Wade
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0
Trump Administration Rolls Back Free Birth Control Access

President Donald Trump has rolled back the access to birth control as his government issued a ruling that allows employers to opt out of providing free birth control to millions of Americans.

The rule allows employers and insurers to decline to provide birth control if doing so violates their “religious beliefs” or “moral convictions”.

About 55 million women benefited from the Obama-era rule, which made companies provide free birth control.

Before taking office, Donald Trump had pledged to eliminate that requirement.

The mandate requiring birth control coverage had been a key feature of ObamaCare – President Obama’s efforts to overhaul the healthcare system.

However, the requirement included a provision that permitted religious institutions to forgo birth control coverage for their employees.

Image source Wikimedia

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The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on October 6 it was important to expand which organizations can opt out and deny free contraceptive coverage.

“We should have space for organizations to live out their religious ideas and not face discrimination because of their religious ideas,” said one HHS official, who did not wish to be named.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, the top Republican in Congress, praised the decision as “a landmark day for religious liberty”.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Women’s Law Center have announced that they will sue the federal government over the decision.

In announcing the rule change, HHS officials cited a study claiming that access to contraception encourages “risky s**ual behavior”.

The HHS disputes reports that millions of women may lose their birth control coverage if they are unable to pay for it themselves.

Roger Severino, the director of the HHS Office of Civil Rights, argued that only a small percentage of employers will choose to opt out, and therefore only a limited number of women will be affected.

However, many health policy analysts say employers that do not wish to pay for their employees’ contraceptive coverage will now be able to.

Catalonia Independence: Mossos d’Esquadra Major Josep Lluis Trapero In Madrid Court on Suspicion of Sedition

Diane A. Wade
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0
Catalonia Independence: Mossos d’Esquadra Major Josep Lluis Trapero In Madrid Court on Suspicion of Sedition

Catalonia’s chief of police Josep Lluis Trapero is appearing before a judge in Madrid on suspicion of sedition against the state.

His Mossos d’Esquadra force is accused of failing to protect Spanish national police from protesters ahead of the October 1 independence referendum.

Another Catalan police officer and two leading independence activists are also being questioned as suspects.

Catalonia’s independence vote was declared illegal under Spanish law.

The hearing is taking place at the national criminal court in Madrid. The defendants are accused of failing to help Guardia Civil police tackle thousands of pro-independence protesters outside the Catalan Economy Department in Barcelona on September 20.

According to El Pais, the accusation against the Mossos is extraordinary in post-Franco democratic Spain.

The crime of sedition has been in every Spanish penal code since 1822 and carries a potential prison term of up to 15 years. It amounts to rebellion against state decisions or national security forces.

Image source Wikimedia

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As recently as August the Mossos was being widely praised for quickly tackling the Islamist cell that carried out the Barcelona terror attack in that month.

Following October 1 vote the Catalan regional government says it might unilaterally declare independence within days.

Spain’s PM Mariano Rajoy will chair a cabinet meeting to discuss the next moves in the confrontation with Catalonia.

Referendum organizers put the turnout at 42%, with 2.2 million people taking part. They say 90% voted for independence, but have not published final results. There have been several claims of irregularities.

There was violence at polling stations as police, trying to enforce a Spanish court ban on the vote, attempted to seize ballot boxes and disperse voters.

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