Former German rapper Deso Dogg, real name Denis Cuspert, who had become an ISIS fighter, has been killed by a US air strike in Syria, defense officials have confirmed.
Denis Cuspert had been designated a global terrorist by the US State Department and had threatened President Barack Obama.
Officials said Denis Cuspert, who encouraged Muslims to work for ISIS, was killed in an October 16 air strike near Raqqa.
He used the stage name “Deso Dogg” before converting to Islam in 2010.
“Cuspert is emblematic of the type of foreign recruit IS seeks for its ranks – individuals who have engaged in criminal activity in their home countries who then travel to Iraq and Syria to commit far worse crimes,” the State Department wrote of Denis Cuspert in February.
A spokesman for Germany’s Interior Ministry would not confirm or deny his death.
In April 2014 Denis Cuspert was reported to have been killed in Syria but that claim was later retracted.
Denis Cuspert, whose rap career ended before he starting working for ISIS, would use social media to attract youth and Westerners, especially Germans, to the group.
He left his music career behind in 2010. Previously, he had toured with American rapper DMX in 2006, the New York Times reported.
In Germany, Denis Cuspert became popular for singing nasheeds – Islamic devotional music – in German.
A Russian plane with more than 220 people on board has crashed in central Sinai, the office of Egypt’s prime minister has confirmed.
The Airbus A-321 had just left the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, bound for the Russian city of St Petersburg.
The plane wreckage has been found in the Hassana area. It disappeared from radar screens when travelling at 31,000ft, Egyptian officials said.
Egyptian officials said most on board are likely to have died.
The plane was operated by the small Russian airline Kogalymavia, based in western Siberia.
Russian authorities say it was carrying 217 passengers, 17 of them children, and seven crew. Most were Russian tourists.
Initially there were conflicting reports about the fate of the plane, some suggesting it had disappeared over Cyprus.
The office of Egyptian PM Sharif Ismail confirmed in a statement that a “Russian civilian plane… crashed in the central Sinai”.
It added that Sharif Ismail had formed a crisis committee to deal with the crash.
Media reports say at least 40 ambulances have been sent to the scene.
The Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsiya said in a statement that flight 7K 9268 left Sharm el-Sheikh at 06:51 Moscow time and had been due into St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport at 12:10.
The authority added that the aircraft failed to make scheduled contact with Cyprus air traffic control 23 minutes after take-off and disappeared from the radar.
Egypt’s civilian aviation ministry said the plane had been at an altitude of 31,000ft when it disappeared.
Live flight tracking service Flight Radar 24’s Mikail Robertson confirmed the altitude.
A centre to help relatives of the passengers has been set up at Pulkovo airport, Tass news agency quoted St Petersburg city officials as saying.
A Hillary Clinton campaing rally at Clark Atlanta University has been interrupted by Black Lives Matter activists as she began a speech about reforming the criminal justice system.
The Democratic presidential contender spoke over the shouting, saying if elected she would carry on the work on President Barack Obama.
The group of 10 Black Lives Matter protesters were quickly escorted away.
They have interrupted campaign events to highlight police brutality, racism and mass incarceration.
The activists have mostly targeted Democrats – including Hillary Clinton and her chief rival Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have responded to the protests with policy proposals, meeting activists and talking about racial issues on the campaign trail.
The Black Lives Matter movement was originally formed after George Zimmerman, a Hispanic man in Florida, was acquitted of the shooting death of black teenager Trayvon Martin.
Photo EPA
It grew to greater prominence after a white police officer killed Michael Brown – an unarmed black teenager – in Ferguson, Missouri, last year.
The protest movement has continued to gain strength over the past year after several controversial police-involved deaths of black people including those of Freddie Gray and Sandra Bland.
Friday’s rally was entitled “African Americans for Hillary”. Guests included pop singer Usher and civil rights activist and Congressman John Lewis.
The crowd of about 2,000 chanted “Let her talk!” and John Lewis asked them to stop.
“I’m sorry they didn’t listen, because some of what they demanded I am offering and intend to fight for as president,” Hillary Clinton said.
“We have to come together as a nation.”
In 1994, Hillary Clinton lobbied for one of the largest crime bills in US history, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which provided billions for prisons. The law also introduced the “three strikes” policy, which called for mandatory life imprisonment without parole for federal offenders with three or more felony or drug trafficking convictions.
Hillary Clinton has changed her position since she has been on the campaign trail, calling for the end of mass incarceration and expressing her concern over police violence and black people.
On October 30, Hillary Clinton also proposed a legal ban on racial profiling by police.
The policy would forbid federal, state and local officers from “relying on a person’s race when conducting routine or spontaneous investigatory activities,” unless they have information linking a suspect to a crime.
Hillary Clinton also supported the “ban the box” movement, an effort to prevent job applicants from being disqualified because of their criminal history.
At least 27 people have been killed and more than 155 injured in an explosion and fire at a nightclub in Bucharest, Romanian government and health officials say.
The blast happened on Friday night at a heavy metal concert inside the Colectiv nightclub, and a large fire broke out.
The death toll was confirmed by Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea and Health Secretary Raed Arafat.
Photo RomaniaTV
Raed Arafat said 155 people were injured and were now being treated in Bucharest hospitals.
According to local media, fireworks may have been let off inside the club.
More than 500 people may have been inside the club, which was hosting a heavy metal concert.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis wrote on his Facebook page that he was “deeply grieved by the tragic events that happened this evening in downtown.”
He added: “It is a very sad day for all of us, for our nation and for me personally.”
To make the pumpkin purée halve the pumpkin, scrape out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon and discard. Place the pumpkin halves, cut side down, onto a baking tray and bake for 45 minutes, until it feels soft to the touch. Allow to cool, then scrape out the cooked flesh and mash with a fork until smooth. Set aside to cool.
Grease and lightly flour a small Bundt tin 8¼in in diameter.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, pumpkin purée, cider and oil. Beat with a handheld electric mixer until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until they are completely mixed in.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and the spices. Beat this into the wet ingredients for 2-3 minutes until it is thick and smooth.
Measure out half the batter into the prepared Bundt tin (it should be about 1lb 4oz of mixture). Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is springy to the touch and a wooden skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wash, dry, and grease and flour your Bundt tin again, and bake the other half.
Meanwhile, make the cream cheese icing. Beat the softened butter in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer until it is light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until well incorporated.
When both cakes are completely cool, use a sharp knife to slice off a thin layer of the bottom of the cake to flatten it (reserve the cake trimmings). Place the 2 cakes, cut sides together, to see if it makes a convincing pumpkin shape. If necessary, trim off a little more so that the curves of the Bundt tin line up with each other.
Spread a little of the icing onto the bottom cake, then cover with the top cake layer. Use the reserved cake trimmings to fill in the hole in the middle of the cake. Spoon the icing onto the top of the cake and let it run down the sides. Create a fondant stem from the brown fondant, stick a toothpick in the end of the stem and secure it in the cake.
President Barack Obama has sent US troops to Syria to assist anti-government rebels in fighting the so-called Islamic State (ISIS), officials have said.
There will be “fewer than 50” forces deployed in the region to “train, advise and assist” vetted opposition forces, officials added.
This will be the first time US troops are working openly on the ground in Syria.
However, there have been US special forces raids on ISIS militants there.
For more than a year, the US and coalition forces have been carrying out air strikes on ISIS, which controls a large part of northern Syria and parts of neighboring Iraq.
The US recently abandoned its Syria rebel training effort, opting to provide equipment and arms directly to rebel leaders instead.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said President Barack Obama wanted to provide additional support for Syrian rebel fighters who’ve been having success on the battlefield.
“There are now moderate opposition forces that are 45 miles outside Raqqa,” he said.
“The president is prepared to intensify the elements that have shown promise.”
Josh Earnest said: “This is an intensification of a strategy he discussed a year ago.”
US special operations forces have previously taken part in at least two raids in Syria.
In May, troops killed senior ISIS member Abu Sayyaf and captured his wife in eastern Syria.
Last summer, forces failed in an operation to rescue American hostages including journalist James Foley, who was later beheaded by ISIS fighters.
Last week, American forces assisted Kurdish troops in the rescue of dozens of hostages held by ISIS in Iraq. One American was killed in the raid.
Household furnishings and amenities are things that can change a lot from person to person. From the college student’s thrifted furnishings and a futon to the corporate exec’s tastefully-appointed penthouse, household items serve as a measure of the lifestyle of the dweller. Of course, not all of us can afford to live the high life, and household goods can be a place where we try to cut back. For some items, though, such as those listed below, skimping can be a big mistake.
Sofas and Chairs
In most places, your living room is the first thing visitors will see. Since your seating, such as couches and chairs, are the most noticeable part of this room, making a smart buy is important. While a Salvation Army couch might serve you well when you’re in your first off-campus apartment, low-cost furniture can cause problems. Not only is it unlikely to hold up, but used upholstered goods can bring parasites into your home, infesting you. Older furniture can also retain hard-to-vanquish odors. Save yourself the headache; buy new and comfortable from the start.
Dishes and Silverware
When you have guests over, you may be expected to feed them. Mismatched plates and oddly sized, rusty eating utensils will kill the mood of your dinner party quicker than anything else. Have at least one nice set of matching plates and bowls, as well as a nice set of the major utensils. Moreover, don’t neglect serving dishes like large bowls and pots. The finest meal in the world tastes a little worse coming out of a melted plastic bowl and a corroded Goodwill cooking vessel.
Cleaning Supplies
Nobody likes to clean. Well, some do, but they are certainly the exception. If you are not one of those lucky few, it can be tough to spend your hard-earned money on top-notch cleaning gear. That is where many mistakes are made, because old and worn equipment only makes cleaning more of a chore. Replace disposable gear like sponges regularly. Look at new vacuum cleaners rather than thrift-store models. Finally, pick a cleanser with a pleasant scent rather than the cheapest one. Investing a little can make cleaning more bearable.
Mattress
One important piece of furniture is your mattress. You spend at least a third of your hours in the bedroom, so why not invest in a mattress that is comfortable and will give you the best sleep possible? The best way to pick the perfect mattress is to get a customizable one that is tailored to fit your personal needs. Mattresses like the Helix mattress are 100% customizable by the purchaser and also offer blended and split mattress types for you and your partner. Before you order the mattress, you must fill out a quiz based on the sleeper’s requirements. This includes but is not limited to mattress size, height, weight, cooling needs, firmness, and medical issues. Your results are then based on four major pillars: support, point elasticity, feel, and temperature regulation. The mattress is then made based on these specifications which is incredibly beneficial to the sleeper. Having a mattress that fits your preferences can improve overall sleep quality and help manage any pain you might experience, which allows you to receive enough rest so that you feel rejuvenated the next day. The Helix mattress review can give you an idea of the price range of these mattresses, information on the personalization process, and the materials used in these customizable mattresses.
Bargain shopping has its place, but there are some things in life you can’t skimp on. Knowing where and how much to splurge is key to making the most of your money and your time. Budget your income and spend wisely so that you can enjoy the finer things in the right places.
If you think your home isn’t futuristic enough, you probably haven’t added the latest high-tech features. These four gadgets will put your house on the cutting edge.
Petcube Pet Sitter
Pets often get bored during the day while their families are away at work and school. This boredom often turns into mischief. It doesn’t take long before your dog discovers that chewing the couch is a lot more fun than sleeping on it.
A nanny cam can show you what happens when you’re not at home, but it can’t prevent your pet from getting into trouble. That’s where the Petcube comes in.
Petcube is a camera that lets you monitor your animals at any time. Unlike most monitoring devices, though, it has a built-in microphone that offers two-way communication. When you see your furry friend doing something naughty, you can command her to stop through the Petcube.
It’s not certain whether pets are following commands or just really confused by a disembodied voice. Regardless, it does the trick.
Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats connect to your home’s computer network so you can take control of the temperature and track your energy use. You can also control a smart thermostat from your smartphone.
NewAge Air installs a variety of WiFi-enabled thermostats that will help you lower your monthly utility bill. When you have a smart thermostat in your home, you can program it to follow a specific temperature schedule. Most people set thermostats so their HVAC systems don’t do as much work during the day while they are at work.
Since smart thermostats let you track your energy usage, you can also look for easy ways to reduce the amount of electricity and natural gas used to heat and cool your home.
WiFi Speakers
You want a good sound system for your home, but you don’t want a bunch of wires strung across the rooms. Some people avoid this problem by running wires through the ceiling and under the carpet. That way, at least they aren’t an eyesore.
WiFi speakers offer a more convenient way to get great sound without the wires. You can position them anywhere inside or outside your house, which is perfect for days spent by the pool.
Best of all, you won’t have to damage your ceiling or floor to hide ugly wires.
Self-sterilizing Door Handles
Door handles have to be some of the most disgusting objects in your home. With so many people touching them throughout the day, you never know what kinds of germs, bacteria, and viruses accumulate there.
With a self-sterilizing door handle, you’ll have fewer worries about spreading sickness in your home.
These door handles have special designs that include UV lamps. After you use the handle, UV light shines on it, killing nasty bacteria and germs. It’s a pretty straightforward idea, but for some reason designers have just recently started to incorporate it into their handles.
There are plenty of high-tech features that you can add to your home. Start with these and see where you can go from there.
A Krakow court has ruled against a US request to extradite Roman Polanski.
Judge Dariusz Mazur said the request was “inadmissible”.
Roman Polanski was not present in court on October 30. Prosecutors can still appeal against the ruling.
The Oscar-winning director, who admitted unlawful s** with a minor, fled from the US ahead of sentencing in 1978.
Photo AFP/Getty Images
Roman Polanski, 82, has French and Polish citizenship. He lives in France – which does not extradite its own citizens – but has been working in Poland on a movie project.
Swiss authorities turned down a US extradition warrant in 2010, after placing Roman Polanski under house arrest for nine months.
Roman Polanski’s Polish lawyers had argued against his extradition, citing claimed legal flaws in the US process and the 42 days Polanski served in prison at the time, according to the Associated Press news agency.
The director grew up in Poland and is regarded as one of the country’s greatest living artists.
Roman Polanski survived World War Two in the Krakow ghetto but his mother died at Auschwitz.
At least twenty two refugees have drowned trying to reach Kalymnos and Rhodes from Turkey, in the second major boat tragedy off Greek islands this week.
Greek officials said 19 people died and 138 were rescued near Kalymnos.
Three others died off Rhodes and three were missing. Six were rescued there.
Greece’s PM Alexis Tsipras said he felt “shame” over “the inability of Europe to deal effectively with this human drama”.
Speaking in parliament, the left-wing Syriza leader condemned the “level of debate at a senior level, where one is passing the buck to the other” in the EU.
“Crocodile tears are being shed for the dead children on the shores of the Aegean, because dead children always arouse sorrow, but what about the children that are alive who come in thousands and are packed on the refugee trail? Nobody cares for them,” Alexis Tsipras added.
Meanwhile, rescuers in southern Spain are searching for 35 refugees missing after their boat broke up on its way from Morocco. Four bodies have been found.
The unseaworthy, overcrowded boat set off from Alhucemas. Fifteen refugees were rescued.
In recent months the main migrant influx has been to the Greek holiday islands lying off Turkey’s Aegean coast.
In this week’s previous sinking in the Aegean, Greek authorities confirmed the deaths of 16 refugees off Lesbos after their boat broke up in rough seas late on October 28. Rescuers managed to save 274 people.
Thousands have been arriving on Lesbos every day after making the dangerous journey from Turkey. People traffickers usually pack them onto unseaworthy boats, often inflatable dinghies.
The UN estimates that more than 700,000 refugees have crossed to Europe by boat so far this year – many of them refugees from war-torn Syria. The approach of winter has so far done little to slow the flow.
The EU is deploying its Frontex border force to new “hotspots” – refugee reception centers in Greece and Italy where local officials are overwhelmed by the numbers. Frontex aims to help speed up the registration of refugees.
Japanese shares rose to a two-month high on Friday, October 30, after Bank of Japan decided to keep its monetary easing policy steady.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 initially fell on the decision by more than 0.4%.
The index recovered to close up 0.78% at 19,083.1 points.
BoJ’s 2% inflation target was also pushed back by about six months.
While forecasts for economic growth for the year to March 2016 were also lowered to 1.2% from 1.7%.
Japan’s central bank governor Haruhiko Kuroda told reporters on October 30 the inflation target timing had been delayed “largely due to the effect of energy price falls”.
The BoJ’s current stimulus package is designed to give a boost to the world’s third-largest economy.
Private consumption makes up some 60% of Japan’s economic activity, but the country has struggled with deflation, or falling prices, for more than 15 years. Lower prices for goods in Japan have seen consumers hold on to their money in the hope of even lower prices later on.
The stimulus package is designed to encourage lending, which in turn should see consumers spending more.
Earlier on Friday, a string of domestic data showed Japan’s core consumer inflation number had fallen 0.1% in September from a year ago, household spending had fallen 0.4% year-on-year while unemployment had remained steady at 3.4% compared to August.
The data fuelled some speculation the BoJ would make a move. But eight out of nine board members voted in favor of the decision.
At least 15 people have been injured after a Dynamic Airways plane’s engine caught fire as it taxied for take-off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida.
The Dynamic Airways Boeing 767 was on the runway at Florida airport, preparing for departure to Venezuela.
The left engine, which had been leaking fuel, caught fire.
The passengers and crew were evacuated and the fire extinguished but one person has been left with severe burns.
“The crew followed the emergency procedures, shut down the engine and evacuated the aircraft in order to assure safety to all on board,” Dynamic Airways said in a statement.
Those injured are being treated at Florida Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale.
One person has been “seriously burnt”, according to Mike Jachles of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.
The National Transportation Safety Board is sending agents to Fort Lauderdale to investigate the fire.
Dynamic Airways flies between Fort Lauderdale, New York, Venezuela and Guyana.
China has signed a $17 billion deal to buy 130 Airbus jets during German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to Beijing.
Angela Merkel met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in the capital.
The contract includes 30 wide-body A330s and 100 narrow-body A320s.
Earlier this year, Airbus agreed to build a new assembly facility in China’s northern port of Tianjin.
Photo Reuters
The European aerospace consortium is engaged in a battle with US-based Boeing for dominance in the growing Chinese market.
“We are grateful to CAS [China Aviation Supplies], one of our longest standing customers, for its continued confidence in Airbus and in the versatile A330 Family as well as the best-selling A320 Family,” said Airbus president Fabrice Bregier in a statement.
In August, Boeing said China was expected to add 6,330 new aircraft to its commercial fleet by 2034.
Allergan has confirmed it has held preliminary talks about a takeover by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.
The Dublin-based Botox-maker said no agreement had been reached and there was “no certainty that these discussions will lead to a transaction”.
Allergan shares were up more than 6% on October 29 trading in New York.
Analysts said Pfizer needed to boost profits and may be looking to escape relatively high US corporate tax rates by moving its headquarters to Dublin.
“Allergan today confirmed that it has been approached by Pfizer Inc. and is in preliminary friendly discussions regarding a potential business combination transaction,” the company said in a statement.
“The company will not comment on speculation regarding the terms of a potential transaction.”
The talks were first reported in the media on October 28.
In 2014, Pfizer made an offer to buy another UK drugs group, AstraZeneca, but Astra rejected the offer, arguing it undervalued the company.
John Pombe Magufuli has won Tanzania’s presidential election with 58% of the vote, the electoral commission says.
His main rival, opposition Ukawa coalition candidate Edward Lowassa has rejected the official results that gave him 40% of the ballots cast.
Edward Lowassa earlier claimed he had won with 62% of the vote.
The elections on October 25 were the most fierce John Magufuli’s governing CCM party faced after 54 years in power.
In Zanzibar, elections for the semi-autonomous archipelago’s parliament and president were annulled on October 28.
Photo Reuters
Zanzibar’s election chief Jecha Salum Jecha said the poll had been marred by gross irregularities, including rigging and physical fights between rival election commissioners.
CCM supporters have been celebrating John Magufuli’s victory outside the party’s headquarters in Tanzania’s main city, Dar es Salaam.
Incumbent President Jakaya Kikwete, who is standing down after two terms in office, retweeted a CCM photo of John Magufuli and the accompanying words: “Our next Commander-in-Chief, Dr. John Pombe Magufuli, the President-elect of The United Republic of Tanzania.”
EU observers said that the elections were “generally well organized” but “with insufficient efforts at transparency from the election administrations”.
Teams from the African Union and southern African regional body SADC said that the vote had largely been “free and fair”, despite all groups raising concerns over the subsequent annulment of Zanzibar’s local elections.
According to the Department of Commerce, the US gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an annualized pace of 1.5% in Q3 of 2015, down from a rate of 3.9% in Q2.
The slowdown was partly due to companies running down stockpiles of goods in their warehouses.
On October 28, the Federal Reserve kept rates unchanged and said the economy was expanding at a “moderate” pace.
Low oil prices have hit American energy companies so far this year.
However, lower fuel prices have been good news for consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of US economic activity.
Consumer spending grew at 3.2% in Q3, down from 3.6% in the second but still a strong reading.
Analysts said that the running down of warehouse stockpiles in Q3 was likely to be a temporary effect and they expected growth to accelerate again in Q4.
For several months there has been intense debate about when the Fed will raise interest rates, and now the focus is on its last meeting of the year in December.
The Fed has said in past statements that it expects to raise rates in 2015, and that labor market participation, inflation and the global economy would be the key factors in its decision.
In its latest statement on October 28, the Fed said: “In determining whether it will be appropriate to raise the target range at its next meeting, the committee will assess progress – both realized and expected – toward its objectives of maximum employment and 2% inflation.”
However, the Fed dropped comments, which had been used in the previous month’s statement, that weaknesses in the global economy could affect the US.
Financial markets interpreted this as a sign that the Fed might be more likely to raise rates in December.
Germany’s biggest bank, Deutsche Bank, has announced a 15,000 job cuts after a €6 billion loss in Q3 of 2015.
The bank said it would cut 9,000 full-time jobs and 6,000 contractor roles.
Deutsche Bank is also planning to sell businesses employing 20,000 people over the next two years.
By 2018, “we expect to see the benefits of our hard work and potentially be in the midst of a powerful turn-around,” said John Cryan, co-chief executive.
The cuts represent just less than 15% of the firm’s total workforce.
Deutsche Bank’s shares fell 5.5% in Frankfurt trading on October 29.
The bank is trying to cut €3.8 billion of annual costs as European banks struggle with sluggish economic growth in their home markets and stricter regulation.
In times of low growth, reducing costs through job cuts is seen as a way to improve profits.
Deutsche Bank also plans to spin off Postbank with a stock market listing and sell its 20% stake in China’s Hua Xia Bank.
It has also said it will stop dividend payments for 2015 and 2016.
John Cryan told a news conference that the bank faced “hard decisions” as it was restructured.
“We must reduce Deutsche Bank’s complexity,” he added.
Deutsche Bank said it would close businesses in Malta, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Finland, Peru, Uruguay, Denmark, Norway, and New Zealand. Some branches in Germany would close as well, John Cryan said.
The third-quarter loss was caused by more than €5.8 billion of charges in write downs and legal expenses at its investment bank and on assets it wants to sell, as well as higher litigation charges.
Of the 9,000 full-time job cuts, about 4,000 will take place in Germany.
Deutsche Bank employed 98,000 people as of the end of 2014, according to its annual report.
After more than three decades, China has ended its one-child policy, the state-run Xinhua news agency reports.
The Chinese couples will now be allowed to have two children, it said, citing a statement from the Communist Party.
The controversial policy was introduced nationally in 1979, to slow the population growth rate.
It is estimated to have prevented about 400 million births. However, concerns at China’s ageing population led to pressure for change.
Couples who violated the one-child policy faced a variety of punishments, from fines and the loss of employment to forced abortions.
Over time, the policy has been relaxed in some provinces, as demographers and sociologists raised concerns about rising social costs and falling worker numbers.
In rural areas, families were allowed to have two children if the first was a girl.
Other exceptions included ethnic minorities and – since 2013 – couples where at least one was a single child.
Campaigners say the policy led to forced abortions, female infanticide, and the under-reporting of female births.
The decision to allow families to have two children was designed “to improve the balanced development of population” and to deal with an aging population, according to the statement from the Community Party’s Central Committee carried by the official Xinhua News Agency on October 29.
Currently about 30% of China’s population is over the age of 50.
Correspondents say that despite the relaxation of the rules, many couples may opt to only have one child, as one-child families have become the social norm.
The announcement comes on the final day of a summit of the Chinese Communist Party’s policy-making Central Committee, known as the fifth plenum.
The Chinese Communist Party is also set to announce growth targets and its next five year plan.
Paul Ryan has been elected as the new Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Hesitant to run at first, the Republican from Wisconsin eventually gained support of the majority of Republicans in Congress to succeed John Boehner of Ohio for the job.
Photo Reuters
Paul Ryan, 45, was Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s running mate in the 2012 election.
He has helped determine budget and tax policy in Congress and said he only wanted the job to unify Republicans.
In his new position, Paul Ryan will be second in line to the presidency only behind the vice-president.
Among other responsibilities, the speaker acts as presiding officer over the House for administrative and business matters.
Raif Badawi has been awarded this year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
The European Parliament supports human rights through the annual Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, established in 1988. The prize is awarded to individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the fight for human rights across the globe, drawing attention to human rights violations as well as supporting the laureates and their cause.
Raif Badawi, 31, is a Saudi Arabian blogger, writer and activist and the creator of the website Free Saudi Liberals, an online platform for political and religious debate. Reportedly, his website hosted material criticizing senior religious figures and Raif Badawi suggested that the Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University had become a den for terrorists.
In 2012, Raif Badawi was arrested on charge of insulting Islam and indicted on several charges including apostasy.
In 2013, he was sentenced to 10 years in jail and 1,000 lashes.
The first 50 lashes were administered before hundreds of spectators on January 9, 2015. Subsequent sets have been postponed in the face of international condemnation and Raif Badawi’s dire state of health. Having received death threats, his wife and three children fled to Canada. His sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court in June 2015 and he remains in jail.
European Parliament President Martin Schulz urged King Salman of Saudi Arabia to free the blogger, so he can accept the prize.
Earlier this month Raif Badawi also won the Pen Pinter Prize for championing free speech.
In June 2015, Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court upheld Raif Badawi’s verdict despite a foreign outcry.
Martin Schulz told a packed European Parliament assembly in Strasbourg, France: “This man, who is an extremely good man, an exemplary man, has had imposed on him one of the most gruesome penalties.
“I call on the Saudi king to immediately free him. Relations depend on human rights being respected by our partners… they are not only not being respected but are being trodden underfoot.”
Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the European Parliament’s Liberal bloc, said: “The European Parliament has sent today a strong political and humanitarian message to Saudi Arabian authorities.”
Raif Badawi’s wife Ensaf Haidar, now living Canada with their children, said the award was a “message of hope and courage”.
“I thank the European Parliament,” Ensaf Haidar told AFP news agency.
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is awarded by the European Parliament to individuals or organizations for their contribution to the fight for human rights and democracy.
The prize is named after the Soviet scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov.
Raif Badawi was one of three nominees for this year’s prize along with assassinated Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov and the Venezuelan opposition movement Mesa de la Unidad Democratica.
Previous winners include Nelson Mandela, Myanmar activist Aung San Suu Kyi and Pakistani education campaigner Malala Yousafzai.
Most people fail to realize just how hard it can be to keep a home in good shape. There are a number of things that a homeowner will have to keep a check on in order to ensure their residence is safe. Taking the time to inspect a home for issues will be more than worth it in the end. The electrical parts of a home are among the most essential and the most potentially harmful. Taking proper precautions when it comes to a home’s electricity, like hiring an electrical contractor Anaheim, can pay off. The following are some of the things that a homeowner will have to think about when trying to keep their home free of electrical issues.
Watch Out For Moisture
The first thing that a homeowner will need to be aware of when trying to avoid electrical problems is moisture. Most homeowners make use of extension cords for a variety of different things. Letting moisture get into these cords can cause a variety of dangerous issues. The best thing to do with an extension cord is to roll it up when not in use to reduce the chance of moisture getting in it. Taking this type of precaution will more than pay off in the end.
Photo source: glenrougehomes.com
Pay Attention to a Home’s Breakers
When trying to keep a home free of repair issues, a homeowner will need to pay attention to the condition of their breaker box. Having a breaker box that is out of date can cause a variety of electrical problems. The best way to keep a check on a breaker box is by having it inspected on a regular basis. The professionals will be able to let a homeowner know when it is time to get rid of their breaker box. Hiring professionals to inspect a breaker box is a great way to get the peace of mind a homeowner needs.
Checking the Dryer Ducts in a Home
The next thing that a homeowner will need to do when trying to keep the electrical elements of their home safe is to check their dryer ducts cleaned. Over time, the lint that comes out of a dryer will begin to clog up the vent and can become a big hazard. Not checking and cleaning the vent on a regular basis can start a fire that will be very hard to put out.
Finding the right electricians to help keep a home’s electrical system in check is vital. Researching each of electricians in the area will make the hiring process much easier. Hiring a company, like accurateelectricalservices.com, can make it easy to keep a home in good shape.
Over the next three weeks, Christmas lights across the UK will be switched on before a plethora of excited and enthusiastic families. We will also see a host of famous celebrities perform the deed, with Telford’s local authorities having arguably achieved the biggest coup by signing pop star and reality television sensation Peter Andre.
While you are unlikely to hire a celebrity to turn on your own Christmas lights, however, some households go above and beyond in order to create a truly festive spectacle in their homes. Lighting is a crucial part of this, as it can illuminate a garden space and elevate it above the standard winter scene.
What should you look for in your christmas lights?
Photo source: www.designrulz.com
With this in mind, exactly what features should you look for in your outdoor Christmas lights? Consider the following:
The type of fitting that you want
Not all outdoor Christmas lights are made equal, and while some are small and affordable others are far larger and can cost a considerable sum of money. Those with smaller gardens will probably be more interested in the type of decorative light chains that can adorn trees and pathways, while larger home-owners will be looking to invest in statement fittings that create a significant wow factor. Regardless of this, the key is to understand these differences and target a viable product.
Prioritise LED Fittings
The next step is to ensure that you buy LED fittings, as these are cost-effect and minimise the amount of energy that you consume during the festive season. We are now in the fifth generation of LED fittings, and the range has evolved through the ages to create a diverse selection of designs that also offer style, variety and artistic value to home-owners. Given that you want your outdoor lights to create a visual spectacle without costing huge amounts of money to operate, LED fittings such as the ones displayed here are worth their weight in gold.
Photo source: www.reddilight.co.uk
A Focal Point for your design
Even if you lack the space or financial resources to invest in large statement pieces for your Christmas light arrangement, you will still need a focal point for the design. Illuminated Christmas trees provide a relevant example, as they are strikingly beautiful and provide a strong and eye-catching source of light. This can be surrounded by light chains and even alternatively coloured bulbs, creating a logical layout and design that suits your garden space.
Area rugs are an often underutilized aspect of home decor. Even today, it remains one of the most dramatic ways you can change the look and feel of a room. Understanding that it’s more than simply an accessory is one of the first steps to understanding how to successfully incorporate them into your own home.
Understanding Its Role
The purpose of an area rug isn’t just to look good, it should also set boundaries and create order within the room. This is why choosing the size is so important. People are often surprised at the prices of larger examples, but remember that your savings will be worthless if the rug isn’t right for the space. In the living room, the general rule of thumb is that it should be large enough so at least the front legs of the furniture are on it. In the bedroom, you want to be able to feel the rug on your feet when you get out of bed so around two feet beyond the bed on each side a good starting point.
More Than an Afterthought
Area rugs often come as an afterthought in the design process. If a designer has done a bad job tying together a space, they often think that by adding a rug into the equation they can better bring everything together. The truth is that an area rug should actually be one of the first things you consider when designing the layout of a room. After all, it’s likely the largest piece in the entire space so it deserves your full attention. Deciding what you want at the last minute also means that you risk spending months searching for the perfect fit.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Neutral colors like beige, creams, and grays are very popular amongst people buying area rugs because they fear that something with more character could be obstructed by their furniture. The trick is to match the rug with the kind of furniture surrounding it. If you’re using a patterned motif, look for something with a geometrical pattern like those available here. This means that the overall design won’t be blocked by the furniture covering it. Similarly, if you’re using a rug with an image on it, make sure that a piece of furniture isn’t obscuring the most interesting part of that design. Place it underneath lighter furniture with a slender frame, or perhaps a glass surface.
When used correctly, area rugs are an incredibly useful device in interior design. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different approaches until you find the one that’s right for you.
British scientists have announced that Olaparib, the first drug that targets precise genetic mutations in prostate cancer, has been shown to be effective in a “milestone” trial.
The study, at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, took place on 49 men with untreatable cancer.
Olaparib had low overall success, but slowed tumor growth in 88% of patients with specific DNA mutations.
Cancer Research UK said the trial was exciting.
Olaparib, the first marketed drug to tackle inherited cancer mutations, was licensed in 2014 for women with ovarian cancer who have faulty BRCA genes.
The future of cancer medicine is treating cancers by their mutated DNA rather than what part of the body they are in.
The breast cancer drug Herceptin is already used only in patients with specific mutations. Olaparib targets mutations that change the way DNA is repaired.
The trial results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed the drug worked in 14 out of 16 men with such mutations.
Levels of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA), which is produced by tumors, was more than halved and there were also significant falls in the number of prostate cancer cells detected in the blood and in the size of secondary tumors.
Patients responded to the drug for between six months and nearly a year and a half.
Prostate cancer is the fifth most deadly type of cancer in men.
However, a larger clinical trial is needed before doctors can say if the drug extends life expectancy.
