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Bidhya Devi Bhandari Becomes Nepal’s First Female President

Diane A. Wade
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Bidhya Devi Bhandari Becomes Nepal’s First Female President

Women’s rights campaigner Bidhya Devi Bhandari has become Nepal’s first female president.

Nepal’s parliament has elected Bidhya Devi Bhandari in a move hailed as a milestone.

Bidhya Devi Bhandari, 54, is the second person to hold the mainly ceremonial role.

She is currently the vice-chair of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist).

Bidhya Devi Bhandari was defense minister from 2009 to 2011. As president, she has promised to champion minority and women’s rights in Nepal.

Photo One India
Photo One India

Earlier this month, Nepal’s parliament chose its new prime minister, KP Sharma Oli.

Bidhya Devi Bhandari replaces Ram Baran Yadav, who was Nepal’s first elected president in 2008 after Nepal abolished its monarchy.

Her election comes shortly after Nepal put in place its new constitution in September aimed at stabilizing the country, but which ended up sparking deadly violence, killing at least 40 people.

The constitution defines Nepal as a secular republic divided into seven federal provinces.

However, ethnic groups in southern Nepal want more territory and rights for ethnic federal states.

Bidhya Devi Bhandari was born on June 19, 1961, in Manebhanjyang of Bhojpur in Nepal.

She joined student politics at an early age and later got married to a fellow Communist, Madan Bhandari.

Bidhya Devi Bhandari led demonstrations against the former King Gyanendra in 2006, ending his authoritarian rule and restoring democracy.

Republican Debate: Donald Trump and Ben Carson under Attack

Diane A. Wade
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Republican Debate: Donald Trump and Ben Carson under Attack

Republican frontrunners Donald Trump and Ben Carson, with no political experience, were under attack from the start of the third GOP presidential debate in Colorado.

Ohio Governor John Kasich condemned their “fantasy tax plans” and added: “We can’t elect someone who doesn’t know how to do the job.”

Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who has edged past Donald Trump in the latest national polls, had a quiet night in Boulder.

His tax proposal, which is based on biblical tithes, was decried by John Kasich, who also dismissed Donald Trump’s plan to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants and build a wall on the Mexico border.Third GOP debate October 2015

Political friendships were strained by some of the testy exchanges, notably one between former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Florida Senator Marco Rubio.

Jeb Bush urged Marco Rubio, once his protégé, to resign from the Senate because of his poor voting record.

The media were also in the firing line – Texas Senator Ted Cruz got the night’s biggest applause when he attacked the hosts, CNBC for stirring confrontation.

“The questions that have been asked so far in this debate illustrate why the American people don’t trust the media. This is not a cage match.”

The hostility against CNBC continued after the debate when Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus complained about the “gotcha questions”.

The four lowest-polling Republican candidates squared off in an early debate.

Lindsey Graham, a senator from South Carolina, got the most laughs, especially when he said Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders “went to the Soviet Union on his honeymoon and I don’t think he ever came back”.

Primary voting begins in February in Iowa, 10 months before the US goes to the polls to vote for its new president.

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

Project Loon: Google Internet Balloons to Circle Southern Hemisphere

Nancy Clayson
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Project Loon: Google Internet Balloons to Circle Southern Hemisphere

Google has announced it is on course to have enough internet-beaming balloons in the stratosphere to form a ring over part of the world in 2016.

The declaration coincides with the announcement that three of Indonesia’s mobile networks intend to start testing Project Loon’s transmissions in 2016.

Sri Lanka previously signed a separate agreement signaling its wish to be another participant in the giant helium balloon-based scheme.

Google first revealed its super pressure balloon plan in June 2013, when about 30 of the inflatable plastic “envelopes” were launched from New Zealand.

Beneath each lighter-than-air balloon are hung: two radio transceivers to receive and send data streams, plus a third back-up radio; a flight computer and GPS location tracker; an altitude control system, which is used to move the balloon up and down to find winds that will take it in the desired direction; solar panels to power all the gear.

Photo Google
Photo Google

Because each balloon only provides connectivity to a ground area 25 miles in diameter below it, the initial ring will be limited to a relatively small part of the planet as it circles a section of the Southern Hemisphere.

Super pressure balloons are made out of tightly sealed plastic capable of containing highly pressurized lighter-than-air gases.

The aim is to keep the volume of the balloon relatively stable, even if there are changes in temperature.

This allows them to stay aloft longer and be better at maintaining a specific altitude than balloons which stretch and contract.

In particular, it avoids the problem of balloons descending at night when their gases cool.

The concept was first developed for the US Air Force in the 1950s using a stretched polyester film called Mylar.

The effort resulted in the GHOST (global horizontal sounding technique) program which launched superpressure balloons from Christchurch, New Zealand, to gather wind and temperature data over remote regions of the planet.

Over the following decade, 88 balloons were launched, the longest staying aloft for 744 days.

More recently, NASA has experimented with the technology and suggested superpressure balloons could one day be deployed into Mars’s atmosphere.

Google suggests that Project Loon would be a cheaper solution than installing fiber optic cables or building mobile phone masts across all of Indonesia’s islands, which contain jungles and mountains.

The advantage of a balloon-based system over satellites is that it should ultimately be cheaper to maintain – at least, if all the technological challenges can be overcome.

Google is, however, considering other options.

It is also pursuing a separate effort codenamed Titan, which aims to use solar-paneled drones to provide the internet to unconnected parts of the world.

Facebook is also developing a similar drone-based scheme.

UN: Over 50,000 North Korean Workers in Forced Labor Abroad

Diane A. Wade
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UN: Over 50,000 North Korean Workers in Forced Labor Abroad

According to a UN investigator’s report, as many as 50,000 North Koreans have been sent abroad to work in conditions that amount to “forced labor”.

Marzuki Darusman said workers earn very little, are underfed and are sometimes forced to work up to 20-hour days.

The special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea also said in his report that employers pay “significantly higher amounts” directly to the North Korean government.North Korean workers in forced labor abroad

The majority of the workers are in China and Russia, mainly in the mining, textile and construction industries.

Marzuki Darusman also listed countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

He said the companies who hire North Korean workers “become complicit in an unacceptable system of forced labor”.

The workers are providing a source of hard currency to a country in a “really tight financial and economic situation”.

Marzuki Darusman estimated that North Korea was earning $1.2 billion-$2.3 billion from the foreign worker system every year.

Since 2006, North Korea has been under international sanction for its nuclear weapons tests resulting in a shortage of foreign currency.

George Lucas Donates $10 Million to USC School of Cinematic Arts

Sonia Pantiss
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George Lucas Donates $10 Million to USC School of Cinematic Arts

George Lucas has donated $10 million to the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, the same place he graduated from nearly 50 years ago.

The gift – the largest single donation for student support in the school’s history – will establish The George Lucas Foundation Endowed Student Support Fund for Diversity which will provide financial support for African American and Hispanic students enrolled at the School.

The Star Wars creator said Hispanic and African-American storytellers were underrepresented in the entertainment industry.

Photo USC
Photo USC

Student support will be split equally between male and female students, who will be known as George Lucas Scholars or Mellody Hobson Scholars. The first recipients will be awarded for the fall of 2016.

In addition to the Lucas Family Foundation’s fund, the School of Cinematic Arts has recently received a number of endowment gifts specifically earmarked for student support including: the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Fund for Student Support, the Shriram Family Graduate Student Support Fund, and the Kelly & Ron Meyer Family Fund for Student Support.

George Lucas previously donated around $175 million in 2006, some of which was used to rebuild the film school.

The director is awaiting a vote by Chicago’s City Council on his plans to build a 300,000 square foot Museum of Narrative Art beside Lake Michigan.

Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez Divorce Confirmed

Lisa.Felice
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Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez Divorce Confirmed

Halle Berry has announced that she and Olivier Martinez are to divorce.

The actress filed a divorce petition under a pseudonym while the French actor filed his own petition, with both citing irreconcilable differences.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Halle Berry and Olivier Matinez – who have a 2-year-old son together – released a joint statement announcing the divorce on October 27.

“We move forward with love and respect for one another and the shared focus of what is best for our son,” they said.

“We wish each other nothing but happiness in life and we hope that you respect our and, most importantly, our children’s privacy as we go through this difficult period.”

Halle Berry was previously married to baseball player David Justice and soul singer Eric Benet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0G0IxJFbEI

FIFA Election 2016: Seven Candidates Confirmed

Clyde K. Valle
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FIFA Election 2016: Seven Candidates Confirmed

FIFA has confirmed that seven candidates will stand in its presidential election on February 26, 2016.

The candidates are:

  • Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, 39, president of the Jordan Football Association
  • Musa Bility, 48, president of the Liberian Football Association
  • Jerome Champagne, 57, former FIFA executive
  • Gianni Infantino, 45, UEFA’s general secretary
  • Michel Platini, 60, is UEFA president and FIFA vice-president
  • Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, 49, Asian Football Confederation president
  • Tokyo Sexwale, 62, former South Africa’s government ministerFIFA election 2016

Trinidadian ex-soccer player David Nakhid was not included on the list, despite saying he had submitted his candidacy.

The election is to find a successor to the suspended Sepp Blatter, who is under criminal investigation.

Sepp Blatter, 79, announced he would be stepping down in June, with world soccer’s governing body at the centre of a corruption scandal.

Michel Platini, the head of European soccer’s governing body, is also suspended, but FIFA’s electoral committee says it may allow him to stand if his ban ends before the election date.

FIFA and Swiss prosecutors are investigating reports that a 2 million euros payment was made in 2011 for work Michel Platini did as Sepp Blatter’s adviser.

Both Michel Platini and Sepp Blatter deny any wrongdoing and are appealing against their 90-day bans.

Under FIFA electoral rules, all candidates had to obtain the written backing of five soccer associations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8d5u_PGGUc

3 Examples of Space Saving, Extendable Tables

Dana R
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3 Examples of Space Saving, Extendable Tables

For many homes in urban environments, floor space is a luxury. This circumstance often means that the dining table is one of the first pieces of furniture that has to be sacrificed. This means that mealtimes have become more casual affairs, often spent in front of the TV or at a kitchen counter turned breakfast nook.

This is a shame because a dining room setting is perfect for giving families the opportunity to spend more time with each other or as a place to entertain guests. Fortunately, there are a number of options available that can facilitate a full sized eating area, even in a small living space.

drop-leaf-table
Photo Source: workersalsa.blogspot.com

Drop-Leaf Tables

The classic drop-leaf table actually date back all the way to sixteenth century England. It has a fixed section in the center and a two hinged parts, commonly known as the “leaves,” on either side. On some pieces the leaves are supported by legs that swing out from the center rather than by the bracket. These are known as gateleg tables and they’re ideal for those living in smaller spaces that can’t accommodate a permanent dining area. The subtle design turns what appears to be a simple storage compartment into a practical and comfortable seating arrangement for two to four people.

Circular Designs

For those who need something larger, a circular design like the famous Braun Woodline, created by French designer Philippe Braun may be just what you’re looking for. This extendable table is the perfect implementation of what practical furniture should provide. Rather than having to own pieces of varying sizes to fit the number of guests, this table can adapt to your needs instead. It starts off as a small round table for four, though it’s easily expandable to seat eight or more by using a simple drawer mechanism. There are three sizes that seat up to 16, if necessary.

folding-tables
Photo Source: hometone.com

Foldaway Solutions

We often hear that the best kind of design is invisible and only apparent to us when we need it. If this is truly the case, then fully foldaway solutions that use a drop-down mechanism to sit flush inside are the pinnacle of well-designed extendable. The best examples of these are e to match seamlessly into the rest of the décor before seemingly appearing from nowhere. This seems to be the approach that Russian designer Oleg Trofimov is replicating with his incredible space saving apartment, that employs numerous foldaway, hidden furniture, sliding walls to make up for the immediate size restrictions.

Take a look here to see some more examples of what’s available and let us know about your own solutions in the comments below.

Asia Earthquake Homeless at Risk of Death from Exposure

Diane A. Wade
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Asia Earthquake Homeless at Risk of Death from Exposure

Afghans and Pakistanis made homeless by this week’s earthquake could die from exposure, aid workers have warned.

There is an urgent need for tents and blankets for those forced to spend a second night outdoors, they said.

Children are especially at risk of succumbing to the extreme cold.

Thousands spent last night in near-freezing temperatures, reluctant to go back inside for fear of aftershocks, Pakistani media reported.

At least 360 people are known to have died in both countries, but officials are warning the number will rise, particularly in Afghanistan.

The UN children’s fund said a combination of intense cold and insecurity were cutting off some communities.

Remote and mountainous quake-affected areas have been hit by heavy rain and snow for the past two days, according to a UNICEF statement.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

“Communication is poor and access difficult due to the tough terrain and security operations,” the statement says.

The earthquake’s epicenter was in the Afghan province of Badakhshan, where it damaged many of the province’s scarce roads, officials say.

Providing aid by air will be one of the most effective ways of reaching those in dire need, they say, but such operations are unlikely to start for many days – until survey teams on foot are able to visit the affected areas and report on the damage.

The Pakistani town closest to the epicenter is Chitral, but it also shook buildings in the capital, Islamabad, and in Peshawar.

The tremor lasted for up to 45 seconds early on October 26, creating cracks in walls across a wide region and leading to electricity blackouts.

Officials say more than 1,600 people in Pakistan were injured in the quake, and more than 4,000 homes destroyed.

The worst-hit area was the picturesque Swat Valley and areas around Dir, Malakand and Shangla towns in the mountains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Though relief is getting through to displaced people, Pakistani media reported that at least 5,000 villagers in the remote Kalash Valley remained homeless and charities could not reach them.

Many people remain trapped under piles of rubble, with officials warning that the death toll was set to rise.

In Afghanistan, the quake destroyed more than 7,600 homes, a statement from President Ashraf Ghani’s office said. He has ordered the military to make themselves available for the relief effort.

Taliban rebels urged Afghans “not to hold back in providing shelter, food and medical supplies'” to quake victims and said their fighters would help the relief effort.

Ben Carson Overtakes Donald Trump in New Poll

Nancy Clayson
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Ben Carson Overtakes Donald Trump in New Poll

Ben Carson has knocked Donald Trump off top spot in the Republican presidential campaign.

The retired neurosurgeon takes a narrow lead in a New York Times/CBS News poll, ousting Donald Trump who has led the pack for nearly four months.

The news comes on the eve of the third TV debate for Republican contenders.

The next-ranked candidates are Marco Rubio (8%), Jeb Bush and Carly Fiorina (7% each) but they are a long way behind.

Conservative Ben Carson, who has expressed extreme views on a range of issues, has 26% of Republican primary voter support, according to the telephone poll of 575 voters.

The 64-year-old lead of 4% over Donald Trump is well within the 6% margin of error.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Florida Senator Marco Rubio has 8% support and the rest closely follow behind him.

Donald Trump has turned his fire to Ben Carson in recent days, attacking him as “low energy” and questioning his Seventh Day Adventist faith.

The two will meet on the stage at Boulder, Colorado, at the Republican debate on October 28.

Primary voting begins in February in Iowa, where Ben Carson also leads the polls.

Ben Carson was criticized this week for comparing abortion to slavery.

The retired doctor has said President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform was “the worst thing” since slavery and that the US government is acting like Nazi Germany.

He also asserted that being gay is a choice, Muslims aren’t qualified to seek the US presidency, the Holocaust could have been prevented if persecuted Europeans owned more guns and – just a few days ago – that the US government should cut off funding to universities that are found to exhibit “extreme political bias”.

Ben Carson’s comments on abortion have set off yet another cycle of outrage from the left – a reaction that he will likely wear as a badge of honor.

VW Reports $4 Billion Operating Loss Amid Emissions Scandal

Clyde K. Valle
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VW Reports $4 Billion Operating Loss Amid Emissions Scandal

VW has reported a €3.48 billion operating loss for Q3 of 2015, and a €2.52 billion pre-tax loss triggered by its emissions scandal.

The German automaker has taken a charge of €6.7 billion ($7.4 billion) to cover the costs of the scandal.

In September, Volkswagen admitted installing software designed to cheat emissions tests in 11 million of its diesel cars worldwide.VW loss after emissions scandal

VW CEO and chairman of the Board of Management, Matthias Müller, said: “The figures show the core strength of the Volkswagen Group on the one hand, while on the other the initial impact of the current situation is becoming clear. We will do everything in our power to win back the trust we have lost.”

The company said it expects profits for the full year to be “down significantly” as a result of the costs of dealing with the emissions scandal, but it said that it is still forecasting a rise of up to 4% in sales revenue.

Meanwhile VW has started retrenching and announced earlier this month it would reduce its research and development budget. In the last three months it has reduced R&D by over €1 billion.

Walgreens Buys Rite Aid for $17.2 Billion

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Walgreens Buys Rite Aid for $17.2 Billion

Walgreens Boots Alliance has agreed to buy its rival Rite Aid in a $17.2 billion all-cash deal.

If approved by regulators, the deal would see two of the biggest US drug stores combined.

Walgreens Boots Alliance was created when UK-based Alliance Boots merged with Walgreens in 2014.

Rite Aid is expected to initially continue operating under its own name.

The Pennsylvania-based company, which has been in operation since 1962, saw its shares soar more than 40% on October 27 after the Wall Street Journal reported that a deal may be in the wings.

Photo Fox Business
Photo Fox Business

Walgreens Boots Alliance said Rite Aid shareholders would receive $9 per share under the deal. Both companies said the transaction was expected to be completed half way through 2016.

Walgreens Boots Alliance said it expected to finance the transaction “through a combination of existing cash, assumption of existing Rite Aid debt and issuance of new debt”.

“Today’s announcement is another step in Walgreens Boots Alliance’s global development and continues our profitable growth strategy,” said CEO Stefano Pessina.

Rite Aid CEO John Standley said the deal would deliver “significant value” to the company’s shareholders. The retail chain has some 4,600 stores across the US and is the largest drugstore chain on the East Coast.

Walgreens Boots Alliance already employs more than 370,000 people and has a presence across some 25 countries. Walgreens is set to release its fourth quarter results on October 28.

Ivory Coast Elections 2015: Alassane Ouattara Wins Second Term with 84% of Vote

Diane A. Wade
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Ivory Coast Elections 2015: Alassane Ouattara Wins Second Term with 84% of Vote

Alassane Ouattara has won a second five-year term as Ivory Coast’s president with nearly 84% of the vote, electoral commission officials say.

He won a total of 2,118,229 votes, or 83.66% of votes cast, the commission said. Turnout was 54.63%.

Several opposition candidates pulled out of the campaign, complaining that it was not free and fair.

The last vote in 2010 was bitterly contested and resulted in a civil war in which 3,000 people lost their lives.Alassane Ouattara Wins Ivory Coast elections

Alassane Ouattara required more than 50% of the vote to avoid a run-off. His closest opposition rival, Pascal Affi N’Guessan, got just 9%.

In the 2010 vote, Alassane Ouattara defeated then-President Laurent Gbagbo, whose refusal to step down triggered months of violence in which thousands of people were killed.

Alassane Ouattara’s campaign this year centered around his economic program. Critics accused him of failing to foster reconciliation or reduce poverty.

The 54% turnout in Ivory Coast’s election was down from the 2010 first-round turnout of about 80%.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR3v2q-kjJ4

Libya: Helicopter Crashes in Tripoli Killing at Least 12 People

Roy Siemens
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Libya: Helicopter Crashes in Tripoli Killing at Least 12 People

A helicopter has crashed in Libya’s capital Tripoli killing at least 12 people, security sources say.

The helicopter had been carrying cash for a local bank on the way out and was returning with passengers to Tripoli.Libya helicopter crash

According to local media, the dead may include high-ranking militia members. Bank workers were also reportedly on board.

The civilian bank staff were from the town of Surman, a militia spokesman said.

Libya has been hit by instability since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with numerous militias each governing their own patches of territory.

Halloween Costumes: Walmart Sparks Controversy with Israeli Soldier Outfit for Kids

Nancy Clayson
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Halloween Costumes: Walmart Sparks Controversy with Israeli Soldier Outfit for Kids

Walmart has sparked outrage among customers by stocking an Israeli army Halloween outfit for kids.

The costume is available on the store’s website for $28.81 ahead of this year’s Halloween.

Some users of social media expressed outrage at the costume. It comes at a time of spiraling violence between Israelis and the Palestinians.

The store’s “Sheikh Fagin nose”, also available on Walmart’s website, has likewise drawn criticism.

Photo Walmart
Photo Walmart

Its large, hook-nosed appearance and the use of the name Fagin – referring to a character in Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist – appear also to play into anti-Semitic stereotypes.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) costume was also heavily criticized by many on Twitter. Walmart has not as yet reacted to the criticism.

More than 40 Palestinians have died in unrest in Israel and the Palestinian territories in October 2015, many killed carrying out attacks on Israelis. Nine Israelis have been killed and dozens wounded in stabbings and some gun attacks.

Earlier this year, an outfit inspired by transgender reality star and former athlete Caitlyn Jenner’s Vanity Fair cover was condemned as “transphobic” and “deplorable.”

Another costume based on famed Zimbabwean lion Cecil, who was shot by American dentist Walter Palmer, was criticized by an animal welfare charity.

3 Useful Storage Tips for Children’s Bedrooms

Dana R
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3 Useful Storage Tips for Children’s Bedrooms

While we all try to limit the amount of toys we buy our children, it’s not long until there’s a huge buildup of clutter in their bedrooms. As other family members start chipping in with gifts, it’s surprising just how many options kids can have today. This is why coming up with unique storage solutions for children’s rooms is so important.

Make the Most of What You Have

Keeping stuff stored under the bed might seem an obvious choice, but when it’s time to get them back out kids will often end up pulling out everything available and you can be certain that tidying up won’t be their first priority. Fortunately, there are lots of bed frames that come with built-in storage options. These Stompa singles found here give you a greater range of drawers, shelves and openings to keep things neat. Mid-level or high sleeper beds are also another great way to utilize the most of your space. These place the bed high up, like a bunk bed, but use the underlying space for a desk or other useful solutions.

children-bedroom

Remember to Think Vertically

If you don’t have any more floor space to utilize, remember to think vertically and add some shelving. While it might be tempting to build all the way to the ceiling, a small child could easily try to scale the shelves trying to get a specific toy on the highest shelf. Keep it safe and be careful of what you place on the highest points. A more unique way of doing this is to use magnetic strips to hold metal toys, like toy cars. You can use the same strip as what you’d use for a magnetic knife holder in the kitchen. Not only does this provides a great way to keep things organized, but it’s also inexpensive.

Favor Dual-Role Solutions

Finally, finding good storage containers for your child’s room can be harder than you’d imagine. You’ll need something that’s sturdy enough to withstand some wear and tear and preferably that could double up as another piece of furniture. Large trunks are a great way to store a large amount of toys. They can also be used to fit in with a variety of different themes in the bedroom, too, like pirates or fantasy. Similarly, if you regularly read to your child in bed, rather than using a standard bedside table consider using a small storage cabinet to give yourself the a few more options instead.

Congo-Brazzaville Referendum Backs Denis Sassou Nguesso’s Third-Term Bid

Diane A. Wade
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Congo-Brazzaville Referendum Backs Denis Sassou Nguesso’s Third-Term Bid

Congo-Brazzaville’s controversial referendum has approved constitutional changes to allow President Denis Sassou Nguesso to run for a third term with more than 92% of votes.

Under the current constitution, President Denis Sassou Nguesso, one of Africa’s longest-serving ruler, has been unable to seek re-election because he is over the age of 70 and has already served two terms.

The opposition say turnout was low and the vote should be annulled.

However, official results put the turnout in October 25 referendum at 72%.

More than 1.2 million people voted in favor of the change (92.3% of voters) while nearly 102,000 rejected it, the electoral commission said.

The opposition called for a boycott of the poll and one of its leaders described the official results as a “fraud”.

“From what we could see on the day of the vote, the announcement that turnout was more than 72% is extremely scandalous,” Clement Mierassa told the AFP news agency.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

Denis Sassou Nguesso, 71, is one of Africa’s longest-serving rulers, first coming to power in 1979 and ruling until 1992 when he lost elections.

He returned as president in 1997 after a brief civil war and has since won two elections.

Denis Sassou Nguesso is now coming to the end of his second seven-year term.

Tens of thousands of people took part in a peaceful demonstration against the referendum in September.

Four people died last week, when security forces dispersed angry protesters in the capital, Brazzaville, and the economic hub of Pointe-Noire.

Congo-Brazzaville’s presidential election is due to take place in 2016.

ISIS Executes Three Captives in Palmyra

Roy Siemens
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ISIS Executes Three Captives in Palmyra

ISIS militants have executed three captives in Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra by tying them to columns and blowing them up, activists say.

The identities of those reportedly killed on October 25 have yet to be given.

However, they are thought to be the first to have been killed in that way since the jihadist group seized the ruins in May.

ISIS has destroyed two 2,000-year-old temples, an arch and funerary towers at Palmyra, one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world.

The Islamic State believes that such structures are idolatrous. The UN cultural agency, UNESCO, has condemned the destruction as a war crime.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group that monitors the conflict in Syria, cited local sources in Palmyra as saying that on October 25 ISIS militants tied three detainees to Roman-era columns and then blew up the structures with explosives.ISIS kills captives in Palmyra

An activist from Palmyra, Khaled al-Homsi, said ISIS had yet to tell locals the identities of the three individuals or say why they had been killed.

“There was no-one there to see [the execution]. The columns were destroyed and IS has prevented anyone from heading to the site,” he told the AFP news agency.

Another activist, Mohammed al-Ayed, said ISIS was “doing this for the media attention”.

After overrunning the ruins of Palmyra and the adjoining modern town, also known as Tadmur, ISIS militants used the ancient theatre for the killing of 25 Syrian soldiers.

They also beheaded archaeologist Khaled al-Asaad, who looked after ruins for 40 years, after he reportedly refused to reveal where artifacts had been hidden.

Earlier this week, ISIS posted images online purportedly showing militants driving a tank over a captured soldier, who it alleged had himself driven over militants.

Saudi Prince Arrested in Lebanon over Drug Smuggling

Diane A. Wade
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Saudi Prince Arrested in Lebanon over Drug Smuggling

Prince Abdel Mohsen Bin Walid Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and four other people have been arrested in Lebanon in the largest drug seizure in the history of Beirut airport, a security source has said.

The prince was among those detained by airport security while allegedly “attempting to smuggle about two tonnes of Captagon pills and some cocaine,” the security source said.

“The smuggling operation is the largest one that has been foiled through the Beirut International Airport,” the source told the AFP news agency on condition of anonymity. Prince Abdel Mohsen Bin Walid Bin Abdulaziz arrested in Lebanon

Captagon is the brand name for the amphetamine phenethylline, a synthetic stimulant.

Manufacturing of the substance thrives in Lebanon and war-torn Syria, which have become a gateway for the drug to the Middle East and particularly the Gulf.

The UN Office of Drugs and Crime said in a 2014 report that the amphetamine market is on the rise in the Middle East, with seizures mostly in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria accounting for more than 55% of amphetamines recovered worldwide.

The security source said the drugs had been packed into cases that were waiting to be loaded onto a private plane that was headed to Saudi Arabia.

Lebanon’s state news agency said the private plane was to head to Riyadh and was carrying 40 suitcases full of Captagon.

The five Saudi citizens were still in the airport and will be questioned by Lebanon’s customs authority, the source added.

Lamar Odom Needs Kidney Transplant

Lisa.Felice
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Lamar Odom Needs Kidney Transplant

According to multiple reports, Lamar Odom is “definitely” in need of a kidney transplant.

Lamar Odom, 35, is suffering from major kidney failure and is currently on dialysis. His days are full of good and bad moments, Us Weekly reports.

His brain functions are of the utmost concern, considering the multiple strokes he had while in the hospital, the publication says.

Photo Khloe Kardashian
Photo Khloe Kardashian

People magazine is reporting that the former NBA star severely damaged his lungs, as well.

According to police report, Lamar Odom had cocaine in his system when he was found unconscious in Nevada earlier this month.

Meanwhile it was reported that Lamar Odom’s brother-in-law, Rob Kardashian, 28, is ready to donate one of his kidney’s in order to save the former NBA star‘s life.

Rob Kardashian and Lamar Odom were once as close as brothers.

Donald Trump Reveals He Started out with a “Small Loan” of $1M from His Father

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Reveals He Started out with a “Small Loan” of $1M from His Father

Donald Trump has revealed he got his start in business with a “small loan” of $1 million  from his father.

Speaking at a town hall meeting in New Hampshire, voters asked the tycoon to show some humility and common ground with average Americans.

The Republican presidential candidate said he “often drives himself” and recently ate at McDonald’s.

Donald Trump’s father, Fred Trump, was a successful real estate developer who gave him seed money to begin investments.

“It has not been easy for me,” the GOP front-runner said.

Photo AP
Photo AP

“And I started off in Brooklyn, my father gave me a small loan of $1 million. I came into Manhattan and I had to pay him back, and I had to pay him back with interest.”

The town hall’s host, NBC’s Matt Lauer, said most people would not consider that a small amount.

One woman at the town hall said some would only vote for Donald Trump if he would “eat a piece of humble pie once in a while”, to which he responded that doing so would expose weaknesses to foes like Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Opponent Ben Carson, a former neurosurgeon, has been gaining on Donald Trump in some polls.

In the last few days, he has been on the receiving end of attacks from the billionaire businessman, who says Ben Carson is “low energy”.

Voting in the party primary contests begins in February and the presidential election is in November 2016.

Spectre World Premiere Attended by Prince William and Kate Middleton

Sonia Pantiss
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Spectre World Premiere Attended by Prince William and Kate Middleton

Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince Harry have joined Spectre stars for its world premiere in London.

Daniel Craig, Monica Belluci and Lea Seydoux walked the red carpet ahead of the Royal Albert Hall screening.

Spectre is the first James Bond movie to open in theaters on the same day as its premiere.

The movie goes on general release in the UK and Ireland on October 26.

Cast members Christoph Waltz, Naomie Harris, Andrew Scott, Ben Whishaw, and Ralph Fiennes also attended the screening.

The 24th official entry in the franchise sees James Bond battling a criminal syndicate led by Franz Oberhauser, played by Christoph Waltz.Spectre world premiere London

Spectre is directed by Skyfall‘s Sam Mendes, who is also on the red carpet with producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.

Daniel Craig said Sam Mendes was “one of the best directors there is” and that he had enjoyed being “creatively involved from the very beginning”.

Spectre is the third James Bond movie chosen for the Royal Film Performance since its inception in 1946. It follows previous premieres for Die Another Day (2002) and Skyfall (2012).

Early reviews have been positive.

Spectre was shot at Pinewood Studios and filmed on location in London, Mexico City, Rome and Tangier and Erfoud, in Morocco.

The shadowy organization SPECTRE – which was previously an acronym for the Special Executive for Counter-Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion – last made an appearance in 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever, with Sean Connery as James Bond.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QBy6RdmXkQ

Asia Earthquake: Afghanistan, India and Pakistan Hit by 7.5-Magnitude Quake

Diane A. Wade
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Asia Earthquake: Afghanistan, India and Pakistan Hit by 7.5-Magnitude Quake

A 7.5-magnitude earthquake has struck northern Afghanistan, with tremors felt in Pakistan and northern India.

At least 51 people are said to have been killed in Pakistan, with 19 deaths reported in Afghanistan.

According to the US Geological Survey, the tremor was centered in the mountainous Hindu Kush region, 46 miles south of Faizabad.

Buildings were evacuated in the capitals of all three countries and communications disrupted in many areas.

In the Afghan province of Takhar, a stampede at a girls’ school triggered by the quake left 12 students dead and another 25 were injured, local reports said.South Asia earthquake October 2015

Seven people have been reported killed and 71 injured in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar.

In Pakistan, 28 people have been killed in the northern tribal areas, another 20 in the north-west and three more in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, officials told AFP news agency.

Officials said the quake happened at a depth of 212km. The magnitude was initially put at 7.7 but later downgraded.

An aftershock measured at 4.8-magnitude struck shortly afterwards.

People in the Indian capital Delhi ran into the streets after the tremor struck, and schools and offices were evacuated. The Delhi metro was also briefly halted.

Indian PM Narendra Modi tweeted that he had ordered an urgent assessment of any damage.

“We stand ready for assistance where required, including Afghanistan and Pakistan,” he said.

The region has a history of powerful earthquakes caused by the northward collision of India with central Asia.

In 2005, a magnitude 7.6-magnitude earthquake in Pakistan-administered Kashmir left more than 75,000 people dead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax5xv65Bt4I

WHO: Processed Meat Causes Cancer and Is as Bad as Smoking

Kathryn R. Bown
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WHO: Processed Meat Causes Cancer and Is as Bad as Smoking

According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, processed meats – such as bacon, hot dogs, sausages and ham – do cause cancer.

The WHO’s report said 50g of processed meat a day – less than two slices of bacon – increased the chance of developing colorectal cancer by 18%.

Meanwhile, the health agency said red meats were “probably carcinogenic” but there was limited evidence.

The WHO did stress that meat also had health benefits.

Processed meat is meat that has been modified to increase its shelf-life or alter its taste – such as by smoking, curing or adding salt or preservatives.

It is these additions which could be increasing the risk of cancer. High temperature cooking, such as on a barbeque, can also create carcinogenic chemicals.

The WHO has come to the conclusion on the advice of its International Agency for Research on Cancer, which assesses the best available scientific evidence.Processed meat and cancer

The International Agency for Research has now placed processed meat in the same category as plutonium, but also alcohol as they definitely do cause cancer.

However, this does not mean they are equally dangerous. A bacon sandwich is not as bad as smoking.

“For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal [bowel] cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed,” Dr. Kurt Straif from the WHO said.

Estimates suggest 34,000 deaths from cancer every year could be down to diets high in processed meat.

That is in contrast to one million deaths from cancer caused by smoking and 600,000 attributed to alcohol each year.

Red meat does have nutritional value too and is a major source of iron, zinc and vitamin B12.

However, the WHO said there was limited evidence that 100g of red meat a day increased the risk of cancer by 17%.

The WHO said its findings were important for helping countries give balanced dietary advice.

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