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Ahmed Adeeb: Maldives Vice-President Arrested over Alleged Assassination Plot

Roy Siemens
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Ahmed Adeeb: Maldives Vice-President Arrested over Alleged Assassination Plot

Maldives Vice-President Ahmed Adeeb has been arrested in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate the president, the home minister says.

Ahmed Adeeb was in detention and being charged with high treason, Umar Naseer said on Twitter.

Maldives President Abdulla Yameen narrowly escaped injury when a blast struck the boat he was using to return home from the airport late last month.

In recent years, the Maldives has been rocked by political infighting.

Abdulla Yameen’s election has been the subject of drawn-out wrangling.

Security has been tightened in the capital Male amid fears of “turmoil” triggered by the arrest, says the Maldivian newspaper Haveeru.

“By early morning Saturday, trucks loaded with policemen and soldiers were seen on nearly every street,” it reports.Ahmed Adeeb arrested

Four others were also arrested on October 24, the Maldives Independent website quoted police sub inspector Abdulla Nawaz as saying, but he gave no further details.

The website said Ahmed Adeeb’s arrest had “surprised and enthralled many Maldivians”.

President Abdulla Yameen and his wife were travelling to Male from the island where the airport is located on September 28 when their speedboat was hit by the bomb blast.

They had been to the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

The president was unhurt, but his wife and a number of others were injured when the device went off under a seat normally – but not in this instance – occupied by Abdulla Yameen.

Officials described the attack as an assassination attempt and had arrested two senior police officers – a week after the president fired his defense minister.

On October 24, Ahmed Adeeb too was arrested at the airport as he returned from an official overseas visit, police confirmed.

Home Minister Umar Naseer said the vice-president was being held on a prison island.

Ahmed Adeeb, who has denied any links to the explosion, had only been vice-president for three months.

Ahmed Adeeb came to office when the previous vice-president was sacked by Abdulla Yameen, also on charges of treason.

Most Powerful Storms in Last 35 Years

Nancy Clayson
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Most Powerful Storms in Last 35 Years

Worldwide, the number of intense tropical storms has increased 80%, according to an article published by Science magazine in 2005.

According to recent studies, while the total number of hurricanes per year did not increase, the percentage of category 4 and 5 hurricanes did sharply increase during the last 35-40 years.

Most researchers agree that the warming oceans are the result of rising amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, also known as global warming. This process occurs when there are high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Global warming and hurricanes are linked because heat essentially is the fuel of these storms. Researchers have described hurricanes as heat engines that draw their energy upward from the warm ocean water to drive their winds; the increase in ocean temperatures is like throwing a log on a fire.Typhoon Haiyan Philippines

 

  • Typhoon Tip, October 1979: largest and most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded with wind speeds of 190mph, killed 99 people in its path across the Pacific, mostly in Japan
  • Hurricane Allen, August 1980: strongest Atlantic hurricane by wind speed, with sustained winds of 190mph, caused nearly 300 deaths in Haiti and severe damage in the US state of Texas
  • Bangladesh cyclone known as 02B, April 1991: at least 138,000 died and up to 10 million made homeless after a 20ft storm surge
  • Odisha or Paradip cyclone, October 1991: the strongest ever recorded in the northern Indian Ocean, killed about 10,000 people, mostly in India
  • Hurricane Katrina, August 2005: killed at least 1,836 people after striking states of Louisiana and Mississippi and was the costliest storm in history, causing $81.2 billion in damage (with wind speeds of 175mph)
  • Hurricane Wilma, October 2005: most intense tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin with wind speeds of 185mph, killing 87 people on its path through the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico
  • Typhoon Haiyan, November 2013: the strongest storm recorded at landfall, with one-minute sustained wind speeds of 197mph, it devastated parts of the Philippines, killing at least 6,300 people

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKA7mj3bJ14

Mexico: Hurricane Patricia Downgraded to Category Two Storm

Diane A. Wade
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Mexico: Hurricane Patricia Downgraded to Category Two Storm

Hurricane Patricia still poses a threat of floods and landslides as it brings heavy rain to parts of Mexico, President Enrique Pena Nieto has warned.

President Enrique Pena Nieto said Hurricane Patricia – the strongest storm recorded in the Americas – had so far caused less damage than feared.

The US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said Hurricane Patricia hit as a Category Five storm – the highest classification.

The hurricane has since been downgraded to a Category Two tropical storm.

The storm touched down in western Mexico on October 23, bringing destructive winds and rain, but heavy damage appears to have been avoided.

The NHC said winds had decreased to 100 mph as Hurricane Patricia weakened over land.

While still over the ocean, Patricia had winds of 200 mph at its peak, which made it the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Western hemisphere.

Thousands of residents and tourists on Mexico’s Pacific coast were evacuated and moved inland.Hurricane Patricia Mexico

Hurricane Patricia is now moving north-northeastward inland over northern Mexico.

The states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacan, and Guerrero are in particular danger from the high rainfall expected on October 24, the center says.

Total rainfall of 8 to 12 inches is “likely to produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides,” it added.

“The first reports confirm that the damage has been smaller than that corresponding to a hurricane of this magnitude,” President Enrique Pena Nieto said in a TV address.

Mexican federal police said only “minor landslides and fallen trees” had so far been reported in Colima.

However, the Mexican government has warned that ash from the Colima volcano, which has become increasingly active this year, could combine with heavy rainfall to trigger huge mudflows.

Some 400,000 people live in vulnerable areas, according to Mexico’s National Disaster Fund.

Hurricane Patricia reached land in the Cuixmala area of the western Jalisco state, some 55 miles from the port city of Manzanillo.

The NHC said Patricia hit the coast with winds of 165mph.

At one point before landfall, the hurricane’s winds had been strong enough “to get a plane in the air and keep it flying”, World Meteorological Organization spokeswoman Claire Nullis said.

Video filmed in the port city of Manzanillo shortly before the hurricane struck showed trees bending in severe wind.

Residents had stocked up on food and other supplies, while shop owners boarded up windows.

Jalisco is home to the resort town of Puerto Vallarta, which appeared to have escaped the worst of the storm.

Police patrols in the resort urged people to leave the shorefront for safer areas at least three blocks inland, while loudspeakers ordered hotel residents to evacuate.

Puerto Vallarta airport, along with two others in the path of the storm, were closed.

Ukraine and Russia to Cease Direct Flights

Diane A. Wade
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Ukraine and Russia to Cease Direct Flights

As of Sunday, October 25, Ukraine will stop direct flights to Russia, as new sanctions initiated by Kiev come into effect.

Moscow first called Kiev’s ban on Russian airlines “madness”, then announced that it would mirror the move.

Ukraine now says flights will end at midnight on October 24, after last-minute crisis talks failed.

Up to 70,000 passengers a month will be affected.

The sanctions are intended to punish Russia for annexing Crimea and supporting armed rebels in eastern Ukraine. The fact that they have been introduced now, when a ceasefire is finally holding on the ground, shows how bitter relations remain.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

Russia has accused Ukraine of shooting itself in the foot with the move, pointing out that most passengers are Ukrainian travelling to work in Russia, visiting relatives or in transit.

Two-thirds of all passengers travel on Russian airlines.

Russia’s transport minister has estimated that the loss in ticket sales to both countries will run to around $110 million a year.

The ban is already angering passengers from both countries.

Last-minute talks to find a compromise are under way – so far to no avail – and the chances of success look slim in this climate.

As of October 25, passengers will be forced to take longer, more expensive routes via third countries, or to brace themselves for a 13-hour trip by train.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37sSt6z-QK0

Venezuela’s Central Bank Sues DolarToday over Cyberterrorism

Clyde K. Valle
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Venezuela’s Central Bank Sues DolarToday over Cyberterrorism

Venezuela’s Central Bank has filed a lawsuit at a court in Delaware against American website DolarToday.

The bank accuses DolarToday of cyberterrorism and says its managers are sowing economic chaos in Venezuela.

It requested both an injunction and damages, accusing the site’s managers of fanning inflation in Venezuela.

DolarToday tracks the black market value of the Venezuelan currency, the bolivar.

The website publishes a rate in Venezuelan bolivars for the US dollar, which is far higher than the official one.Venezuela sues DolarToday

On October 23, DolarToday it quoted the dollar at 820 bolivars, which is 130 times higher than Venezuela’s strongest official rate of 6.3 bolivars and four times the government’s weakest rate of 200.

Venezuela uses a three-tier system to subsidize key imports with advantageous exchange rates.

DolarToday says it calculates its rate based on trades on Venezuela’s border with Colombia.

President Nicolas Maduro has in the past accused the website of being part of an international capitalist conspiracy against his socialist government.

Critics say currency controls and widespread government intervention in Venezuela’s economy have caused shortages of goods and shrinking GDP.

Halloween Muffins Recipe

Kathryn R. Bown
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Halloween Muffins Recipe

Halloween Carrot Muffins Recipe

Ingredients:

7oz soft light brown sugar
7floz sunflower oil
2 medium eggs
7oz plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
7oz carrots, peeled and grated
2oz walnut pieces, chopped
1 tsp vanilla essence

For the icing:

225g/ icing sugar, sifted
25g/1oz unsalted butter
75g/3oz chilled full fat cream cheese
Food coloring and writing icingHalloween muffins

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC for a fan oven or 150ºC/325ºF/gas mark 3. Line a deep 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
    2. Place the sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl, then beat together with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Sift over the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon then fold in until well mixed. Fold in the carrots, walnuts and vanilla essence.
    3. Divide the mixture between the paper cake cases. Bake in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes or until golden, risen and the middle bounces back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
    4. For the icing: Use an electric whisk to beat the icing sugar and butter together in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the cream cheese and briefly beat together again until just combined. Don’t overbeat or it will become runny. Spread the icing over the muffins, then let the kids go mad icing the cakes with spooky characters.

Nigeria Bomb Attacks: At Least 42 People Killed in Yola and Maiduguri

Roy Siemens
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Nigeria Bomb Attacks: At Least 42 People Killed in Yola and Maiduguri

At least 42 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in two bomb attacks in north-eastern Nigeria, officials say.

Twenty seven people died when a bomb targeted a newly opened mosque in the town of Yola.

Earlier, 15 people were killed in a suicide bombing in Maiduguri.

Photo AP
Photo AP

It is not clear who carried out the bombings but the Islamist militant group Boko Haram has carried out many attacks in the area.

Boko Haram has targeted both Christians and Muslims who do not adhere to their ideology.

The first blast, in Maiduguri, occurred early on Friday, October 23, as worshippers arrived for dawn prayers.

An eyewitness told AFP that there was one suicide bomber involved.

The second, larger blast targeted worshippers attending Friday prayers at a newly inaugurated mosque in the Jimeta area of Yola.

Thousands of people have been killed and millions forced to leave their homes by Boko Haram violence in recent years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYUlh4LhKS8

Alzheimer’s Disease Predicted by Virtual Reality Test

Kathryn R. Bown
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Alzheimer’s Disease Predicted by Virtual Reality Test

A new study suggests that Alzheimer’s disease can be detected decades before onset, using a virtual reality test.

People aged 18 to 30 were asked to navigate through a virtual maze to test the function of certain brain cells.

According to German neuroscientists, those with a high genetic risk of Alzheimer’s could be identified by their performance.

The findings could help future research, diagnosis and treatment, researchers report in the journal Science.Virtual reality test for dementia

The scientists, led by Lukas Kunz of the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Bonn, say the high risk group navigated the maze differently and had reduced functioning of a type of brain cell involved in spatial navigation.

The findings could give an insight into why people with dementia can find navigating the world around them challenging, they say.

“Our results could provide a new basic framework for preclinical research on Alzheimer’s disease and may provide a neurocognitive explanation of spatial disorientation in Alzheimer’s disease,” Science report says.

Although genes play a role in dementia, their effects are complex with many unknowns.

Tennessee University Shooting: One Dead and Three Wounded

Nancy Clayson
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Tennessee University Shooting: One Dead and Three Wounded

A 19-year-old man has been shot dead and three female students wounded in a shooting incident at Tennessee State University in Nashville, police say.

Police in Nashville tweeted that the violence arose after an apparent row over a dice game on Thursday night, October 22.TSU shooting October 2015

The man was killed in the argument while the wounded persons were passing by.

The latest incident comes a week after three people were wounded by gunfire at an off-campus party near the college.

The suspect fled the scene on foot.

A university spokeswoman said the two men involved in the argument were not students and were believed to have been gambling.

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

South Africa Student Protests: Jacob Zuma Freezes Tuition Fees for 2016

Diane A. Wade
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South Africa Student Protests: Jacob Zuma Freezes Tuition Fees for 2016

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has suspended any increases in university tuition fees for 2016 after more than a week of student protests.

They have been the biggest student protests to hit South Africa since apartheid ended in 1994.

The students had rejected an earlier government offer to cap increases at 6%, down from the 10% to 12% proposed by the management of universities.

President Jacob Zuma announced the move as students gathered by his office in Pretoria.

Before Jacob Zuma’s TV address, police had been firing stun grenades and using water cannon to stop a small group of students breaking into the Union Building, the seat of government in Pretoria.South Africa tuition fees protests

On October 21, police clashed with students trying to force their way into the parliamentary complex in Cape Town.

The demonstrations have closed some of South Africa’s top universities.

“We agreed that there will be a zero increase of university fees in 2016,” Jacob Zuma said after meeting university officials and student representatives.

“In the long term, there is a package of issues that was raised at the meeting that needs to be followed up – these include free education, institutional autonomy [and] racism.”

During the protests, universities said they needed to increase fees to maintain standards, as they had been hit by a fall in government subsidies.

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

White House 2016: Lincoln Chafee Drops out of Democratic Presidential Race

Diane A. Wade
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White House 2016: Lincoln Chafee Drops out of Democratic Presidential Race

Lincoln Chafee has announced he is dropping out of the Democratic presidential race.

The former Rhode Island Governor told the Democratic National Committee on October 23 he was ending his candidacy for the 2016 election.

The 62-year-old has struggled to raise money and make any impact in the Democratic field, which is led by Hillary Clinton.

Lincoln Chafee has served as a Republican and an Independent but had never before run for office as a Democrat.

Photo AP
Photo AP

At a women’s forum held by the Democratic National Committee, Lincoln Chafee said: “After much thought I have decided to end my campaign for president today.

“But I would like to take this opportunity one last time to advocate for a chance be given to peace.”

Lincoln Chafee was, as he pointed out in the recent Democratic debate, the only Republican to vote against the Iraq War.

After Lincoln Chafee’s departure there are only three Democrats left – former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley.

France: Bus Crash Kills 42 Pensioners near Puisseguin

Diane A. Wade
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France: Bus Crash Kills 42 Pensioners near Puisseguin

Forty two pensioners on a day trip have been killed after their bus collided with a truck and burst into flames in south-western France.

The collision happened near Puisseguin in the Gironde wine region, east of Bordeaux, shortly after the bus had set off from a neighboring town.

French President Francois Hollande said he was “plunged into sadness by the tragedy”.

This is the worst French road disaster since 1982, when 52 people died.

France’s PM Manuel Valls has arrived at the scene.

The crash happened on a country road at around 07:30 local time.

The bus was involved in a head-on collision with the timber truck at what local residents described as a notoriously dangerous bend in the road.

Both vehicles quickly caught fire.French bus crash Puisseguin

The French government said 42 people had died and nine people were injured, four seriously.

Most of the dead were the elderly passengers who become trapped in the bus. It was not clear if the bus driver was among the dead. The truck driver was originally included in the death toll, but unconfirmed reports say he may have managed to escape.

Most of those on board the bus were reported to have been members of an elderly people’s association from the small town of Petit-Palais-et-Cornemps, which has a population of just 700, along with others from neighboring communities.

They had not long left on their journey, and were heading south for a day trip into the Landes region.

Marie Fulbert, a council official from the nearby town of Libourne, said they were still waiting for news of who was on the bus and said they had taken “a lot of calls from friends and family”.

More than 60 firefighters attended the scene. The wounded were airlifted to hospital.

The exact cause of the crash is not yet clear.

Francois Hollande, who is on a visit to Athens, has promised a full investigation into what he called an “immense tragedy”.

Sweden School Attack: Suspect Had Racist Motives, Say Police

Diane A. Wade
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Sweden School Attack: Suspect Had Racist Motives, Say Police

The masked attacker who killed a teacher and a student at a school in Sweden had “racist motives”, police believe.

Police chief Niclas Hallgren said they had based their conclusion on what was found at the killer’s apartment and “his behavior during the act”.

According to media reports, the 21-year-old attacker had far-right sympathies.

Armed with a sword and wearing a helmet and mask, the man stormed a school in Trollhattan, near Gothenburg, before being shot dead by police.

“We can confirm that this was a racially motivated hate crime partially because the man chose his victims based on the color of their skin,” Niclas Hallgren told Swedish Radio.

The helmet he wore was similar to German World War Two soldiers’ helmets.

He was seen posing for a photograph with students, who thought he was dressed for Halloween, before going from classroom to classroom at the Kronan School.

A teacher and 17-year-old boy died from stab wounds, while another male student, 15, and 41-year-old teacher remain in serious condition in hospital.

The attacker’s name has not yet been released by police, though they say he was local to Trollhattan. He did not have a criminal record, police say.Trollhattan school attack Sweden

However, the Swedish daily Expressen and other Swedish media named him as Anton Lundin Pettersson, aged 21.

The young man had allegedly joined a campaign to push for a referendum on whether Sweden should continue accepting migrants.

Sweden has reacted with shock to the killings. Before visiting the scene of the attack, Swedish PM Stefan Lofven said it was a “black day” for the country.

“School is supposed to be the place for learning, play and curiosity and friendship and therefore this is a tragedy that affects the whole country,” Stefan Lofven told reporters.

King Carl Gustaf of Sweden said he was “in shock” and that he had learned of the events in Trollhattan “with great dismay and sorrow”.

Dozens of people gathered outside the school building on October 22 to pay their respects to the victims and place flowers and candles on the ground.

Some residents of the town who were holding a vigil held up posters that read “why kill?”

Swedish media reports say the suspect’s accounts on Facebook and YouTube suggest he had an interest in Hitler and Nazi Germany, as well as hostility to Islam and immigration.

“He was a loner. He played video games, lived in his own world,” a former classmate told Expressen.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos, with the attacker knocking on the doors of at least two classrooms and attacking two male students who opened them. One of the boys later succumbed to his injuries.

None of the victims have been identified by police.

Police were alerted to the attack at around 10:10 local time on October 22, and later gunned down the attacker in the hallway outside a classroom.

The Kronan school has about 400 students aged between six and 15, including many children of immigrants.

Trollhattan is an industrial town in west Sweden, located about 50 miles north of Gothenburg, the nation’s second largest city.

School attacks are rare in Sweden – with just one incident on record in the past 20 years, in which one student was shot dead.

Hurricane Patricia to Hit Mexico’s Pacific Coast as Category 5 Storm

Diane A. Wade
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Hurricane Patricia to Hit Mexico’s Pacific Coast as Category 5 Storm

Mexican residents in parts of the country’s Pacific coast have been moved ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Patricia.

Authorities also closed ports in the area.

Officials have warned that the Category 5 Storm could be the strongest ever to hit Mexico’s Pacific coast.

A state of emergency has been declared in three states in the path of Hurricane Patricia.

The hurricane is expected to make landfall late on Friday, October 23, with winds up to 185 mph.

The US National Hurricane Center said Patricia was potentially catastrophic.

Photo AFP
Photo AFP

Some 400,000 people live in vulnerable areas, according to Mexico’s National Disaster Fund.

Hurricane Patricia, which will bring torrential rain, could trigger flash floods and mudslides, the US centre said.

It also warned of potential flooding from the sea.

According to forecasters, Hurricane Patricia will make landfall in the western state of Jalisco, home to the resort town of Puerto Vallarta, which could lie directly in its path.

Shop owners in Manzanillo, a major port in neighboring Colima state, have begun boarding up windows.

Benghazi Attack: Hillary Clinton Endures 11-Hour Hearing before Congressional Committee

Roy Siemens
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Benghazi Attack: Hillary Clinton Endures 11-Hour Hearing before Congressional Committee

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has endured an 11-hour hearing before a congressional committee over the 2012 deadly attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Hillary Clinton said she took responsibility and introduced reforms after the attack that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens.

She deflected criticism that she did not do enough to protect the mission.

Hillary Clinton’s Democrat party says the Republican-led panel is a witch-hunt trying to harm her presidential bid.

Despite the committee sitting in four consecutive hours-long sessions on October 22, the hearing yielded little new information.

Hillary Clinton remained composed during the highly-anticipated testimony, amid several heated exchanges between Republicans and her Democrat allies.

In her opening statement, Hillary Clinton said she had asked Chris Stevens to go to Libya as US envoy.

“After the attacks I stood next to President Obama as Marines carried his casket,” she said.

Photo AFP
Photo AFP

“I took responsibility, and as part of that before I left office I launched reforms to better protect our people in the field and help reduce the chance of another tragedy happening in the future.”

Hillary Clinton said her appearance was her way of honoring the lives lost, and she called on those present to put national security above partisan politics.

Democratic Representative Elijah Cummings, seated next to the chairman, said Republicans were wasting taxpayer money in an effort to derail Hilalry Clinton’s presidential campaign.

However, Trey Gowdy denied his committee was going after Hillary Clinton.

Instead, Trey Gowdy said, it was looking for the truth behind the diplomatic compound’s unsuccessful requests for more security and personnel in the build up to the attacks.

There have already been seven congressional investigations into the attack, by suspected Islamist militants, on the US compound in the Libyan city of Benghazi on September 11, 2012.

The raid led to the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other US embassy staff.

Hillary Clinton said Chris Stevens was well aware of the risks of his job but withdrawing American presence from Libya would have been a mistake, she said.

“To retreat from the world is not an option. America cannot shrink from our ability to lead.”

When the US pulls out of places, extremists gain a foothold, Hillary Clinton added, although she did admit that security requests made by the Benghazi consulate were not met.

An independent review board found deficiencies within the State Department that the Obama administration has tried to fix, Hillary Clinton said.

Observers say this was a key moment for Hillary Clinton, who solidified her position as the Democrats’ frontrunner for presidential candidate after her potential rival, VP Joe Biden, ruled himself out of the race on October 21.

The Republicans on the committee were also under pressure to prove they had good reason to bring Hillary Clinton before them, and were not just using it as an excuse to undermine her presidential candidacy.

One thing that was unearthed by the committee’s work was Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, which has dogged her 2016 campaign ever since.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLutnL8H3H8

Lamar Odom Suffers Physical and Mental Setbacks in Recovery

Lisa.Felice
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Lamar Odom Suffers Physical and Mental Setbacks in Recovery

According to new reports, Lamar Odom has suffered physical and mental setbacks in his recovery.

Lamar Odom, 35, has undergone two emergency surgeries that have left him in a “fragile” mental state, unidentified sources told TMZ.com.

The procedures involved chest issues, the gossip website said.

Doctors now are turning away all visitors except wife Khloé Kardashian, TMZ said.

Khloe Kardashian got some public support on October 22 from Lamar Odom’s family – a day after a Los Angeles judge agreed to dismiss the formerly estranged couple’s pending divorce.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

“In SINCERELY loving Lamar, we truly love and respect whomever he loves,” said the statement from Odom family spokeswoman Alvina Alston.

“We always have and will continue to do so. Together as a team, we will support and encourage him always,” she said.

Alvina Alston gave a positive update to Lamar Odom’s medical progress that didn’t mention any surgeries.

“To our overwhelming delight, Lamar’s courageous improvement continues on the incline in Los Angeles. He is beginning to gradually flourish both mentally and physically,” she said.

“His use of speech has increased and he’s more cognitively responsive.”

Lamar Odom was transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on October 19 after waking from a coma on October 16 at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas.

Khloe Kardashian, 31, rushed to Lamar Odom’s side the same day he was admitted in extremely critical condition and has kept a vigil.

She even missed Kim Kardashian’s birthday celebration October 21 to stay with Lamar Odom.

Lamar Odom reportedly told Khloe Kardashian over the weekend that he understood he almost died and had hit rock bottom.

Porsche Market Manipulation Trial Begins in Germany

Clyde K. Valle
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Porsche Market Manipulation Trial Begins in Germany

Porsche ex-CEO Wendelin Wiedeking and ex-finance chief Holger Haerter have gone on trial in Germany accused of market manipulation over a failed Volkswagen takeover bid.

Wendelin Wiedeking and Holger Haerter are accused of having given “false information” to investors.

Defense lawyers for the former executives have described the accusations as “unfounded”.

The failed bid opened the door to Porsche’s takeover by Volkswagen.Porsche market manipulation trial 2015

Between March and October 2008, Porsche issued several public denials that it was planning to raise its stake in VW to 75% and take over the company.

However, prosecutors said it was actually in the process of building up its shares in VW.

When Porsche announced it was planning to acquire enough of VW’s stock to take it over, Volkwagen’s share price shot up, and investment funds which needed to buy VW stock to settle their trading positions found none was available.

Then Porsche’s takeover bid failed, and left the sports car maker with €10 billion of debt.

VW launched a takeover of Porsche in turn, initially acquiring 49.9% of the sports car maker in 2009, before announcing in August 2012 that it had completed the acquisition.

VW Investigates More Diesel Engines in Emissions Scandal

Clyde K. Valle
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VW Investigates More Diesel Engines in Emissions Scandal

VW has announced it is looking into more of its diesel engines to see whether they also contain software used to manipulate emissions test data.

The German automaker has been embroiled in a scandal over emissions test rigging on its EA 189 engines.

VW is now looking into older versions of EA 288 engines, although versions sold in Europe are not affected.

Last month, VW said that 11 million diesel cars were affected by the scandal, first uncovered by the US regulator, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).VW diesel engine investigation 2015

The EPA discovered that certain engines were fitted with a cheat-device that could detect when the car was being tested and reduced emissions to improve results.

Volkswagen had previously said that the software was installed on cars with variants of the EA 189 diesel engine built to the “Euro 5” emissions standard.

VW is now checking whether models with the EA 288 diesel motor built to the same emissions standard may also have the software.

Newer EA 288 cars built to the “Euro 6” standard are said not to be affected.

Criminal investigations have been launched in Germany, France and Italy.

VW has set aside €6.5 billion to cover the costs of the scandal but many analysts expect this will not be enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=law1hG1PqZk

Hillary Clinton Benghazi Hearing: Opening Statement

Roy Siemens
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Hillary Clinton Benghazi Hearing: Opening Statement

Hillary Clinton has told a Congressional committee that she took responsibility after the 2012 attack on US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.

The Democratic presidential hopeful added that as secretary of state she introduced reforms to protect diplomatic staff after the attack.

Committee chairman Trey Gowdy said: “We owe them [the victims] the truth.”

Hillary Clinton’s party says the Republican-led panel is a witch-hunt trying to harm her presidential bid.

In her opening statement at the congressional hearing, Hillary Clinton said she had asked Chris Stevens to go to Libya as US ambassador.

“After the attacks I stood next to President Obama as Marines carried his casket,” she said.

“I took responsibility, and as part of that before I left office I launched reforms to better protect our people in the field and help reduce the chance of another tragedy happening in the future.”Hillary Clinton Benghazi hearing October 2015

Hillary Clinton said her appearance was her way of honoring the lives lost, and she called on those present to put national security above partisan politics.

Democratic Representative Elijah Cummings, seated next to the chairman, said Republicans were wasting taxpayer money in an effort to derail Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

However, Trey Gowdy denied his committee was going after Hillary Clinton.

Instead, he said, it was looking for the truth behind the diplomatic compound’s unsuccessful requests for more security and personnel in the build up to the attacks.

There have already been seven congressional investigations into the attack, by suspected Islamist militants, on the US compound in the Libyan city of Benghazi on September 11, 2012.

The raid led to the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other US embassy staff.

Hillary Clinton said Chris Stevens was well aware of the risks of his job but withdrawing American presence from Libya would have been a mistake.

“To retreat from the world is not an option. America cannot shrink from our ability to lead,” she said.

When the US pulls out of places, extremists gain a foothold, Hillary Clinton added, although she did admit that security requests made by the Benghazi consulate were not met.

An independent review board found deficiencies within the State Department that the Obama administration has tried to fix, Hillary Clinton said.

Observers say this is a key moment for Hillary Clinton, who solidified her position as the Democrats’ frontrunner for presidential candidate after her potential rival, VP Joe Biden, ruled himself out of the race on October 22.

Hillary Clinton’s appearance before the House of Representatives Select Committee on Benghazi could further strengthen her position or raise doubts about her suitability as a presidential nominee.

Sesame Street Introduces Autistic Character Julia

Sonia Pantiss
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Sesame Street Introduces Autistic Character Julia

Sesame Street has introduced a new character, Julia, a little girl who has autism.

The Sesame Workshop says Julia is being introduced as part of a campaign to take the stigma away from the disorder.

The workshop hopes Julia will help those who are dealing with autism.

Julia will be portrayed as a girl who “does things a little differently” when playing with her Muppet friends, including Elmo and Abby, the workshop says.

“If you’re five years old, and see another kid not making eye contact with you, you may think that child doesn’t want to play with you. But that’s not the case,” Sherrie Westin told People Magazine.

“We want to create greater awareness and empathy.”

Photo Sesame Street
Photo Sesame Street

Julia won’t feature in the Sesame Street TV show but she will be included in digital and printed storybooks.

“Families with autistic children tend to gravitate toward digital content, which is why we created Julia digitally,” said Sherrie Westin.

“We want parents and children to understand that autism isn’t an uncomfortable topic.”

Sesame Street is also producing online tools as part of its See Amazing in All Children initiative, to help people affected by autism manage everyday activities.

Their guides, aimed at families with children aged between two and 5, include ones on brushing your teeth, visiting a restaurant and crossing the road.

Jerry Seinfeld Tops Forbes’ List of Highest-Paid Comedians in 2015

Sonia Pantiss
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Jerry Seinfeld Tops Forbes’ List of Highest-Paid Comedians in 2015

Jerry Seinfeld has topped this year’s Forbes list of highest-paid comedians, with estimated earnings of $36 million in 2015.

It is the fourth year Jerry Seinfeld, 61, has topped the list thanks to syndication deals for his show Seinfeld, live tours and the series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.

Kevin Hart’s roles propelled him to second place with $28.5 million.

In third place with $21.5 million is ventriloquist and impressionist Terry Fator – a former winner of America’s Got Talent who has been dubbed “the human jukebox”. He is in the middle of a five-year residency at Las Vegas’ Mirage Hotel, reported to be worth $100 million.

Ventriloquist Jeff Dunham and Canadian Russell Peters are in joint fourth with $19 million, while Aziz Ansari is in sixth place with $9.5 million.

Louis CK is in seventh with $9 million, Gabriel Iglesias is in eighth with $8.5 million, John Bishop on ninth with $8 million and Dave Chappelle rounds out the top ten with $7.5 million.

To make the list, the comics’ primary source of income has to be from ticket sales.

Jerry Seinfeld previously topped the list in 2013 for the third year in a row, although there was no list in 2014.Jerry Seinfeld highest paid comedian Forbes

His earnings also took him to number 62 in the magazine’s Celebrity 100 in 2015.

Jerry Seinfeld is expected to earn more in future years, following a recent deal with streaming service Hulu which is reported to have paid $160 million for the rights to Seinfeld.

Forbes’ List of Highest-Paid Comedians 2015:

  1. Jerry Seinfeld: $36 million
  2. Kevin Hart: $28.5 million
  3. Terry Fator: $21.5 million
  4. Jeff Dunham $19 million*
  5. Russell Peters: $19 million*
  6. Aziz Ansari: $9.5 million
  7. Louis C.K. $9 million
  8. Gabriel Iglesias: $8.5 million
  9. John Bishop: $8 million
  10. Dave Chappelle: $7.5 million

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

Jay-Z and Timbaland Cleared over Big Pimpin’ Copyright Infringement Case

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Jay-Z and Timbaland Cleared over Big Pimpin’ Copyright Infringement Case

Jay-Z and Timbaland have been cleared over Big Pimpin’ copyright violation, a judge ruled on October 21.

The rapper was accused of not getting permission to use a flute sample from a track written by an Egyptian composer called Baligh Hamdi in 1957.

Baligh Hamdi’s nephew and heir, Osama Ahmed Fahmy, claimed they didn’t ask to combine his uncle’s song with the lyrics of Big Pimpin’, released in 1999.

Timbaland, real name Timothy Mosley, testified that in 2011 he paid $100,000 to EMI Arabia.

The music company said they owned the rights to the song Khosara Khosara, which Timabland and Jay-Z sampled.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

Both Jay-Z and Timbaland said they believed they had a valid license to sample the flute notes.

Osama Ahmed Fahmy said this deal was irrelevant and consent to change the track should have been requested.

However, Los Angeles district judge Christina Snyder dismissed the lawsuit before it went to a jury.

The flute is used throughout Big Pimpin’ that became the first major hit single for Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter.

“My client is pleased and gratified by the decision,” Jay-Z’s lawyer Andrew Bart said.

The lawyer for Osama Ahmed Fahmy, Keith Wesley, said: “We strongly disagree with the ruling and we fully intend to appeal.”

The case has taken years to get to court, with Baligh Hamdi’s nephew first filing a legal complaint in 2007.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43TFMA8IoM

Sweden School Sword Attack Leaves Two Dead in Trollhättan

Diane A. Wade
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Sweden School Sword Attack Leaves Two Dead in Trollhättan

One student and a teacher at school in Trollhättan, Sweden, have died after a masked man with a sword entered the building.

Two further victims are seriously injured.

The attacker was shot by police and is undergoing surgery at a nearby hospital.

Eyewitnesses described chaos at the school, in the western town of Trollhattan, with hundreds of students fleeing from the building screaming.

Police responded to an emergency call reporting an attack in the cafe area of the Kronan school, at around 10:10 local time on October 22.

One teacher died of his wounds at the scene.

Two male students, aged 11 and 15, and another teacher were rushed to hospital.

One of the boys has since died.Sweden school sword attack

A student told Swedish television that initially the pupils thought it was a joke.

“He had a mask and black clothes and a long sword,” the student said.

Another student said the man was wearing a Star Wars mask, Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter reports.

Police spokesman Thomas Fuxborg told the Associated Press the attacker was in his 20s and carried more than one weapon, including “at least one knife-like object”.

Thomas Fuxborg said police fired two shots, one of which hit the attacker. No motive was given for the attack.

One student told The Local newspaper: “I was in a classroom with my class when one of my classmates’ sisters called her to warn her that there was a murderer at the school. So we locked the door to the classroom, but our teacher was still outside in the corridor.

“We wanted to warn him, so a few of us went outside and then I saw the murderer, he was wearing a mask and had a sword. Our teacher got stabbed.

“The murderer started chasing me, I ran into another classroom. If I had not run, I would have been murdered. I’m feeling really scared. Everyone’s scared here.”

Sweden’s PM Stefan Lofven will travel to Trollhattan this afternoon. He said it was a “black day for Sweden”.

“I think of the victims and their families, students and staff, and the whole of the affected community. No words can describe what they are going through right now. We must ensure that they receive all the support they need,” he said.

Sweden’s interior minister, Anders Ygeman, tweeted: “It is with sadness and dismay I received the news of the attack on the school in Trollhattan. My thoughts go to the victims and their families.”

Trollhättan is an industrial town in west Sweden, located around 50 miles north of Gothenburg, the country’s second largest city.

School attacks are rare in Sweden – this is the first since a shooting at a school in Kungalv near Gothenburg in 1961 which killed one person and injured six others.

EU Refugees Crisis: UN Accuses Czech Republic of Human Rights Violations

Diane A. Wade
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EU Refugees Crisis: UN Accuses Czech Republic of Human Rights Violations

The Czech Republic is accused of “systematic” rights violations in their treatment of refugees and migrants.

According to the UN’s human rights chief, Czech authorities were holding refugees in “degrading” conditions for up to 90 days.

Zeid Raad Al Hussein said refugees had been strip-searched to find money to pay for their detention, and protested about “Islamophobic” statements by Czech President Milos Zeman.

Milos Zeman’s spokesman said the president “stood by his opinions”.

While other European countries had implemented policies to restrict the movement of refugees, the Czech Republic was “unique” in its routine detention of migrants for long periods, Zeid Raad Al Hussein said in a statement.Refugees in Czech Republic

He said the measures taken appeared to be “designed to deter migrants and refugees from entering the country or staying there”.

Zeid Raad Al Hussein said one detention facility in Beza-Jezova has been described as “worse than a prison” by the Czech justice minister.

The UN rights chief added that he was alarmed by the “xenophobic public discourse” accompanying Czech government policy.

Milos Zeman frequently courts controversy with Islamophobic remarks.

While visiting a butcher shop on a recent visit to southeast Moravia, Milos Zeman told reporters that Muslim refugees would not respect Czech laws and customs.

Milos Zeman said that on the contrary, they would stone women to death for adultery and cut thieves’ hands off.

The president’s spokesman said the UN’s criticism of Milos Zeman was part of an intensifying campaign against the Czech Republic over its stand on the refugee crisis.

Benghazi Attack: Hillary Clinton Faces Second Congressional Hearing

Roy Siemens
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Benghazi Attack: Hillary Clinton Faces Second Congressional Hearing

Hillary Clinton is set to testify in front of a Congressional committee about the attack on a US consulate in Libya in 2012 that killed the Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.

The Democratic presidential hopeful was secretary of state at the time and is likely to face tough questions.

This is Hillary Clinton’s second appearance before Republican-dominated Congress on her handling of the incident.

Hillary Clinton’s Democratic Party says it is a witch-hunt designed to harm her presidential bid.

There have already been seven congressional investigations into the attack, by suspected Islamist militants, on the US compound in the Libyan city of Benghazi on September 11, 2012.Hillary Clinton second Benghazi hearing

Hillary Clinton is likely to be asked to explain: why the US government initially claimed the attack was spontaneous, sparked by a YouTube video that had led to protests in the region, when evidence later emerged that the raid was likely to have been planned; why calls by Ambassador Chris Stevens for security reinforcements at the consulate were apparently ignored; whether she compromised classified information by using her private email server instead of using a government email account for all her correspondence while secretary of state.

Observers say this is a key moment for Hillary Clinton, who solidified her position as the Democrats’ frontrunner for presidential candidate after her potential rival, VP Joe Biden, ruled himself out of the race on October 21.

Hillary Clinton’s appearance before the House of Representatives Select Committee on Benghazi could further strengthen her position or raise doubts about her suitability as a presidential nominee.

The Republicans on the committee are also under pressure to prove they have good reason to bring Hillary Clinton before them, and are not just using it as an excuse to undermine her presidential candidacy.

Comments made by Republican Representative Kevin McCarthy earlier this month, as part of his bid to become Speaker of the House, suggesting the committee was doing just that, have not helped their position.

Hillary Clinton said, in a TV interview earlier this month, that she was “looking forward to answering questions about the real things when I’m there” and voiced her disgust at “a political partisan committee for the sole purpose of going after me”.

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