Joan Collins’ sister, best-selling novelist Jackie Collins, has died of breast cancer at the age of 77, her family announced.
“It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the death of our beautiful, dynamic and one-of-a-kind mother,” the statement said.
The British-born writer died in Los Angeles, her spokeswoman said.
Jackie Collins’s career spanned four decades and she sold more than 500 million books in 40 countries.
The family statement said the writer lived “a wonderfully full life”, adored by family, friends and readers.
“She was a true inspiration, a trailblazer for women in fiction and a creative force. She will live on through her characters but we already miss her beyond words,” it added.
Jackie Collins was diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer 6-and-a-half years ago, according to People magazine.
Joan Collins, 82, told the publication she was “completely devastated”.
“She was my best friend. I admire how she handled this. She was a wonderful, brave and a beautiful person and I love her,” the actress said.
Jackie Collins began writing as a teenager, making up racy stories for her school friends, according to a biography on her website.
Her first novel, The World is Full of Married Men, was published in 1968 and became a scandalous bestseller. It was banned in Australia and branded “disgusting” by romance writer Barbara Cartland.
In 1985, Jackie Collins’ novel Hollywood Wives was made into a mini-series by ABC, starring Anthony Hopkins and Candice Bergen.
Jackie Collins is survived by her three daughters, Tracy, 54, Tiffany, 48, and Rory, 46, and six grandchildren. Private funeral services will be held in the US and the UK.
Pope Francis has arrived in Havana, on his first visit to Cuba.
The pontiff will spend four days in Cuba before flying to the US.
The first pope to hail from Latin America, Pope Francis is credited with helping the recent thaw in diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Cuban President Raul Castro has thanked the Pope for his contribution. Cities on Pope Francis’ itinerary have been renovated in preparation for the visit.
On September 17, the Vatican said it hoped it would help bring to an end the 53-year-old US embargo and lead to more freedom and human rights on the island.
On September 18, the US announced eased restrictions on business and travel with Cuba, the latest move by President Barack Obama to improve relations.
Photo AP
Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez Kirchner also arrived in Cuba on September 19 and will attend a Mass to be celebrated by Pope Francis on Havana’s iconic Revolution Square.
Workers have been building a huge altar and stands for the congregation and choir on the square.
Ahead of Pope Francis’s visit, streets have been newly paved in Havana, and the cathedral has been renovated.
The airport terminal has also been renovated.
In the city of Holguin where Pope Francis will celebrate Mass on September 21, the cathedral has been repaired and repainted.
Officials say nearly 1,000 Cuban and foreign journalists are expected to cover the visit.
Pope Francis’s trip will also take him to the US for the first time as Pope.
In 1998, Pope John Paul II became the first Pope to visit Cuba, saying: “May Cuba… open itself up to the world, and may the world open itself up to Cuba.”
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has said it is “not his job” to defend President Barack Obama, after criticism from fellow Republicans for not correcting a supporter who said the POTUS was a Muslim.
Donald Trump tweeted there was “no chance” Barack Obama would defend him if he was similarly attacked.
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham has said Donald Trump should apologize.
Donald Trump canceled his appearance at a big Republican event on September 18.
The tycoon’s campaign team said he had pulled out of the Heritage Foundation because of a “significant business transaction” that needed his attention.
The criticism has been piling up since a man at Donald Trump’s rally in New Hampshire on September 17 prefaced a question by saying Barack Obama was a Muslim and “not even an American”.
Photo Getty Images
The supporter went on to say: “We have a problem in this country – it’s called Muslims.”
Donald Trump let it go unchallenged and within a few hours, Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton said his failure to denounce “hateful rhetoric” was “disturbing and wrong”.
On September 18, his Republican competitors for the nomination waded into the row.
“He’s playing into this hateful narrative and he has to set it right,” said Lindsey Graham, who said he would never question the president’s faith or patriotism.
Leaders have an “obligation” to correct such statements, said another Republican presidential hopeful, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
Donald Trump hit back in a series of tweets: “Am I morally obligated to defend the president every time somebody says something bad or controversial about him? I don’t think so!
“If someone made a nasty or controversial statement about me to the president, do you really think he would come to my rescue? No chance!”
Donald Trump added that if he had challenged the man he would have been accused of interfering with his right to free speech.
Barack Obama, who has spoken openly about his Christian faith, was born to an American mother and Kenyan father in Hawaii.
In 2011, Donald Trump challenged Barack Obama to produce his birth certificate to disprove rumors that he was born in Kenya, which the president did.
British rock band The Who has postponed the US leg of their 50th anniversary tour, after Roger Daltrey was diagnosed with viral Meningitis.
The Who had already postponed four dates due to Roger Daltrey’s “mystery virus”.
A statement on the band’s website said: “After extensive tests the seriousness of his condition became apparent.”
The statement added doctors had “prescribed rest”.
The Who apologized to fans and said Roger Daltrey was “on the mend”.
They said they had hoped The Who Hits 50! tour would go ahead, as Roger Daltrey was “getting better” and they did not want to inconvenience ticket holders, but the dates are now being rescheduled for Spring 2016.
“It wasn’t a decision taken lightly,” said the band.
“The Who always give their fans 100% and were never going to compromise the show, but ultimately the band had no alternative but to postpone the tour.”
The band said Roger Daltrey had been especially disappointed to miss the Teen Cancer America benefit in Los Angeles, a charity he and the band “have worked tirelessly for”.
“We are very sorry to disappoint our fans in this way,” Roger Daltrey said.
“For the last four weeks, I have been in and out of the hospital and have been diagnosed with viral Meningitis,” the singer revealed.
“I am now on the mend and feeling a lot better but I am going to need a considerable time to recover. The doctors tell me I will make a complete recovery, but that I should not do any touring this year.”
Pete Townshend also apologized to fans “that have supported us in the last 50 years”.
He added: “Once Roger is completely well we will come back stronger than ever and Roger and I will give you all a show to remember.”
Jeremy Clarkson will return to the BBC to host an episode of satirical news quiz Have I Got News For You next month.
The former Top Gear presenter will join team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton when the new series returns on October 2.
Jeremy Clarkson pulled out of hosting the BBC One panel show in April, after being sacked from Top Gear after a “fracas” with the show producer Oisin Tymon.
He is set to front a new motoring show for Amazon in 2016, alongside co-hosts James May and Richard Hammond.
Photo BBC One
Jeremy Clarkson’s appearance on Have I Got News For You will be his first on the BBC since his departure from Top Gear.
He was suspended in March after assaulting Oisin Tymon, and the broadcaster later confirmed his contract would not be renewed.
Jeremy Clarkson signed up to present Have I Got News For You on September 18, and his appearance will mark the start of the show’s 50th series.
When he pulled out of hosting in April, production company Hat Trick had suggested the presenter would appear on the show soon.
A statement said: “On reflection, Jeremy Clarkson has decided not to host Have I Got News For You. We fully expect him to resume his hosting duties later in the year.”
Assistant host Richard Osman will be one of the two guests joining Jeremy Clarkson for the opening episode.
Boston Baby Doe’s mother, Rachelle Bond, has been arrested over the girl’s death, police in Massachusetts say.
Three-year-old Bella Bond was found dead months ago in a plastic bag on the shore of Deer Island in Boston
Rachelle Bond’s boyfriend, Michael McCarthy, who is not Bella’s biological father, is to be charged with the girl’s murder.
Called “Baby Doe” by Boston police, the girl’s body was found by a woman walking her dog on June 25. The girl was finally named on September 18 as Bella Bond.
Police commissioned a computer-generated image to help identify Baby Doe which was shared millions of times.
At a news conference on September 18, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley said police had received a tip-off which had allowed them to solve the mystery.
He said he had authorized the arrest of Rachelle Bond, 40, as an accessory to murder, and her partner, Michael McCarthy, 35, for murder.
Rachelle Bond is in custody, while Michael McCarthy is in hospital being treated for an unrelated medical condition, Dan Conley added.
“At just shy of three years old, Bella Bond was a true innocent,” he said.
“This child, whose very name means beauty, was murdered.”
Daniel Conley did not comment on how Baby Doe died or on any possible motive. No signs of trauma have been found on her body.
The case received a massive response on social media and drew thousands of new visitors to government websites.
Police received hundreds of tips from the public, but they were unable to find anyone who knew the girl until now.
The Baby Doe mystery has been finally solved by Boston police.
The 3-year-old girl was identified as was Bella Amoroso Bond, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley said on September 18.
Baby Doe, also known as Deer Island Jane Doe, was found dead in a plastic bag on the shore of Deer Island in Boston, but remained unidentified despite months of appeals from investigators.
Police commissioned a computer-generated image of the girl to help identify her and the picture was shared millions of times online.
The girl’s body was found by a woman walking her dog on June 25.
Boston police said on September 18 they have spoken to members of the girl’s family.
Photo Boston Police Department
On September 18, Bella’s mother, Rachelle Bond, 40, was charged as an accessory to murder after the fact, Daniel Conley told reporters.
Rachelle Bond’s boyfriend, Michael McCarthy, 35, was charged with murder, according to Daniel Conley.
Michael McCarthy is not Bella’s biological father, according to a law enforcement source.
The couple will be arraigned on September 21. Neither of them, or lawyers representing them, had commented on the case as of September 18.
“This child, whose very name means beauty, was murdered,” Daniel Conley said.
Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo told reporters that Rachelle Bond and Michael McCarthy blamed each other for the death.
“It appears as though it was a situation of a boyfriend who was involved and that apparently, I think, mother and boyfriend sort of blaming each other in terms of who harmed the child.”
Meanwhile, investigators also searched a home in the city. Police did not disclose additional information, saying the investigation was “very active”.
The case received a massive response on social media and drew thousands of new visitors to government websites.
Police received hundreds of tips from the public, but they were unable to find anyone who knew the girl until now.
Investigators still have not determined how she died because there were no signs of trauma found on her body.
Thirteen top serving and former prison officials have been arrested in Mexico over the escape of the notorious drugs lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman from jail.
Mexico’s ex-head of federal prisons was among 13 people detained, sources close to the prosecutor said.
The ex-directors of the jail from which El Chapo Guzman fled were also reportedly held.
Investigators say El Chapo Guzman had inside help to ease his escape in July through a tunnel under a shower in his cell that ran one mile outside the prison.
It was the second escape from a maximum security prison for El Chapo Guzman, whose Sinaloa cartel is responsible for much of Mexico’s trafficking of drugs to the US.
At least seven officials, including two members of Mexico’s secret service and two prison control room employees, had already been arrested, accused of not raising the alarm once El Chapo Guzman had escaped.
The office of Mexico’s attorney general confirmed the 13 new arrests on September 18, but did not reveal the identity of the suspects.
However, the former national coordinator for Mexico’s prison system, Celina Oseguera, was named as one of the suspects, sources close to the prosecutor told the AFP.
Celina Oseguera was removed from her high-level post after El Chapo Guzman escaped on July 11.
Both directors of Altiplano prison, Valentin Cardenas and Lenor Garcia, who were also sacked after the escape, are also reportedly being held.
After his escape in July, El Chapo Guzman took to Twitter to taunt the police and insult Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
Enrique Pena Nieto has promised that all those who had participated in the escape would be punished with “the full weight of the law”.
One point of controversy has been whether the Mexican government should have agreed to a US request to extradite El Chapo Guzman on the basis that American prisons would have been harder for Guzman to break out of.
First arrested in Guatemala in 1993, Joaquin “Shorty” Guzman spent nearly a decade in another maximum-security Mexican jail before escaping, reportedly in a laundry basket.
El Chapo Guzman was on the run for 13 years before being held again in 2014 after a series of high-profile arrests of associates and covert surveillance by the US authorities.
The US has decided to ease restrictions on business and travel with Cuba ahead of Pope Francis visit to the communist island.
This is the latest move by President Barack Obama to improve relations with Cuba.
The rules, which go into effect on September 21, relate to travel, telecom, internet-based services, business operations, banking and remittances.
US businesses will now be allowed to open up locations in Cuba.
Cuban President Raul Castro and President Barack Obama discussed the move in a phone conversation on September 18.
The changes come as the US and Cuba normalize relations after 53 years.
“A stronger, more open US-Cuba relationship has the potential to create economic opportunities for both Americans and Cubans alike,” said US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew in a statement.
“By further easing these sanctions, the United States is helping to support the Cuban people in their effort to achieve the political and economic freedom necessary to build a democratic, prosperous and stable Cuba.”
Authorized travelers will be permitted to open and maintain bank accounts in Cuba, senior administration officials said on September 18.
Close relatives will now be allowed to accompany authorized travelers going to Cuba for educational, journalistic, humanitarian or religious activities or research.
Officials said travel to Cuba for tourist activity is still prohibited by statute.
Companies will also be able to import Cuban mobile applications to the US and hire Cuban nationals to work on them.
Barack Obama thinks the best way to strengthen the Cuban people is through contact, officials said.
In July, Cuba and the United States formally re-established relations, and in January the Obama administration announced initial changes to the Cuba sanctions program.
Ahead of Pope Francis’ visit to Cuba, and before Cuban President Raul Castro is set to address the United Nations, Cuba announced on September 18 the appointment of a US ambassador, the first since 1961.
Veteran diplomat Jose Cabanas will be Cuba’s ambassador to the US.
The head of a Crimean winery is to be prosecuted in Ukraine for allegedly opening a 240-year-old bottle for Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi.
Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi spent last weekend in Crimea touring ancient ruins.
Prosecutors say they drank at Crimea’s renowned Massandra winery.
Massandra was Ukrainian government property before Russia’s annexation of Crimea in March 2014.
Any charges could not currently be pursued in Crimea, where Russia has full control.
Russian media cited by Radio Free Europe reported that Silvio Berlusconi asked if he could sample the wine during a tour of Massandra.
A witness said Massandra’s new pro-Russian director Yanina Pavlenko in response uncorked a precious bottle of 1775 Jeres de la Frontera for her prestigious guests. The Spanish wine was brought to Crimea by Count Mikhail Vorontsov, during the reign of Catherine the Great.
Russian television last week showed Silvio Berlusconi carefully surveying dust-covered bottles of wine while Vladimir Putin listened to Yanina Pavlenko as she gave them the tour.
Later, Silvio Berlusconi is seen looking at a bottle identified to be from the vintage of 1891, and asked in English: “Is it possible to drink?”
Yanina Pavlenko replied: “Yes.”
It is unclear what happened to that bottle, but Ukrainian prosecutors say the bottle they are concentrating on was worth more than $90,000. They say they are preparing embezzlement charges against Yanina Pavlenko.
“This is one of the five bottles that constitute not only Massandra’s or Crimea’s heritage, but the heritage of all Ukrainian people,” Nazar Kholodnytsky, first deputy prosecutor for Crimea told the Associated Press in Kiev.
He said two bottles similar to the one allegedly consumed were auctioned in London in 2001 and one fetched nearly $49,700 (€44,000).
“The funds went to the state coffers and supported the development of Massandra and wine-making in Crimea,” Nazar Kholodnytsky said.
Yanina Pavlenko’s predecessor as governor, Nikolay Boyko, was dismissed in February after Russian prosecutors filed fraud charges against him.
The new governor is herself wanted in Ukraine for treason after she voted in favor of Russian annexation in 2014.
“Now she’s added one more crime to high treason,” Nazar Kholodnytsky said.
Prince Lev Golitsyn started the first winery in Crimea in 1894, and since then its wines have been celebrated in the Soviet Union and Russia. The Massandra wine cellars hold about 500,000 bottles, including 5 bottles of the 1775 Jeres de la Frontera.
Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi enjoyed good personal relations when the Italian leader was in power, which they have maintained since he left office in 2011.
Volkswagen has been ordered by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to recall half a million cars because of a device that disguises pollution levels.
The “defeat device” allows cars to pass lab testing even though they actually emit 40 times the emissions standard.
The EPA has been taking a more aggressive stance on car pollution and violations of the Clean Air Act.
The recall could cost Volkswagen up to $18 billion.
It affects 2009-2014 Jettas, Beetles, Audi A3s and Golfs and 2014-2015 Passats.
“Using a defeat device in cars to evade clean air standards is illegal and a threat to public health,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
The illegal system allowed cars to detect when they were undergoing smog emission test and lowered the rate of pollution. Those emission controls were then turned off during ordinary use.
The state of California which assisted in the investigation has also issued a notice of violation to Volkswagen.
In 2014 the EPA fined Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors $300 million for misrepresenting the fuel economy in 1.2 million of their cars. That settlement is the highest to date.
Japan’s parliament has voted a constitutional amendment to allow troops to fight abroad for the first time since the end of World War II 70 years ago.
The vote on the constitutional amendment was delayed for several hours as the opposition tried to stop the measure coming into law.
Outside, demonstrators rallied in a last-ditch show of protest.
Many Japanese are attached to the pacifist provisions in the constitution which banned fighting overseas.
The bills have already passed through the government-dominated lower house.
The Japanese government says that the changes in defense policy are vital to meet new military challenges such as those posed from a rising China.
It wanted to hold the vote before a five-day holiday begins on September 19. The governing coalition has a majority in both chambers of the Diet, meaning that ultimately the opposition camp was powerless to stop the measure becoming law.
Masaaki Yamazaki, the president of the upper house, said the bills were passed with 148 lawmakers voting in support and 90 against.
Photo AFP
More than 200 hours have been spent deliberating the legislation, the Japan Times reported, and its approval by parliament fulfils one of PM Shinzo Abe’s long-held ambitions.
On September 17, opposition politicians tried to physically delay proceedings ahead of a committee vote on the bills.
The bills prompted large public protests for months.
The changes re-interpret rather than formally change the constitution.
However, critics say this will violate the pacifist constitution and could lead Japan into unnecessary US-led wars abroad.
Speaking in parliament on September 18, Akira Gunji, of the opposition Democratic party, said: “We should not allow such a dangerous government to continue like this.
“Prime Minister Abe’s security bill is a threat to our legal framework.”
Supporters of the measures, which are backed by Washington, insist they are essential for the defense of Japan and its regional allies, and will permit greater involvement in peacekeeping activities around the world.
Critics have focused on what they say is ambiguity in how the principles of the legislation will be interpreted, and the possibility that future governments will interpret them more broadly.
Burkina Faso’s detained interim President Michel Kafando has been freed and is in good health, the coup leaders say.
However, PM Isaac Zida, who was also detained when the presidential guard stormed a cabinet meeting on September 16, remains under house arrest.
The African Union has suspended Burkina Faso and threatened sanctions unless the junta releases all interim political figures from detention.
The US and France have also condemned the coup in the former French colony.
Burkina Faso’s coup leaders have agreed to the “principle of dialogue”, as two West African leaders arrived in the country to mediate in the crisis.
At least three people have died in protests in the capital, Ouagadougou, after an ally of former President Blaise Compaore was named leader on September 17.
The influential Balai Citoyen civil society group has put the number of people who have died in demonstrations against the presidential guard (RSP), at 10.
An unknown number of protesters have also been detained.
Demonstrators gathered around the airport for the arrival of a delegation from the regional body, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).
The delegation was led by Senegal’s President Macky Sall, the current Ecowas chair, and Benin’s leader Thomas Boni Yayi.
Ahead of their arrival, the air and land borders were officially re-opened.
Security forces again fired in the air on September 18 to disperse to demonstrators who burned tires and blocked streets in Ouagadougou.
Elections were due to be held in Burkina Faso on October 11, nearly a year after a popular uprising forced Blaise Compaore, the long-time ruler of the West African country, from power.
Coup leader Gen. Gilbert Diendere, who was Blaise Compaore’s former chief-of-staff, told reporters that Michel Kafando was now in his official residence.
Michel Kafando was reportedly freed on September 17 but has not yet been seen in public.
Two other ministers have also been released, the coup leaders announce.
The decision to free them was made “as a sign of easing tensions and in the general interest”, a statement read on national television said.
PM Isaac Zida was the army officer who took charge after Blaise Compaore was ousted.
The lieutenant colonel was number two in the RSP, where he may still hold influence, which explains his continued detention.
Blaise Compaore is currently in exile and was accused of committing widespread abuses, and trying to change the constitution to extend his term in office.
Some of his key allies had been barred from contesting the election.
Gen. Gilbert Diendere has said he has had no contact with Blaise Compaore and will do everything to “avoid violence that could plunge the country into chaos”.
An earlier announcement on state television said wide-ranging talks would be held to form a new interim government that would organize “peaceful and inclusive elections”.
Transitional parliamentary speaker Cheriff Sy called for people to “immediately rise up” against the coup, and declared himself the leader.
The coup was announced on the day that a judge was due to give the results of DNA tests on the remains of former President Thomas Sankara, his widow Mariam Sankara said.
Thomas Sankara was killed in a 1987 coup that saw Blaise Compaore and fellow officers such as his close friend Gen. Gilbert Diendere take power.
The former president’s family wants to know the exact circumstances of his death, which have always been shrouded in mystery.
A South-African parole board review panel which will decide whether to free Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius from jail has started meeting on September 18.
South Africa’s justice minister blocked Oscar Pistorius’ early release in August in a surprise move.
It is not clear when the panel will rule whether the initial decision to free him early was correct.
Oscar Pistorius, 28, has served 11 months of his 5-year sentence for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013.
The review board, which is meeting in the eastern port city of Durban, comprises a panel of legal experts chaired by a judge.
Journalists from local media have gathered outside the Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria, where Oscar Pistorius is being held, in anticipation of a potential decision on September 19.
Under South African law, Oscar Pistorius is eligible for release under house arrest, having served a sixth of his sentence.
A court convicted the double-amputee athlete of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, over the killing of Reeva Steenkamp.
Oscar Pistorius shot Reeva Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door at his home in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, believing she was an intruder, he told his trial.
The prosecution has appealed against the ruling, saying Oscar Pistorius should instead be convicted of murder.
A Japanese tourist has died in what appears to be a tragic accident while taking a selfie at the Taj Mahal’s Royal Gate in India.
Police said the 66-year-old tourist lost consciousness immediately after the fall and succumbed to head injuries in hospital.
The Taj Mahal, a 17th Century mausoleum built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan after his wife’s death, attracts about 12,000 visitors a day.
According to local reports, the Japanese tourist had been with three other people when the incident occurred.
One of his colleagues fractured his leg, after both fell from the staircase of the monument in the afternoon, police said.
The Japanese embassy has been informed about the death, and an investigation is being conducted into the incident.
There have been several deaths linked to selfies in recent years.
Earlier this year, the Russian government reportedly launched a campaign to make young people think twice before snapping selfies in risky situations.
In May, a 21-year-old woman survived accidentally shooting herself in the head while posing for a selfie with a gun in Moscow. There have also been several cases of children being electrocuted while taking selfies on top of railway carriages in Russia.
In August, a man in Spain was gored to death by a bull while taking a selfie at the annual bull running festival in the town of Villaseca de la Sagra.
European stocks have traded lower on September 18 after the Federal Reserve’s decision not to change interest rates, as concerns about the health of the global economy were renewed.
The Federal Reserve made it clear that worries about the global economy had influenced its decision to keep rates on hold.
“The outlook abroad appears to have become less certain,” said Fed chair Janet Yellen, at a news conference.
At lunchtime, the UK’s FTSE 100 was down 66.66 points, or 1%, at 6,120.33.
Bigger falls were seen elsewhere in Europe, with Germany’s Dax index down 2.5% and France’s Cac 40 dropping 2.6%.
Markets could now face a prolonged period of uncertainty as to the direction of US interest rates.
In London, banking stocks saw some of the biggest falls, with Royal Bank of Scotland down 2.6% and Barclays dropping 2.1%.
On the currency markets, the pound rose 0.35% against the dollar to $1.5646, and was up 0.4% against the euro at €1.3684.
Following the Fed’s decision the dollar fell sharply against the yen, dropping below the 120 yen mark. The move hit shares in Japan – particularly among exporting companies – and the country’s Nikkei index closed down 2%.
Japan’s stock market fell on September 18 as the yen strengthened against the dollar in the wake of the Federal Reserve’s decision not to raise interest rates.
The Nikkei 225 index closed down 2% at 18,070.21. The dollar fell against the yen following the Fed’s decision to keep its interest rates unchanged, which hit shares in Japanese exporters.
Shares in Toyota and Honda dropped 1.4%, while Panasonic was 2.1% lower.
A stronger yen against the dollar affects exporters, as it makes their goods more expensive to sell overseas.
The Fed’s decision to hold interest rates also renewed concerns about the strength of the global economy.
Photo WSJ
The US central bank said worries over the global economy, particularly China, had influenced its decision not to raise rates.
US shares saw choppy trade after the decision, with both the Dow Jones and S&P 500 closing lower.
Chinese shares were mixed after government data showed that property prices had shown some signs of recovery.
New home prices rose for a fourth consecutive month in August, up 0.3% from the previous month, but were down 2.3% from a year ago.
The property sector accounts for 15% of China’s economic growth, so even minimal gains have a positive impact on the world’s second largest economy.
The Shanghai Composite index ended 0.4% higher at 3,097.92, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index closed up 0.3% at 21,920.83.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 index erased earlier losses to end up 0.6% at 5,178.50.
South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index finished 1% higher at 1,995.95.
Donald Trump has come under fire after failing to correct a supporter who said President Barack Obama was a Muslim and “not even an American”.
The Republican presidential hopeful sought to laugh off the comment, which was preceded by the supporter saying: “We have a problem in this country – it’s called Muslims.”
The comments were made at a campaign rally for Donald Trump in New Hampshire.
Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton said Donald Trump’s failure to denounce “hateful rhetoric” was “disturbing and wrong”.
Pointing to his first questioner at the campaign event in Rochester, Donald Trump said: “I like this guy.”
“We have a problem in this country called Muslims,” the man said.
“We know our current president is one. You know he’s not even an American.”
“We need this question?” Donald Trump said, laughing.
“But anyway,” the man continued, “we have training camps growing where they want to kill us. That’s my question: When can we get rid of them?”
Donald Trump failed to clarify that Barack Obama is a Christian American, instead replying that “bad things are happening” and saying he would look into them.
Hillary Clinton joined criticism of Donald Trump on social media, tweeting: “Donald Trump not denouncing false statements about POTUS & hateful rhetoric about Muslims is disturbing & just plain wrong. Cut it out.”
In a statement, Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz said Donald Trump’s “racism knows no bounds”.
“This is certainly horrendous but unfortunately unsurprising given what we have seen already. The vile rhetoric coming from the GOP candidates is appalling,” Debbie Wasserman Schultz added, calling on his rivals to denounce him.
Donald Trump’s campaign manager Corey Lewandowski sought to play down the incident, telling media that “all he heard was a question about training camps”.
“The media wants to make this issue about Obama. The bigger issue is that Obama is waging a war against Christians in this country,” Corey Lewandowski told the Washington Post.
Barack Obama, who has spoken openly about his Christian faith, was born to an American mother and Kenyan father in Hawaii.
In 2011, Donald Trump was one of the leading skeptics, challenging Barack Obama to produce his birth certificate to disprove rumors that he was born in Kenya, which the president did.
Croatia has decided to close seven of its eight road border crossings with Serbia following a huge influx of refugees.
Croatian officials said they had no choice after more than 13,000 people entered the country since Hungary fenced off its border with Serbia earlier this week.
Many refugees have been taken by bus to reception centers but some say they plan to walk to neighboring Slovenia.
Huge numbers of people heading north from the Mediterranean have created a political crisis in the EU.
Croatian officials said roads leading to the border crossings had also been shut.
Photo AFP/Getty Images
The crossing on the main road linking Belgrade and Zagreb – at Bajakovo – appeared to be the only one left open.
On September 17, Croatian Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic said his country was “absolutely full”.
Ranko Ostojic said his message to the refugees was: “Don’t come here anymore. Stay in refugee centers in Serbia and Macedonia and Greece. This is not the road to Europe. Buses can’t take you there. It’s a lie.”
However, a Reuters journalist at the scene reported that refugees were walking through fields to bypass one of the border crossings.
Scuffles broke out in two locations on the border with Serbia on September 17 after people were left waiting for hours for transport further north.
Crowds briefly broke through police lines at Tovarnik and Batina – two of the crossings now closed.
Buses arrived just before midnight but not enough to transport everyone. Drivers said people were being taken to a reception centre.
Many refugees appear to have slipped away to continue their journey north on foot.
Ahmed Mohamed, the 14-year-old Muslim student arrested in Texas for bringing a homemade clock to school, has continued to receive an outpouring of support from scientists, politicians and celebrities.
The Irving MacArthur High School student has been invited to visit Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by a professor who called him an “ideal student”.
Ahmed Mohamed also told ABC News he will accept an invitation to the White House.
The student’s arrest was sharply criticized and the charges against him were dropped.
Ahmed Mohamed hopes to one day attend MIT, one of the top engineering universities in the US. He told ABC he was more excited about the MIT tour than the White House invitation.
Some of the biggest names in the world of science have welcomed Ahmed Mohamed with open arms.
NASA, Google Science Fair, Space Camp USA and astronaut Chris Hadfield were among those applauding Ahmed Mohamed for his ingenuity.
Officials at MacArthur High School alerted police because they thought the device Ahmed Mohamed built was a “hoax bomb”.
In a news conference on September 16, Ahmed Mohamed said he plans to transfer schools.
He told reporters it was “very sad” that his teacher thought his clock was a threat.
“I built a clock to impress my teacher but when I showed it to her she thought it was a threat to her. I’m very sad that she got the wrong impression of it.”
Ahmed Mohamed’s father, Mohamed Elhassan Mohamed, who is originally from Sudan, praised his son’s ingenuity, saying he fixes everything around the house, including his father’s phone and computer.
“He’s a very smart, brilliant boy and he said he just wanted to show himself to the world,” he said.
The police have rejected the claim made by Ahmed Mohamed’s family that he was detained because of his name.
“We have always had an outstanding relationship with the Muslim community,” Irving Police Department chief Larry Boyd said on September 16.
“Incidents like this present challenges. We want to learn how we can move forward and turn this into a positive,” Larry Boyd added.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations says it is investigating the incident.
Under the hashtag #IstandwithAhmed, thousands of Twitter users – including NASA scientists, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and President Barack Obama – praised Ahmed Mohamed’s initiative and questioned why he was detained.
Guerrero gang leader Gildardo Lopez Astudillo, a key figure in the disappearance of 43 Mexican students last year in the town of Iguala, has been arrested.
The Mexican government says Gildardo Lopez Astudillo, known as “El Gil” is a leader of the Guerreros Unidos drug cartel.
It alleges Gildardo Lopez Astudillo, 36, gave the orders to abduct and kill the students.
There have so far been 111 arrests over the 2014 disappearances.
The Mexican attorney-general’s office says its investigations show the Guerreros Unidos gang were handed the students by corrupt police in Iguala.
The office has said because Guerreros Unidos thought the students were members of a rival gang, they murdered them and then disposed of the bodies by burning them at a rubbish dump outside the city.
Official accounts contrast with a report issued by an international group of experts appointed by the Inter-American Human Rights Commission (IAHRC).
Their report earlier this month alleges that the Mexican authority’s investigations were deeply flawed, and included the disappearance of key evidence.
According to the experts, who visited the site where the Mexican authorities say the bodies were burnt, a fire fierce enough to incinerate the 43 students would have lasted over 60 hours and would have required tons of wood or rubber which would have burnt down the surrounding vegetation.
No fire was reported in the area at the time of the disappearance.
Earlier this week Austrian forensic experts announced they had identified the remains of a second victim found at the rubbish dump where the students’ bodies were allegedly burnt.
The relatives of the 43 students have demanded that the government investigates the possible involvement of high-ranking members of the military in the disappearances.
The apparent massacre of poor, rural students has posed problems for President Enrique Pena Nieto who took office in 2012 promising to stamp out drug-related violence.
Enrique Pena Nieto has been criticized for his handling of the case and accused of trying to wrap it up without a comprehensive investigation.
Correspondents say by charging “El Gil” with the disappearance of the students, the President would enable a swift end to the investigation.
International experts have disputed the government’s accounts of what happened and have said its investigation was deeply flawed.
Cuba has announced the appointment of Jose Cabanas as the new ambassador to the US – the first since 1961 – as part of the ongoing thaw in relations between the two countries.
Jose Ramon Cabanas is a veteran diplomat who has run Cuba’s “interests section” in Washington since 2012.
The diplomat was received at the White House with 15 other new diplomats from other countries.
Washington has yet to make an announcement about who will serve as its new ambassador in Cuba.
The announcement comes ahead of a visit to Cuba by Pope Francis and days before Cuban President Raul Castro goes to New York to address the United Nations.
Raul Castro’s visit will mark the first time a president of Cuba has publically set foot on American soil since 1995 when President Fidel Castro, his older brother, spoke before the UN.
In July 2015, Cuba and the US formally re-established their relations.
The process began publically when Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro announced simultaneously that they planned to set a new course on US-Cuba relations.
Soon after, the US traded three Cubans they had convicted on spying charges for Alan Gross, an American aid worker accused of espionage by a Cuban court.
Since then US and Cuban delegations have met several times to discuss a range of issues.
Jose Cabanas is a career diplomat trained in Havana. He served as vice minister of foreign relations and has occupied various high level posts in several countries.
The Federal Reserve has decided to hold interest rates unchanged, keeping them at the same level since December 2008.
The central bank said nine members of its Federal Open Market Committee voted to hold the key federal funds rate target at 0 to 0.25%.
Committee member Jeffrey Lacker was the only dissenter, favoring a 0.25 percentage point rise.
The Fed hinted that concerns about the strength of the global economy influenced the decision.
“Recent global economic and financial developments may restrain economic activity somewhat and are likely to put further downward pressure on inflation in the near term,” the committee said in a statement.
Signs of weaker growth and stock market turmoil in China have led to fear among investors about US economic growth.
The Federal Reserve’s long-term policy is to keep interest rates low until employment levels improve further and the main US inflation rate approaches its 2% target. Inflation is currently at about 1.2% in the US, kept down by cheaper oil and a strong dollar.
The Fed said in its statement that it still wants to see more improvement in the labor market, even though recent data showed the unemployment rate for August was at 5.1%, the lowest since 2008.
It also wants to be “reasonably confident” that inflation will increase.
“The committee currently anticipates that, even after employment and inflation are near mandate-consistent levels, economic conditions may, for some time, warrant keeping the target federal funds rate below levels the Committee views as normal in the longer run,” it said.
Following the Fed’s announcement, US stocks rose and the dollar fell.
The Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.28%, to 16,786.58, the S&P 500 rose 0.45%, to 2,004.26 and the NASDAQ gained 0.61%, to 4,918.90.
The dollar index, which compares the value of the currency with six other currencies, fell 0.81%, to 94.651.
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