NEWS   WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015   NEWS

Donald Trump Vows To Win: 'I'm Not Going Anywhere'
Donald Trump forcefully rejected the idea Tuesday that he might be considering getting out of the race as his lead in the polls has contracted in recent weeks. "I'm not going anywhere, I'm leading every poll and I'm going to make our country great again," Trump told CNN's Chris Cuomo on "New Day" on Tuesday morning. "I'm not getting out. I'm going to win, OK?" Trump added. "The answer is: I'm going all the way and I'm going to win." Trump said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he would get out of the race if his poll numbers plummeted and he had no chance of winning, setting off speculation among pundits that Trump might soon drop out of the GOP presidential contest. CNN
VOA VIEW: Smart statement - not what the liberal media want to hear.

Roughly 6,000 Federal Inmates To Be Released
Washington (CNN)Roughly 6,000 federal inmates will be released at the end of the month, the largest one-time release of federal prisoners, the Bureau of Prisons said Tuesday. Bureau spokesman Edmond Ross said that the inmates are all drug offenders. They became eligible for release after going through an appeals process following the recent restructuring of drug sentences by the U.S. Sentencing Commission. The release will take place between October 30 and November 2, Ross said, adding that the number will grow in the future. CNN

Publisher Promises Stickers, Changes For Textbook That Called Slaves 'Workers'
The publisher of a textbook criticized for a glaring error that glossed over the topic of slavery has offered stickers to schools that will cover up a caption describing African slaves as "workers," a spokeswoman said on Tuesday. A World Geography textbook by McGraw-Hill Education was published in Texas earlier this year and says in a caption about immigration that the Atlantic slave trade "brought millions of workers from Africa to the southern United States to work on agricultural plantations." Changes already have been made in the digital version of the textbook that clarify the arrival of Africans was a forced migration and print editions will soon follow, the publisher said, adding a sticker will be sent to paper over the error for books currently in use. Reuters

Carson: Loss Of Gun Rights 'More Devastating' Than Bullet Wounds
In one of his signature Facebook Q&As Monday night, Ben Carson again weighed in on the Oregon shooting, writing that he had operated on victims of gun violence "but I never saw a body with bullet holes that was more devastating than taking the right to arm ourselves away." Responding to a questioner who asked whether the tragedy had altered his position on the Second Amendment, Carson suggested new gun-control laws wouldn't solve the problem and accused Democrats of "us[ing] these tragedies to advance a political agenda." In a separate interview with USA Today released Tuesday, Carson suggested that, if he had a child in kindergarten, he would want school security guards - and even possibly that child's teacher - to be armed. MSNBC

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Edward Snowden: I've Offered To Go To Prison In U.S. 'Many Times'
Fugitive leaker Edward Snowden says he's offered to serve U.S. jail time — but hasn't heard back from the American government. Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who leaked classified documents about government surveillance, has been living in exile in Moscow. The U.S. government wants to try him.
He discussed government surveillance in an interview with the BBC which aired Monday night. When asked if he would be prepared to serve jail time or take a plea bargain, Snowden said: "Of course." "I've volunteered to go to prison with the government many times," he told the program. MSNBC

Donald Trump’s Son Does In Fact Have A Live-In Nanny
Donald Trump and Melania have a 28-year-old, live-in nanny for their son — even though she insists they don’t have help at home. Melania boasts in People magazine that while they have a household staff, she does not have a nanny for Barron, 9. “My husband is traveling all the time,” Melania says. “Barron needs somebody as a parent, so I am with him all the time.” She added they make sure there is time for father-son bonding. “They go alone for dinner, one-on-one,” she says, and they both enjoy golf. But The Donald insists Barron does have his own nanny. “Yes, there is a young woman,” he told The Post, “someone who works with Barron.” NY Post

As Clinton Campaigns, Complications With Her Old Boss Arise
President Barack Obama seemed to call Hillary Rodham Clinton's idea of a no-fly zone in Syria "half-baked." Clinton described the president's immigration strategy as "harsh and aggressive." And as Obama tries to rally Democrats around the chief economic proposal of his second term, the party's presidential front-runner stayed conspicuously silent. As Clinton looks for ways to distinguish her ideas from those of her former boss, the relationship between the man in the White House and the woman who hopes to replace him has grown increasingly complicated. No issue presents more potential for friction than trade. Tampa Tribune

Same-Sex Marriage Case Resurfaces In Gubernatorial Debate
The Kentucky clerk who went to jail for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples has come up in another debate between the state's two major-party gubernatorial candidates. Democratic nominee Jack Conway said Tuesday night he could support a narrowly drafted plan providing a religious objections exemption for officials like Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis. Conway said the plan would have to be in line with the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage nationwide. Republican nominee Bevin also said he supports an exemption based on religious objections. Bevin repeated his criticism of Conway, the state's attorney general, for not appealing a federal judge's decision to overturn Kentucky's same-sex marriage ban. The hourlong debate at Centre College was broadcast statewide. The candidates are vying to succeed Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear. Tampa Tribune

Donald Trump Chickened Out Of Our Forum, Hispanic Chamber President Says
The president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce took a swipe at Donald J. Trump Tuesday for skipping out on a question-and-answer session with the group this week. Javier Palomarez opened up a forum in Washington with Ohio Gov. John Kasich by thanking the 2106 GOP White House hopeful for showing up and noting that there was another “fellow who chickened out.” Mr. Palomarez’s group and the Trump campaign traded punches last week after the New York billionaire announced that he was going to appear at a rally in Nevada on Thursday instead of appearing at a Hispanic Chamber forum. Ammar Campa-Najjar, a spokesman for the Hispanic Chamber, criticized Mr. Trump for pulling out of the event and said that it “only deepens our community’s already-negative perceptions of him.” Washington Times
VOA VIEW: Trump is not fooish to particpate in a bias forum.

State Dept. Tells Hillary Clinton To Search For More Emails
The State Department has instructed former Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton go back to her Internet companies and try to recover email messages from any personal email accounts that she used during her time in government, saying it appears she didn’t turn over all of her documents. In a letter to Clinton lawyer David E. Kendall, the department said it has become aware of messages Mrs. Clinton sent to other government officials in her first few months in office, but which she did not turn over as part of the more than 30,000 emails she did relinquish last December. Washington Times

Speaker Hopeful: I'm No John Boehner
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy promised conservative GOP lawmakers yestersday "I'm not John Boehner" as he sought their support to replace Boehner as speaker. McCarthy and his two Republican rivals for the speaker's job took turns meeting behind closed doors with a coalition of four groups comprising the most conservative members in the House. The lawmakers forced Boehner to resign and are now maneuvering to deny his No. 2, McCarthy, the chance to ascend unless he agrees to various demands. Lawmakers present said McCarthy pledged changes to the House. "I think McCarthy's pitch was 'I'm not John Boehner, I'm going to run things differently, I'm my own man,"' said Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas. Philadelphia Inquirer

Model Sues Cosby Over Alleged Sex Assault At Playboy Mansion In 2008
Bill Cosby's troubles got worse Tuesday when a woman sued him in a Los Angeles federal court, alleging he sexually assaulted her at the Playboy Mansion in 2008.
The civil suit by Chloe Goins comes as Los Angeles County prosecutors are already reviewing a criminal investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department into the 25-year-old model's allegations. LAPD detectives presented the findings of their investigation last week to the District Attorney's Office, which is reviewing the work.
Goins, speaking outside LAPD headquarters, said that of the dozens of women who have accused Cosby of sexually assaulting them, she is one of the few who can bring Cosby to justice. Philadelphia Inquirer

Hillary Server Employee: The Whole Thing Is ‘Covering Up Some Shady S– –t’
An employee of the computer company that maintained Hillary Rodham Clinton’s ­email server questioned if he was part of a coverup, according to documents ­released Tuesday. “This whole thing really is covering up some shady s–t,” the employee said in an Aug. 19 company email obtained by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The concerns by the Colorado-based Platte River Networks employee were aired after the Clinton camp ordered a reduction in the data stored during each server backup. The limits were ordered after the State Department contacted the former secretary of state in summer 2014 to inquire about her private e-mail records. NY Post

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Kerry: 'We Have Climate Refugees Today'
Speaking Monday in Valparaiso, Chile, Secretary of State John Kerry was asked why the term "climate refugees" does not exist in international law. Kerry said the question was "right on point," and although the term is a new one, he expects it's "just a matter of time" before it is incorporated into international policy. "We have climate refugees today," Kerry told a town hall meeting on the sidelines of an Oceans conference. CNS News

Suspect In Custody After Reports Of Gunman On Philadelphia Campus
A suspect is in custody after reports of a person with a weapon put the Community College of Philadelphia on lockdown on Tuesday morning, police said. No shots were fired and there were no reports of any injuries, said Tanya Little, a spokeswoman for the Philadelphia Police Department. Police made a sweep of all campus buildings as they continued to search for a gun while the entire campus remained under lockdown. The FBI had warned colleges and universities on Sunday about a recent social media post threatening violence on Monday at a Philadelphia college or university. The FBI said other parts of the country faced similar social media threats after the mass shooting that left 10 people dead at a community college in Oregon on Thursday. Reuters

Russia Agrees To Further Talks On Syria Operations
Russia has informed the United States that Moscow is willing to continue talks to ensure that the two countries' aircraft don't interfere with each other over Syria, senior U.S. military officials said Tuesday. But a Russian defense official said the talks should be much broader than what the Pentagon is seeking. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said a response to the Pentagon's request for talks came through the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and reached U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter while he was flying from Moron Air Base in Spain to Sigonella, Italy. CBS

Donald Trump’s Son Does In Fact Have A Live-In Nanny
Donald Trump and Melania have a 28-year-old, live-in nanny for their son — even though she insists they don’t have help at home. Melania boasts in People magazine that while they have a household staff, she does not have a nanny for Barron, 9. “My husband is traveling all the time,” Melania says. “Barron needs somebody as a parent, so I am with him all the time.” She added they make sure there is time for father-son bonding. “They go alone for dinner, one-on-one,” she says, and they both enjoy golf. But The Donald insists Barron does have his own nanny. “Yes, there is a young woman,” he told The Post, “someone who works with Barron.” NY Post
VOA VIEW: Who cares?

As Clinton Campaigns, Complications With Her Old Boss Arise
President Barack Obama seemed to call Hillary Rodham Clinton's idea of a no-fly zone in Syria "half-baked." Clinton described the president's immigration strategy as "harsh and aggressive." And as Obama tries to rally Democrats around the chief economic proposal of his second term, the party's presidential front-runner stayed conspicuously silent. As Clinton looks for ways to distinguish her ideas from those of her former boss, the relationship between the man in the White House and the woman who hopes to replace him has grown increasingly complicated. No issue presents more potential for friction than trade. Tampa Tribune

Same-Sex Marriage Case Resurfaces In Gubernatorial Debate
The Kentucky clerk who went to jail for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples has come up in another debate between the state's two major-party gubernatorial candidates. Democratic nominee Jack Conway said Tuesday night he could support a narrowly drafted plan providing a religious objections exemption for officials like Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis. Conway said the plan would have to be in line with the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage nationwide. Republican nominee Bevin also said he supports an exemption based on religious objections. Bevin repeated his criticism of Conway, the state's attorney general, for not appealing a federal judge's decision to overturn Kentucky's same-sex marriage ban. The hourlong debate at Centre College was broadcast statewide. The candidates are vying to succeed Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear. Tampa Tribune

Nuclear Smugglers Sought Terrorist Buyers
Over the pulsating beat at an exclusive nightclub, the arms smuggler made his pitch to a client: 2.5 million euros for enough radioactive cesium to contaminate several city blocks. It was earlier this year, and the two men were plotting their deal at an unlikely spot: the terrace of Cocos Prive, a dance club and sushi bar in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. “You can make a dirty bomb, which would be perfect for the Islamic State,” the smuggler said. “If you have a connection with them, the business will go smoothly.” Charlotte Observer

Trump Defends His Vocal Support For Eminent Domain: ‘I Think It’s A Wonderful Thing’
Even though it’s a stance not especially popular with some Republicans, Donald Trump continued to support eminent domain in an interview on Tuesday, calling it “a wonderful thing” that has unfairly received a bad rap. Trump, a billionaire known for his major real estate development projects, described eminent domain as a useful tool that local governments can use to prevent greedy homeowners from derailing major projects that could create thousands of jobs or provide a public good. Trump said that some conservatives don’t fully understand how eminent domain works and don’t realize that homeowners are usually paid “four, five, six, 10 times” what their property is actually worth. “Eminent domain, when it comes to jobs, roads, the public good, I think it’s a wonderful thing,” Trump said during an interview with Fox News’s Bret Baier that aired Tuesday evening. “And remember, you’re not taking property ... you’re paying a fortune for that property.” Charlotte Observer

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What Hillary Clinton Said When Asked To Sum Up Donald Trump In A Word
How would Hillary Clinton describe Donald Trump in one word? "Flamboyant," is one option she offered in a Telemundo interview Monday. "Aggressively insulting," was another (she didn't stick to the one-word rule throughout the entire exercise). "He is not well-versed in the realities he's talking about." But the anchor, Maria Celeste Arraras, wasn't content with those offerings. "Would you say he's obnoxious?" she asked. "Well, that would be a word that might well fit," Clinton said, but then she reconsidered. Trump-as-candidate is not the same person he was before, Clinton seemed to suggest. CBS

Marco Rubio Laughs Off Donald Trump’s ‘Care Package’
As the fight between GOP hopefuls Donald Trump and Marco Rubio heats up, it seems the Trump campaign thought Rubio might need a little help cooling off. On Monday, the Trump campaign sent Rubio’s Washington office a special care package, with 24 bottles of water with Trump’s face on them and the words “Trump Ice Natural Spring Water.” Also in the care package: two “Make America Great Again” towels, bumper stickers, and a note reading, “Since you’re always sweating, we thought you could use some water. Enjoy!” “Apparently the water is very high quality water. It’s top notch water that he sent us,” Rubio said Tuesday morning on NBC. “So we’re grateful for the gift.” ABC

VW Chief Warns Workers Of 'Pain' To Come Because Of Scandal
Volkswagen's new CEO has told more than 20,000 workers that overcoming its emissions-rigging scandal will "not happen without pain" and that the company will have to review its investment plans. Matthias Mueller vowed Tuesday that "we will overcome this crisis" but said that the company would have to be more careful about costs. He told the meeting at the company's sprawling home plant in Wolfsburg, Germany, that the company would have to put its future investments in plants, technology and vehicles "under scrutiny" to spend only what was needed to maintain a leading edge. ABC

Clinton To Colbert: I Didn't Ask Trump To Run
Former president Bill Clinton answered the question that has long been on the electorate’s mind: Did he tell Donald Trump to run for president? “No, no,” he told Stephen Colbert on Tuesday night’s episode of The Late Show. “Yeah, I get credit for a lot of things I didn’t do.” A phone call did take place, as many media outlets have reported, and it sounds a bit like a game of Telephone: Trump’s daughter (Ivanka, we’re guessing) told Clinton’s daughter (hey, Chelsea) that Trump had left a message for her father, and Bill “simply called him back.” USA Today

Russia Says It's Open To Coordinating With U.S. On Syria
Russia's Defense Ministry on Wednesday said it is open to the idea of coordinating with the United States to fight Islamic State extremists in Syria. Russian warplanes began bombing in Syria on Sept. 30, in strikes which authorities said were targeting the militants, also known as ISIS and ISIL, and al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, following a request from Syrian President Bashar Assad. The U.S. government, which wants Assad out, has complained that Russian airstrikes are targeting CIA-trained fighters rather than ISIL. A U.S.-led coalition is conducting its own bombing campaign against the Islamic State. USA Today

Carson On Oregon Shooting: ‘I Would Not Just Stand There And Let Him Shoot Me’
Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson attracted criticism Tuesday for appearing to suggest in an interview that the victims of last week's tragic school shooting in Oregon should have acted more forcefully to prevent the attack. "I would not just stand there and let him shoot me," Carson said on "Fox and Friends" Tuesday morning. "I would say, 'Hey guys, everybody attack him. He may shoot me, but he can't get us all.'" The retired neurosurgeon's comments follow the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College last week that left nine people dead and at least 10 wounded. The gunman, who had a history of mental illness, killed himself after police officers arrived on the scene and exchanged gunfire. The gunman reportedly singled out Christians during his shooting rampage. Washington Post

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Round 2: Downstream South Carolina Towns Brace For Flooding
Along South Carolina's coast, residents were preparing for a second round of flooding as rivers swollen from days of devastating rains make their way toward the Atlantic. In Georgetown, one of America's oldest cities, Scott Youngblood was putting more sandbags Tuesday by the door of the Augustus & Carolina furniture store on Front Street, the popular tourist attraction that runs along the Sampit River. Each day since last weekend's storm — which sent more than a foot of water washing down the street — water at high tide has lapped against those sandbags. Residents are concerned there may be more flooding on the Black and Waccamaw rivers — two waterways cited as worrisome by Gov. Nikki Haley. Both drain into Georgetown County. The Waccamaw was expected to crest at 5 feet above flood stage in Conway, in Horry County, on Thursday. The Black crested Tuesday upstream at Kingstree at about 10 feet above flood stage, breaking a record, town officials said. Houston Chronicle

US Experts Warn Plutonium Stocks Could Soar Un East Asia
Experts warn that Northeast Asia could see a dangerous growth in stocks of weapons-usable plutonium — and U.S. lawmakers say Obama administration policies could be making matters worse. Japan plans to open as early as next spring a plant that could reprocess enough spent reactor fuel to make as many as 1,000 nuclear bombs a year. The plutonium that is produced is supposed to be for generating electricity, but Japan already has tons on hand and no use for it, with its reactors at a virtual halt following the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi disaster. Local politicians are aggressively backing the plant, eager for investment in a remote northern region.
Meanwhile, the U.S. is renewing civil nuclear agreements with China and South Korea on less restrictive terms. Houston Chronicle

Georgia Democratic Leaders Line Up Behind Hillary Clinton
In a display of institutional might, Hillary Clinton is rolling out a lengthy list of Georgia Democratic Party leaders backing her campaign for the presidency. Shared first with the AJC, the list shows how Clinton has captured the support of the biggest names in Georgia Democratic politics, starting with civil rights hero and U.S. Rep. John Lewis. Clinton backers include Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, former Ambassador to the U.N. Andrew Young, state Democratic Party chairman DuBose Porter and a slew of Gold Dome leaders. The push comes as Sen. Bernie Sanders continues to challenge Clinton atop the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two states to vote in next year’s primary, and Vice President Joe Biden considers jumping in himself. Atlanta Journal

Amtrak Warns Of Service Cuts If Congress Doesn’t Extend Safety Deadline
The head of Amtrak has warned lawmakers that it will suspend service on parts of its national network by December unless Congress extends its deadline for implementing advanced safety technology, according to a letter obtained by Fox News. The letter sent Monday by Amtrak Chairman Joseph Boardman to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., outlined efforts to install Positive Train Control (PTC) to enhance train safety. The Rail Safety Improvement Act, passed in 2008, set a Dec. 31, 2015, deadline for most commuter and freight trains to be overhauled with PTC -- a new GPS monitoring and safety network aimed at preventing deadly accidents like the recent Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia that left eight dead. Fox News

US Government Deports Fewest Immigrants In Nearly A Decade
The Obama administration deported the fewest number of immigrants in the past 12 months since 2006, according to government figures obtained by The Associated Press. The figures also show that deportations of criminal immigrants have dropped to the lowest numbers since President Barack Obama took office in 2009, despite his pledge to focus on finding and deporting criminals living in the country illegally. The overall total of 231,000 deportations generally does not include Mexicans who were caught at the border and quickly returned home by the U.S. Border Patrol. The figure does include roughly 136,700 convicted criminals deported in the last 12 months. Total deportations dropped 42 percent since 2012. Fox News
VOA VIEW: Obama is doing everything possible to grow an illegal invasion.

US Commander: Obama 'Well Aware Of The Tenuous Security Situation' In Afghanistan
In the two years since the United States stopped combat operations in Afghanistan, transitioning to an advisory role, things have changed in that country, and not for the better, General John F. Campbell, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, told Congress on Tuesday. "As the upsurge in insurgent violence in the Northern Helmand (Province) and Kunduz shows, Afghanistan is again at a decisive point," Campbell told the Senate Armed Services Committee. He said President Obama "is well aware of the tenuous security situation. CNS News

Childcare Costs Even More Than Rent In Most Of The U.S.
Just when you thought rent was too damn high, more evidence now shows that childcare costs are too damn higher. Among families with two children, the price of care exceeds rent in 500 of 618 areas, according to data compiled by the Washington-based Economic Policy Institute, a resource group that advocates for workers. Families in Binghamton, New York, are the worst off. There, childcare is almost three times as expensive as checks to landlords. EPI mapped the disparities in housing and childcare costs, building on August research that tackled how family budgets could (or couldn't) handle those bills. The map below shows the amount of money a two-parent, two-child family would need to spend to live a modest life. The darker the blue, the higher the costs. Bloomberg

U.S. Commander Orders Rules Of Engagement Training In Wake Of Kunduz Hospital Airstrike
Gen. John Campbell, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said Tuesday he has ordered coalition forces in the country to undergo rules of engagement training after a U.S. airstrike on a hospital in Kunduz killed 22 civilians. The comments come one day after Campbell told reporters Afghan forces called in the Saturday airstrike, which was conducted by an AC-130 gunship, killing 10 patients and 12 staff members with Doctors Without Borders, or Médecins Sans Frontières. "To prevent any future incidences of this nature, I've directed the entire force to undergo in-depth training in order to review all of our operational authorities and rules of engagement," ABC News quoted Campbell as saying Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee. UPI

United Airlines Flight Diverted After Co-Pilot Falls Unconscious
A United Airlines flight from Houston to San Francisco landed safely in Albuquerque, N.M., Tuesday morning after the co-pilot became ill. The unidentified co-pilot of United's Flight 1614 lost consciousness while the plane was in the air, said Dave Giron, spokesman for the Albuquerque International Sunport, the city's airport. The plane landed at 8:20 a.m., he added, with the co-pilot unconscious but in stable condition. "The crew followed procedures and the aircraft landed safely. We are working to get our customers to their final destinations," an airline statement said. UPI

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EU Privacy Ruling May Disrupt U.S. Tech Firms, Spy Programs
U.S. Internet companies may lose billions of dollars and spy agencies may be stifled in thwarting terror plots after Europe’s highest court struck down a trans-Atlantic data-use agreement. The U.S. Commerce Department will provide guidance to companies on how to proceed with data transfers in the wake of Tuesday’s ruling, which invalidates a 15-year-old agreement that allowed U.S. technology companies such as Facebook Inc. and Google Inc. to move European customers’ information to the U.S. “It could potentially be disruptive depending on how the Europeans choose to implement it,” Michael Daniel, the White House’s cybersecurity coordinator said in an interview in Washington Tuesday. “This is really a discussion about how both of us protect privacy, and I’m sure it’s an issue that we’ll be able to deal with.” Bloomberg

‘Castle Doctrine’ Protects Missouri Man In 2 Killings
A Missouri man who twice has killed intruders at a rural home this year has been protected by the state's "castle doctrine" in both cases. Michael T. Wieners fatally shot a former roommate in February. He fatally stabbed a neighbor in June. Missouri's castle doctrine gives people occupying homes or vehicles broad license to protect themselves with deadly force. Wieners told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/1Lgd4tL ) that he killed his former friends in self-defense. The 55-year-old Franklin County resident said he "wasn't looking for that." Franklin County Sheriff Gary Toelke says "there were things" that concerned authorities about the deaths but that there isn't evidence to sway concerns in either direction. Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Bob Parks says people get "the benefit of the doubt" due to the castle doctrine. Las Vegas Sun

State OKs Burying Nuclear Waste At Beach
The site permit approved Tuesday by the California Coastal Commission is only for 20 years, but opponents of the storage plan worry that steel casks packed with nuclear waste may linger at the site for generations to come, and might deteriorate to the point where they cannot be removed. Plant operator Southern California Edison plans to start building in January 75 concrete bunkers to hold spent nuclear fuel that accumulated over the 45-year life of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. By 2022, Edison must report back to the commission how it will monitor the casks contained in those bunkers. “I wish that there were other options that were available now, but frankly I don’t see them,” said Coastal Commission member Greg Cox, a former San Diego County Supervisor. San Diego Union

Health Safety Group: South Florida Hospitals Perform Too Many C-Sections
The average rate of cesarean section surgeries for Florida hospitals was among the highest in the nation — about 32 for every 100 deliveries — according to a study released Wednesday by The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit that surveys hospitals for quality and safety measures. The numbers, which were self-reported by Florida hospitals and included only first-time, low-risk mothers with single babies, exceeded the recommended target of about 24 for every 100 deliveries. Hospitals in Miami, Hialeah, Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood reported an even higher rate, about 45 for every 100 deliveries. There were wide variations, with some hospitals reporting C-sections in more than half of all deliveries. Some hospitals declined to report any data. Miami Herald

Twitter Debuts 'Moments' Feature To Highlight Top Stories
Twitter on Tuesday launched a new feature called "Moments" that helps highlight the top stories being tweeted. The feature will showcase top stories being discussed, even if you don't follow the tweeters. It can be found by tapping a lightning bolt icon tab on the site or app. It will update the "Moments" throughout the day. The "Moments" are a mix of news and fluffy trending topics. For example, two "Moments" on Tuesday included tweets about the South Carolina floods breaking dams and a pygmy hedgehog called Marutaro. Twitter, which limits posts to 140 characters, has been trying to find a way to make the site easier to navigate and broaden its appeal beyond media junkies, athletes, celebrities and politicians. The short messaging service has amassed more than 300 million users but its growth has been slowing. SF Gate

City To Eateries: Use Paper Plates In California Drought
A California city has ordered restaurants to cut back on dishwashing by using disposable plates, cutlery and cups as a way to save water during the fourth year of drought in the state. Officials in declared a water emergency after a river the provides the coastal town's drinking water got so low that ocean water seeped into city pipes, The San Francisco Chronicle reported Tuesday. The City Council ordered residents and businesses to cut water use by 30 percent compared to last year's consumption rate. Residents were barred from washing cars, irrigating lawns and maintaining landscaping with water. Restaurants and hotels are required to use disposable flatware and serve water only upon request. "We're in uncharted territory," Fort Bragg public works director Tom Varga told the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat http://tinyurl.com/pwbh3nq ). Las Vegas Sun

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Netanyahu's Answer To Palestinian Violence Doesn't Include New Settlement Construction
Israel will place cameras both on the ground and in the air over the roads in Judea and Samaria that will be linked to command centers to provide immediate IDF response to violence on the roads, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday. Netanyahu's comments came during a visit at the site near Itamar where terrorists murdered Eitam and Naama Henkin last Thursday night. Netanyahu was accompanied by Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eizenkot. “The focus of this visit is on active defense of the roads,” Netanyahu said, adding that “a significant portion of the attacks take place on the main roads.” He said that the enhanced surveillance, along with the ability for quick response, can “significantly” improve Israel's ability to both thwart attacks and apprehend the perpetrators “This is a very, very important element in restoring security,” he said. Jerusalem Post

Russia Says Ready For Talks With Turkey To Avoid 'Misunderstandings' In Syria
Russian Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov said on Tuesday Moscow would welcome a Turkish defence ministry delegation to discuss avoiding any "misunderstandings" in Syria where Russia and a coalition of Western and Middle Eastern allies carry out rival air strikes. NATO on Tuesday rejected Moscow's explanation that its warplanes violated the air space of alliance member Turkey at the weekend by mistake. Jerusalem Post

UK End-Of-Life Care 'Best In World'
End-of-life care in the UK has been ranked as the best in the world with a study praising the quality and availability of services. The study of 80 countries said thanks to the NHS and hospice movement the care provided was "second to none". Rich nations tended to perform the best - with Australia and New Zealand ranked second and third respectively. But the report by the Economist Intelligence Unit praised progress made in some of the poorest countries. For example Mongolia - ranked 28th - has invested in hospice facilities, while Uganda - 35th - has managed to improve access to pain control through a public-private partnership. BBC

Seventeen Dead In Flooding In North And South Carolina
The death toll from severe flooding in the US states of North and South Carolina has now risen to 17, say authorities. South Carolina had 15 weather-related deaths, six of them as a result of floodwaters sweeping over vehicles. Tuesday was the first dry day in Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, since 24 September, but a full recovery is still a way off. Authorities are warning residents that more evacuations are possible. Masses of floodwater are flowing toward the ocean, compromising dams and displacing people. "God smiled on South Carolina because the sun is out," said South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. BBC

IMF Warns Of Stagnation Threat To G7 Economies
The International Monetary Fund is warning that the weak recovery in the west risks turning into near stagnation after cutting its global economic growth forecast for the fourth successive year. In its half-yearly update on the health of the world economy, the Washington-based fund predicted expansion of 3.1% in 2015, 0.2 points lower than it was expecting three months ago and the weakest performance since the trough of the downturn in 2009. “Six years after the world economy emerged from its broadest and deepest postwar recession, a return to robust and synchronised global expansion remains elusive,” said Maurice Obstfeld, the IMF’s economic counsellor. Guardian

Microsoft Steps Up Competition With Apple As It Unveils Windows 10 Devices
Microsoft is bringing the thunder. That was the message sent to its competitors today, when Microsoft unveiled its Windows 10 devices, including the new Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book, challenging Apple’s dominance at the top end of the laptop market. “We have competitors, you might have noticed. They are chasing us,” Panos Panay, head of engineering of all Microsoft devices, said during the hour-and-a-half-long presentation. “What do you do? Do you double down and bring the thunder or do you reinvent the category again?” It seems that the company chose to do both and did not shy from making comparisons with rival Apple, a company whose glitzy presentations have in the past left Microsoft looking stale. Guardian

United Nations Officials Charged With Accepting Massive Bribes From China Businessmen
A former president of the United Nations General Assembly and several other officials were charged on Tuesday with accepting more than a million dollars in bribes from Chinese businesspeople including a billionaire property mogul. John Ashe, a former UN ambassador from Antigua and Barbuda who presided over the General Assembly from 2013 to 2014, was arrested at his home in Dobbs Ferry, New York State. He was accused by US prosecutors of turning the world body into a "platform for profit" by taking bribes in exchange for paving the way for lucrative investments. In one case, Mr Ashe allegedly accepted more than $500,000 from Ng Lap Seng, 68, a property developer, who was seeking a contract to build a UN-sponsored conference centre in Macau. In exchange, prosecutors said, Mr Ashe recommended to the secretary general that the multi-billion dollar proposal go ahead. Telegraph

Five Held In Paris Over 'Devils Breath' Zombie Drug In Second Sting In Weeks
Five Chinese nationals have been arrested on suspicion of using a powerful Colombian drug dubbed "the devil’s breath" that turns victims into willing “zombies”– in the second sting operation in Paris in weeks. The gang of five was arrested in Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport last Friday and were found to be carrying €75,000 (£55,000) and $16,500 in cash along with a thermos stuffed full of precious jewellery of an unknown value. Police believe the valuables were stolen from dozens of victims who were sprayed with scopolamine, a hazardous drug extracted from a South American tree related to deadly nightshade, which deprives people of free will. In strong doses it is lethal. Telegraph

Foreign Terrorist Fighters Pose ‘Significant And Evolving’ Global Threat,
In the wake of last week’s meeting of world leaders at United Nations Headquarters on countering violent extremism, a new UN report released today throws into stark relief the growing threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters, especially in an era where extremist groups freely use social media and the Internet to disseminate their ideologies and even raise funds. The report, released by the UN Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee and its Executive Directorate (CTED), stressed that foreign terrorist fighters constitute a significant and evolving threat, and that groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) act in a quick and adaptable manner. UN News

Ban Voices ‘Profound Alarm’ At Growing Number Of Deadly Incidents In West Bank
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced “profound alarm” today at the growing number of deadly incidents in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
“The last few days of clashes, which resulted in the death of four Palestinians, including a 13-year old boy, and hundreds injured, are yet another worrisome sign of violence potentially spiralling out of control,” said Mr. Ban in a statement issued by his spokesperson in New York. The Secretary-General condemned the killings and said he looks to the Government of Israel to conduct a prompt and transparent investigation into the incidents, including whether the use of force was proportional. UN News

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