Toronto police say they have mayor drug video

TORONTO (AP) — Toronto police said Thursday they have obtained a video that appears to show Mayor Rob Ford smoking from a crack pipe — a video that Ford had claimed didn't exist and has been at the core of a scandal that has embarrassed and gripped Canada for months.

Police Chief Bill Blair said the video, recovered from after being deleted from a computer hard drive, did not provide grounds to press charges. But it is bound to renew calls for the resignation of Ford, a populist politician who has repeatedly made headlines for his bizarre behavior.

There was no immediate comment from Ford, who giving tours of his office's Halloween decorations Thursday. Before the disclosure, Ford angrily screamed at reporters to get off his property as he left his house in the morning. He didn't respond to questions shouted at him.

Blair said he was "disappointed" after viewing the video which he said "depicts images that are consistent with those previously reported in the press."

Ford faced allegations in May that he had been caught on video puffing from a glass crack pipe. Two reporters with the Toronto Star said they saw the video, but it has not been released publicly. Ford maintains he does not smoke crack and that the video does not exist.

Blair said the video will come out when Ford's friend and sometimes driver, Alexander Lisi, goes to trial on previous drug charges. Blair did not say who the computer belonged to but police later said Lisi has now been charged with extortion for trying to retrieve the recording from an unidentified person.

"As a citizen of Toronto I'm disappointed. This is a traumatic issue for citizens of this city and the reputation of this city," Blair said.

The scandal has been the fodder of jokes on U.S. late night television that has cast Canada's financial capital in an unflattering light.

Ford was elected mayor of Canada's largest city three years ago on a wave of discontent simmering in the city's outlying suburbs. Since then Ford has repeatedly appeared in the news for his increasingly bizarre behavior. He has refused to resign.

The prosecutor in the Lisi case police released documents Thursday showing they had rummaged through Ford's garbage in search of evidence of drug use. They show that they conducted a massive surveillance operation monitoring the mayor and Lisi following drug use allegations.

The documents show that friends and former staffers of Ford were concerned that Lisi was "fuelling" the Toronto mayor's alleged drug use.

The documents also detail evidence that led to Lisi's arrest on drug and extortion charges.

The police documents, ordered released by a judge, show Ford receiving suspicious packages from Lisi on several occasions.

"Lisi approached the driver's side of the Mayor's vehicle with a small white gift bag in hand; he then walked around to the passenger side and got on board," reads one document dated July 30, 2013. "After a few minutes Lisi exited the Escalade empty handed and walked back to his Range Rover."

Another dated July 28 says Lisi "constantly used counter surveillance techniques" when he met with Ford that day.

On August 13 documents say Lisi and Ford met and "made their way into a secluded area of the adjacent woods where they were obscured from surveillance efforts and stayed for approximately one hour." Police later recovered a vodka and juice bottle from where they met. "So as not to reveal that the original bottles were seized replacement ones were left behind," the document says.

Ford recently vouched for Lisi in a separate criminal case, praising his leadership skills and hard work in a letter filed with the court. The letter was part of a report prepared by a probation officer after Lisi was convicted of threatening to kill a woman.

Ford said previously that he was shocked when Lisi was arrested earlier this month, calling him a "good guy" and saying he doesn't abandon his friends.

The documents also say that Payman Aboodowleh, a volunteer football coach at Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School, where Ford coached the team, told police that Lisi met Ford through him. He told police he was "mad at Lisi because he was fuelling the mayor's drug abuse," the document says.

Ford former staffer, Chris Fickel, told police he didn't know where Ford got marijuana from, but "has heard that 'Sandro', Lisi's nickname, may be the person who provides the mayor with marijuana and possibly cocaine," the document alleges. However, Fickel added, he has never seen Lisi provide the mayor with drugs. The mayor would call Fickel and tell him to tell "Sandro" that "I need to see him," Fickle told police.

Toronto councilor Paula Fletcher said Ford needs to act in the best interests of the city. She said all citizens of Toronto are disappointed.

"The mayor has said there wasn't a video," Fletcher said. "He has said there is a conspiracy against him. With Chief's Blair's press conference I think that's put to rest."

Councilor Joe Mihevc said he continues to be shocked by the "depth and revelations that are coming out"

"The mayor has to come clean and do it as soon as possible. He needs to talk honestly about his use of illicit drugs," Mihevc said.

• Society & Culture
• Crime & Justice
• Rob Ford

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/toronto-police-mayor-drug-video-182633271.html
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Global warming as viewed from the deep ocean

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

31-Oct-2013

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Contact: Ken Branson
kbranson@ucm.rutgers.edu
732-932-7084 x633
Rutgers University

The intermediate waters of the Pacific Ocean are absorbing heat 15 times faster over the past 60 years than in the past 10,000

Some climate change skeptics have pointed out that global atmospheric temperatures have been stable, or even declined slightly, over the past decade. They claim it's a sign that global warming has either ceased, slowed down or is not caused by human activity.

So, where did all that heat that we're supposedly producing go?

Climate scientists say it went into the ocean, which over the past 60 years has acted as a buffer against global warming. However, a new study led by Rutgers' Yair Rosenthal shows that the ocean is now absorbing heat 15 times faster than it has over the previous 10,000 years. Although the increased heat absorption by the ocean may give scientists and policymakers more time to deal with the issue of climate change, Rosenthal says the problem is real and must be addressed.

"We may have underestimated the efficiency of the oceans as a storehouse for heat and energy," Rosenthal said. "It may buy us some time how much time, I don't really know to come to terms with climate change. But it's not going to stop climate change."

Rosenthal, a professor of marine and coastal sciences in Rutgers' School of Environmental and Biological Sciences; Braddock Linsley of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory; and Delia W. Oppo of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, used the shells of tiny single-celled, bottom-dwelling foraminifera found in sediment cores to reconstruct the Pacific Ocean's heat content over the last 10,000 years. Their paper has been published in Science.

The heat content of the ocean had been measured before, but only instrumentally, and only back to the mid-20th century.

Their research was undertaken on marine sediment collected from the seas surrounding Indonesia, where the waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans overlap. The researchers measured the ratio of magnesium to calcium in the shells of a particular species of foraminifera, Hyalinea balthica. The warmer the waters when the organism calcified, the greater the magnesium to calcium ratio.

Yair Rosenthal

The shell chemistry of these tiny creatures provides a record of intermediate water temperatures going back 10,000 years, not only in the part of the Pacific where they were collected but from the higher latitudes in the Pacific as well. That's because the intermediate water in the western Pacific depths between 450 and 1,000 meters consists of water that once was near the surface in the northern and southern Pacific. The waters became saltier and colder over time and sank, then flowed very slowly toward the equator and through the passages between islands in Indonesia.

"Our work showed that intermediate waters in the Pacific had been cooling steadily from about 10,000 years ago" said Linsley. This places the recent warming of Pacific intermediate waters in temporal context. The trend has now reversed in a big way and the deep ocean is warming."

###

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

31-Oct-2013

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Contact: Ken Branson
kbranson@ucm.rutgers.edu
732-932-7084 x633
Rutgers University

The intermediate waters of the Pacific Ocean are absorbing heat 15 times faster over the past 60 years than in the past 10,000

Some climate change skeptics have pointed out that global atmospheric temperatures have been stable, or even declined slightly, over the past decade. They claim it's a sign that global warming has either ceased, slowed down or is not caused by human activity.

So, where did all that heat that we're supposedly producing go?

Climate scientists say it went into the ocean, which over the past 60 years has acted as a buffer against global warming. However, a new study led by Rutgers' Yair Rosenthal shows that the ocean is now absorbing heat 15 times faster than it has over the previous 10,000 years. Although the increased heat absorption by the ocean may give scientists and policymakers more time to deal with the issue of climate change, Rosenthal says the problem is real and must be addressed.

"We may have underestimated the efficiency of the oceans as a storehouse for heat and energy," Rosenthal said. "It may buy us some time how much time, I don't really know to come to terms with climate change. But it's not going to stop climate change."

Rosenthal, a professor of marine and coastal sciences in Rutgers' School of Environmental and Biological Sciences; Braddock Linsley of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory; and Delia W. Oppo of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, used the shells of tiny single-celled, bottom-dwelling foraminifera found in sediment cores to reconstruct the Pacific Ocean's heat content over the last 10,000 years. Their paper has been published in Science.

The heat content of the ocean had been measured before, but only instrumentally, and only back to the mid-20th century.

Their research was undertaken on marine sediment collected from the seas surrounding Indonesia, where the waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans overlap. The researchers measured the ratio of magnesium to calcium in the shells of a particular species of foraminifera, Hyalinea balthica. The warmer the waters when the organism calcified, the greater the magnesium to calcium ratio.

Yair Rosenthal

The shell chemistry of these tiny creatures provides a record of intermediate water temperatures going back 10,000 years, not only in the part of the Pacific where they were collected but from the higher latitudes in the Pacific as well. That's because the intermediate water in the western Pacific depths between 450 and 1,000 meters consists of water that once was near the surface in the northern and southern Pacific. The waters became saltier and colder over time and sank, then flowed very slowly toward the equator and through the passages between islands in Indonesia.

"Our work showed that intermediate waters in the Pacific had been cooling steadily from about 10,000 years ago" said Linsley. This places the recent warming of Pacific intermediate waters in temporal context. The trend has now reversed in a big way and the deep ocean is warming."

###

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Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-10/ru-gwa102813.php
Tags: Never Forget 9/11   Hugh Douglas   phoebe cates   Whitey Bulger   George Duke  

Leading cause of heart disease ignored in North America's poorest communities

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

31-Oct-2013

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Contact: Deborah Elson
deborah.elson@sabin.org
202-621-1691
Public Library of Science

Inaction has jeopardized the health and economic well-being of millions

A leading cause of heart disease remains overlooked in North America's most impoverished communities, researchers said today in an editorial published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Chagas disease has rendered a heavy health and economic toll, yet insufficient political and medical support for gathering specific data, providing diagnosis and treatment, and developing new tools has impeded much-needed breakthroughs.

"We have already identified critical steps to save lives and make breakthroughs in Chagas disease control in North America," said Dr. Peter Hotez, the editorial's lead author, director of the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. "This is an achievable public health goal that will also reduce the disease's detrimental economic burden. Greater medical awareness, scientific cooperation between key countries, and public-private partnerships will help us beat this scourge."

Chagas disease is a parasitic infection most commonly transmitted through blood-feeding triatomine bugs, but it can also be spread through pregnancy, blood transfusion, and contaminated food or drink. Up to 30% of infections result in debilitating and life-threatening heart disease and severe intestinal and liver complications. People living in extremely impoverished communities are most vulnerable because of poor-quality housing and inadequate access to health care, education and vector control.

Chagas disease infects an estimated 10 million people worldwide; however, much less is known about the true disease burden in North America. According to some preliminary estimates, Mexico ranks third, and the United States seventh, in terms of the number of infected individuals with Chagas disease in the Western Hemisphere, where 99% of the cases occur.

It is also estimated that 40,000 pregnant North American women may be infected with T. cruzi at any given time, resulting in 2,000 congenital cases through mother-to-child transmission.

A lack of facilities offering diagnosis and treatment of Chagas disease has prevented at-risk and infected people from receiving the critical and often life-saving attention they need. While two drug treatments currently exist, they cause undesirable adverse effects, are unsafe for pregnant women and are not approved for use in the United States.

"The research community is pushing science as hard as possible to ensure we get new treatments to people living with Chagas disease, but we need to ensure that governments prioritize the disease," said Dr. Bernard Pecoul, a co-author of the editorial and Executive Director of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi). "It is urgent to diagnose and treat patients with what we have available today, until research and development efforts deliver true breakthroughs for the millions in need." DNDi has produced a pediatric dosage form of benznidazole for children with Chagas disease, and is currently developing new drug candidates for a truly novel, safe, effective and affordable treatment for all patients.

The Sabin Vaccine Institute's Product Development Partnership (Sabin PDP), in partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital and with support from the Slim Initiative for the Development of Neglected Tropical Diseases and from the Southwest Electronic Energy Medical Research, has initiated development for a new therapeutic vaccine.

###

In addition to Dr. Hotez and Dr. Pecoul, the paper's authors include Eric Dumonteil, Autonomous University of Yucatan (UADY); Miguel Betancourt Cravioto, Carlos Slim Health Institute; Maria Elena Bottazzi, National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development; Roberto Tapia-Conyer, Carlos Slim Health Institute; Sheba Meymandi, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center; Unni Karunakara, Medecins Sans Frontiers/Doctors Without Borders; Isabela Ribeiro, DNDi; and Rachel M. Cohen, DNDi.

PLEASE ADD THE FOLLOWING LINK TO THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT: http://www.plosntds.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pntd.0002300
(Link will go live upon embargo lift)

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

31-Oct-2013

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Share

Contact: Deborah Elson
deborah.elson@sabin.org
202-621-1691
Public Library of Science

Inaction has jeopardized the health and economic well-being of millions

A leading cause of heart disease remains overlooked in North America's most impoverished communities, researchers said today in an editorial published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Chagas disease has rendered a heavy health and economic toll, yet insufficient political and medical support for gathering specific data, providing diagnosis and treatment, and developing new tools has impeded much-needed breakthroughs.

"We have already identified critical steps to save lives and make breakthroughs in Chagas disease control in North America," said Dr. Peter Hotez, the editorial's lead author, director of the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. "This is an achievable public health goal that will also reduce the disease's detrimental economic burden. Greater medical awareness, scientific cooperation between key countries, and public-private partnerships will help us beat this scourge."

Chagas disease is a parasitic infection most commonly transmitted through blood-feeding triatomine bugs, but it can also be spread through pregnancy, blood transfusion, and contaminated food or drink. Up to 30% of infections result in debilitating and life-threatening heart disease and severe intestinal and liver complications. People living in extremely impoverished communities are most vulnerable because of poor-quality housing and inadequate access to health care, education and vector control.

Chagas disease infects an estimated 10 million people worldwide; however, much less is known about the true disease burden in North America. According to some preliminary estimates, Mexico ranks third, and the United States seventh, in terms of the number of infected individuals with Chagas disease in the Western Hemisphere, where 99% of the cases occur.

It is also estimated that 40,000 pregnant North American women may be infected with T. cruzi at any given time, resulting in 2,000 congenital cases through mother-to-child transmission.

A lack of facilities offering diagnosis and treatment of Chagas disease has prevented at-risk and infected people from receiving the critical and often life-saving attention they need. While two drug treatments currently exist, they cause undesirable adverse effects, are unsafe for pregnant women and are not approved for use in the United States.

"The research community is pushing science as hard as possible to ensure we get new treatments to people living with Chagas disease, but we need to ensure that governments prioritize the disease," said Dr. Bernard Pecoul, a co-author of the editorial and Executive Director of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi). "It is urgent to diagnose and treat patients with what we have available today, until research and development efforts deliver true breakthroughs for the millions in need." DNDi has produced a pediatric dosage form of benznidazole for children with Chagas disease, and is currently developing new drug candidates for a truly novel, safe, effective and affordable treatment for all patients.

The Sabin Vaccine Institute's Product Development Partnership (Sabin PDP), in partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital and with support from the Slim Initiative for the Development of Neglected Tropical Diseases and from the Southwest Electronic Energy Medical Research, has initiated development for a new therapeutic vaccine.

###

In addition to Dr. Hotez and Dr. Pecoul, the paper's authors include Eric Dumonteil, Autonomous University of Yucatan (UADY); Miguel Betancourt Cravioto, Carlos Slim Health Institute; Maria Elena Bottazzi, National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development; Roberto Tapia-Conyer, Carlos Slim Health Institute; Sheba Meymandi, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center; Unni Karunakara, Medecins Sans Frontiers/Doctors Without Borders; Isabela Ribeiro, DNDi; and Rachel M. Cohen, DNDi.

PLEASE ADD THE FOLLOWING LINK TO THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT: http://www.plosntds.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pntd.0002300
(Link will go live upon embargo lift)

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Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-10/plos-lco103113.php
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Waiting to order or line up for a new iPad Air? Wait with iMore and win!

The new iPad Air go on sale - and even sell out! - around the world right now. If you're in Asia or Oceania, you might even have your hands on one now. (Lucky!). If you're in Europe or the Americas, your chance will come soon enough! If you still haven't decided whether you're getting one or not, or which one you really want to get, I point you towards our fabulous iPad buyers guide which will answer absolutely any question you might have and tell you absolutely everything you really need to know!

Hopefully online stock isn't too slim. We've heard Apple has ample units on site at the store. Either way, if you don't mind waiting, by all means order online. If you have to have it now, now, now, get your butt over to an Apple Store or authorized reseller and get in line!

Whether you're waiting for online orders to go live, or you're waiting in line for a retail store to open, make sure you jump into official iMore Forums Waiting in Line for a New iPad thread and share your stories and pictures! We'll be having fun and even giving away some prizes! Seriously, you don't want to miss this!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/F1MCPTsGSQo/story01.htm
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Hangouts v2 preinstalled on Nexus 5, updated in Play Store in coming weeks

 

New information revealed about SMS integration, statuses and sharing options

Google announced at an event this week that new features would be coming in the latest version of Hangouts, and now we have a better idea of when and specifically what we'll be getting. First up is SMS and MMS integration — Google says you'll be able to receive text messages in Hangouts, and you can even import existing conversations when you make the move. SMS support also extends to group texts and emoji support between Android and iPhone.

You will also be able to send animated GIFs in Hangouts, including Auto Awesome animated photos made through Google+. Even further, you can now set status indicators showing what device you're currently using, whether or not you're in a call and what your mood is (if you're into that kinda thing). You'll also be able to share your granular location on a map (shown above).

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/hD0Gyte9D0I/story01.htm
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Hank Baskett and Kendra Wilkinson Expecting Second Child

"Round two. Here we go!! :)," Wilkinson, who is working with Clearblue, Tweeted.Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/l_texGpbNS0/
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China, other Asians angry over embassy spy reports

SYDNEY (AP) — China and Southeast Asian governments demanded an explanation from the U.S. and its allies on Thursday following media reports that American and Australian embassies in the region were being used as hubs for Washington's secret electronic data collection program.

The reports come amid an international outcry over allegations the U.S. has spied on the telephone communications of as many as 35 foreign leaders.

A document from National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, published this week by German magazine Der Spiegel, describes a signals intelligence program called "Stateroom" in which U.S., British, Australian and Canadian embassies secretly house surveillance equipment to collect electronic communications. Those countries, along with New Zealand, have an intelligence-sharing agreement known as "Five Eyes."

"China is severely concerned about the reports, and demands a clarification and explanation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

Australia's Fairfax media reported Thursday that the Australian embassies involved are in Jakarta, Bangkok, Hanoi, Beijing and Dili in East Timor; and High Commissions in Kuala Lumpur and Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The Fairfax report, based on the Der Spiegel document and an interview with an anonymous former intelligence officer, said those embassies are being used to intercept phone calls and internet data across Asia.

In a statement, Indonesia's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said his government "cannot accept and strongly protests the news of the existence of wiretapping facilities at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta."

"It should be emphasized that if confirmed, such action is not only a breach of security, but also a serious breach of diplomatic norms and ethics, and certainly not in tune with the spirit of friendly relations between nations," he said.

The Snowden document said the surveillance equipment is concealed, including antennas that are "sometimes hidden in false architectural features or roof maintenance sheds."

Des Ball, a top Australian intelligence expert, told The Associated Press he had personally seen covert antennas in five of the embassies named in the Fairfax report.

He declined to go into further detail or specify which embassies those were. But Ball said what Der Spiegel has revealed is hardly surprising or uncommon. Many countries have routinely used embassies as bases to covertly listen in on phone calls, and reports of such surveillance have been public for decades, he said.

"We use embassies to pick up stuff that we can't pick up from ground stations here in Australia — and lots of countries do that," said Ball, a professor with the Australian National University's Strategic and Defence Studies Centre.

According to the Snowden document, the spying sites are small in size and staff. "They are covert, and their true mission is not known by the majority of the diplomatic staff at the facility where they are assigned," it said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade declined to comment on the reports. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said only that the government had not broken any laws.

"Every Australian governmental agency, every Australian official, at home and abroad, operates in accordance with the law," Abbott told reporters. "And that's the assurance that I can give people."

Still, there was predictable outrage in the countries named in the document.

Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said his government viewed the allegations as a serious matter and would investigate whether the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur was being used for spying. The country's opposition party issued a statement Thursday urging the Malaysian government to lodge a protest with both the U.S. and Australian embassies.

Thailand's National Security Council Secretary-General, Lt. Gen. Paradorn Pattanathabutr, said the government told the U.S. that spying was a crime under Thai laws, and that Thailand would not cooperate if asked to help eavesdrop.

Asked about the Australian embassy allegations, he said Australians are not capable of doing such sophisticated surveillance work.

"When it comes to technology and mechanics, the U.S. is more resourceful and more advanced than Australia," he said. "So I can say that it is not true that the Australian embassy will be used as a communications hub for spying."

___

Associated Press writers Thanyarat Doksone in Bangkok, Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Sean Yoong in Kuala Lumpur and researcher Zhao Liang in Beijing contributed to this report.

• Politics & Government
• Foreign Policy

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-other-asians-angry-over-embassy-spy-reports-082021315.html
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Obama to pitch the US to foreign investors

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is America's business pitchman.

Facing a sluggish economy, Obama is helping connect foreign and domestic companies and investors with economic development organizations across the country while promoting the United States as a sound business environment.

Obama is speaking Thursday before the SelectUSA 2013 Investment Summit, a project of the Commerce Department designed to coordinate efforts to attract foreign investments. Administration officials say in the past states and cities have had to compete directly with foreign countries.

Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker says $160 billion in foreign direct investments flowed into the United States economy last year. As part of the effort, Commerce and State Department teams will make such recruitment one of their priorities.

Pritzker says the summit has attracted 1,200 CEOs, investors and economic development officials.

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-10-31-US-Obama/id-d3faf4e622814e3eb80e4b0cd8b72a99
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McIlroy bolts out to the lead at HSBC Champions

Rory Mcllory of Northern Ireland plays on the 8th fairway during the first round of the HSBC Champions golf tournament at the Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. McIlroy looked more like a two-time major champion Thursday when he opened with a 7-under 65 to build a two-shot lead in HSBC Champions. McIlroy was at his best around the turn when he made four birdies in a five-hole stretch. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Rory Mcllory of Northern Ireland plays on the 8th fairway during the first round of the HSBC Champions golf tournament at the Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. McIlroy looked more like a two-time major champion Thursday when he opened with a 7-under 65 to build a two-shot lead in HSBC Champions. McIlroy was at his best around the turn when he made four birdies in a five-hole stretch. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Rory Mcllory of Northern Ireland hits out of a bunker on the 8th hole during the first round of the HSBC Champions golf tournament at the Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. McIlroy looked more like a two-time major champion Thursday when he opened with a 7-under 65 to build a two-shot lead in HSBC Champions. McIlroy was at his best around the turn when he made four birdies in a five-hole stretch. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Rory Mcllory of Northern Ireland tees off the 8th hole during the first round of the HSBC Champions golf tournament at the Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. McIlroy looked more like a two-time major champion Thursday when he opened with a 7-under 65 to build a two-shot lead in HSBC Champions. McIlroy was at his best around the turn when he made four birdies in a five-hole stretch. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Martin Kaymer of Germany chips onto the 9th hole during the first round of the Shanghai HSBC Champions golf tournament at the Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. (AP Photo)

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain kisses his ball on the 9th hole during the first round of the Shanghai HSBC Champions golf tournament at the Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. (AP Photo)

SHANGHAI (AP) — The graceful combination of power and balance. The bounce in his step after every birdie. His name at the top of the leaderboard. For at least one round, Rory McIlroy finally looked like the former No. 1 player in the world instead of a guy who hasn't won a tournament all year.

With eight birdies and hardly any stress, McIlroy opened the HSBC Champions on Thursday with a 7-under 65 for a two-shot lead over Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Jamie Donaldson. It was the first time since he won in Dubai last November that McIlroy has been in the outright lead after any round.

"It felt good to be out there and in control of my golf ball," McIlroy said.

Maybe it was just a coincidence that McIlroy's only win of any variety was earlier this week at Mission Hills when he rallied to beat Tiger Woods in an 18-hole exhibition. That didn't hurt his confidence, though the 24-year-old from Northern Ireland pointed to other factors that have been leading him in this direction.

He took a four-week break, spending most of that time in Northern Ireland with swing coach Michael Bannon and "getting back to what we used to do." He has a new driver and a golf ball that is softer, giving him more spin around the greens.

And perhaps most importantly, he hasn't lost his mind or his patience during the most difficult season of his young career.

"It's obviously frustrating when you've had a couple of seasons previous where you've had success, and not being able to emulate that," he said. "The way I look at it, if I have a 25-year career, nine months isn't actually that long. I wouldn't say 'restless,' but obviously there's a point in time where you're thinking to yourself, 'Right, come on, let's get this back on track.' But I've tried to stay as patient as possible."

More patience is required against a strong field at Sheshan International for this World Golf Championship.

Fernandez-Castano is coming off his first win of the year last week at the BMW Masters. The group at 4-under 68 included U.S. Open champion Justin Rose, former Masters champion Bubba Watson and 20-year-old Jordan Spieth, playing as though last season never ended. Another shot behind were Dustin Johnson, Paul Casey and Graeme McDowell, who remains second on the European Tour money list with hopes of catching Henrik Stenson.

The timing was crucial for McIlroy.

Not only has he failed to win a tournament, he is at No. 62 in the Race to Dubai with only two tournaments remaining to get into the top 60 and qualify for the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai. McIlroy won the money title a year ago.

"It's only 18 holes. It's only one round of golf," McIlroy said. "But it's definitely the way I wanted and needed to start, keeping in mind that I obviously want to play myself into Dubai and try to pick up my first win of the season, as well."

British Open champion Phil Mickelson had a chance to join McIlroy in the lead until it all went wrong. One shot behind with two holes to play, Mickelson hit two wedges into the water fronting the par-5 eighth green and took a quadruple-bogey 9. His second wedge landed some 30 feet beyond the pin and had so much spin that it raced off the green and down the bank into the water.

He hit another shot into the water on No. 9, and followed that with a brave shot to 2 feet to escape with only a bogey. He fell back to a 71.

Spieth, who went from no status at the start of the year to a spot in the Presidents Cup and No. 20 in the world, didn't arrive until Monday and has been battling jet lag this week after his first trip to China. He was 2-over through eight holes, and then played 6-under the rest of the way, as if last season never ended.

"I didn't really know what to expect out of the game this week, traveling over here and limited practice," he said. "But maybe it was good for me. My caddie helped me stay calm and stay positive, and once the putts started going in, we were just in our normal routine."

But this day ultimately was about McIlroy.

McIlroy hit a 3-wood just over the back of the par-4 16th hole and chipped to 3 feet for birdie. His 3-iron from light rough was about 20 yards short of the green on the par-5 18th, and he chipped to 5 feet for birdie. And on the par-5 second hole, another 3-iron from the rough left him 30 yards short, and he pitched that to 6 feet for birdie. The other birdie during that stretch was on No. 1, his only tee shot off line. From the rough, his 9-iron from 160 yards covered the flag and settled about 7 feet away.

"It's just learning from each week and just trying to put the pieces together," McIlroy said. "A little bit of confidence from Monday, of course, but I think it was these two previous weeks just getting back into competitive play and learning what I needed to do to improve and sort of work on those things coming into this week."

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-10-31-GLF-HSBC-Champions/id-e5d13dbcf9c342c28a0c25db0ecb6d47
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Mick Jagger says he never hit on Katy Perry at 18

NEW YORK (AP) — In her teenage dream? Mick Jagger says he never hit on Katy Perry when she was 18.

During an interview with an Australian radio show this week, the pop star said she sang backing vocals for Jagger's 2004 song "Old Habits Die Hard." Perry said she had dinner with the veteran rocker and that "he hit on me when I was 18."

In a statement Thursday, a representative for Jagger says he "categorically denies that he has ever made a pass at Katy Perry." The rep adds: "Perhaps she is confusing him with someone else."

Perry was one of the singers to make a guest appearance on the Rolling Stones' tour this year. The 29-year-old singer also said in the interview that the 70-year-old Jagger has been "very kind" to her.

• Arts & Entertainment
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• Mick Jagger
• Katy Perry

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mick-jagger-says-never-hit-katy-perry-18-184315896.html
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Lady Gaga: Shell-Shocked in London

Every day is like Halloween for Lady Gaga, and this morning (October 31) she presented yet another extravagant getup in London, England.

The “Bad Romance” hitmaker wore a custom-made dress and carried a shell umbrella as she stepped out of her hotel and greeted her fans.

Coming up next month, Gaga will be featured on a 90-minute Thanksgiving special with the Muppets on the ABC Network.

Of the “Lady Gaga and the Muppets’ Holiday Spectacular” she told press, "I was so excited when ABC called me about doing a holiday special this year. I knew it just wouldn't be a complete night of laughter and memories without the Muppets! Can't wait to see the gang again and I hope Miss Piggy's still not mad about Kermit. We're just friends!"

Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/lady-gaga/lady-gaga-shell-shocked-london-952934
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Dealing With The Diplomatic Damage Of Leaks

This week The Guardian reported that the U.S. tapped German Chancellor Angela Merkel's private cellphone. Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon speaks with P.J. Crowley, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for public affairs, about the Obama administration's response to the new NSA leaks.

Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=240954495&ft=1&f=1014
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Zendaya Coleman Takes a Break with Trevor Jackson

Taking her nieces out for a day of fun with pal Trevor Jackson, Zendaya Coleman headed out in Los Angeles on Tuesday (October 29).

The "Shake It Up" star looked cute in a green T-shirt, denim capris, and bright orange sneakers as she hit the paddle boats.

It's a surprise the 17-year-old has the time for a break as she's currently busy promoting her new self-titled album and her book, "Between U and Me: How to Rock Your Tween Years with Style and Confidence."

Unfortunately, this will be the last season for the hit Disney series "Shake It Up," which has been on since 2010.

Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/zendaya-coleman/zendaya-coleman-takes-break-trevor-jackson-951791
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You Can Keep Your Plan--If Obama Likes It

By Tim Carney, Washington Examiner - October 30, 2013

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Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2013/10/30/you_can_keep_your_plan--if_obama_likes_it_318890.html
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