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In Frank Call With Donors Hillary Clinton’s Campaign Warns About Email Scandal, ‘Other Benghazis’

News

Hillary Clinton’s fundraisers are concerned by her campaign’s brunt of attacks on the “email fiasco” and have deep concerns about “new Benghazis.” In a question-answer conference call organized by Clinton’s campaign team, the Democrat’s handlers sought to assure donors that Clinton was well on her way to becoming America’s first female president.

The call was led by Clinton’s press secretary Brian Fallon and provided what was a frank look at the Democratic frontrunner’s campaign strengths and weaknesses to a panel of 36 backers. Each of the backers had raised approximately $27,000 for her campaign.

Fallon presented to the panel three challenges for Clinton’s campaign: the email fiasco, next month’s congressional Benghazi hearings and a pending anti-Clinton book by Donald Trump consultant Roger Stone titled ‘The Clintons’ War on Women.’

The campaign team reported to the panel that the email scandal presented their biggest challenge as it was virtually out of their hands. Fallon said, “I’ll be very clear — that issue is going to be with us for the next several months, if only because the emails themselves are on a schedule where they get released every 30 days. And that will be true until the end of the year. Unfortunately, we can’t control that.”

He did, however, reassure the panel that through Clinton finally tackling the issue and apologizing for using a private server for state emails, she had gained relief from reduced publicization of the fiasco in the media. Fallon said, “We have noticed that that has caused the temperature to drop markedly in terms of media attention around the issue. … That has sort of defanged a lot of the criticism.”

Fort Lauderdale lawyer Mitchell Berger, who is next month hosting a fundraiser for Clinton, said he hoped the team had learned their lesson from the whole incident and the delayed apology.

Fallon agreed with Berger, pointing out that in the coming months, new emails and new Benghazis would come up together with an anti-Clinton book that would be adequately dealt with by the team’s new set up: a “war room” to deliver prompt responses for attacks.

The campaign also reported to have changed their media strategy to allow Clinton more air time. Before, the team stonewalled reporters leading to plenty of unanswered questions that led to more stories. Now, the team holds more press conferences that “soak up all the oxygen, so there wasn’t all this pent-up energy.”

Miami’s Chris Korge offered reprieve for the former secretary of state saying, “Until she’s sworn in, and then after she’s sworn in, she’s going to be attacked every day in her presidency. She’s a frontrunner. And with that comes a price.”

The team ended the briefing with Fallon acknowledging the tough race ahead of them and reiterating their desire to win. “It’s going to be a fight. It’s going to be hand-to-hand combat. … We just need to react fast and be precise.”

Clinton’s campaign has borne the brunt of plenty of attacks from fellow Democratic candidates and the GOP field at large. The media has made a sport out of the scathing attacks that have hurt Clinton’s poll figures. Through a new strategy and a rejuvenated campaign, Clinton hopes to regain her momentum ahead of the first Democratic debate in October.

Studies Find That Common Ankle Sprain Can Have Serious Long Term Health Effects

Health & Wellness

A sprained ankle might be of greater concern than you had initially believed, as several new studies have suggested that the effects of a single sprain can change how well a person is able to move, and how often they move, for the rest of their life.

Professor of Kinesiology Tricia Hubbard-Turner summed it up by saying that “The ankle is the base of the body. Everything starts with the ankle.”

However, the ankle is surprisingly fragile, as ligaments around the joint tear easily. Most people would assume that a mild ankle sprain would easily heal within a week or two and not require any medical attention.

But three new studies that are co-authored by Dr. Hubbard-Turner say otherwise.

One study involving college students showed that students suffering from chronic ankle instability took about 2,000 fewer steps per day on average than non-sufferers. Chronic ankle instability is caused by ankle sprains. The study supported the results of an experiment that was performed using lab mice.

However, these studies and experiments were conducted in the short-term. Researchers wondered how past ankle sprains might affect an individual’s long-term movement.

However, this animal study and that of the college students were relatively short-term. Although mice may be approaching rodent retirement age after a year, that span does not generally represent their entire life, and the researchers wondered whether the past ankle sprain might turn out to affect their life-long movement patterns.

As a result, they focused on lab mice that had suffered torn ligaments at early ages and followed them until their deaths at old ages. The study found that the effects of a single sprain lingered through the duration of their lives. Mice that had experienced a mild ankle sprain at an early age typically ran less and slower than mice that never experienced a sprain.

Dr. Hubbard-Turner said of the results, “In these animals, a single sprain had led to far more inactivity” throughout their lives than among the animals with intact ankles.”

It is unknown if these findings in mice can be fully applied to humans. However, Dr. Hubbard-Turner says that the possibility means that we should take ankle sprains seriously.

“Don’t ignore a sprain,” she said.

Therefore, it is important to consult a physician in the event that you hurt your ankle. Also, steps should be taken to avoid suffering a sprain in the first place.

But be careful when you take those steps!

After Order To Disband Elite Military Unit In Burkina Faso Has Instead Launched A Coup

Entertainment News

Yesterday, in the African nation of Burkina Faso, a military coup overthrew the government and imprisoned several of its officials, including President Michel Kafando and Prime Minister Yacouba Isaac Zida. The coup was led by General Gilbert Diendere, who was named the head of the military faction called the National Council for Democracy.

Diendere served for thirty years as the chief military adviser to former Burkina Faso president, Blaise Compaore. Compaore was overthrown late last year by a popular uprising and has remained in exile in the Ivory Coast ever since. A spokesman for the coup leaders indicated that they had a political agenda to support a return to power of Compaore.

The coup was conducted by the presidential guard and came three days after a Burkina Faso governmental committee recommended disbanding and dissolving the elite group. The presidential guard was a mainstay of Compaore’s rule and the group has continuously meddled in politics since Compaore was overthrown.

The coup has outraged many powers including France, the United States and the United Nations and it comes at a particularly bad time as a democratic election was to be held next month.

The country has been in chaos ever since the coup took place.

The United States and allies have called for the immediate release of the imprisoned officials. State Department spokesman John Kirby stated that, “The United States strongly condemns any attempts to seize power through extra-constitutional means or resolve internal political disagreements using force.”

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is outraged by the detention of the officials and stated that, “The Secretary-General calls for their immediate release. This incident is a flagrant violation of Burkina Faso’s Constitution and Transitional Charger.”

The U.N. Security Council also “condemned in the strongest terms” the arrests and demanded the release of the officials. “The members of the Security Council urged all actors in Burkina Faso to refrain from any violence.”

British ISIS Recruit Writes Blog Complaining About His Rude Terrorist Comrades

Entertainment News

A former British grocery store security guard turned Islamic State fighter is setting the blogosphere alight with his latest post, yet the revelations don’t fit with the inspirational narrative his media savvy bosses frequently spew.

British born Omar Hussain, who is 27 years old, complained about the rudeness of his Arab comrades, their eating habits, their bad driving and a string of other complaints that certainly won’t endear him to his fellow terrorists in Syria.

Hussain’s blog rant isn’t the first time the former employee of Morrisons supermarket in High Wycombe, England, has complained about ISIS’s working and living conditions. Earlier this year he complained he had not been provided with a peeler to peel potatoes and that he was having problems washing his clothes. But the coup de grâce, which may have set back ISIS’ online recruiting efforts, was his complaint he had not yet found a jihadi ‘bride’ – something which experts say is one of the terror group’s biggest selling points.

The Islamic State is known to use captured sex slaves as a key weapon of both war and recruiting.

In his latest blog Hussain, using the name Abu Seed al Britani, also complained about how his Islamic extremist colleagues, supposedly in between fighting, training, praying and watching beheadings, were stealing his shoes, using his mobile phone charger without his permission and talking loudly as he was trying to sleep.

His blog also warned westerner considering going to Syria of “inevitable clashes in cultures.”

Hussain wrote “If one is unaware of these cultural differences then it could be quite peculiar, annoying and, at times, somewhat stressful to interact and associate with them.”

Hussain is not the only British jihadist who has complained of life with ISIS. Recently jailed Imran Khawaja, complained online that when he was in Syria he couldn’t get soft toilet paper or moisturizer.

From his blog it appears that Hussain, who lived with his mother until he defected to ISIS in Syria, has attempted to teach his terrorist colleagues some manners. He wrote that when it was his job to serve food, he would not give any out until “every single one of them was sitting down in their seat.”

He wrote “Unfortunately I had to treat them like primary school students. The difference between an Arab and a non-Arab in their manners is like the difference between the Heavens and the Earth.”

Despite Troubling Business Record Fiorina Wins Republican Debate

News

The consensus from last night’s second Republican debate is that Carly Fiorina brought the house down. Across social media and in snap polls both Republicans and Democrats agreed the outsider former chief executive was the standout performer in the debate while flamboyant candidate Donald Trump divided critics.

Sixty percent of Republican insiders in Iowa and New Hampshire considered Fiorina the biggest winner of the second Republican debate hosted by CNN on Wednesday. The former Hewlett-Packard executive was praised by the Republican panel on how she handled herself, spoke solidly on policy issues, brought Trump down a notch and finally ended with an inspiring message that brought the five hour debate to a stirring end.

One New Hampshire Republican led the praise for Fiorina saying “The nation finally got a chance to see what we in New Hampshire have been intrigued and impressed by: a political outsider with some real policy chops and the demeanor to be considered a serious contender.”

In Iowa, the message was the same. One GOP insider said, “She was new onstage with most to gain and she delivered for herself.”

Praise for the only female candidate in the GOP debate was echoed by the Democrats. Asked who won the debate, an Iowa Democrat responded, “Fiorina drops the mic. Her closing argument was Jeffersonian. She handled Trump like the junior high schooler he is. Holy shit.”

Fiorina made it to Wednesday’s debate after CNN changed the rules allowing leaders in polls drawn from the recent month to have a slot in the debate. A showdown between her and Trump was widely anticipated after Trump recently dismissed her with derogatory remarks about her appearance.

In explaining why no one would vote for Fiorina, Trump jabbed, “Look at that face!”

In the debate, Fiorina was applauded when she responded to Trump’s remarks, “I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said.”

A New Hampshire Democrat said, “Trump takedowns were appropriately icy without being over the top.”

The Republican insiders polled gave former Florida Governor Jeb Bush second place with only 18 per cent saying he was the winner.

As Temperatures Rise The Arctic’s Most Aggressive Predator Is Becoming A Serious Problem

Culture

Global warming is threatening to render extinct the popular reindeer and caribou from the Arctic in more ways than melting their habitat; by resurrecting their arch foes. The reindeers and the caribou at the North Pole have long been experiencing reducing numbers due to global warming.

Scientists now warn their extinction could happen before their habitat is destroyed.

A new model shows warming Arctic temperatures will lead to the resurrection of a plague of blood sucking mosquitoes raining down on the susceptible mammals. Scientists have reported that the swarms of mosquitoes will render these North Pole residents bitten and helpless.

For the younger herd members such attacks result in certain death.

Postdoc researcher Lauren Culler, from the Dickey center Institute of arctic Studies, said “Increased mosquito abundance, in addition to northward range expansions of additional pest species, will have negative consequences for the health and reproduction of caribou. Warming in the Arctic can thus challenge the sustainability of wild caribou and managed reindeer in Fennoscandia (Norway, Sweden, Finland and parts of northwest Russia), which are an important subsistence resource for local communities.”

When the winds drop and the summer sun bakes ponds dotting the frozen tundra, part of the Arctic’s most notorious predators awaken; thousands upon thousands of swarming mosquitoes.

These prey on the reindeers, calibou, animals and humans residing in the Arctic. When these predators spot their prey, the attack is relentlessly unforgiving.

Culler said, “There aren’t a lot of animals for them to eat in the Arctic, so when they finally find one, they are ferocious. They are relentless. They do not stop. They just keep going after you.”
With the Arctic melting twice as fast, temperatures are getting warmer, mosquitoes emerge from the Arctic Circle much earlier, grow much faster and survive much longer.

Culler’s new research published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, shows that is Arctic temperatures rise by 2 degrees Celsius, mosquitoes surviving could increase by up to 53 per cent. Arctic mosquitoes do not carry human diseases, unlike their tropical counterparts, however, they do carry animal diseases infecting reindeers and the calibou.

Culler’s research detailed that the Arctic was warming twice as fast as other places in the world and that the warming was actually causing the insects to grow faster. Mosquitoes, she explained, are vulnerable during their infantry. “The faster they go through these life stages, the better off they are.”

More worrying is the fact that the coming purge is only the beginning. It can get worse.
Global warming is threatening many species. The Arctic’s reindeers and caribou are already feeling the heat and consequences of the human-induced phenomenon way before it hits the big scale. Unless swift action is taken, future Christmases may be devoid of Santa’s sleigh pullers.

Strong British Pound Is Making It Europe’s Cash Of Choice For Criminals

Entertainment News

It’s not just the U.S. dollar that’s popular with warlords and drug dealers. More than half of all British currency in circulation is located abroad or on the black market, according to the Bank of England (BoE). A report from the English central bank stated that only 25% of the nation’s cash is currently circulating in the regular economy.

The BoE report also stated that around one fifth of British residents keep over $500 worth of currency stashed away in a deposit box, mattress, or the like. Counting all the currency that has been issued for circulation, the total amounts to nearly $97 billion worth of British banknotes.

In a statement from the BoE, “The evidence suggests that no more than half of Bank of England notes in circulation are likely to be held for use within the domestic economy for legitimate purposes. The remainder is likely to be held overseas or for use in the shadow economy.”

Due to comparatively lax regulations on British firms, front companies engaged in money laundering operations are prolific. The anti-corruption group Transparency International (TI) stated as much in June this year, and has warned the nation before of its status as a criminal haven.

The famous police force at Scotland Yard issued a report in March that raised its suspicions of money laundering related to human trafficking, tax avoidance, and drugs. The laundering is done through property purchases via anonymous offshore companies.

For comparison, the United States’ 2015 National Money Laundering Risk Assessment estimates that $300 billion per year is involved in black market activity, which would account for 25% of the $1.2 trillion of U.S. currency available for circulation.

Due to changes in U.S. banking regulations between 2007 and 2013, in addition to new Mexican laws on U.S. currency deposits issued in 2010, there has been an increase in the holding and use of drug cash both in the U.S. and abroad.

Study Finds Air Pollution Is Responsible For A Stunning Number Of Deaths Each Year

Health & Wellness

A recent study revealed that more than 3 million people die as a result of outdoor air pollution each year, a total that is more than malaria and HIV/AIDS combined.

The largest cause for air pollution is the burning of coal and wood that is used to heat homes and cook food. This was found to be especially true in Asia.

Farming emissions in Europe and the United States were another significant contributor to pollution. In the United States, air pollution was the leading cause of deaths, according to the study, with a death related to air pollution occurring every ten seconds.

Without corrective action this rate is expected to double by 2050.

Environmental health expert and Professor from the University of California Michael Jerrett said “This projection should sound alarm bells for public health agencies around the world.”

Most deaths related to air pollution are the result of tiny particles inhaled deep into the lungs, leading to heart attacks and strokes. These particles accounted for three-quarters of the 3.3 million annual air pollution related deaths worldwide. Lung cancer and respiratory diseases accounted for the other quarter.

The new study is the first of its kind to single out different sources of outdoor air pollution, while also estimating the number of premature deaths caused by each source.

The researchers utilized a detailed computer model of the Earth’s atmosphere to determine the impact of air pollution on different populations of the world. This opened the door for examination on how pollution affects people in specific places, such as China and India.

One-third of all premature deaths were derived from the usage of smoky fuels, such as wood and coal, in order to heat homes, cook food, and generate electricity. One-half of the annual deaths in India and one-third of the deaths in China are the result of this type of pollution.

Agricultural emissions also had a large impact, being responsible for a fifth of all global deaths. These emissions come mostly from cattle, chickens, pigs, and the over usage of fertilizer.

In the United Kingdom, 48% of premature deaths were ultimately caused by pollution from agriculture.

Only 5% of deaths worldwide were caused by traffic pollution, but this number is expected to increase as cars become more commonplace in developing countries.

Natural air pollution caused by dust was a big issue in some dry countries, as it accounted for 92% of deaths in Egypt and 81% in Iran.

The study shows the need for tighter air quality controls across the globe.

Atmospheric scientist Dr. Oliver Wild said, “The study really brings home the need for air quality controls to avoid these additional deaths, particularly in heavily populated parts of Asia.”

UNESCO Warns That ISIS Is Looting Syria’s Antiquities On An ‘Industrial Scale’

Entertainment News

UNESCO has warned that ISIS is massively plundering Syria’s archaeological sites, actions that amount to blatant war crimes. The industrial scale looting of antiquities is being conducted to fund the group’s terror activities. Experts fear that the continued assault on the ancient sites will wipe out one of the cradles of civilization’s history and culture.

Irma Bokova, head of United Nation’s cultural agency UNESCO, said on Wednesday that satellite images showed Syria’s archaeological sites were punctuated with hundreds of glaring gaps left open by the illegal excavation of monuments. She said the archaeological sites were not only being destroyed but looted on what can only be termed an “industrial scale.”

Bokova credited the looting to ISIS’s need for funding for its expansive terror activities. She said her top priority was to put a stop to the trafficking of cultural goods through the black market.
Bokova explained, “The world expects from us to undertake decisive and uncompromising actions… to stop this source of funding for the extremist.”

Estimates presented by Syria’s Association for the Protection of Syrian Archaeology show ISIS has either looted or destroyed over 900 archaeological sites and monuments over the last four years.

Sales from these archaeological artifacts have proved a tidy business for the militants, so much so that it has become their second largest source of revenue after crude oil drilling.

Recently in May, Daesh (ISIS) took over the Syrian town of Palmyra and blew up several of its famed towers. UNESCO called these actions war crimes and said that Daesh wanted to wipe out evidence of Syria’s heritage.

Bokova described the destruction of Palmyra as, “An impudent crime against civilization because it was a symbol of cultural dialogue, a material proof of the ability of cultures to interact… This is what the extremists are seeking to destroy.”

Syria and Iraq form a part of Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilization. The two countries are significant archaeological sites. The first cities of Rome and Greece were built in the region and thousands of their treasures and secrets lie in the regions’ sands.

UNESCO has said it will aggressively advocate for the signing of the 1970 UNESCO Convention to curb sale of artifacts in the black market by unknown individuals. The convention limits import, export and sale of cultural properties to governments. Already 129 countries have ratified the convention, including Syria.

The sale of “blood antiquities” from Syria’s war torn sites have earned Daesh tidy sums in revenues. Both UNESCO and the international community should work together to prohibit sale of artifacts in the black market and in the sensitization of art lovers against buying cultural property without relevant documentation. If no one is buying, then ultimately no one will be selling.

Chinese Search Giant Baidu Mulling Delisting From U.S. Stock Markets

Finance

Chinese internet search provider Baidu might soon leave the United States stock market in order to return to China’s A-share market, as the company plans to expand its online-to-offline services program. The news comes from Baidu CEO Robin Li in remarks made to local media outlet Sina Tech News.

Baidu has been the largest Chinese search engine for over a decade.

The company is optimistic that Chinese internet users will enable it to function as a program for certain online-to-offline services. Users will be able to utilize Baidu to accomplish everyday tasks such as having laundry delivered, scheduling a doctor’s appointment, and getting food.

The thoughts of leaving the U.S. markets come as the company’s main focus is anticipated to shift from search to providing users with access to everyday services. This change comes as the market scale for retail and services is much larger than searches and advertising in China. Baidu expects that its revenue obtained from online-to-offline business will quickly exceed that of its old search engine business.

In China, online-to-offline services have grown at a fast pace because of smartphone technology, cheap labor, and poor traffic conditions. Investors in the United States have largely not taken part in the phenomenon, as it is an unusual situation in the eyes of Westerners, who have a difficult time understanding the trend.

Baidu has already obtained a large market share of the online-to-offline service market in China. It is particularly successful in the area of food delivery. However, since there is intense competition and little product differentiation, being able to convert market share to tangible revenue will not be easy.

NASA Confirms 2015 Had The Hottest Summer On Record

Culture

The summer of 2015 has felt like a scorcher and according to NASA scientists it’s actually the hottest on record thanks to an unexpectedly powerful El Nino effect. The implication is that man-made climate change is the culprit and NASA reinforced the point Monday when it confirmed that 2015 has passed the previous record year of 1998.

The months of June and July both saw record-breaking temperatures, whereas August came in second hottest behind 2014. Confirming NASA’s findings, Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) found that all three of the summer months had record-breaking temperatures, in data going back to 1891.

El Nino is characterized by the presence of warmer than normal temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, and this year’s strong instance is putting more heat than usual into the atmosphere. The phenomenon occurs once every five to seven years, with this one being the strongest since 1998, the previous year of record temps.

Data from the UK’s Met Office also supported the trend, and stated that global temperatures for 2015 are at or near record levels. The combination of higher temps and the El Nino event will lead to higher than average hurricane activity as well, with the Met estimating cyclone activity at three times normal levels. Conversely, cyclone activity in the Indian and Atlantic regions is expected to remain depressed.

Although warming after 1998 had been demonstrating a slower rate of increase than that of the 20th century, the recent record temperatures are on their way to re-establishing the faster warming rate of the years prior to 1998.

At this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC) in Paris, the supposed objective is a legally binding and universal climate agreement from all nations.

With the European Union unable to agree on the conduct of their immigration policy regarding the current refugee crisis, a problem with real and imminent consequences, it seems unlikely that the UNCCC will be able to see agreement from all nations on the basis of some graphics portraying the rising temperature trend lines.

New Study Finds Advanced Alien Life Likely Isn’t Present Anywhere Near Earth

Culture

Astronomers now have a new tool to find advanced alien civilizations, as sensitive set of telescopes that enable astronomers to detect the waste heat that would be expected to be produced by any advanced civilization.

Unfortunately, alien life has yet to be detected.

Professor Michael Garrett has utilized this new technology to show that advanced alien civilizations are extremely uncommon or completely absent from our local universe.

Penn State University’s Dr. Jason Wright created a list of several hundred galaxies where particularly extreme emissions had been observed. Professor Garrett then used radio measurements from these galaxies to discover that these emissions had been created through natural astrophysical processes.

Garrett concluded that advanced civilizations are unlikely to exist in the local universe and that “an alien invasion is unlikely”.

The astronomer still has a few candidate galaxies that he plans to examine in further detail, but he believes that the emissions from these galaxies will also turn out to be nothing more than natural occurrences.

“But of course it’s worth checking just in case!” says Garrett

Garrett was attempting to identify alien civilizations far more advanced than humans on Earth. The “Kardashev” scale identifies the level of advancement that a civilization has achieved. Garrett was looking for a “Kardashev Type III” civilization. Earth has yet to achieve “Kardashev Type I”.

The professor says it is “worrying” that Type III civilizations are apparently non-existent, but he theorizes that they might be so energy efficient that they produce emissions that aren’t able to be detected.

In the future, Garrett plans on continuing his search for alien life, next time focusing on less advanced civilizations.

In the meantime, his main results will be presented in the European journal of Astronomy & Astrophysics.

China Is Building A Secret Facebook Of Every Single U.S. Government Employee

News

After a massive Chinese security breach that rendered the details of over 21.5 million Americans compromised, Beijing is now compiling a “Facebook” of U.S. public service officials to be used in espionage and blackmail.

The breach of privacy and security laws by the Chinese administration has left many Americans and their immediate family members vulnerable to blackmail by China.

Private security firm CrowdStrike’s founder Dmitri Alperovitch said the Chinese were using Americans’ data to create a Facebook like network for all U.S public employees. The data was obtained after high profile attacks on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Anthem, Carefirst, BlueCross and BlueShield health insurers.

According to Fox News, the most sensitive information lifted from the OPM reach was stolen from its Standard Form 86 (SF-86). The 127 page form is a security clearance application that is basically the roadmap to an individual’s life. Details such as where the individual lived, where they worked, personal references, family, friends, associates, drug history, criminal records and health information were all contained in the forms now being analyzed in mainland China.

Alpetrovitch said the details “Can now be used to embarrass you publicly and force you to work for the Chinese government. It’s, in effect, a private version of Facebook with much more detail about your life than even Facebook has that the Chinese now have access to.” Current and former intelligence officials echoed the assessment.

So expansive is the extent of the breach that high level government employees including the Director of the FBI, James Comey, had their personal details compromised. Comey even recently joked about the breach at a security summit held last week that if his SF-86 form had been protected by an encrypted database, then “maybe someone wouldn’t be reading it today.”

More shocking was news that the breach was a “generational problem”, meaning the Chinese intended to use the data to blackmail the children of the public service officials.

Alpetrovitch said this would be done “to try to get them to reveal some information about their parent’s work and use that, eventually, for espionage activities. Information that has been collected about them may be used decades later.”

Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook, acknowledging the severity of the breach, told an agitated public service on Tuesday that the government was doing all it could to mend the breach.

Cook said, “This is going to be a wide-ranging effort on the part of the federal government to try and address this.”

The breach of personnel information has rendered America vulnerable to foreign influence and espionage. Generations of American children will be paying for the misdeeds of their parents through surrendering confidential national data to the Chinese. In the end, America will be on the losing side.

So Far It Has Cost The Pentagon $100 Million Per Soldier To Train Syrian Fighters

News

After absorbing $500 million of taxpayer money, the U.S. military’s Syrian operation has only trained “four or five” Syrian personnel. The revelation of the massive anomaly has caused outrage in the Senate, especially in light of the U.S. Syrian operation requesting another $600 million to continue “terrific training.”

General Lloyd Austin, US. Central Command commander, told the Senate armed services committee on Wednesday that the number of trained Syrian anti-ISIS rebels could actually be counted on one hand. “We’re talking four or five,” General Austin told a shocked Senate armed services committee.

The training initiative kicked off in 2014 and was President Barrack Obama’s answer to taking over Syrian territory from the terror organization ISIS. According to 2014 reports, the initiative was to have trained 5,000 rebels against ISIS by now.

Christine Wormouth, Pentagon’s policy chief, conceded the initiative’s terrible performance saying, “The program is much smaller than we hoped.” She further added that the program was currently had 100 to 120 fighters who were “getting terrific training”.

Democrat Senator Claire McCaskill from Missouri mocked the program, saying it was simply incredulous that the U.S. Defense Department would seek another $600 million to fund the training of fighters who could be counted “on our fingers and toes”.
McCaskill said, “It’s time for a new plan.”

Austin continued to amuse the angered Senate committee, chaired by Arizona Republican Senator John McCain, saying the fight against ISIS was making progress. He said he would not recommend establishing a military to protect civilians in Syria from both dictator Bashar al-Assad’s forces and ISIS.

According to Austin, “I don’t see the force available being prepared to protect them currently.” Though there was a “slow movement at the tactical level… There haven’t been any dramatic gains on either side.” The statements came just after ISIS seized the Syrian city of Palmyra and the Iraqi city of Ramadi.

McCain would have none of it. He described the administration’s strategy “a debacle” and joined in the fight for a new strategy in the Middle East.

The U.S. Defense Department has completely flopped in Syria. Not only did ISIS’ capture of Ramadi destroy Austin’s plan, internal intelligence reveals the military is facing increasing pressure to present a ‘we-are-winning’ narrative back at home. This could not be farther from the truth. Funding of the Syrian rebels training program should be halted effectively pending a clearer better strategy.

Coolers Are Making A Comeback Thanks To Lower Sugar And Less Alcohol Content

Finance

Prepackaged fruity mixed drinks, commonly known as coolers or alcopops, are back but this time with reduced sugar in order to broaden their appeal. International spirits maker Pernod Ricard hopes that reducing both the sugar levels and the alcohol content of the ready to drink spirits can rescue the unique products after years of decline.

The French alcoholic beverage company is the latest in the beverage industry to take a stand against sugar, as the global drinks giant attempts to increase sales by reducing the amount of sweetness in its products.

The company plans to make its Absolut brand of vodka the flagship of this health initiative. The Absolut Botanik line of “ready to drink” spirits will also contain less sugar and alcohol.

By making its products healthier, the company hopes to achieve growth in the “ready to drink” category of spirits, a niche that has been in decline in recent years after global tax increases and backlash over sugar content.

Pernod Ricard became the parent company of Absolut Vodka, when it acquired Swedish company V&S Group in 2008. The company is also the manufacturer of Jacob’s Creek Wine.

Pernod Ricard managing director Julien Hemard said, “Our aim is to turn around category performance from decline to growth.”

While “ready to drink” spirits have been in decline, products that are lower in both sugar and alcohol are maintaining pace. With this trend, Pernod Ricard is hopeful that reduced-sugar Alcopops and its Absolut Botanik line will be able to drive growth within the lower-alcohol category of spirits.

Reports have been showing a shift in consumer attitudes towards sugar and increasing rates of diabetes and obesity. Customers no longer desire products that are high in sugar and perceived as unhealthy.

Coca-Cola is another example of a company taking initiative against the change in preferences by consumers. The soft drink company is attempting to appeal to more health-oriented consumers with its Coke Life beverage.

The category of “ready to drink” spirits maintains some negative social stigma due to its popularity with younger drinkers. Products in the category, such as alcoholic popsicles, are widely seen as being targeted towards a younger crowd.

Pernod Ricard believes that with less sugar and alcohol the drinks will be be perceived by the public as less juvenile and thus appeal to a broader market.

Australia Launches First Airstrikes Against ISIS Targets In Syria

Entertainment News

Australia’s Royal Air Force conducted its first ever air strikes against ISIS in Syria on Monday it was reported later in the week. The strikes are a fundamental addition to the strong allied union of multiple states that seeks to free Syria from oppression by the terror group ISIS and the first known involvement of Australia in the coalition.

Australian Defense Minister Stephen Andrews said on Wednesday, “Two days ago, Australian Hornet fighter aircraft destroyed a Daesh armoured personnel carrier with a precision-guided missile.” Daesh is the derogatory local name for ISIS.

The airstrikes targeted one of the group’s armored personnel carrier hidden in a compound belonging to the terror network. Andrews said, “That information was reported back to the combined operations centre by our Wedgetail command and control aircraft, and upon receiving authorisation to proceed one of the Hornets employed a precision-guided weapon to destroy the target.”

The strikes were carried out by the land down under’s go-to strike fighters, their Boeing F/A- 18E Super Hornets.

The Defense minister further said that the operation was carried out from a specified height that safeguarded the safety of civilians. He said, “We work within very strict rules of engagement, and those rules of engagement are to ensure as far as possible that we don’t have unwanted civilian casualties.”

Initial reports indicate the Australian army may have conducted three airstrikes in eastern Syria: two against the personnel carrier in al Hasakah and another in an oil collection area in Dayr Az Zawr.

Another 15 air strikes were conducted in Iraq with the help of the Iraqi army.

Just one week ago, Australia’s prime minister Tony Abbott said they would be joining hands with the U.S. led coalition in an air campaign against ISIS.

According to Australia’s assistant treasurer, the air campaign was an attempt by the country to be a team player. He said, “We’re obviously hoping to make Syria safer and to stop the persecution of millions of people there as Isis advances. We’re part of a broader coalition in Syria. This is part of Australia’s global responsibility that not only makes the world safer but also protects us here at home.”

In the same spirit, Australia has also pledged to accept 12,000 refugees from Syria.
Australia currently has 330 troops training in Iraq. It has, however, not specified whether it would adopt a boots on ground approach in Syria.

Australia’s addition to the coalition is a dramatic addition to a passage that has not changed in months. New blood would prove vital in combating the terror network that has ravaged one of the Middle East’s countries dry and sent thousands of refugees flooding into Europe.

Google Continues To Push Away From Search As It Hires NIMH Head To Lead New Life Sciences Unit

Finance

Google is continuing its strong effort to break into the healthcare market, as the company is on the verge of hiring the director of the United States National Institute of Mental Health, Tom Insel, to serve as a senior researcher for its Google Life Sciences unit.

The hire is the latest sign that Google continues to be focused far beyond its traditional advertising business. Earlier this week, the company announced that it has hired former Hyundai CEO John Krafcik to lead its self-driving car program.

Insel confirmed the news, saying, “I am currently working out the final details for a move to the life sciences team at Google.”

Insel said that he was becoming a part of Google Life Sciences (GLS) in order to help discover technology that can assist with earlier detection, stronger prevention, and better management of serious health conditions.

Particularly, Insel wants to focus upon psychosis, mood disorders, and autism.

GLS is currently working to develop a contact lens that is able to keep track of glucose levels in order to manage diabetes. The lens will utilize tears to measure glucose levels.

Last year, Google’s health division said that it was trying to create a pill that could detect cancer or heart disease in the early stages.

Another project of the life sciences team is the “Baseline Study”, which is used to collect genetic and molecular information in order to determine what a healthy human should look like.

GLS also acquired Lift Labs, the creators of the Liftware Spoon, which is used by patients with Parkinson’s disease in order to stop their tremors. The Liftware Spoon costs $295.

The team was formerly part of Google X, a semi-secretive facility run by Google that works toward achieving major technological innovations but is now one of many companies under Alphabet, Google’s new holding company. It is located about half a mile away from Google’s corporate headquarters, the Googleplex.

Warming Oceans Fingered As Culprit In This Year’s Mass Whale Die Off

Culture

Toxic algae might be responsible for the deaths of more than two dozen humpback and fin whales have washed up along the shores of British Columbia and Alaska since May.

The algae, which is said to resemble a “brown ribbon”, has been linked to climate change, and it is producing significant levels of the neurotoxin known as domoic acid.

According to the director of Dr. Andrew Trites, of the UBC Marine Mammal Research Unit, “We can rule a few things out by having inspected their bodies to rule out things such as starvation, any signs of disease, any signs of having been hit by ships or caught by fishing gear. We have to begin, in essence, doing ecological detective work.”

A patch of warm water in the Pacific that is commonly referred to as “the blob” has been called the culprit for the algae. The acid that the algae produces is most likely consumed by krill, which is a common food for both humpback and fin whales.

Trites says, “I think the most likely explanation for the deaths of these whales is that they were out at a big smorgasbord, a big party, and some of them got food poisoning. They ate too much, and it caused their deaths.”

According to Trites, the event should serve as a wake-up-call.

“The fact that three times more whales have died this year than we’ve seen in past years is a sign that something major has happened,” he said.

While the neurotoxin has not been officially confirmed by the scientists to be the cause of the deaths of the whales, researchers at Victoria’s Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) agree with the theory presented by Trites.

The ONC associate director for science, Richard Dewey, said “A whale’s at the top of the food chain, and so in fact they are an accumulator of toxins.”

Samples from some of the deceased humpback whales are being tested by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in order to determine the exact cause of their deaths.

The Military Is Betting On Self Destructing Computer Chips To Keep Secrets Safe On The Battlefield

News

It seems like something out of a Mission Impossible movie: a new chip built on glass that can shatter completely when triggered remotely. Unlike the one in Mission Impossible, this newly developed chip cannot self destruct within five seconds – the United States Army will have to make due with 10 seconds.

The chip was developed Xerox PARC for the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (“DARPA”) as part of their pursuit of “vanishing electronics.” Basically the chip will self destruct when directed to do so in order to keep secured data out of the hands of unauthorized and unwanted users. One practical use of the chip is so that certain technology cannot be reverse engineered by enemies of the United States.

Xerox PARC engineers created the chip on Corning Gorilla Glass, the material used in the display screens of several smartphones. However, the glass is strained, making it more susceptible to heat, and thus destruction. A circuit triggered by laser activates a resistor that warms up the chip to the point where it shatters into thousands of tiny fragments.

The creation of the chip came as part of DARPA’s Vanishing Programmable Resources initiative (“VARP”). DARPA’s mission for this program is stated as follows: “The VARP Program seeks electronic systems capable of physically disappearing in a controlled, triggerable manner. These transient electronics should have performance comparable to commercial-off-the-shelf electronics, but with limited device persistence that can be programmed, adjusted in real-time, triggered, and/or be sensitive to the deployment environment.”

The recent self destructing chip demonstration resulted as a laser-triggering photo diode switched on the self-destruct circuit.

In addition to the obvious military and data security uses, such a self-destructing chip can have health and medical applications. John Rogers, a materials science professor at the University of Illinois, has created a variety of biodegradable sensors and electronics that are compatible with both body organs and human skin.

Another benefit of self-destructing electronics is hopefully reducing the physical waste created by the dumping of broken and used electronics. This most likely would be accomplished by slowly dissolving as opposed to rapidly triggered self destruction.

While many of these initiatives might be realized by DARPA, it is clear that the immediate goal is to create a deliberately controlled self-destructing chip for military and data security purposes.

Post-Ebay Paypal Is Quietly Getting Back Into The Online Gambling Business

Finance

Paypal is getting back into the online gaming business after a 12 year long hiatus. Its long awaited re-entry, in an industry it controlled a decade ago, was expected to be insanely hyped out. The payments company has, however, gotten back into the industry rather quietly with not so much as a press release.

Paypal has slowly, almost discretely, gotten back into the lucrative yet legally questionable industry. The company’s ads popped up in popular gaming sites such as WSOP.com and Derby games. Paypal is widely available in foreign gaming sites but was unavailable for local online gamblers largely due to a partnership the company entered into with Ebay back in 2003.

The merger with Ebay compelled the company to let go of business sources bearing a high risk of financial fraud. Online gaming has the second highest figures for fraud attempts, only behind online adult entertainment.

Before the merger, Paypal was an independent company with a dominant foot in the gaming industry but also close to bankruptcy. According to Howard Madison, a financial analyst with SSR, “PayPal nearly went out of business when it was first formed, because of fraud. They’ve invested significantly in fraud risk management.”

The company has grown since the merger to a strong brand with over $4 billion in reserves and zero debt, giving it huge room for growth.

After the much publicized fall out between Paypal and Ebay in February this year, the company set its sight on a field it was once king of. Analysts have predicted the company will reap big from their re-entrance into the online gaming business, which a 2014 Morgan Stanley report indicated would be a $20 billion industry by 2020. But why the quiet entrance?

According to Andy Frankenberger, a decorated poker player and former Wall Street broker, “My thinking is PayPal may not want attention because there is a perception that online gaming is a gray area. Perhaps PayPal doesn’t want to jeopardize their market status in states that oppose online gaming.”

Currently, online gaming is only legal in a handful of U.S. states. Even daily fantasy is not legal in all states. However, the numbers do indicate huge potential. New Jersey’s online gaming revenue for July was $12 million while online horse betting across the U.S. raked in $2.6 billion in revenues.

Frankenberger said, “There is huge upside if online gaming would be allowed in some of the larger states, like California and New York. Right now it’s a fraction of what it could be. To the extent PayPal can participate, it would seem to be a great opportunity.”

Gamers will be the biggest beneficiaries from Paypal’s entry into online gaming as they won’t have to wait days before their checks are mailed to them. Now they will have the money instantly credited to their accounts. In short, online gaming just got a lot more convenient.

Explosions, Heavy Machine Gun Fire Heard As Saudis Raid More Homegrown Terror Cells

Entertainment News

In what appears to be another case of Saudi home-grown terrorism, Saudi police conducted raids earlier this week on two suspected terror cells. The incident raises many security concerns as thousands of visitors are pouring into the country in advance of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Saudi officials recently received tips about the suspicious behavior of two men living in the eastern Riyadh neighborhood of Mounsiya.

During one raid, security forces surrounded the apartment of two Saudi brothers, identified as 21 year-old Ahmed Saeed Jaber al-Zahrani, and 19 year-old Mohammed Saeed Jaber al-Zahrani. Rather than peacefully surrender, the brothers fired guns and threw grenades at the Saudi authorities. Luckily, officials were able to evacuate nearby homes prior to the raid. The battle ultimately ended in the brothers’ surrender.

At the first site, authorities seized thousands of dollars, machine guns with ammunition, several fully-equipped machine gun magazines, ten revolver magazines, weapon cleaning bags, mobile phones, counterfeiting paraphernalia, three pistols, five generates and several other items.

During a raid conducted simultaneously with the first raid, authorities gathered in the central village of Dhurma to surround another suspected terrorist cell. After a brief battle, the group of terror suspects escaped and police, at this time, are still pursuing the men. The suspects fled the area in a pickup truck with Omani license plates.

At this site, officials seized an explosive belt located in a car. It was defused. Also found was a laboratory used for manufacturing explosives.

The raids come as Saudi authorities continue to crack down against homegrown extremists. Just recently, the Sunni extremist group, ISIS, claimed responsibility for a recent spate of bombings in the eastern part of the country. ISIS actively has been working to recruit the Saudi youth into carrying out attacks on their home soil.

In July alone, Saudi authorities stated that they arrested 431 suspects connected to ISIS, their largest arrest to date. They also stopped numerous attempted suicide attacks in Riyadh and the eastern part of the country.

The United Kingdom Is Looking To Boost Their Economy By Selling Weapons To The World

Entertainment News

British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has given a huge incentive to UK-based military equipment firms to produce weapons that can be sold overseas by saying his Government would support their marketing and sales efforts.

Speaking at the Defence Security International Exposition he said if UK defense firms wanted to raise their bottom line, they had to make sure they could sell their products overseas, and in return the Government would “lead on key, strategic export campaigns” globally.

“As a government, boosting our export successes in what is an increasingly competitive marketplace has to now be the priority,” he said, citing the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet and other “complex weapons” as projects the British government would promote.

“These are areas where my department is best placed to offer unique benefits, such as the exchanges, advice, doctrine and training that can enhance the long-term capabilities of our partners and increase the interoperability that they are seeking.”

Fallon said British security and defense exports earned $18.5 billion last year, urging companies to think export markets.

“In the past, we at MoD have contracted for highly bespoke products at great expense,” he said. “But we’ve then found that such high specifications have proved a hard sell in the international marketplace. Only later, perhaps too late, have we considered how such capabilities could meet the requirements.

He also said modularity and open systems should be first priority in future planning.

“This crossover from defense to the civil sector needs to become more commonplace,” he said.

The minister also announced his ministry had completed a deal for a $450 million contract with MBDA UK for a new Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles for its fighter jets to be built in Britain, adding 400 high tech jobs for the country.

“These weapons will allow the pilot to engage multiple targets with several missiles simultaneously,” he said.

Parliament Session Marred By Wrong Speech And Death Threats Leaves Observers Wondering What’s Next For Zimbabwe

Entertainment News

Speculation that Zimbabwe’s 91-year-old President Robert Mugabe was no longer healthy or alert enough to lead the African nation were given weight on Tuesday when at the opening of a new session of parliament, Mugabe read the same speech he gave to the legislature in August.

Mugabe read the 25-minute-long speech right to the end, with no signs at any time that he was aware he was delivering the same speech he gave during his state of the nation address in the legislature.

Earlier this year Mugabe, who is Africa’s oldest leader, fell down podium steps, and although unhurt, the video of the fall went viral, leading to speculation about the president’s health.

Today Mugabe’s spokesman George Charamba said “There has been a mix-up of speeches resulting in a situation where… the president delivered the wrong speech. The mix-up happened in his secretarial office. The error is sincerely regretted and corrective measures are being considered.”

Charamba did not elaborate on what the“corrective measures” would be although some Mugabe opponents fear it could be directed at Mugabe secretarial staffers.

Along with the bizarre incident of a repeated speech, today’s opening of parliament was also tainted by opposition legislator claims they had received death threats warning them against booing during Mugabe’s address. Last month, Mugabe had been heckled and booed during the very same speech he repeated today.

Innocent Gonese, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party’s chief whip, told reporters after Mugabe’s repeated speech today, that seven opposition members had received SMS text messages warning them against disrupting Mugabe’s address.

“The message is coming from a number which is not reflecting but it’s titled ‘death’,” Gonese said. “It warns the members concerned to know that immunity ends at parliament and once they step out of parliament that parliamentary immunity does not operate.”

All Navy And Marine Corps Jobs To Become Open To Females

News

In a positive move towards gender equality, the Secretary of the United States Navy has made it clear that he will not request any exceptions to the recent Pentagon regulation that all United States military jobs be opened to women. The decision by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus comes over one month before his deadline to make such a request. The decision will affect jobs in the Navy as well as the Marines.

Mabus stated earlier this week that, “Nobody’s asking for an exemption in the Navy. And I’ve been pretty clear about this for a while – I’m not going to ask for an exemption for the Marines.”

Mabus recently reviewed a study published by the Marine Corps that suggested combat units with male and female members were slower, less efficient and resulted in more injuries than combat units with just male members. The study reported that, “In the all-volunteer study, the men consistently outperformed the women in speed and accuracy, while female Marines were injured at more than double the rate of their male counterparts.”

Mabus acknowledged the results of the study but pointed out that the study used averages in making its findings. He said that averages are not relevant to the issue at hand.

“At the end they came out – and I’ve read the study pretty carefully a couple of times – in a different place than I do because they talk about averages. And the average woman is slower. The average woman can’t carry as much. The average woman isn’t quite as quick on some jobs or some tasks. The other way to look at it is we’re not looking for average.”

Mabus pointed out that only qualified individuals, whether male or female, should and would be allowed to do a specific job. He stated that, “Our notion is set standards, make sure those standards have something to do with the job, and then, if you meet it, you meet it.”

He stressed that in the study, many women met those standards. “There were women that met this standard, and a lot of the things there that women fell a little short in can be remedied by two things: training and leadership.”

Mabus also emphasized that male-female troops and missions will be held to the high expectations required from members of the Navy and Marines. Opening previously restricted jobs to women “is not going to make them any less fighting effective. I think they will be a stronger force because a more diverse force is a stronger force.”

Apple Working On 3D Technology To Close The Maps Gap To Arch Rival Google

Finance

Apple, behind rival Google in advanced software offerings, is working hard to develop its own 3D mapping technologies at a mysterious technology facility in Sweden.

The facility is located in Lund, in the southern portion of Sweden, just across the water from Copenhagen. C3 Technologies, a company that Apple purchased in 2011, runs the operation.

Apple has been expanding the Swedish office, which it claims is only temporary but appears anything but. The company has reportedly been hiring heavily in the area.

The main activity at the outpost is the development of 3D models. These models are developed by taking pictures using multiple moving cameras at different angles and constructing 3D models of the images that are produced.

This technology is notably important to Apple, as the company is attempting to relaunch its poorly received Apple Maps app. The initial launch did not go very well, as it was slammed by critics for its shoddy geography and lack of useful local landmarks.

However, Apple Maps has been improving lately. Apple has developed its own version of Google’s popular “Street View”. This allows users to see a real world view of actual areas, down at the street level.

Developing better 3D modelling technology will greatly assist Apple in competing with Google when it comes to mapping, a key smartphone device selection criteria due to the apps being very widely used. As one of the most useful apps on a phone it’s also one that’s used almost daily. Get maps wrong and consumers will switch to whole new devices.

The new mapping technology will be extremely useful for Apple, as the company is reportedly trying to develop its own self-driving vehicle, again in direct competition with Google. Having a reliable mapping system is critical for such technology.

Tonight’s GOP Debate Winners Will Receive Massive Donations. The Losers Will Get Nothing Thanks To Looming Deadline

News

Republican Presidential candidates will soon be searching heavily for donors, as the critical quarterly fundraising deadline of September 30th nears ever closer. The debate on Wednesday night will be of utmost importance for candidates, as it could mean the difference between having ample money to spend on the campaign or the alternative of running out of funds down the stretch.

Fundraisers for the candidates are currently preparing call lists of undecided voters and potential donors.

Fundraiser Hal Lambert, who is working for candidate Ted Cruz, said, “There are always people you have in mind that you’re going to call right after the debate.”

The specific goals are different for each candidate.

Ted Cruz seeks to increase the amount of funds he has amasses so far in 2015. He has had a strong performance in terms of donations this year, trailing only Jeb Bush among Republicans. The upcoming quarter is chance for Cruz to gain ground.

Jeb Bush, who has sunk in the polls, is expected to rely upon the record-setting $120 million that he acquired from donors in the first half of the year. Bush hopes to demonstrate the depth and perseverance of his fundraising network to maintain his cash advantage this quarter.

Fundraiser Fred Zeidman, who is supporting Jeb Bush, says that a strong performance by Bush in the debate will enable him to expand his list of potential donors. He says that the best time to request money is when people are excited.

Even if the candidate of a fundraiser has a poor showing in the debate, the fundraiser will probably still be calling people looking for money. They will sell the debate as a good one, even if it wasn’t.

However, not every fundraiser is that bold. One fundraiser who is representing a Republican candidate who performed poorly in the initial debate said that a list of “on the fence” donors was never utilized.

Most candidates realize that there is simply not sufficient cash to supply the 16 person field and that some candidates will most certainly falter when it comes to funding.

The campaign of Marco Rubio emailed supporters this week, stating, “Long story short, we absolutely need to raise as much money as we can for Marco’s campaign this month.”

One candidate, Donald Trump, is particularly unfazed by the upcoming deadline. The current leading GOP candidate has been self-funding his campaign, reportedly without the help of major donations

For candidates Scott Walker, Chris Christie, and John Kasich, the deadline will represent the first time that they will disclose to the public how much money they have raised.

Candidates floundering near the bottom of the polls will most likely see the debate as a last-ditch effort to salvage their campaigns. A candidate with few supporters and little funding has virtually no chance.

Making things more difficult for candidates is the presence of Donald Trump, whose prolonged dominance in early polls have made donors more reluctant to send money to candidates who they believe have little chance of winning the Republican Party nomination.

Another issue concerns the actual logistics of the post-debate donate outreach. Much of the potential donor community is older and goes to bed early. Since the debate will end late at night, requests for funding are often put off until the next morning.

Campaign manager and daughter of Mike Huckabee Sarah Huckabee said, “We try not to wake them up in the middle of the night. They probably wouldn’t appreciate that.”

However, the hours immediately after a debate are critical, as the best time to receive large donations is while emotions are high.

To win over donors, campaigns often package debate highlight reels featuring their candidate’s jabs at other challengers and the praise offered to them by the media. These highlight reels are typically sent to contributors.

The results indicate that the post-debate fever is when a significant amount of money is raised. After the first debate, the campaign of Ted Cruz announced that it had raised more than $1 million in the span of 100 hours.

Another trend is that campaigns will look to cut spending on perks in order to save money for when they need it most.

After the debate is over, candidates will travel throughout the country to seek out more donors. Bush will travel to California on Thursday. Walker plans to make his way to New York next week for a big-dollar event is being hosted by the Ricketts family. Senator Marco Rubio plants to travel to Texas for a fundraising dinner.

New Israeli Rock Throwing Law Would See Even More Children Put In Prison

Entertainment News

Rock-throwing attacks in Israel are making the news again as such an attack led to the death of Alexander Levlovitz over the weekend. Levlovitz and two passengers were traveling in a car in Jerusalem on Sunday night when the vehicle came under attack by rock-throwers. The car ran into a ditch, hit a pole, and Levlovitz died from his injuries.

The incident brought renewed vows by Israeli politicians to crack down on rock-throwers, and Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, will consider fast-tracking legislation that would introduce mandatory minimum sentences for those convicted of throwing stones and firebombs.

A problem arises, however, in that several of these rock-throwers are children, and they often do not know the consequences of their actions.

Confrontations between Palestinian youths and Israeli police oftentimes degenerate into large, violent clashes. In fact, stone-throwing has been a symbol of Palestinian resistance since the first Palestinian uprising against Israel in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The issue was recently raised in late November 2014 when Netanyahu stated that, “Israel is taking vigorous action against terrorists and those who throw stones, firebombs and fireworks. We will also pass stronger legislation on the issue. All of this is in order to restore quiet and security throughout Jerusalem.I have ordered massive reinforcements be brought into Jerusalem and that additional means to used in order to ensure law and order in Israel’s capital.”

At that time, Qadura Fares, head of the Palestinian Prisoner Club, an organization that advocates on behalf of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, said the new law was “racist.” He stated that, “This law is hateful and contradicts the most basic rule that the punishment fit the offense.”

Barak Medina, professor of law at Hebrew University, said increased and harsher sentences imposed upon stone-throwers would be ineffective. “Many young people who throw stones are unaware of the law and are not often rational about their actions. I don’t think the justice system should be giving up on the rights of the accused just because of panic and concern.”

Despite these concerns, Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid proclaimed that, “[Israel] must act forcefully against these rock-throwers and against any terror activity that threatens the citizens of the State of Israel. The government should do everything to fight terrorism and we will give full support to any action that will restore security for the residents of the State of Israel.”

Tzipi Livni, a justice minister in the previous Netanyahu government, also supported the anticipated legislation aimed at increasing punishments for those caught throwing stones at vehicles. She stated that attacks “must be stopped” and that “we must act against the stone terror, like against any terror, with a heavy and uncompromising hand.”

According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, “The prime minister sees incidents of rock-throwing and firebomb attacks against Israeli citizens as very severe and intends to fight this phenomenon with every available measure including stiffening punishments [for such crimes.]”

What the office did not state is how it would deal with young children who are unaware of such laws, a concern that continues to surface time and again for Israel.

Despite Well Documented Atrocities Russia Opposes Sanctions Against Sudan’s Leaders

Entertainment News

Just a few weeks after a peace treaty was signed between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar, the brutal fighting in the country has continued. And, in a new development, officials from Russia, Angola and Venezuela have expressed their opposition to the United States’ proposal to place a travel ban and asset freeze on South Sudanese army chief Paul Malong and rebel general Johnson Olony.

The signed peace treaty came 20 months after civil war erupted in South Sudan. President Kiir accused his then former deputy Machar of trying to stage a coup. Machar denied the accusations but then mobilized and led rebel forces to fight the government. The fighting has resulted in thousands dead and has displaced over 2.2 million people from their homes.

In the past, at least seven ceasefires have been agreed to by both sides – but then fell apart. Therefore, the United States wants to impose pressure on Kiir and Machar to ensure the newest treaty succeeds.

The United States proposed the travel ban and asset freeze measures to the United Nations Security Council as American officials believe Malong and Olony are continuing to fuel conflict in the country, despite the peace treaty.

However, not every country feels the United States’ approach is the correct one. Russia’s United Nations ambassador Vitaly Churkin believes sanctions are not appropriate at this time. He stated that, “The United States, very often they just say: ‘Sanctions, sanctions, sanctions,’ and in some cases it severely aggravates the situation.”

Venezuela and Angola did not want to reject the American proposals but wishes them to placed on hold as diplomats wish to give the parties more time to implement the peace deal. As a result, the United Nations will not consider the proposals right away.

Earlier this week, Kiir reiterated his many concerns with the conditions of the peace deal but ultimately pledged his commitment to the treaty and to bringing peace to the country.

Mega Merger Brewing In The Global Beer Market As Anheuser-Busch Eyes SABMiller

Finance

The beer industry might soon receive a major shake-up, as the world’s two largest beer producers, Anheuser-Busch, the maker of Budweiser and Bud Light, and SABMiller, owner of the Miller Brewing Company, could possibly become united under the same corporation in the near future.

Anheuser-Busch InBev has stated that it intends to make an offer to acquire SABMiller in a corporate takeover. With all of their brands under one global umbrella, the potential acquisition would result in the company controlling roughly half of the beer industry’s profits worldwide.

No offer has been made at this time.

Anheuser-Busch InBev has said that it wants to cooperate with the board of SABMiller.

If the acquisition were to take place, it would be the largest ever in the history of the industry, while bringing an end to the longtime rivalry between the two conglomerates.

A combination of the two beer producers makes sense, as they maintain little geographical overlap, and they are not controlled by a family foundation.

With the news, shares of SABMiller stock have been skyrocketing. The stock had been performing poorly during the past year, which has made the potential acquisition more affordable for Anheuser-Busch.

The beer industry has been seeing a trend of companies combining their efforts in recent years. Beer companies are fighting to avoid a slowdown in the industry, as more drinkers are switching to craft beers, wine, and spirits, while others are simply consuming less alcohol.

One example can be seen in MillerCoors, a joint venture between SABMiller and the Molson Coors Brewing Company. The joint venture was announced in 2007.

Based on takeover rules within the United Kingdom, AB InBev has until 5 pm London time on October 14 either make an offer to SABMiller or to walk away from the transaction.

Any deal that takes place would mandate the backing of Altria Group Inc., which is the largest shareholder of SABMiller with a 27% stake in the company. Meanwhile, AB InBev would need to convince the group of Alejandro Santo Domingo to accept the deal as well. The group maintains a 14% stake in SABMiller.

However, there are some significant hurdles that must be overcome in order for the deal to occur.

Industry analysts believe that SABMiller would have to leave its joint venture with Coors, putting an end to MillerCoors. Not doing so would likely have the acquisition seen as an attempt to form a monopoly.

Additionally, AB InBev would most likely be required to sell SABMiller’s 49% stake in CR Snow, the Chinese brewery partner of SABMiller.

However, if the merger does take place, it would likely be seen as the triumphant finale of major global beer mergers, as the resulting company would be the dominant force in the beer industry.

On Eve Of GOP Debate Wall Street Is Nervous Trump Is The Real Deal

News

Donald Trump is the current favorite to win the Republican nomination for president, and Wall Street doesn’t appear to be happy about it.

Trump is continuing to lead the Republican polls, only facing real competition from former neurosurgeon Ben Carson. Meanwhile, investors on Wall Street are becoming increasingly worried that the billionaire will actually be able to pull off a win. What was once viewed by many as a laughable pipe dream, has developed into a legitimately possible reality.

Wall Street statesman Byron Wien said, “I held four lunches for investors in August, and at the first one everyone assumed Trump would implode. By the fourth one everyone was taking him very seriously. He taps into frustrations that are very real and he is a master manipulator of the media.”

Many people in the financial industry believe that something will eventually knock Trump off, and voters will flock toward a more establishment candidate. However, that belief is losing ground, as followers of the election are unable to say what exactly could put a dent into Trump’s appeal to voters. The situation is becoming more of a reality with each passing day.

The CEO of a large company who refused to be identified said, “I don’t know anyone who is a Donald Trump supporter. I don’t know anyone who knows anyone who is a Donald Trump supporter. They are like this huge mystery group. So it’s a combination of shock and bewilderment. No one really knows why this is happening. But my own belief is that the laws of gravity will apply and those who are prepared to run the marathon will benefit when Trump drops out at mile 22. Right now people think Trump is pretty hilarious but the longer it goes on the more frightening it gets.”

Wall Street experienced a scare on Sunday, as Trump participated in Face the Nation on CBS. On the show, the presidential candidate claimed that the executive pay of America is “a complete joke”, and he promised to increase taxes on hedge fund managers.

Trump’s comments about Wall Street paled in comparison to his rant concerning illegal immigrants. Trump says that he will deport 11 million undocumented immigrants in the timespan of two years. He also has plans to build a giant wall to border Mexico.

The presidential candidate also made headlines for bashing the looks of former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina. Trump said they make her unelectable.

Meanwhile, financial executives on Wall Street are becoming increasingly concerned with Trump’s lasting power, as he currently sits at over 30% in the polls. Despite these concerns, there is not yet an organized effort by Wall Street to stop Trump.

One possible reason that executives on Wall Street are afraid to attack Trump is that they are afraid that doing so will only increase his numbers in the polls. Big banks are still often viewed as unfavorable in America following the financial crisis from a few years ago.

However, Trump does have some support from Wall Street.

The Republican candidate has praised Carl Icahn on multiple occasions. Trump has stated that he would offer the billionaire investor the opportunity to be his first Treasury secretary. Icahn has stated on Twitter that he would accept the post.

Wall Street is also frustrated by Hilary Clinton’s decline in the polls. Meanwhile, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is rapidly gaining ground. Sanders is a self-described socialist and critic of Wall Street.

The typical view from Wall Street early in the election cycle was that Jeb Bush would win, and even if he didn’t, another favorable candidate such as Clinton would instead. However, this is looking increasingly unrealistic as more time has passed.

While Bush and Clinton have promised tax increases on wealthy investors, they are both friendly toward large establishments Furthermore, they both offer policies on trade, immigration, and other issues that are congruent with typical Wall Street opinion.

One Wall Street Democrat said, “Neither of them (Clinton and Bush) are doing very well right now. Both Trump and Sanders have done a pretty great job tapping into this sense of frustration not just with Wall Street, but with all of the establishments.”