Clinton Rallies and Secured Democratic Vote as Terror Attack Threats Intensifies

In the latest electoral survey, the Republican candidate Donald Trump gained more likely voters. However, the Democratic flag bearer, Hillary Clinton rallies in states which considered to safe for Democrats.

According to BBC, both parties concentrate on convincing their supporters to vote rather than influencing the ‘undecided’.

In an early election, 37 million voters cast their votes.

Threats of Terrorism

US Law enforcements received intelligent reports of any Al-Queda terrorism-related attack. The report “lacks specificity” according to a police spokesman.

However, authorities believed that New York, Texas and Virginia, amongst the potential targets for the attack. They constantly evaluate all possible terror threats prior to major national events

Possible terror attack news intensifies as both Clinton and Trump plan their final campaign march in battleground states across the country.

The two presidential candidates campaign in Ohio and Pennsylvania. According to poll surveys released on Tuesday, the two states are crucial battlegrounds for the election.

Two candidates battle out

In one of his campaign, Trump’s showed his downright opposition to Clinton’s foreign policy on Syria He told a group of supports that Clinton wants “550% increase” of refugees in Syria coming into the US.

The real estate mogul said, “Her plan would mean generations of terrorism, extremism, and radicalism spreading into our schools and communities”.

On the other hand, Clinton’s rebuttal for Trump’s attack on her is his temperament and judgmental comments about women and minority groups. She told her supporters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that Trump was “unfit” to be the next president because of his behavior.

John Podesta, the Democrats campaign head joined the heated rebuttal of the two presidentiables. Podesta said that Trump should ask the New Jersey’s Governor, Chris Christie to resign his post. Christie also acts as the head of the Republican candidate’s transition team.

Christie’s two aides were found guilty in scheming traffic jams in New Jersey. An act considered spreading political turmoil against a local Democratic mayor. Christie denied any participation in the deed.

Trump leads the way in Ohio, according to Real Clear Politics, the state polling agency. Meanwhile, Clinton leads the election in a small fringe in Pennsylvania.

Recent national polls indicate that the Republican candidate gained momentum in several battlegrounds in the last few weeks.

Clinton struggles

Clinton struggles within the last few weeks of the electoral race because of her rough relationship with the FBI. The agency presses on their investigation regarding Clinton’s private email used when she was still the Secretary of State during the Obama administration.

In July, the FBI looked into her private email use but did not charge her for any illegal misconduct. Clinton said she is sure that the new probe will not affect FBI’s original assessment on her.

Furthermore, Clinton’s camp questioned FBI’s ill timing of the announcement of their investigation. Two senior Democrats requested for an investigation of the former New York Mayor and Trump surrogate, Rudy Giuliani’s role in the FBI probe.

On Friday morning, Guiliani’s interview with Fox News indicated he knew about the probe even before FBI announced the news. He said, “I had no role in it. Did I hear about it? You’re darn right I heard about it.”

Later that day, Democratic Members, Elijah Cummings and John Conyers, requested the Justice Department to investigate Giuliani’s source of information. In the letter they wrote, “Leaking this information to former FBI officials as a conduit to the Trump campaign is equally intolerable”.

Guiliani told CNN that “No, I’ve spoken to no current FBI agents’, and denied all allegations that he had any knowledge of the investigation.

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Battle for Mosul Gains Ground as Iraqi Forces Enter the City

On Monday, Iraqi troops broke through ISIS lines of defense in the eastern suburb of Mosul. For the first time, the advancing Iraqi forces entered the city, taking the battle to the terrorists’ doorstep.

The breakthrough is considered the largest military operation since Saddam Hussein’s capture in 2003. The Iraqi forces supported by Washington entered the city of Mosul. Iraqi commanders said the battle to retake the city could take months.

Iraqi’s Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) troops advanced on Gogjali, an industrial zone on the eastern part of Mosul.

CTS commander Lieutenant-General Abdul Ghani al-Assadi said in an interview conducted by a state television that his forces had reached the Karama district inside the insurgent’s occupied city.

Kurdish Peshmerga Intelligence said they have received reports saying 7 ISIS militants were killed in the district of Aden, 2 of their vehicles were also destroyed.

An Iraqi state television also reported that residents of the city were rising up against the Islamic state fighters. Some of these mutineers allegedly opened fired on an Islamic State Police unit in Intisaar district, in Karama.

No one has confirmed the “uprising reports” but the Iraqi forces and its U.S. allies are hoping this insurrection could help them retake the city. ISIS seized Mosul in 2014 declaring it as a “Caliphate” to rule over all Muslims.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the Iraqi forces are now closing off all routes going out Mosul, to avoid thousands of ISIS fighters escaping from the city.
“God willing, we will chop off the snake’s head,” he added.

“They have no escape, they either die or surrender.”

Last October 17, the Iraqi Forces joined by Kurdish Peshmerga Fighters started their offensive against the Islamic State fighters. They were provided with ground and air support from a U.S. led anti-ISIS coalition.

U.S. anti-ISIS coalition deputy commander, British Major General Rupert Jones told Reuters, “They are making deliberate progress, they’re on their timeline.”

Anti-Islamic state fighters ranging about 50,000 troops are now storming the city’s outskirts as they strategically enter Mosul.

The Islamic State forces have been avoiding a direct fight with any militants advancing into the city. Instead, they are sending suicide cars, deploying snipers and mortars.

On Monday, the Islamic State said they have carried out “suicide operations” against the advancing forces. However, they failed to mention any casualty.

U.N. officials and some villagers said the terrorist group brought thousands of displaced civilians toward Mosul. The militants were using them as “human shields” to cover their retreat.

They also have set some properties on fire to create a ‘smokescreen,’ setting the whole region on smoke.

U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said, “the scorched earth tactics employed by retreating ISIL members are having an immediate health impact on civilians, and risk long-term environmental and health consequences.”

No one from both forces has given any number of casualty, but both claim they have killed thousands of their opponents.

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“Trigger happy buffoon” – How British MPs described Donald Trump

British MPs (Members of Parliament) have been giving their verdicts on Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in the run up to the US presidential electon.

In the anonymous survey of 50 MPs, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton fared better than Republican rival Trump, but neither exactly received a ringing endorsement.

However it is Trump who came in for the most criticism – with MPs feeling they could speak more openly knowing that they would not be named.

Buffoon

Trump was described as “dangerous”, “narcissistic”, “trigger happy”, “protectionist” and a “buffoon” and one MP said he was “unfit to run a bath let alone a country.”

One senior Labour politician was particularly vitriolic about the Republican nominee saying: “Trump is the most grotesque manifestation of populism driven by discontent worldwide.

The same MP dismissed Clinton as “uninspiring” while another observed: “It is a mystery how more than 300 million people could come up with such losers.”

The survey, said to be  the most extensive polling of British politicians in this presidential election, was conducted by The House magazine.

Dangerous

The MPs were chosen to reflect the party political make-up of the British House of Commons

Not one of the 50 politicians believed Trump would make the world safer while two thirds said it would actually be ‘much more dangerous’ with the Republican running the US.

Clinton polled almost the opposite, with no MPs believing the world would be any more dangerous under her leadership and 82% believing her experience as a senator and secretary of state would lead to improved global security.

As for who is going to win, nine out of ten of the British MPs surveyed said they think it will be Clinton.

“Clinton will get home, Donald Trump has shot himself in the foot so many times that I can’t see him winning,” concludes a Tory backbencher.

British politicians on Trump:

• “He’d be a disaster for our countries. He’s ghastly, a threat to world peace and thoroughly obnoxious.” – Former Conservative minister.

• “Trump would be an absolute disaster; the man is a buffoon.” – Labour backbencher.

• “Trump doesn’t have the temperament; he’s trigger happy and narcissistic.” – Conservative MP

• “Trump is so unpredictable he could do something really quite radical and dangerous. Whatever you think of Hilary Clinton, she is a professional politician.” – Conservative MP.

British politicians on Clinton:

• “If Trump does win, it will be the grotesque selfishness of the Clinton mafia that foisted him upon us.” – Former Tory shadow minister.

• “Clinton’s not the best candidate there has ever been, but she is a safe pair of hands.” – Scottish Nationalist MP.

• “Whatever Clinton’s faults at campaigning, she’ll be a good executive president, probably better than Obama.” – Former Tory shadow minister.

• “I think she’ll be a lame duck from the start. Whoever wins I predict will be a one term president.” – Backbench Conservative MP.

Read more: The MPs’ verdict

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NATO Calls On Allies To Help Boost Defense On Eastern Flank

NATO prepares for a long-drawn-out dispute with Moscow and will urge its allies on Wednesday to support the alliance’s most extensive military build-up on Russia’s borders since the Cold War.

Russia’s aircraft carrier is heading towards Syria in a show of force along Europe’s shores. This development raised concern among NATO leaders. Hence, the alliance plans to follow on their promise in July to deploy forces to eastern Poland and the Baltic states from early next year.

Hoping for binding assurances from Europe, the United States expects to fill four battle groups of about 4,000 troops. This is part of NATO’s response to the occupation of Crimea by Russia in 2014.

The United States, Britain, Canada and Germany’s four battle groups expects France, Italy, Denmark and other allies to join them. The allies are heading to Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia with forces consisting of armored infantry to drones.

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s Secretary-General, said that the commitments would send a strong message about the alliance’s transatlantic bond. Further, it would also send a similar message to US presidential candidate Donald Trump. The Republican contender has criticized European allies about not paying their way in the alliance.

The battle group would be supported by NATO’s 40,000-strong rapid reaction force. In addition, for any potential conflict, more follow-on forces could deploy into Poland and Baltic states on rotation if needed.

The US-led alliance’s plans, for Moscow, are already “overkill” in view of Russia’s tribulations at NATO’s expansion eastwards.

But Stoltenberg denied going too far. “This is a credible deterrence, not to provoke a conflict but to prevent conflict,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

Russia’s withdrawal from several nuclear disarmament agreements the past two months while sending nuclear-capable missiles to its Baltic territory in Kaliningrad have given next year’s deployments greater significance.

NATO officials refused to disclose if Russia had moved nuclear warheads to Kaliningrad. Nevertheless, the so-called Iskander-M cruise missiles can strike targets across Poland and the Baltics.

Relationship between the East and the West has been deteriorating since Crimea and the West’s resolution to carry out retaliatory sanctions. However, recent US accusations that Russia has utilized cyber attacks to unsettle the presidential elections preceded by the breakdown of a US-Russia brokered ceasefire in Syria have marked a severe decline of East-West relations.

 

 

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Trump Shows Gains Amidst Women’s Accusations and Election Rigging Comments

A survey released on Friday shows Donald Trump gained almost half the lead against his opponent Hillary Clinton. A string of controversies followed the Republican candidate over the past weeks. Despite the sexual harassment accusation of women in the past and his dubious allegations over the election process as rigged, Trump still gains American voters this week.

The Democratic candidate and the former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton lost her momentum in the recent poll survey. According to the Reuters/Ipsos poll, a survey made on October 14 to 20, Trump cut her lead by half. A momentum gained with a few weeks left before the November 8 election.

The survey shows a four point lead of Clinton who is at 44% and Trump now at 40%. A big difference compared to a survey made on October 7 to 13 which shows the real estate mogul’s score at only 37% while Clinton at 44%.

In the recent survey, Clinton also diminished her lead in a separate four-way poll against other party candidates. The Libertarian candidate, Gary Johnson scored 6% and the Green Party candidate, Jill Stein who scored the lowest at 2%. The Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton scored at 43% while the Republican candidate, Donald Trump at 39%.

The survey also revealed that 63% of Americans, including a third of Republicans, believed that Trump committed the sexual assault in the past. Although the Republican candidate denied the recent complaints, calling the allegations as “totally and absolutely false.”

Correspondingly, the recent analysis showed Trump’s lead reduced to what it was before the controversial video was released on October 7. The video highlighted Trump’s bragging about groping and kissing women. Since early 1980’s to 2007, several women surfaced accusing Trump of sexual harassment.

The poll included a series of questions that asked correspondents on how they perceived Trump’s conduct around women. The poll pointed out that 63% of American adults, including 34% of likely Republican voters agreed with the statement “I believe Donald Trump has committed sexual assault in the past”.

However, even if correspondents believed that Trump “committed sexual assault” they were still backing up Trump on his candidacy. For them, they still agree that, “whatever Trump did with women in the past is less important to them than what he may do as president”.

Looking for something different

A voter from North Dakota, Evelyn Brendemuhl aged 83 said, “I’m embarrassed that our country can’t come up with better candidates, to be honest with you. But he’ll appoint more conservative judges, and she’s (Clinton) pro-abortion, and I’m not for that.”

Meanwhile, other voters are rooting for a change of policy around the White House. A 59-year-old Republican from Colorado, Gary Taylor considered seeing “something different than the last eight years” in the White House”.

Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted the online survey in English in all 50 states, which has a credibility accuracy of 3% variation. It comprises of 1,640 likely voters who had given their voting history, registration status and intention to vote.

The survey concerning Trump’s sexual harassment allegations includes 1,915 American adults with 546 Republicans who are likely to vote. The survey also has a credibility interval of 3% for American adults surveyed and 5 points for Republican voters.

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Dispersal at the US Embassy in Manila Turns Violent

On October 20, activists held a rally in front of the United States Embassy in Manila. The rally suddenly turned chaotic when the left-wing group resisted police dispersal. Philippine Senators requested an immediate investigation regarding the violent crowd dispersal on Wednesday.

The minority group supports President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to end U.S. troop’s joint military exercises. The activists also back the president foreign policy to end the country’s economic dependency with the US.

President Rodrigo Duterte is presently visiting Beijing for a four-day state visit when the incident happened. Still in Beijing, he ordered a direct probe regarding the dispersal which caused injuries to both parties.

Violent Dispersal

On a video taken during the violent dispersal, a police van can be seen accelerating into a line of left wing activists. Several protesters were rammed by the vehicle leaving a mass of protesters wounded.

Senior Superintendent Marcelino Pedroso who was present during the demonstration accused the protesters of “having malicious intentions”. Speaking in Tagalog, he said, “They really planned to create trouble, to vandalize,….. hurt police officers. This is the first time I saw protesters destroying police vehicles and equipment”.

He also pointed out that if the driver wanted to kill the protesters, he would have really hit them. Pedroso said in an interview, “Please get the driver’s side of the story. If he intended to kill, he should have gone straight without stopping.”
PNP Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said, “I’ve seen the video and it makes me sad and furious at the same time. I saw people get hurt. I reallly hate seeing fellow Filipinos getting hurt”. Dela Rosa is in China as part the delegation of President Rodrigo Duterte.

• Warning: Video contains graphic scenes 

However, Dela Rosa defended the driver of the police van, PO3 Franklin Kho. In an interview, the PNP Chief Director said, “The driver panicked because the mob swarmed his vehicle and they trying to roll it over. He wanted to extricate from the area…..from the violent crowd”.

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson cried foul over the Philippine National Police “police brutality” accusations. Lacson was the Former Chief of Police and now an incumbent senator in the Philippines.

The senator also defended the driver; he claimed that the driver was “threatened by the possibility of being lynched by the protesters”.

Senators’ reaction

Senator Miguel Zubiri questioned the PNP’s statement for ensuring maximum tolerance during the rally. The Senator said in an interview, “Even during Martial Law, protesters have always known that police and protesters can always negotiate for events covered & even outside if their rally permits.”

President Rodrigo Duterte’s known rival, Senator Leila De Lima asked the PNP Chief Bato Dela Rosa for an abrupt inquiry regarding the incident. Two other senators shared De Lima’s sentiment. The Senate President Koko Pimentel III and Senator Nancy Binay also called for a comprehensive review of the law enforcement’s action during the dispersal.

However, Senator Pimentel III, advised the community not to jump into any conclusions without knowing all the facts about the incidence. He said, “The video on its own is very disturbing, but is not the whole picture. We must not pass judgment until we know the whole story.”

PNP Chief Dela Rosa decided that eight Manila Police District (MPD) officers including the driver will be put on administrative leave. However, NCRPO Director Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde confirmed that the police officers had been relieved from the service.

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Philippines’ Duterte Aligns with China and Russia, Announces ‘Separation From the United States’

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced his “separation” from the United States and had realigned with China as they continued with the bilateral talks regarding the South China Sea.

The President made his comments Thursday in Beijing, where he was accompanied by 200 prominent Filipino business people. They are seeking a new chapter in a new economic alliance with China.

In a business forum, President Duterte told the Chinese and Filipino business people, “I announce my separation from the United States”. This was followed by applause while in the presence of the Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli.

“Both in military, not maybe social, but economics also. America has lost,” he added.
Newly elected President Duterte declared the reversal in foreign policy, months after the international tribunal ruled that China has no historic rights in the South China Sea.

$13.5 billion deals will be signed during the China trip, according to Philippine Trade Secretary, Ramon Lopez.

President Duterte added, “I’ve realigned myself in your ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to (President Vladimir) Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world – China, Philippines and Russia. It’s the only way.”

The Philippines has been a long-time ally of the United States in Asia. President Duterte’s remarks, nonetheless, will raise new concern between the two countries.

The President’ predecessor signed an agreement giving U.S. forces access to Philippine bases. Further doubts are now raised about the future of this arrangement.

However, White House spokesman Ned Price said, Washington and Manila has a traditional alliance that cannot easily be broken.

“The U.S.-Philippines alliance is built on a 70-year history, rich people-to-people ties, including a vibrant Filipino-American diaspora, and a long list of shared security interests,” spokesman Ned Price added, “We also remain one of the Philippines’ strongest economic partners; the current stock of U.S. foreign direct investment stands above $4.7 billion.”

President Duterte’s Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia released a statement hours after his speech saying, “Asian economic integration is long overdue.”

“We will maintain relations with the West but we desire stronger integration with our neighbors,” they added”. We share the culture and a better understanding of our region.”

China rolls out red carpet

China prepared a great welcome for President Duterte, including a marching band complete with baton-twirling band master at his official greeting ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People, which is not extended to most international leaders.

The meeting of the two Presidents was called a “milestone” between the two countries ties.

President Xi Jinping told President Duterte that the two countries were like brothers and they could “appropriately handle disputes”. On the other hand, he did not mention the South China Sea in the presence of reporters.

“I hope we can follow the wishes of the people and use this visit as an opportunity to push China-Philippines relations back on a friendly footing and fully improve things,” President Xi said.

President Duterte said the country’s relation with China had entered a new “springtime.” Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenn added, “The South China Sea issue was not the sum total of relations.”

China claims most of the South China Sea, where almost $5 trillion in ship-borne trade transits every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

In 2012, China has taken over the disputed Scarborough Shoal, denying Filipino fishermen access to their traditional fishing grounds.

Chinese Foreign Minister said both countries had agreed on coastguard and fisheries cooperation. He did not mention if they would give Filipino fishermen access to the shoal.

‘Goodbye my friend’

President Duterte’s position towards China is in direct contrast to the United States.

He has called the U.S. President Barack Obama a “son of a bitch,” and told him to “go to hell,” after the US criticized his bloody war on drugs.

On Wednesday, President Duterte said Philippine foreign policy was turning towards China.
“I will not go to America anymore. We will just be insulted there,” Duterte said. “So time to say goodbye my friend.”

The same day hundreds of Anti-U.S protesters gathered in front of the U.S. embassy in Manila. The activists were calling for the removal of U.S troops from the island of Mindanao.

President Duterte’s foreign policy from Washington to Beijing is unlikely to be popular at home. A recent poll showed the majority of Filipinos still trust the US more than China.

President Duterte said the South China Sea arbitration case would “take the back seat,” while talks are in motion. He said further that he would rather wait for the Chinese to bring up the issue rather than doing so himself.

According to the Chinese foreign minister, issues that could not be immediately resolved should be set aside.

China has also expressed their support for his war on drugs, which recently raised some concerns about extrajudicial killings.

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Trump: I Will Totally Accept Election Result…If I Win

Donald Trump said today that is now prepared to accept the result of the US presidential elections…as long as he is the winner.

During yesterday’s live presidential TV debate he indicated that he may not accept the result if rival Hillary Clinton topped the polls saying: “I will look at it at the time.”

Speaking to supporters in Delaware, Ohio, he hit out at critics who are angry at his refusal to publicly state that he is prepared to accept the election result whatever the outcome.

Trump said he was unwilling to waive his right to contest the election if he saw fit to do so.

He told the Delaware rally: “I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters and to all of the people of the United States that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election, if I win.

“Of course, I would accept a clear election result, but I would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result.”

Both Republicans and Democrats were taken aback by Trump’s refusal to categorically state that he is willing to abide by the results of the November 8 election.

Previously he has repeatedly claimed that the election has been rigged against him.

Trump compared his situation to that of the 2000 election when when Al Gore demanded a recount in several counties after the results of the election in Florida were very close.

He said: “If Al Gore or George Bush had agreed three weeks before the election to concede results and waived their right to a legal challenge or a recount then there would be no Supreme Court case.”

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US Pledges All-Out Defense to Counter Grave North Korean Threat

The United States and South Korea said on Wednesday that North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs posed a grave security threat after repeated tests this year. Consequently, the two countries agreed to intensify diplomatic and military efforts to counter that threat.

The countries said they had agreed to establish a high-level Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group. The group’s purpose is to influence “the full breadth of national power” following talks in Washington between their foreign and defense ministers. This includes military coordination, information, diplomacy, and economic elements.

The United States would do whatever it has to protect itself, South Korea and other allies against North Korea, according to US Secretary of State John Kerry.

A joint statement by Kerry and Defense Secretary Ash Carter reiterated that any attack by North Korea would be crushed. It also stated that any use of nuclear weapons would be met with an effective and overwhelming response.

Kerry and Carter also reaffirmed the solid and unwavering US commitment to bring in the full range of its military capabilities. Their primary goal is to provide extended deterrence to South Korea. These military capabilities include conventional strike, the US nuclear umbrella, and missile defense capabilities.

Questioned on what the US could do to stop North Korea from conducting more nuclear tests following those in January and September, Kerry told a news conference: “We will up and energize those three things that we have already been doing and put greater pressure, put greater diplomacy to work, and put greater deterrence to work so that in every case, we will underscore the futility of what Kim Jong-un and North Korea are pursuing.”

He said the military alternative was a last option and Washington was exerting effort to tighten sanctions. This includes trying to seal off a loophole in UN steps that permitted North Korea to export coal for commerce.

Kerry said the United States, as part of the military effort, would position the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system to South Korea immediately.

China sharply resists deployment of the missile defense system, saying it would intrude on its own strategic deterrence.

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se expressed North Korea was close to the final stage of nuclear weaponization. Due to this imminent threat, the allies would marshal “all tools in the toolkit” to defend themselves.

“Extended deterrence” could include permanent positioning of US strategic assets in South Korea. These assets involve F-22 stealth fighter jets, nuclear-capable B-52 and B-1B bombers, and nuclear-powered submarines.

Yun said he knew this would be deliberated on in talks between Carter and Han at the Pentagon on Thursday. He did not give further details.

Carter said earlier that Seoul and Washington would persist to modernize the alliance, appropriate new opportunities, and tackle developing threats. However, the Pentagon did not immediately respond when queried about the likelihood of such deployments.

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Has Donald Trump just lost the Presidential Election live on national TV?

Donald Trump may have made a huge blunder in his final head-to-head showdown with Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton tonight.

In a 90 minute live debate in Los Angeles, he refused to state whether he would accept the result of the election if it went against him.

And with his attitudes towards women in the spotlight, it may not have helped his image with the voters when he interrupted Clinton to say: “Such a nasty woman.”

Trump’s claim that he election has been rigged against him is set to be one of the major talking points of this debate.

Corrupt

He blamed the US media for being “corrupt and dishonest” and accused them of “trying to poison the minds of the voters” against him.

Hillary Clinton responded: “Every time something goes against him, he says that everything is rigged against him. This is how Donald thinks, it is funny but it is also very troubling.”

When debate moderator Chris Wallace asked the Republican nominee: “Will you absolutely accept the result of the election? Trump replied: “I will look at it at the time; I am not looking at anything now. I will look at it at the time.”

One commentator said immediately after the debate: “This is not the rhetoric of someone who thinks they are going to win – it sounds like the words of someone who thinks they have lost already.”

Tonight’s debate started off slowly with it taking about 30 minutes for both Clinton and Trump to hit their stride.

Insults

At that point it changed dramatically and got really personal with both candidates trading verbal blows and insults with each other for the remaining hour.

They clashed on immigration.

Trump: “We need to build a wall (between the US and Mexico.) We have some bad, bad hombres here and we have to get them out.

“Drugs are pouring in through the border. We have no country if we have no borders.”

Clinton: “We should bring undocumented immigrants out from the shadows because putting them into the formal economy will be good because employers can’t exploit them and undercut Americans wages.

Respect

“Donald has used undocumented labor to build the Trump Tower. He underpaid undocumented workers and when they complained, he basically said what a lot of employers do – you complain I’ll get you deported.”

They cashed on Trumps views on woman.

Clinton: “Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity and self-worth – that’s who Donald is.”

Trump: “Nobody has more respect for women than I do.”

And they spent a lot of time just trading insults. These two examples are typical of many insults which were exchanged during the debate.

Problem

Trump: “Hillary Clinton never gets anything done. The problem is you talk, but you don’t get anything done, Hillary, you don’t.”

Clinton: “On the day when I was in the situation room, monitoring the raid that brought Osama bin Laden to justice, he was hosting the Celebrity Apprentice.”

Trump closed the debate by saying he wanted to make America great again.

He said: “We don’t take care of our veterans. We take care of illegal immigrants, people that come into the country illegally, better than we take care of our vets. That can’t happen.

“I will do more for African-Americans and Latinos than she can ever do in ten lifetimes. All she’s done is talk to the African-Americans and to the Latinos. We cannot take four more years of Barack Obama. And that’s what you get when you get her.”

Clinton closed by saying she was reaching out to all Americans, whether they be Democrats, Republicans or independents.

Privileged

She said: “We need everybody to help make our country what it should be, to grow the economy, to make it fairer, to make it work for everyone.

“I’ve been privileged to see the presidency up close and I know the awesome responsibility of protecting our country and the incredible opportunity of working to try to make life better for all of you.

“I will do everything that I can to make sure that you have good jobs with rising incomes, that your kids have good educations from preschool through college.”

 

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According to Hacked Email, US to Ring China With Missile Defense

According to hacked email messages, US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said the United States had cautioned Beijing it would surround China with missile defense unless it did more to rein in North Korea’s missile program. She said this in an exclusive speech to bank executives three years.

Clinton said in a speech to Godman Sachs on June 4, 2013 that the implication to China had been, “You either control them, or we’re going to have to defend against them.” This was taken from a supposed Clinton campaign document. The file was appended to an email published by Wikileaks.

The authenticity of the leaked email was impossible to confirm. Further, the Clinton campaign has neither confirmed nor denied the validity of hacked emails.

On Friday, the State Department refused to comment on “alleged leaked documents”. An official remarked that to comment publicly on diplomatic discussions was not department policy.

According to the hacked email, the Democratic presidential candidate said in a speech that Washington could not tolerate a situation in which North Korea developed an inter-continental ballistic missile that can carry a miniaturized warhead.

She said that this could compromise treaty allies South Korea and Japan. Moreover, this could reach Hawaii and the West Coast of the United States.

“We’re going to ring China with missile defense. We’re going to put more of our fleet in the area. So China, come on. You either control them, or we’re going to have to defend against them,” Clinton said, according to the email.

China says THAAD radar a security risk

Plans revealed this year by South Korea and United States to set up the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system has angered China. The anti-missile defense system is aimed to defend against the threat posed by North Korean missiles.

Beijing is worried that the system’s powerful radar would pose a risk to its security. The United States, however, has reasoned THAAD is not intended at restraining China.

In February, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that the United States had made apparent that resolving the North Korean nuclear issue is the way to avert THAAD deployment.

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China Overtakes US in Billionaires List

A survey conducted by Shanghai publishers Hurun, shows China’s 594 billionaire population surpassed the 535 US billionaires for the first time.

The Hurun’s annual global rich list is one of the most trusted. It has an accurate assessment of China’s wealth and is often compared to the Forbes list in the US.

Property magnate Wang Jianlin of Dalian Wanda tops the list of 594 billionaires in the country. It puts him ahead of 535 billionaires in the US.

According to Hurun’s report, Property tycoon Wang Jianlin of Dalian Wanda owned the top spot with a total wealth of $32.1bn (£26.4bn). Dalian Wanda Group has been stepping up investments in the US movie markets. It has recently acquired Legendary Pictures, striking deals with US and UK cinema chains. Additionally, the conglomerate now formi a partnership with Sony Pictures.

Jack Ma of Alibaba seconded the list with a total wealth of $30.6bn, it increased 41% from last year.

Pony Ma of internet and online gaming giant Tencent took the third spot with $24.6bn.

Yao Zhengua of investment and real estate firm Baoneng Group, made a big wave and has grown its wealth by 820% to $17.2bn. That amount puts them firmly in the fourth spot.

Hurun chairman Rupert Hoogewerf said Mr. Yao’s growth represents China’s growing economy.

“Yao’s financial investment model represents the new wave of wealth creation in China,” he explained. “The first money made in China 20 years ago came from trading, followed by manufacturing, real estate, IT, and today, finally, it  makes use of the capital markets for financial investments.”

Robin Li and Melissa Ma of search engine Baidu made it to rank eight with a total of $14.7bn. Meanwhile, the founder of smartphone makers Xiaomi, Lei Jun, dropped from top 10 to the number 14 spot. This is due to the huge smartphone competition in China.
Most of the China’s billionaires are from Beijing, followed by Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Hangzhou.

Nevertheless, none of China’s super-rich made it into the Global top 20.

On the other hand, Forbes rich list shows Microsoft founder Bill Gates with $75bn on the top spot globally. The next spots belong to Amancio Ortega of Zara and legendary investor Warren Buffett.

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Why you need $216,129 a year to live comfortably in San Francisco

Israel Wary of Obama’s Parting Present to Palestinians with Barely Three Months Left in Office

Washington threatened to re-evaluate U.S. policy to veto the U.N. Security Council resolution on Israel’s presence in the West Bank during the election for Israel’s Prime Minister last year. The threat stemmed from an interview of PM Benjamin Netenyahu who is seeking re-election. He said that there would be no Palestinian state as long as he is the Prime Minister. Natenyahu withdrew his statement after the elections when he was votes as Prime Minister. White House urged legislators nonetheless to make up options on how Obama could “preserve the two-state solution.”

The White House threat as of now has not yet materialized. Furthermore, the U.S. and Israel signed an agreement last month extending the U.S. subsidy of Israeli military. The agreed subsidy was for another 10 years. With the U.S. Focus on the Syrian conflict and the humanitarian emergency in Aleppo, as well as the current U.S. Presidential elections coming to a close, it seems that the Obama administration has its hands full.

Israel’s friends in Washington are privately worried with Obama’s intention to have an equal opportunity approach between Palestinians and Israelis before his term expires. Israel’s fear of a possible step by Obama may very well be plausible. 88 senators signed a letter to Obama asking him to re-evaluate the “long-standing U.S. policy” to veto anti-Israel resolutions at the U.N.

The White House has not released any statement with regard to the petition. The White House on the other hand has “strongly condemned” Israel for approving 98 new housing settlements in the West Bank. The U.S. has always opposed the construction of settlements in the West Bank from the beginning of the occupation. Israel had taken control of the land after the Six Day War in 1967. The U.S has not sanctioned Israel on the current settlement issue as of this time.

The Obama administration has several options it could take that can threaten Israeli occupation in the West Bank. Any policy that would be presented that could undermine Israel’s hold in the region would meet strong opposition. Obama has however faced similar opposition from Israel and its friends in Washington. The Iran nuclear deal had run through stiff opposition. The White house however, managed to put the bargain through Congress with just enough democratic support.

Time Running Out?

Obama would face a different scenario now as he only has three months before his term expires. The nuclear deal was pushed through as he had more than a year left in office. With Obama’s time in office running short, it remains to be seen how the democrats would react if he takes action against Israel’s settlement activity.

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No Joint Patrols in South China Sea, Philippines Tells US

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Friday that he informed the United States military that plans for joint patrols and naval maneuvers in the contested South China Sea have been suspended.

The defense chief also said once the Philippines secures surveillance drones in the near future, US troops involved in operating the intelligence-gathering devices against Muslim insurgents would be requested to leave the southern part of the country.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte also wants to end all military exercises that are conducted each year. He plans to scale back from what he believes as over dependence on the US.

Duterte’s relationship with the United States, the country’s longtime ally, has been shaky ever since he took office in June. He has been expressing in speeches his displeasure over the Obama administration’s comments on his bloody war against drugs. Now, he will be putting the relationship to test further by acting on his pronouncement to cut back cooperation with the US military in the Philippines.

The complicated period afflicting the relationship between the two countries cannot be denied. Nevertheless, Lorenzana believes that those ties would bounce back in due course.

Agreements with other allies unaffected

Duterte’s disagreements with Washington will not affect relations with other US allies. Japan, for example, has signed a deal to lease five small surveillance planes. Japan has also pledged to deliver patrol ships for the Philippine coast guard.

Lorenzana said the planes may arrive as early as next month and would boost the country’s territorial defense.

Duterte has reached out to Russia and China while holding a critical position on US security policies. Lorenzana said Duterte has ordered him to go to Moscow and Beijing. He plans to discuss what the Philippines can secure in terms of defense equipment.

 

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Yahoo Scanned Customer Emails for US Intelligence Agencies

Yahoo searched hundreds of millions of Yahoo Mail accounts. They did this at the request of the National Security Agency or FBI, according to report published Tuesday.

The Internet company ran the operation last year after receiving a classified demand from intelligence or law enforcement agency. Three former Yahoo employees and one unidentified person familiar with the matter, made that statement.

The four individuals said that the government pressed Yahoo to search for a set of characters. It wasn’t clear what the intelligence officials were looking for but it could mean finding a specific phrase or code in an email or an attachment.

Two of the former employees said that Yahoo Chief Executive Marissa Mayer’s decision to comply with the demand and not involve the company’s security team in the process upset some senior executives. Mayer instead asked Yahoo’s email engineers to develop a special software to fulfill the government’s request.

This has led to the departure of Chief Information Security Officer Alex Stamos in June 2015.

The security team initially thought hackers broke in when they discovered the program in May 2015, a few weeks after it was installed.

Yahoo declined to comment further on the matter but said in a brief statement that the company ”complies with the laws of the United States.” The FBI and the Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comments.

FBI or NSA did not know which email accounts the target used. Experts believe that they had contacted other Internet companies with the same demand.

Aversion to government scrutiny

It is difficult to know which agency is pursuing the information. However the NSA normally makes requests for local surveillance via the FBI.

Google, the world’s largest email service, said Tuesday that it hadn’t received any related request from the US government. If it had, its response would be, “No way,” a spokesman for Google said in a statement.

Microsoft refused to comment on whether they received the same request. In a statement they said that they “have never engaged in the secret scanning of email traffic.”

Twitter, which does not offer email service though let users exchange direct messages, said it has never received such a request as well. If it did, they said they would challenge it in court. Likewise, Facebook said that it would “fight” such a demand should it ever receive one.

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Philippines’ Duterte: Russia, China Supportive When He Complained Against US

In a new tirade against Washington, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said on Sunday he received support from China and Russia when he complained to them about the United States.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev had agreed with him during a meeting on the sidelines of a leader’s summit in Laos last month when he criticized the United States, Duterte said.

Duterte disclosed during a speech, “I am revealing it to you now. I told him this is the situation: They are giving me a hard time. They are disrespecting me. They are shameless.”

“He said: ‘That is really how the Americans are.’ He said: ‘We will help you.’”

US President Barack Obama’s voicing over his opposition to Duterte’s deadly war on drugs has been a cause for annoyance for the Filipino president.

Duterte had called Obama a “son of a bitch” when Obama raised concerns about Duterte’s bloody campaign on drugs. This has caused the White House to cancel a meeting between the two leaders in Laos.

Duterte also mentioned his complaints about the United States to China, he said on Sunday. According to Duterte, a Chinese official said that the Philippines would not gain from siding with the United States.

As part of Duterte’s quest for an independent foreign policy, he has mentioned frequently that he intends to forge new partnerships with Russia and China, specifically for trade and commerce.

Duterte will visit Beijing on October 19 to 21 accompanied by a Philippine business delegation.

Re-evaluation of security arrangement with the US

In another jab at the US, Duterte said that he would review a significant security agreement with the United States, as it may not be binding since it does not bear the signature of the president of the Philippines. The US ambassador and then Philippine defense secretary signed the agreement.

The landmark security deal, known as Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, was signed before Obama visited the Philippines in 2014. It grants US troops access to Philippine military bases. It also gives them authority to put up storage facilities for maritime security and disaster response operations.

Although Duterte did not overtly say that the deal would be cancelled, it would be a huge setback for US attempts to enhance its authority in Asia and offset that of a rapidly emerging China if it does happens.

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Russia Sends More Jets, Pounds Rebel Held Territories in Aleppo

Air strikes by Russian war planes intensified in rebel held areas East of Aleppo on Saturday. The air strikes are in support of the Syrian Army’s major offensive which includes shelling eastern Aleppo with artillery. The Syrian governments offensive is on its 10^th day in an effort to recapture the last remaining rebel stronghold.

The Russian planes targeted major supply lines in the Castello Road and Malah District. Ground battles on the other hand, raged in the Suleiman al Halabi neighborhood.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov informed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that Moscow was ready to consider more ways to “normalize the situation in Aleppo”.

However, Lavrov said that the U.S. failed to separate the moderate rebel groups from the Islamist faction which the Russians call terrorist. This failure allowed the terrorist group formerly known as the Nusra front to violate the US-Russian truce agreed on September 9.

Russia and Assad disregarded the ceasefire to initiate a new intensified offensive. The renewed offensive is possibly the biggest operation they have implemented in the Syrian civil war.

No Ground Re-taken

Amid intensified efforts by the Russian air strikes and the Syrian army offensive, rebels have stood their ground and repelled the assault.

Rebels say that Syrian troops supported by Iranian-backed militias were having a difficult time to retake any ground in the frontline of the city. Abu Hamam, one of the rebels defending the city said. “They are shelling the old city heavily after another failed attempt to gain ground. Moreover, they have lost several fighters and we are steadfast.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based group is monitoring the war. They have reported “back and forth” fighting in the Suleiman al-Halabi neighborhood. They also reported at least 20 casualties in the Russian and Syrian strikes on Friday through the early morning of Saturday.

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