| Packing and cracking: The Supreme Court takes up partisan gerrymandering Posted: 02 Oct 2017 02:00 AM PDT  On October 3, the second day of the new term, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case that likely poses the most momentous question on its docket: Should it, for the first time in history, strike down a state's electoral map on the grounds of partisan gerrymandering?
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| Investigation Launched Into ‘Serious’ Air France Plane Engine Failure Posted: 01 Oct 2017 08:47 AM PDT  On Saturday, an Airbus A380 bound for Los Angeles suffered a mid-flight engine explosion and was forced to land in a remote part of eastern Canada.
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| Florida Nanny and Mother of 2 Found Dead in Apparently ‘Random’ Attack as Police Launch a Statewide Manhunt Posted: 01 Oct 2017 12:11 PM PDT  Jennifer Lynn Fulford, a nanny for a wealthy family and mother of two, disappeared in Florida and found dead three days later
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| Friend: Slain Georgia officer the 'absolute kindest person' Posted: 30 Sep 2017 09:47 AM PDT  CEDARTOWN, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia police officer killed while investigating a stolen vehicle is being remembered as a devoted wife and mother who was always willing to help others.
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| Starbucks Under Fire For Giving Less Parental Leave To Hourly Workers Posted: 02 Oct 2017 04:00 AM PDT  Why does Starbucks think it's OK to give its well-compensated salaried employees far better paid leave benefits than hourly workers who are already barely scraping by?
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| Australia sends naval support to Vanuatu's volcano island Posted: 01 Oct 2017 03:53 AM PDT  Australia has sent a naval ship to help evacuate thousands of people from Vanuatu's Ambae island, where a volcano is threatening a major eruption. The Vanuatu government announced last week that all 11,000 residents on Ambae -- in the north of the Pacific archipelago -- would be moved, after the Manaro Voui volcano rumbled to life and rained rock and ash on villages. The landing ship HMAS Choules departed Australia Saturday and is due to arrive at the Pacific nation mid-week, carrying emergency specialists and food supplies.
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| Attacker kills two women at Marseille railway station Posted: 01 Oct 2017 08:56 AM PDT ![Attacker kills two women at Marseille railway station]( "Attacker kills two women at Marseille railway station") Two women were stabbed to death and their assailant shot dead by soldiers in the southern French port city of Marseille on Sunday in what police sources described as a "likely terrorist act".
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| Paul Ryan On Trump And Race: 'His Heart's In The Right Place' Posted: 01 Oct 2017 08:19 AM PDT  House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) defended President Donald Trump's approach to race relations amid accusations that the president has fueled discord with his attacks on peacefully protesting football players and officials trying to help the millions of Puerto Ricans affected by Hurricane Maria. "Like I said before, he's learning," Ryan said on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday, when asked by host John Dickerson to rate Trump's ability to bring the U.S. together. "I know his heart's in the right place," Ryan added.
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| Donald Trump dedicates golf trophy to hurricane victims amid backlash over relief efforts Posted: 02 Oct 2017 02:14 AM PDT  Donald Trump has dedicated a golf trophy to hurricane victims, including the people of Puerto Rico, amid backlash as much of the country has been left without drinking water after devastation from Hurricane Maria. The president said on Sunday: "On behalf of all of the people of Texas, and all of the people - if you look today and see what is happening, how horrible it is but we have it under really great control - Puerto Rico and the people of Florida who have really suffered over this last short period of time with the hurricanes, I want to just remember them. "And we're going to dedicate this trophy to all of those people that went through so much that we love - a part of our great state, really part of our great nation," he continued. Congratulations to #TeamUSA������on your great @PresidentsCup victory! pic.twitter.com/fZeP1e9mo7— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2017 The president's administration has been heavily criticised as a majority of Puerto Rico's 3.4 million residents have been left without power or water. The White House has defended its response, but officials in Puerto Rico have said the situation is turning into a humanitarian crisis. Mr Trump has become embroiled in a high-profile feud with the San Juan mayor, as she pointed out he was tweeting instead of helping. "Let him tweet," said Carmen Yulin Cruz, speaking to The Telegraph while marshalling forklift trucks of aid inside a sports centre. "I don't mind. I'm too busy." Señor Presidente no eliminar las leyes de cabotaje es inmoral. Es un acto de opresión financiera que solo logrará agravar nuestra crisis. pic.twitter.com/6UujyEUlTD— Carmen Yulín Cruz (@CarmenYulinCruz) September 28, 2017 She paused for a second, turned and smiled. "Plus I don't have internet most of the time, so I can't get hold of the tweets." On Friday she tearfully begged Washington to send more help, saying: you're killing us with inefficiency". Mr Trump hit back – claiming she had been told by Democrats in Washington to be "nasty to Trump". We have done a great job with the almost impossible situation in Puerto Rico. Outside of the Fake News or politically motivated ingrates,...— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2017 "Such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help," he tweeted on Saturday. "They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort." After winning praise for his response to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, which stormed through Texas and Florida respectively, Mr Trump has been accused of neglecting Puerto Rico, home to 3.4 million Americans. It took until last Thursday, more than a week after Maria struck, for the administration to waive a law that banned foreign ships from delivering goods to Puerto Rico. Almost half the population remains without potable water and no-one knows when the island's electricity grid will be back online. Meanwhile, the President has tweeted, accusing his critics of spreading "Fake News". Hurricane Maria pummels the Caribbean, in pictures
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| John Kasich Hints That He May Need To Leave The GOP Posted: 01 Oct 2017 10:25 AM PDT  WASHINGTON ― Ohio governor John Kasich, a top Republican leader and former candidate for the party's presidential nomination, on Sunday said the GOP may be on a trajectory to lose supporters like him.
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| Trump Appears to Undermine New U.S.-North Korea Diplomatic Channel Posted: 01 Oct 2017 08:36 AM PDT  In a tweet, the president appeared to cast doubt on the success of new talks announced this weekend by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
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| 'A Declining World.' Mormon Leader Reaffirms Religion's Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage Posted: 30 Sep 2017 10:27 AM PDT  'A declining world'
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| The Latest: Coast Guard: Ship captain 'misjudged' hurricane Posted: 01 Oct 2017 10:17 AM PDT  JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Latest on Coast Guard findings about 2015 sinking of the cargo ship El Faro (all times local):
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| Teacher admits sexually assaulting depressed 11-year-old boy she 'wanted to make happy' Posted: 01 Oct 2017 04:57 AM PDT  A primary school teacher has been sentenced to five years in prison for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old pupil because she wanted to make the "chronically depressed" boy "happy". Katherine Gonzalez, 25, from Wisconsin in the US, was arrested on 5 March and charged with one count of first-degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 13. Ms Gonzalez, who worked as a fifth-grade teacher at Atlas Preparatory Academy, reportedly told police she wanted the child to see that someone cared.
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| The Navy Just Took Delivery Of Its Most Powerful Nuclear Attack Submarine Ever Posted: 01 Oct 2017 04:08 AM PDT  Earlier this month, the U.S. Navy took delivery of its newest Virginia-class attack submarine—the future USS Colorado (SSN-788). The new nuclear-powered submarine is the fifteenth Virginia–class vessel to be completed. Colorado will be formally commissioned into service early next year in the spring.
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| Air France Engine Fails Over The Atlantic, Other Incidents Posted: 01 Oct 2017 04:05 AM PDT  Out of the 496 passengers and 24 crew members that the plane carried, none were injured but remained on board hours after landing at 3:42 p.m.
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| Iran puts economic squeeze on Iraqi Kurds Posted: 30 Sep 2017 10:45 AM PDT  Iraq and Iran have turned to economic weapons in retaliation for Iraqi Kurdistan's independence referendum, with Baghdad closing the Kurds' airspace to international flights and Tehran freezing trade in fuels. After the autonomous Kurdish region's controversial "yes" vote for independence, neighbouring Iran announced joint border drills with Iraq and the fuel trade ban.
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| Trump Dedicates Golf Trophy To Hurricane Victims Posted: 01 Oct 2017 04:15 PM PDT  As millions of Puerto Ricans struggle to recover from Hurricane Maria, President Donald Trump attended a golfing event Sunday.
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| 'Nothing's changed': OJ Simpson makes first public comments since release from 'nowhere U.S.A' Posted: 01 Oct 2017 07:09 PM PDT  O.J. Simpson, whose racially charged 1995 murder trial riveted the nation, said nothing much had changed after spending almost a decade in "nowhere USA". The disgraced American football star was freed on parole after nine years behind bars for armed robbery. The 70-year-old left the Lovelock Correctional Center in the western state of Nevada just after midnight local time, prison spokesperson Brooke Keast said. "I don't know where he was headed," Keast said. A video released by the Nevada Department of Corrections showed him leaving the facility and heading toward a car park wearing a long coat and baseball cap as a woman said: "Come on out." Hours later, he was tracked down by reporters as he sat in the back of a white SUV in Amargosa Valley, about 75 miles northwest of Las Vegas, just after 5:30 a.m.. Former football legend O.J. Simpson signs documents at the Lovelock Correctional Center Credit: AP "Man, how in the … Have you all been … you all stalking me?" he said, according to the video obtained by the New York Post. Asked how it felt to be free, he said: "I'm in a car for the last five hours, so how do I know how it feels to be out? "I've been in nowhere U.S.A. for the last nine years doing nothing. Nothing has changed in my life. What do you expect?" he said. Asked where he was headed, he replied: "None of your business." Simpson's lawyer has said he planned to relocate to Florida following his release from the medium-security prison where he has been serving his sentence. "God bless, take care guys," he said as the reporter left, adding: "Yeah, nothing's changed." A Nevada parole official said Simpson planned to live at a home in the Las Vegas area for the foreseeable future. State Parole and Probation Capt. Shawn Arruti told The Associated Press that Simpson has one approved residential plan, and it doesn't currently include a move to Florida or any other state. Arruti said that could change in the future. Simpson was granted parole at a hearing in July and his earliest release date was set for October 1, but he had widely been expected to be freed no earlier than Monday. OJ timeline Instead, he was set free at eight minutes past midnight (0708 GMT Sunday) "to ensure public safety and avoid possible incident," Keast said. Simpson was famously found not guilty in 1995 of the grisly murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and a male friend, Ron Goldman, in a case that transfixed the country and became known as the "Trial of the Century." But the former National Football League running back and actor was sent to prison in 2008 for his role in an armed robbery the previous year of two sports memorabilia dealers at a Las Vegas resort. Simpson claimed at his trial that he was just seeking to recover personal items from the dealers, an explanation that satisfied his parole board. At his parole hearing in July Simpson initially did not express any remorse for his actions but eventually offered that he was "sorry that things turned out the way they did." Profile | OJ Simpson
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| U.S. directly communicating with North Korea, seeks dialogue Posted: 01 Oct 2017 04:57 AM PDT ![U.S. directly communicating with North Korea, seeks dialogue]( "U.S. directly communicating with North Korea, seeks dialogue") By Phil Stewart and Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States said on Saturday it was directly communicating with North Korea on its nuclear and missile programs but Pyongyang had shown no interest in dialogue. The disclosure by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during a trip to China represented the first time he has spoken to such an extent about U.S. outreach to North Korea over its pursuit of a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile.
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| More Than 60,000 People Are Still Living in Hotels 1 Month After Hurricane Harvey Posted: 01 Oct 2017 01:51 PM PDT  And more than 1,500 people are still in shelters
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| Palestinian reconciliation faces perilous road ahead Posted: 01 Oct 2017 10:07 AM PDT  GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Palestinian prime minister on Monday is set to lead a large delegation of Fatah officials traveling from the West Bank to Gaza in the most ambitious attempt to reconcile with the rival Hamas militant group after a 10-year rift.
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| Stealth Showdown: America's F-22 Raptor vs China's J-20 (Who Wins?) Posted: 01 Oct 2017 06:47 PM PDT  While such a configuration works well for a fast supersonic strike aircraft, it's not ideal for an air superiority fighter that needs be able to sustain high rates of turn. As with all modern conventional wars, airpower and air superiority will play a key role.
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| Worst mass shootings in the modern United States Posted: 02 Oct 2017 07:14 AM PDT  Washington (AFP) - After a gunman killed more than 50 people at a Las Vegas concert Sunday, here are some of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States in the past 25 years.
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| Voices of the Catalan referendum in Barcelona Posted: 01 Oct 2017 07:05 PM PDT ![Voices of the Catalan referendum in Barcelona]( "Voices of the Catalan referendum in Barcelona") Photographer José Colon visited some polling stations to bring us a look and some words from those who voted today and why – and from some who came to support the right to vote and others who weren't allowed to vote at all.
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| Marshawn Lynch Showed Up On Game Day Wearing 'Everybody vs. Trump' Shirt Posted: 01 Oct 2017 04:24 PM PDT  It's probably safe to say Marshawn Lynch won't be supporting a re-election bid for President Donald Trump.
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| Death of the Nile: Egypt fears Ethiopian dam will cut into its water supply Posted: 01 Oct 2017 11:57 PM PDT  The only reason Egypt has even existed from ancient times until today is because of the Nile River, which provides a thin, richly fertile stretch of green through the desert. Now, for the first time, the country fears a potential threat to that lifeline, and it seems to have no idea what to do about it. Ethiopia is finalizing construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, its first major dam on the Blue Nile, and then will eventually start filling the giant reservoir behind it to power the largest hydroelectric dam in Africa. Egypt fears that will cut into its water supply, destroying parts of its precious farmland and squeezing its population of 93 million people, who already face water shortages. Dam construction on international rivers often causes disputes over the downstream impact. But the Nile is different: few nations rely so completely on a single river as much as Egypt does. The Nile provides over 90 per cent of Egypt's water supply. Almost the entire population lives cramped in the sliver of the Nile Valley. Around 60 per cent of Egypt's Nile water originates in Ethiopia from the Blue Nile, one of two main tributaries. Holiday makers enjoy Nile cruises during Sham el-Nessim, or "smelling the breeze," in Cairo, Egypt Credit: AP Photo/Amr Nabil Egypt hardly gets by with the water it does have. It has one of the lowest per capita shares of water in the world, some 660 cubic meters a person. The strain is worsened by inefficiency and waste. With the population expected to double in 50 years, shortages are predicted to become severe even sooner, by 2025. Egypt already receives the lion's share of Nile waters: more than 55 billion of the around 88 billion cubic meters of water that flow down the river each year. It is promised that amount under agreements from 1929 and 1959 that other Nile nations say are unfair and ignore the needs of their own large populations. Complicating the situation, no one has a clear idea what impact Ethiopia's dam will actually have. Addis Ababa insists it will not cause significant harm to Egypt or Sudan downstream. Sayed Ahmed Abdoh poles his boat to check his fish traps in the Nile River, near Abu al-Nasr village, about 770 kilometers (480 miles) south of Cairo Credit: AP Photo/Hiro Komae Much depends on the management of the flow and how fast Ethiopia fills its reservoir, which can hold 74 billion cubic meters of water. A faster fill means blocking more water, while doing it slowly would mean less reduction downstream. Once the fill is completed, the flow would in theory return to normal. Egypt, where agriculture employs a quarter of the work force, is worried that the damage could be long-lasting. One study by a Cairo University agriculture professor estimated Egypt would lose a staggering 51 percent of its farmland if the fill is done in three years. A slower, six-year fill would cost Egypt 17 percent of its cultivated land, the study claimed. Top five | Reasons to visit Ethiopia Internal government studies estimate that for every reduction of 1 billion cubic meters of water, 200,000 acres of farmland would be lost and livelihoods of 1 million people affected, since an average of five people live off each acre, a senior Irrigation Ministry official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the figures. Other experts say the impact will be far smaller, even minimal. They say Egypt could suffer no damage at all if it and Ethiopia work together and exchange information, adjusting the rate of filling the reservoir to ensure that Egypt's own massive reservoir on the Nile, Lake Nasser, stays full enough to meet its needs during the fill. Unfortunately, that isn't happening so far. "To my knowledge, this situation is unique, particularly at this scale," said Kevin Wheeler at the Oxford University's Environmental Change Institute. "I just can't think of another case that has two large reservoirs in series without a plan on how to operate them together." Originating in Ethiopia, the Blue Nile flows into Sudan, where it joins with the White Nile, whose source is Lake Victoria in east Africa. From there it flows through Egypt to the Mediterranean. For Ethiopia, the $5 billion dam is the realization of a long-delayed dream. Ethiopia's infrastructure is among the least developed in the world, leaving most of its 95 million people without access to electricity. The hydroelectric dam is to have a capacity to generate over 6,400 Megawatts, a massive boost to the current production of 4,000 Megawatts. The dam, around 60 percent complete, is likely to be finished this year or early next. Ethiopia has given little information on when it will start the fill or at what rate. "We have taken into account (the dam's) probable effects on countries like Egypt and Sudan," Ethiopia's water, irrigation and electricity minister, Sileshi Bekele, told journalists. He added that plans for the fills could be adjusted. In a 2015 Declaration of Principles agreement, Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan agreed to contract an independent study of the dam's impact and abide by it as they agree on a plan for filling the reservoir and operating the dam. But the deadline to complete the study has passed, and it has hardly begun, held up by differences over information sharing and transparency despite multiple rounds of negotiations among the three. Frustration among Egyptian officials is starting to show. In June, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri spoke of "difficult talks" and complained of delays in the impact study. A high-ranking government official acknowledged there's little Egypt can do. "We can't stop it and in all cases, it will be harmful to Egypt," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks. Egyptian leaders in the past have rumbled about military action to stop any dam, but that option seems less likely after Egypt signed the Declaration of Principles. Salman Salman, a Sudanese water expert, said Egypt has long had an attitude of "this is our river and no one can touch it." Now, he said, "Egypt is no longer the dominant force along the Nile. Ethiopia is replacing it."
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| Marilyn Manson Hospitalized After Massive Stage Prop Collapses During New York City Concert Posted: 01 Oct 2017 08:22 AM PDT  Marilyn Manson's New York City concert ended abruptly Saturday night after a stage prop collapsed on top of him, causing him to be brought to a hospital for his injuries
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| Turkey opens military base in Mogadishu to train Somali soldiers Posted: 01 Oct 2017 12:32 AM PDT  By Abdirahman Hussein and Orhan Coskun MOGADISHU/ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey opened its biggest overseas military base on Saturday in Somalia's capital, cementing its ties with the volatile but strategic Muslim nation and building a presence in East Africa. More than 10,000 Somali soldiers will be trained by Turkish officers at the base, a senior Turkish official said ahead of a ceremony in Mogadishu attended by Turkish military chief of staff Hulusi Akar. Turkey's relations with the Horn of Africa date back to the Ottoman Empire, but President Tayyip Erdogan's government has become a close ally of the Somali government in recent years.
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| More trafficking victims turn to hotline with pleas for help Posted: 01 Oct 2017 08:48 AM PDT  The tipster's account was grim. A woman had suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung at the hands of a man who for nine years had been forcing her into prostitution.
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| Climber Dies Saving Wife on One-Year Anniversary Trip: 'He Dived on Top of Me' Posted: 30 Sep 2017 11:46 AM PDT  His wife suffered a fractured skull.
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| Teenage Surfer's Close Encounter With Shark Posted: 01 Oct 2017 10:34 PM PDT  Matt Marshall was catching a wave when he came face-to-face with a 13-foot-long shark.
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| 3,000 killed in Syria in deadliest month of 2017: monitor Posted: 01 Oct 2017 04:21 AM PDT  Syria's war killed at least 3,000 people including 955 civilians in September, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said Sunday, in the deadliest month of the conflict this year. "More than 70 percent of the civilians were killed in regime and Russian air strikes, or in air raids of the international coalition" fighting the Islamic State group, the Britain-based monitor's head Rami Abdel Rahman said. Backed by Russian air strikes, the forces of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad are pressing a battle to retake IS-controlled areas in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor.
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| Fox Sports: We Will No Longer Air National Anthem Before NFL Games Posted: 02 Oct 2017 02:33 AM PDT  Fox Sports will no longer air coverage of the national anthem before its NFL games, the network said on Sunday in a statement to Sports Illustrated.
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| Catalonian referendum violence plunges EU into crisis as '90pc of voters back independence' Posted: 02 Oct 2017 12:56 AM PDT  Catalonia's government said 90 percent of those who voted in an unauthorised independence referendum chose to split from Spain. On a day marred by clashes between police and voters, 2.26 million people took part in the referendum, regional government spokesman Jordi Turull said. That represents a turnout of 42.3 percent of Catalonia's 5.34 million voters. A woman tends to her injuries in front of riot police near a school being used as a polling station Credit: Geraldine Hope Ghelli/Bloomberg Of those who took part, 2.02 million Catalans voted "yes" to the question: "Do you want Catalonia to become an independent state in the form of a republic?" The preliminary results pave the way for the region's leader to declare independence in the coming days, despite the Spanish government ruling the referendum illegal. Catalan referendum results The brutal scenes of police cracking down on the referendum plunged the EU into a new crisis after hundreds of people were injured in the violent stand-offs with Spanish police. In violent scenes beamed around the world, officers in riot gear fired rubber bullets into crowds and beat would-be voters with batons as they queued at polling stations. The Catalan government claimed 844 people were injured. There was widespread condemnation of the Spanish government's attempt to crack down on the vote, which Catalan authorities had called despite the courts ruling it illegal. However, the European Union remained conspicuously silent on the police tactics, which saw masked officers smash their way into polling stations and forcibly remove ballot boxes. Catalan referendum: Clashes as voters defy Madrid 01:01 Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan leader, said the region had "won the right to an independent state" after "millions" turned out to vote in a banned independence referendum. "With this day of hope and suffering, the citizens of Catalonia have won the right to an independent state in the form a republic," he said in a televised announcement after polls had closed. Before the results were announced, he said he would keep his pledge to declare independence unilaterally within 48 hours of the vote if the "Yes" side won the referendum. People hold Catalan flags as they listen to Catalan President Carles Puigdemont speak via a televised press conference as they await the result of the Indepenence Referendum at the Placa de Catalunya Credit: Getty "Today the Spanish state wrote another shameful page in its history with Catalonia," he said, adding that he would appeal to the European Union to look into alleged human rights violations during Sunday's vote. Violence broke out across Catalonia as armoured police moved in to break up the vote. Video footage showed officers from Spain's national police - 4,000 of whom had been brought in by the government to help quash the ballot - fighting with elderly voters, some of whom were left bleeding, and dragging young women away from polling stations by their hair. Amid tense scenes, uniformed Catalan firefighters appeared to act as human shields to protect voters from advancing lines of police. Firemen try to hold a group of people in front of Spanish Guardia Civil officers outside a polling station in San Julia de Ramis Credit: LUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images Responding to the unfolding crisis, Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, told the Daily Telegraph last night: "Obviously we are very anxious about any violence. We hope that things will sort themselves out, though clearly you have to be sensitive to the constitutional proprieties." He added: "As I understand it the referendum is not legal, so there are difficulties." Nicola Sturgeon described the Foreign Office's statement as "shamefully weak". Statement from @foreignoffice on #Catalonia is shamefully weak. A true friend of Spain would tell them today's actions wrong and damaging. pic.twitter.com/bBnCmn5BWw— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) October 1, 2017 "A true friend of Spain would tell them today's actions wrong and damaging," Scotland's First Minister said. Andrew Rosindell, a Tory MP who sits on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said he believed the European Union's response would have been much stronger if such scenes were playing out in other EU countries. He told the Daily Telegraph the European Union was "showing itself again to be completely hypocritical". Spanish police push people with a shield outside a polling station in Barcelona Credit: PAU BARRENA/AFP/Getty Images Mr Rosindell accused the Spanish government of trying to "bully the people" and that the violence "shows both Spain and the EU in a very bad light". He said: "For years the Spanish have used the Guardia Civil to make life as difficult as possible for Gibraltar and they are using the same police force again to attack the people of Catalonia. "In other circumstances there is no doubt the EU would be coming down like a tonne of bricks. They are demonstrating double standards: If this was happening in Hungary or another country there would certainly be a different reaction." While some MEPs including Guy Verhofstadt - the parliament's Brexit negotiator - condemned the police violence as 'disproportionate', the European Commission said it would not respond to the crisis until Monday. Catalan referendum in pictures European leaders were also noticeably silent. The only voice emerging from Brussels was that of the Belgium prime minister, Charles Michel. On Twitter, he called for political dialogue to resolve the crisis, insisting: "Violence can never be the answer!" Spain, meanwhile, did not waver in its assertion that the referendum - which was ordered suspended by the Spanish constitutional court - is illegal, and that its hand has been forced by a Catalan government it claims is engaged in a coup. Spain's foreign minister Alfonso Dastis said the violence was "unfortunate" and "unpleasant" but "proportionate", blaming the violence exclusively on Mr Puigdemont and his regional government. Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy delivers a statement at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid Credit: Sergio Perez/Reuters Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy last night said: "We did what we had to do", describing the ballot as a "premeditated attack on the legality of the Spanish state faced down with serenity by the forces of order". Making no mention of the large number of people injured in police charges outside polling stations, Mr Rajoy said: "Democracy won today because the Constitution was upheld". He said the police 'performed their duty' in Catalonia. People clash with Spanish Guardia Civil guards Credit: RAYMOND ROIG/AFP/Getty Images The Spanish deputy prime minister, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, blasted the Catalan government's "irresponsibility" in insisting on holding an "illegal referendum with no democratic guarantees", demanding that they end what she described as a "farce". The Catalan government contends it has been forced to go ahead with the unilateral poll, saying it has been left no other option after the central government consistently refused substantive negotiations over the region's status. In the event of a "Yes" vote, Mr Puigdemont plans to make a unilateral declaration of independence 48 hours after the results, which are expected to be announced Monday. He told The Telegraph last week that he would then be seeking dialogue with Spain and the European Union, insisting that Europe could no longer "keep looking the other way". Mr Puigdemont insisted Sunday that the poll had been carried out successfully despite the police crackdown, with voting taking place in 95 percent of polling stations. Spanish National riot policemen form a security cordon around the Ramon Llull school Credit: EPA/Alberto Estevez "Batons against ballot boxes, violence against public spirit," he said, claiming "the shame will stay with (Spain) forever". Security concerns even had an impact on Sunday's football. FC Barcelona initially suspended its home match against Las Palmas as a precaution, but ended up playing behind closed doors after Spain's RFEF federation rejected the postponement. The European Commission, the EU's civil service, has repeatedly backed the Spanish government and constitutional court's stance that the vote is illegal. Thousands clash with police in Barcelona protests 01:04 Yesterday the EC told The Telegraph it had nothing to add a statement made by Jean-Claude Juncker on Friday, when he backed "the rule of law" in Spain. But human rights groups and politicians from around the world contended that regardless of the legality of the poll, the heavy-handed response went beyond what was unacceptable in a 21st century democracy. Andrew Stroehlein, of Human Rights Watch, said that despite the court suspension, the government had a duty to protect the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. The EU would "have to say something more soon," he suggested. Catalans have expressed particular concern about the use of rubber bullets, which the Catalan police force are banned from using, and which left one person needing eye surgery yesterday. How Catalonia is so important to Spain There were suggestions from several quarters that the Commission was taking a much laxer stance on Spain, a valued member of the EU core with an important stake in Brexit negotiations, than it would against other member states. "The fundamental rights of EU citizens are being damaged by this disproportionate use of violence against peaceful citizens," Amadeu Altafaj, the permanent representative of the Catalan government to the EU in Brussels told the Telegraph. "For some countries like Poland there are strict standards but when it comes to Spain, there seems to be a lot of complacency."
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| Keep the Iran Deal, Attack the Regime Posted: 02 Oct 2017 03:44 AM PDT  Blowing up the nuclear deal would be a big step backward in the fight against Tehran.
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| Open-plan offices don't work and will be replaced by the ‘coffice’, says BT futurologist Posted: 01 Oct 2017 02:00 PM PDT  They were supposed to generate a sense of camaraderie, enhance teamwork and encourage an open flow of ideas between colleagues after decades of segregation in booths. But open-plan offices are actually bad for productivity, allowing workers to be interrupted every three minutes by a range of distractions, a futurologist at BT has warned. Dr Nicole Millard, an expert in data, analytics and emerging technology, said that large offices are inefficient, especially for introverts who work better when they are not disturbed, and predicted they will soon die out. Instead, she has forecasts that employees in the future will become 'shoulder-bag workers' carrying their offices in backpacks and collaborating in small teams in coffee shops - or 'coffices.' Our technology has shrunk so we can literally get our office in a small bag. We are untethered, we don't have to have a desk anymore.Dr Nicole Millard, BT Although many firms believe large, open-plan workspaces help collaboration, in fact, unless staff are in close proximity 'you might as well be in Belgium', said Dr Millard. However research has shown that put workers too close together and they clam up, as if being stuck in a lift together. "The trouble with open-plan offices is they are a one-size-fits-all model which actually fits nobody," Dr Millard said at New Scientist Live in London yesterday. "We're interrupted every three minutes. It takes us between eight and 20 minutes to get back into that thought process. Email. We get too much. Meetings, colleagues. It's all distracting. "Is being switched on making us more productive? The answer is no. The problem of the future is switching off. The big damage is task-switching. You can tell you have been task switching when you switch off your computer at night and find there several unclosed windows or unsent emails still there because you were interrupted. "So we will become shoulder bag workers. Our technology has shrunk so we can literally get our office in a small bag. We are untethered, we don't have to have a desk anymore." People will be using coffee shops and hotel lobbies more frequently than offices in the future Credit: Tim Robberts Source: Getty Images However Dr Millard said that offices are still important, if only for socialising. "We need a balance between we and me," she added. "We need to give people options of how they can work, such as home working. "But I do go a tiny bit nuts if I am just at home, so I think we will start to embrace 'the coffice' I need good coffee, connectivity, cake, my wifi wings to fly me into the cloud. I like company. The 'coffice' could be a coffee shop or a hotel lobby." Inside Google's funky fourth floor 01:23 Dr Millard said the ageing workforce will also change how offices work, because older people will no longer want to work nine to five or commute for long distances. By 2039 the Office for National Statistics expects that the number of people aged 75 and over will have risen by 89pc to 9.9 million and one in 12 of the population will be 80 or over. When the state pension was introduced in 1909 it was intended to aid those aged 70 or older at a time when the average man died at 59 and the average woman at 63. "The average pension pot is designed to last only 18 years, so we're going to be working a lot longer," she said. "We have an older workforce, which is fantastic because they have accumulated experience gained over many years but they are probably not going to work nine to five, or commute into work. In fact, I can't remember the last time I worked from nine to five." Robots are unlikely to take over most jobs in the workplaces Credit: Anadolu Agency Source: Anadolu She also said that it was unlikely the robots would take most jobs. "A lot of these technology won't replace us they will help us to the dirty, dull and dangerous jobs that we don't want to do. It's very difficult for robots to replicate humans. They don't have the dexterity, the empathy, the gut feelings. "I think the rise of the droids is a positive trend and can make us feel more valuable as human beings."
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| Mnuchin says no regrets over government plane use Posted: 01 Oct 2017 10:49 AM PDT  By Julia Harte WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Sunday he does not regret using a government plane to travel to Kentucky in August with his wife to view the solar eclipse and speak to business leaders, calling it "completely justifiable." Mnuchin's use of the plane at taxpayers' expense prompted an outcry from Democratic lawmakers and interest groups and spurred a government watchdog to begin examining whether it violated travel or ethics policies. "It was approved by the White House and there were reasons why we needed to use that plane that are completely justifiable," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press" program. Cabinet members rarely use government planes or chartered aircraft for domestic travel, but the practice has received significant attention in the wake of Mnuchin's trip.
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| Mom Leaves Kids Behind for Trip To Germany, Arrested Upon Return Posted: 30 Sep 2017 10:40 AM PDT  An Iowa mother left four children under 13 years old home alone.
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| Pumpkin Coconut Squares are scrumptious treat for Halloween Posted: 02 Oct 2017 07:25 AM PDT  Here's a scrumptious treat for Halloween. It happens to be too delicate to give away to the trick-or-treaters, but it's just right for y-o-u and your family and friends at a Halloween party or dinner.
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| Seven killed in Cameroon as anglophones declare 'independence' Posted: 01 Oct 2017 08:00 PM PDT  At least seven people were killed in Cameroon's restive anglophone belt at the weekend as a separatist group made a symbolic declaration of independence. The separatists chose October 1, the anniversary of the official reunification of the anglophone and francophone parts of Cameroon, to declare independence for "Ambazonia", the name of the state they want to create. The government deployed security forces at the weekend in English-speaking regions, notably Buea in the southwest and Bamenda, the main town in the northwest and a hub of anglophone agitation.
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| A Massive Solar Storm has had a Huge Effect on Mars' Atmosphere Posted: 30 Sep 2017 06:23 PM PDT  Particles traveling from the Sun have wreaked havoc on Mars, NASA says.
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| Price's exit adds another hurdle to GOP health care push Posted: 01 Oct 2017 05:18 AM PDT  BRANCHBURG, N.J. (AP) — The ouster of Tom Price as President Donald Trump's health secretary is yet another self-inflicted blow for Republicans wishing to put their own stamp on health care — and the latest distraction for a White House struggling to advance its agenda after months of turmoil.
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| Women forced to remove the veil on day one of Austrian burqa ban Posted: 01 Oct 2017 11:17 AM PDT  Muslim women in Austria were forced by police to remove their facial coverings on Sunday, as an anti-burqa law came into effect. The so-called 'burqa ban' prohibits facial coverings including niqabs and burqas, and also places restrictions on surgical masks, ski masks and clown make-up worn in public. Yesterday, a woman wearing a niqab facial veil, which only leaves the eyes uncovered, was seen being told to remove her veil by two police officers in Zell am See, a city south of Saltzburg. Austria's ban on full-face Islamic veils comes into force following similar measures in other European countries Credit: BARBARA GINDL/AFP/Getty Images Those who defy the ban could face a fine of €150 (£132). While the rule applies to some non-religious facial coverings, it is mostly perceived to be directed at the extremely modest clothes worn by a minority of Muslim women. Police officers ask a woman to unveil her face in Zell am See, Austria Credit: BARBARA GINDL/AFP/Getty Images Full veils remain rare in Austria despite the surge of migrants and refugees into Europe in 2015, but they have become a target for right-wing groups and political parties. The measures, similar to those in other European Union countries such as France, also apply to visitors even though large numbers of Arab tourists holiday in the Alpine country. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has previously indicated her support for a similar law in Germany, saying: "Our law takes precedence over codes of honor, tribal or family rules, and over sharia law." Some Muslim groups in Austria have criticised the ban. Carla Amina Bhagajati of the Islamic Religious Community in Austria said the "handful" of fully veiled women she knows of in Vienna "now are criminalized and... restricted to their homes." A model holds an information pamphlet about new Austrian restrictions Credit: JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images The legislation was brought in by the outgoing centrist government of Chancellor Christian Kern. The government said: "Acceptance and respect of Austrian values are basic conditions for successful cohabitation between the majority Austrian population and people from third countries living in Austria." However, the strong support for the new law could point towards political upheaval in Austria's general election on October 15. Austrian parties campaigning on anti-migrant messages are predicted to win and form a coalition government, reflecting a swing to the right in a country that has mainly had centrist governments since World War II. The election is expected to see the anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPOe) come second or third and potentially enter a coalition with Sebastian Kurz of the centre-right. Other measures that came into force Sunday include immigrants signing an "integration contract" and compulsory courses in the German language and "values".
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| Dad Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison After Killing His 3-Year-Old Son to Allegedly Keep His Teenage Girlfriend Posted: 30 Sep 2017 11:51 AM PDT  A New Jersey man was sentenced to 10 years in prison after killing his 3-year-old son in October 2015 in order to keep his teenage girlfriend
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