LEGALIZING WEED IN WASHINGTON AND COLORADO?

"Today the state of Washington looked at 70 years of marijuana prohibition and said it's time for a new approach," said Alison Holcomb, manager of the campaign that won passage of Initiative 502 in Washington state.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat who opposed legalization, was less enthused. "Federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don't break out the Cheetos or gold fish too quickly," he said.

The results in Maine and Maryland broke a 32-state streak, dating to 1998, in which gay marriage had been rebuffed by every state that voted on it. They will become the seventh and eighth states to allow same-sex couples to marry.

In Massachusetts, where assisted suicide was on the ballot, supporters of a question legalizing physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill conceded defeat Wednesday morning, even though the vote was too close to call.

A spokesman for the Death With Dignity Act campaign said in a statement that "regrettably, we fell short." Massachusetts could have become the third state to allow terminally ill patients to get help from their doctors to end their lives with lethal doses of medication.

And in California, voters turned down a chance to repeal the death penalty.

In another gay-rights victory, Minnesota voters defeated a conservative-backed amendment that would have placed a ban on same-sex marriage in the state constitution. Similar measures have been approved in 30 other states, most recently in North Carolina in May. Even though the amendment was defeated, same-sex marriage remains illegal in Minnesota under statute.

"The tide has turned — when voters have the opportunity to really hear directly from loving, committed same-sex couples and their families, they voted for fairness," said Rick Jacobs of the Courage Campaign, a California-based gay rights group. "Those who oppose the freedom to marry for committed couples are clearly on the wrong side of history."

Washington state also voted on a measure to legalize same-sex marriage, though results were not expected until Wednesday at the soonest.

The outcomes of the marriage votes could influence the U.S. Supreme Court, which will soon consider whether to take up cases challenging the law that denies federal recognition to same-sex marriages. The gay-rights victories come on the heels of numerous national polls that, for the first time, show a majority of Americans supporting same-sex marriage. President Barack Obama declared his support for legal recognition of same-sex marriage earlier this year.

Maine's referendum marked the first time that gay-rights supporters put same-sex marriage to a popular vote. In Maryland and Washington, gay-marriage laws were approved by lawmakers and signed by the governors this year, but opponents gathered enough signatures to challenge the laws.

The president of the most active advocacy group opposing same-sex marriage, Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage, insisted Tuesday's results did not mark a watershed moment.

"At the end of the day, we're still at 32 victories," he said. "Just because two extreme blue states vote for gay marriage doesn't mean the Supreme Court will create a constitutional right for it out of thin air." ''Blue states" is a term used to refer to Democratic-leaning states.

Heading into the election, gay marriage was legal in six states and the District of Columbia — in each case the result of legislation or court orders, not by a vote of the people.

The marijuana measures in Colorado and Washington will likely pose a headache for the U.S. Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, which consider pot an illegal drug. The DOJ has declined to say how it would respond if the measures were approved.

Colorado's Amendment 64 will allow adults over 21 to possess up to an ounce (28 grams) of marijuana, though using the drug publicly would be banned. The amendment would allow people to grow up to six marijuana plants in a private, secure area.

Washington state's measure establishes a system of state-licensed marijuana growers, processors and stores, where adults can buy up to an ounce. It also establishes a standard blood test limit for driving under the influence.

The Washington measure was notable for its sponsors and supporters, who ranged from public health experts and wealthy high-tech executives to two former top Justice Department's officials in Seattle, U.S. Attorneys John McKay and Kate Pflaumer.

"Marijuana policy reform remains an issue where the people lead and the politicians follow," said Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance, which opposes the co-called "war on drugs." ''But Washington state shows that many politicians are beginning to catch up."

Estimates show pot taxes could bring in hundreds of millions of dollars a year, but the sales won't start until state officials make rules to govern the legal weed industry.

The Washington measure was opposed by Derek Franklin, president of the Washington Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention.

"Legalizing is going to increase marijuana use among kids and really create a mess with the federal government," Franklin said. "It's a bit of a tragedy for the state."

In Oregon, a marijuana-legalization measure was defeated. In Massachusetts, voters approved a measure to allow marijuana use for medical reasons, joining 17 other states. Arkansas voters rejected a similar measure.

In all, 176 measures were on the ballots Tuesday in 38 states, according to the Initiative and Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California.

Other notable results:

— Maryland voters approved a measure allowing illegal immigrants to pay lower in-state college tuition, provided they attended a state high school for three years and can show they filed state income tax returns during that time. About a dozen other states have similar laws, but Maryland's is the first to be approved by voters.

— In Oklahoma, voters approved a Republican-backed measure that wipes out all affirmative action programs in state government hiring, education and contracting practices. Similar steps have been taken previously in Arizona, California, Michigan, Nebraska and Washington.

— In Michigan, labour unions suffered a big loss. Voters rejected a first-of-its-kind ballot initiative that would have put collective bargaining rights in the state constitution.

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Contributing to this report were Brian Witte in Annapolis, Maryland; Nicholas K. Geranios and Gene Johnson in Seattle; Clarke Canfield in Portland, Maine, and Kristen Wyatt in Denver.

Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc on parts of the U.S. East Coast a month ago Thursday after tearing through the Caribbean. In the weeks since, the storm's scope has come into sharper focus.

DEATHS

Sandy killed at least 125 people in the United States. That includes 60 in New York — 48 of them in New York City — 34 in New Jersey and 16 in Pennsylvania. At least seven people died in West Virginia, where the storm dropped heavy snow. Sandy killed 71 people in the Caribbean, including 54 in Haiti.

LOSSES

Sandy is being blamed for about $62 billion in damage and other losses in the U.S., the vast majority of it in New York and New Jersey — a number that could increase. It's the second-costliest storm in U.S. history after 2005's Hurricane Katrina, which caused $128 billion in damage in inflation-adjusted dollars. Sandy caused at least $315 million in damage in the Caribbean.

DAMAGE

Sandy damaged or destroyed homes and businesses, more than 72,000 in New Jersey alone, Gov. Chris Christie said Wednesday. In Cuba, the number of damaged homes has been estimated at 130,000 to 200,000.

DISASTER AID

New York is seeking $42 billion in federal aid, including about $9 billion for projects to head off damage in future storms. New Jersey is seeking nearly $37 billion in aid, including $7.4 billion for future projects. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg met with congressional leaders Wednesday to encourage quick action on storm aid.

MAGNITUDE

The National Hurricane Center now says tropical force winds extended 820 miles at their widest, down from an earlier estimate of 1,000 miles. Sandy's pure kinetic energy for storm surge and wave "destruction potential" reached a 5.8 on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 0 to 6 scale, the highest measured.

DOWN THE ROAD

Governments are seeking money to help head off future disasters, as climate scientists continue to predict rising sea levels and the potential for more bad storms. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants electrical transformers in commercial buildings hauled to upper floors; the ability to shutter key tunnels, airports and subways; and to require hospitals to have backup power on high ground instead of on lower floors or in basements.\

OTHER INFO:
The Brooklyn Nets of the NBA (National Basketball Association) was also affected heavily by the Hurricane. They had to cancel their debut game against the New York Knicks. Their stadium was also flooded with water.

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Sources: State and local governments, NOAA, AP reporting

Lebron James, the 6ft 8, 27 year old powerhouse has finally won a NBA Championship, along with his 3 NBA MVP, trophies, he is named the number 1 player in the world. ESPN.com

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British police have questioned two people who tried to visit a hospitalized Pakistani teenager shot for promoting girls' education, raising fears about her safety following pledges by the Taliban to make another attempt on her life.

Fourteen-year-old Malala Yousufzai was shot in the head by the Taliban last week as she was returning home from school in Pakistan. She was airlifted Monday to Britain to receive specialized medical care and protection from follow-up attacks threatened by the militants.

Medical Director Dr. Dave Rosser of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham stressed Tuesday that security was "under control" at the hospital after the overnight incident. He said several people had turned up at the hospital claiming to be the girl's relatives but didn't get very far.

He said the people were arrested, but police said they had only been questioned.


"We don't believe there's any threat to her personal security," Rosser told journalists, explaining the hospital did not believe the suspects were related to Malala. "We think it's probably people being over-curious."

Police would not immediately confirm the details of the incident.

Malala was targeted by the Taliban for promoting girls' education and criticizing the militant group's behaviour when they took over the scenic Swat Valley where she lived. Two of her classmates were also wounded in the attack and are receiving treatment in Pakistan.

The attack on the girls horrified people in Pakistan and across the world. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said Malala had become "a symbol of all that is good in us."

"The work she did is far higher before God than that which is being done by terrorists in the name of religion," he said at the Economic Cooperation Organization Summit in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. "We will continue her bright work."

Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik has announced a $1 million bounty for Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan, saying he was the one who announced that the Taliban carried out the attack on Malala.

The Taliban has threatened to target Malala until she is killed because she promotes "Western thinking."

Rosser said Malala is proving to be strong so far, but did not elaborate about her recovery.

Doctors are optimistic that Malala's age is in her favour. Unlike adults, the brains of teenagers are still growing and better able to adapt to trauma.

Teens also are generally healthier and their bodies have a stronger ability to react to the disruption that the injury causes, said Dr. Jonathan Fellus, chief scientific officer at the New Jersey-based International Brain Research Foundation.

"It helps to be young and resilient to weather that storm," he said. "Because her brain is continuing to develop at that age, she may have more flexibility in the brain."

There's also a psychological aspect to why youngsters have a better shot at recovery. While injured adults often mourn the loss of what they had, teens don't know what they are missing.

"They have an amazing capacity for hope," Fellus said. In Malala's case, her strong personality would also help her recover, he added.

Students in Lahore, Pakistan hold placards showing support for schoolgirl Malala Yousufzai, who was shot on October 9 by the Taliban. (Mohsin Raza/Reuters)Still, doctors cautioned that it is impossible to say how Malala will do without knowing the path of the bullet and what damages it caused, details that have not been released.

"The brain is like real estate," said Dr. Anders Cohen, chief of neurosurgery at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York. "Location is everything.

"Based on the information we have, it appears that Malala was shot from the front down diagonally, but we don't know what part of the brain the bullet went through, whether it crossed the midline and hit any vessels, or whether the bullet passed through the right or left side of the brain."

But both physicians say it is extremely unlikely that a full recovery can be made. They could only hope that the bullet took a "lucky path" — going through a more "silent," or less active — part of the brain.

"You don't have a bullet go through your brain and have a full recovery," Fellus said.

Australian authorities are thanking the crew of an Air Canada flight for helping to locate a sailor in distress off the country's east coast.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said Tuesday it received an emergency beacon activation at 8:15 a.m. local time, coming from approximately 270 nautical miles (500 kilometres) east of Sydney.

The AMSA requested Air Canada Flight AC033, a Boeing 777 en route from Vancouver to Sydney with 270 passengers and 18 crew aboard, to divert to the area of the beacon.

"The location of the beacon was within a flight path, so we needed to assess the situation and the Boeing 777 was the closest asset available to us," Jo Meehan of the AMSA told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

The Offshore Patrol Vessel Nemesis from the New South Wales Police headed for the location of a sailor in distress off the east coast of Australia. (Wikipedia)Capt. Andrew Robertson, of Vancouver, who was piloting the Air Canada flight, says he was contacted by Australian air traffic control and asked to help.

"There's a ship, a yacht in distress, may have sunk, and you are the closest aircraft. Would you be able to assist," was the message Robertson said he received.

He asked for the location of the boat so that he and his crew could determine if they had the fuel to search for the boat in distress.

"Once we'd put that into our computer ... we actually determined that we had the fuel," Robertson said.

He noted that the aircraft's flight management system doesn't take into account dropping in altitude and then climbing back up, but Robertson said the crew believed they had enough fuel.

The Air Canada flight crew was using binoculars provided by passengers to look for the yacht as Robertson took the plane down to about 5,000 feet.

"I made a PA announcement to ask the passengers [to watch for the boat] because it's like looking for a needle in a haystack," he said.

"Almost right away, my first officer spotted something," Robertson said, adding that at 5,000 feet is was hard to make out any details.

"So I went from 5,000 down to 3,700 feet ... and they saw what they thought initially were three people on the deck, but it turns out there was only one," he said.

Robertson said the 777 is a big plane to be down at that level doing search and rescue.

"The passengers were awesome," Robertson said, adding he heard no complaints about the detour.

Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said everybody on board was "really happy and excited by the outcome," even though it delayed the flight by roughly 90 minutes.

With the boat's location confirmed, a police vessel was dispatched to the demasted yacht, which was running low on fuel and drifting further out to sea.

Robertson said he understood the sailor aboard the yacht was rescued a few hours later.

"It was very exciting," he said.

Canadian singer Jill Barber, who was on the Air Canada flight, tweeted: "It was not what I'd call an uneventful @AirCanada flight to Australia. Very impressed with the response of captain, crew and passengers!"

Yacht was low on fuelAn Air New Zealand A320 en route to Sydney from Auckland was also asked to divert to the area, confirm the yacht's position and get more details on the situation.

"It is believed the solo yachtsman left Pittwater, Sydney, two weeks ago heading for Eden in New South Wales, but had been drifting away from land since last week," Australian authorities said.

Pittwater is a part of Sydney's Northern Beaches region.

A merchant vessel, the ANL Benalla, arrived alongside the yacht later in the afternoon to provide shelter from strong winds until a police vessel from Sydney could reach the sailor Tuesday evening.

An AMSA spokeswoman said it was unusual for commercial aircraft to be called in to assist in a search and rescue effort.

"It's not common, but that's not because we try to avoid doing it," she told the Australian Associated Press. "It's because the nature of the incidents that we have aren't necessarily so remote that we can only rely on the commercial airlines."

Kenya policemen seriously injured in grenade attackKenya has been hit by a series of attacks since sending troops to join the fight against al-Shabab


At least 10 Kenyan policemen have been seriously injured in a grenade attack.

The officers were searching a house in Coast state near Mombasa, where they found weapons including an AK-47 rifle and two grenades.

A police spokesperson said Somalia-based Islamists al-Shabab may have been behind the incident.

Kenya has been hit by a series of grenade and gun attacks since it sent troops into Somalia to help fight the al-Qaeda-linked group last year.

Aggrey Adoli, the head of police for Coast province, told reporters that three suspects were also killed in the exchange of fire following the attack.

Suspected al-Shabab supporters have carried out a number of attacks over the past year in the Coast region, a popular tourist destination.

Kenyan troops have been fighting against the group alongside their Somali counterparts under the banner of African Union forces since October 2011.

At the end of last month they took al-Shabab's last Somali stronghold, the strategic port city of Kismayu.

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Najib shoots pre-election messengers

PENANG - Malaysiakini, a leading independent news portal, and Suaram, a human-rights organization, have come under heavy government pressure in the run-up to what is expected to be a hotly contested general election in Malaysia. Both independent groups have reported on politically damaging scandals surrounding Prime Minister Najib Razak and his ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party.


Body of Camodian ex-king arrives home


PHNOM PENH - Tens of thousands of mourners lined the streets of the Cambodian capital on Wednesday to pay their last respects to revered former king Norodom Sihanouk on his final journey home from China.

The body of the mercurial ex-monarch, who steered his country through turbulent decades of war, genocide and finally peace, returned to Phnom Penh on a special flight from Beijing, where he died of a heart attack on Monday aged 89.

He was accompanied by his widow Queen Monique, son King Norodom Sihamoni and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Robed monks chanted prayers as the coffin was brought off the plane and decorated with white flowers.

Large portraits of a smiling Sihanouk were dotted along the main boulevards in the capital, filled up with throngs of people, young and old, wearing white shirts and holding small Cambodian flags as they waited under a sweltering sun.

"There are more than 100,000 people lining the streets. More are coming," government spokesman Khieu Kanharith told reporters at the airport, where people climbed on walls and car roofs to get a better view.

A convoy was set to take the coffin straight to the royal palace, where Sihanouk will lie in state for three months before an elaborate funeral for the ex-king, who remained popular after abdicating in favour of his son in 2004 citing old age and ill health.

"I hope to see the royal body," said Mean Pichavisa, 16, as he sat outside the palace cutting up black ribbons for his school friends to pin to their shirts in a symbol of mourning.

The teenager, who shaved his head in honour of Sihanouk's passing, said he would spend the day there to witness the late monarch's "historic" homecoming.

"I will remember this day until I die," he told AFP, as white-robed nuns chanted solemnly beside him.

Earlier on Wednesday his coffin was transported through the Chinese capital to the airport in a bus decorated with yellow ribbons and flowers, while flags flew at half-mast on Tiananmen Square in his honour.

The arrival of his coffin in his home country marked the start of a week-long mourning period during which the Cambodian government has ordered radio and television stations not to broadcast joyful programmes.

It has also cancelled the festivities for next month's Water Festival, an annual celebration that usually draws millions of visitors to the capital to enjoy dragon boat races, fireworks and concerts.

Mourners have flocked to the palace in recent days to pay tribute to Sihanouk with lotus flowers, candles and incense sticks, many of them crying as they knelt down to pray in front of the building.

"His death is a great loss for Cambodia," said 66-year-old Thong Bunsy, who described the former monarch as "a hero".

Many elderly Cambodians fondly recall the 1950s and 1960s as a golden era, when Sihanouk -- who ascended the throne in 1941 aged just 18 -- led the country to independence from France and a rare period of political stability.

The self-confessed "naughty boy" and prolific amateur filmmaker -- who abdicated twice, served variously as premier and head of state and spent years in exile -- was a shrewd political survivor.

In his most controversial decision, Sihanouk aligned himself with the communist Khmer Rouge after being ousted by US-backed general Lon Nol in 1970.

After seizing power, the Khmer Rouge put Sihanouk under house arrest in the royal palace. Their 1975-79 reign of terror killed up to two million people, including five of Sihanouk's 14 children.

Before the Vietnamese invaded and toppled the Khmer Rouge, Sihanouk took exile in China, which he saw as a second home.

He continued to push for peace, which eventually came in the 1990s. Sihanouk triumphantly regained the throne in 1993 but his influence diminished as strongman premier Hun Sen extended his grip on power.

In recent years, Sihanouk -- who battled illnesses including cancer, diabetes and heart problems -- spent long periods of time in China undergoing medical treatment, with his devoted sixth wife Monique always at his side.



STRANGE CREATURES: Close to 200 people are carefully dredging the seabed and sifting through sand and coral as they conduct the largest audit so far of marine life around Singapore's northern islands and coasts. The expedition, which was officially launched yesterday, is part of the five-year Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey. Singapore plays host to a third of the world's hard coral species, and other creatures are still being discovered. Ng Sor Luan/ The Straits Times

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Syria opponents consider Brahimi ceasefire proposal Lakhdar Brahimi has appealed to Syria's neighbours to help him negotiate a ceasefire.
The Syrian government has indicated that it is interested in exploring a temporary ceasefire proposed by the UN and Arab League envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi.

Spokesman Jihad al-Makdisi told the BBC that the government would listen to any initiative to end the crisis, but that both sides would need to be involved.

The opposition meanwhile said it would reciprocate any government ceasefire.

Mr Brahimi wants a truce over the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha to "allow a political process to develop".

Eid al-Adha, the Festival of the Sacrifice, is celebrated by Muslims to commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael as proof of obedience to God. The four-day holiday starts on 25 October.

'Microscopic step' In an interview with the BBC on Tuesday evening, Mr Makdisi said the government in Damascus would listen to any initiative Mr Brahimi might have to "stabilise the situation in Syria and end the crisis, whether on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, independence day or any other anniversary".

Continue reading the main story “Start Quote The purpose of [a ceasefire] is not calm itself but transition to a political dialogue between Syrians themselves”

End Quote Jihad al-Makdisi Syrian foreign ministry spokesman "If we want the initiative to succeed, it is not enough for only the Syrian [government] side to be bound by it," he said.

"But at the same time, I would say that calming down the situation is in the interest of the Syrian government because we support a political solution and dialogue under this umbrella without preconditions.

"The purpose of [a ceasefire] is not calm itself but transition to a political dialogue between Syrians themselves."

After holding talks with Lebanese Prime Minster Najib Mikati in Beirut on Wednesday morning, Mr Brahimi called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to take the lead in implementing the ceasefire.

He revealed that the Syrian opposition had told him that any ceasefire observed by government forces would be reciprocated.

"We heard from everyone we met in the opposition, and everyone [else] we met that, if the government stops using violence, 'We will respond to this directly'," he said.

"The Syrian people are burying hundreds of people each day, so if they bury fewer people during the days of the holiday, this could be the start of Syria's return from the dangerous situation that it has slipped and is continuing to slip toward."

Mr Brahimi also warned neighbouring countries and regional powers who have been supporting the Syrian rebels: "It is not possible that this crisis will stay inside Syrian borders forever.

"Either it has to be taken care of or it will spread and spill over and consume everything. A truce for Eid al-Adha would be a microscopic step on the road to solving the Syria crisis."

A ceasefire negotiated by his predecessor, Kofi Annan, in April broke down within days and was followed by an escalation in the conflict.

Human rights and opposition activists say more than 30,000 people have been killed since anti-government protests erupted in March 2011.

Pirates kidnap seven crew members off Nigerian coast

Pirates have kidnapped seven crew members during an attack on their ship off the coast of Nigeria.

Six Russians and one Estonian have been abducted from the Liberty 249, operator Bourbon - a French shipping company - confirmed.

Another nine crew members were safe and on their way to the Nigerian port of Onne, a spokeswoman said.

There has been a spate of pirate attacks on cargo ships off the West African coast in recent months.

Bourbon did not disclose the vessel's exact location at the time of the attack on Monday but said an emergency unit had been set up to help the missing sailors.

"The emergency unit has been set up to aim at their rapid liberation under the safest security conditions," the company said in a statement.

The firm has been targeted by pirates in Nigeria before.

In 2010, three French crewmen were kidnapped off a Bourbon-operated ship in an oilfield in the Niger delta, the heart of Africa's biggest oil and gas industry.

The hostages were later released.

The trade in stolen oil has fuelled violence and corruption in the Niger delta.

Although attacks in the region have declined since a 2009 amnesty for militants, piracy is on the rise in parts of West Africa.

In the first six months of this year, the International Maritime Bureau has recorded 17 pirate attacks in Nigerian waters this year - a significant increase on 2011.

Last week, a Greek tanker carrying 32,000 tonnes of petrol went missing with a crew of 24 on its way to the port of Abidjan in the Ivory Coast.

In August, pirates attacked a Greek tanker off the coast of Togo, stealing 3,000 tonnes of fuel.

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Serbian FA denies any racism towards England players

The Serbian FA has denied there was any racism towards the England Under-21 team in Tuesday's Euro 2013 play-off.

And officials also blamed England's Danny Rose for clashes at the end of the game because of "inappropriate, unsportsmanlike and vulgar" behaviour.

Earlier Rose, 22, had called for Serbia to be "banned", claiming he had been racially abused during the game.

The Football Association says Uefa must take the "strongest possible action" against anyone found guilty of racism.

“What occurred is inexcusable and not acceptable. We are making a formal complaint to Uefa today”

Alex Horne FA general secretary Connor Wickham scored in the 90th minute as Stuart Pearce's England side qualified for Euro 2013, with the goal sparking a series of scuffles between players and staff on both sides as missiles were thrown onto the field.

Prime Minister David Cameron has led the calls for Uefa to impose "tough sanctions" on racism, while sports minister Hugh Robertson has written to Uefa president Michel Platini alleging "extreme provocation and racism".

The FA reported "a number of incidents of racism" to Uefa after the match, while Rose's account of the abuse aimed at him has been published on the FA's official website. 

The Serbian FA says making a connection between the on-pitch scuffles and racism has "absolutely no ground" adding there was a "spirit of fair play on the pitch and in the stands".

The FA rejects that version of the events.

Play media Racist chanting mars England U21 match. This footage may contain offensive language.

FA general secretary Alex Horne said: "Our players and staff were subjected to racial abuse, violence as well as missiles being thrown at them throughout the match.

"What occurred is inexcusable and not acceptable. We are making a formal complaint to Uefa today.

"We call on Uefa to take the strongest possible action against the Serbian FA, their supporters and anyone found guilty of being involved in the numerous instances of violence and abuse."

In a statement on its website on Wednesday,  the Serbian FA said it "absolutely refuses and denies that there were any occurrences of racism before and during the match at the stadium in Krusevac".

"Making connection between the seen incident - a fight between members of the two teams - and racism has absolutely no ground and we consider it to be a total malevolence.

"Unfortunately, after the fourth minute of the additional time and the victory goal scored by the guest team, unpleasant scenes were seen on the pitch.

"And while most of the English team players celebrated the score, their player number three, Danny Rose, behaved in inappropriate, unsportsmanlike and vulgar manner towards the supporters on the stands at the stadium in Krusevac, and for that he was shown a red card."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19976781

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It’s similar to the first debate, in a way, since the attention was all on Obama and whether he’d “bring his A-game” or not, so the truth is that he enjoyed a lowered expectation in the same manner Romney did for the first debate (although the perception might be that expectations were higher for him, that’s not really the case — the expectations for what he needed to DO were “higher” perception-wise, but the bar for how to achieve that result was actually fairly low because it is seen in comparison to his last performance). Because of this, Obama’s performance seems even more assertive and impressive, by comparison to his previous performance. The fact that he also did do a modestly good job increases the perception that Obama won easily.

But I don’t think it’s that simple. While I feel that, in the context of expectations and performance mixed together, Obama will be rightly declared the winner of this debate, I think it would be a big mistake to underestimate Romney’s performance.

Move up http://i.forbesimg.com t Move down Six Digital Takeaways From Last Night's Debate Alex Kantrowitz Contributor Romney v. Obama Was a Nauseating Draw, and Both Deserve to Lose John Tamny Forbes Staff 15 images Photos: Obama And Romney Square Off In Second Presidential Debate 11 images Photos: Election 2012: Battleground States Where It?s All About Women While a lot of people will be influenced negatively by Romney’s arguing about debate rules and going over time repeatedly (it’s the combination of his going over time and interrupting, plus his contemptuous attitude toward moderator Crowley while arguing with her about rules, that makes his over-time seem worse even if it didn’t add up to as much as Obama’s total over-time remarks), and while many people will point to the fact-checking as further strikes against Romney, it’s important to remember that after the fact fact-checking doesn’t matter to the impact of the debate performance.

Romney kept hitting the theme about disappointment in Obama, and I think it will strike a chord with a lot of voters in certain demographics. When Obama was confronted (by apparently one of only two black audience members, in an otherwise mostly very white room) with some difficult points about people being less hopeful than they were in 2008 because of continued economic hardships, Obama seemed to go on the defensive to argue why things weren’t as bad as the man (and many other people, obviously) feel it is. But Romney, when it was his turn to respond, walked toward that man with a simple skeptical look on his face (and a very effective one, at that) and said basically, “You know, don’cha? You know it’s not better, you don’t need someone telling you you don’t feel what you know you feel.” Romney won that question, because it went to the underlying selling point of his entire campaign — Obama didn’t deliver what he said he would and what you thought he would, you’re right to feel let down, and it’s time to cut your losses and give a businessman a try. It’s a simple but effective message, and Romney stuck to his talking points about middle class relief and job creation without straying too far, and it was an effective debate performance.

Obama did a good job of coming back from a lackluster performance, and he tried to be more assertive, and he didn’t make the previous debate’s mistake of assuming everyone “knows” the key talking points and facts that dispute much of Romney’s assertions. Obama made those points, and returned to them several times, scoring some good hits on Romney about not offering specifics and about Romney’s business record. However, Obama still didn’t in fact hit Romney where Romney appears strongest but where there is ample soft tissue to inflict real and lasting damage — Romney’s supposed business experience. When Romney kept claiming his experience running businesses makes him know how to create jobs and that he knows his math adds up (although he once again refused to show the addition that makes his magic numbers balance out), Obama never once said simply, “Mitt, your experience as a businessman was destroying businesses, buying them up to fire everybody and ship the jobs overseas. And I have no doubt that’s exactly the kind of job-killing corporate experience you’ll bring to the White House if you were elected.”

Obama has not learned the lesson of looking at his opponent’s greatest strength and turning it against them as a weapon to discredit them, despite the fact he faces an opponent with whom that tactic would probably help deliver a killing stroke. So, we have a debate in which Obama won by doing better than last time, while the appearance of his victory doesn’t override the fact that Romney turned in another strong performance and pushed his core message further into the psyche of a lot of voters. I think any voters who were undecided but leaning a lot toward Romney are solidly in his corner now, and anyone undecided but leaning slightly toward Romney either leaned further toward him or (at best for Obama) moved back to fully undecided. I think Obama’s primary victory was with voters who were undecided but leaning his way who (after the previous debate) moved back to being open to Romney, but who did not fully move into Romney’s camp.

I’m sure a lot of voters might equate “I was leaning Obama, but now think Romney might be better” with “leaning Romney” when in fact that kind of assessment by formerly Obama-leaning voters really is more a sign of having become equally unsure about both candidates, not a full flip in support. Those are the ones Obama won back tonight, while probably also energizing some supporters who were less motivated to show up at the polls for him.

However, I think the most important thing that probably happened tonight is something that might take a while to really become clear. While Romney continued to perform well and likely scored some solid points with a lot of undecided white voters, and while Obama moved some undecideds back to his side and probably halted any slide in enthusiasm for him, I think tonight probably did one key thing that will have the effect of helping ensure Obama’s reelection: tonight, Romney probably officially lost the Latino vote. I expect Obama will win two-thirds or more of the Latino vote easily, adding to his likely 95+% of the black vote. Obama’s lead with women voters will probably not change significantly, but even if Romney manages a modest gain in that regard, the wide margin of Obama’s advantage among Latinos and blacks will pretty much guarantee his reelection.

Romney’s answers on immigration will hurt him, big-time. He was trailing already, but any lingering undecided voters among Latinos who weren’t already leaning clearly in his favor are probably lost to him now. Obama’s position supporting allowing the children of undocumented immigrants to remain in the U.S., stated in immediate contrast to Romney’s repeated use of the term “illegals” and clear opposition to anything that might give any appearance of being “soft” on immigration, is going to have a decisive impact on the election’s outcome.

Obama won the debate in modest terms, Romney remained strong and probably did a lot to further sell himself to undecides leaning his way, but the real secret of the debate — which will only become evident in a few days, perhaps — is that Obama won the debate and the election tonight when Romney handed him the Latino vote

http://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2012/10/17/who-won-the-october-16th-presidential-debate/

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A man who posted negative comments about the death of Amanda Todd was fired from his job after an Airdrie, Alta., woman alerted his employer.

Todd is the 15-year-old who killed herself last week after suffering years of bullying. Many online memorial sites have popped up in response to her death, and thousands of people have posted comments on them.

Christine Claveau was looking at a site when she saw what she thought was a particularly hateful anonymous post.

Facebook memorial sites for Amanda Todd have popped up all over the country and thousands of people have posted to them. (CBC)She said the comment read, "It's about time this bitch died."

Claveau said she tracked down the identity of the sender in Toronto and forwarded a note to his employer, the retail store Mr. Big and Tall.

The man was fired.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Amanda Todd," said Dave McGregor, president and CEO of Grafton-Fraser Inc. which operates the retail chain, in response to a query from CBC News.

"Out of respect for the family, I decided not to comment further on this situation beyond our statement that we took the action we felt to be appropriate. I will tell you that the individual in question is no longer employed with our company."

McGregor said the company's ethics are based on tolerance, respect and fair and honourable treatment of all individuals, internally, with customers and the population as a whole.

"We have zero tolerance for the mistreatment of others no matter what form it takes," he said. "We feel that the focus should remain on the issue at hand, which is bullying and how we work together to stop it. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Todd family."

Mixed reaction online"I'm glad that they fired him and they took such a strong stance against bullying," said Claveau.

"But I just think that even having him reprimanded or having the embarrassment of his company knowing what he did is what I was aiming for, just to say … you know what you do in your pastime can affect who you are at work and your personal life too."

Claveau said she has received a lot of response to what happened — most of it positive but some of it negative.

"You can't please everybody, so I'm getting a lot of people saying I was the bully in the matter, or it wasn't right to contact his employer. So I'm getting a little bit of negative backlash."

Claveau said so-called "internet trolls" must be held accountable for what they say and do online.

"Trolls" are people who anonymously post negative comments on the internet to elicit a reaction.

She said she's more encouraged than ever now to monitor the internet and "out" those behind hateful statements.

Claveau has started a group of concerned moms who plan to continue alerting authorities to cyberbullying taking place online.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2012/10/16/calgary-airdrie-woman-website-comment.html

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Felix Baumgartner broke the speed of sound reaching an estimated speed of *833.9 mph (1,342.8 km/h) jumping from the stratosphere, which when certified will make him the first man to break the speed of sound in freefall while delivering valuable data for future space exploration.

Felix climbed to 128,100 feet (39,045 meters) in a helium-filled balloon Sunday morning Oct. 14, 2012. This is exactly 65 years after Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier flying in an experimental rocket powered airplane. Felix broke two other world records (highest freefall, highest manned balloon flight), leaving the longest freefall record to project mentor Col. Joe Kittinger.

Felix's entire trip back to earth lasted 9:09 minutes, with 4:22 of that time in freefall (without drogue). Countless millions of people around the world watched his ascent and jump live on television broadcasts and live stream on the Internet. At one point during his freefall Baumgartner appeared to spin rapidly, but he quickly re-gained control and moments later opened his parachute as members of the ground crew cheered and viewers around the world heaved a sigh of relief.

"It was an incredible up and down today, just like it's been with the whole project," a relieved Baumgartner said. "First we got off with a beautiful launch and then we had a bit of drama with a power supply issue to my visor. The exit was perfect but then I started spinning slowly. I thought I'd just spin a few times and that would be that, but then I started to speed up. It was really brutal at times. I thought for a few seconds that I'd lose consciousness. I didn't feel a sonic boom because I was so busy just trying to stabilize myself. We'll have to wait and see if we really broke the sound barrier. It was really a lot harder than I thought it was going to be."

Baumgartner and his team spent five years training and preparing for the mission that is designed to improve our scientific understanding of how the body copes with the extreme conditions near space.

* The data on the records set by the jump are preliminary pending confirmation from the authorized governing bodies.

http://www.redbullstratos.com/

Plance Crash On Pitt Lake

One person is dead and another taken to hospital after a float plane crashed Monday afternoon in Pitt Lake.

Capt. Erik Niemi, an air controller with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, said the Cessna 172, which took off from Pitt Meadows airport with two people on board, was found in the southern part of the lake by a boater.

One man managed to get out of the plane and was rescued by the boater. He was taken to hospital and is expected to survive.

However, Niemi said the other person in the plane — whom he had no information on — was not responsive after a rescue hovercraft and Cormorant helicopter attended the scene.

Niemi could not confirm initial reports the person who died was trapped in the overturned plane.

Niemi also said he didn’t know if the plane crashed during takeoff or landing, and that it might have been a training flight.

He said the Transportation Safety Board will be conducting an investigation

Readmore: http://www.vancouversun.com/Float+plane+crashes+Pitt+Lake/7394015/story.html#ixzz29ZVRLSAi