Rubio: ‘Democrats Have The Ultimate Super PAC; It’s Called The Mainstream Media’
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio attacked the mainstream media during Wednesday night’s GOP debate in Colorado, accusing it of acting as a “super PAC” for Hillary Clinton and the Democrats. During a debate in which the CNBC moderators, and mainstream media in general, came under fire from several candidates, Rubio slammed the media’s reaction to Clinton’s testimony before the House Committee on Benghazi last week. He did so by picking up on Donald Trump’s criticism of super PACs. Moments earlier Trump, who is financing his own campaign, had attacked super-PACS, saying they are causing “very good people” to make bad decisions. CNS News
VOA VIEW: Rubio calling the mainstream media "The Ultimate Super Pac" was a catchy and true statement.

Obama Signs Short-Term Transportation Bill
President Obama has signed a bill giving railroads at least three more years to upgrade train safety technology. The White House says Obama signed the legislation Thursday. The bill also extends until Nov. 20 the government's authority to spend money on transportation programs in an effort to buy time for Congress to pass a long-term bill. The measure was sought by the rail industry, which said many railroads were likely to miss a deadline for installing the technology, known as positive train control or PTC. Railroads had seven years to install PTC. They now have until Dec. 31, 2018, to complete the upgrade or seek a waiver. Fox News

NY Times Calls On Chris Christie To Drop Out Of Presidential Race
In a scathing critique of the Republican presidential candidate, the New York Times calls on Chris Christie to exit the race. Stat. "The point is that New Jersey is in trouble, and the governor is off pursuing a presidential run that's turned out to be nothing more than a vanity project," the editorial board wrote. "Mr. Christie's numbers are in the basement, and he's nearly out of campaign cash. This is his moment, all right: to go home and use the year left in his term to clean out the barn, as Speaker John Boehner would say." The editorial comes the day after the third Republican debate where Christie is widely considered to have had a good debate performance, but he is struggling with low poll numbers in the crowded field. MSNBC
VOA VIEW: The liberal media should not be making demands on candidates.

White House Blames Reduced Drilling, Partisanship For Third-Quarter Slowdown
President Obama’s top economic adviser said Thursday that reduced oil drilling, weak demand for U.S. exports and political “brinksmanship” by congressional Republicans all contributed to anemic economic growth in the third quarter. “Over the past year, slowing global demand has been a headwind for the U.S. economy, and unnecessary austerity and fiscal brinkmanship have posed unnecessary risks for consumer spending and business investment,” said Jason Furman, chairman of the White House council of economic advisers. Washington Times

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'Game-Changer': European Parliament Urgs Asylum For Edward Snowden
The European Parliament on Thursday called for its member countries to grant fugitive former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden asylum as a whistleblower and "international human rights defender." Snowden, who leaked classified documents about government surveillance before going on the run, is now living in exile in Moscow. He has expressed interested in returning to the United States, which indicted him for espionage and unauthorized leaking in 2013. Snowden has said he was willing to serve some prison time. On Twitter, Snowden called Thursday's vote in Brussels, which urged European Union members to drop any criminal charges against him, as a "game-changer." MSNBC

Jobless Claims In U.S. Were Little Changed Near Four-Decade Low
Applications for unemployment benefits in the U.S. were little changed last week, hovering close to four-decade lows and showing steady progress in the labor market.
Jobless claims increased by 1,000 to 260,000 in the week ended Oct. 24, less than the median forecast in a Bloomberg survey, a Labor Department report showed Thursday. The four-week average of applications dropped to the lowest level since December 1973, while the number of Americans on benefit rolls shrank. Tight demand for labor is encouraging employers to retain workers even as slower sales to overseas customers cause some companies to slow the pace of hiring. Federal Reserve policy makers said Wednesday that while job growth has recently cooled, excess slack in the labor market is gradually shrinking, leaving open the possibility of an interest-rate increase as soon as December. Bloomberg

Hillary Clinton: I Feel ‘A Little Bit Sorry’ For Republicans
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said it must be difficult for Republicans to prepare for presidential debates since things are so much better under Democratic presidents, and that the 2016 GOP field is competing to “insult each other.” “I think we have a pretty good idea what to expect as they compete to insult each other, continue demeaning women, double down on trickle down,” she said at a local Democratic party dinner in New Hampshire ahead of Wednesday’s debate. “It really is like a reality TV show. But the cast of characters are out of touch with actual reality, which is what makes it a little bit scary.” Washington Times
VOA VIEW: Any of the Republican candidates would make a better president than Hillary.

Low-Fat Diet No Good For Long-Term Weight Loss
Trying to lose weight? Low-fat diets are not the way to go, according to a large new study. "There is no good evidence for recommending low-fat diets," lead author Deirdre Tobias, of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, in a press statement. The study, a meta-analysis of dozens of randomized controlled trials, showed low-fat diets were not effective for achieving long-term weight loss compared to higher far diets. "Behind current dietary advice to cut out the fat, which contains more than twice the calories per gram of carbohydrates and protein, the thinking is that simply reducing fat intake will naturally lead to weight loss. But our robust evidence clearly suggests otherwise," said Tobias, whose research is published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. CBS

Google To Improve Internet Access With Balloons
Google announced Wednesday a plan to deliver high-speed Internet connectivity to remote areas of Indonesia using helium balloons. The effort, dubbed Project Loon, involves a partnership between Google and three Indonesian Internet service providers -- Telkomsel, Axiata and Inmost -- that will deliver LTE connections to places where fixed line service is unavailable. Google co-founder Sergey Brin told spectators at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. that although "occassionally" leaving the reach of communications infrastructure is "healthy for all of us," being unable to communicate with others due to a lack of Internet connectivity on a daily basis is "a real disadvantage." UPI

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Flu Vaccine Might Be Less Effective In Statin Users
Cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins may have an adverse effect on how well the flu vaccine works in older adults, two new studies suggest. While further research is needed to confirm the findings, this may have implications for the care of millions of people. More than 40 percent of Americans over the age of 65 take statins. Both studies, published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, found that people taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs had a significantly reduced immune response to influenza vaccination compared to those not taking statins. This could affect future flu shot recommendations and/or statin use around the time of vaccination in the elderly, experts say. CBS

Nations Seek Compromise To End Syria War, Start Transition
The Syrian government's biggest international backers and opponents plunged into negotiations Friday over a long-sought compromise to help end a 4 and-a-half year civil war and potentially ease President Bashar Assad out of power. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he was hopeful of finding a path forward. In Austria's capital, Kerry was negotiating with foreign ministers and senior representatives of 18 other countries. They included Iran for the first time, making it the broadest gathering of nations yet to discuss Syria's future. Another key supporter of Assad, Russia, was present, along with many of the most influential Arab and European allies of the United States. Houston Chronicle

Rand Paul's Budget Deal 'Filibuster' Lasts Less Than 20 Minutes
Sen. Rand Paul’s so-called “filibuster” against the budget deal, a move his campaign hyped repeatedly and which the Kentucky senator used as a rallying cry at last night’s debate, wasn’t a filibuster at all. In fact, it wasn’t even a long speech. The presidential hopeful took to the Senate floor at 2:46 p.m. and ended his remarks less than twenty minutes later. While Rand and his campaign never officially declared he would perform a marathon speech against the legislation, he oversold its impact during last night's Republican presidential debate, mentioning the filibuster in both his opening and closing statements. “I will stand firm. ABC
VOA VIEW: Paul is a space cadet.

Sanders Heading Into Critical Stretch Against Clinton
If October proved a pivotal month for Hillary Rodham Clinton, November may be a make-or-break stretch for Bernie Sanders in his quest to topple his well-known Democratic rival. After filling arenas with fervent supporters over the summer, Sanders now faces a series of hurdles: He is trying to present sharp policy contrasts with Clinton without ceding the high road and going negative. He's planning a big speech to explain what he means by democratic socialism, a label that makes some Democrats uncomfortable but captures his political philosophy. And he wants to prove to Democrats he could go the distance. ABC

Fiat Chrysler Recalls 894K SUVs For Brake, Air Bag Trouble
Fiat Chrysler is recalling 894,000 Jeep, Dodge and Fiat SUVs worldwide to fix problems with anti-lock brakes and air bags. The first recall covers nearly 542,000 Dodge Journeys and Fiat Freemonts from 2012 to 2015. Moisture can build up in the anti-lock brake control module, disabling the system and the electronic stability control. Fiat Chrysler found the problem by investigating warranty claims. Dealers will apply a sealant and replace electrical parts if needed. The company also is recalling 352,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Libertys from 2003 and 2004 because the air bags can inflate for no reason. Seven people have been hurt. Dealers will replace the occupant restraint control computer or the side impact sensors. In both recalls, owners will be told when they can schedule service. Houston Chronicle

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10 Things To Know About Daylight Saving Time
While most of us know two things about Daylight Saving Time — fall back one hour and change smoke detector batteries — there’s much more to know about the annual change, which begins 2 a.m. Sunday. 1. Saving or Savings?: “Daylight Saving Time” is correct; “daylight savings time” is incorrect. 2. Rise in heart attacks: There is a 25 percent jump in heart attacks the Monday after we spring forward, according to a study presented to the American College of Cardiology. “It may mean that people who are already vulnerable to heart disease may be at greater risk right after sudden time changes,” Amneet Sandhu, M.D., said. Read the study here. 3. More traffic accidents: Research links more than 300 traffic deaths to the time change over a 10-year period. The jump is attributed to sleep deprivation and the shift of ambient light from morning to evening. Atlanta Journal

Ben Carson’s Proposed Health Care Overhaul Is Short On Specifics
Ben Carson’s rise to Republican presidential front-runner has come without serious scrutiny of his domestic policy proposals. But his high-flying campaign has hit some turbulence since he began discussing his desire to replace the Affordable Care Act with a health care system that offers all Americans a government-funded health savings account. Carson thinks the tax-preferred accounts, which are often paired with a high-deductible health plan, would curb enrollment growth in the Medicare and Medicaid programs – but not eliminate either one altogether. “The program that I have outlined using health savings accounts, starting from the time you are born to the time you die, largely eliminates the need for people to be dependent on government programs like that, but I would never get rid of the programs,” Carson recently told Fox News. Carlotte Observer

Cremation’s Popularity Is Changing Death’s Rituals
The nation is fast approaching a cultural milestone that says as much about life as death. Within a year or two, more than half of Americans departing this world will be cremated. You might imagine past generations spinning in their graves. No viewing the body? No family burial plot? In many cases no funeral, even? At funeral homes everywhere, “people are coming in and saying, ‘I don’t want the service. Just cremate my loved one, and I’ll take the ashes and go,’ ” said Jimmy Radovich, general manager of Kansas City-based Charter Funerals. The family business runs four funeral homes and three cemeteries around the metro. The reasons are well known. They range from the high costs of what morticians call a traditional “full body” funeral, to the blurring of religious convictions, to the geographic fanning out of U.S. families.
“We’re a scattered nation,” said Julie Walter Davis of the Kansas City office of the Neptune Society, a cremation provider. Charlotte Observer

Trump Lashes Out At Media During Nevada Visit
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump emerged Thursday from a debate in which he appeared to take a back seat to his rivals by lashing out at the media as he continues to adjust to a race in which he is no longer the undisputed front-runner. Trump told more than 3,000 supporters at a rally at the Nugget hotel-casino in Sparks that he was pleased with his lower-key performance during the third GOP debate in Boulder, Colorado, even if the "crooked people in the press" won't give him credit.
"Last night, all of the polls — every single one of 'em — said I won," Trump bragged, referring to online questionnaires taken during and after the debate. The "polls" Trump referred to are not scientific surveys of a representative sample of Americans, but reader polls of a self-selected group of respondents who often have opinions very different from those of the general public. Las Vegas Sun
VOA VIEW: Trump is right - the liberal media is out of control.

VP Joe Biden Meets With 2016 Candidate Bernie Sanders
The presidential campaign of Democrat Bernie Sanders says the independent senator from Vermont has met with Vice President Joe Biden. The two men met Thursday for about an hour at Biden's residence, about a week after Biden decided not to get into the 2016 race. The Sanders campaign said they discussed campaign finance reform, as well as his proposal for free college tuition. In a statement, Sanders touted the Obama administration's management of the economy. But he added, "we still have a long way to go to create the kind of economy that works for all Americans and not just the top 1 percent." Last week, Biden spoke by phone with Sanders' rival for the Democratic nomination, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Las Vegas Sun

Clerks Must Issue Gay Marriage Licenses
Linda Massey opposes gay marriage. But she was incensed last summer to see that Kim Davis, a Kentucky county clerk, was refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. "If the government says you have to give out those marriage licenses, and you get paid to do it, you do it," says the 64-year-old retiree from Lewiston, Michigan. "That woman," she said of Davis, "should be out of a job." Americans like Massey are at the heart of a shift in public opinion, an Associated Press-GfK poll has found. For the first time, most Americans expect government officials to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, even over religious objections. San Diego Union

Smart-Gun Safety Technology Is Ready, But Opposition And A State Law Keep It Holstered
Here’s what happened last year to Andy Raymond, the Maryland man who tried to sell the nation’s first smart gun. Someone reportedly threatened to burn down his gun store and to hurt his dog, too. One of the angry callers who flooded his phone lines told him, “You’re gonna get what’s coming to you.” Raymond took that as a death threat. Shaken by the backlash, he decided not to sell the gun after all. He wrote in a Facebook message: “You call me and email me and threaten my life? You come at me, my girlfriend, or my ... DOG I will put one in your dome. I promise you.” The first appearance of these new-tech firearms last year in the United States fired a loud shot across the bow in the controversial debate about gun violence, an issue bound to come up during the presidential campaign. Kansas City Star

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Ryan Succeeds Boehner As Speaker, Seeks To Fix 'Broken' House
Republican Rep. Paul Ryan succeeded retiring John Boehner as House speaker on Thursday, appealing for unity and "understanding" as he embarks on the tough task of trying to heal deep divisions in the party and the chamber itself. As he took the gavel after easily winning election on the floor, the Wisconsin congressman declared "the House is broken" and called for a fresh start. "We're not solving problems, we're adding to them," Ryan said, declaring that going forward: "We are not settling scores. We are wiping the slate clean." Fox News

Jeb Bush's Existential Crisis
Jeb Bush's presidential campaign is facing a full-blown existential crisis. The former Florida governor's attempt to revive his White House hopes during Wednesday's Republican debate by taking on his former protege, Sen. Marco Rubio, backfired badly. Instead, he delivered a performance drained of passion, fire and inspiration followed by a testy post-game interview that added up to a disastrous night for Bush. Bush was already struggling going into the debate -- grappling with low poll numbers and a weak base in early voting states. CNN

Cops in class: Is 'Zero Tolerance' Still The Right Approach?
It seems to happen all the time. Police are called to a school to deal with students acting out. Some snapshots from around the country this year: In October, in Chesterfield, South Carolina, police are called because of a fight. Nine students are arrested. In May, sheriff's deputies use pepper spray to break up a fight at a Naples, Florida, high school. Three students are arrested and 21 students need medical care. In March, New York Police Department safety agents ask a student to remove safety pins holding his glasses together. When the student refuses, the officers reportedly tackle and arrest him. What's going on in America's schools that necessitate seemingly so much police involvement? Could crime in our schools really be so rampant? CNN
VOA VIEW: Public schools a dangerous place.

House Speaker-Elect Paul Ryan: ‘We Are Wiping The Slate Clean’
Newly elected House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) told members of the House on Thursday that the chamber is “wiping the slate clean” and it’s time to “return to regular order.” “To me the House of Representatives represents what’s best of America – the boundless opportunity to do good, but let’s be frank, the House is broken. We’re not solving problems. We’re adding to them, and I am not interested in laying blame. We are not settling scores. We are wiping the slate clean,” Ryan said. CNS

Catholic Archdiocese Warns Against 'Dangerous' Exorcism Planned For Live TV
The Catholic archdiocese of St. Louis spoke out Thursday against a live exorcism that will be broadcast on cable television, warning that the "dangerous" event has not been sanctioned by the church. Destination America is broadcasting the event, titled Exorcism: Live!, on Friday. It will take place in the St. Louis home that was the site of a purported Satanic possession that inspired William Peter Blatty's book The Exorcist, made into an Oscar-winning film in 1973. "No exorcism can take place without the authority of the local Roman Catholic ordinary," auxiliary bishop emeritus Robert Hermann said in a statement. UPI

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Clinton Says Justice Department Should Probe Exxon Over Climate Change Data
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said on Thursday she believes the U.S. Justice Department should investigate the failure of Exxon Mobil Corp's to disclose data related to climate change. "Yes, yes they should ... there's a lot of evidence they misled people," Clinton said replying to a question by climate activists after a campaign event at a community college in Berlin, New Hampshire. "She immediately agreed and was very enthusiastically supportive," Jordan Cichon with the group 350 Action told Reuters. Reuters

Are Guns Welcome At Trump Hotels? Depends On Whom You Ask
For those wondering whether they can bring their guns with them to the Trump-branded hotels and golf courses that dot the United States' classier corners, Donald Trump may have only added to their uncertainty during Wednesday's Republican debate. The billionaire real-estate developer and presidential contender indicated he thought guns were not generally allowed, but should be. Several resorts bearing his name, however, have told news outlets guns are absolutely unwelcome, even for guests with permits. On Thursday Trump's company, the Trump Organization, only added to the confusion by saying guns were already allowed. Reuters

You're About To Get Too Expensive For Your Pension Plan
The federal budget deal could speed the long, lingering death of old-fashioned defined-benefit pension plans, in which employers reward years of service by providing a guaranteed stream of income in retirement. The deal could affect any pre-retiree in a former employer's pension plan1 by increasing the per-head premiums that plan sponsors must pay to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. If it goes through as written, every person in a plan will get more expensive at the stroke of a pen. Employers are already deeply concerned about the extent and uncertainty of future pension liabilities and are trying to shed them. The proposed increase in the budget legislation would push even more pension plans to manage costs any way they can, including reducing participant head count, said Alan Glickstein, a senior retirement consultant with Towers Watson. Bloomberg

Critics Cry Foul After GOP Debate
CNBC reached its biggest audience ever with the third Republican presidential debate but paid a price in criticism of how its moderators handled the opportunity to question the candidates. The Nielsen company said 14 million viewers watched the debate Wednesday, down from the 24 million who saw the first contest on Fox News Channel in February, but far higher than a Republican debate on CNBC in 2011 that drew 3.3 million. On Thursday, debate moderators Carl Quintanilla, Becky Quick, and John Harwood were in the spotlight. Individual candidates grumbled and Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus said the moderators' performance "was extremely disappointing." But it wasn't just Republicans who were critical. Philadelphia Inquirer
VOA VIEW: CNBC scored worst in the third Republican debate.

Carson Gives His Views On Christianity
As his surge in heavily evangelical Iowa puts a spotlight on his faith, Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson is opening up about his membership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He embraces it as right for him while also framing his beliefs in broad terms that aim to transcend divisions among Christians. In an interview days after GOP rival Donald Trump criticized Carson's church, the retired neurosurgeon said his relationship with God was "the most important aspect. It's not really denomination specific." Carson discussed a brief period as a college student when he questioned whether to stay in the church. And in his own criticism, he said it was a "huge mistake" that the top Adventist policy-making body recently voted against ordaining women. "I don't see any reason why women can't be ordained," he said. Philadelphia Inquirer

Spitzer: I Buried Plan To Give Illegal Immigrants Licenses To Help Hillary
In a stunning admission, former Gov. Eliot Spitzer says he buried a plan to give drivers’ licenses to illegal immigrants just to help Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign back in 2007. The licenses became a key issue in Clinton’s nomination fight with Barack Obama, who said he was for the licenses at a debate in Philly, while Clinton danced around taking a position. “She waffled and waffled and waffled,” recalled Spitzer, who backs Democratic rival Martin O’Malley for president. “It didn’t poll well, but there was no ambiguity about what was right,” Spitzer told former Obama advisor David Axelrod in a podcast Thursday for the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics. NY Post

Cruz Adds To GOP Divide On How Best To Overhaul Tax System
In proposing the U.S. adopt a flat tax coupled with a levy similar to a European-style value added tax, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is contributing to a division in the Republican presidential field. Some simply want to cut existing rates. But others — Cruz among them — suggest scrapping the nation's tax code entirely and starting over from scratch. All the tax plans released by the Republican candidates to date would starkly reduce the amount of money Americans and U.S. businesses pay in taxes, with experts — including those who support them — predicting they would balloon the nation's debt by trillions of dollars over the next decade. While all people of all incomes would generally pay less in federal taxes in every plan, the benefits skew largely toward the wealthy. Tampa Tribune
VOA VIEW: The US tax code must be scraped completely, and replaced with a consumption or flat tax - spending must be reduced.

Congress Sends Budget And Debt Deal To Obama
Legislation sparing the country the specter of a catastrophic default and partial government shutdown is ready for President Barack Obama's signature after the Senate passed it by a comfortable margin. Senators voted 64-35 for the measure, which also provides a two-year budget, in the early hours Friday. Democrats teamed with Republican defense hawks to overcome opposition from conservatives including two GOP senators running for president — Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas. Obama had negotiated the accord, passed by the House earlier this week, with congressional leaders who were intent on avoiding the brinkmanship and shutdown threats that have haunted the institution for the past several years. Departing Rep. John Boehner of Ohio made it his top priority in his final days as speaker before making way for Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. Tampa Tribune

First Batch Of Clinton Emails Since Benghazi Testimony To Be Released
The State Department is due Friday to release the first round of emails from Hillary Clinton’s private server since she testified last week in a marathon hearing before the House Benghazi panel. Like previous downloads, it's unlikely they'll illuminate much beyond the minutiae of her daily interactions with staff, lawmakers and outside supporters during her tenure as secretary of State. Friday's batch is the latest in a series of monthly releases of Clinton's emails that will continue until January of 2016 in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. The House Select Committee on Benghazi has already vetted the messages related to their inquiry into the 2012 attacks on the U.S. embassy in Libya, which was the impetus for the email release. USA Today

Oregon Girl, 16, Diagnosed With Bubonic Plague After Hunting Trip
A 16-year-old Crook County girl has been diagnosed with bubonic plague, Oregon health officials confirmed. The Oregon Health Authority said the girl likely acquired the disease from a flea bite during a hunting trip near Heppner on Oct. 16. She got sick five days later and was admitted to the intensive care unit at a Bend hospital.
No other people in Crook County have been infected with the plague, according to OHA spokesman Jonathan Modie. Epidemiologists with Oregon Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta are working with Crook, Deschutes and Morrow county health officials to investigate the illness. "Many people think of the plague as a disease of the past, but it's still very much present in our environment, particularly among wildlife," said state public health veterinarian Emilio DeBess. USA Today

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India – Israel Relationship Emerges From The Closet
Long believed to hold the potential to become natural allies and trading partners, the predicted mutually-beneficial relationship between Israel and India is seen as maturing with lucrative benefits to both nations. While there was a time the developing bonds between the two nations were stalled by India’s ties to Israel’s enemies, India now seems ready to reap the rewards of its ties to the Jewish state in the form of Israeli technology, weapons and military equipment, diamonds and agriculture. Israel, meantime, is developing close links with an emerging super-power at a time when its traditional allies are becoming a touch frosty and concern about isolation from the international community is growing. Jerusalem Post

Russian Air Strikes In South Syria 'Raise Potential For Friction' With Israel
Russian air strikes in southern Syria represent a rise in the potential for inadvertent friction with Israel, a senior air combat expert told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday. Brig.-Gen. (res.) Abraham Assael , CEO of the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies in Herzliya, spoke a day after international media reports said the Russian Air Force carried out strikes in Syria's southern Daraa province, near the Jordanian border, for the first time since Moscow directly intervened in the Syrian civil war - the closest Russian jets have come to the Israeli border. Referring to an incident in September 2014, in which the Israel Air Force's air defense department shot down a Syrian Sukhoi 24 jet that breached Israeli air space with a Patriot missile, Assel said the shoot-down is "an example of the sensitivity that these things can cause. We do not know what the end result can be [from such incidents]." Jerusalem Post

Syria Conflict: Saudis Say Iran Must Accept Assad Exit
Saudi Arabia has said Iran must accept the removal of President Bashar al-Assad as part of any solution to the conflict in Syria. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir made the remarks as talks among international foreign ministers on the crisis get under way in Vienna. Iran is for the first time taking part in such talks, which will also include Russia and Turkey. Russia and Iran both support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. They have both recently stepped up their military role in the conflict. The US, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab nations have long insisted Mr Assad cannot play any long-term role in Syria's future. Mr Jubeir told the BBC that there was "no doubt" Mr Assad had to go. "He will go either through a political process or he will be removed by force," he said. BBC

Defence Corruption 'Hurts Middle East Security'
Corruption in the defence sector poses a huge risk to the security and stability of countries in the Middle East and North Africa, watchdog Transparency International says. A report by the group highlights secret defence budgets and poor oversight of militaries as particularly problematic. The region has some of the fastest growing defence budgets in the world. The report says defence corruption has also fuelled the rise of extremist groups such as Islamic State (IS). The release of the report comes amid several conflicts in the region, including the fight against IS in Syria and Iraq, the Syrian civil war, fighting between militias in Libya and an air campaign by a Saudi-led coalition against Shia rebels in Yemen. BBC

French People Are Tired Of US Politicians Bashing France On The Campaign Trail
Sacré bleu, Jeb Bush is having a bad week! Not only did the presidential candidate have a disappointing showing in Wednesday’s Republican debate, he has also managed to upset people who cannot even vote for him – the French. While taking a jab at Florida senator Marco Rubio for missing Senate votes due to being on the campaign trail, Bush made a reference to the “French work week”. “You should be showing up to work. I mean, literally, the Senate, what is it, like a French work week? You get like three days where you have to show up? You can campaign. Or just resign. Let someone else take the job,” he said. Guardian

US Economic Growth Slows In Third Quarter As Businesses Cut Back
US economic growth cooled in the third quarter despite a pick-up in consumer spending as a glut on inventory led to businesses cutting back on restocking warehouses.
Gross domestic product (GDP) – the broadest measure of economic health – increased at a 1.5% annual rate, a significant drop from the 3.9% annual growth of the second quarter, the Commerce Department said on Thursday. The main drag came from businesses stockpiling inventory, however, and economists expect growth to improve in the fourth quarter. Guardian

Senior UN Relief Official Urges More Support For People In Protracted Crises In Central And Eastern Africa
Warning of worsening violence and humanitarian crises across areas of East and Central Africa, the Head of Operations for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), John Ging, today called for additional support to “people and communities who have faced years of crisis in Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia.” “Each of these countries faces a unique set of challenges. But in each country, I spoke with people who have had to run from their homes again and again, fleeing successive waves of violence. I met children who have grown up never knowing peace and stability,” Mr. Ging said in a press briefing at UN Headquarters in New York. UN News

Ban Applauds ‘Six Decades Of Principled Leadership’ Of Spain At The UN
The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today commended the leading role played by Spain, since it first joined the UN 60 years ago, by supporting the Organization in all its activities, including tackling terrorism, aiding women empowerment, peace, security and contributing towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and developing the new Agenda 2030. “This country has sent explorers out into this world – and welcomed travellers onto its territory. The Spanish spirit of international engagement won out over war and dictatorship when Spain joined the United Nations sixty years ago. Even before that milestone, a number of Spaniards served in our ranks,” said Mr. Ban in his remarks at the ceremony marking Spain’s 60th anniversary in the UN. UN News

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