USA

Vogue magazine has endorsed Hillary Clinton ahead of the US presidential election next month.

The Democratic candidate will face Republican rival Donald Trump when Americans go to the polls on 8 November.

In an editorial, the magazine said: “Vogue has no history of political endorsements.

“Given the profound stakes of this one, and the history that stands to be made, we feel that should change.”

The article reminds readers the magazine has previously profiled Clinton six times.

Vogue, which has been led by editor-in-chief Anna Wintour since 1988, added Clinton “knows the challenges working women face”.

“We understand that Clinton has not always been a perfect candidate, yet her fierce intelligence and considerable experience are reflected in policies and positions that are clear, sound, and hopeful,” the editorial said.

But the magazine criticised “the chaos and unpredictability and the sometimes appalling spectacle of this election season”.

On Wednesday evening, Clinton and Trump will go head to head in the final televised debate of the campaign season.


Source: BBC

Republican Donald Trump has refused to commit to accepting the election result if he loses, in the final TV debate against Hillary Clinton.

“I will tell you at the time,” he told moderator Chris Wallace. For days he has claimed the election is “rigged”.

The Las Vegas debate continued the campaign’s bitter tone, with Mr Trump calling Mrs Clinton a “nasty woman”.

Polls show Mr Trump is losing in key battleground states after facing a slew of sexual assault allegations.

The candidates declined to shake hands before and after the political sparring, setting the tone for what would later become yet another debate marked by shouting and interrupting.

Mr Trump appealed to the Republican establishment by vowing to appoint Supreme Court justices with a “conservative bent” who would overturn a key ruling that made abortion legal in the US and protect gun rights.

He also stuck to his pledge to deport undocumented immigrants and secure US borders.

Meanwhile, Mrs Clinton firmly declared she would stand up for the LGBT community, defend abortion rights, focus on restoring the middle class and equal pay for women.

“The government has no business in the decisions that women make,” she said.

In one of the more striking moments, Mr Trump twice declined to say whether he would accept the election’s outcome, breaking with the country’s long-standing tradition of a losing candidate’s concession after the votes are counted.

“That’s horrifying,” Mrs Clinton shot back.

“He is denigrating and he is talking down our democracy. And I, for one, am appalled that somebody who is the nominee of one of our two major parties would take that kind of a position.”

Mr Trump’s response drew sharp criticism from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who said the candidate was “doing the party and country a great disservice by continuing to suggest the outcome of the election is out of his hands and ‘rigged’ against him,” according to a statement.

Source: BBC

The US says it has sent 15 Guantanamo Bay detainees to the United Arab Emirates – the largest single transfer during President Barack Obama’s administration.

The Pentagon says the transfer of 12 Yemeni nationals and three Afghans brings the total number of prisoners down to 61 at the US facility in Cuba.

The released inmates had been held without charge, some for over 14 years.
President Obama wants to close the prison before he leaves office.

The White House also wants to transfer the remaining inmates to the US – but has been blocked by Congress.

Mr Obama believes Guantanamo Bay fuels the recruitment of jihadists and creates stronger anti-US feelings.

Trump’s pledge

In a statement on Monday, the Pentagon said:

“The United States is grateful to the government of the United Arab Emirates for its humanitarian gesture and willingness to support ongoing US efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.”

In April, nine Yemeni prisoners were sent to Saudi Arabia.

The Guantanamo Bay prison is located on an American naval base in south-eastern Cuba.
Former US President George W Bush opened the jail in January 2002 to accommodate foreign terror suspects after the 11 September attacks in 2001.

The facility, which costs $445m (£345m) to run annually, one point held more than 700 detainees.

In February, the White House presented a plan to Congress to close the camp.
But many Republicans remain strongly opposed to bringing inmates to the US, saying they are extremely dangerous and do not belong in civilian prisons.

Ed Royce, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, condemned the latest releases, saying: “Once again, hardened terrorists are being released to foreign countries where they will be a threat.”


Source:BBC

New York police have arrested a man who tried to scale Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan using rope and suction cups.

Workers removed windows from the glass-faced, 58-storey skyscraper to prevent him from going higher.

Police officers eventually grabbed the man as he reached the 21st floor and pulled him inside the building.

The building is the headquarters of the US presidential campaign of Republican nominee Donald Trump. He also lives in the building but was not in New York.

Police described the climber as a 20-year-old man from Virginia who wanted to meet Mr Trump. Police said they did not believe the man intended to harm anyone.

In a YouTube video posted earlier this week he described himself as an “independent researcher” and needed to deliver an “important message” to Mr Trump.

The man was taken to Bellevue Hospital to be psychologically evaluated, police said.

Large crowds gathered outside the building along Fifth Avenue as the incident unfolded over several hours.

“This man performed a ridiculous and dangerous stunt,” said Michael Cohen, executive vice-president of the Trump Organization. “I’m 100% certain the NYPD had better things to do.”


Source: BBC