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Republican candidate Donald Trump has said he is going to target states seen as Democratic strongholds in the last two days before the US election. He will visit Pennsylvania, Michigan and also Minnesota, which has not gone Republican since 1972. He started off a four-state swing on Saturday in Florida, where rival Hillary Clinton also campaigned. She unveiled an advert to run in nearly a dozen states, set to the Katy Perry song, Roar. Perry will appear with Mrs Clinton later on Saturday at a rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Opinion polls suggest Mrs Clinton is still ahead in key states. But she has seen her lead slip following last week's FBI announcement that it was looking into emails that may be connected to her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state. A nationwide McClatchy-Marist opinion poll on Saturday gave her a one point lead, compared to six in September. A YouGov polling estimate on Saturday gave her a three-point lead. Some 37 million early voters have already cast their ballots. Reports suggest many more Latino voters are turning out early in key states including Florida, Arizona and Nevada compared to past elections. Analysts in Nevada say the Democrats appear to have taken a significant lead there because of the early ballots. Donald Trump told a rally in Tampa, Florida: "We're going into what they used to call Democrat strongholds, where we're now either tied or leading. We're going to Minnesota, which traditionally has not been Republican at all." Pennsylvania and Michigan are also both on his agenda and they too have been tough states for Republicans. They have not won them since 1988. After Tampa, Mr Trump headed to Wilmington in North Carolina, where he was introduced by his wife, Melania. Mr Trump turned his fire on the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. "Real change begins with immediately repealing and replacing Obamacare," he said. Mrs Clinton addressed a rally in a hoarse voice in Pembroke Pines in Florida, telling supporters: "I don't think I need to tell you all of the wrong things about Donald Trump", before cutting the speech short amid a downpour of rain. Florida is a massively important state, particularly for Mr Trump, with many seeing it as a must-win. Candidates need 270 electoral college votes to win the presidency. Florida is worth 29. The contest appears to be tight. Real Clear Politics' poll average puts the Democratic candidate ahead, but poll analysis website FiveThirtyEight says Mr Trump has a 52.6% chance of winning the state. Mrs Clinton's campaign has revealed she will do a two-minute national TV commercial on Monday night which they expect will reach a combined audience of 20 million people. She has been relying heavily on A-list supporters - on Friday in Cleveland it was singer Beyonce and rapper husband Jay Z. After Katy Perry, she will take the stage with basketball star LeBron James in Cleveland on Sunday. VOTES Hillary 46% - 44% Trump
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The Chainsmokers - All We Know
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Iraqi government forces have battled their way into another suburb of Mosul, the northern city held for more two years by the Islamic State (IS) group. Troops broke through IS defences and reached the eastern district of al-Zahra, which they say is now 90% under their control. Special forces have been fighting the jihadists in the streets and alleys. Meanwhile, the UN says there is growing evidence of IS atrocities in and around Mosul. It has already expressed concern for the estimated 1.5 million civilians living in the city amid reports of mass killings and people being rounded up for use as human shields. In another development on Friday, the first convoy of vehicles carrying hundreds of civilians fleeing the fighting around Mosul arrived at a camp east of the city. The BBC's Karen Allen, who is at the camp, said many had not left their villages since IS took over more than two years ago. Government and Kurdish forces began a US-backed offensive on 17 October to drive out the jihadists. They have already retaken dozens of villages and towns in the surrounding area. Troops from the Counter-Terrorism Service began their push towards al-Zahra, formerly known as Saddam district, at 07:00 (04:00 GMT), advancing rapidly after breaking down IS defences, said BBC Arabic's Feras Kilani, who is with the elite force. Inside al-Zahra, militants continued to fight back and a coalition air strike was ordered to destroy an IS position. There were no civilians to be seen but commanders repeatedly instructed troops via walkie-talkies to spare them any harm. A military spokesman said IS was putting up stiff resistance. "The battle is currently going on, the enemy is using snipers, car bombs and directed missiles," said Lt Gen Abdel-Wahab al-Saadi. "God willing, we will return fire and will liberate the neighbourhood (of al-Zahra) soon." Residents who spoke to our correspondent said IS had been expecting the attack and had withdrawn two days earlier, leaving behind four pockets of resistance to slow down the government advance. Iraqi forces trying to enter another Mosul suburb - Karama, south of al-Zahra - had to partially pull back when IS launched fierce resistance. "We weren't expecting such resistance. They had blocked all the roads," said one officer, quoted by AFP news agency. "There are large numbers of jihadists. It was preferable to pull back and devise a new plan." There were also fierce clashes in the nearby district of Intisar on Friday and Iraqi forces said most of it was now under government control. The UN human rights office (UNHCR) provided more evidence on Friday of human rights violations taking place in and around Mosul. It said that IS had shot around 50 of its own fighters for desertion on Monday and added that 180 government employees may also have been killed by the group.
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UPDATE 8/24: Never mind -- the judge in the case has denied GM's motion to dismiss the case. Reuters reports one of the many lawsuits General Motors faces over its faulty ignition switches likely will be thrown out of a Texas courtroom. The case involves plaintiff Zachary Stevens, who lost control of his 2007 Saturn Sky in 2011 before hitting another car and killing its driver. In a strange twist, the case may be dismissed because the key in the vehicle at the time of the accident didn't actually belong to a Saturn Sky. The allegedly non-Saturn key also had various trinkets hanging off of it, which are now thought have been added to help convince jurors that the problem was a run-of-the-mill GM ignition switch failure caused by excessive weight. Stevens must have forgotten that he originally said he didn’t have much attached to his key at the time the accident occurred. GM challenged the plaintiffs for fabricating evidence and asked the judge to dismiss the case. A dismissal will likely only mean that Stevens won’t get to cash a big check; manslaughter charges were dropped after GM announced the recall in 2014. According to Reuters, so far GM has already paid out around $2 billion in settlements and penalties because of faulty ignition switches.
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US President Barack Obama has implicitly criticised FBI director James Comey over the new inquiry into Hillary Clinton's email use. He said US investigations should not operate on the basis of "innuendo" or "incomplete information". The FBI is now investigating new emails that may be linked to its probe into Mrs Clinton's private email server. Mr Comey has faced a fierce backlash for announcing the move just 11 days before the presidential election. Mr Obama's remarks are his first public comments since Mr Comey's announcement on Friday that the FBI had discovered a new batch of emails that may or may not be relevant to an earlier, closed investigation into Democratic presidential candidate Mrs Clinton's handling of classified information. "I've made a very deliberate effort to make sure that I don't look like I'm meddling," Mr Obama said in an interview with website NowThisNew. But he added: "I do think that there is a norm that when there are investigations we don't operate on innuendo, we don't operate on incomplete information, we don't operate on leaks. We operate based on concrete decisions that are made. "When this was investigated thoroughly the last time, the conclusion of the FBI, the conclusion of the justice department, the conclusion of repeated congressional investigations was that she had made some mistakes but that there wasn't anything there that was prosecutable." It emerged in March 2015 that Mrs Clinton had been breaking federal rules by operating a private email server while she was secretary of state from 2009-13. Her lawyers combed through the server and provided the state department with 30,000 work-related emails, but her campaign deleted another 33,000 messages, saying they were personal in nature. Mr Comey concluded in July that Mrs Clinton had been "extremely careless" in handling classified information, but there were no grounds for any charges. The latest emails were found in a separate investigation into allegations that former congressman Anthony Weiner sent illicit text messages to a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina. Mr Weiner is married to one of Mrs Clinton's closest aides, Huma Abedin. The FBI has reportedly obtained a warrant to search the cache of emails belonging to Ms Abedin, which are believed to have been found on her estranged husband's laptop. There are reportedly 650,000 emails to search through on the laptop, but it is unclear who sent or received the emails or what they were about. Mr Comey and Attorney General Loretta Lynch have said they are working quickly to sift through the newly discovered emails. Democrats have angrily demanded that the embattled Mr Comey rapidly make public what the agency knows about the new email trove. On Sunday, the Democratic leader in the US Senate Harry Reid accused Mr Comey of violating an act which bars officials from influencing an election by revealing the bureau was investigating emails possibly linked to Mrs Clinton.
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Iraqi forces have for the first time entered the outskirts of Mosul, as they attempt to drive Islamic State (IS) militants from the northern city. Elite Counter-Terrorism Service troops seized control of the state TV building in Kukjali hours after launching an assault on the eastern district. But a BBC journalist embedded with them says they are facing fierce resistance. Army units are also pushing into the south-eastern Judaydat al-Mufti area, according to the military. On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told the 3,000 to 5,000 militants believed to be inside Mosul, which they overran in June 2014, that there was "no escape" and to "either surrender or die". About 50,000 Iraqi security forces personnel, Kurdish fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen are involved in the two-week-old offensive to drive IS militants out of their last major urban stronghold in the country. Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) units retook Bazwaya, the last village before Mosul's eastern outskirts, in a dawn assault on Monday and then advanced on the Kukjali industrial zone. One commander, infamous in Iraq, is Major Salam - he has a full name, but here, he doesn't need it. His men follow him without question and he is known as a "door-kicker". He is always in front of his men; his body is visibly riddled with proof of his "lead by example" mantra. He spent weeks in France this year for medical reasons, after fighting in Falluja. If there are unsung heroes in their ranks, it is the men driving the bulldozers. They are sent in quickly to destroy the wildly complicated network of tunnels that IS has been using for over two years to avoid air strikes from the US-led coalition. The tunnels are often rigged with powerful explosives, set up as the enemy retreats further into the heart of the city. They moved out again shortly before first light on Tuesday, this time with the aim of entering the adjoining Kukjali residential area, which is within the city limits. The troops have much more momentum than anybody expected up until this point, our correspondent says. But, he adds, they are coming under attack from a number of different directions with a number of different weapons. The troops have responded to the RPG, machine-gun and sniper fire with heavy weapons, and also by calling in air strikes by the US-led coalition against IS. A number of civilians have also approached them, some waving white flags. By noon, the troops were approaching the more built-up Karama district, Maj Gen Sami al-Airdi of the CTS told the Associated Press news agency. In an attempt to slow the advance, militants had set up concrete blast walls to block the main road into Karama, and also planted bombs along it, he said. Later, as the state television building was retaken, CTS commander Lt Gen Abdul Wahhab al-Saidi said most of Kokjali had been cleared. One resident of the nearby Quds district told Reuters news agency: "We can see [IS] fighters firing towards the Iraqi forces and moving in cars between the alleys of the neighbourhood." Later, the Iraqi military's Joint Operations Command announced that units from the army's ninth armoured division and first division had entered the Judaydat al-Mufti district, to the south-east, after capturing several outlying villages. As Mosul is encircled, UN officials have expressed concern for the safety of the 1.5 million civilians estimated to be living there. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Tuesday that it had received fresh reports of mass killings and forced relocations carried out by IS. Militants were alleged to have killed 40 former soldiers from the Shura area south of Mosul and from villages surrounding the town of Hamam al-Alil, and then thrown their bodies into the River Tigris, spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said. IS also brought dozens of lorries and mini-buses into Hamam al-Alil early on Monday in an attempt to forcibly transfer 25,000 to the city itself, she added. Many of the vehicles were prevented from moving by coalition military operations in the area. But some did reach Abu Saif, just outside Mosul's international airport. Separately on Tuesday, Turkey began deploying tanks and other vehicles to its border with Iraq, about 100km (62 miles) north-west of Mosul. The Turkish government is concerned that the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which it regards as a terrorist group, will gain greater influence in northern Iraq. It also says it wants to protect Iraq's Sunni Turkmen community from pro-government Shia paramilitary fighters moving towards Tal Afar, west of Mosul.
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I'M SICK
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V2 text, effect
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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said he believes the FBI may have found the "motherlode" of Hillary Clinton's emails. At a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he said he hoped the Democratic candidate's 33,000 deleted messages could now be recovered. The FBI is investigating new emails that may be linked to its probe into Mrs Clinton's private email server. Mrs Clinton later told a rally she had nothing to hide. It emerged in March 2015 that Mrs Clinton had been breaking federal rules by operating a private email server while she was secretary of state from 2009-13. Her lawyers combed through the server and provided the State Department with 30,000 work-related emails. But her campaign deleted another 33,000 messages, saying they were personal in nature. Mr Comey concluded in July that Mrs Clinton had been "extremely careless" in handling classified information, but there were no grounds for any charges. The latest emails were found in a separate investigation into allegations that former congressman Anthony Weiner sent illicit text messages to a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina. Mr Weiner is married to top Clinton aide, Huma Abedin. The FBI has reportedly obtained a warrant to search the cache of emails belonging to Ms Abedin, which are believed to have been found on her estranged husband's laptop. There are reportedly 650,000 emails to search through on the laptop, but it is unclear who sent or received the emails or what they were about. "That's the motherlode," said Mr Trump. "I think you're going to find the 33,000 (emails) that are missing." "I think we hit the motherlode, as they say in the good old mining industry." He added: "Thank you, Huma. Thank you, Huma. Good job, Huma. Thank you, Anthony Weiner." But Mrs Clinton told a rally in Kent, Ohio, that the FBI was welcome to check her aide's emails. "They should look at them and I'm sure they'll reach the same conclusion they did when they looked at my emails for the past year: there is no case here." Democrats have angrily demanded that the FBI's embattled director, James Comey, rapidly make public what they know about the new email trove. The White House said on Monday it would neither defend nor criticise the FBI decision. Obama spokesman Josh Earnest said the president did not suspect Mr Comey of trying to secretly influence the election through his announcement on Friday of the inquiry. Mr Earnest said Mr Comey is "a man of integrity, a man of character, a man of principle and he has a very difficult job". POLLS
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Hillary Clinton says she is "confident" a new FBI probe linked to her emails will not change its original finding that she should not be prosecuted. The Democratic presidential candidate called on the FBI director to explain the new inquiry to the American people. James Comey earlier said the FBI was looking into newly found messages. The latest emails came to light during a separate inquiry into top Clinton aide Huma Abedin's estranged husband, former congressman Anthony Weiner. Devices belonging to Ms Abedin and Mr Weiner were seized in a separate FBI inquiry into whether he sent sexually explicit emails to a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina. The American people deserve to get the full and complete facts immediately," said Mrs Clinton, in her first comments since Mr Comey's announcement. "It's imperative that the bureau explain this issue in question, whatever it is, without any delay." She highlighted that Mr Comey had said "he doesn't know whether the emails referenced in his letter are significant or not", adding: "I'm confident (that) whatever they are will not change the conclusion reached in July." Mr Comey said the FBI would investigate if the newly discovered emails contain classified information. The FBI chief said in a letter to Congress that investigators had discovered the emails "in connection with an unrelated case... that appear to be pertinent to the investigation". He said he "cannot yet assess whether or not this material may be significant, and I cannot predict how long it will take us to complete this additional work". The FBI has already established the Democratic candidate had classified information on a private email server. In July, Mr Comey said Mrs Clinton's handling of sensitive material during her 2009-13 tenure as secretary of state was "extremely careless", but cleared her of any criminal wrongdoing. The revelation that she handled sensitive information while breaking federal rules by running her own email server out of her upstate New York home has dogged her campaign since last year. It could be nothing. It could be everything. And it almost certainly won't be resolved before Americans head to the polls in just under two weeks. The letter from Mr Comey to Congress is frustratingly vague. There's no information, for instance, or how many emails are in question. That will only fuel the rampant speculation already breaking out, with leaks from "government sources" in the coming days sure to fan the flames. Mrs Clinton's critics will go on the attack, using the latest news to support their claims that the former secretary of state engaged in malfeasance. Her supporters will spend the next few days in a defensive crouch, trying to assess how bad the damage could be. What's certain, however, is that whether this turns out to be a big deal or not, it places the spotlight on all the wrong places for the Clinton campaign. It all but guarantees that even if she wins White House, the early days of her presidency will be dogged by this long-running political imbroglio. Earlier, Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta criticised the FBI's "extraordinary" timing. The revelation comes just 11 days before Americans go to the polls in the presidential election. Mrs Clinton is five points ahead of her Republican rival Donald Trump, according to a Real Clear Politics average. What a difference a plane journey makes. When we left Westchester, New York, on Hillary Clinton's campaign plane, spirits were high amongst her staff. Her campaign manager, Robby Mook, came to the back of the plane and told reporters that early voting was going in their favour and that Mrs Clinton would even campaign in Republican-leaning Arizona next week. But Mr Mook added that they weren't taking anything for granted. He said: "Hillary is superstitious." When we landed and wifi internet was restored, the Clinton team first learned the news of a reopened FBI investigation. She was right to be superstitious. As we got off the plane, one of her advisers told us: "We are just learning about this at the same time as you are." Mrs Clinton stayed on for far longer than usual. Her team were digesting the news and working out how to respond. When she did walk off the plane, she smiled and ignored shouted questions from the media on the tarmac about the long-running email saga. Paul Ryan, the highest-ranked elected Republican, called the FBI decision "long overdue". The House of Representatives Speaker renewed his call for the Director of National Intelligence to halt classified briefings for the Democratic candidate.
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Mercedes confirms its intelligent drive models will roll off its north west German plant line; the first SUV model will arrive in 2019, followed by a saloon Production for the first Mercedes EQ electric model will begin at the firm’s Bremen plant in less than three years. Mercedes confirmed that the north west German site will be responsible for all model’s featuring intelligent drive technologies, the first of which will be an SUV to roll off the production line in 2019. This primary EQ model will be inspired by the EQ concept of the Paris motor show. It was a 402bhp four-wheel-drive electrically powered SUV. We’ve already told you about Mercedes’s grand plans for its new EQ sub brand, with up to 10 new electric models set to be launched. But according to Gorden Wagener, Daimler’s head of design, we won’t have to wait long for other versions to appear, with a saloon set to follow the launch of the first SUV. The Generation EQ concept that was shown at the Paris show is about “90%” similar to its production sister, Wagener told us, saying that only details like the lack of door mirrors and door handles would be tackled before production. The front and rear end treatment – with a “grille” that’s illuminated from behind – will make production in both the first EQ SUV and then it’s sister models. “That will be the defining look,” Wagener said. Based on Mercedes’s recent patent registrations, the first car looks likely to carry EQG branding. We can expect to see a saloon version next, probably one aimed squarely at the Tesla Model S. “We will start with the main segments, saloons and SUVs,” Wagener said, “this is the first of its kind, it’s a starting point. Of course, we’ve already progressed a little bit further internally. This car will be fairly soon on the market and then we will welcome other generations.” Wagener also acknowledged that these will, ultimately, include both lower and sportier models, insisting it will be possible to produce these even with the packaging constraints of the under-floor battery pack that will sit beneath every EQ.
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France says that it has completed an operation to move thousands of migrants out of the "Jungle" camp in Calais. Fabienne Buccio, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, said it was "mission accomplished" for the operation, which began on Monday. But charities said many unaccompanied minors had not been processed and BBC reporters at the camp said groups of adults remained. Fires burned at the camp overnight and during the day amid the clearance work. The camp has become a key symbol of Europe's migration crisis, with its residents desperate to reach the UK. Since the start of the week, French authorities have been bussing thousands of people to shelters and centres where they will be able to seek asylum. The operation has gone faster than expected and on Wednesday afternoon Ms Buccio said: "It's the end of the Jungle, our mission is over. There are no more migrants in the camp." Local officials say so far 4,404 migrants have been taken to centres around the country and 1,200 children registered to enter a temporary centre made out of converted shipping containers near the camp. Processing is continuing in the camp, reports say, but will end by this evening. The camp had an estimated 6,000-8,000 residents. The BBC's Simon Jones, who is there, says it is possible a large number have disappeared, either to sleep rough around Calais or go to other towns. The authorities fear they will return to set up camp again once the clearance operation is over. Dorothy Sang, of Save The Children, meanwhile, told the BBC that hundreds of children had not been able to register and enter the area for minors. "When there were fires raging in the camp, the camp was cleared, but the registration process for children was closed, and the containers were full. So there was literally nowhere for children to go," she said. Many had run away, she added, and their whereabouts were unknown. A BBC reporter also spoke to a group of around 100 unaccompanied minors inside the camp who British charity workers said had nowhere to go. British MP Yvette Cooper said she was deeply concerned at reports children were being turned away from the container camps and urged French authorities to open up emergency accommodation. Fires have left the centre of the settlement charred and uninhabitable. French firefighters are now putting out the smoking embers. Many areas of the camp are now largely deserted. In muddy fields, warrens of tents remain standing and empty. I saw a small number of migrants who were in no hurry to leave. One group of half a dozen men was sitting down to dinner at a table next to a tent. But I also saw several other migrants carrying their bags towards the buses that will take them away from this region. Overnight, huts were set on fire on the main street leading into the camp, leaving makeshift shops in ashes. More fires were ignited during the day, but it is not clear who started them. Ms Buccio told local media it was "a tradition among the migrant po[CENSORED]tion to destroy their homes before leaving". However the Calais police commissioner said he had been told by migrants that the fires were started by activists. One man was reported to have been injured when a gas canister exploded in the flames. More than 1,200 police officers have been deployed for the clearance operation at the camp, which is unpo[CENSORED]r locally and has required a large security presence to prevent migrants reaching the UK on lorries or trains heading across the Channel. The Jungle camp is near the port of Calais and close to the 31-mile Channel Tunnel Officially about 7,000 migrants live in the camp. The Help Refugees agency said the final po[CENSORED]tion ahead of its demolition was 8,143 The camp was halved in area earlier this year but the po[CENSORED]tion continued to rise, and reports of violence have increased Many migrants attempt to hide themselves in cargo vehicles entering the Channel Tunnel The area has been hit by protests from both locals and truck operators
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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said Hillary Clinton's foreign policy plan in Syria would trigger World War Three. He said the US should focus on defeating the so-called Islamic State rather than convincing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to stand down. Mrs Clinton has been proposing a no-fly zone over Syria, which some say could lead to conflict with Russian jets. Mr Trump also attacked Republicans for not uniting behind his candidacy. "If we had party unity, we couldn't lose this election to Hillary Clinton," he told Reuters news agency at Trump National Doral golf resort in Miami, Florida. The Republican standard-bearer struck an apocalyptic tone when criticising his Democratic rival's plan to control Syrian air space. "You're going to end up in World War Three over Syria if we listen to Hillary Clinton," Mr Trump said. "You're not fighting Syria any more, you're fighting Syria, Russia and Iran, all right? "Russia is a nuclear country, but a country where the nukes work as opposed to other countries that talk." He also suggested Mrs Clinton would be unable to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin after her sharp criticism of him. Mr Trump questioned "how she is going to go back and negotiate with this man who she has made to be so evil" if she is elected president on 8 November. His warning of confrontation with Russia echoes concerns raised last month at a congressional hearing by the highest-ranking military officer in the US armed forces. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Marine General Joseph Dunford told lawmakers a "no-fly zone" in Syria could spell war with Russia. "Right now, senator, for us to control all of the airspace in Syria it would require us to go to war, against Syria and Russia," Gen Dunford told the Senate Arms Services Committee. "That's a pretty fundamental decision that certainly I'm not going to make." At the final presidential debate in Nevada on 20 October, Mrs Clinton outlined her support for the measure. "A no-fly zone can save lives and hasten the end of the conflict," she said on stage. But in a 2013 speech to Wall Street firm Goldman Sachs, Mrs Clinton said establishing a no-fly zone would "kill a lot of Syrians", according to a transcript disclosed by Wikileaks.
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A war-torn state and a country ruled by an oppressive military junta for decades are home to the world's most generous people, research suggests. People in Iraq are the kindest to strangers, while Myanmar's residents give the most away, according to the CAF World Giving Index 2016. In the last month, eight in 10 Iraqis have helped someone they don't know, with Libyans helping almost as many. During the same period, 91% of those in Myanmar have given money to charity. In comparison, 63% of Americans - the second most generous overall - have donated money, with 73% helping a stranger. The annual ranking places Myanmar, previously known as Burma, at the top of the list for the third year in a row, with more than half the po[CENSORED]tion donating time and 63% helping a stranger. The report said the generous giving reflected the practice of "Sangha Dana", where the country's Theravada Buddhist majority donate to support those living a monastic lifestyle. The overall table, which takes into account financial donations, help offered to strangers and volunteering, ranks the UK as the most generous place in Europe, the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East, Kenya in Africa and Guatemala in Latin America. China is named as the least generous country. However, the poll only takes into account the responses of 1,000 people on average in each of the 140 countries, and the Charities Aid Foundation acknowledges there is margin for error. But it is the kindness of Iraqis and Libyans to complete strangers in the face of years of conflict and terrible violence which stands out in the list. BBC correspondents are unsurprised by the findings, as both countries have long traditions of hospitality to those they don't know. "Though often initially suspicious of foreigners they do not know, Libyans have an intrinsically generous culture," explained BBC North Africa correspondent Rana Jawad. "In my experience this became more apparent after Gaddafi was overthrown from power; decades of anti-Western rhetoric and the police-state nature pre-2011 gave a distorted impression of Libyan hospitality - they were not unkind then, but just fearful of being helpful to foreigners or Libyan strangers. "After the revolution, Libyans became vastly more welcoming of strangers and demonstrated it on every occasion they could. The persistent state of conflict since has probably contributed to the current ranking because in the absence of state authorities, civilians only have each other to turn to for help."
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Canada and the European Union say they remain hopeful a landmark free trade deal can go ahead despite three Belgian regions led by Wallonia blocking it. European Council President Donald Tusk said it was still possible Ceta could be signed as planned and Canada's trade minister said the deal was "not dead". But Belgium has said it cannot back the deal because three French-speaking parts of the country oppose it. Ceta needs the support of all 28 EU nations before it can be approved. It is the EU's most ambitious free trade deal to date, and has been in the pipeline for seven years. The other 27 EU governments want to sign the agreement. However, hopes it could be signed on Thursday appeared to be dashed on Monday when Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said he did not have the unanimous approval of his country's federal, regional and community bodies. He said talks with Wallonia, a staunchly socialist region of 3.6 million people, and two other elected bodies had failed. Despite this, Mr Tusk remained upbeat after speaking to Canadian PM Justin Trudeau about Ceta - the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement - on Monday. In a tweet, Mr Tusk wrote: "Together with PM @JustinTrudeau, we think Thursday's summit [is] still possible. We encourage all parties to find a solution. There's yet time." Chrystia Freeland, Canada's federal minister for international trade, said she too remained hopeful the deal can be salvaged, but that "the ball is in Europe's court". The European Commission, which has negotiated the deal on behalf of the 28 nations, had asked Belgium to make its decision by Monday. But it later insisted that Thursday's summit was not the final deadline for the deal to be signed. "Now, we need patience," EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said. "The Commission traditionally does not set deadlines or ultimatums." Wallonia has led objections to the deal, demanding stronger safeguards on labour, environmental and consumer standards. But at talks with Mr Martin on Monday, it emerged two other administrative bodies also opposed Ceta - Brussels and that of the country's French-speaking community. The Belgian socialists' fears echo those of anti-globalisation activists, who say Ceta and deals like it give too much power to multinationals, granting power even to intimidate governments. There have also been big demonstrations in several EU countries against Ceta and the TTIP trade talks between the EU and the US. Canada and the EU would eliminate 98% of tariffs under Ceta, which was negotiated between 2009 and 2014. Supporters say this would increase trade between them by 20%, and would especially help small businesses. Critics say the deal threatens product standards and protects big business, allowing corporations to sue governments.
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A trade deal between the EU and Canada is on the brink of collapse because a Belgian region with a po[CENSORED]tion of just 3.6 million opposes it. An emotional Canadian Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland left the talks in Brussels, saying the EU was "not capable" of signing a trade agreement. Belgium, the only country blocking accord, needed consent from the regional parliament of Wallonia. Speaking outside the seat of the Walloon government, Ms Freeland told reporters: "It seems evident for me and for Canada that the European Union is not now capable of having an international accord even with a country that has values as European as Canada." She added: "Canada is disappointed, but I think it is impossible." It was unclear whether the EU would keep negotiating with Wallonia in coming days to solve the impasse. At a glance: Ceta Negotiations began in 2009 and ended in August 2014 The deal aims to eliminate 98% of tariffs between Canada and EU It includes new courts for investors, harmonised regulations, sustainable development clauses and access to public sector tenders The deal is opposed by various groups, including environmental activists, trade unionists and Austrian Socialists
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New Music
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Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has said he will accept the results of the US election "if I win". He added that he would accept a "clear" result - but reserved the right to challenge a "questionable" result. He appeared at a rally in Delaware, Ohio, speaking for the first time since the third televised debate with Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. Mr Trump has been heavily criticised for suggesting that he might not accept the election result. Polls suggest Mrs Clinton is ahead nationally and in key battleground states. Speaking in Ohio, Mr Trump said, grinning: "I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters and to all of the people of the United States, that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election - if I win." He also said: "I will accept a clear election result, but I will also reserve my right to contest and file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result." During Wednesday night's debate, when moderator Chris Wallace asked Mr Trump if he would accept losing to Mrs Clinton, the Republican nominee said he would "keep you in suspense". Mr Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, later insisted that the candidate had meant he would not concede until the "results are actually known". However the remark, which drew anger from some Republicans, is part of Mr Trump's repeated claim that the election is "rigged" against him. Mr Trump told the Ohio audience that the election was posing questions about "the fairness of our country". Thursday also saw former Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain release a statement implicitly criticising Mr Trump's debate comments. Mr McCain, who lost to Barack Obama eight years ago, said: "I didn't like the outcome of the 2008 election. But I had a duty to concede, and I did so without reluctance. "A concession isn't just an exercise in graciousness. It is an act of respect for the will of the American people, a respect that is every American leader's first responsibility."
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BMW has announced a limited M4 DTM Champion Edition, which celebrates Marco Wittmann’s recent triumph in the German touring car series. Available only in Alpine White and built to mimic BMW’s DTM racing cars, the M4 DTM Champion Edition is based on the M4 GTS, which means it has 493bhp and 442lb ft, and can sprint from 0-62mph in 3.8sec. Top speed is limited to 190mph. The M4 DTM Champion Edition comes adorned with various aerodynamic carbonfibre elements including the front splitter, strakes ahead of the front wheel arches and wing mirror caps, as well as the side skirts, rear diffuser and sizeable fixed rear wing. Lightweight components are the order of the day, with the bonnet, roof, instrument panel support and rear diffuser all made from carbonfibre reinforced plastic. The exhaust is tipped with two pairs of tailpipes made from titanium. The M4 DTM Champion Edition has matte Orbit Grey alloy wheels. The front rims are 19in and the rears are 20in, with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. Behind the wheels are M carbon-ceramic brakes and adjustable three-way coilover suspension, which lets the driving tailor rebound and damping. Inside, the car is a strict two-seater, with a white rollover bar replacing the rear seats. In the front are two M Carbon bucket seats lined with Alcantara and leather. Alcantara abounds in the cabin, lining almost every surface including the M Sports steering wheel, which features a grey motorsport-style marker at the top centre. Despite the motorsport theme, BMW has opted to keep plenty of comfort equipment in the new car, including the Professional Navigation system, air-con, adaptive LED headlights and OLED tail-lights, as well as front and rear parking sensors. The full UK specification will be announced shortly, as will the price, which is as of yet unconfirmed.
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Iraqi civilians are said to be enduring dire conditions after fleeing the Mosul area as the army attempts to retake the city from so-called Islamic State (IS). Some 5,000 people have crossed the border into Syria in the last 10 days, the aid agency Save the Children says. They have arrived at the al-Hol refugee camp where conditions are already reported to be filthy and overcrowded. Up to 1.5 million civilians are thought to still be in Mosul, and up to 5,000 IS fighters. The commander of the US-led coalition against IS, Gary Volesky, said the militant group's leaders were fleeing the city, but did not say who was leaving, or where they were heading. The whereabouts of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi are unknown. Some reports say he is in Mosul; others say he has fled. The UN is preparing for what it fears could be the biggest man-made humanitarian crisis in recent times. Refugee camps are being built in the south, east and north of Mosul in preparation for a flood of people fleeing the city. The UN says it expects at least 200,000 in the coming days and weeks. Mosul residents had been told by the Iraqi government that it might be safer to stay in the city while the operation is under way - with fears IS fighters have booby-trapped roads and placed snipers on routes in and out. But there are also fears that IS militants could use residents as human shields by moving into their neighbourhoods, and concern that the group may even use chemical weapons. Residents, reached by telephone by Reuters news agency, confirmed that IS was trying to prevent people from fleeing the city and had directed some of them towards buildings likely to be targeted by air strikes. Many of those in and around Mosul who have already escaped have headed west to camps across the border in Syria, including al-Hol camp. Al-Hol was built to house 7,500 people but currently holds 9,000 refugees.
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US President Barack Obama has told Donald Trump to "stop whining" as he rejected his claim that next month's White House election will be rigged. He said Mr Trump's attempt to discredit a poll before it has even taken place was "unprecedented" for a US presidential candidate. Also "unprecedented", said Mr Obama, was the Republican candidate's "flattery" of Russia's president. Mr Trump is facing sinking poll numbers and accusations of sexual assault. The businessman-turned-politician has claimed the 8 November election will be "absolutely rigged" for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. But in a White House Rose Garden news conference on Tuesday alongside visiting Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Mr Obama said his assertions were "based on no facts" "I'd advise Mr Trump to stop whining and try to make his case to get votes," Mr Obama said. "By the way," he added, "[it] doesn't really show the kind of leadership and toughness that you want out of a president, if you start whining before the game's even over. "If whenever things are going badly for you and you lose you start blaming somebody else, then you don't have what it takes to be in this job." "Mr Trump's continued flattery of Mr Putin and the degree to which he appears to model much of his policies and approach to politics on Mr Putin is unprecedented," he said. His broadside comes a day after Mr Trump said he would consider visiting Russia before taking office, if elected. He told a talk-radio host: "If I win on November 8, I could see myself meeting with Putin and meeting with Russia prior to the start of the administration." Mr Trump and Mrs Clinton face off in the third and final presidential debate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on Wednesday. The Republican candidate has seen his poll numbers slide since their first battle of wits, followed by the emergence of a 2005 sex boast tape that he was forced to address in the second debate. Mr Trump denied any impropriety, but a number of women have come forward with sexual assault allegations against him. Mrs Clinton will head into Wednesday's debate with a seven-point lead over her Republican rival, according to a Monmouth University poll. She leads Mr Trump 47% to 40%, while 7% of likely voters say they will support the Libertarian Party candidate, Gary Johnson.