But the moments that followed the debate showed why such talk from Trump is ridiculous. After the debate concluded, Clinton went to a campaign watch party and spoke to supporters.
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. consumer confidence in September rose to the highest level in nine years, a hopeful sign that economic growth will accelerate in coming months.
The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 104.1, up from 101.8 in August. It was the strongest reading since the index stood at 105.6 in August 2007, four months before the beginning of the Great Recession of 2007-2009.
Private economists had been forecasting the index would drop in September after a strong August reading. Many analysts expected that recent volatility in the stock market and some subpar economic readings on auto sales and manufacturing might lead consumers to feel less confident.
They also thought that increased uncertainty revolving around the presidential campaign might weigh on consumers.
"It appears that steady job gains, low volatility in equity markets and subdued gasoline price pressures are helping consumers' outlooks," analysts at Contingent Macro Research said in a note to clients.
Consumers' views about current economic conditions and expectations about future economic conditions both rose in the survey, a development which economists said should help boost consumer spending and the overall economy in coming months.
"Still solid job growth will continue to support consumer confidence, which will drive economic growth," said Jennifer Lee, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets.
The overall economy, as measured by the gross domestic product, has grown at a lackluster rate averaging 1 percent over the past nine months. But forecasters believe GDP growth will accelerate to around 3 percent in the current July-September quarter.
WTO cuts 2016 world trade growth forecast to 1.7 percent, cites wake-up call
Container boxes are seen at the Yangshan Deep Water Port, part of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, in Shanghai, China September 24, 2016.
By Tom Miles Sep 27, 2016 | 1:22pm EDT
GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Trade Organization cut its forecast for global trade growth this year by more than a third on Tuesday, reflecting a slowdown in China and falling levels of imports into the United States.
The new figure of 1.7 percent, down from the WTO's previous estimate of 2.8 percent in April, marked the first time in 15 years that international commerce was expected to lag the growth of the world economy, the trade body said.
The figures should be a wake-up call for governments, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo said in the six-monthly trade outlook report.
"We need to make sure that this does not translate into misguided policies that could make the situation much worse, not only from the perspective of trade but also for job creation and economic growth and development which are so closely linked to an open trading system," the report quoted him as saying.
The data underlined concerns that, after a long period of growth through globalization and reliance on global trade, governments are increasingly seeking to protect their own industries and promote domestic producers at the expense of foreign competitors.
Although all governments deny protectionism, trade is no longer outpacing economic growth as it used to. Trade has grown 1.5 times faster than gross domestic product over the long term, and twice as fast when globalization picked up in the 1990s.
This year trade will grow only 80 percent as fast as the global economy, the WTO said, the first reversal of globalization since 2001 and only the second since 1982.
“I am absolutely convinced that this is not a moment to turn inward,” Azevedo told a WTO conference.
The benefits of trade should be shared more widely, he said, with a system that does more to include poor countries, small firms, marginalized groups and entrepreneurs - an apparent nod to anti-globalization activists who say that secretive trade talks are exclusively aimed at helping big business.
Azevedo said four out of five job losses in industrialized countries were not due to competition from cheap imports but to automation and efficiency campaigns that allowed firms to cut their workforce.
"This is not a rose garden," he said.
European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom, speaking alongside Azevedo, said trade had to be efficient, valuable and transparent.
"The time that we locked ourselves in a room and came up with a trade agreement... and only the most devoted nerd really cared, those times are gone. That’s not how it works any more.”
Many people do not feel included in trade policy debates any more, Malmstrom said. “There’s a growing anti-globalisation movement. There are fears, questions, and we also see the figures that you presented this morning that absolutely give reason to be concerned.”
The WTO further said it anticipated slower 2017 trade growth than in its previous forecast, with a rise of 1.8-3.1 percent rather than the 3.6 percent it had estimated in April.
(Reporting by Tom Miles; editing by Mark Heinrich)
On this Tuesday, Sept. 27 broadcast of the Alex Jones Show, we look back at last night's epic debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. We discuss a CNN poll that claims Hillary won the debate, but sampled 41% Democrats compared to 26% Republicans. Also on today's show we cover the biased moderating by Lester Holt who is now being called "the third debater".
Security tightened after Dresden bombings Police presence in the eastern German city has been boosted following Monday's blasts at a mosque and convention center. The attack came less than a week before celebrations take place to mark Germany's reunification. 27.09.2016 http://www.dw.com/en/security-tightened-after-dresden-bombings/a-35904937
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New York Fertility Doctor Says He Created Baby With 3 Genetic Parents September 27, 2016 [...] Leigh syndrome is known as a mitochondrial disorder [ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1224/ ] because it is caused by defects in a type of DNA known as mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondria are structures in cells that provide the cells with energy. To help women who carry defects in mitochondrial DNA, scientists have developed techniques to replace the defective mitochondrial DNA with healthy DNA. The technique Zhang used involved removing all the DNA from the nucleus of eggs donated by women with healthy mitochondrial DNA. The DNA in the nucleus of eggs carries most of the genetic information needed to create a person, including the information most people consider important, such as determining an individual's physical appearance. Zhang then removed all the nuclear DNA from the eggs of the woman trying to have a healthy baby and placed that DNA into the donor egg, leaving the defective mitochondrial DNA behind. Those eggs, which then presumably had only healthy DNA, were then fertilized with sperm from the husband of the woman trying to have a baby. Zhang created five embryos this way. Only one developed normally, according to his report. It was transferred into the woman's womb and resulted in the birth of a boy, who appears healthy, according to the clinic. Because mitochondrial DNA is only passed from women to their female offspring, the boy is incapable of transferring the transplanted DNA to any future children, sidestepping many of the ethical concerns. http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/09/27/495668299/new-york-fertility-doctor-says-he-created-baby-with-3-genetic-parents
Longest historic temperature record stretches back 2 million years Researchers use tools such as ocean sediment cores, seen here at a German storage facility, to help reconstruct past climates. Suggests greenhouse gases may warm planet more than previously thought. 26 September 2016 A global temperature record published on 26 September in Nature [ http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature19798.html ( http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature19798 )] extends 2 million years into the past — the longest continuous log yet published — and has sparked debate about how Earth's climate will change in the future. The study harnesses data from dozens of ocean-sediment cores, as well as climate models, to provide estimates of global average surface temperatures. Prior reconstructions have gone back further — in some cases back to 3 million years — but were less comprehensive or focused only on particular time periods. The longest comprehensive temperature record available before this study went back 22,000 years. “It’s a useful starting place,” says lead author Carolyn Snyder, director of the Climate Protection Partnerships Division of the US Environmental Protection Agency in Washington DC. “People can take this and improve upon it as more records become available in the future.” Even if the amount of atmospheric CO2 were to stabilize at current levels, the study suggests that average temperatures may increase by roughly 5 °C over the next few millennia as a result of the effects of the greenhouse gas on glaciers, ecosystems and other factors. A doubling of the pre-industrial levels of atmospheric CO2 of roughly 280 parts per million, which could occur within decades unless people curb greenhouse-gas emissions, could eventually boost global average temperatures by around 9 °C. This is on the high end of existing estimates. [...] http://www.nature.com/news/longest-historic-temperature-record-stretches-back-2-million-years-1.20673 [with comments]
Endorsement: Hillary Clinton is the only choice to move America ahead Hillary Clinton knows how to lead with intelligence, decorum and perspective. The Arizona Republic editorial board endorses Hillary Clinton for president. September 27, 2016 Since The Arizona Republic began publication in 1890, we have never endorsed a Democrat over a Republican [ http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/editorial/2016/09/26/presidential-endorsement-preview/90904896/ ] for president. Never. This reflects a deep philosophical appreciation for conservative ideals and Republican principles. This year is different. The 2016 Republican candidate is not conservative and he is not qualified. That’s why, for the first time in our history, The Arizona Republic will support a Democrat for president. What Clinton has (and Trump doesn’t) The challenges the United States faces domestically and internationally demand a steady hand, a cool head and the ability to think carefully before acting. Hillary Clinton understands this. Donald Trump does not. Clinton has the temperament and experience to be president. Donald Trump does not. Clinton knows how to compromise and to lead with intelligence, decorum and perspective. She has a record of public service as First Lady, senator and secretary of state. She has withstood decades of scrutiny so intense it would wither most politicians. The vehemence of some of the anti-Clinton attacks strains credulity. Trump hasn’t even let the American people scrutinize his tax returns [ http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/editorial/2016/09/22/verify-donald-trump-tax-returns/90762668/ ], which could help the nation judge his claims of business acumen. [...] http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/editorial/2016/09/27/hillary-clinton-endorsement/91198668/ [with embedded videos, and comments]
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Clinton to score another GOP endorsement: former senator John Warner of Virginia Former Republican senator John Warner attends a victory party for his successor, Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), in 2014. September 27, 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will score another high-powered Republican endorsement on Wednesday, according to a campaign aide: retired senator John Warner of Virginia, a popular GOP maverick with renowned military credentials. Warner’s decision not to support his party’s nominee, Donald Trump, is intended to send a signal in the five-term senator’s battleground home state and beyond that mainstream, security-minded Republicans should side with Clinton. Virginia is an important, military-rich state that both candidates see as essential to winning the White House as the race tightens nationally. Clinton is making a pitch across the country that she is the more seasoned and responsible candidate on military and national security issues. Perhaps best known by some for marrying actress Elizabeth Taylor, Warner, 89, is also known for bucking his party. A World War II veteran, former U.S. Navy secretary and former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Warner famously opposed the Supreme Court nomination of Robert Bork, as well as the 1994 Senate candidacy of Oliver North of Iran-contra notoriety. He endorsed Democrat Mark R. Warner over Republican Jim Gilmore to fill his own seat in the U.S. Senate. John Warner’s ability to withstand the Republican criticism he endured for those decisions stemmed largely from the gravitas he had built over a lengthy Senate career in which he mastered national security issues and diligently delivered for the state’s military bases and defense contractors. He has never before endorsed a Democrat for president. [...] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-to-score-another-gop-endorsement-former-senator-john-warner-of-virginia/2016/09/27/43caf6e6-84cf-11e6-a3ef-f35afb41797f_story.html [with embedded video, and comments]
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FBI probes hacks targeting phones of Democratic Party officials: sources
The headquarters of the Democratic National Committee is seen in Washington, U.S. June 14, 2016. REUTERS/Gary Cameron
By Mark Hosenball Tue Sep 27, 2016 | 10:28pm EDT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The FBI is investigating suspected attempts to hack mobile phones used by Democratic Party officials as recently as the past month, four people with direct knowledge of the attack and the investigation told Reuters.
The revelation underscores the widening scope of the U.S. criminal inquiry into cyber attacks on Democratic Party organizations, including the presidential campaign of its candidate, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
U.S. officials have said they believe those attacks were orchestrated by hackers backed by the Russian government, possibly to disrupt the Nov. 8 election in which Clinton faces Republican Party candidate Donald Trump. Russia has dismissed allegations it was involved in cyber attacks on the organizations.
The more recent attempted phone hacking also appears to have been conducted by Russian-backed hackers, two people with knowledge of the situation said.
Federal Bureau of Investigation representatives had no immediate comment, and a Clinton campaign spokesman said they were unaware of the suspected phone hacking.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) did not respond to a request for comment. An official of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) said that nobody at the organization had been contacted by investigators about possible phone hacking.
Interim DNC Chairwoman Donna Brazile told CNN: "Our struggle with the Russian hackers that we announced in June is ongoing - as we knew it would be - and we are choosing not to provide general updates unless personal data or other sensitive information has been accessed or stolen."
FBI agents had approached a small number of Democratic Party officials to discuss concerns their mobile phones may have been compromised by hackers, people involved said. It was not clear how many people were targeted by the hack or whether they included members of Congress, a possibility that could raise additional security concerns for U.S. officials.
'OFFICE BRAIN'
If they were successful, hackers could have been able to acquire a wide range of data from targeted cellphones, including call data, text messages, emails, photos and contact lists, one person with knowledge of the situation said.
"In a sense, your phone is your office brain," said Bruce Schneier, a cyber security expert with Resilient, an IBM company, which is not involved in the investigation. "It's incredibly intimate."
"Anything that's on your phone, if your phone is hacked, the hacker can get it."
The FBI has asked some of those whose phones were believed to have hacked to turn over their phones so that investigators could "image" them, creating a copy of the device and related data.
U.S. investigators are looking into whether hackers used data stolen from servers run by Democratic organizations or the private emails of their employees to get access to cellphones, one person said.
Hackers previously targeted servers used by the DNC, the body that sets strategy for the party, and the DCCC, which raises money for Democrats running for seats in the House of Representatives, officials have said.
Clinton said during Monday's presidential debate there was "no doubt" Russia has sponsored hacks against "all kinds of organizations in our country" and mentioned Russian President Vladimir Putin by name.
"Putin is playing a really tough, long game here. And one of the things he's done is to let loose cyber attackers to hack into government files, to hack into personal files, hack into the Democratic National Committee," Clinton said.
Trump countered that there was no definitive proof that Russia had sponsored the hacks of Democratic organizations.
"I don't think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the DNC," he said. "It could be Russia, but it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people."
(Reporting By Mark Hosenball; Editing by Kevin Krolicki and Grant McCool)
Seth Meyers in case they've been missed by any, this 3rd from the bottom of yours, reminds us of just how unqualified to be president D Trump is .. all first debate fun.
LOL, Seth would do well in any bowling alley with Trump's name on it, so now to out a bottom body of your reply to yours to which this post is in reply to,
On this Monday, Sept. 26 transmission of the Alex Jones Show, the world eagerly waits as the first presidential debate of 2016 looms on the horizon. The highly-anticipated event between GOP nominee Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton will be one for the record books, with an estimated 100 million viewers predicted to tune in. Infowars will be covering the event live starting at 7pm. Also, Russia is accused of committing war crimes after bombing campaigns over the weekend left 23 dead in Syria. We'll also take your calls on this worldwide transmission.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olsSmnbozNE [with comments] [the copy from the trusty backup source for the since 'removed by user' original which was the first YouTube in the post to which this is a reply]