'Bangsamoro' OK'd as gov't, MILF forge landmark deal

The "Bangsamoro" will be a new autonomous political entity in the Philippines, President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III on Sunday said, as he announced that the government has forged a deal ending the decades-old insurgency of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). "The ARMM (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) is a failed experiment. Many of the people continue to feel alienated by the system, and those who feel that there is no way out will continue to articulate their grievances through the barrel of a gun," the President said. "And now, we have forged an agreement that seeks to correct these problems," Aquino said. "This agreement creates a new political entity, it deserves a name that symbolizes and honors the struggles of our forebears in Mindanao. That name will be Bangsamoro," Aquino said. He added that the new deal is seen to pave the way for "final, enduring peace in Mindanao." "It brings all former secessionist groups into the fold; no longer does the Moro Islamic Liberation Front aspire for a separate state," Aquino noted. The announcement came after the latest round of protracted peace talks between the government and the Muslim rebels ended in Malaysia Saturday. There have been 32 rounds of negotiations since 2003, with 13 rounds under the Aquino incumbency. The President, however, noted, that "the Philippines remains one nation and one people," adding that "the Constitution and lawful processes shall govern the transition to the Bangsamoro." "National government will continue to exercise exclusive powers of defense and security, foreign policy, monetary policy and coinage, citizenship, and naturalization," Aquino said. "The Filipinos of Bangsamoro, on the other hand, will be assured a fair and equitable share of taxation, revenues, and the fruits of national patrimony," he added. The new autonomous political entity, Aquino said, will also "enjoy equal protection of laws and access to impartial justice." Peace in Mindanao is still a work in progress, however, the President stressed, adding that "there are still details that both sides must hammer out." "Promises must be kept, institutions must be fixed, and new capacities must be built nationally and regionally in order to effectively administer the Bangsamoro. The citizenry, especially the youth, must be empowered so that new leaders may emerge," the President noted. The pact has yet to be signed, with Aquino adding that details of the newly forged deal will be published online and in national papers in days. "Nakalahad po ang lahat, at wala kaming tangkang magkubli o maglihim (All details will be bared and we have no intention of keeping the public in the dark)," Aquino said. "Sinuri po namin nang maigi ang kasunduang ito; balanse ang ating naabot. Itinatama nito ang mali, at naglalagay ng mga mekanismo (We have scrutinized the agreement; we have achieved a balance. It corrects mistakes and establishes mechanisms)," he added. "Basahin po sana natin ang kasunduang ito hindi bilang 'sila' at 'kami,' kundi bilang nagkakaisang 'tayo' sa ilalim ng bandilang Pilipino (I hope this deal will be appreciated not in terms of 'them' or 'us' but as 'we' under one Filipino banner)," Aquino said.

Brightest Star Explosion in History Reveals Lonely Supernova

The brightest exploding star ever seen with the naked eye in recorded history apparently experienced a quick and lonely death, a new study reveals. The discovery, which centered on a star explosion witnessed in the year 1006, suggests that many similar outbursts leave no companion star to accompany their demise. The most powerful exploding stars in the universeare supernovas, which are bright enough to momentarily outshine their entire galaxies. One type of star explosion, known as a Type 1a supernova, occurs when one star pours enough fuel onto a dying companion star known as a white dwarf to trigger an extraordinary nuclear explosion. The new study centered its sights on the supernova SN 1006, which was seen all over Earth in the spring of 1006 above the southern horizon of the night sky, in the constellation Lupus, just south of Scorpio. At its peak, researchers say the supernova, which exploded about 7,100 light-years away, was about one-quarter the brightness of the moon, luminous enough that people could have read by its light at midnight

Maar Volcanoes: Odd Explosions Beneath Earth Explained

The eruption of a so-called maar-diatreme volcano is short-lived but violent. Magma creeps up through a crack in the Earth's crust and mixes with water, setting off a series of explosions — as many as a few each hour for several weeks. When the action stops, a crater-topped, rock-filled fracture called a diatreme is left behind. Now researchers are proposing a new way to think about how these structures are formed, which could help geologists predict eruptions and find new sources of diamonds. "Previously it was thought that those explosions started at very shallow levels and got progressively deeper," geologist Greg Valentine, a professor at the University at Buffalo in New York, told LiveScience. This old model seemed to explain the shape of a diatreme, which sits like an inverted cone beneath a shallow maar, or crater. But that model didn't match with what geologists were finding at volcanic sites, Valentine said. If the explosions started at shallow levels and moved deeper, shallow rocks would be spewed from the mouth of the volcano first and the deeper rock deposits would pile up on top. At maar sites, however, scientists were finding deep rock fragments mixed mostly with shallow fragments, indicating that explosions occur at essentially every depth throughout the episode. [50 Amazing Volcano Facts] Valentine and James White, an associate professor at the University of Otago in New Zealand, created a new model to account for the apparently more jumbled order of explosions. Their model, published online Sept. 18 by the journal Geology, also shows that individual explosions are relatively small, and shallow explosions are more likely than deep explosions to cause eruptions. The last known maar-diatreme eruption occurred in 1977 in Alaska's remote Aleutian Range, forming two vents known as the Ukinrek Maars. The threats associated with these volcanoes tend to be localized, but they can still be significant, Valentine said. "These volcanoes can send ash deposits into populated areas. They could easily produce the same effects that the one in Iceland did when it disrupted air travel, so what we're trying to do is understand the way they behave," he explained in a statement. In another practical application for the model, Valentine said a better understanding of these volcanoes could help find diamonds. Diatremes are sometimes formed by a type of molten rock known as kimberlite, which has the deepest origins of all magmas on Earth. When this magma cools, it leaves behind rocks dense in crystals, sometimes holding diamonds. This past summer, Valentine and his colleagues in Buffalo simulated maar eruptions, burying and detonating explosives and then examining the craters. He said he is planning similar experiments for next summer to test out his new model.

Calif. gas prices hit all-time high

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It's a record, though just barely. The price of gasoline hit an all-time average high in California of $4.6140 a gallon Saturday, fueled by a reduced supply and a volatile market. The record was set by a fraction of a penny, according to AAA spokesman Michael Green. The previous high was $4.6096 on June 19, 2008. Prices throughout the state were expected to increase for several more days before leveling off, after a temporary reduction in supply triggered a price spike that saw fuming motorists paying $5 or more per gallon in some locations and station owners shutting down pumps in others. AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge report released Saturday said the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded across California rose 12 cents from its Friday mark of about $4.49. Saturday's price was the highest in the nation, with the Golden State leapfrogging Hawaii this week as the state with the most expensive fuel. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded across California was 47 cents more than a week ago, according to the AAA report. "I seriously thought it was a mistake on the sign when we pulled in," said Nancy Garcia, 34, while filling her Honda Accord at a Chevron station in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Highland Park. She paid $4.65 a gallon for regular grade and said she couldn't afford to fill her tank all the way. When supplies drop, wholesale prices rise. Then distributors and station owners have to pay more to fill up their station's tanks. They then raise their prices based on how much they paid for their current inventory, how much they think they will have to pay for their next shipment, and, how much their competitors are charging. The national average Saturday was about $3.81 a gallon, the highest ever for this time of year. However, gas prices in many other states have started decreasing, which is typical for October. The dramatic surge came after a power outage Monday at a Southern California refinery that reduced supply in an already fragile and volatile market, analysts said, but the refinery came back online Friday and prices were expected to stabilize by next week. Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst at GasBuddy.com, predicted the average price could peak as high as $4.85. "There is some relief in sight but probably not for a couple of days. Early next week is when we may see some more significant declines ... but at retail prices, prices may climb for the next two to three days before they start to come down," he said. While prices were higher everywhere in California, there were variances Saturday. Chico had the lowest average price at $4.46, according to AAA, while San Luis Obispo was highest at $4.71. Prices averaged $4.67 in San Diego, $4.66 in the Los Angeles area, $4.55 in Fresno and $4.49 in Sacramento. The price of diesel has also increased, adding significant costs for truckers who typically put hundreds of dollars of fuel in their tanks. It's gotten so bad, some truckers may stop driving altogether, said Michael Shaw, spokesman for the California Trucking Association, whose members move 80 percent of the cargo on California's roads each year. "The fluctuation and rapid increase of prices makes it difficult to plan ahead and take on new contracts," he said. "It's difficult to operate in that environment." A web of refinery and transmission problems is to blame, analysts said. The situation is compounded by a California pollution law that requires a special blend of cleaner-burning gasoline from April to October, said Denton Cinquegrana, executive editor of the Oil Price Information Service, which helps AAA compile its price survey. "We use the phrase 'the perfect storm,' and you know what, this current one makes those other perfect storms look like a drizzle. I don't want to scare anyone, but this is a big problem," Cinquegrana said. "Run-outs are happening left and right." Among the recent disruptions, an Aug. 6 fire at a Chevron Corp. refinery in Richmond that left one of the region's largest refineries producing at a reduced capacity, and a Chevron pipeline that moves crude oil to Northern California also was shut down. There was some good news, however. Exxon Mobil Corp. said a refinery in Torrance returned to normal operations Friday after the power failure Monday disrupted production for most of the week. State officials said with the refinery coming back online, prices should start falling. Gasoline inventories in California, however, are still at their lowest point in more than 10 years, a situation made worse by the mandate for the special summer gasoline blend. Few refineries outside the state can make it, meaning there are few outside sources to draw from for help, Cinquegrana said. The California Air Resources Board was reviewing a request from the California Independent Oil Marketers Association for a waiver that would allow gas stations to begin selling winter-blend gasoline before Halloween. Some stations ran out of gas and shut down rather than take the risk of buying gas at soaring prices only to be stuck with a glut of overpriced fuel if prices dropped or if customers refused to absorb the extra cost that would be passed along to them. Mark Mitchell, co-owner of the Coast Oil fuel distributorship in San Jose, told the San Francisco Chronicle that none of the gas stations he serves had shut down, although some station owners had discussed it. When spot prices hit their peak, the stations would need to charge about $4.89 to break even, he said. "We get the gas — it's just at what price?" Mitchell told the newspaper. "You're not going to sell much when it goes up 40 cents in a day." ___

Extradited terrorism suspects appear in US courts

NEW YORK (AP) — A partially blind extremist Egyptian-born preacher charged in multiple terrorism plots entered a U.S. court for the first time Saturday without the use of his arms, complaining that prosthetic hooks he uses were taken away as he and four other terrorism defendants were flown to New York overnight from London. Abu Hamza al-Masri, 54, indicted under the name Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, entered a Manhattan courtroom under heavy security to face charges he conspired with Seattle men to set up a terrorist training camp in Oregon and helped abduct 16 hostages, two of them American tourists, in Yemen in 1998. Al-Masri came into court with both arms exposed through his short-sleeved blue prison shirt. His court-appointed lawyer, Sabrina Shroff, asked that his prosthetics be immediately returned "so he can use his arms." In the 1990s, al-Masri turned London's Finsbury Park Mosque into a training ground for extremist Islamists, attracting men including Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui and "shoe bomber" Richard Reid. His court appearance followed soon after two other defendants brought to New York, Khaled al-Fawwaz and Adel Abdul Bary, entered not guilty pleas to charges that they participated in the bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa in 1998. The attacks killed 224 people, including 12 Americans. They were indicted in a case that also charged Osama bin Laden. In New Haven, Connecticut, earlier in the day, Syed Talha Ahsan, 33, and Babar Ahmad, 38, entered not guilty pleas to charges that they provided terrorists in Afghanistan and Chechnya with cash, recruits and equipment. All five of the men face up to life in prison if they are convicted. Al-Masri, a one-time nightclub bouncer, entered no plea, saying only "I do" when he was asked by U.S. Magistrate Judge Frank Maas whether he swears that his financial affidavit used to determine is he qualifies for a court-appointed lawyer was correct. Shroff told Maas that al-Masri needed use of his arms. "Otherwise, he will not be able to function in a civilized manner." She also asked for a dictating machine, saying he can't take notes, and the return of his diabetes medication and special shoes that prevent him from slipping. She said he will need a special diet in prison and a full medical evaluation. His beard and hair white, al-Masri peered through glasses as he consulted with Shroff and another court-appointed lawyer, Jerrod Thompson-Hicks, in a proceeding that lasted less than 15 minutes. Al-Masri has one eye claims to have lost his hands fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan. His lawyers in England said he suffers from depression, chronic sleep deprivation, diabetes and other ailments. Outside court, Shroff took note of her client's condition, saying: "I don't think he slept at all." Still, she added, "He seemed very much like a gentleman." She said she did not believe he had eaten since arriving on a flight with the others at about 2:40 a.m. Shroff and Thompson-Hicks also represented al-Fawwaz, 50, a citizen of Saudi Arabia. Thompson-Hicks said he was concerned whether his client would be properly treated for hypertension and high blood pressure. Attorney Andrew Patel, representing Bary, 52, an Egyptian citizen, said his client needed asthma medicine and treatment for other medical issues. Patel, who declined to comment afterward, told Maas that Bary reserved the right to request bail in the future. Four others who were tried in 2001 in the August 1998 bombings in Kenya and Tanzania are serving life sentences. Ahsan, 33, and Ahmad, 38, were kept detained while they await trial in Connecticut, where an Internet service provider was allegedly used to host a website. Their lawyers declined to comment. Ahmad made efforts to secure GPS devices, Kevlar helmets, night vision goggles, ballistic vests and camouflage uniforms, prosecutors said. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara called the extraditions "a watershed moment in our nation's efforts to eradicate terrorism." He added: "As is charged, these are men who were at the nerve centers of Al Qaeda's acts of terror, and they caused blood to be shed, lives to be lost, and families to be shattered." Al-Masri is not the first ailing Egyptian-born preacher to be brought to Manhattan for trial. A blind sheik, Omar Abdel-Rahman, is serving a life sentence after he was convicted in 1995 in a plot to assassinate then-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and in another to blow up New York landmarks, including the United Nations and two tunnels and a bridge linking New Jersey to Manhattan. Abdel-Rahman has numerous health issues, including heart trouble. The overnight trip to the United States came after a multiyear extradition fight that ended Friday, when Britain's High Court ruled that the men had no more grounds for appeal and could be sent to the U.S. immediately. The men have been battling extradition for between eight and 14 years. "I'm absolutely delighted that Abu Hamza is now out of this country," British Prime Minister David Cameron said. "Like the rest of the public I'm sick to the back teeth of people who come here, threaten our country, who stay at vast expense to the taxpayer and we can't get rid of them." "I'm delighted on this occasion we've managed to send this person off to a country where he will face justice," he added. Al-Masri has been in a British jail since 2004 on separate charges of inciting racial hatred and encouraging followers to kill non-Muslims. While al-Masri has been portrayed in the British media as one of the most dangerous men in the country, the case against Ahmad in Connecticut has raised concerns among legal experts and human rights advocates. Some lawyers and lawmakers have expressed concerns because Britain agreed to extradite the London computer expert even though his alleged crimes were committed in Britain and British courts declined to prosecute him for lack of evidence. Ahmad and Ahsan are accused of running websites to support Afghanistan's ousted Taliban regime, Chechen rebels and associated terrorist groups. ___

Russian boy discovers wooly 'mammoth of the century'

An 11-year-old boy from Russia's north has stumbled upon a well-preserved wooly mammoth, in what scientists describe as the best such discovery since 1901. Yevgeny Salinder, whose family lives near a polar station in the northern Taimyr Peninsula, discovered the frozen animal when he was strolling along the banks of the Yenisei River in late August. "He sensed an unpleasant odour and saw something sticking out of the ground -- it was the mammoth's heels," said Alexei Tikhonov, director of the Saint Petersburg-based Zoological Museum, who rushed to the tundra after the boy's family had notified scientists of the historic find. Tikhonov said the mammoth had died aged 15-16 around 30,000 years ago, adding his tusk, skin, an eye and an ear were clearly visible. "His one-metre-long penis is also intact so we can conclude that this was a male," Tikhonov told AFP. Tikhonov said it was the best preserved adult mammoth discovered in more than 100 years. "So far we can say it is the mammoth of the century," Tikhonov said. It took scientists five days to dig out the animal which was then transported to the northern city of Dudinka.

Gunmen kill at least 26 students at Nigerian college.

http://tinyurl.com/8s32nod

All 18 children confirmed dead in China landslide

The bodies of all 18 schoolchildren buried in a landslide in China have been recovered, officials said Friday, as authorities defended returning them to school following recent deadly earthquakes. The landslip, triggered by sustained rains, buried the school and three farmhouses on Thursday in southwestern China's Yunnan province, where two quakes last month killed 81 people and injured hundreds. Any last hopes for survivors among the children in Zhenhe village, where the landslide struck, vanished early Friday when local officials said rescuers had pulled the body of the last missing child from the debris. The disaster is likely to raise questions over why the pupils had been brought back into the school, located in a deep mountain valley, when China was on a week-long national holiday. School safety is a sensitive issue in China after thousands of students died when an 8.0-magnitude tremor centred in Sichuan province rocked the southwest of the country in 2008. China has a highly competitive education system built around cramming for high-stress testing that determines entry into good schools later. Local officials in Yiliang county, which includes Zhenhe, have said the dead children needed to make up lessons lost due to disruptions stemming from the September earthquakes in the area. The state-run Xinhua news agency said they had been brought in to study from another school which was badly damaged in those tremors, which had magnitudes of 5.6 and left more than 800 people injured and 201,000 displaced. "The mountains around the school are covered with dense vegetation, and there were no signs of potential landslides during investigations after the earthquake," said Xiao Shunxing, deputy county chief, according to the Yunnan Information news website. But domestic media quoted nearby residents saying they had been concerned about children walking long distances to school over muddy mountain paths so soon after last month's earthquakes. "If the students were off for holidays, there wouldn't be this tragedy," said a user of Sina.com's micro-blogging service, one of many outraged postings. "Couldn't they just take time making up the missed classes? Officials, schools, and teachers are too eager for quick success and instant benefits. They are the biggest killers." The body of a villager who had also been buried under the rubble was recovered later Friday, bringing the final toll to 19, according to a statement by the county government. Like many schools and homes in the poor and rugged region, the disaster-hit primary school was located at the base of steep slopes. Mountainous southwestern China is prone to deadly landslides, a threat worsened by frequent seismic activity. The 2008 Sichuan earthquake, which killed more than 80,000 people, triggered giant landslides that left whole mountainsides scarred. Many schools collapsed in that disaster, triggering accusations of shoddy construction, corner-cutting and possible corruption, especially as many other buildings near such schools held firm. There have so far been no such allegations in the Yunnan landslide, but government experts were sent Friday to investigate the disaster along with local authorities, Xinhua reported. The experts from the Ministry of Land and Resources are to conduct surveys on slopes, cliffs and valleys in the area for further hazards. Families who lost children will receive compensation payments of 20,000 yuan ($3,200), media reports said. State media reports initially identified the school as the Youfang Primary School, but subsequent reports have said its official name is the Tiantou Primary School.

U.N. Security Council condemns Syrian attack on Turkey

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council on Thursday condemned a Syrian mortar attack on a Turkish border town that killed five people and demanded that "such violations of international law stop immediately and are not repeated." The rare agreement on a Syria statement condemned the attack "in the strongest terms" and came after Russia rejected an initial text on Wednesday's incident and proposed a diluted version calling on both Turkey and Syria to exercise restraint. Western council members objected to Moscow's text but revised the original draft to accommodate some Russian concerns. Consensus within the council on anything related to Syria is unusual and it has been deadlocked on the issue of the country's 18-month-long conflict for more than a year, with Russia and China rejecting calls to sanction the Damascus government. The text of the final statement from the 15-member Security Council "called on the Syrian Government to fully respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbors" and "demanded that such violations of international law stop immediately and are not repeated." "The members of the Security Council underscored that this incident highlighted the grave impact the crisis in Syria has on the security of its neighbors and on regional peace and stability," it said. The mortar attack happened on Wednesday and Turkey responded by striking targets in Syria later the same day and on Thursday. Instead of explicitly calling on both Turkey and Syria to exercise restraint, the final sentence of the declaration read: "The members of the Security Council called for restraint." Russia insisted on removing a sentence in the original draft calling the Syrian attack "a serious threat to international peace and security." The compromise text referred instead to concerns as to the impact of the crisis in Syria on "the security of its neighbors and on regional peace and stability." Russia and China have vetoed three resolutions condemning Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government and diplomats say it is unlikely the Security Council will take further action on Syria for the time being. 'ATROCIOUS TERRORIST BOMBINGS' About 30,000 people have been killed across Syria in an escalating conflict between Assad's forces and rebels seeking to oust him, opposition activists say. The war has seen growing sectarian overtones which threaten to draw in regional Sunni Muslim and Shi'ite powers. Earlier on Thursday, U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was "alarmed by escalating tensions along the Syrian-Turkish border" and worried that the risk of a wider regional conflict was growing. Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari said his government had urged the Security Council to include in any statement on the border attacks a reaction to "suicide terrorist attacks that struck the city of Aleppo" on Wednesday. Aleppo was not mentioned in the council statement but Russia's delegation said it would circulate a separate draft text condemning the Aleppo attack to the council later on Thursday, which it hopes will be adopted on Friday. Ban described the bombings in the northern Syrian city, which killed 48 people, as "atrocious terrorist bombings," while Ja'afari accused some Security Council members of blocking for the third time a condemnation of "terrorist" attacks in Syria. "The Syrian government is not seeking any escalation (of the conflict) with any of its neighbors, including Turkey," Ja'afari told reporters. "We reiterate our call to the Turkish government to help us in controlling the border, preventing armed groups from infiltrating through these borders." Syria has accused Turkey, the United States, France, Qatar and Saudi Arabia of supporting "terrorism" by funneling arms, money and foreign fighters to rebels. Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have denied aiding the rebels. The United States and France say they are providing "non-lethal" support, not weapons. The council statement came in response to a request from Turkey, which asked council members to take the "necessary action" to stop Syrian aggression and ensure that the government there respects Turkish territorial integrity. Syria wrote to the council offering condolences for the deaths of Turkish civilians and calling for restraint and rationality.

Outspoken gay marriage foe installed as San Francisco archbishop

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Catholic Church on Thursday installed Salvatore Cordileone, a leader in the fight against same-sex marriage, as archbishop of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Following his installation as the religious leader of more than 500,000 Catholics in the largely gay-friendly Bay Area, Cordileone, 56, delivered a sermon and spoke about his recent arrest after failing a sobriety test at a police checkpoint. "God has always had a way of putting me in my place," he said. "With the last episode in my life, God has outdone Himself." Cordileone spent about 11 hours in a San Diego jail cell in August after he was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving. On Monday, he pleaded guilty to driving with alcohol in his system, said Gina Coburn, spokeswoman for the San Diego City Attorney. Cordileone has been particularly outspoken in Church opposition to same-sex matrimony as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, a role that has put him at odds with many Bay Area Catholics. He also led Church support for the 2008 voter-approved California state constitutional amendment, Proposition 8, that banned gay marriage. While taking his place as the archbishop of San Francisco and two other area counties, Cordileone called the drunken driving incident a "regrettable mistake." Pope Benedict appointed Cordileone to preside over the Archdiocese of San Francisco in July. "The archbishop is an advocate for immigrants and an opponent of the death penalty, but he comes here perceived as a one-issue bishop," Brian Cahill, former San Francisco Catholic Charities executive director, wrote in an editorial published in the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday. "He can continue to be the aggressive, outspoken leader of the American Catholic bishops in their effort to prevent civil gay marriage, or he can be the shepherd of his flock. He can't be both, and if he tries, he will fail." Cordileone said his grandfather settled in San Francisco 100 years ago. "If someone had told him that his grandson would become the archbishop of this place, I'm sure he would think they were out of their mind," he said. "I'm sure there are people who think that today." About 2,000 people, including 40 bishops, attended the installation and mass in the Cathedral of St. Mary. Outside the church, dozens of supporters carrying welcoming banners mixed with protesters, including the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence - a group of gay male activists who dress as nuns.

NYSE stocks posting largest volume increases

NEW YORK (AP) — A look at the 10 biggest volume gainers on New York Stock Exchange at the close of trading: Boardwalk Pipeline Partners L.P. : Approximately 7,737,000 shares changed hands, a 1,311.7 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $1.29 or 4.6 percent to $26.75. Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. : Approximately 283,600 shares changed hands, a 482.1 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.07 or 1.8 percent to $3.89. Cabela's Inc. : Approximately 5,099,200 shares changed hands, a 852.4 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $1.00 or 1.8 percent to $55.97. Luxfer Holdings PLC : Approximately 195,100 shares changed hands, a 468.7 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.28 or 2.5 percent to $11.28. Media General Inc. : Approximately 588,800 shares changed hands, a 470.6 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.12 or 2.3 percent to $5.33. MetroPCS Inc. : Approximately 83,995,800 shares changed hands, a 907.3 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.45 or 3.7 percent to $12.69. Starwood Property Trust Inc. : Approximately 8,006,200 shares changed hands, a 1,027.7 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $.40 or 1.7 percent to $23.23. Sunoco Inc. : Approximately 24,086,100 shares changed hands, a 1,226.2 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $.05 or .1 percent to $46.75. WP Carey Inc. : Approximately 1,406,800 shares changed hands, a 838.3 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares rose $.15 or .3 percent to $50.25. WageWorks Inc. : Approximately 3,021,400 shares changed hands, a 8,179.8 percent increase over its 65-day average volume. The shares fell $.21 or 1.2 percent to $18.03.

U.S. jobless rate tumbles to near four-year low

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. unemployment rate unexpectedly dropped to 7.8 percent in September and reached its lowest level since President Barack Obama took office, providing a boost to his re-election bid. The Labor Department said on Friday that employers added 114,000 workers to their payrolls last month, a moderate number, but it said a combined 86,000 more jobs were created in the prior two months than it had previously thought. Other aspects of the report also were strong. In particular, a separate survey of households found a big surge in hiring. That pushed the jobless rate down by 0.3 percentage point to its lowest level since January 2009. "It's a good report. The picture is still not a great one, but it's not so bad given the unusual headwinds that we have been faced with," said Ray Stone, an economist at Stone & McCarthy Research Associates in Princeton, New Jersey. Obama said the report showed the economy was making progress while his Republican challenger Mitt Romney said the labor market was not healing fast enough. Businesses have been hesitant to hire out of concern the U.S. recovery could take a hit from a sharp tightening of the federal budget next year, any worsening of the debt crisis in Europe and a slowdown in the global economy. So far this year, job gains have averaged 146,000 per month, compared with 153,000 per month in 2011. Economists had expected the unemployment rate to rise to 8.2 percent in September. The drop last month came even as Americans returned to the labor force to resume the hunt for work. The workforce had shrunk in the prior two months. The household survey, which can be very volatile month-to-month, showed employment increased 873,000 -- the first rise in three months and the biggest since June 1983. But two-thirds of those were Americans who took a part time job even though they wanted full-time work, a fact that took a bit of the shine off the report. Economists generally pay the most attention to the job growth figures from the much larger survey of employers. Over time, the surveys track each other, although many economists say the household survey sometimes takes the lead when trends shift. Taken together, economists said the report broadly signaled a healthier labor market. The employment-to-population ratio, or the proportion of the working-age population with a job, increased to its highest level since May 2010. Stocks on Wall Street initially rose, with the Dow Jones industrial average touching its highest point in almost five years, but they later retreated to close little changed as investors took profits. The dollar hit a two-week high against the yen, while U.S. Treasury debt prices fell. U.S. interest rate futures also slipped as traders bet an improving jobs market could lead the Federal Reserve to back off its monetary stimulus earlier than had been expected. A Reuters poll of top bond dealers, however, showed expectations holding firm that the Fed would end up buying $600 billion under a new stimulus program announced last month. SPIN DOCTORS There now remains only one more employment report before the November 6 election, and that comes just four days before voters go to the polls. "We are moving forward," Obama said as he plead his case during a campaign rally in a Washington suburb. "After losing about 800,000 jobs a month when I took office, our businesses have now added 5.2 million new jobs over the past 2-1/2 years." "This country has come too far to turn back now." Despite the progress, the economy is still about 4.5 million jobs short of where it stood when the 2007-09 recession started and Romney sought to remind voters that the labor market was still far from healthy. "There were fewer new jobs created this month than last month and the unemployment rate, you know, this year has come down very, very slowly," Romney told a large crowd of supporters in Abingdon, Virginia. "The reason it has come down this year is primarily due to the fact that more and more people have just stopped looking for work." A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Friday showed Romney narrowing the gap with Obama to only two points since Wednesday's presidential debate, but analysts said Obama was due to get a lift from the jobs numbers. "Good economic news is good political news. President Obama needed that after the debate and it gives him numerical evidence that his policies are working," said Julian Zelizer of Princeton University. The surprise drop in the jobless rate led former General Electric CEO Jack Welch to suggest in a tweet that the numbers had somehow been doctored. "These Chicago guys will do anything," he said in a reference to Obama's campaign operation. Welch is a Reuters columnist. Alan Krueger, a top economic adviser to Obama, said it was irresponsible to question the credibility of the numbers. "That's a ludicrous comment. No serious person believes that the Bureau of Labor Statistics manipulates its statistics," he told Reuters Insider television. Economists and the BLS also dismissed the conspiracy theory. FED LIKELY TO KEEP FOOT ON THE GAS Persistently poor labor market conditions led the Fed in September to announce a plan to buy $40 billion worth of mortgage-backed securities each month until it sees a sustained turnaround in employment. Despite the brighter signs on the jobs market, analysts said the central bank is unlikely to back off its stimulus anytime soon. After its last meeting, it said it planned to keep policy easy for "a considerable time" even after the recovery strengthened. "This will be welcome news for the Fed, but given that the unemployment rate remains well above levels deemed consistent with full employment, their policy stance is unlikely to change," said Millan Mulraine, a senior economist at TD Securities in New York. The Fed's ultra-easy stance has started to free up credit. A report from the Fed showed consumer credit rebounded strongly in August after posting its first decline in nearly a year in July. Easier credit is supporting retail sales and home construction. Retail employment rose by 9,400, while construction added 5,000 jobs. There we also gains in transportation and warehousing jobs, which increased 17,100. Financial services employment increased 13,000, and education and health payrolls surged 49,000. Government payrolls rose 10,000 after increasing 45,000 in August. The gains last month largely reflected state and local government teaching jobs. However, temporary help jobs, which are often seen as a harbinger of permanent hiring, fell 2,000, and manufacturing payrolls dropped 16,000, a second straight monthly decline. Job losses in the computer and electronics and the transportation sectors led the manufacturing decline. Average hourly earnings rose 7 cents last month, the largest increase since June, which could support consumer spending, and the length of the average work week also increased slightly, another sign of strength.

Ahead of the Bell: Natural gas supplies

NEW YORK (AP) — The Energy Department is expected to report on Thursday that the nation's natural gas supplies grew by 70 billion to 74 billion cubic feet in the week ended Sept. 28, according to a survey of analysts by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos. A build of that size would be below the 101 billion cubic feet put in storage in the comparable week a year ago and below the five-year average addition of 78 billion cubic feet. The nation's gas reserves remain well above average levels for this time of year. The Energy Information Administration releases its weekly report at 10:30 a.m. EDT.

10 Things to Know for Today

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Friday: 1. US JOBLESS RATE TAKES UNEXPECTED TURN The U.S. unemployment rate falls to 7.8 percent last month, dropping below 8 percent for the first time in nearly four years. 2. TURKISH RETALIATION INCREASES REGIONAL VOLATILITY The battle to oust Syria's Assad has deepened sectarian rifts in Lebanon and Iraq, raised tensions along the frontier with Israel and emboldened Kurdish separatists in Turkey. 3. SEARCH IS ON FOR MENINGITIS VICTIMS Clinics and medical centers around the U.S. rush to contact perhaps thousands of patients who might have received tainted injections for back pain. 4. HOW THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATES FACTOR IN ELECTION Gary Johnson and Virgil Goode are blips in the presidential race. Yet in a tight race that likely will be won or lost at the margins, even blips can be a big deal. 5. SAFETY OF PARASAILING COMES INTO FOCUS Victims' families say tougher regulation and penalties might make it safer, but operators say equipment upgrades and basic maintenance would do the trick. 6. THE MYSTERY BEHIND "REBECCA" A planned Broadway musical of the psychological thriller based on a 1938 novel collapses amid questions of financial backing, a plot twist that prompts an FBI inquiry. 7. SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY GETTING LITTLE SUPPORT As 34 states fail to meet the law's conditions, some say it costs too much to implement and others have doubts about how it works. 8. STUDY: FREE BIRTH CONTROL LOWERS ABORTIONS, TEEN BIRTHS The finding comes as millions of women are beginning to get access to contraception without copays under Obama's health care law. 9. JAY-Z LAUNCHING YOUTUBE CHANNEL The rapper will debut Life and Times with the live-streaming of the last of his eight concerts at New York City's Barclays Center. 10. NFL LOSES ANOTHER UNDEFEATED TEAM Robert Quinn has three of the Rams' nine sacks and St. Louis sends the Arizona Cardinals to the ranks of the beaten with a 17-3 victory.

Daring Skydiver to Attempt Record-Breaking Supersonic Freefall Monday

On Monday morning (Oct. 8), Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner will attempt to break the world record for highest-ever skydive, leaping from a balloon nearly 23 miles above Earth’s surface. If all goes according to plan, Baumgartner will step into the void 120,000 feet (36,576 meters) above southeastern New Mexico early Monday, then plummet to Earth in a harrowing freefall that will see him become the first skydiver to break the sound barrier. After Baumgartner deploys his parachute and floats safely to the desert floor, he and the other architects of his mission — which is known as Red Bull Stratos — can celebrate breaking a skydiving record that has stood for more than 50 years. One of those congratulating Baumgartner will likely be Joe Kittinger, who set the current record of 102,800 feet (31,333 m) back in 1960 while a captain in the U.S. Air Force. Kittinger serves as a Red Bull Stratos adviser. [Extreme Skydive From 120,000 Feet (Video)] If everything works out on Monday, Baumgartner will also shatter the marks for fastest freefall, longest-duration freefall and highest manned balloon flight. But the daredevil says his leap is about more than just etching his name in the record books. "Red Bull Stratos is an opportunity to gather information that could contribute to the development of life-saving measures for astronauts and pilots — and maybe for the space tourists of tomorrow," Baumgartner said in a statement. "Proving that a human can break the speed of sound in the stratosphere and return to Earth would be a step toward creating near-space bailout procedures that currently don’t exist." Baumgartner's 55-story-high balloon is slated to launch from Roswell, N.M. at dawn Monday, weather permitting. Winds must not exceed 2 mph (3.2 kph) at liftoff to ensure that the balloon — whose material is 10 times thinner than a plastic sandwich bag — isn't damaged, Red Bull Stratos officials said. Baumgartner will ride aboard a custom-built pressurized capsule that weighs about 2,900 pounds (1,315 kilograms). A hard landing during a July 25 practice jump from 97,146 feet (29,610 m) damaged the capsule, and the daredevil's record-breaking attempt was delayed while his team made the necessary repairs. During the July 25 jump, Baumgartner reached a top freefall speed of 537 mph (864 kph) — about as fast as a commercial airliner. But while his capsule got knocked around a bit, the skydiver landed safe and sound. Baumgartner said he is nervous about Monday's leap from the stratosphere. But the 43-year-old daredevil — who has jumped from some of the world's tallest buildings and soared across the English Channel in freefall using a carbon wing — regards a tinge of fear as a good thing. "Having been involved in extreme endeavors for so long, I’ve learned to use my fear to my advantage," Baumgartner said. "Fear has become a friend of mine. It’s what prevents me from stepping too far over the line." Red Bull Stratos has described the Oct. 8 attempt as a jump from the edge of space. However, space is generally considered to begin at an altitude of 62 miles (100 km), or 327,000 feet.

Tresses to treasure for Vietnamese hair trader

Hailed as a hero in his native Vietnamese village, Do Van Thu has become rich and transformed the lives of hundreds of families through the sale of a precious and unorthodox crop -- hair. "We were very poor because we had hardly any farmland. This work has saved our lives," said Thu, as women from Binh An village washed and sorted piles of tresses in a workshop at his opulent home. The hair mogul, seen as something of a visionary among local people, said exports of Vietnamese locks sustain some 500 families -- or 80 percent of the population in his area. They have also made him one of the richest men in Bac Ninh province, around 40 kilometers (25 miles) northeast of the capital Hanoi. Globally, hair has become big business. In addition to wigs and hair pieces, demand for hair extensions from fashion-conscious young women has exploded over the last decade. "Each year, my family exports between 50 and 60 tons of hair to China. We buy it from all corners of the country, as well as from Laos and Cambodia," the 50-year-old entrepreneur told AFP, surrounded by sacks of carefully sorted hair. The price per kilo varies between $45 and $250 depending on the quality of the hair -- with long, natural hair being the most prized for hair extensions, according to Nguyen Van Tam, a 60-year-old villager. "Our hair is 100 percent natural... hair that is 70 or 80 centimeters long is more expensive than hair that is 50 to 60 centimeters in length," Tam told AFP, while sorting long hair into neat bunches secured by elastic bands. "This is from an elderly woman so we have to buy a product to dye the grey hair black," he said, waving a silvery thatch. Demand is rising more quickly than hair can grow back and the Binh An hair collectors are forced to search for uncut locks -- and owners willing to part with them -- in ever more remote areas, he said. "Sometimes, my children travel 200 to 300 kilometers every day to collect just a few kilograms of hair... We Vietnamese are very hard working -- if it brings in money," he said. Hair collectors set off on annual pilgrimages, travelling around the country searching for women willing to part with their locks for cash -- they must often spend substantial chunks of time outside the village. Thu, who has become a millionaire in the 13 years since starting his first workshop, indicates the brick houses which have sprung up in the rural area as a sign of the prosperity that hair has brought to Binh An. "Each employee at my business is earning three million dong a month ($140)," he said, three times what the average rural wage is in Vietnam. Local people say their lives have been vastly improved by Thu's hair enterprise. "Looking at the huge profits it earns, a large number of farmers have engaged in this work and their life has considerably improved in recent years," Nguyen Van Kien, Binh An's village head told AFP. Thu is eyeing expansion, citing major regional opportunities as demand for hair extensions and wigs rises in countries such as South Korea and Thailand. Vietnam is well-positioned to cash in on this trend, said Thu, who has a number of local competitors in the region. Business is thriving -- "it is getting harder to buy good hair but we can sell everything we get," he said. But the hair business has a darker side as sources of luscious locks grow ever scarcer. Unscrupulous hair hunters reportedly attacked female students at a school in Lang Son province, near the Chinese border and forcibly hacked off their flowing tresses, according to the state-run Tin Tuc Vietnam. At the start of September, another official newspaper, Tuoi Tre, reported that a 15-year-old student Vo Nguyen Hoang Chi from central Danang province sold her hair for just 24 dollars to pay for her studies. "As my family is very poor, I had no choice but to sacrifice my hair to pay my tuition fees -- I want to do my best at school," she said. "But after selling my hair I couldn't sleep. I cried when I put hands on my short hair."

Google overtakes Microsoft, Apple climbs six places in Interband's "Best Global Brands"

On October 2 brand consultancy agency Interbrand released its 13th annual "Best Global Brands" report. While Coca-Cola retained pole position, Google was ranked above Microsoft for the first time since the report began and Apple climbed six places to second position. Interbrand compile the rankings in the "Best Global Brands" report by assessing the brands across three key areas: "financial performance of the branded product or services," "the role of the brand in the purchase decision," and "the strength of the brand." Interbrand's methodology is the first of its kind to be ISO Certified and a full breakdown of the methodology can be found at: http://goo.gl/j0EVK. This year's "Best Global Brands" revealed some interesting changes among the world's biggest software/ tech companies. While drinks brand Coca-Cola retained its number one spot, Apple climbed six places, from eighth place in 2011 to second place in 2012. According to Interbrand, Apple's ascent up the charts is due to a combination of increased sales in both emerging and developed markets, a continuing sense of brand loyalty from its customers and a strong emphasis on brand protection. According to Interbrand, Apple has generated a net profit of $8.8 billion this year and has experienced an increase in brand value of 129 percent. Apple's rival Samsung also demonstrated strong growth climbing from 17th position to ninth this year with a 40 percent increase in value. Interbrand attributes this meteoric rise to the company's strong smartphone sales and online buzz surrounding the launch of the Galaxy SIII and the Galaxy Note. Google, in fourth position, has, for the first time in the history of Interbrand's "Best Global Brands" report, overtaken rival Microsoft. Google experienced a 26 percent increase in brand value over the past year yet remained in fourth position, Microsoft however experienced -2 percent growth in brand value from last year, causing it to fall from third position in 2011 to fifth position in 2012.

Jinkee Pacquiao's foray into politics

After making a name of her own as a celebrity beauty endorser, the wife of People's Champ Manny Pacquiao has set out to make her mark in politics. Jinkee Pacquiao is running for vice governor of Saranggani, the province represented by her husband who is now seeking a second term in Congress, reports said. The Pacquaios filed their certificates of candidacy at the local Commission on Elections office Tuesday, along with Saranggani Vice Governor and gubernatorial bidder Steve Solon. Jinkee's decision to run was finalized only hours before Manny's scheduled filing, reports claimed, noting that it was the outcome of consultations between Manny and some allies. Pacquiao leads a regional political party called the "People's Champ Movement," which is affiliated with Vice President Jejomar Binay's United Nationalist Alliance (UNA). At an earlier UNA media briefing, Pacqiao has floated the possibility that his ally, incumbent Sarangani Governor Miguel Rene Dominguez, will run as vice governor. Dominguez has been governor for three consecutive terms. "Pinag-iisipan pa niya kung tatakbo siya as vice-governor o magpapahinga muna (He is still deciding between running as vice-governor and taking a break)," Pacquiao said. Dominguez, however, declined Pacquaio's offers, noting that he prefers an executive post over legislative ones, reports said.

Senators flip-flop on Cybercrime Law

Senators who voted for the passage of the Cybercrime Prevention Act now seem to be skating around the issue as the law continues to draw the ire of Filipinos and the attention of the international community. One by one, lawmakers have vowed to file bills to amend the newly approved law, particularly to repeal its provisions on online libel, which they say "slipped under their noses." "I do not suggest that we 'throw the baby out with the bath water,' but the libel clause must be amended and free speech upheld," Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. said in a statement on his official Facebook account Wednesday. "I will file a bill to that effect and support all efforts made in the same direction," he added. His statement comes amid several petitions filed by various groups urging the Supreme Court to block the implementation of the law which takes effect Wednesday. The Cybercrime Prevention Act also grabbed the global spotlight, with international watchdog Human Rights Watch saying that it violates free speech and a Forbes article calling it "a mix of ignorance to technology and the desire to exert further control over a population." Like Marcos, Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero said he is set to file amendments to the law. The addition of online libel "was a mistake," he said, although declining to provide any reason or motive as to its inclusion. "I will just admit our shortcomings, personally, because I can’t speak for other senators," Escudero added. For his part, Marcos noted that the committee report he signed included no libel provisions. "The records will show that when the Libel Clause was introduced and approved on the same day, I was away on 'official business,'" he said. Also saying that she will file an amendment is Sen. Pia Cayetano, who admitted that no one blocked the libel provisions when they were brought to the floor. "It was impeachment period, when Cybercrime Bill was called, I reviewed portion on child porn, which is my area of responsibility," Cayetano said via her Twitter account Tuesday. She added that she would have blocked the libel provision if she "had seen seen it or if someone pointed it out." "Sadly we cannot catch every provision all the time," she tweeted. Even the law's author, Sen. Edgardo Angara, said he will move to amend the Cybercrime Law when Congress resumes Oct. 8. He particularly cited provisions granting the Department of Justice (DOJ) powers to restrict and block access to computer data based on prima facie evidence, reports said. Angara also asked DOJ to suspend the implementation of the provisions in question. Aside from Cayetano, Escudero and Marcos, 10 other senators voted in favor of the Cybercrime Law. These were Senators Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan, Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, Manuel "Lito" Lapid, Loren Legarda, Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel, Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Vicente "Tito" Sotto, Ralph Recto and Manny Villar. Only Sen. Teofisto "TG" Guingona III voted against the bill, claiming it to be "oppresive and dangerous." Guingona late September asked the High Court to void certain provisions in the bill, including libel. "Let me clarify this to avoid confusion, the country needs a Cybercrime Prevention Act, however, this law that was passed recently contains problematic provisions," Guingona said in an earlier statement. "Without these confusing and vague provisions, this law is necessary," he added. Marcos, however, noted: "This is no time to make excuses nor to blame anyone for what I cannot agree to with regards the libel clause." "Having said that, I would rather be accused of a lapse in supervision than not do anything to correct it," Marcos said.

Angara: Nothing wrong with political dynasty

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara admitted on Wednesday that his family is a political dynasty, but that is not actually a bad thing. "I think we are a dynasty but we have a legacy," he said. He said that people can check progress in Aurora province and judge for themselves. He's now seeking a Senate seat and formally filed his Certificate of Candidacy. "Hindi na namin ikahihiya ang ginawa namin (for Aurora)," he said, referring to his three terms as a member of the House of Representatives. He added the Angaras who ran for political office in Aurora were qualified and did not rely on goodwill created by their incumbent relative. Angara, son of Senator Edgardo Angara and nephew of Aurora Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, has a degree from the London School of Economics and studied law at the UP College of Law. He has a master of laws degree from Harvard Law School. He said voters should look at the track records of candidates and not give those from political families "a free ride." Congress must own up to Cybercrime law Angara meanwhile said Congress must own up to the passage of the controversial Cybercrime Prevention Act, provisions of which have been criticized for violating basic rights. "I don't think it can be denied anymore that a law has been passed," he said. Lawmakers have been criticized for allowing provisions, including one imposing a stiffer penalty for online libel, in the bill. Angara said the online libel provision was not in the version that the House deliberated on. Senator Angara was the author and sponsor of the Senate version of the law, which is the subject of eight petitions opposing it at the Supreme Court. Rep. Angara said he is open to amending the law, but only with respect to removing the criminal penalty on online libel. He added online libel already existed as a crime even before the passage of the Cybercrime Prevention Act. He defended, however, a provision giving the government authority to take down websites if the Department of Justice finds probable cause that the Cybercrime Law has been violated. He said the law was meant to punish child pornography and similar crimes. Angara said he trusts the Justice department to use the authority "judiciously" as Justice Secretary Leila De Lima has previously promised.