Trade Deficit Balloons to $48.3 Billion

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By Akin Oyedele. The trade deficit swelled to $48.3 billion in August, according to the Department of Commerce.

Economists had estimated that the trade deficit, or the excess of imports over exports, increased to $48 billion from $41.81 in the prior month. Core imports rose 2.6%, driven by consumer goods.

“In one line: Horrible; trade is set to be a significant drag on Q3 GDP growth,” wrote Pantheon Macroeconomics’ Ian Shepherdson in a client note.

Shepherdson added that exports have not yet recovered from the West Coast port disruptions earlier this year.

The goods and services deficit has increased 5.2%, or $17.6 billion year-to-date. (Read more from “Trade Deficit Balloons to $48.3 Billion” HERE)

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Deal Reached on Pacific Rim Trade Pact in Boost for Obama Economic Agenda

By David Nakamura. President Obama hailed the historic 12-nation Pacific Rim trade deal completed here Monday as an accord that “reflects America’s values,” but within hours the administration had turned from the negotiating table to selling the agreement on Capitol Hill, a reflection of the harsh political climate the controversial pact is expected to face in Congress.

Obama pledged that the ­Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the largest free-trade agreement in a generation, would open new markets for U.S. goods and services and establish rules of international commerce that give “our workers the fair shot at success they deserve.”

But almost immediately there were signs of the tough fight ahead to win final ratification from Congress next year. Lawmakers from both parties criticized the pact as falling short in crucial areas, raising the prospect that the White House could lose the support of allies who had backed the president’s trade push earlier this year.

“Closing a deal is an achievement for our nation only if it works for the American people and can pass Congress by meeting the high-standard objectives laid out” by lawmakers in the spring, said Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. “While the details are still emerging, unfortunately I am afraid this deal appears to fall woefully short.”

Monday’s announcement that trade ministers had reached consensus on the deal, after five days of negotiations, started the clock on the final stages of winning approval from national legislatures. The United States, where the 2016 presidential campaign is underway, is not the only nation where political turbulence could affect completion of the deal. (Read more from this story HERE)

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Huckabee: ‘Sin and Evil’ Caused Oregon Shooting

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By Mark Hensch. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee says that “sin and evil” are to blame for the recent mass shooting in Oregon, not access to guns.

“You know, we have not so much a gun control problem as we do have a problem with sin and evil,” Huckabee told host Alisyn Camerota on CNN’s “New Day” on Monday.

“I think we always talk about what the weapon was, but whether it’s a pressure cooker or whether it’s a gun, we’re dealing with people who are either deranged or they’re very focused, because they want to kill people in the name of terrorism,” the GOP presidential candidate added.

“This is a matter of evil,” he said. “This is an evil thing, when people kill another person. It happens way too often.”

Huckabee’s remarks follow a mass shooting in Oregon last week that killed 10 people, including the alleged gunman. (Read more from “Huckabee: ‘Sin and Evil’ Caused Oregon Shooting” HERE)

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Marco Rubio Addresses Gun Control in Wake of Oregon Shooting

By Amanda Andrade-Rhoades. Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida is now among the many presidential candidates who have weighed in on what might have caused the tragic shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, which left nine students and the gunman dead.

In an interview with Today, Rubio fell in line with most of his Republican colleagues and said that gun control wouldn’t fix the issue. “For example, these were not assault rifles; these were handguns that he had purchased,” he said. “The laws that many are proposing would have done nothing to prevent these attacks.”

Rubio suggested that the U.S. consider the role of mental illness, “which we need to begin to address more seriously, as opposed to stigmatizing it or, in some cases, trying to put it aside, and that’s a societal thing that we need to confront.” (Read more from “Marco Rubio Addresses Gun Control in Wake of Oregon Shooting” HERE)

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Cute Video Shows Baby With Half a Skull – Who Trolls Said Should Have Been Aborted – Saying ‘Hello’

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This is the adorable moment a one-year-old boy born with half a skull said ‘hello’ to his parents and fans.

Jaxon Buell, who has been nicknamed Jaxon Strong, was given just days to live at birth due to a rare neural-tube condition.

He surpassed expectations and celebrated his first birthday in August, with thousands of people from across the globe inundating his parents Brittany and Brandon, from Orlando, Florida, with messages of support.

Now, a 22-second clip has been posted on a Facebook page for Jaxon by his parents in a bid to thank friends and fans.

It starts by showing little Jaxon, who has Microhydranencephaly, lying on the floor as his parents Brittany and Brandon ask him to say ‘hi Germany’. (Read more from “Cute Video Shows Little Boy With Half a Skull – Who Trolls Said Should Have Been Aborted – Saying ‘Hello'” HERE)

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Weird Animal With ‘Body of Buffalo and Head of Crocodile’ Baffles Everyone [+video]

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Images have been shared of a most unusual creature spotted in a remote village – and it’s the stuff of sci-fi movies.

The strange animal appears to have the scaly, rough head and skin of a reptile such as a crocodile.

Photo Credit: Mirror

However, on closer inspection, it’s also got the body, limbs and hooves of a mammal such as a calf . . .

The creature appears to have been born of a buffalo, but is clearly not a normal-looking creature. (Read more from “Weird Animal With ‘Body of Buffalo and Head of Crocodile’ Baffles Everyone” HERE)

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This Is Why Donald Trump Sent Marco Rubio ‘Trump-Brand’ Water Bottles

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Donald Trump pranked his perpetually sweating rival Marco Rubio with a heat relief care package full of spring water and towels.

The bombastic billionaire sent his fellow Republican a 24-pack of Trump Ice Natural Spring Water — with Trump’s face emblazoned on the labels — and two “Make America Great Again” towels, aides told CNN.

“Since you’re always sweating, we thought you could use some water. Enjoy!” the Trump camp wrote in a note inside the package.

Rubio, who recently exchanged insults with Trump after the real estate mogul called him out for sweating during a debate, took the gag gift in stride . . .

The Florida senator touched on more serious issues in Tuesday interview, too. In the wake of last week’s school shooting in Oregon, Rubio advocated for better metal health services — but not stricter gun laws. When Matt Lauer asked what could have prevented gunman Chris Harper Mercer from buying 14 guns, Rubio said “His family shouldn’t have allowed him to do it.” (Read more from “This Is Why Donald Trump Sent Marco Rubio ‘Trump-Brand’ Water Bottles” HERE)

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Girl, 10, Kills 800-POUND Monster Alligator With One Shot From Her Crossbow

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Armed with a loaded crossbow, 10-year-old Ella Hawk did not flinch when she faced off against an 800-pound, 13-foot alligator in Texas.

Ella, who has been hunting with her parents, Tony and Cindy Hawk, for a few years now, delivered a perfect shot above the scaly beast’s eyes, killing it on the spot . . .

In fact, the slain gator was big enough to rank No. 1 in the world in Trophy Game Records of the World’s database, according to the Victoria Advocate.

The 10-year-old had been preparing for last month’s hunting expedition by shooting her crossbow from an elevated position.

Once on location on the Guadalupe River, Ella’s training immediately kicked in and she quickly proved her mettle by felling the beast with a bolt to the head. (Read more from “Girl, 10, Kills 800-POUND Monster Alligator With One Shot From Her Crossbow” HERE)

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This Man Just Tipped His Massage Therapist $5,000, Here’s Why

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Airports can be frustrating and make people grumpy.

But, that couldn’t be farther from the truth for a man returning to Colorado from a hunting trip in Alaska, according to KTUU.

He went to a spa at Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage, and got an hour massage.

“He was sad because he said that he only got a wolf and his friend got a bear and a moose,” said massage therapist Kaleigh Hansen. “So, he thought he deserved the massage more.”

The bill was $120. But, the man was feeling generous and added on a $5,000 tip. (Read more from “This Man Just Tipped His Massage Therapist $5,000, Here’s Why” HERE)

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You’ll Never Guess What Burger King’s Halloween Burger Does to You

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The scariest part of Burger King’s Halloween Whopper doesn’t happen until after you eat it.

Something in the burger’s pitch-black bun turns eaters’ poop a ghastly bright green — sometimes for as long as three days . . .

Not everybody was amused by the frightening after-effects of the Halloween treat, with some even vowing to never eat the burger again.

“Yesterday I had the Halloween Whopper,” added Daniel Rodriguez. “Today my poop is green. Yesterday was the last time I’ll have the Halloween Whopper.”

It is unclear what ingredients in the black Whopper turn stool such a haunting color, but a spokesperson for the fast food giant told ABC news that the bun contains less than 1% food dye. (Read more from “You’ll Never Guess What Burger King’s Halloween Burger Does to You” HERE)

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Revealed: Exactly Who Carly Fiorina’s Charity Donated $500,000 to – It Will Disturb You

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By Randy DeSoto. Carly Fiorina has made defunding Planned Parenthood a top priority; but the organization that controls her charity, the Fiorina Foundation, has given nearly a half-a-million dollars to the group.

The Daily Beast reports that the Ayco Foundation (a subsidiary of Goldman Sachs), which controls the Fiorina Foundation, distributed $467,275 from 2011 to 2013 to various Planned Parenthoods, including those in New York City, Connecticut, and Indiana.

The Daily Beast described the arrangement that the Fiorina Foundation has with Ayco as akin to “a charitable savings account.” “The Ayco Charitable Foundation [is] a so-called ‘donor-advised fund,’ through which [the Fiorinas] distribute undisclosed sums to undisclosed recipients at undisclosed times,” according to the news outlet.

By contributing to the account, donors give up control of their cash or assets immediately and take the tax benefits, and then later advise the foundation what charities they would like to support.

Donor advised funds, like Ayco, do not disclose whose money gets donated to the various organizations to which the foundation contributes, so funds Fiorina and her husband contributed may or may not have gone to Planned Parenthood . . .

When Fiorina’s deputy campaign manager, Sarch Isgur Flores, was asked about the Planned Parenthood donations by Ayco, she said: “The Fiorinas absolutely have say over where their money goes and don’t have say over where other people’s money goes.” (Read more from “Revealed: Exactly Who Carly Fiorina’s Charity Donated $500,000 to – It Will Disturb You” HERE)

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The Organization That Runs Carly Fiorina’s ‘Foundation’ Has Given Half a Million Dollars to Planned Parenthood

By The Week. Nothing has defined Carly Fiorina’s presidential campaign quite like her outspoken opposition to Planned Parenthood — a point she has brought up repeatedly at debates and press conferences. It might seem odd, then, that her Fiorina Foundation is run by an organization that has given half a million dollars to Planned Parenthood since 2011.

The Fiorina Foundation isn’t actually, legally, a foundation, per se; it’s an account Fiorina and her husband hold with The Ayco Charitable Foundation, a “donor-advised fund” that stashes charitable donations for clients in case they want to quickly receive tax benefits, The Daily Beast explains. One expert on the topic described it as “a charitable savings account”; Fiorina’s account just happens to be run by a charitable foundation, Ayco, that gives money to her supposed archenemy, distributing money to five Planned Parenthoods across New York, Connecticut, and Indiana:

If Fiorina feels as strongly as she claims that it’s an abomination for American tax dollars — including hers — to be forced to help fund Planned Parenthood, it’s perplexing that she would elect to be associated with any group that feels comfortable giving money to Planned Parenthood by choice — on behalf of an individual or not.

Asked if Fiorina has a problem with Ayco distributing funds to Planned Parenthood, and if she’s ever lobbied them to stop, [Fiorina’s deputy campaign manager Sarah Isgur] Flores said, “Carly has no control over those clients and their giving preferences.”

Asked why Fiorina doesn’t just find a donor-advised fund that vows never to give money to Planned Parenthood on behalf of anyone, Flores didn’t respond. [The Daily Beast]

(Read more from this story HERE)

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Historic Pacific Trade Deal Faces Skeptics in Congress

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Twelve Pacific Rim countries on Monday reached the most ambitious trade pact in a generation, aiming to liberalize commerce in 40 percent of the world’s economy in a deal that faces skepticism from U.S. lawmakers.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact struck in Atlanta after marathon talks could reshape industries, change the cost of products from cheese to cancer treatments and have repercussions for drug companies and automakers.

Tired negotiators worked round the clock over the weekend to settle tough issues such as monopoly rights for new biotech drugs. New Zealand’s demand for greater access for its dairy exports was only settled at 5 a.m. EDT on Monday.

If approved, the TPP pact would cut trade barriers and set common standards for a region stretching from Vietnam to Canada. It would also furnish a legacy-shaping victory for U.S. President Barack Obama, who will further promote the agreement on Tuesday in remarks to business leaders in Washington.

The Obama administration hopes the pact will help the United States increase its influence in East Asia and help counter the rise of China, which is not one of the TPP nations. (Read more from “Historic Pacific Trade Deal Faces Skeptics in Congress” HERE)

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