N. Korea's No. 2 visits South for rare talks

N. Korea's No. 2 visits South for rare talks
Ebola casts pall over Eid al-Adha in West Africa
Hong Kong protesters stage massive, defiant rally
Parents of American held by Islamic State appeal for his release
U.S. CDC: Many inquiries about possible Ebola cases, no new infections
Hot, dry weather in California stokes wildfire fears
U.S. ramps up Ebola deployments; total may near 4,000 troops
Parents of U.S. hostage ask for prayers
Hong Kong police arrest 19 in protest clash
How the Secret Service's problems became a secret in Washington
U.S. officials acknowledge ‘missteps’ in Dallas but defend Ebola response
Militants behead British hostage

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 06:46 AM PDT

The meeting could be an indication both sides are interested in pursuing better ties.

Ebola casts pall over Eid al-Adha in West Africa

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 07:16 AM PDT

CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — The raging Ebola outbreak that has killed more than 3,400 people in West Africa cast a pall Saturday over celebrations in the region of Eid al-Adha, one of Islam's most important holidays.

Hong Kong protesters stage massive, defiant rally

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 09:14 AM PDT

HONG KONG (AP) — Pro-democracy protesters were defiant in the face of attacks by opponents and warnings by the Hong Kong government to clear the streets, staging a massive rally Saturday evening in the downtown business district they've occupied for a week.

Parents of American held by Islamic State appeal for his release

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 10:33 AM PDT

By Alex Dobuzinskis (Reuters) - The parents of an American humanitarian worker held hostage by Islamic State militants appealed for his release on Saturday, speaking in a statement and a video message that highlighted his aid work and mentioned his conversion to Islam. Ed and Paula Kassig, of Indianapolis, Indiana, urged the release of their son, Peter Kassig, 26. Kassig was threatened in a video issued on Friday by Islamic State militants that purported to show the beheading of British aid worker Alan Henning, 47. ...

U.S. CDC: Many inquiries about possible Ebola cases, no new infections

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 09:37 AM PDT

(Reuters) - U.S. health officials have fielded inquiries about as many as 100 potential cases of Ebola since the first patient with the deadly virus was detected in the country, but no new infections have been identified, a senior health official said on Saturday. Dr Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said news of the Ebola patient in Dallas has raised the awareness of hospitals nationwide to check incoming patients for potential risks, particularly those who have recently traveled from the epicenter of the outbreak in West Africa. ...

Hot, dry weather in California stokes wildfire fears

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 10:50 AM PDT

By Alex Dobuzinskis LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The fall season has brought a wave of hot, dry weather to California, with parts of the state baking this weekend in triple-digit temperatures and officials expressing concern the summer-like heat could spark a massive wildfire. The scorching temperatures came from a high pressure system in the U.S. West and the arrival in Southern California of autumn's first Santa Ana winds, which carry hot air through mountain passes toward the coast, meteorologists said. ...

U.S. ramps up Ebola deployments; total may near 4,000 troops

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 12:25 PM PDT

The Pentagon may send almost 4,000 troops to West Africa, almost 1,000 above its previous estimate.

Parents of U.S. hostage ask for prayers

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 04:51 PM PDT

A member of the Islamic State threatens to kill former Army Ranger Peter Kassig.

Hong Kong police arrest 19 in protest clash

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 09:39 PM PDT

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong arrested 19 people, some believed to have organized crime ties, during a night of running brawls stretching into Saturday as mobs tried to drive pro-democracy protesters from the streets where they've held a weeklong, largely peaceful demonstration.

How the Secret Service's problems became a secret in Washington

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 01:04 PM PDT

Though they are not formal oversight committees, appropriations committees have provided critical monitoring and oversight of government agencies during the annual budgeting process, as agency directors and Cabinet secretaries are called on to explain what they are doing and justify any requests for more money. That switch of jurisdiction, from Treasury to the bureaucratic behemoth of Homeland Security, would throw a cloak of secrecy over the Secret Service's financial needs, performance and areas in need of improvement. Henceforth, public information about what was happening at the Secret Service would be much harder to find, bursting into view only when there was a failure or an embarrassing scandal.

U.S. officials acknowledge ‘missteps’ in Dallas but defend Ebola response

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 03:18 PM PDT

Top U.S. officials admit to "missteps" in handling the case of a man with Ebola in Dallas, Texas, but insist that screenings have kept infected people off U.S. soil and predict there will be no outbreak in the United States.