Apple is expected to spend considerably more on research and development this year and next, but why?

Above Avalon’s Neil Cybart, a longtime financial analyst, Apple-tracker, and one of the more accurate predictors on the company’s earnings, has released an in-depth investigation into the company’s research and development efforts. His findings show that Apple AAPL is ramping up its R&D spending at a rapid rate, suggesting that in just a few years, “we are no longer going to refer to Apple as the iPhone company.”

Cybart dug through Apple’s financials to look back at how the company has invested in research and development over the years. He found that Apple spent more than $4 billion on it in 2013 and then $6 billion in 2014. By 2015, the R&D costs had risen to $8 billion. Now, he believes that Apple is on track to spend more than $10 billion this year on research and development in 2016 and more than $12 billion next year.

“This is a remarkable feat considering that Apple was spending a little over $3 billion per year on R&D just four years ago,” he wrote.

The ramp up in research and development—an unprecedented one when compared to its expenditures dating all the way back to 1996—suggest something big might be up at Apple, Cybart argues. While he acknowledged that it’s possible the increasing spending is due to a broader product line or Apple could try to get into more product categories, he believes the most likely reason is that Apple wants to turn into a different kind of company.

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“Apple is ramping up R&D because they have a few big bets that require a massive increase in investment,” Cybart writes. “The two most logical areas for these bets are wearables and personal transport initiatives. In both cases, Apple is moving well beyond its comfort zone of selling pieces of glass that can be held in one’s hand. Instead, Apple is literally building a new company with additional capabilities and strengths.”

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Cybart’s comments come as rumors continue to pile up that the company is working on a electric car. Although Apple itself has not said for sure that it’s planning to a car, the company has hinted at such plans and made strategic hires in that market. Tesla TSLA CEO Elon Musk says Apple’s car ambitions are an “open secret” in the industry.

Meanwhile, Apple seems committed to the idea that its wearable, Apple Watch, could be the leading device for what is expected to be a booming industry. While Apple has yet to share sales figures on its wearable, most analysts believe the company is leading the pack by a wide margin.

The idea that Apple would “pivot,” as Cybart claims, seems rather bold. However, in the company’s last-reported quarter ended March 26, its iPhone business, which takes up the largest chunk of its operation, saw revenue slide 18% year-over-year to $32.9 billion. Meanwhile, Apple’s iPad and Mac sales also fell. In total, Apple’s $50.6 billion in revenue was down 13% year-over-year.

Those issues, coupled with disappointing performance in China, has prompted worry among investors. Meanwhile, Apple CEO Tim Cook has been forced to allay fears, saying that the trouble is only temporary. He has also promised big things for the future, but won’t say exactly what they are. He has even pitched the idea of possibly spending more than Apple ever has on a major acquisition.

Simply put, major changes could be afoot.

For Cybart, however, the R&D expenditures make the prospect of those major changes seem real. He argues that the company will indeed get into the car business, and all that’s required to guarantee that prediction is looking at how it’s spending money.

“Apple is not spending $10 billion on R&D just to come up with new Watch bands, larger iPads, or a video streaming service,” he wrote on his blog. “Instead, Apple is planning on something much bigger: a pivot into the automobile industry.”

Cybart added that by pivot, he means that Apple will take what it has learned from other markets, like Macs and iPhones, and use it to its advantage in cars.

“Apple is designed to move from product to product, industry to industry,” Cybart said of the company’s organizational structure. “We see the company do just that by entering the smartphone market, followed by the wearables market and soon, the auto market.”

Given all the data and the expenditures, Cybart says that Apple’s chances of selling its own electric car are “80%.” Ultimately, he says, while the iPhone will remain important to Apple, it will eventually be less important to the company.

“Apple wants to move beyond the iPhone,” he predicts.

Correction (May 12, 2:05 pm): An earlier version of this story incorrectly calculated the rise in Apple’s research and development spending between 2013 and 2014. The language has been fixed.

Summary: It'll no longer be the "iPhone company."


Lisa Rudy, who is married to Tony Rudy, the former deputy chief of staff to Representative Tom DeLay, Republican of Texas, received $50,000 in consulting fees as a result of what her husband has acknowledged was a corrupt scheme with Mr. Abramoff to influence the workings of Mr. DeLay's office and promote the concerns of Mr. Abramoff's clients on Capitol Hill.

Mr. Rudy pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges last month. The Justice Department has said that Mrs. Rudy has agreed to cooperate with the investigation and will sign her own agreement with prosecutors. The Rudy family's lawyer, Laura A. Miller, did not return phone calls for comment.

Christine A. DeLay, Mr. DeLay's wife, received $115,000 in consulting fees from 1998 to 2002 from a lobbying firm set up by her husband's former chief of staff, Edwin A. Buckham, who is also under scrutiny by the Justice Department because of his lobbying contacts with Mr. DeLay's House office.

Although there is no suggestion of any criminal investigation focused on Mrs. DeLay, lawyers involved in the investigation say prosecutors have asked about the circumstances of her hiring by Mr. Buckham and whether it was an effort to influence Mr. DeLay, the former House majority leader. Mr. DeLay announced this week that he was resigning from Congress, saying he wanted to avoid an "ugly" re-election fight this fall that might focus on ethical issues.

A lawyer for the DeLays, Richard Cullen, said Mrs. DeLay had been employed by Mr. Buckham's firm, the Alexander Strategy Group, to gather information on the favorite charities of members of Congress. "Christine DeLay is a very talented woman with a keen political mind, and the project she was working on was one that had substance and added value to Alexander," he said.

The phone records of the couple's daughter, Dani DeLay Ferro, a political organizer for her father, were formally requested last year by a grand jury in Travis County, Tex., where Mr. DeLay is under indictment, accused of violating his home state's election laws.

Mr. Buckham's wife, Wendy, shared more than $1 million in consulting fees with her husband from the U.S. Family Network, a nonprofit group tied to Mr. DeLay. The group has drawn the scrutiny of law enforcement officials because so much of its income was directed to the Buckham family and appears to have come from Russian businessmen eager to court favor from Mr. DeLay. The Buckhams did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Jack Abramoff's wife, Pamela, was tied to at least some of her husband's activities that he has now acknowledged were crimes.

Although there is no suggestion by the Justice Department that Mrs. Abramoff was aware of her husband's criminal acts, she and her husband were the sole directors of a nonprofit group, the Capital Athletic Foundation, which Mr. Abramoff used illegally to channel millions of dollars from his clients to pet projects that had nothing to with the charity's supposed mission: sports programs for needy children.

Most of the charity's money was spent to underwrite a Jewish school in Maryland that was founded by Mr. Abramoff and where the couple educated two of their sons. The foundation also underwrote a 2002 trip to Britain for Representative Bob Ney, an Ohio Republican who is under investigation by the Justice Department for gifts he received from Mr. Abramoff. Mr. Ney has denied wrongdoing, saying he was duped by Mr. Abramoff about the financing of the $150,000 trip, which included rounds of golf at the fabled course at St. Andrews in Scotland.

There are also references to Mrs. Abramoff's activities in the indictment of a former senior White House budget official, David F. Safavian. The Justice Department has accused Mr. Safavian of lying about his ties to Mr. Abramoff, who sought Mr. Safavian's help in trying to buy government land for himself and clients. Mr. Abramoff has acknowledged that he sent his wife to inspect the properties, instructing her not to reveal her real name to government officials to avoid scrutiny.

A spokesman for Mr. Abramoff's defense team, Andrew Blum, had no comment when asked whether Mrs. Abramoff had obtained separate counsel in the investigation. Mr. Blum also would not comment on Mr. Abramoff's involvement with GrassRoots Interactive, the Maryland consulting firm, and the lobbyist's business ties to his brother Robert.

The Abramoff brothers have been in business together for years. They co-wrote -- and Jack Abramoff produced -- a poorly reviewed 1989 action movie called "Red Scorpion."

State business records in California show that Robert Abramoff is a director or registered agent for almost 100 companies, many of them with colorful names, including FilmSoup, and Make-Up Your Mind Inc.

He is also the registered agent for Nicole Richie Inc., an umbrella company for the business activities of the young Hollywood celebrity. Ms. Richie's spokeswoman, Cindy Guagenti, said that Mr. Abramoff had been hired to deal with the logistics of the company's incorporation. She said Ms. Richie "has never met him."

Robert Abramoff appears tohave been drawn into his brother's Washington lobbying network through Aeneas Enterprises, which shared its offices and phone number with Robert Abramoff's law office.

Documents gathered from Jack Abramoff's files by government investigators and provided to The New York Times show that Robert Abramoff sent an e-mail message to his brother's accountant on Dec. 19, 2000 -- 16 days after Aeneas was incorporated -- that provided instructions on wiring money to Aeneas's bank account.

An Aeneas billing statement sent later that month to GrassRoots Interactive shows that $1.4 million was received from GrassRoots on Dec. 26. A January statement shows that an additional $900,000 was received by Aeneas on Jan. 2, 2004.

The one-page statements make no reference to what service, if any, was performed by Robert Abramoff's company in exchange for the payments, nor do they indicate how Aeneas disbursed the money.

Summary: Apparent entanglement of Robert Abramoff in his brother Jack's lobbying business illustrates degree to which spouses and other family members of investigation's prime targets are involved; some have dealt with subpoenas and Federal Bureau of Investigation interviews, and face possible civil or criminal charges; families involved include those of Rep Tom DeLay, Rep John T Doolittle, DeLay's former chief of staff Edwin A Buckham and former deputy chief of staff Tony Rudy; photos; chart (M)


Toy maker Hasbro has has reportedly teamed up with The Araca Group to turn one of its popular board games into a musical.

The Araca Group is a theatrical production company known for co-producing big name plays like Wicked and Rock of Ages. The company licenses iconic brands and adapts them for different events and merchandising, as it did late last year with showings of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This new partnership will allow Araca to develop plays based on Hasbro properties—starting with Monopoly: The Musical.

This musical production, a first for Hasbro, is being developed for Broadway. A creative team and production timeline have yet to be announced.

“Monopoly is one of the most iconic gaming brands of all time,” Simon Waters, general manager and senior vice president of Hasbro Entertainment and Consumer Products, said in a press release. “Hasbro is dedicated to delivering new and exciting ways for consumers to interact with all of our brands, and this stage adaptation will do just that—offering fans a unique and immersive experience for people of all ages.”

It’s uncertain whether this will be the only board game adaptation or if we can look forward to productions of Twister or Candy Land. Both The Araca Group and Hasbro declined to comment at this time.

Summary: It will be produced by the same company that put on "Wicked."


Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell says the Obama campaign is right to go after Mitt Romney’s time at Bain Capital during its reelection campaign. “Of course he has a right to go after Governor Romney’s claim that he’s a job creator because of his work at Bain— that’s the main thrust of his rationale of why he should be elected president,” Governor Rendell said Tuesday on Hardball with Chris Matthews.

Rendell had said on Tuesday morning that he found Obama’s ads criticizing Romney’s time at Bain “very disappointing.” The Republican National Committee then cited Gov. Rendell’s words as evidence that even some Democrats find Obama’s Bain advertisements to be an attack on free enterprise.

When pressed by Matthews on whether he was, in fact, disappointed in Obama’s campaign, Rendell said he was disappointed in virtually every political ad, because they focus on the negative points of the opposition. His only criticisms of Obama’s Bain ads were with the specific wording, he said. “Would I make the ads a little different in tone? Sure I would,” Rendell said. “But this deserves a full examination— whether Governor Romney is a job creator.”

Rendell’s initial criticisms of Obama’s Bain ads came on the heels of Newark (N.J.) Mayor Cory Booker’s comments that he found the ads “nauseating.” Booker has since backtracked, saying he stands firmly with the president and wants him to be reelected.

Summary: Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell says the Obama campaign is right to go after Mitt Romney's time at Bain Capital during its reelection campaign.


THE last “Lucia di Lammermoor” of the season at the City Opera on Saturday afternoon gave Faye Robinson her first opportunity to sing the title role with the company. Like most Lucias over the last couple of decades, Miss Robinson is no chirpy coloratura but a generously endowed lyric soprano who does not shy away from giving both the musical and dramatic aspects their full due.

She met every challenge head‐on, effectively realizing each facet of the part and often with considerable brilliance. Her voice is a bright, gleaming one with a burnished metallic luster that retains its quality right up to the top E flat, and she commands more than sufficient agility to negotiate the florid passages with ease and bravura. Her quick vibrato may not be to all tastes, but this characteristic is also put to good use to achieve many wellconsidered coloristic and expressive effects.

Miss Robinson's conception of Lucia was a forceful one, desperately in love during Act I, obviously unhinged by the tribulations of Act II and quite frighteningly insane for the Mad Scene —her acting here, in fact, was almost clinically detailed and without the sort of genteel stylization of madness adopted by some Lucias. Occasionally her enthusiastic and intense commitment led to some rather broad exaggerations, both vocally and dramatically, but such an intelligent, gifted singer is bound to correct this in time.

John Macurdy offered his first Raimondo at the City Opera. There is not much one can do with this role, and Mr. Macurdy, barring an odd lapse at the end of his aria, proved to be dependable if not especially distinctive. Otherwise the cast remained unchanged from earlier performances, with Ermanno Mauro as Edgardo, Frederick Burchinal as Enrico and Alan Kays as Arturo. Imre Pallo conducted.

We are continually improving the quality of our text archives. Please send feedback, error reports, and suggestions to archive_feedback@nytimes.com.

A version of this archives appears in print on March 26, 1979, on page C18 of the New York edition with the headline: Opera: A Fresh Lucia. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe

Summary: NYC Opera gives last ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ of season; Faye Robinson sings title role with co for 1st time; Peter G Davis rev (S)


06/27/2016 AT 10:35 AM EDT

went to a wedding over the weekend ... and it got us

excited for when these two tie the knot themselves.

last year, attended her close friend's wedding in Vancouver, Canada, at the University of British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology Pacific Spirit Park.

Bristowe, who was a bridesmaid, took to Instagram to share a sweet sunset photo of the couple.

"OMG GET MARRIED ALREADY #jesandkyle," she captioned the shot. (She read our minds.)

Bristowe, 31, also took to Instagram to share a close-up of her makeup on the day of, thanking the glam team for keeping her look on point despite a few tears.

"Shout out to @alldolledupstudio for doing an unbelievable job on our make up for the wedding yesterday," she wrote. "Side note- I cried about 13 times and not once did my make up run."

Bristowe and Booth also took to Snapchat to document their evening as they twirled each other around and kissed on the dance floor.

As for their own much-anticipated nuptials, the happy couple has maintained that they're in no rush.

"The pressure doesn't get to us at all," Booth, 29,

in February. "We only knew each other for ten weeks before I proposed. We're both normal people and the most normal thing we can do is wait."

"We're living together, we're enjoying being engaged. When we start to plan, we'll let everybody know!" Bristowe added.

And in the meantime, the two are still head over heels for one another.

"I love Shawn more now than the day he proposed," Bristowe said. "That was like a fantasy love. Now it's real."

Summary: The reality TV stars documented the gorgeous evening on Instagram and Snapchat


has been engaging in some time-honored third-trimester behavior, including nesting (she just completed her eco-friendly nursery), marveling at her bountiful bump and batting around baby names. On May 19 the actress checked off the biggest task on her to-do list: marrying her fiancÃ© of five months, Cash Warren. Entering the Beverly Hills Municipal Court around noon, Albaâwearing a long blue dress, her hair in a ponytailâ"looked happy but nervous," says an observer. The pair then exchanged vows officiated by a court staffer, and a day later Alba's rep confirmed the news. While the couple had mulled a fall wedding, they're clearly content to keep things low-key for now. "When I was a little girl, it was all about the princess fairy tale," Alba told PEOPLE of her dream wedding earlier this year. "But life is changing every day, and I'm just going with it."

For Alba, 27, and Warren, 31, a producer-entrepreneur, the timing is just right. Marriage "is the biggest commitment you can make, and he's the best man in the world for me," Alba said in January. "When I first met him, it's not that I thought, 'Oh, this is the guy I'm going to marry.' But it was a very comfortable feeling. He balances me." For his part, Warren told PEOPLE, "I've got an amazing girl."

With their baby soon to arriveâthey are expecting a girlâAlba is embracing her dual roles as a new wife and a new mom. "I feel," she says, "super blessed."

Summary: With Her Due Date Almost Here, the Actress Quietly Weds Her Longtime Boyfriend at a Beverly Hills Courthouse


A McDonald’s in the Netherlands could very well be the coolest-looking fast-food franchise in the world.

As Business Insider reports, the new building, which is located in Rotterdam, looks like an Apple Store, and it’s pretty fancy. It was designed by architecture firm Mei Architects and includes “a perforated golden facade and a grand spiral staircase,” according to Dezeen Magazine, a London-based architecture site.

The site goes on to say that Mei Architects was hired to re-design the McDonald’s MCD restaurant after residents named it the “ugliest building in Rotterdam.” A McDonald’s had occupied the site for 45 years, but until now the restaurant had been housed within a glass structure originally built in the 1960s as a cigar shop, Dezeen said.

The city had reportedly planned to tear down the building, but instead an eyesore was turned into a sight for sore eyes.

Here are some more images of the luxurious-looking fast food joint:

Summary: The previous building was ugly


Uber drivers who work for one of the ride-hailing company's premium services generally find that the Uber Black "town car"-style trips are longer and more pleasant than the standard UberX rides, with a higher profit margin — think daytime business traveler airport pickups as opposed to pub-crawling millennials grabbing a 5:00 a.m. ride.

But, as is often the case, that comfort comes with a price tag.

Drivers who provide a luxury experience are expected to provide a luxury car, according to Uber. And in an increasingly saturated market where drivers are constantly battling for fares, Uber's lower rates for passengers and tighter rules for those behind the wheel mean the math of luxury car ownership no longer adds up for many drivers.

Uber Black and UberSUV vehicles cannot be older than model year 2013, Uber told NBC News, and they must be on the company's shortlist of approved vehicles — which includes the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Cadillac XTS, Porsche Panamera, plus any Bentley or Rolls Royce. Vehicles must also be "black on black" — black exterior with a black leather interior. Drivers who do not meet these requirements are downshifted to UberX, or dropped from the service entirely.

In many cases, said one report, drivers have upgraded their vehicles only to find that a new set of rules overruled their new purchase, leaving them on the hook for hundreds of dollars a month in payments for a car that they could not use.

In addition to monthly bills for their premium cars, Uber Black or Uber SUV drivers must also shell out for a number of other requirements. In New York City, for example, Uber's luxury car drivers need a CDL or Class E license, and must purchase commercial insurance, a Taxi and Limousine Commission license, and TLC plates.

"Basically, you have a lot of UberBlack passengers who just can't justify a ride."

Compounding the issue for drivers is Uber's aggressive price structuring.

"Uber has cut prices pretty consistently over the past few years on UberX," said Harry Campbell, who writes the Rideshare Guy blog. "A byproduct of that has been a decline in Uber Black business, too, since Uber Black prices have remained relatively steady for the past couple years. Basically, you have a lot of Uber Black passengers who just can't justify a ride."

"Uber Black is at $3.55/mile [for passengers in Los Angeles] while UberX is only $0.90/mile. So a black car is almost four times more than an UberX. It's just not worth it for a lot of price-sensitive passengers," Campbell told NBC News.

Read More: Uber Tracking Drivers to Catch Them if They Speed

Many Uber Black drivers have simply resorted to renting their vehicles from fleet owners, said Campbell, citing requirements that are "much more cost prohibitive to individual owners."

But even the limousine companies are finding it hard to keep up with Uber's regulations on vehicle upgrades.

"People lose their businesses because they didn't put money to the side to buy new vehicles," one limousine company owner told BuzzFeed.

Ultimately, the future of premium car services as a whole may be on the line.

"It is on the decline," Campbell told NBC News. "If anything, prices are only going to get cheaper with more technical innovations like UberPool that will reduce the prices on UberX even further."

Summary: In a saturated market where drivers battle for passengers, Uber's tighter rules for drivers mean the math of luxury car ownership no longer adds up.


An HSA isn't like a regular savings account. Depending on how your plan is structured, you may be able to invest your contributions in individual stocks, mutual funds, bonds or other securities. While that gives you an opportunity to grow your money faster, you need to be on the lookout for expensive fees.

For example, if you're investing in stocks through a broker, you may be charged a fee for each trade. With mutual funds, you'll have to pay attention to the expense ratio, which is the percentage of your investment that's used to cover the fund's operating expenses each year. If you don't run the numbers on the fees, you could shortchange your health savings account.

Summary: Depending on how your plan is structured, you may be able to invest contributions in stocks, mutual funds, bonds or other securities


The Honda Fit was easily the best subcompact on the market — great fun to drive and a deft mix of efficiency, interior space and value.

Then Honda discovered that fun doesn't sell.

The newly redesigned 2015 Fit is still spacious, frugal and smartly engineered. But Honda — tired of seeing Fit sales lag behind those of the Chevy Sonic, Ford Fiesta and Hyundai Accent — has sucked out all the joy from the car's handling.

Honda's third generation of this four-door hatchback, marked as a 2015 model, started showing up in dealerships this month. Honda General Manager Jeff Conrad said in March that the changes were in response to driver feedback.

"We knew the outgoing generation was really sporty," Conrad said. "But there was an element of people that said, 'Well, we don't want something that rides too rough.'"

As a result, the new Fit has lost the crisp handling and connection to the road that made its earlier iterations stand out from the conservative class of subcompacts.

In its place is vague steering that gives the impression that the car is less eager to drive than you are. No longer sporty, the Fit's handling now falls in line with everything else in the segment.

Also gone is the earlier generation's old-school automatic transmission. Honda dropped an all-new continuously variable transmission into this Fit in the name of efficiency. It succeeds: The loaded EX-L model we tested was rated at 32 miles per gallon in the city, 38 mpg on the highway, up 10% over last year's model.

But this CVT let the engine drone on when a conventional automatic transmission would have shifted already — surprising, since this gearbox is nearly identical to the one that Honda uses in the Civic and Accord, which have some of the best-programmed CVTs on the market.

The new Fit is a better value than before, pushing the base LX model's price up just $100 to $16,315. Standard equipment on all models now includes a backup camera, 5-inch screen and stereo system with Bluetooth/USB connectivity. The EX-L model sells for $21,590 and includes a touch-screen navigation system, moon roof, leather upholstery and heated front seats.

But this is still a budget car. Despite Honda's claims that the new Fit is the quietest vehicle in the segment, the car didn't feel any quieter or more refined than its predecessor. And a Fit with Honda's glorious new six-speed manual transmission — which is as good as Honda's excellent manuals have ever been — might reduce the CVT complaints.

The rest of the Fit's features should also make this car worthy of subcompact fans' attention.

The new model is smaller outside but larger inside. The car is 1.6 inches shorter, for better maneuvering and parking. But interior space is the best in its class, according to Honda, with passenger volume up 4.9 cubic feet and rear legroom increasing 4.8 inches.

The space is also versatile. The rear seat backs fold flat for more cargo room, while the rear seat cushions flip up to accommodate upright items on the floor. The front passenger seat also leans all the way back to make room for extra-long storage.

Five tall people can fit in this car comfortably, without knocking heads, shoulders, elbows or knees.

The 2015 version is also more efficient. The engine remains a 1.5-liter four-cylinder, but uses technologies like direct-injection to squeeze more power from less fuel. Horsepower jumps to 130 from 117, while torque clocks in at 114 pound-feet, up from 106.

This Fit is assembled at Honda's new plant in Celaya, Mexico — earlier versions were built in Japan — which helps keep costs in check and also gives Honda a larger supply of cars for North America.

Limited supply from Japan may have been a factor in low sales for previous Fits. "We were always struggling to get our share of what we needed," Conrad said in March.

Or it could have been that off-putting sportiness.

"You walk a tightrope," Conrad said. "And we're looking to expand sales."


Jul 14, 2016 2:00 PM EDT Face The Nation

By Jake Miller / CBS News

Shortly before he secured the GOP nomination, Donald Trump suggested in an interview that he'd like to "put some showbiz in" the Republican convention in Cleveland, "otherwise people will fall asleep."

The draft list of convention speakers unveiled Thursday, however, is a bit less "who's who" and a bit more "who?"

On the list are Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White, golfer Natalie Gulbis, PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, and actor and model Antonio Sabato Jr.

That's about it, as far as celebrities go - the other speakers will be mostly political or religious figures with some connection to Republican politics or the conservative movement.

These days it's typically Democrats who draw more enthusiasm - and more campaign donations - from movie stars, musicians, and athletes, and their conventions tend to reflect as much. In 2012, Eva Longoria, Scarlett Johansson, Kerry Washington, Mary J. Blige, the Foo Fighters, and other big names spoke or performed at the DNC. The 2012 RNC, by contrast, featured a Kid Rock performance and Clint Eastwood talking to an empty chair.

There was a time, though, when A-list celebrities were more ready to throw their support behind Republican politicians. At the 1976 RNC in Kansas City, Missouri, for example, first lady Betty Ford was introduced to the convention by Cary Grant, one of the great leading men of Hollywood's golden age.

Grant, by then somewhat past his prime, aimed to burnish the GOP ticket's appeal among female voters by stressing his support - and Betty Ford's support - for equal rights for women. But he couldn't resist a brief, joking nod to his reputation as a Casanova.

"I can assure you of her sincere love for all people, and her hope to further the cause of women's rights," Grant said of the first lady. "Women have always been one of my favorite causes, too," he added with a chuckle.

"It's quite understandable that women everywhere wish to be treated as intelligent equals, as indeed they should be," Grant continued. "Now what wife does not appreciate the value of a relaxed exchange of views between partners? At the end of their separate but long, tiring days' work in the quiet of the night, in the privacy of their own room - pillow talk, yes, undisturbed and in comfort. So I suggest to you that a further four years of such intimate exchanges of thoughts and views can certainly not harm and only be of help to women's aims for equality, whether in the business world or in the arts or in the contentment of the home and with the children. This lady, possibly more than any other, can help those aims, while at the same time giving support and encouragement to the president for the attainment of his."

"So it gives me the greatest pride and pleasure to introduce to you and to the nation, the president's first and our first lady, Betty Ford," Grant concluded as the first lady stepped onstage. The song "I Could Have Danced All Night" played as Mrs. Ford approached the microphone and thanked the crowd - a nod to her past as a professionally-trained dancer.

"Face the Nation" will kick off CBS News' coverage of the 2016 Republican Convention on Sunday with a broadcast live from the floor of the convention hall in Cleveland. Don't miss it! Check your local listings for airtimes.

Summary: The list of celebrities attending Donald Trump's convention is relatively thin, but not long ago, one of Hollywood's most famous actors played a very public role at a GOP convention


Before you go, we thought you'd like these...

Did you know: When shopping for a grill this summer, the longer you wait, the more you'll save?

It's true — according to

, you'll find the steepest discounts in August and September. By Labor Day weekend, some retailers can cut costs by up to 70 percent as they try to clear their summer inventory to make room for Halloween and Christmas.

And when you do make your purchase, look for a brand that has a burner warranty of at least 10 years. Each part of the grill has different coverage, and since burners are a commonly replaced piece, it'll pay off to know your warranty before you buy.

Lastly, if you don't mind buying something slightly used, consider getting a floor model. With floor models you can negotiate for a better deal, and sometimes get up to 50 percent off the already discounted price. Just make sure you know the store's return policy before you buy.

So remember, if you want to see some big savings this summer, consider getting that grill a little later.

Summary: Take advantage of the best seasonal deals on grills with these tips from The Savings Experiment.


A second teenager has been arrested after a 13-year-old boy was left in a critical condition after taking a drug, believed to be ecstasy.

The boy was taken to hospital after falling ill at Timperley Metrolink station in Trafford, Greater Manchester, on 9 July.

A 16-year-old boy from the Trafford area was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of supplying class A drugs and has been released on bail, Greater Manchester Police said,

A 15-year-old boy, also from Trafford, was previously arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs and perverting the course of justice and was also bailed.

The victim remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Summary: News, sport, travel and weather updates from across the 10 boroughs and east Cheshire on Friday 22 July 2016.


Despite having authored two autobiographies, Barack Obama has never written about his most important executive experience. From 1995 to 1999, he led an education foundation called the Chicago Annenberg Challenge (CAC), and remained on the board until 2001. The group poured more than $100 million into the hands of community organizers and radical education activists.

The CAC was the brainchild of Bill Ayers, a founder of the Weather Underground in the 1960s. Among other feats, Mr. Ayers and his cohorts bombed the Pentagon, and he has never expressed regret for his actions. Barack Obama's first run for the Illinois State Senate was launched at a 1995 gathering at Mr. Ayers's home.

The Obama campaign has struggled to downplay that association. Last April, Sen. Obama dismissed Mr. Ayers as just "a guy who lives in my neighborhood," and "not somebody who I exchange ideas with on a regular basis." Yet documents in the CAC archives make clear that Mr. Ayers and Mr. Obama were partners in the CAC. Those archives are housed in the Richard J. Daley Library at the University of Illinois at Chicago and I've recently spent days looking through them.

The Chicago Annenberg Challenge was created ostensibly to improve Chicago's public schools. The funding came from a national education initiative by Ambassador Walter Annenberg. In early 1995, Mr. Obama was appointed the first chairman of the board, which handled fiscal matters. Mr. Ayers co-chaired the foundation's other key body, the "Collaborative," which shaped education policy.

The CAC's basic functioning has long been known, because its annual reports, evaluations and some board minutes were public. But the Daley archive contains additional board minutes, the Collaborative minutes, and documentation on the groups that CAC funded and rejected. The Daley archives show that Mr. Obama and Mr. Ayers worked as a team to advance the CAC agenda.

One unsettled question is how Mr. Obama, a former community organizer fresh out of law school, could vault to the top of a new foundation? In response to my questions, the Obama campaign issued a statement saying that Mr. Ayers had nothing to do with Obama's "recruitment" to the board. The statement says Deborah Leff and Patricia Albjerg Graham (presidents of other foundations) recruited him. Yet the archives show that, along with Ms. Leff and Ms. Graham, Mr. Ayers was one of a working group of five who assembled the initial board in 1994. Mr. Ayers founded CAC and was its guiding spirit. No one would have been appointed the CAC chairman without his approval.

The CAC's agenda flowed from Mr. Ayers's educational philosophy, which called for infusing students and their parents with a radical political commitment, and which downplayed achievement tests in favor of activism. In the mid-1960s, Mr. Ayers taught at a radical alternative school, and served as a community organizer in Cleveland's ghetto.

In works like "City Kids, City Teachers" and "Teaching the Personal and the Political," Mr. Ayers wrote that teachers should be community organizers dedicated to provoking resistance to American racism and oppression. His preferred alternative? "I'm a radical, Leftist, small 'c' communist," Mr. Ayers said in an interview in Ron Chepesiuk's, "Sixties Radicals," at about the same time Mr. Ayers was forming CAC.

CAC translated Mr. Ayers's radicalism into practice. Instead of funding schools directly, it required schools to affiliate with "external partners," which actually got the money. Proposals from groups focused on math/science achievement were turned down. Instead CAC disbursed money through various far-left community organizers, such as the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (or Acorn).

Mr. Obama once conducted "leadership training" seminars with Acorn, and Acorn members also served as volunteers in Mr. Obama's early campaigns. External partners like the South Shore African Village Collaborative and the Dual Language Exchange focused more on political consciousness, Afrocentricity and bilingualism than traditional education. CAC's in-house evaluators comprehensively studied the effects of its grants on the test scores of Chicago public-school students. They found no evidence of educational improvement.

CAC also funded programs designed to promote "leadership" among parents. Ostensibly this was to enable parents to advocate on behalf of their children's education. In practice, it meant funding Mr. Obama's alma mater, the Developing Communities Project, to recruit parents to its overall political agenda. CAC records show that board member Arnold Weber was concerned that parents "organized" by community groups might be viewed by school principals "as a political threat." Mr. Obama arranged meetings with the Collaborative to smooth out Mr. Weber's objections.

The Daley documents show that Mr. Ayers sat as an ex-officio member of the board Mr. Obama chaired through CAC's first year. He also served on the board's governance committee with Mr. Obama, and worked with him to craft CAC bylaws. Mr. Ayers made presentations to board meetings chaired by Mr. Obama. Mr. Ayers spoke for the Collaborative before the board. Likewise, Mr. Obama periodically spoke for the board at meetings of the Collaborative.

The Obama campaign notes that Mr. Ayers attended only six board meetings, and stresses that the Collaborative lost its "operational role" at CAC after the first year. Yet the Collaborative was demoted to a strictly advisory role largely because of ethical concerns, since the projects of Collaborative members were receiving grants. CAC's own evaluators noted that project accountability was hampered by the board's reluctance to break away from grant decisions made in 1995. So even after Mr. Ayers's formal sway declined, the board largely adhered to the grant program he had put in place.

Mr. Ayers's defenders claim that he has redeemed himself with public-spirited education work. That claim is hard to swallow if you understand that he views his education work as an effort to stoke resistance to an oppressive American system. He likes to stress that he learned of his first teaching job while in jail for a draft-board sit-in. For Mr. Ayers, teaching and his 1960s radicalism are two sides of the same coin.

Mr. Ayers is the founder of the "small schools" movement (heavily funded by CAC), in which individual schools built around specific political themes push students to "confront issues of inequity, war, and violence." He believes teacher education programs should serve as "sites of resistance" to an oppressive system. (His teacher-training programs were also CAC funded.) The point, says Mr. Ayers in his "Teaching Toward Freedom," is to "teach against oppression," against America's history of evil and racism, thereby forcing social transformation.

The Obama campaign has cried foul when Bill Ayers comes up, claiming "guilt by association." Yet the issue here isn't guilt by association; it's guilt by participation. As CAC chairman, Mr. Obama was lending moral and financial support to Mr. Ayers and his radical circle. That is a story even if Mr. Ayers had never planted a single bomb 40 years ago.

Mr. Kurtz is a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

Please add your comments to the Opinion Journal forum.

Summary: The Weather Underground terrorist was not just a guy in the 'neighborhood.'


Nick Clegg has attacked the "unpleasant, careless elitism" of Boris Johnson and his remarks about IQ, and accused him of talking about people as if they were dogs.

The deputy prime minister laid into Johnson after the Conservative London mayor mocked the 16% "of our species" with an IQ below 85 and called for more to be done to help the 2% of the population who have an IQ above 130.

Johnson made the remarks during a speech in honour of Margaret Thatcher, declaring that inequality was essential to foster "the spirit of envy" and hailing greed as a "valuable spur to economic activity".

In a furious response, Clegg said Johnson's viewpoint was "completely anathema" to him, as it suggested society should give up on some people who were never going to do well. This is a "dispiriting message to people trying to get on in life", he said.

"I don't agree with Boris Johnson on this. Much as he is a funny and engaging guy, I have to say these comments reveal a fairly unpleasant, careless elitism that somehow suggests we should give up on a whole swath of fellow citizens," Clegg told LBC 97.3 radio.

"To talk about us as if we are a sort of breed of dogs, a species I think he calls it … the danger is if you start taking such a deterministic view of people because they have got a number attached to them, in this case an IQ number, they are not going to rise to the top of the cornflake packet, that is complete anathema to everything I've always stood for in politics."

Clegg said he believed children developed at different paces and should have access to a culture of opportunity, aspiration and hard work.

"Our job is surely in politics not simply to say we are going to hive off one group of people and put them in one category and kind of basically say they are parked, there's not much we can do … These things are precisely not about treating society like a great big cake saying we're not going to do much about that slice but we are going to concentrate on that slice."

David Lammy, the Tottenham MP who is thinking about running as Labour's London mayoral candidate in 2016, described the remarks as an insult to people in the capital on low wages.

"I don't think that's just careless. I think it's an insult," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One. "It's an insult to cleaners in London, to people who are home carers in London, people who are minimum wage, giving them the suggestion that they are sort of bottom of the cornflake packet. That's not the sort of society that I thought we wanted to live in, particularly when the mayor has supported the London living wage, which is about saying that we all ought to be in this together.

"There is nothing wrong with aspiration, with enterprise and indeed with competition, but not when it's at the expense of other people and that's what we saw from the banking crisis.

"It's extraordinary for a mayor, who should be for all of London, to think it's all right to glorify greed – a greed that has brought a banking collapse and caused misery and hardship to many Londoners, particularly to young people who can't get on the housing ladder."

Johnson's most provocative comments came when he talked about the relevance of IQ to equality.

The mayor said: "Whatever you may think of the value of IQ tests it is surely relevant to a conversation about equality that as many as 16% of our species have an IQ below 85 while about 2% …"

Johnson departed from the text of his speech to ask whether anyone in his City audience had a low IQ: "Over 16% anyone? Put up your hands."

He then resumed his speech to talk about the 2% who have an IQ above 130, telling the Centre for Policy Studies thinktank: "The harder you shake the pack the easier it will be for some cornflakes to get to the top."

Johnson also aligned himself with what were seen as the excesses of 1980s Thatcherism as he said: "I stress – I don't believe that economic equality is possible; indeed some measure of inequality is essential for the spirit of envy and keeping up with the Joneses that is, like greed, a valuable spur to economic activity."

He made clear, however, that Thatcherism needed to be updated for the 21st century.

"I hope there is no return to the spirit of loadsamoney heartlessness – figuratively riffling banknotes under the noses of the homeless – and I hope that this time the Gordon Gekkos of London are conspicuous not just for their greed – valid motivator though greed may be for economic progress – as for what they give and do for the rest of the population, many of whom have experienced real falls in their incomes over the last five years."

Johnson is assessing when to return to Westminster to ensure he is in a strong place to challenge for the Conservative leadership when the prime minister stands down. His speech appeared to be an attempt to reach out to the Tory right by calling for new grammar schools and warning the accession of Romania to the EU means London can do nothing to stop the "entire population of Transylvania" from pitching their tents in Marble Arch.

Summary: Clegg accuses Johnson of talking about people as if they were dogs after he mocked the '16% of our species' with IQ below 85


"Every time you sell a property that has been rented out, you may have some capital gains tax to pay," he said. "The Government removed the old 'taper' reliefs some years ago. This effectively meant no more relief from gains that were purely due to inflation, making more gains liable to tax.

"Obviously, you need to calculate the amount of capital gain. This is the 'net proceeds' from selling the property less the total costs of buying it.

"The first thing is to work out the net proceeds. This is simply the price the property sold for, less all the costs associated with selling it, including advertising costs, estate agents' fees and legal costs."

Video: Here's how I get 35pc returns from buy-to-let

Comment: Why 500,000 pensioners will NOT rush into buy-to-let

He cautioned that where landlords sell the property to a relative other than your spouse, or to anyone else at below market value, the Revenue will insist that the figure used is the market value of the property, obtained from a valuer or surveyor.

"The second thing is to work out the cost of the property. This is the basic cost when it was bought plus all the costs associated with buying it.

"This would include stamp duty, legal fees, any surveys you initiated, plus the cost of any enhancements made during the time it was owned (building a conservatory, adding a loft, making it habitable and fit for letting or the cost of extending or renewing a lease).

"If you inherited the property from a relation or friend the basic cost is the market value used for probate purposes at the time you acquired it.

"You then simply deduct the total buying costs from the net proceeds at sale and you have the capital gain. So, if your costs of buying the property plus enhancements were £100,000 and your net proceeds after selling costs were £220,000, the gain is £120,000."

• Put a question on investment income to our experts: moneyexpert@telegraph.co.uk

Summary: Ask an expert: a reader wants to know what costs he can legitimately   claim to reduce taxable gains on his investment property


It is just one of 1,750 claims management companies that offer a service for people who were mis-sold "payment protection insurance", the controversial charge added to borrowers' credit card bills, often unnecessarily or without their knowledge.

Rock Law would cold-call targets, telling them they are on a "list" of people due PPI payouts. After signing an online form, victims would then find that the firm had taken hundreds of pounds from their bank account or credit card.

Mis-selling victims can claim free via the Financial Ombudsman yet PPI claims firms rake in £458m a year in turnover by claiming on behalf of borrowers, up from £453m in 2013-14.

The power to fine only applies to "regulated" claims management companies which must abide by a code of conduct. It is not known how many firms are unregulated and therefore free from the industry watchdog's scrutiny.

Regulated firms, also including companies that handle whiplash and injury compensation claims, are banned from submitting speculative claims, making unsolicited calls and texts, using misleading marketing or mishandling people's complaints.

But despite the harsh penalties companies promising payouts for mis-sold PPI continue to be the cold call kings – particularly after the Financial Conduct Authority suggested imposing a deadline on the drawn-out PPI scandal.

The City regulator is consulting on a possible 2018 deadline for borrowers to claim for compensation, which has so far paid out £20bn to consumers, with average payouts of £2,750. But there are concerns that a deadline could prompt a plague of cold-callers seeking to rake in as many claims as possible before the window shuts.

As of December the watchdog, which is part of the Ministry of Justice, can issue penalties of up to £100,000 for rule breaches. If a rogue firm turns over more than £500,000, they can fine them a further 20pc of turnover above this amount.

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Summary: Despite hefty fines, firms that plague consumers with calls about whiplash and   PPI are raking in bigger profits


Star Trek fans can now boldly go where no one has gone before—to the pool in a Star Trek: The Next Generation-themed swimsuit.

The geek-loving geniuses over at ThinkGeek have finally created a line of swimwear to let fans engage in a little Star Trek cosplay on their next trip to the beach and proudly display their love of The Next Generation.

Choose from a “Trekini” that comes in traditional Star Fleet uniform colors of blue, red, and gold, depending on whether you want to hit the beach dressed as a member of the science crew, operations staff, or command. For those wanting a little more coverage (or feeling particularly empathetic), choose a swim shirt inspired by the lavender uniform of ship counselor Deanna Troi, or pick up a TNG cover-up romper, perfect for stopping by Ten-Forward, the Enterprise’s lounge for refreshments, after a long hard day at the pool.

Summary: The pool, the final frontier


For those specimens not quite in the Clooney league, the prospect of being overshadowed by a partner is intolerable. Not all, but many men are only comfortable when they can have the last word. These alpha types might seek to avoid partners who compete with them intellectually, looking instead for someone to bolster their ego, rather than destroy it.

Some might say that I’m one of those women who put off men with my achievements, of which I’m really proud: I’ve published books on the theory of consciousness and the future of the brain. I’ve authored some 200 research papers on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and novel mechanisms underlying brain function. I’m the founder of a bio-tech company that researches new approaches to neurodegenerative disorders. As well as the Legion d’Honneur, a CBE and honorary fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians, I have 32 honorary degrees – all of which I’m really proud.

Yet I can’t think of anything worse than hiding my intellect for fear of making a man feel threatened. It’s very silly to play the dumb blonde if you are not. How long can that illusion last? The truth always comes out in the end.

My 88-year-old mother, Dorice, gave me some advice as a young girl that I still live by: “Be yourself and you are magnificent,” she told me. “Be someone else and you are second-rate”. It is probably thanks to her and my father, Reg, who died in 2011, that I’ve achieved what I have.

Growing up, I was never bullied or ostracised for being smart and a girl. My father was Jewish and I thrived in a community where scholarship and academia were encouraged. My school reports were passed around to different family members and celebrated.

"My mother told me that rather than worry about how I am perceived, I should worry about what I think of men: another sage piece of advice that has stood me in good stead"

I attended Godolphin and Latymer school, a selective, all-girls establishment in Hammersmith, so everyone was bright and we were taught to pursue our own idiosyncratic talents. I suppose I was lucky to be in an environment where it was easy to be confident and where you never felt like you were asking the wrong question.

However, I had little experience of socialising with boys. I remember one teenage party, my first, when I was 14, and being worried what they might make of me. Boys are strange creatures when all you know is books. Again, my mother stepped into the breach telling me that rather than worry about how I am perceived, I should worry about what I think of them: another sage piece of advice that has stood me in good stead.

The brains of the outfit: women have beaten men on the intelligence scale for the first time Photo: GETTY

Sexism was something I encountered later on in my professional career. Most of it was subtle, but I despised being called “dear”. I also always noticed that male colleagues would often call me by my first name but address male scientists “Dr so-and-so”. Words such as “strident”, “hysterical” and “neurotic” are never used about men but applied to women. The word “ambitious” can be a double-edged sword, too.

Human nature is such that we are only hostile, defensive or competitive towards people who threaten us. In the romantic arena as in the workplace, men lash out or avoid intelligent women if they feel undermined by them or that they threaten the natural order.

I’d be interested to see how such men might handle an intelligent, capable daughter, one who has gained a first-class degree. Do the same rules apply? In my experience, no father thinks their daughter is too clever.

At 65, I’m older than many of the men I work with. Sexism in my own lab is no longer an issue, and I think that is largely because there is a clear generational difference. But in the wider world, I would never wittingly dumb myself down in conversations to appeal to male friends or colleagues.

For those wonderful bright women out there who feel their talents may prove a problem, I have two pieces of advice: firstly, speak and act from your own instinct. If not, you will be miserable in the long term. If a man is threatened by your intellect, ask yourself whether he is really worth cultivating a relationship with. The most likely answer is: probably not.

As a reasonably red-blooded man who reached sexual maturity in the 1980s, there have undoubtedly been times when I have checked out a girl’s legs before I tested her IQ. But I have always been happiest with women who are smarter than me. This has its drawbacks.

Dating a clever woman opens you up to a world of hurt male pride, and constant reminders of your own woefully slow, Y-chromosome-impeded cognitive ability. Marrying a smart girl makes it worse.

If that smart girl is also more physically attractive, more gracious and also a better person (as smart girls tend to be) than you, then you’d better have a pretty solid sense of self-esteem, fella. Or be too damn dumb to notice.

My clever, beautiful wife was out in the world of work while I was fannying around drinking cider and failing to get laid at university. Because of this, she is sharper, quicker and more streetwise than I am (plus the older I get, the less my knowledge of the experimental novels of BS Johnson seems to matter).

Let me count the humiliations. There was the time she realised I thought Majorca and Mallorca were two different places. The time she learned how gullible I was and started hiding in cupboards to startle me. The time she realised I would skirt the room when using the microwave because I was scared of it.

Our marriage has involved a steady ceding of intellectual territory, by me, to her. My wife is an instinctive and enthusiastic early adopter of technology, so she has set up all our computers, iPads and phones, organised our TV screening services, music downloads and social media accounts, and taken all our banking and bills and our calendar online. I can no longer remember how to programme the central heating.

When we met, neither of us could boil an egg, but once she set her mind to it, she became a brilliant, innovative cook: I plod in her sage-scented wake. She reads faster than me and will recommend three books while I am still plodding through one. She realised we needed to cut back on the wine and do more exercise while I was still giggling like a drunk simpleton on the sofa, watching Strictly.

So, there is shame and a regular reminder of your own shortcomings when you live with a smart woman. But any man who doesn’t realise he is lucky if his partner is smarter than him – well, he’s an idiot.

Summary: Alpha types might seek to avoid partners who compete with them intellectually,   writes Baroness Greenfield, looking instead for someone to bolster their ego


1 God Save the King is attributed to Henry Carey, a popular composer of the first half of the 18th century, although some have suggested it was the work of Handel, Purcell or even the French composer Lully. The tune is the same as that of Liechtenstein’s.

2 Very few anthems are written by well-known composers. Gounod wrote the Vatican’s, Rabindranath Tagore wrote both India’s and Bangladesh’s, and Haydn wrote the tune for Germany’s.

3 Germany’s anthem, to music from Haydn’s String Quartet in C major, was banned after 1945 because of the notorious phrase “Deutschland über alles”, which in fact refers innocently to national unity taking precedence over local loyalty. It is now once again the anthem of a unified Germany, but only the relatively friendly third stanza is still used.

4 Greece has the longest national anthem in the world. It has 158 stanzas, written by the poet Dionysios Solomos (although the cut-down version is shorter than Uruguay’s, which is more than five minutes long).

5 Colombia, Senegal, Belgium and Ecuador have anthems written by their prime ministers or presidents.

6 Japan’s anthem has the oldest words, written by an anonymous author in the ninth century.

7 Several Middle Eastern anthems are fanfares without words – Qatar’s used to be the shortest, coming in at a merciful 32 seconds, but it has recently been expanded.

8 The Congo national anthem asks: “And if we have to die/ Does it really matter?” The opening line of Ukraine’s anthem is: “Ukraine is not yet dead.”

9 The composer of Costa Rica’s anthem, Manuel Maria Gutierrez, was thrown into prison in 1853 until he came up with a suitable tune.

10 Spain is one of the few countries with a wordless anthem. A competition to write words for it was held in 2007, but they proved so unpopular they were withdrawn.

Summary: Did you know the Congo national anthem asks: “And if we have to die/ Does it   really matter?” Here are more facts about national anthems.


I am a New Yorker, born and bred. When I was a child, our small family moved often, quite common in the ’30s; hard times inhibit stability.

So my memories are of one lower-middle-class Brooklyn neighborhood after another: the narrow rowhouse on Blake near Williams, a busy pushcart shopping street, that my grandmother bought when the New Lots branch of the IRT cut through that part of Brooklyn (my mother remembered goats in the street); the parlor floor of a brownstone on Dean Street off Bedford, from whose imposing stoop I could see General Grant’s equestrian statue; our cramped apartment on Carroll near Utica from which I was married.

I remember the druggist on the corner for whom I ran errands, and the deli and the bakery and the grocery with a marble counter and big butter tubs behind glass doors.

From my current perch on the Upper East Side, I’ve often been moved to revisit these places, but never have, deterred, I guess, by reputations as “dangerous” (my inner liberal cringes!). Now, I’ve watched as those same neighborhoods are fast becoming fashionable. But we’ve given up the car, so I doubt I will ever journey back.

Maybe it’s better just to keep the memories.

Summary: From his home in Manhattan, a man recalled a childhood in places that were considered lower-middle-class, then dangerous, and now becoming fashionable.


It can lift 10 times its bodyweight: two tons. Males can reach 1.75m tall and weigh 200kg. Females are around half that size. They can live to be over 50 years old. The name "gorilla" is derived from the Greek word "gorillai", which refers to "a tribe of hairy women". Like humans, gorillas have individual fingerprints

Summary: The strongest living land creatures in the world, measured by their power to   weight ratio.


Turkey has issued an arrest warrant for Hakan Sukur, aÂ former international football star and parliament member, as part of an investigation into the failed July 15 coupÂ attempt, according to state media.

Sukur was accused on Friday by prosecutors in Sakarya, a Â province east of Istanbul, of being a member of the organisation of the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, accused by Turkey of orchestrating the coupÂ plot.

President Erdogan and opposition unite in Turkey rally

His arrest is sought on charges of "membership of an armed terror group", the state-run Anadolu news agency said, referring to what Turkey calls the Fethullahist Terror Organisation.

Gulen denies that such a group exists and accusations that he was the mastermind behind the coup attempt.

Anadolu said a similar warrant had been issued for Selmet Sukur, father of Hakan Sukur.

The report said neither of them had been found at their Istanbul and Sakarya residences after the warrant was issued.

It said Sukur and his family had left Turkey last year.

He is currently believed to be in the United States.

Sukur was one of the stars of Turkey's third-place performance in the 2002 football World Cup and a renowned name in the country, where the sport is highly popular.

A striker whose football career stretched from 1987 to 2007, Sukur was by far the most prolific goalscorer in the history of the Turkish national side, finding the net 51 times in 112 appearances.

Erdogan calls on US to extradite religious preacher Gulen

He was a forward player for the Istanbul team Galatasaray but also had stints abroad for Inter Milan, Parma and Blackburn Rovers.

His goal after only 11 seconds of play against South Korea in 2002 remains the fastest goal in World Cup history.

After football, Sukur went into politics and was elected an MP for President Recep TayyipÂ Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 2011.

However, he resigned in 2013 after a corruption investigation targeted Erdogan and his inner circle, siding with the network of Gulen, who in recent years has become Erdogan's arch-enemy from once being a close ally.

Sukur had voiced objections to the government's move to shut down schools run by Gulen's organisation, Hizmet, which means service in Turkish.

He had gone on trial in absentia in June on charges of insulting Erdogan on social media.

Summary: Prosecutors accuse Hakan Sukur, former international football star and MP, of being member of Gulen's organisation.


Sometimes things go wrong in the kitchen. If you’re like me, there’s no way you’ll ever own up to making a mistake while preparing that perfect holiday dinner. Not to worry, though; this guide will help you mask those screw ups like everything has been totally under control the entire time. That’s right, I’m here to rescue your dinner and your pride.

It’s hard to know when those veggies are perfectly steamed. The trick is to watch the color (perfectly vibrant, just on the verge of going dark). When you do overcook them, though, there’s still some time for a graceful recovery.

If you’ve overcooked your vegetables, they’ve probably begun to resemble baby food mush (it happens). If they’re not too far gone, quickly plunge them into cold water. This will immediately stop the cooking process and prevent the veggies from losing any more of their texture. Then, sprinkle them with some cheese and broil for a few minutes, just until the cheese melts and forms a light crisp (it won’t take long, so pay attention).

If your veggies have completely lost their form, however, you can always puree them for some soup or gratin and serve up an altered menu like nothing happened.

This article originally appeared on Spoon University

Sometimes you need to learn the hard way that 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper is enough.

Spices are tricky. Unless you’re really familiar with what you’re using, it’s hard to gauge just how much you’ll need for that perfect flavor. Sometimes, even a pinch of extra pepper can send your dish (and your taste buds) into a blazing inferno. Depending on your dish, though, there are a few creative ways to remedy the situation. If your dish permits, add some sweetness — sugar, jam, or dried fruits — to offset the spice, or if you’re making something creamy (like guacamole), add some sour dairy — like plain yogurt or sour cream — to balance the flavors.

Sometimes when I get lazy, I tend to ‘eyeball’ my measurements. Sometimes when I “eyeball” my measurements, I add way too much water to my rice.

Sticky rice is just rice that’s been slightly overcooked (usually because you added too much water). If it’s not too far gone (in which case your best bet is turning it into a porridge or pudding), rinse the rice under cold water to help separate the grains and get rid of some of the stickiness.

It’s hard to screw up boiling something, but I assure you, even the best chefs have been there.

No one likes soggy pasta any more than soggy vegetables. If you find yourself in such a dilemma, heat up a pan and sauté the pasta in some olive oil for a few minutes. Make sure to use a hot pan and don’t cook for too long — your intention is not to cook the pasta (it’s already overcooked), only firm up the outside to improve the texture.

A moment of silence for all of those bundt cakes that had so much potential.

Sometimes, no matter how much cooking spray you use, you find that the cake you’ve been working so hard on just doesn’t want to come out of the pan (especially upsetting if you’re making a bundt cake). Before you try any risky moves, though, here’s some advice: Make sure to wait for the cake to cool initially before attempting to remove it (the cooling process helps it settle and pull away from the sides of the pan), and if it still won’t budge, try setting the bottom of the pan in hot water to loosen up the fats and help the cake slide right out.

If you do end up tearing your cake, you can always get creative with decorations to mask the problem (think strategically placed chocolate ganache, caramel sauce, nuts, or berries).

Sugar is great, just not when you use a cup instead of a tablespoon.

There’s not much you can do to save an already-baked cookie that’s sporting a tad too much sugar, but you can try to avoid the situation by tasting your batter as you go along. If you find that the batter is too sweet, add some acid (think lemon or lime) or some acidic dairy (sour cream or yogurt) to balance the flavors.

Don’t add salt, though, since it actually enhances the sweetness.

Hey, meat and fish are very difficult to execute perfectly. There’s a whole array of variables like thickness, firmness, temperature, oil level, and timing that go into making that perfect medium rare steak. So cut yourself some slack and use this tip when it’s starting to go south.

When you cook meat or fish too quickly at a temperature that is too high, you end up with a charred block of protein that is essentially raw inside (and not in a medium rare way). Don’t continue cooking it on the stove since this will just increase the char, but pop it in the oven at 300˚F and cook until your desired doneness.

No matter how experienced you may be, this is a mistake you’re bound to make sooner or later. Luckily, though, there’s a super easy fix.

Melting chocolate is a very delicate affair. Melting at too high a temperature (without using a double boiler) or accidentally adding just a few drops of water will make it seize up and turn from a glorious, velvet concoction to a dull clump. Depending on how much water got inside or how badly the chocolate was scorched, you might still be able to revive it by adding some cream or butter and heating in a double boiler. The fat will help balance the mixture and return its smooth texture.

I’ll be honest, the first time I bought kale, I had no idea what to do with it. That’s because I didn’t have this guide.

So you tried to be trendy and make a kale salad, but ended up with a bitter mess? Don’t let this make you give up on kale. Try adding some fresh lemon juice and a dash of nutmeg to help balance the flavors. You won’t take the bitterness out of the greens, but the acidity of the lemon can help mask it, while the nutmeg can turn that nasty bitterness into a deep nutty flavor. As a bonus, add some chopped pecans or walnuts to really transform your salad game.

Like I said, meat is difficult.

To salvage an overcooked, super dry chicken, slice the meat and pour some gravy, melted cheese, or virtually any sauce of your liking over it before you serve it up. Not only will your friends appreciate not having to deal with carving the bird, but presenting the meat in manageable slices doused in rich sauce will help take the accent off the dry texture.

Summary: No more dry chicken


According to their reckoning, a 53-year-old man who can hold the flamingo pose with his eyes closed for 10 seconds has a greater life expectancy than the man who topples over. Based on studies that started in 1946, the faller-over is 12 times more likely to die in the next 13 years than the chap who remains upright past the 10-second mark. Which elevates this exercise from a gentle gymnasium workout into the equivalent of having a gipsy fortune-teller take one look at your palm and offer you your money back.

So what do my wobbles mean? More to the point, if I’m going to end up in the swingbin of history by the time I’m 66, am I wasting my time paying cash into my pension each month? And please could I have another go at the test, this time with my eyes open? “The whole point of having your eyes closed is that you can’t rely on visual cues,” says Dr Cooper. “You are dependent on your muscles and your natural strength.”

Again, therefore, I repeat the question: what’s wrong with me? “It doesn’t necessarily mean there is something wrong with you,” she replies. “On the other hand, it suggests that even before symptoms become noticeable, failure to compete the test efficiently could be a marker of undetected disease or future disability.”

I wish I hadn’t asked. Perhaps I’ll do better on the next test. This involves sitting in a chair, and then seeing how many times you can stand up and sit down again in the space of a minute. Men with the lowest risk of early death performed more than 39 of the movements in the time given, while the worst managed 22.

While heeding Dr Cooper’s no-warm-up rules, I ask if, instead of looking at my watch, I can programme the kitchen microwave to run for a minute. Its supportive, whirring noise will spur me on to greater athleticism.

And I am proud, dear reader, to report that in less time than it takes to heat a ramekin of baked beans, I manage to complete no fewer than 48 stand-ups and sit-downs. It leaves me breathless, but not so unable to speak that I can’t utter a croak of triumph when it turns out that I’m ahead of the Grim Reaper.

All the same, though, I’m still worried by my wobbling. “The work we have done does show how, if taken in mid-life [she’s being kind here, I’m 58], these measurements are related to eventual mortality,” says Dr Cooper.

So what’s the point of this early-warning system if all it does is tell you how little time you’ve got left?

“The point,” says Dr Cooper, “is that you shouldn’t wait until you experience a deterioration in your physical capabilities in order to do something about it. These tests allow you to see how you compare with other people the same age as you.”

So does that mean those with the lowest scores should make a point of rushing round to their GP, demanding head-to-toe examinations and organ-scanning? “That’s not what we are advocating, no,” she replies. (GP receptionists of the UK, breathe a sigh of relief). “What does seem clear, though, is that increasing activity just a little when you’re younger could pay dividends when you’re older.”

I’ll take my hat off to that advice. At least 50 times.

Summary: A wobbly Christopher Middleton, 58, attempts a deceptively simple fitness test


At some point — if it hasn’t happened already — journalism will devolve into two extremes: Twitter and documentaries. This fall offers some of the best of the latter, plus some nonfiction films that take on mind-bending topics and stretch generic conventions into intriguing new forms.

THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK — THE TOURING YEARS

Ron Howard looks back at the defining phenomenon of 20th-century pop culture in this account of the Fab Four’s 1963-1966 road tour, which included some 250 shows. It was a grind almost as long as this film’s title. The music remains as rhapsodic — if at times inaudible — as ever, and the glimpse at the band’s politics is refreshingly timely.

AUTHOR: THE JT LEROY STORY

Jeff Feuerzeig’s investigation into the author of a bogus memoir brings academic notions of authorship and truth into the realm of celebrity culture. In 2005, the punk author of “The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things” demonstrated the meaning of the title when “he” was revealed to be a 40-year-old mother from Brooklyn. Truth proves stranger than metafiction.

Documentary cinematographer Kirsten Johnson turns her camera on the filmmaking process itself in this diaristic reflection on the medium. She shares snippets of her collaboration on such docs as Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” and Laura Poitras’s “Citizenfour,” probing the ethics and implications of putting real life on the screen.

THREE DAYS OF TERROR: THE CHARLIE HEBDO ATTACKS

So much carnage has occurred since Jan. 7, 2015, one might almost be able to forget the attack that day by members of Al-Qaeda in Yemen at the Paris office of the satiric weekly Charlie Hebdo. They killed 12 people and injured 11 because of cartoons. Dan Reed’s documentary won’t let us forget. On HBO.

THE LOVERS AND THE DESPOT

Not only did the late Kim Jong-il, father of Kim Jong-un, have the longest reign of any modern-day dictator, but he was a prolific film producer as well. As seen in Rob Cannan and Ross Adam’s documentary, he had a Japanese actress and director kidnapped in the 1970s. He offered them a sweetheart deal that included imprisonment and torture and got 17 pictures out of them.

HIERONYMOUS BOSCH: TOUCHED BY THE DEVIL

He was one of art’s great visionaries. But Pieter van Huystee’s documentary about the ongoing restoration of the 15th-century Flemish painter’s works poses the questions as to whether the paintings were all really done by Bosch. And why does the guy in “The Garden of Earthly Delights” have a flute shoved up his butt?

Robert Kenner’s documentary shows how a little carelessness can ruin everyone’s day, especially when it involves nuclear weapons. An explosion rocked a missile base in Arkansas in 1980, and this is the story of why we are still alive today.

We’ve had boots on the ground in Iraq but not much in the way of empathetic witnesses to the unending tragedy. Iraqi filmmaker Abbas Fahdel’s documentary brings the human reality to the screen with his portrait of regular people before and during the war trying to survive as their world, families, and culture disintegrate around them. At the Harvard Film Archive.

VIVA ACTIVA: THE SPIRIT OF HANNAH ARENDT

Ada Ushpiz’s documentary looks at the German-Jewish philosopher, her affair with philosopher and Nazi supporter Martin Heidegger, and her controversial notion of Adolf Eichmann representing “the banality of evil.”

In his 1977 documentary “La Soufrière” Werner Herzog stood on the brim of a volcano about to erupt. It never did. Here he and volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer visit a number of active ones around the world, pondering their significance, enjoying the view inside, and waiting for the fireworks.

Unlike “Gimme Shelter,” nobody gets stabbed in Jim Jarmusch’s rock doc about his punk pal Iggy Pop. It just feels that way. He shows why Iggy and his band The Stooges have defined rock ’n’ roll for five decades with songs like “Lust for Life” and “Real Wild Child.”

There will probably be few documentary images this year as striking as that of Aisholpan, a 13-year-old Kazakh girl wearing eldritch indigenous attire with a giant eagle on her shoulder. Otto Bell’s documentary relates the story of how she began training her raptor as a fledgling to compete in the Mongolian Golden Eagle Festival.

THE B-SIDE: ELSA DORFMAN’S PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

Cambridge photographer Elsa Dorfman’s giant Polaroid portraits of the obscure and famous are a kind of static form of documentary themselves. Errol Morris shows how her art is done, and why.

Summary: The coming offers a wide array of nonfiction films.


Sarah Sze BALTIC, Gateshead Sarah Sze's precariously towering structures, fashioned from consumer detritus, demonstrate that uncertainty can be as thrilling as it can be dreadful.

Franko B Globe City, Newcastle upon Tyne Renowned performance artist Franko B shows his black paintings and Love In Times Of Pain, a poignant congregation of nocturnal animal effigies.

Text Festival 2009 Bury Art Gallery And Museum & The Met When creative writing collides with visual art something liberating happens tothe linear logic of text. Includes Hester Reeve and Catriona Glover.

Animalism National Media Museum, Bradford An exhibition that aims to counter the pathetic fallacy of sentimental wildlife photography and film. Includes Keith Arnatt and James Mollison.

Summary: North: Sarah Sze | Franko B | Text Festival 2009 | Animalism


Embattled Labor senator Sam Dastyari has broken his silence on why he asked a Chinese businessman to pay a bill when he exceeded his parliamentary entitlement for travel.

Senator Dastyari told Fairfax it was an old habit from his days with the NSW Labor party in which if you overspent on a campaign you raised that money from donors and declared it.

The Labor senator resigned from the opposition frontbench over the saga amid accusations he'd been compromised, as reports emerged he had taken a pro-China stance on the South China Sea dispute, at odds with his party's position on the matter.

Summary: Opposition senator Sam Dastyari has blamed an old habit from his NSW Labor party days for the Chinese money saga that cost him his spot on the frontbench.


A woman was being massaged by her friend in a Sydney park around midnight when he suddenly hit her on the head with a heavy object, a judge has been told.

"At the time it was very dark, I was bleeding very heavily and I was scared," Hong Yan Yuan said in the NSW District Court on Friday.

Suoqun Chen, 59, has pleaded guilty to wounding Ms Yuan with intent to cause grievous bodily harm in the early hours of April 17, 2015 in an inner Sydney park.

She did not see the weapon, but it has been described as a wooden plank or pole.

While Chen has admitted the assault, there is a dispute on the facts with the crown submitting the attack was premeditated and he took the pole with him, and the defence saying he was provoked.

Ms Yuan said they went to the park about 9pm as Chen said they would meet a relative who was lending him $1000 - $500 for himself and $500 for her.

He was carrying a bag which he said contained presents for his relative.

They did not argue as they waited in the park for three hours.

Calls were made ascertaining that the relative was still at work and Chen massaged her on-and-off.

"I was sitting on the bench, I was thinking and suddenly a heavy object hit my head," she said.

"I nearly fainted but I stood up."

Chen came around from behind her and kept hitting her as she tried to push him away.

"I still have scars on my head, the wounds still hurting me."

In her police interview, she said: "I am not his girlfriend, he is nobody to me. Chen may have a different view of our relationship".

She told the court he had helped her a lot and she treated him as a friend, but she had to repeatedly tell him not to behave intimately with her in public.

She agreed that during the time she had known him he had given her at least $17,000.

"We did not talk whether I borrow it or he give it to me because every time I have paid with my body," she said.

The hearing will resume on October 14.

Summary: A man has admitted carrying out a vicious attack on a friend he had been massaging in a Sydney park around midnight.


Roughly 8 in 10 Americans believe that prices for prescription drugs are unreasonable and support various ideas to lower costs, such as allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug makers and enforcing price caps on high-priced medicines for certain illnesses such as cancer, according to a poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Moreover, two-thirds are in favor of creating an independent group to oversee prices, 71 percent believe they should be able to import medicines from Canada, and nearly 9 in 10 support the notion that drug makers should be required to disclose information on how prices are set.

The survey, which queried more than 1,200 Americans, was conducted in mid-September, shortly after controversy erupted over Mylan Pharmaceuticals and its pricing for EpiPen.

But outrage has hardly been confined to any one company or treatment. Concerns have spread to generics, which are traditionally lower-cost alternatives to brand-name medicines, as well as new drugs for hard-to-treat diseases, notably hepatitis C.

The issue has become so highly charged that drug prices are a talking point in the presidential campaign, and federal and state lawmakers have introduced legislation to contain rising costs, which 77 percent of Americans believe are unreasonable. This is up from 72 percent a year ago, according to Kaiser.

The survey canvassed Americans on their reactions to some of the proposals. For instance, 66 percent favor creating an independent group that would oversee pricing, a notion that Hillary Clinton recently proposed.

The survey also found that 86 percent of Americans believe drug makers should be required to disclose data used to set prices. In Washington, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill this month to justify certain price hikes.

There is less enthusiasm for other notions. Only 47 percent of those surveyed favor eliminating prescription drug ads, which is backed by the American Medical Association.

Summary: Those responding to a Kaiser poll support some, but not all, of the ideas being floated to lower costs.


A second man has been charged over a violent assault in Cairns seven weeks ago that left a 35-year-old fighting for his life.

The alleged attack happened in the car park of the Skills360 Australia adult education centre in the suburb of Manunda on August 26.

A member of the public found the victim unconscious and with life-threatening head injuries as well as breaks to his arms, hands and spine.

He is still recovering from his injuries in hospital.

A 39-year-old man was charged with committing an act intended to cause grievous bodily harm following a police raid on a Holloways Beach home overnight, which uncovered methylamphetamine, cannabis and drug implements.

He's also facing a charge of supplying a dangerous drug, while the woman was charged with drug possession.

Both are due to front the Cairns Magistrates Court on Thursday.

A 30-year-old man was charged with an act intended to cause grievous bodily harm after being arrested over the car park assault last month.

Summary: A second man has been charged over a violent attack on a 35-year-old man in car park in Cairns seven weeks ago.


WA Labor has guaranteed it will increase the number of apprenticeships offered and ensure large infrastructure projects use more local businesses as new figures show a massive fall in the number of apprentice jobs last year.

The number of new construction industry apprenticeships in WA fell 25 per cent in 2015-16, according to the State Construction Training Fund.

Government-owned utility Western Power employed no new apprentices last year, down from 12 last year and 56 three years ago.

The Water Corporation provided five apprenticeships compared to 41 in 2009.

Opposition leader Mark McGowan said large fee increases in the TAFE system due to state and federal budget cuts for training were also contributing to double digit percentage declines in student numbers.

Despite the building industry and economy performing poorly, he said when there was a future upswing WA was on track to have a skills shortage.

When that occurred during the mining boom thousands of workers were imported from interstate and overseas.

"The training system is vital for our state's future," Mr McGowan told reporters.

"We have to ensure Western Australians have the skills and training and are ready to take up the opportunities for those jobs when the upswing comes.

"We will ensure more apprenticeships in government trading enterprises ... Western Power and the Water Corppration should be more employing apprentices.

Unemployment is at decade highs of above six per cent in WA, above the national average.

On Tuesday, local rail workers worried about their jobs presented a petition with nearly 3000 signatures in state parliament calling for the government to stop shipping manufacturing work overseas.

About $3.1 billion of new trains for Perth's public transport network were due to be built overseas but should be made in WA to stimulate local industry,, Australian Manufacturing Workers Union WA state secretary Steve McCartney said.

The decision to have the bridge that will go over the Swan River to the new Perth Stadium built in Malaysia had contributed to local engineering firm Phillips collapsing, he said.

Factories were closing all over Perth's Kwinana industrial strip, where youth unemployment for people under 27 was 25 per cent and 12.5 per cent overall, Mr McCartney said.

Opposition planning spokeswoman Rita Saffioti guaranteed that if elected Labor would have a more aggressive approach to improving local content for infrastructure projects and backing the manufacturing industry, although how that would be enforced is unclear yet.

She said despite it being cheaper to import products from overseas, the economic multiplier benefits of keeping the jobs and income in WA along with the payroll and land tax revenue companies paid outweighed that.

Summary: Rail workers worried about losing their jobs because work is going offshore will present a petition with 2758 signatories in the WA Parliament.


An angler has died in northern NSW, just days after the state government announced a trial of mandatory life jackets for rock fishers in Sydney.

Rescuers were called to a breakwall at Turners Beach, Yamba, to reports that a man was struggling in the water about 7.45pm on Wednesday.

Three men tried to help the 45-year-old man before police arrived to pull him onto the rocks but he could not be saved.

Police say the man had been fishing alone and was not wearing a life jacket.

Earlier this month, Minister for Emergency Services David Elliott described rock fishing as "one of Australia's deadliest pastimes" as he announced a 12-month trial of compulsory life jackets along a 29-kilometre stretch of coastline in eastern Sydney.

Summary: NSW Police say a 45-year-old man was fishing alone and wasn't wearing a life jacket when he fell into the water at Yamba and died.


Pedestrians in China have rushed to save a cyclist trapped under a truck in the country's east after a sickening accident.

The girl was riding her bike through the streets of Bozhou City, in Anhui Province, last Thursday when she floated into the path of the vehicle.

She and her bike were dragged along underneath the truck for several metres after it knocked her down in what could have easily been a fatal turn of events.

Witnesses rushed to help immediately, banding together to haul the truck off the youngster where she lay.

"I heard a loud noise and came out, then I saw a child was trapped under the pickup, so we hurried to lift the vehicle. Over ten people were there and managed to lift the pickup, then we pulled the child out," said Zhou Huashan, a passerby.

The girl was sent to hospital and found to have suffered injuries on her face and leg, which were not life-threatening.

"If they didn't conduct rescue timely, my child might suffocate or die. So I'm really grateful to them," said Liu Ping, mother of the girl.

© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2016

Summary: Pedestrians in China have joined forces to rescue a cyclist trapped under a truck in the country's east.


State Street Corp. shares fell nearly 3 percent Wednesday morning after posting lower earnings for the third quarter and a slight increase in revenue.

The Boston-based investment giant and custody bank said its earnings declined nearly 6 percent in the quarter, to $507 million, from a year ago, while revenues rose 0.2 percent, to $2.6 billion.

Earnings per share fell 1.5 percent to $1.29, due to a number of one-time expenses, including those related to making the business more digital. On an operating basis, earnings were up 17 percent to $1.35 per share.

State Street shares were trading at $69.95, down 1.3 percent, at midday.

In a statement, Joseph “Jay” Hooley, the company’s chief executive, said the results reflect “continued momentum in fee revenue and our ongoing commitment to expense management.” He said State Street had won $1.2 trillion in new asset servicing business this year, including $212 billion in the latest quarter.

Hooley said investors around the world are paying close attention to the upcoming US presidential election.

“The election two weeks from now has caused people to pause,’’ Hooley said in an interview, many waiting “to see what’s going to happen with the election and its potential impact on markets.”

Overall, he said, the US economy appears to be a bright spot, amid concerns overseas related to Europe and Brexit, as well as Japan’s sluggish growth. With the Federal Reserve Bank having exhausted most of its remedies, Hooley said, the potential for infrastructure spending in the United States could be a “real positive” for economic growth.

“Regardless of who prevails on Nov. 8, it looks likely that you could get some fiscal stimulus,’’ he said.

State Street and other large banks are far healthier than they were immediately after the financial crisis, with larger capital cushions now required. However, persistent low interest rates have put pressure on State Street’s earnings.

The company is in the midst of a multi-year plan to adopt more technology across its operations – an effort that it has said will result in significant job cuts in some areas.

Hooley said State Street is integrating GE Asset Management into its operation, after the recent acquisition, taking on 260 former General Electric Co. investment staff. Aside from the GE business, which was expected to bring in about $100 billion in assets, State Street had net outflows of $36 billion in the quarter, mainly from cash and institutional accounts.

The outflows were largely the result of recent changes in money market regulations, which caused large investors to move billions of dollars out of prime money market funds, which can now fluctuate in value, and into government money markets, which will maintain the traditional $1 per share value.

State Street’s exchange-traded fund business remained net positive, with $12 billion in new assets.

The company took a pre-tax charge of $42 million for legal costs related to a previously disclosed investigation by US authorities into part of its U.K. investment management business in 2010 and 2011.

Summary: The Boston-based investment giant and custody bank reported total revenue for the quarter of $2.6 billion, up 0.2 percent. Earnings per share fell 1.5 percent to $1.29.


An off-duty police officer has kicked down a fence to help a woman and her elderly mother escape a ferocious fire at their Melbourne home.

The pair couldn't open a locked gate at the Essendon home to escape when the blaze broke out around 8.30pm on Sunday.

But their neighbour ran down a side lane to a back fence to help them to flee to safety.

"Dad ran around the back and kicked down the fence so they could get out the back," the daughter of the policeman, who didn't want to be identified, told the Herald Sun.

"There was smoke everywhere, black smoke and huge, huge flames. The powerlines were sparking and then they fell down and people were almost walking into them."

The fire, which took firefighters 70 minutes to bring under control, destroyed the single-story weatherboard Essendon home on Sunday night, the MFB said.

The roof of the house collapsed and investigators will inspect the site on Monday.

The family had reportedly lived in the home for 46 years.

A firefighter suffered a slight electric shock, but went back to fighting the blaze after being checked out by paramedics.

Summary: A neighbour has helped save a family trapped inside their property as fire ravaged their Melbourne home.