Another federal judge rejects Trump's travel ban

People protest against President Donald Trump's new travel ban March 7 in Washington, D.C. On Tuesday, a federal judge blocked much of the third version of Trump's ban. File Photo by Erin Schaff


Another federal judge on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump's third attempted travel ban.

The halt to Trump's latest order on foreign travel to the United States, a preliminary injunction from Maryland District Judge Theodore Chuang, was less restrictive than one issued by a Hawaii judge Tuesday -- but it blocks the administration from enforcing the order on travelers without a "bona fide" familial or professional relationship with someone in the United States. The limitations are spelled out in Section 2 of Trump's proclamation.
"This preliminary Injunction is granted on a nationwide basis and prohibits the enforcement of Section 2 of Presidential Proclamation 9645 in all places, including the United States, at all United States borders and ports of entry, and in the issuance of visas," Chuang wrote.

The president's ban was set to take effect Wednesday. Hours earlier, it was partially blocked by the Hawaii ruling and applied to travelers from Syria, Libya, Iran, Yemen, Chad, Somalia, North Korea and Venezuela.

Watson's ruling did not address accusations that Trump's proclamation was motivated by discrimination against Muslim travelers, but Chuang's 91-page ruling did -- suggesting that Trump intended to bar U.S. entry to Muslims, a violation of the Establishment Clause of the Constitution.

The Maryland judge noted that as a presidential candidate, Trump promised a "complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States" and that all of the president's comments suggest his order is directed toward that goal.

Chuang also noted that in August, while courts were weighing an updated travel ban, Trump "endorsed what appears to be an apocryphal story involving General John J. Pershing and a purported massacre of Muslims with bullets dipped in a pig's blood, advising people to 'study what General Pershing . . . did to terrorists when caught.'"

The National Iranian American Council said Wednesday that it, with 15 other activist groups, obtained 42,000 signatures on a Change.org petition calling for Congress to rescind the latest travel ban. The petitions, the NIAC said, will be sent to House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.


The coalition said it called on Congress to "make absolutely clear that such attempts to target Muslims, or anyone on the basis of national origin, are unlawful." Protesters gathered on Capitol Hill Wednesday to deliver the message.

Trump and administration officials have repeatedly said the temporary ban is motivated by national security interests.

The White House did not immediately respond to the judge's order Wednesday.

North Korea congratulates China ahead of Communist Party congress

      North Korea sent a message of congratulations to China on Tuesday. Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI 

North Korea congratulated China on the occasion of the 19th congress of the Communist Party, a rare move for Pyongyang.

Pyongyang's state-controlled new agency KCNA reported Wednesday, local time, the central committee of the Korean Workers' Party sends "warm greetings to the party, party members and the people of China on the occasion of the 19th congress of the Chinese Communist Party."

"The people of China have made great strides in carrying out socialist construction under the correct leadership of the Chinese Communist Party," the North Korean central committee said. "We consider this an extremely joyous event."

North Korea used its state media to send a similar message to China on June 30, when Beijing celebrated the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.

That message was addressed to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Pyongyang also sent a message of congratulations in 2012, during the 18th party congress, according to Yonhap.

Park Byung-kwang, the director of Northeast Asia research at the Institute for National Security Strategy in Seoul, said North Korea must send these signals to China because the world's second-largest economy plays an important role.

"No matter how frosty relations become between China and North Korea, North Korea has no intention to cut off relations," Park said.

North Korea is playing its cards carefully at a time when the U.S. State Department is not ruling out diplomacy.

Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Tuesday "diplomacy is our preferred approach."

"We're not give up on that," Nauert said.

"We want North Korea to understand that it can choose a different path. It can choose a different path. It's up to North Korea to change its course of action if they want to return to credible negotiations," Nauert said.

China's Xi Jinping opens 19th Communist Party Congress with 'new era' speech

Communist Party delegates listen to China's President Xi Jinping giving a nearly four-hour long speech on the country's future during the opening ceremony of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China Wednesday. Photo by Stephen Shaver

Chinese President Xi Jinping gave an opening speech on Wednesday at the country's 19th National Congress announcing a new chapter for the country.

Xi, in a speech that lasted for nearly four hours, noted a two-stage development plan that would help propel China into becoming a "great modern socialist country."
He said the two-part plan has a first stage projected to occur from 2020 to 2035, where the Communist Party of China will ensure that socialist modernization is realized. The second stage, from 2035 to the middle of the 21st century, builds on modernization and develops China into a "great modern socialist country".

Beijing's leader also spoke at the Congress about a "new era" for China where the country should take "center stage in the world."

Xi spoke about issues such as the economy, which he noted is transitioning from a phase of rapid growth to one of high-quality development. His take on foreign policy mentioned China not closing its doors to the world while not seeking "hegemony."

The Chinese president cemented himself as the most powerful man to rule the country in a generation, as he is expecting to remain party chief for a second five-year term.

Under Xi's leadership, China's economy has grown and standards of living are improved. He also built up the nation's military and influence in national affairs -- including transforming Beijing's relationship with the United States by both vowing to restrain North Korea and by flexing military might in Asia.

Xi, however, has also cracked down on certain democratic measures like freedom of expression and imposed greater censorship in the media and the internet, making it difficult to say if he has vast popular support of the Chinese people.

Although Xi mapped out a plan for China's future development, he made sure to note that the country was still the world's largest developing country and would long remain in the primary stage of socialism.


"Achieving national rejuvenation will be no walk in the park," Xi said. "It will take more than drum beating and gong clanging to get there."

California fires: 88 still missing as lighter winds help crews control flames

The death toll from the Northern California wildfires climbed to 41 after a firefighter died in a car accident while delivering water, authorities said.

The firefighter was delivering water to help battle the Nuns Fire, which is 53 percent contained, when officials said the truck rolled over.
"He was helping to fight the fires and do the right thing," California Highway Patrol Cpt. Mike Palacio said. "We don't know what happened."

Fire officials said they are optimistic about their progress after a week-long battle with California's deadliest wildfires. Officials said lighter winds have helped, and rain expected this week will help even more.

"The conditions have been pretty favorable, the winds have been less than expected," Sonoma County Sheriff's Deputy Brandon Jones said. "Sunday night was the 'second night in the row where we had some reasonably decent production.'"

Fire officials said the Atlas and Tubbs fires, two of the main blazes, are more than 70 percent contained.


Firefighters have begun to use proactive strategies, like using bulldozers to dig trenches, to keep the blazes from spreading.

Authorities said 88 people remain missing and roughly 40,000 haven't yet returned to their homes.

Though some evacuations have been lifted -- like in Mendocino County where 8,000 people were allowed to return home Monday -- authorities warn there's still some danger.

Authorities said all told, the wildfires have scorched more than 200,000 acres -- including parts of the region's lucrative wine country.

Trump to address South Korean National Assembly on trip to Asia

Donald Trump will become the first U.S. president to make a state visit to South Korea in 25 years, as part of his 12-day trip to Asia next month.

High on his agenda will be building pressure for North Korea to curb plans to develop nuclear missiles and addressing South Korea's parliament.
After a stop in Hawaii, Trump will travel to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines from Nov. 3-14, the White House announced Monday.

"The president's travel will underscore his commitment to longstanding United States alliances and partnerships and reaffirm United States leadership in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific region," the White House said in a statement.

Trump first will visit Honolulu, including Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial.

He will travel to Tokyo, Japan, for meetings with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Nov. 5. He also is scheduled to meet with the families of Japanese citizens abducted by the North Korean regime.

Then he will fly to Seoul, South Korea, to will meet with President Moon Jae-in on Nov. 7.

"At their upcoming summit, the two leaders are scheduled to discuss ways to strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance, enhance their cooperation to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, establish peace and stability in Northeast Asia and enhance their countries' practical cooperation," South Korea's Cheong Wa of the South Korean presidential office said.

The Moon-Trump meeting is the second since Pyongyang staged its latest and sixth nuclear test on Sept. 3. They met last month on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The two leaders also met in Washington in June.

The White House said Trump will also speak at the South Korean national parliament.

"The president will speak at the National Assembly, where he will celebrate the enduring alliance and friendship between the United States and the Republic of Korea and call on the international community to join together in maximizing pressure on North Korea," the White House said.

On Nov. 8, Trump will leave Seoul for Beijing for a "series of bilateral, commercial and cultural events," including meetings with President Xi Jinping, the White House said.

Trump next will travel to Danang, Vietnam, on Nov. 10, where he will participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders meeting and speak at the APEC CEO Summit.

The next day, the president will travel to Hanoi, Vietnam, for an official visit and events that include meetings with President Tran Dai Quang.

On Nov. 12, Trump will arrive in Manila, Philippines, to participate in the Special Gala Celebration Dinner for the 50th Anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

On Nov.13, the president also will celebrate the 40th anniversary of U.S.-ASEAN relations at the U.S.-ASEAN Summit and participate in bilateral meetings with President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines and other leaders.

In April, Trump praised Duterte's crackdown on drug trafficking in which thousands of people have been killed.

Islamic State defeated in Raqqa after four-month siege

The Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by the United States and an international coalition providing airstrikes, said it completed the takeover of Raqqa, Syria, from the Islamic State on Tuesday. File Photo by Youssef Rabie Youssef/EPA

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said Tuesday it has cleared Raqqa, the Islamic State's de facto Syrian capital, of all militant fighters -- ending a fight that began early this summer.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, the U.S.-backed rebel force, said the four-month fight in the Islamic State's de facto Syrian capital ended Tuesday -- with about 300 remaining militant holdouts confined to a narrow section of the city.
The SDF said its fighters gradually removed the last remaining militant holdouts early Tuesday. Liberating troops said they had 95 percent of the city under its control on Monday.

IS had held the city for three years and some could still be holed up in the city's buildings and tunnels, officials said. The SDF said it will likely take months to clear explosives from the city -- which at one time had a population of more than 300,000 -- and that more than 900 civilians died in the weeks-long siege.

Raqqa National Hospital was captured on Tuesday, as well as al-Naim Circle, a public square infamous for IS executions and beheadings. A convoy of IS troops and their families left the city on Saturday, SDF added.

The mission to force the Islamic State from Raqqa, called "Euphrates Wrath," involved fierce battles between jihadists and SDF forces. Airstrikes by a U.S.-led international coalition has destroyed about 80 percent of the city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Raqqa now faces an arduous cleanup effort, as well as political uncertainty.

The U.S.-led coalition and SDF have pledged to return Raqqa to civilian rule, but experts say ethnic, tribal and political factors could undermine a simple handover. Two civilian councils, one backed by the SDF and the other supported by the Turkey-based main Syrian opposition group, are mounting plans to administer the city.

The Islamic State lost Mosul, its largest city in Iraq, three months ago -- and now controls only a small strip of Syrian territory in the Euphrates Valley, south of the city of Deir Ezzor.

North Korea defector: Hundreds of 'reformers' killed after Jang Song Thaek purge

North Korea leader Kim Jong Un applaudssr the launch of the Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 16. File Photo by Yonhap

North Korea's Kim Jong Un ordered the massacre of hundreds of officers and their families following the purge and execution of his uncle Jang Song Thaek in 2013, a former senior North Korean economic official said.

Speaking at the Asia Society in New York on Monday, Ri Jong Ho, the previous head of the Korea Daehung Trading Corp., managed by Room or Office 39, said he left the reclusive state when he became "disappointed" with the young leader's brutal methods of punishing reform-minded North Koreans.
Room or Office 39 is the secret North Korean Workers' Party organization in charge of maintaining the regime's foreign currency slush fund.

Ri has previously said Room 39 responsibilities may have been transferred to other departments since he sought asylum in the United States.

"The year I left, the Kim Jong Un regime, following the purge and execution of Jang Song Thaek, executed hundreds of officers affiliated with Jang, as well as their families," Ri said. "Thousands were dragged to political prison camps."

There was also an ordinance to "dry the seeds" of the accused, and children of suspects were routinely slaughtered as Kim consolidated his power in 2014, Ri said.

The North Korean leader's actions triggered doubts among the country's elite, many of them loyalists of Kim Jong Il, the leader's father.

"How can we follow the party, the leader, we faithfully followed all this time?" Ri said. "There was no future, so I defected with my family."

North Korea's nuclear weapons

Ri said Pyongyang's development of weapons of mass destruction is less of a threat than a sign the regime feels threatened by South Korea and the United States.

North Koreans "have always seen South Korea as the enemy," the defector said. "Because of the U.S.-South Korea military alliance, they believe they can always come under attack."

North Korea may bluster its way into the public eye, but the tactic may be a distraction hiding a regime with a weak economy --- and a justifiable fear of the outside world.

"South Korea can always swallow North Korea. There's a sense of threat there," Ri said. "That's why they develop nuclear weapons."

A sense of the South's economic superiority triggered suspicion of Seoul's Sunshine Policy in 2000, when former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung traveled to Pyongyang to hold a historical summit with leader Kim Jong Il.

The policy, which has been criticized by conservatives in the United States and South Korea, was in fact seen as a South Korean plan to absorb the North, Ri said.

Kim Jong Il had his own version of the South Korean leader's visit to his country, one that is not shared in Seoul.

Kim Dae-jung is "kneeling, begging for forgiveness with gifts of funds," Ri said, quoting a lecture given by the North Korean leader at the time.

"They are giving the gifts to us because we won the [Korean] war," the North Korean leader reportedly said, according to Ri.

Kim also told his senior officers to "never harbor illusions about the South."

Kim Jong Un lacks confidence

North Korea is raising anxieties in the United States following a war of words between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim.

Some observers had warned of a possible conflict due to worsening relations between the two countries.

North Korean officials' warnings to test a hydrogen bomb above ground have spiked fears of conflict, but strong rhetoric is a North Korea tactic that has been in use for years, Ri said, and does not guarantee escalation.

"They're doing to the United States what they did to South Korea for decades," Ri said. "To be honest, Kim Jong Un does not have confidence."

North Korea defied expectations last week when the country stayed away from provocations on its Workers' Party anniversary.

Ri also said the regime's isolation from neighbors, including China, is a sign of vulnerability.

"That Kim Jong Un cannot reach out to China is a sign doing so will break down the hereditary regime," Ri said, pointing out the leaders of China and North Korea have yet to meet. "There was always a basic assumption that China could not be trusted."

Ri was referring to Kim's disregard for Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who he has called a "dog."

Xi told North Korea to stay away from nuclear tests, advice Kim has not heeded since 2013, Ri said.

Macon Co. Man to Sentenced to Seven Years for Child Pornography

Keith Channing Reddick, 42, of Notasulga, was sentenced on Friday, October 13, to 84 months (7 years) in federal prison for receipt of child pornography, announced Louis V. Franklin, Sr., United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. Reddick pled guilty to the charges in May.

The charges stemmed from Reddick’s collection of child pornography that contained images and videos of child sexual abuse. Evidence showed that Reddick collected child pornography from July 9, 2008, until April 26, 2011 and that he searched for images on the Internet using terms commonly associated with child pornography. The images found in his possession included several of prepubescent children. When interviewed by law enforcement, Reddick admitted to receiving child pornography and saving the files to his computer.

During sentencing, the Court heard testimony regarding Reddick’s criminal history. In 1997, Reddick was charged with trespassing into an adjoining townhouse. The victims of the trespassing testified in court that Reddick entered their townhouse through a hole cut in the firewall. They became suspicious when they noticed that doors that had been previously locked were mysteriously unlocked and items in the home were missing or disturbed. Law enforcement later discovered a hole in the ceiling above their shower, along with soiled towels and a video camera in the attic space. Reddick later pled guilty to two counts of trespassing.

In 2009, Reddick was charged with unlawful criminal surveillance. The victim of the incident testified that Reddick attempted to photograph her in a dressing room using his cell phone.

In addition to 7 years in prison, Chief United States District Judge W. Keith Watkins sentenced Reddick to supervised release for life. Reddick remains in federal custody.

“Victimizing children will not be tolerated,” stated U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr.. “This child predator is now off the streets, making our community safer and our children protected. I want to especially thank the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Agents for their excellent work on this case.”

Secretary of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Hal Taylor said, “The outcome of this investigation clearly demonstrates Alabama will not tolerate such heinous behavior. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency values our partnership with the U.S. Attorney Franklin’s Office to ensure the safety of citizens of all ages.”

This case was investigated by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant United States Attorney Hollie Worley Reed prosecuted the case.

Two Men Arrested After Shooting Following University of Alabama Homecoming Game

Kenneth Ray Ikner Jr.

A man was injured in a shooting after the University of Alabama homecoming football game.

News outlets report Tuscaloosa police say the victim was shot in the lower back after midnight Sunday outside the Rounders Bar on the University Boulevard strip near Bryant-Denny Stadium.

                                Tamarcus James Ikner

Capt. Kip Hart said investigators learned Kenneth Ray Ikner Jr. and the victim were involved in an ongoing fight over a woman. Witnesses told police that Tamarcus James Ikner came up to the victim outside Rounders, leading to an altercation, and then retrieved a gun from Kenneth Ikner in a car.

Tamarcus Ikner is charged with attempted murder and Kenneth Ikner is charged with first-degree assault. It’s unclear if they have lawyers.

The victim, whose name hasn’t been released, was taken to DCH Regional Medical Center.

(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

NATO conducts annual nuclear defense drill in Western Europe

NATO countries on Monday kicked off its annual nuclear drill at two bases in Western Europe -- part of a three-week event to test defenses.

Military leaders conducted the nuclear defense drill, called "Steadfast Noon," at Kleine Brogel in Belgium and Buchel in Germany -- two bases where the U.S. military stores nuclear weapons.
Details of the exercise were not made public but NATO officials privately said it was the military alliance's primary nuclear deterrent drill.

The three week NATO event, "Formidable Shield 17," started last month and will conclude Wednesday.

The U.S. Navy said that NATO's involvement in the annual exercise included the successful interception of medium-range ballistic missiles -- fired from Spanish and Dutch ships -- by the USS Donald Cook. It marked the first time that NATO's smart defense concept was demonstrated, with ships used as air defense units to protect naval ballistic missile units.

While NATO did not identify participating countries, the U.S. Navy said ships from the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Britain were involved in the drills. More than 14 ships, 10 aircraft and about 3,000 personnel were involved on Scotland's Western Isles.

Russia conducted similar military exercises last month on the western borders of Russia and Belarus, which included a nuclear deterrent drill and the firing of a ballistic missile.

"This exercise is planned to be a recurring, biennial event, and is designed to assure allies, deter adversaries, and demonstrate our commitment to collective defense of the NATO alliance," a statement from U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa said.

This year's drill took on an added significance with the new administration of President Donald Trump, who has expressed disappointment this year with member states not contributing sufficient funds toward their own defenses.

"This is why it is so important that NATO continues with its classic nuclear planning structure, including these exercises," Jan Techau, director of the Holbrooke Forum for the Study of Diplomacy in Berlin, told The Wall Street Journal. "It is important to send out the message of continuity and reliability, because that is what deterrence is based on."

Alabama girl dies after falling into grease pit at ice cream shop

A 3-year-old Alabama girl is dead after she fell into a grease pit at an ice cream shop and drowned, officials said.

The girl was playing with her siblings at the shop when she fell through a covering on a six-foot deep grease trap, according to Lee County Coroner Bill Harris.
The girl was missing for several minutes before she was found unresponsive in the pit.

Relatives and employees at the ice cream shop tried to revive the child and she was rushed to the East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, Ala., where she was pronounced dead.


The girl's death has been ruled an accident.

"Please keep this family in your prayers as they suffer through this tragedy," Harris said.

Woman gives birth, then loses all 4 limbs to flesh-eating disease

Lindsey Hubley, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, appears with her first child, Myles, and her fiancee Mike Sampson after giving birth on March 2. Days later, she had all four limbs removed because of flesh-eating disease. Photo courtesy of GoFundMe

A Canadian woman was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease four days after her son was born in March and now she is a quadruple amputee.

Last week, the woman and her fiance filed a negligence lawsuit in Nova ScotiaSupreme Court against the hospital where she gave birth, IWK Health Center, and five doctors.

"What Lindsey and her family have gone through over these past seven months is incomprehensible," said Raymond Wagner, Q.C., counsel for Lindsey Hubley. "She is truly a survivor, and remarkably has maintained a positive and determined attitude along her long road to recovery, all while juggling the struggles, and joys, of a newborn."

Hubley is now infection-free but needs more surgeries, including a kidney transplant.

A Go Fund Me account has raised $94,400.

Hubley, 33, gave birth to her first child, Myles, on March 2. She and her fiance, Mike Sampson, 34, brought their child home two days later.

Early the next day, Hubley began feeling a "sharp, distinct, abdominal pain." At 9 a.m., the couple and their newborn returned to IWK Health Center where doctors said she was suffering from constipation. The family went back home.

After the pain increased the next day, Hubley was rushed in an ambulance to Queen Elizabeth II Emergency. She was suffering from secondary septic shock and her organs were failing.

Hubley was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis and placed in a medical coma. Her arms and legs were amputated, and doctors performed a total hysterectomy.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the condition occurs rarely when bacteria enters the body through an open wound.

Hubley is still primarily confined to a hospital bed seven months later.

"In addition to the surgeries and life-altering changes Lindsey has had to go through, no mother should have to miss out on the first months of her son's life," Sampson said. "We're grateful she's recovering, but it's a long road ahead."

NLCS: Justin Turner's walk-off HR blasts Dodgers past Cubs

LOS ANGELES -- With Hollywood as its neighbor, Los Angeles is no stranger to dramatic endings.

And with his game-winning, three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner certainly attained movie star status
The 4-1 victory gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and plenty of momentum heading to Chicago for Game 3 on Tuesday.

Before Turner's heroics, the game was a battle of bullpens.

One night after taking out ace Clayton Kershaw after five innings, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts did the same with Rich Hill, even though Hill had allowed just one run.
The move paid off -- again -- as four Dodgers relievers were nearly perfect over four innings. Even so, the game was tied at 1-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Yasiel Puig opened the ninth against Cubs reliever Brian Duensing with a walk. Charlie Culberson, subbing at shortstop for the injured Corey Seager, moved Puig to second with a sacrifice bunt.

After pinch hitter Kyle Farmer struck out, Cubs manager Joe Maddon summoned John Lackey from the bullpen to face Chris Taylor, who walked, bringing up Turner.

On a 1-0 count to Turner, Lackey grooved a 91 mph fastball over the plate. Turner didn't miss it, blasting it over the fence in center field for the dramatic victory.

Turner also drove in the Dodgers' first run with a two-out RBI single in the fifth inning.

Hill gave up only a solo homer to Addison Russell in the fifth inning but was lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fifth, Roberts continuing to show trust in his bullpen.

Brandon Morrow was perfect in the sixth and seventh innings, before Josh Fields (one out) and Tony Watson (two outs) combined to throw a perfect eighth.

Kenley Jansen entered in the top of the ninth and struck out Kris Bryant for the first out of the inning before hitting Anthony Rizzo with a pitch, the only baserunner allowed by the Dodgers bullpen all night.

Jansen, though, wasn't fazed, striking out Wilson Contreras and getting Albert Almora Jr. on a groundout to end the inning.

The Dodgers threatened against Cubs starter Jon Lester in the second inning with a couple of walks, but Lester retired Culberson on a fly to right field to end the inning.

In the third, Cubs second baseman Javier Baez, hitless in 17 postseason at-bats going into the game, led off with a walk. After Lester struck out on a failed bunt attempt, Baez stole second, and then took third on a wild pitch.

Hill, however, escaped. First, he got Jon Jay to hit a sharp grounder to Cody Bellinger at first base, Baez having to stick on third, for the second out.

Bryant then struck out to end the inning.

Russell broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fifth, hitting an 88 mph fastball from Hill into the seats just inside the left-field foul pole for a 1-0 lead.

The Dodgers got a leadoff double from Culberson in the bottom of the fifth, but Curtis Granderson, pinch-hitting for Hill, popped out to the third baseman Bryant in foul territory for the first out.

Chris Taylor grounded out to shortstop, Culberson moving up to third, before Turner slapped a grounder through the hole between first and second for an RBI single, tying the game at 1-1.

When Bellinger followed with a walk, increasing Lester's pitch count to 103, Maddon went to Carl Edwards Jr. out of the bullpen. Roberts countered with pinch hitter Chase Utley, who struck out to end the inning.

Lester gave up a run on three hits in 4 2/3 innings.

NOTES: After an off day, Dodgers RHP Yu Darvish is scheduled to oppose Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks in Game 3 on Tuesday at Wrigley Field. ... Los Angeles LHP Alex Wood and Chicago RHP Jake Arrieta are the probable starters for Game 4 on Wednesday. ... Dodgers 3B Justin Turner is 9-for-21 (.429) with two homers and 10 RBIs in five games during this year's postseason. ... Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo is 0-for-14 in his past four postseason games.

Jerusalem archaeological dig uncovers 200-seat Roman theater

Excavations near Jerusalem's Western Wall have uncovered stone pathways and the remains of a 200-seat Roman theater, scientists said Monday.

The historical findings were presented at the Western Wall Tunnels by the Israel Antiquities Authority. The walkway "courses," made of massive stones, and the theater were discovered after 26 feet of soil was removed.
Historical writings describe the theater, built during the Roman occupation of Jerusalem between 63 B.C. and 313 A.D., near Wilson's Arch, a massive stone archway leading to the Temple Mount, built in the Roman period. The arch itself was one of many that once supported a bridge leading to the Temple Mount. Although numerous theories were offered regarding the location, the discovery finally confirms the writings, which has been a goal of archaeological research in Israel. The stones in the construction were uncovered after 1,700 years.

"From a research perspective, this is a sensational find," said a statement by the lead excavators, Joe Uziel, Tehillah Lieberman and Avi Solomon. "The discovery was a real surprise. When we started excavating, our goal was to date Wilson's Arch. We did not imagine that a window would open for us onto the mystery of Jerusalem's lost theater.

"Like much of archaeological research, the expectation is that a certain thing will be found, but at the end of the process other findings, surprising and thought-provoking, are unearthed."

The archaeologists said the theater may have been built as a concert or lecture hall, or perhaps as a legislative meeting place. It may also have never been used, they said. A staircase found was not completely carved, possibly because a revolt or similar interruption caused construction to be abandoned. Unfinished nearby buildings from the era have been uncovered in the past.

"This is a relatively small structure compared to known Roman theaters," they added. "In most cases, such structures were used for acoustic performances. Alternatively, this may have been a structure known as a bouleuterion -- the building where the city council met, in this case the council of the Roman colony of Aelia Capitolina -- Roman Jerusalem."

The task of unearthing the dramatic archeological find was part on an ongoing project undertaken largely by teenage volunteers, said Israel Hasson, chief of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Militants Free American Woman and Family Held for 5 Years in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — An American woman and her family who have been held hostage by militants in Afghanistan for five years have been freed, ending a case that has long frustrated diplomats and F.B.I. agents involved in trying to secure their release, according to people familiar with the situation.

The family was in Pakistan early Thursday, and the White House was preparing to release a statement once they are safely in American hands, according to people who described their status on condition of anonymity because the details have not yet been made public.

Josh Boyle and his wife, Caitlan Coleman, appeared in a video pleading for release from their Taliban captors. They were taken in Afghanistan in late 2012.

Media in the region reported that the Pakistani military had initially taken custody of the family.

The family was freed with the help of another country, the person said, but it was not clear what if any concessions were made to the Haqqani network, the Taliban faction that had seized Caitlan Coleman, 31, and her Canadian husband, Josh Boyle, 34. The pair was taken in October 2012 while backpacking in the Wardak Province, a militant stronghold near Kabul.

At the time of her abduction, Ms. Coleman was pregnant. She had two more children in captivity, adding pressure to resolve an already desperate situation.

Previously the Haqqani network had demanded the release of Anas Haqqani, one of their commanders. The Afghan government managed to capture him in 2014, and he was sentenced to death. The group had threatened to kill the family if the Afghans executed him.

In December 2016, the militants released a video of the family, including footage depicting her two children. She described her time as a hostage as “Kafkaesque” and said she had been “defiled.”

“Indeed they threaten to retaliate against our family,” she said. “Their group will do us harm and punish us. So we ask that you are merciful to their people and, God willing, they will release us.”

An earlier video made public in August 2016 showed the couple. During it, Ms. Coleman urged the American government to “help stop this depravity.” She also said her captors “will execute us.”

Earlier attempts to bring the family home had been unsuccessful. In January 2016, Colin Rutherford, a Canadian, was freed after Qatar arranged a prisoner swap with the Afghan government. Officials had hoped Mr. Rutherford would be the first in a series of releases, including Ms. Coleman and her family. But it didn’t happen for reasons that remain unclear. The previous administration sought to jump start talks with the Taliban but those efforts faltered after the American military killed Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, the Taliban’s leader, in a drone strike in May 2016.

The Haqqanis are believed to be holding an American university professor who was kidnapped in August 2016. Earlier this year, the group released video of the man, Kevin King, who pleaded for President Trump to free him. “Have mercy on me and get me out.”

Another American, Paul Overby, disappeared in May 2014 and has not been seen since his abduction. He was trying to interview the head of the Haqqani network when he was abducted.

At the BET Hip Hop Awards in Miami

Cardi B and DJ Khaled were among the performers at the BET Hip Hop Awards at the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami on Oct. 6.

"Bodak Yellow" artist Cardi B performs. Photo by Gary I Rothstein

Rapper Rick Ross performs. Photo by Gary I Rothstein

One Night" rapper Lil Yachty arrives for the awards. Photo by Gary I Rothstein

"Saturday" singer Steph Lecor arrives for the awards. Photo by Gary I Rothstei

"I Am Not a Hoe" author Cherry Bomb arrives at the awards. Photo by Gary I Rothstein

Defector: North Korea uses food to keep people under control, "If you don't work, you don't get to eat."

North Korea's public distribution system is part of the reason defectors have a hard time adjusting to life in South Korea -- and socioeconomic change in the North is driving Kim Jong Un's need to impress the population with nuclear weapons, according to a woman who fled after time in detention.

Jihyun Park, a North Korean defector and activist based in Britain, told UPI Wednesday in a Skype interview that North Korea's public food distribution system has encumbered the ability of North Korean refugees to cope with South Korea's capitalist economy.

"North Korea is a distribution country," Park said. "The government always gave us food."

While the distribution of "free" staples such as rice, barley or corn precluded the need for currency, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung used the public distribution system to control the population.

Park said a system in which you are given food as compensation, instead of payments in currency, is slavery.

North Korea used this system to keep the people in check, Park said.

"If you work you would be given something to eat," Park said. "If you don't work, you don't get to eat."

The defector said the system is comparable to slavery in the American South, where those enslaved enjoyed few material benefits aside from basic housing, rationed food and cotton clothing.

"The North Korean system is responsible for defectors who are unable to adjust," Park said. "Capitalism in the South is totally different from the North."

Defectors in the South are known to struggle in menial jobs in an unfamiliar social environment and cope with discrimination.

One defector who spoke to UPI in August said he "hated" his new life in South Korea and North Koreans continue to exercise loyalty to Kim Jong Un because they "reap benefits" from the state.

Park said North Korean defectors who speak of the merits of the regime are "oblivious" of how the system actually works.

Park was forcibly repatriated to the North from China after being forced into a marriage with a Chinese national.

Her experience in a North Korean prison camp and disease pushed her to gain "real insight into the reality of North Korea."

"It is people like us who have been forcibly repatriated to the North," Park said. "What we realized is that it is a country run by dictators."

"We also realize North Korea is not a socialist country, it is a slave state."

Defectors who speak fondly of North Korea have not had the bitter experience of rights abuses or walking with bleeding bare feet while laboring in a North Korean prison camp, Park said.

Park, who said she was released while ill because guards wanted her to "die outside the prison camp," also said North Korea will not give up its weapons of mass destruction.

The 48-year-old defector said during her university days in the '80s the state was teaching students about the "need for nuclear weapons."

"Kim Il Sung taught peace on the peninsula can only be achieved if U.S. forces leave," Park said, which means war.

But Park also said while the North Korea founder was "able to control the North Korean people" his successors are having a more difficult time maintaining authority.

"Kim Jong Un needs nuclear weapons because of the North Korean people," Park said. "Because the country is a dictatorship ruled by the Kim family."

A changing society poses new challenges for the ruling Kims: After the North Korea founder died in 1994, the population's "way of thinking began to change a great deal."

"The reason Kim Jong Un is threatening the United States with nuclear weapons, is to impress North Koreans," Park said. "He's trying to gain the support of the people."

Is the Pill affecting your sex drive?

While generally well-tolerated among women, reports of decreased sex drive after going on a combined oral contraceptive pill - which contains the hormones oestrogen and progestogen to suppress ovulation - are not unheard of. 

After having two children, Mr and Mrs Gerald Lim (not their real names) had looked forward to worry-free sex when they started contraception.

But what was supposed to rev up their sex life had the opposite effect.

Weeks after being on the combined oral contraceptive pill, which contains the hormones oestrogen and progestogen to suppress ovulation, Mrs Lim’s libido nosedived and she occasionally experienced discomfort during intercourse. The symptoms put a damper on the bedroom activities of the couple, who are in their 30s.

According to doctors, the combined oral contraceptive pill is one of the most popular forms of contraception used in Singapore.

"Doctors should consider the side effects of female sexual dysfunction when prescribing combined oral contraceptives, say KKH experts"

At least half of urogynaecologist Christopher Chong’s patients who are on birth control are on the combined pill. The majority of them are under the age of 40, and a substantial proportion is unmarried.

While generally well-tolerated among women, reports of decreased sex drive after going on the combined pill are not unheard of. Every year, the Family Medicine Service at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) sees about five to six cases similar to the Lims’. But the figure is likely the tip of the iceberg.

“Due to poor awareness (that the combined oral contraceptive may cause female sexual dysfunction), it is very likely there are many undiagnosed cases,” said Dr Ang Seng Bin, head and consultant family physician at KKH’s Menopause Unit and Family Medicine Service.

Other side effects include headaches, particularly in women above the age of 35, and breast tenderness.

NEW RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DOCTORS PRESCRIBING THE PILL

These circumstances prompted KKH experts to propose a set of recommendations for doctors to consider sexuality-related effects of the combined pill when prescribing it to women of reproductive age.

In a paper published in June in the Singapore Medical Journal, the team recommended physicians screen patients for any existing female sexual dysfunction, and inform them of the possible sexual side effects of combined oral contraceptives before prescribing them.

Women should also undergo regular follow-ups with their doctors after starting combined oral contraceptives.

This would allow those who experience female sexual dysfunction to be managed early, such as by switching to newer-generation combined oral contraceptives or other forms of contraceptives, the authors wrote.

“The reason for taking combined oral contraceptive pills is to avoid unwanted pregnancy while still maintaining a sexually-active life and quality relationship. If the couple’s sexuality is affected, it can have an adverse effect on their relationship,” said Dr Ang, senior author of the paper.

Presently, neither the World Health Organisation nor the United States’ Centres for Disease Control and Prevention mentions the possible effects the combined pill may have on sexuality in existing guidelines, although some studies suggest a link, particularly for women on older-generation oral contraceptives.

The side effect could be due to the pill’s impact on testosterone, a male hormone that is also present in women and which drives libido or sexual desire.

It is postulated that the pill lowers this male hormone, hence decreasing drive, said Dr Chong, director of Chris Chong Women and Urogynae Centre at Gleneagles Hospital. The other hypothesisis that it may thin the vulva (outer part of female genitals), causing abrasions and discomfort during sexual intercourse, he said.

Women concerned about a libido slump should not ditch this birth control option just yet. Dr Ang said the majority of women do not experience side effects and, if they do, most resolve after three months. If symptoms persist, they should consult their doctors.

Dr Chong estimated less than 5 per cent of his patients who are on the pill experience sexual dysfunction symptoms, which are usually linked to the older-generation oral contraceptives that contain high doses of synthetic hormones. The newer options contain “very low doses” of hormones so such a side effect is not common.

“A very small proportion of women may complain of vaginal dryness, perhaps a slight decrease in sex drive and arousal. Usually, these symptoms are not significant. For side effects to occur, one needs to take the pill for many years but many of my patients are not on it for long-term,” said Dr Chong. Newer-generation combined oral contraceptives are also known to reduce cancer of the womb and ovaries by up to 50 per cent, he said. Some brands have the added benefits of treating facial skin issues like acne, regulating menstrual cycle, as well as reducing menstrual pain and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

The pill may indirectly increase sexual function in couples, he added.“It takes away the fear of pregnancy, and the couple can throw caution to the wind while having sex.”.

The combined pill is not suitable for women who are forgetful (missing doses makes it less effective), have deep-vein thrombosis, a history of migraines, or unexplained abnormal vaginal bleeding, said Dr Chong.

Women who are already on the combined pill should avoid smoking as it increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis or blood clots in the legs, advised Dr Ang. They should also maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet. If they develop persistent headaches or other symptoms, they should seek their doctor’s advice early. Dr Ang also recommended that women undergo regular follow-ups with their doctors one, three and six months after starting the contraceptive, and at yearly intervals subsequently.

2018 Presidential Scholars in Society and Neuroscience Postdoctoral Scholarships, USA

The Center for Science and Society at Columbia University is delighted to offer a postdoctoral fellowship for research scholar/scientist or associate research scholar/scientist position to begin studies in July 2018.

The goal of this interdisciplinary experiment is to train and foster a new generation of scholars with the capacity to advance understanding of the humanistic and social dimensions of mind, brain, and behaviour.

The Presidential Scholars in Society and Neuroscience (PSSN) program aims to facilitate cross-disciplinary, collaborative research to advance our understanding of mind, brain, and behaviour.  The program fosters, and independently funds, direct communication and knowledge sharing between experts in the arts, humanities, and natural and social sciences; thus creating a new paradigm for interdisciplinary university-sponsored research.

Course Level: Scholarships are available to pursue postdoctoral programme.

Study Subject: Scholarships are awarded within the School of Art and Science.

Scholarship Award: The annual salary will be approximately $80,000, plus benefits.

Scholarship Award: The annual salary will be approximately $80,000, plus benefits.

Number of Scholarships: Up to three scholarships are available.

Scholarship can be taken in the USA

Eligibility: The following criteria must be met in order for applicants to be eligible for the scholarship:

Minimum Degree Required: PhD
Minimum Qualifications: Candidates must hold a doctoral-level degree (Ph.D., DPhil, EdD, JD, MD, etc.) by July 1, 2018, and must have received this degree after July 1, 2013. Candidates must have an established ability to do original research in the natural sciences, social sciences, arts and/or humanities and to contribute to the interdisciplinary mission of the program.
All applicants must meet these minimum qualifications to be considered for the position.
Scholarships are awarded in the Presidential Scholars in Society and Neuroscience program for researchers who have earned the doctorate, or its equivalent, in (1) Humanity, arts, or social science discipline? such as psychology, psychiatry, public health, law, history, economics, literature, political science, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, journalism, music and the arts? and who have extensive acquaintance with, and critical understanding of, neuroscience research; OR (2) Neuroscience or a related discipline in the natural sciences and who have extensive acquaintance with, and critical understanding of, another discipline in the arts, humanities, or social sciences.

Nationality: International students are eligible to apply for this scholarship programme.

College Admission Requirement

Entrance Requirements: Candidates must hold a doctoral-level degree (Ph.D., DPhil, EdD, JD, MD, etc.) by July 1, 2018, and must have received this degree after July 1, 2013.

English Language Requirements: Applicants whose first language is not English are usually required to provide evidence of proficiency in English at the higher level required by the University.

Postdoctoral Fellowships

How to Apply: The mode of application is online.

Curriculum Vitae
Cover Letter
List of References
Writing Sample/Publication 1


Click here for Application Form

Application Deadline: Scholarship application deadline is November 27, 2017.

Scholarship Link

Fertility tests may not be best gauge of your biological clock

Women in their 30s and early 40s who want to know whether their biological clocks are running out should skip fertility testing, a new study suggests.
Fertility clinics commonly use blood and urine tests to assess the quantity and quality of eggs remaining in a woman's ovaries -- information that clinicians can use in making decisions about treating infertile women.

However, a study in the Oct. 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association found that these tests cannot predict whether a woman in her later reproductive years will get pregnant naturally.

"We were hoping to see that these biomarkers would predict a woman's ability to get pregnant, but we didn't find that," said Dr. Anne Steiner, the study's lead author.

Steiner, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, said there's "huge interest" in such a fertility test.

Women generally have more trouble getting pregnant as they age. The egg supply dwindles later in life, and the quality of the remaining eggs declines. As a result, Steiner explained, women often want assurance that there's still time to start a family or confirmation that they should freeze their eggs for a future pregnancy.

The age at which a woman can no longer conceive varies from person to person. About one-third of couples will have trouble getting pregnant if the female is 35 or older, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Low levels of anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) and high levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) are considered indicators of low "ovarian reserve," meaning that a woman has fewer available eggs. That has fueled women's interest in having blood and urine tests done during annual checkups to monitor their fertility. It's also fueled a market for over-the-counter urine tests that measure FHS.

Consumers may pay well over $100 for FSH testing, depending on where the test is performed and other variables, according to Healthcare Bluebook, which tracks health care cost and quality data. That doesn't include the cost of the physician office visit. A "fair price" is about $49, according to the company's consumer website.

Blood collection and analysis can run from $80 to about $200, Steiner estimated.

Do-it-yourself test kits also are available. One online retailer listed two urine test sticks for $20.

But do blood and urine tests provide an accurate window into a woman's ability to conceive?

To find out, Steiner and her colleagues recruited women 30 to 44 years old with no known history or risk factors for infertility who were just starting to try to get pregnant. The investigators took their blood and urine samples and followed them for a year to see whether the women conceived.

As expected, AMH levels decreased and FSH levels increased with age. But after accounting for age, women with low ovarian reserve were just as likely to get pregnant as were those with normal values.

Thomas Price, a Duke University obstetrician/gynecologist and president of the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility, said that "these tests are very good at predicting how many eggs a woman is going to make with injectable fertility drugs."

But, Steiner added, these tests cannot be recommended as a predictor of natural pregnancy.

"Age should really be the driver in their reproductive plans, not these biomarker values," she said.

Trump Threatens N.F.L. and Attacks Jemele Hill

WASHINGTON — President Trump threatened on Tuesday to use federal tax law to penalize the National Football League over players who kneel in protest during the national anthem as he sought to escalate a political fight that has resonated with his conservative base.

In one of a series of combative early morning tweets, Mr. Trump said that Congress should eliminate a law that has allowed the N.F.L. central office to avoid paying taxes as a nonprofit entity. “Why is the N.F.L. getting massive tax breaks while at the same time disre
specting our Anthem, Flag and Country?” he wrote. “Change tax law!”

The tax break for the N.F.L. has been a point of controversy for years, and other conservatives have taken up the cause in recent weeks as the president has repeatedly assailed the league over the player protests. But the idea would be more about symbolism than impact. The tax break applies only to the central office, not the teams, which already pay taxes as for-profit organizations, and the N.F.L. voluntarily gave up the tax exemption for its league office in 2015.

The latest blast against the league was only one of several topics the president addressed on Twitter on Tuesday morning. He attacked Congress for rejecting his plans on health care, Democrats for their stance on immigration legislation and the ESPN sports network for a commentator who criticized him.

Among his targets, Mr. Trump focused his fire again on Jemele Hill, the “SportsCenter” host on ESPN who previously called the president a white supremacist. Ms. Hill was suspended on Monday for suggesting that fans boycott advertisers of the Dallas Cowboys after the team owner, Jerry Jones, threatened to bench players who kneeled during the national anthem.

“With Jemele Hill at the mike, it is no wonder ESPN ratings have ‘tanked,’ in fact, tanked so badly it is the talk of the industry!” Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter.

In a magazine interview released on Tuesday morning, he also challenged his own secretary of state to an I.Q. contest.

Speaking with Forbes magazine, Mr. Trump was asked about reports that Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson called him a “moron.” Mr. Trump said he was smarter than Mr. Tillerson. “I think it’s fake news,” he said. “But if he did that, I guess we’ll have to compare I.Q. tests. And I can tell you who is going to win.”

Mr. Tillerson held an extraordinary news conference last week to deny reports that he had considered resigning but did not deny the “moron” comment. He later had a spokeswoman tell reporters he had not said that, but within the White House it is widely assumed that he did. Mr. Trump is scheduled to have lunch with Mr. Tillerson on Tuesday at the White House, along with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

In his string of Twitter messages on Tuesday morning, Mr. Trump foreshadowed again his plan to sign an executive order on Thursday intended to make it easier for some Americans to purchase less expensive health insurance. “Since Congress can’t get its act together on HealthCare, I will be using the power of the pen to give great HealthCare to many people - FAST,” he wrote.

He also accused the Democrats — with whom he has been trying to negotiate an immigration deal — of being soft on border security. “The problem with agreeing to a policy on immigration is that the Democrats don’t want secure borders, they don’t care about safety for U.S.A.,” he wrote.

Mr. Trump this week demanded that Democrats agree to a series of hard-line immigration enforcement measures, including construction of his oft-promised wall along the Mexican border, in exchange for legislation protecting younger immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. Democratic leaders called the demands unacceptable.

The president continued to be animated by his fight with the sports world. He has enthusiastically kept up his attacks on the N.F.L., with which he has a long history of antagonism. A onetime owner of the New Jersey Generals in the upstart United States Football League, Mr. Trump persuaded other owners to sue the N.F.L. using antitrust law. The U.S.F.L. won the suit on the law but the jury awarded only $1 in damages — tripled to $3 by law — and Mr. Trump’s league ultimately folded.

The N.F.L.’s tax exemption has long been controversial. The league’s 32 teams are for-profit businesses that pay taxes accordingly, but the central office was set up as a nonprofit organization. In response to the criticism, the league in 2015 voluntarily gave up its tax-exempt status because of what it called the “distraction.”

It is not clear that it cost the league much money. While the league as a whole generates billions of dollars in revenue a year, the league office ran a small deficit of $13.5 million in the fiscal year that ended a year before the decision to give up the tax-exempt status. But the change meant the league no longer had to disclose what it paid its commissioner, Roger Goodell.

Last month, after the kneeling controversy erupted, a Republican congressman, Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida, introduced legislation stripping professional sports leagues of tax-exempt status, an idea that has been proposed on Capitol Hill for years.

As part of his campaign against sports figures who have criticized him, the president on Tuesday will host the champions of another sport, the National Hockey League, at the White House. He invited the Stanley Cup winning Pittsburgh Penguins a day after disinviting the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association because its star, Stephen Curry, said he would vote against attending.

Death, damage tolls likely to rise as California burns

NAPA, Calif. — A cluster of devastating wildfires that have killed at least 10 people and destroyed more than 1,500 homes and businesses raged virtually unchecked across the state's treasured wine country for a third day Tuesday.

Tens of thousands of Californians fled their homes, many of them holing up in shelters as chaos amid the fast-spreading blazes prompted more than 100 missing persons reports in neighboring Sonoma County alone.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said the string of fires ignited Sunday and Monday, burning more than 73,000 acres by Monday night. The most damaging is the Tubbs Fire, a 27,000-acre inferno responsible for most of the deaths and destruction.

"It's not under control by any means," Gov. Jerry Brown said. "We're on it the best way we know how."

More than 100 people have been injured in the blazes, and authorities say they expect the death, injury and damage tolls to rise. Many neighborhoods swallowed up by the flames have yet to be reached by firefighters or evacuated residents. 

Former San Francisco Giants pitcher Noah Lowry runs an outdoor sports store in Santa Rosa. He, his wife and their 2-week-old baby were forced to flee the hard-charging flames.

“I can’t shake hearing people scream in terror as the flames barreled down on us,” Lowry said.

More: Napa, Sonoma wine country charred by devastating wildfires

Monday night about half of this wine country town was dark from power outages caused by the more than a dozen wildfires burning in the area, though MacLiesh's street still had light. "I just keep listening to the radio and waiting to see if we have to go," she said.


She was one of tens of thousands on edge, waiting to see where the fires that have caused devastation across the oak-and vine-dotted hills of the area north of San Francisco.

he wind-whipped fires came up seemingly out of nowhere in the early hours of Monday morning, rousting thousands out of their beds to flee down country roads, away from the swirling smoke and flames that engulfed entire blocks at a time, fueled by the hot, dry Santa Ana winds.

More than 1,500 homes and businesses burned Monday and more were burning overnight, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Millions of Americans have visited the wine country and the hundreds of vineyards and wineries in Napa and Sonoma counties. Driving through the area on Monday was nothing like a vacation, however.

The smell of smoke was heavy even coming up from Sausalito in Marin county. Once in Sonoma, entire hillsides were black from the grass fires that have swept the area, though cows continued to graze on the small patches of unburned grass.

Burned-out structures were clearly visible from the road, some with charred boards still smoking. On the hillsides, scorched and blackened vineyards, worth as much as $400,000 per acre, were interspersed with untouched areas.

In nearby towns including Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park, hundreds of homes were utterly destroyed in the fires that in some areas continued to burn uncontrolled.