No discrimination against Asian students
The Federal Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights says there is no evidence that Princeton University discriminates against Asian and Asian-American applicants. One claim has come from a student originally from China who was wait-listed in 2006, while, they said, applicants of with similar credentials were accepted. The other is from the parents of a student of Indian descent who was rejected in 2010, who have asserted the university discriminated generally against Asian and Indian applicants. The Office found that that the university uses race and national origin in its admissions considerations as two of many factors, but that the university did not subject members of any group to different admissions standards than others. The university says that having perfect SAT scores and being valedictorian of a high school class does not guarantee admission to the school.
Attempted murder charges
Lassiter is charged with trying to drown his two young daughters. Lassiter had flagged down passers-by at the Audubon Lake apartments saying his seven-year-old son had been kidnapped and needed help finding him. Later Lassiter tells a 911 operator and the apartments manager, that he had drowned his three and five year old daughters. However, he is mistaken — the girls survive after being pulled from the water by Durham County Sheriff’s Deputy Earp, who lives nearby. Police say the boy had escaped and run for help. Police:
As the deputy retrieved the girls, Lassiter was standing nearby smoking a cigarette. He became distraught, wailed ‘What have I done?’ and started to cry.
Lassiter says he tried to drown the children because officials had wanted to take away his children as he dealt with a personal problem. He is charged with three counts of attempted murder and is jailed, with bond set at two million dollars.
President reinstated
Interim President Kafando is formally reinstated a week after the military takeover. Gen Diendere says the guard has return to barracks after signing a deal with the regular army to hand back power. Diendere did not attend the transfer of power ceremony.
[I take] full responsibility [for the coup and I am] not afraid to face justice. I am happy that we avoided confrontation…It had been “the biggest mistake. We knew the people were not in favor of it. That is why we have given up. waste of time and resources… and human lives were lost.
Peace breakthrough
President Santos and leaders of FARC vow to end Latin America’s longest running armed conflict in the coming months after reaching a breakthrough in talks that puts the country closer to peace than it has been in half a century. Both sides have set a six-month deadline to sign a final agreement. After that, the group will demobilize within 60 days. In a joint statement, Santos and the FARC rebels say they have overcome the last significant obstacle to a peace deal by settling on a formula to punish human rights abuses committed during about 50 years of fighting. The formula is designed to demand accountability from belligerents while insulating a deal against possible legal challenges from victims. Santos and Timoshenko shake hands. Santos:
We are on different sides but today we advance in the same direction, in the most noble direction a society can take, which is toward peace.
U.S. Secretary of State Kerry says:
Peace is now ever closer for the Colombian people and millions of conflict victims.
Polio scare
Ukrainian health officials fear a major polio outbreak, after it is announced that the disease has paralyzed two children in the south-western region of Trans-Carpathia. Many Ukrainian children are not vaccinated, and less than 14% of one year children have been immunized against polio. Officials have launched a national immunization campaign that will embrace all children up to ten years old. Parent:
The vaccinations are much more dangerous than the illnesses that they treat. Nobody knows how the vaccines were stored or if the expiration dates were changed.
Health experts say anti-immunization activists and parents, some of whom include local doctors, are flat-out wrong, and that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the vaccines used in Ukraine:
(They believe) that a child should build up his or her immunity in a natural environment, that the immune system should work itself out by being exposed to illnesses. They don’t understand how serious these diseases are.
FDA to re-examine
The FDA says it will hold a meeting on September 24 to re-examine the safety of Essure, a birth-control method that was approved in 2002. Essure is marketed as the only permanent birth control method that does not require surgery. While Bayer has acknowledged side effects including pelvic pain, migration of the device or rash, women have said they have experienced other unlisted side effects.
FDA:
Over the past several years, the Agency met with patients and patient advocates to better understand patient issues and experiences after Essure placement. We will continue to work with these individuals as we continue our efforts to better understand their experiences with this device.
Bayer says it appreciates the opportunity to discuss the matter with the FDA.
While there are risks with all medical devices and procedures, our highest priority is patient safety, and we sympathize greatly with any woman who has experienced problems with Essure.
Pardoned
Fahmy, Baher, and Greste are pardoned, along with other human rights activists, by Egypt’s President Sisi. Fahmy:
[I still] can’t believe it. [Baher and I] have not digested the fact that we are free [yet].
Canadian officials say will help Fahmy with his departure from Egypt:
Canada is pleased that Egyptian President el-Sisi has granted Mr. Fahmy a pardon. We look forward to Mr. Fahmy reuniting with his family and loved ones, and his return to Canada.
Richard G. Scott dies age 86
Scott dies at the age of 86. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says he died of natural causes at his home in Salt Lake City surrounded by his family. Scott had been a member of a church governing body called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for the last 27 years. He is the third top member of the quorum to die this year, leaving three vacancies on the quorum for the first time in more than a century. Quorum president Boyd K. Packer died mid this year from natural causes, and quorum member L. Tom Perry died early this year from cancer. Replacements for the trio are expected to be named in the coming months.
Yogi Berra dies age 90
The Yogi Berra Museum announces Berra has died at the age of 90. Family statement:
While we mourn the loss of our father, grandfather and great-grandfather, we know he is at peace with Mom. We celebrate his remarkable life, and are thankful he meant so much to so many. He will truly be missed.
Bill Myers killed age 64
Dixon Smith fatally shoots Myers, a Florida sheriff’s deputy, several times from behind after being served a domestic violence injunction. The order being served by Myers was to bar Smith from possessing firearms. Myers is walking to Smith’s car to retrieve some weapons when Smith pulls out a concealed gun and begins shooting. Smith flees to a nearby Comfort Inn about nine miles away in Niceville, where he barricades himself in a room. When a special response team fired tear gas into the room, Smith charges out with a weapon and is fatally shot.
Copyright not valid
Judge King rules that none of the companies that have collected royalties on Happy Birthday for the past 80 years have a valid copyright claim. The case was brought by Marya and Siegel, against Warner/Chappell, who make around two million dollars a year from royalty payments whenever the song is used. King:
The Hill sisters gave Summy Co. the rights to the melody, and the rights to piano arrangements based on the melody, but never any rights to the lyrics. Summy Co. had never acquired copyright to the song’s words.
Warner/Chappell:
We are looking at the court’s lengthy opinion and considering our options.
Admits dishonesty with regulators and public
VW U.S. President and CEO Horn admits to the emissions scandal at an event in Brooklyn, New York:
Our company was dishonest, with the EPA and the California Air Resources Borad, and with all of you. And, and . and in our German words, we have totally screwed up. We must fix the cars to prevent this from ever happening again, and we have to make things right, with the Government, The public, our customer, our employees, and also, very important, with our dealers. This kind of behavior is totally inconsistent with our qualities. We are committed to do what must be done and to begin to restore your trust. We will pay what we have to pay.
Volkswagen could face a fine of up to $18 billion (£11.6 billion), criminal charges for its executives, and legal action from customers and shareholders. The US Department of Justice is likely to conduct a criminal investigation.
Formally arrested
Phan-Gillis is formally arrested, after being held for six months accused of stealing state secrets. He husband said he decided to go public about her circumstances ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the U.S. Her family deny the allegations. The US government has not commented. China’s Foreign Ministry confirms Phan-Gillis is under investigation.
Mrs Phan-Gillis is suspected of carrying out activities endangering national security, and is currently being investigated by relevant departments. We hope that the outside world will respect China’s handling of this case according to law.
Houses demolished
Egypt demolishes more than 3,255 homes and other buildings in the Sinai peninsula. Troops are razing homes along the Gaza border to create a “buffer zone” and eliminate smuggling tunnels, after a surge in attacks by militants. According to the Egyptian government affected residents supported the demolitions. Human Rights Watch alleges that those evicted are given little or no warning, no temporary housing and inadequate compensation.
Tourists kidnapped
Two Canadians (Ridsel and Hall), a Norwegian (Sekkingstad) and a local woman are kidnapped by gunmen from Holiday Ocean View Resort on Samal Island, southern Philippines. Two Japanese tourists try to intervene to prevent the kidnapping, which takes place shortly before midnight. The Filipino woman has not been identified, but she is said to be the partner of one of the kidnapped Canadians. Police say a naval blockade is being set up around the island to stop kidnappers from reaching another island.
Car bombing
A car bomb explodes at the gate of Somalia’s presidential palace, in the capital Mogadishu, killing at least seven people and injuring ten. A conference debating Somalia’s 2016 elections had just ended in the compound. Presidential guards and a Turkish national are believed to be among the dead. It is not yet known who carried out the attack but the Islamist group Al-Shabab has targeted the palace before. Government spokesman:
The majority of the dead and injured were civilians.
Malware discovered
Security firm Palo Alto Networks discovers that login names and passwords for more than 225,000 Apple accounts were stolen by cyber-thieves in China. Apple says hackers embedded malicious code into the App Store by persuading developers to use a counterfeit version of the firm’s own software. The program, dubbed KeyRaider, allows hackers to collect data from jailbroken devices.
We’ve removed the apps from the App Store that we know have been created with this counterfeit software. We are working with the developers to make sure they’re using the proper version of Xcode to rebuild their apps.
Not guilty plea
Gonzalez pleads not guilty in the kidnapping and killing of Middleton. Police say Gonzalez lured Middleton into his family’s apartment, sexually assaulted her and strangled and stabbed her in the neck. Her body was discovered inside a recycling bin. If found guilty of all counts, Gonzalez faces a maximum of life in prison.
Jake Brewer killed age 34
Brewer is killed while taking part in the 150-mile Ride to Conquer Cancer event. He loses control of his bike and is hit by a vehicle. His wife posts the news of the death:
https://instagram.com/p/72w1ySiwI3/
Hanging delayed
Basit’s execution is postponed after a magistrate says he cannot be hanged in compliance with the jail manual, which says that a prisoner must stand on the gallows. Rights groups have said that hanging a handicapped person would constitute cruel and degrading treatment. he remains on death row. Justice Project Pakistan:
[The] jail manual only provides for hanging as a method of execution, and lays down methods to calculate the right length of rope to ensure that hanging does not lead to protracted strangulation. The rules presume that the convict [can] walk up to the gallows, which is not possible in Basit’s case.