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Employers can now deny covering birth control on their employees insurance due to religion or morals.

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The rules would let a broad range of employers -- including nonprofits, private firms and publicly traded companies -- stop offering free contraceptives through their health insurance plans if they have a "sincerely held religious or moral objection," senior agency officials said on a call about the implementation and enforcement of the new rules.

This could apply to the roughly 200 entities that have participated in about 50 lawsuits over birth control coverage, according to the agency, which said that "99.9% of women" who currently receive birth control through the contraceptive mandate would not be affected. At the time of the call, it was unclear how the administration arrived at this data point.

But policy experts argue that this could open the door to hundreds of employers dropping coverage.

This is the latest in a series of moves that undermine an Obamacare mandate requiring that birth control be covered with no co-pay as a preventive essential health benefit.

Over 55 million US women have birth control coverage with zero out-of-pocket costs, according to the National Women's Law Center. The mandate saved women an estimated $1.4 billion on birth control pills alone in 2013, according to the center.

"There is no way to know how many women will be affected," said Alina Salganicoff, director of women's health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on health policy research and communications.

"HHS leaders under the current administration are focused on turning back the clock on women's health," Dr. Haywood L. Brown, president of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said in a statement. "Reducing access to contraceptive coverage threatens to reverse the tremendous progress our nation has made in recent years in lowering the unintended pregnancy rate."

Brown said that weakening contraception coverage could also take a toll on maternal mortality, community health and economic stability of women and families.

The move comes more than three years after the US Supreme Court ruled that "closely held corporations" -- in that case, Hobby Lobby -- could be exempt from providing certain kinds of birth control to their employees.

What has been a limited exemption for churches and religious organizations now broadens to include a number of nonprofit and for-profit organizations that object to contraceptive coverage on religious and moral grounds.

The latest announcement builds upon an executive order in May claiming "to protect and vigorously promote religious liberty" by providing "regulatory relief" for organizations that object on religious grounds to Obamacare coverage requirements for certain health services, including contraception.

"We will never, ever stand for religious discrimination. Never, ever," President Donald Trump said at the time.

This is a developing story.

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birth control: major blow to obamacare mandate - cnn

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Michael Nedelman, Tami Luhby, MJ Lee and Laura Jarrett, CNN

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Major blow to Obamacare birth control mandate

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The rules would let a broad range of employers -- including nonprofits, private firms and publicly traded companies -- stop offering free contraceptives through their health insurance plans if they have a "sincerely held religious or moral objection," senior agency officials said on a call about the implementation and enforcement of the new rules.

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Raina Nash- Recently there have been things in the news about standing for the pledge. In American you have the right to sit for the pledge. A Louisiana High School decided other wise by saying if any student sits during the pledge or national anthem will have to deal with face punishments  from the school.

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Raina Nash- Recently there have been things in the news about standing for the pledge. In American you have the right to sit for the pledge. A Louisiana High School decided other wise by saying if any student sits during the pledge or national anthem will have to deal with face punishments  from the school.

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In light of comments made by President Trump last Friday and the actions of NFL players, coaches and owners on Sunday prior to week three's slate of games, the topic of standing for the National Anthem has become a controversial and highly-contested one. The President has continued to bang the drum that everyone should stand and honor the flag and the anthem. If they don't, he firmly believes they should face punishment. This belief has been met with criticism from free-speech activists who say it's well within a player or coaches right to take a knee during the anthem if they so choose.

The NFL has all sorts of rules and regulations. The only way out for them is to set a rule that you can't kneel during our National Anthem!

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017

Now it seems as if a high school in Louisiana is following the President's lead. A letter sent out to student-athletes of Parkway High School in Bossier City, Louisiana on Thursday was discovered by Shaun King of The Intercept and in it, the school's principal, Waylon Bates, announced that all of the school's athletes would be required to stand for the anthem.

Citing rules outlined by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) that grant principals of schools the power "to make decisions regarding student participation in the National Anthem while competing in athletic contests and games," Bates said that failure "to stand in a respectful manner" while the anthem plays would result in loss of playing time or in some cases, being removed from the team.

The announcement by Bates comes on the heels of Bossier Schools Superintendent Scott Smith saying on Wednesday that he expects student-athletes to stand for the anthem.

"It is a choice for students to participate in extracurricular activities, not a right, and we at Bossier Schools feel strongly that our teams and organizations should stand in unity to honor our nation's military and veterans," Smith said in a statement.

Parkway High School is one of seven high schools in the Bossier School system, located outside of Shreveport. In his statement, Smith handed off discipline powers for those caught not standing for the anthem over to the individual schools, a move that falls in line with the policy of the LHSAA, which was made clear following Colin Kaepernick's decision to take a knee during the anthem throughout the 2016 NFL season.

"The LHSAA is a principal's organization whereas in these situations the LHSAA Rules and Regulations do not take precedence," the release said in 2016. "Therefore, any/all decisions related to individuals and/or teams expressions exhibited during any pre-event national anthem at a LHSAA regular season and/or postseason game, match, meet or contest, will be determined by each individual member school and/or member school's school district."

King tweeted the photo of the letter to the American Civil Liberties Union's Twitter account, asking if the move to discipline students for not standing was even legal.

This story definitely seems to be far from over.

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Louisiana High School Makes It A Rule That Student-Athletes Stand for the Anthem

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In light of comments made by President Trump last Friday and the actions of NFL players, coaches and owners on Sunday prior to week three's slate of games, the topic of standing for the National Anthem has become a controversial and highly-contested one.

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New style for NBA all-star game from lack of play and disgust from fans

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It's difficult to pinpoint exactly when the NBA All-Star Game became an unwatchable bore-fest.

Was it the 2015 version that went over like a lead balloon at Madison Square Garden, piercing the nation's weary eyeballs with 133 gratuitous three-point attempts?

Was it the following year in Toronto, where not even Kobe Bryant's All-Star swan song could save an otherwise pointless exercise in basketball butchery?

According to an executive within the league who was privy to the meetings that culminated in Tuesday's announcement of significant changes to the All-Star format, the most recent event in New Orleans was actually the last straw.

And golden boy Steph Curry was the culprit.

For those involved in the process, Curry's hitting the deck and covering his ears on Giannis Antetokounmpo's fast-break dunk-instead of, you know, playing defense-was the tipping point. Yet if National Basketball Players Association president and nine-time All-Star Chris Paul wasn't injured and watching the game at home on TV, the All-Star fiasco may not have been fixed.

"For the first time, he actually just sat at home and watched it like a fan would watch it," a person close to Paul told Bleacher Report. "I got the sense that he thought what everybody else thought; there's very little competition. He's an ultra-competitive guy. ... I think he viewed it from a different perspective and was like, 'Holy crap, we've got to do something.'"

The morning after the West's 192-182 "victory" over the East in New Orleans, Paul called NBA commissioner Adam Silver and told him, "We have to fix this."

Not only did Silver agree, he was elated.

"It was almost a relief," a person familiar with Silver's thinking told B/R. "It was like, 'Thank God, they feel this way, too.'"

"They," in this context, are the players. While the changes unveiled Tuesday-team captains will now draft their teams from the pool of 24 All-Stars, instead of pitting East vs. West-were paramount to fixing an unwatchable event, they also speak to a larger issue.

The players run the NBA. Now, they run the All-Star Game, too.

But rather than becoming an issue that could sour the labor peace the league currently enjoys, Paul's epiphany resulted in a win-win for Silver and NBPA executive director Michele Roberts. Instead of being in the position of trying to force unwanted changes on the players, Silver found himself playing the role of a willing accomplice for a call to action that came straight from the top of the union leadership.

"There's no question that NBA players have more of a power base than most other leagues," an executive within the league told B/R. "But this isn't one where the NBA had to do a whole lot of arm-twisting. This is one I think we all agreed on."

Once Paul got the ball rolling, the discussion was steered chiefly by Silver and Roberts, who had touched on the issue during bargaining sessions in the past but never got down to the details, league sources said. The third driver of change was none other than Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan, who flexed his muscle because, well, he's Michael Jordan, but also because he's the chairman of the league's labor relations committee.

"Michael was heavily involved," said one of the people familiar with the meetings.

Gone is the long-held tradition where 12 All-Stars from the East face 12 All-Stars from the West. (If you think about it, there was never anything sacred or meaningful behind that approach anyway.) The voting and representatives of each conference won't change, but the twist is that the top vote-getters in each conference will choose up sides.

Plenty of details and logistics are still to be decided. Who gets the first pick? Will it be a standard draft or serpentine style (whomever doesn't have the first pick gets the next two)?

Will the entire draft be televised? On one hand, it would be a marketing bonanza for the league. On the other, NBA players do not like to be shown up. Is there a way to capitalize on the commercial interest without embarrassing the last player chosen?

Finally, assuming LeBron James, per usual, will be the top vote-getter in the East, will he be subject to speculation and unwanted storylines based on his picks? What if he chooses Draymond Green over teammate Kevin Love? And can you imagine if he picks prospective free agent Paul George, who has long been linked to the Lakers? Consider the All-Star Game overshadowed by a newly fueled "LeBron-to-the-Lakers" frenzy.

One issue that has been resolved, though the details are still being discussed, is that the starters voted in by the fans and media will remain so. The easiest way to ensure that is to force the captains to choose among the other eight starters with their first four picks.

However it all plays out, don't be fooled into thinking this was any kind of orchestrated effort to address the East-West talent imbalance. Nothing short of realignment will fix that. And as typically is the case under Silver's leadership, he was open to change on this issue but was only willing to take it so far.

The All-Star changes speak more to a power base among NBA stars that has never been greater. If making the All-Star Game an event worthy of celebration again is the end result, everybody wins.

Will it work? Will we ever see an All-Star Game as competitive as the one in 1998, when Jordan dueled Kobe at Madison Square Garden?

The truth is, nobody knows. But at least the players are now invested in the outcome and in the product-as opposed to their own gratuitous highlights.

"These are guys who get mad at each other when they're running through plays in a shootaround," the executive within the league said. "They're extremely competitive. So it seemed odd to me that they'd get in front of 20,000 people and millions on TV, and all they cared about was dunks and three-pointers."

Hopefully, mercifully, those days are over.
Ken Berger covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @KBergNBA.

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Disgust with All-Star Game Pushed Chris Paul, Michael Jordan to Demand Change

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It's difficult to pinpoint exactly when the NBA All-Star Game became an unwatchable bore-fest. Was it the 2015 version that went over like a lead balloon at Madison Square Garden, piercing the nation's weary eyeballs with 133 gratuitous three-point attempts?

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New Orleans braces for Tropical Storm Nate as it heads towards Louisiana. Tropical Storm Nate is 50 miles East of New Orleans. The storm is supposedly headed for the gulf coast this weekend.

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The hurricane has sustained winds of 75 mph and is located 495 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River, in the southern Gulf of Mexico.

States from Louisiana to Florida were bracing Friday for Nate, forecast to pound the Gulf Coast this weekend.

A hurricane warning extends from New Orleans to Lake Pontchartrain and Grand Island, Louisiana, eastward to the Alabama-Florida border.

The storm is expected to make landfall by Sunday east of New Orleans, which was devastated 12 years ago by Hurricane Katrina. It would be the third hurricane, after Harvey and Irma, to hit the US mainland in six weeks.

A storm surge warning was put in place from Morgan City to the western part of the Florida Panhandle, as well as along the northern and western shores of Lake Pontchartrain.

"Residents in these areas should heed any evacuation instructions given by local officials," the hurricane center said.

Nate killed at least 24 people as it passed Thursday over Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras, where it caused widespread flash flooding and mudslides, officials said.

The storm was forecast to gain strength as it moved across the Gulf of Mexico Friday night into Saturday and become a hurricane by the time it reaches the northern Gulf Coast, the hurricane center said.

New Orleans gearing up

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu ordered a mandatory evacuation of the Venetian Isles, Lake Catherine and Irish Bayou areas of the city after having already declared a state of emergency Thursday.

"We remain focused on vulnerabilities in Venetian Isles, Lake Catherine and Irish Bayou because these areas are outside of the levee system, and because one of the greatest threats to this storm is not necessarily interior rain, but storm surge. It is a serious concern to us," Landrieu said Friday. "The projections are that we could see six to nine feet of surge."

He said residents must evacuate by 12 p.m. (1 p.m. ET) Saturday, when the nearby flood gates will be closed. The New Orleans Fire Department and Neighborhood Engagement Office will be conducting outreach through Saturday to coordinate the evacuation effort, he added.

With the majority of the storm's impact and storm surge expected to occur overnight, Landrieu also announced a mandatory curfew will take effect Saturday at 6 p.m. and end Sunday morning. In preparation for overnight flooding, he said the city's police department will put up barricades and close underpasses once the curfew is in effect.

"If we all stay informed, if we all stay alert, if we all stay prepared, ultimately, we will all be safe, which is our No. 1 priority," Landrieu said.

Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency for all of Louisiana. The storm will "make landfall in the close vicinity of New Orleans," the proclamation noted, adding that six parishes have declared emergencies and others would do so soon.

New Orleans, much of which lies below sea level, was gearing up for a hit, and Landrieu urged people who live "outside the city's levee protection system or in low-lying area" to seek higher ground.

Residents have been wary since the city's unique drainage system experienced critical deficiencies during heavy summer rainstorms, leading to the flooding of several hundred properties.

Of the city's 120 main drainage pumps, three major and nine smaller ones were offline Thursday night, city records show. Also, all 24 major pump stations had backup generators, records show, as only three of five turbines that help power the city's oldest, most powerful pumps were available for service, a city water utility spokeswoman told CNN.

"Residents who live inside the levee system should prepare to take shelter with essential supplies including food, water and medications," the mayor said Thursday.

Edwards authorized 1,300 National Guard troops to mobilize ahead of the storm, with some headed to New Orleans to help monitor the pumps, he said.

Storm to move through quickly

Nate would be the first hurricane to hit Louisiana since Hurricane Isaac in 2012 as a Category 1 storm.

"It will still be fairly strong when it makes landfall, but it will be a quicker moving storm than the last few we have had," CNN meteorologist Haley Brink said. "It's supposed to be in and out pretty quickly."

The storm could drop 3 to 6 inches of rain, with 10 inches possible in some areas, from the central Gulf Coast north through Tennessee and the southern Appalachians through the weekend, possibly spawning flash floods, the hurricane center said.

The last hurricane to hit the Louisiana-Mississippi-Alabama region in October was Hurricane Lili in 2002. The last time three hurricanes hit the mainland in the same year was 2008, when Dolly, Gustav and Ike came through.

Gulf Coast states prepare

Hurricane, tropical storm and storm surge watches were issued late Friday from Florida's border with Alabama east as far as Indian Pass, the hurricane center said. The tropical storm watch was later expanded to include most of Central Alabama and several counties in northwest Georgia, according to local National Weather Service offices.

With parts of Florida still reeling from Hurricane Irma, Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency for 29 counties.

"Based on the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center, (Tropical Storm Nate) will continue in the Gulf of Mexico and we expect it to become a hurricane and bring severe weather to the Florida panhandle this weekend," Scott said Friday. "To be clear, Florida is now in the cone."

He told residents to anticipate evacuation zones, warning that bridges will close once wind speeds get to 30-40 miles per hour and people won't be able to evacuate.

"In Florida, we know to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best, but we don't take any chances," Scott said, urging people to get their medications and have three days of food and water. "Please stock up on supplies today, the storm is ... fast-moving."

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said in a news conference the state was well-prepared for Nate.

Bryant said he had signed an emergency order for a state of emergency in six southern counties.

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency director Lee Smithson said residents should "ride out the storm in the safest place possible" and listen to any evacuation orders.

"We can see a storm surge of up to 10 feet, tornadoes, inland flooding and flooding of low-lying areas. This storm will impact the entire Mississippi Gulf Coast," he said.

Smithson said people needed to prepare for winds of 80 mph, "widespread power outages and be prepared to be on your own for 72 hours with no electricity, no running water, no stores open for food."

In Alabama, a statewide emergency declaration signed by Gov. Kay Ivey went into effect Friday morning. The move "frees up personnel and resources in case there is a need to respond to any storm related activity."

Mayor Sandy Stimpson of Mobile, Alabama, warned residents Friday about storm surge.

"We encourage citizens in low-lying areas to pay special attention to newscasts," he said at a news conference. "There is a projected 4- to 7-(foot) storm surge. It will happen to coincide with high tide, which will give you additional water levels."

Mobile officials were checking storm drains for debris, taking measures to avert power outages and deploying critical equipment. Shelters were prepared to open, if necessary, Stimpson said.

"Don't wait 'til Saturday after dark to decide what you have to do in case things with the storm change," he said.

Deadly storm slams Central America

Of the 24 dead in Nate's passage through Central America, 12 died in Nicaragua, 10 in Costa Rica and two in Honduras, officials said. Several people also were reported missing after the storm hit.

Hundreds were rescued from floodwaters, and many lost power and running water in Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica, officials said.

The main threat for Central America was heavy rainfall, which triggered life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides.

Costa Rica President Luis Guillermo Solis declared a national state of emergency to assist those affected by the storm.

Rain was expected through Friday night in parts of Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama and Belize, forecasters said.
This story has been updated to reflect the latest death toll from authorities.

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hurricane nate heads to us gulf coast - cnn

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The hurricane has sustained winds of 75 mph and is located 495 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River, in the southern Gulf of Mexico. States from Louisiana to Florida were bracing Friday for Nate, forecast to pound the Gulf Coast this weekend.

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Netflix is raising its prices

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Netflix is squeezing a bit more out of its customers.

The company is raising the prices on its standard and premium streaming subscription services.

The standard service, which allows customers to stream shows and movies in HD on up to two screens at once, is now priced at $10.99 monthly, up from $9.99. The premium service, which provides viewing on up to four screens (plus ultra HD content access), is $13.99, up from $11.99.

The basic service, which enables Netflix streaming on one screen and doesn't allow for HD or ultra HD viewing, will remain at $7.99.

Related: Why we started companies here

But the price change, first reported by Mashable, won't impact existing members yet.

According to a Netflix spokesperson, users will be notified of the new prices based on their billing cycle and will get 30 days notice before the changes takes effect. Netflix will begin notifying members of the change on October 19.

The price increase for new customers in the U.S. became effective on Thursday.

Related: Netflix wants to make it easier to binge-watch on planes

"From time to time, Netflix plans and pricing are adjusted as we add more exclusive TV shows and movies, introduce new product features and improve the overall Netflix experience to help members find something great to watch even faster," the company said in a statement.

The increases come as the company pours more money into developing original programming. The company has committed $15.7 billion to streaming content deals -- with $6 billion earmarked for 2017 alone.

Last year, Netflix raised its standard HD plan to $9.99 per month, up from $8.99.

Netflix has treaded lightly with price increases since 2011, when it suddenly hiked prices 60% for streaming and DVD-by-mail subscribers.

CNNMoney (New York) First published October 5, 2017: 11:58 AM ET

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The company is raising the prices on its standard and premium streaming subscription services. The standard service, which allows customers to stream shows and movies in HD on up to two screens at once, is now priced at $10.99 monthly, up from $9.99.

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The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons receives the Noble Peace Prize.

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Las Vegas shooter Stephan Paddock, attempted to buy tracer ammunition. But the Vendor did not have any to sell

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Las Vegas police: Security responded to door alarm, drew fire from killer | CNN

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An open door a few rooms away from the Las Vegas suite of the man who was gunning down concertgoers at a music festival set off an alarm that prompted a response from a security guard, Clark County Undersheriff Kevin C. McMahill said Friday.

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A woman from South Carolina was startled when she found that the yoga mat she bought didn't come close to her need. In turn, she was greeted to package containing $400,000 worth bag of oxycodone pills. She immediately reported it to the police. Drug agents of York County say that the box was shipped from Newport Beach, California. An the pills have been taken as evidence as they investigate further.

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That's not what she ordered.

A South Carolina woman was shocked when she opened up a package she received in the mail to find it contained a large bag of illegal drugs.

The Rock Hill woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she met her mail carrier outside her home expecting to receive the yoga mat she had ordered.

Instead, the woman was handed a heavy box and a bag of pills, which had spilled out of the package, ABC reports.

Handcuffed man who jumped off Bronx highway busted with oxycodone

According to WSOCTV, the box contained roughly 20,000 oxycodone pills worth an estimated $400,000.

The woman said she immediately called police.

(WSOC-TV)

York County drug agents told the outlet that the box was shipped from Newport Beach, California.

Drug unit commander Marvin Brown said that the drugs are usually shipped to "vacant apartments [and] homes where people have gone to work for the day."

Police seize 677 pounds of drugs after domestic disturbance call

He said the pickup person waits outside the home to accept the package.

Brown said he thinks whoever mailed the box most likely meant to send it to the woman's old address because no one is living there.

However, the street was misspelled on the package so the post office found the woman's current address and forwarded it to her.

"The dealers weren't as intelligent as they thought they were," he said.

N.J. mailman had undelivered mail, drug paraphernalia: cops

The pills have all been taken into evidence by the Rock Hill Police Department. The narcotics team said it will try and trace the package to find out who sent it and who was supposed to receive it.
Send a Letter to the Editor

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Woman orders yoga mat, receives $400K worth of drugs instead

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That's not what she ordered. A South Carolina woman was shocked when she opened up a package she received in the mail to find it contained a large bag of illegal drugs. The Rock Hill woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she met her mail carrier outside her home expecting to receive the yoga mat she had ordered.

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New Orleans and states from Louisiana to Florida took cover. Tropical storm Nate was predicted to pound down on the Gulf Coast this weekend as a hurricane.

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The hurricane has sustained winds of 75 mph and is located 495 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River, in the southern Gulf of Mexico.

States from Louisiana to Florida were bracing Friday for Nate, forecast to pound the Gulf Coast this weekend.

A hurricane warning extends from New Orleans to Lake Pontchartrain and Grand Island, Louisiana, eastward to the Alabama-Florida border.

The storm is expected to make landfall by Sunday east of New Orleans, which was devastated 12 years ago by Hurricane Katrina. It would be the third hurricane, after Harvey and Irma, to hit the US mainland in six weeks.

A storm surge warning was put in place from Morgan City to the western part of the Florida Panhandle, as well as along the northern and western shores of Lake Pontchartrain.

"Residents in these areas should heed any evacuation instructions given by local officials," the hurricane center said.

Nate killed at least 24 people as it passed Thursday over Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras, where it caused widespread flash flooding and mudslides, officials said.

The storm was forecast to gain strength as it moved across the Gulf of Mexico Friday night into Saturday and become a hurricane by the time it reaches the northern Gulf Coast, the hurricane center said.

New Orleans gearing up

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu ordered a mandatory evacuation of the Venetian Isles, Lake Catherine and Irish Bayou areas of the city after having already declared a state of emergency Thursday.

"We remain focused on vulnerabilities in Venetian Isles, Lake Catherine and Irish Bayou because these areas are outside of the levee system, and because one of the greatest threats to this storm is not necessarily interior rain, but storm surge. It is a serious concern to us," Landrieu said Friday. "The projections are that we could see six to nine feet of surge."

He said residents must evacuate by 12 p.m. (1 p.m. ET) Saturday, when the nearby flood gates will be closed. The New Orleans Fire Department and Neighborhood Engagement Office will be conducting outreach through Saturday to coordinate the evacuation effort, he added.

With the majority of the storm's impact and storm surge expected to occur overnight, Landrieu also announced a mandatory curfew will take effect Saturday at 6 p.m. and end Sunday morning. In preparation for overnight flooding, he said the city's police department will put up barricades and close underpasses once the curfew is in effect.

"If we all stay informed, if we all stay alert, if we all stay prepared, ultimately, we will all be safe, which is our No. 1 priority," Landrieu said.

Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency for all of Louisiana. The storm will "make landfall in the close vicinity of New Orleans," the proclamation noted, adding that six parishes have declared emergencies and others would do so soon.

New Orleans, much of which lies below sea level, was gearing up for a hit, and Landrieu urged people who live "outside the city's levee protection system or in low-lying area" to seek higher ground.

Residents have been wary since the city's unique drainage system experienced critical deficiencies during heavy summer rainstorms, leading to the flooding of several hundred properties.

Of the city's 120 main drainage pumps, three major and nine smaller ones were offline Thursday night, city records show. Also, all 24 major pump stations had backup generators, records show, as only three of five turbines that help power the city's oldest, most powerful pumps were available for service, a city water utility spokeswoman told CNN.

"Residents who live inside the levee system should prepare to take shelter with essential supplies including food, water and medications," the mayor said Thursday.

Edwards authorized 1,300 National Guard troops to mobilize ahead of the storm, with some headed to New Orleans to help monitor the pumps, he said.

Storm to move through quickly

Nate would be the first hurricane to hit Louisiana since Hurricane Isaac in 2012 as a Category 1 storm.

"It will still be fairly strong when it makes landfall, but it will be a quicker moving storm than the last few we have had," CNN meteorologist Haley Brink said. "It's supposed to be in and out pretty quickly."

The storm could drop 3 to 6 inches of rain, with 10 inches possible in some areas, from the central Gulf Coast north through Tennessee and the southern Appalachians through the weekend, possibly spawning flash floods, the hurricane center said.

The last hurricane to hit the Louisiana-Mississippi-Alabama region in October was Hurricane Lili in 2002. The last time three hurricanes hit the mainland in the same year was 2008, when Dolly, Gustav and Ike came through.

Gulf Coast states prepare

Hurricane, tropical storm and storm surge watches were issued late Friday from Florida's border with Alabama east as far as Indian Pass, the hurricane center said. The tropical storm watch was later expanded to include most of Central Alabama and several counties in northwest Georgia, according to local National Weather Service offices.

With parts of Florida still reeling from Hurricane Irma, Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency for 29 counties.

"Based on the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center, (Tropical Storm Nate) will continue in the Gulf of Mexico and we expect it to become a hurricane and bring severe weather to the Florida panhandle this weekend," Scott said Friday. "To be clear, Florida is now in the cone."

He told residents to anticipate evacuation zones, warning that bridges will close once wind speeds get to 30-40 miles per hour and people won't be able to evacuate.

"In Florida, we know to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best, but we don't take any chances," Scott said, urging people to get their medications and have three days of food and water. "Please stock up on supplies today, the storm is ... fast-moving."

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said in a news conference the state was well-prepared for Nate.

Bryant said he had signed an emergency order for a state of emergency in six southern counties.

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency director Lee Smithson said residents should "ride out the storm in the safest place possible" and listen to any evacuation orders.

"We can see a storm surge of up to 10 feet, tornadoes, inland flooding and flooding of low-lying areas. This storm will impact the entire Mississippi Gulf Coast," he said.

Smithson said people needed to prepare for winds of 80 mph, "widespread power outages and be prepared to be on your own for 72 hours with no electricity, no running water, no stores open for food."

In Alabama, a statewide emergency declaration signed by Gov. Kay Ivey went into effect Friday morning. The move "frees up personnel and resources in case there is a need to respond to any storm related activity."

Mayor Sandy Stimpson of Mobile, Alabama, warned residents Friday about storm surge.

"We encourage citizens in low-lying areas to pay special attention to newscasts," he said at a news conference. "There is a projected 4- to 7-(foot) storm surge. It will happen to coincide with high tide, which will give you additional water levels."

Mobile officials were checking storm drains for debris, taking measures to avert power outages and deploying critical equipment. Shelters were prepared to open, if necessary, Stimpson said.

"Don't wait 'til Saturday after dark to decide what you have to do in case things with the storm change," he said.

Deadly storm slams Central America

Of the 24 dead in Nate's passage through Central America, 12 died in Nicaragua, 10 in Costa Rica and two in Honduras, officials said. Several people also were reported missing after the storm hit.

Hundreds were rescued from floodwaters, and many lost power and running water in Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica, officials said.

The main threat for Central America was heavy rainfall, which triggered life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides.

Costa Rica President Luis Guillermo Solis declared a national state of emergency to assist those affected by the storm.

Rain was expected through Friday night in parts of Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama and Belize, forecasters said.
This story has been updated to reflect the latest death toll from authorities.

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hurricane nate heads to us gulf coast - cnn

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The hurricane has sustained winds of 75 mph and is located 495 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River, in the southern Gulf of Mexico. States from Louisiana to Florida were bracing Friday for Nate, forecast to pound the Gulf Coast this weekend.

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Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is expected to plead guilty later this month after leaving his post in Afghanistan in 2009.

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Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is expected to plead guilty later this month to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy rather than face trial for leaving his Afghanistan post in 2009, The Associated Press reported.

Two sources said the Idaho native would submit the plea later this month and sentencing would start Oct. 23. The AP did not name the sources.

Bergdahl's lawyer declined to comment when contacted by Fox News. He faces up to five years in prison on the desertion charge and a life sentence for misbehavior.

Bergdahl, 31, who was serving with an Alaska-based infantry regiment, deserted his Afghanistan post in 2009, when he was 23 years old, and was held captive by the Taliban for about five years. The Taliban posted a video online showing Bergdahl saying he was "scared" he would not be able to go home.

Bergdahl said he had been caged, kept in the darkness, beaten and chained to a bed when he was kept captive.

The Army sergeant claimed he was lagging behind a patrol when he was captured. He also said he left his post to alert people about problems he perceived within his unit. Investigators said Bergdahl suffered from schizotypal personality disorder at the time he left his post.

In December 2009, the Taliban released another video showing Bergdahl apparently healthy and delivering a lengthy statement criticizing the U.S. military operation.

He was released in May 2014 for five Taliban detainees locked in Guantanamo Bay by the Obama administration. The exchanged was viewed as controversial at the time due to the debate about negotiating with hostage takers. The exchange also fueled a debate about whether Bergdahl was a hero or a deserter.

President Barack Obama stood with Bergdahl's parents in the White House Rose Garden and defended the swap.

The U.S. does not "leave our men or women in uniform behind," Obama said then, regardless of how Bergdahl came to be captured.

"Whatever those circumstances may turn out to be, we still get an American soldier back if he's held in captivity," Obama said. "Period. Full stop."

Many viewers noticed Bergdahl's father, Bob, and his long beard as he stood next to Obama. The Washington Post reported Bob Bergdahl read books and articles about the "foreign world that held his son." He also learned how to speak Pashto, the official language of Afghanistan. He told Time he started growing the beard after learning that his son had been captured.

In March 2015, he was formally charged. In December, Bergdahl requested a pardon from then-President Obama before he left office, Fox News reported. The pardon was not granted.

Some of Bergdahl's fellow soldiers want him held responsible for any harm suffered by those who went looking for him. The judge ruled a Navy SEAL and an Army National Guard sergeant wouldn't have found themselves in separate firefights if they hadn't been searching.

The U.S. troops who were seriously wounded during their search for Bergdahl in Afghanistan were expected to testify, the sources stated.

During the presidential campaign, Donald Trump called Bergdahl a "dirty, rotten traitor" during a town hall in August 2015. Trump also tweeted in 2015 that Bergdahl should "face the death penalty."
Fox News' Brooke Singman, Kaitlyn Schallhorn and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Bowe Bergdahl expected to plead guilty to deserting his post

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Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is expected to plead guilty later this month to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy rather than face trial for leaving his Afghanistan post in 2009, The Associated Press reported. Two sources said the Idaho native would submit the plea later this month and sentencing would start Oct.

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Dark chocolate has been found that it is healthy but only in small portions. Dark chocolate has cocoa flavanols have been shown to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, improve cognition and possibly lower the risk of diabetes.  The negative health benefits are if too much is ate it can contribute to more fat, more sugar, and more calories. The healthy amount is 1 ounce or 150 calories.

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Dark chocolate is rich in cocoa solids, which contain compounds known as flavanols. Find out if this sweet treat is good or bad for your health.

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Netflix is raising its prices. Prices are going to be based on premium services and its standard.

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Netflix is squeezing a bit more out of its customers.

The company is raising the prices on its standard and premium streaming subscription services.

The standard service, which allows customers to stream shows and movies in HD on up to two screens at once, is now priced at $10.99 monthly, up from $9.99. The premium service, which provides viewing on up to four screens (plus ultra HD content access), is $13.99, up from $11.99.

The basic service, which enables Netflix streaming on one screen and doesn't allow for HD or ultra HD viewing, will remain at $7.99.

Related: Why we started companies here

But the price change, first reported by Mashable, won't impact existing members yet.

According to a Netflix spokesperson, users will be notified of the new prices based on their billing cycle and will get 30 days notice before the changes takes effect. Netflix will begin notifying members of the change on October 19.

The price increase for new customers in the U.S. became effective on Thursday.

Related: Netflix wants to make it easier to binge-watch on planes

"From time to time, Netflix plans and pricing are adjusted as we add more exclusive TV shows and movies, introduce new product features and improve the overall Netflix experience to help members find something great to watch even faster," the company said in a statement.

The increases come as the company pours more money into developing original programming. The company has committed $15.7 billion to streaming content deals -- with $6 billion earmarked for 2017 alone.

Last year, Netflix raised its standard HD plan to $9.99 per month, up from $8.99.

Netflix has treaded lightly with price increases since 2011, when it suddenly hiked prices 60% for streaming and DVD-by-mail subscribers.

CNNMoney (New York) First published October 5, 2017: 11:58 AM ET

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The company is raising the prices on its standard and premium streaming subscription services. The standard service, which allows customers to stream shows and movies in HD on up to two screens at once, is now priced at $10.99 monthly, up from $9.99.

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In northwest Las Vegas the family and community of Charleston Hartfield, an off duty police officer, honor him as a hero. He was one of the 58 shot in Las Vegas. He had two children and a wife.

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A sea of candles lit up the Police Memorial Park, a northwest Las Vegas park dedicated to fallen officers as the community remembered Hartfield. The 34-year-old was a police officer, an accomplished Nevada Army National Guard sergeant first class and a youth football coach.

"[Charlie] loved his country and his city. He is the most patriotic person I've ever met," an officer who worked with Hartfield said.

But he was most proud of being a husband and the father of two children.

"He loved his wife and children, so, so much," one of his colleagues recalled.

His wife, his sister and two children, a boy and a girl, sat in the front of the crowd as Hartfield's colleagues described his spirit, dedication to community policing and his expert knowledge.

"He led his life with honor, dignity and a great capacity for others," a detective who had worked with him for years said.

"He would always serve as a shining example to all of us about what is just and right, and how we live our lives," another of his colleagues said.

Hartfield wrote a memoir titled "Memoirs of a Public Servant," which documented the "thoughts, feelings, and interactions of one Police Officer in the busiest and brightest city in the world, Las Vegas."

"Charlie was a hero," an officer told the crowd.

Law enforcement and military officers from across the state came to pay their respects to Hartfield.

Sean Scott, a state parole and probation officer said that although he never met the slain officer, he needed to attend the vigil.

"It brought us together like never before. We've come together and showed that we are not going to be stopped by a tragedy," Scott said about the shooting.

"People think that the city is sin city, but there's so much light," a woman attending the vigil said. "There's darkness, but this has brought the city together like never before."

Hartfield -- "Charlie" or "Coach Chucky," as some called him -- was also a coach for the Henderson Cowboys youth football program, the group said on Facebook.

Stan King, the father of one of the players on the team, said he was "an absolute all-American kind of guy."

"He is one of the nicest guys I know and helped countless youth become winners through NYS football here in Henderson, Nevada," King said. "This kind of guy comes around once in a blue moon. He was a very special guy to the community."

CNN's Brian Todd and Liz Turrell contributed to this report.

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las vegas officer remembered as hero at candlelight vigil - cnn

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Fallen Las Vegas officer remembered as hero at vigil

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A sea of candles lit up the Police Memorial Park, a northwest Las Vegas park dedicated to fallen officers as the community remembered Hartfield. The 34-year-old was a police officer, an accomplished Nevada Army National Guard sergeant first class and a youth football coach. "[Charlie] loved his country and his city.

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Hurricanes Harvey and Irma caused 33,000 people to lose their jobs

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The September jobs report the government will release Friday morning will probably show a sharp drop in hiring compared with August because of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

The two storms inflicted heavy damage in Texas, Florida and other parts of the Southeast. Thousands of businesses had to shut their doors, leaving many people temporarily out of work.

Economists have forecast that employers added just 80,000 jobs last month, barely half the 156,000 they added in August, according to data provider FactSet. That would be the lowest job gain since March.

But the storms will likely be the reason for the decline. Economists at JPMorgan Chase estimated the hurricanes will have lowered last month's gain by 75,000, meaning that without them, a solid 150,000 or so jobs would have been added.

A hiring rebound is expected for October or November as many businesses reopen and construction companies in the affected areas ramp up repair and renovation work.

If September's hiring does drop temporarily, and October's or November's rebounds, economists and the Federal Reserve may find it hard to assess the state of the economy with any precision over the next couple of months. Even so, most Fed watchers expect the central bank to raise its benchmark interest rate when it meets in December.

The Labor Department says about 11.2 million people had been employed in the 87 counties in Texas and Florida that were declared disaster areas. That's equal to about 7.7 percent of the nation's workforce. Hourly employees in the area who couldn't work and missed a paycheck would be counted as not working, thereby lowering the September job gain. That's true even if those employees return to work after the storm passes.

Excluding the hurricanes' effect on the monthly hiring data, several indicators suggest that the economy and the job market remain on firm footing.

On Wednesday, a survey of services firms - covering restaurants, construction companies, retail stores, banks and others - found that they expanded in September at their fastest monthly pace since 2005. That followed a survey of manufacturers, which found an equally strong gain. Factory activity expanded at the fastest pace in more than 13 years.

There are signs that a rebound from the hurricanes is already boosting the economy. Auto sales, which had been lackluster this year, jumped 6.1 percent to more than 1.5 million in September from a year ago, according to Autodata Corp., as Americans began to replace cars destroyed by the storms. That increase in purchases should soon lead automakers to step up production.

Harvey caused about $76 billion to $87 billion in economic losses, according to Moody's Analytics, an economic consulting firm. The estimate includes damage to homes and businesses as well as lost business and economic output. That calculation would make Harvey the second-worst U.S. natural disaster, after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Irma will likely end up having caused $58 billion to $83 billion in economic losses, Moody's forecasts. Maria, which hammered Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, could cost $45 billion to $95 billion, though that is a preliminary estimate.

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US hurricane damage likely depressed job growth in September

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The September jobs report the government will release Friday morning will probably show a sharp drop in hiring compared with August because of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The two storms inflicted heavy damage in Texas, Florida and other parts of the Southeast. Thousands of businesses had to...

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Employers can now deny covering birth control on their employee's insurance due to religious objections or morals.  Many are considering dropping their coverage.

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The rules would let a broad range of employers -- including nonprofits, private firms and publicly traded companies -- stop offering free contraceptives through their health insurance plans if they have a "sincerely held religious or moral objection," senior agency officials said on a call about the implementation and enforcement of the new rules.

This could apply to the roughly 200 entities that have participated in about 50 lawsuits over birth control coverage, according to the agency, which said that "99.9% of women" who currently receive birth control through the contraceptive mandate would not be affected. At the time of the call, it was unclear how the administration arrived at this data point.

But policy experts argue that this could open the door to hundreds of employers dropping coverage.

This is the latest in a series of moves that undermine an Obamacare mandate requiring that birth control be covered with no co-pay as a preventive essential health benefit.

Over 55 million US women have birth control coverage with zero out-of-pocket costs, according to the National Women's Law Center. The mandate saved women an estimated $1.4 billion on birth control pills alone in 2013, according to the center.

"There is no way to know how many women will be affected," said Alina Salganicoff, director of women's health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on health policy research and communications.

"HHS leaders under the current administration are focused on turning back the clock on women's health," Dr. Haywood L. Brown, president of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said in a statement. "Reducing access to contraceptive coverage threatens to reverse the tremendous progress our nation has made in recent years in lowering the unintended pregnancy rate."

Brown said that weakening contraception coverage could also take a toll on maternal mortality, community health and economic stability of women and families.

The move comes more than three years after the US Supreme Court ruled that "closely held corporations" -- in that case, Hobby Lobby -- could be exempt from providing certain kinds of birth control to their employees.

What has been a limited exemption for churches and religious organizations now broadens to include a number of nonprofit and for-profit organizations that object to contraceptive coverage on religious and moral grounds.

The latest announcement builds upon an executive order in May claiming "to protect and vigorously promote religious liberty" by providing "regulatory relief" for organizations that object on religious grounds to Obamacare coverage requirements for certain health services, including contraception.

"We will never, ever stand for religious discrimination. Never, ever," President Donald Trump said at the time.

This is a developing story.

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birth control: major blow to obamacare mandate - cnn

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Michael Nedelman, Tami Luhby, MJ Lee and Laura Jarrett, CNN

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Major blow to Obamacare birth control mandate

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The rules would let a broad range of employers -- including nonprofits, private firms and publicly traded companies -- stop offering free contraceptives through their health insurance plans if they have a "sincerely held religious or moral objection," senior agency officials said on a call about the implementation and enforcement of the new rules.

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Anthony Michael Sanders, a Texas resident, was recently accused but later cleared of killing his two-year-old daughter, Ellie Mae Sanders. After the accusation, the older brother of Ellie stepped up and admitted to the murder and smothering of his little sister. The boy, then 5, had said he had found his sister not breathing and unable to wake up. Now, at 7 years old, he admitted to his mother that he hit his sister with a pillow that had been too heavy to remove from her head.

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A capital murder charge against a North Texas man in the 2015 death of his 2-year-old daughter has been dismissed after prosecutors learned her older brother admitted causing the death.

The father, Anthony Michael Sanders, 33, was accused of smothering Ellie Mae Sanders at their home in the Fort Worth suburb of Watauga. Investigators believed Sanders held his hand over the girl's mouth out of anger for her interrupting his computer games.

Jailed since April 2016, Sanders denied responsibility. He said he found his daughter not breathing after his son, then 5, reported that she was asleep and would not wake up.

But the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports prosecutors recently learned the boy, now 7, had told his mother that he had hit his sister with a pillow and the pillow was too heavy to remove from the girl's head.

Sanders' defense attorney said his client as "elated" the charges were dropped.

The Star-Telegram reported that the girl was found with some bruises and two bite marks, but Sanders' attorney said any further charges would be up to the district attorney.

"It's my understanding that it's over," he told the paper. "There will be no more charges coming out of it."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Texas man cleared of killing daughter, 2, after son, 7, confesses

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A capital murder charge against a North Texas man in the 2015 death of his 2-year-old daughter has been dismissed after prosecutors learned her older brother admitted causing the death. The father, Anthony Michael Sanders, 33, was accused of smothering Ellie Mae Sanders at their home in the Fort Worth suburb of Watauga.

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Hurricanes Harvey and Irma both had a large effect on the economy. 33,000 jobs were lost in the month of November. The jobless rate dropped to 4.2% which is the lowest since 2001

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The government releases its monthly reading on jobs and unemployment Friday morning, one of the most closely watched economic indicators.

Here's what you need to know about the September report, which is due out at 8:30 a.m. ET.

It's likely to be "bad." Economists expect the report will show employers added only 90,000 in the month. That's well below the average growth of 175,000 jobs a month so far this year. But don't worry too much about the slow down -- economists expect it to be short-lived.

Blame Harvey and Irma. The two hurricanes that hit Houston and Florida in the last six weeks will have a big impact on the numbers. There are 11 million people with jobs in the counties that were declared disaster areas due to the storm. But many businesses were closed, so the Labor Department likely had trouble contacting many of the employers that it normally surveys to come up with the jobs estimates.

Unemployment will stay low. Most economists are forecasting that unemployment will stay at 4.4%, although some expect it to edge up to 4.5% due to the hurricanes. Either way, that's close to what most economists consider to be full employment. It will also mark the 25th straight month that unemployment came in at or below 5%.

Trump likely to fall further behind Obama. Employers added 1.2 million jobs during Donald Trump's first seven months in office, compared to 1.4 million jobs added during President Obama's last seven months in office. That gap is likely to grow even wider due to the hurricane weakness in this jobs report.

CNNMoney (New York) First published October 6, 2017: 12:01 AM ET

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What you need to know about September jobs report

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Here's what you need to know about the September report, which is due out at 8:30 a.m. ET. It's likely to be "bad." Economists expect the report will show employers added only 90,000 in the month. That's well below the average growth of 175,000 jobs a month so far this year.

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The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for advocating against the use of nuclear weapons.

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International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons wins the Nobel Peace Prize

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International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons wins the Nobel Peace Prize.

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US loses 33 thousand jobs after the hurricanes hit.

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The September jobs report the government will release Friday morning will probably show a sharp drop in hiring compared with August because of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

The two storms inflicted heavy damage in Texas, Florida and other parts of the Southeast. Thousands of businesses had to shut their doors, leaving many people temporarily out of work.

Economists have forecast that employers added just 80,000 jobs last month, barely half the 156,000 they added in August, according to data provider FactSet. That would be the lowest job gain since March.

But the storms will likely be the reason for the decline. Economists at JPMorgan Chase estimated the hurricanes will have lowered last month's gain by 75,000, meaning that without them, a solid 150,000 or so jobs would have been added.

A hiring rebound is expected for October or November as many businesses reopen and construction companies in the affected areas ramp up repair and renovation work.

If September's hiring does drop temporarily, and October's or November's rebounds, economists and the Federal Reserve may find it hard to assess the state of the economy with any precision over the next couple of months. Even so, most Fed watchers expect the central bank to raise its benchmark interest rate when it meets in December.

The Labor Department says about 11.2 million people had been employed in the 87 counties in Texas and Florida that were declared disaster areas. That's equal to about 7.7 percent of the nation's workforce. Hourly employees in the area who couldn't work and missed a paycheck would be counted as not working, thereby lowering the September job gain. That's true even if those employees return to work after the storm passes.

Excluding the hurricanes' effect on the monthly hiring data, several indicators suggest that the economy and the job market remain on firm footing.

On Wednesday, a survey of services firms - covering restaurants, construction companies, retail stores, banks and others - found that they expanded in September at their fastest monthly pace since 2005. That followed a survey of manufacturers, which found an equally strong gain. Factory activity expanded at the fastest pace in more than 13 years.

There are signs that a rebound from the hurricanes is already boosting the economy. Auto sales, which had been lackluster this year, jumped 6.1 percent to more than 1.5 million in September from a year ago, according to Autodata Corp., as Americans began to replace cars destroyed by the storms. That increase in purchases should soon lead automakers to step up production.

Harvey caused about $76 billion to $87 billion in economic losses, according to Moody's Analytics, an economic consulting firm. The estimate includes damage to homes and businesses as well as lost business and economic output. That calculation would make Harvey the second-worst U.S. natural disaster, after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Irma will likely end up having caused $58 billion to $83 billion in economic losses, Moody's forecasts. Maria, which hammered Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, could cost $45 billion to $95 billion, though that is a preliminary estimate.

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US hurricane damage likely depressed job growth in September

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The September jobs report the government will release Friday morning will probably show a sharp drop in hiring compared with August because of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The two storms inflicted heavy damage in Texas, Florida and other parts of the Southeast. Thousands of businesses had to...

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Earlier this week, the Las Vegas massacre occurred. Thursday night, a wonderful vigil took place. It specifically honored former Army veteran and police officer, Charleston Hartfield. His friends and colleagues hailed him as one of the "greatest" Americans that they've ever known.

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A former Army veteran and police officer killed in Sunday's Las Vegas shooting was honored by thousands Thursday night as friends and colleagues hailed Charleston Hartfield as one of the "greatest" Americans they ever knew.

Hartfield, a 16-year Army veteran who served in Iraq, was known as "Charles," ''Chuck" and "ChuckyHart," but one longtime friend and colleague dubbed him "Captain America."

"Charlie Hartfield was the greatest American I have ever known," Sgt. Ryan Fryman told the crowd in Las Vegas, who raised candles and surrounded Hartfield's widow and two children.

Hartfield was among the first memorials for the dead, whose identities have now all been released by authorities.
LAS VEGAS VICTIMS: REMEMBERING THE FALLEN
The 58 victims killed ranged in ages from 20 to 67. Two of them, 24-year-old Austin Cooper Meyer and 61-year-old Brett Schwanbeck, had not been identified before the Clark County Coroner released a complete list Thursday night.

Hartfield joined the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department in 2002 after serving as part of the 82nd Airborne Division, KVVU reported.

The vigil began with a color guard display and words from a chaplain. Mrs. Veronica Hartfield and her two sons, a boy and a girl, sat in the front row. She didn't speak during the ceremony but officers gave their condolences and praised the life and work ethic of her husband.

"Charlie was the hardest working man I've ever known. He did this for his family," a Metro officer said, according to KVVU.
FULL COVERAGE OF LAS VEGAS SHOOTING
Another officer said, "faith and family were the most important to Charlie."

Both Hartfields were attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival, but only Veronica managed to escape unharmed.

"No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave," an officer said, reading a quote from Calvin Coolidge chosen by Hartfield to honor fallen colleagues.

One of his fellow officers, Jake Grunwald, has set up a GoFundMe page for Hartfield's family.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Las Vegas officer remembered by thousands at vigil as a 'great American'

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A former Army veteran and police officer killed in Sunday's Las Vegas shooting was honored by thousands Thursday night as friends and colleagues hailed Charleston Hartfield as one of the "greatest" Americans they ever knew. Hartfield, a 16-year Army veteran who served in Iraq, was known as "Charles," ''Chuck" and "ChuckyHart," but one longtime friend and colleague dubbed him "Captain America."

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Donald Trump is treating a potential war like a reality show cliffhanger

Trump: "You guys know what this represents? Maybe it's the calm before the storm."

Reporter: "What's the storm?"

Trump: "It could be ... the calm, the calm before the storm."

Reporter: "Iran? ISIS? What storm, Mr. President?"

Trump: "We have the world's great military people in this room, I will tell you that. And uh, we're gonna have a great evening, thank you all for coming."

Reporter: "What storm, Mr. President?"

Trump: "You'll find out."

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Trump: "You guys know what this represents? Maybe it's the calm before the storm."

Reporter: "What's the storm?"

Trump: "It could be ... the calm, the calm before the storm."

Reporter: "Iran? ISIS? What storm, Mr. President?"

Trump: "We have the world's great military people in this room, I will tell you that. And uh, we're gonna have a great evening, thank you all for coming."

Reporter: "What storm, Mr. President?"

Trump: "You'll find out."

What. The. Hell. Is. Happening.

To be clear: Trump didn't have to say anything. Reporters shout questions at these photo-ops all the time. Presidents ignore them all the time. So he did this on purpose. He wanted to say this -- so he did.

Now as for what he said. When you say "maybe it's the calm before the storm" when surrounded by the top military leaders in the country, it doesn't take much of a logical leap to conclude there is some sort of military operation in the offing.

That's especially true when you have two situations -- North Korea and Iran -- that appear to be coming to a head.

In regard to North Korea, Trump tweeted last weekend that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was "wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man" -- the latest verbal provocation between Trump and the North Korean dictator. That rhetorical back-and-forth comes amid Kim Jong Un's repeated testing of missiles and refusal to stop his nuclear program.

When it comes to Iran, Trump is expected next week to "decertify" the Iranian nuclear deal crafted by President Barack Obama. Trump has been a longtime critic of the deal, insisting that Iran had not kept up its end of the agreement. (The decertification process will allow Congress 60 days to adjust the pact.)

Which situation was Trump talking about with his "calm before the storm" remark? Both? Neither? We don't know, because Trump wouldn't say.

That, too, was on purpose.

Why? Because the bulk of Trump's experiences directly before running for president was as a reality TV star and producer. (In truth, Trump has been performing in a reality show of his own making for his entire life.) And, in that role, the goal is always to stoke drama, always do everything you can to keep people watching -- through the commercial, through the hour, through to next week's episode. Cliffhangers are the best way to do that -- stoking speculation, reversing expectations and, above all, ensuring people feel compelled to just keep watching.

"Dallas" fans in the 1980s spent months waiting to find out who shot J.R. "Game of Thrones" fans waited with bated breath to find out whether Jon Snow was alive or dead.

Stay tuned! Who knows what will happen next!

Or, in the words of Trump on Thursday night, "you'll find out."

The thing is: The stakes of a reality TV show are roughly zero. The stakes of diplomacy with rogue nations pursuing nuclear weapons are incredibly high.

What's not clear at the moment is whether Trump understands that difference. Whether he gets that by saying things such as "maybe this is the calm before the storm," he is flicking at the possibility of an armed conflict -- and the world is paying attention.

The "does he know what he's doing or is he just doing it?" conundrum sits at the heart of virtually every move Trump has made as a candidate and now as President. What's more dangerous with this latest loose talk, however, is that even if Trump is just saying things to hype up the drama rather than to warn of an actual impending military action, he (and we) have no way of knowing if Iran, North Korea or any other potential target understands that.

This is no reality show. And Trump isn't the producer, controlling all the players. His words -- whether he means them as a tease, a threat or something in between -- can have very real consequences.

Does Trump get any of that? We'll find out.

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donald trump is treating a potential war like a reality show cliffhanger - cnnpolitics

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Analysis by Chris Cillizza, CNN Editor-at-large

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Trump is treating a potential war like a reality show cliffhanger

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Trump : "You guys know what this represents? Maybe it's the calm before the storm." Reporter : "What's the storm?" Trump : "It could be ... the calm, the calm before the storm." Reporter : "Iran? ISIS? What storm, Mr. President?" Trump : "We have the world's great military people in this room, I will tell you that.

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The price for 2 screens and HD is now $10.99 a month, while Ultra HD went from $11.99 to $13.99. Basic service, meaning no hd or 2 screens, is still $7.99. Netflix users will be notified of the new changes 30 days before their subscription is renewed. Netflix prices have gone up by 60% since 2011.

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Netflix is squeezing a bit more out of its customers.

The company is raising the prices on its standard and premium streaming subscription services.

The standard service, which allows customers to stream shows and movies in HD on up to two screens at once, is now priced at $10.99 monthly, up from $9.99. The premium service, which provides viewing on up to four screens (plus ultra HD content access), is $13.99, up from $11.99.

The basic service, which enables Netflix streaming on one screen and doesn't allow for HD or ultra HD viewing, will remain at $7.99.

Related: Why we started companies here

But the price change, first reported by Mashable, won't impact existing members yet.

According to a Netflix spokesperson, users will be notified of the new prices based on their billing cycle and will get 30 days notice before the changes takes effect. Netflix will begin notifying members of the change on October 19.

The price increase for new customers in the U.S. became effective on Thursday.

Related: Netflix wants to make it easier to binge-watch on planes

"From time to time, Netflix plans and pricing are adjusted as we add more exclusive TV shows and movies, introduce new product features and improve the overall Netflix experience to help members find something great to watch even faster," the company said in a statement.

The increases come as the company pours more money into developing original programming. The company has committed $15.7 billion to streaming content deals -- with $6 billion earmarked for 2017 alone.

Last year, Netflix raised its standard HD plan to $9.99 per month, up from $8.99.

Netflix has treaded lightly with price increases since 2011, when it suddenly hiked prices 60% for streaming and DVD-by-mail subscribers.

CNNMoney (New York) First published October 5, 2017: 11:58 AM ET

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The company is raising the prices on its standard and premium streaming subscription services. The standard service, which allows customers to stream shows and movies in HD on up to two screens at once, is now priced at $10.99 monthly, up from $9.99.

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Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was expected to plead guilty later this month to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy rather than face trial for leaving his Afghanistan post in 2009, Bergdahl, 31, could fave up to five years in prison on the desertion charge and a life sentence for misbehavior.

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Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is expected to plead guilty later this month to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy rather than face trial for leaving his Afghanistan post in 2009, The Associated Press reported.

Two sources said the Idaho native would submit the plea later this month and sentencing would start Oct. 23. The AP did not name the sources.

Bergdahl's lawyer declined to comment when contacted by Fox News. He faces up to five years in prison on the desertion charge and a life sentence for misbehavior.

Bergdahl, 31, who was serving with an Alaska-based infantry regiment, deserted his Afghanistan post in 2009, when he was 23 years old, and was held captive by the Taliban for about five years. The Taliban posted a video online showing Bergdahl saying he was "scared" he would not be able to go home.

Bergdahl said he had been caged, kept in the darkness, beaten and chained to a bed when he was kept captive.

The Army sergeant claimed he was lagging behind a patrol when he was captured. He also said he left his post to alert people about problems he perceived within his unit. Investigators said Bergdahl suffered from schizotypal personality disorder at the time he left his post.

In December 2009, the Taliban released another video showing Bergdahl apparently healthy and delivering a lengthy statement criticizing the U.S. military operation.

He was released in May 2014 for five Taliban detainees locked in Guantanamo Bay by the Obama administration. The exchanged was viewed as controversial at the time due to the debate about negotiating with hostage takers. The exchange also fueled a debate about whether Bergdahl was a hero or a deserter.

President Barack Obama stood with Bergdahl's parents in the White House Rose Garden and defended the swap.

The U.S. does not "leave our men or women in uniform behind," Obama said then, regardless of how Bergdahl came to be captured.

"Whatever those circumstances may turn out to be, we still get an American soldier back if he's held in captivity," Obama said. "Period. Full stop."

Many viewers noticed Bergdahl's father, Bob, and his long beard as he stood next to Obama. The Washington Post reported Bob Bergdahl read books and articles about the "foreign world that held his son." He also learned how to speak Pashto, the official language of Afghanistan. He told Time he started growing the beard after learning that his son had been captured.

In March 2015, he was formally charged. In December, Bergdahl requested a pardon from then-President Obama before he left office, Fox News reported. The pardon was not granted.

Some of Bergdahl's fellow soldiers want him held responsible for any harm suffered by those who went looking for him. The judge ruled a Navy SEAL and an Army National Guard sergeant wouldn't have found themselves in separate firefights if they hadn't been searching.

The U.S. troops who were seriously wounded during their search for Bergdahl in Afghanistan were expected to testify, the sources stated.

During the presidential campaign, Donald Trump called Bergdahl a "dirty, rotten traitor" during a town hall in August 2015. Trump also tweeted in 2015 that Bergdahl should "face the death penalty."
Fox News' Brooke Singman, Kaitlyn Schallhorn and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Bowe Bergdahl expected to plead guilty to deserting his post

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Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is expected to plead guilty later this month to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy rather than face trial for leaving his Afghanistan post in 2009, The Associated Press reported. Two sources said the Idaho native would submit the plea later this month and sentencing would start Oct.

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Elon Musk says he can fix Puerto Rico's broken power grid with a Tesla-powered system. Tesla has built solar energy grids for islands before, such as Kauai and Hawaii However, that island's population is about 70,000 people. Puerto Rico has 3.4 million residents.

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Elon Musk is offering to solve Puerto Rico's energy crisis -- for the long haul.

Millions of Puerto Ricans are living in the dark at home after Hurricane Maria pummeled the island, knocking out its already fragile electric grid. Two weeks later, only 9% of residents have electricity, according to Puerto Rican government figures.

Musk, the CEO of electric-car maker Tesla , suggested his company's solar power unit could be a long-term solution.

"The Tesla team has done this for many smaller islands around the world, but there is no scalability limit, so it can be done for Puerto Rico," Musk tweeted Thursday morning, adding that the decision is up to Puerto Rican government officials.

Related: Puerto Rico's pension system is still in crisis

They didn't take long to respond.

"@elonMusk Let's talk. Do you want to show the world the power and scalability of your #TeslaTechnologies? PR could be that flagship project," Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló tweeted Thursday night.

A Tesla-powered system would be a complete reversal for Puerto Rico's energy grid. Right now, the island imports and burns oil to generate electricity.

Under that antiquated system, ordinary Puerto Ricans have been paying exorbitantly high electric bills for years. Several told CNNMoney this week that a monthly electric bill can easily go for $250.

Related: Elon Musk promises world's biggest lithium ion battery to Australia

Tesla has built solar energy grids for islands before, such as Kauai in Hawaii. However, that island's population is about 70,000 people. Puerto Rico has 3.4 million residents.

Musk has previously stepped into other energy crises around the world. In July, he promised to deliver the world's largest lithium ion battery to help communities in South Australia that have been suffered from power shortages.

Last November, Tesla acquired energy firm SolarCity for $2.6 billion.

CNNMoney (New York) First published October 5, 2017: 10:04 PM ET

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Can Elon Musk fix Puerto Rico's broken power grid?

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk said it would be possible to rebuild Puerto Rico's electric grid using solar power. Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello replied, "Let's talk."

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Cam Newton Apologizes for Sexist Remark

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Video: Cam Newton Apologizes for Sexist Remark