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 Buy Photo FILE PHOTO: Barry Beck and Kimberly Ray during their morning radio show on 98.9 the Buzz. (Photo: FILE PHOTO)Buy Photo

 The firing of local radio personalities Kimberly and Beck for comments they made about transgender healthcare coverage Wednesday is getting swift – and strong - reactions from fans and non-fans of the controversial morning drive-time hosts.

 Opinion blogger: Kimberly and Beck "out of line"

 Editorial: The Buzz fires Kimberly and Beck; are there lessons

 The anti-transgender comments were made during a 12-minute conversation on "The Breakfast Buzz" radio show on station 98.9 The BUZZ yesterday. The radio hosts began by expressing opposition to Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren's new health care policy within city government that would allow city employees to receive services related to gender reassignment surgery effective Jan. 1.

 The station initially suspended the hosts indefinitely and fired them early Thursday.

 "Their hateful comments against the transgender community do not represent our station or our company," said Sue Munn, vice president and general manager for Entercom Rochester, in a prepared statement.

 The hosts of the radio show have not commented publicly on the situation.

 Kimberly and Beck also questioned the mental health status of transgender people during the portion of the show, and, ultimately, discussed male and female sexuality, male and female body parts, City of Rochester employees, city taxpayers and a student who was born a male playing on an area high school's girls' softball team.

 Many inside the gay, lesbian and transgender community immediately called on the radio station to take action following the radio segment.

 "Entercom radio was very swift in their response and I think it demonstrates that the station supports and affirms the LGBT community," said John Cullen, coordinator of outreach with the Susan B. Anthony Center for Women's Leadership and chair of the Pride Alliance at the University of Rochester.

 Social media reaction on both sides of the firing was swift.

 Kimberly %26 Beck karma is real — Mark Dieter (@mdieter86) May 22, 2014

 For Rochester's 98.9 I officially am never listening to that station again after they fired #KimberlyandBeck they were right sorry! — Elisha Blue (@BlueDRamGirl787) May 22, 2014

 Since they were paid to entertain and be controversial, I think it's ridiculous they've been fired. #989thebuzz#Kimberlyandbeck — Chris Trewer (@ChrisTrewer) May 22, 2014

 Kimberly and Beck being fired seems way over due. — Nick English (@NickrEnglish) May 22, 2014

 I'm not saying I agree with anything Kimberly and beck said, but I don't think they needed to lose their jobs over it.. — KC (@KristinaAnn8) May 22, 2014

 Wow! EVERYONE is #roc coming out to bash Kimberly and Beck. Not ONE person to their defense. What's that tell ya? C-YA! — Joe Castrechino (@PapaJoeMusic) May 22, 2014

 #KimberlyandBeck I am no fan of the show but apparently it's now only acceptable to say anything against straight white people. — Jeremiah Beard (@woefuljester) May 22, 2014

 Kimberly and Beck fired, thank God, we do not need their hate on the air waves. — David McGloin (@migs51) May 22, 2014

 GMCLENDN@Gannett.com

 Twitter.com/NightCopsReport.com

 Read or Share this story: http://on.rocne.ws/1ns1flA ||||| Promo shot from 98.9 FM.

 Last week, the city of Rochester, New York, announced that it would include transgender health care benefits for employees and their families under the city’s medical plan. Local news outlet the Democrat and Chronicle reported that, “Under the new coverage, effective Jan. 1, city employees will be eligible to receive services related to gender reassignment surgery, such as medical and psychological counseling, hormone therapy and cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries.” This move is not only great news for the individuals it impacts directly, but also for the city on a symbolic level—taking the lives and well-being of transgender people seriously is crucial step on the road to LGBTQ equality.

 J. Bryan Lowder J. Bryan Lowder is a Slate associate editor. He writes and edits for Outward, Slate’s LGBTQ section, and for the culture section.

 However, not everyone is celebrating. Towleroad reports that earlier this morning, the hosts of rock station 98.9 FM’s “Breakfast Buzz” radio show, Kimberly and Beck, spent about 12 minutes demeaning and mocking transgender people in the vilest terms. And to be clear, this was not simply a matter of disagreeing with the idea that taxpayers should contribute to gender confirmation surgery, which Kimberly and Beck do. That’s a debate that has to do with whether you understand such procedures as medical necessities rather than as cosmetic choices, and one that could in theory be had respectfully.

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 No, the sentiments expressed in this segment are outright malicious, ranging from the tired song choice of “Dude Looks Like a Lady” to the frighteningly callous discussion of a transgender member of a local high-school women’s softball team, which included the line: “When he steps up to the plate, doesn’t he have two bats [sic]?”

 Amid a stream of transphobic jokes, willful ignorance, and nasty slurs, Kimberly has the gall to suggest that she understands all the “sensitivities” involved in transgender issues. Of course, that’s only when she’s confronted by an impressively brave and eloquent caller who does their best to push back against the morass of prejudice with a little education—“[this is] incredibly disrespectful toward transgender people." Not that it does much good: Before kicking them off the air, another host, perceiving the caller to be female, says: “Thank you, sir.”

 Quotes really can’t do this cruel mess justice, though. Listen for yourself, and then feel free to let 98.9 know how you feel about them clouding our airwaves with this kind of rank bigotry.

 Serious trigger warning here for transphobia and general stupidity. ||||| It's about corporate responsibility. It's about the safety and well-being of young people who are frightened, and confused about their gender identity; that society says it's not OK to ridicule them, ostracize them, or pound their brains into the pavement.Good God, people. Have you no shame? No sense of decency?The Rochester radio show "The Breakfast Buzz" with Kimberly and Beck — while never an oasis of intelligent discourse — has hit bottom and then dug a basement. In the Marianas Trench. The radio hosts apparently decided that the City of Rochester's recent decision to extend health care benefits to transgender individuals and their families could not pass without their enlightened contribution to the subject. How fortunate for the rest of us. You can listen to the clip yourself, but here's an excerpt of the dialogue, which I'm sure rivals only the Lincoln-Douglas debates in thoughtfulness, sincerity, and responsibility to a greater idea of humanity:Aren't we tired of this? Yeah, I know, they're shock jocks or whatever; this is their job. Well, who is paying them to do this terrible job? (98.9 The Buzz is owned by Entercom.) And why? (That last bit is rhetorical. I know why: money and ratings. Well, OK, then.) Living in a country that allows you to shoot your mouth off doesn't free you from the consequences of what you say. And I want there to be consequences for this.Who decides who is welcome in our society and who is not? These two? Lord help. Today, it's trans people. Tomorrow, it's heavyset blonde women and their poindexter sidekicks. Well, them's the breaks.And, of course, serial offender Bob Lonsberry had to have his say on the city's policy, too. And it's everything you could hope for..: The Buzz announced late yesterday that Kimberly and Beck had been placed on indefinite suspension. This morning, we learned that they have been fired. Applaud if you like, but the fact remains that Kimberly and Beck had been spewing hateful speech on Rochester's airwaves for a long time, with the apparent blessing of Buzz owner Entercom. Why? Because they were making the station money. Now that things have gotten a little too hot — with advertising dollars at stake — Entercom cut them loose. Who will hold Entercom responsible? ||||| On May 21st, Kimberly and Beck, the hosts of 'The Breakfast Buzz' on 98.9 The Buzz in Rochester, NY disparaged transgender individuals in light of the recent move by the City of Rochester to include transgender health benefits for employees. Below are a few of the disgraceful things said by the hosts:

 "Transgender or gender nonconforming. What the hell does that mean? Like you're not a woman or a man??"

 "The dude can look like a lady and the city is going to pay for it!"

 "Does that mean then if women want a boob job they'll pay for a boob job because that's only right."

 "The services that will be paid for under the new coverage - gender reassignment surgery, PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING, because you're probably a NUTJOB to begin with!"

 "It's a slippery slope. Then if some woman can go to a doctor and it'd be proven that she's got mental issues because her rack's not big enough then you know what? she deserves a boob job, Right Kimberly? Or she deserves liposuction."

 "Right, IF YOU CAN PROVE YOU'RE A NUT, I guess."

 To make matters worse, Kimberly took to Twitter to post - "Freedom of Speech includes the freedom to offend others. You aren't granted a right to not be offended in this life #getoverit#ROC"

 This incident has made headlines nationally and brings shame to our community. This is not talk that is representative of Rochester and we need to make our voice heard. Please urge Entercom Rochester to take corrective action immediately and call for the removal of Kimberly and Beck from the station.

Summary: – The city of Rochester, NY, has a new policy that extends health benefits to transgender employees and, not coincidentally, two job openings for morning radio deejays. The latter is because station 98.9 FM fired Kimberly Rae and Barry Beck after a series of jokes and criticisms about the new policy, reports the Democrat and Chronicle. A sampling: "Transgender or gender nonconforming. What the hell does that mean? Like you're not a woman or a man?" "The dude can look like a lady and the city is going to pay for it!" "Does that mean then they'll also, if women want a boob job, they'll pay for a boob job, because I think that's only right." "The services that will be paid for under the new coverage—gender reassignment surgery, psychological counseling, because you're probably a nutjob to begin with." The comments stirred up immediate criticism of the Kimberly and Beck show, including an online petition to have them fired. It worked, with parent Entercom pulling the trigger today and issuing an apology, reports TWC News. The local City newspaper thinks Entercom is acting only because ad dollars are at stake and shouldn't be able to rid itself of the controversy so quickly, while conservative radio host Bob Lonsberry slams the new health-care changes as "Lovelycare" in honor of Mayor Lovely Warren. You can listen to the original Kimberly and Beck comments in full via Slate.


Teens stop attempted child abduction Posted: Tuesday, March 10, 2015 9:45 AM EDT Updated: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 9:45 AM EDT

 The missile delivery was suspended three years later because of strong objections from the U.S. and Israel.

 The missile delivery was suspended three years later because of strong objections from the U.S. and Israel.

 "I'm for justice," protester James Johnson said. "It's not about race. It's about doing right."

 "I'm for justice," protester James Johnson said. "It's not about race. It's about doing right."

 Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven industrialized nations were expected to discuss the final nuclear agreement between P5+1 countries and Iran, the conflicts in Libya, Yemen, Syria and Ukraine, as well as terrorism.

 Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven industrialized nations were expected to discuss the final nuclear agreement between P5+1 countries and Iran, the conflicts in Libya, Yemen, Syria and Ukraine, as well as terrorism.

 Hundreds of people have been killed and over 121,000 have been displaced by the Saudi air campaign in Yemen.

 Hundreds of people have been killed and over 121,000 have been displaced by the Saudi air campaign in Yemen.

 Several people threatened the senator sponsoring the bill, who is also a pediatrician, and compared his actions to the Holocaust.

 Several people threatened the senator sponsoring the bill, who is also a pediatrician, and compared his actions to the Holocaust.

 Isaac Yow and Andrew Crane were enjoying a quiet Sunday in their normally sleepy town when they heard a scream and realized someone was trying to kidnap a child. (Source: KREM/CBS)

 SPRAGUE, WA (KREM/CBS) - Two teenagers are being praised as heroes for chasing down a man who tried to abduct a toddler from a park in a normally quiet community.

 Isaac Yow and Andrew Crane, both high school freshmen, heard screaming Sunday afternoon and quickly sprang into action.

 "It turned into blood-curdling screaming," Yow said.

 The two ran over to find a 22-month-old baby boy sitting on the ground, and the child's older sister said a man in his 20s had been chatting with them at the city park. Then he suddenly grabbed the toddler and ran.

 Surveillance video from a nearby grocery store showed the suspect trying to get away. About 10 seconds later, the baby's two older siblings ran after him.

 The suspect ended up leaving the child a block away.

 "It was obvious he had dropped the child in the dirt," Crane said. "There was a big line of dirt across his shoulder."

 Crane and Yow first made sure the child was OK. Then, they chased after the suspect.

 But by the time they got around the corner, the man was gone.

 Officials said they've interviewed several witnesses, but so far, no one has recognized the man.

 "I don't consider myself a hero," Yow said. "I just consider myself a person doing the right thing."

 Copyright 2015 KREM via CBS. All rights reserved. ||||| He snatched about a two year old baby child! And the

 little sister started screaming!

 NOW THEY'RE RECEIVING NATIONAL ATTENTION FOR THEIR

 ACTIONS.

 KXLY'S GRACE DITZLER IS WORKING FOR YOU.

 THESE TEENS ARE BEING CALLED HEROES.

 BUT HOW DO THEY SEE THEMSELVES? NADINE,

 THESE TWO HIGH SCHOOLERS SAY THEY WERE JUST IN THE

 RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME, AND THEY HOPE OTHERS

 WOULD'VE DONE THE SAME THING TO PROTECT THIS CHILD.

 SPRAGUE POLICE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR THE MAN WHO SNATCHED

 A 22 MONTH OLD BOY FROM A STROLLER SUNDAY, WHILE THE

 CHILD WAS BEING WATCHED BY HIS BABYSITTER IN THE SMALL

 TOWN OF SPRAGUE.

 FORTUNATELY, WITNESSES WERE THERE TO STOP HIM.

 THE YOUNG CHILD'S SISTER STARTED SCREAMING AND RUNNING

 AFTER THE BOY.

 THATS WHEN 16 YEAR OLD ISAAC YOW AND 15 YEAR OLD

 ANDREW CRAIN RAN AFTER HIM.

 THE MAN PUT THE CHILD DOWN AND TOOK OFF.

 THE BOYS GAVE THE CHILD BACK TO THE SISTER, AND RAN

 AFTER THE MAN.

 THE SUSPECT GOT AWAY, AND NOWTHE MANHUNT TO FIND HIM

 IS SPREADING NATIONWIDE.

 THE BOYS SAID WHILE THEY DID WHAT THEY COULD TO HELP,

 THEY THINK THE TODDLER'S YOUNG SISTER IS THE REAL

 HERO.

 i think there's only a slight chance that it was because

 of us, i think that little girl played a very large

 part in that.

 she played the biggest part, because if she wouldn't

 have been screaming she wouldnt have known anything

 was wrong.

 i could've thought the kid got a bloody nose daddy

 got worried and ran on home.

 ANDREW AND ISAAC SAY THEY'RE THANKFUL THE BOY IS SAFE,

 BUT SAY NOW THEIR SMALL TOWN WILL BE FOREVER CHANGED.

 nothing happens in sprague, nothing.

 the most eventful time of the year is sprague hay

 days and even then its probably 50 people, and its

 scary to think it happened, and its even scarier to

 think of what if his plot succeeded and had actually

 gotten away with the boy.

 it's something that i dont think anyone wants to think

 about

 POLICE ARE FOLLOWING LEADS AND ASK ANYONE WITH INFORMATION

 ON THE KIDNAPPERS WHEREABOUTS TO COME FORWARD.

 THE SUSPECT IS DESCRIBED AS A WHITE MALE WITH A SLEDER

 BUILD, POSSIBLY IN HIS MID 20'S WITH SHORT HAIR A

 MOUSTACHE.

 REPORTING IN STUDIO GRACE DITZLER KXLY 4 NEWS. ||||| A TERRIFYING ORDEAL - YOU'RE WATCHING IT UNFOLD.

 A MAN TRIES TO ABDUCT A TODDLER

 NOW, POLICE NEED YOUR HELP TRACKING HIM DOWN.

 THAT CHILD IS SAFE TONIGHT.

 BUT, THE MAN WHO TRIED TO TAKE LITTLE OWEN IS STILL

 OUT THERE SOMEWHERE.

 THE ABDUCTION ATTEMPT HAPPENED SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN

 THE TOWN OF SPRAGUE.

 ABOUT 40 MINUTES SOUTHWEST OF SPOKANE.

 KXLY4'S ALLIE NORTON, WORKING FOR YOU - WITH HOW YOU

 CAN HELP POLICE FIND THIS WOULD-BE KIDNAPPER.

 ALLIE?

 AARON, NOT TOO MANY WITNESSES IN THIS CASE.

 BUT THANKS TO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS FROM CITY HALL

 AND A LOCAL GROCERY STORE.

 THE LINCOLN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS A CLEAR PICTURE

 OF THE KIDNAPPER.

 THE FATHER OF THE VICTIM IS ASKING ANYONE WITH INFORMATION

 TO PASS IT OFF TO AUTHORITIES BEFORE IT HAPPENS TO

 ANOTHER CHILD.

 IT'S A PHONE CALL NO PARENT WANTS TO RECEIVE: FINDING

 OUT THAT YOUR CHILD WAS ALMOST KIDNAPPED.

 SOT/ MICHAEL WRIGHT- Victim's Father @:19-:22

 You get so nervous.

 You're nervous and you can't think straight.

 MICHAEL WRIGHT, SAYS HE LEFT HIS THREE KIDS WITH THE

 BABYSITTER YESTERDAY WHILE HE WAS AT WORK.

 10 OLD YEAR BRENDEN, 8 YEAR OLD DELICIA AND 22 MONTH

 OLD OWEN WERE UNSUPERVISED AND PLAYING IN A PARK NEAR

 THE SITTER'S HOUSE.

 IN A CLOSE-KNIT TOWN OF 500, IT'S USUALLY A SAFE PLACE

 FOR CHILDREN, BUT THAT WASN'T THE CASE YESTERDAY.

 SOT/ MICHAEL WRIGHT- Victim's Father @:03-:14

 I can't explain the feeling, the anxiety and everything

 that goes into finding out your children is missing

 or something has happened to them.

 LINCOLN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES SAY A MAN SCOOPED

 UP OWEN OUT OF THE STROLLER.

 SURVEILLANCE VIDEO FROM A GROCERY STORE SHOWS THE

 KIDNAPPER RUNNING, CHILD IN ARMS WITH THE SIBLINGS

 FOLLOWING.

 SOT/ DOROTHY GIDDINGS- Witness @:08-

 This little girl come running around the corner screaming

 her head off.

 DOROTHY GIDDINGS WAS WORKING NEARBY.

 SHE SAYS ONCE REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING SHE SENT

 HER GRANDSON AND HIS FRIEND TO CHASE THE MAN.

 SHE SAYS IT MUST HAVE BEEN AN ACT OF GOD WHEN THE

 KIDNAPPER DROPPED LITTLE OWEN IN A VACANT LOT.

 SOT/ DOROTHY GIDDINGS- Witness @:41-:50

 I told that little girl, I said, 'Honey, you did exactly

 what you needed to do scream your head off.' That's

 what saved that baby.

 her screaming and us running.W11 22

 DESPITE THE CHASE, THE KIDNAPPER GOT AWAY.

 THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS NOW FOLLOWING UP ON LEADS.

 WRIGHT URGES ANYONE WITH INFORMATION TO COME FORWARD,

 BEFORE IT CAN HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE.

 SOT/ MICHAEL WRIGHT- @:56-:05

 I'm remorseful for anybody out there that has to go

 through this situation because now that I've done

 it, been through it.

 I wouldn't wish it on anybody.

Summary: – A man who grabbed a 22-month-old boy Sunday from a stroller in Washington state probably didn't think he'd be foiled by the boy's young sister and two teenagers. Owen Wright was being watched by a babysitter at a park when he got snatched, and his 8-year-old sister Delicia started yelling and running after the man and her brother. Isaac Yow, 16, and Andrew Crain, 15, saw what was happening and gave chase. The man put the toddler down and kept running, and after the teens handed the boy to his sister, they kept running, too. The little girl "played the biggest part" in the rescue, Isaac tells KXLY. "If she wouldn't have been screaming, we wouldn't have known nothing was wrong." The suspect got away, but KXLY reports that surveillance cameras in the area managed to get a "clear picture" of the man described as white, possibly in his mid-20s, with a slender build, short hair, and a mustache. Police in Sprague, a town of 500, are searching for him, and the manhunt is spreading across the country. According to 19 Action News, the suspect was talking with the kids and their babysitter at the park before snatching Owen. A local who saw Delicia chasing after her brother (followed by her other brother, 10-year-old Brenden) says she told her, "'Honey, you did exactly what you needed to do: scream your head off.' That's what saved that baby."


Rep. Paul Ryan, the Republican vice presidential nominee in 2012 and an abortion opponent, said Thursday that anti-abortion activists should try to build a broad coalition and find common ground with supporters of abortion rights as a way to advance their agenda.

 Ryan, R-Wis., said in a speech to the Susan B. Anthony List that those who oppose abortion "need to work with people who consider themselves pro-choice _ because our task isn't to purge our ranks. It's to grow them."

 "We don't want a country where abortion is simply outlawed. We want a country where it isn't even considered," he said.

 Ryan told the organization that seeks to elect women who oppose abortion rights that "labels can be misleading." He pointed to former GOP Sen. Scott Brown, whose 2010 election in Massachusetts nearly derailed President Barack Obama's health care law. Brown supports abortion rights. In contrast, Ryan told the group that former Michigan Rep. Bart Stupak, who opposed abortion, "delivered the votes that passed it into law."

 Many opponents of abortion disagreed with the health care overhaul because it requires most employers to cover birth control free of charge to female workers as a preventative service. The law exempted churches and other houses of worship.

 Ryan said critics often urge abortion opponents to abandon their beliefs but "that would only demoralize our voters." But he said anti-abortion activists should work with people of all beliefs to plant "flags" in the law _ "small changes that raise questions about abortion."

 He said some people who support abortion rights oppose taxpayer funding of abortions or parental notification of minors' abortions. Others, he said, support the reinstatement of the so-called Mexico City policy, which bans American aid from funding abortions. Obama waived the order soon after taking office in 2009.

 Marjorie Dannenfelser, the group's president, said it plans to target Senate seats in 2014 held by Democrats Kay Hagan of North Carolina and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, both of whom support abortion rights.

 ___

 Follow Ken Thomas on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP_Ken_Thomas ||||| Two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two highly publicized gay-marriage cases, a majority of Americans continue to say they support same-sex marriage, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

 Fifty-three percent of respondents favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry, which is up 2 points since the NBC/WSJ survey last asked this question in December, though that increase is within the poll’s margin of error.

 Forty-two percent oppose gay marriage – also up 2 points since late last year.

 By party, 73 percent of Democrats and 54 percent of independents back gay marriage, while 66 percent of Republicans oppose it.

 Strikingly, nearly 8-in-10 respondents (79 percent) say they know or work with someone who is gay or lesbian, which is an increase of 14 points since December and 17 points since 2004.

 However, only 15 percent say that knowing or working with someone gay makes them more likely to back same-sex marriage; 4 percent say it makes them less likely to support it, and more than half say it doesn’t make a difference.

 Win Mcnamee / Getty Images file photo Equal rights supporters demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on March 26, 2013 in Washington, DC. The Supreme Court is hearing arguments March 26, in California's proposition 8, the controversial ballot initiative that defines marriage only between a man and a woman.

 These numbers come after numerous Democratic politicians, plus a handful of Republicans, have recently announced their support for gay marriage. They also come as the Supreme Court is expected to decide two different cases this summer – one on the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law which prohibits the government from recognizing gay marriages performed in states where they are legal, and the other on California’s Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage in that state.

 The poll also finds that 63 percent of respondents believe the federal government should recognize same-sex marriages in states where they are legal, and 56 percent think that the question of allowing gay marriage should be left to a federal standard rather than to the states.

 In reversal, majority thinks abortion should be illegal

 At the same time that general support for gay marriage has increased – albeit within the margin of error – so has opposition to abortion.

 According to the survey, a combined 52 percent say that abortion should be illegal either with exceptions or without them, versus a combined 45 percent who say it should be legal either “always” or “most of the time.”

 This is a reversal from the NBC/WSJ poll in January, when a majority – for the first time – said abortion should be legal in some form or fashion.

 Measuring the values debate

 The poll also gauges public sentiment on other questions involving social and moral issues.

 Asked to choose what should be a more important goal for society – either promoting greater respect for traditional values or encouraging greater tolerance – 50 percent picked traditional values, and 44 selected greater tolerance.

 That’s a significant change from when this question was last asked in 1999, when 60 percent chose traditional values and 29 percent sided with tolerance.

 As the Republican Party tries to find their message on gun control in the wake of Newtown and on gay marriage before the Supreme Court rulings this summer, Stuart Stevens, Romney's 2012 campaign manager, offers them some advice.

 Notably, this movement toward tolerance comes from Democrats and self-described independents – but not from Republicans. (In 1999, 76 percent of Republicans said promoting traditional values was a more important goal vs. 77 percent say that now.)

 In another change, half of respondents (50 percent) say that society’s most serious problems stem primarily from economic and financial pressures.

 View full poll results here

 But in past NBC/WSJ polls – in 1994 and 1996 – majorities said those problems came mainly from a decline in moral values.

 And Americans give the Democratic and Republican parties either mixed or poor marks when it comes to social and cultural issues.

 By 47 percent to 22 percent, respondents say they disagree with the GOP’s approach to social and cultural issues, and they disagree with Democrats by a 38-percent-to-37 percent margin.

 On the parties’ approach to looking out for the middle class, the numbers are even worse – they disagree with Republicans by 51 percent to 24 percent, and with Democrats by 42 percent to 33 percent.

 The NBC/WSJ poll was conducted of 1,000 adults (including 300 cell phone-only respondents) from April 5-8, and it has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.1 percentage points.

Summary: – Support for gay marriage is up, but the same isn't true for abortion, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. The survey of 1,000 people found 53% in favor of allowing gays and lesbians to marry, up two points since December (it notes the rise is within the poll's margin of error); opposition to gay marriage was also up two points, to 42%. An interesting and substantial jump: 79% said they know or work with someone who is gay, up 14 points since the December poll. But in a big switch from January's poll, the majority has flipped on the subject of abortion: 52% say abortion should be illegal, versus 45% who think it should be legal "always" or "most of the time." In a speech from last night that's getting a bit of buzz, Paul Ryan addressed the issue. The key lines, per the AP: We "need to work with people who consider themselves pro-choice—because our task isn't to purge our ranks. It's to grow them. ... We don't want a country where abortion is simply outlawed. We want a country where it isn't even considered."


UPDATE: Police said Thursday they have arrested a 23-year-old man in connection with the fatal stabbing of a Greenacres woman.

 Wendy Martinez, 35, was jogging Sept. 18 in Washington, D.C. when a man came up and stabbed her multiple times.

 Police arrested Anthony Crawford, 23, in connection with the stabbing and have charged him with first-degree murder while armed.

 Crawford was taken into custody late Wednesday evening by the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C.

 BREAKING: Metro police arrest 23-year-old Anthony Crawford in the murder of Wendy Martinez, a Greenacres woman who was stabbed while jogging in D.C. https://t.co/LBiuE7Pitz @WPTV @WPTVContact5 #Contact5 — Merris Badcock (@MerrisBadcock) September 20, 2018

 Martinez was stabbed multiple times on Sept. 18, while jogging near the 1400 block of 11th Street, Northwest, in Washington, D.C.

 In a press conference Thursday morning, Washington, D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said the "unsettling" stabbing appears to be random.

 "We believe there was only one person involved in the assault," Newsham told reporters during a press conference. "We do not have any information to suggest that Wendy knew or had any association with the suspect in this case. We also do not have any information at this point to suggest that it was a robbery, so the motive in this case is unknown. "

 Newsham described Crawford's criminal history as "extensive," but noted Crawford has no indication of violence in his criminal past. Police are still reviewing Crawford's criminal history and background.

 Police located Crawford in a park Wednesday night and brought him in for questioning.

 D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser credited neighbors with the fast arrest. Bowser told reporters "outraged" neighbors gave detectives important information in the crucial hours after Martinez was stabbed. The key information helped detectives quickly put the pieces together.

 Crawford was transported to the hospital with a hand injury and described as not being cooperative with police.

 EARLIER:

 GREENACRES, Fla. - A 35-year-old woman stabbed to death while jogging in Washington, D.C. has ties to Greenacres.

 According to Metropolitan Police Department, Wendy Martinez was jogging near the 1400 block of 11th Street, Northwest on Sept. 18, when a man came up and stabbed her multiple times.

 Martinez was seen on surveillance video running to a nearby Asian restaurant for help. She was rushed to the hospital but died from her injuries.

 Family members tell Contact 5’s Crime Investigator Merris Badcock, Martinez was a marathon runner, and ran in the neighborhood often.

 According to family, Martinez grew up in Greenacres and graduated from Lake Worth High School. After graduation she moved to the D.C. area where she went to college and started her career.

 Family members provided this photo of Wendy Martinez, one and a half weeks before she was killed.

 Recent photos of Martinez show she recently got engaged to her fiancé. A family member who did not want to be identified told Contact 5 they were shocked by what happened. “We were planning a wedding, and now we have to plan a funeral,” the woman said.

 Family members say Martinez will be buried in Greenacres, but they have to wait for police to release her body before they can bring her home.

 Metro police have released surveillance video of a possible suspect. You can view that video here .

 The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by sending a text message to 50411.

 UPDATE: Family members of Wendy Martinez are speaking publicly for the first time. Cora Martinez talks about seeing her daughter in her wedding dress just days before she was murdered. https://t.co/LBiuE7Pitz @WPTV @WPTVContact5 #Contact5 pic.twitter.com/Eqbe61GvB3 — Merris Badcock (@MerrisBadcock) September 20, 2018 ||||| A newly-engaged woman was brutally stabbed multiple times while jogging near her Washington, D.C. home Tuesday night.

 In a desperate attempt to save her own life, 35-year-old Wendy Karina Martinez stumbled into a local Chinese restaurant covered in her own blood. Once inside, Martinez collapsed prompting customers to rush to her side, Chief of Police Peter Newsham explained during a press conference Wednesday.

 Get push notifications with news, features and more.

 In surveillance footage obtained from the eatery, bystanders can be seen trying to revive Martinez as they waited for EMS to arrive, Chief Newsham said.

 Martinez was then transported to a nearby hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

 Wendy K. Martinez Facebook

 While the investigation is ongoing, Chief Newsham believes it was a “random attack.”

 “This is one of those types of unsettling incidents that sometimes happens in large cities, but it seems like a singular incident.”

 • Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

 Wendy K. Martinez Facebook

 The suspect, who was captured by a nearby surveillance camera, can be seen fleeing the scene in what appears to be a mustard-colored sweatshirt.

 “The best thing we can do right now is identify the suspect,” Chief Newsham continued. “We will get to the bottom of this.”

 The murder weapon — a knife — was recovered near the scene.

 Also in the press conference, Chief Newsham described Martinez as an “avid runner” who spent most of her evenings jogging around the city.

 In addition to her athleticism, Martinez served as Chief of Staff of FiscalNote, a privately held software, data, and media company headquartered in Washington, D.C.

 “The entire FiscalNote family is shocked and deeply saddened to learn that Wendy Martinez, our Chief of Staff, was killed last night,” FiscalNote wrote on Twitter.

 “Wendy was an invaluable member of our team and a vibrant member of the community. Our thoughts and prayers are with Wendy’s family and friends.”

 Wendy Karina Martinez and Daniel Hincapie Facebook

 Martinez was also newly engaged. “Wendy Karina Martinez was the light of our lives. Not only was she an avid runner, but she was a devout Christian, a wonderful friend, and a driven professional,” Martinez’s family said in a statement obtained by NBC 4 Washington.

 “Everything you hope that a daughter and a friend would be. She was also excited to be planning her upcoming wedding to her fiancé, Daniel Hincapie. They were engaged just last week.” ||||| Watch Queue Queue

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 Related Headlines Police searching for suspect in fatal DC stabbing

 - A D.C. woman stabbed during an evening jog near Logan Circle tragically died after getting engaged last week.

 Police said 35-year-old Wendy Martinez was randomly attacked just before 8 p.m. Tuesday at 11th Street and P Streets in Northwest D.C. After she was wounded, she tried to run into a Chinese restaurant for help. She was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

 RELATED: DC police searching for suspect in Logan Circle deadly stabbing

 Martinez was the chief of staff for FiscalNote, a 5-year-old government affairs company that describes itself as on a mission to reinvent the way organizations around the world understand the bigger picture.

 Company officials declined to speak with FOX 5, but issued a statement saying:

 “The entire FiscalNote family is shocked and deeply saddened to learn that Wendy Martinez, our Chief of Staff, was killed last night. Wendy was an invaluable member of our team and a vibrant member of the community. Our thoughts and prayers are with Wendy’s family and friends.”

 In a recent profile on thebridgework.com, she was asked how she likes to unwind after work. She told the interviewer that she could be found running around the city or working up a sweat at her favorite local studio.

 Her LinkedIn resume said she attended the University of Florida and Georgetown University and speaks three languages. She previously worked for the Inter-American Development Bank.

 On her Twitter account, she recently retweeted a photo of herself volunteering at DC Central Kitchen. In her profile, she describes herself as a “Believer in doing well by doing good.”

 “We are deeply saddened by this senseless tragedy," Martinez's family said in a statement. "Wendy Karina Martinez was the light of our lives. Not only was she an avid runner, but she was a devout Christian, a wonderful friend, and a driven professional. Everything you hope that a daughter and a friend could be. She was also excited to be planning her upcoming wedding to her fiancé, Daniel Hincapie. They were engaged just last week.

 “We ask that you respect our privacy as we grieve the passing of her beautiful soul and inform her friends and family of this terrible news. We also want to encourage the community to please contact the police with any information that may lead to finding justice for Wendy. The hotline number to call is 202-727-9099.

 "Simply put, Wendy was fearfully and wonderfully made! Now we know she has found the one whom her soul loved. (Song of Solomon 3:4)"

 Police are searching for one suspect in the vicious stabbing. Officials said the suspect is described as a male wearing a mustard-colored shirt, dark-colored pants, white socks and sandals. He fled the scene heading south on 11th Street following the stabbing.

Summary: – Police in Washington, DC, are hunting a man believed to have stabbed a woman to death in an apparently random attack. Police say 35-year-old Wendy Karina Martinez was jogging near her home in northwest DC around 8pm Tuesday night when she was fatally stabbed by a man in a mustard-colored shirt, People reports. She managed to get to a nearby Chinese restaurant where she collapsed, bleeding from a wound to the neck. Patrons were unable to save Martinez, who was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. Martinez, chief of staff at government affairs company FiscalNote, was an avid runner who regularly spent her evenings jogging around the city. DC Chief of Police Peter Newsham described the neighborhood as "very safe" and told reporters the killing "is more likely a random act than anything else but we’re going to look at all possibilities." He said police have recovered what they believe is the murder weapon. In a statement, her family described her as "a devout Christian, a wonderful friend, and a driven professional" who got engaged just a week ago, Fox 5 reports. "We were planning a wedding, and now we have to plan a funeral," a relative in Greenacres, Fla., where Martinez grew up, tells WPTV. Police have released surveillance video of the suspected attacker.


LandLeader is once again proud to present The Land Report 100, the 2018 annual survey of America's top land owners. In our second year of sponsoring this exclusive list, LandLeader continues to reinvent land and ranch marketing and is growing at a tremendous rate.

 Since 2013, LandLeader jumped into the land marketing market with immediate growth, innovative marketing strategies, exceptional land sales, and welcomed the best land brokers to join our exclusive partnership across the country. In just three quick years our members have collectively sold over $3 billion in real estate in over 35 states.

 The network that our owner members have created gives landowners and buyers the most trusted and wide spread group of land professionals in America. Our team of agents and brokers loves the great outdoors, believes in strong family values and are purveyors of conservation and wildlife management.

 ||||| The federal government is by far the nation's biggest land owner, holding 640 million acres of purple mountains, fruited plains and amber waves of grain in the name of the American public.

 But over the past decade, the nation's wealthiest private landowners have been laying claim to ever-larger tracts of the countryside, according to data compiled by the Land Report, a magazine about land ownership in America.

 In 2007, according to the Land Report, the nation's 100 largest private landowners owned a combined 27 million acres of land — equivalent to the area of Maine and New Hampshire combined.

 A decade later, the 100 largest landowners have holdings of 40.2 million acres, an increase of nearly 50 percent. Their holdings are equivalent in area to the entirety of New England, minus Vermont.

 Those rising numbers represent “the growing appeal of land as an asset class,” said Eric O'Keefe, editor of the Land Report, in an interview.

 The stock market has been on a tear in recent years, and some wealthy individuals have been looking to cash out and park their assets in a safe place. That's where land comes in. Paper fortunes appear and vanish in the span of days on Wall Street, but land isn't going anywhere.

 Investors are particularly interested in productive land — property that can be used to raise cattle, mine minerals, produce timber or grow crops. That's because when the Dow Jones industrial average lost over half its value between 2007 and 2009, over that same period “productive land correction was less than five percent,” according to O'Keefe.

 Like stocks, income and wealth in general, land ownership is tightly concentrated among the upper class. According to a recent working paper by New York University economist Edward Wolff, in 2016 the wealthiest 1 percent of households owned 40 percent of the nation's non-home real estate, while the next 9 percent of households owned another 42 percent.

 That left the remaining 90 percent of households owning just 18 percent of the country's non-home real estate.

 A 2015 paper by the Bureau of Economic Analysis estimated that the total value of land in the Lower 48 states was roughly $23 trillion in 2009, with $1.8 trillion of that value owned by the federal government.

 The nation's largest private landowner is telecom baron John Malone, with 2.2 million acres — an area considerably larger than the state of Delaware — to his name in 2017. Ted Turner is No. 2 on the list, with an even 2 million acres.

 O'Keefe says that one common thread among the nation's top private landowners is sports team ownership. Malone and Turner have both owned the Atlanta Braves, while No. 4 landowner Stan Kroenke, with 1.38 million acres, owns the Denver Nuggets, the Colorado Avalanche and the Los Angeles Rams.

 Back in 2008, you needed about 76,000 acres to appear in the Land Report's list of the top 100 landowners. Today the cutoff is nearly double, 145,000 acres. The median holdings of the top 100 landowners rose from 160,000 acres to 250,000 acres over that time period.

 Part of that increase, O'Keefe says, reflects improvements in data collection and availability. His staff scours property records, tax rolls, corporate filings and real estate listings, among other sources, to produce the annual list. Many wealthy individuals shield their purchases via trusts, shell companies and other corporate structures, making ownership difficult to ascertain in some cases.

 “Most people have no idea that there's this market in these huge pieces of America,” O'Keefe said. Properties currently on the market include the Agua Fria Ranch in Texas, where $15.2 million will get you 23,482 acres, including “almost the entire Agua Fria Mountain range.” (Alternatively, with the same amount of money you could buy a single condo in Brooklyn).

 Other enormous chunks of land currently for sale include 24 mountain peaks outside Salt Lake City for $39 million (price recently reduced), a 7,000-acre Georgia estate on the market for the first time in the history of the republic, and T. Boone Pickens's Mesa Vista ranch in Texas, where $250 million will net you 64,000 acres of the Texas Panhandle.

 For most Americans, land isn't a financial necessity the way income or even wealth is, so we give little thought to the massive tracts of countryside trading hands every year.

 “Eighty percent of us live on 3 percent of the United States,” O'Keefe said. “Large swaths of privately owned land are beyond comprehension because they are simply beyond the horizon.”

Summary: – The list may not have the same cachet as the Forbes list of richest Americans, but it's an interesting look at an often overlooked aspect of US wealth. The Land Report is out with its annual list of the 100 largest private landholders in America, and sitting on top is a man who made his fortune in the telecom business. Liberty Media Chairman John Malone has 2.2 million acres across the US, spread across several states from coast to coast. The Washington Post highlights a rich-are-getting-richer component of the list: In 2007, the 100 biggest landowners collectively had 27 million acres. In 2017, that total is 40.2 million acres, roughly the equivalent of New England, without Vermont. The Post sees the growing interest in land acquisition as a more stable investment for investors who don't want to be at the mercy of the stock market. The top 10 follow.


WILSON, N.C. (AP) — The crew of a truck carrying a load of gold bars had just pulled off the interstate in North Carolina when, the two men told police, a seemingly ordinary episode of carsickness turned into a multimillion-dollar heist.

 Wilson County Sheriff's Deputies investigate an area near Interstate 95, Monday, March 2, 2015, in Wilson, N.C. Armed robbers hijacked an armored truck, tied up the two guards and disappeared with 275... (Associated Press)

 This image released Wednesday, March 4, 2015, by the Wilson County, N.C. Sheriff's Office, shows a composite sketch by investigators of one of the suspects in a heist of millions of dollars in gold bars... (Associated Press)

 Wilson County Sheriff's Deputies investigate an area near Interstate 95, Monday, March 2, 2015, in Wilson, N.C. Armed robbers hijacked an armored truck, tied up the two guards and disappeared with 275... (Associated Press)

 Wilson County Sheriff's Deputies investigate an area near Interstate 95, Monday, March 2, 2015, in Wilson, N.C. Armed robbers hijacked an armored truck, tied up the two guards and disappeared with 275... (Associated Press)

 This image released Wednesday, March 4, 2015, by the Wilson County, N.C. Sheriff's Office, shows a composite sketch by investigators of one of the suspects in a heist of millions of dollars in gold bars... (Associated Press)

 Three days later, authorities said they were suspicious that Sunday's roadside robbery might have been an inside job.

 As soon as the guards stopped on the shoulder because one of them wasn't feeling well, three robbers drove up in a cargo van and confronted them at gunpoint, yelling "Policia!" and ordering the crew to lie on the ground. The robbers tied their hands behind their backs and marched them into nearby woods, authorities said.

 The thieves then set out orange traffic cones while they gathered up 275 pounds of gold bars worth $4.8 million and fled, leaving the two guards stranded along Interstate 95 as drivers zoomed by.

 On Wednesday, authorities released search warrants in which detectives raised questions about the initial accounts of the heist.

 "The fact that the truck was robbed immediately upon pulling over at an unannounced stop is suspicious in and of itself," the warrant stated, adding that the truck had no external markings indicating the cargo. The warrant said the suspects tried to steal the truck but could not get it started, indicating they did not know how to operate a commercial truck.

 At a news conference, Wilson County Sheriff Calvin Woodard said the guards were still considered victims, not suspects, but that all possibilities were being investigated.

 Asked to elaborate on the warrants that were filed the day after the heist, the sheriff said the documents were written in a hurry before the victims, who spoke little English, could be thoroughly interviewed in Spanish.

 The strange scene unfolded around dusk Sunday in a rural area about 50 miles east of Raleigh.

 Earlier in the day, the guards had stopped for gas in Dillon, South Carolina, near the North Carolina line. As they kept driving, one of them started to feel sick and said he smelled gas, Woodard said.

 However, after deputies arrived, a mechanic found no problems with the truck, the sheriff said.

 The guards got out of the tractor-trailer without their guns, according to the sheriff, who said it was a company security violation to leave the truck without their weapons.

 Woodard said that the robbers cut a padlock, but there were no other security measures to stop them.

 When the robbers were gone, the guards drew the attention of startled motorists, several of whom called 911 to report seeing uniformed men running into the highway with their hands bound, motioning for help.

 "They've got their hands zip-tied behind their backs, and they're out in the road to try to flag people down to call the police," one caller said.

 The caller described the scene to the dispatcher and waited in his car for at least 12 minutes for officers to arrive, according to recordings released by Wilson County authorities.

 The man told the dispatcher he did not feel safe leaving his vehicle. One of the guards can be heard trying to relate details though his window.

 The heist happened hours after the truck left Miami for a town south of Boston.

 Neither guard was injured, according to their employer, Miami-based Transvalue Inc., which specializes in transporting cash, precious metals, gems and jewelry. A Transvalue spokeswoman declined to comment.

 The company has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

 A woman who saw the guards walking into the road with their hands tied did not feel safe stopping.

 "It's dark. It's raining, and they're walking in the middle of the road," she said. "I didn't know what to do." ||||| Police suspect that the alleged armed robbery of a truck transporting bars of gold in North Carolina was an inside job as more details about the highway heist have emerged, according to search warrant application that was obtained by ABC News.

 Three suspects allegedly stole $4.8 million-worth of gold after one of the two armed guards -- the driver and another man, both inside the truck's cabin -- said that he felt sick and prompted the driver to pull over, Wilson County Sheriff Calvin Woodard Jr. told reporters today.

 That account is different from what was presented in the first police report on the case, which said that a mechanical issue caused the truck's driver to pull over.

 “There is suspicion at this time that this could be an inside job due to the circumstances of the robbery," a Wilson County Sheriff’s Office detective wrote in a search warrant application to get access to one of the guards' cell phones, one of two search warrants in the case obtained today.

 "The fact that the truck was robbed immediately upon it pulling over at an unannounced stop is suspicious in and of itself," the document added. "It is also suspicious because there are no markings on the side of the truck that would indicate the type of cargo contained therein. The suspects also went directly to the trailer and found the gold which was in unmarked five gallon buckets. It is not believed that this is a random act due to the nature and facts of this robbery."

 The second search warrant application was to get access to the truck and the trailer it was pulling.

 Woodard told reporters today that the case was "suspicious," but declined to reiterate the theory expressed in the search warrant that the robbery could have been an inside job.

 WTVD

 Woodard shared sketches of the three suspects who allegedly bound the hands of the driver and the passenger, and a photo of a traffic cone that was placed behind the truck as the suspects allegedly removed the gold from the vehicle after breaking a lock on the back. The traffic cone had the marking of a company that only does work in Florida.

 WTVD

 The truck was bringing gold and silver to Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and being driven on I-95 by armed guards employed by a Miami-based company, TransValue Inc., Woodard said.

 One of the search warrants states that approximately $5 million-worth of silver was left in the truck, meaning that when the truck left Miami on Sunday morning, it had close to $10 million in metals inside the back compartment, which, the sheriff said, was protected solely by a Master lock on the door.

 "The suspects attempted to steal the truck and trailer but could not get the truck started," according to one of the search warrants. "The truck was in proper working condition so the suspects had to [have] not been experienced in the operation of a commercial motor vehicle. The suspects loaded the gold in the minivan and fled the scene."

 WTVD

 The metal was owned by Republic Metals Corporation in Opalocka, Florida, according to a search warrant. The company did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment.

 The police said they were seeking a search warrant for the phones of the armed guard who felt sick because of the suspicious nature of the case, but Woodard said at today's news conference that the driver and the passenger have not been considered suspects. Both men have been interviewed separately several times by police, Woodard added.

 Woodard noted that the driver and the passenger apparently violated their company’s policies by exiting the vehicle without their firearms and leaving the firearms inside the truck.

Summary: – Did three armed robbers in a van just happen to be passing when a truck carrying gold bars pulled over on an isolated stretch of Interstate 95 on Sunday? According to search warrants seen by ABC News, investigators in North Carolina think the $4.8 million highway heist may have been an inside job. "The fact that the truck was robbed immediately upon it pulling over at an unannounced stop is suspicious in and of itself," one document states. "It is also suspicious because there are no markings on the side of the truck that would indicate the type of cargo contained therein." According to Wilson County Sheriff Calvin Woodard Jr., the two guards say they pulled over after one began to feel carsick, not because of mechanical problems as earlier reported. At a press conference yesterday, Woodard told reporters that while every possibility is still being considered, the guards are currently considered victims, not suspects, and the search warrants were written before the men could be thoroughly interviewed in Spanish, the AP reports. According to the sheriff, the guards violated TransValue company rules by getting out of the truck without their guns. Police have also released 911 calls made after the heist, when the guards tried to flag down motorists after the robbers had taken off with the gold bars, WNCN reports. "There's a couple guys that look like they have their hands zip-tied behind their backs," one caller says. "They look like they have some sort of guard uniform on."


NEW YORK (AP) — Police say a New York City man shoved a candy bar in the face of another man and then repeatedly punched him in an apparently random attack.

 Court papers show Eliexer Reyes has been charged with misdemeanor assault following his arrest in the Times Square subway station Tuesday night.

 Artist Ian Sklarsky tells Gothamist the 35-year-old Reyes was unprovoked when he shoved a Snickers bar in his face and mouth.

 After police say the 33-year-old Sklarsky asked Reyes what was wrong with him, Reyes then repeatedly punched him in the face during a scuffle.

 They say Sklarsky suffered pain, a cut lip and a bruised nose.

 Reyes' attorney didn't immediately comment on the charges. |||||

 Sklarsky at the police station on Tuesday night, after the assault (via Sklarsky)

 Bushwick artist Ian Sklarsky says that he was waiting for the Q train at 42nd Street shortly after midnight on Tuesday, when a man walked up and punched him in the face with a partially-unwrapped Snickers bar, shoving the candy into his mouth.

 The assailant walked away, but turned back when Sklarsky called out in surprise. A scuffle ensued, and Sklarsky says he was punched five more times.

 "It was so out of the blue," Sklarsky told us yesterday, recovering from what amounted to a black left eye, bruised nose, and two split lips. "All of a sudden he shoved it into my face, and in my mouth. It was kind of a face punch of sorts, but with a candy bar."

 Sklarsky, who specializes in pen-and-watercolor "blind contour" drawinga method where the artist draws lines without looking at the paperwas headed home to Bushwick when the incident occurred. He had just seen a short Alan Cumming film at the Living Room in the W Hotel in Times Square. "I had a great night," he recalled. "I saw Bernadette Peters. It was wonderful."

 Sklarsky says that there were about a dozen people on the train platform who witnessed the incident, and didn't intervene.

 "I did a lot of grabbing at him, trying to hold him down," he added. Sklarsky denied throwing any return punches, but said that he held the candy-puncher down in an effort to "keep him there so security or police got there, but no one did." He continued to scuffle with the man up an adjacent set of stairs. At the top, Sklarsky said, "he punched me a few more times" before running away.

 Sklarsky learned after the fact that a witness had called 911.

 According to the NYPD, Eliexer Reyes, 35, was arrested in conjunction with the attack, at about 12:40 a.m. Reyes, who police say resides at 450 Lexington Avenue in Bed-Stuy, has since been charged with assault to cause injury and disorderly conduct. Sklarsky said he has no connection to Reyes.

 Sklarsky, who has lived in New York City since 2010, says he is moving to South Africa in a few months. "I was like, fuck," he said. "My whole New York experience has been great. You hear stories about what happens in the city, but now it's a story that's happened to me."

 UPDATE: The NYPD confirmed that Reyes, who is currently incarcerated with $500 bail, has been arrested for punching individuals in the past. In October of 2009 Reyes punched an individual in the face at 300 Skillman Avenue in East Williamsburg. And in 2012, he was arrested for punching an acquaintance in the face at 609 West 174th Street.

 Reyes also violated an order of protection against an elderly person in January of 2013, and in March of that year he was arrested for smashing the back windshield of a Mitsubishi Galant with his fist and a metal lock. When officers arrested him, they found an iPhone 4 in his possession that had been stolen earlier that day.

Summary: – "It was so out of the blue," the alleged victim of a very strange assault tells the Gothamist. "All of a sudden he shoved it into my face, and in my mouth. It was kind of a face punch of sorts, but with a candy bar." The speaker is Brooklyn artist Ian Sklarsky—currently nursing a black eye, bruised nose, and split lips, and the assault weapon is a Snickers bar—apparently randomly shoved in Sklarsky's piehole as he waited for the Q train after midnight Tuesday. Sklarsky says he asked his attacker what was wrong with him, per the AP, and the man returned and repeatedly punched him in the face. Police have arrested fellow Brooklynite Eliexer Reyes, 35, and charged him with assault and disorderly conduct. Reyes has twice been arrested for punching other people, notes the Gothamist. He's jailed on $500 bail.


Tweet with a location

 You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more ||||| Filmmaker Michael Moore on Thursday called for the release of all blacks jailed on drug sentences to be released, and for the police to be disarmed.

 “Here’s my demand: I want every African-American currently incarcerated for drug ‘crimes’ or non-violent offenses released from prison today,” Moore tweeted.

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 “Next demand: Disarm the police,” he continued.

 Moore’s tweets were in response to the rioting in Baltimore earlier this week, which was triggered by the death in police custody of a 25-year-old black man.

 “We have ¼ billion 2nd Amendment guns in our homes 4 protection,” Moore wrote. “We’ll survive til the right cops r hired.”

 The “Fahrenheit 9/11” director additionally accused national law enforcement of practicing racial discrimination against blacks.

 “And the rest who r imprisoned – I don’t believe 50 percent did what they’re accused of,” Moore tweeted.

 “Lies, greed, a modern day slave system,” he added. “Poor whites 2.”

 Moore argued “local cops now militarized” upheld this system of oppression. This status quo, he continued, undermines America’s deepest values.

 “Founding Fathers said NO army policing our soil,” the filmmaker charged.

 “Why do cops have tanks?” he asked. “Oh right – the Enemy: The Black Man.”

 Moore also listed a summary of alleged grievances perpetrated by police departments against minority communities, especially blacks.

 “Imprison u, shoot u, sever your spine, crush your larynx, send u to war, keep u poor, call u a thug, not let u vote,” he tweeted.

 “But u can sing for us,” Moore finished.

 The director’s screed was in response to violent protests in Baltimore earlier this week.

 Riots erupted Monday over the death of Freddie Gray. Baltimore police on Tuesday arrested 235 people after confrontations in the streets.

 The city additionally imposed a curfew between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. that will last through the end of the week.

Summary: – Michael Moore isn't big on incremental solutions. In a series of tweets today that keep gathering steam, Moore called for the disarming of police and for the release of all black prisoners jailed for drug crimes or non-violent offenses, reports the Hill. He likened prison to a "modern day slave system." Three of the tweets: "Imprison u, shoot u, sever your spine, crush your larynx, send u to war, keep u poor, call u a thug, not let u vote. But u can sing for us." "Here's my demand: I want every African-American currently incarcerated for drug 'crimes; or nonviolent offenses released from prison today." "Next demand: Disarm the police. We have a 1/4 billion 2nd amendment guns in our homes 4 protection. We'll survive til the right cops r hired" The reaction is coming down pretty much the way you'd expect, with Moore's fans and enemies retweeting in a frenzy. Conservative site The Blaze makes sure to highlight this tweeted response from Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Jr.: "Start pilot project by doing it in his neighborhood. Set up transitional inmate housing where he lives."


Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The BBC's Milton Nkosi says up to seven people were killed

 Police in South Africa have opened fire during clashes with striking workers at the Marikana platinum mine, leaving at least 12 people dead, witnesses say.

 Police opened fire after miners carrying machetes, clubs and spears refused to disarm, eyewitnesses said.

 A witness told the BBC he saw 18 bodies on the ground after the shooting.

 The mine, owned by Lonmin, has been at the centre of a violent pay dispute, exacerbated by tensions between two rival trade unions.

 Ten people had previously died in violence since the strike began last Friday.

 The striking miners had gathered on a rocky hill overlooking Marikana, the third-largest platinum mine in the world.

 Image copyright Reuters Image caption Several injured people were treated at the scene after the violence

 Union leaders and police had tried in vain to disperse the crowd, some of whom said they were prepared to die on the hill.

 During the clashes, missiles - thought to be either petrol bombs or grenades - were thrown at police, who responded by opening fire, eyewitnesses said.

 Reports said a group of miners had approached police lines before the shooting began.

 One witness, Molaole Montsho, of the South African news agency Sapa, told the BBC police had first used tear gas in an attempt to disperse the miners.

 "The police threatened with them water from the water cannon, fired tear gas and stun grenades. And then in the commotion - we were about 800m (2,600ft) from the scene - we heard gunshots that lasted for about two minutes," he said.

 He also said he had counted 18 bodies lying on the ground after the gunfire, but could not tell whether they were dead or alive.

 'Illegal gatherings'

 The police ministry acknowledged that there had been deaths, but defended the police's actions.

 "To protest is a legal and constitutional right of any citizen," spokesman Zweli Mnisi told the AFP news agency in a text message.

 "However, these rights do not imply that people should be barbaric, intimidating and hold illegal gatherings. We had a situation where people who were armed to the teeth attacked and killed other."

 President Jacob Zuma said he was "shocked and dismayed at this senseless violence".

 "We call upon the labour movement and business to work with government to arrest the situation before it deteriorates any further," said Mr Zuma.

 "I have instructed law enforcement agencies to do everything possible to bring the situation under control and to bring the perpetrators of violence to book."

 The recent violence was initially thought to have been triggered by a turf war between the long-established National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the newly-formed Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), which is more militant.

 However, the AMCU has since demanded a pay rise of 12,000 rand ($1,500; £930) per month.

 Lonmin said in a statement on Thursday that the strike was illegal and that any striking workers who did not return to work by Friday would be sacked.

 The company said it had missed six days of production as a result of the unrest, and estimated it would lose around 2% of its normal yearly output of saleable platinum. The company's share price dropped by more than 6% on Thursday on the London Stock Exchange.

 The violence has shocked South Africans, with many finding the scenes reminiscent of how the apartheid regime dealt with protests, the BBC's Milton Nkosi in Johannesburg reports. ||||| South African police opened fire Thursday on a crowd of striking workers at a platinum mine, leaving an unknown number of people injured and possibly dead. Motionless bodies lay on the ground in pools of blood.

 Police surround the bodies of striking miners after opening fire on a crowd at the Lonmin Platinum Mine near Rustenburg, South Africa, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012. An unknown number of people have been killed... (Associated Press)

 Bodies of striking miners lay on the ground after police opened fire on a crowd at the Lonmin Platinum Mine near Rustenburg, South Africa, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012. South African police opened fire Thursday... (Associated Press)

 Police moved in on striking workers who gathered near the Lonmin PLC mine Thursday afternoon after urging them to give up their weapons and go home to their hostels and shacks. Some did leave, though others carrying weapons began war chants and soon started marching toward the township near the mine, said Molaole Montsho, a journalist with the South African Press Association who was at the scene.

 The police opened up with a water cannon first, then used stun grenades and tear gas to try and break up the crowd, Montsho said. Suddenly, gunfire broke out.

 On TV footage, a volley of intense gunfire from among the police ranks could be heard, with dozens of shots fired. The police were armed with automatic rifles and pistols.

 Images broadcast by private television broadcaster e.tv showed the gunfire ending with police officers shouting: "Cease fire!" By that time, bodies were lying in the dust, some pouring blood. Another image showed some miners, their eyes wide, looking in the distance at heavily armed police officers in riot gear.

 It was an astonishing development in a country that has been a model of stability since racist white rule ended with South Africa's first all-race elections in 1994. The shooting recalled images of white police firing at anti-apartheid protesters in the 1960s and 1970s, but in this case it was mostly black police firing at black mine workers.

 Police Capt. Dennis Adriao, a spokesman for the officers at the mine, declined to immediately comment. Jeff Wicks, a spokesman for private ambulance company Netcare Ltd. that was standing by at the mine, also declined to comment.

 Barnard O. Mokwena, an executive vice president at Lonmin, would say only: "It's a police operation." Lonmin is the world's third largest platinum producer

 In a statement earlier Thursday, Lonmin had said striking workers would be sacked if they did not appear at their shifts Friday.

 "The striking (workers) remain armed and away from work," the statement read. "This is illegal."

 The unrest at the Lonmin mine began Aug. 10, as some 3,000 workers walked off the job over pay in what management described as an illegal strike. Those who tried to go to work on Saturday were attacked, management and the National Union of Mineworkers said.

 On Sunday, the rage became deadly as a crowd killed two security guards by setting their car ablaze, authorities said. By Monday, angry mobs killed two other workers and overpowered police, killing two officers, officials said. Officers opened fire that day, killing three others, police said.

 Tuesday and Wednesday, thousands of miners had gathered at a rocky cliff within sight of the mine's smelter. They cheered, sang and marched around with machetes and clubs under the watchful eye of police officers in armored trucks. Some leaders of the miners spoke with the police and largely followed their instructions, breaking up the protest as dusk fell.

 Operations appeared to come to a standstill Tuesday as workers stayed away from the mines, where 96 percent of all Lonmin's platinum production comes from. The stoppage has spooked those investing in Lonmin. Stock in Lonmin plunged 6.91 percent in trading Thursday afternoon on the London Stock Exchange.

 While the walkout appeared to be about wages, the ensuing violence has been fueled by the struggles between the dominant National Union of Mineworkers and the upstart Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union. Disputes between the two unions escalated into violence earlier this year at another mine.

 Both unions have blamed each other for the strife at the mine at Marikana, about 70 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of Johannesburg.

 ___

 Associated Press writer Emoke Bebiak in Johannesburg contributed to this report. ||||| MARIKANA, South Africa South African police opened fire on striking miners armed with machetes and sticks at Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine on Thursday, killing at least a dozen men in scenes that evoked comparisons with apartheid-era brutality.

 In the incident, filmed by Reuters television, officers opened up with automatic weapons on a group of men who emerged from behind a vehicle and started loping towards police lines.

 The volley of bullets threw up clouds of dust, which cleared to reveal bodies lying on the ground.

 President Jacob Zuma said he was "shocked and dismayed" at what appeared to be one of the bloodiest police operations since the end of white-minority rule in 1994 in Africa's biggest economy.

 "I have instructed law enforcement agencies to do everything possible to bring the situation under control and to bring the perpetrators of violence to book," he said in a statement.

 Police have refused to confirm the death toll from the operation to disperse 3,000 protesting drill operators who had massed on a rocky outcrop near the mine, 100 km (60 miles) northwest of Johannesburg.

 "The police, in order to protect their own lives and in self-defense, were forced to engage the group with force," they said in a statement. "This resulted in several individuals being fatally wounded, and others injured."

 The police ministry said that the officers acted as they did only after first trying to peacefully disperse the crowd.

 "The minister is of the view that given the volatility of the situation, police did their best," the minister's spokesman Zweli Mnisi said in a text message. "What should police do in such situations when clearly what they are faced with are armed and hardcore criminals who murder police?"

 A Reuters photo showed a dozen corpses lying on a patch of sandy ground, while a spokeswoman from the opposition Democratic Alliance said the overall toll could be as high as 38. The SAPA news agency said one of its reporters had counted 18 bodies.

 World platinum prices leapt as much as $30 an ounce - more than 2 percent - to a six-day high as the extent of the violence became apparent in the country with 80 percent of known reserves.

 Leaders of the radical Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), which was representing most of the strikers, accused police of a massacre.

 "There was no need whatsoever for these people to be killed like that," General Secretary Jeffrey Mphahlele told Reuters.

 Some commentators likened the scenes to apartheid-era footage of ranks of police opening fire on crowds of protesters in black townships.

 "I cannot think of a confrontation between protesters and police since 1994 that has taken place along these lines," said Nic Borain, an independent political analyst.

 "PREPARED TO DIE"

 Before the start of the operation by hundreds of police, officials said several days of talks with AMCU leaders had broken down, leaving no option but to use force to break the crowd, which had triggered the closure of the mine.

 "Today is unfortunately D-day," police spokesman Dennis Adriao said.

 Prior to Thursday, 10 people - including two policemen - had died in nearly a week of fighting between rival worker factions at the mine, the latest platinum plant to be hit by an eight-month union turf war.

 The Marikana strikers have not made their demands explicit, although much of the bad blood stems from AMCU's challenge to the two-decade dominance of the National Union of Mineworkers, a close ally of Zuma's ruling African National Congress.

 Before the police advance, AMCU president Joseph Mathunjwa, whose organization has been on a big recruitment push in South Africa's platinum mines, said there would be bloodshed if police moved in.

 "We're going nowhere," he shouted through a loud-hailer, to cheers from the crowd. "If need be, we're prepared to die here."

 The unrest has forced Marikana's London-headquartered owner to halt production at all its South African operations, which account for 12 percent of global platinum output.

 Lonmin said it had lost the equivalent of 15,000 ounces of platinum from the six-day disruption, and was unlikely to meet its full-year production target of 750,000 ounces.

 Its shares fell to a four-year low, losing 6.7 percent in London and 7.3 percent in Johannesburg. In all, they have shed more than 13 percent since the unrest started at the weekend.

 At least three people were killed in a similar round of fighting in January that led to a six-week closure of the world's largest platinum mine, run nearby by Impala Platinum. That helped push the platinum price up 15 percent.

 Despite South Africa's dominance of the platinum sector, rising power and labor costs and a sharp drop in the price of the precious metal this year have left many mines struggling to keep their heads above water.

 (Additional reporting by Johannesburg bureau; Writing by Ed Cropley; Editing by Pascal Fletcher and Myra MacDonald)

Summary: – The death toll has risen to at least 17 in a week of clashes tied to a miners' strike in South Africa, the AP reports. At least seven people were killed after police fired at striking miners today. Officers, accompanied by armored vehicles, were setting up barbed wire near a platinum mine today as 3,000 workers protested. Details of what followed are murky: Reuters suggests that officers fired after several men appeared from behind a vehicle; the BBC cites reports that the machete-wielding protesters had ignored orders to drop their weapons. Some type of projectiles—possibly grenades—were reportedly hurled at the police before the shooting. While the BBC reports seven dead, South African news says 18 bodies were found on the ground. Talks between police and the leaders of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, which backed most the strikers, yielded no progress, police say, forcing them to resort to force. "Today was, unfortunately, D-Day," said one. The violence comes amid a conflict between the more radical AMCU and the longstanding National Union of Mineworkers.


Safe Cities Index: Security in a rapidly urbanising world

 Safe Cities Index 2017 The paper analyses the results of the 2017 index, both overall and by each of the four categories: digital security, health security, infrastructure security, and personal security. Additional insight into the index results and urban safety, more generally, was gained through interviews with experts. Download PDF Download XLS PDF 日本語

 About the report

 The Safe Cities Index 2017 is a report from The Economist Intelligence Unit sponsored by NEC. The report is based on the second iteration of the index, which ranks 60 cities across 49 indicators covering digital security, health security, infrastructure security and personal security.

 The index was devised and constructed by Chris Clague, Stefano Scuratti and Ruth Chiah. The report was written by Sarah Murray and edited by Chris Clague. Findings from the index were supplemented with wide-ranging research and in-depth interviews with experts in the field. Our thanks are due to the following people (listed alphabetically by surname) for their time and insights:

 Nathalie Alvarado , citizen security lead specialist, Inter-American Development Bank

 , citizen security lead specialist, Inter-American Development Bank Alan Brill , managing director, Kroll Cyber Security

 , managing director, Kroll Cyber Security David Buck , senior fellow, public health and inequalities, The King’s Fund

 , senior fellow, public health and inequalities, The King’s Fund Elizabeth Johnston , executive director, European Forum for Urban Security and executive director, French Forum for Urban Security

 , executive director, European Forum for Urban Security and executive director, French Forum for Urban Security Dan Lewis , chief, Urban Risk Reduction Unit and head, City Resilience Profiling Programme, UN Habitat

 , chief, Urban Risk Reduction Unit and head, City Resilience Profiling Programme, UN Habitat Mitchell Moss , professor of urban policy and planning, and director, Rudin Center for Transportation, New York University

 , professor of urban policy and planning, and director, Rudin Center for Transportation, New York University Robert Muggah , co-founder, Igarapé Institute

 , co-founder, Igarapé Institute Brian Nussbaum , assistant professor, Department of Public Administration and Policy, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs, State University of New York at Albany

 , assistant professor, Department of Public Administration and Policy, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs, State University of New York at Albany Michael Nutter , professor of professional practice in urban and public affairs, Columbia University

 , professor of professional practice in urban and public affairs, Columbia University Michael O’Hanlon , senior fellow in Foreign Policy, Brookings Institution

 , senior fellow in Foreign Policy, Brookings Institution Jacqueline Poh , chief executive office, GovTech Singapore

 , chief executive office, GovTech Singapore John Rossant , chairman, New Cities Foundation

 , chairman, New Cities Foundation Ana Diez Roux , dean and professor of epidemiology, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University

 , dean and professor of epidemiology, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University Dan Smith, director, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

 Executive summary

 In many respects it’s the very success of cities, in their role as global social and economic hubs, that makes them more vulnerable. As rural residents head for the city in developing countries—which for purposes here we define as non-OECD countries, with the exception of Singapore—and wealthy global capitals draw in international talent, vast demographic shifts are creating cities with previously unimagined population sizes. In 2016, there were 31 megacities—cities with more than 10m inhabitants. This is projected to rise to 41 by 2030.1

 And size matters. While cities generate economic activity, the security challenges they face expand and intensify as their populations rise. These include growing pressure on housing supply (prompting the spread of slums) and services such as healthcare, transport, and water and power infrastructure.

 Man-made risks are also growing. As tragic recent events in European cities such as London, Paris and Barcelona have demonstrated, high profile, wealthy urban centres are becoming targets for terrorist activities. And as income divides widen, growing inequalities can create tensions that contribute to violent outbursts such as the 2011 London riots.

 Meanwhile, another major shift has come to the fore: the rapid deployment of digital technologies in pursuit of the so-called “smart city”. The technologies no doubt bring benefits. As part of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, sensors collect and wirelessly transmit data from physical objects, delivering new insights into city operations and permitting remote and more efficient management of infrastructure and services. Connecting apartments and office buildings to the electricity grid via smart meters, for example, delivers energy efficiency and cost savings.

 And with the spread of closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) and webcams around cities, technologies such as artificial intelligence and data analytics can greatly enhance the capabilities of law enforcement agencies to combat urban crime and terrorism.

 Yet the rush to embrace smart city technologies also creates vulnerabilities if investments in digital technologies are not accompanied by commensurate investments in cyber security. Wealthy cities are making investments, albeit to varying degrees, but security often comes lower on the list of spending priorities for cities with already stretched finances.

 The consequences of neglecting cyber security could be dire. For example, if hackers were to shut down the power supply, an entire city would be left in chaos. This prospect is something city officials now need to plan against.

 Cities are also defined by the complex, interlinked nature of their systems and infrastructure. This complexity has a bearing on safety. For example, experts are uncovering links between the quality of housing and the health of citizens. And while terrorist attacks are what make headlines, traffic accidents are a greater day-to-day danger for urban residents. Natural forces are also coming in to play as climate change poses new risks to cities, with extreme weather events becoming an even greater threat, as illustrated by the devastation Hurricane Harvey just delivered to Houston, Texas.

 The 2017 Safe Cities Index retains the four categories of security from the 2015 version— digital, health, infrastructure and physical. However, we have added six new indicators and expanded the index to cover 60 cities, up from 50 in 2015.

 The index’s key findings include the following:

 As in 2015, Tokyo tops the overall ranking. The Japanese capital’s strongest performance is in the digital security category while it has risen seven places in the health security category since 2015. However, in infrastructure security, it has fallen out of the top ten, to 12th.

 The Japanese capital’s strongest performance is in the digital security category while it has risen seven places in the health security category since 2015. However, in infrastructure security, it has fallen out of the top ten, to 12th. In many cities, security is falling rather than rising: With two exceptions (Madrid, which is up 13 places and Seoul, up six), cities tend to have fallen in the index since 2015 (for example, New York is down 11 places, Lima is down 13, Johannesburg is down nine, Ho Chi Minh City is down ten and Jakarta is down 13)

 With two exceptions (Madrid, which is up 13 places and Seoul, up six), cities tend to have fallen in the index since 2015 (for example, New York is down 11 places, Lima is down 13, Johannesburg is down nine, Ho Chi Minh City is down ten and Jakarta is down 13) Asian and European cities remain at the top of the index: Of the cities in the top ten positions in the overall index, four are East Asian cities (Tokyo, Singapore, Osaka and Hong Kong), while three (Amsterdam, Stockholm and Zurich) are European.

 Of the cities in the top ten positions in the overall index, four are East Asian cities (Tokyo, Singapore, Osaka and Hong Kong), while three (Amsterdam, Stockholm and Zurich) are European. Asia and the Middle East and Africa dominate the bottom of the index: Dhaka, Yangon and Karachi are at the bottom of the list. Of the ten cities at the bottom of the overall index, three are in South-east Asia (Manila, Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta), two are in South Asia (Dhaka and Karachi) and two are in the Middle East and Africa (Cairo and Tehran).

 Dhaka, Yangon and Karachi are at the bottom of the list. Of the ten cities at the bottom of the overall index, three are in South-east Asia (Manila, Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta), two are in South Asia (Dhaka and Karachi) and two are in the Middle East and Africa (Cairo and Tehran). Security remains closely linked to wealth but the rankings of high-income cities are falling: While cities in developed economies dominate the top half of the index (with the lower half dominated by cities in poorer countries), of the 14 cities in high-income countries, the rankings of ten have fallen since 2015.

 While cities in developed economies dominate the top half of the index (with the lower half dominated by cities in poorer countries), of the 14 cities in high-income countries, the rankings of ten have fallen since 2015. Income is not the only factor governing city performance on security: Most of the cities in the top ten of the index are high-income or upper middle-income cities. However, two high-income cities in the Middle East (Jeddah and Riyadh) fall below position 40 in the index.

 Most of the cities in the top ten of the index are high-income or upper middle-income cities. However, two high-income cities in the Middle East (Jeddah and Riyadh) fall below position 40 in the index. America’s failing infrastructure is reflected in its cities’ rankings: No US city makes it into the top ten in this category and only San Francisco appears in the top 20. The top ten cities in this category are either in Europe (Madrid, Barcelona, Stockholm, Amsterdam and Zurich) or Asia-Pacific (Singapore, Wellington, Hong Kong, Melbourne and Sydney).

 No US city makes it into the top ten in this category and only San Francisco appears in the top 20. The top ten cities in this category are either in Europe (Madrid, Barcelona, Stockholm, Amsterdam and Zurich) or Asia-Pacific (Singapore, Wellington, Hong Kong, Melbourne and Sydney). However, the US performs well in digital security: Of the cities in the top ten in this category, four are North American (Chicago, San Francisco, New York and Dallas).

 1 The World’s Cities in 2016: Data Booklet, United Nations. Available at: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/urbanization/the_worlds_cities_in_2016_data_booklet.pdf

 Introduction

 In the two years since we published the inaugural Safe Cities Index, the world’s urban population is estimated to have grown by more than 150m people, raising the total number of people living in cities to above 4bn. More than 90% of the increase in urbanisation over this period occurred in the developing world, where massive migration from rural areas has continued to accelerate. In the developed world, however, the size of most cities remained roughly the same, with some cities even beginning to shrink in those countries with ageing and declining populations.

 The results of the 2017 Safe Cities Index, which now covers 60 cities, again show a sharp divide in overall levels of safety between the fast urbanising developing world and the stagnant developed world. The top three cities in the index are unchanged from 2015, with Tokyo, Singapore and Osaka ranked first, second and third and still separated by mere tenths of a point. Likewise, the remainder of the top ten continues to be comprised of mainly Asian and European cities.

 At the bottom of the Index is one of the ten new cities added in 2017: Karachi. Although it performs poorly across all of the categories, it was dragged down by a very low level of personal security (60th). This is a reflection of a number of factors, but the main reason is that among the cities in the index, it experiences by far the most frequent and most severe terrorist attacks. Jakarta, which ranked last in 2015, is 57th this year, pulled from the bottom by the addition of Karachi and other cities like Yangon and Dhaka.

 In 2017 only one city in the developing world cracks the top half of the index, Buenos Aires, which places 29th, between two Middle Eastern cities, Abu Dhabi (28th) and Doha (30th). Two other Middle Eastern cities, Jeddah (42nd) and Riyadh (47th), are the worst performing of the 21 cities from the developed world, having scored below average in all of the four categories and particularly poorly in the infrastructure and personal security categories.

 All the seven cities in North America are in the top half of the overall rankings but many underperform their developed country peers in key areas. New York, for example, ranks 31st in health security, with Dallas (29th) faring only slightly better. Dallas is also in the bottom half of the infrastructure security category, a category in which Chicago (27th) and Washington, DC (28th) are relatively weak as well. The decaying state of infrastructure in the US has long been a subject of debate in the country. The index shows that the debate has yet to translate into much action.

 In general, while the Safe Cities Index measures relative rather than absolute safety, there does not appear to have been a vast improvement in overall levels of safety since 2015. In parts of the developed world, particularly Europe, a series of terrorist attacks has affected personal security. At the same time, city governments in the developing world are still struggling to keep pace with the rapid expansion of their populaces, which is straining infrastructure and overwhelming health services and law enforcement, the extent to which it is even present.

 That is not to say progress hasn’t been made. At least in the developed world, more cities are devoting resources to digital security. Seoul, for one, improved its ranking in the category by 29 places by reducing the number of computers infected with viruses and the frequency of identity theft. But significant gaps in safety remain. In many instances, it’s a matter of resources—financial, human and political. Yet in others, it’s a question of understanding. The latter is easier to bridge and cities can start with identifying the problems and understanding how they’ve been solved elsewhere. The Safe Cities Index was designed to help policymakers address these and other issues. ||||| Our world has evolved beyond just thinking of safety in terms of personal well-being, health, and infrastructure—we now live in a digital age. Therefore, quantifying what is classed as a safe place to live means looking at more than crime rates and building regulations.

 Perhaps, one of the most granular ways to determine where the safest places in the world to live are is by looking The Economist Intelligence Unit, which ranks countries in its Safe Cities Index. It looks at health security, infrastructure safety, personal safety, as well as digital security.

 The 2017 index ranked 60 major cities, scoring 49 indicators in the same four subindexes to get a final score out of 100. The ranking also includes more nuanced and weighted data to get a more accurate result. For example, it added man-made threats such as indicators about terrorism and civil unrest. It also revised how it looks at gender safety, which “was changed from the number of rape cases to female homicide victims. This is to address issues on the underreporting of sexual violence crimes as well as differing definitions of rape. Homicide tends to be less underreported, and the focus on female victims also captures gender safety issues,” said the EIU.

 Tokyo came out on top as the safest city to live in the world. Overall, Asian and European cities hit most of the top ten positions in the index.

 Ranking Country 1 Tokyo 2 Singapore 3 Osaka 4 Toronto 5 Melbourne 6 Amsterdam 7 Sydney 8 Stockholm 9 Hong Kong 10 Zurich

 Tokyo reached poll position for digital security, second place for health security, and fourth place for personal security. However it didn’t rank in the top five for infrastructure security, which is why its overall score in the Safe Cities Index hit 89.80. Singapore came in a close second with 89.64, while Osaka came in at third place with 88.87.

Summary: – The Economist is out with a new ranking of the world's safest cities, and it finds that none from the US crack the top 10. The closest is San Francisco at No. 15. Japan, on the other hand, has two of the top three. The Safe Cities Index ranked 60 major cities on personal security (for example, urban crime), digital security (cyberattacks), health security (access to hospitals), and infrastructure security (safety of buildings, roads, etc.), per Quartz. The top 10, and their scores out of 100: Tokyo, 89.8 Singapore, 89.6 Osaka, 88.9 Toronto, 87.4 Melbourne, 87.3 Amsterdam, 87.3 Sydney, 86.7 Stockholm, 86.7 Hong Kong, 86.2 Zurich, 85.2 Click for the full list, which has Los Angeles and Chicago (despite its gun violence) in the top 20 with San Francisco.