Attorneys general representing nearly half the states and lawyers for more than 500 local governments Friday blasted the terms of Purdue Pharma’s offer to settle thousands of lawsuits over the nation’s opioid crisis in court filings that also said the company had funneled up to $13 billion to its controlling family. Their legal filings said the tentative deal does not contain an admission of wrongdoing from members of the Sackler family, would not stop family members from future misconduct and wouldn’t force them to repay money “they pocketed from their illegal conduct.” The documents say members of the Sackler family, one of the wealthiest in the U.S., made $12 billion to $13 billion from Purdue, a higher amount than court records had previously given. The figure was in a sworn statement given last month by Jesse DelConte, a restructuring consultant for Purdue; an excerpt of his deposition did not specify when those payments were made. FILE – Cars pass Purdue Pharma headquarters in Stamford, Conn., Sept. 12, 2019. Local government lawsuits against the family that owns Purdue Pharma should be allowed to proceed, according to court filings this week. Billions made on OxyContin In a previous deposition, former Purdue chief …

The European Union has rejected a British request to hold Brexit talks this weekend, British media reported, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson reiterated his commitment to leaving the bloc Oct. 31 despite the possibility of a not reaching an exit deal. The European Commission said that Johnson’s new Brexit proposals do not provide any basis for finalizing a separation agreement, according to Sky News. Talks on Johnson’s plan to replace the Irish backstop will not take place over the weekend, EU Commission spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud was quoted as saying by Sky. She added that the UK will be given “another opportunity to present its proposals in detail” Monday. “If we held talks at the weekend it would look like these were proper negotiations,” the Times newspaper had earlier cited an EU diplomat as saying. “We’re still a long way from that.” Johnson has consistently said he will not ask for a Brexit delay, reiterating the point on Friday. “New deal or no deal — but no delay. #GetBrexitDone #LeaveOct31” Johnson said in a tweet. However, his government also acknowledged for the first time Friday that Johnson will send a letter to EU asking for a Brexit delay if no divorce …

Hawaiian shirt day, doughnuts, shared sheet cake: There are a lot of ways to try to raise morale in the office. But Maxim Moskalkov visited some very special workspaces where workers know the best morale boost comes on four legs.    …

The town of Minden, West Virginia looks like many small American towns, yet it is unique in that it is one of the most toxic places in the United States. Here, between 1970s and mid-1980s, the Shaffer Equipment Company used harmful chemicals to build electrical equipment. Those chemicals have been banned since 1979, but traces still remain. Daria Dieguts went there to find out more and filed this report narrated by Anna Rice.    …

Mike Stura runs a 230 acre farm about an hour from New York City in the state of New Jersey. He isn’t really a farmer by trade, but he is a rescuer by choice and gives ailing animals a second chance. Anna Nelson visited Stura at Skylands Sanctuary, Anna Rice narrates the story.    …

President Donald Trump emphasized corruption, not politics, is the motivation to ask foreign governments to investigate his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden. But text messages suggest that U.S. diplomats were encouraging Ukraine’s president to investigate Biden in exchange for a meeting he was seeking with Trump. VOA’s Steve Redisch reports.Trump Denies Political Motives for Ukraine Investigations; Diplomats’ Texts Concerning  …

Hong Kong’s metro system will stay shut Saturday, the rail operator said, paralyzing transport in the Asian financial hub after a night of chaos in which police shot a teenage boy and pro-democracy protesters torched businesses and metro stations. Friday’s protests across the Chinese-ruled city erupted hours after its embattled leader, Carrie Lam, invoked colonial-era emergency powers last used more than 50 years ago to ban face masks, which demonstrators use to conceal their identities. Increasingly violent demonstrations that have roiled the city for four months began in opposition to a bill introduced in April that would have allowed extradition to mainland China but have since spiraled into a broader pro-democracy movement. Riot police fire tear gas at protesters at Causeway Bay area in Hong Kong, Oct. 4, 2019, as people hit the streets after the government announced a ban on face masks. Stations burned, staff hurt MTR Corp said its network, which carries about 5 million passengers each day, would remain suspended, while shopping malls and supermarkets also closed, in a new blow for retailers and restaurants in a city on the edge of recession. “As we are no longer in a position to provide safe and reliable service …

Ecuadorean transport unions agreed Friday to suspend protests after two days of unrest in which demonstrators blocked roads across the country. The announcement indicates that an agreement between the transport unions and the government was reached although details of any deal were not immediately announced. The protests, which began Thursday, were carried out by public transportation drivers, students and workers who were angry over the government’s decision to scrap decades-old fuel subsidies. Demonstrators blocked roads across the country with tires and branches, forcing many bus and taxi services to shutdown. The government said Friday about 350 people had been detained for blocking traffic, interrupting public services or attacking police. Officials said the arrests took place mainly in the capital, Quito, and the coastal city of Guayaquil. Residents walk along the Pan-American highway blocked by semi-trailer trucks during a nationwide strike that shut down taxi, bus and other services in response to a sudden rise in fuel prices, in Cangahua, Ecuador, Oct. 4, 2019. Earlier Friday, President Lenin Moreno, who had declared a state of emergency over the strike, said he would not reverse himself on his decision to end fuel subsidies. Moreno declared the state of emergency Thursday as the …

A federal judge upheld Massachusetts’ four-month ban on the sale of vaping products Friday, at least for now. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani denied the vaping industry’s request for a temporary reprieve from the ban while their legal challenge plays out in Boston federal court, saying the plaintiffs did not show they would likely succeed on the merits of the case or that the “balance of hardships” weighs in their favor. Talwani had said in a hearing earlier in the day that the legal motion felt premature and that the public health concerns prompting the ban likely outweigh any short-term impacts to local businesses. Another court hearing is set for Oct. 15 where both sides are expected to deliver more extensive arguments in the case. Lawyers representing local vape shops argued that small, independent operators are being disproportionally hurt by the ban, with many forced to lay off staff or close their shops entirely. “You’re saying I ought to be more concerned about the economic harm to businesses for a two-week period than the potential people who will end up in the hospital during this two-week period?” Talwani asked industry lawyers at one point during the hearing. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie …

President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation requiring immigrants to show they can afford health care before they can be granted visas.  The proclamation was announced Friday. It says immigrants will be barred from entering the U.S. unless they are to be covered by health insurance within 30 days of entering or have enough financial resources to pay for any medical costs.  It applies to people seeking visas abroad — not those in the U.S. already.  It applies to spouses and parents of U.S. citizens, but not children.  The Trump administration earlier this year also made changes to regulations that would deny green cards to migrants who use forms of public assistance.  …

Thierry Kaore and Andrea Tadic contributed to this report. NEW YORK/WASHINGTON — Zambian President Edgar Lungu says climate change threatens to derail his country’s economy, and disruptions to the rainy season have already dampened its outlook. “Climate change is the biggest problem that we’re encountering now,” Lungu said in a one-on-one interview with VOA last week. “In terms of economic growth and whatever we want to do, we encounter the effects of climate change. So I think we need to take a serious look at it and see what solutions we can find amongst ourselves,” he said. Economic woes Zambia’s $25 billion economy, its industries and its population have all been growing, Lungu said, and demands for electricity have exceeded expectations. Meanwhile, the country has experienced more frequent and severe seasonal droughts, along with rising temperatures, according to the Zambia’s President Edgar Chagwa Lungu addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Sept. 25, 2019. At the U.N. General Assembly in September, Lungu sought a consensus and expressed his hope for collective action. He called on other countries to shift to renewables and reduce emissions, even if there is a political price to pay. Too often, he said, politicians …

North Korea’s underwater-launched missile has a longer-range than the missiles the country tested earlier this year and is designed to be launched from a submarine that has a potential to pose a threat to the U.S. allies in northeast Asia, experts said. “The missile tested … has a maximum range of more than twice that of the shorter-range systems North Korea has been testing” this summer, said Michael Elleman, director of Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Policy program at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). “It does not pose a threat to the continental U.S., but once fully developed, it will threaten U.S. allies and interests in northeast Asia.” North Korea conducted an underwater launch of a new ballistic missile on Wednesday that flew about 450 kilometers off the country’s eastern coastal town of Wonsan before landing in the waters off Japan. It reached a peak altitude of 950 kilometers, South Korean’s Joint Chief of Staff said. “It’s indeed the longest-range, solid-fueled missile North Korea has tested to date,” said Ian Williams, deputy director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). “[North Korea] has not tested this kind of missile since 2016.” Reaching South …

One of Iraq’s most influential clerics has called for Iraq’s government to resign as anti-government protesters gathered in Baghdad for a fourth day of demonstrations against unemployment, poor public services and corruption. Moqtada al-Sadr, the former Shiite militia leader who leads the largest opposition bloc in parliament, said in a statement Friday that “the government should resign and early elections should be held under U.N. supervision.” Iraqi forces have been opening fire on protesters, and medical and security sources say at least 53 people have been killed this week. An injured protester is rushed to the hospital after being shot during a demonstration in Baghdad, Iraq, Oct. 4, 2019. On Friday, Iraqi security forces again opened fire on protesters. Journalists on the scene reported that police appeared to be shooting directly at protesters and not into the air. Witnesses say at least 10 people were killed Friday and many more injured. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued a statement Friday saying “the deaths of civilians and the growing number of wounded at the ongoing protests across the country is particularly worrying, as is the use of firearms for restoring public order.” The ICRC has called on both …

Brian Padden contributed to this report. Protests broke out Friday in Hong Kong immediately after the city’s government banned people from wearing masks at public demonstrations. Protesters, including some wearing masks, fanned out across the city, leading to rallies, as well as violent clashes. Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, announced the ban earlier Friday, invoking a British colonial-era emergency powers act that was last used to quell riots in in 1967. Lam said the new regulation, to take effect Saturday, is a “prohibition of the face covering” and is intended to “target rioters or those that resort to violence.”   Following the announcement, thousands of demonstrators gathered in the city’s central business district and other areas, shouting “Hong Kong people, resist!” Groups of angry protesters attacked pro-Chinese businesses, vandalized subway stops, and set street fires, causing police to respond with tear gas fire. Police said an officer fired a live shot in self-defense after he was attacked by protesters in the northern Yuen Long district. More rallies are expected over the weekend. The new law threatens anyone wearing masks at protests with up to one year in prison. Hong Kong residents can still wear masks in the street, but …

Diahann Carroll, the Oscar-nominated actress and singer who won critical acclaim as the first black woman to star in a non-servant role in a TV series as “Julia,” has died. She was 84. Carroll’s daughter, Susan Kay, told The Associated Press her mother died Friday in Los Angeles of cancer. During her long career, Carroll earned a Tony Award for the musical “No Strings” and an Academy Award nomination for best actress for “Claudine.” FILE – This 1972 file image shows singer and actress Diahann Carroll. But she was perhaps best known for her pioneering work on “Julia.” Carroll played Julia Baker, a nurse whose husband had been killed in Vietnam, in the groundbreaking situation comedy that aired from 1968 to 1971. “Diahann Carroll walked this Earth for 84 years and broke ground with every footstep. An icon. One of the all-time greats,” director Ava DuVernay wrote on Twitter. “She blazed trails through dense forests and elegantly left diamonds along the path for the rest of us to follow. Extraordinary life. Thank you, Ms. Carroll.” Although she was not the first black woman to star in her own TV show (Ethel Waters played a maid in the 1950s series “Beulah”), …

Editor’s note: We want you to know what’s happening, and why and how it could impact your life, family or business, so we created a weekly digest of the top original immigration, migration and refugee reporting from across VOA. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team: ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com. U.S. hits refugee cap; another decrease looms The U.S. hit its self-imposed refugee arrivals cap of 30,000 on Monday, the close of the 2019 fiscal year. VOA Immigration Unit reporter Victoria Macchi reports that more than half of those refugees came from Africa. By individual country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo accounted for 13,000, followed by Myanmar (4,932), Ukraine (4,451), Eritrea (1,757), and Afghanistan (1,198). Fewer than 600 were from Syria. In the current fiscal year 2020, the Trump administration seeks to cut refugee arrivals yet again, this time to 18,000 — the lowest ceiling in U.S. history.  ‘Inhumane’ overcrowding on Greek islands The United Nations refugee agency reports worsening humanitarian conditions on the Greek Islands of Lesvos, Samos, and Kos, which host some 30,000 asylum-seekers who arrived by sea, many of them from Afghanistan and Syria. The U.N. agency has warned that the asylum-seekers should be moved to the mainland, calling …

Jeff Seldin contributed to this report. Microsoft said hackers linked to the Iranian government targeted a U.S. presidential campaign, but were not successful. The company said in a blogpost Friday that the hackers attempted to penetrate 241 accounts, including a U.S. presidential campaign, current and former U.S. government officials, media targets and prominent expatriate Iranians. It said the hackers were successfully able to access four accounts, but Microsoft said none of those accounts belonged to a campaign or any current or former government officials. Microsoft did not identify the election campaign whose network was targeted by the hackers. FILE – Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Christopher Krebs testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 22, 2019. Chris Krebs, director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said in a statement to VOA that his agency is aware of the report by Microsoft and “we are working with them to assess and mitigate impacts.” “While much of this activity can likely be attributed to run-of-the-mill foreign intelligence service work, Microsoft’s claims that a presidential campaign was targeted is yet more evidence that our adversaries are looking to undermine our democratic institutions,” he …

VOA Connect Episode 90 –  Explore some old-time pastimes, from riding a steam locomotive, to watching a wingwalker take to the sky, and digging into the original Buffalo wings. Plus, see how one small town reinvented itself to become an artist’s paradise …

Want to know what esthetician Jana-Leigh Scheaffer does for fun?  Here’s a hint, it’s a predominantly male sport and it involves major stunts.  We promise you will enjoy watching her walk in the air, literally.   Reporter: Philip Alexiou; Camera: Philip Alexiou, Martin Secrest; Adapted by: Jacquelyn De Phillips …

There are a lot of reasons small towns in America are fading away – factories closing down, family farms closing up and the eternal draw of big city living. But some towns are fighting back with innovative ideas.   Meet a family of artists in Lewellen, Nebraska, population 200, trying to keep their main street alive and pulsating.   Reporter/Camera: Deepak Dobhal …

President Donald Trump said Friday the White House is preparing a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi formally objecting to the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry without an official vote. It’s expected to say the administration won’t cooperate with the probe without that vote — but he also said he believes it will pass. Trump acknowledged that Democrats in the House “have the votes” to begin a formal impeachment inquiry, even if they don’t in the Senate. But he also said he believes the move will backfire politically. “I really believe that they’re going to pay a tremendous price at the polls,” he said. FILE – Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is surrounded by reporters as she arrives to meet with her caucus at the Capitol in Washington, after declaring she will launch a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. Pelosi last week announced that the House was beginning the inquiry but didn’t seek the consent of the full chamber, as was done for impeachment investigations into former Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. Trump allies have suggested for days that without a formal vote, the House is merely conducting standard oversight, entitling lawmakers to a lesser level of …

We go to Anchor Bar, the home of the original Buffalo chicken wing!  In business since 1935, learn the history behind this famous bar and how the a favorite snack of sports fans and late-night partiers was created.   Reporter: Mariia Prus, Camera:  Konstiantyn Golubchik; Adapted by: Zdenko Novacik  …

A Russian journalist has been arrested in the Iranian capital and kept in custody since earlier this week, the Russian embassy to Tehran said on Friday. The embassy’s press attache told the Tass news agency that Yulia Yuzik flew into Tehran last Sunday and that Iranian officials seized her passport at the airport for unknown reasons. She was arrested in her hotel room on Wednesday. The attache could not immediately say why the journalist was under arrest. The Russian foreign ministry has summoned the Iranian ambassador to Moscow to explain Yuzik’s arrest, ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. Yuzik’s former husband Boris Voitsekhovsky said on Facebook on Friday that she called him from detention saying that she faces charges of espionage for Israel. Yuzik, who worked for several prominent Russian publications and has reported from Iran, posted pictures from her trip on Instagram earlier this week, saying that she loved being there.   …