Now willing to use Russian troops more or less openly in eastern Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has made decisive progress toward his goals

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Even when you have a mountain of work or a pages long to-do list, it can be hard to get started. It's so much easier to procrastinate — even if it destroys your productivity.

But whether you need to remove all distractions, take a walk, or revisit your daily goals, there's bound to be a productivity hack to help you get motivated.

In honor of National Fight Procrastination Day on September 6, we've gone through the BI archives to find the best insights on how to beat procrastination and maximize productivity. Here are our 20 essential tips to getting more done:

Streamline email writing. Instead of taking time to compose long emails, try using quick bullet points. Just make sure you're getting your point across clearly. Read more about it here.

Take a short walk. Spending a few minutes outside will help you return to work more focused. In fact, it could boost your productivity by up to 20%. Read more about it here.

Eliminate interruptions. Set aside a few hours each day to work uninterrupted. That means no calls, no emails, and no chatting with coworkers. You'll get a lot more done once you let yourself become fully invested in a project without splitting your attention elsewhere. Read more about it here.

Prioritize one thing each day. Tim Ferriss, author of "The Four-Hour Workweek," fights procrastination by making clear goals every morning. He suggests writing out the tasks that are causing you the most stress and asking, "If this were the only thing I accomplished today, would I be satisfied with my day?" to decide what should be your number one priority. Read more about it here.

Remove distractions. Clear off your desk and close out Facebook and Twitter before starting your work. Eliminating potential distractions will help you get in the right mindset to concentrate. Read more about it here.

Treat yourself. Incentivize yourself to work by creating rewards for every goal you meet, even if it's as small as grabbing a snack once you've finished a project. Read more about it here.

Break down large projects. Huge tasks can be overwhelming, causing you to keep putting them off. Instead, try breaking down big projects into smaller bits and tackling one thing at a time. Read more about it here.

Find your peak time of day. Figure out which point in the day you're most productive, and keep it distraction-free. Finding these "productivity pockets" will help you maximize your time. Read more about it here.

Use the internet to your advantage. Download an app like Evernote that organizes your notes, or one like Selfcontrol that keeps you from checking social media. Read more about it here. 

Challenge yourself. If you're bored, you'll be less motivated to do your best work. Find ways to push yourself and keep your motivation up. Read more about it here.

Start a "done list." At the end of each day, write down what you've accomplished. It will help you realize how efficiently you're working and where you can improve. Read more about it here.

Take short breaks. Try the Pomodoro technique, in which you work for 25 solid minutes followed by a three to five minute break to let your brain relax. Read more about it here.

Only check your email once an hour. Instead of jumping on every new email the minute it comes in, give yourself specific times to check your inbox. You'll be able to concentrate on other projects without interruption every time a new message comes in. Read more about it here.

Keep yourself accountable. Setting deadlines for yourself is great, but telling another person will keep you accountable for meeting those deadlines. Read more about it here.

Try the "under 1o-minutes rule." If a task can be completed in 10 minutes or less, take care of it right away and move on. You'll stop pushing off small tasks. Read more about it here.

Draw a Venn diagram. GE CMO Beth Comstock uses Venn diagrams to decide where to get started on big projects. She draws three circles for what she has to do, what she loves to do, and what she hates to do, then begins with the overlap between what she has to get done and what she loves. Read more about it here.

Get enough sleep. You're more likely to give in to distractions and waste valuable time if you're feeling fatigued. You'll have much more focus if you're well-rested. Read more about it here.

Stay warm. You're more likely to be productive in a warm office than a cold one, so don't hesitate to crank up the heat. Read more about it here.

Remind yourself why. If you're struggling to get started on a project, take a few moments to remind yourself why you want to get a certain task finished. It will help you find motivation to get the ball rolling. Read more about it here.

Be nice. If you're too hard on yourself, you'll push yourself deeper into procrastination. Stop beating yourself up about putting things off and just start. Read more about it here.

SEE ALSO: Here Is The Procrastination Doom Loop — And How To Break It

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Barnard College is a private, women’s liberal arts college known for its progressive and feminist ideals. Yet the 125-year-old institution is in the news for a very un-feminist reason. 

Feministing reports that Barnard imposed a dress code on its 2014 resident advisors (RAs) that said they could not wear clothing revealing any part of their stomachs, chests, or backsides during training. Via Feministing [emphasis ours]:

Dress appropriately for training. While we want you to be comfortable, this is a work environment. In the words of from [sic] our friends in Admissions, ‘No belly, no butts, no bras,’ meaning that none of these should be showing in the clothing you choose to wear. We ask that you come dressed as you did for Group Process. Those dressed inappropriately will be asked by their HD to go home and change.

The rule was a part of the “Training Expectations” contract that Barnard RAs were asked to sign after returning to the institution two weeks ago for orientation. According to Feministing, which spoke with some of the RAs, the students were made to sign the contract and the rules were “not discussed or negotiated before their signing.”

Let’s be clear. A resident advisor sets an example in the college community and will most likely be the first resource for incoming students. They must apply, interview, and train for the position, agreeing to uphold and adhere to personal and professional conduct as outlined by the school.

But none of the Barnard RAs were aware of any dress code rules when they accepted their positions and then were asked to sign a document dictating their clothing choices.

The message Barnard’s RAs are being given is clear: to be deemed professional and acceptable, women must wear clothing that covers them — even if those women are still college students working in the summer heat, and especially if those women have butts, boobs, and bellies (you know, all of them).

One RA also made the salient point that the rule promoted body shaming and was obviously biased against curvier body types. “I’d just like to highlight the racial aspects of it,” she said to Feministing, “certain bodies are policed and deemed as not welcome.”

Another agreed, saying that the image Barnard wanted to showcase was of a “White corporate feminist.”

In an age where young women are frequently shamed for their choice of clothing and school dress codes unfairly target young women, one would expect a women’s college — fierce advocates of feminism and liberal thought — would be exempt from this. 

Business Insider has reached out to Barnard College for comment, and will update if we hear back.

SEE ALSO: The 50 Most Expensive Boarding Schools In America

DON'T FORGET: Business Insider's Colleges is now on Facebook!

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Boeing announced this week that it expects China's airlines will require an additional 6,020 aircraft by 2033 with a total value of $870 billion. These latest figures represent an 8% increase over the airplane maker's 2013 projections, reports Reuters. 

Fueled by massive investment in airport infrastructure and the burgeoning middle class' demand for leisure travel, the Chinese aviation industry has developed significantly over the past decade. 

"China's aviation market is going through dynamic changes," said Randy Tinseth, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president of Marketing. "New business models like low-cost carriers and airplane leasing companies, a new generation of fuel-efficient airplanes and evolving consumer needs are driving demand for more direct flights to more destinations."

Boeing expects Chinese demand to make up 16% of all airplane orders worldwide and 45% of all orders coming from Asia. Of the 6,020 new airplanes, Boeing expects as many as 4,300 of them to be single-aisle variants like its hot-selling 737NG and 737MAX. 

With China's major airlines fielding a balanced mix of Boeing and Airbus aircraft, the country will be a significant battle ground for the two industry titans. Although Boeing claim that more than 50% of airliners flying in the country carrying the company's logo. 

SEE ALSO: How Delta Bought A Refinery And Wound Up Saving Its Rivals A Ton Of Cash

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Walgreens and CVS are expected to be among some of the major retailers that will accept payments from Apple's new mobile payments system, Re/code's Jason Del Rey reports.

Apple is expected to announce its mobile payments platform along with new iPhones on Sept. 9. The new iPhones are said to have near-field communication (NFC) chips that can communicate with point of sale terminals when you tap the phone against them. 

Apple is also expected to announce a new wearable computing device, the so-called iWatch, on Sept. 9. That gadget is also said to have NFC and may also be used for payments, according to Brian X. Chen of The New York Times. NFC could also be used to pair the iWatch with your iPhone.

Assuming all these reports are true, you can expect several more major retailers to come out in support of Apple's payments system on Sept. 9.

SEE ALSO: The iWatch is poised to be a massive hit

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Jony Ive's good friend Marc Newson will join Apple's design team.

Ive called him "one of the most influential designers of this generation," in a statement to Vanity Fair's Kia Makarechi.

Other than co-designing some Apple products, there's another good reason why the two are buddies and a natural fit to work together: they share the same world view when it comes to design. 

In an interview with CBS This Morning last year, when they teamed up for a charity auction for U2's Bono, they discuss their similarities.

"Tell me about the kinship in ideas, kinship in approach, kinship in appreciation, kinship in a sense of design and beauty and function," interviewer Charlie Rose says.

"Well, I think in some ways that's why we're the close friends that we are," Ive explains. "That we share the same view of the world and the same taste and we'll relate to the same attributes and aspects of an object."

Then Newson interjects: "But most importantly, we really hate the same things," he jokes.

That plays right into the way Apple designs products. Last year, Apple famously showed a video at its developers conference about its creative process. The key line: "There are a thousand no's for every yes."

It sounds like Newson will help Ive continue that strict level of scrutiny when making new products.

Watch the entire clip below:

SEE ALSO: 'Influential Designer' Marc Newson Is Apple Genius Jony Ive's Latest Hire

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On Friday Apple told Vanity Fair that it had hired industrial designer Marc Newson to join Jony Ive's design team. 

Newson is one of a string of high-profile hires Apple has made recently in a perceived effort by Tim Cook to transform Apple into a luxury brand like Louis Vuitton or Chanel.

Here are the other Tim Cook-era hires that are driving Apple into the luxury marketplace:

Angela Ahrendts came to Apple last year after serving as CEO of Burberry. She's tasked with overseeing Apple's brick and mortar retail division as well as the online store. Although she took a step down from CEO to senior vice president, Apple promised her tens of millions in restricted stock.

Paul Deneve served as CEO of French fashion house Yves Saint Laurent before coming to Apple last year. Deneve is VP of Special Projects and reports directly to Tim Cook. Deneve has been rumored to be involved with the iWatch.

Ben Schafferjoined Apple last September after working on Nike's FuelBand business. He is also reportedly involved with Apple's smartwatch/wearable efforts. 

Dr. Dre became an Apple employee after building his Beats by Dre brand into a headphone empire. Although Beats aren't known for their stellar sound quality, but a string of celebrity endorsements have made them very popular. When Apple bought Beats, Dre became hip-hop's richest man.

Jimmy Iovine joined Apple alongside Dr. Dre when Apple bought Beats. Iovine is a creative type whose experience in the music industry could revitalize iTunes, which has fallen out of favor with consumers (despite having the largest credit card database in the world). Iovine will guide Tim Cook's content strategy, which will in turn sell hardware.

SEE ALSO: Influential Designer Marc Newson Is Apple Genius Jony Ive's Latest Hire

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The world fully expects to catch a glimpse of Apple's newest product next week, a smartwatch commonly called the iWatch. Apple may just tease the new device and it won't be available for immediate sale. But as Apple continues exploring wearable tech, we now have a better idea how future gadget designs will be influenced.

Apple hired world-famous designer Marc Newson on Friday. Newson is a design genius who has worked on everything bathroom products, interiors, and furniture. He once even designed a personal jet, the Kelvin40, commissioned by the Foundation Cartier in Paris in 2003.

That said, he also famously founded a watch company, Ikepod, credited for starting the "big watch" men's fashion revolution, though he officially severed design ties with the company in 2012.

Here are a few example's of Newson's watch designs.

Maybe the most classic Ikepod watch was known as the Horizon collection.

This watch was a revision of the Horizon, designed in collaboration with graffiti artist turned painter/sculptor/designer known as Kaws.

Newson isn't stuck on the idea of round watches. Here's one he calls Solaris, the last design he did for Ikepod.

The above watch also came in gold.

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New York (AFP) - Serena Williams will fight for an 18th Grand Slam title against Caroline Wozniacki after sweeping past Ekaterina Makarova 6-1, 6-3 on Friday to reach the US Open final.

World number one Williams, winner of the past two titles at Flushing Meadows and five overall, will try to match Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova on 18 career major titles when she faces her good friend Wozniacki on Sunday.

The 10th-seeded Dane was leading 7-6 (7/1) 4-3 when China's Peng Shuai dramatically retired from their semi-final with heat related illness.

Peng was taken from the court in a wheelchair as Wozniacki, leading 7-6 (7/1), 4-3, was declared the victor.

Peng, in growing discomfort in the second set in the hot sunshine bathing Arthur Ashe Stadium court, was overcome in the eighth game, reeling to the back of the court where she was eventually attended by a trainer and a supervisor.

After some discussion she was helped form the court and granted a confusing and controversial mid-game medical timeout as Wozniacki, facing a break point, was left to try to stay loose hitting practice serves.

Peng returned to the court and after a break of 10 minutes played five more points before she was stricken again, finally crumpling to the court, her Grand Slam dream in tatters.

"She was in distress, she had a heat-related illness," said tournament director David Brewer after the match, adding that Peng was recovering well in the on-site medical facility.

"It was very difficult to watch," said Wozniacki, who went to Peng's side when she fell to the court, offering her a comforting pat.

"Tennis is great but the health is more important. I wanted to make sure that she's OK," Wozniacki said.

Wozniacki was especially concerned knowing that Peng had surgery to correct a heart defect as a youngster.

She wasn't too worried about whether the extended break broke any rule.

"I didn't really know the rules -- I know if it's just cramping you aren't allowed to have a timeout but if it's heat illness you can," she said.

And then I think they check my temperature. And then everything --

Peng, speaking later after an ice bath and rest, said the doctor who treated her during the time out urged her not to return to the match.

"I said, No, no, no, I don't want to give up. I want to try one more time.

"I knew I'm not going to stay maybe too long, but I just wanted to try. I just wanted to challenge her one more time."

Peng's memory of the moment the match was halted is hazy.

"I couldn't think for the match because I wanted to stop the cramping, to breathe.

"But I think when I came back on the court the doctor, she knows. So with the situation they're not going to let me die on the court, so they have to decide."

Wozniacki, who shocked five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova in the fourth round, is back in a Grand Slam final for the first time since losing in the 2009 US Open final to Kim Clijsters.

"It's incredible to be in the final, I have goosebumps," she said.

Despite her 17 major wins, Williams, too, was overjoyed to return to the final, having failed to make it out of the fourth round at any major so far this year.

"Oh my God, it feels so good," said Williams, who sank almost to her knees screaming "Yes!" when Makarova pushed a last forehand wide. "I'm so happy, you have no idea."

- No drama for Serena -

Williams saw Peng's travails unfold as she warmed up for her match.

"I was really saddened by it," she said. "She's such a great person. You never want to see anyone go out like that."

There was no drama -- or suspense -- for Williams. After Makarova had held her first service game for 1-1 in the opening set, Williams won the next nine games, turning up the volume to finish with 24 winners on an increasingly windy Ashe court.

The American superstar needed exactly one hour to subdue 17th-seeded Makarova, who was playing in her first Grand Slam semi-final after coming up empty in four prior quarter-final appearances.

Williams played three straight tournaments in the build-up to the Open, winning titles in Stanford and Cincinnati and reaching the semi-finals in Montreal.

Along the way she beat Wozniacki twice, in the quarter-finals at Montreal and semis in Cincy, both times needing three sets. 

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If you thought Apple's products were beautiful and easy to use before, just wait. Apple has hired one of the world's most famous product designers, Marc Newson.

Newson is close friends with Apple's rock star in-house designer, Jony Ive. This could be the dream team of industrial product design as Apple branches out into watches, Beats headphones, and who-knows-what-else.

The video below shows Newson as he thumbs through his design book and talks about designing watches.

Some of the timepieces and jewelry he shows off are truly mind-blowing. It will be so interesting to see what Newson brings to Apple.

SEE ALSO: Here Are Some Watches Created By Apple's New Rockstar Designer

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There's no shortage of things that should be fixed in the U.S. There's the "crumbling" physical infrastructure, the never-ending bipartisan arguments in D.C., the inadequate public school systems ... and list goes on.

But there are also things that are going right in the U.S.

U.S. Trust's Joseph Quinlan identifies these in his "What's Right With America" thesis.

"From our vantage point, America needs to leverage its strengths to correct for its weaknesses," he wrote.

1. The U.S. is the largest and most productive economy in the world.

The U.S. is one of the only developed economies whose GDP is higher today than before the economic crisis.

Plus, the U.S. economy accounts for almost 1/5th of the global GDP, even though it only has 4.5% of the population.

Source: U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management

2. The U.S. remains a global leader in manufactured goods.

In nominal terms, U.S. manufacturing output was upt to $2.1. trillion in 2013. That's a 21% increase from the low 2009 numbers.

Since February 2010, the manufacturing industry has added approximately 700,000 workers.

Source: U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management

3. The U.S. is among the largest exporters of goods and services in the world.

Today, exports are up to $196 billion per month, after they dropped to $124 billion per month in April 2009.

The U.S. remains one of the major global exporters . In fact, the U.S.'s monthly exports are greater than most countries' yearly exports.

Source: U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management

Toronto (Canada) (AFP) - Subtle cultural differences and subtitles often make the business of selling foreign-language films in the North American marketplace a challenge, but demand for remakes in English is strong.

Several filmmakers and buyers told AFP on the sidelines of the Toronto International Film Festival that a North American distribution deal requires patience and determination.

"Distributors have become timid, and so-so films just won't do anymore," a French seller said.

"Your film and your pitch have to be excellent," added Stine Oppegaard of the Norwegian film institute.

A niche American audience will always go see a film with subtitles at art house cinemas, but "beyond that, to reach the general public is a problem," commented Adeline Monzier, Unifrance's New York-based rep.

French filmmakers have managed to secure a foothold, with a more than 0.5 percent share of box office receipts that peaked at 2.5 percent with the success of "The Artist" and "Intouchables" in 2011, she recalled.

"It seems small but we are the country that has done the best by far," she said.

- Art house cinema -

"There is a certain American audience for art house films. Just look at the success of the Indian film 'The Lunchbox,' which earned $5 million at the box office, or Poland's 'Ida' -- close to $4 million," explains Louis Balsan of the French firm Funny Balloons.

He's in Toronto trying to secure distribution for "Near Death Experience," an offbeat film by Benoit Delepine and Gustave Kerven, starring actor-writer Michel Houellebecq.

He says it should be an easy sell, because the two directors "have their fans" and Houellebecq "is the most published French writer abroad, no?"

Also in his bag is the French production "Pasolini," which premiered in Venice before being screened in Toronto. Making it a bit more saleable in Canada and the United States, it is directed by and stars Americans Abel Ferrara and Willem Dafoe, respectively.

Toronto is not only a great place to find distribution deals for finished works, attracting a massive media and industry grouping, but is also "a perfect place to launch international projects," said Gilles Sousa, Bac sales director.

Bac Films announced in Toronto Nicolas Saada's new film "Taj Mahal," which will feature "Nymphomaniac" star Stacy Martin. The thriller will be set against the backdrop of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Bac is also keen on a remake of Thomas Cailley's film "Les combattants", a story of young people that would resonate well with audiences in other countries, according to Sousa.

Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks are adapting the Japanese film "Like Father, Like Son" by Hirokazu Koreeda, which won the top prize at Cannes in 2013, he noted.

A hindrance for Japan generally, however, according to Kenta Fudesaka, international relations director for UniJapan, which promotes Japanese films abroad, is that "people often think of action films or anime when you mention Japanese films."

Coincidentally Japanese animation film studio Ghibli has managed to get a US distribution deal for its "Tale of Princess Kaguya" but it will be redubbed by known actors Chloe Grace Moretz, Beau Bridges and James Caan, he said.

He recalled also Yojiro Takita not having North American box office success with his "Departures," despite winning a best foreign language film Oscar in 2009.

"Normally that type of Oscar leads to commercial success but this one didn't," he noted.

CFPI, China's film promotion organization, is making its first appearance at the Toronto film festival this year, with a thriller, a romantic comedy and an animated film.

But its Fen Yue acknowledges "cultural differences (in films) are sometimes difficult to understand" by foreign audiences.

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Seoul (AFP) - North Korea on Saturday test-fired three short-range missiles off its east coast, putting the South's military on alert ahead of a traditional harvest holiday.

The missiles, launched from a location near the southeastern port of Wonsan early Saturday, flew 210 kilometres (131 miles) before splashing down in the Sea of Japan (East Sea), the South Korean military joint chiefs of staff said.

They are believed to be new tactical missiles which the North has been testing in recent weeks.

"In light of their ranges and trajectories, the missiles fired today are of the same kind" as the missiles fired on August 14 and September 1, a military official was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency.

"The launches are apparently aimed at developing new missiles with a longer range than that of the existing KN-02 missiles", which have a range of 170 kilometres, he said.

The South's military is keeping a close watch over the North ahead of the Chuseok holiday, which begins on Monday and ends on Wednesday, he added.

During the holiday, one of the South's most celebrated traditions, Koreans visit relatives and pay their respects to ancestors.

North Korea has fired a total of 111 missiles, all short- or middle-range, in 19 launches this year alone, Yonhap said.

The hardline communist state often fires missiles and rockets as a show of force or to express anger at perceived provocations such as joint US-South Korea military exercises, but the frequency of the recent tests is unusual.

UN resolutions bar North Korea from conducting any launches using ballistic missile technology.

But the North has defended the missile launches as a legitimate exercise in self-defence and a response to US war manoeuvres. 

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Texas Supreme Court Justice Debra Lehrmann cited a quote from the cult film "The Big Lebowski" in a legal decision earlier this year.

The opinion on Kinney v. Barnes was delivered on Aug. 29, but we learned of it on Friday from C.J. Ciaramella's FOIA Newsletter. Legal blog Above The Law caught wind of the decision on Thursday.

It was a freedom of speech appeals case, in which Andrew Barnes wrote on two websites that Robert Kinney had been implicated in a kickback scheme while he was Barnes' employee. Kinney sued and demanded a permanent injunction against the allegedly defamatory statements.

"The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is similarly suspicious of prior restraints,"wrote Justice Lehrman in the decision highlighting a cornerstone that has "been reaffirmed time and again by the Supreme Court, this Court, Texas courts of appeals, legal treatises, and even popular culture."

That last reference to popular culture contained an interesting footnote citing none other than Walter Sobchak, a character in the 1998 film. This is the footnote:

"For your information, the Supreme Court has roundly rejected prior restraint!" Sobchak says in the movie, before continuing: "This affects all of us, man! Our basic freedoms!"

Here's the scene from the film (language warning):

Ciaramella called it the "footnote of the year." We're inclined to agree. Now mark it zero.

Correction: An earlier version of this post said the case was from January. It was originally argued back then, but the actual opinion was delivered in August.

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Cherry Hills Village (United States) (AFP) - Sergio Garcia, who had a string of three consecutive runner-up finishes earlier this year, is in position to try and post his first victory on the USPGA Tour in two years.

Garcia fired a second round six-under 64 Friday to vault into the lead at the $8 million BMW Championship at Cherry Hills Country Club.

The Spaniard finished 36 holes at eight-under 132 and he holds a one-stroke lead over American Ryan Palmer.

"The course is in great shape," Garcia said. "It's a shame that it rained yesterday. It would have played really, really tough throughout the week, but it's still playing great."

Garcia won earlier this year at the Qatar Masters on the European Tour but he has not hoisted a trophy in North America since the 2012 Wyndham Championship. 

Garcia hasn't been able to break through this year despite being in the hunt several times. He finished tied for second at the Travelers Championship and the Open Championship. Garcia was also the runner-up at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

He skipped last week's Deutsche Bank Championship and the move seems to be paying off.

After some overnight rain, the Cherry Hills course softened and Garcia was able to try and take advantage of that during the second round.

Garcia helped his cause with a couple of hole outs Friday. On the second hole, his second shot from 93 yards out found a bunker to the right of the green. Garcia hit the ball from the sand and drained the shot from about 46 feet for a birdie.

- Eagle on number seven -

Another brilliant shot came at the par-four seventh. After his drive landed just off the fairway, Garcia's approach shot from 126 yards dropped into the hole for an eagle. That put him at three-under on the day.

"I guess I had a couple of bonuses out there," said Garcia.

Palmer shot a 64 on Friday to jump into sole possession of second place at seven-under 133. He is looking for his fourth win on the USPGA Tour.

World number one Rory McIlroy carded his second consecutive 67 and he is tied with Billy Horschel (66) at six-under 134. McIlroy had a share of the first round lead with Jordan Spieth and Gary Woodland.

McIlroy had a strong finish Friday after making bogey on two of his final three holes in round one.

"I feel much better coming off the golf course because I birdied three of the last four holes," McIlroy said. "I felt like I was giving myself a lot of birdie chances. There was thick rough around the greens so if you miss it then it is tough to get up and down."

McIlroy, who is currently number two in the FedEx Cup playoff standings, beat out Garcia for the Open and WGC-Bridgestone Invitational titles this season.

"It was a little trickier conditions today," McIlroy said. "It was cooler so the ball wasn't going quite as far. Even though the course was softer it still played tough out there."

Chris Kirk (70), the Deutsche Bank Championship winner, is nine shots back at one-over 141. The Barclays tournament winner Hunter Mahan (70) is well back at five-over 145.

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The page that served as a centralized hub of leaked celebrity nude photos has finally been banned from Reddit.

Reddit said in a statement that the site "deplore[s] the theft of these images" and that Reddit does not "condone their widespread distribution." Reddit also made clear in its statement that the site does not plan to change its policies because of this incident.

Visitors to /r/thefappening are now greeted with this message:

The Fappening served as a dumping ground for the nude celebrity photos that were leaked last weekend. In a strange move, Redditors within The Fappening started donating to the Prostate Cancer Foundation "in honor of" Jennifer Lawrence, one of the celebrities who was affected by the massive hack.

Moderators of The Fappening started panicking once they realized that nudes of Olympic athlete McKayla Maroney were taken when she was underage, meaning that sharing the photos could result in charges of child pornography.

The moderators of The Fappening were reportedly warned of the potential child pornography by Reddit administrators.

It's unclear why it took this long for Reddit to ban The Fappening. Over the course of the last week, Business Insider reached out to Reddit multiple times to inquire why it left the site up, and got no response.

Read the full statement from Reddit below:

Last weekend, reddit was used as one of the primary centers of distribution of private and unlawfully obtained images of celebrities.

In accordance with our legal obligations, we expeditiously removed content hosted on our servers as soon as we received DMCA requests from the lawful owners of that content, and in cases where the images were not hosted on our servers, we promptly directed them to the hosts of those services.  

While current US law does not prohibit linking to stolen materials, we deplore the theft of these images and we do not condone their widespread distribution.

Nevertheless, reddit’s platform is structurally based on the ability for people to distribute, promote, and highlight textual materials as well as links to images and other media. We understand the harm that misusing our site does to the victims of this theft, and we deeply sympathize.

Having said that, we are unlikely to make changes to our existing site content policies in response to this specific event.

The reason is because we consider ourselves not just a company running a website where one can post links and discuss them, but the government of a new type of community. The role and responsibility of a government differs from that of a private corporation, in that it exercises restraint in the usage of its powers.

While we may believe that users should behave in a certain way, the methods we use to influence that behavior fall into two different classes:

1. Actions which cause or are likely to cause imminent physical danger (e.g. suicides, instructions for self-harm, or specific threats) or which damage the integrity and ability of the site to function (e.g. spam, brigading, vote-cheating) are prohibited or enforced by “hard” policy, such as bans and rules.  

2. Actions which are morally objectionable or otherwise inappropriate we choose to influence by exhortation, emphasizing positive examples, or by selectively highlighting good content and good actions. For example, this includes our selection of subreddits which populate on our default front page, subreddits we highlight in blog posts, and subreddits we promote via other media channels.

The philosophy behind this stems from the idea that each individual is responsible for his or her moral actions.

We uphold the ideal of free speech on reddit as much as possible not because we are legally bound to, but because we believe that you - the user - has the right to choose between right and wrong, good and evil, and that it is your responsibility to do so. When you know something is right, you should choose to do it. But as much as possible, we will not force you to do it.

You choose what to post. You choose what to read. You choose what kind of subreddit to create and what kind of rules you will enforce. We will try not to interfere - not because we don’t care, but because we care that you make your choices between right and wrong.

Virtuous behavior is only virtuous if it is not arrived at by compulsion. This is a central idea of the community we are trying to create.

As always, we welcome ideas on how better to achieve these aims, and we will continually evolve both our policies and actions.

SEE ALSO: The Leaked Photos Of McKayla Maroney Were Taken When She Was Underage, And Reddit Is Freaking Out

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Warren Buffett turned 84 years old on Saturday.

And even at that age, the billionaire "Oracle of Omaha" continues to be involved in some of the biggest investment plays in the world.

Buffett is undoubtedly the most successful investor in history. His investment philosophy is no secret, and he has repeatedly shared bits and pieces of it through a lifetime of quips and memorable quotes.

His brilliance is timeless, and we find ourselves referring back to them over and over again.

We compiled a few of Buffett's best quotes from his TV appearances, newspaper op-eds, magazine interviews, and of course his annual letters.

Buying a stock is about more than just the price.

"It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price."

Source: Letter to shareholders, 1989

You don't have to be a genius to invest well.

"You don't need to be a rocket scientist. Investing is not a game where the guy with the 160 IQ beats the guy with 130 IQ."

Source: Warren Buffett Speaks, via msnbc.msn

But, master the basics.

"To invest successfully, you need not understand beta, efficient markets, modern portfolio theory, option pricing or emerging markets. You may, in fact, be better off knowing nothing of these. That, of course, is not the prevailing view at most business schools, whose finance curriculum tends to be dominated by such subjects. In our view, though, investment students need only two well-taught courses - How to Value a Business, and How to Think About Market Prices."

Source: Chairman's Letter, 1996

Mariupol (Ukraine) (AFP) - Powerful explosions in a key frontline city in eastern Ukraine on Saturday raised fears that a day-old truce between government and rebel forces had already collapsed. 

Numerous explosions were heard and thick smoke was visible on the horizon of Mariupol, a government-held port city in the east of the country. 

A checkpoint held by Ukraine loyalists seemed to be on fire late on Saturday, according to AFP journalists close to the scene.

The renewed violence came just hours after a phone call between Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, who agreed that a ceasefire signed on Friday "was generally being observed". 

The 12-point pact was the first to gain the backing of both Kiev and Moscow after five months of fighting that has claimed 2,800 lives and triggered the deepest crisis in East-West relations for a generation. 

But the renewed violence threatened a repeat of the unilateral ceasefire called by Kiev in June, which collapsed within days. 

Both sides were accusing each other on Saturday of breaching the truce within hours of its signing in the Belarussian capital Minsk.

- 'Want our own president' -

The pro-Russian separatists insisted they will not give up their ambitions for an independent state in the industrial east with binding diplomatic and trade ties to Russia.

"We want our own president, our own currency and our own banking system," a pro-Russian guerrilla named Oleg told AFP in the Donetsk region town of Yasynuvata.

"This is the only way. There is no other alternative."

Western leaders accuse Russia of actively fomenting the rebellion by funnelling large numbers of troops and heavy weaponry across the border -- claims which Moscow has repeatedly denied.

Despite the ceasefire, the US and the EU agreed to beef up sanctions against Russia, and NATO approved a rapid reaction force aimed at reassuring jittery Eastern European states.

Russia warned it would respond if the EU imposes more sanctions, accusing Brussels of supporting the "party of war" in Kiev.

"Instead of feverishly searching for ways to hurt the economies of its own countries and Russia, the European Union would do better to work on supporting the economic revival of the Donbass region" of eastern Ukraine, its foreign ministry said on Saturday.

Full details of the peace accord have not been disclosed, although some of the terms called for both sides to start pulling back from major flashpoints and exchanging prisoners from Saturday. 

Russia is also being allowed to supply the devastated cities of east Ukraine with humanitarian aid that Kiev had previously opposed out of fear the convoys could be used to smuggle arms.

There was no indication if any of the articles had yet been implemented on the ground on Saturday. 

Although Poroshenko said he was "satisfied" with the agreement, it opens him up to accusations that he has surrendered to recent rebel advances and failed to reunify the nation of 45 million under a pro-Western banner, as he promised at the time of his election in May. 

- 'They are bandits' -

The rebels launched a lightning counter-offensive across the southeast in late August that dramatically reversed recent gains by the Ukrainian army.

The peace pact could leave the separatists -- who remain deeply mistrustful of the nationalist-leaning government in Kiev -- in effective control of a region that accounts for one-sixth of Ukraine's population and a quarter of its exports.

The months of fighting have left dozens of towns in the east in ruins, and once-powerful factories and coal mines that form the backbone of Ukraine's economy have ground to a halt.

"It's impossible to trust them (the rebels), they are bandits," said Natalia, a 54-year-old professor staying with friends in Mariupol after fleeing Donetsk.

A Human Rights Watch report on Saturday accused pro-Russian rebels of committing "serious violations of the laws of war", claiming they were forcing civilians to work in "punishment brigades" on pain of death.

But, despite strong rhetoric, there appears to be little appetite in Western capitals to become directly involved in ensuring the peace.

"This obviously is a ceasefire that has to be held between Russia and Ukraine," US State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said.

"This isn't about the United States; this is about them."

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New York (AFP) - Alexander Wang proved himself one of the biggest innovators in New York fashion with a fast tempo, uber-cool catwalk show that won personal praise from style icon Rihanna.

Wang's 2015 spring/summer collection for his eponymous label saw impeccable tailoring brought up to the minute with leather, string meshing and rubber to refine the urban, androgenous look for which he is famous.

There were none of the delicate colors that have characterised lesser catwalks this week, instead the 30-year-old whiz kid indulged his love of black, pairing it with white, orange, green, blue, yellow or pink.

Monochrome looks of black and white -- tight trousers with sharp creases, tasseled mini skirts and string tops -- were enlivened by innovative heeled shoes in blue and pink providing a splash of color.

- Rihanna: 'I'm so proud of you' -

"The shoes killed it. I'm so proud of you," gushed an enthusiastic and clearly delighted-looking Rihanna as she embraced Wang backstage after the show.

"Thank you so much. Congratulations," the Barbadian pop star said before being whisked away as Wang was mobbed more fans, other celebrities and fashionistas.

There were leather crop tops, a beige rubber mini dress that resembled the tread of a car tire, and a leather and mesh biker jacket, then grey suiting. 

Textures were enlivened by tops encrusted with beads on the front or string-strapped crop tops fashioned from coiled thread.

Models belted down the runway, hair scrapped back and faces, to high-tempo techno music met by raptuous applause and cat calls.

Wang, who dropped out of design school to set up his own label, is one of the most successful American designers of his generation.

Since 2012, he has also been creative director of Balenciaga, the first American in more than 10 years to run a old-school French couture house, and in November a collection for retailers H and M is due to hit stores.

- Gurung's Himalayan high -

Another Saturday highlight saw Nepalese designer to the A-list Prabal Gurung unveil a Himalayan-themed spring/summer collection paired with an inaugural shoe collection inspired by women artists.

Spectators who sweltered in the hot, cavernous Moynihan Station, were transported by a fast-paced, intense collection billed as "the juxtaposition of traditional Nepalese dressing and androgynous American sportswear."

It was the designer's second consecutive runway show inspired by a trek to Mustang, a plateau on the Chinese border where his mother's ancestors come from, and comes with him just weeks away from launching a new make-up brand.

He chose white, turquoise, lilac, amethyst, navy and sunset coral as the colors of his collection, meant to embody the skies over Nepal from dusk to dawn.

Micro-shorts, skirts, asymmetrical dresses and organza blouses showcased Gurung's signature ruffles, hand embroidery, layers and different textures -- skirts draped with chiffon and dresses spliced with graphic details.

Day dresses had three-dimensional rhododendron and carabineer prints.

There was ample use of flocked satin, raw bleached denim, organza made into wrap blouses and then cloque jacquard, which looked a bit like subtle quilting and which Gurung said was a nod to the mountains.

Outfits incapsulated a fresh, dreamy exoticism trimmed with leather, ostrich features, ruffles and backs were cut out under and around the shoulders.

For evening, Gurung created billowing, two-tone chiffon skirts with a stripe of color down the back and bodices encrusted Swarvoski crystals, finished with over-sized waistcoats to provide a modern flourish.

The designer's first shoe line complimented the clothes, each named after 20th century artists: Britain's Tracy Emin, Zaha Hadid and Cecily Brown; Americans Georgia O’Keeffe and Cindy Sherman, and Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

Stilletos had textural and color-blocked details with graphic straps and rhodium-plated hardware buckles and technical nylon belts.

The award-winning creator is a favorite of style queen Anna Wintour, the English editor-in-chief of Vogue and attended her son's recent society wedding. 

Gurung has dressed some of the world's most desirable women including Michelle Obama and the Duchess of Cambridge. "Mad Men" star January Jones wore Prabal Gurung to this year's Emmys.

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Seoul (AFP) - North Korea will put a detained US citizen on trial on September 14, state media said on Sunday, less than a week after Matthew Miller made a highly unusual televised plea for help from Washington.

Miller, one of three Americans being held in North Korea, was arrested in April after Pyongyang said he ripped up his visa at immigration and demanded asylum.

"The Supreme Court of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) decided to hold on September 14 a court trial on American Matthew Todd Miller, now in custody according to the indictment of a relevant institution," the official news agency KCNA said. 

The statement offered no further details.

North Korea said in July it would put Miller and another detained US citizen, Jeffrey Fowle, on trial on unspecified charges related to "perpetrating hostile acts".

On September 1, Miller -- along with Fowle and the third US citizen being held in North Korea, Kenneth Bae -- pleaded for their freedom as Pyongyang minders looked on in an interview with CNN.

They urged Washington to send an envoy to the isolated authoritarian state to negotiate their release. 

"My situation is very urgent," Miller said during the interview.

"I think this interview is my final chance to push the American government into helping me," he added, wearing a dark turtleneck and often looking away from the interviewer.

US officials vowed after the interviews were aired that they would "leave no stone unturned" in their efforts to free the three men. 

But State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki refused to outline US efforts publicly, saying Washington did not want to jeopardise any diplomacy. 

She would not discuss whether Washington was prepared to send a high-level envoy to Pyongyang as it has in past cases, when former president Bill Clinton and ex-governor Bill Richardson successfully won the release of detained Americans.

"We continue to work actively to secure these three US citizens' release," she said.

The State Department said there was no update to Psaki's earlier remarks after the North's announcement Sunday.

- 'Freedom' of religion  -

Fowle entered the North on April 29 and was detained after reportedly leaving a Bible at a hotel. 

Bae was arrested in November 2012 and later sentenced to 15 years of hard labor on charges of seeking to topple the North Korean government. 

Washington has no diplomatic ties with North Korea, and the Swedish embassy acts as a go-between in such consular cases. Swedish officials last visited Bae on August 11, and saw Fowle and Miller in late June.

A number of foreigners have been detained in the North for years, many for alleged involvement in religious activities. 

Some were allowed to return home afterwards due to old age, or after intervention by high-profile US figures.

A 75-year-old Australian, John Short, was detained for 13 days until early March after distributing religious material in Pyongyang. 

He was deported after signing a detailed "confession" and apology.

Eddie Jun Yong-Su, a Korean American businessman, was detained for six months for apparent missionary activities, and freed in 2011 after former US President Jimmy Carter pleaded for his release.   

Last year, a 85-year-old US Korean War veteran Merrill Newman was held for more than a month in the North after enquiring about North Korean veterans. 

Although religious freedom is enshrined in the North's constitution, it does not exist in practice and religious activity is severely restricted to officially-recognised groups linked to the government. 

Pyongyang views foreign missionaries as seditious elements intent on fomenting unrest and posing threats to its leadership. 

The Kim family, including the current leader Kim Jong-Un, has been ruling the impoverished, isolated state for three generations with an iron fist and pervasive personality cult.

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