Sunday, August 27, 2017

World News Briefs -- August 27, 2017





Daily Mail: Five feared dead in Hurricane Harvey as floods wash over Texas and residents brace for second deadly phase of the storm

* Two people have been reported dead in Houston and another three are feared dead in Aransas County
* The Category 4 hurricane has been downgraded to a tropical storm but the fresh concern is flooding
* In Houston, residents are climbing to their attics to escape rising flood waters in the floors below
* One woman's body was seen floating down the street and entire coastal communities have been wiped out
* Donald Trump celebrated the response from emergency services who have so far rescued thousands
* He vowed to visit the state once it was safe and said the 'good news is there is talent on the ground'
* Local authorities say the catastrophe is only now unfolding and others warn the agony has 'just begun'

Five people were reported dead on Sunday as the Hurricane Harvey death toll climbed.

Three people are feared dead in Aransas County and another two are thought to have died in Houston as 130mph winds and thrashing rain lashed the region.

The Category 4 hurricane, dubbed the worst in 12 years, made landfall late on Friday, battering the coast.

It has since been downgraded to a tropical storm and is making its way inland, bringing with it a torrent of heavy rain and further concern for emergency authorities who fear it will trigger some of the worst flooding on record in the state.

With another 40in of downpours on the way on Sunday, the true scale of the damage is yet to reveal itself.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Iraqi forces seize most of Tal Afar from Islamic State. Iraqi forces retake most of Tal Afar from Islamic State: military.

Iraq’s Sunnis wrestle with militants’ religious legacy.

Syrian army, allies advance against Islamic State in central Syria.

Ceasefire halts Syria-Lebanon border fight against Islamic State. Lebanon army declares border ceasefire to negotiate deal with 'Islamic State'.

Lebanon finds remains believed to be soldiers kidnapped by IS.

Deadly clashes in Yemen rebel ranks spark fears of 'strife'. Pro-Saleh colonel killed in clashes with Yemen rebels.

UN chief calls for reopening of Yemen port, airport.

Israel to press UN chief on 'blindness' on Hezbollah.

ASIA

Almost 100 dead and thousands evacuated as violence flares in Myanmar. Myanmar Rakhine: Thousands flee to Bangladesh border.

Floods kill over 1,200 in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Tillerson slams N.Korea missile test but still seeks talks.

Second storm hits Hong Kong and Macau amid typhoon recovery.

Yingluck Shinawatra: Former Thai PM to seek asylum in UK, party source says.

Thai junta under fire from allies over Yingluck escape.

'No pride in genocide': vandals deface Captain Cook statue in Sydney's Hyde park.

Canadian pastor escaped execution due to foreign citizenship: CBC.

Samsung heir's jailing heralds South Korean reform drive: analysts.

Top anti-graft inspector at China's finance ministry under investigation for graft.

AFRICA

Italy's interior minister meets Libyan mayors over people smuggling.

Somalis refuse to bury dead until state admits killing them in U.S.-backed raid.

Angola opposition to contest election loss in court. Explain your results, beaten Angola party head tells electoral commission.

DR Congo violence displaces 3.8 million: UN.

Another genocide in Africa? Top UN official warns of religious war in Central African Repoblic.

Tanzania urges UN to repatriate over 8 000 Burundi refugees.

US man killed in South Sudan; army says ‘caught in fighting’.

UN envoy warns of election risks in South Sudan.

South Africa case is opening doors to grim apartheid death.

EUROPE

UK’s Labour backs staying in EU’s single market after Brexit.

Merkel: no regrets over refugee policy despite political cost.

Thousands of migrants are caught trying to reach Britain on ferries from Spain after Calais Jungle camp closed.

Majority of people in France now dissatisfied with Macron: poll.

German woman dies of injuries from Barcelona terror attack.

Barcelona anti-terror march attended by hundreds of thousands, King Felipe VI joins.

Albania’s prime minister names smaller, restructured Cabinet.

Buckingham Palace sword attack: Police arrest second man.

AMERICAS

Water ‘is swallowing us up’: Catastrophic floods hit Houston.

Trump to travel to storm-ravaged Texas. Trump says will head to Texas when not 'disruptive'.

Trump Arpaio: Top Republican Paul Ryan condemns pardon for sheriff.

Colombia: Former rebel group FARC enters politics after peace deal.

Bolivia's Morales criticised over road in biodiverse region.

Guatemala president expels UN anti-corruption chief.

Where is Santiago Maldonado? Argentina searches for missing protester.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Al Qaeda says senior commander in Somalia al Shabaab affiliate killed.


ISIS claims responsibility for Brussels attack on soldiers by knifeman who was carrying a replica gun when he was shot dead.

'Kamikaze' drones: 'Covert channels' and other ways terrorists in Syria get arms.

Changes to proposed U.S. anti-Hezbollah sanctions allay Lebanon's fears.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Trump says Canada, Mexico being very difficult on NAFTA.

About 25 percent of U.S. Gulf oil output offline due to Harvey.

Face scans, robot baggage handlers - airports of the future.

Upping the Ante: Are US, China Headed for 'Steel War'?

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