Sitting on his porch in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Otis Tucker cuts a lone figure on a street punctuated with large empty spaces - the shadows of homes lost to Hurricane Katrina. Tucker lives in the part of the Louisiana city most devastated by the powerful storm and its aftermath in 2005, when levees designed to protect the city from flooding failed. Many residents of the poor neighbourhood have struggled to return after fleeing Katrina. Lack of funds to come home and rebuild, coupled with developers swiftly moving in, and gentrification of this predominantly black, lower-income area, have left scars. Today, broken windows and overgrown weeds pepper abandoned homes, and the angry barking of a dog interrupts the silence. “There were families here, there were kids in the street playing football, and there were neighbours,” said Tucker, who was born and bred in the neighbourhood. “And that went away overnight. It just got washed away.” Since being … [Read more...] about ‘The water’s not going anywhere’
New york power authority
Experts take samples from site of alleged Syria gas attack
A Syrian soldier walks down a destroyed street in the former rebel-held Syrian town of Douma on the outskirts of Damascus on April 19, 2018. (Photo: AFP/Stringer) Gruesome footage of the alleged toxic attack on Apr 7 in the town of Douma, just outside Damascus, horrified the world and prompted unprecedented Western strikes on Syrian military installations. Just hours after the joint missile strikes, a team from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) arrived in Syria to investigate the claims. But they had been unable to access Douma itself, which fell from rebel hands into joint Syrian and Russian control after the suspected chemical attack. United Nations security experts deployed to the town on Tuesday to check it was safe, but were forced to pull out after an explosion went off and they were shot at. Investigators finally collected evidence from the site for the first time on Saturday, the OPCW said. "The samples collected will be transported to the OPCW … [Read more...] about Experts take samples from site of alleged Syria gas attack
Asian push to crack down on ‘fake news’ sparks alarm
Inflammatory stories masquerading as real news pose a particularly toxic threat in Asian countries with long-standing religious and ethnic divides, but promises by some regional leaders to tackle the problem carry equal menace. Borrowing from U.S. President Donald Trump's political playbook, government heads with an authoritarian streak are using the mantra of "fake news" to shield themselves from negative media coverage, and push legislation that critics say is aimed more at stifling dissent than punishing fabrication. The problem they profess to be addressing is a genuine one. Internet penetration is now so extensive - even in the poorest areas - that fake stories dressed up as fact can go viral on social media overnight and reach massive audiences with often dire consequences. In India last year, seven people were killed by a mob after a false story spread on WhatsApp that they were child-traffickers. A number of Asian leaders have tapped into the resulting public concern and … [Read more...] about Asian push to crack down on ‘fake news’ sparks alarm
Most Asian markets up as Syria, trade fears subside
Most Asian markets up as Syria, trade fears subside, photo source: AFP The US president on Wednesday sent shudders across trading floors when he warned "missiles will be coming" to Syria in response to an alleged chemical attack by the Russia-backed regime, fuelling fears of a stand-off between the major powers. But he tempered the rhetoric a day later suggesting he might hold off on an imminent strike while he holds talks with France and Britain on how to deal with the crisis. As investors digested the remarks, it emerged Trump had directed senior aides to explore rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which he left on becoming president, calling it a US jobs killer. The U-turn came as he suggested the US and China might not eventually impose tariffs on each other's goods, despite recent tit-for-tat warnings over hundreds of billions of dollars of trade. That followed Chinese President Xi Jinping's conciliatory speech this week promising to open up his country's economy. … [Read more...] about Most Asian markets up as Syria, trade fears subside
No decision yet from Trump on Syria response
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump put off a final decision on strikes against Syria following a crunch meeting with national security advisors on Thursday, as Moscow warned against any US move that could trigger a conflict between the nuclear-armed rivals. Minutes after Pentagon brass and cabinet members jumped in black armored SUVs and sped away from the White House, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump would continue to assess intelligence and engage with allies. "No final decision has been made," she said, adding that Trump was scheduled to confer with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May. Later, a Downing Street spokesperson confirmed that Trump and May had agreed during a phone call to "keep working closely together on the international response" over Syria. "They agreed it was vital that the use of chemical weapons did not go unchallenged, and on the need to deter the further use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime," the … [Read more...] about No decision yet from Trump on Syria response