2017年8月31日 星期四

Iraq forces IS out of Nineveh province

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Iraqi forces have ousted so-called Islamic State from Tal Afar and whole of Nineveh province, prime minister says

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Hurricane Harvey: US petrol prices rise as key pipeline shut

Refinery in Deer Park Texas Image copyright Getty Images

US petrol prices have risen as a key supplier said it was shutting pipelines in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

The threat of a fuel supply crunch has grown as more key infrastructure is paralysed by the storm.

The hurricane, which has moved from Texas to Louisiana, has already forced the closure of nearly a quarter of US oil refining capacity.

Colonial Pipeline said it was closing its pipelines delivering diesel, petrol and aviation fuel to the North East.

The firm's network of pipelines are the country's largest supply system, taking refined fuel from the Gulf of Mexico to consumers in other parts of the country. The company did not given any indication when the pipelines might reopen.

Colonial issued a statement on Wednesday announcing its diesel and aviation fuel pipeline was closing immediately and that its petrol pipeline would be closed from Thursday because of outages at pumping points and a lack of supplies from refiners.

The company said its facilities between Lake Charles and Houston were out of service. Of the 26 refineries that connect to the Colonial system, 13 are located between Houston and Lake Charles, it said.

"Once Colonial personnel can safely access these facilities, we will evaluate and provide an estimate of the time necessary to ensure our pipe, pumps, tanks and related infrastructure are safe to resume operations between Houston and Lake Charles," a statement said.

US fuel prices have risen by more than ten cents per gallon compared with a week ago, to $2.449 on average nationwide, according to the American Automobile Association, amid reports that some East Coast refineries are running out of petrol.



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Taiwan train company wants apology for 'demon doll' passenger

Annabelle, the "demon doll" from the film Annabelle: Creation Image copyright WBTW.FANCLUB/TAIWAN Image caption There have been many sightings of Annabelle across Taiwan in recent weeks

A train company in Taiwan has complained to Warner Bros for allowing an "unauthorised passenger" on one of its trains, it is reported.

The passenger in question was Annabelle, the "demon doll" from US horror film Annabelle: Creation, which hit the box office on the island earlier this month.

According to the United Daily News, Taiwan's High Speed Rail (HSR) complained to the entertainment company after seeing pictures of the doll riding on one of its trains on a Warner Bros Facebook page.

HSR spokesperson Chung Jui-fang told the paper that the doll had "violated regulations", as anyone who wished to film or take photographs on their trains for commercial use was required to fill in an application form asking for consent.

'It's just a doll'

Warner Bros has since removed the photographs from its social media pages, saying they were provided by a third party. According to Taiwan News, the entertainment company's legal team "has begun working to resolve the issue".

Many on social media are praising the privately-owned train company for challenging the images, with one Facebook user saying "asking for an apology is very reasonable".

"The focus should not be on Annabelle, but on the HSR being used for commercial marketing," says user "Bau Rong Rinn". "If you're filming or doing marketing activities in Starbucks or McDonalds, you have to get the company's permission, right?"

Still, some users are surprised. "It's just a doll, what are they so worried about?" asks "Dingo Whiz".

"Sling Yap" adds that "public reaction was great" when the doll made an appearance on a train in Malaysia earlier in the month.

Image copyright Facebook/RapidKL Image caption The doll received a warm welcome when she appeared in Kuala Lumpur earlier in the month

Reporting by Kerry Allen

Next story: Russian grannies fix their own road

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'No decisive progress' on Brexit - Barnier

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Europe's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier says "no decisive progress" on key issues in talks with UK

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Russian grannies fix their own road

The women of Svedniy Bugalish repairing their own road Image copyright ROSSIYA 24 Image caption Never underestimate the power and determination of the Russian babushka

A group of Russian grandmothers grew so tired of waiting for the local authorities to fix their road that they hired the necessary equipment and did the job themselves, it's reported.

After being told by officials that the pothole-covered road through the village of Svedniy Bugalish in the Urals was "fine", the group took up shovels and wheelbarrows and seemingly put the local authority to shame, Rossiya 24 news channel says.

According to Urals-based Ura.ru website, the group - including a 90-year-old babushka - chipped in 500 roubles ($8.50; £6.50) each for a truckload of gravel and set to work with the help of two men.

Pictures posted by popular tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda before they started work show the extent of their challenge, with pools of water lying in the road through their village.

'Modern heroes'

The local administration said after an inspection last month that no repairs were necessary, despite increased rain in the area. But it's not the first time villagers have had to fix roads in the area. Earlier this summer, two young men used stone and cold asphalt to fix their street under similar circumstances, Ura.ru reports.

Response on Russian social media has been scathing, with news aggregator Rambler's VKontakte page saying "This story is so Russian that it is scary. Theses old ladies are heroes of our modern age."

On Twitter, they've been hailed as "stern babushkas from the Urals". Many Russians see people from the country's vast central region as being somewhat tougher and more resilient than elsewhere.

Reporting by Alistair Coleman

Next story: Belarus at 'war' with imaginary country of Veyshnoria

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Paris public park opens experimental nudist zone

Stock image of a foot and a hand resting on a park Image copyright Getty Images Image caption It is the first designated area for nudists in a public park in Paris

A public park near the French capital Paris has opened an area for nudists.

The site, as large as a football pitch, will be open until 15 October in the Bois de Vincennes, east of the city, as part of a temporary experiment.

Officials say no exhibitionism or voyeurism will be tolerated. A charter of "good behaviour" will be displayed.

"[This] is part of our open-minded vision for the use of Parisian public spaces," says Penelope Komites, a deputy mayor in charge of the parks.

Signs will inform visitors about the space for nudists or naturists. It will be open between 8:00 and 19:30 near the park's bird reserve.

Those who support the move say that, in a country with numerous clothes-free beaches and holiday camps, Paris should also be a draw for naturists.

"It's a true joy, it's one more freedom for naturists," Julien Claude-Penegry of the Paris Naturists Association told AFP news agency.

"It shows the city's broad-mindedness and will help change people's attitudes toward nudity, toward our values and our respect for nature," he said, estimating that thousands of people could use the site.

But the idea has also faced criticism. When it was first announced, last year, one centrist politician called it "crazy".

Parisians already have one public pool where they can swim naked three times a week.



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Five cleared of Benazir Bhutto murder

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Five men cleared of conspiring to murder ex-Pakistan PM Benazir Bhutto in 2007, two police convicted of negligence

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