Today’s News

[Balanbam00]

China threatens foreign ships and planes 'daily' in the South China Sea, but no one is yielding any ground
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Qatar Pledges $15 Billion to Turkey, Helping Lira Extend Rebound
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Japan activated an elite marine unit for the first time since World War II to counter China — and it's getting ready for its first naval exercise
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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has urged China to "temper" its behaviour in the South China Sea in a rare criticism of the Asian superpower over its programme of island-building in disputed waters.
China has alarmed and angered its neighbours by claiming dominion over most of the South China Sea and building a string of artificial islands and military airbases.
"You cannot create an island. It's man-made and you say that the air above this artificial island is yours," Duterte said, according to a transcript released by the presidential palace Wednesday.
"That is wrong because those waters are what (one) would consider international sea. And the right of innocent passage is guaranteed."
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Melanie Griffith Doesn't Want to Get Married Again: It's Not 'Relevant for Anyone Anymore'

[oldcolner]

A level results out today.
http://www.itv.com/news/granada/stor...level-results/
Are kids bothered?

Madonna hits 60 and still thinks she’s a virgin. Lol
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-45173301

Mass drug overdose in NewHaven CT with 40 taken to hospital after cannabis was laced with narcotic.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-45200231

Garlick speaks out on Brexit saying it will damage clubs ability to buy from abroad. Not much of a problem for us though.
He wants another referendum.
Not his best photo
http://www.itv.com/news/granada/2018...tish-football/

Editors take on Trump
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-45204397
More than 300 news outlets are launching a campaign on Thursday to counter President Donald Trump's attacks and promote a free press.
The Boston Globe made the call last week for a nationwide denouncement of the president's "dirty war" against the media, using the hashtag #EnemyOfNone.
Mr Trump has derided media reports as "fake news" and attacked journalists as "enemies of the people".
UN experts have said this raises the risk of violence against journalists.

[oldcolner]

Beware Italian bridges?

Up to 300 bridges, viaducts and tunnels in Italy are at risk of structural failure, experts warned, as the death toll from the collapse of a bridge in Genoa rose to 39, including three children.
There were fears that the number of fatalities could rise further.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...pse-describes/


The Italian CNR civil engineering society has said that structures dating from when the Morandi Bridge was built had surpassed their lifespan.
It called for a “Marshall Plan” to repair or replace tens of thousands of Italian bridges and viaducts built in the 1950s and 1960s, adding that simply updating or reinforcing the bridges would be more expensive than destroying and rebuilding them with new technology.

http://www.itv.com/news/2018-08-15/f...rway-collapse/

[sinkov]

Beware Italian bridges?

Up to 300 bridges, viaducts and tunnels in Italy are at risk of structural failure, experts warned, as the death toll from the collapse of a bridge in Genoa rose to 39, including three children.
There were fears that the number of fatalities could rise further.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...pse-describes/


The Italian CNR civil engineering society has said that structures dating from when the Morandi Bridge was built had surpassed their lifespan.
It called for a “Marshall Plan” to repair or replace tens of thousands of Italian bridges and viaducts built in the 1950s and 1960s, adding that simply updating or reinforcing the bridges would be more expensive than destroying and rebuilding them with new technology.

http://www.itv.com/news/2018-08-15/f...rway-collapse/

I drove over that bridge twice about ten years ago. We drove into Italy from France on the Med coast and down to Liguria and Tuscany. At the time I remember being so impressed with Italian engineering, we seemed to spend more time in tunnels and on bridges than on open, normal roads. The railway ran along the coast as well and that was the same, continually disappearing into tunnels and on bridges and viaducts. All visually very impressive, you just never know do you.

[oldcolner]

We take things for granted. I suppose we had similar issues with Forth Bridges at Queensferry and Kincardine and across the Severn where the size and volume of modern traffic was too much. New bridges at each have solved the problems for now. The new Queensferry one came just in time as the old one had to be closed to lorries and shut a few times.
The M8 Kingston viaduct is 8 lanes wide in Glasgow and has been shored up recently! It’s difficult to see how it can be replaced or duplicated though.
Hope planners use this to look ahead over here.

[Balanbam00]

The Philippines' president doesn't want US submarines because he says they'll 'implode' — so he's turning to Russia.
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Warns Philippines Not To Buy Military Hardware From Russia.
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UN chief: 1 option to protect Palestinians is a new force.
( balan : yes of course, Hezbollah , has some 160k rockets ,and the UN is there in South Lebanon,a Peace Force? )
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Jewish donations save persecuted Christians in Mideast.
( 12,000 Christians who fled from Iraq to Jordan because of ISIS were saved from death, but were left destitute. Help came from Israel, through The Fellowship. Rabbi Eckstein, president of The Fellowship, was asked to hide his kippah and remove the word 'Jews' from the sign at the medical clinic, but he is certain this is the bridge to peace: 'In the end, everyone will know that the aid comes from Israel.
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Former Mossad Chief reveals revolutianary plan for defeating Hezbollal.
(Lebanon is the only state in the world with a terror entity which has more raw power than the country’s army. Hezbollah is Lebanon. It sits in the government and the parliament. It decides all political issues. It is separate from the army and its army is huge. It has lots of fighting experience which should not be taken lightly.)
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A new Defense Department map shows how China says one thing and does another with its military operations at sea.
( China frequently protests military operations by US and other countries in its Exclusive Economic Zone, which can extend up to 230 miles from a country's coast. Beijing has referred to those operations as "close-in surveillance." An international tribunal has also ruled that China's claims in the South China Sea have no legal basis.)
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Germany is quietly bowing down to Trump's Iran sanctions pressure.
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Chinese pilots 'likely' training for U.S. targets: Pentagon.
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New Zealand has banned the sale of homes to foreigners after too many people started treating the island like their doomsday hideout.

.....Just like Mary said , ''enoff is enoff!

[oldcolner]

Trump planning more sanctions on Turkey if the minister isn’t returned.

House of Fraser collapsed with debts of £1billion including outstanding bills to creditors such as Armani, Diesel and Prada of £484 million.
Mike Ashley is not paying suppliers money owed before his rescue.

[oldcolner]

Whistleblower claims Tesla launched an 'internal investigation' after a May 24 tip-off from the DEA that 'significant amounts' of cocaine and crystal meth were being exchanged by staff and failed to disclose the alleged theft of $37 million in copper and raw materials and spied on staff.

Yesterday, a Turkish court refused to release Andrew Brunson from house arrest despite US Treasury chief Steve Munchin warning of more sanctions if he was not freed. If convicted, he faces up to 35 years in jail.
Turkish lira now down by 43% from last year - time for a holiday?

[Balanbam00]

Thousands of UK bridges are 'sub-standard', at risk of collapse and will cost almost £1billion to repair, experts warn after the tragedy in Genoa.
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Desecration of British war graves: Chinese PIRATES plunder 10 shipwrecks carrying remains of UK's Second World War heroes.
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Former UN chief Kofi Annan dies aged 80: The world pays tribute to Nobel Peace Prize winner who 'reached out and touched many people, wherever there was suffering or need'
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Fury as civil service mandarins working on Brexit are handed £750,000 in bonuses despite Britain heading for a no-deal exit
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England cricketer Ben Stokes is booed on his return to action against India just days after being found not guilty of affray
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Laughing Irish tourist pays homeless British man living on streets of Ibiza to have his name tattooed on FACE - then brags it's his 32nd victim. (Karma anyone? )
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Fashion boss gives £1m boost to People’s Vote campaign. Superdry co-founder Julian Dunkerton calls for new Brexit poll
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Movement encourages Argentines to quit Catholic church. What's the problem with the Catholic Church? Men.

[oldcolner]

Burnley still 11th in the table with only two teams below them playing today.
5 teams on 1 point and 5 on 0

Harry Kane scores in August ... at last!

Jay scores 2 pens as WBA tear QPR apart 7-1.

Danny scores for Saints but they lose 2-1 whilst Danny gets a kick in the back from Pickford who left his foot out to stop him outside the pen area. Charlie misses a sitter too. Will Pickford be charged?

in Cardiff Newcastle game Josh and Jacob Murphy became the second set of twins to face each other in a Premier League match. Kenedy misses penalty but should have been red carded for kicking a player under the refs nose. Could face sanctions too as ref didn’t see it.

West Ham fans.leaving when they we’re down 2-1 to Eddies Bournemouth with 10 mins to go upset Pellegrini.

Emery gets a second loss though they came back from 2-0 down and missed a few sitters v Chelsea. Arsenal 4th bottom.