Month: April 2019

Tropical Storm Gordon lashed South Florida with heavy rains and high winds on Monday and is expected to strengthen into a hurricane when it hits the central US Gulf Coast.

Gordon formed into a tropical storm near the Florida Keys early Monday as it moved west-northwest at 17 mph (28 kph). The storm was expected to reach hurricane strength when it hits coastal Mississippi and Louisiana by late Tuesday. From there, it is forecast to move inland over the lower Mississippi Valley on Wednesday.

The National Hurricane Center said at 5 pm EDT that the storm was centered 50 miles (85 kilometers) west-southwest of Fort Myers, Florida. Maximum sustained winds were clocked at 50 mph (85 kph).

A hurricane warning was put into effect for the area stretching from the mouth of the Pearl River in Mississippi to the Alabama-Florida border. As much as 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain could fall in some parts of the Gulf states through late Thursday.

The Miami-based center said the storm is also expected to bring "life-threatening" storm surge to portions of the central Gulf Coast.

A storm surge warning has been issued for the area stretching from Shell Beach, Louisiana, to Dauphin Island, Alabama. The warning means there is danger of life-threatening inundation. The region could see rising waters of 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 meters).

"The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to the east of the landfall location, where the surge will be accompanied by large waves," the center said.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Monday and said 200 National Guard troops will be deployed to southeastern Louisiana.

At a press conference Monday afternoon, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said the city has "the pumps and the power" needed to protect residents. But authorities issued a voluntary evacuation order for areas outside the city’s levee protection system, including the Venetian Isles, Lake Saint Catherine and Irish Bayou areas.

Cantrell urged residents within the levee protection area to stock up on supplies and shelter in place.

New Orleans director of emergency preparedness Collin Arnold warned city residents the storm has the potential to turn into a "low-level hurricane" with winds of up to 70 mph (113 kph).

Miami Beach Policesaid via Twitter that the Labor Day holiday was "NOT a beach day," with rough surf and potential rip currents. Red flags flew over Pensacola-area beaches in Florida’s Panhandle, where swimming and wading in the Gulf of Mexico was prohibited. More than 4,000 Florida Power & Light customers lost power Monday due to weather conditions.

The National Weather Service said conditions were "possible" for tornadoes in the affected parts of South Florida on Monday night.

The storm left many businesses on Florida’s Gulf Coast feeling shortchanged by the holiday weekend. The area has already been heavily impacted by this summer’s so-called "red tide"- massive algae blooms that have caused waves of dead marine life to wash up along the coast.

Jenna Wright, owner of a coffee shop in Naples, Florida, told the Naples Daily News that she had expected higher numbers for the Labor Day weekend.

"This is normally a decent weekend, but the storm and red tide aren’t helping," Wright said. "We’re a beach coffee shop, and if people can’t go to the beach, then we won’t get any customers."

Separately, Tropical Storm Florence continues to hold steady over the eastern Atlantic. Forecasters say little change in strength is expected in coming days and no coastal watches or warnings are in effect.

Hawaii has been lashed by high winds at torrential rain from Hurricane Lane, which brought flash floods, landslides and raging surf as it spun toward the islands.

Schools and offices were closed as residents hunkered down to take shelter from the storm, which has been downgraded to category two strength.

As the hurricane neared the islands of the US state, it packed winds of 125mph. With the storm still spinning in the Pacific Ocean about 180 miles southeast of Kailua-Kona, more than a foot (30 cm) of rain had already fallen on the eastern side of the Big Island of Hawaii.

Despite the storm being downgraded, the National Weather Service said the situation remains "dangerous" and severe flooding is a "major concern".

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said at a press conference: "Lane, while it’s been downgraded, is wide and very moist and it’s going to hang around for a while, because it’s moving slowly. That’s why we’re taking so much precaution here."  

Storm tracker: Watch the path of Hurricane Lane live

There were no immediate reports of injuries, but at least 14 roads had been closed because of flash floods and landslides.

Tourists were advised to stay away from a popular attraction on the island of Maui called the Seven Sacred Pools, a scenic cluster of waterfalls and grottos.

Governor David Ige described the flash floods as "life-threatening", adding: "This is a very dangerous situation. Avoid unnecessary travel."

Moving northwest at six miles per hour, the storm was downgraded by the National Weather Service on Thursday afternoon Hawaii time to a Category 3 storm on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale.

As of Friday morning, the hurricane storm was downgraded further to category 2 with  winds nearing 110 mph (175 kph) accompanied by higher gusts.

"Some (further) weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, but Lane is expected to remain a hurricane as it draws closer to the islands," the weather service said in an advisory.

The latest predictions showed the eye of the storm twisting west of the Big Island on Friday morning before glancing past Maui and several other islands later in the day on its way to Oahu. But authorities warned that the islands could still expect to be hit hard.

"We’re telling everybody to take the storm seriously, make your final preparations, and be prepared to ride out what is going to be a prolonged rain event," said Andrew Pereira, communications director for the city and county of the state capital, Honolulu.

Then the storm will likely turn to the west on Saturday and Sunday and pick up speed, forecasters said.

Empty shelves and sand bags as storm nears

The National Hurricane Center warned that storm surges could raise water levels three to five feet (1 to 1.5 metres) above normal along the western shores of the Big Island and that extreme rainfall could mean "numerous evacuations and rescues."

Residents have been urged to set aside a 14-day supply of water, food and medicine.

All public schools, University of Hawaii campuses and nonessential government offices on the islands of Oahu and Kauai were closed until at least the end of Friday.

Par Pacific Holdings Inc said it had shut its 93,500 barrel-per-day refinery in Kapolei due to the storm.

The shelves of a downtown Honolulu Walmart were stripped of items ranging from canned tuna to dog food, bottled water and ice.

Video footage showed whipping palm trees and darkening skies in Maui where 1,900 customers were without power.

In the Manoa Valley neighborhood in Honolulu, pavements typically full of joggers and dog walkers, were empty as residents stood outside their homes watching the skies and businesses closed early for the day.

On the island of Oahu, shelters were opened, but Tom Travis, Hawaii emergency management agency administrator, said that there was not enough shelter space for all the state’s residents, and advised people who were not in flood zones to stay at home.

Shelters are not designed to withstand winds greater than about 40 mph and for most people should be a last resort.

"Whenever possible, the public should plan to shelter in place or stay with family or friends in homes outside of these hazard areas that were designed, built or renovated to withstand anticipated conditions," the city and county of Honolulu said in a statement.

Donald Trump declares state of emergency

US President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for Hawaii and ordered federal authorities to help supplement state and local responses, the White House said.

The Coast Guard has ordered all harbors to close to incoming vessels and the US Navy moved most of its fleet out of Pearl Harbor, where ships could provide aid after the storm.

Since Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico last year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has made changes to how it works, FEMA Administrator Brock Long said at a briefing in Washington, making sure generators are in place so they can provide power to residents and quickly restart the water system.

"It’s not just providing food and water. If you fix the power first, you solve 90 percent of the problems," he said.

Six killed by Hurricane Iniki in 1992

The central Pacific gets fewer hurricanes than other regions, with about only four or five named storms a year – and Hawaii rarely gets hit.

Iniki was the most powerful hurricane on record to hit Hawaii, making landfall on Kauai island on September 11, 1992 as a Category 4. It killed six people and damaged or destroyed more than 14,000 homes.

It has been the stuff of macabre legend for years – that those who cross the Sicilian mafia end up encased in the concrete pylons of viaducts and bridges.

The truth about the mafia and construction, however, is more prosaic – and far more lethal.

Rather than dumping rival gangsters into wet cement, which is largely regarded as an urban legend, organised crime groups imperil people’s lives by building bridges, tunnels, roads and apartment blocks with low quality materials and slapdash techniques.

Using cement containing too much sand, for instance, produces bridges and viaducts liable to crumble. Italian prosecutors have launched an investigation into Tuesday’s collapse of the Morandi Bridge in…

Hirohito, Japan’s wartime emperor, had given up the will to live towards the end of his life, desperate to avoid the anguish of being blamed for his role in World War II, his aide’s diary has revealed. 

The diary of the late chamberlain Shinobu Kobayashi, obtained by Kyodo News, revealed that the aging emperor was haunted by talk of his wartime responsibility. 

"There is no point in living a longer life by reducing my workload. It would only increase my chances of seeing or hearing things that are agonizing," he was recorded as saying in a diary entry dated April 7, 1987. The emperor died two years later, aged 85.

His remarks were reportedly made to Mr Kobayashi while he was staying at the royal residence in the capital, Tokyo, at a time when the Imperial Household Agency was trying to reduce the scope of the emperor’s official duties. 

"I have experienced the deaths of my brother and relatives and have been told about my war responsibility," the emperor added.

Mr Kobayashi tried to console him that very few people spoke of his role in the war as the nation’s focus had shifted to the more positive story of post-war reconstruction. “It is only a page in history. You do not need to worry,” he assured Hirohito. 

The emperor was once considered to be divine and under the pre-war constitution had supreme control of the army and navy.  Post-war, the emperor’s role is defined as “the symbol of the state” with no political power.

However, Hirohito’s sense of guilt appears to have passed through the generations to his eldest son and successor, Akihito.

Emperor Akhihito was just 11 when his father announced Japan’s surrender on August 15, 1945. Now 84, and preparing to abdicate next spring, he used a World War II memorial service last week to express “deep remorse” for the war. 

Akhihito has strived throughout his 30-year reign to make amends for the war fought in his father’s name, although he never issued a direct apology. 

“Reflecting on our past and bearing in mind the feelings of deep remorse, I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never be repeated,” he said in a two-minute speech on the 73rd anniversary of Japan’s surrender, reported The Washington Post. 

Ghana announced a week of national mourning on Saturday following the death of Kofi Annan, as tributes came in from across global politics for the former Secretary General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace price winner.

Annan, perhaps the world’s most famous Ghanaian and a source of great national pride, passed away after a brief illness at the age of 80.

A statement from the Kofi Annan foundation said he had passed away peacefully, with his wife Nane and  their children Ama, Kojo and Nina by his side.

The career diplomat, who served Secretary-General from 1997 to 2006, is credited with raising the UN’s international profile during his two terms and won over many world leaders with his "calm charisma".

His early career was marked by the UN’s failure to prevent civilians during the Rwandan genocide in 1994, when he was head of the body’s peacekeeping division.

He was later key in the development of the responsibility to protect doctrine, which was adopted in 2005 as a pledge by all member states to take action against genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

Tributes to the West African diplomat poured in from politicians of all stripes on Saturday, among them Tony Blair, former Egyptian autocrat Hosni Mubarak and Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister.

"I’m shocked and distressed to hear the news about Kofi. He was a good friend whom I saw only weeks ago. Kofi Annan was a great diplomat, a true statesman and a wonderful colleague who was widely respected and will be greatly missed," said Mr Blair.

And, in a sign that Annan’s appeal extended far beyond western liberal democracies, Mr Zarif wrote on Twitter: "Extremely saddened by passing of Kofi Annan, a toweing global leader and an unwavering champion for peace, justice and rule of law. Rest in peace my dear old friend."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said: "I sincerely admired his wisdom and courage as well as his ability to make balanced decisions even under the most dire and critical circumstances."

Current UN chief Antonio Guterres voiced deep sadness at the news, describing his predecessor, who was the first secretary-general from sub-Saharan Africa, as "a guiding force for good".

Annan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with the UN in 2001 "for their work for a better organised and more peaceful world".

"He rose through the ranks to lead the organisation into the new millennium with matchless dignity and determination," Mr Guterres added.

"Like so many, I was proud to call Kofi Annan a good friend and mentor."

Theresa May also paid tribute to the "great leader and reformer" in a post on Twitter.

‘A titan determined to advance world peace’: Gordon Brown remembers Kofi Annan

"Sad to hear of the death of Kofi Annan. A great leader and reformer of the UN, he made a huge contribution to making the world he has left a better place than the one he was born into. My thoughts and condolences are with his family," she said.

In a statement to the Sunday Telegraph, Jack Straw, the former UK foreign secretary, paid tribute to Annan for "navigating the UN through the immense post-9/11 turmoil with consummate skill" and described him as a "truly great man."

Tom Tugendhat, the chair of the UK parliament’s foreign affairs committee, added: "Kofi Annan was one of the great international champions…his quiet voice was always worth hearing and we are all the poorer for his death."

Born in Kumasi, the capital city of Ghana’s Ashanti region, Annan was the son of an executive of a European trading company, the United Africa company, a subsidiary of the Anglo-Dutch multinational Unilever.

After ending his second term as UN chief, Annan went on to take high-profile mediation roles in Kenya and in Syria.

He later set up a foundation devoted to conflict resolution and joined the Elders group of statesmen which was founded by Nelson Mandela to promote universal human rights.

The UN high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said he was grief-stricken over Annan’s death.

"Kofi was humanity’s best example, the epitome, of human decency and grace. In a world now filled with leaders who are anything but that, our loss, the world’s loss becomes even more painful," he said.

"He was a friend to thousands and a leader of millions."

A Royal Navy warship has sailed close to islands claimed by Beijing in the South China Sea, a move denounced by China as a "provocation".

In a sign of Britain increasingly flexing its military muscle in the region, HMS Albion last week passed by the Paracel Islands, where it was reportedly confronted by the Chinese military. 

The Albion, a 22,000 ton amphibious warship carrying a contingent of Royal Marines, was on its way to Ho Chi Minh City, where it docked on Monday after a deployment in and around Japan.

Beijing dispatched a frigate and two helicopters to challenge the British vessel, but both sides remained calm during the encounter, a source told Reuters.

China said Britain was engaged in "provocation" and that it had lodged a strong complaint. In a statement to Reuters, the Foreign Ministry said the ship had entered Chinese territorial waters around the Paracel Islands on August 31 without permission, and the Chinese navy had warned them to leave.

"The relevant actions by the British ship violated Chinese law and relevant international law, and infringed on China’s sovereignty. China strongly opposes this and has lodged stern representations with the British side to express strong dissatisfaction," the ministry added.

"China strongly urges the British side to immediately stop such provocative actions, to avoid harming the broader picture of bilateral relations and regional peace and stability," it said.

"China will continue to take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty and security."

Nick Childs of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said the Chinese Navy was becoming more assertive and regularly shadowed vessels in the South China Sea.  

"No side has much to gain by deliberately sparking a clash, but the balance of power has definitely shifted towards China," he said. 

"The maritime domain has become increasingly contested globally," he says and suggests the incremental development and militarisation of islands in the region by  China will only increase tension. 

A Royal Navy Spokesperson said: “HMS Albion exercised her rights for freedom of navigation in full compliance with international law and norms.”

A source told Reuters that the Albion did not enter the territorial seas around any features in the hotly disputed region but demonstrated that Britain does not recognise excessive maritime claims around the Paracel Islands. Twelve nautical miles is an internationally recognised territorial limit.

The Paracels are occupied entirely by China but also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.

A spokesman for the Royal Navy said: “HMS Albion exercised her rights for freedom of navigation in full compliance with international law and norms.”

Dr Euan Graham, a Senior Fellow at the Lowy Institute in Australia, said the move followed an earlier passage by a Royal Navy ship through the Spratly Islands.

He said it was a clear indication of Britain’s support for the US, which has said it would like to see more international participation in such actions.

"Also, the fact that Albion was coming from Japan and on her way to Vietnam gives the signal a sharper edge to China," he told The Telegraph. 

The Albion is one of three Royal Navy ships deployed to Asia this year, along with HMS Argyll and HMS Sutherland. 

"The UK has impressively deployed three Royal Navy surface ships to Asian waters this year, after a long gap between ship visits, to this part of the world," he added. 

Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, said in June that deployment of the three ships was intended to send the “strongest of signals” on the importance of freedom of navigation.

Dr Graham said "the bigger test of UK commitment to regional security in the Indo-Pacific is about the consistency of its military presence into the future".

"The Royal Navy is making encouraging noises about sending assets to participate in FPDA (the Five Power Defence Arrangement) exercises as well as forward basing in future."

The FPDA is a regional security institution between Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

China’s claims in the South China Sea, through which some $3 trillion of shipborne trade passes each year, are contested by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. 

Both Britain and the United States say they conduct FONOP operations throughout the world, including in areas claimed by allies.

The British Navy has previously sailed close to the disputed Spratly Islands, further south in the South China Sea, several times in recent years but not within the 12 nautical mile limit, regional diplomatic sources have said.

FONOPs, which are largely symbolic, have so far not persuaded Beijing to curtail its South China Sea activities, which have included extensive reclamation of reefs and islands and the construction of runways, hangars and missile systems.

Beijing says it is entitled to build on its territories and says the facilities are for civilian use and necessary self-defence purposes. China blames Washington for militarising the region with its freedom of navigation patrols.

Foreign aircraft and vessels in the region are routinely challenged by Chinese naval ships and monitoring stations on the fortified islands, sources have said previously.

In April, warships from Australia – which like Britain is a close US ally – had what Canberra described as a close "encounter" with Chinese naval vessels in the contested sea.

On Friday at 1.02pm, Australians were forced to endure a depressingly familiar sight: an MP emerged from a secret party meeting in Canberra to announce that the nation had a new prime minister.

Despite being the preferred Liberal leader of fewer than 10 per cent of Australians, Scott Morrison, a 50-year-old staunch conservative and evangelical Christian, had won a party-room ballot to replace Malcolm Turnbull, a 63-year-old former investment banker and self-made millionaire. A survey in April found that almost half of Australians had never heard of Mr Morrison, who has just become the sixth prime minister in eight years.

“Who’s Next?” asked the front page of the Northern Territory News.

“It’s…