Presidential hopefuls seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination to fight President Donald Trump’s re-election bid in 2020 have gathered for the Polka County Steak Fry in Iowa.
The event comes less than five months ahead of Iowa’s caucuses – the first
to take place nationwide in each presidential election.
Event organizers said more than 12,000 people attended the fundraiser.
Of the 19 Democrats left in the running, 17 spoke on September 21.
The attendees showed up for burgers
and face time with 17 Democratic presidential candidates at the Polk County
Democratic Party’s annual steak fry in Iowa on Saturday. Although 18 candidates
were initially expected to attend, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio dropped
out of the presidential race on September 20.
Organizers grilled 10,500 steak for
the attendees. Around 1,000 vegan burgers were made — all of it made on 10
grills by 40 grillers. Senator Cory Booker is the only vegan in the
presidential race.
Here are the candidates appearing at
the steak fry:
Saudi Arabia has announced it will
respond with “necessary measures” to attacks on two oil facilities as
it reiterated the accusation that Iran was behind them.
Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said the weapons used were Iranian and vowed to release
the full findings of the investigation.
However, Iran denies involvement in
the attacks.
Earlier, a senior Iranian military
official said Iran was ready to destroy any aggressor after the US announced it
was sending troops to Saudi Arabia.
Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in
Yemen have said they were responsible for the drone and missile strikes on September
14 that affected the global oil supply.
Tensions between the US and Iran
have escalated since President Donald Trump abandoned a deal limiting Iran’s
nuclear activities last year and reinstated sanctions.
Speaking to reporters in Riyadh,
Adel al-Jubeir said Saudi Arabia was in consultation with its allies and would
take necessary and suitable measures after its investigation was complete,
without giving details of possible actions.
The Saudi minister repeated that the
strikes targeting the Abqaiq oil facility and the Khurais oil field had come
from the north and not from Yemen but did not give a specific location, and
urged the international community to take a stand.
He said: “The kingdom calls upon the international community to assume its
responsibility in condemning those that stand behind this act, and to take a
firm and clear position against this reckless behavior that threatens the
global economy.”
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
The Saudi defense ministry showed
off on September 18 what it said were the remains of drones and cruise missiles
proving Iranian involvement.
The US has also accused Iran of being behind the attacks, and unnamed senior
officials have told US media that the evidence suggests the strikes originated
in the south of Iran.
On September 20, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said the US would send a
yet-to-be-decided number of troops to Saudi Arabia to boost the country’s air
and missile defenses.
President Donald Trump then announced new sanctions against Iran, focusing on the country’s central bank and its sovereign wealth fund, while signaling that he wanted to avoid military conflict.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is
planning to use a second Ebola vaccine to help control an outbreak that has
killed more than 2,100 people.
In July, former Health Minister Oly
Ilunga opposed the vaccine use saying it had not been proved effective.
However, DR Congo health officials
say the vaccine, developed by Johnson & Johnson, is safe.
This outbreak, in the east of DR
Congo, is the second largest on record.
The largest was the epidemic that
ravaged parts of West Africa from 2014 to 2016, killing more than 11,000
people.
According to a government statement,
the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will complement the vaccine manufactured by
Merck which has been administered to 225,000 people in the past year.
However, DR Congo’s Ebola response
team have not yet said when it will be introduced.
Leading health experts have said
that the second vaccine is safe and could be an important tool in holding back
the spread of the virus.
Earlier this year, Johnson & Johnson said it had 1.5 million doses
available to be deployed.
The current Ebola vaccine, which is in short supply, is only being given to
health workers and people who might have been exposed to the virus.
The new vaccine could create a protective wall, vaccinating people outside
the immediate outbreak zone.
The Congolese authorities intend to use the second vaccine outside the
infected areas in Ituri and North Kivu provinces. They first want to protect
the small Congolese traders who regularly cross into Rwanda.
There have been concerns that the new vaccine – which requires two
injections at least 25 days apart – may be difficult to administer in a region
where the population is highly mobile, and insecurity is rife.
DR Congo has struggled to get the outbreak under control.
Insecurity in the east of the country and people’s suspicions of treatments
have hampered efforts.
About 200 health facilities have been attacked in the country this year,
causing disruption to vaccinations and treatments. In one incident, family
members assaulted health workers who were overseeing the burial of their
relative.
A 2018 study published in the Lancet
medical journal says “belief in misinformation was widespread”
concerning the Ebola outbreak.
In a statement in August, the World Health Organization (WHO) called on
countries and NGOs that have offered help to “increase their presence in
the field to stop Ebola and to address one of the largest and most complex
humanitarian crises in the world”.
The current outbreak in eastern DR Congo began in August last year and is
the biggest of 10 to hit the country since 1976, when the virus was first
discovered.
In July, the WHO declared the Ebola crisis in the DR Congo a “public health emergency of international concern”.
President Donald Trump has branded a
whistleblower allegation that he made a promise to a foreign leader – believed
to be Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky – as a “ridiculous
story”.
Donald Trump said his talks with leaders were always “totally
appropriate”.
According to reports, President Trump wanted Ukraine to investigate Joe
Biden and his son, Hunter – who was on a Ukrainian gas company board – in
return for more US military support.
Joe Biden is frontrunner to be the Democrat’s 2020 presidential candidate.
He wrote in a statement: “If
these reports are true, then there is truly no bottom to President Trump’s
willingness to abuse his power and abase our country.”
Joe Biden called on President Trump to “immediately release” a
transcript of the phone call “so that the American people can judge for
themselves”.
In its report on the complaint by the whistleblower, the Washington Post said the intelligence
official had found President Trump’s comment to the foreign leader “so troubling”
that they went to the department’s inspector general.
The Wall Street Journal,
meanwhile, quoted sources as saying President Trump had urged President
Zelensky about eight times to work with his lawyer Rudy Giuliani on an
investigation into Joe Biden’s son, but had not offered anything in return.
On September 20, House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi said that reports of the complaint raised “grave, urgent
concerns” for US national security.
Presidents Trump and Zelensky spoke
by phone on July 25. The whistleblower’s complaint is dated August 21.
Donald Trump described the complaint
as “just another political hack job”.
Speaking alongside Australia’s
leader Scott Morrison in the White House, the president said: “It’s a ridiculous story. It’s a
partisan whistleblower. He shouldn’t even have information. I’ve had
conversations with many leaders. They’re always appropriate.”
President Trump also called for Joe Biden’s
finances to be scrutinized.
He told reporters: “It doesn’t matter what I discussed,
someone ought to look into Joe Biden’s billions of dollars and you wouldn’t
look into that because he’s a Democrat.”
On September 19, President Trump
wrote on Twitter that he knew all his phone calls to foreign leaders were
listened to by US agencies.
Ukraine says President Trump and President Zelensky will meet next week in
New York during the UN General Assembly.
Democrats are trying to get the complaint turned over to Congress, with many
details still unknown.
Earlier this month, before the whistleblower’s complaint came to light,
House Democrats launched an investigation into President Trump and Rudy
Giuliani’s interactions with Ukraine.
Three Democratic panel heads – Eliot Engel (foreign affairs), Adam Schiff
(intelligence) and Elijah Cummings (oversight) – said Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani
had attempted “to manipulate the Ukrainian justice system to benefit the
president’s re-election campaign and target a possible political
opponent”.
They allege that President Trump and Rudy Giuliani tried to pressure the Ukrainian government into investigating Joe and Hunter Biden.
Nobody wants to be known for designing cars that people
crash. But cars used to be designed to look beautiful, rather than promote the
safety of their occupants. These days, manufacturers put their resources
towards making a safe car, right at the start of the design process.
There is a huge difference in safety between the best and the worst cars. In fact, a driver in the least safe car is 10 times more likely to be seriously injured or killed than in the safest car. So what makes a car safe? There are three elements: good structure, passive safety and safety assist technologies.
The structure of a car is its shell, and this is the main
protector. It has to withstand the force of a crash and channel those forces
away from all occupants. A good structure will protect the driver and
passengers and have effective crumple zones to absorb the energy of the crash.
During a crash, a safe car cabin can maintain its shape. The
steering column, dashboard, roof pillars, pedals and floor panels do not push
too much inwards. Doors remain closed, but can be opened afterwards for quick
rescue. Side door strength, padding and seating all protect from common, side
impact crashes.
Passive Safety Features
Well-designed cars now have built-in safety features,
such as airbags, ABS brakes, electronic stability control, seat belts and seat
belt pre-tensioners to manage the forces of impact. While airbags have been
around a long time, they have become a lot more sophisticated.
Always look for front, side,
curtain and knee pedestrian airbags for maximum safety. For example, head-protecting side airbags such
as curtain airbags, work well in side impact crashes and rollovers.
Safety Assist Technologies
Advanced driver assist (ADAS) technologies actively help
to prevent or reduce the severity of a crash. They may be semi-autonomous or
fully autonomous. For example, intelligent speed adaptation (ISA), blind spot
monitoring (BSM) autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and active lane keep assist
(LKA). Note manufacturers currently use different terms for the same kinds of
systems, which can be confusing.
Crash Testing
How do we know some cars are safer than others? From the
results of crash testing. US Insurance
Institute for Highway (IIHS) and Australasian New Car Assessment Program
(ANCAP) are two bodies that routinely conduct crash tests and award star
ratings.
IIHS front-end crashed a 1997
Pontiac Trans Sport/Chevrolet Venture. The door frame buckled, the steering
wheel pushed into the driver’s face and the cabin completely collapsed. After a
redesign in 2005 using high-tensile strength materials and a more rigid
structure, crash forces dissipated through the floor. The engine slid under the
vehicle rather than into the driver.
ANCAP compared two models of Toyota Corolla 5-door
hatchback, one built in 1998 and one in 2015. The latest model has six airbags,
ABS, electronic brake force distribution and brake assist as standard. 1998 has
none of these. The 1998 model crumpled heavily with extreme risk of serious
head, chest and leg injury to driver and scored 0 stars. The 2015 model had
minimal damage and scored 5 stars.
Design Saves Lives
Nobody wants to see a member of their family or a friend get hurt in a crash. We know the design of a car is crucial to keeping the driver and occupants safe. Moreover, most insurers reward people who drive safer cars with lower premiums. Safer cars help protect the vulnerable people around you, who are innocently going about their business.
It is worth buying a car that is not only designed to be
beautiful, but keeps everyone safe.
Forms of birth control have been around for
decades, and after the fog of shame and congressional gatekeeping lifted in the
1960s, birth control became more available and prevalent. One of the most
popular and effective forms of birth control has been the IUD. The IUD or Intrauterine
Device was initially conceived in 1909 when Dr. Richard Richter used insertions
of a silkwood ring into the uterus.
In the 1920s, Dr. Ernest Grafenberg and Dr.
Karl Prust also created silkwood rings for uterine insertion with varying
degrees of modification to Richter’s original design. These IUD’s were reported
to have an effective rate of 97% against pregnancies. Dr. Grafenberg, in a
later revision, used pure silver around the ring and unfortunately, the women’s
bodies absorbed the silver with their gums turning blue and black (gingival
argyrosis). He used a silver alloy made from a mix of different metals,
including copper, which alleviated the silver absorption problem and also
increased the effective rate to 98.4% against pregnancy.
Image source: Wikipedia
Copper would play a part later on in the
century with doctors discovering the effect that copper has on sperm, which
increased effectiveness against pregnancy to 99%. These copper-wired IUD’s
would later come into the market in 1988 under the Paragard name.
There have been some misfires on the road to
the IUD’s of today. The A.H. Robins Company in 1971 put an IUD on the market
called the Dalkon Shield. The marketing for this IUD was aggressive and was
priced modestly compared to other IUD’s on the market. In 1974, it was pulled
from the market due to a poorly-designed removal string that caused bacteria to
enter the uterus. These bacteria caused thousands of women to develop Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease (PID), infertility, and in some cases, sepsis. There were
over 300,000 lawsuits filed against A.H. Robins in the late 1970s which caused
the company to go bankrupt and fold.
There are five different kinds of IUD brands today, which consist of Skyla, Kyleena, Lilleta, Mirena, and Paragard. The first four are known as hormonal IUD’s because they contain the hormone Progestin (Levonorgestrel) which mimics the naturally-produced hormone Progesterone. These hormones help thicken mucus in the cervix, which can block and trap sperm from reaching the egg. In some cases, the hormones can stop the egg from leaving the ovaries, which eliminates the chance of impregnation due to no egg being available.
The fifth one listed, Paragard, is a
copper-wrapped IUD with no hormones which can protect against pregnancy for 12
years. This is the most extended protection of any IUD available. The hormonal
IUD’s protection range lasts anywhere from three years (Skyla) to seven years
(Mirena and Lilleta). Paragard also carries the most risk associated with using
it. Women have reported more massive period flows and more menstrual pain in
comparison with other IUD’s. You can’t use Paragard if you’re allergic to
copper or if you suffer from Wilson’s Disease.
One of the IUDs pros is that once it’s in,
you’re done. Under normal circumstances, you can leave it in until you reach
the end of its useful life. IUD’s also have the highest effectiveness against
pregnancy short of total abstinence.
The cons of using an IUD are in the insertion
process, which can be a bit painful. The pain could last for a few days after
insertion, and there’s always a risk that the IUD could shift or even fall out,
but that risk is small under normal circumstances.
If you’re interested in an IUD, please consult with your doctor or medical practitioner to learn more, we also created an FAQ the explains the process for getting an IUD.
When you ask people what they will rescue from a burning house, the standard reply is not jewelry, clothes, or trophies. The answers are photo books, pictures, and their laptop with all the digital photo files. This shows that people place a lot of value in their memories more than their material things. This compulsion to save pictures exhibits how significant photography is in people’s lives because of its power to preserve beautiful moments of quality time spent with loved ones. Here are some reasons why pictures matter and why you should continue taking them:
People often like to show photos in their homes. You may even have them in your place in a picture frame or placed in mounting boards to highlight your favorite prints. Often, these pics document the important people and events in your lives from holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and the like. They can show your first house and your child’s move to college. When you travel, it is never complete if you don’t snap a photo. The massive amount of images in your possession tells the story of your life and the wonderful people who have become a part of it.
Photos are a Precious Part of Your Legacy
It is common for pictures to outlive their subjects. It is a sad concept,
but that is a real fact of life. The idea of your loved ones going before you
is unthinkable, but it can happen. Continue taking a lot of photos because this
helps in capturing their spirit and character. You can easily freeze a moment
in time with photos. In fact, you may never have met some family members, but
you are aware of who they are because of their photos mounted at your
relatives’ homes. Without knowing it, photos become a precious part of your
legacy as the days go by.
Photos can Bring You to a Place or Moment in Time
Photos allow you to see the beauty of the world. Even if you have never been
there before, you can easily enjoy the photos of other people who have captured
that amazing corner of the earth. This can help inspire you to travel, so you
can see its beauty for yourself. Photos can also capture a particular moment in
time that may be special for you. Always bring your camera because you’ll never
know when a great opportunity will strike.
Photos Pave the Path for Sharing and Communicating
Images become so much more than simple recordings of your most important
moments. Photos can actually be used to express yourself in the big wide world.
With all the apps that support digital images like FB, Flickr, Pinterest, and
Instagram, it is evident how the concept of photo sharing matters to people.
What you show on these sites reveal a lot about your character, your choices,
and your values. This paves way for conversations with people who share the
same outlook as yours. Nowadays, it is so easy to react and show appreciation
for other people’s photos because you can like, share, and comment on them
easily.
Photos Can Tap your Artistic Side
Photography is actually an art form. When taken seriously, you focus on
things such as composition, lights and shadows, depth of field, focal point,
and the like. When you see a panoramic landscape, you are compelled to capture
it right away. The desire to create is there when inspiration strikes, and this
usually happens when you see interesting sights or people that spark something
within you.
Photos are a Language
A picture paints a thousand words and it is a kind of visual language that
carries a message. Sometimes there are things than cannot be said with words.
They are better shown. A photograph is one of the best ways to make this happen
because they can easily express a wealth of emotion from joy, sorrow, wonder,
and more. To illustrate, the concept of mental illness is hard to explain in
words. But a series of photos highlighting the plight of the subjects have done
wonders to help many understand what this complex disease is all about.
Photos are Powerful
Photos have the power to grab your attention and keep you hooked. This is the reason why many trade shows rely on mounted photos to grab their target clientele’s attention. The fine art of photography is so powerful that it can persuade people, evoke emotion, convey ideas, connect you to the past, and preserve important moments. Without these images, life will certainly be very sad and empty. And remember, it doesn’t matter if your photos are not professional looking. What matters most is you take that shot!
Hamza Bin Laden, the son of al-Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden, was killed in a US operation, President Donald Trump has confirmed in a statement released by the White House.
Osama Bin Laden’s son reportedly
died in an air strike last month.
Hamza Bin Laden was officially
designated by the US as a global terrorist two years ago.
Osama Bin Laden’s son was widely
seen as a potential successor. Thought to be about 30, he had sent out calls
for attacks on the US and other countries.
President Trump said in a brief statement issued by the White House: “Hamza Bin Laden, the high-ranking al-Qaeda member and son of Osama Bin Laden, was killed in a United States counter-terrorism operation in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region.
“The loss of Hamza Bin Laden not only deprives al-Qaeda
of important leadership skills and the symbolic connection to his father, but
undermines important operational activities of the group.”
The statement did not specify the
timing of the operation.
As recently as February, the US
government had offered $1million for information leading to Hamza Bin Laden’s
capture.
Hamza Bin Laden was seen as an emerging leader of al-Qaeda. It was reported in August that he had been killed in a military operation in the last two years and the US government was involved, but the exact date and time were unclear.
At least five people have died after flash
floods struck south-eastern Spain.
Other 3,500 people have been evacuated from
their homes after rivers burst their banks as some areas of Valencia, Murcia
and eastern Andalucía saw the heaviest rainfall on record.
Cars were swept away by rushing flood waters, causing at least three deaths.
One man was killed after getting stuck inside a flooded highway tunnel.
On September 13, another man was found dead in the village of Redovan in
Valencia after leaving his home on foot, according to Reuters.
Torrential rain caused chaos on roads and public transport with two airports
in Murcia and Almeria closing down, leaving travelers stranded.
Thousands of police, fire-fighters and soldiers have been deployed in a
rescue operation, some in boats and helicopters.
One emergency worker told Reuters that a man was holding onto a traffic sign
as he awaited rescue from the flooding.
According to AFP, several railway lines and many schools in the region were shut down by the adverse weather conditions, with 689,000 students affected in Valencia alone.
NFL star Antonio Brown has been accused of rape
by his former personal trainer, Britney Taylor.
Britney Taylor, who decided to forgo her right to anonymity, said Antonio
Brown assaulted her on three occasions, according to a civil lawsuit she filed.
Antonio Brown has denied the allegations.
His new team, the New England Patriots, said that the NFL was also launching
an investigation.
The complaint says that the two met at a bible study class in 2010.
Antonio Brown later hired Britney Taylor, who is a gymnast, in 2017, to
improve his flexibility.
However, according to the lawsuit, the NFL player assaulted her twice in
training sessions in June 2017, and she stopped working with him.
The lawsuit reads that Antonio Brown “reached out to Ms Taylor,
expressing contrition, begging forgiveness and pleading with her to train him
again”.
It says she reluctantly agreed but in May 2018 he raped her.
Antonio Brown’s lawyer, Darren Heitner, said in a statement: “Mr. Brown denies each and every
allegation in the lawsuit.
“He will pursue all legal
remedies to not only clear his name but to also protect other professional
athletes against false accusations.”
He added that “any interaction… was entirely consensual”.
Antonio Brown has been in the press this week after publicly demanding on
Twitter that the Oakland Raiders release him and later receiving a reported $9 million
signing bonus for the New England Patriots.
The Patriots are playing the Miami Dolphins on September 15 and it is not
clear if he will be on the team.
Antonio Brown’s team said in a statement, in response to the lawsuit: “We take these allegations very
seriously.
“Under no circumstances does this organization condone… violence or assault… We will have no further comment while that investigation takes place.”
“Go Hong Kong” is a phrase that has been used frequently as a sign of
encouragement.
Shopping malls have been the scene of clashes in recent weeks, with one
incident in July seeing riot police fight battles with protesters inside a mall
in the district of Sha Tin.
However, the recent events have played out peacefully.
Glory to Hong Kong was written by
a local musician in response to calls for an anthem for protesters.
The lyrics include lines such as “Do you feel the rage in our cries?
Rise up and speak up” and “persevere, for we are as one”.
The new rallying cry has joined other popular songs used by the protest
movement, including Do You Hear the
People Sing? from musical Les
Miserables and the Christian hymn Sing
Hallelujah to the Lord.
It was also heard at the Hong Kong v. Iran soccer match on September 10 at
Hong Kong Stadium.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier saw thousands of
protesting booing when the Chinese national anthem played before the start of
the game.
It is not the first time people in
Hong Kong have been heard booing the Chinese anthem – though it is not clear
how long they might be able to do this.
In 2017, China passed a law making
it illegal to disrespect the anthem, but the law has yet to be passed in Hong
Kong.
Hong Kong, formerly a British
colony, returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
Under the “one country, two
systems” rule, Hong Kong is granted a high level of autonomy, an
independent judiciary and rights such as freedom of speech.
However, those freedoms – the Basic Law – expire in 2047 and it is
not clear what Hong Kong’s status will then be.
There has been growing anti-mainland sentiment in recent years, and anger at what many feel is increasing mainland interference in Hong Kong affairs.
Turkish newspaper Sabah has published new details of a recording which reportedly
captured the final moments of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi government critic, was killed in Saudi
Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul last October.
The pro-government Sabah newspaper
says the transcript is from a recording taken inside and later obtained by
Turkish intelligence.
The transcript includes information such as Jamal Khashoggi’s alleged last
words.
The Saudi journalist wrote a column for the Washington Post and was based in the US before his disappearance.
Jamal Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October
2, 2018 to obtain papers he needed to marry his Turkish fiancée.
The journalist’s mysterious death
piled scrutiny on Saudi Arabia, which released conflicting information
regarding his disappearance in the aftermath.
Saudi authorities have since blamed
a “rogue” operation for Jamal Khashoggi’s murder and put 11 men on
trial.
The Sabah
has consistently made international headlines by carrying details – including
some that have been disputed – about Khashoggi’s mysterious death.
The newspaper published two new
reports this week into Jamal Khashoggi’s death at the hands of a group they
label a “hit squad”.
The Sabah latest report details
information from the alleged recording.
The report includes details such as a forensic expert, part of a team sent
from Saudi Arabia, allegedly referring to Jamal Khashoggi as an “animal to
be sacrificed” prior to his arrival.
The Sabah report says Jamal Khashoggi,
once inside in the consulate, became suspicious and was told he had to return
to Riyadh because of an Interpol order.
According to the newspaper, Jamal Khashoggi allegedly refused to comply with
the group’s requests, which included texting his son, and was then drugged.
The journalist reportedly then told his killers, in his last words, to not
keep his mouth closed because of his asthma, but then lost consciousness.
Jamal Khashoggi was suffocated with a bag put over his head, the Sabah reports, with the sounds of a
scuffle allegedly picked up by the recording.
They Turkish newspaper also alleges the tape captured his alleged
dismemberment at the hands of the forensic expert.
Reports of the existence of audio recordings from Jamal Khashoggi’s death
have been around since last year.
Turkish officials have publicly confirmed their existence and say they have
shared them with international governments but is unclear how the Sabah apparently obtained them.
Almost a year on from his death, Jamal Khashoggi’s body has not been
recovered despite international pressure.
Earlier this year, a UN expert on extrajudicial killings called for an
independent and impartial investigation into his death.
Special rapporteur Agnes Callamard described Jamal Khashoggi’s death as a
“deliberate, premeditated execution” and alleges “the state of
Saudi Arabia is responsible” and should be investigated.
The Saudi government rejected Callamard’ report and have consistently denied those responsible for the death were acting on official orders.
You count on doctors to keep you strong and healthy, but they
can do better jobs when you take primary responsibility. Considering that medical
visits can be expensive even with insurance coverage, appropriate attention to
your own health helps make the most of each visit — and avoid unnecessary
office returns.
Most importantly, the more you know about self-care, the
better your overall health can be.
These Tips Can Help You Be The Best Possible You
You don’t have to spend too much time or money if you make
tips like these a habit.
#1. Monitor at Home
Most people have a thermometer in the house, but how many
have their own blood pressure monitors? Even this type of test is only the
beginning; there are home tests available for a surprisingly wide variety of
conditions. You already know about the availability of home pregnancy and drug
tests. But, did you know that tests are also available for infections,
cholesterol, thyroid levels and many other things?
These tests are not replacements for doctor-administered
versions, but they can alert you to the need to make lifestyle changes— and
when to seek medical attention.
#2. Communicate Freely
Whether you’ve known your doctor for a long time, or even if
you are going to your first visit, the best way to ensure proper treatment of
your medical issues is to tell the whole truth. Include all details even if
some of them seem embarrassing or unimportant. Between visits, be sure to keep
a list of questions and complaints so you’ll be ready to impart all information
next time.
You might also consider talking to trusted friends and
family members. While their advice does not replace discussions with your
doctor, you might be surprised by how often their past experiences can identify
potential medical conditions. Expressing these theories to your doctor can be
very helpful.
#3. Avoid Risky Behavior
Few people go out of their way to treat their bodies badly.
Still, a fast food burger that you can eat while driving is a typical go-to
when you don’t have time to sit down and eat a healthy salad. Whether you need
to quit smoking or stop eating so many sugary and fatty foods, attempting to correct
everything at once is overwhelming.
Select one habit to tackle at a time to make your goals
achievable. While you’re addressing one issue, however, continue to be mindful
of the other bad behaviors. This motivational practice will make every habit
easier to deal with when the time comes.
Finally, keep in mind that moderation is a great goal that
helps you avoid feeling so deprived that you eventually binge. Clearly,
moderation does not apply to cigarettes and other addictive substances.
However, if your health objectives are well under control, feel free to go to
Bacon Fest, but just for an hour.
#4. Maintain Your Own Medical Records
As years go by, you amass records that reveal medical
patterns that may be enlightening in the future. Unfortunately, medical offices
seldom provide copies of those records to patients, even though you have a
legal right to obtain them. Since you seldom see the same doctor over a
lifetime, knowledge of your medical history can bring new doctors up to speed.
You may have to pay your doctor’s office to print out hard copies that you can pick up in person. Electronic copies might be available at little or no cost, but privacy laws do not permit transmission by email. You can, however, obtain healthcare records by fax to help you regain control over your own healthcare.
#5. Find Ways to Deal With Stress
Very few people can avoid all stress. But, since many physical ailments are actually signs of stress, you need to learn to recognize the symptoms and take action to bring it down to a reasonable level.
First, determine if some of your stress can be completely
eliminated. If your workload is unmanageable, try to find people who can help
ease the burden, whether they are co-workers or even your family members. Also,
try to determine how much of your stress is not necessary. A golden rule is to stop
worrying about things that haven’t happened yet unless you can pre-plan methods
for dealing with them.
For unavoidable stress, regular exercise is a great way to
relax. A walk through nice scenery and music from tweeting birds is like tonic
for the soul. Yoga is also very healthful, while the required concentration on each
pose creates meditation-like calmness. If you are digitally minded, find a
smart phone relaxation app that you can pull out of your pocket on an as-needed
basis.
You May Live Beyond 100, So Make it Good
The number of centenarians in the U.S. alone is currently about 72,000. That number is growing, and predictions indicate that it might grow to around a million by 2050. Most people agree that advanced age is a benefit only to those in good health. You can’t avoid every ache and pain that is inevitable with aging, but you can have a long, rewarding life by taking primary responsibility for your own health.
Former South Carolina Mark Sanford has become the latest Republican to challenge President Donald Trump in the GOP’s primary contest.
Mark Sanford, a long-time Trump critic, said in an interview announcing his
candidacy: “I’m here to tell you now
that I am going to get in.”
The former governor is the third person to challenge Donald Trump for the
nomination.
However, it is seen as near impossible that anyone will take the Republican
mantle from the president. No sitting president in the modern era has lost the
race to be nominee for their own party, and Donald Trump remains very popular
with Republicans.
The Republican National Convention, at which the nominee will be formally
chosen, will take place in late August 2020 after a series of state primary
elections and party caucuses.
However, some state Republican parties, including in South Carolina, have
decided not to hold primaries in 2020 – to clear the path for Donald Trump and
save money.
Mark Sanford, 59, is expected to
centre his campaign on cutting government debt and spending.
He told Fox News on September 8: “I think we need to have a conversation
on what it means to be a Republican. I think that as a Republican party we have
lost our way.
“We have lost our way on debts and deficits and
spending… The president has called himself the king of debt, has a
familiarity and comfort level with debt that I think is ultimately leading us
in the wrong direction.”
In April, former Massachusetts
Governor Bill Weld became the first person to challenge Donald Trump.
Bill Weld was followed by conservative radio host and former
lawmaker Joe Walsh at the end of August.
Mark Sanford first served in Congress in 1995, representing South Carolina’s
first congressional district. He later served as the state’s governor for two
terms from 2003-2011. He then returned to the House in 2013.
The former governor criticized Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential
election but ultimately supported him. However, Mark Sanford would become one
of his toughest Republican critics in Congress when President Trump took
office.
That stance cost Mark Sanford the Republican primary when his seat was up
for re-election last year. He was beaten by a pro-Trump challenger who went on
to lose the election to her Democrat opponent.
Mark Sanford is known as a fiscal conservative and has been attacked by
President Trump over an extra-marital affair that tainted his second term as
governor.
He went missing for several days, with his staff telling reporters he had
gone to hike the Appalachian Trail.
Mark Sanford later admitted he had instead gone to Argentina to see his
mistress.
Election Day is still more than a year away but the race to become the
Democratic challenger to President Trump is already well under way.
Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden have thrown their hats into the ring, but most of the other candidates are relatively unknown outside the Washington DC bubble.
Each medicine has
side-effects. That you are so helpless against these side effects relies upon
various elements, which can be commonly assembled as patient-related,
drug-related, and ecological or social-related. See whether you have many
qualities that will expand your vulnerability to drug-related reactions.
Moreover, what you can do to deal with some of these possible side-effects.
Risk of Developing Side Effects
Every one of us is
unique. However, certain individual factors make a few of us bound to develop
side effects than others.
The most significant of
these factors is age. The very young and the very old are often more vulnerable
to undesirable reactions.
List of Common Drug Side Effects
The followings are some
of the more commonly encountered drug-related side-effects and recommendations
for their management.
1. Allergic Reactions
A doctor issuing a prescription for the wrong dosage faces failure to consider a patient’s allergies. Ultimately, the patient has to seek assistance from the law experts like Cleveland medical negligence lawyer to get compensated.
Potentially could happen with any prescription.
Symptoms go from a mild rash to a severe anaphylactic reaction.
Prevention
and management strategies:
Seek emergency help if
the reaction is severe.
If the allergic reaction
is affirmed as happening because of that drug, keep away from it and other
related medicines later on.
Wear a medical alert tag
to caution others to the drug you are allergic too.
2. Blurred Vision
It may happen with
antihistamines, antipsychotics, bupivacaine, bupropion, duloxetine,
esomeprazole, etodolac, gabapentin, narcotics, and a few different drugs.
Prevention
and management strategies:
Talk to your doctor about switching drugs.
Ointment eye drops may help.
Abstain from driving with weakened vision.
3. Bruising and Bleeding
They commonly happen with
meds that “thin the blood, for example, aspirin, clopidogrel, enoxaparin,
and warfarin. They are likewise regular with NSAIDs, steroids, and meds to
treat cancer.
Prevention
and management strategies:
Try to abstain from knocking yourself into furniture.
Cuts may take more time to quit bleeding. Hold a bandage over the
affected area and apply pressure.
Seek emergency help if you have an injury that bleeds profusely or
doesn’t quit bleeding within 15 minutes.
4. Constipation
It is very common with
narcotics, diuretics, calcium antagonists, and antidepressants,
aluminium-containing antacids settling agents, ondansetron, and iron
supplements.
Prevention
and management strategies:
Increase water intake and the fibre content of your diet.
Exercise, if possible.
If mellow, talk to your doctor about taking purgatives, for
example, docusate, sennosides, or psyllium.
If severe and brought about by narcotics, talk to your doctor
about methylnaltrexone or naloxegol.
5. Cough
It is normal with ACE
inhibitors.
Prevention
and management strategies:
Talk to your doctor about switching drugs.
Normally settle one-to about fourteen days after the cessation.
6. Dehydration
It is also common with
antihistamines, blood pressure meds, chemotherapy, and laxatives.
Prevention
and management strategies:
Drink liquids. Cooled or frosted fluids may go down simpler.
Eat moist foods, for example, products, vegetables, and soups.
Consistently moisturize the skin and apply lip balm.
Apply lubricants to lips to evade painful cracking.
Conclusion
A few different factors
also play a major role in the probability of side-effects. Some notable
examples include:
Every year over 2 million people are injured from car accidents; 32,000 die from these crashes. If you’ve been in one recently, you may feel lucky to have survived the accident.
Even if you feel relatively fine, you should still make sure you’re in good health. Here are 6 reasons to seek medical attention and care after a car accident.
1. You Might Be Injured and Don’t Know It
At the time of the accident, your body will pump itself full of adrenaline and endorphins, which is triggered by the “fight or flight” response. This can hide the symptoms of injury. The signs of some conditions, like whiplash, may not even appear until a few days later.
2. Small Injuries May Get Worse
What may seem like some slight back pain today may become something entirely worse the next day. Chances are, you aren’t a medical professional, which means you won’t know if your small injuries are actually something more serious. A doctor can determine if they are and prevent your injuries from becoming more painful and debilitating.
3. Prevent Long-Term Consequences
When a body part gets injured, it’s more likely that you’ll reinjure it in the future. The sooner you get it treated, the lower your chances of that happening.
Also, if some wounds are not treated in a timely fashion, they can sometimes cause permanent damage and even disable you. This can prevent you from leading a fulfilling and independent life.
4. You’ll Have Official Documentation
If you have serious issues from the car crash, you’ll have official documentation of the extent of your injuries and what treatments you need. When everything is written down by medical professionals, it’ll be easier for you to handle any ensuing paperwork.
5. It’ll Help You File for Compensation
Many times, insurance companies will deny your claim if you don’t seek medical treatment immediately after a car accident. The reasoning is that if you didn’t need treatment right after the crash, then the injuries are probably not that serious.
Even if you present with serious issues a few days later (such as a herniated disk), if you didn’t go to the hospital and get examined right after the accident, the insurance company can say you were injured due to some other event.
6. It’ll Help You Get Maximum Compensation
Not only will having medical records from an accident doctor surrounding the accident help your claim get accepted, but the sooner you file, the more likely you’ll get more compensation. When you wait and see how your injuries fare, this gives insurance companies more leeway to reduce the amount of money you get.
Get Medical Attention Promptly After a Car Accident
As you can see, seeking medical attention promptly after a car accident is crucial. Not only is it essential in catching any problems early on, but it can help immensely in building your case for compensation.
Want to read more on medical issues? Then take a look at our news section.
His successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, expressed his
“utmost sadness”, calling Robert Mugabe “an icon of
liberation”.
He tweeted: “It is
with the utmost sadness that I announce the passing on of Zimbabwe’s founding
father and former President, Cde Robert Mugabe.”
President Mnangagwa had been Robert
Mugabe’s deputy before replacing him.
Singapore’s foreign ministry said it
was working with the Zimbabwean embassy there to have Robert Mugabe’s body
flown back to his home country.
Robert Mugabe was born on February
21, 1924, in what was then Rhodesia – a British colony, run by its white
minority.
After criticizing the government of
Rhodesia in 1964, Robert Mugabe was imprisoned for more than a decade without
trial.
In 1973, while still in prison,
Robert Mugabe was chosen as president of the Zimbabwe African National Union
(Zanu), of which he was a founding member.
Once released, Robert Mugabe headed to Mozambique, from where he directed
guerrilla raids into Rhodesia but he was also seen as a skilled negotiator.
Political agreements to end the crisis resulted in the new independent
Republic of Zimbabwe.
Image source Wikimedia
With his high profile in the independence movement, Robert Mugabe secured an
overwhelming victory in the republic’s first election in 1980.
However, over his decades in power, international
perceptions soured.
Robert Mugabe assumed the reputation of a “strongman” leader – all-powerful, ruling by threats and violence but with a strong base of support. An increasing number of critics labeled him a dictator.
Four-year-old Princess Charlotte has started
school in London.
She was “very excited” about starting
school, Prince William said as he dropped her off for her first day.
Walking across the playground with both parents and Prince George, Princess Charlotte
smiled as she met the head of the lower school at Thomas’s Battersea.
Prince George has attended the private school in south west London since
2017.
He began his first day of year two – his final year in the lower school
before he moves to the middle school.
Princess Charlotte was photographed meeting Helen Haslem at the side
entrance of the school.
Her uniform includes a navy pleated skirt and cardigan, white socks and
black shoes.
Kate Middleton carried her daughter’s backpack, which was decorated with a
pink key-ring in the shape of a pony’s head. She smiled as she greeted Helen
Haslem and asked about her summer holidays.
Helen Haslem bent down to shake hands with both Prince George and Princess Charlotte,
who is fourth in line to throne.
Prince William and Kate Middleton accompanied Princess Charlotte to her
classroom before saying their goodbyes.
The Duke of Cambridge, who drove the family to the school, said: “First day – she’s very excited.”
Prince George was also photographed on his first day at Thomas’s Battersea,
a preparatory school located a few miles from the family residence in
Kensington Palace, in September 2017.
He, too, was greeted by Helen Haslem, after Prince William drove him through
the school gates. Kate Middleton missed the occasion as she was not well enough
to take him.
The school has around 560 pupils between the ages of four and 13. According to its website, the school charges £6,429 ($7,921) per term for a family’s eldest child and £6,305 ($7,768) for their second eldest child throughout reception, year one and year two.
You’ll need attractive and engaging content that draws people in straight away. If you’re not sure how to get there, don’t worry. In this post, we’ll give you some inspiration.
Read on for some outstanding landing page copy examples.
5 Examples of Landing Page Copy to Learn From
If you need some inspiration for your landing page copywriting, check out these sites.
This is the where users arrive when they click a link or ad to your site. It should include clear and engaging content that both tells the user about you, and prompts them to take action.
TransferWise’s landing page does just that. It gives concise information about why their international transfer service is so safe, widely-used, and affordable. Then, it includes boxes for users to fill to make a transfer.
Everything you need is right there on that first page.
2. Pinterest
Pinterest is afirst-class website with content that users find almost addictive.
The landing page doesn’t just ask you to sign up. It tells you exactly how many seconds it will take, and how many pins will be available to you when you do.
3. Evernote
Evernote is one of thebest note-taking apps out there, and its landing page tells you why.
It invites you to ‘remember everything’ by downloading the app, and provides a short description of how it will make your life more manageable.
Then, there’s a ‘sign up’ button. What more do you need?
4. AirBnB
The goal of AirBnB’s landing page is to convert customers into hosts, and it does a great job.
The first thing they see is a picture of a happy host, next to the words ‘earn money as an AirBnB host’. A ‘start hosting’ button provides a quick call to action, but if that’s not enough, there’s also personalized information to make the prospect more enticing.
The page uses your location to tell you how much you can expect to earn as a host in your area.
5. Shopify
You’ll need toimprove your writing skills to great content, but that doesn’t mean your landing page has to be full of text.
Sometimes, less is more.
Shopify’s landing page proves that. It tells you how many other businesses are using Shopify, invites you to start a free trial, and tells you the benefits, all in two sentences.
The call to action is a box to enter your email address and get started.
Keep them Coming Back
Great landing page copy can have a huge impact on your conversion rates.
But once you’ve got your customers, it’s going to take more than that to get them to stay with you. To retain them, you’ll have to implement strategies to keep them satisfied.
Read more of our business news for some tips on how to take your business to the next level.
Sometimes
you work hard night and days promoting your website, but nothing happens. Even
worse – sales go down all the time, and it seems like whatever you do, it will
not help. If that happens to you, chances are your hosting provider is to
blame. The speed of the website heavily relies on the server where it is
hosted. If the server processes data slowly, the site, consequently, will take
longer to load. And there are two reasons why the speed impacts the revenue of
your business.
How to choose a provider?
There
are many criteria to consider choosing the provider. Different businesses have
different needs, and the hosting must fit them perfectly. Besides that, you
have to make sure that the vendor offers impeccable safety along with the high
bandwidth of its servers.
The issue is that each provider will advertise as the best one. And if you’re new to the world of servers, it is hard to pick the right one.
Slow websites never reach top positions in
search engines
The
search engine (Google, for example) wants users to get the best options. Thus,
the system will fetch search results that match the entered keyword and the
location of the user. But also it will list the fastest websites first because
it cares about the convenience of users. And if your site loads slowly, it
simply can’t appear on top positions.
How
does the engine understand your website is slow? The search engine sends
dedicated bots to each site and each page to index them. As these bots check
the pages, they can also detect how long does it take for the site to load and
show the data. And the longer it takes, the lower position the website gets.
Users have no patience
Statistics
show that the average user will wait for a maximum of 6 seconds for the website
to load. If it doesn’t, the person leaves the site. It decreases the revenue of
the business because of two reasons. Obviously, you won’t get that customer
anymore, and now you have fewer chances that people will trust your site.
But
also, if users leave the website, the search engine thinks that it is not
relevant for them. Therefore, it will lower the position of the site.
What should the loading time be?
Ideally,
the site should load within 3 seconds. It is okay for the page to load for
around 6 seconds. But if it takes longer, you start losing visitors, and,
therefore, traffic and revenue.
You
should also remember that if your website is overloaded with heavy items, and
it works slowly because of the poorly implemented design, you must fix the
issues that lower the loading speed. And if the design of your site is
well-optimized and lightweight, but the pages still load slowly, you should
change your hosting provider.
Before the internet, most businesses kept data on servers in their local network. The only threats to data security were those that employees brought into the office. However, today the internet connects your network to the rest of the world, increasing productivity but also increasing threats to your client information. If hackers can get into your servers, they can not only steal sensitive data, but they can also install viruses to reroute data or malware to block service. Taking advantage of cloud computing platforms is one way that businesses can keep their data safe and secure.
Protection from Denial of Service Attacks
Using cloud servers for data storage is a bit like renting out a safe deposit box for your valuables. Rather than keeping your data onsite where you are responsible for its protection, you pay the cloud computing platform to maintain your security. They are professionals in protecting data against threats. For example, a growing number of cyber-attacks are distributed denial of service attacks. A DDoS involves hackers using a network of computers to swamp your system, crowding out legitimate users. Cloud computing platforms can detect unusual activity and direct traffic in a different direction, keeping your system running smoothly.
Data Preservation
Especially with growing climate concerns, storing data in a single location carries significant risk. If all of your data is kept onsite, a building fire or natural disaster can lead to lost and unrecoverable data. Cloud computing platforms preserve your data by storing it on servers in several physical locations. You will have access to your data even in the midst of power failures and other unforeseen issues. Your client data is extremely valuable to your business. Investing in cloud computing for data storage is a wise investment in data safety.
Regulatory Compliance
Many businesses that deal with sensitive information are required to meet data security regulation standards. When you work with a cloud computing platform, they will already have those standards in place. Your IT department will not be responsible for maintaining the system or making sure it is in compliance. The third-party provider will have already done it. This is both a benefit to you and your customers. You can maintain regulatory compliance without a great investment of time and effort. Your customers can have peace of mind knowing that their data is kept under strict standards of security.
Third-party support
One of the challenges of technology is the amount of change that happens in a short period of time. Most programs need regular updates and patches to maintain safety. Working in the cloud computing world means that your provider is responsible for keeping things up-to-date. They close any detected gaps faster than your in-house IT department can get to them. This kind of preparation will prevent some of the most common hacking attacks from sneaking into your system. Defending your data against hackers is a constant battle and the sides are not always clear. For example, thehacker arrested for developing the Kronos program that attacks banking information is the same hacker credited for stopping the WannaCry malware attack. Partnering with a cloud computing platform is like hiring an extra IT department dedicated to protecting your data from attack.
Data Security for Mobile Employees
The internet has provided your employees with a great deal of mobile flexibility. You may have employees that work from home or access company data on the road. While these kinds of connections are convenient, they are often much less secure than connections made directly to your local network. Fortunately, cloud computing providers understand the need for data security in mobile connections. With most platforms, the connection to the cloud platform involves a high level of encryption. Only the people who need to see your data have access to it. So long as the device your employee is using is secure, the connection and the data traveling along it will be secure. It is important to instruct your mobile employees on basic security measures to keep their devices safe.
Cloud computing is a smart way to let your business take advantage of the expertise of computer professionals. Your sensitive data will be protected by trained and experienced experts dedicated to data security.
Hong Kong police have violently tackled suspected protesters with batons and
using pepper spray on a train in the city’s subway after thousands of people
marched on the street in defiance of a ban.
Police say they were called to the scene amid violence against citizens by
“radical protesters”.
However, it is unclear if all those injured and arrested in the subway
system were involved in demonstrations.
Protesters took to the streets on August 31 to mark the fifth anniversary of
China’s government banning fully democratic elections in Hong Kong.
They lit fires, threw petrol bombs
and attacked the parliament building.
In response, riot police used tear
gas, rubber bullets and water cannon to disperse crowds, and fired live warning
shots as they tried to clear the streets.
The latest protests came just a day
after the arrest of several key pro-democracy activists and lawmakers in
China’s special administrative region.
Hong Kong has now seen 13 successive
weeks of demonstrations.
The movement grew out of rallies
against a controversial extradition bill – now suspended – which would have
allowed criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial.
It has since become a broader
pro-democracy movement in which clashes have grown more violent.
During protests, crowds gathered by Prince Edward and Mong Kok stations in
Hong Kong’s Kowloon neighborhood.
Police said in a tweet they had responded at both sites after reports of
“radical protesters” assaulting citizens and damaging property.
In a statement, Hong Kong’s government also said some protesters had
“committed arson and “hurled miscellaneous objects and iron
railings” on to railway tracks, “completely disregarding the safety
of other passengers”.
Forty people were subsequently arrested for unlawful assembly, criminal
damage and the assault of police officers, police spokesperson Yolanda Yu told
reporters.
However, several people complained of excessive force used by the
authorities.
MTR, which operates the city’s subway line, told local media that three
stations – Prince Edward, Mongkok and Kowloon Bay – had been closed as a result
of the incident.
Protesters took to the streets in the Wan Chai district, many joining a Christian march, while others demonstrated in the Causeway Bay shopping district in the pouring rain. Many carried umbrellas and wore face masks.
Five people have been killed and 21 injured in the second mass shooting in Texas in a month.
First to be shot was a policeman who
stopped the gunman’s car between the cities of Midland and Odessa.
The gunman went on to shoot at
numerous motorists and passers-by.
At one point, he abandoned his car
and stole a postal truck before continuing his spree.
The gunman was shot dead by police
at a cinema complex.
The motive of the gunman, who was
white and in his mid-30s, is unclear.
Four weeks ago, 22 people were
killed in a mass shooting in El Paso.
About 20 people were injured – three
of them police officers – in this latest incident of gun violence in the US,
although the police say not all of them were shot. Some may have been cut by
glass when their car windows were hit by bullets and shattered.
Odessa’s Medical Center Hospital
said a child under the age of two was among those being treated there. Seven
other patients are in a serious condition.
Police said August 31 incident began
at just after 15:00 local time after two Texas Department of Public Safety
officers pulled over a vehicle on a Midland highway.
The driver then opened fire on the
officers and, after driving away, began shooting at other people in several
locations.
In a statement, Texas Governor Greg
Abbott said: “We will not allow the
Lone Star State to be overrun by hatred and violence. We will unite, as Texans
always do, to respond to this tragedy.”
In a tweet, President Donald Trump
said he was being kept informed about the shootings in Texas.
Later, VP Mike Pence said he and the Trump administration “remain absolutely determined to work with leaders in both parties in Congress to take steps that we can address and confront this scourge of mass atrocity in our country”.
Five people have been killed and
many others injured in the second mass shooting in Texas in a month.
First to be shot was a policeman who
stopped the gunman’s car between the cities of Midland and Odessa.
The gunman went on to shoot at
numerous motorists and passers-by.
At one point, he abandoned his car
and stole a postal truck before continuing his spree.
The gunman was shot dead by police
at a cinema complex.
The motive of the gunman, who was
white and in his mid-30s, is unclear.
Four weeks ago, 22 people were
killed in a mass shooting in El Paso.
About 20 people were injured – three
of them police officers – in this latest incident of gun violence in the US,
although the police say not all of them were shot. Some may have been cut by
glass when their car windows were hit by bullets and shattered.
Odessa’s Medical Center Hospital
said a child under the age of two was among those being treated there. Seven
other patients are in a serious condition.
Police said August 31 incident began
at just after 15:00 local time after two Texas Department of Public Safety
officers pulled over a vehicle on a Midland highway.
The driver then opened fire on the
officers and, after driving away, began shooting at other people in several
locations.
In a statement, Texas Governor Greg
Abbott said: “We will not allow the
Lone Star State to be overrun by hatred and violence. We will unite, as Texans
always do, to respond to this tragedy.”
In a tweet, President Donald Trump
said he was being kept informed about the shootings in Texas.
Later, VP Mike Pence said he and the Trump administration
“remain absolutely determined to work with leaders in both parties in
Congress to take steps that we can address and confront this scourge of mass
atrocity in our country”.
Tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon have
been used by Hong Kong riot police to disperse crowds as tens of thousands
marched in the city, defying a ban.
Protesters lit fires, threw petrol bombs at riot police and attacked the
parliament building.
An event to mark five years since Beijing ruled out fully democratic
elections was banned in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China.
On August 30, several key pro-democracy activists and lawmakers were
arrested.
The protest movement grew out of rallies against a controversial extradition
bill – now suspended – which would have allowed criminal suspects to be sent to
mainland China for trial.
It has since become a broader pro-democracy movement in which clashes have
grown more violent.
Demonstrators took to the streets in the Wan Chai district, many joining a
Christian march, while others protested in the Causeway Bay shopping district
in the pouring rain. Many carried umbrellas and wore face masks.
On the 13th weekend of protests, demonstrators – chanting “stand with
Hong Kong” and “fight for freedom” – gathered outside government
offices, the local headquarters of China’s People’s Liberation Army and the
city’s parliament, known as the Legislative Council.
In the Admiralty district, some demonstrators threw fire bombs towards
officers. Earlier, protesters marched near the official residence of embattled
leader Carrie Lam, who is the focal point of much of the anger.
Police had erected barriers around key buildings and road blocks, and fired
tear gas and jets of blue-dyed water from the water cannon. The colored liquid
is traditionally used to make it easier for police to identify protesters.
The recent demonstrations have been characterized as leaderless.
On August 30, police had appealed to members of the public to cut ties with
“violent protesters” and had warned people not to take part in the
banned march.
Police made a number of arrests on August 31.
During a 24-hour police crackdown, at least three activists – including
prominent 23-year-old campaigner Joshua Wong – and three lawmakers were
detained.
Joshua Wong, who first rose to prominence as the poster boy of a protest
movement that swept Hong Kong in 2014, was released on bail after being charged
over the protests which have rocked the territory since June.
Hong Kong is part of China, but enjoys “special freedoms”. Those
are set to expire in 2047, and many in Hong Kong do not want to become
“another Chinese city”.
Beijing has repeatedly condemned the protesters and described their actions
as “close to terrorism”. The protests have frequently escalated into
violence between police and activists, with injuries on both sides.
Activists are increasingly concerned that China might use military force to
intervene.
On August 29, Beijing moved a new batch of troops into Hong Kong, a move Chinese state media described as a routine annual rotation.
Sirhan Sirhan was convicted of
murdering presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy, who he shot three times at
the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968.
Robert F. Kennedy was shot in the
kitchen of the hotel, shortly after declaring victory in California’s
Democratic presidential primary to cheering crowds.
The New York senator, brother of former Democratic president John F.
Kennedy, died in hospital 24 hours later.
Robert F. Kennedy was later buried at Arlington Cemetery, near his brother
John, who was assassinated in 1963.
At his trial in 1969, Sirhan Sirhan was originally sentenced to death. Three
years later, however, his sentence was commuted to life in prison when
California briefly outlawed capital punishment.
A Palestinian with Jordanian citizenship, Sirhan Sirhan has claimed he has
no recollection of shooting Robert F. Kennedy.
In a TV interview, Sirhan Sirhan said he felt betrayed by Robert F. Kennedy’s support for Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War.
