1
World ❘ 05 CONTACT US AT: 8351-9190, [email protected] Wednesday September 6, 2017 A CONVICTED drug kingpin in the Italian mafia has been arrested in Uruguay after being on the run for over 20 years, the Uru- guayan Interior Ministry said in a statement Monday. R o c c o Morabito — described by author- ities as a prominent member of the Ndrangheta, or Calabrian Mafia — had been wanted since 1994. He was convicted in absentia for drug trafficking and organized-crime activities in Italy, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Italian authorities said that Morabito had been responsible for shipping drugs into Italy and arranging distribution in Milan. The Uruguayan Interior Min- istry said Morabito was arrested Friday in a hotel in the Uru- guayan capital of Montevideo. Italian police said the arrest fol- lowed “months of international cooperation and intelligence activity.” Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti lauded Morabito’s arrest, saying he was “considered one of the sought-after members of the Ndrangheta.” (SD-Agencies) A JAPAN Airlines plane bound for New York returned safely to a Tokyo airport yesterday after the pilot reported a bird strike to an engine during takeoff. Television footage showed red flames flickering from the left engine as the plane ascended from the runway. JAL said the Boeing 777 car- rying 233 passengers and 15 crewmembers requested an emergency landing minutes after takeoff from Haneda International Airport. The plane returned to the air- port about an hour after takeoff and no injuries were reported. Haneda had the worst record for bird strikes in Japan last year at 182 cases, followed by Osaka, with 73 cases and Narita’s 57, though not all of them affected flight operations, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastruc- ture, Transport and Tourism. (SD-Agencies) THERE are now at least 63 deaths related to Hurricane Harvey after it dumped several feet of rain on southeast Texas in the United States in a matter of days, CBS News confirmed Monday. CBS News also confirmed that Harris County — which is home to Houston and saw the worst flooding during Harvey — has the highest death toll with 30 Harvey-related deaths. Many of those deaths confirmed in 11 Texas coun- ties happened when people were caught in quickly rising floodwaters or lost control on water-logged roads, emergency management officials said. Six family members including four children were killed when a van they were riding in was swept into a bayou as floodwa- ters rose in Harris County. But county emergency management departments tell The Associated Press they are including people in their storm- related death totals who died from indirect complications of Harvey. The huge dump of water loosened the ground around trees that have fallen into at least two homes in Montgom- ery County, causing two deaths, said county emergency manage- ment spokeswoman Cynthia Jamieson. And the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed that a couple had died while driving outside of Jasper, Texas, when a tree landed on their vehicle. Power outages from the storm have also accounted for some of the indirect deaths. Several elderly people in a handful of counties were reported as Harvey-related deaths when medical equipment such as oxygen tanks lost power. Officials said floodwa- ters have caused delays in responses to medical emergen- cies that resulted in deaths as well, including the first death reported in the storm — a man who died in a fire in Aransas County. Another person died of a heart attack Sunday in Mont- gomery County, as rescue work- ers were delayed in getting to his address by road and flood conditions left by Harvey’s massive rainfall. Harvey slammed into Texas on Aug. 25 as a Category 4 hur- ricane, but brought the worst flooding to Houston and other areas as a tropical storm. The rain totaled nearly 52 inches (1.3 meters) in some spots. Some Houston officials stressed that the recovery from Harvey was beginning, and Mayor Sylvester Turner proclaimed America’s fourth- largest city “open for busi- ness.” But with areas under water, people not yet in their homes, and billions in damage to repair, the major disasters that Harvey created are by no means resolved. President Donald Trump has asked Congress for a US$7.9 billion down payment toward Harvey relief and recovery efforts. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott suggested the cost of recovery could be as much as US$180 billion. (SD-Agencies) Harvey death toll bumps up to at least 63 THE Russian defense ministry said two Russian troops have been killed in shelling in Syria’s east. The ministry’s statement quoted by Russian news agen- cies late Monday said the two men died when a convoy escort- ing Russian cease-fire monitor- ing staff came under mortar fire outside the eastern city of Deir el-Zour. The ministry said one man died on the spot and the other died later of wounds in a hospital. Russia has been providing air cover for Syrian President Bashar Assad’s offensive against Islamic State group militants since 2015. The Russian defense ministry said Monday that Rus- sian jets had made 80 flights to back Assad’s offensive on Deir el-Zour, a key city that has been under IS siege for three years. (SD-Agencies) Two Russian troops killed in Syria Plane lands after engine flame seen Protestors demonstrate in support of workers at British McDonald’s restaurants striking in a protest over pay and other industry- related issues near the Houses of Parliament in London on Monday. SD-Agencies RUSSIA reserves the right to cut further the number of U.S. dip- lomatic staff in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday, in response to what he called Washington’s “boorish” treatment of Russia’s diplomatic mission on U.S. soil. Speaking after U.S. officials ordered Russia to vacate dip- lomatic premises in several American cities, Putin said he would order the Russian foreign ministry to take legal action over alleged violations of Russia’s property rights. “That the Americans reduced the number of our diplomatic facilities — this is their right,” Putin told a news conference in the Chinese city of Xiamen, where he was attending a summit of major emerging economies. “The only thing is that it was done in such a clearly boorish manner. That does not reflect well on our American partners. But it’s difficult to conduct a dia- logue with people who confuse Austria and Australia. Nothing can be done about it. Probably such is the level of political cul- ture of a certain part of the U.S. establishment.” “As for our buildings and facil- ities, this is an unprecedented thing,” Putin said. “This is a clear violation of Russia’s prop- erty rights. Therefore, for a start, I will order the Foreign Ministry to go to court — and let’s see just how efficient the much-praised U.S. judiciary is.” U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, saying he wanted to improve ties with Russia. Putin also spoke favor- ably of Trump. But relations have been damaged by accusations from U.S. intelligence officials that Russia sought to meddle in the presidential election. Russia has denied interfering in the vote. Asked by a reporter if he was disappointed with Trump, Putin said: “Whether I am dis- appointed or not, your question sounds very naive — he is not my bride and, likewise, I am neither his bride nor bridegroom.” “We are both statesmen. Every nation has interests of its own. In his activities, Trump is guided by the national interests of his country, and I by the interests of mine.” “I greatly hope that we will be able, just as the current U.S. president said, to find some com- promises while resolving bilat- eral and international problems ... taking into account our joint responsibility for international security.” (SD-Agencies) Putin: Russia reserves right to cut further US diplomatic mission Italian mafia drug kingpin arrested Rocco Morabito WORKERS at two McDonald’s restaurants staged the first strike since it opened in the United Kingdom in 1974, in a protest over pay and other issues Monday. Workers at restaurants in Cambridge and Crayford, in London, went on strike to demand an increase in pay, an end to so-called zero-hour contracts, which offer no fixed hours, and more trade union recognition. A spokesman for McDonald’s said the strikers represented less than half of the union members who were balloted and the stated reason for the strike related to internal grievance procedures and not pay or contracts. He said the company and its franchisees were offering staff the option of a guaranteed hour contract but so far 86 percent of its employees had chosen to stay on flexible contracts. A union representing the workers said it also wanted trained shop stewards to moni- tor stores across Britain. Two managers in the Cam- bridge branch of the restaurant were suspended this year for bullying and harassment, the union said. Monday’s action coincides with strikes in the United States and Belgium. Small demonstra- tions in support of the striking McDonald’s workers were taking place in 14 locations in Britain. Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain’s main opposition Labour Party, said he supported “the brave McDonald’s workers, who are making history today.” (SD-Agencies) McDonald’s workers stage company’s first strike in UK
