Euro rises to 18-month high against dollar
The euro has hit $1.20 for the first time since January 2015 as the prospect of a US interest rate rise recedes.
Hurricane Harvey's impact has led analysts to assume the US central bank will not want to risk curbing economic growth and fears over North Korea's activities have unnerved investors.
A rise in interest rates tends to draw investors to a currency, taking advantage of the higher returns.
Meanwhile, the euro has itself been gaining against a range of currencies.
Against the dollar, it has risen by almost 15% so far this year.
The euro has strengthened in recent months, as the eurozone's economy improves and markets predict the European Central Bank could start to cut back the money-printing programme it has been running to repair the ravages of the eurozone crisis and credit crunch of the late 2000s.
The dollar was also undermined by Friday's annual meeting of central bankers at the Jackson Hole resort in Wyoming at which US central bank chief Janet Yellen's speech gave no hint that the Federal Reserve was planning any policy change that would support the dollar.
At the same event, European Central Bank boss, Mario Draghi, did nothing to talk down the euro.
Euro strength has left the pound at its weakest for almost a year. It buys 1.0759 euros in the wholesale currency markets, making a euro worth a much as 92.95p.
Sterling buys $1.2955 currently.
Tourist rates tend to be below those of the markets, sometimes by quite a bit.
Source-BBC
Blake wins 100m in Zagreb, Powell 3rd
Former world champion Yohan Blake claimed 100-metre victory at the World Challenge event in Zagreb on Tuesday in a time of 10.05 seconds.
The second-fastest man of all-time, who finished fourth in the world championship final in London earlier this month, beat American Mike Rodgers (10.14) and his fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell (10.16) into second and third respectively.
Surprise world 200m champion Ramil Guliyev of Turkey had to settle for fifth in a time of 10.36 secs.
Botswanan 400m runner Isaac Makwala, who was at the centre of controversy at the world championships when he was stopped from competing in the final over a health scare, suffered a surprise defeat in Croatia as American Gil Roberts won in 44.94 seconds.
Meanwhile, Shanieka Ricketts, who was eight in London with 14.13m, leapt 14.45m for victory. Viktoriya Prokopenko was second in 13.96m with Lithuania’s Dovile Dzindzaletaite third with 13.95m.
Jamaica’s 2015 100m hurdles champion, Danielle Williams was fifth in 13.40s (0.1 m/s) the same time as fourth-placed Megan Simmonds. In form American Christina Manning won in 12.66s ahead of veteran Dawn Harper-Nelson in 12.84s. Kristi Castling rounded out the top three for the Americans in 12.86s.
On the men’s side, Jamaica’s 2014 Commonwealth Games 110m hurdles champion Andrew Riley was fourth in 13.49s. London silver medalist, Sergey Shubenkov won in 13.12s ahead of American Devon Allen with 13.19s. Jamaica’s Ronald Levy who was scheduled to compete, did not start.
Schillonie Calvert-Powell was fifth in the women’s 100m, clocking 11.43s (1.0 m/s) in a race won by Nigeria’s Blessing Okagabare-Ighoteguonor in 11.14s. Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain was second in 11.23s with Michelle-Lee Ahye third in 11.26s.
Source-AFP
Haiti gov't denies planning to impose tax on citizens returning
Haiti has denied reports that it intends to impose a tax on nationals returning to the country.
Minister of Haitians Living Abroad (MHAVE), Stéphanie Auguste, told reporters there was no truth to the reports circulating in the diaspora that all Haitians abroad would be required to pay US$86 and a flat-rate income tax of 10,000 gourdes (One Haitian Gourde=US$0.01 cents).
She dismissed suggestions that the new fiscal measures were included in the draft budget for 2017-2018.
Auguste, speaking in the presence of Economy and Finance Minister, Jude Alix Patrick, said “there is no question of paying $186 on arrival in Haiti, neither to the consulates nor to the embassies of Haiti for the request of a public service.
“The question of the income tax does not refer particularly to the diaspora, it concerns all Haitian or any national of other countries undertaking transactions in Haiti that involve income, importing goods, selling land, buying / selling a vehicle, or claiming the issuance of a passport…” The authorities said that citizens whose annual income is less than 60,000 gourdes are not subjected to the payment of the tax.
However they said it is necessary to present the certificate of filing of final declaration to conclude certain transactions.
They warned that any citizen not in a position to present it, at the time of a transaction or a public service which requires this document, will have to pay the lump sum of 10,000 gourdes, as provided for in the draft budget for 2017-2018.
Source-CMC
Harvey's death toll climbs to 6 in Texas amid "epic and catastrophic" flooding
The death toll has climbed to six in Texas amid the "epic and catastrophic" flooding left behind in the southeast part of the state from Hurricane Harvey.
On Monday evening, Houston's Mayor Sylvester Turner confirmed three deaths in Houston.
Three other storm-related deaths occurred in La Marque, East Montgomery County and the coastal city of Rockport.
Houston, the country’s fourth largest city, has been inundated with flooding as result of Harvey, which made landfall late Friday as a Category 4 hurricane and lingered as a tropical storm over the weekend.
The National Weather Service deemed the deadly flooding, which forced evacuations and wiped out homes, "epic and catastrophic."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has activated the entire Texas National Guard. The total number of guardsmen available to the state is roughly 12,000, and all of them will be used in support of recovery efforts in southeast Texas, according to Abbott.
"These guys have saved our lives," one woman rescued by Texas National Guard soldiers said in a video by Staff Sgt. Tim Pruitt. Her husband and dogs were also rescued. "We’ve been in water all day, actually since last night, and we didn’t think help was coming. ... Thank you so much."
Abbott told ABC News' Good Morning America on Monday that he expects the aftermath of Harvey to be "horrific," leaving a mess that will "take years" to rebuild.
ABC News meteorologists anticipate that more rain will fall this week, potentially worsening the already dangerous situation.
ABC News meteorologists say about 20 to 40 inches of rain has already fallen in the Houston area. Rainfall totals could reach 50 inches by the end of the week.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it began to release water from the Addicks and Barker dams early Monday morning to prevent uncontrollable flooding of the Houston metropolitan area as water levels continued to rise rapidly beneath torrential rains being released by the tropical storm.
Engineers were forced to start the process earlier than previously announced because water levels in the reservoirs had “increased dramatically in the last few hours,” officials said early Monday, adding that the release would likely cause additional street flooding that could potentially spill into homes.
“If we don’t begin releasing now, the volume of uncontrolled water around the dams will be higher and have a greater impact on the surrounding communities,” Col. Lars Zetterstrom, Galveston District commander, said in a statement Monday.
Meanwhile, officials in Fort Bend County, located about 45 minutes southwest of Houston, issued mandatory evacuation orders for residents near the Brazos River levee districts as the river reached major flood stages late Sunday.
North Korean missile flies over Japan, Pentagon says
North Korea has fired a missile that flew over Japan, the Pentagon confirmed.
"We assess North Korea conducted a missile launch within the last 90 minutes," Col. Rob Manning, the director of press operations at the Department of Defense, said Monday evening in a statement. "We can confirm that the missile launch by North Korea flew over Japan. We are in the process of assessing this launch.
"North American Aerospsace Defense Command, or NORAD, determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America. We are working closely with Pacific Command, Strategic Command and NORAD, and we'll provide an update as soon as possible," he added.
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe briefly addressed the launch, saying the country will be collecting more information, according to NHK, Japan's national public broadcasting organization.
The missile, which was launched early Tuesday local time, landed in the ocean, said Yoshihide Suga, Japan's chief Cabinet secretary, NHK reported.
"Nothing seemed have dropped on Japanese soil," Suga said.
"We will be working with Korea and other nations and gather information to secure the population of Japan," he added, according to NHK. It was the 13th launch by North Korea this year.
NHK reported the Japanese government issued a warning to people living in northern prefectures to take cover near strong structures after reports of the launch.
North Korean ballistic missiles have passed Japanese airspace at least four times in the past.
The last time a North Korea missile passed over Japanese airspace was February 2016, over islands in south Japan. At that time, North Korea said it was launching a satellite, the same explanation the country gave on two other occasions in 2012 and 2009.
North Korea also fired a two-stage ballistic missile over Japan in 1998, offering no explanation at the time.
On Friday, North Korea fired three short-range ballistic missiles, one of which failed in flight.
Source-ABC
Three more days of rain in store for Houston as water keeps rising
Hurricane Harvey, which slammed into the Texas coast this weekend and wreaked havoc along the way, has weakened to a tropical storm but not before dropping an improbable 25 inches of rain on Houston in only 36 hours, with more expected.
The deadly storm has moved into the Gulf of Mexico, where it's regained a bit of strength, with max winds of 45 mph, according to ABC News meteorologists. The storm is expected to make landfall again east of Galveston, Texas, on late Tuesday or early Wednesday. It will then speed up and weaken by Thursday into a depression over northern Louisiana.
ABC News meteorologists predict up to 50 total inches of rain in some areas by Thursday.
Anyone looking for a silver lining might find it in the dry air that’s likely to be mixed into the system, which sometimes limits the severity of storms.
Either way, rain bands are expected to rotate around Harvey through eastern Texas and western Louisiana. Six to 12 more inches of rain are expected to fall in Houston over the next three days.
East of the city, closer to Louisiana, an additional 10 to 20 inches of rainfall is possible, meteorologists say.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for New Orleans as Harvey passes through the region.
New Orleans, which is vulnerable to flooding, saw pervasive flooding earlier this month after receiving 8 inches of rainfall in parts of Jefferson Parish.
Source-ABC
Chris Brown answers Kevin Hart challenge, donates $100,000 to Hurricane Harvey victims
Chris Brown has responded to Kevin Hart's recent call to donate to Hurricane Harvey relief. Though Hart mentions donating to the American Red Cross, Brown is going another route.
On Instagram, Brown writes, "IM SKEPTICAL ABOUT RED CROSS SO MY DONATION WILL GO TO THE PEOPLE!"
Though Brown doesn't specify to whom, or to what agency, he'll make his donation, it's a big one. In a video statement posted next to his written one, he says, "Kevin Hart, I accept your challenge. We need to come together. I'm donating a $100,000. It's for everybody out there in Texas for the relief and everything. And I implore and encourage everybody else who can change and make a change for this to please donate and help out."
Hart's #HurricaneHarveyReliefChallenge on Instagram tagged Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Beyoncé, Chris Rock, Justin Timberlake, Jerry Seinfeld, and Steve Harvey, asking for donations to "support Hurricane Harvey relief efforts." Hart added Dave Chappelle and Jay Z to his call as well.
Since Harvey made landfall Friday, Houston and the surrounding area has experienced "unprecedented," devastating flooding, with record rainfall . Harvey has also dumped torrential rain over southeast Texas, with ABC News meteorologists forecasting historic rainfall totals up to 50 inches by Wednesday.
Paris Jackson pays tribute to late father Michael on his 59th birthday
Tuesday marks what would have been Michael Jackson's 59th birthday. His daughter, Paris Jackson, who's following in her late dad's artistic and activist footsteps, made sure to send her late dad a special birthday message on Instagram.
With a photo of her as a toddler giving her daddy a kiss, Paris writes, "birthday wishes to the love of my life, the one person who showed me what passion truly was, the one that gave me solid morals to live by and how to dream. i will never feel love again the way i did with you. you were always with me and i am always with you."
Paris continues, "though i am not you, and you are not me, i know with all of my being that we are one. and our souls will never change in that way. thank you for the magic, forever and always."
The rising young star also posted another Instagram picture shortly after of herself on the red carpet at last Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, with a ghostly image of Michael superimposed, kissing her on her temple.
Some fans may remember Paris' shocking revelation in her January interview with Rolling Stone magazine in which she said that "it's obvious" her father was murdered and that his death was "a setup."
The King of Pop died on June 25, 2009, due to an overdose of the anesthetic propofol. His former personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death and served two years in prison for it.
Source-ABC
R. Kelly releases statement on canceled After Party tour date in Memphis
Over the weekend, fans were disappointed to discover that R. Kelly's After Party tour date in Memphis for this past Sunday was canceled. Monday, the controversial singer released a statement to explain why the decision was made.
"After back-to-back sold out shows in Atlanta, GA and Pelham, AL, Mr. Kelly would have loved nothing more than to finish the #southerntakeover portion of his After Party Tour in Memphis, TN tonight," reads a message on Kelly's Instagram. "The decision to cancel the show was by the promoter, in breach of their agreement and out of Mr. Kelly's control. He's sorry his Memphis fans are disappointed and will do his best to make it up to them soon. As always, he thanks all of his fans for their support."
The scrapped date in Memphis is the fifth overall for Kelly's After Party tour. Four other dates were canceled earlier this month in the wake of the recent ongoing allegations that the singer's harboring several young women at various residences and controlling their lives, like a cult. Kelly denied the claims in a July video announcement, telling fans that his After Party Tour would go on, regardless of the report, which he called "a bunch of crap" in the clip.
Source-ABC
Beyonce pledges to "help as many as we can" in Houston
Houston native Beyonce is reaching out to her city as it struggles to overcome the challenges of Hurricane Harvey.
In a statement to the Houston Chronicle, Queen Bey says, "My heart goes out to my hometown, Houston, and I remain in constant prayer for those affected and for the rescuers who have been so brave and determined to do so much to help."
She adds, "I am working closely with my team at [my charity] BeyGOOD, as well as my pastor to implement a plan to help as many as we can."
Many stars have also sent love and prayers to Houston, including Drake, Common, Beyonce's Destiny's Child bandmate Kelly Rowland, Michael Strahan, and Beyonce's friends Coldplay, who wrote a special song for the city. Kevin Hart has also challenged other celebrities to raise money to help the victims.
Source-ABC