Over 100 dead in South Asia monsoon flooding
More than 100 people have been killed in monsoon floods in South Asia, as torrential rain caused chaos in several countries. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, with many rescued from rising waters and housed in shelters. Nepal has suffered the highest death toll with over 75 people killed this week in floods and landslides. Hundreds die every year across the region during the monsoon season between June and September. In Nepal the army has been evacuating hundreds of people from villages submerged by rising flood waters, with western parts of the country worst hit.
Pets left hungry as smart feeder breaks
Owners of smart pet-feeding device Petnet were told to "feed their pets manually" after a server problem stopped the device from working.
Petnet allows owners to schedule and control feeding via a smartphone app.
Adam Simon, an analyst with research company Context, said it was important users "always had a manual back-up" for smart systems.
"Increasingly, people are becoming dependent on these smart objects, and that could become a problem," he said.
"In this case, your pet could be left hungry."
Cardinal George Pell denies child abuse claims
Australia's most senior Roman Catholic, Cardinal George Pell, has called claims that he sexually abused children "a scandalous smear campaign". Details of alleged incidents have been broadcast by the country's public broadcaster, ABC television. Police in Victoria State have confirmed they are investigating several allegations against the cardinal. Cardinal Pell's office says he "unequivocally rejects any allegations of sexual abuse against him".
Guatemalan ex-leader Perez Molina faces new graft probe
A judge in Guatemala has ordered that former President Otto Perez Molina be investigated in connection with a multi-million dollar corruption case. Mr Perez Molina resigned on 2 September over allegations of graft. He was arrested a day later. He is already under investigation over a bribery scheme at Guatemala's customs services but has denied any wrongdoing. The latest investigation focuses on allegations he received $37.9m (£28.8m) in return for construction contracts. Investigators allege that the former president was also given a helicopter, a plane and a luxury car. He has previously been accused by an anti-corruption commission of taking bribes from a Spanish port company.
France church attack: Second suspect in priest killing named
French prosecutors have identified the second man involved in the killing of a priest in a Normandy church on Tuesday as 19-year-old Abdel Malik Petitjean. Like the other attacker, Adel Kermiche, he was known to the security services. The teenagers were shot dead by police outside the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray where they had killed Father Jacques Hamel, 86, and taken hostages. So-called Islamic State (IS) released a video of what it said were the two men pledging allegiance to the group. "Following DNA tests, it emerged that the terrorist has been identified as Abdel Malik Nabil Petitjean," a source in the Paris prosecutor's office said. Petitjean, from a town in eastern France, had been on a watch list as a potential security threat since June after trying to enter Syria from Turkey. He had been harder than Kermiche to identify because his body was badly disfigured in the police shooting, but officers found an ID card belonging to him in Kermiche's home and confirmed his identity in a DNA match with his mother. After Petitjean was named, his mother, Yamina, denied he could have been the killer. "I know my kid, he is kind. I did not produce a devil. He never talked about IS," she told BFM television.
US election: We'll carry Clinton to victory, says Obama
US President Barack Obama has implored voters to help continue his legacy by carrying Hillary Clinton to victory at the polls in November. Mr Obama praised Mrs Clinton at the Democratic convention in Philadelphia, as the most qualified person ever to run for the White House. He said voters faced a choice between hope and fear, attacking "home-grown demagogue" Republican Donald Trump. Mr Trump responded by rejecting the president's optimistic portrayal. "Our country does not feel 'great already' to the millions of wonderful people living in poverty, violence and despair," he said on Twitter.
Gilmore Girls return date announced
The revival of popular US TV series Gilmore Girls will premiere globally on 25 November, Netflix has announced. The series, which originally ran from 2000-07, sees cast members Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel reunited in the mother-daughter comedy drama.
It also features the return of original cast members Melissa McCarthy and Scott Patterson. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life will feature four 90-minute episodes, each covering a season of the year.
A trailer offering a first look at the new series attracted almost one million views on YouTube in its first 24 hours online.
Lloyds cuts a further 3,000 jobs and doubles branch closure plan
Lloyds has accelerated its job-cutting scheme, axing a further 3,000 roles, even as it reported a 101% increase in pre-tax profits. It has also doubled its planned branch closures, with 200 more set to vanish from High Streets by the end of 2017.
The bank attributed the cuts to changes in people's banking habits, and the effects of interest rates remaining low for the foreseeable future. Lloyds is already carrying out 9,000 redundancies and 200 branch closures.
It announced those cost-cutting measures in 2014. The bank confirmed that the decision to make further cuts was taken before the EU referendum on 23 June. The news of fresh job losses came as Lloyds reported a £2.5bn pre-tax profit for the half year to the end of June 2016.
In the same period last year, it made £1.2bn. The profits rise was largely due to a sharp drop-off in payment protection insurance (PPI) compensation payouts, which dented previous profits.
PPI has cost the bank more than £16bn since 2011. Lenders are expecting the scheme to be wrapped up soon.
Mad magazine cartoonist Jack Davis dies aged 91
Cartoonist Jack Davis, the "long-time legendary" artist on the US magazine Mad, has died at the age of 91.
Davis, who also created posters for films such as The Long Goodbye and Bananas, was one of the founding artists on the publication in 1952.
He contributed to the magazine for several decades, drawing many portraits of its mascot Alfred E Neuman. Mad art director Sam Viviano said Davis' "immediately recognisable style revolutionised comic illustration".
Turks & Caicos Civil Servants attend UNICEF Training in St. Lucia
Ms. Rikardia Pardo, Deputy Director, Department of Disaster Management & Emergencies and Ms. Ashley Adams, Deputy Director, Department of Social Development recently attended a three day "Train the Trainers" workshop, on a recovery management program, called "Return to Happiness" in Saint Lucia.
The workshop was conducted by Saint Lucia’s, Ministry of Social Transformation Local Government and Community Empowerment in partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund-UNICEF on 27th to 29th June, 2016.
The aim of the psychosocial program design was to equip the 26 participants from across the region with the necessary skills, to assist children to externalize their feelings after any traumatic event. Creating an opportunity for children between the ages of 5-12 years, who have experienced a natural or man-made disaster, to process their experiences through a series of guided play activities for the purpose of reducing their post disaster anxieties and begin to re-establish their sense of joy, happiness, security and confidence in adult protection.
The program uses various child friendly methodologies, such as drawings, songs of hope, games and puppets to facilitate children in expressing themselves. It also creates an opportunity for children who are adversely traumatized during the event, to receive further psychological examination and counseling.
Ms. Adams stated; “Sometimes during and following traumatic events children are often forgotten. In the wake of a traumatic event, you may be filled with worry or sadness. Yet no matter how concerned or overwhelmed you may feel, as parents and teachers you have the power to help children recover; guiding them through their fears and grief, and preventing them from suffering lasting psychological effects."
The UNICEF Return to Happiness Programme is not new to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Following the impacts of Hanna and Ike on the Turks and Caicos Islands in 2008 and the Ona Glinton Primary School fire in 2010, the Return to Happiness Programme proved very therapeutic for both teachers and students who were traumatized by the experienced.