In search of the castaways

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June 14, 2017 01:00
By Pattarawadee Saengmanee
The Nation

 

Source  :  nationmultimedia.com

Waterfall returns to its former glory

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The Chanta Then Waterfall in Chonburi, Thailand has returned to its former glory following a drought which left it dry.
It now sees between 100 and 200 tourists per day.
Previously, the waterfall’s four tiers were so dry that visitors may not have realised that it was a waterfall.
Forest officials are tasked with supervising the area to ensure tourists safety.

 

Source  :  nationmultimedia.com

Turkish army says 20 Kurdish militants killed in air strikes in southeast, Iraq’s north

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(Reuters/IraqiNews.com) Turkey’s military killed 20 militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in air strikes targeting southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq, the army said in a statement on Tuesday.

In three separate air strikes, Turkish warplanes hit the southeastern province of Van bordering Iran, and northern Iraq’s Zap and Hakurk regions. Some of the militants were believed to be in preparation of an attack, the military said.

Sixteen militants were killed and a gun post and a logistics hub were destroyed in two separate air bombardments in Iraq. Air strikes in Van killed four other militants, the army said.

The PKK, which has carried out a three-decade insurgency against the Turkish state, has camps in the mountains of northern Iraq, near the Turkish border. It is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and European Union.

A ceasefire between the Turkish state and the PKK broke down in July 2015 and the southeast subsequently saw some of the worst violence since the PKK launched its insurgency in 1984.

Turkey and Iraq had engaged in diplomatic disputes over the deployment of Turkish troops in Iraq;s Nineveh. While Ankara said its forces were training local groups to fight Islamic State militants, Baghdad maintained that the military presence represented a breach of its sovereignty.

Ankara has also been concerned with Kurdish groups in neighboring Syria. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has been actively engaged in the fight against Islamic State in Syria, but Ankara views the group as an extension of the PKK.

 

Source :  IraqiNews.com

More than 1200 IS militants killed in western Mosul since February

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Mosul (IraqiNews.com) More than 1200 Islamic State militants, including snipers and leaders, have been killed since launch of offensives in western Mosul, Federal Police declared.

In a statement on Tuesday, Lt.Gen. Shaker Jawdat said 27 leaders and 214 snipers were killed, while 300 square kilometers were retaken since operations began in western side of Mosul.

Federal Police troops, according to Jawdat, killed more than 1000 militants, destroyed 865 booby-trapped vehicles and defused 780 landmines since February.

He indicated progress by the troops in al-Shifa district, north of the Old City, trying to reach to the Tigris River bank.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iraqi troops reported progress and announced recapturing of al-Zanjili district, located north of the Old City, which is home to the Grand Nuri al-Kabeer mosque, from which IS Supreme Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared establishing caliphate in 2014.

IS enclave has shrunk to two districts along the western banks of the Tigris river -the Old City center and the Medical City.

Less than 1000 fighters are believed to be remaining in the Old City, according to commanders from the Iraqi leadership and the allied U.S.-led coalition.

In January, the eastern side of Mosul was retaken after three months of battles. Another offensive was launched in February to retake the western side of the city.

 

Source  :  IraqiNews.com

UAE issues new rules on mergers, acquisitions of joint stock firms

Wam/Abu Dhabi
Filed on June 13, 2017
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The decision will be effective as of the day following its publishing with the Official Gazette

A new decision concerning the regulations of mergers and acquisitions of UAE-based joint stock companies has been issued by Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, and Board Chairman of the Securities and Commodities Authority, SCA.

The decision, which will be effective as of the day following its publishing with the Official Gazette, includes three chapters comprising 61 articles dedicated to acquisition general rules and conditions, different definitions of mergers and takeovers, surveillance procedures, and control, inspection and penalties.

As part of its mission to ensure a well-developed investment-conducive and resilient financial system, SCA has issued over the recent period a number of decisions and launched new systems, and modified others to ensure more market resilience, optimize performance and upgrade services in line with its endeavours to develop its organisational infrastructure, legislative environment and surveillance system as well as its institutional support services, which have helped capital markets ensure more resilience and agility to enhance services and boost competitiveness.

 

Source :  Khaleej Times

No electricity, water connection in Dubai without Ejari

Staff Report/Dubai
Filed on June 13, 2017 | Last updated on June 13, 2017 at 07.07 pm
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Electricity and water services in Dubai are activated as soon as Ejari contract is attested, without visiting Dewa offices.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has announced that effective July 1, 2017, attesting Ejari tenancy contract will be mandatory for getting electricity and water services.

Customers will be able to activate electricity and water services as soon as they attest the contract at any of the 800 real estate offices approved by Dubai Land Department, without having to visit Dewa’s customer happiness centres. The move is part of Dewa’s efforts to streamline customers’ experiences and save their time and effort.

As soon as Ejari is attested, the customer receives a welcome message from Dewa via e-mail and SMS, including the account and premise numbers, as well as a link to pay the security deposit. Once the security deposit is paid online or using any of the smart channels provided by Dewa, electricity and water services are activated for the customer. This supports Dewa’s efforts to achieve the vision of Dubai government to enhance transparency in the government sector, adhere to the best international practices, and improve government work to reach the highest levels of efficiency, which in turn achieves customers’ happiness.

“Government departments in Dubai work to achieve the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance integration among each other to unify procedures and save the time and effort needed to get government services,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

“At DEWA, we adopt this approach and work to link our services with other government departments to provide integrated smart services that enable customers to conduct their transactions, anytime anywhere. This saves their time and effort and achieves their happiness. This also minimises physical visits to government departments.”

How to get utility services in Dubai

Attest rent contract at any of the 800 real estate offices approved by Dubai Land Department

> Customer receives welcome message from the Dubai Water and Electricity Authority

> Once security deposit is paid through a link in the welcome message, electricity and water services are activated .

 

Source : Khaleej Times

Brazil too slick for Socceroos after gaffe gifts goal

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Australia boss Ange Postecoglou is always keen to test his team against the best and take up the sternest of challenges.

He found out on Tuesday night in Melbourne just how good the best can be when his Socceroo side tried determinedly but was distinctly second best against a Brazilian team anxious to make up for his 1-0 loss to Argentina at the MCG last Friday night.

The final scoreline showed Brazil were 4-0 winners, but in reality it could have been more had the South Americans taken all of the chances that fell their way.

The Socceroos still have a long way to go if they want to mix it at the top table of the world game, which is Postecoglou’s declared ambition. They can take some comfort from the fact they will face few opponents as good as Brazil.

It didn’t help Australia’s cause that it was fighting an uphill battle after just 12 seconds following a calamitous opening that saw the Brazilians take the lead through Diego Souza.

There has been much debate about the efficacy of Postecoglou’s decision to play with a back three, and plenty of criticism – some, if not all of it, justified – for the way the team has adapted to its new tactical structure in recent matches.

But Brazil’s opener had nothing to do with team shape or set up. Australia could have had a back seven but still conceded after Bailey Wright’s howler which gifted possession to Giuliano straight from the kick-off.

The midfielder slid the ball through to Souza, who fired past Mitchell Langerak after the goalkeeper got a wrist to the ball.

To their credit Australia dug in, weathered an early storm and managed to keep their opponents scoreless through the rest of the first half.

Despite wholesale changes – only Thiago Silva, Phillipe Coutinho and Paulinho started in the loss to Argentina – Brazil looked smooth and in perfect rhythm with Coutinho, in particular, looking unplayable at times as he slipped past opponents and glided in the lines between midfield and attack, dribbling round defenders or sliding passes through to teammates.

Even though they were often chasing shadows Australia stuck to their task and created a handful of openings of their own.

The best of those came after a quarter of an hour when James Troisi – one of five current or former Melbourne Victory players in the starting line-up for Australia – fed another ex-Victory man in Aziz Behich down the left. The latter’s cross would surely have found captain for the night Tim Cahill had not Rodrigo Russo got back in time to deflect the ball wide for a corner.

Brazil retained possession with ease and were quicker to the ball, quick to intercept, and quick to put pressure on Australia whenever the yellow shirts looked to get forward.

The visitors did have the ball in the net a second time just on the half hour when David Luiz stepped in to intercept a pass out of defence before playing Souza in. The forward chipped the ball past Langerak but was clearly offside.

Paulinho could have made it two goals three minutes later after a withering attack down the left by Alex Sandro found Souza, whose cheeky back heel put the ball right on the former Tottenham man’s toe. Much to Australia’s relief he chipped the ball over the bar.

This was a match that Postecoglou was using to play his team into form and ensure that all members of his squad were match fit and sharp for Russia, so he too made wholesale changes, with debutant Ajdin Hrustic getting a start off the bench he could scarcely have dreamed of a few weeks ago.

Brazil doubled their advantage around the hour mark and it was a goal from a corner that sealed the game.

Coutinho’s outswinging kick was met with a perfectly timed run and powerful header from Luiz, whose effort came back off the crossbar. Australia could not clear and in the ensuing scramble veteran defender Thiago Silva reacted best to head in the bouncing ball.

Langerak made a couple of good reaction saves to prevent the lead extending, but he could do nothing to prevent Taison scoring after some terrific interplay between Chelsea star Willian and Paulinho carved open Australia’s defence. Souza made it four with a goal in the dying seconds, but it was academic by then.

It doesn’t get much easier for the Socceroos, as they face Germany in their opening Confederations Cup game in five days time.

After the match, Postecoglou said he took the blame for the scoreline after making a number of second-half substitutions.

“I will take responsibility for that in the second half, we were very disjointed, we conceded from set pieces. You always learn from every game, it was important for players to get minutes,” he said.

 

Source :  The Canberra Times