ARABI, LOUISIANA (AP) – A tornado tore through parts of New Orleans and its suburbs on Tuesday night, flipping cars, ripping roofs off homes and killing at least one person in an area of Louisiana pummeled by Hurricane Katrina 17 years ago.
Other tornadoes spawned by the same storm system had hit parts of Texas and Oklahoma on Monday, killing a woman north of Dallas and causing multiple injuries and widespread damage, before moving eastward.
Parts of St Bernard Parish, which borders New Orleans to the southeast, appeared to take the brunt of the weather’s fury, and that is where the fatality occurred. St Bernard Parish officials gave no details on how the person died; they said multiple other people were injured.
Rescue workers were searching through the suburban parish for more people in need of assistance, according to Sheriff Jimmy Pohlmann. St Bernard Parish President Guy McInnis said the tornado caused widespread damage throughout the parish.
New Orleans television stations broadcast live images of the storm as it barreled across the metropolitan area.
Residents stand among debris of their damaged homes after a tornado struck the area in Arabi. PHOTO: AP
The tornado appeared to start in a suburb and then move east across the Mississippi River into the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans and parts of St Bernard Parish – both badly damaged by Katrina – before moving northeast.
Many residents also suffered damage just last year when Category 4 Hurricane Ida swept through. Stacey Mancuso’s family just completed repairs to their home in the suburb of Arabi after Ida ripped off the roof and caused extensive water damage. Then the tornado on Tuesday tore through their street. She huddled in the laundry room with her husband; two children, aged 16 and 11; and dogs as part of their new roof was lifted away by the wind.
“We’re alive. That’s what I can say at this point. We still have four walls and part of a roof. I consider myself lucky,” said Mancuso. Still, the twister was the third time they’ve had major weather damage since Katrina in 2005.
TIRANA (AFP) – After years of sniffing out illicit cash in Albanian airports, German shepherd Konti has a lot to look forward to in retirement. He will enjoy it by the side of his partner in fighting crime, his handler Ilir Balla.
The 10-year-old canine is lucky.
Unable to part ways with the dog, Balla officially adopted him following his retirement from the police force, vowing to take care of it “until the last days of his life”.
“The relationship with the animal is special for everyone but our attachment is different,” Balla told AFP, speaking at the Institute of Police Dog Training in the capital Tirana.
“We are a team and the bond between us is very strong, very special.”
The institute has over 80 dogs working with police, including German shepherds and Malinois.
Different dogs have different skills, from detecting drugs, weapons or banknotes.
Among the best-known is Brandi, a German shepherd who rose to prominence during the search-and-rescue efforts following an earthquake in Albania that killed around 50 people in late 2019.
Konti – who was pulled from the force due to his failing vision – still has an “exceptional nose”, said Balla. During the course of his career, he helped detect large volumes of undeclared cash at Tirana airport.
ABOVE & BELOW: Police dogs play in the breeding area at the Institute of Police Dogs Training in Tirana; and a dog trainer leads a police dog during their daily training. PHOTOS: AFP
Konti is one of nearly 20 dogs that have recently retired from a career with the Albanian police due to advancing age or performance issues.
Once retired, the dogs are officially open to adoption to the public, with prices ranging from EUR60 to EUR170 or sometimes even higher.
The meticulously trained dogs offer obvious advantages to prospective owners.
Saimir Hasmataj, looking for a retired police dog for his family, eventually adopted Osra. He chose Osra, who is already nine years old, because she had “quite the story” compared to the average dog, he said, having saved lives during the course of her duties.
But for many of the police officers who worked so closely with them over the years, leaving behind their trusted companions when they are retired is difficult.
Narcotics officer Dritan Zela does not have the option of taking home his partner Diksi because he does not have the space. But he will remember the 11-year-old German shepherd as an “excellent” partner who saved his life on multiple occasions.
One time, he recalled, Diksi threw himself on top of him when they came under fire.
“Diksi had a real instinct to protect me, which pushed him to face the worst,” he said, visibly moved at the memory.
But with age, his capacity to sniff out drugs waned, so he could not continue.
“I regret his departure, we have been together for years, we are like a family,” said the 51-year-old officer.
“I will miss him but wherever he is, I will go to visit him. They are all our heroes.”
SYDNEY (AFP) – Top-ranked Ashleigh Barty stunned the tennis world yesterday by retiring from the sport aged just 25, saying she had fulfilled her dreams and was “spent physically”.
Barty dropped the bombshell weeks after becoming the first home Australian Open champion in 44 years, joining only a handful of players to win a Grand Slam on three different surfaces.
In an emotional social media video message with her close friend and former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua, the world number one said she was “so ready” to call it quits after achieving her life-time ambition of winning Wimbledon last year.
“Success for me is knowing that I’ve given absolutely everything, everything I can. I’m fulfilled, I’m happy and I know how much work it takes to bring the best out of yourself,” said the three-time Grand Slam winner.
“It’s just I don’t have that in me anymore. I don’t have the physical drive, the emotional want and kind of everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top level anymore.
“I think I just know that I’m absolutely, I am spent. I just know physically I had nothing more to give and that for me is success.”
Ashleigh Barty celebrating her victory in the Australian Open tennis tournament. FILE PHOTO: AP
One of the most respected and popular players in women’s tennis, Barty also became the best, with her dizzying array of slices, pinpoint serving and seamless forehand typifying her all-round game.
Few athletes can boast such a varied sporting resume as the down-to-earth Australian.
Barty began playing tennis as a child in Brisbane and went on to win the junior Wimbledon title as a 15-year-old in 2011.
But the expectations that came with success took their toll and she made a shock decision three years later to ditch tennis for cricket, signing for Brisbane Heat in the inaugural Women’s Big Bash League. But the lure of tennis was never far away and she returned after a season out, breaking through for her maiden Grand Slam triumph at the French Open in 2019 and becoming Australia’s first women’s world number one since Evonne Goolagong Cawley 50 years ago.
Barty finally won a cherished Wimbledon crown last year before her Australian Open triumph at Melbourne Park in January, storming back from 5-1 down in the second set against American Danielle Collins to triumph 6-3, 7-6 (7/2).
“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time,” she said of retirement.
“To be able to win Wimbledon, which was my dream, the one true dream that I wanted in tennis, that really changed my perspective. And I just had that gut feeling after Wimbledon and had spoken to my team quite a lot about it.
“And there was just a little part of me that wasn’t quite satisfied, wasn’t quite fulfilled. And then came the challenge of the Australian Open and I think that for me just feels like the most perfect way.”
Praise poured in for Barty as tennis took in the shock announcement.
The Women’s Tennis Association praised her as “an incredible ambassador for the sport”.
“For your love of the game thank you @ashbarty for the incredible mark you’ve left on-court, off-court and in our hearts,” the WTA said, while Tennis Australia added: “Forever a world number one role model.”
Some of the sport’s top names also paid tribute with fellow Grand Slam winner Simona Halep tweeting: “Ash, what can I say, you know I have tears right? My friend, I will miss you on tour.”
British star Andy Murray tweeted that he was happy for Barty but “gutted for tennis. What a player”.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanked her for “inspiring a country”.
Brunei Darussalam recorded 1,006 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, bringing the national tally of confirmed cases to 128,306. Of the new cases, 819 were from antigen rapid test (ART) results uploaded to the BruHealth app, while 187 were from 2,045 RT-PCR laboratory tests performed in the past 24 hours.
The country also recorded two COVID-19 fatalities. The cases were not categorised as deaths due to COVID-19.
Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar shared the latest COVID-19 updates at a press conference yesterday.
In light of the fatalities, Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham said, “On behalf of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the people of Brunei Darussalam, I would like to express our deepest condolences to the cases’ families. May their families be given patience in their passing and may their souls receive blessings and be placed among the pious.”
The minister also revealed that there are nine cases in Category 4 while four cases are recorded in Category 5.
Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar and Permanent Secretary at the MoH Haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin during the press conference yesterday. PHOTO: JAMES KON
This total represents five per cent of the treatment capacity of Categories 4 and 5 at the National Isolation Centre.
Meanwhile, he noted that 1,923 cases have recovered bringing the total number of recovered cases in Brunei Darussalam to 117,061 and total active cases to 11,046.
At present, the bed occupancy rate in isolation centres nationwide is 4.6 per cent with 155 active cases placed in isolation centres and hospitals. A total of 10,891 positive cases are undergoing home self-isolation.
As of March 22, 60.2 per cent of the total population has received three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
No violations were reported during the movement restrictions from midnight to 4am yesterday.
Permanent Secretary at the MoH Haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin was also present.
BRUSSELS (AP) – The European Union’s (EU) executive arm yesterday proposed an aid package of EUR500 million to help food producers in the 27-nation bloc weather the economic impact of the war in Ukraine.
With Russia and Ukraine providing about 30 per cent of the world’s wheat, the conflict between the neighbouring nations has led to higher food prices globally and already rising production costs.
Fertiliser prices had risen substantially before the war started last month. EU officials are worried the war will cause energy prices to surge and put farmers under more pressure by further impacting fertiliser costs.
The European Commission said the proposed aid would be distributed in national allocations.
The commission’s plan also would authorise EU countries to supplement the bloc’s support by up to 200 per cent through their own contributions, which could generate another EUR1 billion.
To increase agricultural production capacity within the EU, the commission proposed to temporarily allow the farming of any crops for food and feed purposes on fallow land, while maintaining greening payments for farmers at their full level.
A farmer in France with his cows. PHOTO: AP
“The EU is an agricultural superpower, and we will ensure that our farmers have the commission’s full support to respond to the global needs for food,” Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski said. “We will do this while working towards making our food supply chains more resilient and sustainable to future crisis.”
While the EU does not face an immediate food shortage, the region is a net importer of specific commodities, including feed crops from Ukraine. And European farmers are highly dependent on Russian fertilisers to grow their crops. “This vulnerability, together with high input costs, such as fertilisers and fossil energy, is causing production challenges for farmers and risks driving up food prices,” the commission said in its proposal.
The EUR500 million in aid would come from a 2022 budget reserve that was included in case of a major crisis in the agriculture sector. The European Parliament and the European Council, which comprises the leaders of EU members, need to agree to the transfer of money for the package to take effect.
Among other measures to help farmers, the commission proposed temporary state aid of up to EUR35,000 for companies in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.
In parallel, the commission said it is deeply concerned about the dire food situation in Ukraine’s besieged cities. The bloc has devised a support plan of EUR330 million to help the war-torn country, whose forthcoming harvest is under threat and food stocks endangered by Russia’s invasion.
“We will continue to provide humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of Ukrainians by securing their access to basic goods and services, notably food. At the same time, we need to avoid any export restrictions to keep a lid on food prices,” the commission’s Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis, said.
WARSAW, POLAND (AP) – Hoping to restore some normalcy after fleeing the war in Ukraine, thousands of refugees waited in long lines on Saturday in the Polish capital of Warsaw to get identification cards that will allow them to get on with their lives – at least for now.
Refugees started queuing by Warsaw’s National Stadium overnight to get the coveted PESEL identity cards that will allow them to work, live, go to school and get medical care or social benefits for the next 18 months.
Still, by mid-morning, many were told to come back another day, the demand was too high even though Polish authorities had simplified the process.
“We are looking for a job now,” said 30-year-old Kateryna Lohvyn, who was standing in the line with her mother, adding it took a bit of time to recover from the shock of the Russian invasion.
“We don’t yet know (what to do),” she added. “But we are thankful to the Poles. They fantastically welcome us.”
Maryna Liashuk said the warm welcome from Poland has made her feel at home already. If the situation worsens, Liashuk said she would like to stay permanently in Poland with her family. “If the war ends and if there is someplace to return to, we will do that. And if not, then we simply will remain here,” said Liashuk.
Ukrainian women pack away documents at a special application point at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland. PHOTOS: APHundreds of refugees from Ukraine wait in line to apply for Polish ID numbers that will entitle them to work, free health care and education
Poland has so far taken in more than two million refugees from Ukraine – the bulk of more than 3.3 million people that the United Nations (UN) said have fled since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. Hundreds of thousands more have also streamed into Hungary, Slovakia, Moldova and Romania.
Most of the refugees fleeing Ukraine have been women and children, because men aged 18 to 60 are forbidden from leaving the country and have stayed to fight.
Polish authorities said more than 123,000 refugees have been given the ID numbers – including more than 1,000 each day in Warsaw – since the programme was launched last Wednesday.
Svetlana, a Ukrainian woman from Ivano-Frankivsk who has lived and worked in Poland for over 10 years, has had relatives come now to Poland.
She said receiving the Polish ID numbers will make a huge difference for everyone from Ukraine.
“This is really so important to us that we can officially look for work, send children to school and be active here,” Svetlana said. “It really changes the way we feel here.”
Refugees can receive one-time benefit of PLN300 (USD70) per person and a monthly benefit for each child under 18 of PLN500 (USD117). Those who find jobs will have to pay taxes just like Polish workers.
Pavlo Masechko, a 17-year-old from Novovolynsk in the Volyn region of western Ukraine, has been trying to rebuild his life in the southeastern Polish city of Rzeszow. Before the war, Masechko had plans to come to Poland to study when he finished high school, but he says being forced out of his country by war is something completely different.
“This is so stressful to leave your country in this moment like this,” said Masechko, who has joined a local school in Poland since arriving. Now, Masechko’s Ukrainian teacher is seeking to organise classes online that were suspended when Russia attacked.
“When the situation started, it was very difficult for me to focus on other things. But time passed and now the situation is more stable and stable in my head also,” he said. “I have started to focus again on other things in my life.”
Many of the refugees from Ukraine have since moved on to other countries in Europe, mostly to stay with friends and family. Some, however, have chosen to go back home even as the end of the conflict is nowhere in sight.
Among them was 41-year-old Viktoria, who was waiting on Saturday with her teenage daughter Alisa to board a train back to Zhitomyr in central Ukraine.
“For the last five days it has been quiet,” said Viktoria. “Our local authorities are good. They prepared everything for us there so we can go back to work, have normal life and children can have online education.”
Alisa said she is not afraid to return and wants to reunite with the rest of the family who are still in Ukraine.
LONDON (AFP) – Manchester United have held “positive” talks with Ajax coach Erik ten Hag (AP pic below)about the vacant manager’s job at Old Trafford, it was reported yesterday.
Ralf Rangnick has been in charge of the misfiring Premier League giants on an interim basis since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked last November after nearly three years in charge.
Sky Sports said the talks with Ten Hag had been “positive”, reporting that club chiefs were believed to be impressed by his vision. But it is understood to be too early to talk about favourites for the job.
Other names in the frame include Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino, Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui and Spain coach Luis Enrique.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel was mentioned as a possible candidate due to the turmoil at the London club following sanctions imposed on Russian owner Roman Abramovich but he has reaffirmed his commitment to the Blues.
Ten Hag, who took over at Ajax in 2017, won the Dutch league title in 2019 and 2021 and his team are currently two points clear of PSV Eindhoven at the top of the table.
The 52-year-old’s contract at Ajax runs until 2023 but United have good links with the Dutch club, where former goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is chief executive.
Whoever takes over at Old Trafford will have a major rebuilding job, with a clutch of senior players including Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Edinson Cavani all out of contract at the end of the season.
The future of 37-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, who rejoined United last August, has also been the subject of widespread speculation after the club’s disappointing season.
TISHOMINGO, OKLAHOMA (AP) – Six teenage students have been killed in a two-vehicle collision in southern Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) said on Tuesday.
The students were in a passenger vehicle that collided with a semi about 12.30pm in Tishomingo, a rural city of about 3,000 located about 161 kilometres southwest of Oklahoma City, according to OHP spokesperson Sarah Stewart.
The girls were eastbound on Oklahoma 22 when their vehicle was struck by a rock hauler that was approaching from the east on US 377, OHP Trooper Shelby Humphrey told KXII-TV of nearby Sherman, Texas.
Maps show the intersection is at the end of a 90-degree curve of US 377 from east to south.
The girls’ car was making a right turn when it collided with the truck, Humphrey said. Stewart said she did not have the exact ages of the students, but all six victims were female. The condition of the semi driver was not immediately known.
Images from the scene of the crash showed a virtually destroyed black vehicle with what appeared to be a pink steering wheel among the rubble.
Tishomingo Public School Superintendent Bobby Waitman said in a Facebook post that the district had “a great loss” involving students from the district’s high school.
“Our hearts are broken, and we are grieving with our students and staff,” said Waitman, who did not immediately return a phone call on Tuesday.
Waitman said counsellors would be available at the high school throughout the night on Tuesday and that school would be open with a focus on “the emotional well-being of our students.”
A heavily damaged vehicle is seen off a road in Tishomingo following a two-vehicle collision in which six teenage students were killed. PHOTO: AP
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND (AP) – New Zealand’s flagship airline said yesterday it has started selling tickets for direct flights to and from New York, a new route that will take more than 17 hours southbound and be among the longest non-stop flights in the world.
Air New Zealand had intended to start the route from Auckland to John F Kennedy International Airport in 2020 but then the pandemic hit. The first flights will now begin in September.
For two years, the South Pacific nation imposed some of the world’s toughest border restrictions. But the government announced earlier this month that it would re-open to tourists from the United States (US) and many other countries by May 1 as the pandemic threat receded.
The airline’s Chief Executive Greg Foran told The Associated Press he thought that inbound demand to New Zealand would initially exceed outbound demand.
“I think there’s a bunch of people on the east coast of America who are going to love the opportunity to come here direct,” he said.
An Air New Zealand passenger plane on the tarmac at Auckland International Airport. PHOTO: AP
Foran said that things like the war in Ukraine and the zero-COVID policy in China had made Europe and Asia less desirable destinations.
“You’ve gone through a pretty tough couple of years in the US and here’s a brand new destination,” he said. “You turn up at JFK, you catch the plane at nine o’clock at night and you land at eight o’clock in the morning in New Zealand.”
Flights on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner are scheduled to last 16 hours northbound, helped slightly by the prevailing winds, and 17-and-a-half hours southbound. Time differences can help make it seem more like an overnight flight – albeit a long night – coming into New Zealand.
Foran said there was no evidence that flights of 16 or 17 hours posed any extra health risks and that passengers would be able to get up and do some light exercise as required. He said the airline was looking at lots of ways to improve the flying experience for passengers.
The new flights would be about 14,200 kilometres each way and tickets start from about NZD2,000 roundtrip.
Singapore Airlines currently offers the longest regular direct flights, from Singapore to New York, that cover about 15,300 kilometres.
Amid blood banks running low on vital supplies especially for Thalassemia patients and emergency cases, more communities are coming forward to answer the call for replenishment.
Annajat Complex on Monday organised a two-day blood donation campaign to increase the blood stock at Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital.
A medical team from RIPAS Hospital provided expertise in conducting medical check-up, COVID screening using antigen rapid test (ART) and collecting blood from the donors.
A total of 23 pints of blood were collected on the first day of the campaign and another 44 pints on the second day.
Annajat representative Awangku Mohd Norhalimin bin Pengiran Haji Rakit said the event marked the third blood donation drive conducted this year.
With the objective to help save lives and encourage the public to jointly answer the call of blood donation, Annajat plans to conduct a two-day blood donation campaigns monthly.
Successful donors received goodie bags contributed by RIPAS Hospital and Annajat.
Blood donation drives have seen a decline due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country as people are worried about the spike in new cases. However, several organisations, particularly the private sector are making efforts to collaborate with RIPAS Hospital Blood Donation Centre to conduct blood drives.
ABOVE & BELOW: RIPAS Hospital medical staff perform health screening; and donors during the blood donation drive. PHOTOS: LYNA MOHAMAD
