“This shelter mission is going to be a very heavy lift. We’re anticipating over 30,000 people being placed in shelters temporarily to basically stabilise the situation and provide for their care,” Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Brock Long told a news conference in Washington.

“Right now this is still an ongoing situation. We’re not at recovery yet,” he said, adding that authorities were conducting swift water rescues and searching for victims across as many as 50 counties in Texas.

Cars are trapped in floodwater near the I-10 freeway leading into Houston after Hurricane Harvey caused heavy flooding in the city, August 27, 2017.  // AFP PHOTO

People walk through the flooded waters of Telephone Rd. in Houston on August 27, 2017 as the US fourth city city battles with tropical storm Harvey and resulting floods. // AFP PHOTO

A handout video still image made available by US Coast Guard Air on 28 August 2017, showing a Coast Guard flood punt team staff helping to rescue residents from flooded areas while responding to search and rescue requests after Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas, USA, 27 August 2017.  // EPA PHOTO

Rescuers pulled six people out of the rubble, including the two who died, in a township in Bijie city in the southwest Guizhou province, authorities said in a statement on their official website.

Search efforts are ongoing and local authorities sent tents, quilts and camp beds to the site, the agency said.

Video of the landslide posted to the Twitter account of the official People’s Daily showed the side of a hill collapsing, with dirt rushing across the outskirts of the town as onlookers shouted in fright.

Another video showed people standing on top of massive boulders.

Landslides are a frequent danger in rural and mountainous parts of China, particularly after heavy rain.

In June and August, massive landslides in southwestern Sichuan province killed more than 30 and left scores missing.

In July, 63 people were killed by landslides and floods in the central province of Hunan. Some 1.6 million people were forced from their homes.

Last week, powerful Typhoon Hato killed 18 people as it tore across southern China, including Hong Kong and Macau.

Niels Hoegel, 40, was jailed in February 2015 for two murders and several attempted murders of intensive-care patients at the Delmenhorst hospital near the northern city of Bremen.

Police said Monday that investigators exhuming and analysing more bodies had since found evidence of scores of additional murders.

The death toll “is unique in the history of the German republic,” said chief police investigator Arne Schmidt, adding that Hoegel killed randomly and preyed especially on those in critical condition.

There was “evidence for at least 90 murders, and at least as many (suspected) cases again that can no longer be proven,” he told a press conference, declaring himself “speechless” at the outcome.

Hoegel has admitted to injecting patients with a drug that can cause heart failure or circulatory collapse so he could then try to revive them and, when successful, shine as a saviour before his medical peers.

He said he felt euphoric when he managed to bring a patient back to life, and devastated when he failed.

After the revelations of the nurse’s murderous obsession, police and prosecutors launched a special forensic commission dubbed “Kardio” (Cardio) to look into other patient deaths.

Presenting their findings, police said Monday that more than 130 bodies had been exhumed and tested for traces of the deadly drug.

The cause of death in many more could not be determined because the remains were cremated, said Oldenburg police chief Johann Kuehme.

Hoegel had admitted to 30 cases in which he named patients he killed, said prosecutor Daniela Schiereck-Bohlemann.

The grisly case dates back to 2005, when a colleague witnessed the nurse injecting a patient at the Delmenhorst hospital.

The patient survived and the health care worker was arrested and, in 2008, sentenced to seven and a half years in jail for attempted murder.

Amid the media publicity, a woman th

en contacted police, voicing suspicion that her deceased mother had also fallen victim to the killer nurse.

The authorities exhumed several patients’ bodies and detected traces of the drug in five of them, declaring it either the definitive or possible contributing cause.

Hoegel was jailed for life in 2015, but at the time it was clear he had murdered dozens more patients, with investigators admitting they may never know the true number.

Tokyo’s sprawling maze of ageing expressways, measuring 320 kilometres (or 200 miles) in length, have long been crying out for a facelift, some dating back to the last time the city hosted the Olympic Games in 1964.

And with the Tokyo 2020 Games just three years away, there is no time like the present.

The top of the “Infra Doctor” vehicle being used by the Tokyo highway inspection system in Tokyo. // AFP PHOTO

Metropolitan Expressway has developed just the tools. It sends out cars equipped with cameras and laser sensors on their roof — similar to Google’s Street View service — to snap images of every nook and cranny of Tokyo’s highways.

“We can easily detect the spots where there is ongoing damage as well as the places that have been repaired in the past,” said Masaaki Sakuma, an official in charge of infrastructure inspection at a Metropolitan Expressway unit.

The collected data are then transmitted back to company headquarters where desk-bound technicians use special software to create 3-D images that help pinpoint problems much quicker than the time-consuming method of sending out road crews for on-site inspections, the developers say.

This photo shows a computer screen displaying a 3D image using the data collected by the “Infra Doctor” vehicle in Tokyo. // AFP PHOTO

It also helps deal with a shortage of workers, according to advocates — a pressing issue in Japan where an ageing population of 127 million is shrinking.

The company is also aiming to export the system, with testing already under way in Thailand.

This photo shows a worker from Shutoko Engineering checking a joint part of a steel frame under a highway in Tokyo.  // AFP PHOTO

This photo shows the “Infra Doctor” vehicle used for the Tokyo highway inspection system in Tokyo. // AFP PHOTO

The premier spoke to the management of a number of leading manufacturers on Friday at a meeting promoting the Made in China 2025 strategy.

Manufacturing is the key to the nation’s economic development, and the economic re­structuring requires making the sector stronger, Li said. But the sector is still on the low to medium tier compared with other leading countries, thus it is vital to improve the quality and upgrade to increase competitiveness, he said.

The upgrade depends on innovations, and manufacturers should make technological breakthroughs by focusing on quality and branding and using top manufacturing countries as benchmarks, Li said.

Li called for management innovation to transform models for research and development and production, and increase the efficiency for resource allocation. He said manufacturers should also develop customized production to meet diverse demands.

He urged manufacturers to take advantage of China’s rich human resources by promoting entrepreneurship and the spirit of craftsmanship, both requiring long-term input to cultivate high-quality managers and technicians.

Meanwhile, Li also pledged administrative reforms to further reduce unreasonable pre-entry approvals and permits, which will decrease institutional costs for manufacturers. However, market supervision will be strengthened to fortify intellectual property rights protection and crack down on counterfeit products, he said. Financial institutions are encouraged to provide aid to small and medium-sized manufacturers, he said.

With the world’s largest manufacturing capacity, China’s export-oriented manufacturing has been trying to shift the focus to domestic consumption and high added values in recent years. The central government has promoted more high-end manufacturing, including the strategy of Made in China 2025.

The State Council decided to promote the strategy by granting more favorable policies for the manufacturing sector at two executive meetings in May and July.

Li Dongsheng, chairman of TCL Co in Huizhou, Guangdong province, who delivered a speech Friday, said, “The meeting, which focused on improving the real economy and man­u­facturing, provided en­cour­agement and support for manufacturers like my company.”

The premier emphasized the key role of manufacturing to compete, he said. “Our manufacturing provides high-end products, besides those with fewer added values, and should strive for more well-known branding by using Germany and Ja­pan as benchmarks. The meeting gave us confidence that we will make more highly value-added goods and world-leading manufacturing.”

Tashi Choden, 19, bagged the first runners up in the renowned Citadel Extravaganza personality contest held in Pune, India on August 19.

After contesting for an audition that had about 1500 participants, Tashi Choden made it to the top seven. These participants were again trained for a week in Pune before the grand finals.

Citadel Extravaganza is a Bollywood Personality contest where the panel of judges is from the Bollywood fraternity.

The class XI student of Utpal Academy, Tashi Choden, said she wants to change the perception of people on modelling. “People think that modelling will get you nowhere but modelling is much more than walking the ramps with high heels.”

She said that modelling for Project Bhutan and competing in Citadel Extravaganza was the proudest moment in her life. Managing director of Project Bhutan, Paljor Gyabak, said that the contest was not on the basis of countries. “This is on an individual basis and she was the only participant from Bhutan. The other contestants were from India.”

He said that for Citadel Extravaganza, Project Bhutan was in search for a new face. “Tashi Choden has a gift and an international face,” he said. “She wasn’t trained but the way carried herself and the way she walked showed that she had the talent.”

The managing director said that the main criterion was intelligence quotient (IQ), physical outlook, height and overall presentation. “Judges were also observing if the contestants could have a career in Bollywood.”

Tashi Choden said that she wants to pursue this career and be someone that people would look up to. “I feel that Bhutanese youth have the potential to compete and even win international titles.”

She said that Project Bhutan helped her with exposure and growth. “When I started modelling, my parents didn’t support me full heartedly. They were doubtful and wanted me to complete my studies first. After I returned from the competition, they support me.”

Paljor Gyabak said that the main motive is grooming the youth who are inclined to fashion. “We want to make their dreams a reality.”

He also said that their responsibility, as an organisation, is to lay down the canvas for these models to walk on. “We show them the way.”

Maung Maung Thwin, MR general manager, said: “The upgrade plan covers civil engineering works such as level crossings, fencing, platforms, channels and embankments. We invited bids for the project to spend the government budget.”

Six companies submitted applications for the west part and seven for the east part.

“There were 13 applicants from eight companies as some have submitted two bids,” he added.

“The project is expected to launch in October after financial evaluation for the companies. We are scrutinising three companies for the eastern Danyingone-Pazundaung section and two companies for Phayalan-Danyingone, both on the eastern side.”

The MR has drafted the two-year civil engineering project until 2019. As a second step, the MR would upgrade telecommunications and introduce diesel-electric coaches, Maung Maung Thwin said.

Recently an article is being circulated on social media and smartphone apps reminding travellers to take note not to receive any gifts from duty-free shops in airports, even if they are free of charge. This is because you may end up as a victim in the scam – as a thief stealing in a duty-free shop.

An author believed to be from Taiwan said: “My friend was shopping in a duty-free shop in Bangkok International Airport, the cashier put a pack of cigar in his bag. He thought that was a gift by the duty-free shop but was arrested by the police for stealing in the shop. He ended up spending two nights in the jail. Thai police asked him for 30,000 Baht in fine before releasing him.”

The article also touched on similar incident not only happen to his friend but also other victims in airports of Singapore, Malaysia and India. Someone had similar experience in Dubai airport.

“Such scam takes place almost every day at the airports throughout the world. These are pre-designed scam with collaboration of airport staff to look for next victim. Staff in duty free shop resorted to such tactic for some quick money. Many believe tourists would never return for the second time!”

Are those stories genuine? Unfortunately, these incidents did take place many years ago.

According to a news report entitled “Tourists warned of Thailand airport scam” on 20 July in 2009 on BBC online, a couple from Cambridge was to fly back to London on 25 April the same year and became victims of the scam at the Bangkok International Airport. Both were regarded as thieves in the duty-free shop. They were later intimidated by the police asking for huge sum of cash. They managed to return home after the British Embassy stepped in to help.

Foreign media described this as “Zig Zag” or Thai airport scam. Even the British Embassy issued warning to travellers to beware of shopping in duty free shop.

Thai authorities have taken action against such scams. Recent such scams are unheard of in the last few years. But to travellers, being more cautious would mean they expose to lesser risks.

The impoverished western state neighbouring Bangladesh has become a crucible of religious hatred focused on the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority, who are reviled and perceived as illegal immigrants in Buddhist-majority Myanmar.

Despite years of persecution and government restrictions, the Rohingya largely eschewed violence.

But sporadic armed clashes have erupted since October when a previously unknown Rohingya militant group staged a series of attacks on security forces, sparking a massive security crackdown by Myanmar’s military which the UN believes may have amounted to ethnic cleansing.

A brutal round of fresh fighting has been raging since Friday when militants staged new coordinated ambushes.

More than 100 people, including some 80 militants, have been killed. Thousands of Rohingya civilians have fled towards Bangladesh while local Buddhists and Hindus have sought sanctuary in towns and monasteries away from the clashes.

Both sides have accused each other of committing fresh atrocities in recent days, accusations that are difficult to verify because the fighting is taking place in inaccessible villages.

The government department directly run by Suu Kyi — the State Counsellor’s Office — has released a flurry of statements through its Facebook account, including grim pictures of civilians allegedly shot dead by militants.

“Terrorists have been fighting security forces by using children at the frontline (and) setting fire (to) minority-ethnic villages,” the office said it its latest statement on Monday.

The statement said there should be “no concerns for civilians who are not linked with extremist terrorists”. It called on Rohingya to cooperate with security forces and not brandish “sticks, swords and weapons” when security forces approached.

The militant group behind the fighting — the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) — hit back with its own allegations on Monday.

“While raiding Rohingya villages, the Burmese brutal military soldiers bring along with them groups of Rakhine (Buddhist) extremists to attack Rohingya villagers, loot Rohingyas’ properties and later burn down Rohingya houses,” the group said via its Twitter account @ARSA_Official.

Myanmar’s assurances for Rohingya civilians appear to have had little effect with a fresh influx of refugees heading to Bangladesh. Some have been turned back by Bangladeshi authorities.

Rohingya who made it through on Sunday described Buddhist mobs and security forces shooting people dead and burning down homes. They said many Rohingya men and youths stayed behind to fight.

Myanmar’s government made similar claims that Rohingya were burning their own homes when violence first broke out in October.

Refugees accused Myanmar’s military of engaging in scorched earth retribution, as did a number of rights groups who used satellite imagery to track the fires.

Activists and supporters on both sides of the sectarian divide have a history of posting false images and footage online.