Weather forecasters can predict Britain’s notoriously variable weather as it changes from day to day or even hour to hour. But what about year to year?
After all, 2013 saw weeks of unbroken sunshine whereas summer this year has barely got going – despite some blazing hot days now and again – even by late August. Some winters are wet and stormy, others mild and dry.
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While we can now predict winter seasonal weather with some accuracy, our summer efforts are less advanced. But why shouldn’t we be able to forecast a scorching summer with more accuracy? A new study, published in Climate Dynamics with colleagues at the University of Sheffield, should help.
It all depends on the jet stream, the ribbon of strong westerly winds which blows across the Atlantic 10km or more above the surface. Britain is located near the easterly end of the North Atlantic jet and so the jet stream influences much of the variability in its weather.
In summer, a jet lying to the north of the British Isles steers any rain-bearing, low-pressure systems northward towards Norway and away from Britain. This results in the UK experiencing the sort of warm dry weather seen for weeks on end in 2013.
However, when the jet stream lies further to the south, those same low-pressure systems tend to hit north-western Europe, resulting in wet weather. A difference in rainfall between north-west Scotland and south-east England highlights this difference.
In 2012, for example, while most of the British Isles experienced well above average rainfall, north-west Scotland was unusually dry. In drier summers, however, north-west Scotland tends to experience the higher rainfall associated with a northward jet displacement.
In most recent years, this southerly shift in the jet stream has prevailed. This has in part been attributed to warm sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic which lead to lower pressure and increased summer rainfall.
A number of recent summer extremes such as the record-breaking wet summers of 2007 or 2012 and the warm dry summer of 2013 have heightened the need for improved understanding of summertime jet stream variability.
After all, improvements in seasonal forecasting would lead to great socio-economic benefits – imagine being able to plan your summer months in advance, already knowing whether rain and cloud or endless sunshine is more likely.
Ultimately, our research found that there was no single factor that causes the jet stream to shift around. Changes in the sun’s strength from year to year play a role, as does the extent of sea-ice in the Arctic and sea surface temperatures in both the North Atlantic and, perhaps more surprisingly, the tropics near Indonesia. However there is little evidence that the well-known El Niño phenomenon has any influence in summer.
It takes quite a while for changes to have an impact on the jet stream. For example, it would seem that solar variability three to five years previously is more significant than solar variability at the time of any given summer.
Likewise, our work found an intriguing and as yet unexplained link between sea ice extent in the previous autumn in the Barents and Kara seas, north of Norway and Russia, and the position of the jet stream in the following summer.
Increased sea ice is associated with a northward shift in the jet, which means drier summers in the UK. Given how fast the Arctic is melting, less ice could contribute to a southward shift in the jet and an increased probability of wet British summers. However, we still don’t know exactly how this will play out in future, and it’s possible that continued sea-ice decline will have some unexpected effects.
At present, dynamical forecasting models are showing some skill in making seasonal predictions for the North Atlantic winter, but demonstrate almost no skill for the summer months.
Our work found that, while much of the jet variability is attributed to seemingly random atmospheric “noise”, the predictable component of summer jet stream variability may be as high as 35%. This may seem quite small but ensuring such factors are adequately represented in the forecasts will help us predict what’s in store next summer.
This article was originally published on theconversation.com
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Weather forecasters can predict Britain’s notoriously variable weather as it changes from day to day or even hour to hour. But what about year to year?


OFFICIAL: Sheffield expert blames wet summers on Atlantic jet stream


The parents of tragic Kirkby teenager Corah Slaney who died from a terminal disease last year aged just 17 are holding a fundraising concert to mark what would have been her 18th birthday.
A whole community has come together to back the Raisetheroof4corah concert at Kirkby Festival Hall on September 17, which will take place during Mitochodrial Awareness Week as well as raising money for the Children’s Mitochondrial Network.
Corah Slaney
Corah’s mum Lisa said: “Corah had Mitochondrial disease and as she battled with it we found out there was no specific support network for sufferers and their families.”
Lisa won Carer of the Year at the Chad pride Awards earlier this year.
Supported by her husband Carl she comforted her daughter through her final months, trying to make her life as normal as possible.
She added; “We went online and found the Chilren’s Mitochondrial Disease Network.
“We discovered that he founder Paul Preston is on the verge of losing his third child to it.
“He lost one child aged eight weeks and his daughter Stacy at the age of 20 on the same month we lost Corah.
“Now his 18 year old son is in palliative care.
“Hearing their story moved us so much - the network needs to be there to help other families and to pay for more research.
“Hopefully if we raise enough money for the network, in future people can find out about the disease. Everyone has heard of cancer, but this kills more children than cancer each year.
“It took a long time to diagnose Corah. We want to get more literature out there which could help people reach a diagnosis earlier. Since we lost Corah life has been an emotional rollercoaster. We are trying to turn a very negative situation into a more positive one.”

hole community supports concert fundraiser for tragic Corah


The parents of tragic Kirkby teenager Corah Slaney who died from a terminal disease last year aged just 17 are holding a fundraising concert to mark what would have been her 18th birthday.


SOUTH ST. PAUL -- A South St. Paul elementary school teacher who was the subject of a criminal investigation and on paid leave is dead from an apparent murder-suicide last week in Washington state.
A criminal investigation into teacher Aric Babbitt and his husband, Matthew Deyo, began about two weeks ago after allegations were made against both of them, South St. Paul Police Chief Bill Messerich said Monday.
Because the investigation is still active, Messerich said, he could not disclose the nature of the allegations and who made them.
“It’s early, but there are some allegations … and we’ve executed a search warrant,” he said. “Overall, it’s a tough one.”
Babbitt, 40, and Deyo, 36, lived together in a South St. Paul home they bought at 1312 S. Fifth Ave. in 2003, according to Dakota County property records.
Babbitt, who taught at Lincoln Elementary School, was put on paid leave by South St. Paul schools after the district learned of the allegations about two weeks ago, Superintendent Dave Webb said Monday.
Babbitt’s sister Sara said in a text message to friends Friday that Babbitt and Deyo were found dead Thursday on Lopez Island, in the San Juan Islands in the northwest corner of the state about 100 miles north of Seattle.
“There was an investigation that was going on, and they felt like they didn’t have an out and ending their lives was best for them,” she wrote in the text message, which was forwarded to the Pioneer Press. “We received a letter from them in the mail yesterday. We are all devastated and in a lot of pain.”
Efforts to reach the sister were unsuccessful. Other family members for Babbitt and Deyo also could not be reached for comment.
SUICIDE NOTE FOUND
San Juan County Sheriff Ron Krebs said in a prepared statement Thursday that a kayaker discovered a man’s body on one of the island’s beaches. Authorities who responded also found the body of a second man.
Both died of gunshot wounds, Krebs said. Witnesses reported hearing two apparent gun shots at approximately 8:30 p.m. the night before.
A suicide note was found stating both of the men had visited Lopez Island years ago with their dog and loved the island, Krebs said.
“At this time the sheriff’s office is ruling this a murder-suicide,” the sheriff’s statement read. Krebs was out of town Monday and not available for comment, a county employee said.
Autopsy results for the two men were not available Monday, the San Juan County medical examiner’s office said.
District investigating
Webb said that he learned of Babbitt’s death Friday morning and that he notified school district staffers through an email that same day.
“We lost a staff member … and that’s never easy,” Webb said Monday.
The school district is also conducting an investigation into the allegations, he said. Webb would not disclose the nature of the allegations, saying they involve private personnel data.
Babbitt was hired by the school district Aug. 28, 2002, and has taught grades 1, 2, 5 and 6. He was supposed to teach fourth grade this school year, which starts Sept. 6.
Babbitt had not been disciplined previously by the school district, Webb said.
Babbitt’s father, Dana, was superintendent of the South St. Paul school district from 2003 to 2007. He was previously principal at South St. Paul High School and assistant superintendent in the South Washington County school district.
Grief counselors were available for South St. Paul school district staff Friday and Monday, which is when the district held its scheduled kick-off and welcome-back meeting for employees at South St. Paul High School.
At the start of the meeting, school district staffers held a moment of silence, Webb said. The meeting was “somber, as you could imagine,” he said.

Minnesota teacher under investigation found dead on island with husband


Aubameyang double gives new-look Dormund winning start
BERLIN, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice to give new-look Borussia Dortmund a winning start to the Bundesliga as they beat Mainz 05 2-1 on Saturday.
Defender Michael Hector was sent off for the second time in as many appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt while Cologne's 2-0 win over Darmstadt was halted for 12 minutes in the second half as lightning flashed around the stadium.
The five afternoon matches were all played in intense heat and needed water breaks.
Aubameyang, who stayed with Dortmund while team mates Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Ilkay Gundogan and Mats Hummels all departed, headed in a cross from Andre Schuerrle, one of several newcomers, after 17 minutes.
The Gabon forward converted a penalty late in the game to extend the lead, although Dortmund survived a nervy finale after Yoshinori Muto pulled a goal back for coach Thomas Tuchel's old club in the 90th minute.
Dortmund, runners-up last season, are expected to be the main challengers to champions Bayern Munich, who began with a 6-0 win over Werder Bremen on Friday.
Alex Maier scored an early goal but missed a second-half penalty as Eintracht Frankfurt beat Schalke 04 1-0.
Jamaica defender Hector, dismissed on his debut in the cup match at Magdeburg, was given a straight red card in the 79th minute for a professional foul on Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
Switzerland full back Ricardo Rodriguez scored with a majestic free kick late in the game to give VfL Wolfsburg a 2-0 win at Augsburg after Daniel Didavi scored on his debut in the first half.


BERLIN, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice to give new-look Borussia Dortmund a winning start to the Bundesliga as they beat Mainz 05 ...


Aubameyang double gives new-look Dormund winning start


INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Latest on tornadoes that touched down in Indiana and Ohio (all times local):
7:15 p.m.
The National Weather Service says a preliminary damage survey shows the EF3 tornado that hit Kokomo had an estimated peak wind of 152 mph.
The weather service says the tornado traveled nearly 5 miles on the city’s south side Wednesday, was about 300 yards wide and lasted 10 minutes.
It says the tornado destroyed a Starbucks near the Markland Mall.
The weather service earlier had classified the tornado as an EF3, which can have peak winds of 165 mph.
___
6:15 p.m.
Wednesday’s tornado outbreak that swept Indiana came only about a week after another big August outbreak of tornadoes hit the state.
The National Weather Service said last week that eight tornadoes touched down across Indiana on Aug. 15. The previous August record was an outbreak on Aug. 9, 1969, that spawned five tornadoes.
Mike Ryan is a meteorologist with the weather service’s Indianapolis office. He says Wednesday’s outbreak could eclipse that record set only last week, if the storm tally reaches nine or more tornadoes.
As of late Thursday afternoon, weather service survey crews had confirmed that seven tornadoes hit Indiana on Wednesday. Ryan says he expects that tally to increase.
___
5:50 p.m.
The National Weather Service says at least seven tornadoes swept parts of central and northern Indiana during Wednesday’s outbreak.
Meteorologist Mike Ryan with the weather service’s Indianapolis office says five tornado touchdowns have been confirmed in central Indiana and two have been confirmed in two northeastern Indiana counties.
But he says weather service survey crews are still surveying storm damage and he expects the tornado tally to continue to rise.
One of the tornadoes that hit central Indiana was an EF3 with winds up to 165 mph that damaged and destroyed homes and business in the city of Kokomo, about 40 miles north of Indianapolis.
The weather service says a tornado that hit northeastern Indiana’s Allen County appears to have also been an EF3, although a final assessment is pending.
___
1:40 p.m.
Howard County and the city of Kokomo have only 10 tornado sirens, but a telephone and text-messaging system spread the word about dangerous storms bearing down on the central Indiana community.
WRTV-TV reports (http://bit.ly/2bCZFhp ) the emergency alert system was installed in the county after a 2013 tornado.
Before the first tornado struck Wednesday, thousands of people received telephone calls or text messages.
Howard County Commissioner Paul Wyman says “thousands upon thousands of people in Howard County” have signed up for the notifications and “it worked unbelievably well. … People were getting notifications well in advance of these tornadoes touching down.”
The National Weather Service says one tornado was an EF3 with 165 mph winds. Authorities report only 10-15 minor injuries in Howard County.
___
12:30 p.m.
Not even KISS could rock ‘n’ roll all night with tornado sirens blaring.
Frontman Gene Simmons tweeted that the band’s show in Toledo, Ohio, was stopped briefly Wednesday night during a tornado warning.
He says some people went into the arena to seek shelter until the storm passed.
While no tornadoes touched down in Toledo, there was a long line of damage across the northwestern part of the state from the storm that first hit central and northern Indiana.
About six trailers were damaged at a mobile home park near Hicksville in Ohio.
Officials in Van Wert County say at least two tornadoes touched down about 2 miles apart, tearing roofs off homes and flattening barns.
___
12:15 p.m.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence says it is a miracle that no one was killed or badly hurt by a tornado that hit the city of Kokomo.
Pence spoke Thursday after touring a neighborhood and businesses hit by Wednesday’s tornado. The National Weather Service says it was an EF3 tornado, packing winds of up to 165 mph.
Pence also visited a Red Cross shelter where some 200 people spent the night.
He credited quick thinking and early warnings of the approaching storm for the lack of serious injuries.
Pence and U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly were among officials who talked with residents in a neighborhood where homes were also damaged by a 2013 tornado.
Donnelly said Kokomo is a resilient, tough community and that all the residents he spoke with vowed to rebuild.
___
12:05 p.m.
The National Weather Service says it’s still unclear how many tornadoes touched down in Indiana on Wednesday.
The state’s Department of Homeland Security reported early Thursday that 12 tornadoes hit the state, but later the agency revised that number to eight.
Weather service meteorologist Joseph Nield says it’s not yet clear how many tornadoes touched down, although an EF3 tornado did strike Kokomo and an EF2 swept part of Montgomery County.
Nield says it’s likely several more tornadoes struck Indiana, but that those findings won’t come until later Thursday.
He says five separate weather service survey crews are scouring areas with storm damage in central and northern Indiana to determine if tornadoes struck there.
___
10:55 a.m.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has been hugging and chatting with people whose homes were destroyed or damaged when a tornado whipped through the city of Kokomo.
Donald Trump’s running mate arrived in Kokomo by helicopter to view the damage Thursday morning, a day after heavy storms spawned tornadoes across north and central Indiana.
Many trees were knocked down in the storm, and a large truck was hurled onto its side. Some homes are ruined while others were largely untouched.
Pence returned to Indiana after campaign stops in North Carolina on Wednesday. He has cancelled a campaign trip planned for Thursday.
___
8:35 a.m.
The mayor of Kokomo says crews from elsewhere in the state are coming to the central Indiana city to help restore power and clean up debris in the tornado-hit community.
Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight said Thursday morning that he’s grateful that no one was killed or seriously injured by the storm that struck Wednesday afternoon, damaging numerous houses, apartments and businesses.
He says about 220 people stayed overnight in a temporary shelter in Kokomo, about 40 miles north of Indianapolis.
Howard County Sheriff Steve Rogers says 10 to 15 people suffered minor injuries.
Utility companies report at least 15,000 homes and businesses remain without electricity in Howard County.
Police have restricted access to storm-damage neighborhoods, saying residents must show identification to officers before entering.
___
8:15 a.m.
Indiana’s Department of Homeland Security says a tornado outbreak produced at least 12 tornadoes.
Agency spokesman John Erickson says officials are still assessing the storm damage Thursday, but that the tally as of Wednesday night showed 12 tornadoes touched down in Adams, Allen, Blackford, Cass, Grant, Howard, Marion and Montgomery counties in northern and central Indiana.
Several of those tornadoes struck Howard County, where the south side of the city of Kokomo suffered extensive damage.
National Weather Service surveys Thursday should determine whether additional storm damage in other areas was caused by tornadoes or high winds in severe thunderstorms.
___
7:45 a.m.
Emergency officials and the Red Cross have set up shelters for victims of tornadoes that swept across central Indiana.
One shelter is at the Kokomo Event and Conference Center. The Indianapolis Star reports that about 200 people were being housed and fed at the center at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, hours after the storms moved through. Kokomo is about 50 miles north of Indianapolis.
Another shelter is at Walnut Elementary School in New Ross, northwest of Indianapolis.
The Indiana Red Cross regional headquarters in Indianapolis has a team of employees and volunteers working at an operations center.
The National Weather Service says at least eight tornadoes touched down on Wednesday causing substantial damage. Authorities say between 15 and 20 people suffered injuries but none were severe.
___
7:05 a.m.
The National Weather Service says at least seven tornadoes swept parts of central and northern Indiana during Wednesday’s outbreak.
One was an EF3 with winds up to 165 mph that damaged and destroyed homes and business in the city of Kokomo, about 40 miles north of Indianapolis.
The weather service says a tornado that hit northeastern Indiana’s Allen County appears to have also been an EF3, although a final assessment is pending.
GOP vice presidential candidate and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence plans to leave the campaign trail Thursday to assess storm damage.
The weather service says two other thunderstorms produced separate tornadoes, one in Avon west of Indianapolis and one northwest of Lafayette, which is southwest of Indianapolis.
___
This update has been corrected to show that the National Weather Service said at least seven, not eight, tornadoes hit during Wednesday’s storm. The original update relied on information from the weather service’s tally of an Aug. 15 tornado outbreak, not Wednesday’s storm.
___
9:20 p.m.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence says he’ll tour Howard and Montgomery counties and possibly other areas Thursday to assess the storm damage.
The Republican vice presidential candidate returned to Indiana from the campaign trail Wednesday evening after the National Weather Service said several tornadoes struck the state. One that hit Kokomo has been determined to be an EF3 with 165 mph winds.
Pence says he’ll remain in the state as long as necessary to ensure people affected by the storms have the support they need. He says 200 people have checked in to a Red Cross shelter in Kokomo.
Indiana State Police spokesman Capt. David Bursten says about a dozen people were injured, but none seriously.

The Latest: Kokomo EF3 tornado had peak wind of 152 mph


A Deputy Tourism Minister under the erstwhile Kufuor administration has said it cannot be the case that the Kufuor administration committed Ghana to a foreign agreement without Parliamentary approval.
Kofi Osei Ameyaw told Joy News’ Dzifa Bampoh there was no breach of the law in the agreement that gave birth to what is now the Kempinski hotel.
Joy News’ investigative journalist Kwetey Nartey has intercepted a document from a Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca which revealed the Kufuor government may have breached procedures in bringing to Ghana Cascade Development Company and its affiliates, the firm that constructed the Kempinski Hotel.
The leaked files indicate that suspended chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Paul Afoko received over half a million US dollars for fronting for the offshore company.
Documents seen by Joy News also show that on 15 February 2006, the government of Ghana signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the foreign company for the development of a three hundred thousand square meter Accra Race Course site.
The Kufuor government reached an agreement with Cascade Development Company and its affiliates, the firm that constructed the Kempinski Hotel, to develop the site into a housing complex. The plan included a five-star hotel, office and residential buildings and a shopping mall.
The information also revealed the Kufuor government gave tax rebates to the company in order for them to set up, something critics have suggested was improper.
But in a reaction Mr Osei Ameyaw who was Deputy Tourism Minister at the time and who worked on the deal said nothing untoward happened and challenged persons who believe Parliament or the Kufuor government did something wrong to take the matter up in court.
He also argued that the erstwhile Kufuor government did not breach the law in giving tax rebates to the company.
“I am not privy to an MOU and I don’t know when an MOU became an agreement.”
“…We cannot be on air trying to debate the propriety or impropriety of Parliament’s work. If one believes one believes that Parliament acted ultra vares or gone beyond its powers in the approval of Kempinski hotel agreement then the person has the right as a citizen to take the matter up.
“In my understanding, I am very clear that there has not been any breach of the law, either by Parliament or by anybody,” he stated.
He said even if the agreement was signed before Parliament approved it, there are agreements signed as a condition subsequent, which means that agreement can only be said to be effective if it is subsequently approved by Parliament.
He dismissed assertions the tax rebates given to the company were improper.
“If you are suggesting that in one way or the other there has been impropriety, you have the right to take the matter up with the Judiciary.
He said tax rebates are a loss to the country only if the country does not approve of it. But if the country permits it doesn’t become a loss.
The Vice Chair of the Constitution and Legal Committee of Parliament George Loh, said the story “does not come to him as a story.”
He told Joy News ideally the agreement comes to Parliament for approval first before any contract is firmed up. However in the Kempiski case the contrary happened.
He said even though the agreement was not brought to Parliament in the beginning, eventually it came for approval.
-myjoyonline

I Dare Critics To Go To Court Over The Kempinski Deal Osei Ameyaw


A Deputy Tourism Minister under the erstwhile Kufuor administration has said it cannot be the case that the Kufuor administration committed Ghana to a foreign a


Recorded incidents of agrarian riots jumped 327 per cent from 628 in 2014 to 2,683 in 2015.
Incidents of rioting remained almost the same in 2015 as compared to 2014, but as communal riots decreased, big increases were seen in other categories — agrarian, sectarian and student riots and caste conflicts, data from the “Crime in India” report for 2015 released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on Tuesday show.
Recorded incidents of agrarian riots jumped 327 per cent from 628 in 2014 to 2,683 in 2015.
The number of people arrested increased from 3,540 to 10,353. Sectarian riots — defined as violence between sects of the same religion not considering caste conflict — showed a significant jump in incidents and convictions from a low base in 2014. Much of these incidents occurred in Uttar Pradesh.
The decrease in communal riots recorded by NCRB — from 1,227 in 2014 to 789 in 2015 — however does not mesh with data released by the Ministry of Home Affairs in July 2016. Ministry data showed a slight increase from 644 incidents in 2014 to 751 in 2015.
NCRB data is based on FIRs, and there could be duplication in the number of cases registered. MHA data source is mostly concerned with the number of incidents alone.Twenty per cent of the overall 65,255 riots were reported in Bihar followed by Maharashtra (8,336) and Uttar Pradesh (6,813). Kerala tops the crime rate list, with 16.3 riot cases per lakh people, followed by Bihar (12.9) and Karnataka (10.6). More than half of the total 1,960 political incidents occurred in Kerala. Uttar Pradesh had the maximum number of caste conflicts (724) followed by Tamil Nadu (426).
Chennai recorded the lowest rate of total crimes among major cites (154.3 per 1 lakh population). Among all cities, only Surat (86.9), Kannur and Dhanbad had better rates.

327% rise in agrarian riots, NCRB report shows


Incidents of rioting remained almost the same in 2015 as compared to 2014, but as communal riots decreased, big increases were seen in other categories — agrarian, sectarian and student riots and cas


County Hall releases list of 100 buildings to be sold off at 8pm on a Friday before Bank Holiday weekend
More than 100 libraries, children’ws centres and other facilities will be sold off as Lancashire County Council bids to save £200m by 2020.
The bombshell recommendation were made in a 1,468-page document released by county officials at shortly before 8pm on the Friday before a Bank Holiday Weekend.
The centres earmarked for being sold off are:
Burnley Belmont Community Centre
Burnley Briercliffe Library
Burnley Brunshaw Young People’s Centre
Burnley Burnley Campus Library
Burnley Hapton Young People’s Centre
Burnley Padiham Young People’s Centre
Burnley Pike Hill Library
Burnley Rosegrove Library
Burnley Stoops and Hargher Clough Young People’s Centre
Chorley Adlington Library and Children’s Centre (designated)
Chorley Astley and Buckshaw Children’s Centre (designated)
Chorley Blossomfields Children’s Centre (Eccleston)
Chorley Chorley Adult Disability Day Service (Holly Trees)
Chorley Chorley Youth Offending Team (Halliwell Street)
Chorley Clayton Brook Children’s Centre (designated)
Chorley Coppull Children’s Centre (designated)
Chorley Coppull Young People’s Centre
Chorley Eccleston Young People’s Centre
Chorley Highfield Children’s Centre (designated)
Chorley Millfield Children’s Centre (Brinscall) (designated)
Chorley The Zone in Chorley
Fylde Ansdell Library
Fylde Freckleton Library
Fylde Kirkham Library
Fylde Kirkham Young People’s Centre
Fylde Lower Lane Young People’s Centre
Fylde Lytham Children’s Centre
Fylde Lytham Library and Registration Office
Fylde Orchard Children’s Centre (Freckleton) (designated)
Fylde Pear Tree Children’s Centre (Kirkham) (designated)
Hyndburn Accrington Youth OffendingTeam (Blake Street)
Hyndburn Clayton-le-Moors Library
Hyndburn Clayton-le-Moors Young People’s Centre
Hyndburn Great Harwood Young People’s Centre
Hyndburn Huncoat Children’s Centre (designated)
Hyndburn Oswaldtwistle Library
Hyndburn Oswaldtwistle Young People’s Centre
Hyndburn Rishton Library
Hyndburn
Sure Start Hyndburn - Accrington South Children’s Centre (The Beeches)
(designated)
Lancaster Balmoral Children’s Centre (Morecambe) (designated)
Lancaster Barton Road Young People’s Centre
Lancaster Bolton-le-Sands Library
Lancaster Carnforth Library
Lancaster Firbank Children’s Centre (designated)
Lancaster Galgate Children’s Centre (Ellel)
Lancaster Heysham Children’s Centre and Young People’s Centre (designated)
Lancaster Lancaster Registration Office
Lancaster Morecambe Registration Office
Lancaster Poulton Children’s Centre (Morecambe) (designated)
Lancaster Ryelands Young People’s Centre
Lancaster Silverdale Library
Pendle Barnoldswick Young People’s Centre
Pendle Barrowford Library
Pendle Brierfield Library
Pendle Brierfield Young People’s Centre
Pendle Colne Young People’s Centre
Pendle Earby Library
Pendle Pendleside Children’s Centre (Barrowford)
Pendle Trawden Library and Riverside Children’s Centre
Pendle Trawden Young People’s Centre
Preston Fulwood Library
Preston Preston East Children’s Centre (designated)
Preston St Lawrence Children’s Centre (Barton)
Ribble Valley Chatburn Library
Ribble Valley Longridge Young People’s Centre
Ribble Valley Read Library
Ribble Valley Ribble Valley Adult Disability Day Services (Pendleton Brook)
Ribble Valley Slaidburn Young People’s Centre
Ribble Valley Whalley Library and Spring Wood Children’s Centre
Ribble Valley Willows Park Children’s Centre (Longridge) (designated)
Rossendale Bacup Library
Rossendale Balladen Children’s Centre (Rawtenstall) (designated)
Rossendale Crawshawbooth Library
Rossendale Rossendale Registration Office
Rossendale Staghills Children’s Centre (designated)
Rossendale Whitewell Bottom Community Centre
Rossendale Whitworth Library
Rossendale Whitworth Young People’s Centre
South Ribble Bamber Bridge Children’s Centre (designated)
South Ribble Bamber Bridge Library
South Ribble Kingsfold Children’s Centre (designated)
South Ribble Longton Children’s Centre
South Ribble Lostock Hall Library and Children’s Centre
South Ribble Penwortham Library
South Ribble Penwortham Young People’s Centre
South Ribble Wellfield Children’s Centre (designated)
West Lancashire Burscough Library
West Lancashire Children’s Social Care (Fairlie Skelmersdale)
West Lancashire Hesketh with Becconsall Children’s Centre
West Lancashire Moorgate Children’s Centre (Ormskirk) (designated)
West Lancashire Ormskirk Derby Street Day Centre (older people)
West Lancashire Parbold Library
West Lancashire St John’s Children’s Centre (Skelmersdale) (designated)
West Lancashire Upholland Library
Wyre Cleveleys Library and Children’s Centre
Wyre Fleetwood Children’s Centre (designated)
Wyre Garstang Young People’s Centre
Wyre Northfleet Library
Wyre Over Wyre Children’s Centre (Hambleton satellite)
Wyre Over Wyre Children’s Centre (Preesall satellite)
Wyre Poulton-le-Fylde Children’s Centre
Wyre Preesall Young People’s Centre
Wyre Rural Wyre Children’s Centre (Garstang) (designated)
Wyre Thornton Library
Wyre Thornton Young People’s Centre
Wyre Thornton Youth Offending Team (Marsh Mill)
The county council’s cabinet will be asked to agree revised plans to save millions of pounds, by reducing the number of buildings the council owns and rents, after seeking people’s views during an extensive consultation.
Feedback from 7,700 responses has been taken into account in forming the proposals to bring services together to form a network of multi-functional buildings known as Neighbourhood Centres, which would provide a base for a range of different services in one place.
The plans, which form part of the council’s property strategy, propose changes to where some services including libraries, children’s services, children’s centres, young people’s centres, youth offending teams, older people’s daytime support services, adult disability day services and registrars are delivered in the future.
More than 100 buildings would no longer be used for county council services and the number of places at which some services are available would reduce.
The cabinet will also be asked to agree to explore proposals made by a number of community groups and other organisations to take on responsibility for running some of the affected buildings and services.
The changes are in response to Lancashire County Council’s need to save £200m by 2020/21 as a result of ongoing government cuts to its budget and rising demand for services.
The report to the council’s cabinet published late on Friday outlines changes to the original plans, following a 12-week consultation held from 18 May to 14 August, with a number of revisions to which buildings are being proposed to house future services.
County Coun David Borrow, deputy leader of Lancashire County Council and portfolio holder for finance, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who took the time to respond to the consultation – their feedback has been invaluable in helping to shape the final proposals and the Cabinet will be giving the report careful consideration.
“Our aim is to find a solution that still gives everyone in Lancashire good access to good services, despite the pressures on the council’s budget. We have done a lot of work to assess where services should be located in future, taking account of things such as geographic spread, accessibility and the needs of different communities. Some of the changes to the proposals reflect what people have told us about the way they access these services.
“We’re also keen to continue exploring the potential for other groups and organisations to take on responsibility for some of the affected buildings and services, so we’re grateful for the interest that has been shown in that possibility over the last few months. The report acknowledges that more work will be needed to assess the business cases that have been put forward.”
The report also asks councillors to agree plans to explore alternative options for the future delivery of library services, with a focus on examining whether community-run libraries could add to the statutory service provided by the county council.
A package of help is proposed to help establish any community-run library, including £5,000 to cover set-up costs, shelving, an initial supply of books from the county’s store, and advice from a dedicated community library development officer.

Libraries and children’s centres to be sold off


President Rodrigo Duterte has named Superintendent Serafin P. Barretto Jr. the new head of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Barretto was appointed as Officer-in-Charge of the bureau on August 8, 2016, replacing Supt. Deogracias Tapayan.
Upon his designation as OIC, Barreto launched his flagship program, SALAMAT BJMP which means Samasamang Lilinisin ang Pamamahala at Maglilingkod ng Tapat sa BJMP.
SALAMAT BJMP contains the action plans, programs, and strategies of his leadership, among which is the Oplan RODY that seeks to remove personnel involved in illegal drugs and corruption inside jails. The plan also includes the disbandment of gangs, jail decongestion, and instilling discipline among personnel and inmates.
“We will make BJMP a prime mover in the country’s thrust of a clean government and honest service,” Barretto said.


Popping out for some milk? Make sure your local store is open first
If you're celebrating the long weekend in style with friends, family or even a garden party - a quick trip to your local supermarket may be on the cards - whether it be for drinks, nappies or party food.
If a trip to Asda is likely, before you slip into your shoes and head for the aisles, don't forget to check if your local supermarket is open - and if so, what time it'll close its doors.
Asda has announced that normal trading times will apply on Saturday and Sunday, however most branches will close slightly earlier on Bank Holiday Monday - at 8pm. Find out more and the trading times for all supermarkets in our helpful guide below.
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 7am - 11pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 10am - 4pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: Stores nationwide will open 7am - 8pm - with some exceptions.
You can use the online store finder to find out the times of your local branch.
Planning a spot of decorating this weekend? We've also covered opening hours for Wickes , Homebase and B&Q in our DIY stores opening hours guide.
Most of the smaller Sainsbury's Local stores will be open as usual over the long weekend, Monday included.
Getty
Larger supermarkets will operate slightly earlier closures on Monday. Closing times will vary from store to store, so check details for your local Sainsbury's bank holiday opening times via the online store finder.
As a guide, Sainsbury's opening hours over the Bank Holiday weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 7am - 10pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 10am - 4pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: Stores nationwide will open 9am - 7pm - with some exceptions. You can find out more by entering your postcode into their online store finder.
Getty
On Monday 29 August 2016, Tesco stores across the UK will operate slightly shorter hours. Tesco Express and Extra store times will also vary. You can check your local Tesco's bank holiday opening times using the Tesco store finder tool.
As a guide, Tesco opening hours over the Bank Holiday Weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Tesco Express tores will open 6am-11pm. Tesco Extra stores will open until midnight.
Sunday 28 August: Tesco Express stores will open 6am-11pm. Tesco Extra stores will open 10am - 4pm.
Monday 29 August: Tesco Express stores will open 6am-11pm. Tesco Extra stores will open 8am - 8pm.
Jaggery / Geograph
Waitrose's opening times over the Bank Holiday weekend will vary. We've provided an overview below, however for more details regarding your local branch check the online store finder.
As a guide, Waitrose opening hours over the Bank Holiday Weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 8am - 9pm - with some exceptions at Little Waitrose branches
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 11am - 5pm - with some exceptions at Little Waitrose stores.
Monday 29 August: Stores nationwide will open 9am - 6pm - with some exceptions at Little Waitrose stores. You can find out more by entering your postcode into their online store finder.
Is Waitrose and John Lewis open on Bank Holiday Monday? 2016 opening times ahead of the long August weekend
Getty
Morrisons stores will open slightly earlier at 8am on Bank Holiday Monday - allowing you extra time to pick up your groceries before doors close at 7pm.
General Morrisons opening hours this Bank Holiday weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Store times will vary from 7am - 10pm and 6am - 11pm.
Sunday 28 August: Store times will vary from 10am - 4pm and 11am - 5pm.
Monday 29 August: All stores will open 8am-7pm. Find out more by entering your postcode into their handy store locator tool.
To find out specific store times, enter your postcode into their online store finder.
Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Very few exceptions will apply for Lidl's opening times this Bank Holiday Monday, see the store finder to find out your local opening hours.
General Lidl opening hours this Bank Holiday weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 8am - 10pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 11am - 5pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: Normal opening hours across all stores.
Reuters
Aldi opening hours on Bank Holiday Monday will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 7am - 11pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 11am - 5pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: All stores will be open from 8am to 10pm.
Visit Aldi online to discover more about your local branch opening times.
PA
General opening hours over the Bank Holiday Weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 8am - 9pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 10am - 4pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: 10am-4pm across most stores - however, shoppers are advised to check their store using the Iceland store finder tool.
To find out specific store times, enter your postcode into the Iceland store finder.
If you're looking for some retail therapy, we have put together this handy guide for department store bank holiday opening times, including John Lewis, Debenhams and Marks and Spencer.
Marks & Spencer opening hours over the Bank Holiday Weekend will be as follows:
Check the Marks and Spencer store locator to avoid a wasted trip.
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 8am - 6:30pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 11am - 5pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: Opening times will vary by store on Bank Holiday Monday (between 8am - 6pm). Get specific times to your local branch here.
What about DIY stores?
Getty
For those who want to use the extra days off to get busy around the home, these are the times your local hardware stores will open across England, Scotland and Wales.
See our handy guide for DIY stores August bank holiday opening times including Homebase and B&Q.
See a full breakdown of B&Q's opening hours below, and you can find out more via B&Q's online store finder.
Saturday 27 August - Normal hours - check your local store.
Sunday 28 August - Normal hours - check your local store.
Monday 29 August - All stores open at usual times and close at 8pm.
Saturday 27 August: Normal hours apply - check your local store.
Sunday 28 August: Normal hours apply - check your local store.
Monday 29 August: All stores will be open from 7am to 8pm.
Find specific times using Homebase's online store finder.
Saturday 27 August: Stores in England, Wales and Scotland open until 9pm.
Sunday 28 August: Normal hours - check your local store.
Monday 29 August: Normal opening hours apply, all branches will open until 9pm.
Check your local store opening times here.

Is Asda open on August Bank Holiday Monday? The 2016 supermarket opening times for your diary


You never know when an impromptu trip to your local supermarket will be needed so here's a guide on Asda's opening hours over the long weekend


Do your research before you leave home
Budget food store Aldi is a rival to the big four food giants - but will it be competing against the likes of Sainsbury's and Tesco over the Bank Holiday weekend?
If you're planning a trip to your local store, you can check if it's going to be open by reading our very handy guide below - or our Bank Holiday supermarket opening times guide.
Aldi has advised shoppers that most stores across England, Wales and Scotland will be operating normal trading times, however in certain smaller towns, stores may close earlier - and open at 8am.
You can also visit Aldi online to discover more about your local branch opening times.
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 7am - 11pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 11am - 5pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: All stores will be open from 8am to 10pm.
Planning a spot of decorating this weekend? We've also covered opening hours for Wickes , Homebase and B&Q in our DIY stores opening hours guide.
What about Asda?
Asda's bank holiday Monday opening hours will be from 7am - 8am with some exceptions. Below gives an overview of the stores' opening times nationwide over the long weekend.
General Asda opening hours this Bank Holiday weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 7am - 11pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 10am - 4pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: Stores nationwide will open 7am - 8pm - with some exceptions.
You can use the online store finder to find out the times of your local branch.
Is Asda open on August Bank Holiday Monday? The 2016 supermarket opening times for your diary
Most of the smaller Sainsbury's Local stores will be open as usual over the long weekend, Monday included.
Getty
Larger supermarkets will operate slightly earlier closures on Monday. Closing times will vary from store to store, so check details for your local Sainsbury's bank holiday opening times via the online store finder.
As a guide, Sainsbury's opening hours over the Bank Holiday weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 7am - 10pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 10am - 4pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: Stores nationwide will open 9am - 7pm - with some exceptions. You can find out more by entering your postcode into their online store finder.
Getty
On Monday 29 August 2016, Tesco stores across the UK will operate slightly shorter hours. Tesco Express and Extra store times will also vary. You can check your local Tesco's bank holiday opening times using the Tesco store finder tool.
As a guide, Tesco opening hours over the Bank Holiday Weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Tesco Express tores will open 6am-11pm. Tesco Extra stores will open until midnight.
Sunday 28 August: Tesco Express stores will open 6am-11pm. Tesco Extra stores will open 10am - 4pm.
Monday 29 August: Tesco Express stores will open 6am-11pm. Tesco Extra stores will open 8am - 8pm.
Jaggery / Geograph
Waitrose's opening times over the Bank Holiday weekend will vary. We've provided an overview below, however for more details regarding your local branch check the online store finder.
As a guide, Waitrose opening hours over the Bank Holiday Weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 8am - 9pm - with some exceptions at Little Waitrose branches
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 11am - 5pm - with some exceptions at Little Waitrose stores.
Monday 29 August: Stores nationwide will open 9am - 6pm - with some exceptions at Little Waitrose stores. You can find out more by entering your postcode into their online store finder.
Is Waitrose and John Lewis open on Bank Holiday Monday? 2016 opening times ahead of the long August weekend
Getty
Morrisons stores will open slightly earlier at 8am on Bank Holiday Monday - allowing you extra time to pick up your groceries before doors close at 7pm.
General Morrisons opening hours this Bank Holiday weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Store times will vary from 7am - 10pm and 6am - 11pm.
Sunday 28 August: Store times will vary from 10am - 4pm and 11am - 5pm.
Monday 29 August: All stores will open 8am-7pm. Find out more by entering your postcode into their handy store locator tool.
To find out specific store times, enter your postcode into their online store finder.
Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Very few exceptions will apply for Lidl's opening times this Bank Holiday Monday, see the store finder to find out your local opening hours.
General Lidl opening hours this Bank Holiday weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 8am - 10pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 11am - 5pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: Normal opening hours across all stores.
PA
General opening hours over the Bank Holiday Weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 8am - 9pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 10am - 4pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: 10am-4pm across most stores - however, shoppers are advised to check their store using the Iceland store finder tool.
To find out specific store times, enter your postcode into the Iceland store finder.
If you're looking for some retail therapy, we have put together this handy guide for department store bank holiday opening times, including John Lewis, Debenhams and Marks and Spencer.
Marks & Spencer opening hours over the Bank Holiday Weekend will be as follows:
Check the Marks and Spencer store locator to avoid a wasted trip.
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 8am - 6:30pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 11am - 5pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: Opening times will vary by store on Bank Holiday Monday (between 8am - 6pm). Get specific times to your local branch here.
What about DIY stores?
Getty
For those who want to use the extra days off to get busy around the home, these are the times your local hardware stores will open across England, Scotland and Wales.
See our handy guide for DIY stores August bank holiday opening times including Homebase and B&Q.
See a full breakdown of B&Q's opening hours below, and you can find out more via B&Q's online store finder.
Saturday 27 August - Normal hours - check your local store.
Sunday 28 August - Normal hours - check your local store.
Monday 29 August - All stores open at usual times and close at 8pm.
Saturday 27 August: Normal hours apply - check your local store.
Sunday 28 August: Normal hours apply - check your local store.
Monday 29 August: All stores will be open from 7am to 8pm.
Find specific times using Homebase's online store finder.
Saturday 27 August: Stores in England, Wales and Scotland open until 9pm.
Sunday 28 August: Normal hours - check your local store.
Monday 29 August: Normal opening hours apply, all branches will open until 9pm.
Check your local store opening times here.

Is Aldi open on August Bank Holiday Monday? All you need to know about the long weekend 2016 opening times


Whether you need bread, butter or a bottle of milk, here's the opening hours for Aldi this Bank Holiday weekend


Ensure that all the supplies are in for the extended leisurely weekend
The final Bank Holiday weekend until Boxing Day is just around the corner, and with a heatwave underway - it's set to be a scorcher.
If a barbecue is on the cards this weekend, or if you're planning some quality time with friends and family, and know a quick dash to the supermarket is likely, stay in the know with our very handy guide to high street opening times.
And, for those of you planning a spot of decorating or shopping this weekend, we've also covered opening hours for Wickes, Homebase and B&Q in our DIY bank holiday shopping guide, and department stores here.
Most of the smaller Sainsbury's Local stores will be open as usual over the long weekend, Monday included.
Getty
Larger supermarkets will operate slightly earlier closures on Monday. Closing times will vary from store to store, so check details for your local Sainsbury's bank holiday opening times via the online store finder.
As a guide, Sainsbury's opening hours over the Bank Holiday weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 7am - 10pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 10am - 4pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: Stores nationwide will open 9am - 7pm - with some exceptions. You can find out more by entering your postcode into their online store finder.
Getty
On Monday 29 August 2016, Tesco stores across the UK will operate slightly shorter hours. Tesco Express and Extra store times will also vary. You can check your local Tesco's bank holiday opening times using the Tesco store finder tool.
As a guide, Tesco opening hours over the Bank Holiday Weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Tesco Express tores will open 6am-11pm. Tesco Extra stores will open until midnight.
Sunday 28 August: Tesco Express stores will open 6am-11pm. Tesco Extra stores will open 10am - 4pm.
Monday 29 August: Tesco Express stores will open 6am-11pm. Tesco Extra stores will open 8am - 8pm.
Jaggery / Geograph
Waitrose's opening times over the Bank Holiday weekend will vary. We've provided an overview below, however for more details regarding your local branch check the online store finder.
As a guide, Waitrose opening hours over the Bank Holiday Weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 8am - 9pm - with some exceptions at Little Waitrose branches
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 11am - 5pm - with some exceptions at Little Waitrose stores.
Monday 29 August: Stores nationwide will open 9am - 6pm - with some exceptions at Little Waitrose stores. You can find out more by entering your postcode into their online store finder.
Asda's bank holiday Monday opening hours will be from 7am - 8am with some exceptions. Below gives an overview of the stores' opening times nationwide over the long weekend.
Asda stores nationwide will open until 8pm on Bank Holiday Monday
General Asda opening hours this Bank Holiday weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 7am - 11pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 10am - 4pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: Stores nationwide will open 7am - 8pm - with some exceptions. You can find out more using their online store finder tool.
You can use the online store finder to find out the times of your local branch.
Getty Will your local Morrisons branch be open?
Morrisons stores will open slightly earlier at 8am on Bank Holiday Monday - allowing you extra time to pick up your groceries before doors close at 7pm.
General Morrisons opening hours this Bank Holiday weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Store times will vary from 7am - 10pm and 6am - 11pm.
Sunday 28 August: Store times will vary from 10am - 4pm and 11am - 5pm.
Monday 29 August: All stores will open 8am-7pm. Find out more by entering your postcode into their handy store locator tool.
To find out specific store times, enter your postcode into their online store finder.
Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images Is a quick trip to Lidl most likely on the cards?
Very few exceptions will apply for Lidl's opening times this Bank Holiday Monday, see the store finder to find out your local opening hours.
General Lidl opening hours this Bank Holiday weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 8am - 10pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 11am - 5pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: Normal opening hours across all stores.
Reuters
Aldi opening hours on Bank Holiday Monday will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 7am - 11pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 11am - 5pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: All stores will be open from 8am to 10pm.
Visit Aldi online to discover more about your local branch opening times.
PA
General opening hours over the Bank Holiday Weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 8am - 9pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 10am - 4pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: 10am-4pm across most stores - however, shoppers are advised to check their store using the Iceland store finder tool.
To find out specific store times, enter your postcode into the Iceland store finder.
If you're looking for some retail therapy, we have put together this handy guide for department store bank holiday opening times, including John Lewis, Debenhams and Marks and Spencer.
Marks & Spencer opening hours over the Bank Holiday Weekend will be as follows:
Check the Marks and Spencer store locator to avoid a wasted trip.
Saturday 27 August: Stores nationwide will open 8am - 6:30pm - with some exceptions.
Sunday 28 August: Stores nationwide will open 11am - 5pm - with some exceptions.
Monday 29 August: Opening times will vary by store on Bank Holiday Monday (between 8am - 6pm). Get specific times to your local branch here.
What about DIY stores?
Getty Have you got plans to do up the house this weekend?
For those who want to use the extra days off to get busy around the home, these are the times your local hardware stores will open across England, Scotland and Wales.
See our handy guide for DIY stores August bank holiday opening times including Homebase and B&Q.
See a full breakdown of B&Q's opening hours below, and you can find out more via B&Q's online store finder.
Saturday 27 August - Normal hours - check your local store.
Sunday 28 August - Normal hours - check your local store.
Monday 29 August - All stores open at usual times and close at 8pm.
Saturday 27 August: Normal hours apply - check your local store.
Sunday 28 August: Normal hours apply - check your local store.
Monday 29 August: All stores will be open from 7am to 8pm.
Find specific times using Homebase's online store finder.
Saturday 27 August: Stores in England, Wales and Scotland open until 9pm.
Sunday 28 August: Normal hours - check your local store.
Monday 29 August: Normal opening hours apply, all branches will open until 9pm.
Check your local store opening times here.

August Bank Holiday Monday supermarket opening times for Sainsburys, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and more


Before you nip to the shops, check if your local supermarket will be open with our handy guide on opening hours


Jeff Symonds (left) and Jen Annett (right), both from Penticton, are the 2016 Challenge Penticton long course champions.
Penticton triathletes Jeff Symonds and Jen Annett would not be denied on home turf.
Symonds, born and raised in Penticton, and Annett, a Kelowna import, crossed the finish line first Sunday to claim the Challenge Penticton International Triathlon Union Long Course Championship.
"It feels awesome. It's the validation of all my hard work and the belief in myself. Just a great symbol that I'm back on track and I'm only going up from here," said Symonds. "It was absolutely important. It had been a tough year, I wanted a good race. You want to defend home soil, take a national title, qualify for that world championships."
Symonds was first overall in five hours, 32 minutes and 39 seconds, while Annett was 16th overall to win her first Challenge Penticton championship in 6:13:49.
Symonds said it was unbelievable to win at home, his third Challenge Penticton win. Symonds contributed his win to a great swim and seeing where guys were.
"You don't have to be in the lead to control the race," said Symonds, who completed the swim in 42:07, the bike in 3:02:49 and the run in 1:45:00. "I know that I can make up a deficit on the run. That's my strength. It was just knowing that those guys were within striking distance of me. It was good."
Symonds talked about taking a conservative approach on a new course distance and Drew Scott being a better cyclist. Symonds knew had to let Scott go.
"You've got to have that confidence in what you do well," said Symonds, who eagerly looked forward to a cold glass of water. "You got to play to your strengths and be honest about your weaknesses. I think it really helped me out on the course."
Scott, son of six-time Ironman World Champion Dave Scott, finished second overall. The Boulder, Col., resident completed the swim in 42:54, the bike in 1:54:39. In third was Jordan Bryden of Calgary. He clocked in at 5:40:46.
Annett said it was amazing to win in her hometown despite the pain she was feeling.
"I didn't think I had it. Liz (Elizabeth Lyles) had me until the Peach (concession stand) there. I saw a dollar sign on her butt and I kept following it," said Annett. "I just didn't want to lose at that point. She's an amazing runner. I'm just happy to have done what I did."
Annett, who twice finished in third place at Challenge Penticton, wasn't happy with her swim, which she finished in 52:42. She joked about wishing she could blame it on the waves or not wearing a wetsuit due to the warm water temperatures.
"It was just not a good swim. I just took it steady on the bike," said Annett, completing it in 3:13:42. "I think I came in second off the bike. Just stuck to the plan. That felt awesome and I felt amazing going on onto the run. Best I felt yet this year probably for racing. I just stayed in my own race until the last kilometre or so and then decided to kick it up. I'm happy."
And she received a massive welcome with the help of announcer Steve King.
With the victory, Annett has qualified for the Canadian team for 2017. When told that, Annett said, "Fricken amazing."
"It is a big deal. I get to race in my hometown and represent Canada and Penticton. It's awesome."
Lyles, of Reno, Nevada, followed Annett into the finish line 30 seconds later in 6:14:19. In third was Vancouver's Fawn Whiting, an age grouper, 30-34, in 6:20:29.
In the Aquabike, Coquitlam's Scott Dean won in 4:22:07, while the female winner was Vancouver's Tamasin Reno, who was third overall in 4:28:05.
More on this story to come.

Penticton triathletes win 2016 Challenge Penticton long course


Penticton professional triathletes Jen Annett and Jeff Symonds are the female and male winners of the 2016 Challenge Penticton long course.


MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Gaston has reformed, gathering strength as it moves northwestward in the Atlantic.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Gaston reformed as a hurricane Saturday night, clocking 85 mph (140 kph) winds. The storm was located about 655 miles (1,055 kilometers) east southeast of Bermuda. Gaston was moving at about 8 mph (13 kph).
Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 15 miles (30 kilometers) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 kilometers).
There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect early Sunday.
Forecasters say Gaston should slow down during the next day or so and turn northward on Monday.

Hurricane Gaston reforms, moves northwest in the Atlantic


Manila, the Philippines (CNN) Lifeless bodies lying on the streets of the Philippines are a visceral sign of new President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs.
So far more than 1,900 people have died. Of those more than 700 have been killed in police operations since Duterte took office in late June, according to police statistics. Many of the unsolved deaths are attributed to vigilantes.
Duterte's tough talk on the country's drug and crime problems won him the election and, 60 days on from his inauguration, he remains extremely popular.
"Double your efforts. Triple them, if need be. We will not stop until the last drug lord, the last financier, and the last pusher have surrendered or put behind bars -- or below the ground, if they so wish," he said in his July 25 State of the Nation speech.
Dela Rosa said that about 300 of his officers were suspected of involvement in the drug trade and would be relieved of their duties and tried in court.
CNN spent a week in Manila and met six people living and working close to the bloodstained sidewalks.
'My God, Duterte, stop doing this!'
"Janie" -- not her real name -- the sister of a man killed, she alleges, by crooked police
He was 47, a motor-tricycle driver who was estranged from his wife. He had two kids.
Police officers came to his house on August 14 and forced their way in, says his sister, who doesn't want to reveal her name or her brother's, or even the name of the town they're from -- to protect her safety. We'll call her Janie.
"Those policemen might kill us once we spoke out the truth," Janie says. "I said to myself, they have the license to kill already."
They came to his house, she says, and forced their way in.
"Handcuffed already, they shot (him in the) head." Janie alleges they killed three other men with him.
But, a police report says, her brother, was a suspected drug dealer, and was shot and killed after he opened fire on police. His sister insists her brother was a user, not a dealer. His body is still in the funeral home when CNN meets her.
JUST WATCHED A brutal war on drugs in the Philippines Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH A brutal war on drugs in the Philippines 03:24
Janie says that President Duterte's rhetoric has created a climate where the cops feel they can act without fear of retribution, official or otherwise.
"I feel afraid and very scared when I hear the president say they will kill drug users. Because we will have no justice at all," she says.
"We can put the users in rehabilitation, right? They shouldn't punish (them) by taking their lives."
She says that her brother stopped using meth long ago. "My brother had no enemies. He's a very kind person."
The perpetrators were police officers who were involved with meth trade themselves, Janie insists.
As we speak to her, she becomes increasingly agitated. The powerlessness she feels is palpable.
"My God, Duterte, stop doing this," she says, breaking down into sobs. "You don't have the right to take the lives of these people."
"Why don't you take the lives of these policemen too? They were drug users and pushers!"
'We feel already that there's something different in us'
Raffy Lerma, a crime beat photographer for the Philippine Daily Inquirer
On the streets of the working class Manila neighborhood of Tondo, we find the victim face down in a trash-strewn stairwell, one of his flip flops lying meters away, in a rutted, rain-soaked alley.
There's a small, cheap revolver next to his lifeless hand. He's the victim of a police "buy-bust."
Police on the scene say he got suspicious while selling drugs to an undercover officer and drew his weapon. The officer, they say, had no choice but to shoot him.
I'm out shadowing Raffy Lerma, a photographer for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, on his nightly beat. He spends night after night covering violent deaths like this one.
An unnamed man, killed by police in what they say was a legitimate shooting during a "buy-bust" operation
He's best known for his image of Jennilyn Olayres , a Manila woman he photographed cradling the body of her partner, suspected drug pusher Michael Siaron.
It's a picture that helped bring the wave of drug-related killings to international attention.
Lerma's covered natural disasters before, with higher death tolls. But this time it's different. "In this war we're also witnessing the devastation of these men's families. It's traumatizing," he says.
Lerma says he's seen more deaths since President Duterte's war on drugs began in June, than he did in an entire year covering the overnight crime beat as a rookie photographer 10 years ago.
"I want drugs to stop but not how it's being done. I'm not for killing people," Lerma says.
"The scary thing is that for every day that passes there will be more deaths. Can we take this for six years?" he asks, referring to the standard presidential term.
He says there are strong bonds between him and other crime beat photographers.
"We support each other mentally and emotionally. One time we didn't cover the deaths out on the streets, we just talked; shared experiences."
But he's worried that it might be too late; the emotional toll already taken.
"We feel already that there's something different in us."
'We are overwhelmed'
Bien Leabres, head of the DOH-TRC Bicutan Rehabilitation Center.
Bien Leabres is a rarity -- one of fewer than 20 specialists trained in treating drug addiction in the country.
He heads up the DOH-TRC Bicutan Rehabilitation Center, the largest of only 40 public and private facilities in the country.
It has an approved capacity of 550. It currently houses 1,557.
"We are overwhelmed," Leabres states, matter-of-factly, though he says they've been promised more funding.
In many of the dorms they've taken out the bunks, as they could only hold two patients. Now, his patients sleep crammed on rubber foam mattresses on the floor.
Sometimes 30 new patients come in each day, but at most they're only able to discharge seven.
JUST WATCHED Philippines drug war sparks outrage, fear Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Philippines drug war sparks outrage, fear 03:36
"Most of them are here because of fear," he says. "The crackdown (has) made them fear that they will be incarcerated or even worse, killed."
He says his staff is finding the huge number of patients tough to deal with.
"We're relying on group therapies -- one-on-one counselling has drastically been affected."
He's pleased that addiction has become a more visible issue but the deaths, he thinks, are avoidable.
"These people are victims," he says. "Not criminals. "
'The things, the years that I lost'
"A.R.," an inmate at the DOH-TRC Bicutan Rehabilitation Center
"You can call me A.R.," he says.
He's keen to use an alias as he doesn't want to be identified as a drug user -- anything that can link him to that murky underworld could come back and haunt him, in the form of a bullet from a vigilante -- or a police officer's -- gun.
He's a chronic meth user, classified at the DOH-TRC Bicutan Rehabilitation Center as a "drug dependent."
Before he came in here he says he was smoking at least a gram a day of "shabu," -- the local name for meth.
Through the gaping space where his front teeth used to be, he tells me that he used almost every day for 16 years.
"The main thing is the regrets -- the things, the years that I lost. When I was on the drug, it was normal to be aggressive," he says in the local language, Tagalog, translated by a rehab center official.
He's what Filipinos teasingly call a "nose bleed" -- a local who never bothered to learn English.
The joke, which doesn't translate terribly well, is that their noses start bleeding when they try to speak the language.
A.R. says he's worried that, despite this six-month stint getting clean, he'll soon fall back into his old ways when he's out.
"The drugs are too cheap," he says. "It's so hard to break the loop."
'I'm here because of the president'
"Alex," an inmate in the Quezon City jail.
Quezon City Jail is so crowded prisoners take turns to sleep.
It's always been busy, officials tell us, but since the war on drugs began numbers are steadily mounting.
Inmates range from shy teenagers to worn, haunted men in their eighties -- over 4,000 inmates in a prison supposed to hold 800.
Alex, a 29-year-old call center worker with a pockmarked face and a crude dragon tattooed on his right arm, has been in this mass of yellow-shirted humanity for little over a month.
He was arrested for a "9165" violation -- the slang used for a drugs charge. It's the name of the drugs act enacted in 2002.
He was drunk, he says, and fighting with his wife when neighborhood officials showed up and accosted him. Alex says he only had a little shabu on him but it didn't matter.
He was hustled away to the cops and now finds himself incarcerated, potentially for years while he waits for a court date -- fighting for floor space to sleep on.
"I'm here because of the president's (drugs) policy," he says, through a guard's translation.
"Before, you wouldn't get arrested for such a small amount."
JUST WATCHED CNN goes inside massively overcrowded jail Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH CNN goes inside massively overcrowded jail 02:26
The food is terrible, he says, grasping at the wire fence and looking out over the prison compound and its impossibly cramped conditions. Life in here is especially tough for the new guys, he adds. "It's hard to find a place to sleep, especially when it rains."
'We might as well abolish our courts'
Human rights lawyer Jose Manuel "Chel" Diokno.
Jose Manuel "Chel" Diokno, one of the Philippines' foremost human rights lawyers, says that under Duterte, the country is experiencing a climate of fear worse than the dark days of martial law under late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
Back in the 1970s and 80s, enemies of the state were branded "communist," he says.
"Now, it's 'drug user,'" says Diokno, the chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG).
"The presumption is reversed -- you have to come forward (these days) and prove your innocence. It's harder than during the Marcos years. Anything goes."
In a nationally televised speech in June, Duterte made his feelings plain to everyone. "If (a criminal) fights, and he fights to the death, you can kill him." He went on to say, "Please feel free to call us, the police, or do it yourself if you have the gun ... you have my support."
From a human rights perspective, Diokno says he's "disgusted."
He says due process is being trampled on, from the bodies of those killed in police operations, to " knock and plead " operations, where police invite suspected drug users to surrender to local authorities for registration.
The government insists these are entirely voluntary registrations. Those who register are sent to rehab. But Diokno says the procedures are in his view "warrantless arrests."
Suspects are "made to sign documents incriminating themselves, which is a violation of our bill of rights," he laments, arguing that many of those targeted are poor and unaware of their legal rights.
Despite repeated freedom of information requests, he says he's seen no formal guidelines for prosecuting this bloody war on drugs.
"Law officials (are) acting as judge, jury and executioner. We might as well abolish our courts."

Duterte's crackdown: 6 stories from the front lines


In Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's crackdown on drugs, the body count is rising. We talk to six people on the front lines.


The presidential hopeful and the people of Lewis seem strangely reluctant to celebrate the ties that bind them, writes islander Brian Wilson
‘If only Donald Trump wasn’t such a nasty piece of work…” There are plenty in the Republican Party harbouring that sentiment at present, but for different reasons it also has resonance on the Isle of Lewis.
There has hitherto been nobody one step away from the title “most powerful man in the world” with such a direct Scottish, far less Hebridean, lineage. In other circumstances, it could be a source of community pride. Plans for a Trump Trail might already be in the making.
According to the Irish precedent, US presidential candidates with even the most tenuous connections to the old country milk them for all they are worth, while the place in which roots are claimed is only too willing to reciprocate. None of this translates into the case of Trump and Lewis – because Trump is what he is.
Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric would seem weirdly at odds with his own background, on any grounds other than race. He is the product of a second generation immigrant from Germany (though his father pretended for many years to be of Swedish origin) and a first generation immigrant from Lewis.
In the grim economic times of the 1920s, Mary Anne MacLeod, Trump’s mother, followed two older sisters to New York from the crofting village of Tong. She first made the crossing in 1928 at the age of 16 on the Transylvania, found work with a wealthy family as a nanny but lost her job when Wall Street crashed the following year.
Lewis in the 1920s had suffered not only the losses of war but also the incomprehensible trauma of the MV Iolaire when more than 200 homecoming men were lost while approaching Stornoway, just before the dawn of 1919. In the midst of poverty and gloom, emigration was the alternative option, actively encouraged by agents from North America and Australia. In a single 12-month period of 1923-24, 800 young men and women left Lewis alone.
This was the atmosphere that Mary grew up in as her siblings departed, one after the other. Light has been thrown on her own early travels through a diary and photographs kept by an old pen pal, Agnes Stiven, from Dundee. It has been suggested that Mary went first to New York “on holiday”, but nobody did that in these days – they went for work and work alone.
Agnes met Mary when she was on her way to New York for the first time and maintained contact until 1934 when she saw her off at Clydebank, when Mary sailed aboard the Cameronia. It would be 61 years before they met again.
Somewhere in these early years, Mary met Fred Trump at a dance. He was six foot tall with the looks, according to the New York Times obituary, of a “silent-movie star” and the reputation of being “New York’s most eligible bachelor”. Agnes’s pictures show Mary’s rapid transition from teenage island girl to poised young American woman, who had merged into moneyed New York circles.
On the 1934 visit, she bought a present for her boyfriend Fred and two years later they married. The Stornoway Gazette, which keenly followed the fortunes of those who had left for foreign parts, reported the occasion under the heading: “Tong Girl Weds Abroad”. The setting was Madison Avenue Church and the reception was at the Carlisle Hotel. One of Mary’s sisters – by then “Mrs Victor Pauley of Manhattan” – was the matron of honour.
Gazette readers in these hard times would have been impressed by the sartorial details. Mary’s “peach moiré frock was fashioned with short puffed sleeves banded in matching velvet, a velvet sash, a tight bodice and a full skirt”. The report noted that “when the couple return from a Southern trip, they will live in Jamaica [Estates]”.
In other hands, it would be a classic success story of an upwardly-mobile immigrant in classless US society. However, it is one in which Donald Trump has consistently shown remarkably little evidence of interest. I first wrote about this in 1988 after buying his ghosted autobiography Trump – The Art Of The Deal in New York. For many months, it rode high in the US best-sellers, long before “America’s most glamorous young tycoon” became either a reality TV star or a politician.
There was no reference whatsoever to his mother’s origins although he did recall: “We had a very traditional family. My father was the power and the breadwinner, and my mother was the perfect housewife. That didn’t mean she sat around playing bridge and talking on the phone. There were five children in all and as well as taking care of us, she cooked and cleaned and darned socks and did charity work at the local hospital”.
The only other cameo involving Mary recalled her “sitting in front of the television set to watch Queen Elizabeth’s coronation and not budging for an entire day… I also remember my father that day, pacing around impatiently. ‘For Christ’s sake, Mary’, he’d say, ‘Enough is enough, turn it off. They’re all a bunch of con artists.’ My mother didn’t even look up. They were total opposites in that sense. My mother loves splendor and magnificence while my father, who is very down-to-earth, gets excited only by competence and efficiency”.
According to Art Of The Deal, Trump’s grandfather “came here from Sweden as a child”. When Fred Trump died in 1999, the New York Times obituary clarified the story: “His father was a barber who arrived from Kallstadt, Germany, in 1885, and joined the Alaska Gold Rush… From World War II until the 1980s, Mr Trump would tell friends and acquaintances that he was of Swedish origin. John Walter, his nephew and the family historian, explained: ‘He had a lot of Jewish tenants and it wasn’t a good thing to be German in these days.’”
Though Fred Trump’s career was frequently controversial, notably over alleged profiteering on public sector contracts and the methods he used to get rid of inconvenient tenants, the New York Times was generous in recognising that he “helped change the face of Brooklyn and Queens with thousands of homes for the middle class in plain but sturdy brick rental towers, clustered together in immaculately groomed parks”.
It is difficult to imagine a more different environment from the one Mary Anne MacLeod had left behind in Tong. It generated wealth on a grand scale – when Fred Trump died, his fortune was put at around $300 million. He and Mary had become noted philanthropists, mainly in support of medical causes.
However, it was Fred Trump’s reputational misfortune to have had as a tenant the greatest American balladeer of the 20th century, Woody Guthrie, among thousands of ex-GIs who moved into Trump-built properties in the post-war years. Guthrie became a resident of a complex named Beach Haven in Brooklyn which later became the subject of a Senate inquiry into profiteering on a public contract.
It was not the fiscal aspects of the development which upset Guthrie but the racial ones. In short, Beach Haven was run as a white preserve, prompting Guthrie to write: “I suppose Old Man Trump knows / just how much racial hatred he stirred up / In the bloodpot of human hearts / when he drawed that color line / here at his Eighteen Hundred family project”.
As Donald John Trump so aptly put it at the start of his campaign: “My legacy has its roots in my father’s legacy.” He might have added: “For good or ill”.
Trump recalled having visited Lewis once as a child but did not return until 2008. As his celebrity status grew on the other side of the Atlantic, occasional attempts were made to contact him from the island on the off-chance that he might be interested in supporting some worthy cause or other. They all met with the same silence.
His visit, when it eventually happened, bordered on farce due both to its brevity and rampant opportunism. By this time, Trump was engaged in his notably successful bid to trample all opposition and build a golf course on a Site of Special Scientific Interest on the Menie Estate. He stopped over at Stornoway en route to the public inquiry in Aberdeen.
Trump spent less than three hours of media circus in Lewis including 97 seconds in his mother’s birthplace. He then told a press conference in Stornoway: “I think this land is special and I think Scotland is special and I wanted to do something special for my mother.” This ambition certainly did not extend to doing anything for her native island.
The naïve harboured hopes that he might be interested in funding the redevelopment of Lews Castle. Trump promised to consider it; then weeks and months passed and that was the last that was heard. (The building has since been restored to a high standard as an hotel and museum, mercifully without the name Trump attached to it.)
His mother continued to visit the family in Lewis until shortly before her death in 2000 – as one acquaintance recalled, “holding forth in the croft house kitchen as if she had never left”. Trump’s elder sister, Maryanne – a judge in the US Appeals Court – usually accompanied her mother and has maintained a genuine interest in the place, donating generously to the Bethesda hospice in Stornoway.
It is attractive to think that if Donald John Trump had been more influenced by his mother and less by his powerful father, his trajectory in life would have been a little different – with all sorts of subsequent ramifications.
Perhaps there is hope yet and that, when it is all over in November, he will have plenty time to visit for more than three hours and to learn a little more about the forces which, throughout history, have driven poor emigrants in search of a better life.

Insight: Why does the Trump trail go cold in the Hebrides?


Visit now for the latest world news, analysis and opinion - direct from The Scotsman and updated throughout the day.


2016-08-27 03:00
‘DAZE’: The nation’s administrative system grants the president power, but not the authority to implement policies, Taiwan Democracy Watch’s president said
By Sean Lin / Staff reporter
Taiwan Democracy Watch yesterday called for amending the Constitution to allow President Tsai Ing-wen （蔡英文） to directly shape and answer for her policies, amid declining approval ratings for Tsai.
“Tsai wants to get to work, but cannot find a way to do so,” the organization’s president Chen Chao-ju （陳昭如） told a news conference in Taipei that was held to review Tsai’s performance in her first 100 days in office since assuming the presidency on May 20.
As the nation’s administrative system grants Tsai power, but not the authority to implement policies, she had been stuck in a “constitutional daze,” in which she often has to resort to unconventional means to push policies, Chen said.
For example, Tsai gave the Executive Yuan instructions to establish a committee to promote transitional justice for Aborigines under the Council of Indigenous Peoples, Chen said, adding that Tsai has also reportedly berated Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） lawmakers, mayors and commissioners at the party’s Central Standing Committee meeting; invited Cabinet members to her residency for meetings; and held private “lunchbox meetings” with DPP lawmakers at the Presidential Office.
Citing Tsai’s apparent affinity to assemble a Cabinet featuring “old ‘blue’ men” and her controversial nomination of Hsieh Wen-ting （謝文定） as Judicial Yuan president last month, Chen criticized Tsai for “thinking that it would be okay if she botched something up.”
Hsieh, a former prosecutor, withdrew his nomination amid criticism about his controversial role in investigating several major cases during the nation’s authoritarian era.
Tsai’s performance in office has also suffered from her penchant for creating “plug-in” units, such as the pension reform committee, the Aboriginal historic and transitional justice committee and the planned truth and reconciliation committee, which suggests that Tsai has an over-reliance on meetings when governing the nation, Chen said.
Tsai has yet to show the public what her core values are, said Liu Ching-yi （劉靜怡）, National Taiwan University professor and a director at the organization.
Citing as an example Tsai’s remark that she supports same-sex marriage, Liu said that Tsai has not made any efforts on that front since she assumed office.
The nation’s administrative system leaves the public wondering if Tsai still believes in the DPP’s core values, Liu said, citing as an example the government’s attempt to cancel seven national holidays, which contradicts the DPP’s value to protect workers’ interests.
“Tsai is trying to please everyone by seeking the greatest common interest for all parties, which is impossible if she wants to be true to her own values,” she said, adding that this mindset has prompted the public to criticize Tsai for taking “hairpin turns” in her policy directions.
Former DPP legislator Lin Cho-shui （林濁水） echoed the organization’s call for constitutional reform, saying that the administrative system prevents the president from intervening in policy implementation.
As a result, Tsai can only meet with one or two ministers at a time at “lunchbox meetings,” which are only held once or twice a month, he said.
As many policies require intergovernmental efforts, this has led to poor cohesion among agencies, he said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES

《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Tsai needs power to push policies: democracy group


‘DAZE’: The nation’s administrative system grants the president power, but not the authority to implement policies, Taiwan Democracy Watch’s president saidBy Sean Lin / Staff reporter


U.S. President Barack Obama, having completed a tour of flood-affected boards Air Force One at Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S., August 23, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
By Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When Barack Obama became the first African-American to win the White House in 2008, his victory was a turning point in U.S. race relations that set high expectations for progress to come.
Nearly eight years later, with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton attacking each other over racial politics, the legacy of Obama's presidency looks decidedly mixed, black leaders said.
To some, the tone of the Republican presidential nominee's campaign, as well as a recent series of racially charged shootings involving police, show that the United States has come no closer to overcoming its history of racial strife.
Having a black president, two attorneys general and a chief of homeland security did not result in basic fairness for victims of racially charged violence, said Cornel West, an academic and former Obama supporter who has become a high-profile critic of the Democratic president.
"How many policemen who have murdered unarmed innocent black civilians have gone to jail with that kind of black power at the top? Zero," West said.
Obama could have acted more directly while in office to help blacks, West added, citing persistently high childhood poverty among African-Americans. “The (economic) recovery has not filtered over into black and working poor communities,” he said.
Others said Obama showed leadership on race while making real achievements on healthcare and the economy that helped Americans of all ethnicities.
Al Sharpton, a civil rights leader with close ties to the White House, described Obama as a "transformative" president held back by the need to serve varying constituencies and compromise with lawmakers who had different priorities.
"He tried to be as balanced and respectful as he could, to the chagrin of many in the black community, who felt that he was leaning over backwards,” Sharpton said.
Unemployment among African-Americans fell by half under Obama, Sharpton noted, while Obama's remarks on race elevated the issue. In 2012 at the White House, Obama referred to Trayvon Martin, a black youth gunned down by a white Hispanic man, as a boy who would have resembled the son he did not have.
“We’ve never had a president do that,” Sharpton said.
FALSE SENSE OF PROGRESS
Andrew Young, a former Atlanta mayor, congressman, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and adviser to slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., said Obama, as a black leader, had to seek compromise more than previous white presidents.
"It was easier for (Jimmy) Carter or Lyndon Johnson, even Bill Clinton as southern whites to do things specifically for black people," Young said.
Backlash from white working class voters had contributed to Trump's rise, Young said.
"We really haven’t had a complete psychological adjustment to a multi-racial society," he said. "That’s what’s rallying people behind Trump. They're frustrated by the complexities of this day and age. And (Trump), like others, gives a simple answer and blames it on somebody else."
Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, blasted Trump on Thursday as a divisive candidate who was stoking racist groups. Trump criticized Clinton, saying she had let black Americans down and was falsely labeling Republicans as bigoted.
Clinton supporters were more likely to want to address race relations than Trump supporters, a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll of more than 2,800 people found in late March.
Obama has said race relations are not as bad as some suggest. Friends say he never expected his presidency to wipe away centuries of racism and slavery's legacy.
"To expect to erase all of that legacy of injustice or racism and discrimination in eight years is unrealistic," said Valerie Jarrett, a White House adviser and close Obama friend.
"Were there people who probably had a false sense of progress based just on an election? Sure," she said.
The administration wants to advance criminal justice reform legislation before Obama leaves office, aiming for a win on an issue watched closely in the black community. But prospects of passage in Congress during an election year are uncertain.
Obama, who has made clear his disdain for Trump and his frustration with Congress, has said he hoped his own voice on race would help improve things for future generations. "We plant seeds, and somebody else maybe sits under the shade of the tree that we planted," Obama said at a news conference in July.
(Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh)

As racial politics loom over election, Obama's legacy is seen as mixed


By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When Barack Obama became the first African-American to win the White House in 2008, his victory was a turning point in U.S. race relations that set high expectations for progress to come. Nearly eight years later, with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton attacking


As racial politics loom over election, Obama's legacy is seen as mixed
By Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON, Aug 26 (Reuters) - When Barack Obama became the first African-American to win the White House in 2008, his victory was a turning point in U.S. race relations that set high expectations for progress to come.
Nearly eight years later, with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton attacking each other over racial politics, the legacy of Obama's presidency looks decidedly mixed, black leaders said.
To some, the tone of the Republican presidential nominee's campaign, as well as a recent series of racially charged shootings involving police, show that the United States has come no closer to overcoming its history of racial strife.
Having a black president, two attorneys general and a chief of homeland security did not result in basic fairness for victims of racially charged violence, said Cornel West, an academic and former Obama supporter who has become a high-profile critic of the Democratic president.
"How many policemen who have murdered unarmed innocent black civilians have gone to jail with that kind of black power at the top? Zero," West said.
Obama could have acted more directly while in office to help blacks, West added, citing persistently high childhood poverty among African-Americans. "The (economic) recovery has not filtered over into black and working poor communities," he said.
Others said Obama showed leadership on race while making real achievements on healthcare and the economy that helped Americans of all ethnicities.
Al Sharpton, a civil rights leader with close ties to the White House, described Obama as a "transformative" president held back by the need to serve varying constituencies and compromise with lawmakers who had different priorities.
"He tried to be as balanced and respectful as he could, to the chagrin of many in the black community, who felt that he was leaning over backwards," Sharpton said.
Unemployment among African-Americans fell by half under Obama, Sharpton noted, while Obama's remarks on race elevated the issue. In 2012 at the White House, Obama referred to Trayvon Martin, a black youth gunned down by a white Hispanic man, as a boy who would have resembled the son he did not have.
"We've never had a president do that," Sharpton said.
FALSE SENSE OF PROGRESS
Andrew Young, a former Atlanta mayor, congressman, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and adviser to slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., said Obama, as a black leader, had to seek compromise more than previous white presidents.
"It was easier for (Jimmy) Carter or Lyndon Johnson, even Bill Clinton as southern whites to do things specifically for black people," Young said.
Backlash from white working class voters had contributed to Trump's rise, Young said.
"We really haven't had a complete psychological adjustment to a multi-racial society," he said. "That's what's rallying people behind Trump. They're frustrated by the complexities of this day and age. And (Trump), like others, gives a simple answer and blames it on somebody else."
Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, blasted Trump on Thursday as a divisive candidate who was stoking racist groups. Trump criticized Clinton, saying she had let black Americans down and was falsely labeling Republicans as bigoted.
Clinton supporters were more likely to want to address race relations than Trump supporters, a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll of more than 2,800 people found in late March.
Obama has said race relations are not as bad as some suggest. Friends say he never expected his presidency to wipe away centuries of racism and slavery's legacy.
"To expect to erase all of that legacy of injustice or racism and discrimination in eight years is unrealistic," said Valerie Jarrett, a White House adviser and close Obama friend.
"Were there people who probably had a false sense of progress based just on an election? Sure," she said.
The administration wants to advance criminal justice reform legislation before Obama leaves office, aiming for a win on an issue watched closely in the black community. But prospects of passage in Congress during an election year are uncertain.


By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON, Aug 26 (Reuters) - When Barack Obama became the first African-American to win the White House in 2008, his victory was a turning po...