Typhoon Halong Hits Japan as Authorities Order 1.6 Million to Evacuate

Stranded cars are seen in floodwater caused by Typhoon Halong in Kochi, western Japan, in this photo taken by KyodoKyodo/Reuters

Typhoon Halong has made landfall in Japan's Shikoku islands triggering landslides and flood warnings as authorities ordered 1.6 million people, who are in the path of the storm, to evacuate.

Japan's Meteorological Agency said the storm is heading northeast at a speed of about 20kmph towards another main island Honshu.

The tropical storm weakened before hitting western Japan and is set to lose further intensity in the next few hours.

However, forecasters said the storm could bring heavy rain causing mudslides and flooding in several regions. Tokyo is among serveral cities that are expected to experience heavy rainfall.

The highest alert has been issued in Mie prefecture where tens of thousands have been told to seek safer places.

More than 200 domestic flights have been cancelled. Road and rail transport has been thrown out of gear as the summer holiday season is set to begin. Some bullet trains are reported to have suspended services.

One person who was washed away in a river in Gifu prefecture, later died in hospital while a surfer is reported to be missing, Reuters reported, quoting national broadcaster NHK.

Iraq Crisis: US Conducts Fresh Airstrikes on Islamic State Militant Targets

Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters participate in an intensive security deployment against Islamic State (IS) militants on the front line in MakhmurReuters

US fighter jets and drones have conducted four fresh strikes on Iraqi Islamic State militant targets as President Barack Obama promised America's long-term commitment in Baghdad's fight against Sunni insurgency.

US forces said the latest aerial bombardment targeted the Islamists' armoured vehicles, which were used against Iraqi civilians.

A statement from the US Central Command suggested the operation was successful and said the attack was in line with protecting the Yazidi religious group, which is facing an onslaught by Sunni extremists.

Meanwhile, Obama has said US forces are in for the long haul in Iraq.

Speaking to reporters in Washington ahead of the fourth round of airstrikes, Obama emphasised: "I don't think we're going to solve this problem in weeks. This is going to take some time."

He also conceded that the rapid advance of the Islamic State insurgents in Iraq has been faster than expected.

"I think this a wake-up call for a lot of Iraqis of Baghdad recognising that we're going to have to rethink how we do business if we're going to hold our country together."

In other developments, Kurdish forces, which have received huge quantities of arms from Baghdad, are said to have rescued thousands of Yazidi civilians who were trapped by the militants in the mountainous Sinjar region.

"I can confirm that we succeeded in reaching the mountains and opening a road for the refugees," a Kurdish army spokesperson told Al Jazeera confirming that at least 5,000 people have escaped so far.

Uganda's First Gay Pride Rally Held After Anti-Gay Law Repealed

Ugandans gather in Entebbe for the first gay pride rally since anti-homosexual legislation was repealed.(Isaac Kasamani/Getty)

Uganda's first gay pride rally has been held since the country's anti-homosexual laws were overturned.

Sandra Ntebi, organiser of the rally held on Saturday in Entebbe, 35km from the capital Kampala, said police had granted permission for the invitation-only "Uganda Pride" event.

"This event is to bring us together. Everyone was in hiding before because of the anti-homosexuality law," she said. "It is a happy day for all of us, getting together," she told the Guardian.

Under the law, which was struck down on a technicality on 1 August, six months after coming into force, "proven" homosexuals could be jailed for life.

The government has filed an appeal to the legal ruling, and MPs are petitioning for a new vote on the bill.

The Ugandan Gay Pride celebration was an invitation-only event.(Isaac Kasamani, Getty)

Though homosexuality remains illegal in Uganda, it is no longer illegal to promote homosexuality, and Ugandans are no longer obliged to report homosexuals to the authorities.

Activists gathered on the shore of Lake Victoria, dancing, laughing, and holding aloft the rainbow flag of the lesbian, bisexual gay and transgender movement (LBGT)

Rights groups said the law had triggered an increase in assaults on members of the country's LBGT community.

"Since I discovered I was gay I feared coming out, but now I have the courage after the law was thrown out," said Alex Musoke, one of more than 100 people at the event.

Critics suggest that US evangelical groups had a role in fostering a climate of homophobia in the country, which president Yoweri Museveni was seeking to capitalise on ahead of the 2016 presidential elections when he signing the bill into law.

However, the legislation lead to international condemnation, and several aid agencies cut support to the country in response.

Critics believe that Museveni covertly approved the court's decision to repeal the legislation, so as not to be seen to be backing down in face of international pressure.

Oil Prices Witness Mixed Trade as US Strikes Iraq, and Wall Street Rebounds

A boosting compressor station owned by Ukrgasvydobuvannya Public Joint Stock Company in Chervony Donets, Kharkiv region, Ukraine.(Konstantin Grishin/Reuters)

Crude oil futures witnessed mixed trade on 8 August, as US air strikes in Iraq weighed on Brent prices while a rebounding American equity market supported US crude.

Brent September contract finished 42 cents lower at $105.02 a barrel.

The European benchmark traded lower amid speculation that American air strikes in Iraq could reduce the risk of oil supply disruptions from Opec's second-largest producer.

US September contract finished 31 cents, or 0.3%, higher at $97.65 a barrel.

WTI gained as American stock markets jumped on news that Russia was terminating military drills near the Ukrainian border.

Oliver Jakob, an analyst at Switzerland-based Petromatrix, said in a note to clients: "In essence we find US air strikes more bearish than bullish for oil as the act finally draws a line not to cross for IS and re-enforces both the stability in south Iraq and in Kurdistan."

Commerzbank Corporates & Markets said in a note to clients: "In the past week oil prices continued trending downwards although there are actually many arguments for higher levels: The advance of the fighters of the Islamic State (IS) towards Baghdad is as alarming as the security situation in Libya, which has been unstable for months and whose daily oil production and oil exports therefore still cannot sustainably be raised to levels above 500,000 barrels.

"Also, the economic sanctions on Russia and the Russian government's counter-measures will probably hamper the necessary investment in the Russian oil and gas sector. And weaker oil demand in the West as a consequence of such measures will hardly offset the effect of an abrupt interruption of supply."

"We are very much of the view that market participants are underestimating the risks of production losses and viewing the supply situation on the oil market too positively. For this reason it is likely that oil prices will soon rise again," Commerzbank added.

Staff Evacuations

London-listed oil companies have pulled workers from Iraqi Kurdistan as security forces battle with militants from the Islamic State in the semi-autonomous region.

Genel Energy said it was withdrawing staff from fields that had not started production, but insisted its fields at Taq Taq and Tawke were secure.

Meanwhile, Afren said it had suspended operations at the Barda Rash field.

McDonald's Sales Decline After China Meat Scandal

McDonald's has seen a drop in sales worldwide, since the China meat scandal began.(STR/AFP)

US food chain McDonald's has said its global sales declined in July due to the rotten meat scandal in China and persistent weakness in the domestic market.

Global comparable sales of the fast-food giant declined 2.5% in July, as sales in the Asia/Pacific, the Middle East and Africa plunged by 7.3%.

Sales in the US, the company's largest market, continued to decline by 3.2% in July – the ninth consecutive month of negative or flat sales.

Sales in Europe rose 0.5% during the month.

McDonald's had earlier noted that its sales in China, Japan and some other countries were hurt by the recent scandal over rotten meat.

The Chinese local media earlier reported that Shanghai Husi Food, owned by US-based OSI Group, sold chicken and beef past their expiry dates to international food chains including McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut.

Shanghai's Food and Drug Administration raided the suppliers' facilities and seized more than 5,000 boxes of expired meat. Police also detained five employees of the firm, including its quality manager.

The scandal has taken its toll on the reputations of food retailers like McDonald's, hitting their bottom lines.

Nine companies including KFC, McDonald's, Burger King and Papa John's reportedly used products ranging from beef, chicken and pork from Shanghai Husi.

Following the outbreak of the scandal, the companies apologised to Chinese customers and said they were taking the products concerned off the shelves.

On 21 July, operations at Shanghai Husi were suspended and all of its meat products were ordered to be removed.

McDonald's has been one of the hardest-hit companies, as it had to stop selling products in Japan and Hong Kong, as well as China.

The Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety is reportedly conducting a probe into McDonald's to find out if the company knowingly sold products made from tainted meat.

When the scandal broke out in China, McDonald's Hong Kong said its products were safe. However, it later admitted that it imported chicken and pork from the Shanghai plant, and suspended sales of products including chicken nuggets and McSpicy burgers.

In the home market, the company is facing stiff competition from rivals such as Burger King and Chipotle Mexican Grill.

Iraq Crisis: Obama Decided on Airstrikes to 'Prevent Benghazi-style Attack'

Sailors guide an F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the Valions of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 15 on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) in the Gulf, in this handout image taken and released on August 8, 2014.US Handout/Reuters

US President Barack Obama is said to have decided to press ahead with airstrikes on Islamic State militant targets in Iraq fearing that the escalating situation could lead to another Benghazi-style attack on US interests in the war-torn country.

The situation in northern Iraq remains highly volatile as the Sunni insurgents, who have established a caliphate, continue to make rapid advances.

Apart from making significant territorial gains, the insurgents have trapped several women and children in mountainous regions as hostages.

Obama is said to have had several rounds of discussions with top US officials in Washington and the diplomatic missions in Iraq, before deciding to authorise targeted strikes on the militants.

"The situation near Erbil was becoming more dire than anyone expected. We didn't want another Benghazi," a senior Obama administration official told the New York Times.

Several other officials in the defence, intelligence and diplomatic communities are reported to have confirmed a similar stance.

Obama, who was earlier firmly against military intervention in Iraq, was forced to launch airstrikes owing to the growing threat to American interests and also to prevent a looming genocide by the Islamic extremists, the officials say.

In an interview with the NYT, Obama said: "We have an embassy in Baghdad, we have a consulate in Erbil, and we have to make sure that they are not threatened. Part of the rationale for the announcement yesterday (Thursday, 7 August), was an encroachment close enough to Erbil that it would justify us taking shots."

The capture of the Mosul dam, the largest in Iraq, by the Islamists earlier this week is thought to have been a crucial factor in Obama's airstrike decision.

The seizure of the dam gives the Islamists the capability to flood several major cities and also inflict severe damage on the Iraqi capital Baghdad, which houses the US's largest diplomatic facility.

Artillery sites hit

Meanwhile, US jets have pounded several artillery sites in northern Iraq, swiftly followed by dropping of aid for civilians.

The Pentagon said a second round of airdrop of food and water was carried out.

The cargo planes C-17 and two C-130s were escorted by two F/A-18s as they dropped 72 bundles of supplies in the mountainous region around the town of Sinjar, where thousands of people belonging to the ancient religious sect Yazidi have fled.