Dozens killed as Turkey

ramps up Syria offensive

BEIRUT, Lebanon Dozens of people were killed in Turkish bombardment in
Syria on Sunday, August 28, as Ankara ramped up its unprecedented offensive
inside the country against the Islamic State group and Kurdish militants.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 40 civilians
had been killed in Turkish shelling and air strikes on two areas held by proKurdish forces in northern Syria, the first report of significant civilian casualties in
Turkey's operation.
But Ankara said its raids had killed 25 Kurdish "terrorists" and that the army was
doing everything to avoid civilian casualties.
The bombardments came after Ankara suffered its first military fatality in the
offensive against ISIS and the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG)
militia it launched on Wednesday, August 24.
The Observatory said at least 20 civilians were killed and 50 wounded in Turkish
artillery fire and air strikes on the village of Jeb el-Kussa early on Sunday.
Another 20 were killed and 25 wounded, many seriously, in Turkish air strikes
near the town of Al-Amarneh, it added.
The monitor also said at least 4 Kurdish fighters had been killed and 15 injured in
Turkish bombardment of the two areas.
A spokesman for the local Kurdish administration said 75 civilians had been killed
in both villages.

But the Turkish army said it had killed 25 Kurdish "terrorists" from Turkey's
outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and Syria's YPG, state-run Anadolu
news agency said.

South, southwest bus

terminals to be opened in
2018
MANILA, Philippines Two integrated bus terminals in the southern and
southwestern parts of Metro Manila worth around P6.5 billion ($140.30 million)
combined are set to be opened in 2018, which according to a senator, are keys
to the transportation relief Filipinos are looking for.
"We expect to finish the construction and start operations [in] the latter part of
2018 of the two terminals. Medyo po mahuhuli 'yung north kasi po feasibility
study pa po 'yun sa ngayon (The construction of the north terminal will just follow
suit because it is still subject to a feasibility study)," Transportation
Undersecretary for Roads and Infrastructure Anne Lontoc said during a Senate
hearing on Thursday, August 25, in Pasay City.
According to Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin Drilon, these bus terminals
will relieve EDSA of 1,642 provincial buses daily.
The country's Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center implemented 3 integrated
bus terminals in the northern, southern, and southwestern parts of Metro Manila.
MWM Terminals the consortium of Megawide Construction Corporation and
WM Properties, Incorporated was awarded the P2.5-billion ($53.96-

million) Integrated Transport System (ITS)-Southwest Terminal Project in January

2015.
The ITS-Southwest project will be built on a 4.59-hectare area near the ManilaCavite Expressway, which will connect passengers coming from Cavite to
transport services that serve Metro Manila.
The project will include a passenger terminal building, arrival and departure bays,
public information systems, ticketing and baggage handling facilities, and parkride facilities.
MWM Terminals will operate and maintain the facility for 35 years and then
transfer it to the Philippine government.

Monsoon rain in Luzon

on Monday
State weather bureau PAGASA tells Ilocos, Cordillera, and Central Luzon to be
on alert for possible floods and landslides
In its bulletin issued 5 pm on Sunday, August 28, state weather bureau PAGASA
warned of heavy rain in Ilocos, Cordillera, and Central Luzon.
These regions should watch out for possible floods and landslides.
Light to moderate rain and isolated thunderstorms are also expected in the rest of
Luzon, including Metro Manila.
The Visayas and Mindanao will have just isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

PAGASA also said coastal waters in Luzon and the Visayas will be moderate to
rough, with moderate to strong winds.
There is no more tropical cyclone in the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
PAGASA announced 1 am on Sunday that Typhoon Dindo (Lionrock) had already
left PAR.
Dindo stayed near the PAR boundary and did not directly affect the Philippines.