Okinawas gubernatorial election is now two months away, and Governor Hirokazu Nakaimas challenger says hell vigorously oppose the planned project to relocate the controversial Futenma Marine Corps Air Station to sparsely populated northern Okinawa.

Naha Mayor Takeshi Onaga says to meet the expectations of people is what a politician should aim to do at the end of the day. He believes Okinawa should not be carrying the bulk of the burden of hosting American bases, and has told the Naha City Municipal Assembly that Japans security should be ensured by sharing as a country. Okinawa has reached its limits and cannot shoulder more.

The 63-year-old Onaga sees the election as a referendum of sorts on building the replacement airfield facility on Camp Schwab and the adjacent waters of Oura Bay in Nago Citys Henoko district. Governor Nakaima has already given the green light for landfill work. A third candidate for governor, former Diet member and 53-year-old former minister in charge of privatizing the countrys postal services, Mikio Shimoji, has called for a prefecture-wide referendum to settle the issue by directly getting citizens input.

In Tokyo, Yoshihide Suga says Okinawas gubernatorial election will have no effect on the airfield replacement project moving forward. Suga, the Chief Cabinet Secretary, says the Futenma ~ Henoko issue has already become an issue of the past, and adds I dont think this will be an election issue. He says governors nationwide have authority to approve or toss out reclamation projects in their prefectures, and notes Nakaimas approval with not-so-subtle infusions of money from the central government for infrastructure projectsis already in place.

The bottom line, according to the Chief Cabinet Secretary, is that we need to remove danger from the Futenma base as early as possible. The project has alternately stalled and lingered since first being approved in 1996. It remains a flash point for opponents, and political observers think Onagas position, which draws support from the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party, could attract some normally faithful Liberal Democratic Party members.

The project itself may again see the timelines slide a bit, although government sources say the schedule calling for the runways and bank protection at the Oura Bay site will still be complete within five years. Governor Nakaima approved the project late last year, while urging Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to stop Futenmas operations and close it within five years.

For its part, the U.S. military is becoming more proactive, shifting the Marines 15 KD-130 air refueling tankers from the prefecture to mainland Japan. The tankers and the military crews and maintenance teams are now flying from Iwakuni Marine Corps Air Station in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Officials note this is the first time U.S. military personnel and units have been moved from Okinawa to the mainland. Iwakuni Mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda supported moving the Marine unit to his city. Within the next three years, the U.S. Navy will also move 59 carrier-based aircraft to Iwakuni from Atsugi Naval Air Station in Kanagawa Prefecture.

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Futenmas replacement heating up political landscape

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - ?

Here is a list of road projects around the Heartland scheduled for Wednesday, September 17.

East and westbound traffic will be restricted. Existing lanes of Route 67 from CR 323 to Route 160/158 will be signed as Route C. The north end of Route C (existing Route 67) will remain closed for about two months as work is completed at the intersection of Route 67, Route C, and CR 323.

US 60 in Butler County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews repair the shoulder. The section of roadway is located between US 67 and County Road 409. Weather permitting, work will take place Monday, Sept. 15 through Friday, Sept. 26 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cape Girardeau County, MO

Route V will be reduced as crews perform drainage repairs. The section of road is located between Route 177 and Route Y. Weather permitting, crews will be working on Tuesday, Sept. 16 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Route 72 will be reduced while crews perform shoulder repairs. This section of road is located between Route 34 and Route B. Weather permitting, crews will be working on Tuesday, Sept. 16 through Thursday, Sept. 18 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Route EE will be closed while crews perform work on the railroad crossing. This section of road is located between Route 25 and County Road 264. Weather permitting, crews will be working on Friday, Sept. 12 and then again on Monday, Sept. 29 through Thursday, Oct. 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Carter County, MO

Roadwork continues on Route 21 from Ripley to Carter County from US 60 to US 160 until Nov. 1.

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Heartland road projects for 9/17

A pub will be demolished and shops razed to the ground and rebuilt as part of a 2.5 million regeneration of an area of Telford.

The project has been lined up for Hollinswood, and members of Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet will decide whether to push ahead with the proposals at a meeting next week.

The scheme includes demolition of the Woodcutter pub, demolition and replacement of the existing shops and flats and building a new activity hub for adults with learning difficulties.

It also includes enhancements to and extension of the community centre, landscaping improvements, better links to Telford town centre and the potential for further residential development.

Consultation on the proposals is already under way and an open day will be held from 1.30pm to 6.30pm in Hollinswood Community Centre on Tuesday.

Telford & Wrekin Council also has the potential option of carrying out a second phase of regeneration which would result in construction of seven two bedroom homes close to the centre of Hollinswood.

Hollinswood would follow in the footsteps of Brookside and Hadley, which have already seen major regeneration works to their centres.

The plans to revamp Hollinswood, which will be discussed by councillors at a meeting on Thursday (SEPT 18), are in response to a profile of The Nedge ward that was carried out in 2011, which highlighted that the local parish saw the centre of Hollinswood as unattractive, outdated, unsafe and subject to vandalism.

The review also showed that residents felt the physical environment of the centre makes it a focus for social and community problems in the area with growing issues of crime and anti-social behaviour.

Councillor Bill McClements, cabinet member for finance and enterprise, said: This scheme will improve Hollinswoods links to the town centre, providing better access to emerging employment opportunities associated

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Pub and shops to be demolished in 2.5 million regeneration of Hollinswood

by WHAS editors

WHAS11.com

Posted on September 12, 2014 at 2:49 PM

Louisville, KY (WHAS11) - The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) District 5 Office advises motorists that the exit ramp from southbound Interstate 65 to KY 245 at Clermont (Exit 112) will be closed this weekend for concrete pavement repairs. This ramp is scheduled for closure from 9:00 p.m. on Friday, Sept.12 until 5:00 a.m. on Monday, Sept.15.

Motorists should follow the signed detour via southbound I-65 to westbound KY 480 (Exit 116), then turn left onto southbound KY 61 and follow to KY 245.

The exit ramp from southbound I-65 to KY 480 (Exit 116) is scheduled for closure the weekend of September 19-22.

This work is part of a $20.7 million project for removal and replacement of various sections of concrete pavement across a 20-mile section of I-65 in Bullitt County.

The speed limit in the work zone is reduced to 55 MPH and double fines are being enforced.

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Ramp closure from I-65 South to KY 245 in Bullitt County Sept. 12-15

EXTENSIVE plans for Yorks new community stadium also set to include a leisure complex and swimming pool - have been given the go-ahead by cabinet.

City of York Councils cabinet last night approved borrowing 4million towards financing the project, and full council is now due to debate and make a final decision on whether the borrowing of the funds should be granted.

The total cost of the stadium and leisure complex - plus the replacement athletics track at Heslington West and rugby facilities at York St John - is 37 million. Of that, the City of York Council will contribute a total of 8million - 4million of which is due to be borrowed.

The latest plans for the Huntington site include a leisure complex and a newly built swimming pool to replace Waterworld, a cinema, restaurants and a library.

Cllr James Alexander, leader of the council, said: This is a huge potential for the city. This is a massive thing we can bring forward for the public.

This is genuinely a huge opportunity to show members of this city these are facilities for them. These are good quality, nationally recognised facilities. I think that is the right thing to do.

Other Labour councillors spoke of their approval of the scheme with Cllr David Levene stating that getting 37 million of facilities for 8million seems to be value for money and Cllr Sonja Crisp describing the site as a health and wellbeing hub for the city.

Project manager Tim Atkins told the meeting the cost of the stadium project was more than anticipated as original estimates had been conservative. But he said the commercial opportunities were positive with the arrival of John Lewis and Marks and Spencer at the site putting York on the map.

However, speaking at the beginning of the meeting, Conservative councillor Paul Healey questioned whether the council could afford to be drawn into another major out of town development.

He expressed doubt over whether the council could justify borrowing 4 million at a time when concerns were continually expressed about restricted budgets.

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York community stadium plan is given go-ahead

BAGHDAD Iraq's parliament officially named Haider al-Abadi the country's new prime minister late Monday and approved most of the candidates put forward for his Cabinet amid mounting pressure to form an inclusive government that can collectively cap the advance of Sunni militants.

Lawmakers approved all of the candidates proposed for the new government, with the exception of a few posts, namely the defense and interior ministers. Al-Abadi requested an additional week to name them.

Outgoing Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi and former Speaker of Parliament Osama al-Nujeifi were given the largely ceremonial posts of vice president. Kurdish politician and former Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari was named as one of three deputy prime ministers.

Al-Maliki, Iraq's prime minister for the past eight years, relinquished the post to his nominated replacement Aug. 14, ending a political deadlock that has plunged the country into uncertainty as it fights a Sunni militant insurgency. Al-Maliki had been struggling for weeks to stay on for a third four-year term as prime minister amid an attempt by opponents to push him out, accusing him of monopolizing power and pursuing a fiercely pro-Shiite agenda that has alienated the Sunni minority.

The U.S. and other countries have been pushing for a more representative government that will ease anger among Sunnis, who felt marginalized by al-Maliki's administration, helping fuel the dramatic sweep by the Islamic State extremist group over much of northern and western Iraq since June. The insurgency seized Iraq's second largest city, Mosul, and routed Iraq's beleaguered armed forces. Thousands of people have been killed and more than 1.5 million have been displaced by the violence.

The extremist Islamic State group's lightning advance across much of northern and western Iraq has driven hundreds of thousands of people from their homes since June, and prompted the U.S. to launch aid operations and airstrikes on Aug. 8 as the militants threatened religious minorities and the largely autonomous Kurdish region.

___

Associated Press reporter Vivian Salama in Baghdad contributed to this report.

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Iraqi parliament approves partial new Cabinet

Ministers admit PM's leadership would be 'difficult' if there is Yes vote One told the Mail he could be 'forced out' or feel 'duty-bound' to go Some Tory MPs say his credibility will be shattered in event of Yes vote Another said he would have a very difficult period, but was likely to survive Comes as PM has effectively ceded control of the No campaign Gordon Brown

By James Chapman, Daily Mail Political Editor

Published: 18:05 EST, 8 September 2014 | Updated: 03:02 EST, 9 September 2014

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David Camerons fate as Tory leader will hang in the balance and he could feel duty bound to resign if Scotland votes for independence, his allies conceded last night.

Even some Cabinet ministers who are supportive of the Prime Ministers leadership admit his future will be difficult despite his insistence he would emphatically not quit in the event of a Yes vote.

One told the Mail he would have a responsibility to stay on and deal with the aftermath of Scotland voting to break away but could then be forced out or feel duty-bound to go.

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David Cameron could feel duty bound to resign, says Cabinet minister

Polands ruling Civic Platform party retook the lead in opinion polls, with parliament speaker Ewa Kopacz set to replace Donald Tusk as prime minister following his departure to become European Union president.

Support for the ruling party jumped 10 percentage points from June to 34 percent, while the opposition Law & Justice Party lost 3 percentage points to 28 percent, according to a Sept. 4-5 poll by TNS Polska for the state television channel TVP 1. A separate survey conducted Sept. 5-6 by the IBRiS polling company showed the two parties tied at 30 percent after Civic Platform trailed by eight points in August, the Rzeczpospolita newspaper said today.

The ruling coalition is seeking a replacement for Polands longest-serving prime minister since the communism ended in 1989, to lead Civic Platform into next years general election. President Bronislaw Komorowski will discuss the creation of a new cabinet with Kopacz after he accepts Tusks resignation on Sept. 11, his spokeswoman said today.

The president sees the need to stabilize the government as quickly as possible, Joanna Trzaska-Wieczorek told reporters in Warsaw. Hes said it numerous times.

Komorowski has received assurances from Janusz Piechocinski that his Peasants Party, the junior partner in the ruling coalition, will support Kopacz, she said.

The ruling coalition will meet at 8 p.m. in Warsaw to discuss the future cabinet, Malgorzata Kidawa-Blonska, cabinet spokeswoman, said today. Infrastructure and Development Minister Elzbieta Bienkowska will also leave the government to become an EU commissioner.

Tusk has lead the Polish government since 2007, helping steer the economy to become the only one in the 28-nation EU to avoid recession. His popularity has suffered after leaked tapes of conversations between leading Polish policy makers rocked the nation this year, threatening to capsize the ruling coalition and unseat the central bank governor.

The bounce-back in polls has so far failed to translate into electoral successes for the Civic Platform. Law & Justice won three by-elections yesterday, keeping their seats in the upper house of parliament.

A lot of political analysts have been talking about the so-called Tusk effect because of the prime ministers appointment to a high position in the EU, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, head of the Law & Justice, said at a news conference. Poles see the reality and the reality is that Donald Tusk is leaving for Brussels and problems remain.

To contact the reporter on this story: Piotr Skolimowski in Warsaw at pskolimowski@bloomberg.net

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Tusk Effect Propels Polish Ruling Party to Top of Polls

BAGHDAD

Iraqi parliament is scheduled to be convened on Monday night to vote on Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi's proposed cabinet, the parliament speaker Selim al-Jabouri's office said on Sunday.

State television also reported the tentative plan to hold the session. The approval of the cabinet could still be delayed amid last-minute wrangling and brinkmanship over posts.

The make-up of the cabinet has still not been revealed, but Abadi is expected to include representatives of all the country's religious and ethnic components in a bid to save Iraq from collapse.

If a government is not agreed, this will mean a return to the start of the contentious process, leaving Iraq rudderless at a time of crisis.

The prime minister designate was picked on August 11 as a replacement for outgoing Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who dropped his bid for a third term after Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurdish political blocs rejected him.

The prime minister has until September 10 to submit his government for approval, or Iraq's president must select another candidate for premier.

Undone by Islamic State group

Maliki, who won the most votes of any candidate in April's national election, was undone by the Islamic State group's seizure of large sections of northern Iraq and the almost total collapse of the Iraqi military almost three months ago.

About one-third of the country is under Islamic State domination, while the self-rule Kurdistan region continues to examine whether or not to declare independence.

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Iraq Parliament to Vote Monday on PM-elect's Cabinet

Disappointed: Norm Baker was short-changed by nearly $20,000 in his redundancy package from the public service. Photo: Melissa Adams

When Norm Baker accepted a golden handshake from The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, he trusted his colleagues to get the numbers right.

He was wrong.

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Now the Canberra retiree says he has been short-changed by up to $17,000, looks set for a legal battle against his old department and is urging public servants taking redundancies to double-check the fine print.

Do you know more? Send your confidential tips to ps@canberratimes.com.au

"The first offer they gave me was a little over $83,000, then the second formal quote was a little over $80,000," he said.

"So because they'd recalculated and had done the right thing, I thought in the end it might be very close to that number.

"But in my case it was substantially different.

"It's only a modest amount in the scheme of things, certainly compared to others, but it's significant to me."

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Retiree warns public servants after redundancy payout shock