Pakistan officials in uproar over India's Kashmir moves

MPs voice anger at India’s decision to revoke autonomy and privileges for the contested Muslim-majority region.

Pakistani officials have called India’s moves against Indian-held Kashmir’s autonomy a manifestation of the ideology of racism and hate.

And the army is warning it is prepared to go to any extent to fulfil its obligations to the Kashmiri people.

Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid reports from Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Southampton Jewish Center gala lures real estate bigwigs

Vector Group CEO/Douglas Elliman head Howard Lorber, New York Fashion Week founder Fern Mallis, and top brokers Dolly and Jenny Lenz attended the Chabad of Southampton Jewish Center’s 18th annual gala, which was held at the Bridgehampton home of Libbie Mugrabi (who is battling estranged hubby David Mugrabi, of a billionaire art family, in a messy, multimillion-dollar divorce over a world-class art collection filled with Basquiats, Warhols and Keith Harings, along with a $72 million townhouse at 12 E. 82nd St).

The gala, which honored Lieba Nesis, a writer, lawyer and scion of a Miami real estate family, raised close to $1 million.

Kari Neering, senior director at Relevance International, and husband Michael Hegarty welcomed baby boy Beau Michael Hegarty, born 8 pounds and three ounces at Lenox Hill Hospital on Aug. 25.

US-China trade war: Trump shrugs off concerns

The White House says it expects more talks with Beijing in September to negotiate the ‘right deal’.

US President Donald Trump has shrugged off fears of a protracted trade war with China.

He says investments are flooding into the United States and that the economy is strong.

Trump made the comments a day after the US Treasury accused China of currency manipulation.

Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett reports.

West Bank activists urge cutting economic ties with Israel

Palestinian activists are pressuring businesses in the occupied West Bank to cut economic ties with Israel and want the Palestinian Authority to do the same.

Palestinian businesses in the occupied West Bank are being urged to stop selling Israeli products.

Activists have staged a protest in Ramallah near an Israeli military checkpoint.

Protesters said it is time to stop buying Israeli goods and to think about the Palestinian economy.

Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim reports from Ramallah.

U.S. Carriers Can Now ‘Wet Lease’ To European Carriers

The U.S., European Union, Norwegian, and Icelandic officials have reached an agreement that allows U.S. air carriers to wet lease to European carriers.

A wet lease is a leasing arrangement whereby one airline provides an aircraft, complete crew, maintenance, and insurance to another airline or other type of business acting as a broker of air travel. These types of leases can represent an important revenue source to the carrier providing the aircraft and crews.

The agreement ends a long-standing commercial concern for U.S. carriers, and restoration of their ability to participate on fair terms in the market for “wet lease” services.

European Community regulations for years severely limited U.S. carrier ability to “wet lease” to EU carriers. At the same time, EU carriers faced no such limitations under DOT regulations when providing aircraft and crew either to each other or to U.S. carriers.

“DOT, along with other US government agencies, took a number of steps in an effort to resolve the problem, and today’s signing represents a successful culmination of those efforts,” DOT said in a statement. “US carriers will now be able to compete fairly in the marketplace, more broadly offering their services in worldwide markets, and gaining a valuable chance to benefit from the new commercial opportunities.”

‘Shark Tank’ Star Kevin O’Leary Involved In Fatal Boat Crash That Killed Two

Two people have died following an accident last weekend on a Canadian lake involving a boat owned by longtime Shark Tank panelist Kevin O’Leary.

TMZ reported. that O’Leary was a passenger on a boat allegedly driven by his wife, Linda, on Lake Joseph in Ontario, Canada when the accident occurred. The O’Leary boat smashed into another, larger boat, instantly killing a 64-year-old man. A second victim was hospitalized but died on Tuesday from her injuries.

“Late Saturday night I was a passenger in a boat that had a tragic collision with another craft that had no navigation lights on and then fled the scene of the accident,” O’Leary told TMZ. “I am fully cooperating with authorities.”

The boat O’Leary’s craft hit was a 13-person vessel that was returning to a lake cottage at around 11:30 PM. The man who was killed was apparently standing on the bow of the boat and was struck in the head by the O’Leary boat.

“Out of respect for the families who have lost loved ones and to fully support the ongoing investigation, I feel it is inappropriate to make further comments at this time,” O’Leary told TMZ. “My thoughts are with all the families affected.”

O’Leary has been a panelist on ABC’s Shark Tank since 2009. He founded Softkey and O’Leary funds and, before Shark Tank, was a frequent guest on Canadian television.

Starting now, United Airlines’ frequent-flier miles will never expire

Frequent fliers on United Airlines will no longer have to worry about using their award miles before they expire.

The Chicago-based airline announced Wednesday that its MileagePlus reward miles will never expire, effective immediately. Previously, unused miles expired after 18 months if there was no account activity.

“We want to demonstrate to our members that we are committing to them for the long-haul and giving customers a lifetime to use miles is an exceptionally meaningful benefit,” Luc Bondar, United’s president of MileagePlus, said in a statement.

MileagePlus rewards can be used on flights, hotels, in-flight amenities, car rentals and more.

United joins Delta Air Lines DAL, +0.96%  and JetBlue Airways JBLU, +1.21%  with lifetime miles for its loyalty members. American Airlines AAL, +3.60%  miles expire after 18 months of inactivity, while Southwest Airlines LUV, +1.33%  and Alaska Airlines ALK, +1.26%  give members 24 months to use or lose their miles.

United shares UAL, +0.62%  are down 1.5% year to date, compared to the S&P 500’s SPX, +0.65%  15% gain in 2019.