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Man kills woman, sister for rejecting marriage proposal in Bulandshahr | Ankit later admitted to have killed the sisters, an official said. Ankit later admitted to have killed the sisters, an official said.
An engineering graduate killed a woman and her cousin at their residence in Bulandshahr district after the woman spurned his marriage proposal, a senior police official said on Saturday.
“Ankit, a resident of Dhakoli village, also burnt the bodies of Sheelu, 23, and her cousin Shivani at their home in neighbouring Bahpur village on Thursday,” senior superintendent of police (SSP) Muniraj G said.
According to the SSP, Ankit visited Sheelu’s residence on Thursday and proposed her for marriage, but she rejected the proposal. Ankit then strangulated her to death. Since Shivani witnessed the incident, he also killed her with a motorcycle clutch wire.
Ankit then took out petrol from his motorbike and set the bodies on fire, Muniraj G said. The police worked out the case in less than 24 hours, the SSP said.
He said the police put the mobile phones of Ankit and a few other suspects on surveillance. The investigation revealed that Ankit was at Sheelu’s residence on the day the killings happened.
Ankit later admitted to have killed the sisters, the official added.
For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App |
Dozens of NJ Transit engineers diagnosed with sleep apnea | More than one in 10 New Jersey Transit train engineers who were screened for sleep apnea tested positive for the condition, which can make them spontaneously fall asleep while on the job, according to agency officials.
Out of the 373 train engineers tested, 57 were taken off duty because an initial screening showed that they had symptoms of sleep apnea, NJ Transit spokeswoman Nancy Snyder said Wednesday.
Of those, 44 tested positive for the disorder and were kept off trains until they started treatment. A pair of engineers are still not back on the job, said Snyder.
NJ Transit started testing its train operators late last year after they learned that the engineer who was operating the train that crashed at the Hoboken Terminal in September 2016 suffered from the deadly condition.
The train, which was supposed to be traveling at 10 mph into the station, accelerated to more than twice the limit before slamming into a barrier. The crash injured several and killed a woman waiting on the platform.
The MTA also instituted rules this year that require all train and bus operators to be tested for the condition. The agency admitted last month that it has so far only tested about half of the 20,000 who fall under the mandate. |
Bindi Irwin's struggling boyfriend will 'never be steve' | They're the wildlife power couple whose seemingly unbounded young love has charmed the nation.
But Bindi Irwin, 18, and her American beau Chandler Powell, 20, may be struggling with the comparison with late father Steve and US-native Terri.
Reports have emerged this week claiming the pair have 'clashed on more than one occasion' amid fears he's 'struggling to cope' with the pressure of filling Steve's shoes.
Clashing? Reports have emerged alleging Bindi Irwin and boyfriend Chandler Powell have clashed on more than one occasion' since he moved to Australia Zoo this year
According to Woman's Day, sources are worried Chandler has succumbed to the stress of leaving his family at home in Florida to live and work at Australia Zoo.
After previously being the subject of engagement rumours, they claim he wants to 'slow down' in the relationship.
'Zoo insiders are worried the pressure of stepping up and filling Steve's shoes may have become too much to bear for Chandler, who is reportedly struggling to cope with what's expected of him,' they said.
They claim the pressure has led him to tell Bindi he'll 'Never be Steve!'
Struggling: Insiders allege he's 'struggling with the pressure of filling Bindi's late father Steve's shoes
Missing home? Reports also alleged the 20-year-old US-native is struggling with being away from his family (pictured)
Slow down: After previously being the subject of engagement rumours, the combination of these factors has led reports to claim he wants to 'slow down' in the relationship
Commenting on the couple's recent Today Show interview, they concluded the couple had 'different ideas' about the idea of marriage.
'Who knows what the future holds?' a positive Bindi said on the show.
Chandler on the other hand, offered a more tentative: 'We're just having fun and taking our time.'
'Taking our time': Woman's Day concluded the couple had 'different ideas' about the idea of marriage after Chandler said the pair were 'having fun' and 'taking their time' during a Today show interview
Comparisons: Back on her 18th birthday, Bindi spoke to the publication, drawing comparisons between her boyfriend and Steve, who passed tragically in 2006
Similar: 'It's no coincidence I've chosen to share my life with a young man who has similar qualities to my dad...'Protective, loving, trusting, loyal - I'm very lucky,' she said
Back on her 18th birthday, Bindi spoke to the publication, drawing comparisons between her boyfriend and Steve, who passed tragically in 2006.
'It's no coincidence I've chosen to share my life with a young man who has similar qualities to my dad,'she said at the time.
'Protective, loving, trusting, loyal - I'm very lucky.'
Cause of the stress: It's comparisons like this that the publications alleges has led to the American wake-boarder being overwhelmed with filling Steve's lofty legacy
Support of the family: Regardless, Bindi's mother Terri and brother Robert have both gone on record to throw the support behind him
It's comparisons like this that the publication alleges has led to the American wake-boarder being overwhelmed with filling Steve's lofty legacy.
They claim it's led the pair to 'clash on several occasions' since he moved to the Zoo this year.
Regardless, Bindi's mother Terri and brother Robert have both gone on record to throw support behind him.
Mixed messages? Likewise, the pair shared a loved-up Instagram snap as recently as Sunday
Likewise, the pair shared a loved-up Instagram snap as recently as Sunday.
Chandler met Bindi while on a family trip to Australia Zoo in 2013.
When initial reports alleged the pair were on the rocks earlier in the year, representatives for Australia Zoo adamantly denied the claims, disputing the credibility of the sources.
Still going strong? Chandler met Bindi while on a family trip to Australia Zoo in 2013 |
Diego Costa slams Chelsea for treating him like a 'criminal' and says Antonio Conte has no charisma | Get Chelsea FC updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
Diego Costa has slammed Chelsea's treatment of him this summer and said he is "not a criminal" as he holds out for a move to Atletico Madrid.
The 28-year-old, who claims he was told he was not wanted by manager Antonio Conte via text message in the summer, has yet to leave the club but did not return from his post-season break.
Costa said he was happy at Stamford Bridge until Conte made it clear he had no future in the Italian's team, and now wants to rejoin the club he left to join Chelsea in 2014.
The striker said he has not reported for training as he does not want to train with the Blues' reserves, and is happy staying in Brazil and paying club fines until his future is resolved.
"I am waiting for Chelsea to set me free. I didn't want to leave. I was happy. When the manager does not want you, you have to go," he told the Daily Mail.
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"In January, things happened with the coach. I was on the brink of renewing my contract and they put the brakes on it. I suspect the manager was behind it.
"They gave me a week extra off but since then it's fines all the way. They want me training with the reserves. I am not going to do that.
"I am not a criminal and I am not in the wrong here. So, if they need to fine me, let them fine me."
Costa, who said he feels Conte "doesn't possess charisma", was angry with how he was told to leave.
(Image: Getty)
He added: "There are ways of going about it. You don't do it by text message. You should be honest and direct to someone's face."
Costa hopes to sort his future out quickly but is prepared to miss a year of playing rather than move somewhere other than Atletico, who are under a transfer embargo until January.
He said: "My desire is to go to Atletico. I have rejected other offers. They want to sell me to China or other teams. If I'm off, I'm going to the club I want to go to, not the club that's paying the most.
"I am open to being a year in Brazil without playing, even if Chelsea fine me for a year and don't pay me. I'll come back stronger. If I was in the wrong, I'd go back now and do as they say." |
BRIEF-Target to acquire Grand Junction to expand, improve delivery services for guests | Aug 14 (Reuters) - Target Corp:
* Target to acquire grand junction to expand and improve delivery services for guests
* Target Corp - announced it has agreed to acquire grand junction, a transportation technology company
* Target Corp - upon deal close, grand junction's employees will become target team members Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: |
Colliers International - " Las Vegas Names Kara Walker, CCIM Associate Vice President | Mike Mixer, the Executive Managing Director of Colliers International - Las Vegas is proud to announce Kara Walker, CCIM has been named Associate Vice President.
Start the conversation, or Read more at Nevada Business Journal. |
Barcelona news: Atletico Madrid to damage Barca title hopes - Niguez | Barcelona are five points clear at the top of La Liga already after winning all of their opening seven matches this season.
While Atletico Madrid also go into the game unbeaten having won four and drawn three so far, putting them five points behind in fourth place.
And Niguez, who has played every minute of La Liga football this term, is confident his side can derail Barca’s impressive start to the campaign.
But the 22-year-old midfielder admits Atletico could struggle if Barcelona forward Lionel Messi brings his A game to the Wanda Metropolitano. |
World War 3: Russia warn North Korea is to test long-range missile capable of reaching USA | handout North Korea is preparing to test a long range missile that could reach the US
The provocative move will anger US president Donald Trump who has repeatedly warned the rogue state that he will “totally destroy” the country if the US is threatened. But the warnings appear to have fallen on deaf ears as the North gets set to test another nuclear missile. The Russian lawmaker sent out the warning after he visited Pyongyang, according to RIA.
Anton Morozov, a member of the Russian Duma's international affairs committee, and two other Russian lawmakers visited Pyongyang on October 2-6, RIA reported. Mr Morozov said: "They are preparing for new tests of a long-range missile. They even gave us mathematical calculations that they believe prove that their missile can hit the west coast of the United States. "As far as we understand, they intend to launch one more long-range missile in the near future. And in general, their mood is rather belligerent."
Getty Kim look set to anger the international community with another missile test
Unseen pictures reveal inside North Korea from China's border Tue, June 20, 2017 From hired boats along the Yalu river, Chinese tourists peer into the reclusive North, marked by soldiers, meagre villages, and depleted farmlands Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 12 North Korean soldiers wait for a local ferry to cross the Yalu river north of the border city of Dandong, Liaoning province, northern China near Sinuiju, North Korea |
Capitals' Braden Holtby: Frustrates Senators with 23-save win | Holtby stopped 23 of 24 shots in Sunday's win over Ottawa.
It was the 16th win of the season for Holtby, who is off to a solid start in 2017. The 27-year-old is sporting a .929 save percentage and has allowed just a single goal in each of his last two appearances. Given his consistency and 28 games played, the workhorse should be in your lineup whenever he gets the nod for Washington. |
Cuban man pleads guilty in IRS tax return scam | A Cuban national has pleaded guilty to his role in an international conspiracy to file more than 900 phony federal tax returns seeking $2.2 million in refunds by using employee information stolen from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Yoandy Perez Llanes, 33, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and aggravated identity theft Monday before a federal judge in Pittsburgh.
Start the conversation, or Read more at Chico Enterprise-Record. |
Voices: People at Oregon town hall criticize Trump policies | Read more: The Progress
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden holds a town hall meeting in The Dalles, Oreg., Wednesday, April 12, 2017. People react as U.S. Rep. Greg Walden speaks at a town hall meeting in The Dalles, Oreg., Wednesday, April 12, 2017.
Start the conversation, or Read more at The Progress. |
Man arrested for threatening wife at gunpoint | Angry with his wife for leaving his Rohtak home, a 27-year-old man, who allegedly tried to forcefully take her back at gunpoint in outer Delhi, was arrested on Monday.
Yashpal was allegedly drunk at the time of the incident and had threatened to open fire at his wife’s brother’s house in Sultanpuri area, in the wee hours on Monday, said a senior police officer.
Yashpal was accompanied by one Devender, and the duo were later arrested, he said.
While he was threatening his wife, residents of the locality gathered outside the house and managed to seize Yashpal’s gun, said the officer.
The duo were thrashed and handed over to police.
Yashpal got married to Rakhi around four years back. He used to run an ITI canteen on contract.
The couple had frequent fights. Upset over the frequent fights, Rakhi decided to leave her husband and return to Delhi.
“Her brother Akash told us that he was contacted by his sister who wanted to return to Delhi. Akash visited the couple’s home in Rohtak, Haryana and brought her back to Delhi,” said a senior police officer.
When Yashpal found that his wife was missing he tracked her down to her brother’s house and reached there with Devender.
He threatened to fire at them if Rakhi didn’t accompany him back home, said the officer.
For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App now |
Nightmare behind David Beckham's Miami dream: Residents battling his plan for 25,000-seat stadium in drugs hellhole | Get football updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
David Beckham’s plan to build a multi-million pound soccer stadium in one of America’s worst ghettos is getting a kicking – from the people who live there.
Ex-Manchester United legend Becks dreams of creating a 25,000-seat home in Miami for his new Major League Soccer club based in the Florida city.
But he and his billionaire backers have chosen the rundown district of Overtown for their project – and are facing fierce opposition from locals.
Overtown is an area blighted by decades of neglect and historic racial tensions, infested by junkies, dealers, drunks, hookers, pimps, vandals and out-of-control gang yobs.
(Image: Getty)
(Image: Miami Beckham United)
It is dubbed Miami’s “Ground Zero” for heroin abuse, with kids as young as ten succumbing to the opioid crisis Donald Trump has labelled the greatest scourge in America today.
More than 20 shots are fired in an average day and it has “starred” in US detective documentary First 48 Hours.
Yet the inhabitants of this godforsaken hellhole – notorious from coast to coast across the entire country – are up in arms about the bid to plonk a massive sports arena in their midst.
They claim the project’s backers are securing the land at cheap prices and fear the huge redevelopment will see many of them lose their homes.
(Image: MEGA)
(Image: MEGA)
They also believe that despite hundreds of jobs being created, virtually none will come their way.
And locals even forecast a rise in “harassment” from police protecting thousands of fans forced to walk through Overtown’s mean streets from rail stations to the stadium, which has no plans for a car park.
When Becks, the former England captain nicknamed Goldenballs, announced his dream he said he wanted to be “a good neighbour”.
He said: “I don’t want to have any problems. We want to make people happy. This is a good positive story.”
But even locals not violently against the project are baffled by it.
(Image: MEGA)
(Image: MEGA)
They cannot understand why the developers want to come to an area that once bore the tag “Harlem of the South” in far-off better days when famed Afro-American singers performed in its bars and clubs.
And rather than a gleaming new football stadium for highly-paid players they would prefer to see decent affordable housing given to those living below the breadline, a new grocery store, health centre and school.
Mother-of-four Tarshmarnique Cannon, 32, said: “It makes you question why bring it to one of America’s worst ghettos. Of all the places they could have put it they want to build it in a town where crime is a way of life and locals endure a living hell.”
(Image: MEGA)
(Image: MEGA)
A brief drive around the area showed scores of destitute people living under bridges, drinking out of bottles in brown paper bags or openly feeding their crack addiction from homemade pipes.
Less than half a mile away stand the plush high-rise blocks where the Miami MSL team’s players will no doubt live when the team launches in two years.
Last week the glaring contrast was highlighted at a public meeting in Overtown’s Reeves Park community centre.
More than 100 locals flocked to the meeting after organisers played a trick on them – boosting attendance by distributing flyers suggesting it was a protest against evictions.
(Image: MEGA)
(Image: MEGA)
Bishop James Adams of St John Institutional Missionary Baptist Church, who is leading the fight, apologised to the crowd for the ruse saying: “It was to get your attention.”
He said the stadium plan was by no means “a done deal”, telling residents: “When there are drastic situations, we’ve got to take drastic measures.”
The developers, Miami Beckham United, have so far promised around 50 employment positions.
(Image: MEGA)
(Image: MEGA)
But campaigner Kimmi Saunders told the meeting: “Guys, we have to stand up. A multi-million dollar stadium and they offer 50 jobs. They are going to make money we can’t even imagine but they’re giving us nothing.”
However a few locals hold out hope the project could lead to the area being gentrified and finding new civic pride.
Estylin Harrison, 30, said: “This area needs change, it needs progress.” |
and why it's being accused of threatening our democracy | Get politics updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
Facebook’s motto was “move fast and break things.”
Now it is in the dock, charged with moving too fast and threatening to break our democracy.
The US tech giant is accused of allowing a British firm to harvest the personal details of more than 50 million users.
This was passed to the secretive Cambridge Analytica firm which played a key role in the US presidential elections and, possibly, the EU referendum .
This was not an innocent piece of market research.
How Cambridge Analytica operates has huge consequences for how elections are won and lost.
Here, we examine the data breach that has put the health of our democracy under threat.
What does Facebook know about you?
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
The vast majority of people on Facebook – and there 32 million in the UK and almost two billion worldwide – use it to keep in touch with friends, share photos and videos and arrange social events.
Few users realise that in doing so we hand over a wealth of personal data to the company, which, as a result, knows far more about you than any government.
The information many nations have on ID cards is about a 1,000th of the information which Facebook has collected. Some of this we hand over voluntarily, such as when you tell Facebook your age, school, address, place of work and marital status.
But Facebook can glean far more information from what you “like”, who your friends are and what groups you join.
It can also, if you let it, track your website history. This allows the tech firm to sell advertising that can be pinpointed at each individual user.
Facebook’s algorithms are so sophisticated there are stories of women being bombarded with ads for nappies even before they knew they were pregnant.
This is incredibly valuable for those wanting to sell you something and it is a gold mine for a political party wanting to push tailor-made messages at a particular audience.
What is Cambridge Analytica?
(Image: PA)
The firm, which has nothing to do with Cambridge University, was set up in 2013 to assist companies and political organisations who want to “change audience behaviour”.
The firm collects vast amounts of information from social media firms and polling and then uses it to draw up targets for political messaging.
Cambridge Analytica is partly owned by the US billionaire Robert Mercer, who bankrolled Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, and is run by Old Etonian Alexander Nix. Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon was on Analytica’s board from 2014 to 2016.
During the US election the firm was said to have used real-time inform-ation to target 20 million “persuadable” voters in key seats and schedule Trump’s visit to those campaign arenas.
The Trump online campaign was highly effective. For example, negative messages about Clinton were pushed in areas with a large number of black Americans to suppress the Democrat vote.
What is the firm accused of doing?
The company is accused of using information collected by Aleksandr Krogan’s company Global Science Research. In 2014, Dr Krogan gathered data through an app that paid Facebook users to take a personality quiz.
It also collected data on these users’ friends, allowing him to get the personal information of as many as 50 million profiles.
Whistleblower Christopher Wylie, who worked for Cambridge Analytica, said he created Bannon’s “psychological warfare” machine.
Wylie told the Observer: “We exploited Facebook to harvest millions of people’s profiles and built models to exploit what we knew about them and target their inner demons. That was the basis that entire company was built on.”
By handing the information to Cambridge Analytica, Dr Krogan, breached Facebook’s rules on the use of personal data.
Mr Nix faces claims he misled MPs on the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee – an accusation he denies. Nix told the committee in February: “We do not work with Facebook data and we do not have Facebook data.”
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Cambridge Analytica said: “Alexander Nix did not mislead the committee. When we learned GSR sold us Facebook data it shouldn’t have done, we deleted it all.”
Cambridge Analytica’s managing director Mark Turnbull was secretly filmed by Channel 4 News describing how his firm operates.
He said: “We just put information into the bloodstream of the internet, and then watch it grow, give it a little push every now and again… like a remote control.
“It has to happen without anyone thinking, ‘That’s propaganda’.”
A spokesman for the firm said: “Cambridge Analytica does not use untrue material for any purpose.”
Does Facebook have questions to answer?
Facebook also faces accusations it may have misled Parliament.
Culture committee chairman Damian Collins now wants its boss Mark Zuckerberg to appear before MPs. Facebook told MPs in February it had not passed on information to Cambridge Analytica. Facebook now says Dr Krogan “lied to us and violated our platform policies”.
Facebook knew about the data breach for two years, but did not alert its users. According to the New York Times copies of harvested information can still be found online.
Did Cambridge Analytica have a role in the EU referendum?
The Electoral Commission is investigating the links between Cambridge Analytica and the pro- Brexit organisation Leave.EU co-founded by Arron Banks. In 2015, Mr Nix said his firm had “supercharged” Leave.EU’s social media reach. He has now retracted the claim and says Cambridge Analytica did not work for Leave.EU.
But Banks told the Culture committee: “It is incorrect to say they [Cambridge Analytica] had no involvement.”
What does it mean for you?
The rapid expansion in social media has transformed the way we receive and digest news.
This is especially true for younger people (25% of Facebook users in the UK are aged 25-34), who get more of their news online than from papers, TV and radio.
MPs are calling for tech firms to state clearly where your news is coming from and who pays for it. They also want the Data Protection Act updated to protect the personal details of social media users.
Without these safeguards, they fear political parties will be free to plunder information and use it to disperse propaganda and fake news to unwitting audiences. |
New York Post | The celebrity chef believes New York City will witness 15-20% of it eateries close in the next two years. |
BRIEF-Wodkan Q4 net result swings to loss of 264,983 zlotys yoy | UPDATE 1-Molson Coors' quarterly sales miss estimates
Feb 14 Molson Coors Brewing Co reported lower-than-expected quarterly sales, due to a strong dollar and weak demand for its Coors Light beer and its cheaper brands such as Miller High Life in the United States. |
BRIEF-Ossia International posts qtrly loss attributable of S$1.1 mln | Aug 14 (Reuters) - Ossia International Ltd
* Qtrly revenue S$5.8, down 20.2 percent
* Qtrly loss attributable to owners of company S$1.1 million versus loss of S$666,000 Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: |
Trump talks of 'calm before the storm' at military dinner | WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump delivered a foreboding message, telling reporters as he posed for photos with his senior military leaders that this might be "the calm before the storm."
White House reporters were summoned suddenly Thursday evening and told the president had decided he wanted the press to document a dinner he was holding with the military leaders and their wives.
Reporters were led hastily to the grand State Dining Room, where they walked into a scene of the president, his highest-ranking military aides and their wives posing for a group photo. The cameras clicked and they smiled. A joke was made about someone's face being tired. Live classical music played.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, center, poses for a group photo with senior military leaders and spouses in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017. Trump was hosting the dinner for the group. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Then, Trump gestured to the reporters in the room.
"You guys know what this represents?" Trump asked. "Maybe it's the calm before the storm. Could be the calm, the calm before the storm."
"What storm Mr. President?" one reporter shouted. ISIS? North Korea? Iran?
"You'll find out," the president said.
He also praised those assembled for the photo, saying: "We have the world's great military people in this room, I will tell you that."
Earlier in the evening, the president had lauded the group, including his defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and said they would be discussing the most pressing military issues facing the country, including North Korea and Iran.
Trump said "tremendous progress" had been made with respect to the Islamic State group, adding, "I guess the media's going to be finding out about that over the next short period of time."
He also denounced Iran, saying the country should not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons, and offered another stark warning to North Korea's Kim Jong Un.
"We cannot allow this dictatorship to threaten our nation or allies with unimaginable loss of life," he said, vowing to "do what we must do to prevent that from happening and it will be done, if necessary. Believe me."
He also said that, moving forward, he expects those in the room to provide him with "a broad range of military options, when needed, at a much faster pace."
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Follow Colvin on Twitter at https://twitter.com/colvinj |
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat: More fiction than history | The portrayal of the Khiljis in Padmaavat has no real basis in history. The portrayal of the Khiljis in Padmaavat has no real basis in history.
Padmaavat, the film by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, which is supposed to be historical fiction, is more fiction than history. Set against the backdrop of patriarchy and Rajput morality vs Khilji, the Muslim invader’s immorality, it is neither faithful to Malik Mohammad Jayasi’s epic poem Padmaavat that the film proclaims it’s based on, nor to the Khilji rulers.
Some of the most vociferous complaints about the movie have been about the glorification of the jauhar scene. First, in the poem, Ratansen dies fighting another Rajput king Devpal, [who also coveted Padmaavati] in a duel and both his wives commit sati. Jayasi was a Sufi, who used many allegories to describe what is essentially a Sufi’s journey of seeking God and ultimately annihilating himself/herself in the divine. Thus, the first step is to learn about the divine and to seek him with the guidance of a spiritual teacher who shows the way. Many sacrifices have to be made on the way, the most important being the sacrifice of the ego and of worldly trappings. The last stage is the stage of gnostic knowledge of the divine and a state of spiritual experience, leading to a union (after death) with the beloved (god). Likewise, the relationship between the hero and heroine in a Sufi romance is that of the seeker and the beloved (god). Thus, sati was included in the poem as the ultimate aim of the seeker to annihilate oneself to become one with him. In deleting the character of Hiraman, the parrot who signifies Padmavati’s companion and spiritual guide, Bhansali’s film is wholly bereft of the Sufi overtone. Sati, then, becomes a glorification of a medieval patriarchal custom in the film.
The constant clash of civilisations in the film is another disservice to Jayasi’s spirit as is Bhansali’s characterisations. In fact, in the preface of the first English translation (1944) of Padmaavat, the translator A G Shirreff, writes, “If we could meet him in the Elysian fields and could ask him whether he approached the theme from a Muslim or Hindu standpoint, he would, I imagine, answer with a smile, that he did not know and that he had never seen any difference between the two.”
Sultanpur, UP, where Jayasi lived and Shirreff was district magistrate of, had never seen communal clashes in that era according to records. The portrayal of the Khiljis also has no real basis in history. Jalauddin Khilji came to the throne in 1290 only to bridge the chaos after the death of Balban. He was never ambitious and did not launch any attack on Hindustan from Ghazni.
Ali Gurchasp, however, was the opposite of his uncle Jalaluddin — ambitious, cunning, unscrupulous and aggressive. He killed his uncle and ascended the throne in 1296. Alauddunya wad Din Muhammad Shah us Sultan was the name he adopted as king. Alauddin, as he came to be known, was also patient, ruthless, bold, cautious and capable of planning and organisation. Though a tyrant, he was not a manic barbarian — tearing into meat with his hands, as he is shown in the film, would have been very uncharacteristic for a royal. His reign saw the threat of the Mongols who had devastated much of Central Asia and his priority was strengthening his borders and army. He effected far-reaching agrarian and market reforms, which he ruthlessly implemented.
Alauddin broke the domination of the Turks and broadened the administrative machinery and made governance independent of shariat. He saw himself as a second Alexander and though he could not conquer the world with Mongol hordes at his doorsteps, he expanded his kingdom within Hindustan. Chittor was one such conquest. Neither Amir Khusrau, the court chronicler who was with him on this war, nor any other near contemporary chronicler like Isami or Barani, make any mention of any Padmavati or jauhar. Khusrau did refer to jauhar in Ranthambhor, so obviously had no scruples in describing it.
Who is the bad guy? A 17th century painting of Alauddin Khilji. Who is the bad guy? A 17th century painting of Alauddin Khilji.
Just as Jayasi felt no obligations to be bound by facts of history or geography while writing his epic, Bhansali was faithful to neither history, geography nor the epic on which he based his film. Both the poet and filmmaker used their creative freedom and are entitled to it. What I find unforgivable, though, is Bhansali’s use of Hazrat Amir Khusrau’s famous verse in the film. Not content with showing the great Sufi poet saint as a pale shadow of himself, Bhansali uses the epic verse that encapsulates the entire Sufi philosophy of annihilation of self and ishq e haqeeqi or love for the divine in the context of Alauddin’s obsession for Padmavati that was driven by ego and lust.
Khusrau darya prem ka, ulti wa ki dhaar,
Jo utra so doob gaya, jo dooba so paar.
Oh Khusrau, the river of love is such that it runs in strange ways
One who jumps into it drowns, while one who drowns in it, reaches the other side.
Rana Safvi is a Delhi-based writer
For all the latest Eye News, download Indian Express App |
Pakistan Embassy in US celebrate 70 years of Independence | WASHINGTON, Aug 14 (APP): A large number of Pakistani Americans
visited the Pakistan Embassy in Washington to celebrate 70 years of freedom with a pledge to contribute towards development and progress of their motherland.
The embassy opened its gates for an “Open House” to mark the day as
part of festivities that will continue during the coming months. Pakistani Americans from Washington and the neighboring states of Virginia and Maryland came in large number to together celebrate the Independence Day.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Aizaz Chaudhry paid rich tribute to
Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Founder of Pakistan as due to his relentless efforts, Muslims of the Subcontinent were able to secure a separate homeland for themselves.
The ambassador also admired the great Muslim philosopher and poet Allama
Muhammad Iqbal who first presented the idea for a separate homeland for the Muslims of the Subcontinent. Commenting on the tremendous sacrifices rendered by the Muslims of the Subcontinent, Ambassador Chaudhry stated that Pakistan was a home to 200 million people who were blessed with great potential and were firmly committed to the progress and well-being of their country.
He urged Pakistani Americans to contribute towards development and
progress of the entire nation. The Ambassador underscored that Pakistan despite making a modest start in the beginning after gaining independence, had made tremendous strides in all domains over last 70 years.
“Pakistan with a passage of time has attained a prominent position in
the comity of nations. At present, Pakistan is an atomic power having tremendous resources including a dynamic and intelligent youth,” he added.
Ambassador Chaudhry said in recent years, Pakistan had successfully
reversed the tide of terrorism whereas other countries in the world were still grappling with the scourge of terrorism. “Recently, Pakistan has witnessed a tremendous economic turnaround and all fundamental economic indicators are projecting upwards which is a great achievement,” he added.
While commenting on Pak-US relations, Ambassador Chaudhry said that
Pakistan and the US would be celebrating 70th anniversary of friendship this year. “Pakistan attaches great value to its relations with the United States spanning over seven decades and we are committed to further strengthen these bilateral relations.”
He urged the Pakistani Americans to act like a bridge between country of
their origin and the country of their residence. He further added that Pakistani Americans should actively participate in the mainstream politics and play a constructive role in the peace and prosperity of the US.
The Ambassador emphasized that the second generation Pakistani Americans
must stay connected with their motherland while actively participating in all facets of American polity including political and socio-economic sectors.
On the occasion, national songs were played by young Pakistani singers
which enthralled the distinguished guests particularly the younger generation. A Group of Pakistani performers presented regional and folk dances. A mesmerizing Tabla performance was given by Nabeel Riaz.
A Cultural Unity Show on the theme of “Rhythm of Unity” was also
arranged to pay tribute to the rich cultural heritage of Pakistan. The traditional Pakistani stalls were also setup which attracted many Pakistani American visitors. Young children in traditional dresses of various parts of the country were one of the major attractions of the event.
Towards the end, Ambassador Chaudhry remarked that we should celebrate
our successes on the 70th independence anniversary and learn from our mistakes in order to march forward as a great nation. Ambassador prayed that Pakistan may make progress by leaps and bounds. |
BRIEF-GSO Capital Partners reports execution of binding agreements for the sale of common shares of Stars Group | Aug 14 (Reuters) - GSO Capital Partners LP:
* GSO Capital Partners LP - The GSO funds have entered into privately negotiated binding agreements to sell all of common shares of Stars Group Inc
* GSO Capital Partners LP - Under each sale agreement, GSO funds will deliver Stars Group's shares to certain purchasers upon payment of C$23.50/share
* GSO Capital Partners LP - GSO funds beneficially own an aggregate of about 14 million common shares of Stars Group Inc
* GSO Capital Partners LP - GSO funds are disposing of the common shares for investment purposes
* GSO Capital Partners LP - following dispositions, GSO funds will have beneficial ownership of 651,060 convertible preferred shares of Stars Group Source text for Eikon: |
St Joseph's Nursing Home | We always recommend that before selecting or making any important decisions about a care home you take the time to check that it is right for your or your relative's particular circumstances. Any description and indication of services and facilities on this page have been provided to us by the relevant care home and we cannot take any responsibility for any errors or other inaccuracies. However, please email us on the address you will find on our About us page if you think any of the information on this page is missing and / or incorrect. |
Lynn of Lorne Care Home | About Lynn of Lorne Care Home
Lynn of Lorne Care Home is purpose-built and designed to promote small group living as the home aims to provide a welcoming atmosphere and a sense of family to help residents feel relaxed. The Head of Care is supported by qualified nurses, experienced in caring for those with physical disabilities, high dependency needs, those who are terminally ill, and those who become infirm. Each resident is allocated a nurse and carer who will soon become a familiar face and answer any queries or anxieties you or your relatives may have. They are responsible for assessing needs and preparing a care plan, as well as delivering and evaluating the care received. Lynn of Lorne also operates using teams of nursing and care staff, who will support you during your settling in period as well as ensure the delivery of a more individualised and personal service. |
Migrants should be let into Britain until 2021, says EU | Britain is facing demands to push back the ‘cut-off date’ for new EU migrants to 2021 in return for a two-year transition deal, it emerged last night.
Documents show that EU negotiators plan to issue the demand during the next phase of negotiations in return for the ‘transition deal’ wanted by the Prime Minister.
The ultimatum risks infuriating Brexiteers who insist that Brexit should be capitalised on by the Government to regain control of the country’s immigration system.
The Brexit divorce deal agreed by Theresa May last week proposes a ‘cut-off date’ of March 2019, after which new EU migrants would lose the automatic right to reside in the UK on a long-term basis.
Britain is facing demands to push back the ‘cut-off date’ for new EU migrants to 2021 in return for a two-year transition deal, it emerged last night (file photo)
British officials insist the issue has been largely settled in negotiators, the EU believes that the date can be pushed back even further in talks to grants Mrs May a transition deal.
An EU document said: ‘In such case, the ‘specified date’ should, in the Commission’s view, be defined not as the date of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal, but as that of the end of the transitional period.’
The revelation was contained in a ‘state of progress’ report sent by the European Commission to the European Council setting out negotiating issues before EU leaders meet to discuss trade talks on Thursday.
The strategy will raise concerns that Brussels is planning to use the next phase of discussions, likely to be given the green light by leaders during the meeting, to ask for more demands on so-called divorce issues.
The move came as Tory MPs united behind Mrs May in the Commons as she outlined details of the deal.
The PM confirmed that the deal involves a controversial divorce payment of up to £39 billion.
But she said the offer would be ‘off the table’ if the EU refuses to agree a comprehensive trade deal.
Mrs May also dismissed claims that the deal would force the UK to shadow EU laws. Asked if the UK would regain ‘full regulatory autonomy’, she said: ‘That is the whole point. Once outside we will be able to determine our regulation and where we want to diverge from the EU.’
Documents show that EU negotiators plan to issue the demand during the next phase of negotiations in return for the ‘transition deal’ wanted by the Prime Minister
Outlining the deal, she added: ‘This is good news for people who voted leave, who were worried that we were so bogged down in tortuous negotiations that it was never going to happen, and it is good news for people who voted remain, who were worried that we would crash out without a deal.
‘We are going to leave, but we will do so in a smooth and orderly way, securing a new deep and special partnership with our friends while taking back control of our borders, money and laws once again.’
Unusually, Mrs May won support from both sides of the Tory Brexit divide.
Former minister Anna Soubry, one of the leading anti-Brexit rebels, welcomed the deal as a ‘major step forward’, and said there was ‘complete unanimity’ in the party behind the PM.
But Mrs May was also backed by former leader Iain Duncan Smith, who warned last week that Mrs May would have to walk away from the talks unless Brussels agreed to ‘back off’ from its most extreme demands.
The Brexit divorce deal agreed by Theresa May last week proposes a ‘cut-off date’ of March 2019, after which new EU migrants would lose the automatic right to reside in the UK on a long-term basis
Mr Duncan Smith congratulated Mrs May on ‘driving through an improved agreement’ with Brussels.
Fellow Tory Nick Boles likened the Prime Minister to a former England cricketer, telling MPs: ‘I’m no cricket fan but may I tell her that that was a performance worthy of Geoffrey Boycott?’
Former Conservative chancellor Lord Lawson struck a more cautious note, saying there were still ‘important issues to resolve’. But he added: ‘It’s just about acceptable.’
Tory MP Philip Davies, another Eurosceptic, questioned the wisdom of handing billions to Brussels at a time of austerity at home.
‘The Prime Minister said that there had been give and take in these negotiations, of course she’s absolutely right. We’re giving the EU tens of billions of pounds and they’re taking them,’ he said. |
WW2 grenade found in Bratislava during spring cleanup | Police received a report on Friday, April 14, about a metal object resembling military ammunition that was found by inhabitants of Bratislava during a spring cleanup at Ostravska Street in the Old Town borough. Lucia Mihlaikova, spokesperson for the Bratislava Regional Police Corps Directorate informed the TASR news wire.
Start the conversation, or Read more at Slovak Spectator. |
Texas leading scorer Andrew Jones out indefinitely with wrist fracture | Texas will be without its leading scorer, Andrew Jones, for an indefinite amount of time after he suffered a right wrist fracture in last week's game against VCU.
Coach Shaka Smart addressed the gloomy news Monday but was optimistic that Jones might return soon.
"Fortunately, it's not one of those injuries where he should be out for an extended period of time," Smart said. "But he's going to miss at least the next few games coming up before Christmas."
Jones, a sophomore, is averaging 15.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists this season for the Longhorns, who came in just outside the AP Top 25 rankings this week. His presence will be sorely missed as the Horns play Michigan and Alabama before the conference opener against Kansas on Dec. 29.
"It's a tough injury for us, because he's our leading scorer and has done a phenomenal job for us this year," Smart said. "We're really hopeful and excited to get him back as soon as we can."
Texas is back in action Tuesday night against Michigan at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. |
Lions' Cornelius Lucas: Signs contract with Lions | Lucas signed a one-year contract with the Lions on Monday, David Birkett of The Detroit Free Press reports.
Lucas has been a backup tackle in Detroit for the past couple seasons, seeing a few spot starts in that span. He'll figure to be a backup option once again in 2017. |
Gunman opens fire on foreigners in Italian town | Charlotte Observer | Paramedics, background center, attend a wounded man after a shooting broke out in Macerata, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018. Italian police arrested a lone gunman in a series of drive-by shootings targeting foreigners Saturday morning that paralyzed a small central Italian city still reeling from the gruesome murder of a young Italian woman allegedly at the hands of a Nigerian immigrant. ANSA via AP Guido Picchio |
Man Utd Transfer News: Victor Lindelof sends message to fans | The Sweden international became Jose Mourinho’s first signing of the summer as Manchester United confirmed his arrival this evening.
Lindelof has put pen to paper on a four-year contract worth an initial £30.8million fee.
The highly-rated defender is expected to slot in alongside Eric Bailly at the heart of United’s defence next season.
But Lindelof’s versatility is one of the attributes that attracted Mourinho, with the 22-year-old able to play at right-back too.
“I think I’m quite a calm player. I like to have the ball at my feet,” he told United’s website. |
Woman accused of causing a fatal wrong-way crash on I-90 back in jail | The Washington State Patrol arrested a woman accused of causing a fatal wrong-way crash on I-90 in 2015. Just before 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Troopers arrested Carrah Goble on an outstanding felony warrant for Vehicular Homicide at her home in Cheney.
Start the conversation, or Read more at KHQ-TV Spokane. |
Cosby lawyers slam accuser as 'pathological liar' at trial | NORRISTOWN, Pa. (Reuters) - Defense lawyers for comedian Bill Cosby attacked the credibility of women who testified against him at his sexual assault trial, singling out accuser Andrea Constand during closing arguments on Tuesday as a “pathological liar.”
Bill Cosby (L) arrives at the Montgomery County Courthouse with his spokesperson Andrew Wyatt to attend his sexual assault retrial in Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S. April 24, 2018. Jessica Griffin/Pool via REUTERS
Cosby, the once-beloved comedian and TV dad, is on trial on three counts of aggravated indecent assault of Constand, 45, a former administrator of the Temple University women’s basketball team, at his home outside Philadelphia in January 2004.
Defense lawyer Thomas Mesereau picked apart what he called inconsistent statements by Constand, reminding the jury she continued to call Cosby after the alleged assault. He declared Cosby “must be acquitted on all counts.”
“He made some mistakes for sure, but he is no criminal,” Mesereau told the jury at Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania. “This is a very serious moment for an 80-year-old man who had a very successful career and is looking at absolute ruin.”
Co-counsel Kathleen Bliss then assailed the five other witnesses who said they, like Constand, had been drugged and violated by Cosby, saying it was unfair to Cosby that they were “digging up stuff from three decades ago.”
She said the five Cosby accusers were fabricating stories in search of money and fame that would come with leveling such allegations against Cosby, a comedian known for clean material and whose television career was based on a wholesome image.
Attorney Tom Mesereau (C), attorney for Bill Cosby, arrives at the Montgomery County Courthouse for the sexual assault retrial of Bill Cosby in Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S. April 24, 2018. Jessica Griffin/Pool via REUTERS
“What is this case about? Money, press conferences, TV shows, salacious coverage, ratings. Sex sells,” Bliss said.
In all, some 50 women have accused Cosby of sexual assault going back decades, though only Constand’s case was recent enough for criminal prosecution.
Slideshow (3 Images)
This is his second trial, after a deadlocked jury in the first trial failed to reach a verdict last year, just as a flood of sexual assault and harassment accusations against rich and powerful men gave rise to the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements.
As in the first trial, Cosby declined to testify on his own behalf. He has denied wrongdoing, saying any sexual contact he had was consensual.
His wife of more than 50 years, Camille Cosby, arrived in court on Tuesday for the first time since the trial began on April 9. As in the first trial, she only showed for closing arguments.
If convicted of all three counts, Cosby would likely face up to 10 years in prison under state sentencing guidelines, although Pennsylvania law allows for a maximum penalty of three consecutive 10-year terms. |
New York Post | An on-camera toast to Balthazar's 20th anniversary Food blog Eater will be filming the scene and interviewing veteran staff at the restaurant on Friday.
Hot NYC restaurant Balthazar is loaded with juicy secrets No restaurant in New York City — maybe in America — ever opened to greater hoopla, hysteria and impossible-to-satisfy demand than Balthazar did on April 21, 1997. The 180 seats...
Cate Blanchett proves 'fake news' wrong Star had reported that “Cate’s mood swings have been driving the cast and crew crazy” on set of "The Present" on Broadway.
Cate Blanchett proves 'fake news' wrong Star had reported that “Cate’s mood swings have been driving the cast and crew crazy” on set of "The Present" on Broadway.
Giant mirror crashes on diners at Balthazar A giant mirror crashed onto diners at the hip SoHo hotspot Balthazar Friday morning — injuring a former French government big who then lifted the mirror off fellow diners “like...
Balthazar signs 10-year lease in Soho After Keith McNally’s Pastis shuttered in the Meatpacking District, rumors swirled that his venerable Soho spot Balthazar was next. But the restaurateur denied the reports and has signed a new...
Keith McNally's 28-year-old daughter Sophie joins the family restaurant business The one piece of advice famed restaurateur Keith McNally has for his 28-year-old daughter, Sophie? “Never listen to the boss,” says McNally, 63. Perhaps easier said than done when you’re...
After two closed restaurants, can Keith McNally return to the top? It’s only the second night of business for Keith McNally’s new restaurant, Cherche Midi, and already the place is buzzing. Stylish diners sip Champagne at the bar and cozy up...
Bernhard Goetz: NYC's most 'high'-minded citizen Bernhard Goetz has something to teach New Yorkers about life, about animals, about the barbarity of circumcision and the joys of a well-oiled firearm in the right hands — if... |
Houston Dash forward Melissa Henderson announces retirement | Melissa Henderson announces her retirement | Source: Trask Smith
Today, the Houston Dash announced that forward Melissa Henderson has retired.
Henderson has been with the Houston Dash since 2014, when she was traded from FC Kansas City. She appeared in all nine games after joining the expansion club, starting in eight of the matches and totaled 629 minutes. In 2015 the forward started all 20 matches she appeared in, tallying two assists for her club.
Although she initially announced her retirement shortly after the end of the 2015 season, the Notre Dame alum ended up returning to the Dash for the 2016 season that January. She ended the season with four starts in seven games for the Houston Dash, logging 321 minutes.
Henderson made one appearance for the Houston Dash this season when she entered the match as a substitute for forward Nichelle Prince in the 71st minute in the Dash’s away match against Sky Blue FC on May 20.
Henderson in her first season with the Dash. | Source: Trask Smith
Before joining the Dash, the forward was with FC Kansas City in 2013 and half of the 2014 season. She scored a goal in Kansas City’s semifinal match against the eventual inagural champions Portland Thorns in 2013, which ultimately resulted in a 3-2 loss for the Blues.
She has also spent time overseas, playing on loan to Denmark based Fortuna Hjørring in 2014 and on loan to Cyprus’ Apollon FC in 2016. She was able to compete in the UEFA Women’s Champions League both seasons for her respective teams.
The Houston Dash will continue their 2017 season this weekend as they host the Orlando Pride at BBVA Compass Stadium. Kickoff is schedule for 7:30 PM Eastern Time and will be broadcasted on the go90 app and website. |
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BRIEF-Xiangxue Pharmaceutical to set up investment management unit in Guangzhou | Dec 11(Reuters) - Xiangxue Pharmaceutical Co Ltd
* Says it plans to invest 10 million yuan to set up a wholly owned investment management unit in Guangzhou
Source text in Chinese:goo.gl/Tt5xe8
Further company coverage: (Beijing Headline News) |
Carers Information and Support | About Carers Information and Support
Kernow Carers Service is a support service for informal carers. They run a telephone helpline. They now have dementia specialist support workers who can contact a carer or conduct face to face support if needed. They also organise Carers' Forums four times a year in Falmouth, St Austell, Truro, Redruth, Wadebridge, Liskeard, Helston, Newquay and Penzance. At these Forums carers can obtain information and advice and raise awareness of issues and concerns that have affected them. |
Ex-South Korean leader Park indicted, faces trial | In this March 30, 2017 file photo, former South Korean President Park Geun-hye arrives at the Seoul Central District Court for hearing on a prosecutors' request for her arrest for corruption, in Seoul, South Korea. South Korean prosecutors on Monday, April 17 indicted Park on high-profile corruption charges that could potentially send her to jail for life.
Start the conversation, or Read more at Houston Chronicle. |
Anthony Scaramucci slams Donald Trump for not being harsh enough on white supremacists after Charlottesville | Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
Donald Trump's ex-press secretary has slammed his former boss for not taking a harder line against the white supremacists after the Charlottesville tragedy.
Anthony Scaramucci l eft his post just 11 days after replacing Sean Spicer as press secretary, and gave his first interview since his resignation.
He told ABC's 'This week with George Stephanopoulos that he would have urged Trump to take a different approach.
Trump, Scaramucci said: "He likes doing the opposite of what the media thinks he should do."
Scaramucci also hinted that the days are numbered for Trump's chief strategist, Steve Bannon.
He decried what he called the "Bannon-Bart" influence at the White House, labelling it "nonsense."
(Image: REUTERS)
It was a reference to Bannon's former job running Brietbart.com, the right-wing site that has also been associated with the alt-right.
Trump "has got to go more to the mainstream," Scaramucci said. He added that he thinks "the president knows what he is going to do with Steve Bannon," and that Trump "has an idea of who the leakers are".
The New Yorker's Ryan Lizza published an expletive-filled interview with Scaramucci, in which he bashed then-chief of staff Reince Priebus and used a sexually-vulgar term to describe Bannon.
Stephanopoulos played portions of the conversation Scaramucci had with Lizza, as Scaramucci listened.
(Image: AFP)
But he steered clear from using over-the-top statements.
He said that he thought that the phone call was off the record, and called it a "very deceitful thing" for Lizza to publish his quotes.
But he acknowledged that he "made an unforced error," and said that he was a target from the start.
"There were probably one or two people who wanted me in that job," including Trump, Scaramucci said. "There were probably 200 people that didn't want me in that job."
He also said that how he sounds on the audio of the conversation is different to how he comes across in print.
Despite his departure from the White House, Scaramucci said that he remains a loyal and supportive of the president, and HAD talked to him in the past week.
(Image: AFP)
He said that some of the turbulence of Trump's first six months is because "the president is not a representative of political establishment class, and for whatever reason people want to eject him".
He ADDED that Trump had created an "opening" for corporate CEOs to "enter the system," and mentioned Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and The Walt Disney Co.'s Bob Iger as corporate chieftains who have expressed an interest in politics.
He said that one of his faults in taking the job was that "I was running too hard like a corporate CEO than a political operative."
"I went in there with my heart and soul," he said. "I am a straight talking person."
He also compared himself to a pop culture figure -- Winston Wolf, the clean up guy in "Pulp Fiction."
Appearing on a Facebook Live conversation with ABC News' Rick Klein, Scaramucci talked more about Bannon and whether he should have a role at the White House.
(Image: EPA)
Asked whether Bannon and the alt-right we having an influence on Trump, Scaramucci said that "I think the president is his own person." He said that Bannon's influence "is not as great as you would think."
But he said that "the fact that [Bannon] is sitting there in the White House makes people think he has influence."
He did say that some of the topics that Bannon and Brietbart.com have brought up is "very worthwhile," like "economic desperation," but "the other nasty stuff that is on that website I think is disgusting."
He said that he was not being critical of Trump in saying that he would have recommended that the president call out white supremacy, but "I think he needs to hit it a little harder."
(Image: Rex Features)
(Image: Rex Features)
Three people died and several others seriously injured when protests in Charlottesville turned violent on Saturday.
Trump has faced criticism for 'waiting too long' to address the violence and failing to explicitly condemn the white supremacist marchers who ignited the melee.
The White House said the president's remarks condemned all forms of violence and bigotry, including neo-Nazi groups and the Ku Klux Klan.
Trump said "many sides" were involved in the Charlottesville incidents, drawing fire from across the political spectrum for not specifically denouncing the far right.
(Image: Getty)
The violence presented Trump with perhaps the first domestic crisis of his administration.
“We’re closely following the terrible events unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia," Trump told reporters at his New Jersey golf course.
"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides."
A reporter shouted a question to Trump about whether he had spoken out strongly enough against white nationalists but the president made no comment.
(Image: REUTERS)
On Sunday the far right organiser of the rally had to be escorted away by riot police after angry mobs descended upon his makeshift press conference.
Jasson Kessler is a white supremacist who organised the Unite the Right protest in the liberal town of Charlottesville, which resulted in three deaths and many other serious injuries on Saturday.
A 32-year-old woman, Heather Heyes, was killed after an alt-right protester drove his car into a crowd of people peacefully carrying out a counter protest.
Kessler attempted to make a public speech blaming the lack of security for the atrocities which occurred at the deadly protests on Saturday.
But his words were soon drowned out by chants of "murderer" and "Nazi" before crowds of people poured onto the podium and the far right leader had to be escorted away by riot police.
Angry mobs chased the President of 'America First' away, with many attempting to pull him to the ground.
As armed police in protective gear pulled Kessler away a crowd member can be heard to say "her name was Heather, sir, her name was Heather, Jason, her blood is on your hands".
(Image: Rex Features)
Another heckler can be heard to say: "Jason, what do you have to say for yourself?".
The white nationalist blogger had previously said supporters of the rally would not back down and would stage more events.
He said: "Absolutely we are going to have further demonstrations in Charlottesville because our constitutional rights are being denied."
(Image: Rex Features)
(Image: Rex Features)
Far right protester James Alex Fields Jr, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder following Heather Heyer's death.
The FBI confirmed that a civil rights investigation has been launched into the crash.
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Earlier in the day, Fields was photographed standing with members of alt-right Vanguard America at a far-right rally that turned violent with fights in the streets before the alleged car attack.
Fields was pictured holding a black shield bearing the neo-Nazi group's logo, and wearing its uniform consisting of a white polo shirt and khaki trousers.
(Image: REUTERS)
(Image: REUTERS)
"Blood and soil", the group's motto, which is derived from a Nazi slogan, was chanted by white nationals at the rally.
The Southern Poverty Law Center calls Vanguard America a "racist right-wing organisation" and said it helped to organised the Unite the Right rally.
In the aftermath of the alleged car attack, Vanguard America denied that the suspect was one of its members.
It wrote on Twitter: "The driver of the vehicle that hit counterprotesters today was, in no way, a member of Vanguard America.
"All our members had been safely evacuated by the time of the incident.
"The shields seen do not denote membership, nor does the white shirt. The shirts were freely handed out to anyone in attendance."
Fields' Facebook page allegedly featured a number of alt-right and Nazi images, including Adolf Hitler's baby photo, before it was taken offline, the New York Daily News reports .
Fields' former teacher Derek Weimer told the TV news station WCPO : “He was very infatuated with the Nazis, with Adolf Hitler.
"He also had a huge military history, especially with German military history and World War II. But, he was pretty infatuated with that stuff.”
(Image: REUTERS)
(Image: Getty)
Heyer, a 32-year-old paralegal, was killed and 19 others were injured when a Dodge Challenger ploughed into a group peacefully protesting and then slammed into another vehicle while tensions in the street were high and a number of fights had already broken out.
Her final public Facebook post read : "If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention."
Mourners returned to the crash scene today to place flowers, cards and other objects in tribute to Ms Heyer.
Shocking footage showed the car hitting pedestrians as bystanders rushed to help the injured.
(Image: Getty)
(Image: REUTERS)
Some described the collision as "deliberate terrorism" - and called on officials and US President Donald Trump to "treat it" as a terror attack.
Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now
After smashing into the activists, the car was filmed reversing back down the street at speed, with a single, red shoe flying out from under its wrecked bumper.
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency due to the violence.
Two Virginia State Police officers were also killed when a helicopter, which had been monitoring the violence from the air, crashed and burst into flames.
(Image: Rex Features)
(Image: Rex Features)
The officers were identified as pilot Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen, 48, and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates, 40.
Dramatic footage from earlier in the day showed people throwing punches and hurling objects, including bottles and rocks, as the two sides clashed.
A number of people were treated for injuries at the scene as fighting continued.
Men dressed in military-style uniforms were seen carrying rifles and shields in the area.
Other clips showed chemical sprays and smoke bombs being used.
(Image: Getty)
(Image: Rex Features)
It was around a couple of hours later that the car was filmed ploughing into protesters.
Mayor Mike Signer who tweeted throughout the chaos, pleaded with people to go back home following the smash.
Mr Signer tweeted: "I am furious & heartsick by the car crash that has injured many. Please all-go home to your families. We can work tomorrow. GO HOME! PLEASE!"
Around half an hour later, he added: "I am heartbroken that a life has been lost here. I urge all people of good will - go home."
(Image: Rex Features)
(Image: Rex Features)
The white supremacist rally was organised in protest over Charlottesville's decision to remove a statue of a Confederate general from a local park.
However, riot police were forced to intervene after the clashes erupted, with helmet-clad officers spotted confronting demonstrators at the scene.
Mr McAuliffe, a Democrat, halted the planned rally, but that did not stop the violence.
About 15 people were injured after rival groups fought pitched battles using fists, rocks and pepper spray.
Addressing the white supremacists, the governor said: "There is no place for you here. There is no place for you in America."
Former president Bill Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders also tweeted about the incident, hitting out at the white supremacists.
(Image: Rex Features)
(Image: Rex Features)
Mr Clinton posted: "Even as we protect free speech and assembly, we must condemn hatred, violence and white supremacy. #Charlottesville."
Mr Sanders said: "The white nationalist demonstration in #Charlottesville is a reprehensible display of racism and hatred that has no place in our society."
They also encircled and chanted at the counter-demonstrators while standing at the base of a statue of former US president Thomas Jefferson.
Their chants reportedly included the words: "White lives matter".
(Image: Anadolu)
(Image: Anadolu)
A university spokesman said one person had been arrested while several people were injured.
The events highlight a persistent debate in the US South over the display of the Confederate battle flag and other symbols of the rebel side in the Civil War, fought over the issue of slavery.
On Friday night, hundreds of white marchers had clashed briefly with counter-protesters on the Charlottesville campus of the University of Virginia.
(Image: Getty Images North America)
(Image: Getty Images North America)
The marchers were seen carrying blazing torches during the incident, which occurred on the eve of the planned "Unite the Right" rally.
About two dozen people were arrested in Charlottesville in July when the Ku Klux Klan rallied against the plan to remove the statue.
Torch-wielding white nationalists also demonstrated in May against the removal. |
West Brom 2 Southampton 3: Saints sink struggling Baggies and end winless run | GETTY Southampton star James Ward-Prowse scored against West Brom
Alan Pardew’s troops were unable to take inspiration from the amazing outpouring of heartfelt grief over the sudden death last month of a true Hawthorns legend. Despite grabbing an early lead, the hosts finished up losing a five-goal relegation thriller that leaves them firmly rooted to the bottom of the Premier League. For after fellow strugglers Southampton hauled themselves back into the contest, they were good value for a most rare and welcome three points. You have to rewind back to November 26 to find the last occasion the south coast outfit secured a league victory. But a three-goal burst either side of half-time, instigated by English playmaker James Ward-Prowse, proved sufficient to get Mauricio Pellegrino’s side back to winning ways. Ward-Prowse has not been a regular starter for much of a troubled campaign under the Argentine coach.
Premier League players in and out of Champions League squads Fri, February 2, 2018 Which Premier League players have been included and dropped from Champions League squads? Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 23 Which Premier League players have been added and dropped from Champions League squads?
However, after making two and scoring one here, he has surely earned himself a sustained run of action. The result catapults the Saints from 18th to 14th - but still only two points clear of the drop. While West Brom remain four points adrift of safety, this must be regarded a glorious opportunity wasted to close that gap. Before yesterday, two wins in three games in all competitions – and some goals to boot – had suggested things were improving. Saints boss Pellegrino gave a full debut to new £19million striker Guido Carrillo – the man plucked from the Monaco first-team fringes. And he could have answered a few doubters in the 14th minute when presented with a clear sight of goal. But Carrillo snatched his shot, dragging it well wide.
Now, if unfair to be critical at this early stage of his new career, the Argentinian’s five goals in France this season is not exactly the return required to solve the Saints’ chronic shortage of firepower in the run-in. Certainly, the difference between himself and opposite number Daniel Sturridge was glaring in the first period. The on-loan Liverpool hitman demonstrated he is far more than just a goalscorer – with superb link-up play. And it was his quick feet that won the corner from which Albion broke the deadlock in the fourth minute. Saints defender Jack Stephens lost his tussle with Ahmed Hegazi and the Egyptian central defender could not miss from close range. Stephens was unhappy with the lack of a whistle, claiming he had been impeded while failing to deal with Chris Brunt’s in-swinging set piece.
GETTY West Brom star Ahmed Hegazi opened the scoring
His complaints fell on ears, though, both with ref Michael Oliver - and his angry team-mates. At that stage Stephens was struggling. In the 35th minute he lost out in a race with lightning Sturridge, who was inches away from finding the top corner with a shot on the run. How he and his colleagues were left cursing that miss when three minutes later they conceded against the run of play. Ben Foster did brilliantly to deny Carrillo’s near-post flick but was helpless to prevent the equaliser from the resulting corner. Sofiane Boufal fed Mario Lemina, who sized up the options, took aim and blasted in a 20-yard rocket. If lucky to be level, Saints did not care. Two minutes on, they were ahead.
Making up for his earlier error, Stephens was first to meet Ward-Prowse’s corner – glancing a header past Foster. What a turnaround – and the Saints were far from finished. After Brunt’s curling free-kick was tipped away by Alex McCarthy early in the second half, Ward-Prowse fared much better at the other end. The Saints midfielder had a scrap with Boufal to take the 55th-minute free-kick, awarded after Wesley Hoedt’s rampaging run was stopped by foul means. And Ward-Prowse more than justified winning that argument by rifling a low right-foot strike into the net. Pardew sent on Jay Rodriguez for tiring Sturridge but it was striker partner Salomon Rondon who provided the Baggies with hope. |
Horse Racing Tips June 15: Fontwell, Haydock, Newbury, Nottingham and Uttoxeter | Authorized provided jockey Frankie Dettori with his first winner in the Derby after 14 previous attempts |
Pistons' Avery Bradley: Scores team-high 18 in Friday's win | Bradley scored 18 points (8-14 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-3 FT) while adding two rebounds, an assist and a steal in 24 minutes during Friday's preseason win over the Hawks.
A rebuilding Atlanta squad that didn't even have Dennis Schroder (rest) in the lineup offered little competition, but Bradley still put together a line in the box score that wouldn't look out of place in January. The former Celtic is coming off a season in which he averaged career highs in scoring, rebounding and threes, and while he likely won't match last year's production on the glass, he should be able to maintain his production in the other two categories while supplying Detroit with his usual excellent defense. |
At least 7 fire departments battle blaze at Penobscot Indian Nation building | Firefighters from at least seven towns have responded to fight a blaze at the Penobscot Indian Nation finance building on Sarahs Spring Lane, according to officials. Old Town, Orono, Milford, Bradley, Holden, Veazie and Bangor firefighters are at the scene of the fire assisting Penobscot Indian Nation crews, according to a Penobscot Regional Communications Center dispatcher.
Start the conversation, or Read more at Bangor Daily News. |
Vietnam tells officials to avoid graft and live modestly | HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam's Communist Party has set out rules for top officials with an emphasis on fighting corruption, avoiding nepotism and living modestly, the government website said on Tuesday.
The announcement, agreed by the politburo on Monday, comes against the backdrop of a growing crackdown on corruption in the one-party state since security-minded conservatives won greater influence early last year.
The crackdown took on an international dimension this month when Germany accused Vietnam of abducting a former oil official from Berlin who is wanted over losses at a state firm.
Top officials must display "no corruption or opportunism... and be determined to push back against the degeneration in political ideology."
They must have "absolutely no ambition for power", "absolutely not let relatives and acquaintances benefit from their positions" and should lead "an honest, modest, sincere, transparent, simple and generous life".
The crackdown on alleged corruption and mismanagement has focused on inefficient state-owned companies and has led to the rare dismissal of a member of the politburo and calls for the sacking of a vice-minister for her role at an electricity firm.
Trinh Xuan Thanh, the former PetroVietnam official Germany says was abducted from Berlin, is wanted on charges of financial management that caused losses or around $150 million at the state oil firm.
He was shown on state television saying that he had decided to turn himself in, but the government has never given details as to how he returned from Germany.
Arrest warrants were also issued this month against 16 bankers in a fraud case that dates to 2014. |
Talaat Mostafa buys land for development at Egypt's new capital | CAIRO, April 23 Egypt's largest listed real estate developer Talaat Mostafa has purchased 500 feddans (acres) for development in the country's new administrative capital, sources at the housing ministry told Reuters on Sunday.
Egypt's plan to construct a new city 45 km (28 miles) east of Cairo was announced in March 2015 at a Sharm al-Sheikh summit held to attract foreign investors who pulled back from the country after the 2011 revolt against the government.
"Talaat Mostafa received the land two weeks ago after it came to an agreement with the administrative capital company on all the conditions," one of the housing ministry sources said.
The sources did not provide further details of the contract and Reuters was not immediately able to reach Talaat Mostafa for comment.
The new capital project appeared to stall after a United Arab Emirates developer pulled out and a contract to develop government facilities by a Chinese state developer also fell through.
About 15 Egyptian companies, including Talaat Mostaafa, submitted bids in March to develop land for the capital's first phase of construction, but no official announcement has yet been made as to the winning bids. (Reporting by Ehab Farouk; Writing by Eric Knecht. Editing by Jane Merriman) |
States urge Labor Department to nix 'persuader rule' | A group of states led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday urged the U.S. Department of Labor to do away with an Obama administration rule requiring greater disclosure from companies when they seek advice from outside lawyers on how to respond to unionizing campaigns.
The so-called persuader rule has been on hold since a federal judge in Texas blocked it last year. The labor department in June called for public comments on whether to withdraw it.
To read the full story on WestlawNext Practitioner Insights, click here: bit.ly/2hYuUuS |
Futures higher as North Korea tensions ease slightly | The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is pictured in New York City, New York, U.S., August 2, 2017.
(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were higher on Monday as tensions on the Korean peninsula eased slightly after key U.S. officials played down the risk of an imminent war with North Korea.
Global stocks lost nearly $1 trillion in value last week after President Donald Trump warned North Korea that it would face "fire and fury" if it threatened the United States, leading to a war of words between Pyongyang and Washington.
However, U.S. officials including National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and CIA Director Mike Pompeo played down the risk on Sunday, while South Korea's president said resolving Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions must be done peacefully.
The S&P and the Dow posted their worst weekly decline last week in nearly five months due to the tensions.
The three major U.S. stocks indexes still managed to break a three-day losing streak on Friday as the chances of another interest rate hike this year were reduced following a weaker-than-expected July consumer price data.
The Federal Reserve has a 2 percent inflation target and tracks a measure that has been stuck at 1.5 percent since May despite the labor market being near full employment.
Oil prices fell as a slowdown in Chinese refining raised concerns about demand in the world's second-biggest consumer, while an increase in U.S. drilling capacity could deepen a global supply glut. [O/R]
Tesla (TSLA.O) rose 1.57 percent after bond investors gave a $1.8 billion boost to the electric car maker's balance sheet by snapping up its first foray into the U.S. junk bond market.
Alibaba (BABA.N) was up about 2 percent after Third Point bought 4.5 million shares in the Chinese e-commerce giant. |
Heading footballs may cause brain injuries | Heading footballs may cause brain injuries, new research suggests.
Players who deliberately score goals without their feet have lower reaction times and attention spans, a study found today.
Lead author Dr Michael Lipton, from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, said: 'Heading is a potential cause of brain injury and since it's under control of the player, its consequences can be prevented.'
Previous research suggests unintentional head impacts between players are a major cause of concussion among athletes, however, the current study found such injuries do not affect their cognitive function.
This comes 16 years after the death of England striker Jeff Astle, whose inquest suggested he developed dementia as a direct result of heading heavy leather footballs.
Nobby Stiles, who played for England during its World Cup win in 1966 and suffers from Alzheimer's, has previously criticised the Football Association for failing to properly investigate a link between the sport and degenerative brain disease.
Heading footballs may cause brain injuries, new research suggests (stock)
'Heading alters cognitive function'
Dr Lipton said: 'Heading appears to alter cognitive function, at least temporarily'.
Results further suggest heading may affect footballers' memories. Yet, overall, the cognitive function of players does not appear to be overly affected.
Dr Lipton added, however: 'We're concerned that subtle, even transient reductions in neuropsychological function from heading could translate to microstructural changes in the brain that then lead to persistently impaired function.
'We need a much longer-term follow-up study of more soccer players to fully address this question.'
How the research was carried out
The researchers analysed 308 amateur football players based in New York City.
The players, who were between 18 and 55 years old, filled out questionnaires that asked if they had played the sport in the past two weeks, as well as if they had headed any balls or suffered unintentional head impacts.
Tests were carried out to determine the players' memories, attention spans and reaction times.
The findings were published in the Frontiers of Neurology.
Heading a football raises the risk of dementia
This comes after research released in February 2017 suggested footballers could be at risk of dementia due to suffering repeated minor injuries when they head a ball.
Out of a study of 14 retired footballers, four had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is known to cause dementia, while six had Alzheimer's.
Footballers may be far less likely to suffer concussions than boxers, however, experts claim there is 'evidence accumulating' that repeated mild head traumas can lead to brain damage that can cause or worsen dementia.
Lead author Dr Helen Ling, from University College London, said: 'Our findings of CTE in retired footballers suggest a potential link between playing football and the development of degenerative brain pathologies in later life.
'These players had the same pathology as boxers.'
A study by the University of Stirling, published in 2016, found footballers do up to 67 per cent worse in memory tests after routine heading practices, although they recover within 24 hours.
Dr Tom Crisp, a consultant in sport and exercise medicine at the London Independent Hospital, has previously said a header is like a 'punch to the head'. |
The lives of 2.6m children with alcoholic parents are being put in danger because of Government failings, MPs warn | Get politics updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
The failure to help children of hard-drinking parents is putting lives in danger, MPs will say on Wednesday.
The warning comes as a cross-party alliance launches its manifesto to help the 2.6million children being brought up by alcoholic parents.
The blueprint calls for a national strategy for children of alcoholics, action to curtail the promotion of booze, better funding and more education about the dangers of heavy drinking.
It also says the government should bring in a minimum price for alcohol and introduce a new legal obligation on councils and NHS to identify the scale of the problem in their area and report every year on what they are doing to help the children of hard-drinking parents.
The manifesto has been drawn up by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Children of Alcoholics led by Liam Byrne MP and is being backed by actor Geraldine James and the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
(Photo: Getty)
In an introduction Rt Rev Welby writes of the lonely experience of growing up with an alcoholic father.
“My experience, whether easier or more difficult than that of others, was fairly difficult. One of the things I missed most was the company of others who understood the issue,” he writes.
The manifesto says children brought up by an alcoholic are four times more likely to become alcoholics themselves, three times more likely to consider suicide and five times more likely to develop eating disorders.
“At the moment there is a patchwork of poorly-funded and disjointed support services at a local level that are failing to reach enough children of alcoholics.
“This cannot be allowed to continue - it endangers too many children.
(Photo: Getty)
“The Government should take responsibility for supporting children of alcoholics.
“Children of alcoholics are currently a forgotten part of the Government’s stance on alcohol. This means children of alcoholics should be properly recognised within existing alcohol policy and mental health services,” the report says.
Mr Byrne said: “This is a breakthrough moment. The Government has agreed a plan is needed – and today we put that plan on the table. It’s a hard hitting plan for real change that will make a world of difference for Britain’s 2.6 million innocent victims of drink.”
Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth MP, who recently spoke about his experiences of his late father’s drinking, added: “As shadow Health Secretary supporting children of alcoholics is a personal priority and crusade.
(Photo: Getty)
“I pay tribute to Liam Byrne and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Children of Alcoholics for their ground breaking and inspirational work in producing this manifesto for children of alcoholics.
“The policy pledges in this manifesto must be taken seriously by health policy makers and will make a real difference in combatting this hidden stigma. We are sending a message to the 2.6 million children of alcoholics that they need not suffer in silence.”
Hilary Henriques, chief executive of the National Association of Children of Alcoholics, said: “In one short year Liam Byrne has put children of alcoholics at the top of the agenda. He’s achieved what he set out to do, to get everyone talking properly about alcoholism and the needs of children of alcoholics, who are more than extensions of their parent’s problems.
“We’ve been listening to these children for 26 years and know how important listening is and how much more important it is to be heard. Launching the Manifesto means that many more of the 2.6million children will be heard and know they are not alone.” |
Red Sox Notes: Rookie Rafael Devers Shines In First Series Vs. Yankees | Red Sox rookie third baseman Rafael Devers’ performance in his first ever series against the rival New York Yankees was very encouraging for Boston.
The 20-year-old finished the three-game series in the Bronx with five hits, three RBI, a double and a home run. The homer was a solo shot on a 103-mph fastball from Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman that tied Sunday night’s game 2-2 in the top of the ninth inning. The Red Sox went on to win 3-2 in 10 innings.
Devers also went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI in Boston’s 10-5 win over New York on Saturday.
The Red Sox called up Devers on July 23. He’s hit .333 with four home runs, 10 RBI and a .397 on-base percentage in 57 at-bats at the MLB level.
Devers has exceeded expectations so far, and given the Red Sox much-needed offensive production at third base — a position that was a glaring weakness for Boston before his arrival to the majors.
Here are some other Red Sox-Yankees notes.
— Andrew Benintendi was just as impressive as Devers in the series against the Yankees. The 23-year-old left fielder hit the go-ahead RBI single in the top of the 10th inning Sunday night, and he also hit a pair of three-run homers Saturday.
Benintendi went 5-for-13 with three home runs, nine RBI, three runs scored, one walk and two strikeouts in the series.
He has 15 hits in 31 at-bats in August.
— Sox starter Chris Sale didn’t earn his 15th win of the season Sunday, but he struck out 10-plus batters for the 16th time in 24 starts. The Red Sox single-season record for games with 10 or more strikeouts is 19 set by Pedro Martinez in 1999.
Most starts with 12+ strikeouts, 2012-17:
Chris Sale – 27
Clayton Kershaw – 16
Max Scherzer – 14 — Red Sox Notes (@SoxNotes) August 14, 2017
Sale also is on pace to become the first pitcher since Martinez in 1999 to strike out 300 batters.
— Sale allowed just one earned run over seven innings. In fact, he’s given up two or fewer earned runs in all three of his starts against the Yankees in 2017 but doesn’t have a single win to show for it.
— The Red Sox improved to 5-7 against the Yankees after Sunday’s victory. These rivals will play a three-game series at Fenway Park next weekend. The Sox could begin to pull away from the Yankees in the American League East if they sweep that series or take two out of three. Boston enters Monday with a 5.5-game lead in the division over New York.
— Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge has looked like a lock for the American League Rookie of the Year Award, and quite possibly an MVP frontrunner, for most of the season. But he’s been much less productive since the Major League Baseball All-Star break. He’s batting .161 with just five home runs, 12 RBI and 43 strikeouts in 93 at-bats since the Midsummer Classic.
— Judge struck out in the fourth inning Sunday, which extended his streak of consecutive games with a strikeout to 30. The MLB record is 32 games. Judge’s 154 strikeouts on the season are the second-most in the majors.
— It hasn’t been all bad for Judge, though. Sunday was the anniversary of his MLB call up last season. Here’s a look at his success so far.
Aaron Judge debuted for @Yankees 1 year ago today. His 39 HRs are 4th-most by a player within 1 year of their debut (via @EliasSports) pic.twitter.com/RtEbgOLcnh — ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 13, 2017
Thumbnail photo via Wendell Cruz/USA TODAY Sports Images |
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BRIEF-China Calxon Group says no dividend for 2016 | RPT-UPDATE 1-OECD warns New Zealand on low labour productivity, endorses debt limits
WELLINGTON, June 15 The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned New Zealand on Thursday that low labour productivity poses long-term challenges for the country despite its solid growth prospects. |
No progress on 'Dreamers' as another U.S. shutdown looms | STERLING, Va./ WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress made no notable progress this week toward a deal on the status of 700,000 “Dreamer” immigrants, with President Donald Trump saying on Friday that one “could very well not happen” by a deadline next month.
Whether the lack of progress signaled the possibility of another federal government shutdown next week was unclear, but it worried the Dreamers, young people who were brought illegally into the United States as children.
Trump said last year that he would end by March 5 a program that was set up by former President Barack Obama to protect the Dreamers from deportation, and he urged Congress to act before that date. No action has resulted.
“We want to make a deal,” Trump said at an event in Virginia with U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. And he blamed Democratic lawmakers for the impasse.
“I think they want to use it for political purposes for elections. I really am not happy with the way it’s going from the standpoint of the Democrats,” he said.
Democrats have said repeatedly that they want protections written into law for the Dreamers, who were given temporary legal status by Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which lets them study and work in the United States without fear of deportation.
Republicans, who control Congress, are undecided on what to do about DACA and the Dreamers. They ended a three-day retreat at a mountain resort in West Virginia on Friday not much nearer to consensus than they were a week ago.
The partisan standoff caused a partial shutdown of the federal government for three days last month after Congress failed to pass a stopgap spending measure needed to keep the lights on at federal facilities across the country.
The House of Representatives plans to vote on Tuesday on legislation to keep federal agencies operating beyond Feb. 8, when existing funds expire, a senior House Republican aide said.
The aide did not provide details, however, on the duration of this latest-in-a-series of temporary funding measures.
Democrats have leverage on the immigration issue because their votes are needed to pass spending measures in the Senate.
U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he walks on South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., before his departure to the Customs and Border Protection National Targeting Center, February 2, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
The next spending deadline looms on Thursday, with Democrats defiant in their demands and Republicans remaining divided.
FOUR-PART OFFER
Trump has offered the Dreamers a path to citizenship, but only on the condition he also gets funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as other immigration-related measures that Democrats oppose.
Last month, he proposed letting 1.8 million Dreamers stay in the country and become citizens in exchange for $25 billion for the wall, curbs on family-sponsored immigration, and an end to a visa lottery program.
Some lawmakers want Trump’s four-part immigration framework pared back, while others want it approved or made even more strict on future immigration.
“If we can solve DACA and border security that may be the best I can hope for,” Senator John Thune, a member of the Republican leadership, told reporters at the retreat.
Senator James Lankford was among Republicans who said this week that Trump could give Congress more time to reach a deal by extending the Dreamers’ deadline beyond March 5.
Trump reiterated on Thursday at the retreat that all four components of his framework must be included in a deal, a stance viewed as unworkable by many lawmakers in both parties.
Some Republicans say the March 5 deadline lost its power last month when a federal court blocked the rescinding of DACA. That meant the law would remain in effect until the Supreme Court resolves the case, which is unlikely by March 5.
In a research note, financial firm Height Analytics set the odds of another shutdown next week at 65 percent.
Republicans are trying to call Democrats’ bluff on DACA, but the Democrats look even more willing to allow a shutdown than they were last month, the analysts said. “What this has become is a very absurd game of chicken,” they said in the note. |
Biotech CEO, two associates accused by U.S. of securities fraud | BOSTON, April 24 (Reuters) - The chief executive of a biotech company that said it was developing a non-opiate pain treatment was arrested along with two associates on Tuesday on U.S. charges that he misled investors and participated in a stock manipulation scheme.
Federal prosecutors in Boston said PixarBio Corp CEO Frank Reynolds solicited investors with false and misleading claims that he was a successful inventor with a product that would end “thousands of years of morphine and opioid addiction.”
They said Reynolds, 55, promoted investing in PixarBio with misleading claims about its financial status and progress in seeking U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for a non-opiate pain treatment called NeuroRelease.
Prosecutors said two of his associates, M. Jay Herod and Kenneth Stromsland, beginning in November 2016 while in close communication with Reynolds made manipulative trades in PixarBio stock to artificially push up its trading price.
Reynolds and Herod, who authorities said was Reynolds’ friend, were arrested in Massachusetts. Stromsland, PixarBio’s vice president of investor relations, was arrested in New York.
Joshua Hanye, Reynolds’ lawyer, at a hearing in Boston federal court said he denies the allegations. Leonard Milligan, Herod’s lawyer, said he has no current involvement with PixarBio. Stromsland’s attorney could not be identified.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a related lawsuit that said PixarBio raised $12.7 million from 211 investors during the scheme.
All three men were charged with securities fraud. A federal judge meanwhile at the SEC’s request issued an order freezing the assets of PixarBio and Reynolds.
Reynolds founded PixarBio after resigning as chief executive of Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotechnology company InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp in 2013.
According to the criminal complaint, Reynolds in a 2015 email to potential investors claimed PixarBio had a $1 billion valuation that was expected to increase as “we prepare to replace morphine in the clinic in late 2017 or early 2018.”
In reality, PixarBio was never worth $1 billion and had not even finished the work required to seek permission to conduct human drug trials, the complaint said.
In January 2017, at Reynolds’ direction, PixarBio issued a press release entitled “It’s Time to Make US Pharma GREAT Again,” announcing a $77 million takeover bid for Invivo, the complaint said.
PixarBio in fact lacked the ability to make the bid, the complaint said, yet a day later announced it had upped its offer to $100 million. The SEC subsequently suspended trading in PixarBio. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston Editing by Matthew Lewis) |
Red Wings' Darren Helm: Posts season-high three points | Helm scored a goal and collected two assists during Friday's 4-1 win over Carolina.
This was Helm's second outing back from a leg injury that cost him six games, so it's encouraging to see the speedy veteran mark the scoresheet three times. Unfortunately, the big night improved him to just five goals and 11 assists through 43 games, and it was also only his second multi-point showing of the season. As a result, there aren't many fantasy settings where Helm is a reliable option. |
No injuries in Seward Street fire, though several businesses affected | A downtown fire on Saturday night shut down part of Seward Street and smoked out a building that houses multiple stores. Water and foam ran down the street and pooled at the feet of onlookers who watched firefighters search for the fire's source.
Start the conversation, or Read more at KTOO-TV Juneau. |
Memphis International men's singles round 1 results | Did KrisSmith mean Dannii Minogue when he said 'he's trying to work things out with his ex' on I'm A Celeb? Fans question whether exes will reunite |
New York Post | These gorgeous Caribbean islands dodged 2017's hurricanes This fall, the Caribbean weathered a series of hurricanes that left some areas in shambles. But thanks to locals’ resilient spirit and various forms of international assistance, most islands are...
Alpha dogs: These 3 Caribbean islands score straight A's It’s a slick trick that rose to fame back in classical antiquity (or whenever it is was people used phone books): Tack on an “A” to the beginning of your company’s...
It's never been cheaper to fly to the Caribbean It has never been as cheap, adjusted for inflation or otherwise, to fly to the Caribbean. But thanks to Southwest Airlines and JetBlue adding new routes, fares are unlike anything...
A trio of Antiguan resorts where the only rule is relaxation There are said to be 365 beaches in Antigua — one for every day of the year. But if you’re spending just a week at this exquisite Caribbean isle (and...
Here are 57 places you've been mispronouncing It’s bad enough looking like a tourist, but even worse when you open your mouth and totally butcher the name of the place. And we’re not just talking trip-up-your-tongue foreign... |
BRIEF-Shanghai Xuerong Bio-Technology to write off bio-tech unit | Aug 15 (Reuters) - Shanghai Xuerong Bio-Technology Co Ltd :
* Says it plans to write off and liquidate its Xi'an-based bio-tech unit
Source text in Chinese: goo.gl/acF2UG
Further company coverage: (Beijing Headline News) |
Norwegian Cruise Line to build its biggest race track yet on board new ship Bliss | The company has revealed its new, soon-to-debut, Alaska-bound Norwegian Bliss will feature a go-kart track for passengers to enjoy and compete against one another. The track, fit for electric go-karts, will be located at the back of the ship. The race track is not the first to feature on Norwegian Cruise Line ships. The Norwegian Joy Cruise Ship currently has one, and according to the company’s president and CEO, Andy Stuart, it has received great feedback.
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE Norwegian Cruise Line is launching a new ship with a bigger and better race track
The company has revealed its new, soon-to-debut, Alaska-bound Norwegian Bliss will feature a go-kart track for passengers to enjoy and compete against one another.
Speaking to USA Today, he said: “The feedback has been outstanding. It’s packed all day long. People absolutely love it.” Appearing to the Virtuoso Travel Week conference in Las Vegas, Stuart revealed the track on Bliss would be 40 per cent longer than the one on Joy. He said: “We’ve managed to utilise the same space more efficiently. It’s going to be an even better experience, I think.” Norwegian Joy, custom built for the Chinese market, debuted in April and can hold 3,850 passengers.
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE Norwegian Cruise Line: The new race track will be 40 per cent longer than the one on Joy
Cruise holidays: 9 things you didn't know about life at sea Mon, July 10, 2017 Cruise ship facts: Things you didn't know about life at sea. Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 10 9 things you didn't know about cruise holidays
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE Norwegian Cruise Line: The new water slides on Bliss
Norwegian Bliss will hold 4,000 passengers and will also have an open-air laser tag course on its top deck, similar to Joy. Other features on Bliss will include an Aqua Park with two multi-story water slides. One of the slides will have a loop that extends over the side of the ship and a second with a see-through loop that stretches down to the deck below. The other slide will be a tandem attraction where passengers can race next to each other on for more than 360 feet.
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE Norwegian Cruise Line: Bliss will rank among the 10 largest cruise vessels in the world |
Chiefs' Marcus Peters: Will play vs. Chargers | Peters (suspension) will play in Sunday's game against the Chagers, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com reports.
The Chiefs suspended Peters for this past Sunday's game against the Raiders as punishment for throwing an official's flag and being ejected in the team's loss to the Jets the week prior. Peters, who has recorded 41 tackles and three picks this season, will be back as the starter without any limitations in Sunday's divisional battle with the Chargers. |
Highlights from testimony of Attorney General Jeff Sessions | Only 6-percent of hotels nationwide get AAA's four-diamond rating, and they've just added two more Tulsa-area hotels. The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Catoosa and the Hyatt Regency in downtown Tulsa were just given the four-diamond status.
Start the conversation, or Read more at KRMG-AM Tulsa. |
Leader shot dead by armed men at Nadia Trinamool office | Dulal Biswas (52) was a popular leader of the area was the Bagula 1 gram panchayat pradhan and TMC’s Hanskhali block president (Representational Image) Dulal Biswas (52) was a popular leader of the area was the Bagula 1 gram panchayat pradhan and TMC’s Hanskhali block president (Representational Image)
A TRINAMOOL Congress leader was shot dead by a group of armed men who opened fire on him inside the party office on Sunday night in Nadia district, police said. Dulal Biswas (52) was a popular leader of the area was the Bagula 1 gram panchayat pradhan and TMC’s Hanskhali block president.
According to sources, around 8 pm, seven-eight miscreants barged into the party office and started firing at him. They fired aiming at Dulal. At least nine bullets were fired at him, sources said.
As per sources, Biswas, who was regular at the party office, was in a meeting with party activists when he was attacked. “As per eye witnesses, a few of them (the attackers) were masked. They completed the entire operation in about twenty minutes and fled. He was then rushed to the hospital but was declared brought dead”, said police. According to police sources, investigating officials wee monitoring the two CCTV cameras installed outside the party office.
“We have registered a murder case. The investigation is on,” Additional SP Dinesh Kumar said.
According to police sources, Biswas’s son Dipankar filed an FIR at the local police station. He has allegedly mentioned name of at least twelve people in the FIR. On the basis of the FIR, the police have detained two people and are questioning them, said sources.
Police also found two double-barrel guns, a silencer and a chopper from the vicinity. While Trinamool leaders blamed the BJP for the murder, the BJP refuted the charge, saying it was fallout of an internal clash between TMC party supporters. TMC national secretary-general Partha Chatterjee along with MP Abhishek Banerjee visited the spot.
While speaking to the media Chatterjee said: “The BJP is doing these as they are unable to beat TMC politically.”
BJP state president Dilip Ghosh denied his party’s involvement in the case. “It is a fallout of gang clash in the TMC. It is not the BJP’s culture. If they cannot save their own leaders how will they keep Bengal safe,” Ghosh said. Biswas had defected from the CPM to TMC in 2012. He had been working to strengthen Trinamool hold in the area.
Anticipating a threat to his life, he was also given armed security personnel who had recently taken leave. Police suspect the miscreants were aware of this. A heavy police force has been deployed in the area, said local sources.
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Michael Keaton on Donald Trump: He is a 'genius manipulator' | GETTY Michael Keaton has called Donald Trump's presidency 'potentially frightening'
The Batman star described Mr Trump as a "genius manipulator" who tapped into America's "crushed" middle class during his election campaign. Keaton, who describes himself as a "news and political junkie", said: "[I'm] nervous. Just a little bit nervous. It's so other worldly. "What's scary about it is ... how fast you can go from logical, reasonable through really difficult times, in an administration that deals with things, has disagreements but has discussions about things, to ... all bets are off about anything.
It's pretty clear he's not one of you Michael Keaton
"It's potentially frightening - the world as a result of what this particular person brings to it and everything surrounding it. "It's crazy." Keaton, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role in 2014 film Birdman, said it was "fascinating" that President Trump had successfully promoted "the notion that he's one of us". The actor said: "How many of you have a jet, waiting for the jet to arrive?
GETTY
GETTY The actor says Donald Trump is not 'one of us'
"It's pretty clear he's not one of you." He added: "That's a legitimate thing that there are people out there who aren't making it. The middle class gets crushed. That's for sure correct. "There's no question that Bernie Sanders and [Donald Trump] tapped into that." Describing Mr Trump as a "genius manipulator", Keaton, 65, said: "He worked the media, worked them like Stooges.
Celebrities slamming Donald Trump Fri, January 20, 2017 From Meryl Streep to George Clooney, here's what the celebrities have to say about President-elect Donald Trump. Play slideshow Getty 1 of 13 Robert De Niro, Cher and Alec Baldwin slam Donald Trump at the We Stand United NYC Rally |
Rafael Nadal making this MAJOR change will not have a bad impact on him - Ferrero | That’s according to former tennis world No1 Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Nadal enjoyed a stellar 2017 season, winning the French Open and the US Open in his return from injury.
He also finishes the season as the world No1.
But going into 2018, Nadal will be without his uncle after the 56-year-old confirmed their working relationship would come to an end earlier this year.
Toni Nadal will now focus on working at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, while former world No1 Carlos Moya coaches Nadal on the tennis tour.
And Ferrero believes Nadal is in good hands going forward. |
Paul Burrell reveals the VERY polite way the Queen eats a banana - with a knife and fork | Paul Burrell claims the Queen eats her bananas with a knife and fork
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Paul Burrell has revealed that the Queen has a very unusual way of eating a banana.
Appearing on ITV’s Through the Keyhole, the former royal butler claimed the Queen eats bananas with cutlery.
The former I’m A Celebrity contestant explained how HRH Elizabeth II uses a KNIFE and FORK to eat the fruit in company.
She politely slices each end of the fruit before peeling and eating it.
(Photo: ITV)
(Photo: ITV)
“To eat a banana properly in society or at a dinner party…this is how the Queen does it,” said Burrell, cutting a banana on a plate.
“You split open the belly – some people eat it like a monkey, of course – then you cut it up into small bite size pieces and then you eat it, with your knife and fork.”
But TV presenter Steve Jones accused Paul of telling porkies.
(Photo: ITV)
(Photo: ITV)
“That’s absurd! I don’t believe it!” he said.
Paul, who wrote a tell-all book on the royals, told the audience: “I was a lucky guy who got to look after two of the most incredible, unique, inspirational women of our times – The Queen and Princess Diana and I’m proud of that.”
Keith Lemon showed viewers around Paul’s Cheshire mansion on the show. |
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CANCER survivor claims men "run a mile" after learning of her former condition | Ms Daniels was diagnosed with clear cell Sarcoma, in what is thought to be the first case ever
Allison Daniels was diagnosed with an aggressive clear cell sarcoma primary tumour in 2012.
The 34-year-old, who attended the exclusive Strathallan School in Perthshire, grew up in a 54-room mansion in Caithness.
Ms Daniels said: “Men run a mile when I tell them I’ve had cancer and it could come back.
"Who wants to be in a relationship with someone who might die? It’s a death sentence."
“And who can blame them? I’d say the same to my friends, not to date someone in a situation like I am in.” |
Avalanche's Anton Lindholm: Battles injuries in second season | Lindholm compiled four points, 99 hits and a plus-4 rating through 44 games in 2017-18.
Lindholm is far from being an offensive threat, having only fired 22 shots on goal and making no power-play presence. Still, the 23-year-old has adjusted well to the North American game -- he only played in Sweden until the 2016-17 campaign -- and stayed out of the AHL all season. However, Lindholm was hindered by two injuries (upper body and jaw), and he was also a healthy scratch for 20 of the final 21 games -- including playoffs. |
Ancient otter tooth found in Mexico suggests mammals migrated across America | Late in the afternoon on a hot March day in central Mexico, a paleontologist uncovered a jaw bone and called over to Jack Tseng. Tseng, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, was on the dig researching intercontinental immigration of fossil mammals.
Start the conversation, or Read more at EurekAlert!. |
Indians' Melky Cabrera: Drives in three Wednesday | Cabrera went 1-for-4 with three RBI in Wednesday's win over the White Sox.
He drove in his first on a sacrifice fly in the first inning, then later plated a couple more on a two-run double. The 33-year-old is hitting just .171 in 10 games since inking a deal with Cleveland and is likely in jeopardy of losing a full-time starting role with Lonnie Chisenhall (calf) nearing a return off the disabled list. |
New York Post | 'Baby Hope' reporter won't have to turn over notes, court rules An appeals court has ruled that a New York Times reporter will not have to turn over notes from an interview with Baby Hope’s accused killer or testify at the...
Baby Hope's accused killer confesses The accused killer of a little Bronx girl once only known as “Baby Hope” sat stonily as his taped confession was played in Manhattan court Wednesday. “What can I do?...
Accused 'Baby Hope' killer told cops 4 different stories He just can’t keep his stories straight. Accused “Baby Hope” killer Conrado Juarez gave four different accounts of what happened the night the four-year-old was tragically raped and murdered 22...
Baby Hope tombstone gets a name The real name of Baby Hope was finally put on her tombstone yesterday, more than two decades after her body was found stuffed in a cooler off the Henry Hudson...
Baby Hope murder suspect indicted Accused ‘Baby Hope’ killer Conrado Juarez – who cops say confessed to sexually assaulting and smothering his 4-year-old-cousin in 1991 in a case that haunted New York City – was...
NYC's most notorious cold cases In the last year, two of the city’s most infamous murder cases have moved one step closer to closure. Pedro Hernadez confessed to strangling Etan Patz in the basement of...
Baby Hope's 'killer' tried shake down on mom The distraught mother of “Baby Hope” said Tuesday that accused killer Conrado Juarez tried to shake her down for cash before breaking the news that the little girl was dead....
More Baby Hope arrests possible The NYPD hasn’t ruled out additional arrests as it continues to investigate the cold-case murder of Anjelica “Baby Hope” Castillo, The Post has learned. A high-ranking police source said cops...
My sister, Baby Hope If Baby Hope were alive today, she would look exactly like the big sister she never got a chance to know. “When my mom saw the drawing, she said Anjelica... |
Befriending Bridgend | About Befriending Bridgend
The befriending service offers companionship and support, and helps people carry on doing the things they enjoy or to try new activities. Befrienders visit people in their homes, accompany them on outings, or support them to take part in activities in the local community. |
Olmsted's first 2017 baby arrived a day early | MNZ079-086>088-094-095-020545- /O.NEW.KARX.WW.Y.0001.170102T1200Z-170103T0000Z/ WABASHA-DODGE-OLMSTED-WINONA-MOWER-FILLMORE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WABASHA...DODGE CENTER...ROCHESTER... WINONA...AUSTIN...PRESTON 333 PM CST SUN JAN 1 2017 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 6 PM CST MONDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LA CROSSE HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR A WINTRY MIX OF SNOW...FREEZING RAIN...AND MAYBE SOME SLEET...FROM 6 AM TO 6 PM CST MONDAY. * EXPECT A WINTRY MIX TO DEVELOP AROUND 6 AM MONDAY AND THEN DIMINISH AROUND 6 PM MONDAY.
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Toyota to recall all 2,800 Mirai fuel cell cars on the road | TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp said on Wednesday it was recalling all of the roughly 2,800 zero-emission Mirai cars on the road due to problems with the output voltage generated by their fuel cell system.
Toyota said that under unique driving conditions, such as if the accelerator pedal is depressed to the wide open throttle position after driving on a long descent while using cruise control, there was a possibility the output voltage generated by the fuel cell boost converter could exceed the maximum voltage.
To date, Toyota has sold about 2,840 Mirai cars in Japan, the United States and some markets in Europe, as well as the United Arab Emirates.
Toyota dealers will update the fuel cell system software at no cost to the customer, it said. The process will take about half an hour, it said.
Toyota first began selling the hydrogen-fueled Mirai in December 2014 in Japan, its home market, in a bid to lead the industry in the nascent technology. Toyota has promoted fuel cell vehicles as the most sensible next-generation option to hybrids, although a lack of hydrogen fuelling stations remains a major hurdle for mass consumption.
(Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim) |
UFC 226: Cain Velasquez’s coach on why Cormier won’t fight happen, gives return update | The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner will challenge for heavyweight gold in the main event of UFC 226, where he'll look to end Stipe Miocic's imperious reign atop of the division.
Should the Louisiana native dethrone Miocic, he'll become only the second fighter in UFC history to hold two titles simultaneously, the first being former featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor.
Victory over Miocic would put Cormier in a difficult position as his team-mate and good friend Velasquez is still keen to reclaim the title, which he's held twice before.
The precarious situation has begged one question: Would Cormier and Velasquez fight one another? |
Special tulip bulbs to be given out at New Year's Day levee | The Canada 150 tulip will likely remind you of the Canadian flag. Tulips bulbs will be given out at the Lieutenant-Governor's annual New Year's Day levee at Government House in Regina.
Start the conversation, or Read more at CBC News. |
Nigeria central bank injects $210 mln into currency market | ABUJA, May 30 (Reuters) - Nigeria’s central bank said on Wednesday it had injected $210 million into the interbank foreign exchange market, extending efforts to boost liquidity and alleviate dollar shortages.
The bank said in a statement it had released $100 million earmarked for the wholesale market, $55 million for small businesses and individuals, and $55 million for certain dollar expenses such as school fees and medical bills. (Reporting by Camillus Eboh Writing by Paul Carsten Editing by Catherine Evans) |
Omega-3 supplements may not cut heart disease risk | (Reuters Health) - Omega-3 fatty acid dietary supplements may not help reduce the risk of heart problems in people already at high risk, a research review suggests.
The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fish a week and considering supplements of omega-3 fatty acids when that’s not possible. Previous research has linked omega-3s to a lower risk of abnormal heartbeats, less fats in the blood, reduced risk of artery-clogging deposits known as plaque, and slightly lower blood pressure.
For the current study, researchers examined data from 10 trials with a total of 77,917 participants with a previous heart attack or stroke or health problems like diabetes. Most had been randomly assigned to take either omega-3 fatty acid supplements or a placebo, or dummy pill, for at least one year.
Overall, participants were 64 years old on average when they joined the trials, and they were followed for an average of 4.4 years. During follow-up, 2,695 people (3.5 percent) died from heart disease, while 2,276 (2.9 percent) had nonfatal heart attacks, 1,713 (2.2 percent) had strokes and 6,603 (8.5 percent) had procedures to reopen clogged arteries.
Risks for these outcomes were the same whether or not people took omega-3 fatty acid supplements, researchers report in JAMA Cardiology.
“The results . . . demonstrated no beneficial effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplements for prevention of cardiovascular disease, overall, or on any subtype of cardiovascular disease, or on cardiovascular disease in any subgroup of the population,” said senior study author Dr. Robert Clarke, a public health researcher at the University of Oxford in the UK.
“Thus, the results . . . provide no support for the current guidelines of the American Heart Association that advocate that patients with prior coronary heart disease take omega-3 fatty acid supplements for the prevention of cardiovascular disease,” Clarke said by email.
Most of the trials in the current study included different doses and combinations of two omega-3s: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Across the trials, people took these supplements for an average of one to six years.
While taking these supplements appeared tied to a slightly lower risk of death from heart disease, nonfatal heart attacks, and all coronary heart disease events, the differences in each case were too small to rule out the possibility that they were due to chance.
One limitation of the study was the wide variation in study designs for the randomized trials, the authors note. Another drawback is the lack of data on smoking status or detailed cancer history for individual participants, both of which might independently impact the odds of developing heart disease or dying from it.
Even if there isn’t overwhelming evidence that omega-3 supplements protect against heart disease, it still may be a reasonable choice for patients because the supplements are inexpensive and safe with virtually no serious side effects, said Dr. Carl Lavie, medical director of the cardiac rehabilitation program and preventive cardiology at the John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute at the University of Queensland School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“So the evidence for omega-3 does not have to be nearly at the same level of expensive and risky medications and devices,” Lavie, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email. “The fact is that a lot of our patients who oppose many therapies are very happy to use things like omega-3 supplements, and this should not be ignored.”
People already taking omega-3 supplements shouldn’t stop, and there are other reasons beyond just heart health to consider this option, said Dr. Dominik Alexander, a researcher at the EpidStat Institute in Ann Arbor, Michigan, who wasn’t involved in the study.
“In addition to maintaining a healthy body weight, habitually engaging in physical activity, and not smoking, consumers should regularly eat fatty fish as part of a well-balanced diet or supplement their diets with a high quality omega-3 supplement,” Alexander said by email. “The heart health benefits are well documented, and there may be other important health benefits as well, including memory, cognition and eye health.”
SOURCE: bit.ly/2BQ4QH2 JAMA Cardiology, online January 31, 2018. |
Sarasota heightens security on New Year's Eve | SARASOTA,Fla.-- Each New Year's Eve, the quiet downtown of Sarasota is flooded with an estimated 30,000 people and this year will be no different. For the Sarasota Police Department that means all hands on deck.
Start the conversation, or Read more at WWSB. |
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Clash of Clans maker profit up despite Pokemon challenge | By Tuomas Forsell and Jussi Rosendahl
HELSINKI, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Supercell, the maker of hit mobile game Clash of Clans, said on Wednesday sales growth stalled last year due to competition from new challengers such as Nintendo Co's Pokemon GO, though earnings rose.
The Finnish company, majority owned by China's Tencent Holdings Ltd, said profits benefited from lower spending on advertising and the successful launch of its latest game, Clash Royale.
"Despite tighter competition, this was the best year so far in financial terms. Clash Royale was a huge hit," Chief Executive Ilkka Paananen told reporters.
Clash of Clans, a war strategy game in which players build fortresses, form clans with other players and battle it out in a Medieval-style fantasy world, has remained on the list of top-earning applications since its launch in 2012.
In 2016, it was ranked No. 2 after Mixi Inc's Monster Strike, according to research company App Annie. Clash Royale, which features Clash of Clans characters, was No. 5.
Augmented-reality Pokemon GO, which has players walking around real life neighbourhoods to catch and train Pokemon, has the biggest number of active users but in revenue terms lagged Clash of Clans.
"In the summer, when Pokemon GO was a huge hit, a taxi driver asked me what would be our counter-attack. I said there's no point in doing something against a competitor, we must only focus in doing what we do best, improve our games further," Paananen said.
Rather than launching a variety of games for different audiences, Supercell has focused on developing a handful. Using a "freemium" price strategy, its games are free to download, but generate revenue from in-game purchases.
The strategy has helped Supercell avoid the problems faced by the likes of Rovio Entertainment, which has launched several titles but failed to create a follow up hit to its Angry Birds.
Supercell's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation rose to 917 million euros ($967 million) last year from 848 million in 2015. Revenue was broadly flat at 2.1 billion euros.
IHS Technology analyst Jack Kent said the flat revenue indicated new challenges.
"The overall mobile games market is still increasing, but the explosive growth driven by the rise in smartphone penetration and the shift to a freemium model is slowing," he said.
"Supercell is still making a lot of money... (but it) is also facing the challenge of how to follow up on its initial major hits."
Paananen said the company might test a new game in selected markets later this year, but there were no immediate plans to do so.
Founded in 2010, Supercell has just 213 employees but has become one of Finland's most profitable companies.
($1 = 0.9479 euros) (Editing by Susan Thomas and Mark Potter) |
Man critical after falling from seventh-floor fire escape | A 19-year-old man was seriously injured when he fell off a seventh floor fire escape in Hell’s Kitchen, where he was smoking a cigarette, police sources said.
The man had just finished puffing the butt, and was attempting to climb back into the West 44th Street apartment through a window, when he slipped at around 6:30 p.m.
He survived the plunge, but suffered head trauma and multiple fractures, officials said.
He was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition. |
Vancouver Limo Offers Thanksgiving Promos | Vancouver Limo, a luxury limousine service based out of Vancouver, is offering special promo for the thanksgiving long weekend (Oct 7-Oct 10)
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - October 06, 2017) - This is the Thanksgiving weekend in Canada, which usually occurs on the second Monday in October. Thanksgiving has a long history in Canada and during this time people celebrate the harvest and reflect upon the success and blessings of the year just gone by.
British Columbia is one of the few provinces that celebrates this statutory holiday -- mind you in the Atlantic provinces of Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, this is an optional holiday.
The majority of Canadians will gather with their families for a thanksgiving feast which is usually either on a Sunday or the Monday of the long weekend. Foods that are traditionally served during the Canadian thanksgiving include sweet potatoes, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, and a pumpkin pie.
The roads in British Columbia are usually congested during Thanksgiving as many people will be traveling to join their families. In addition, this long weekend is supposed to be dry and warm and this great weather will also be a magnet for people who love the outdoors. Because of the traffic, most people will have long commutes and develop unnecessary stress, frustration and tension.
Vancouver Limo is offering a thanksgiving special for the entire long weekend. The company has hired more chauffeurs and has made available a variety of luxury cars to help transport the public to almost any destination within Vancouver and the adjacent suburb. The company is offering transportation 24/7 for the long weekend as long as bookings are made in advance. Vancouver limos has a variety of luxury cars to offer the public a luxury ride at a cost that is comparable to a cab.
The city of Vancouver has many activities planned for the long weekend. The farmers market will be open on Saturday and Sunday. There are also a number of art exhibits and thanksgiving celebrations in Surrey, Richmond and Chilliwack. There is also the Granville Island Turkey Trot 10K, the cranberry festival at Fort Langley, Wetlands Tour at Glen Valley, Oktoberfest at the Alpen Club, Richmond night market and the wild salmon caravan. Of course, many people will want to visit nearby Whistler to enjoy the scenery.
Vancouver Limo is offering special discounts at all these venues for the entire long weekend. Because the streets during the weekends in Vancouver are usually congested and parking is at a premium, traveling with Royal Limo will also save you money on parking fees.
Vancouver limos is offering competitive rates for travel to any of the above destinations in Vancouver. Rentals can be per hour or per day.
Vancouver Limo has been in the business of providing efficient luxury transportation for many years and is always striving to be better. For those who want to travel in luxury and style to one of these events, call the company at 604-727-0950. The company is offering many types of package deals to suit all your needs. More about Vancouver Limo can be found at http://www.royallimo.ca/. |
Police seek witnesses in St. Petersburg fatal shooting | About 2:30 a.m., St. Petersburg police responded to 1834 49th St. S after receiving reports of a shooting. They found George Hall with gunshot wounds to his upper body.
Start the conversation, or Read more at St. Petersburg Times. |
Five in 5: new outdoor dining spots in New Orleans | Read more: Best of New Orleans
Bratz Y'all! 617 B Piety St., 301-3222 www.bratzyall.com Dine on sausages, pretzels and German beers in the beer garden, decorated with potted flowers and plants and hanging pendant lights. Rosedale 801 Rosedale Drive, 309-9595 www.rosedalerestaurant.com Susan Spicer's homespun restaurant serves gourmet comfort food in the Navarre neighborhood.
Start the conversation, or Read more at Best of New Orleans. |
Silvermead Residential Home | We always recommend that before selecting or making any important decisions about a care home you take the time to check that it is right for your or your relative's particular circumstances. Any description and indication of services and facilities on this page have been provided to us by the relevant care home and we cannot take any responsibility for any errors or other inaccuracies. However, please email us on the address you will find on our About us page if you think any of the information on this page is missing and / or incorrect. |
Which? Elderly Care | About Active Minds
This group is for anyone living with dementia, short term memory loss, or simply for those who wish to keep their minds in healthy working order. On the second Wednesday of each month we meet for a chat, a chnace to reminisce and maybe join in a fun activity. On the fourth Wednesday of each month we have a lovaly sing-a-long with John Whalley. Family, carers and support workers are invited too. |
Shocking pictures show man's huge red eyes popping out of his sockets after deadly tumour leaves him blind | Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
Shocking pictures show a man with huge red eyes popping out of his sockets after suffering from cancer.
Chokchai Khonkaew was left blind from the deadly tumour which has now reached an advanced stage.
He was diagnosed after his parents took him to the largest hospital in the province of Hat Yai, southern Thailand at just 20-years-old.
A programme of chemotherapy and lazer treatment was given but despite the best efforts of the medics Chokchai’s condition got worse and his sight began to be affected.
In turn this meant that he couldn’t resume his university course where he was a first year student.
He said: “I started to have a slight irritation in the left eye in April of last year but didn’t think much about it.
(Photo: Bhin Monk / Exclusivepix Media)
"Eventually I went to see the local doctor who prescribed some medicine but it didn’t help and the irritation got worse and spread to my other eye”
Fortunately, both Chokchai’s parents and his brother have good jobs tapping rubber in the local plantations so money, or the lack of it, is not the barrier it might be for others.
(Photo: Bhin Monk / Exclusivepix Media)
Eventually, having exhausted the medical capabilities in the province his parents took him for treatment to Bangkok but even so the cancer continued to get worse so that he completely lost his sight and the eyes began to swell out of their sockets.
His parents said: “We returned home to Hat Yai and started a regime of traditional herbal medicines and prayer. After two months of this the eyes are less swollen and not as inflamed” |
Christopher Wylie on Cambridge Analyica info: 'political goldmine' | The whistleblower who revealed that Cambridge Analyica harvested data on 50million Facebook users to target campaign ads has spoken out on television.
Christopher Wylie, 28, said that he's 'taking responsibility' and 'owning up' to his role with Cambridge Analytica, in a new interview with CBS News released late on Monday.
Wylie is a data scientist whose ideas helped the firm backed by Steve Bannon and billionaire Robert Mercer create psychological profiles and targeted Facebook ads for the presidential election campaigns of Ted Cruz and Donald Trump.
'All of these pieces of information, put together, create a digital portrait of who you are,' Wylie said.
Wylie, a self-described 'gay Canadian vegan', spoke out in a TV interview about his role helping the firm backed by Steve Bannon and billionaire Robert Mercer
Cambridge Analytica bought the data from a company that had made a 'personality quiz' app that gathered profile data on users and their friends on Facebook.
'It scaled really quickly. We spent over $1 million on it, so it wasn't cheap but in terms of the amount of data that was collected, and the quality of that data, it was a rare example of where something was fast, relatively cheap, but high-quality, ' Wylie said.
Wylie, a self-described 'gay Canadian vegan', has spoken out widely since handing over information to the Guardian for an explosive report that broke over the weekend.
'I take a share of responsibility in this because I was the research director and I worked on this program so I'm going to start by saying I'm taking responsibility and I'm owning up,' Wylie said in the new TV interview.
'In terms of who else needs to take responsibility: Cambridge Analytica -- it funded the program, it approved the program - as an entity this is what ultimately became the foundation of what Cambridge Analytica is,' he said.
'I take a share of responsibility in this because I was the research director and I worked on this program so I'm going to start by saying I'm taking responsibility and I'm owning up,' Wylie said
Facebook said that the company that created the Facebook quiz gathered user data legally under their terms of service, but the sale of that data to a third party was a violation of terms
Wylie added: 'Last week I offered to help Facebook and work with Facebook and their lawyers confirmed that they wanted to work in a collaborative manner -- when all of this came out I got banned [from Facebook] -- they decided that actually the whistleblower is the person they want to apparently go after.'
Facebook said that the company that created the Facebook quiz gathered user data legally under their terms of service, but that the sale of that data to a third party was a violation of those terms.
The social network suspended the companies involved.
Wylie called the data a 'political gold mine.'
'If you're trying to influence an American election, that's a one-stop shop,' Wylie said.
No profile information involved in the controversy was hacked or stolen, said Facebook.
'People knowingly provided their information, no systems were infiltrated, and no passwords or sensitive pieces of information were stolen or hacked,' Facebook said in a statement. |
Poland's isolation deepens as Supreme Court law takes... | WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Poland's international isolation and political uncertainty at home deepened on Wednesday as a purge of the Supreme Court's justices took effect, with the chief justice defiantly refusing to step down.
First President Malgorzata Gersdorf arrived for work as usual at the court in Warsaw, vowing to continue her constitutionally mandated term, which runs through 2020. The court's judges support this view.
Thousands of anti-government protesters cheered Gersdorf on and vowed to defend the constitutional order and fight what they see as the erosion of their democratic system.
The president of Poland's Supreme Court, Malgorzata Gersdorf, arrives for work at the Supreme Court building in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, July 4, 2018 saying she is defending the rule of law, in defiance of a new law that is forcing her and many other of the court's judges to retire while their terms are still running. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
While she was allowed in to the modern glass Supreme Court building in Warsaw and oversaw a meeting with other judges, it was not clear how Gersdorf could continue in her role following a new law that lowers the mandatory retirement age to 65 from the previous 70.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the ruling party leader, said in an interview published Wednesday by the Gazeta Polska daily that the judges' "action" will result in their "shameful disaster." An adviser to President Andrzej Duda also insisted that Gersdorf has no choice but to step down.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki faced a grilling in the European Parliament for what many European lawmakers see as Poland's violations of democratic standards with a broader overhaul of the judiciary that gives the ruling party vast political control over courts and judges.
Manfred Weber, a German member of the conservative European People's Party group, hailed Poland's great democratic legacy, praising the 10 million Poles who joined Solidarity in the struggle against communism in the 1980s.
"Their great achievement - a sovereign, democratic Poland - is at stake today," Weber said.
He also mentioned the ruling party's transformation of state media into a propaganda tool and the prosecution of peaceful anti-government protesters even as authorities have failed to act against nationalists who had attacked the protests.
Udo Bullmann, head of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, praised Gersdorf for defending the Polish constitution, and criticized Morawiecki for dismantling "the last bastion of the judiciary in Poland."
Guy Verhofstadt, president of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, said that putting judges under political control was reminiscent of Soviet practices and said Poland should abandon its "illiberal" illusions.
"I ask you personally, really, to turn the wheel and bring Poland back into the family of democratic nations," Verhofstadt told Morawiecki.
Morawiecki defended the changes the populist Law and Justice party has brought to the justice system, insisting his government is working to make judges more accountable to the democratic will of the people and that Poland's democracy "has never been as alive as it is today."
Though calm, he did not take the criticism well.
"We are a proud nation and we know the price of freedom," he said. "It is not good when proud nations are being lectured to by others, because that produces deadlocks."
Speaking later to reporters he insisted the forced retirements were "perfectly in line with the constitution."
In the debate that was to be dedicated to Europe's future, Morawiecki also got support from some who backed Warsaw's arguments that an overreaching EU was meddling in a sovereign state's internal affairs.
The new law lowers the mandatory retirement age from 70 to 65 for the Supreme Court justices. That forces Gersdorf, who is 65, and as many as one-third of the court's 73 sitting judges to step down, unless they obtain from the president a special permission to remain.
After having taken control of common courts and the constitutional court, Law and Justice now takes control of the top court, which handles appeals for all civil and criminal cases and authorizes election results.
Protesters expressed fears that the party will use its political sway over the court to falsify future elections.
"We have the right to live in a free country with a constitution," said Monika Czerniakowska, 50. She said once a government violates the constitution, "anything can happen. Look what's happening in Hungary. How far can we go?"
On Wednesday, 63 justices were working, meaning that 10 of the 27 covered by the new legislation have accepted their retirement under the new law, according to the court's press office.
"I still hope that the legal order will be restored in Poland," Gersdorf said as she arrived at the court.
The European Commission, which polices compliance with EU laws, opened an infringement procedure Monday against Poland over the Supreme Court law.
Government critics now are putting their hopes in the EU to preserve the rule of law in their homeland - a message that was reflected in the chants and slogans at the protest.
"This is not a democratic country governed by law anymore," said Krzysztof Trzesniowski, a 57-year-old protester. Surrounded by thousands of people, he looked at his phone and saw that state television was reporting that there was no crowd of protesters.
"Orwell," he said, referring to the dystopian novel "1984" by George Orwell.
Anti-government protesters hold up the Polish constitution when rallying in front of Poland's Supreme Court to support the court's president, Malgorzata Gersdorf, as she arrived for work, saying she was defending the rule of law, in defiance of a new law that is forcing her and many other of the court's judges to retire while their terms are still running, before the Supreme Court building in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, July 4, 2018.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Protesters gather in front of Poland's Supreme Court building in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, July 4, 2018 to support the court's president, Malgorzata Gersdorf, as she arrived for work, saying she was defending the rule of law, in defiance of a new law that is forcing her and many other of the court's judges to retire while their terms are still running. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Protesters hold up posters referring to the the Polish constitution as they gather in front of Poland's Supreme Court building in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, July 4, 2018 to support the court's president, Malgorzata Gersdorf, as she arrived for work, saying she was defending the rule of law, in defiance of a new law that is forcing her and many other of the court's judges to retire while their terms are still running. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
The president of Poland's Supreme Court, Malgorzata Gersdorf, center with roses, arrives for work at the Supreme Court building in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, July 4, 2018 saying she is defending the rule of law, in defiance of a new law that is forcing her and many other of the court's judges to retire while their terms are still running. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Protesters hold up posters referring to the the Polish constitution as they gather in front of Poland's Supreme Court building in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, July 4, 2018 to support the court's president, Malgorzata Gersdorf, as she arrived for work, saying she was defending the rule of law, in defiance of a new law that is forcing her and many other of the court's judges to retire while their terms are still running. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Protesters gather in front of Poland's Supreme Court building in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, July 4, 2018 to support the court's president, Malgorzata Gersdorf, as she arrived for work, saying she was defending the rule of law, in defiance of a new law that is forcing her and many other of the court's judges to retire while their terms are still running. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Protesters gather in front of Poland's Supreme Court building in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, July 4, 2018 to support the court's president, Malgorzata Gersdorf, as she arrived for work, saying she was defending the rule of law, in defiance of a new law that is forcing her and many other of the court's judges to retire while their terms are still running. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Malgorzata Gersdorf, first president of the Polish Supreme Court, speaks to reporters in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, July 4, 2018 about a new law forcing her into retirement. Gersdorf insists that the constitutional guarantees her six-year term until 2020 and showed up at work on Wednesday, in defiance of the new law passed by the populist ruling Law and Justice party. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Protesters hold up a European and a Polish flag as they gather in front of Poland's Supreme Court building in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, July 4, 2018 to support the court's president, Malgorzata Gersdorf, as she arrived for work, saying she was defending the rule of law, in defiance of a new law that is forcing her and many other of the court's judges to retire while their terms are still running. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Polish Prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki, left, and E.U Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker debate the future of Europe at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, Wednesday July 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias) |
Saudi top prosecutor summons Twitter users for harming public order | A man reads tweets on his phone in front of a displayed Twitter logo in Bordeaux, southwestern France, March 10, 2016.
RIYADH (Reuters) - A group of Twitter users will be indicted in Saudi Arabia on charges of harming public order for threatening the "safety and moderate ideology of society" through extremism, according to a statement on state news agency SPA.
The country's chief prosecutor summoned the Twitter users on Sunday, the statement said, without naming them or specifying how many were accused.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Culture and Information had earlier tweeted that a radical Sunni cleric, Ali al-Rabieei, had been referred to a "publication crimes" committee for unspecified violations.
Ministry officials did not respond to requests for comment on whether Rabieei was among the group.
Saudi Arabia has stepped up efforts to muffle political dissent in recent years, using tough new cybercrime laws to sentence offenders to prison terms for online posts deemed insulting to rulers or threatening to public order.
In a separate statement, Public Prosecutor Sheikh Saud bin Abdullah al-Muajab said he respected freedom of opinion but asserted his office's power to pursue cases against those who promote hatred or sectarianism, or mislead public opinion.
Rabieei's tweets largely consist of broadsides against Shi'ites, a minority group in Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia. One tweet refers to the core Shi'ite belief that the prophet's son-in-law was his rightful successor as "one of the Jew's tricks."
He issued a statement on Twitter declaring his commitment to publication laws, "if they are not contrary to the Quran, the Sunna, or statements made by senior scholars Bin Baz, Bin Uthaymin or the Council of Senior Scholars."
Religious scholars from the official Wahhabi school of Sunni Islam, like those named by Rabieei, hold influential semi-legal roles in the kingdom. The Quran and the Sunna, or sayings of the prophet, are the country's constitution.
Many members of the state-employed clergy have long taught that Shi'ism is heretical. Last year, Saudi Arabia's grand mufti, the kingdom's top religious authority, said the leaders of Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional Shi'ite rival, were not Muslims.
But as the kingdom's Shi'ites have come under attack by Islamic State jihadists since 2013, authorities have also made efforts to curb open incitement and sectarianism, including arrests for anti-Shi'ite social media posts. |
Where to buy a car | Depending on past experience, buying a car could conjure an image of a glossy showroom, pristine cars and the patter of a helpful but focused salesperson – or you might imagine a scruffy forecourt staffed by an Arthur Daley lookalike looking to pull a fast one.
The former is, of course, a far more realistic view of most car dealerships, and visiting one remains a perfectly legitimate way to purchase your next vehicle. But it may not be the best – the range may be quite limited, perhaps to a single manufacturer (in the case of franchised ‘main’ dealers), and you’ll have to haggle to avoid paying over the odds.
Instead, you could visit a large car ‘supermarket’ to view a broad range of makes and models in one place, often sold at low prices. Or you could use a broker to avoid the haggling, letting them do the leg work to find you the right new or used car at a good price. Or you could use an online car-buying service that lets dealers ‘bid’ for your business by sending you their best prices – let’s have a closer look at the options.
Not sure which car you’d like to buy? See the ones we recommend by viewing our Best Buys. |
Ex-Penn State coach Sandusky's son charged with child sex abuse | A 41-year-old adopted son of Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State University assistant football coach convicted in 2012 of sexually abusing young boys, was charged in Pennsylvania on Monday with sexually abusing two teenage sisters.
Pennsylvania State Police arrested Jeffrey Sandusky on Monday on charges that he solicited oral sex and naked photographs from the teenage daughters of a woman he was dating, police said. They had all lived in the same home for about five years, according to police.
He faces 14 counts of statutory sexual assault and sexual abuse of a minor and other crimes, according to the criminal complaint filed in court in Bellefonte, a town near Pennsylvania State University's main campus.
His father was convicted in June 2012 on 45 counts of sexually abusing boys over a number of years and sentenced to between 30 and 60 years in prison in a closely watched case that sullied Pennsylvania State University's reputation and rocked the world of college football.
Jerry Sandusky, 73, was a former assistant football coach at long-time college football power Penn State, and some of his abuse took place on the campus, plunging the school into scandal after the abuse became widely known. He is appealing the conviction.
Matt Sandusky, another adopted son of the former coach, has accused Jerry Sandusky of sexually abusing him when he was a foster child before he was adopted.
Police began investigating Jeffrey Sandusky last November, according to the criminal complaint, which did not identify the girls. One of the girls saved text messages from Jeffrey Sandusky seeking naked pictures in March 2016 and showed them to her father, who complained to the police, according to the police account.
Jeffrey Sandusky, who had defended his father as innocent in a 2015 interview, appeared in court on Monday and bail was set at $200,000, according to court filings. His lawyer Lance Marshall declined to comment, and court records indicated that Sandusky had not posted bail and remained in custody.
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections said Sandusky had been suspended from his job at a prison in Rockview.
One of the girls said she was 16 when Sandusky asked for pictures of her breasts, telling her "it's not weird because he studied medicine," according to a police summary of the exchanges.
He continued to pester her via text messages for pictures over two days. She refused.
"You literally tried to guilt me into doing it," the girl wrote to him at the end of the exchange, according to police. "You know who does that? Rapists and Abusers, not stepdads who care about their stepdaughters. I don't know how many times I need to tell you no and to stop before you get it."
The girl told her older sister, who in turn said that Sandusky had pestered her for oral sex a few years earlier, when she was 15, police said.
The younger girl later showed Sandusky's texts to her father who called the police. She and her sister informed her mother that evening, who confronted Sandusky.
The mother and daughters told police that Sandusky explained that he needed the pictures to help him remove other naked pictures of the younger daughter from the internet. The family said there were no such pictures online and dismissed this reasoning as a lie before the mother told him to move out, police said.
(Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York; Editing by Will Dunham and Lisa Shumaker) |
Shooting erupts at San Francisco UPS facility; police urge neighborhood to sh... | Police are asking the public to avoid the area of 17th and Vermont streets in San Francisco. San Francisco police are responding to a shooting at a United Parcel Service facility in the Potrero Hill neighborhood and have asked people nearby to shelter in place.
Start the conversation, or Read more at Los Angeles Times. |
Camilla Parker Bowles: Duchess of Cornwall’s £3 million Saudi Royal Family jewels | GETTY Camilla Parker Bowles: Duchess of Cornwall’s £3 million jewels from the Saudi Royal Family revealed
Camilla Parker Bowles, the wife of Prince Charles, has access to the royal jewellery vaults as one of the UK’s highest-ranking women. The 70-year-old has already worn millions of pounds worth of royal jewels and has a very valuable personal collection. Camilla, the second wife of the next-in-line to the British throne, has also received three extravagant gifts from the Saudi Royal Family in the form of demi-parures - all set with different precious stones. Jewellers David Bader & Josef Caldaro told Express.co.uk: “The Saudis have a deep-rooted culture of lavish gift-giving; it is accepted as the norm in social interactions, political affairs, and business dealings.
Prince Charles & Camilla in pictures Mon, December 18, 2017 The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, and Duchess of Cornwall royal visits and encounters across the globe. Play slideshow PA 1 of 100 The picture used on the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall's 2017 Christmas card which was taken by Hugo Burnand showing the royal couple in the Orchard Room during the private 70th birthday party of The Duchess of Cornwall at Highgrove
Camilla Parker Bowles: Duchess of Cornwall’s £3 million jewels from the Saudi Royal Family revealed
“As such, the Saudi Royal Family typically showers important figureheads and their families with beautiful gifts, including precious diamond jewellery. “Recipients of Saudi Royal Family gifts include the Obamas, the Clintons, the Trumps and of course, the British Royal Family - combined having received millions of dollars worth of luxury gifts. “While the Saudi Royal family gift items such as furs, robes, watches and a variety of objet d’art, the British Royal family always receives the best and most precious diamonds.” Express.co.uk looks at the lavish sets made with rubies, emeralds and sapphires Camilla is said to have been given during her trip to Saudi Arabia with The Prince of Wales in March 2006.
GETTY Camilla Parker Bowles: Camilla wore this set to the Philadelphia Academy of Music in 2007
GETTY Camilla Parker Bowles: Duchess at the Royal Gala Performance of Peter Pan in Kensington
Rubies Camilla wore this set to the Philadelphia Academy of Music in 2007. David Bader & Josef Caldaro said: “The precise details of these mysterious pieces are unknown, so we can only theorize from photographs. Additionally, the nuances of diamond and precious coloured gems dictate that even slight variations in quality can vastly change a piece’s overall value. “Camilla looks like an elegant ‘warrior princess’ in the architectural, linear diamond and ruby bib. It appears to have over 100 carats of colourless diamonds and 37 oval mixed-cut, presumably Burmese Rubies. “Back in the mid-2000s it was thought to be worth about 1.5 million dollars, however, since the value of diamonds has increased since that time, it could be worth more than 3 million dollars now. Similar to a diamond which symbolises ever-lasting love, power, and fortitude, a ruby symbolises passionate love and is said to be one of Camilla’s favourite coloured stones.”
A Royal engagement: A closer look at royal engagement rings Tue, January 23, 2018 A closer look at the stunning engagement rings of The Queen, Kate Middleton, Princess Diana and more. Play slideshow Getty 1 of 25 A closer look at royal engagement rings
GETTY Camila Parker Bowles: This necklace features a diamond base with nine sapphire and diamond pendants |
Federal judge blocks Indiana abortion ultrasound measure | A U.S. federal judge blocked an Indiana measure requiring women to have an ultrasound at least 18 hours before undergoing an abortion, saying that the mandate was unnecessary and a burden to low-income women.
The preliminary injunction, issued by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt on Friday, was the result of a lawsuit brought last year by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky against Indiana's Department of Health and local officials.
The Indiana ultrasound measure was part of a renewed push by abortion opponents in the United States to restrict access to the procedure.
"These burdens are clearly undue when weighed against the almost complete lack of evidence that the law furthers the State’s asserted justifications of promoting fetal life and women’s mental health outcomes," Pratt wrote in her 53-page ruling.
There are six Planned Parenthood locations that provide the ultrasound services, meaning women who do not live near the centers have to travel to reach them, which could be costly, Pratt wrote.
"For women faced with the already high costs of an abortion and a lack of means to afford them, the additional expenses of lengthy travel, lost wages, and child care created by the new ultrasound law create a significant burden," the ruling said.
The ultrasound mandate was in a larger package of abortion restrictions signed into law last year by Vice President Mike Pence, who was serving as governor of the state at the time.
The Indiana State Department of Health directed questions to the attorney general's office, which did not immediately respond to request for comment.
The law took effect on July 1, 2016. Prior to that, women still needed an ultrasound to have an abortion, but the time frame of when it needed to happen was not specified.
Nine women were unable to undergo abortions because of the stricter ultrasound regulation, according to the ruling.
"This is a major victory for women in the state. It's a major victory for Planned Parenthood," Ken Falk, legal director at ACLU in Indiana, told members of the media at a news conference on Monday.
Some 25 U.S. states have laws regarding ultrasounds and abortions, but only three states require medical staff to display and describe the images, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a non-profit group focusing on health issues.
(Reporting by Timothy Mclaughlin in Chicago; Editing by Andrew Hay and Lisa Shumaker) |
UPDATE 1-Israel anti-trust watchdog rejects Mizrahi-Union bank deal | (Adds details, comments from authority and Mizrahi, share reaction)
By Steven Scheer
JERUSALEM, May 30 (Reuters) - Israel’s anti-trust authority said on Wednesday it had rejected a planned merger between Mizrahi-Tefahot Bank and Union Bank after a review that pitted two regulators against each other on the consequences for banking competition.
Mizrahi, Israel’s third-largest bank, late in 2017 had agreed to buy Union, the country’s sixth-largest, in an all share deal valued at 1.4 billion shekels ($391 million).
“The disappearance of Union Bank as a competitor likely would harm the already limited competition over private customers in the banking sector,” the anti-trust authority said.
It said Union Bank, the smallest bank in Israel, offered certain incentives to customers that would likely disappear in a merger and that could lead to a rise in the cost of credit.
The regulator also said the planned merger came at a time when there were a number of reforms aimed at improving banking competition under consideration.
The ruling by Ori Schwartz, the acting anti-trust commissioner, is final but the parties can appeal. When asked about an appeal, a Mizrahi spokesman said the bank would think about it and then decide.
The Bank of Israel, the country’s banking regulator, has been a longstanding supporter of the proposed deal.
Supervisor of Banks Hedva Ber told reporters on Wednesday the merger would not hurt competition but would help it by enabling a mid-sized bank to compete more effectively with Israel’s two largest lenders — Hapoalim and Leumi .
These two together hold a 56 percent share of the bank credit supply market. The remaining 44 percent is held by the next three banks.
“Our banking understanding is that it was possible to approve the merger,” Ber said.
Despite the central bank’s backing, the deal faced heavy opposition from Israel’s finance and economy ministers as well as several other politicians. Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon in 2015 had run on a platform of reforming Israel’s banks and lowering the cost of credit.
The head of Israel’s parliamentary finance committee last November had warned the Bank of Israel that it could be stripped of its banking supervisory role over its support of the merger.
Mizrahi criticised the anti-trust authority’s decision, saying it was unreasonable, based on unfounded arguments and completely ignored the central bank’s expertise in banking competition.
“The imaginary competitive fears held on to by the anti-trust authority are baseless,” it said in a statement. “The merger not only would have not have harmed competition but would have dramatically benefited the consumer.”
Union’s shares closed down 2.5 percent, while Mizrahi’s were flat. ($1 = 3.5808 shekels) (Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by Mark Potter and Jane Merriman) |
Wonder drug gives new lease of life to Perth toddler | Baby Max Farmer has been given wonder drug Spinraza
With the help of an NHS neurology medic at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, he’s become the first Scottish tot to receive the experimental treatment Spinraza.
Mum Elaine, from Perth, said: “Due to his swallowing being deemed unsafe, he is fed through a tube in his stomach.
“However, Max has come on so well. He can now sit unaided and move his arms and legs about, his arms to above his head.
“He can roll over and sign to us to let us know what he wants, to switch channels on the TV, etc. |
Royal Wedding 2018 How to watch Prince Harry and Meghan Markle marry on ITV | This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield will team up with Julie to present live broadcasts from a specially constructed TV studio overlooking Windsor.
The royal wedding will broadcast on ITV between 9.25am and 3pm, with Phillip and Julie joined by a range of guests and friends of the royal family.
Mary Nightingale will be positioned at Windsor Castle spotting and interviewing guests as they arrive, accompanied by a line-up of fashion experts and Royal commentators.
James Mates will lead live commentary of the service from inside St George’s Chapel.
Charlotte Hawkins will also be based along the route to speak to the crowds. |
BRIEF-Saudi Fisheries signs loan agreement with Saudi Industrial Development Fund | UPDATE 3-Nestle takes food price rises in its stride
ZURICH, Aug 9 Nestle expects pressure from the rising price of ingredients for its products such as chocolate bars, coffee and soup to ease, helping it meet its target for increasing sales despite tough markets. |