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Which? Elderly Care | 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. |
MIDEAST STOCKS-Oil's steep loss may hurt Gulf, earnings boost Abu Dhabi bank giant | DUBAI, April 20 A steep overnight decline in oil prices may hurt oil-sensitive shares in the Gulf on Thursday but positive earnings from the largest bank in the United Arab Emirates may boost Abu Dhabi's index.
Brent crude traded as low $52.58 a barrel on Wednesday after a surprising build in U.S. gasoline inventories, though the price has since partially rebounded to $53.12. First Abu Dhabi Bank, formed on April 1 by the merger of National Bank of Abu Dhabi and First Gulf Bank, posted a 12.4 percent rise in combined "pro-forma" first quarter net profit to 2.93 billion dirhams ($797.8 million).
That was aided by a 145.5 percent jump in "other non-interest" income while loan impairment charges dipped 3.9 percent. The merger is expected to produce cost savings of 500 million dirhams, the bank said.
Abu Dhabi National Energy Co may also attract interest after its chief operating officer told Reuters on Wednesday it might sell some oil and gas interests in North America to raise capital for its core business.
Earlier this month TAQA said the state-owned utility company had raised its stake in the company to 74 percent from 52.38 percent after granting TAQA land valued at 18.7 billion dirhams that could potentially offset accumulated losses. Shares in TAQA have risen almost 8 percent since the start of the month.
In Saudi Arabia, shares in cement companies may remain under pressure as yet another producer posted a double-digit decline in first-quarter earnings. Qassim Cement reported a net profit of 80.3 million riyals ($21.4 million), down 40 percent from the prior-year period. (Reporting by Celine Aswad; Editing by Andrew Torchia) |
PRECIOUS-Gold falls as N. Korea tensions ease, dollar gains | (Recasts, updates prices, adds detail, changes dateline) * Spot gold faces strong resistance at $1,291/oz -technicals * Dollar rises from previous week's four-month lows versus the yen By Maytaal Angel LONDON, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Gold dropped by half a percentage point on Monday, retreating from two-month highs under pressure from a strengthening dollar and a slight easing of tensions between the United States and North Korea. Though North Korea's Liberation Day celebration on Tuesday could raise the temperature again, markets were relieved that the weekend passed without more inflammatory rhetoric. Elsewhere, the dollar rose from last week's four-month lows against the yen and traded up against a currency basket, making dollar-priced gold costlier for non-U.S. investors. "A lot of the negative news is priced into the dollar. That, combined with no real escalation in North Korea, should lead to lower gold prices, though it doesn't mean we expect a very negative trend. We'll stay within the $1,200 to $1,300 range for the year," said ABN Amro strategist Georgette Boele. Spot gold fell 0.6 percent to $1,280.45 an ounce by 1004 GMT, having reached its highest since June 7 at $1,291.86 in the previous session. U.S. gold futures for December delivery fell 0.6 percent to $1,286.90. Consumer prices in the United States rose less than expected in July, data showed on Friday, suggesting benign inflation that could persuade a cautious Federal Reserve to delay raising U.S. interest rates until December. "As a result (of the weak inflation data), rate hike expectations according to the Fed Fund Futures have dropped to their lowest level since November, which should benefit gold," Commerzbank said in a note. Gold is highly sensitive to rising interest rates because they increase the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion. Hedge funds and money managers boosted their net long, or buy, position in COMEX gold for the fourth straight week to a near two-month high in the week to Aug. 8, data showed on Friday. Spot gold faces strong resistance at $1,291 an ounce and could hover below this level or retrace to support at $1,278, said Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao. Among other precious metals, silver fell 0.5 percent to $16.98 per ounce, having climbed last week to its highest since mid-June. Platinum fell 1.2 percent to $968.50 after hitting a five-month high on Friday, while palladium rose 0.1 percent to $893.40. (Additional reporting by Apeksha Nair; Editing by David Goodman) |
Which? Elderly Care | 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. |
Mariners' Andrew Albers: Will start Tuesday | Albers will start against the Orioles on Tuesday, Bob Dutton of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.
Albers made 17 starts for Triple-A Gwinnett before being dealt to the Mariners last week, compiling a 2.25 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 97 strikeouts over 104 innings pitched. The 31-year-old last pitched in the majors for the Twins, and has a 4.41 ERA and 1.34 WHIP across 79.2 major-league innings. |
How to register your child for Primary 1 in 2018 | SINGAPORE: The registration of children for admission to Primary 1 next year will start on Jun 29 and end on Aug 28, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced on Thursday (Jun 15) in a media release.
Children born between Jan 2, 2011 and Jan 1, 2012 (both dates inclusive) have to be registered at this year's P1 Registration Exercise for admission to primary school next January.
All primary schools will be open for registration from 8am to 11am, and from 2.30pm to 4.30pm from Mondays to Fridays during the registration period.
Registration Phases Dates Phase 1 Jun 29-30 Phase 2(A)1 Jul 5 Phase 2(A)2 Jul 11-12 Phase 2B Jul 17-18 Phase 2C Jul 25-27 (online),
Jul 26-28 (at school) Phase 2C Supplementary Aug 13-15 (online),
Aug 15-16 (at school) Phase 3 Aug 28
The list of primary schools and vacancies available, as well as the list of registration centres for new, merging and relocating schools can be found on the P1 registration website.
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A new primary school in Sengkang, Fern Green Primary, will also open for P1 registration this year. It begins operations in 2018.
ONLINE REGISTRATION
Parents registering their children for Phase 2C and 2C Supplementary can do so online using their SingPass via the Primary 1 Internet System (P1-IS). The P1-IS is accessible 24 hours a day during the Phase 2C period from Jul 25 at 9am to Jul 27 at 4.30pm, and Phase 2C Supplementary from Aug 13 at 9am until Aug 15 at 4.30pm.
MOE also advised those intending to use the P1-IS in Phase 2C and 2C Supplementary to set up their SingPass two-factor verification early if they have not done so.
Parents who do not want to register online can also go to their school of choice to register in person, MOE said. |
The early buzz on NFL coaching carousel with six jobs open | The traditional Black Monday for NFL head coaches became Bloody Sunday with the firings of Chip Kelly and GM Trent Baalke in San Francisco, Mike McCoy in San Diego, and the resignation of Gary Kubiak for health reasons in Denver.
Those axings followed pre-Week 17 ousters by the Jaguars (Gus Bradley), Rams (Jeff Fisher) and Bills (Rex Ryan).
Baalke’s success as a GM with the 49ers, it’s now clear, was dependent on how Jim Harbaugh molded and improved the players Baalke gave him. Baalke won a power struggle with Harbaugh, who headed to Michigan. The Niners became historically bad without him, and Baalke’s choice of Kelly to work with such a weak roster looks worse than hiring caretaker Jim Tomsula after Harbaugh left. At least Tomsula went 5-11, three more victories than Kelly managed.
“Despite my feelings for Trent and Chip, I felt the decision to change our football leadership was absolutely necessary,” 49ers CEO Jed York said in a statement. “The performance of this team has not lived up to my expectations or those of our fans, and that is truly disappointing. We all expected to see this team progress and develop as the season went on, but unfortunately that did not happen. That is why now is the time to find a new direction for this team.”
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who flopped in his previous head coaching try with the Broncos, will be interviewed for several of the open jobs during his team’s playoff bye week.
The new direction for the Chargers looks like it will be north, as a tenant of the Rams in the new Inglewood, Calif., palace that will open in a few years. McCoy’s team lost its last five games and finished in last place for two straight seasons in the tough AFC West. Injuries tore it apart, too, but apparently Chargers chairman Dean Spanos wants a totally fresh start when the club abandons its longtime home.
Which means both of the new teams in Los Angeles will be riding the coaching carousel. The Rams are looking at interim Jaguars coach Doug Marrone and a number of coordinators including Matt Patricia, McDaniels’ defensive counterpart with the Patriots.
The saddest news comes from Denver. Never was there a question about Gary Kubiak returning after leading the Broncos to their Super Bowl win last February. But Kubiak’s health issues forced him to step aside, disappointing fans, players and John Elway alike.
“As I told our team last night, this is an extremely difficult decision to step down as head coach,” Kubiak said in a statement released Monday morning. “I love to work and I love football, but ultimately the demands of the job are no longer a good fit for me. I gave everything I had to this team the last two seasons, but this year, in particular, has been tough on me.”
Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib said: “We love Kube, we love how he treated us. We pray he gets healthy.”
Denver won’t have any trouble filling Kubiak’s spot. One of the hot candidates, for example, is Atlanta offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, son of Mike Shanahan, who coached Elway to two Super Bowl championships. Such a hire makes a lot of sense.
Shanahan has an interview scheduled with the Jaguars, The MMQB reported.
More moves could be coming, too. Is Chuck Pagano safe in Indianapolis? Might the Saints do something with Sean Payton? What about Bears coach John Fox?
With AP |
Batman star Adam West to be honoured with a ceremonial bat-signal in LA | Adam West, the Batman TV series star to get a real life bat-signal. Adam West, the Batman TV series star to get a real life bat-signal.
Veteran actor Adam West will be honoured with a ceremonial bat-signal by LA Mayor Eric Garcetti and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck. Garcetti and Beck will light up the iconic signal for the the star of the Batman TV series, who passed away at the age of 88 last Friday, at 200 N Spring Street downtown in an event that will start around 9 PM PT Thursday evening, reported Deadline. The signal will be projected via spotlight onto the tower of Los Angeles City Hall.
The only good news for his fans is that West’s last project Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, an animated film set in the same universe as the original series where he has voiced the iconic character will be soon seen on screen. West apparently completed recording for the project before his death. Recently, rumours of him leading a wild life which was filled sex and alcohol were doing the rounds on the internet. He and Burt Ward, his co-star who played Robin, would have ‘quickies’ with women in between scenes and while in costume, as reported by dailymail.co.uk.
West, who was at the pinnacle of pop culture after Batman debuted in January 1966, only to see his career fall victim to typecasting after the ABC show flamed out, died after a short battle with leukemia. On the big screen, West starred in The Young Philadelphians (1959), Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964) and contributed his velvety voice to the animated Redux Riding Hood (1997), which received an Oscar nomination for best short film.
(with inputs from PTI)
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FIFA World Cup 2018: Playing ‘favourites’ Brazil a dream for Belgium, says Roberto Martinez | Belgium coach Roberto Martinez applauds fans after the match. (Source: Reuters) Belgium coach Roberto Martinez applauds fans after the match. (Source: Reuters)
Brazil are the favourites in what Belgium coach Roberto Martinez described as a “dream match” for his players when the two countries meet in a World Cup quarter-final in Kazan on Friday.
“These two teams are constructed to score and to win matches. Against Brazil, it will not be about ball possession, but what you do with it. That’s what this World Cup is all about,” the Spaniard told Belgian media on Wednesday.
“We know what we are capable of but Brazil are the favourites, putting us into a different role,” he added.
“But it’s a dream match for our players, they were born to play in a match like this. Naturally, we want to win but we are not expected to and that is an important difference.”
Martinez saw his side rally from the brink of elimination to snatch a last-gasp 3-2 win over Japan in the Round of 16 on Monday, booking a meeting with the five-time World Cup winners.
At times in Rostov-on-Don, Belgium looked hamstrung by Japan’s pressing tactics and needed more than an hour to unshackle themselves and set about a dramatic come-from-behind victory after falling 2-0 down.
For Friday’s match, the tactics might be simpler.
“Against a team like Brazil, you must attack and defend with 11 players. We are not talking about a system but understanding what we must do when we have possession,” the coach added.
“I don’t think it will be a game with many secrets. We have to defend as well as we can and then cause them pain when we have the ball. It can be that simple and this squad is ready for that.”
STARTING OPTIONS
Martinez now faces a tricky decision concerning his line-up with Nacer Chadli and Marouane Fellaini pressing for starts after coming off the bench against Japan to turn the game around in the last half an hour.
“As a coach I have a lot of options with this team but I know in my head what I want to do. We will need power,” he said in a hint that the physical presence of Fellaini might be deployed from the beginning.
“If we show the same mentality as we did on Monday, we have a big chance.”
Belgium play in a second successive World Cup quarter-final, looking to reach the semi-finals for the second time after they advanced to the last four in Mexico 32 years ago.
“We have worked hard over two years for this and we are as ready as we ever can be. We’ve won all our games, everyone has played and we’ve scored 12 times.
“The game against Japan gave us a big boost,” he said.
“There is something special about this squad. If we play well, we can create a lot of chances. But there is no margin for error. If we give Brazil a chance, they will take it. I think it will be the match of the tournament.”
The winner of the tie will face either France or Uruguay in St Petersburg on July 10.
For all the latest Fifa News, download Indian Express App |
Industry sees room for more rate cuts as inflation rises | New Delhi: India Inc on Monday said there is room for further rate cut by the RBI to boost investments from private sector and revive industrial growth, as wholesale inflation rose to 1.88 per cent in July.
"Given the trend and outlook for inflation, we see clear space for a more accommodative stance in the monetary policy. This is all the more important given the state of industrial sector where growth is anaemic.
"Private sector investments continue to remain weak which is key concern for now. We look forward to a further cut in the policy rate by the RBI at the earliest. This along with forthcoming festive season demand and expected improvement in rural incomes should help propel consumption and thus investment sentiment," Ficci President Pankaj Patel said.
Wholesale inflation increased to 1.88 per cent in July as prices of some commodities increased in the first month of Goods and Services Tax (GST) rollout.
Inflation based on the wholesale price index (WPI) was 0.90 per cent in June 2017 and 0.63 per cent in July 2016.
"Continuous increase in the prices of petrol and high speed diesel due to rise in prices of crude oil globally have to be taken care of by policy makers since it may have impact on import bills and subsequent impact on exchange rates," Assocham Secretary General DS Rawat said.
He said it is clear from the recent global economic policy announcements that interest rates are going to increase in future.
"As such policymakers must take corrective action to address the situation of rising interest rates coupled with the situation of twin balance sheet problems in India, limited capacity of private sector to invest and existing unutilised capacity of industries to produce," Rawat said.
The government data released today showed that prices of food articles went up by 2.15 per cent in July on a yearly basis. In June, the prices had contracted by 3.47 per cent. Data released last week showed that industrial output hit a four-year low and contracted 0.1 per cent in June, mainly on account of decline in manufacturing and capital goods sectors.
Earlier this month, the Reserve Bank cut policy repo rate by 0.25 per cent to 6 per cent citing reduction in inflation risk. The rate cut was the first in 10 months and brought policy rates to near 7-year low. |
BRIEF-Silgan Holdings, units completed amendment, restatement of our existing senior secured credit facility | March 30 Silgan Holdings Inc:
* Silgan Holdings Inc - co , units completed an amendment and restatement of our existing senior secured credit facility
* Silgan Holdings - amended and restated senior secured credit facility extends maturity of existing senior secured credit facility, dated as of Jan 14, 2014
* Silgan Holdings Inc - amended and restated provides multicurrency revolving loan facility for an aggregate of $1.19 billion of revolving loans, letters of credit and swingline loans Source text (bit.ly/2nEZg6n) Further company coverage: |
Train derailment in northern India injures 25 | NEW DELHI At least 25 people were injured on Thursday when eight carriages of a passenger train derailed in northern India, a railway ministry spokesman said, the latest in a series of incidents involving the world's fourth-largest rail network.
The Mahakoshal Express was travelling from Jabalpur city in central India's Madhya Pradesh to the capital, New Delhi, when it derailed at about 2 a.m. (2000 GMT Wednesday) in Uttar Pradesh state.
"Rescue operations are underway. We have rushed a disaster management team to the incident spot," railways ministry spokesman Anil Saxena said in New Delhi.
The cause of the derailment has not been determined yet and police would investigate whether it was an accident or a planned attack, he said.
India's state railways, built during British colonial rule, have an appalling safety record after decades of underinvestment and a priority on keeping fares low for the 23 million passengers who use the network every day.
In the previous serious accident, 150 people were killed when a train derailed in Uttar Pradesh late last year.
India recorded 27,581 railway deaths in 2014, the most recent year for which figures are available, with most victims falling from, or being struck by, moving trains.
(Reporting by Rupam Jain; Editing by Paul Tait) |
London news - pregnant woman forced to STAND on Tube | A blogger said she was ignored by fellow commuters when she conducted a social experiment on the Tube in London during the UK’s intense heatwave, which has seen temperatures soar higher than 30C. Anna Whitehouse, known as Mother Pukka, wore a fake baby bump to reveal the attitudes of commuters towards expectant mothers. Only four out of ten passengers offered to give up their seats and another person agreed only once the blogger asked him.
SWNS The blogger found out that many commuters did not give up their seat for her
Only four out of ten passengers offered to give up their seats
Ms Whitehouse said: “I felt that perhaps I had to make a big deal out of being pregnant, like really put it on, rub the bump and failing that actually asking for a seat, which makes you feel very uncomfortable. “People are just not connected to what's going on around them. “Pregnancy is not a weakness, but it is a vulnerability and I felt this during my first trimester in particular.
“Busy, hot, and cramped commuting conditions can be incredibly stressful both physically and mentally, and being able to sit down can make a difference. “However, from my own experience, I find that people are either too engrossed in their phones to be aware of their surroundings, or won't offer their seat unless prompted.” Ms Whitehouse’s experience echoes a study by Mama Mio skincare which found only 60 percent of commuters would give up their seat for a pregnant woman.
SWNS Anna Whitehouse found that commuters were in their own worlds and did not all offer up their seats
The study found one in four people had not given up their seat for a woman that could be pregnant in case she was not expecting. Mama Mio conducted the research as part of their campaign, Expecting Change, urging mothers to not be afraid to ask a pregnant woman to give up their seat. Ms Whitehouse said: “I’d encourage anyone who needs a seat on public transport to wear a badge and make eye contact. If that fails, don't suffer in silence - ask for one!”
SWNS It can be very difficult for pregnant people to stand for long periods of time |
The Bridges of Madison County: The perfect marriage of Clint Eastwood and the romantic genre | Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep in a still from The Bridges of Madison County Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep in a still from The Bridges of Madison County
“This kind of certainty comes but once in a lifetime.”
This is a line spoken by The Bridges of Madison County’s Robert Kincaid played by Hollywood veteran Clint Eastwood in the screen adaptation of the book of the same name. It’s a simple line and left afloat by itself can stir powerful images. Removed from its context, the line could be about love, a career choice or a big decision. In the movie, the line is spoken with the right amount of firmness and love for the sake of love.
Clint Eastwood has been doing movies for over five decades now. He is a powerhouse who directs, produces and acts in films. And he has proven himself successful on all fronts. However, despite having tried his hand at nearly all genres, Eastwood has often been stereotyped as the gun-slinging cowboy he has played to perfection in his westerns.
Not many see Eastwood as the romantic hero. His face lacks the conventional softness and charm that the audience usually associates with ‘romantic leading men.’ But 1995’s The Bridges of Madison County proves those stereotypes wrong, and how.
The film has been written by Richard LaGravenese and has been co-produced and directed by Eastwood himself. It features Academy Award winners Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood in the lead.
The movie’s primary plotline revolves around an Italian woman (Streep) who lives with her husband and two children on a farm in Iowa. She leads a quiet and ordinary life as she tends to the house and her family’s needs. But soon she is paid a visit by a National Geographic photographer and her life takes a turn. The visit happens while the rest of her family is away at a state fair in Illinois. It’s a four-day affair of two middle-aged individuals who fall for each other with abandon.
It’s one of those romantic dramas that saves the sappiness and invests on building those thoughtful, lingering emotional moments on film. A love story that delivers heartbreaks like comedians deliver their punchlines.
Take this scene for instance. Streep’s character’s husband has returned from the fair. Her days of romance with Eastwood is over. She is stuck in the rain with her husband in the driving seat. She is remembering with fondness and heartrending longing the moments of passion she had shared recently with Eastwood’s character. They had parted ways earlier, with Streep choosing to stay behind with her husband and family. But then, out of nowhere, she spots Eastwood once again. It’s a La La Land moment. They stare at each other wishing things were different. And Streep presses firmly on the handle of the car’s door, wanting to open it. Wanting to rush to her love.
That moment of helplessness, of conflict and pain is maddeningly real. You can almost touch the tension, it’s a living thing. The love story of Francesca Johnson and Robert Kincaid was doomed from the start. And during an argument, Robert pretty much spells out the fate of their relationship–“I don’t want to need you, because I can’t have you.”
The Bridges of Madison County does not hold back on the ‘realness’ of it all and on the definite and inevitable end. Neither does it make a villain of Streep’s character’s husband. It is what it is. Two people who just cannot be together because, life, you see.
The performances are nuanced, but not loud. The writing like a piece of delicate silk. And the direction, smooth and unhindered.
Francesca and Robert are opposites, not so much in person, as they are in their circumstances. Robert’s profession requires him to move around a lot, to almost lead a nomadic life. Whereas, Francesca, a war bride, is rooted in her American country life. But life throws them together, and they go with it, despite knowing the kind of end their narrative would suffer from. They were as courageous as the screenplay itself. Giving, bold, and full of the kind of warmth you expect from love stories.
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Ripple price news: What is the price of Ripple? Is XRP falling? | The cryptocurrency market is floating in the green today, despite heavy criticism from a number of analysts. Ripple rose by 0.65 percent today to trade at $0.497935 as of 9pm BTS. The rest of the market saw minor gains, with Bitcoin trading at $6,692.80, Ethereum for $474.65 and Litecoin for $86.99. Last night almost saw red sweep the market when Binance announced an unexpected system maintenance caused the exchange to freeze all actions on the platform. Trading resumed earlier today.
Is XRP falling? Ripple prices rally slightly today despite a week of bad news for the cryptocurrency market. Despite being in the top three cryptocurrencies on the market, Ripple has also struggled to shake off regulation speculation, hacks and volatile trading. XRP has established itself as a benchmark digital token for partnership, with some of the world’s biggest banks and finch services announcing partnerships and deals with the coin. The market is well known for its volatility, but the recent losses have rocked investor confidence significantly.
GETTY Ripple price news: What is the price of Ripple? Is XRP falling?
CoinMarketCap RIPPLE prices have stabilised slightly after a dismal week of trading
This wasn’t helped when Binance revealed it would be unexpectedly be taken offline due to system maintenance. Some experts speculated hackers were able to exploit a vulnerability in the Syscoin API at the currency exchange. Prices have stabilised but there is little hope for a rally in the coming days. There is still a huge amount of potential left in the cryptocurrency market but Evgeny Chereshnev, the founder of tech firm Biolink, told the Sun there is no future for the money-grabbing industry.
CoinMarketCap Ripple rose by 0.65 percent today to trade at $0.497935 |
Anzac Day: Emotions run high as French PM pays tribute to diggers at Sir John Monash Centre opening | Anzac Day: Emotions run high as French PM pays tribute to diggers at Sir John Monash Centre opening
Updated
Australia's newest museum — a tribute to the men and women of World War I — has been opened in France by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
So much of the background about the conception and creation of the Sir John Monash Centre has been written, there seemed little left to say or do apart from unveiling the plaque.
How unexpected, then, for French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe to deliver words so beautiful and evocative they forced a collective intake of breath.
He spoke for what seemed like just minutes, but hearts momentarily stopped and eyes welled up.
"I could not help thinking of the terrible loneliness which these thousands of young Australians must have felt as their young lives were cut short in a foreign country," Mr Philippe said.
"A foreign country. A faraway country. A cold country whose earth had neither the colour nor texture of their native bush."
He spoke in French with English subtitles on a screen behind him racing to keep up with his words.
It did not matter that the vast majority in the crowd did not speak his language.
Simply reading his speech was powerful enough to bring people to tears.
In this region where Australia and its allies are hailed as saviours, Mr Philippe began his speech with the words of a German, written by another German — in the famous war novel All Quiet on the Western Front.
"He is entirely alone now with his little life of 19 years, and cries because it leaves him," he said.
Millions from both sides of the war witnessed horrors. But it is the Australians for whom the French feel so much debt.
Mr Philippe paid tribute to the Australian soldiers who defended the French land they held inch-by-inch, "as if it were their own country".
"And it is their own country," he said.
"For many young Australians, this earth was their final safe place.
"For many of them, this earth was the final confidante of a thought or a word intended for a loved one from the other side of the world.
"Loved ones who would only learn the sad news several months later."
Mr Philippe, who became France's Prime Minister with the election of President Emmanuel Macron, is a keen student of history and spoke about moments in the battles around Villers-Bretonneux that resonated with him.
"We cannot relive these stories," he said.
"The mud, the rats, the lice, the gas, the shellfire, the fallen comrades — we can never truly imagine what it was like.
"So we must tell them. We must show them — again and again.
"Show the faces of these young men whose lives were snuffed out in the mud of the trenches.
"Show the daily lives of these 20-year-old volunteers from far away who listened only to their youthful courage, to their love for their country, or that of their parents or grandparents, to die here in Villers-Bretonneux.
"Show it with the help of modern technology, without taking our eyes off the names etched onto the memorial — names which are real, not virtual.
"We will never forget that 100 years ago, a young and brave nation on the other side of the world made history by writing our history.
"Lest we forget."
Topics: anzac-day, history, world-war-1, france, australia
First posted |
When is Halloween 2017? True story behind All Souls and All Saints, why we celebrate and terrifying facts | (Image: Copyright (c) 2011 Shutterstock. No use without permission.)
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Tucked between the cold nights of winter and the falling leaves of autumn we have Halloween - a time of celebration and superstition.
But where did the spooky day come from and why do we celebrate it?
The spookiest time of the year isn't just a time for kids to dress up and trick or treat.
It's thought Halloween started with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would wear costumes and roam to ward of ghosts, but it's down to Pope Gregory III's decree in the eight century that we celebrate it as we do.
Why do we celebrate Halloween?
Samhain (sow-in) marked the end of summer and the harvest and heralded in the colder months. Celts believed that on the night before the new year the boundaries between world of the living and the dead become blurred.
Traditionally people wore costumes, animal skins and heads and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. By 43 AD the Roman Empire had conquered most of the Celtic territory and over the years of their reign they combined their festivals with the Celtic's.
The first was Feralia, a day late in October where Romans marked the passing of the dead. The second was Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruits and trees. The symbol for Pomona is an apple - and people see this as the reason "bobbing apples" became a tradition associated with Halloween.
It was in 609 AD that Christianity changed the festival to add praying for the dead.
The Pope designated November 1 as a time to honour the saints and martyrs, a holiday that became known as All Saints Day. The day took on some of the Samhain traditions. The evening became known as All Hallows Eve - Halloween.
The next day, November 2, is All Souls Day, when the dead are remembered. To Christians, All Souls Day is a time for people to pray for the dead. The tradition was based on the idea of purgatory - a stage between heaven and hell. It also begins 'the month of the dead', which takes place in November in the Christian tradition.
It was thought Christians were trying to make the day a sanctioned Church holiday but All Souls Day kept many of the Samhain traditions.
Over time it's become a secular festival best known for children donning costumes and masks to scare others witless and garner treats. Of course, the tradition made it's way to America. By the nineteenth century, with the influx of immigrants, Halloween took over most of the country. America's would visit neighbours and ask for food which later became known as "trick or treating".
(Image: Aldi)
While Halloween went out of fashion in the 1800s and was seen as a pagan belief, it wasn't long before it returned and became what we know and celebrate today.
Around the world, many countries have their own weird Halloween traditions - and some of them are downright bizarre - and there's no end of urban myths designed to freak you out.
We have rounded up some terrifying Halloween tales as well as the origins behind some of the most well known traditions on October 31.
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10 Halloween facts to spook you out
1. Dress up and scare off the evil spirits
(Image: Getty)
You might think putting on a mask is just for the kids, but it was actually adopted by pagans in the community during Samhain to scare off evil spirits.
What started out as animal skins and heads has turned into something a little less gruesome now.
It was hoped that wandering spirits seeing people in their weird disguises would assume they were also spirits - and let them go free.
2. Jack O'Lanterns were originally made from turnips
(Image: Museum of Country Life)
The British tradition of carving a scary face into a vegetable was originally done with turnips.
When Irish immigrants took the idea of the Jack O'Lantern to America, they started using pumpkins, because they were cheaper than turnips.
The legend of Stingy Jack inspired the carving.
He trapped the Devil, only letting him go on the condition that Jack would never go to Hell.
However, when he died, Jack learned that Heaven was out due to his devilish dealings, so he was condemned to wander the earth as a ghost for all eternity.
Gifted Jack a lump of burning coal by the Devil, Jack carried it round in a carved-out turnip to light his way.
3. Halloween decoration or a real live body - people have made mistakes
(Image: Getty)
You might think that the skeleton decorations are all a bit of fun, but in 2012, a postman thought a corpse was part of the Halloween display - but it was actually the resident of the house, who had died.
Dale Porch was coming back from working the overnight shift on November 2, when he collapsed on the porch steps.
The 46-year-old's family was distraught and felt the postman should have done something.
4. If you bite into a Halloween cake and hit a thimble, you'll be unlucky in love
(Image: Getty)
Part of the Halloween tradition in colonial America involved the baking of a Halloween cake.
Bakers would hide various things in the cake to tell the future. A thimble was a symbol of bad luck with the ladies or gentlemen.
Also, presumably, a sign that you've got a costly visit to the dentist in your near future.
5. 'Punkie Night' - Somerset's own deeply creepy Halloween celebration
The villages of Hinton St George and Lopen in Somerset have their very own twist on Halloween, and it's dead creepy.
Historically, the tradition involved children marching around with jack o'lanterns - or 'punkies' - begging for candles and money, and threatening those who wouldn't cough up. So far, so trick-or-treat, right?
Well, what makes it extra sinister, is the fact that this band of marauding youngsters is generally led by a Punkie King and Punkie Queen - and they sing a song.
The song goes:
"It's Punkie Night tonight
"It's Punkie Night tonight
"Adam and Eve would not believe
"It's Punkie Night tonight."
And here's how it sounds - as performed by Carl Turney and Brian Campbell from the band Clinic.
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Shudder.
6. Michael Myers' mask in the movie Halloween was the face of William Shatner
Since the film had an incredibly low budget, the prop department on horror classic Halloween had to dress serial killer Michael Myers in the cheapest mask they could find in their local fancy dress shop.
Turns out that was a mask of William Shatner, which cost them the princely sum of $2.
They modified it a bit, spray painted it white and made it a bit scarier and it became one of the iconic images of horror cinema.
The cheapo slasher went on to take $70m at the worldwide box office, more than 215 times its $325,000 budget. That makes it the most profitable film ever to feature William Shatner's face, beating Star Trek II and Miss Congeniality.
Shatner also claims to have gone trick-or-treating in the mask of his own face.
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7. If you're in Germany on Halloween, hide the knives
They celebrate Halloween in Germany, but as a time to honour and respect the dead.
One tradition is to hide all the knives in the house, for fear that returning spirits might injure themselves on any knives that are left out.
There are a number of logical problems with this tradition - not least of which is that ghosts tend to be dead already, so how much damage can a knife realistically do? But if you start applying logic to the idea of the dead walking the Earth...
8. If you're in Italy, you can enjoy the Beans of the Dead
In Italy they have a traditional Halloween recipe, which is kind of an oval cookie a bit like a macaron. It's called Fave dei Morti, which roughly translates as Beans of the Dead.
Beans of the Dead sounds like the great lost George A Romero zombie movie nobody's been waiting for.
poll loading Would you eat the 'Beans of the Dead' 0+ VOTES SO FAR Sure, they look like macarons The beans of the what now? Ew, no. I imagine they'll be all squishy and rotten No thanks, I'm trying to avoid carbs
9. Chances are, if your trick-or-treat sweets have been poisoned, a family member did it
There are all kinds of urban myths about the mean old crone or crazed madman in the tumble-down shack slipping poison or dangerous items into cakes and candy for the unsuspecting cherubs who knock on their door on Halloween.
In reality almost every case of Halloween candy tampering has been performed by a family member.
For example, there was the case of Ronald O'Bryan, who laced his son's sweets with cyanide in Texas in 1974. Or the case in Detroit in 1970, where 5-year-old Kevin Toston died of a heroin overdose after he found his uncle's stash of the drug. His family later sprinkled heroin over his Halloween candy to try and protect his uncle.
In the cases of foreign objects hidden in sweets - like needles or razor blades - all but a handful have been hoaxes, or the media jumping on a story which turned out to be untrue.
There was, however, the case in Manchester of a 23-year-old man who was giving out baggies of cocaine to kids instead of sweets - though he didn't hide it in any sweets, police said he'd given the items "in error."
10. Urban myths come from somewhere - probably your home town
Like the one about the poisoned sweets, urban myths are rife and Halloween seems the perfect time to share them.
A modern-day fairytale complete with nastiness, an urban legend is a form of modern folklore consisting of fictional stories with macabre elements deeply rooted in local popular culture.
The scariest urban legends
Mashable asked for the scariest urban legends in 140 characters or less, and they weren't dsappointed. Here are our favourites. |
After Brexit, UK aims for trade deal with EU that tops Canada pact | LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is aiming to secure a comprehensive free trade deal with the European Union and wants it to be signed shortly after it leaves the bloc in 2019, Brexit minister David Davis said on Sunday.
Britain's Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis (L) and European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier wait in a press room at the EC headquarters in Brussels, Belgium December 8, 2017. REUTERS/Yves Herman
After securing an initial agreement on Friday to move Brexit talks to a second phase, Prime Minister Theresa May is keen to start discussing future ties with the EU, and especially the type of trading agreement to try to offer greater certainty for businesses.
But despite Davis striking a confident tone, EU officials say they will only launch negotiations on a legally binding treaty after Britain leaves and becomes a “third country”, according to draft negotiating guidelines.
“It’s not that complicated, it comes right back to the alignment point ... We start in full alignment, we start in complete convergence so we can work it out from there,” Davis told the BBC’s Andrew Marr show.
“The thing is how we manage divergence so it doesn’t undercut the access to the market,” he said, describing his preferred deal as “Canada plus plus plus”.
The EU has been considering a post-Brexit free trade deal with Britain along the lines of one agreed last year with Canada.
But the UK economy is nearly twice the size of Canada’s and British officials have said that their current alignment with EU standards and much closer trading links with the continent give them scope for an even deeper relationship.
LIMITED RESPITE
May has been hailed by many in her deeply divided Conservative party for rescuing the agreement to unlock the Brexit talks by offering EU member Ireland and her allies in Northern Ireland a pledge to avoid any return of a hard border.
By playing with the wording, May agreed that if the two sides failed to agree an overall Brexit deal, the United Kingdom would keep “full alignment” with those rules of the EU’s single market that help cooperation between Ireland’s north and south.
Davis described the commitment as more of a “statement of intent” than a legally binding measure -- something that might reassure hardline Brexit campaigners who fear that it could imply that Britain was leaving the EU in name only.
Despite last week’s progress, May will enjoy little respite. The second phase of talks is expected to expose the rifts in her top team of ministers over what Britain should look like once it leaves the EU.
On Saturday, environment minister Michael Gove, a Brexit campaigner, opened up the possibility of changing the terms of any agreement with the EU after Brexit if Britons felt that the deal had not reflected their demands to “take back control”.
“If the British people dislike the arrangement that we have negotiated with the EU, the agreement will allow a future government to diverge,” Gove wrote in a column in the Daily Telegraph. |
Samajwadi Party to give Rs two lakh each to families of Gorakhpur victims | Former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav. Former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav.
Charging the Uttar Pradesh government with insensitivity over the death of children in a state-run hospital here, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday announced an assistance of Rs two lakh each to the families of the victims. The SP chief, who visited the families of three children who died in the tragedy, alleged that the state government “is completely responsible” for the tragedy and cannot divert the people’s attention from its “failure”.
He said that his party will extend help of Rs. two lakh each to the bereaved families. The former chief minister said that during his government a separate ward with 500 bed was made in the medical college and this tragedy could have been averted had it started functioning.
He also demanded immediate appointment of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff to make it functional at the earliest. Meanwhile, Bar Association, activists of the SP, the CPI, the CPM and other outfits took out protest marches over the death. Some of the protesters were also taken into custody by the police.
For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App |
Man who bashed partner to death in WA's Pilbara gets 20yrs | Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer View text version of this page Help using this website - Accessibility statement Join today and you can easily save your favourite articles, join in the conversation and comment, plus select which news your want direct to your inbox. Join today and you can easily save your favourite articles, join in the conversation and comment, plus select which news your want direct to your inbox.
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Toshiba seeks to postpone earnings release, will probe Westinghouse | The logo of Toshiba Corp is seen as Window cleaners work on the company's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, February 14, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai
TOKYO Japan's Toshiba Corp (6502.T) said it has asked regulators to allow it to delay the release of its earnings, including a writedown on its U.S. nuclear business, by a month while it probes internal controls at its Westinghouse unit.
Toshiba said in a statement it needs to look at allegations that Westinghouse's management exerted inappropriate pressure over the calculation of assets and liabilities for the nuclear construction company it bought from Chicago Bridge & Iron (CBI.N).
Toshiba was due to announce quarterly earnings on Tuesday but now says it wants an extension, which if approved would extend the deadline to March 14.
(Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) |
BRIEF-Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals posts Q1 loss per share $0.69 | April 28 Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals Inc
* Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals provides corporate update and reports first quarter 2017 financial and operational results
* Q1 loss per share $0.69
* Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals Inc - cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $21.1 million as of March 31, 2017
* Spring Bank Pharma - anticipates existing cash, cash equivalents will enable it to fund operating expenses and capex requirements into Q3 of 2018
* Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals - remains on track and anticipates reporting top-line results from SB 9200 25mg monotherapy dosing cohort in Q2 of 2017 Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: |
13 reasons why | People 'cheated' on their partners with these Netflix shows Netflix is notoriously tight-lipped about its viewership numbers, but the streaming giant has recently released some juicy information about the way people watch its shows. In its roundup of 2017’s...
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James pulls drama double duty with '13 Reasons Why' and 'Unabomber' It’s been a busy (and buzzy) year on television for veteran actor Brian d’Arcy James. First up was his role on the watercooler Netflix series “13 Reasons Why” as Andy...
'13 Reasons Why' triggers uptick in suicide searches online CHICAGO – A popular TV series that showed a teen ending her life may have triggered a surge in online searches for suicide, including how to do it. That’s according...
How this cult Brit band became a key part of '13 Reasons Why' Thirty years ago, Echo and the Bunnymen frontman Ian McCulloch got a call from Joel Schumacher. The Hollywood director was working on a new vampire movie called “The Lost Boys”...
Families blame '13 Reasons Why' for teen daughters' suicides Two California families are putting the blame on the hit Netflix show “13 Reasons Why” for the recent suicides of their teenage daughters, according to a report. The young girls,...
Mom blames teacher promoting '13 Reasons Why' for son's suicide attempt A Florida mom says a teacher’s recommendation students watch the controversial show “13 Reasons Why” led to her son attempting to take his life. The mom from Clay County claimed...
'13 Reasons Why' actor addresses show's controversy "I just hope in the big picture that something positive comes out of it," Tom Everett Scott told Page Six. |
DOW BRIEFLY TURNS HIGHER; GOLDMAN SACHS BIGGEST POSITIVE | INTERVIEW-Banks could be obliged to set Libor rates
* Alternatives to Libor to be found for some contracts |
Celtic agree deal for Aberdeen's Jonny Hayes | Celtic have agreed a £1.3million deal with Aberdeen to make Jonny Hayes their first summer signing.
As part of the agreement, the Parkhead club will send Ryan Christie back to Pittodrie on a season-long loan following a similar spell last term.
Hayes has been on holiday following the conclusion of international duty with the Republic of Ireland, but will now head to Glasgow for a medical and discussions over personal terms.
Celtic have agreed a £1.3m deal with Aberdeen to make Jonny Hayes their first summer signing
Providing there are no unforeseen hitches, the transfer could be confirmed within the next 48 hours.
Sportsmail first reported Brendan Rodgers’ interest on May 29, with Celtic making their move later that week.
Aberdeen, set to lose manager Derek McInnes to Sunderland before the weekend, had initially wanted to sign Christie on a permanent basis. That was rejected by Celtic and the situation was further complicated by rival interest in Hayes from Cardiff City, Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest.
However, the 29-year-old was always keen to move to Parkhead and work again with Rodgers, his manager when a young academy player at Reading.
Hayes impressed throughout last season and was the only non-Celtic player to feature on a four-man shortlist for PFA Scotland Player of the Year.
Hayes scored 11 times to help Aberdeen finish second in Scottish Premiership last season
Rodgers is understood to also be seeking a central defender and a midfielder before the start of Champions League qualifiers in mid-July.
Parkhead sources have, however, dismissed a claim from former Tottenham defender Reto Ziegler — out of contract at Swiss side Sion — that he had been approached over a move.
Retaining key talents is another summer priority, with Celtic thought to be relaxed about Stuart Armstong’s contract situation. The Scotland midfielder, entering the final 12 months of his existing deal, is on holiday but has stated he expects to resume talks soon.
Celtic have also beaten off competition from Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester United to land Irish superkid Barry Coffey on a three-year contract.
The 16-year-old playmaker played for Chelsea last year in a youth tournament in Rotterdam and had been offered trials by both Manchester clubs. |
UPDATE 1-India's SBI sees cost savings, no bad loans surprise after merger with units | * SBI merged 5 subsidiary banks with itself effective April 1
* Chairman says already taken extra provisions for bad loans
* SBI merger seen kicking off consolidation of Indian state banks (Adds management comments, details of plans)
By Devidutta Tripathy
MUMBAI, April 3 State Bank of India, the nation's top lender by assets, expects no nasty surprises on bad loans after merging five subsidiary banks with itself at the weekend in a deal that will help it save costs and gain scale, senior executives said.
The government-driven move to merge State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Patiala and State Bank of Travancore with SBI, which already owned majority stakes in the units, is seen as the beginning of consolidation in India's public sector banks.
SBI also took over Bharatiya Mahila Bank, a niche lender to women, as regulators aim to strengthen the sector with fewer but better-capitalised lenders at a time when Indian banks are battling record bad loans and need billions of dollars in new capital.
The merger will catapult SBI to the league of the top 50 global banks by assets, the lender said, with a far bigger presence in all corners of the country, with some 24,000 branches and 370 million customers.
The bank will relocate some 1,800 branches to better utilise resources, go slow on opening new branches and shuffle staff in a bid to save costs, said its Chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya and other senior executives at a news conference on Monday. The more than 200-year-old bank has also begun a voluntary retirement scheme to rationalise its headcount.
Bhattacharya took the helm of the parent bank in late 2013 and has since surprised the market by managing bad loans better than its state-run peers, who together account for bulk of India's $149 billion soured assets.
She sought to assure investors at the conference that there will be no nasty surprises on bad loans going forward. The subsidiaries have a higher bad-loan ratio than the parent.
SBI started preparing early, and has made additional provisions of about 86 billion rupees ($1.3 billion) over and above what it needed to make after the asset quality review ordered by the Reserve Bank of India, Bhattacharya said.
"To that extent we are very well-positioned for taking the merged group forward," she said.
After it reports annual results in May, SBI will set some "quantitative goals" including the absolute savings they can achieve for the merged group, Bhattacharya said.
The banks aim to merge all their databases by May 27, while a complete integration will happen in the June quarter, senior executives said. (Additional reporting by Swati Bhat; Editing by Euan Rocha and Muralikumar Anantharaman) |
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Susanna Reid consoles relative of missing Grenfell Tower victims | Sawsan Choucair was comforted by Susanna Reid as she told the Good Morning Britain host that her mother, sister, three nieces and their father were still unaccounted for since the fire in broke out London yesterday.
“They were screaming and shouting,” Sawsan recalled, revealing that she spoke to her family on the phone a soon as she heard about the devastating inferno.
“I was shouting, ‘Get out of there and find an exit,’” she added.
Susanna said: “I appreciate one of the reasons your here is to try and find them and anyone who might have seen them, to let you know where they might be being treated.” |
BRIEF-Mobile Embrace buys C2B Solutions for $6.5 mln | Aug 14 (Reuters) - Mobile Embrace Ltd
* Company has bought C2B Solutions for overall consideration of $6.5 million
* C2B Solutions is forecast for FY2018 to generate annual EBITDA of $2.5 million
* Acquisition forecast to be immediately earnings per share accretive to MBE Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: |
Saints' Sheldon Rankins: Injures foot Sunday | Rankins injured his foot during Sunday's season finale against the Falcons, Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com reports.
The specifics of Rankins' injury aren't clear. Barring anything serious, he should be ready for next season. |
Philippine senator criticizes 'reckless disregard' in dengue vaccine program | MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine public officials showed “reckless disregard of processes” in carrying out a program to immunize hundreds of thousands of children, a senator leading an investigation into the government’s use of a new dengue vaccine said on Monday.
FILE PHOTO: A logo is seen in front of the entrance at the headquarters French drugmaker Sanofi in Paris October 30, 2014. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann/File Photo
On Dec. 1, the Philippines halted use of Dengvaxia after its maker, French drug firm Sanofi said the vaccine itself might, in some cases, increase the risk of severe dengue in recipients not previously infected by the virus.
Dengue is not as serious as malaria, but it kills about 20,000 people each year and infects hundreds of millions as it spreads rapidly in many parts of the world. The Philippines reports an average of 200,000 cases every year, the DOH said.
Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the investigation panel, said the program’s approval and procurement were done with “undue haste”, given how quickly the department of health (DOH)got funding for the 3.5-billion-peso ($69.55-million) campaign.
Gordon said “rushed” approval was given to a “vaccine that has not been proven to be totally effective”.
But Sanofi insisted otherwise. “We at Sanofi assure each and everyone of you that Dengvaxia is, and continues to be, a safe and efficacious vaccine,” said Thomas Triomphe, Asia-Pacific head of Sanofi Pasteur.
“To permanently remove the vaccine from the Philippine market...would be a regression in the country’s approach to solving a major public health concern and a disservice to the Filipino people.”
The roll out of the mass vaccination program was “premature,” some doctors and pharmacologists on a DOH advisory body told the senate inquiry.
They were the same group of experts who in January 2016 urged caution over the vaccine, saying its safety and cost-effectiveness had not been established.
After two meetings in January, the Formulary Executive Council (FEC) of advisers approved the government’s purchase of the vaccine on Feb 1, 2016 but recommended stringent conditions, minutes of all three meetings show.
However, these recommendations were not heeded by then health secretary Janette Garin before the program was rolled out to 830,000 children, documents reviewed by Reuters, as well as interviews with local exports, show.
The same recommendations and minutes of the meetings were discussed during the five-hour senate hearing.
Garin said the procurement of the vaccine was above board. “I categorically deny any wrongdoing,” she told the inquiry. “I am not involved in any corruption and I am willing to be investigated.”Many parents are anxious and worried over the safety of the vaccine. Iris Alpay, one of the parents who attended the hearing, admonished health officials for using their children as “experimental rats”. |
Arsenal news LIVE updates: Wenger reveals Lemar secret, Aubameyang problem, Murphy rage | Arsenal apparently wanted to sign Thomas Lemar in January.
Arsenal news live updates: all the latest from the Emirates Stadium
Saturday February 3
Wenger wanted Lemar
07.10: Arsene Wenger has revealed that he came to signing Monaco star Thomas Lemar, according to reports.
According to the Mirror, Wenger told the club's executive box holders at an exclusive Q&A that he was chasing Lemar, who was also a target of Liverpool.
However, he claims that time to secure a deal for the 22-year-old.
Instead, the Gunners landed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on deadline day. |
Steve Grimmett after his 5th operation in Ecuador | SWINDON rocker Steve Grimmett, who has been in hospital in Ecuador for the last month after having part of his leg amputated, is set to come home next week. Steve, 57 was on a five-week tour of South America when he started to feel unwell and all gigs with his band Grim Reaper were put on hold.
Start the conversation, or Read more at This is Wiltshire. |
Bayern sign Coman on permanent deal, extend Thiago contract | Bayern Munich activated a clause to make winger Kingsley Coman's transfer from Juventus permanent at the end of the season and extended midfielder Thiago Alcantara's contract to 2021, the German club said on Friday.
The 20-year-old France international, who joined Bayern on a two-year loan deal in 2015, will sign a contract until 2020.
"He is a player with huge potential," Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said. "We're convinced that he will be of great help to us in the coming years.
"He is a very young player who already plays regularly for the French national team and who has gathered experience at the European Championship."
Coman, a former Paris St Germain player, has scored eight goals in 58 games for Bayern.
Rummenigge also heaped praise on 26-year-old Thiago, who signed a two-year extension that will keep him in Munich until 2021 and has arguably played his best football at Bayern this season.
"Thiago is one of the best and most sought after midfielders in Europe," Rummenigge said. "We are happy to have tied him to the club on a long-term basis."
The Spain international is the latest stalwart to sign up to 2021 following - among others - Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, Thomas Mueller, Robert Lewandowski and keeper Manuel Neuer as Bayern look to retain key players.
(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty and John Stonestreet) |
Verizon's New Unlimited Data Plan Is Only $80/Month | To help drum up some excitement, the company will even throw in a complimentary, brand-new smartphone for those who enroll. For a limited time, you can hand over one of fifteen eligible devices and receive some of the best phones on the market, including the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, Google Pixel, Moto Z Droid, Moto Z Force Droid, Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, or LG V20. To participate, visit any Verizon store near you.
While no doubt cool, the deal surely smacks of a promotional facade. Verizon has waffled on its willingness to provide its clientele with unlimited plans, but in light of the format’s popularity among competitors, it would be foolish for Verizon -- the telecoms company with the highest user base in the country -- not to offer them. Last year, the company faced scrutiny after it erroneously billed numerous subscribers for processing data that they never used. And the overage fees were steep, cresting upwards of $2,000 in some instances. |
Ryan: We can take a deep breath but the pressure's still on | Goalkeeper Mathew Ryan says Albion can take a deep breath after this afternoon's 3-1 win against West Ham but added it hasn't taken much of the pressure off as they battle to stay in the Premier League.
Goals from Glenn Murray, Jose Izquierdo and Pascal Gross lifted Brighton up to 13th in the Premier League, three points ahead of third-from-bottom Stoke who they travel to next Saturday.
The victory followed a 1-1 draw at Southampton in midweek and Albion now have two more huge games to come this month against Stoke and Swansea, inbetween a FA Cup fifth round tie with Coventry.
Ryan said: "The more victories we can get, it eases a little bit (of pressure) but I don't think it's a lot of pressure off us given the situation.
"Everyone can maybe just take another deep breath, we've got one victory out the way but we're under no illusion that this has dramatically changed anything yet.
"We're going to have to keep playing a final every week, making sure we're up for it, keep working in training and sacrifice in and away from the changing ground and live the football life in order to achieve that goal of survival.
"This massive period has been spoken about, playing the teams around us and it's important to take points. In Southampton during the week and here, it would be nice to have six points but we have four, so we look forward to Stoke now."
Keep up with all the top football news and transfer gossip from England, Scotland and beyond with footballwire.co.uk |
CANADA STOCKS-TSX slips as Home Capital sentiment, resource stocks drag | * TSX down 76.51 points, or 0.49 percent, to 15,543.14
* All 10 of TSX's main industry groups end lower
By Solarina Ho
TORONTO, May 3 Canada's main stock index retreated on Wednesday as lower commodity prices weighed on resource stocks, while negative sentiment around troubled Home Capital Group Inc spilled over into the broader financial sector.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index closed down 76.51 points, or 0.49 percent, at 15,543.14. All of the index's 10 biggest groups lost ground.
"More so than anything, it's the Home Capital sentiment spillover that's leading to some caution," said Bryden Teich, portfolio manager at Avenue Investment Management.
"That kind of sentiment could linger for a little bit, but fundamentals still look pretty good."
The overall materials group, home to precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 1.3 percent, tracking falls in base metals, including copper and nickel. Copper prices fell 3.5 percent to $5,600.15 a tonne.
Teck Resources Ltd fell 5.8 percent to C$26.64, while First Quantum Minerals Ltd gave back 5.4 percent to C$12.03.
Kinross Gold Corp and Tahoe Resources Inc tempered some of the losses and were among the most positive influential movers, after the gold miners reported strong results late on Tuesday. Kinross jumped 10.7 percent to C$5.08, while Tahoe surged 15.1 percent to C$12.35.
The financials group, which accounts for roughly a third of the entire index's weight, dipped 0.2 percent.
Home Capital, which is delaying its earnings results, saw its shares fall 11.7 percent to C$6.84. Depositors have rushed to pull their money out of the non-bank lender after it faced regulatory allegations.
"It really shows how quickly liquidity or confidence in a financial institution can totally evaporate within a couple of weeks," said Teich. "Once your liquidity is gone, kapoof, you're done."
Energy stocks also edged lower, slipping 0.2 percent, with Suncor Energy Inc down 1.0 percent to C$42.69.
Torstar Corp shares, which touched a record low of C$1.29 in intraday trade, tumbled 9.6 percent to finish at C$1.50 after the newspaper publisher reported a wider-than-expected loss.
Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the TSX by 190 to 54, for a 3.52-to-1 ratio on the downside.
The index was posting 11 new 52-week highs and three new lows.
(Reporting by Solarina Ho; Editing by Peter Cooney) |
Diamondbacks' David Peralta: Notches four knocks against Dodgers | Peralta went 4-for-5 with a triple and two RBI in Monday's 4-2 win over the Dodgers.
Peralta came into the game hitting only .178, so this four-hit performance was much-needed and boosted his early-season average up to .240. However, his 25.9 percent strikeout rate (14 K's in 54 plate appearances) is troubling, and he'll need to perform better against lefties to be more than a platoon player. Wrist injuries derailed his 2016 season, but there's still hope that he can return to the player that hit 17 home runs and drove in 61 in 2015. |
China's Fosun, Shanghai Pharma say bid for stake in U.S. drugmaker Arbor | Signs are seen on the headquarters of Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group in Shanghai, China, March 29, 2016.
HONG KONG (Reuters) - A unit of China's Fosun Group and Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co (601607.SS) are among bidders for a stake in U.S. speciality drugmaker Arbor Pharmaceuticals LLC, the companies said on Monday.
The bids come as Chinese companies face tightening scrutiny on their overseas investments. Chinese regulators are reviewing deal agreements in minute details, and have cracked down on some large domestic conglomerates, including Fosun, for their debt-fuelled acquisitions abroad.
Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd (600196.SS) said in a stock exchange filing its Hong Kong unit submitted on July 19 a non-binding bid for a stake in Arbor, which is backed by private equity firm KKR & Co LP (KKR.N).
In a separate filing, Shanghai Pharma also said it had submitted a non-binding bid for a stake in Arbor on the same day.
Both companies did not disclose the quantum of stakes they had bid for nor the financial terms but said they have not entered exclusive talks with the seller.
Fosun Pharma said its Hong Kong unit will begin conducting due diligence to determine further steps.
Arbor has appointed Bank of America Merrill Lynch to run the sale process, which has attracted around half a dozen preliminary bids, mostly from Chinese companies and private equity firms, according to people familiar with matter. The bank did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Some of the bidders may seek to acquire control of the company, said two of the people, adding that discussions are at an early stage still.
A potential deal could value Arbor at around $3 billion, two of the people said.
Bloomberg, which first reported on the sale process, said the bidders were seeking to buy 20 percent to 30 percent of Arbor.
Arbor did not immediately respond to a Reuters query for comment. The sources could not be named as the discussions are confidential.
Atlanta-based Arbor produces mainly branded prescription drugs for the paediatric, hospital and cardiovascular markets.
New York-based KKR agreed to buy more than a quarter of shares in the company in December 2014, in a deal that valued privately held Arbor at over $1 billion, Reuters reported at the time. |
Looks like Western Family Care finally outgrew it's little log home | Western Family Care and Lander Medical Clinic have been an integral part of Fremont County and surrounding area communities for as long as many of us can remember. We consistently strive to meet the changing healthcare needs and expectations of the communities we serve.
Start the conversation, or Read more at County 10 News. |
Ashley Rickards | “If they don’t take into account she’s a bitch then yeah… why not,” Mendoza reflected on Rickards' chances of returning to the show. |
Also Talib Kweli, International Beer Festival at the Fair, and Liberty Statio... | Approximately 140 boats - from entry-level family cruisers to sailboats - to browse, board, and buy, as well as the latest nautical gear, gadgets, and accessories. If you're dreaming big, an expanded selection of 80-foot superyachts.
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Georgia v Wales live stream: How to watch FIFA World Cup 2018 Qualifier online | GETTY Wales will face-off against Georgia as they hope to cement the second spot in Qualifying Group D
Wales will face-off against Georgia tonight, as they look to clinch the second spot in World Cup Qualifying Group D. Chris Coleman's team currently lead the Republic of Ireland by one point in the competition. Wales will travel to Georgia tonight – without striker Gareth Bale – for the match. Georgia and Moldova currently occupy the bottom two spots in Group D. However, Wales were held to a 1-1 draw by their opponents last year.
The Wales football team return to Cardiff Fri, July 8, 2016 The welsh football team returns to Cardiff after reaching the semi-finals of the Euros Play slideshow PA 1 of 41 Wales players and manager Chris Coleman wave to fans on a open top bus during the homecoming celebrations in Cardiff City centre.
Despite not being able to make the World Cup finals, Georgia manager Vladimir Weiss has vowed Wales will not get a pass tonight. He said: "Every game is important for us, we play for the three points and for our supporters. “We will not make it easy for Wales but they still have a chance to qualify." This will be the fifth time the two sides have met. Wales have never beaten Georgia. If you want to watch all the action from the FIFA World Cup 2018 Qualifier tonight, here's how to tune in online.
How to Watch Georgia vs Wales Coverage of this evening’s game between Georgia and Wales will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event (Sky channel 401, Sky HD 435, TalkTalk 402, BT TV 402, Virgin channel 511), with the pre-match build-up starting at 4.30pm and kick-off set for 5pm. This means that all the action can be followed on your desktop or laptop via the Sky Go app, which if you’re an existing customer, is also available on iOS and Android smartphone and tablet devices. Sky Go is also available on a number of platforms including Amazon Fire devices, iPad, Mac computers and laptops, Playstation 3, PS4 and Xbox One. The Sky Sports app, available to download on iOS and Android devices, will also be providing live text coverage and updates.
FIFA 18 FIFA 18 (Xbox One) £49.95 View
FIFA 18 (PS4) £49.99 View Brought to you by express.co.uk |
Two women charged with lying about racist UAlbany bus attack go on trial Monday | Two of the three former University at Albany students accused of fabricating a racially charged attack on a CDTA bus last year are scheduled to stand trial Monday. The trial, in which the Albany County district attorney's office aims to prove the women assaulted their fellow students and then falsely reported themselves as the victims, is scheduled for 9 a.m. in Albany County Court.
Start the conversation, or Read more at The Post-Standard. |
Allergan to buy fat-fighter Zeltiq Aesthetics for $2.48 billion | FILE PHOTO - The Allergan logo is seen in this photo illustration in Singapore November 23, 2015. REUTERS/Thomas White/File Photo
Botox maker Allergan Plc agreed to pay $2.48 billion in cash for Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc, adding a system that it says helps people slim down by freezing fat away to the company's line-up of aesthetic products.
Allergan said it would benefit from the cross-selling opportunities for consumers of Zeltiq's CoolSculpting System, which uses cooling to kill fat cells, as well as customers of its own facial injectible products.
"Demand for both procedures is high and this is similar to pouring more gas on the fire," Allergan Chief Commercial Officer Bill Meury said on a call with investors.
The Botox maker agreed to pay $56.50 per Zeltiq share, or a premium of 14.4 percent to the company's Friday close. Zeltiq's shares rose 12.8 percent to $55.72 in midday trading on Monday.
Zeltiq's process was created after two scientists at Harvard University noticed that some children who ate popsicles got dimples in their cheeks, according to Zeltiq's website. They discovered that the popsicles were eliminating small pockets of fat cells.
Insurers do not cover Zeltiq's CoolSculpting System, meaning the bulk of the company's more than $350 million in 2016 sales was paid directly by consumers. Allergan said it has been targeting so-called "cash-pay" businesses, which is a model it uses for some of its Botox sales and other aesthetic offerings.
CoolSculpting is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Dublin-based Allergan, led by its Chief Executive Brent Saunders, has struck a number of deals since its $160 billion merger with Pfizer Inc collapsed in April. Those have included its $2.9 billion purchase of regenerative medicine business LifeCell Corp and the $1.5 billion acquisition of biotech company Vitae Pharmaceuticals.
Earlier this month, Saunders set lofty expectations for its injection Kybella - used to diminish fat under the chin, leaving surrounding tissue largely unaffected - for 2017, and expressed an interest in continued deal making.
In the three months ended Dec. 31, total medical aesthetic product sales accounted for 28 percent of Allergan's net revenue.
Allergan, which estimates that body contouring is a $4 billion market, said the transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2017.
Shares of Allergan rose $1.27, or 0.5 percent, to $247.63 in midday trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Moelis & Co is Allergan's financial adviser, while Debevoise & Plimpton LLP serve as legal counsel. Guggenheim Securities is Zeltiq's financial adviser, while Cooley LLP will provide legal advice.
(Reporting by Michael Erman in New York and Natalie Grover in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta, Martina D'Couto and Frances Kerry) |
Naagin 3: Surbhi Jyoti and Anita Hassanandani to replace Mouni Roy and Adaa Khan | Anita Hassanandani and Surbhi Jyoti have joined the team of Naagin 3. Anita Hassanandani and Surbhi Jyoti have joined the team of Naagin 3.
The suspense is finally over. Ekta Kapoor’s much talked about series Naagin will soon churn out its third installment. The first two seasons had divas Mouni Roy and Adaa Khan playing the shape-shifting snakes, “icchadari naagins”. The new season that promises to be more exciting and dramatic has found its new faces. Qubool Hai fame Surbhi Jyoti will don the role of the protagonist while Yeh Hai Mohabbatein actor Anita Hassanadani will play the antagonist. As of now, Karanvir Bohra will in most probability be retained as the male lead.
Shared a source with indianexpress.com, “After an intensive search, these actors have been finalized. While names of Krystle Dsouza and Sanjeeda Sheikh were also in the running, Ekta personally got involved in the casting to choose the best face for Naagin 3. The team is currently on the process of signing the deals with the other cast and hopefully, the show should go on floors soon.”
The supernatural drama broke all records from the time it launched by shooting up to the number one position on the BARC ratings. And there’s already a lot of expectations from this new series. Producer Ekta Kapoor recently had shared a suspense-filled post on Instagram making fans go berserk with curiosity.
While this would be Surbhi’s debut with Balaji Telefilms, Anita has been a loyalist for years having done the major part of her work under the production house. Surbhi, who debuted on television with Qubool Hai, was last seen in horror-thriller Koi Laut Ke Aaya Hai. She has also done a web series Tanhaiyaan with Barun Sobti. As for Anita, after having dome some substantial roles in shows like Kabhii Sautan Kabhii Sahelii, Kkvyanalai and more, she attempted a character with grey shades for the first time in Yeh Hai Mohabbatein. The actor in her interviews mentioned how the constant bashing affected her personally but now it seems she is game for some more by playing the negative role in Naagin 3.
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Mississippi sorority hosts 'last dance' for WWII Navy veteran | 0 Mississippi sorority hosts 'last dance' for WWII Navy veteran
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - A sorority at the University of Southern Mississippi saved the last dance for a 92-year-old World War II Navy veteran.
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Members of Phi Mu hosted a dance for Paul Sonnier, who recently told a social work intern at SouthernCare Hospice Services in Hattiesburg that his final wish would be “to dance with a beautiful woman,” WDAM reported.
“He’d always ask me if I wanted to go to Ropers, the local bar,” Jessica Moreau, a social work intern at SouthernCare, told WDAM. "He says ‘I'll teach you how to jitterbug and the waltz.’"
Moreau, who is a member of Phi Mu, relayed that wish to her sorority sisters. They organized a dance for the ages.
"We as a chapter always like to get involved with the community," Phi Mu President Cameron Ponder told WDAM. "Since one of our members is a social work major at the University of Southern Mississippi, we just found this to be a great way to honor someone that has done so much for our country."
Because Sonnier is bedridden, he had to be brought to the dance on a gurney, WDAM reported.
Family members who watched the dance found it heartwarming.
“We're super grateful, because he hasn't been out the house in so long," Sonnier’s granddaughter, Samantha Owen, told WDAM. “All these ‘pretty women’ get to come around him. He gets to hand out flowers and just be himself. He hasn't been himself for awhile. So, he's super happy.”
Sonnier said he regretted that he could not get up and dance, but appreciated the gesture.
"It feels good to be with all these beautiful women," he told WDAM.
© 2018 Cox Media Group. |
Belgian store tries out 'farm to table' growing on its own roof | BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Trying to create the shortest supply chain possible, a supermarket in Brussels is selling produce grown on its own roof only hours after being harvested.
Delhaize, a Belgian supermarket chain part of Ahold Delhaize, said it launched the “Urban Farm” project to satisfy the growing number of consumers who are concerned about where their food is sourced and eating healthy.
“The products are harvested in the morning at 8 o’clock and an hour later they’re in the store,” store employee Marie Delvaulx said.
The garden on the 360-square-metre roof also generates its energy sustainably with solar panels and by recuperating heat from the store building.
The farm - which this year produced tomatoes, lettuces and strawberries - operates year round and can withstand the cold months thanks to a greenhouse.
Creating a farm in a roof on city comes with some challenges. The produce can easily be destroyed because the farm lacks biodiversity to mitigate the damage from insects, and there also is the question of the weight constraints.
While the farm, the first of its kind in Delhaize stores, currently only produces a fraction of the supply needs, it will serve as a test for expanding the program to other stores. |
BRIEF-Glance finance says Narendra Arora resigns as CFO | Aug 14 (Reuters) - Glance Finance Ltd
* Says accepted resignation of Narendra Arora as CFO Source text - bit.ly/2wI5pkY Further company coverage: |
Energy hedge funds look to spreads, margins as long bets flail | NEW YORK (Reuters) - For the oil-trading community, the fall of hedge fund manager Andy Hall signaled a heavy blow, but while commodity funds continue to shutter their doors, some are finding other ways to make money, including trading refining margins and calendar spreads.
Commodity hedge funds have dwindled in recent years as oil prices slumped, leaving only a handful of larger players, including Hall, who ran the Astenbeck Capital Management fund until deciding to close it following losses this year.
A number of funds bet heavily on an oil rally early in the year, boosting long futures positions to a record in late February, before oil went into a prolonged slump as global supply remained elevated despite cuts from OPEC.
Many commodity funds have struggled this year as oil stagnated and volatility fell, hurting bets on large back-and-forth fluctuations. According to Credit Suisse, CTA funds - which concentrate on futures - were down 2.8 percent in 2017 through the end of July, while Hedge Fund Research's commodity hedge fund index was down 0.9 percent through the end of July.
Betting on other spreads has worked better with refining margins increasing sharply this year, as heavy demand for distillates has boosted those margins by more than 50 percent in the last two months.
After remaining depressed for most of 2016, gasoline margins have also rebounded. U.S. refining margins rallied to the highest in nearly two years early this month.
“Refining margins are healthy worldwide and global demand is healthy,” said RCMA Asset Management Chairman Doug King, whose Merchant Commodity Fund runs some $190 million in commodities. That fund is down 12 percent on the year, however.
Oil dropped sharply in March, bringing down Hall along with others including Andurand Commodities Fund, which through the end of July had lost more than 15 percent, according to a source close to the firm.
Those funds did not respond to request for comment.
"Funds started the year at record length in futures,” said Matthew Perry, partner at energy-focused hedge fund Kronenberg Capital Advisors LLC. "That turned out to be devastating for most traders."
Hall's decline was most surprising, according to traders, given decades of history in the market. But in a late 2016 investor letter he said OPEC's deal to cut supply meant the cartel was going to be more heavily involved in setting prices, and was likely to be bullish.
Not all funds are doing poorly. A group of 12 energy hedge funds monitored by Eurekahedge are up 5.1 percent so far this year. It is unclear if these funds are included in other indexes.
In Search of Lost Volatility
Volatility, as measured by the CBOE Crude Oil Volatility Index, has fallen in 2017. After two years of big price swings, the oil VIX has generally stayed below 30 in 2017, a level consistent with rangebound trading, which frustrates fund managers hoping for more up-and-down action.
“You can't put a lot of money to work when crude oil is trapped in a six-dollar range," said a hedge fund manager who could not comment on the record.
Some funds say they are finding opportunities in other areas, such as calendar spreads. These spreads measure price differences between pairs of contracts with different delivery dates, and they have been moving around more of late.
On Thursday, the December 2017 U.S. crude futures contract traded at a premium to the December 2018 contract briefly, known as backwardation.
“Time spreads and refinery margins have seen significant moves of late," said a hedge fund industry source who could not comment on the record. "The people who will do well trade dynamically and take long and short positions." |
Greek football hero helps refugees win battle against boredom | Antonis Nikopolidis is helping refugees stranded in Greece regain a sense of purpose. (Source: AP) Antonis Nikopolidis is helping refugees stranded in Greece regain a sense of purpose. (Source: AP)
Football fans of a certain age may still remember Antonis Nikopolidis for his resemblance to American actor George Clooney and as the goalkeeper who helped Greece become surprise European Champions in 2004.
Now the country’s national youth team coach, Nikopolidis is helping refugees stranded in Greece regain a sense of purpose. The football team he helped build, named Hope (Elpida in Greek), is made up of players who fled warzones in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Most of Hope’s players live in Skaramangas, an industrial zone west of Athens where metal containers have been turned into shoebox-shaped homes. They compete in an amateur league on Sundays, facing teams made up of lawyers, telecom workers and accountants.
Nikopolidis, a soft-spoken 46-year-old whose hair has turned silver in retirement, says team practices and matches provide a welcome distraction for young men facing uncertain futures in the European Union’s slow-moving relocation program.
“We’re helping people who are at a difficult moment in their lives,” he said. “They are guests in our country, and we are trying with this team to give them a few hours of happiness.”
Football is the main source of entertainment for many of the 60,000 refugees and economic migrants living in camps around Greece while they wait for asylum applications to be processed and a possible move elsewhere in Europe.
“You have to spend your time (doing something) because it’s very boring,” Hozaifa Hajdepo, 23, a Hope player from Syria, said. “If you stay in your home and you don’t have work, you will be like _ you will die.”
The Union of European Football Associations, the governing body for football in Europe, has awarded grants to assist refugees in 15 countries. Some of the money that went to Greece is being used to sponsor Nikopolidis’ team.
Nearly 9,000 refugees have been moved from Greece to other European Union countries, and the coach already has lost several players. But with the pace of relocations still at just over half the target rate, most of the team expects to be in Greece for a while.
“It’s a joy for me to do this,” Nikopolidis said. “The main thing is that they enjoy it, that they have fun … We have created a group of friends, with bonds of friendship, a family.” |
McLaren's misery continues | When Honda tweeted "Good morning from Bahrain International Circuit. And welcome to Oliver Turvey. It's test time", alongside a picture of the grinning Briton, you just knew it was going to end in tears.
Tempted to tweet our feelings, that the youngster wouldn't be grinning for much longer, we opted not to bother. An opportunity was missed.
Several hours into the session, and with the youngster having completed just two installation laps, it was clear that Honda had suffered yet another failure.
Following the weekend's numerous MGU-H failures, which resulted in Stoffel Vandoorne not even starting the Grand Prix, Turvey has been sidelined by a water leak in the Energy Recovery System, resulting in yet another engine change.
As investigations into the MGU-H issue continue, it is understood - but not confirmed - that today's issue is with a new spec of engine, Honda having made clear that it intends using this week's two day test to improve both performance and reliability.
Indeed, it is understood Yusuke Hasegawa has returned to Japan to oversee the Bahrain post-mortem. |
Mexico watchdog finds big pharma faces no competition on some drugs | The entrance of Pfizer World headquaters in New York City, August 31, 2003. ECONM
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Major drugmakers including GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Pfizer Inc face no competition in Mexico from generics that are readily available elsewhere, partly because of regulatory failings, Mexico's antitrust body said on Wednesday.
The companies have done nothing illegal, Juan Manuel Espino, Cofece's director of economic studies, said at a presentation of the body's probe into the Mexican drugs market, which found a lack of promotion for generics led to limited competition.
The report, released by Cofece on Wednesday, also said some of the companies used unspecified legal strategies to extend drug exclusivity after patents expire. It recommended the government tighten rules on issuing secondary patents and actively promote generic alternatives.
Cofece also said the sector might suffer from uncompetitive practices such as "pay-for-delay" arrangements, under which patent holders pay alleged infringers to not challenge patents.
Generics were much slower to penetrate the Mexican market after patents expired on brand name drugs than in Canada and the United States, the report said.
Signage for GlaxoSmithKline is seen on its offices in London, Britain, March 30, 2016. Toby Melville/File Photo
According to a document seen by Reuters, Cofece also identified other pharmaceutical companies with products facing no competition, including Sanofi SA, AstraZeneca Plc, Merck & Co Inc, Novartis AG, Janssen-Cilag SA, Abbott Laboratories, Roche Holdings AG and Eli Lilly and Co.
Resolving the situation could save Mexican consumers 2.5 billion pesos ($139 million) a year, Cofece said.
Employees enter Sanofi-Aventis headquarters in Paris August 4, 2010. John Schults
"The cost of medicines for Mexican families is onerous," Cofece President Alejandra Palacios said at the event in Mexico City.
A Janssen-Cilag SA spokesperson declined to comment until the company had a chance to read the report. Glaxosmithkline and Pfizer referred Reuters to Asociación Mexicana de Industrias de Investigación Farmacéutica (AMMIF), a business chamber.
AMIIF said it was still studying the report and had no immediate comment. None of the other firms identified by Cofece immediately responded to requests for comment.
($1 = 17.9630 Mexican pesos) |
BRIEF-Jones Energy files for offering of up to 17.9 mln shares | PRESS DIGEST- British Business - June 15
The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. |
Dramatic finals of Scripps National Spelling Bee to begin | OXON HILL, Md. (AP) - The dramatic final rounds of the Scripps National Spelling Bee are set to begin.
Forty-one spellers advanced to Thursday's finals out of a field of 516 - by far the largest in the 93-year history of the competition. Scripps started a wild-card program this year that created a path to nationals for spellers who didn't win their regional bees, and some of the finalists got to the bee that way.
The past 13 champions and 18 of the last 22 have been Indian-American, and that trend could easily continue. Most of the consensus favorites in this year's bee have Indian heritage.
Melodie Loya, 13, from Bainbridge, N.Y., right, hugs Tara Singh, 13, from Louisville, Ky., left, after Tara received her medal to advance to the final round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. Tara is also advancing to the final round. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Pronouncer Brian Sietsema, right, speaks during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Sohum Sukhatankar, 12, from Dallas, Texas, is presented with a medal to advance to the final round by Nicole Dittoe of Scripps National Spelling Bee during the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Participants with their medals to advance to the final round gathered on stage for a group photograph during the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Brendan Pawlicki, 11, from Shelby Township, Mich., is presented with a medal to advance to the final round by Nicole Dittoe of Scripps National Spelling Bee during the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Abhijay Kodali, 11, from Flower Mound, Texas, reacts after spelling a word during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Parents and supporters gather in front of the stage to photograph the medal winners advancing to the final round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Nicole Tsygan, 12, from Parkton, Md., is presented with a medal to advance to the final round by Nicole Dittoe of Scripps National Spelling Bee during the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Brendan Pawlicki, 11, from Shelby Township, Mich., is presented with a medal to advance to the final round by Nicole Dittoe of Scripps National Spelling Bee during the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Parents and supporters gather in front of the stage to photograph the medal winners advancing to the final round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Melodie Loya, 13, from Bainbridge, N.Y., right, hugs Tara Singh, 13, from Louisville, Ky., left, after Tara received her medal to advance to the final round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Brody Dicks, 13, from Park City, Utah, spells "caudation" correctly during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Shiva Yeshlur, 13, from Rock Springs, Wyo., jumps into the air after correctly spelling "diastrophism" during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Anna Liu, 13, from Hudson, Ohio, spells "cadet" correctly during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Caleb Xiao, 13, from Boiling Springs, S.C., spells "gristliness" correctly during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Garrett Bryner, 13, from Price, Utah, spells "aforementioned" correctly during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Twin brothers, Garrett Bryner, 13, left, and Pierce Bryner, 13, of Price, Utah, talk after competing in the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Samantha Ho, 12, from Fredericksburg, Va., spells "château" correctly during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Garrett Bryner, 13, from Price, Utah, center background, looks at his twin brother Pierce Bryner, 13, as he spells "balsa" correctly during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Liam Nyikos, 13, from Carlsbad, N.M., spells a word correctly during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Storrie Kulynych-Irvin, 13, from Annapolis, Md., spells during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Taylor Kearbey, 13, from Lakeland, Tenn., spells "eatage" incorrectly during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Kendal Win, 13, from Fayetteville, N.C., spells "slickensides" correctly during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Saisurya Lakkimsetti, 9, from Tulsa, Okla., spells "bonspiel" correctly during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Pronouncer Brian Sietsema, right, speaks during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) |
Down she goes! Josie Gibson winces in pain as she takes a tumble on her skis during practice session for new series of injury-stricken show The Jump | A new cast of celebs have bravely signed up for the 2017 series of The Jump, despite the Channel 4 show being notorious for its horrific injuries.
And Josie Gibson may be the first casualty of the slopes, as the Big Brother sweetheart was seen taking a painful-looking tumble during the final UK practice run.
Josie, 31, winced in pain as she was helped by her trainers after falling during another gruelling session at the indoor training centre.
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Ouch! Josie Gibson may be the first casualty of the slopes, as the Big Brother sweetheart was seen taking a painful-looking tumble during the final UK practice run for The Jump
The blonde looked confident as she picked up speed down the slope, dressed in a bright pink and white ski jacket and sporting a helmet.
But she soon took a tumble, falling to the snow at an awkward angle.
Her trainers rushed over to check she was OK before helping her up, with Josie appearing to be in pain but managing to crack a smile.
Hitting the snow: Josie suffered a dramatic fall as she got to grips with the winter sport for the notoriously dangerous Channel 4 show
You've got it! The blonde looked confident as she picked up speed down the slope, dressed in a bright pink and white ski jacket and sporting a helmet
It doesn't look as though there was any lasting effects though, as on Sunday Josie told her Twitter fans that she was packing for Austria, where the reality show is filmed.
'Just started packing!! All sinking in now that I will hopefully be flying down the slopes on @TheJumpC4 I'm not going to lie I'm so nervous,' she wrote.
Josie joins the likes of Spencer Matthews, Robbie Fowler, Lydia Bright, Vogue Williams, Jason Robinson and Gareth Thomas for the upcoming show, which is set to air later in January.
Oops: But she soon took a tumble, falling to the snow at an awkward angle
She's down! Josie fell onto her back after crashing out on the downward journey
She's OK: Despite the painful looking tumble, the happy-go-lucky star had a smile on her face
Help! Josie appeared to struggle to get back up as she waited for help from her trainers
The celebs are in for a challenge though, after stars suffered a series of horrific injuries in previous series.
In September, actress Tina Hobley told how she was still struggling with the devastating injuries caused by her accident on the Channel 4 show.
The star, 45, was one of several celebrities forced to pull out of the winter sports programme last year after her elbow came out of its socket.
Help is on the way! A coach was seen rushing to Josie's side as she lay on her back
Over here! The Big Brother favourite lifted her head to signal for help
Up you get: The trainer grabbed hold of Josie's hand to try and pull her to her feet
Floundering: The star looked in good spirits despite the fall
Her arm was broken in two places and she sustained injuries to her shoulder and knee.
'For much of the year I haven't been able to drive, dress, wash my hair or have a bath unaided,' she told Hello!.
'My daughter has had to help me put my clothes on. And for months at a time I haven't been able to take the kids to school, run errands, or do any of the things I love like yoga, cycling or walking any kind of distance. My injuries have had a huge impact on my life and on the family.'
In a tangle: The novice skier appeared to have her skis in a mess
Checking for injury: Josie winced as she managed to sit up on the snow
Helping hand: The trainers got to grips with the celeb's skis, helping her out of them
The Jump, presented by Davina McCall, came under the spotlight in 2016 as a number of contestants were left with injuries.
Former Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle was involved in a horrific crash which left her needing surgery on her spine.
Ex-Olympic champion swimmer Rebecca Adlington also withdrew from the show on medical advice after a shoulder injury.
Made In Chelsea's Mark-Francis Vandelli and Olympic gold medal winner Linford Christie were among the other participants who were injured while taking part in the programme.
And earlier this year former Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding told how she was still 'struggling' with her knee after suffering a ruptured ligament while taking part in the show.
Getting to her feet: Josie laughed as she struggled to get back up for another try
That's the way to do it: The star seemed to have more luck when her trainers kept close by |
and 5 alternative TV packages if you can't | Get money updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
Netflix has increased the price of its streaming service in the UK and US, with many customers to see their bills jump next month.
The price change will take effect immediately for new subscribers, while existing members will be given 30 days notice before it kicks in.
A standard UK membership, which allows users to watch in HD and on two screens at the same time, has risen from £7.49 to £7.99 per month.
The monthly fee for a premium account, which allows subscribers to view programmes on four different screens simultaneously and watch in HD and Ultra HD where available, has increased from £8.99 to £9.99.
A spokeswoman for the streaming service said: "From time to time, Netflix plans and pricing are adjusted as we add more exclusive TV shows and movies, introduce new product features and improve the overall Netflix experience to help members find something great to watch even faster."
She added that more than 1,000 hours of original content was being added to the site in 2017.
Subscribers will be notified from October 19, depending on their billing cycle, on when they will see the price change.
Netflix, which is now valued at £64billion, is worth almost nine times as much as the UK's ITV and 1.5 times bigger then Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox.
It airs Making a Murderer, House of Cards, Orange is the New Black and Stranger Things, exclusively, with 100 million people worldwide now subscribed to the streaming service.
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How will the Nexflix price hike affect me?
The monthly cost of a basic plan in the UK will remain at £5.99 but users will have to pay more for standard and premium memberships.
In line with new prices, the standard package will go up to £7.99 - that's an extra £6 a year.
The premium package will go up to £9.99 - that's an extra £12 a year.
Existing members will learn of the increase from October 19 and will be told about the price increase 30 days before the date of their bill.
How much does Netflix cost in the UK?
' Basic' membership: £5.99/month. One screen at a time; includes standard definition (SD) streaming only.
'Standard' membership: £7.99/month. Stream to two screens simultaneously; includes HD streaming.
'Premium' membership: £9.99/month. Stream to four screens at a time; includes streaming at 4K resolution.
How to avoid the price hike
Netflix currently offers two other price plans alongside the aforementioned 'Standard' package.
One option is to switch to the £5.99 a month 'basic' package - however this limits you to only one screen at a time and only standard definition picture quality.
5 UK alternatives to Netflix
(Image: Getty)
If you're divorcing Netflix, here are some alternatives to consider, along with how much they cost a month. |
Lions' Ezekiel Ansah: Listed as questionable | Ansah (knee) was a limited participant in practice this week and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Panthers.
Ansah was nursing this injury ahead of the Week 4 matchup against the Vikings, so he was likely held back this week for precautionary measure. If he's able to play, he'll be tasked with containing a hot Panthers' offense that features a mobile quarterback in Cam Newton. Ansah's IDP value has been dependent on sacks since his tackle count has been inconsistent, so tread lightly deploying him. |
Joy Reid reportedly once touted notorious 9/11 conspiracy film | MSNBC host Joy Reid once trumpeted an infamous, conspiratorial 9/11 film that labeled the terrorist attacks as an inside job, according to a report Wednesday.
March, 2006, on her now-defunct blog ReidBlog, she encouraged followers to watch “Loose Change” — an 80-minute film produced in part by Infowars’ Alex Jones, BuzzFeed News reported.
“Loose Change” is considered a seminal work among 9/11 truthers, who believe the US government had a role in the attacks. Its central claims have long been debunked.
“The fundamental question is: do you believe the official story of 9/11?” according to Reid’s post.
“If you do, great. If you don’t, then everything that happened after that is called into serious question. Even if you’re agnostic, or you tend to believe that al-Qaida attacked the World Trade Center and Pentagon and that the government had no warning such a thing could happen, it’s worth taking a second look.”
see also Joy Reid under fire for bizarre explanation about hateful posts MSNBC star Joy Reid raised eyebrows Monday when she claimed...
Reid and MSNBC could not be reached for comment.
Reid came under fire late last year when old blog posts showed her making a string of insensitive LBGT remarks.
She mocked then-Florida Gov. Charlie Crist as “Miss Charlie” and attacked Fox News Channel commentator Ann Coulter with transgender stereotypes.
Reid first said she had been hacked, but then later apologized.
The host of MSNBC’s “AM Joy” has come under increased scrutiny since Tuesday, when ABC abruptly cancelled Roseanne Barr’s hit sitcom after she made a string of racist, anti-Semitic tweets. |
Gail Ann Porter | Gail Ann Porter passed away Tuesday, February 7, 2017, at her home in Lake City. She was 69. Gail was born January 15, 1948, in Bay City, to Edward and Mary (... As cadillacnews.com transitions to a metered site, the login information will help us determine whether you are a paid subscriber or one of our casual visitors.
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Israeli media: Police to question Netanyahu for corruption | Thank you for reading 10 free articles on Fredericksburg.com. You can come back at the end of your 30-day period for another 10 free articles, or you can purchase a subscription and continue to enjoy valuable local news and information.
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Migrants sending billions more home than in 2007: UN report | Migrants are sending home billions of dollars more than they did a decade ago, according to UN report. Representational Image. Migrants are sending home billions of dollars more than they did a decade ago, according to UN report. Representational Image.
Migrants are sending home billions of dollars more than they did a decade ago — and the rate of growth in remittances is almost double the increase in migration, according to a U.N. report released Wednesday. The report commissioned by the International Fund for Agricultural Development says that remittances increased by 51 percent during the decade from 2007 to 2016 while migration rose by 28 percent and population in the home countries of migrants grew by 13 percent.
The Rome-based U.N. agency which fights poverty in rural areas said the report is the first to examine a 10-year trend in migration and remittance flows. It said the findings are based on a series of studies and surveys commissioned by the fund, known as IFAD, and on its analyses of World Bank data.
According to the report, remittances increased in almost all regions of the world, but the sharp rise between 2007 and 2016 was mainly due to Asia which saw an 87 percent increase in money sent home from migrants.
IFAD President Gilbert Houngbo said what’s most important is the impact on the lives of family members and others who receive the money.
“The small amounts of $200 or $300 that each migrant sends home make up about 60 percent of the family’s household income, and this makes an enormous difference in their lives and the communities in which they live,” he said in a statement.
According to the report, more than 200 million migrant workers are now supporting an estimated 800 million family members around the world.
And it projects that this year one billion people _ one-in-seven people in the world _ will be involved in either sending or receiving more than $450 million in remittances.
“About 40 percent of remittances — $200 billion — are sent to rural areas where the majority of poor people live,” said Pedro de Vasconcelos, manager of IFAD’s Financing Facility for Remittances and the report’s lead author. “This money is spent on food, health care, better educational opportunities and improved housing and sanitation.”
The study estimates that between 2015 and 2030 an estimated $6.5 trillion will be sent to low- and middle- income countries.
Over 100 countries receive more than $100 million in remittances every year, the report said, led by China, India, the Philippines, Mexico and Pakistan.
It said the top 10 sending countries account for almost half the annual remittances: United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Kuwait, France, Qatar, United Kingdom and Italy
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Fed's Kaplan: Balance sheet should shed MBS, Treasuries simultaneously | COLLEGE STATION, Texas Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Robert Kaplan said on Monday that he would support trimming the Fed's holdings in both mortgage-backed securities and U.S. Treasuries when it comes time to shrink the Fed's balance sheet.
"You might tailor the run off strategy to each type of security," Kaplan told reporters after an event at Texas A&M University.
(Reporting by Brad S. Morse; writing by Ann Saphir; editing by Diane Craft) |
Best of the best! David Davis reveals vision for Brexit trade deal with EU | BBC Brexit Secretary David Davis
Mr Davis said he thought a substantive trade deal can be struck within a year but his vision of a Canada-style deal highlights Cabinet divisions. Other ministers such as Philip Hammond support a Norway-style deal which leaves Britain more aligned with the EU. Mr Davis said he wanted to see an “over-arching trade deal” based on Canada’s free trade treaty with the European Union but including services.
GETTY David Davis, Theresa May and their EU counterparts
We will probably start with the best of Canada, the best of Japan and the best of South Korea David Davis
It would set out “individual arrangements for aviation, nuclear and for data”, as well, he said, describing it as “Canada plus plus plus”. He said: “All we want is a bespoke outcome. We will probably start with the best of Canada, the best of Japan and the best of South Korea. “And then add to that the bits that are missing – which are the services.” Mr Davis said the odds against leaving the EU with no deal had “dropped dramatically”.
And he has also rowed back on comments he made over he weekend in which he appeared to suggest Mrs May’s last-minute deal with Brexit deal with Brussels was merely a “statement of intent” and not legally binding. The remarks ruffled feathers in Brussels and Irish capital Dublin where ministers were unhappy with his view on the assurances about the Irish border given by the UK government. But speaking ob LBC today, the Brexit Secretary said: “What I actually said was that we want to protect the peace process, we want to protect Ireland from the impact of Brexit for them. “And I said this was a statement of intent which was much more than just legally enforceable. In other words, of course it is legally enforceable under the withdrawal agreement.
Brexit negotiations continue, live pictures Fri, December 8, 2017 Britain and the EU reached a historic deal on December 8 on the terms of the Brexit divorce after the British Prime Minister rushed to Brussels for early morning talks Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 14 David Davis and EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier attend a press conference by Theresa May |
Bolt urges next generation of Jamaican sprinters to chase greatness | Usain Bolt has warned the next generation of Jamaican sprinters they have to display the same insatiable desire for greatness he did if they are to follow in his footsteps.
Bolt bade a final farewell to the sport he has ruled for the past nine years with an emotional lap of honour at the end of the World Championships in London on Sunday.
Warmth poured down from the packed stands, but he admitted he had endured a "rough" send-off on the track, having to settle for bronze in the 100 metres and then pulling up injured in his very last race, the 4x100m relay.
Jamaica finished the 10 days of competition with just one gold medal, courtesy of Omar McLeod in the 110m hurdles.
In the men's and women's 100m, 200m and 4x100m relays they won just two bronze medals in total, the women's sprint quartet claiming the other place on the podium. There was no Jamaican representation at all in the final of either the men's or women's 200m.
At the Rio Olympics last year those six sprint events produced five golds and one silver.
Bolt denied it was a sign Jamaican sprinting was on the wane, but accepted his were big shoes to fill.
"It's just one of those things, sometimes it just doesn't go your way," he said. "There is lots of talent in Jamaica, I've seen it myself, I've seen the youngsters.
"But I've learned that everybody is not like me -- you have to want it, you have to be hungry, you have to want to be the greatest and I think that will be the key thing for the Jamaican athletes. Do they want to be the best, do they want to be the greatest?
"If they want to be great they can. If they work hard and put the effort in, athletics for Jamaica will be safe."
After finishing third in the men's 100-meter final, Usain Bolt pulled up injured and did not finish in the 4x100 relay. Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images
That will to win is personified in the race singled out by Bolt as the most impressive of his career -- not one of his Olympic gold medals from Beijing, London or Rio, nor his world record runs of 9.58 seconds for the 100m and 19.19secs for the 200m, but his 100m victory over Justin Gatlin, by just one-hundredth of a second, at the 2015 World Championships.
"I had to really fight to win, I think it showed a lot of character," he added.
The 19-time global champion believes the legacy he will leave the sport is the knowledge that "anything is possible", a sentiment he acknowledged he proved with his struggles in London.
"It's ironic that my motto says anything is possible and no one would ever have felt like I would be beaten in a championships," Bolt said.
"I'm on the wrong end of this situation, but I personally feel this is a good message for kids -- work hard, be strong and push on."
Walking away he may be, but Bolt is eager to remain in the sport. Certainly, losing him completely is not something it can contemplate.
"My agent is talking to Mr Coe [the president of athletics' world governing body the IAAF] to figure out in what way I can help the sport and I am looking forward to this," he said.
For the time being, though, Bolt's focus is on enjoying his freedom, unconstrained at last by the rigours of training and competition.
"My whole life has been pretty much track and field," he said. "I've been doing this pretty much since I was 10, so all I know is track. For me to be able to relax and have fun and just live a little bit is exciting." |
Trinity College Professor of Language and Culture Studies Thomas S. Harrington Shares Expertise on Catalonia in News Broadcasts Around the World | Hartford, Connecticut, December 4, 2017 – This semester, Trinity College Professor of Language and Culture Studies Thomas S. Harrington—a noted scholar on the culture and politics of the Catalonian Autonomous Community of Spain—has appeared on local, national, and international news broadcasts to speak about Catalonia’s recent vote for independence and its ongoing confrontation with the Spanish central government.
“This is a nationalist movement about peace, persistence, and inclusion,” Harrington said. “What I think is fascinating, and something I’d like to transmit to students and the public, is the almost David vs. Goliath persistence of this culture. They are, in effect, saying to the world: ‘What we have is very special to us and we want to preserve it, but that preserving it does not mean, as it does in so many other nationalist movements, restricting the influx of outsiders to the country or recurring to supremacist schemas of identity.’ To me that is an amazing story.”
As the Catalan independence process has moved forward, Harrington has been addressing not only classrooms full of students, but also people around the world who want to learn more about what has led up to the current confrontation. He has provided commentary for news outlets including Russia Today, China Global Television Network, and Connecticut Public Radio, and has written many articles and blog posts designed to provide more historical and cultural context for those seeking to understand the October 1 vote on independence and all that has followed in its wake.
“In the latter part of September, when the situation came to a head, I became more active. My goal was to shed light on historical issues and details that are not often mentioned in the mainstream press,” Harrington said. “Many reporters, working in good faith, simply do not have the historical or linguistic background needed to understand the Catalan issue in an in-depth manner. Most people in big American and European media—at best—speak some Spanish; very few speak and read Catalan or have reported before on a daily basis from inside Catalonia,” he said.
While some believe that this is an unimportant detail, Harrington said that he believes it is absolutely essential to gaining a more solid understanding of this situation and many others like it. “There is no such thing as unbiased media; everything comes from a point of view. Language and historical context, or what we might call our cultural ‘point of entry,’ affect our perceptions of a given reality in significant ways,” Harrington said. “While we cannot necessarily undo the slants that we and other bring to our analyses of social and political events, we can seek to become aware of their possible effects on our perceptions of ‘reality.’”
Harrington believes that current impasse has its roots in Spanish Constitution of 1978, which was forged only three years after the death of Francisco Franco amidst looming threats of renewed military intervention in the civic life of the country. “It was very much a compromise document designed to bring a still fractious country into the community of democratic nations,” Harrington said. “As such, it was seen by most of those signing on to it, and especially those embracing in Catalonia, as being subject to adjustment in the not too distant future. This was the understanding that everyone had until the beginning of the 21st century when the party now in governance, the PP, then headed by Jose Maria Aznar, turned around and said this constitution was sacred and could not be changed and that, therefore, the Catalans could never look forward to any incremental increase of their political power within the Spanish state.” Harrington suggests that it was the articulation of this “hard” upper limit on Catalan political, cultural, and economic aspirations, subsequently ratified in 2010 by a PP-dominated Constitutional Tribunal, which many saw as corrupt, that has led to the current situation.
Harrington’s interest in the problems of nations within states began with his college studies of the borderlands between Poland and Russia. When he began his doctoral work in Hispanic studies, he transferred his interest in the phenomenon to the Iberian Peninsula. In the course of his career, he has lived and or studied in all of the major culture-nations of that geographical and cultural entity, earning his master’s degree in Madrid, teaching for two years in Galicia, studying in Lisbon, spending numerous summers in the Basque Country, and exploring the breadth and depth of Catalonia.
Harrington teaches courses in 20th and 21st century Spanish cultural history, literature, and film. He is a two-time Fulbright Senior Research Scholar (Barcelona, Spain and Montevideo, Uruguay). He has published two books, co-written a documentary film, and written several refereed publications.
Harrington is the founder and one of three faculty advisors of the Trinity in Barcelona study away program, which offers students the opportunity to spend a semester, summer, or full academic year in the city of Barcelona, Spain. Open to all levels of Spanish language, Trinity in Barcelona is a “hybrid” study abroad program in which students enroll in a combination of Trinity-taught and local university courses as they experience both the Spanish and Catalan cultures.
Written by Dana Martin ’18 |
Matt Dawson gives his reaction to Ben Youngs and Danny Care plundering his England records | The video will start in 8 Cancel
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Matt Dawson has paid tribute to the two England scrum-halves set to remove his name from the Red Rose record book.
Ben Youngs starts his 56th Test against Italy tomorrow, overtaking the World Cup winner’s record of most starts for an England halfback.
Danny Care will then equal Dawson’s mark for most caps as England scrum-half when he comes off the bench to win his 77th cap.
“I couldn’t think of two more deserving players to be England most-capped and most starting scrum halves,” said the Mirror columnist.
(Image: Getty)
“Primarily I’m proud to call them both my friends and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching them help drive England’s current success.
“In such a contact-driven sport their guile and mind for the game at the highest level is world class and I’ve the upmost confidence the pair of them will taste even more success in the next year or so.
“It’s a record I’m sure they would have been quietly targeting as I know how immensely proud I was to hold it.
“Their dedication to the game is incredible but the journey is not yet over. They are desperate for the main goal of World Cup glory and I back them the whole way.” |
Storyville House | 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. |
Video: Watch Cub Swanson's 'Fight of the Night' TKO vs. Dennis Siver at UFC 162 | Cub Swanson takes on Artem Lobov this weekend in search of his fourth consecutive win.
Swanson (24-7 MMA, 9-3 UFC) and Lobov (13-12-1 MMA, 2-2 UFC) meet in the main event of UFC Fight Night 108, which takes place Saturday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn, and airs on FS1 following prelims on FS2 and UFC Fight Pass.
Swanson enters with something to prove, a situation he’s been in before. In July 2013, Swanson was on a four-fight winning streak when took on Dennis Siver at UFC 162. In what was an entertaining fight, Swanson simply took over in the third round, which led to a TKO victory at the 2:24 mark.
The win marked Swanson’s third TKO finish in five fights and remains the last time he won by TKO.
Check out the full fight in the above video.
And for more on UFC Fight Night 108, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site. |
JGBs steady after 5-year sale as investors await Fed move | TOKYO, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Japanese government bonds were steady on Tuesday, underpinned by solid demand at a sale of five-year JGBs as investors awaited the next session’s U.S. monetary policy decision for directional cues.
The benchmark 10-year cash JGB yield unchanged on the day at 0.045 percent, and 10-year JGB futures were up 0.03 point at 150.93 in afternoon trade.
Overall, bond market participants took a wait-and-see stance ahead of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decision on Wednesday. The U.S. central bank is widely expected to raise interest rates, with Fed funds futures also pricing in about a 60 percent implied chance for a March rate increase.
The 5-year JGB yield was steady at minus 0.120 percent.
The Ministry of Finance offered 2.2 trillion yen ($19.38 billion) of 5-year JGBs with a 0.10 percent coupon. Some 83.4736 percent of the bids were accepted at the lowest price of 101.02.
The sale drew bids of 4.38 times the amount offered, up from the previous sale’s bid-to-cover ratio of 4.19 times, suggesting stronger demand.
The ministry will offer 1.0 trillion yen 20-year JGBs on Thursday.
On Tuesday, the 20-year yield was flat on the day at 0.565 percent, while the 30-year yield was also flat at 0.815 percent.
Data released earlier on Tuesday showed Japan’s wholesale prices rose an annual 3.5 percent in November, the fastest rate in nine years, in a sign that rising global commodity costs were driving up corporate expenses. |
Hardaway powers Hawks to long-awaited OT win over Spurs | Tim Hardaway Jr. made a tying 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds remaining in regulation and scored nine points in overtime, including the go-ahead free throw, to lift the Atlanta Hawks to a 114-112 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night. Hardaway made the first of two free throws with 10.8 seconds remaining in overtime for a 113-112 lead.
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Priory Care and 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. |
John Arne Riise on which one of his former teams has the edge ahead of Liverpool's tie with Roma | The video will start in 8 Cancel
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John Arne Riise has had his say on Liverpool's tantalising Champions League clash with Roma - and has revealed who he believes has the edge.
The former left-back won the European competition with the Reds back in 2005, after they pulled off the unthinkable to overturn three AC Milan goals from the first half to win the final on penatlies.
After seven years with the Anfield club Riise moved to Roma, where he spent three seasons in the Italian capital before returning to the Premier League with Fulham.
On Tuesday Liverpool, who overcame Premier League winners Manchester City in the quarter-finals, take on Roma in the semi-finals of this season's competition.
(Image: Stadium Astro / Youtube)
When asked to give his prediction for the tie, Riise told Gazzetta dello Sport: "Roma are slight favourites because they will play the return game at the Olimpico. I will be there to watch it and it will be a show.
"But winning at Anfield is an impossible deed, European nights there are special. Liverpool are Champions League animals."
He added: "Roma found a great coach, you don't get to the Champions League semi-finals by chance. But [Di Francesco] will need an antidote to Liverpool's attacking trio.
(Image: Liverpool Echo)
"I don't think Pep Guardiola did anything wrong - I just think some nights it's impossible to stop [Mohamed] Salah, [Sadio] Mane and [Roberto] Firmino".
Manchester United legend Gary Neville has also provided his expert analysis ahead of the tie, and has a similar opinion to Riise.
(Image: PA)
He told Sky Sports: "I'm going for Liverpool to win their first leg 2-1 in my Super 6 predictions.
"But I'll add that I also think they'll get knocked out over the two legs, with Roma a very different proposition and capable of frustrating Jurgen Klopp's attack." |
BRIEF-Discovery Communications expects constant currency adj. EPS to "grow strongly" in low to midteen range in 2017 | Feb 14 Discovery Communications Inc
* Discovery Communications Inc - expect U.S. affiliate revenue to grow at least mid single-digits in 2017 - Conf Call
* Discovery Communications Inc - currently expect first quarter advertising growth to accelerate and be up low to mid single-digits
* Discovery Communications Inc - expect constant currency adjusted EPS to "grow strongly" in the low to midteen range
* Discovery Communications - reaffirms constant currency adjusted EPS and free cash flow CAGR for 2015 through 2018 to both grow "at least low teens or better" Further company coverage: |
No one knew he was joining, probe ordered | On Sunday, Gaurav Upadhyay had joined Congress in Lucknow with a large number of supporters On Sunday, Gaurav Upadhyay had joined Congress in Lucknow with a large number of supporters
A DAY after a Shiv Sena leader was inducted in the Congress, only to be expelled hours later, the party on Monday ordered an inquiry into the matter while also issuing fresh guidelines for the induction of new leaders. On Sunday, Gaurav Upadhyay had joined Congress in Lucknow with a large number of supporters. Soon after, these “supporters”, who turned out to be daily wage labourers, started demanding money which Upadhyay had allegedly promised them for participating in the event.
Congress state president Raj Babbar and AICC general secretary in-charge Ghulam Nabi Azad, who were both in Lucknow on Sunday, were reportedly unaware of Upadhyay joining the party.
“It is a sad incident and against the policy and ideology of the Congress. An inquiry is being conducted into the entire incident… how it happened without the matter being in the knowledge of any senior leader. None of us knew that he was joining the party,” said R P Tripathi, general secretary in-charge of organisation, who will conduct the probe. Asked whether action would be against the person who took the initiative to induct
Upadhyay, Tripathi said it would become clear only after the probe is completed. Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chairman Ram Krishna Dwivedi, who was present at the event where Upadhyay joined the party, said: “First thing we did was to remove the person with immediate effect. Now, we are looking into the entire incident. Further action will be decided accordingly.”
When contacted, Upadhyay said: “This is the work of my opponents. Those who had come with me were my supporters. I do not know from where these labourers came and created a ruckus. I have written to Congress state president Raj Babbar to probe the entire incident.”
Upadhyay, who had contested the UP elections from Lucknow Cantonment seat as a Shiv Sena candidate, claimed he had met Babbar in New Delhi before joining the party officially in Lucknow. “I have also requested that I should have been given chance to explain myself, rather than being removed without the party seeking any explanation,” he said.
The Congress, meanwhile, issued strict guidelines for induction of new leaders. From now on, the district and city party presidents concerned would conduct background verification of the leaders willing to join Congress. After the district head gives a go-ahead, the party zonal in-charge would have to recommend the leader, following which, the state president would be informed of the matter.
“Senior leader Madan Mohan Shukla has been made in-charge of this… every recommendation for new inductions would have to go though him. He would get the leader’s background verified from the district unit… the zonal in-charge would recommend the leader and then the matter would be sent to the state president,” said Tripathi.
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Paul Nuttall's press officer takes responsibility for Hillsborough fiasco | Watch: Rylan and Alison team up for This Morning
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Paul Nuttall's press officer has taken the blame and offered to resign following damaging false claims that he “lost close personal friends” at Hillsborough.
The UKIP leader was forced to admit the claim posted on his website was wrong after he was challenged during an interview with Radio City Talk in Liverpool.
“I haven’t lost a close personal friend, I’ve lost someone who I know,” he told presenter Dave Eason, adding: “I haven’t put that out, that is wrong.”
In a statement later, Mr Nuttall said he was “appalled” when he found out what had happened but he did not write the web posting, the Liverpool Echo reports .
(Photo: Radio City Talk)
(Photo: Radio City Talk)
“This was an article that I did not write and did not see prior to it being posted by a member of my staff,” he said.
“Of course I take responsibility for those things that are put out under my name, but I was genuinely taken aback when this claim was brought to my attention and am both appalled and very sorry that an impression was given that was not accurate.”
(Photo: Getty)
Lynda Roughley, a press officer for Mr Nuttall, subsequently said she had offered to resign, saying she had been “entirely responsible” for the website post.
She said in a statement: “Paul is a man of great integrity and would not say something he knew to be untrue. It’s me who has made this mistake, and one I feel absolutely terrible about.
“I am frankly mortified at the distress this issue has caused Paul and may have caused to anyone involved with the Hillsborough tragedy.
“I have today offered my resignation. I could not be more sorry.”
(Photo: Bob Thomas/Getty Images)
In a further twist last night, it was reported that Ms Roughley’s resignation had been turned down.
Mr Nuttall, who is standing for UKIP in the Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election, has previously hit out over an article in The Guardian which cast doubt on his claim that as a 12-year-old fan he was present in the stadium when the disaster happened. |
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How the current impeachment law for removal of judges was shaped | Former Union Home Minister Y B Chavan (Left), and former MP Laxmi M Singhvi Former Union Home Minister Y B Chavan (Left), and former MP Laxmi M Singhvi
Last week, 64 Rajya Sabha members signed a notice of motion for the removal of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu refused to admit the impeachment motion on Monday. The question that is now being debated is whether the Chairman enjoys discretion in accepting or rejecting a notice signed by MPs.
The Constitution specifies the grounds and method for removal of a judge of the High court or Supreme Court. According to it, a judge shall be removed (a) only by an order of the President, (b) after the presentation of an address by each house of Parliament, (c) supported by a special majority, (d) in the same session and (e) on the grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity. The Constitution also empowers Parliament to make a law to regulate the procedure for the presentation of the address to the President, and the investigation and proof of the misbehaviour or incapacity of the judge.
Till 1968, Parliament did not enact such a law. During this time, the procedure for removal of judges of the higher judiciary involved MPs submitting the notice of motion for removal to the Speaker, who discussed the matter with parliamentarians concerned, and examined available material to ensure that there was a prima facie case. If there was a case, the issue was brought to the notice of the chief justice of the High Court concerned or the Supreme Court. The Speaker maintained secrecy around the issue. Parliamentary records suggest that during this time three such notices were brought before the Speaker. And in one of these cases, the judge concerned voluntarily resigned.
In 1964, Parliament for the first time attempted to lay down the procedural modalities for the removal of a judge. A bill empowering the President to order an investigation into the allegations of misbehaviour or incapacity of a judge was introduced in the Lok Sabha. A joint committee of both houses was constituted to examine the proposed legislation. The panel was of the opinion that to maintain the independence of the judiciary, Parliament should be the forum where proceedings against a judge should be initiated, and the executive should be kept out of the investigation at all stages.
The committee proposed a four-step process. The first step was a numerical safeguard — the notice of a motion for removal had to be signed by at least 100 MPs of Lok Sabha, or 50 MPs of Rajya Sabha. In the second step, the Lok Sabha Speaker or Rajya Sabha Chairperson was granted discretionary power to admit or reject a notice after consulting legal experts and studying the available material. In case the notice was accepted, the third step would require the constitution of a committee to investigate the grounds for the removal of a judge. And finally, based on the report submitted by the committee, either Parliament would consider the motion against the judge or dismiss it. The 1964 Bill lapsed following the dissolution of the Third Lok Sabha (1962-1967), and a version of the Bill similar to the committee’s recommendation was passed by the Fourth Lok Sabha in 1968.
The 1968 Bill that was passed incorporated both the numerical safeguard as well as the discretion of the presiding officer. Y B Chavan, then Home Minister, who was piloting the bill, in his speech in Rajya Sabha, referred to both the safeguards. He stated that the presiding officers were given an “effective power” that would enable them take note of notices which were adequately signed, and check and satisfy themselves if there was a case before admitting a motion.
This aspect of the bill was not subscribed to by all MPs. L M Singhvi, a member of the joint committee, submitted a dissent note in which he expressed among other things, his concerns relating to this point. He was of the opinion that the numerical safeguard was excessive. According to Singhvi, the Speaker’s discretion to refuse or admit a motion was an adequate safeguard and to “seek to fortify it any further is like wearing (obsessively and pessimistically) a pair of suspenders in addition to a belt around the waist.”
He quoted the testimony of parliamentary expert M N Kaul, who stated that “…the most fundamental power of the Speaker is to admit a motion. Nothing can come before Parliament unless the Speaker admits it. That power is final and cannot be questioned. You can remove the Speaker but you cannot question his decision whether a motion should be admitted or not. Until a member gives notice, the Speaker has no powers, but the moment a member gives notice, all the powers of the Speaker come into play and then he has to exercise those powers with great skill and caution and for the public good.”
Mr Singhvi was concerned that in light of the signatures of 100 Lok Sabha MPs or 50 Rajya Sabha MPs, the discretion of the presiding officer would become vulnerable as the “considerations of the intrinsic merit of the motion and the materials on which it is based will tend to recede into the background”. Kaul, who was nominated to Rajya Sabha in 1966, while participating in the debate on the Bill echoed a similar viewpoint. He said, “I can hardly conceive of a Speaker who will disallow a motion when hundred members have sponsored it unless those large number of members have not discharged their duty in a responsible manner and have carelessly or thoughtlessly appended their signatures. Then the Speaker can certainly test the position by interviewing the members.”
Media reports suggest that the recent decision of the Rajya Sabha Chairman may be challenged in the Supreme Court. If that happens, it will be interesting to see whether the apex court rules that the presiding officers of both houses are to act as a postbox and admit all motions which are adequately signed, or they have discretionary power in admitting notices regarding the removal of judges.
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Royals' Cameron Gallagher: Sent back to minors | Gallagher was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday.
Gallagher is no longer needed as the team's backup catcher with Salvador Perez coming off the disabled list, so he'll head back to the minors to serve as organizational depth. He hit just .208/.240/.292 across 25 plate appearances with the big club. |
Prince Harry and Meghan reveals wedding ceremony music including ex-BGT contestant and judge from Gareth Malone show The Choir | Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
A teenage former contestant on Britain's Got Talent will be among the performers at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding, it was confirmed.
Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason today revealed Meghan had called him personally to ask him to play on the couple's big day.
The 19-year-old competed alongside his siblings on the show in 2015, and the following year was named the BBC Young Musician of the Year.
He posted on Twitter after the news broke: "I’m so excited and honoured to perform at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding.
"I was bowled over when Ms Markle called me to ask if I would play during the ceremony, and of course I immediately said yes!!! What a privilege. I can’t wait!"
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(Image: PA)
Sheku will be joined by Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir, who have been performing all over the world for 20 years.
Karen is a judge on Gareth Malone show The Choir.
(Image: PA)
She said: "The Kingdom Choir is truly honoured to be invited to sing at the wedding of Prince Harry and Ms. Markle, and very excited to be taking part in such a historic moment. It will be a moment that we will always treasure, and we’d like to take the opportunity to wish the couple all the very best for their coming union."
Music will be overseen by James Vivian, Director of Music at St George’s Chapel, where the ceremony will be held.
Welsh soprano Elin Manahan Thomas will also perform, as will trumpet player David Blackadder.
The musicians were announced on the Kensington Palace Twitter feed today.
The couple will marry on May 19 at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. |
CANADA STOCKS-TSX hits 4-month low as resources slump amid global selloff | * TSX down 254.89 points, or 1.61 percent, at 15,606.03 * All of the TSX's 10 main groups were trading lower (Updates share prices) TORONTO, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index slumped to a four-month low on Friday, with natural resource shares leading broad based declines as commodity prices dropped and higher bond yields pressured global equity markets. U.S. crude prices were down 1.1 percent at $65.09 a barrel, while Brent crude lost 2 percent to $68.27. The energy group retreated 2.5 percent. Suncor Energy slipped 1.8 percent to C$43.81, and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd dropped 1.4 percent to C$41.88. The financials group slipped 1.2 percent. Bank of Nova Scotia gave back 0.9 percent to C$80.01, and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce lost 1.7 percent to C$119. The materials group, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 2.8 percent. Barrick Gold Corp slipped 3.7 percent to C$17.04, and Goldcorp Inc fell 2.9 percent to C$17.02. Gold futures fell 1.3 percent to $1,331.34 an ounce. Copper prices declined 0.6 percent to $7,079 a tonne. The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index closed down 254.89 points, or 1.61 percent, at 15,606.03, its biggest drop since May. All of the index's 10 main groups were in negative territory. (Reporting by John Tilak and Fergal Smith; Editing by Tom Brown) |
Bofors plea in SC to gain cheap publicity with eye on Lok Sabha elections: Congress | At the party meeting in Lucknow on Saturday. (Vishal Srivastav) At the party meeting in Lucknow on Saturday. (Vishal Srivastav)
A DAY after the CBI filed a petition in the Supreme Court, challenging a 2005 order of the Delhi High Court, quashing all charges against the accused in the Bofors pay-off case, the Congress on Saturday said the move was an attempt by the Centre to gain “cheap publicity” ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
In charge of party affairs in UP, Ghulam Nabi Azad was in Lucknow to hold a meeting with party leaders on the 2019 polls. He said that while earlier, BJP used to set up campaign committees to contest elections, it is now using central agencies like the CBI and ED as well as the income tax department to harass leaders of the Opposition.
“Those who had come to power at that time by linking former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s name with it (the Bofors case) used to show a chit threatening that it had the names of those involved…but they never revealed it even when they were at the helm. Now Bofors is being talked about again. This is nothing but a move to gain cheap publicity,” he told mediapersons at the sidelines of the meeting.
The Rs 1,437-crore deal between India and Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors for the supply of 400 155mm howitzer guns for the Indian Army was entered into on March 24, 1986, when Rajiv Gandhi was the prime minister. Swedish Radio on April 16, 1987, had claimed that the firm had paid bribes to top Indian politicians and defence personnel.
On Kasganj communal clash, Azad said: “Not just in Kasganj, but wherever BJP is in power, it makes people fight on the lines of caste and religion and try to create polarisation by developing a communal environment.”
He alleged that BJP has come to power on the basis of caste and religion and thus, stays away from development. “Pradhan mantri… ke darshan door-darshan hote hain (People can only see the PM from a distance),” he claimed.
On future alliances, Azad said that almost all major Opposition parties had attended a meeting convened by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi recently. “We want all like-minded parties to work together,” he added.
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My wife was killed by an older driver - that’s why I’m fighting for tests | On 10 November 2012, just after 8pm, I left my friends’ house in north-west London, a happily married 33-year-old father. It was then that I heard my wife, Desreen, speak her final words: “I’m so proud of him,” she said of our two-year-old son, Jackson.
Seconds later a car mounted the pavement and struck Desreen. The driver had mistaken the accelerator for the brake, and was travelling at 54mph in a 20mph-zone. Within seconds I had become a widowed single parent.
A couple of days later, a family liaison officer told me that the man behind the wheel was 82 years old. A couple of years later, when the case was finally heard in court, he would be sentenced for causing death by dangerous driving, confusing the pedals of the vintage car he had driven for years.
How do you tell a toddler his mummy's dead? Read more
It wasn’t until I sat through the court case that I began to grow concerned about how little the law does to protect older drivers from their own potential risk, though.
The judge who sentenced the driver said: “An elderly driver who knows, or should acknowledge, that he or she is losing his or her faculties is no less a danger than a drunken driver who knows the same.”
The fact is, though, little is done to prompt that acknowledgement. Once a person has passed their driving test, their decision to carry on into old age is mostly self-regulated. A few ticked boxes with no supporting evidence say: “I’ve decided I’m still fit to drive.” No one assesses an older person’s driving skills or reactions. No one checks their eyesight or hearing. No one sees if their reactions are still sharp enough to stop in an emergency.
Some months ago, I started campaigning to try to change this, to widespread support. My petition, on Change.org ,now has nearly 250,000 signatures and the support of my local MP, Harriet Harman, who is liaising with the all-party parliamentary group on transport safety about it.
Naturally some people have been critical, but I’ve been struck by the encouragement I’ve received from older drivers too. People who look beyond the headlines understand that this is not about taking away people’s driving licences once they hit 70 – it’s about ensuring that people are safe to drive into old age.
Benjamin Brooks-Dutton and Desreen on their wedding day in 2011 Photograph: Benjamin Brooks-Dutton
Scores of people have also written to me explaining that they have tried to stop someone they believe to be unsafe to drive but were left powerless to do so. In many instances they had warned the driver’s GP or reported them to the DVLA but to no avail.
Just a couple of weeks ago a 72-year-old driver was jailed for four years for killing a three-year-old child he failed to see crossing the road because his eyesight was so bad he shouldn’t even have been driving with spectacles. His case is extreme but findings included in a report by the Older Drivers Task Force go some way to support the argument that the current system isn’t working. It explains that when driving assessments are offered to older drivers as an alternative to police prosecution, nearly 70% of those assessed require eyesight correction. This clearly slips through the self-assessment net.
Reporting people doesn’t work; self-assessment doesn’t work – only a change in law will.
The report goes on to make the recommendation of raising the age of mandatory fitness to drive self-declaration from 70 to 75 as something that the task force would deem “reasonable”. It explains that this “would reduce administrative costs and burdens and be welcomed by older drivers” (one can only assume that “welcomed” is shorthand for “popular among a demographic who bother to go out and vote”).
What truly worries me about this, though, is that this report has been used as the basis of a House of Commons briefing paper. This means that its recommendations have been discussed within parliament and could well be on their way to becoming policy – and no one is challenging them. There’s no scrutiny – and there really must be – as otherwise things are just going to get worse: the report itself explains that the number of drivers over the age of 85 will double to one million by 2025.
As the number gets greater logic surely follows that the problem will, too.
The petition can be found at change.org/olderdrivers |
Romania - Factors to watch on April 28 | BUCHAREST, April 28 Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Friday.
DEBT ISSUANCE
Romania aims to sell 3.7 billion lei ($888.04 million) worth of leu currency bills and bonds in May and an additional 405 million lei at non-competitive rounds of auctions, the finance ministry said on Thursday.
NUCLEARELECTRICA
Romanian state-owned nuclear power producer Nuclearelectrica said on Thursday it planned to shut its U1 nuclear reactor on the river Danube on May 2 until May 5 and stop its U2 reactor from May 6 for about one-month for maintenance.
OLTCHIM
PCC Rokita SA said its units Fate Sp. z o.o. and Hebe Sp. z o.o. have registered a new Romania-based unit Valcea Chemicals S.R.L. (Valcea Chemicals) in connection with the company's initial interest related to possible purchase of assets of Romania-based Oltchim SA.
CEE MARKETS
Hungarian government bond prices jumped at an auction on Thursday, with demand driven by a combination of loose monetary policy and expectations euro zone debt prices will fall.
BANKS
European Union banks are upset by proposals from 13 smaller EU states to boost the power of national supervisors in setting lenders' capital buffers against the risk of failure, a move that could increase banks costs.
The proposal comes from nearly half of the 28 EU states. They are Belgium, Luxembourg, Hungary, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Romania.
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From Afghanistan with love & sincerity | India is a byword in every Afghan household when it comes to matters of energy, higher education, rural development, medicine, medical tourism, food, TV dramas, and of course Bollywood. India is a byword in every Afghan household when it comes to matters of energy, higher education, rural development, medicine, medical tourism, food, TV dramas, and of course Bollywood.
India celebrates her 70th year of independence alongside the confidence and strength to project power more than ever before. This for Afghanistan is cause for jubilation. For us Afghans, India is not only a country and an ancient civilization but a contemporary brand too. An iconic brand representing diversity, tolerance, culture, humility, deep knowledge amid humility and a sincere friend.
India is a byword in every Afghan household when it comes to matters of energy, higher education, rural development, medicine, medical tourism, food, TV dramas, and of course Bollywood. The advent of cinema in Afghanistan from the very beginning has been synonymous with Indian actors, actresses and movie songs. Afghans used to, and perhaps still do, associate themselves with the age and era of Bollywood stars and the themes and issues of their movies. This is not due to lack of alternatives or options, but because of the vast similarities between our peoples.
During the 1980s, after the invasion of Afghanistan by the former Soviet Union, we were incentivized to watch Soviet movies, but the effort failed. Bollywood continued to play a dominant role in our lives. The rise and fall of Indian film stars continue to make headlines in Afghanistan. All India Radio’s Dari programme was most popular both in urban and rural Afghanistan, prior to the cyber revolution.
India’s post-Independence magic has been the unity of her ‘Amars, Akbars and Anthonys.’ All her children found their home, and under one ceiling embraced their lost mother, while retaining and celebrating their diversity of beliefs and skills. They were all synced to one script and sang ‘Jai Hind !’
We have learned and continue to learn a lot from India, but the best lesson we can learn from India is the lesson and experience of diversity under one ceiling and deep attachment to the idea of one soil, one country and several identities in one nationality.
Many thousands of Afghans who have studied in India and continue to pursue their higher studies return home with the experience of radically diverse – and possible divisive – issues such as race, language, rights of constituents, state legitimacy , rule of law, history and best practices to contribute to the rebuilding of their nation and country. In India they learn the art of contribution, peaceful struggle, to do more with less and the ability to master obstacles through endurance, devotion and humility.
India discovered the number Zero which is hardly appreciated worldwide, but the fact is that we can’t live without it for a day. India’s relevance in our lives is as vivid as her various discoveries during the course of history.
The venom of partition in 1947 created a physical distance between our two countries but with modern ways of connectivity we have been able to come closer than ever before. India’s relationship with Afghanistan has been based on the principle of care and share, a development partnership without caveats and unconditional support for democratic and constitutional process.
As we see it from here, strengthening the state-to-state relationship is the core pillar of India’s bilateral relationship with Afghanistan. Based on this valued and cherished principle India declined to minimize her relationship with the Afghan government in 1996 when Kabul was overrun and captured by the Pakistan-backed Taliban, Al-Qaeda, JUI (Jamiat Ulema Islam) & other militant groups.
It set a precedent in the post-Soviet era that sheer force and violence shouldn’t dictate the fate of multi ethnic and diverse societies and that proxy wars should face and result in a dead end. With India’s political and meagre financial assistance, the anti Taliban resistance continued to hold on and thus prevent Afghanistan becoming a de-facto colony of Pakistan through creeping invasion.
That slice of history, from 1996-2001, known as the era of resistance in Afghanistan, evolved around the sacrifices of the Afghan people who defended their unique identity and rejected Pakistan-backed religious dogmatism and militancy. It is yet another hallmark of our shared vision for peace & security and standing against injustice and domination.
Unlike what is sometimes propagated India has never asked Afghanistan to be her ally against others, has encouraged and supported an Afghanistan-owned peace settlement and has shown visible and solid respect to the diversity and fabric of Afghan society.
India’s respect for Afghanistan has generated reciprocal respect. Thus, India remains the most liked and favored country throughout Afghanistan. India has become richer, stronger and far more confident and is assuming its rightful & historic place in the region. We dream to assume our rightful place in the region as well.
Afghanistan has indeed been a crossroad of civilizations and cultures. We are mindful and cherish our Buddhist, Zoarastarian, Hindu and Islamic heritage. The divergence and congregation of all these magnificent civilizations in Afghanistan has not been a coincidence of history. Our location served as an unavoidable magnet for connectivity, divergence of civilizations & settlement of ideas. We want to get back to our roots and resist the axe that wants to divide us Afghans. Much before the dark era of the Taliban or the Cold War, we are searching for and want to revive our historic roots as well.
In this endeavor, India can do far more with and for Afghanistan. Afghanistan in not in search of a new identity. We are defending an identity that some in our neighborhood have tried to snatch from us, corrupt and belittle us with madrassa-born ideologies. We, however, are confident that we will prevail in this conquest.
Afghanistan is not offering itself as an ally to one power against the other. It is trying to emerge as a contributor to peace andvsecurity in the region and not as a spoiler or a launching pad for one neighbour against the other. Afghanistan’s potential remains unexploited and unopened. We are looking to transform from being a country dependent on foreign aid and susceptible to the dark influence of our neighbors, to a hub of friendship, connectivity, trade, tourism & tolerance. It may seem a distant dream but we are moving steadily towards that direction. That has been our status in the past.
We want to change today’s reality. Today much of Afghanistan’s fresh fruits rot in storages or in the back of trucks, as every year Pakistan closes its border for our produce and denies us land access to India. On the other hand India is ready to buy all our fresh agriculture produce. An air corridor was recently established between Kabul and Delhi to solve the problem. Our restricted access to Karachi port pushed us to find alternatives and today Afghanistan is linked to more ports than it has ever been.
Today we are a land-linked country, not a landlocked one. But for the new realities and for us to utilize them properly, more time and adaptability is needed. It is calculated that with the opening of Chabahar port in Iran, Afghanistan’s long dream of unhindered access to the sea can be realized, while trade between India and Afghanistan sees much more genuine growth.
The future is ours. We need the foresight and determination of our leaderships to propel us to a new place of mutual benefit.
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MPs unite to demand Britain's 'unjust' first past the post voting system is scrapped | Get politics updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe See our privacy notice Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
MPs have launched a fresh bid to scrap the 130-year-old first-past-the-post voting system.
Politicians from every party have joined forces in a dramatic drive to bring in proportional representation in a major overhaul the current electoral system.
Labour, Lib Dems, Tories, Greens, Plaid Cymru and the SNP are all represented in a newly-formed parliamentary group targeting radical reform, the Daily Mirror can reveal.
It aims to push for “the adoption of a system of proportional representation at all levels of governance in the UK”.
The move comes amid a growing distrust in politics, with "real reform needed to give voters a stronger voice", according to the new All Party Parliamentary Group for Proportional Representation.
Labour MP Daniel Zeichner, chair of the cross party group and MP for Cambridge, said: “In swathes of the country, Labour voters currently go unrepresented on local councils.
(Image: PA)
"It is similar In Cambridge, where Conservative voters are unrepresented on the city council. This cannot be right - we need to introduce a new way of voting in this country which will make all of our votes count, and enhance our democracy.”
Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse, group vice-chair and MP for Bath, added: “Our current voting system disenfranchises far too many people and creates an adversarial political culture which does not allow for constructive discourse in which good decisions are made.
"Electoral reform is essential to create a better democracy in which we fully engage with all our citizens and allow them to participate.”
It comes as a poll shows fewer than one in three voters think they make any difference to the general election outcomes.
An ICM survey of 2,000 voters commissioned by campaign group Make Votes Matter to mark National Democracy Week shows most have no faith in the process.
Two thirds believe the share of seats should match the share of votes. More than half want the first-past-the-post system replaced by proportional representation.
(Image: Daniel Zeichner)
Theresa May's Tories currently cling to office with only 43% of the vote after a shady deal with the DUP .
Tory MP Jeremy Lefroy, also a member of the new group, said: "The All Party Parliamentary Group for Proportional Representation is an important first step in assessing how we can improve our democratic system - to empower voters and ensure their voices are properly heard."
Green MP Caroline Lucas, Plaid Cymru MP Hywel Williams and SNP MP Martyn Day have also joined the group.
Critics of proportional representation say they have concerns that it would weaken the direct constituency link which is a key feature of the UK parliamentary system.
But advocates of change point out that many proportional representation systems maintain a constituency link, with most developed countries using some form of PR.
Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society which will support the APPG, said Westminster's current electoral system was "both unjust and outdated".
He added: "At last year’s General Election, 68% of votes had no impact on the result - going to either unsuccessful candidates or being beyond those required for a winning candidate to be successful.
“A system of proportional representation to replace first-past-the-post is vital to ensure all voices are being heard. It’s time for a politics which reflects how citizens actually vote, to close the huge divide between voters and Parliament.
“The launch of this group is an essential step in building alliances around this vital democratic change.”
Make Votes Matter co-facilitator Klina Jordan said: “Without a hint of irony the Government, which is only in power because of a voting system that wastes millions of votes, is celebrating the state of British democracy. It would be laughable if it wasn’t so hypocritical.
“This survey shows that voters are sick and tired of First Past The Post, which locks many out of the political system and ignores millions of voices. It is time that all parties came together to bring in Proportional Representation, which would make every vote matter and our society a truly democratic one.” |
Greece's dark age - how austerity turned off the lights | Olga Argyrou prepares to serve lunch to her children at the kitchen of her house at the suburb of Keratsini in Athens, Greece, March 27, 2017. Picture taken March 27, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
Argyro Argyrou opens the fridge at the kitchen of her house at the suburb of Keratsini in Athens, Greece, March 27, 2017. Picture taken March 27, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
A view of the coal-fired power station of the Public Power Corporation (PPC) near the northern town of Ptolemaida, Greece, April 2, 2017. Picture taken April 2, 2017. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis
A view of the coal-fired power station of the Public Power Corporation (PPC) near the northern town of Ptolemaida, Greece, April 2, 2017. Picture taken April 2, 2017. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis
A view of the coal-fired power station of the Public Power Corporation (PPC) near the northern town of Ptolemaida, Greece, April 2, 2017. Picture taken April 2, 2017. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis
An old distribution panel is seen at the entrance of the apartment building where the Argyros family lives, at the suburb of Keratsini in Athens, Greece, March 27, 2017. Picture taken March 27, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
The Argyros family have breakfast in their kitchen at the suburb of Keratsini in Athens, Greece, March 28, 2017. Picture taken March 28, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
Panagiotis Argyros watches cartoons in his house at the suburb of Keratsini in Athens, Greece, March 28, 2017. Picture taken March 28, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
The Argyros family have breakfast in their kitchen at the suburb of Keratsini in Athens, Greece, March 28, 2017. Picture taken March 28, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
Argyro Argyrou opens the fridge at the kitchen of her house at the suburb of Keratsini in Athens, Greece, March 27, 2017. Picture taken March 27, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
Members of the 'I Won't Pay' movement Leonidas Papadopoulos (L) and Ilias Papadopoulos (2nd R) talk to a police officer during a protest outside a Public Power Corporation (PPC) branch in Athens, Greece, March 17, 2017. Picture taken March 17, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
People wait at a Public Power Corporation (PPC) branch to enter a repayment scheme for their debts in Athens, Greece, March 3, 2017. Picture taken March 3, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
A couple arrives at a Public Power Corporation (PPC) branch to enter a repayment scheme for their debts in Athens, Greece, March 3, 2017. Picture taken March 3, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
People line up at a Public Power Corporation (PPC) branch to enter a repayment scheme for their debts in Athens, Greece, March 3, 2017. Picture taken March 3, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
People line up to pay their electricity bills at a Public Power Corporation (PPC) branch in Athens, Greece, March 17, 2017. Picture taken March 17, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
Members of the 'I Won't Pay' movement protest outside a Public Power Corporation (PPC) branch in Athens, Greece, March 17, 2017. Picture taken March 17, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
People line up to pay their electricity bills at a Public Power Corporation (PPC) branch in Athens, Greece, March 17, 2017. Picture taken March 17, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
A man waits at a Public Power Corporation (PPC) branch to enter a repayment scheme for their debts in Athens, Greece, March 3, 2017. Picture taken March 3, 2017. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
ATHENS Kostas Argyros's unpaid electricity bills are piling up, among a mountain of debt owed to Greece's biggest power utility.
His family owe 850 euros to the Public Power Corporation (DEHr.AT) (PPC), a tiny fraction of the state-controlled firm's 2.6 billion euros (2.21 billion pounds) in unpaid bills.
Argyros picks up only occasional work as an odd-job man. "When you only work once a week, what will you pay first?"said the 35-year-old, who lives in a tiny apartment in an Athens suburb with his unemployed wife and four small children.
The Argyros family are emblematic of deepening poverty in Greece following seven years of austerity demanded by the country's international creditors. They burn wood to heat their home in winter, food is cooked on a small gas stove, and hot water is scarce.
The only evening light is the blue glare of a TV screen, for fear of racking up more debt. Five-watt lightbulbs provide a dim glow and Argyros worries about the effect on their eyesight.
More than 40 percent of Greeks are behind on their utility bills, higher than anywhere else in Europe.
People in poor neighbourhoods are also increasingly turning to energy fraud, meaning that the problem for PPC is much higher than the mountain of unpaid bills suggests.
Power theft is costing PPC around 500-600 million euros a year in lost income, an industry official said, requesting anonymity because he was not authorised to divulge the numbers.
PPC declined to comment on the figure. Public disclosures by the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator HEDNO, which checks meters, show that verified cases of theft climbed to 10,600 last year, up from 8,880 in 2013 and 4,470 in 2012. Authorities believe theft is far higher than the cases verified by HEDNO, another official said, declining to be named.
Households in the country are equipped with analogue meters, which are easy to hack. One of the most common tricks is using magnets, which slow down the rotating coils to show lessconsumption than the real amount, a HEDNO official said.
Some websites even offer consumers tips and tricks on power fraud.
BURDEN OF ARREARS
For households who have had their electricity cut off, a group of activists calling themselves the "I Won't Pay" movement have taken it upon themselves to reconnect the supply. The group says it has done hundreds this year.
PPC, which has a 90 percent share of the retail market and 60 percent of the wholesale market, is supposed to reduce this dominance to less than 50 percent by 2020 under Greece's third, 86 billion euro bailout deal.
The lenders also want PPC to sell some of its assets, but the company is toiling under the debt of unpaid bills, a problem opposition lawmakers say will force a fire-sale. In little over a year from June 2015, overdue bills to the 51-percent state-owned firm grew by nearly a billion euros to 2.6 billion, Chief Executive Manolis Panagiotakis told lawmakers in March.
Analysts estimate PPC's cash reserves have shrunk to about300 million euros, forcing it to secure a 200 million euro bank loan to repay a bond due in May.
The tangle has left it with little leeway for new investments or to fund a switch to cleaner forms of energy from coal to improve environmental standards.
"It is often said that PPC is undergoing the most critical phase of its history," Panagiotakis told lawmakers. "I will not argue with that." He declined a Reuters request for an interview.
The burden of arrears for PPC is now "so big that some worry it will not be able to lift it for much longer", said energy expert Constantinos Filis. The apartment building where the Argyros family live is a testament to that. Many tenants struggle even to pay the 25 euro annual fee to light communal areas such as staircases.
GROUND ZERO
PPC has tried to recoup unpaid bills with phased repayment schemes. Α total of 625,000 customers owing a total of 1.3 billion euros had signed up to the scheme by January.
The Argyros family have also entered the scheme with the help of Theofilos, a local charity, which also contributes towards their monthly bills. Meanwhile, PPC's provisions for bad debt remain high. The schemes drove the figure down to 453 million euros in the nine months to September last year from 690 million a year earlier. Analysts expect PPC to swing back to a profit of between 63-109 million euros in 2016, with provisions of below 600 million euros.
Filis, the energy expert, said the more things stayed the same, the closer PPC was to "ground zero" and he drew comparisons with the Greek state's brushes with near bankruptcy during the debt crisis.
"It's reasonable to say that PPC is too big to allow it to collapse, particularly regarding energy security," he said. "On the other hand, a few years ago some argued that no country could fail either."
(editing by David Stamp) |
BRIEF-BAIC Motor Corp Places 420 Mln New H-Shares To Raise HK$3,265.91 Mln | April 25 (Reuters) - BAIC Motor Corp Ltd:
* ENTERS AGREEMENT TO PLACE 420 MILLION NEW H SHARES AT HK$7.89 PER H SHARE
* EXPECTS MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF NET PROCEEDS OF ABOUT HK$3,265.91 MILLION FROM PLACING OF SHARES Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: |
Google Pixel disaster: App stats could reveal shocking sales figures | However, these figures may show that the Pixel has a long way to catch up to the iPhone 7 - and even the recently released Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+.
Google Play store stats show the Pixel Launcher has only just passed the 1 million download mark.
The app is the default launcher that is exclusive and only available to Google Pixel and Pixel XL users.
It comes pre-loaded on the phone, and Google Play store install numbers do take into account pre-instated apps, according to Arstechnica. |
Sun Hill Private Residential Care 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. |
BRIEF-Avalonbay Communities says CEO's 2016 total compensation was $6.7 mln vs $7.3 mln | 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. |
Air travel cheaper than using auto-rickshaws: Jayant Sinha | Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha explained the mathematics behind his claim saying that passengers spend only Rs five per kilometre on air travel while in autoriksahw it takes Rs eight to ten per kilometr (Source: PTI/File) Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha explained the mathematics behind his claim saying that passengers spend only Rs five per kilometre on air travel while in autoriksahw it takes Rs eight to ten per kilometr (Source: PTI/File)
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha Saturday claimed that air travel in the country was now cheaper than travel by auto-rickshaws on per kilometre basis. He was speaking at the 27th International Management Conference of the Indore Management Association (IMA).
“In today’s India, the fares of airplanes are lower than that of autorickshaws. Some people will say that I’m talking nonsense, but this is true,” Sinha said.
Explaining the mathematics behind his claim, Sinha said, “These days, passengers spend only Rs five per kilometre on air travel from Indore to Delhi. But if you take an autorickshaw in this city, then you need to spend a relatively higher price of Rs eight to ten per kilometre.”
The minister claimed that more people were opting for air travel because the country had the cheapest fares in the world and added that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had remarked that a man wearing slippers is also now flying. Sinha said that four years ago the number of people travelling by air was 11 crore and was likely to reach 20 crore by the end of the current fiscal. Sinha said the government wanted to increase the number
of people using air travel by five times to 100 crore in the coming years. He said the country needed to promote innovation in entrepreneurship to provide affordable services to the common man and also to help it overtake large economies such as the United States and China.
He also took a dig at those who criticised the recent statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who in a television interview claimed that people earning Rs 200 a day selling pakodas can be considered employed.
“Media has been talking about ‘pakoda economics’ these days. But what’s wrong in this if we extend help in the entrepreneurship of some ‘pakodawala’ at Hazaribagh so that, one day, he could start a fast food chain like McDonald’s,” he asked.
Calling for the use of electric vehicles in the country, Sinha said if entrepreneurs took the lead, then the country would have passenger drones, helicopter taxis and air-rickshaws powered by electricity, leading to freedom from traffic jams.
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Watch: Pelicans allow Ben Simmons simple dunk with horrible defense | Ben Simmons is having a brilliant rookie season with the Philadelphia 76ers and performing at a level that nobody expected to see so soon.
He has displayed an outstanding array of skills on the court throughout the campaign and is capable of doing some incredible things on a nightly basis.
But there is one glaring weakness in the Aussie's game that has been clear for everybody to see; his shooting.
The New Orleans Pelicans attempted to use this to their advantage as they came up against the talented youngster in their encounter with the 76ers on Sunday night.
They often backed off the 21-year-old and invited him to shoot the ball as he's not comfortable doing that. He has not made a three-pointer all year and barely attempts any.
Therefore, it was perfectly understandable that the Pelicans stood off him. However, on one particular possession, they only managed to do half the job and completely broke down.
After choosing to play no perimeter defense on Simmons, the Sixers star then somehow had a clear path to the basket with absolutely no resistance from a single New Orleans player and he accepted the gift by throwing down an easy reverse dunk.
It'll arguably be the easiest basket he makes all year and to make matters worse for the home team, it was a three-point game in the fourth quarter when you would expect the defense to be more engaged.
Even one of the league's top rim protectors Anthony Davis didn't react and it was an embarrassing sequence.
As bad as the play was, it won't go down as the worst defensive possession of the season so far, though. That title still belongs to the Phoenix Suns for this shocking lack of effort against the Boston Celtics recently.
Thankfully for the Pelicans, it didn't matter in the end as they came away with a 131-124 win in a high-scoring affair that, quite frankly, featured very little defense from both teams.
Former Sixers guard Jrue Holiday came up big against his old team by posting a game-high 34 points, along with four rebounds and five assists.
He was particularly impressive in the fourth quarter as he poured in 19 of his points in that period and drained five three-pointers.
Rajon Rondo also had a strong night facilitating as he recorded an NBA season-high 18 assists and Holiday credited him for his huge outburst in the fourth.
"My points are (thanks) to him," Holiday said. "Right when he came back in, everything changed for me."
Philly is now on a four-game losing streak and their current road trip doesn't get any easier as they travel to face the Minnesota Timberwolves next.
The Pelicans will host the red-hot Houston Rockets on Monday night. |
2018 NFL Draft: Raiders eyeing key tackle, Broncos open to trade and more notes | The 2018 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and more players and scenarios are coming into focus. It's becoming a little more clear which prospects could best slot into which picks, and what teams are likely targeting should they move up or down the board via trade.
Find Jason La Canfora's latest notes, including what he's hearing about where the top 10 non-quarterback prospects could go, on CBSSports.com Wednesday.
Here is some of what I've been picking up most recently:
Raiders could trade down, take Miller
If the Raiders do in fact trade down from the 10th overall pick -- with someone like New England or Arizona or whoever coming up for a quarterback -- look out for UCLA tackle Kolton Miller to be a top target for them. Problem is, they might not be able to move back far at all and still get him. I continue to hear from evaluators and offensive line coaches I most trust that Miller, and not Notre Dame's Mike McGlinchey, is the best tackle in the draft. Miller has the potential to be an elite left tackle with tremendous feet on a 6-foot-9 frame. There is too much potential to ignore. Plenty of teams in the teens have their eye on him. McGlinchey, from what I gather, is much more likely to go in the late-teens to early-20s. Not sure Miller makes it past Detroit, where he could start on the right side if need be, where he played at UCLA before moving over.
Patriots on the move?
Would the Patriots move up in the teens for a quarterback if the right one falls? I continue to hear that is most certainly a possibility they are entertaining and as I covered on Monday, Josh Rosen seems the likeliest of the "big four" quarterbacks to make that slide. With Miami and Buffalo (for now if they don't move up) sitting at 11-12 and exploring QBs as well, 10 could be a nice spot for Oakland to find value via trade.
Change the way you listen to NFL news, subscribe to the Pick Six Podcast with Will Brinson and you'll be the most informed fan at your NFL Draft party. Subscribe: via iTunes | via Stitcher | via TuneIn
Broncos open to trade
I have long reported that I don't get any information leading me to believe Denver is taking a quarterback and the Broncos are very open to a trade. John Elway confirmed the trade part at his press conference Thursday, and if the Broncos did swap picks with the Bills, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is someone very much on their radar. Fifth overall is too high but in the teens it's a fit. The most likely trade scenario would involve the Bills moving up to get Rosen if we assume Josh Allen, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield are all gone in the top four picks.
Arkansas center Frank Ragnow is climbing up team's draft boards. USATSI
Frank Ragnow climbing draft boards
I continue to hear Ragnow (Arkansas) is the top center in this draft. As I reported a few weeks back, he's someone who was in no one's mock drafts at the start of the month and now will be going quite high. I don't think he makes it past the Bengals in most logical scenarios.
More NFL Draft rumblings |
BRIEF-Centuria Metropolitan says CMA and CUA remain committed to undertake an "nta-for-nta" merger | 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. |
Alessandra Ambrosio wears tiny denim shorts as she dines with pals | Her life has changed immeasurably over the past several months, quitting her long run as a Victoria's Secret Angel and ending her 10-year engagement to Jamie Mazur.
And Alessandra Ambrosio, who celebrated her 37th birthday earlier this month, showed that she's settling into her new life when she stepped out in head-turning style as she met friends for a sushi meal in Beverly Hills on Monday night.
While the Brazilian beauty shrouded her supermodel frame in an oversized black hoodie for her trip to popular eatery Matsuhisa, she showed off the legs that helped make her famous in denim shorts and black knee-high boots.
Fine dining: Alessandra Ambrosio was spotted meeting her friends for dinner at Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills, California, on Monday night
Alessandra opted to wear her hoodie up as she made her way into the restaurant, obscuring her chestnut brown wavy locks, some of which spilled onto her shoulders.
Accessorising with a small black leather handbag, she highlighted her natural beauty with a minimal application of makeup that included a smudge of deep pink lipstick.
Her low-key dating came three days after she shared a selection of scintillating sunbathing snapshots on her Instagram account.
Leggy: While the Brazilian beauty shrouded her frame in an oversized black hoodie, she showed off the legs that helped make her famous in denim shorts and black knee-high boots
The brunette beauty displayed her envy-inducing figure in a crop top and zebra print underwear as she lounged around in the sun.
With the logo-clad top cropped perfectly to show off her flat stomach, Alessandra looked to be loving life as she relaxed with a Corona lager on a sun-lounger.
She opted for a glamorous coat of make-up and a pair of black shades as she struck a sexy pose while showcasing her flawlessly bronzed physique.
Ambrosio has been spending her time in Los Angeles recently, after clipping her Victoria's Secret Angel wings at the end of 2017.
It's over: Last month, she announced that her 10-year engagement to Jamie Mazur had ended
We are family: The exes, who first began dating in 2005, have two children together - daughter Anja, nine, and son Noah, five. Pictured in November 2017
It's been a time of change in the model's life as last month as she ended her 10-year engagement to Jamie Mazur.
'They [have] been trying to keep their split on the down low,' an insider recently told Us Weekly. 'But Alessandra has been out and about ready to mingle and hasn't been taking Jamie to anything.'
Alessandra and RE/DONE founder Mazur were first engaged back in 2008, and despite their decade long engagement, the couple did not seem to be in any hurry to get married.
Sizzling: The supermodel highlighted her envy-inducing figure in a crop top and zebra print underwear as she lounged around in the sun, sharing a snap on Instagram on Friday
Racy: With the logo-clad top cropped perfectly to show off her flat stomach, Alessandra looked to be loving life as she relaxed with a Corona on a sun-lounger
'If I have been engaged to him for eight years, then it's not my priority,' she told the publication previously.
'I have a lot of things going on, and I haven't got married because I'm so busy. I'll think about that when I have time off.'
The two had been dating since 2005, and have two children together - daughter Anja, nine, and son Noah, five. |
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Gas starts flowing from BP's new fields offshore Trinidad and Australia | Aug 14 (Reuters) - BP has started producing gas from two new projects offshore Trinidad and Tobago and Australia, the company said on Monday, further boosting output that is helping the company to turn a corner after a bruising market downturn.
Gas has started flowing via BP's $2 billion Juniper gas platform offshore Trinidad and Tobago that is expected to produce around 590 million cubic feet a day (mmcfd) from the Corallita and Lantana fields, BP said.
Offshore Australia, gas started flowing from the Persephone field, a project developed by Woodside Energy and of which BP owns nearly 17 percent. The field is set to contribute around 48 mmcfd net to BP, the company said.
The two start-ups show BP is on track to deliver seven new projects this year, as part of a plan to bring an additional 800,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day on stream by 2020.
BP had previously said the new projects would help to offset impact from maintenance shutdowns in the third quarter, with production expected to be flat on the second quarter.
Higher production helped to deliver forecast-beating second-quarter earnings earlier this month. It is producing oil and gas at lower costs as weaker prices have forced the industry to trim spending, with production costs falling 18 percent in the first half of the year to $7.20 a barrel. (Reporting by Karolin Schaps. Editing by Jane Merriman) |