Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Thursday cited India and China’s high growth rates to compare them with America’s economy, which he said is “dying”, Related Items
Devendra Jain was abducted one muggy Mumbai afternoon last September, whisked away in a car by angry investors of an insolvent firm he was tasked with reviving.The chartered accountant says he stood outside the firm’s midtown office that day, by a bustling main street. Suddenly a group of investors walked up, demanding to know when they’d recover their money. Then a car whizzed by; he was bundled in and driven to a remote bungalow. It took nearly 24 hours and a lucky phone call for the police to track him down. He now keeps an armed bodyguard with him at all times.Jain belongs to a new breed of bankruptcy experts who are becoming India’s footsoldiers as Asia’s third-largest economy attempts to clean up the $210 billion of stressed debt choking its financial system. Called resolution professionals, or RPs, they are appointed by courts to revive or wind down delinquent companies. But they face treacherous terrain: Obstructionist owners, worker protests and even the rare kidnapping.The stakes are so high and the pressures so many that brokers have begun offering bankruptcy professionals special insurance plans, including one that covers counseling costs for psychiatric trauma or personal accident.Their work load is only set to increase. India has a bad-loan ratio that’s second only to Italy among major economies, and its central bank expects the problem to worsen. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government attempts to preempt a major crisis in the banking system, its success will hinge at least partly on these middlemen charged with rehabilitating the nation’s most battered corporations.“There are a lot of expectations from everyone,” said Ashish Chhawchharia, head of Grant Thornton India’s restructuring services practice. “The RP is essentially parachuting into the middle of a mess and has to fix it all in 270 days at most.”India’s bankruptcy legislation is new. Enacted in 2016, it requires an insolvency professional to work out a repayment plan for the company within nine months, failing which it’s liquidated. It falls on the RPs to ensure that suppliers keep supplying, employees don’t quit, customers don’t flee, and owners aren’t disruptive, said Dinkar Venkatasubramanian, a partner at EY’s restructuring and turnaround services.Jain, who has worked on about 12 insolvency cases, said he travels 15 days a month, criss-crossing courts from Hyderabad to Mumbai and New Delhi to Ahmedabad. Twelve-hour work days often extend to 14 hours when deadlines loom. The job also demands an ingenuity no accounting class has prepared him for.When his abductors picked him up that Friday, he worried they might have weapons. He avoided the food they offered for worry it might be drugged. But as he realized they didn’t intend to harm him and were mainly desperate to find a way to recover their money, he kept them calm and convinced them to let him call his family.The group was arrested and then let out on bail, he said, but he hasn’t pressed the case because they didn’t hurt him. Still, his family has grown anxious, pushing him to give up on bankruptcy cases. “Everyone targets the RP: He is the outsider,” said Jain, who plans to keep going for now.Company courts have had to ask the police to provide protection to bankruptcy professionals and ordered various parties to cooperate with them in about 20 cases, according to M.S. Sahoo, chairman of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India.Global investors from Blackstone Group to Oaktree Capital Group are watching India’s bankruptcy process because a mountain of stressed assets will come up for sale. But the process has been slow, and the RPs offer a window into some of the difficulties dogging the cleanup.Chhawchharia of Grant Thornton said there’s often nervousness in the early days of taking over an insolvent company. The mood can be grim. Hundreds of hostile workers await their fate at factories being restructured. Employees, who may not have been paid for months, demand the RP do so immediately.At one factory, workers staged a sit-in and refused to let his team members enter to check inventory levels, he recalled.Angry creditors make unreasonable demands; sometimes even insisting all senior managers be sacked to save costs. Irate suppliers circle for past payment. Or the electricity authority might, literally, turn the lights off due to unpaid bills. The bankruptcy professional, meanwhile, might have little cash to work with, especially if the company had stopped operations.“How do you expect the RP to pay the costs of travel, valuer or even publishing newspaper ads for a public announcement?” Chhawchharia said. “At times, we have even paid from our pockets just to meet the deadlines on these statutory requirements.”A lawyer or accountant with 10 years of experience must clear an exam held by the country’s insolvency board to register as an insolvency professional. There were 1,812 registered professionals as of March.At one company, Venkatasubramanian had to change the security crew to block the owners because they were inciting workers and vendors.Then there are the human dilemmas. At one insolvent firm, he and his team told workers they’d attempt to find a resolution to keep the business going. But the plan didn’t get the backing of sufficient lenders, and he recalls the disappointment of personally breaking the news that the company would be liquidated and jobs lost.“You could end up putting out different fires at different times,” Venkatasubramanian said of his job.As many as 701 firms had been admitted into insolvency by March 2018, but revival plans for only 22 firms have received approval from creditors so far while 525 are still being overseen by RPs, according to latest IBBI data. The rest are either in appeal before a higher court or were being liquidated.Indian laws allow owners or employees to file liability lawsuits against the RPs when things go wrong, so brokers are now offering them insurance. Cover ranges from about $10 million to $35 million. One policy — with a cover of less than $5 million offered by JLT Independent Insurance Brokers Pvt. — insures against cyber-extortion, kidnapping, ransom and negotiator fees in addition to the counseling costs.“It’s like being thrown in the deep end of the sea with your hands and feet tied,” said Amit Agarwal, head of the financial lines group at JLT. “Buying insurance is like throwing them a tube.”Bloomberg’s Shruti Srivastava and Aashika Suresh contributed.© Bloomberg Related Items
read more
Chandigarh, Feb 17 (PTI) Haryana Agriculture Department has recommended Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to order a vigilance probe into the alleged irregularities in purchase and supply of organic manure to farmers in the last two years.”Irregularities” in purchase of organic manure by the Agriculture Department and Haryana State Land Reclamation Development Corporation has come to light, state Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar said in a statement today.Not only the department would investigate the matter at its level, but has also decided to get it probed by State Vigilance Bureau, he said.Investigations at appropriate levels were being conducted into matters pertaining to “irregularities” committed during the tenure of the previous government, Dhankar said.The BJP-led government in the state is committed to providing corruption free and transparent governance to the people, he added. PTI CHS NSD SK NSD
read more
In the 15th minute, Eugeneson Lyngdohs shot from a In the 15th minute, Eugeneson Lyngdohs shot from a distance ended up in the back of the Aizawl FC net, leaving the Aizawl FC custodian wrong-footed as Bengaluru FC took the lead. Minutes later, Lalchhawnkima found a chance to score an equalizer for Aizawl through a set piece but the Bengaluru keeper Amrinder blocked the ball. Joel Sunday showed off some exquisite skills with the ball when he made his way towards the Bengaluru box, tricking past three defenders, but he failed to make a finish as his shot went wide. The attacking moves made by Aizawl FC eventually bore fruit when Alfreds shot found its mark in the 38th minute changing the scoreline to 1-1. Alfreds left foot shot assisted by Lalchhawnkima made its way into the net at the bottom corner rendering Amrinder helpless. Aizawl FC continued to attack and missed more chances just minutes before the first half ended with a 1-1 scoreline. Aizawl FC continued their momentum in the second half and the Reds had a goal scoring opportunity in the 48th minute when Brandons cross found Albert clear of the defensive mix inside the box. The latter failed to make the most out of it as another chance went abegging. In the 57th minute, Udanta Singhs shot from distance was met with a strong fist by Poirei as Bengaluru FC continued their search for another goal. Nine minutes later, Aizwal FC were awarded with a golden opportunity to take the lead but Alfred failed to tap the ball in, after successfully beating Amrinder Singh in a one versus one situation. Substitute Daniel Lalhlimpuia showed his prowess on the pitch when he drove the ball into the box and prepared himself for a shot but was tackled by Emma denying him his chance. Not to be deterred, Aizwal FC continued their search for the winning goal and in the 90th minute, Joel Sunday lit up the faces of fans in the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium as he blasted the ball into the Bengaluru net. PTI PDS PDSadvertisement
read more
Nothing less than a gold medal is the catchphrase echoed by the men’s hockey team players when subjected to country’s Asian Games challenge.One could sense the confidence oozing from these players as being the defending champions in the multi-disciplinary event has given them an added responsibility to make their presence felt in Jakarta this month.A runner-up finish at Champions Trophy last month has pumped in a sense of belief that the Asian Games will prove to be a successful campaign given the quality of hockey the team has shown in recent times.India favourites to win gold at Asian Games 2018: PR SreejeshOne man, trying to keep a low profile, smiling amidst this boosted morale is Sardar Singh.Entering the latter stage of his life as a midfielder with a vision to unlock the best defenders in business, Sardar keeps his Asiad gold dream in check. For him, playing in what could possibly be his final appearance at the mega event matters more.”We all have an eye on the gold medal at the Asian Games and I think we will work hard for it. I just want to enjoy my time on the field. The ultimate goal is to qualify for the 2020 Olympics which we will if we win the gold. I have said this before that I want to play one final Olympics and that’s what I aim for. I am fit, got the match fitness during the Champions Trophy and the series against New Zealand and Korea. The Asian Games has been a memorable tournament for me and I want to leave something for the younger generation to look upon. We need to set example for the players to come,” Sardar told Mail Today on Monday.advertisementOne could refer to Sardar’s stellar career to a topsy-turvy ride in recent years. Since the Asia Cup gold winning campaign in November, 2017, the 32-year-old has been in and out of the team for the past six months. The most shocking snub for him came during the Commonwealth Games in April when then coach Sjoerd Marijne opted for a younger midfielder.”I had almost lost hope,” Sardar said.”I think Sjoerd was someone who wanted to give chance to the youngsters. Since Asia Cup, I don’t believe I have played much hockey. I was really shocked when he didn’t call me up for the CWG. It was just announced that these were the best players going to Gold Coast and I went back home to continue practicing.”It was when Harendra (Singh) was announced as new coach, it felt like a breath of fresh air. I have a great rapport with him and have played under him in 2003 as well. Having a coach with whom you don’t have any language barrier and understands your game better is a blessing for me. At 32, nobody is going to teach me hockey but I have been briefed about my role in the team. Harendra always says I should enjoy my game and that’s what the plan is,” he explained.Known for his capabilities in the midfield, Sardar has also been a reliable captain during his reign over the years. But having lost the armband to fellow midfielder Manpreet Singh and now goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, Sardar said he has no interest in taking the responsibility again.”I don’t think so,” he said. “It was a moment of pride when I was wearing the captain’s armband and I enjoyed my time but I don’t want that responsibility anymore. I think we all are captains of the team and there is no such thing in between us. Manpreet was good and now Sreejesh is also capable of carrying the expectations and leading the team. As far as I am concerned, I am just going to enjoy my time and win something for the country,” he summed up.
read more
The current Indian cricket team under Virat Kohli is considered as the fittest set of players that have taken the field from the country but former captain Sunil Gavaskar begs to differ.Sunil Gavaskar reckons the Indian team which won the World Championship of cricket in 1985 was the fittest side that the country has ever seen in one-day international cricket. Reigning world champions India had defeated Pakistan in the final to become the Champion of Champions.Gavaskar gave good reasons for making this statement as he said the players back in 1985 didn’t have the luxury of enjoying multiple drinks breaks and lasted the full duration without breaking down or getting injured.The current sides have reserve players serving drinks to the fast bowlers on the boundary line in between overs, something which did not happen back when Gavaskar or Kapil Dev led the team.”The 1985 Indian team that won the World Championship of cricket probably had better fielders than the current Indian team. We were all fitter back then because we lasted the whole game.”We didn’t have as many drinks on the field than the players take now. We never had as many breaks. We never had a reserve player carrying drinks on the boundary line for the fast bowlers. The biggest difference was we played with a red ball which swung a lot more than the white ball,” Sunil Gavaskar said on Salaam Cricket 2019.Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram on the other hand, felt that teams today have much better fielders than what they had in the past.advertisement”The World Cup is getting bigger and bigger. The preparation is more now, the support staff is more now and the fielding has gone up. The level of fielding is way higher now than what it was earlier,” Wasim Akram said on Salaam Cricket 2019.
read more
news Share via Email England have not only beaten New Zealand in their two previous encounters, but have bowled them out both times, a phenomenal effort in a series dominated by batters.With eight wickets in the series it is the left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone who has emerged as a crucial part of England’s attack after she took four for 18 on a flat track at Taunton in the first game.The 19-year-old sustained an ankle injury during Thursday’s game but she was able to return to the field and has been ruled fit to play on Sunday.England will be relishing the prospect of finishing the series at Chelmsford as they are unbeaten there. “A lot of us walk in and have a smile on our face, remembering previous wins we’ve had there,” says Beaumont. Share on WhatsApp Quick guide Probable teams The Observer Tammy Beaumont, the leading run‑scorer in the T20 Tri-series, and with three centuries in this summer’s internationals, is hoping to extend her purple patch with another big score as England take on New Zealand on Sunday in the final at Chelmsford.“I’ve had a few doubts about whether I score quickly enough in T20 before but the century at Taunton has helped me get over that,” the opener said. Sarah Taylor helps England canter to seven-wicket win over New Zealand Share on LinkedIn Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Sign up to The Recap, our weekly email of editors’ picks. Since you’re here… Show Share on Messenger Read more Women’s cricket New Zealand will be hoping for a better performance from their middle order after their last seven wickets fell for 38 runs at Bristol. Their captain, Suzie Bates, said she was confident her team would put in a better showing in the final. “Everyone in our batting lineup has the ability – we’ve just got to sustain the pressure for longer.”They are likely to retain the 20-year-old all-rounder Jess Watkin, who came out fighting in her first match of the series hitting 16 off nine balls before dismissing Beaumont and Danni Wyatt cheaply.The match will be viewed as critical for the World Twenty20 in November, with the teams having been drawn in different groups and likely to meet in the semi-finals.“That it’s a one-off game that we have to win is really good preparation,” Beaumont says. “If you’ve got a three-match series you don’t have the same must‑win pressure. It’s really important to practice that ahead of a world tournament.” Topics … we have a small favour to ask. More people, like you, are reading and supporting the Guardian’s independent, investigative journalism than ever before. And unlike many news organisations, we made the choice to keep our reporting open for all, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay.The Guardian will engage with the most critical issues of our time – from the escalating climate catastrophe to widespread inequality to the influence of big tech on our lives. At a time when factual information is a necessity, we believe that each of us, around the world, deserves access to accurate reporting with integrity at its heart.Our editorial independence means we set our own agenda and voice our own opinions. Guardian journalism is free from commercial and political bias and not influenced by billionaire owners or shareholders. This means we can give a voice to those less heard, explore where others turn away, and rigorously challenge those in power.We hope you will consider supporting us today. We need your support to keep delivering quality journalism that’s open and independent. Every reader contribution, however big or small, is so valuable. Support The Guardian from as little as $1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you. Hide Thank you for your feedback. England women’s cricket team Support The Guardian Was this helpful? Share on Pinterest Cricket England: T Beaumont, D Wyatt, S Taylor (wkt), N Sciver, H Knight (c), K Brunt, A Jones, A Shrubsole, S Ecclestone, K George, D Hazell New Zealand : S Bates (c), S Devine, K Martin (wkt), A Satterthwaite, M Green, J Watkin, A Kerr, A Peterson, L Kasperek, H Jensen, L Tahuhu Reuse this content
read more
Most Canadians won’t be getting a white Christmas this year, The Weather Network forecasts.“For Christmas Eve specifically, the weather is really quiet across the country — unusually quiet. Typically this time of year we’re talking about somebody getting clobbered with a storm,” said the network’s chief meteorologist, Chris Scott.While most metropolitan areas such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver will get zero to very little snow, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Regina are “guaranteed” to get a white Christmas, Scott said.He said travellers should always be cautious around this time of year, but added that the relatively calm weather means good road conditions for most of Canada on Christmas Eve going into Christmas Day.British ColumbiaIt won’t be a cold Christmas in British Columbia as temperatures are expected to be around 5 C and 7 C, which Scott said could be a sliver of good news for thousands of residents on the coast who are still without power after Thursday’s powerful windstorm.The network is predicting about 10 millimetres of rain on Boxing Day, but Scott said Christmas Day will be pretty dry for the province.“There’s no snow whatsoever in the lower mainland or the south coast, but there’s a lot of snow in the mountains. So once you go up in elevation, there’s some really great skiing to be had,” he said. “There’s great skiing conditions and no significant travel troubles.”The Prairies “It will certainly be a white Christmas in every aspect for all of Manitoba,” said Scott. He said the province already has snow on the ground and it be -12 C on Monday and -16 C on Tuesday.In Saskatchewan Scott said there isn’t a lot of snow on the ground, but there’s enough to make it a white Christmas as about one centimetre of snow is expected to top it off for Christmas Days in most parts of the province. Scott added that travel conditions should be fine as winds are low and temperatures will be around -11 C.Scott said southern Alberta isn’t getting any snow this Christmas, but the northern part of the province could get one to three centimetres on Christmas Day and it will be -8 C.Ontario and QuebecScott said much of Quebec will get a high of -7 C on Christmas Eve and a high of -9 C on Christmas Day, and the province will generally be free of snow. Southern Ontario can expect a light snowfall on Christmas Eve of about a centimetre, Scott said, adding that it won’t stick as mild temperatures are expected at around zero. Scott said northern Ontario will be colder at about -6 C on Monday and -7 C on Tuesday.But while this part of Canada won’t see a white Christmas, Scott said the network is tracking a storm that could bring 15 to 20 centimetres of snow over the weekend.“There’s going to be snow, there could be some ice in some places. The bottom line is, if you’ve got travel plans later this week, please keep an eye on this storm,” said Scott. “This storm at the end of this week is something that you might be altering plans for, and that might be a real mess.”Atlantic Canada“Basically we’ve lost most of the snow we’ve had,” said Scott. “It’s basically gone now. There’s patches, but it’s pretty much gone.”On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the network predicts it’s going to be chilly with around average temperatures for this part of Canada, but Scott said no major snow systems are expected.The network is forecasting temperatures for Christmas Day and Christmas Eve to be around -2 C in Newfoundland and Labrador, -4 C in Nova Scotia and – 8 C in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.“There’s really great travel conditions, with just a few flurries in the west coast of Newfoundland, but otherwise looks great,” said Scott.Northern CanadaThose in Northern Canada can expect typical weather conditions for this time of year.“There’s snow on the ground with cold conditions,” Scott said, adding that there will generally be light snow across the territories.The weather network predicts for the Northwest Territories it will be about -22 C on Christmas Eve and -24 C on Christmas Day, but feeling like -32 C and similar temperatures for Nunavut.Across Yukon, it will be about -14 C on Monday and Tuesday but feeling closer to -20 C.Alanna Rizza, The Canadian Press
read more
EDMONTON (660 NEWS) -Alberta’s premier spoke to teachers at an Alberta Teachers’ Association conference, following remarks by Tzeporah Berman.Rachel Notley said on her Facebook page, “Building a pipeline so we can get fair value for our resources is key to us building a more diversified and secure future.”She also wrote, “We Albertans take our responsibilities to future generations seriously. That’s why we’re leaders on climate and innovation, why we produce our energy products to the highest standards in the world and why we’re fighting to get them to new markets.”She says there are people in Alberta, including her political opponents, that deny climate change, but her government takes the issue seriously.“To tackle climate change we have to take meaningful steps to reduce emissions. As Canada’s largest carbon emitter, Alberta has a unique responsibility in this regard. It’s a responsibility that I accept, and I believe that most Albertans accept.”Notley says even though dealing with climate change is important the province can’t leave the energy industry high and dry.“Here in Alberta, we ride horses, not unicorns. I invite pipeline opponents to saddle up on something that is real.”She adds those who work in the energy field are the ones who will lead us in the battle against climate change because they will be finding new energy opportunities.“If we write off the jobs and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of working women and men, I guarantee you we will write off the ability on climate, and quite frankly on just about any other progressive change.”She says with the current carbon reduction plan, the money Alberta makes with pipelines will be reinvested into a more diversified and secure economy.You can watch Notley’s full address below.
read more
New Delhi: The armies of India and Myanmar conducted a “coordinated operation” from February 17 to March 2 against insurgents in Myanmarese territory to avert a possible threat to the Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project, official sources said.However, the Indian Army did not cross the border during the operation, they said. The focus of the operation was to crack down on the members of the Arakan Army, an insurgent group in Myanmar, the sources said. The members of the Arakan Army had also moved close to the international border along Mizoram, they said. Also Read – How a psychopath killer hid behind the mask of a devout laity!The sources added that during the operation, the Indian Army beefed up the security along the border from Nagaland and Manipur to ensure that the insurgents do not cross over to the Indian side. The Indian Army also helped the Myanmarese Army by providing them intelligence, they said. There were also inputs that some members of the Arakan Army were also planning to sneak into India. The sources said setting up of camps by the insurgent groups was being viewed as a grave concern by armies of the two countries. Also Read – Encounter under way in Pulwama, militant killedThe operation was also undertaken keeping in view the safety of Indian workers engaged in the project. After a series of meetings between personnel from both the countries, it was decided to carry out the coordinated operation. Additional troops were moved to the international border areas, besides deploying the Assam Rifles personnel. The Assam Rifles has the responsibility to guard the international border with Myanmar. The Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project is being viewed as India’s gateway to the Southeast Asia. India entered into a framework agreement with Myanmar in April 2008 to facilitate implementation of the project. On completion, the project will help connect Mizoram with the Sittwe Port in Rakhine State of Myanmar. On the Indian side, work is on to extend the Aizawl-Saiha National Highway by 90 km to the international border at Zorinpui.
read more
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has accused President Maithripala Sirisena of failing to protect the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).Rajapaksa said that when Sirisena took over the position of SLFP chairman, it was expected that he would look after the party rank and file, uphold party policies and protect the identity of the SLFP even though he was elected President on UNP votes. Rajapaksa says members of the SLFP should ask themselves as to whose interests are served by removing such parliamentarians from their positions as electoral organisers.The former President says there clearly is a concerted effort on the part of the UNP to destroy the SLFP completely and SLFP members in the Government should decide which is more important to them, the UNP led government or the SLFP through which they were elected last August to represent the people on an anti-UNP, anti-Government platform. (Colombo Gazette) Rajapaksa said that it was an SLFP Government led by him that won the war against the LTTE but today, the UNP with the acquiescence of a section of the SLFP is engaged in exacting revenge from those who won the war against all odds. He also said that SLFP members who have tried to maintain the identity of the party have been penalised. “Several SLFP electoral organisers, Prasanna Ranatunga, Dilum Amunugama, Kanthi Kodikara, Dhanasiri Amaratunga, Duminda Silva and Senarath Jayasundera among others have been removed from their positions. The two parliamentarians among them PrasannaRanatunga and Dilum Amunugama sat in the opposition and played a major role in protecting the identity of the SLFP both inside and outside parliament,” he said. Rajapaksa said that he takes pride in the fact that he built the strongest SLFP Government in the party’s history during his tenure in power. Rajapaksa said that his Government was so strong that it could be defeated only by conspiratorially creating divisions in the party and a section of the SLFP joining the UNP in its campaign of vilification and false propaganda against his Government.“The UNP by itself was in no position to defeat the SLFP Government that I built. Even after the defeat of my Government, the President of the country is the present leader of the SLFP. The cabinet is equally divided between the UNP and the SLFP in what has been called a national unity Government. Yet the policy of this Government is decided by the UNP, resulting in a situation where the SLFP has been held captive and forced to follow the UNP line. The SLFP is now in danger of losing its identity as a political party,” he said. “Regrettably, that has not happened,” Rajapaksa said in a statement today. read more
He said that tourist arrivals to Kandy is expected to increase once the Central Expressway is completed. Wickremesinghe also noted that the second stage of the Central Expressway project is being carried out by local contractors.He said that usually Sri Lanka looks to China or Japan to construct highways or expressways but with local companies now involved, Sri Lanka will be able to bid for foreign highway projects in future. (Colombo Gazette) Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says the Central Expressway, which is currently under construction, will boost Sri Lanka’s economy.Speaking to journalists after inspecting the construction work on the project, the Prime Minister said that once completed, the expressway will help reduce the travel time between Colombo and Kandy and also help develop towns along the way. The Prime Minister said that steps are already being taken to further develop Kandy to meet the tourist demands. read more
Reacting with sorrow to the death of the Amir of Kuwait, UnitedNations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today paid tribute to the late leader for fostering unity, progress and stability during his rule, which coincided with some of the most tumultuous years in the country’s history.“The Secretary-General is deeply saddened to learn of the death of His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah,” a spokesman for Mr. Annan said in a statement released in New York. Designated prime minister in 1965 and crown prince in 1966, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed became the ruler of Kuwait in December 1977. “He has served his country and people with distinction, guiding Kuwait towards modernization and prosperity,” the spokesman said. “Under his wise leadership, Kuwait has achieved a high international standing, made progress towards more political freedom, women’s rights and social justice.”The Secretary-General also praised the Amir for maintaining the unity and stability of Kuwait, which temporarily lost its sovereignty and independence during Saddam Hussein’s 1990-1991 invasion and occupation. “Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed has been a father figure to Kuwaitis and will be remembered for his wisdom, modesty, generosity and kind attitude.” The Secretary-General also extended best wishes to the late Amir’s successor, Sheikh Saad Al-Abdulla Al-Salem Al-Sabah. read more
“The proportion of fish production being traded internationally is significant, at around 37 per cent in 2013,” said Audun Lem, Chief of UN Food and Agricultural Organization’s (FAO) Products, Trade and Marketing Branch. “This makes the fisheries sector one of the most globalised and dynamic industries in world food production.”Global fishery production from wild capture fisheries and aquaculture is expected to set a new record in 2013 at 160 million tonnes, up from 157 million tonnes the previous year, while exports will reach $136 billion.The figures are part of preliminary data published ahead of the FAO Sub-Committee on Fish Trade meeting in Bergen, Norway, next week.“The record trade figures reflect the strong growth in aquaculture output and the high prices for a number of species such as salmon and shrimp,” said Mr. Lem. “This is underpinned by firm underlying demand for fish products from world markets.”The benefits from international trade are not always reaching small-scale fishers and fish farmers, who constitute about 90 per cent of the sector’s global workforce and half of whom are women, FAO reported.The Rome-based agency urged Government to provide small-scale fishers, who often employ women, with access to finance, insurance and market information, invest in infrastructure, strengthen small-scale producer and trader organizations, and ensure that national policies do not overlook or weaken the small-scale sector.“There are exciting opportunities in regional markets at the moment as emerging economies such as Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia and Malaysia want more fish and are looking to their neighbours to supply it,” Mr. Lem said. “At the same time, this growing demand is stimulating new investments in local aquaculture production, including in Africa.”The report also highlights that more by-products, such as heads, viscera and backbones can potentially be turned into valuable products also for human consumption. read more
It’s not enough to hope for brilliant basketball in these Western Conference finals that feature four of the top-seven finishers in this year’s MVP voting. I want to see flawed quotes, in all of their glory, presented without fear of backlash. If Kevin Durant leaves out a letter of an indefinite article when disparaging an owner or Brazilian Leandro Barbosa uses broken English during a postgame interview, it could end up being the best part of the series — as long as they are allowed to truly speak for themselves.If you think quoting people accurately can’t be controversial then you haven’t read about Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle relaying the English words of Dominican-born Houston Astros outfielder Carlos Gomez verbatim:Gomez: “For the last year and this year, I not really do much for this team. The fans be angry. They be disappointed.”Critics, including Gomez himself, accused Smith of ridiculing Gomez by highlighting the native Spanish speaker’s grammatical inaccuracies. The editor of the Chronicle apologized.Since when should journalists apologize for being accurate?Smith would only be in the wrong if he went out of his way to mock Gomez. Instead, Smith did the opposite, crediting Gomez for an honest self-assessment of his time with the Astros that included a .237 batting average and only four home runs.Reasonable people can make allowances for those who use English as a second language. Instead of teasing them for their shortcomings, we can applaud them for successfully conveying their thoughts.The Smith-Gomez flap brought up a debate about the old journalistic tradition of “cleaning up” quotes — that is, making slight fixes to align grammar and pronunciation with standard English.This is a tradition that needs to go.For one, it’s patronizing, with the implication that anything that deviates from the norm is inherently inferior and must be corrected. Black English, for example, isn’t a referendum on intelligence — it’s a reflection of centuries of segregation, just as American English is a linguistic representation of our country’s split from Britain. Passing judgment based on speech can often say more about the listener than the speaker. (Do we consider Yoda any less wise because of his mixed-up syntax?)And in an age where postgame news conferences are televised and video of most locker room interviews can be found online, altering quotes can damage credibility when the real versions are so readily available for comparison.Sometimes there is no fix to be found, no way to improve on the wonderfully wobbly phrases such as Barbosa’s proclamation last year that “We gonna be championship!”It became a rallying cry for the Golden State Warriors; and when Barbosa’s prediction came true, the Warriors shouted it out in their champagne-drenched locker room Instagram post.Recently, Barbosa delivered the “We gonna be championship” sequel. It still sounds great.Durant’s most memorable line of these playoffs can’t be found in a box score. It came when he responded to Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s claim that Russell Westbrook isn’t a superstar by saying: “He’s a idiot.”Technically, it should have been “He’s AN idiot.” The incorrect article didn’t detract from the power of the statement. Nor did it alter our perception of Durant as a thoughtful person. If we can celebrate Westbrook pushing the boundaries of fashion, we can allow Durant to step outside the rigidity of grammar.When we cover the NBA, we cover a diverse array of characters, with all of their successes and failures. And when you get down to it, we cover who’s gonna be championship and who’s a idiot, no matter how those things are phrased. Editor’s note: Tuesday was opening day at The Undefeated, a new ESPN website that explores the intersections of race, sports and culture. In an introductory letter, Kevin Merida, its editor-in-chief, says the site won’t shrink from covering challenging subjects with a mix of original reporting, innovative storytelling, provocative commentary, must-see video, narratives and investigations. At FiveThirtyEight, we’re so excited at having a new sibling that we’ll be running several of The Undefeated’s articles on our site this week — including the one that follows here — and we have big plans for partnerships in the future. More stories from The Undefeated:The puzzling plummet of RGIII, by Jason ReidMass incarceration is a local issue, by Brando Simeo StarkeyKimberly Clay finds solace in running Play Like a Girl, by Kelley D. Evans read more
Four matches – 240 minutes until EHF Champions League F4 Teams will be decided:Saturday:F.C Barcelona – AG Copenhagen (23:29, 20)BM Atletico Madrid – Cimos Koper (23:26, 20.15)SUNDAY:Fuchse Berlin – Ademar Leon (24:35, 16)THW Kiel- C.O Zagreb (31:31, 17.30) CologneEHF CLF4 HandballKoln ← Previous Story Frisch Auf Goppingen is the first EHF Cup finalist! Next Story → Nikola Kedzo in Hungarian Csurgoi KK
Source: Sen Lorraine Higgins/Twitter Never a good idea to put election posters near campus 🙂 pic.twitter.com/ilJLXs41WZ— David Butler (@DavidButlerEcon) May 13, 2014 LORRAINE HIGGINS SAYS she will report the defacement of two of her election posters with abortion graffiti to the gardaí.The Labour senator, who is running for the European Parliament in Midlands North-West, said that one of her posters was stolen while two others were defaced with the slogan ‘Pro Abort’ in Leixlip and Maynooth.“This is wilful criminal damage and dirty tricks and I am going to report it to the gardaí,” she told TheJournal.ie this lunchtime.“I hope they take action in order to deter others. If people want to argue they should do it in a democratic way. This goes against everything that political discourse should be.” The two defaced posters refer to the Labour party’s support of the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill last year and long-standing support for the legalisation of abortion in certain circumstances including fatal foetal abnormalities.Higgins said that the graffiti had been carried out by people who are “against this government who introduced legislation based on outcome of the X case”. She said that she was happy to debate the issue, but not in such a “distasteful” way.Higgins said that in reporting the matter to gardaí she hopes that those responsible will “realise fully the repercussions for defacing and defaming”. The candidate added that a number of her posters have been removed around from areas around the vast, 15-county constituency and later replaced with other candidates’ posters, describing this is as the “usual dirty tricks in a campaign”.Meanwhile, another Labour poster was defaced with this message in Cork earlier today: Sad that taking part in the democratic process is an anathema to some pic.twitter.com/dzYVlZ271l— Lorraine Higgins (@LorHiggins) May 19, 2014
Source: David Butler/Twitter Read: 7 things we learned from last night’s Midlands North-West Prime Time debateRead: Labour facing Euro wipeout, as latest polls show support collapse
read more
http://jrnl.ie/3130329 By Garreth MacNamee Short URL ‘Just vile’: St Vincent de Paul on €1,500 Dublin charity shop robbery The Cabra shop was robbed on Wednesday evening. 24,788 Views Tweet thisShare on FacebookEmail this article Friday 9 Dec 2016, 2:45 PM Image: G
Share Tweet Email4 The shop was broken into overnight. I believe there was €1,500 stolen and a further €3,000 worth of damage done. It is the fact that the shop was destroyed which was particularly callous and violent.“Vile acts like this will not deter us. It’s hitting at the most vulnerable. But it will not deter us from ensuring help is there for people who need it. Also, the shop is very busy as well and people see it as a social place to go in and have chat and to buy things. So, there is a social aspect to it. There are fantastic staff there as well and we must commend them.”Gardaí are reviewing CCTV from the shop in a bid to track down the person responsible.Anyone with information is being urged to contact Cabra garda station or the garda confidential line on 1800 666 111.Read: ‘The common good’: Trump defends appointing a climate change denier and a fast food boss to Cabinet >Read: Campaigners say data collection on domestic violence in Ireland at ‘crisis point’ > THE VICE-PRESIDENT of SVP has branded the robbery and ransacking of a Dublin based charity shop as “vile”.Kieran Stafford spoke out after the burglary of the SVP shop in Cabra on Wednesday night where over €1,500 was stolen from the store.The shop, which is located off Annamoe Terrace on Dublin’s north side, was also trashed during the three minute robbery.SVP has estimated that upwards of €3,000 worth of damage was done to the premises, which had to close for a half day on Thursday so staff could clear up the mess.Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Stafford said the volunteers at the shop were heartbroken by what happened but they did a tremendous job cleaning up and reopening the store.He said: Image: G 39 Comments Dec 9th 2016, 2:45 PM
read more
Clark County’s “Flippin’ Quarter” was dusted off for the second time in the last 20 years and called to duty Wednesday. A quick toss by Auditor Greg Kimsey determined Carolyn Simpson winner for Precinct Committee Officer 692.Simpson ran against Sean Emerson for the chance to represent Republicans in the northeast Vancouver district, but the race garnered equal votes — 49 to 49.Last week, a formal recount confirmed the election result that led to Wednesday’s event.There were 105 undervotes, which Simpson said demonstrates the power of the individual voter.Although, in this situation, the power was placed in a game of chance.The process is outlined by state law. A coin toss is used to determine the winner of a tied race regardless of stature. The last previous coin toss in Clark County had been for PCO 965 in 2012. There were two coin tosses supervised by the previous auditor, Liz Luce, during her 12-year tenure.Before the coin flip, a random selection process was needed to determine which candidate got to call heads or tails. Some states draw ping-pong balls, select names out of a felt hat, pull straws, or in some instances, play a single hand of poker. Kimsey opted for picking tiles.Simpson and Emerson drew numbered tiles from an Americana-themed quilted bag, and Simpson had the literal luck of the draw with the higher number. She drew 174 to Emerson’s 67.
read more
Chris Smalling admitted that it is a great thing that Michael Carrick decided to continue as a coach after he had announced that he will end his playing career after this season.The United skipper was already praised for his influence during the half-time break of the Manchester derby as he helped to cheer his teammates up and they came from behind and won the game 3-2 despite being 2-0 down.The centre-back spoke about Carrick’s future as he said, according to Daily Mail:“He is (having an impact).”
Maguire says United need to build on today’s win George Patchias – September 14, 2019 Harry Maguire wants his United teammates to build on the victory over Leicester City.During the summer, Harry Maguire was referred to as the ultimate…“Obviously, it was not too dissimilar to what Ryan Giggs did, but with Michael, I think it doesn’t feel too weird that he’s going into the coaching because he is such our figurehead of the team.”“I mean, our team is getting younger and younger, but Michael is the standout leader of our team.”“So, to see him stay with us and go into the coaching I think feels quite nice for all of us players, that there is a familiar face going into the coaching and someone we already looked up to massively anyway.”
read more