Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi has not ruled out making some changes in the national squad for the World Twenty20, which begins in India in next month.Although the national selectors have announced a 15-member squad for the Asia Cup and the World T20 but Afridi said the selectors and team management will closely watch performances in the Asia Cup to be held in Bangladesh from February 24.”I hope that we don’t need to make changes in the squad and it plays in both events but if any player (s) fails to click in the Asia Cup than there can be changes made in the side for the World Cup,” Afridi said. Also read: Waqar Younis not worried about contract The International Cricket Council has set March 8 as a deadline for those teams who have qualified for the super round to make last minute changes in their selected squads.”If they are players who impress everyone in the Pakistan Super League they can be considered for the World T20.”Afridi also minced no words in stating that he was disappointed with performances of some players in recent times under his captaincy.”Myself, the team management and selectors gave full confidence and support to every player but unfortunately what we are looking at the same response was not forthcoming from players,” he stated. Also read: Pakistan’s announced squad for World T20 Pakistani selectors have picked five players in their Asia Cup and World T20 squad who have yet to play T20 Internationals.advertisementThe selectors have also axed experienced opener Ahmed Shehzad, Muhammad Rizwan, Sohaib Maqsood and Umar Gul for the two events. Afridi said he can say for sure that in his captaincy every player who was in the team got full chances to show his performances.”I don’t believe in dropping someone after just one or two matches. And I can say this clearly every player who played in the team got full support and confidence from me, the coach and selectors.””Unfortunately our players lack consistency. I am hoping that if the Pakistan Super League is held regularly for the two to three years than new talent will emerge and also get a chance to polish itself playing in front of crowds in the PSL,” he said.”Back home in domestic cricket no one comes to watch matches and there is no real pressure on the players to do well. To me the PSL can serve as the platform where players can develop their confidence and learn to play under pressure.”He said if any senior player felt it was time to go and there was talent to replace him he should retire.”If there is some capable talent who can replace me I am ready to say goodbye and leave room for him in the team,” Afridi said.
Frazier’s Bunt Pushes Mets Past Tigers, 6th Win In 7 games
NEW YORK — Todd Frazier is known for longballs more than small ball. Yet without even taking a full swing, he swung things in the New York Mets’ favor.Frazier cleverly came up with a push bunt and the Mets took off from there, beating the Detroit Tigers 4-3 Sunday for their sixth win in seven games.“Perfect opportunity,” Frazier said.Down 3-0, the Mets put runners at the corners with one out in the fourth inning for Frazier. Instantly, he saw the Tigers shift and leave the right side of the infield virtually vacant.The longtime pro took advantage, pushing a sharp bunt that easily rolled into right field for an RBI single.“I think it sparked us,” Frazier said, adding, “I looked into the dugout, everyone was fired up.”This was pretty neat(via @Mets) pic.twitter.com/9OweVhAsSH— SNY (@SNYtv) May 26, 2019A former All-Star Home Run Derby champ, Frazier has four sacrifice bunts in nine seasons as a big leaguer, but none since 2016.So how long had he been waiting to pull off this kind of play?“My whole life, to be honest with you. My whole career,” he said.One out later, Adeiny Hechavarria hit a three-run homer for a 4-3 lead.New York Mets’ Adeiny Hechavarria hits a three-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers at Citi Field, Sunday, May 26, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)Zack Wheeler pitched into the eighth inning as the Mets reached the .500 mark — they trailed in all but one of these recent victories.Nicholas Castellanos homered and drove in three runs for the Tigers, who have lost 11 of 12.Edwin Diaz escaped his own jam in the ninth, striking out John Hicks with runners at first and third, then fanning JaCoby Jones with runners at second and third for his 13th save in 14 chances. Jones hopped up and shouted at plate umpire Jerry Meals after being called out on a 3-2 pitch that appeared a touch outside.“These guys are playing, they’re trying. These are tough losses, but you know what? I’ve got to believe that they’ll come out fighting again tomorrow,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said.“That’s what they’re doing right now, they’re having some fun doing it. It’s fun in the dugout. They’re into it and that’s all you can ask for,” he added.Wheeler (4-3) had retired 13 batters in a row before Jones led off the eighth with a single. Wheeler struck out pinch-hitter Miguel Cabrera and was pulled after walking Niko Goodrum.Jeurys Familia relieved and Dawel Lugo thought he had struck out, mistaking the count after a swing-and-miss and walking back toward the Detroit dugout. Lugo returned to the plate and fanned for real, and Familia struck out Castellanos to end the inning.Wheeler also singled twice, boosting his batting average to .308.Rookie starter Spencer Turnbull (2-4) breezed through the first three innings for Detroit. Dominic Smith opened the fourth with a fly to center field and Jones took an odd route, with the ball falling just beyond his glove for a double.Wilson Ramos singled to put runners at the corners, bringing up Frazier. Detroit left only first baseman Brandon Dixon on the right side, and he was holding Ramos.Frazier pounced on Turnbull’s first pitch and the ball was placed so well, the slow-footed Ramos cruised into third.“That was awesome,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said.ROSTER MOVESTigers: Claimed RHP Austin Adams off waivers from Minnesota. He gave up five runs over 2 2/3 innings in two games for the Twins. … LHP Matt Hall, who had been called up from Triple-A Toledo before the game, was sent back down.Mets: RHPs Tim Peterson and Paul Sewald cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse.GOTTA HUSTLEJones hit a broken-bat popup in front of the mound in the fifth and didn’t initially run out of the batter’s box. Wheeler had trouble seeing the ball in the sun and dropped it, but had time to throw out Jones.Gardenhire said he spoke to Jones after the play.“Got to run the ball out. That’s a pretty simple, basic thing is you don’t take anything for granted and you run and don’t give a chance to get yourself embarrassed. And he did a little bit there and he knows it,” Gardenhire said.TRAINER’S ROOMTigers: Cabrera didn’t start for a day of mostly rest.Mets: OF Michael Conforto was activated from the seven-day concussion list. He went 0 for 3 and was nicked by a pitch. Conforto was hurt May 16 when he collided with teammate Robinson Cano chasing a pop fly.UP NEXTTigers: LHP Daniel Norris (2-2, 4.30 ERA) starts Monday afternoon at Baltimore vs. RHP Gabriel Ynoa (0-1, 5.60).Mets: Aces meet at Dodger Stadium on Monday when Mets RHP Jacob deGrom (3-5, 3.72) faces LHP Clayton Kershaw (4-0, 3.33).By: Ben Walker, AP Baseball WriterTweetPinShare0 Shares
IPL 2019: Kolkata Knight Riders crush Rajasthan Royals to become table toppers
Kolkata Knight Riders crushed Rajasthan Royals by 8 wickets in Jaipur on Sunday and replaced defending champions Chennai Super Kings at the top of the points table in the 2019 Indian Premier League.Harry Gurney starred for KKR on debut and picked 2 for 25 off his 4 overs before Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn powered the team to victory.Dinesh Karthik won the toss and invited Rajasthan Royals to bat on what looked like a slow pitch. Piyush Chawla, the leg-spinnner, was given the new ball and he bowled beautifully up front. Chawla’s 4 overs cost only 19 runs while Sunil Narine gave away only 22 off his 4 overs.But it was Harry Gurney who made the major impact with the wickets of Jos Buttler and Rahul Tripathi after M Prasidh Krishna had removed Royals skipper Ajinkya Rahane in only the second over.Jos Buttler and Steve Smith ensured RR did not suffer any more damage but their scoring rate left them far behind in the game against a power-packed KKR batting unit.When Buttler fell to Gurney for a 34-ball 37, RR needed the likes of Tripathi, Ben Stokes and Steve Smith to explode.Instead, Tripathi was out for 6 off 8 balls while Ben Stokes managed only 7 off 14 balls. The bulk of the scoring was left to Steve Smith who hit his first IPL fifty since his return from the ball-tampering ban.Steve Smith found the gaps with precision and remained unbeaten on 73 off 59 balls – his innings was studded with 7 fours and 1 six.Had it not been for Smith’s deft placement and sharp thinking, RR would have finished with a lot less than their eventual 139 for 3 off 20 overs.advertisementRajasthan Royals would be left to rue the fact that they did not accelerate earlier despite the presence of some big hitters lower down the order.A target of 140 was not really going to test KKR who had gunned down 206 against Royal Challengers Bangalore two days ago. Sunil Narine (47) and Chris Lynn (50) powered the Knight Riders to a rapid start. The pair added 91 for the first wicket before Narine fell to Shreyas Gopal in the 9th over.Gopal struck again in his 3rd over to snare Chriss Lynn but KKR needed only 25 off 9 overs and it was only a matter of time before KKR won the fourth out of their five matches in the 2019 Indian Premier League.Also Read | RR vs KKR: Steve Smith hits 1st IPL fifty after return from ball-tampering banAlso Read | IPL 2019: Virat Kohli blasts RCB bowlers over lack of bravery after Russell onslaught
Alex Morgan’s versatility gives USA extra option in England semi-final
Women’s World Cup 2019 Women’s World Cup Share on Facebook Morgan’s form coming into the World Cup was particularly good, with 33 goals in her previous 39 games, her clinical finishing often carrying a team. When she gets the service she needs, she is deadliest when racing in behind defences and finishing from difficult, wide angles. Although she played in France with Lyon for a short stint in 2017 and improved her ability to take on defenders, her bread and butter remains the very American approach of relying on pace and power to blast past the opposition.But after scoring five goals against Thailand in USA’s first game of the World Cup, she has not scored since. That Thailand game was a weird one – it set the record for the biggest win in World Cup history – and since it might have been alarming if Morgan had not scored multiple goals, it is easy to write off.For most strikers, no goals in four World Cup games would be a disappointment but it has allowed Morgan to show off other vital parts of her game.“In general our team has been able to adapt to what the game has given us, and that includes myself,” she said. “I’ve been given different roles within the team defensively and on the attacking side. All I want to do is execute that and I think that I have.”She displayed a different role in the quarter-final against France, which USA won 2-1 thanks to two goals from the effervescent left-winger Megan Rapinoe. Rather than hanging around up top, waiting for balls in behind, Morgan dropped deeper, holding up the ball and finding the wings. She was the one who threaded the ball to Tobin Heath, racing past her on the right for what turned into the winner.“The kudos to Alex is that she has a balance in her game, in terms of penetration or, like in the France game, being more of a player who can hold the ball up for us,” the USA manager, Jill Ellis, said. “Sometimes you get one or the other but Alex has worked on that and has that balance.”The centre-back Abby Dahlkemper said Morgan’s ability to shift from a target striker to a holding player shows why she is so potent. “She is that link player, dropping off the centre-backs to connect for the transition,” Dahlkemper said. “She did awesome and proved why she’s one of the top strikers in the world – not only being able to score goals but set them up as well.”While Morgan is adept at using her movement to drag defenders around and create space, her back-to-goal hold-up play is perhaps the most underrated part of her game. That is especially true when teams target her, just as Spain and France tried to do.“As a No 9 I’m going to be ploughed through quite often and that comes with the job,” Morgan said.At this point, however, teams may be more worried about Rapinoe, who has tied Morgan’s five goals for the competition. Unless Phil Neville mixes it up and asks Lucy Bronze to play in the midfield – a switch he teased was a possibility in his pre-match press conference – then Bronze, who Neville calls the best right-back in the world, will have the opportunity to contain Rapinoe.That could force Morgan to take up more of the goalscoring load again. Though she has almost always played as a central striker for USA, the left-footed Morgan played on the left wing for Lyon and she is comfortable floating wide into different areas in front of goal. That could allow her to be a roaming presence in a bid to overload Bronze.Whether Morgan’s role on Tuesday will involve scoring goals or not, her teammates and manager are sure she will do whatever it takes to reach the World Cup final. “I think there’s a single-mindedness right now in Alex,” Ellis said. “I see that in her play and I see it off the field as well.”Four more to watchMegan RapinoeUnless you’ve been living under a rock, Rapinoe has been the star of the USA team. With five goals in five games, it seems no one can stop her — not even the president of the United States, who apparently has nothing better to do than chastise Rapinoe for declining an invitation to the White House that he hadn’t extended yet. Just look for the player with the pink hair delivering pinpoint crosses from the left wing. That’s Pinoe.Alyssa NaeherThe USA goalkeeper’s biggest flaw is perhaps simply that she’s not as good as Hope Solo, who holds the world record in clean sheets. But Naeher, who is playing in her first World Cup, has had her nervy moments, with a poor decision allowing Spain to score, and another error nearly letting Chile pull one back as well. Given England’s attacking prowess, especially the co-Golden Boot leader Ellen White, Naeher is going to have a good game in the semi-final. If not, that may decide who advances.Crystal DunnShe doesn’t consider herself a defender, but Dunn is the starting left-back for the Americans – and it’s going to be her difficult task to shut Nikita Parris down. That could be deeply worrying, since one-on-one defending has never been Dunn’s strongest skill, but she acquitted herself rather well against France’s Kadidiatou Diana in the quarter-final. Dunn is a modern full-back who pushes high up the field to create a numerical advantage in the midfield, but she will still have to track back and stop Parris, which could be the key to keeping England off the scoreboard.Julie ErtzUnless Jill Ellis mixes things up, look for Ertz to start as a defensive midfielder and play a crucial role in preventing England’s advancement up the field. Ertz, who is easy to spot with her bright blue headband, is a physical player who flies into tackles and is given a huge responsibility in covering a lot of the central-midfield. At times, she’ll drop between the centre backs and help the USA build out of the back, too. But Ertz is the their best player in the air on set pieces, and this tournament has seen set pieces decide plenty of games, which means she may play an especially important role. Share via Email Read more USA women’s football team Share on Pinterest Women’s football features
Topics Share on Twitter Share on WhatsApp Share on Messenger Ruthless USA break World Cup record as they hit 13 past hapless Thailand Alex Morgan is virtually the face of women’s football — and maybe even football, period, for casual fans — in the United States, picking up where Mia Hamm left off in the late 1990s and early 2000s.Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and others have signed Morgan to sponsorship deals. She has her own line of books for girls that have been turned into a streaming series on Amazon Prime and her combined followers of almost 14 million on the big three social media networks ostensibly makes her the most followed USA footballer online.Part of it is because Morgan is marketable, relatable, and a role model for girls playing for youth clubs and in college. But there is a bigger reason: Morgan scores a ton of goals.She burst into the public consciousness during the 2011 World Cup when she scored in the final against Japan, and she has been a star ever since, amassing 106 goals in 167 matches for USA. Share on LinkedIn Reuse this content
a month agoInter Milan coach Conte: Barcelona more worried facing us
Inter Milan coach Conte: Barcelona more worried facing usby Carlos Volcanoa month agoSend to a friendShare the loveInter Milan coach Antonio Conte insists they’ll face Champions League opponents Barcelona full of confidence.Conte says it will be Barca who’ll be more concerned.“We want to make our fans proud, playing a type of football that excites them and with which they can identify themselves,” Conte told UEFA’s official website.“It’s difficult to set objectives, so we’ll see along the way. The important thing is to give 110 percent and have no regrets.“I know how difficult it is to win the Champions League and I know how painful it is to lose a Final.“It’s a competition in which one incident, like a shot that goes in or bounces away after hitting the post, can change everything.“There are many factors to consider, such as form, suspensions and the fixture list. Having Barcelona in our group will be fascinating.“It’ll be a game that pushes us to give our best. I also believe they won’t be happy to face Inter.“Facing the big teams will be the best way for us to see where we are.” About the authorCarlos VolcanoShare the loveHave your say
Interview: Port of Oakland Braves the Storm
The United States West Coast ports have braved a particularly turbulent period with the congestion woes arising from waterfront contract talks between the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). The prolonged talks affected considerably the port’s business performance, driving much of their clients to East Coast ports.Now that the new contract has been ratified by both parties, we wanted to find out more about how the West Coast ports are dealing with the aftermath.J Christopher LytleDeputy Executive Director of Port of OaklandWorld Maritime News spoke with the Port of Oakland’s Executive Director J. Christopher Lytle to learn about the ongoing developments at the port once the dust has settled.Mr. Lytle also spoke about the port’s readiness for the ever bigger ships that have exerted a lot of pressure on ports worldwide, especially with respect to infrastructural capacity.WMN: Back in March you announced that the port will need two months to clear the backlog created by the labour dispute. Have you managed to do so?Lytle: “Yes. We had no more vessel backlog as of April 2nd. Ships started coming straight into berth at that time and most of the vessels would be in and out of the Port in a couple of days.”WMN: Has the labor dispute between the PMA and the ILWU had any lasting effects on your operations, apart from the backlog it created?Lytle: “Shippers are questioning the efficiency and reliability of West Coast ports – including Oakland – in the wake of the recent dispute. It’s our job to improve efficiency, ensure reliability and regain shipper trust.”WMN: Unionised dockworkers have staged several work stoppages at the port in the first quarter of the year, even after a tentative agreement between PMA and ILWU was signed on February 20. Is there a realistic chance of the stoppages happening again in the near future?Lytle: “It’s much less likely since the new contract is now formally in place. Overall marine terminal productivity has improved in Oakland since the cargo slowdown ended. There was a little confusion one Sunday evening over some of the contract language affecting dispatch of marine clerks that was quickly resolved with arbitration. Otherwise the Port has been moving cargo more efficiently and ships are coming straight to berth.”WMN: In the last two months, the port saw a rise in containerised cargo volumes. Do you expect the increase to continue in the following months? How will the drop in volumes throughout January and February affect your overall stats?Lytle: “Volumes have been recovering in the past two months. Volume growth for the remainder of the year will depend on two key variables: 1) U.S. consumer demand which drives imports; and 2) the strength of the U.S. dollar which heavily influences U.S. exports.”WMN: There has been a growing popularity of East Coast ports among carriers who shifted their cargo from the congested West Coast ports. Do you believe this trend could resume, and, if so, what would this mean for your port operations?Lytle: “We understand that during the cargo slowdown ports up and down the US West Coast may have lost some customers to East or Gulf Coast ports. However, we see that containerized cargo is rebounding at Oakland. Some ships that were bypassing us during the vessel backlog are returning to their regular schedules calling Oakland.We’ve still got a lot of work to do to regain our customers’ trust. We can’t go back to business as usual. That’s why we’re looking to do things differently by implementing new ways to accelerate cargo flow at our seaport and developing a logistics hub at the waterfront. This logistics center will provide our port with a major competitive advantage: import and export distribution in millions of square feet, and enhanced near-dock rail adjacent to the marine terminals.”WMN: We have seen a growing trend of establishing of mega alliances between container shipping companies which have set their sights on ever larger boxships. Is Oakland ready for these giants of the seas?Lytle: “We’re fully engaged with the mega-ships that are changing the face of global trade in the Pacific. Just recently 16 big ships called Oakland in a one-month period. The Port of Oakland has been handling the largest container ships to call North America. We’ve been preparing for these 10,000+ TEU vessels for nearly ten years. Two Oakland arrivals, the MSC Regulus and the CMA CGM Margrit, hold up to 13,000 containers each. Oakland has deep water (50-feet of harbor depth), super post-Panamax cranes, two Class I Railroads adjacent to the marine terminals and the capacity for more throughput. In 2013 the MSC Beatrice became the largest vessel in Oakland. It holds 14,000 TEUs.”WMN: What are the key challenges in handling these ships? What is the port doing to meet these challenges?Lytle: “This big ship migration will test marine terminals’ ability to load and unload vessels. Oakland has capacity and convenient road and rail access for moving significantly greater numbers of containers. We have to ensure that there are enough people to work the ships and that the terminals can remain fluid and efficient when so much cargo needs to be moved.We have a four-step plan in Oakland to accelerate cargo moves:Saturday operations to reduce weekday crowding inside terminalsOff-terminal locations where cargo could be dropped off or picked up after hoursA common chassis pool that permits harbor truckers to use any chassis at any terminal to haul cargo over the road, andElectronic monitoring to measure wait-times at terminal gatesWe’re working closely with the terminal operators, truckers and other maritime stakeholders to facilitate steps to improve cargo efficiency here prior to peak season.”WMN: Are there any plans to invest in infrastructure to boost Oakland’s handling capacity of these mega ships? If so, when can we expect this to take place?Lytle: “The Port of Oakland expanded its maritime facilities a number of years ago to provide the infrastructure and capacity needed for handling big ships. We added capacity, big container cranes with booms wide enough to reach out across the width of these larger vessels, lengthened our turning basin to accommodate the mega-ships, and deepened the harbors and berths to minus 50 feet. Now we’re embarking on developing a premier logistics hub directly adjacent to the Oakland seaport on land that used to be an army base. The Port of Oakland is currently constructing a railyard to be followed by new transload warehouses. When completed, commodities shipped in bulk can be transferred to containers for export out of Oakland and imports can be transloaded into 53-foot domestic containers and then placed on rail cars for inland shipment. We think that this project, once completed, will help us handle big ship cargo more efficiently and attract first port-of-calls.”WMN: As the Panama Canal expansion nears its completion, what do you expect this will bring in terms of both cargo volumes at your port and West Coast ports in general?Lytle: “The Panama Canal is already an important gateway for shippers connecting with the U.S. East Coast and those seeking an alternative to the West Coast. Expansion will allow bigger vessels to transit but it’s not clear that it will significantly shift cargo flows. West Coast ports such as Oakland, which already handle the largest vessels calling in the U.S., remain the most cost-effective and timely gateway to the U.S.”WMN: What are the key strategic objectives for the port this year? What are your business operation expectations based on the market trends?Lytle: “The port is working hard to improve efficiency and the movement of cargo through its marine terminals. Simultaneously we’re in talks with potential business partners on exciting new developments to establish Oakland as the pre-eminent U.S. trade and logistics hub. These include new rail, warehousing, cold-storage and trans-loading facilities that could significantly alter global supply chains. The new projects will make it possible for shippers to move cargo to Oakland, then trans-load right at the Port to the most cost-effective means of transportation. This is capability we think no one else will be able to match. We envision significant additional cargo moving through Oakland, as a result.”World Maritime News Staff; Images: Port of Oakland
Team Rahuls future uncertain as new winds blow in Congress
New Delhi: Inducted into key roles with much fanfare and hope, top members of team Rahul Gandhi face an uncertain future as the party deals with the aftermath of its dismal performance in the Lok Sabha election and resignations pour in.Gandhi recently quit as the Congress president, taking responsibility for the drubbing, and many of his closest aides followed him. His confidants Jyotiraditya Scindia and Milind Deora are the latest to have resigned from their party posts. The two put in their papers Sunday as AICC general secretary and Mumbai Regional Congress president respectively. Also Read – How a psychopath killer hid behind the mask of a devout laity!On Saturday, Keshav Chand Yadav resigned as Indian Youth Congress chief, while AICC Scheduled Caste Cell chairman Nitin Raut had quit earlier. Other Gandhi aides who resigned in solidarity with their leader include former Congress chief’s protégés such as Uttam Reddy, who quit as working president of Telangana Congress, and Girish Chodankar, who gave up the position of Goa Congress president. Most of the resignations the Congress is witnessing are from the members of team Rahul Gandhi, be it AICC secretaries or a range of state chiefs he positioned in different regions. Among them is Rajesh Lilothia, who was only recently appointed Delhi Congress Working President under state unit chief Sheila Dikshit. Also Read – Encounter under way in Pulwama, militant killedWithin the party, there are already talks that the future of Gandhi’s associates and team members are uncertain as he made a sudden and unplanned exit. Many leaders who appealed to Gandhi to stay argued that their political futures depended on his presence in the party and hence he must stay. “Many of us joined the Congress in key roles to take Rahul Gandhi’s vision forward. Now that he has quit, we feel quite rudderless. Let us see how things shape up,” said a young Congress leader who recently quit. With Gandhi marching on, it remains to be seen how his top aides like Scindia, Deora, Raut, Yadav, Lilothia, Reddy and Chodankar, among several others, will be placed in the new dispensation that comes in once a new Congress president is elected. Another reason why team Gandhi is keeping its fingers crossed is because of the evident return of the old guard at the helm of affairs in the Congress. A series of meetings held to discuss the way forward after Gandhi’s resignation have involved only Congress veterans such as Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Motilal Vora, Anand Sharma, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, with the younger lot, seen closer to Rahul Gandhi, not part of preliminary discussions. Further, with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi saying that they would not be part of the process to select the next Congress president, his aides are clearly feeling the pinch as the decision making rests exclusively with the all-powerful veterans. Even the Congress Working Committee, which will have the final say in the matter, principally has the seniors in it. So far, there is no clarity on who the next party chief would be. Although Punjab Chief Minister and party veteran Amarinder Singh Saturday batted for a young person as Gandhi’s successor, it remains to be seen if his idea resonates in the grand old party. While the confusion continues, there are some members of Team Rahul who refuse to give up their positions. Among top Gandhi aides who have not resigned is Haryana Congress Chief Ashok Tanwar. Tanwar continues to stick to his post even as the camp loyal to former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda is openly seeking his ouster. A veteran Congress leader, however, noted, “Resignations or no resignation do not matter. Once the CWC accepts Rahul Gandhi’s resignation as Congress president, the entire AICC would have to be reconstituted as the new president will appoint a new team.” Meanwhile, the Congress is yet to finalise the schedule for all important CWC meeting which will declare a way forward for the crisis-ridden party. Until then, more resignations are likely to happen. PTISanjeev ChopraNew Delhi: Inducted into key roles with much fanfare and hope, top members of team Rahul Gandhi face an uncertain future as the party deals with the aftermath of its dismal performance in the Lok Sabha election and resignations pour in. Gandhi recently quit as the Congress president, taking responsibility for the drubbing, and many of his closest aides followed him. His confidants Jyotiraditya Scindia and Milind Deora are the latest to have resigned from their party posts. The two put in their papers Sunday as AICC general secretary and Mumbai Regional Congress president respectively. On Saturday, Keshav Chand Yadav resigned as Indian Youth Congress chief, while AICC Scheduled Caste Cell chairman Nitin Raut had quit earlier. Other Gandhi aides who resigned in solidarity with their leader include former Congress chief’s protégés such as Uttam Reddy, who quit as working president of Telangana Congress, and Girish Chodankar, who gave up the position of Goa Congress president. Most of the resignations the Congress is witnessing are from the members of team Rahul Gandhi, be it AICC secretaries or a range of state chiefs he positioned in different regions. Among them is Rajesh Lilothia, who was only recently appointed Delhi Congress Working President under state unit chief Sheila Dikshit. Within the party, there are already talks that the future of Gandhi’s associates and team members are uncertain as he made a sudden and unplanned exit. Many leaders who appealed to Gandhi to stay argued that their political futures depended on his presence in the party and hence he must stay. “Many of us joined the Congress in key roles to take Rahul Gandhi’s vision forward. Now that he has quit, we feel quite rudderless. Let us see how things shape up,” said a young Congress leader who recently quit. With Gandhi marching on, it remains to be seen how his top aides like Scindia, Deora, Raut, Yadav, Lilothia, Reddy and Chodankar, among several others, will be placed in the new dispensation that comes in once a new Congress president is elected. Another reason why team Gandhi is keeping its fingers crossed is because of the evident return of the old guard at the helm of affairs in the Congress. A series of meetings held to discuss the way forward after Gandhi’s resignation have involved only Congress veterans such as Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Motilal Vora, Anand Sharma, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, with the younger lot, seen closer to Rahul Gandhi, not part of preliminary discussions. Further, with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi saying that they would not be part of the process to select the next Congress president, his aides are clearly feeling the pinch as the decision making rests exclusively with the all-powerful veterans. Even the Congress Working Committee, which will have the final say in the matter, principally has the seniors in it. So far, there is no clarity on who the next party chief would be. Although Punjab Chief Minister and party veteran Amarinder Singh Saturday batted for a young person as Gandhi’s successor, it remains to be seen if his idea resonates in the grand old party. While the confusion continues, there are some members of Team Rahul who refuse to give up their positions. Among top Gandhi aides who have not resigned is Haryana Congress Chief Ashok Tanwar. Tanwar continues to stick to his post even as the camp loyal to former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda is openly seeking his ouster. A veteran Congress leader, however, noted, “Resignations or no resignation do not matter. Once the CWC accepts Rahul Gandhi’s resignation as Congress president, the entire AICC would have to be reconstituted as the new president will appoint a new team.” Meanwhile, the Congress is yet to finalise the schedule for all important CWC meeting which will declare a way forward for the crisis-ridden party. Until then, more resignations are likely to happen. PTI
Lengthy jury selection process begins at trial for LacMegantic accused
SHERBROOKE, Que. – Lawyers began the difficult task Monday of finding 14 jurors who are bilingual, impartial and without any personal connection to the 2013 rail disaster that killed 47 people in Lac-Megantic, Que.Between 800 and 1,200 prospective jurors will be called over the next few weeks for possible selection at the trial of three men who each face one charge of criminal negligence causing the death of 47 people.Roughly half of those who appeared in court Monday were deemed to have a sufficient knowledge of both English and French.The process will continue and those considered bilingual will return to court Sept. 29 for the official selection of the 14-member jury.“I find things are going well with the bilingualism selection,” Superior Court Justice Gaetan Dumas said at the end of the first day of proceedings. “Sometimes we get fewer bilingual people than we did today.”The three ex-railway employees who are on trial — train driver Thomas Harding, traffic controller Richard Labrie and manager of train operations Jean Demaitre — were present in the Sherbrooke courtroom.They are accused of being responsible for what happened on July 6, 2013, when a runaway train carrying crude oil derailed in the Quebec community east of Montreal and exploded.All three have pleaded not guilty.Charles Shearson, one of Harding’s three defence lawyers, said bilingualism is important because his client is English-speaking and the trial will include complex and technical concepts related to the railway industry.He added that finding people in Sherbrooke who are impartial and without ties to the victims is a challenge.“Lac-Megantic is close to (Sherbrooke) so you may have people who are related to victims,” he said.Shearson said the defence will argue their client’s actions were not criminal.“Our contention is that there was a lack of security culture within this railway company and you can’t strictly judge the actions of an employee who was on the front line and not given the correct tools to apply a proper safety culture,” he said.The Crown has signalled it will call 24 civilian and 11 police witnesses, and one expert witness in a trial that is expected to last until December.Some people asked Monday to be exempted from serving on the jury because of personal connections with victims.Two prospective jurors broke down in tears as they told Dumas of their ties to those who died in the explosion, which destroyed a large part of the town’s core.Others cited school, work, loss of income and health concerns as reasons for not being able to sit as jurors.The bankrupt former railway company Montreal Maine and Atlantic Railway has also pleaded not guilty to causing the deaths of 47 people and will face a separate trial at a later date.
Alberta man charged with threatening PM premier on social media
EDMONTON – RCMP have charged a central Alberta man with threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Rachel Notley.Mounties say a suspect posted threats on Twitter.Orion Rutley was arrested last Friday and charged with two counts of uttering threats.Police says he was released on the condition he not contact the prime minister or the premier, not use social media and not possess any weapons.Rutley is to appear in Leduc provincial court on Feb. 8.Police say the investigation is ongoing.
Special weather statement issued for Highway 97 in the Pine Pass
FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for Highway 97 in the Pine Pass.According to Environment Canada, a cold upper trough moving through British Columbia will give some late season flurries to the mountain passes and Northern B.C. overnight and into Friday morning.Flurries are expected above 1300-1500m elevation, however, flurries could briefly descend lower during periods of intense flurry activity. Precipitation is expected to change back to rain on Friday as the airmass begins to warm up.DriveBC is warning motorists to be prepared for winter-like conditions.For up-to-date road conditions, you can visit Drivebc.ca.
GCC Countries Voice Support for Moroccan Sovereignty Over Western Sahara
Rabat – The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) voiced its support for Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara during a joint summit in Riyadh, during which King Mohammed VI spoke of a “proxy war” being fought with Morocco through the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.“What we are witnessing, in fact, is a proxy war, in which the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UNSG) is being used to infringe on Morocco’s legitimate, historical rights in its Sahara, through biased statements and unacceptable behavior regarding the Moroccan Sahara,” the king said.The statements referred to by the monarch constitute the use of the term “occupation” by the UNSG to describe Morocco’s presence in the Western Sahara after the international leader’s visit to the Tindouf refugee camps in Algeria housing displaces Sahrawis last month. “We stress our support to all political and security causes that are important for your brotherly country, mainly the Western Sahara,” King Salman of Saudi Arabia said during the opening speech of the summit of regional leadersIn addition to Saudi Arabia, the GCC includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates – all of which are forms of monarchies.King Salman also stressed the GCC’s “categorical rejection of any harm to the interests of Morocco” over the disputed territory for which the Algieria-backed Polisario Front demands a referendum on independence.Earlier at the summit, Morocco’s monarch had urged Gulf monarchies to support his country to defend it from “plots against its territorial integrity,” adding that the UN Security Council’s yearly discussions on the Western Sahara taking place this month were being used “to blackmail Morocco”.“This time, the situation is serious,” he said. “It is also unprecedented in the history of this artificial dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.”The monarch and Moroccans alike rejected an explanation from Ki-moon’s office saying that his his use of the controversial term in March was not deliberate and that he regretted causing the “misunderstandings.”As a political reaction to the Ki-moon’s speech in Algiers, Morocco expelled the peacekeeping mission MINURSO from its offices in Laayoune and Dakhla and cancelled it’s USD 3 million grant to the operation. The U.N. established MINURSO in 1991 after brokering a peace deal between Morocco and the Polisario Front – two sides that had been fighting for 16 years.Morocco maintains a close alliance with Saudi Arabia and the GCC in trade and military endeavors.In 2011, the GCC had proposed that Morocco and Jordan, both fellow monarchies, join the regional organization, but though the initiative failed, the bloc set up a USD 5 billion fund for projects in the two countries.Morocco has supported the Saudi-led Arab coalition fighting Iran-backed Shiite rebels in Yemen since efforts began. In March 2015 an F16 warplane belonging to the North African country was downed.
CVS, Uber and Mattel rise while Box stumbles
NEW YORK — Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily on Tuesday:Box Inc., down 75 cents to $17.18The online storage provider gave investors a weak revenue forecast for the yearCVS Health Corp., up $1.23 to $54.62CVS Health is pushing deeper into health services with plans to add dietitians and medical equipment to 1,500 stores over the next few years.Mattel Inc., up $1.13 to $10.78The toy maker signed a licensing deal with Sanrio Inc. to design products inspired by Hello Kitty and other characters.Uber Technologies Inc., up $1.50 to $42.75The ride-hailing company exited its post-IPO quiet period and several Wall Street analysts have put “buy” ratings on its stock.Tiffany & Co., up $2.34 to $92.51The luxury jeweler beat Wall Street’s fiscal first quarter profit forecasts.Continental Resources Inc., up $5.22 to $40.23The oil and gas company will give investors a quarterly dividend and it approved a $1 billion stock buyback plan.Navistar International Corp., up $2.86 to $33.96The truck and engine maker’s fiscal second quarter profit and revenue beat Wall Street forecasts.Hasbro Inc., up $5.97 to $103.04The toy maker announced a licensing deal to bring back its iconic Micro Machines toys.The Associated Press
MR defends money borrowed when he was in power
After coming into power, the present Government obtained 400 million USD under a currency swap arrangement with India in March 2015. They obtained another 650 million USD through a sovereign bond issue in May 2015. Another 1,100 million USD was obtained from India in July under a currency swap agreement. A further 1,500 million USD was obtained through a sovereign bond issue in October. Between March 2015 and March 2016, the Government issued short and medium term Sri Lanka development bonds on 12 different occasions borrowing over 2,711 million USD. Thus in the 15 months they have been in power, the present Government has obtained 6,361 million USD in foreign loans. Rajapaksa says this is enough to meet the entire foreign loan components of the Mattala airport (190 million USD) the Hambantota Port (426 million USD) Norochcholai Coal Power plant (1,340 million USD), The Colombo-Matara Highway (630 million USD), The Colombo-Katunayake Highway (248 million USD) all put together, and there would still be enough money to build not one, but two Port Cities (1,400 million USD each) one 500 megawatt Sampur Coal power plant (500 million USD) and yet another Mattala airport with the final leftovers.“This Government enjoyed foreign exchange savings of around USD 2,500 million in 2015 due to the precipitous drop in oil prices after they came into power. But they could not build up foreign exchange reserves or even make the Petrolem Corporation and the Electricity Board profitable. All these colossal borrowings including the massive savings from petroleum imports have been spent on consumption. It is because of the almost comic fiscal irresponsibility shown by the Government that Sri Lanka’s credit rating was downgraded by Fitch and Standard and Poor’s recently,” he added. Furthermore he says such borrowings were spread out over many years and that his Government never borrowed for consumption like the present Government which is why he says there were no fiscal fiascos like sweeping revisions of budget proposals and constant revision of tax rates when his Government was in power. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has defended the decision taken when he was in power to borrow money.Rajapaksa says his Government borrowed money to build infrastructure projects, but these were long term concessional loans at 2% or less in interest. Rajapaksa says the Prime Minister’s allegation that there are undisclosed loans and liabilities of the former Government which are only now coming to light is a complete falsehood.He says the present Government will have to be held accountable for the hardships the people will have to face. (Colombo Gazette)
Low oil prices force ATB to make 388million provision for bad loans
ATB Financial has reported a two-thirds drop in net income for the fiscal year ended in March, mainly due to provisions for possible loan losses because of the deteriorating Alberta economy.ATB reported net income of $108 million, down from a record profit of $329 million last year.The Alberta government-owned lender said the main reason for the drop was an increase in provisions on its balance sheet for loan losses to $388 million from $73 million the previous year.That number is in the same ballpark as the $460 million reported by the Royal Bank (TSX:RY) and $324 million reported by CIBC (TSX:CM) earlier this week, although both federally regulated banks are much larger than ATB.CIBC said most of its provisions were for loans related to the struggling Canadian oil and gas sector centred in Alberta.ATB president and CEO Dave Mowat said Albertans are hurting because of low oil and gas prices and the partial shutdown of the oilsands due to wildfires in the Fort McMurray region in the northeastern part of the province.The Edmonton-based lender noted its operating revenue grew 5.8 per cent to $1.5 billion last year, loans grew by 7.1 per cent and deposits grew by almost one per cent.Actual loan losses for the past fiscal year were $76 million. by Posted May 27, 2016 10:50 pm MDT Image by T. Al Nakib Low oil prices force ATB to make $388-million provision for bad loans AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to RedditRedditShare to 電子郵件Email
8 everyday problems that should have been solved by 2014
In practice, this happens: Source: Gifsoup4. Pringles tubesCome on Pringles. Cut us some slack. Source: Imgur5. Flash crashIt’s 2014. Sort it out. Source: Howtogeek6. Blister packagingSome companies just want to watch the world burn. Source: Imgur Source: Imgur 7. Cinema armrests“Oh, hello stranger. Allow me to awkwardly caress your elbow with my elbow in the dark”… SAID NO-ONE, EVER! Source: Imgur Source: Imgur8. USB sticksThere must be an easier way. Source: Shutterstock.comWhat enraging first world problems do you deal with on a daily basis? Let us know in the comments…You’ll pronounce this biscuit differently if you’re from Dublin>7 staggering similarities between ‘drunk Sherlock’ and drunk YOU>The 16 stages of clothes washing rage> WE CAN PAUSE live TV, we’re sending tourists into space, we carry tiny computers around in our pockets…Why then, are some things still so hard?1. Microwave controlsWe just want to heat up our soup and defrost a few chops.Can we have a microwave with a “Heat Soup” button and a “Defrost Chops” button, and no other buttons or controls? Thanks. Source: Flickr/DereksemmlerOh and while we’re at it, can we sort this out? Source: Imgur2. Using printersIf we could even solve one of these problems, just one… Source: Imgur Source: Lolsnaps Source: Cloudfront3. Removing the flimsy protective film on foodstuffsYou know the type we mean: It comes on things like tubs of hummus and frozen meals.In theory it should peel off smoothly and easily, like this:
Nintendo will sell the Wii U at a loss
Nintendo has never sold its hardware at a loss and it was predicted that the Wii U would also make a profit from day one. Unfortunately, that is the not the case for Nintendo and the company is being forced to follow the same route as Sony with the PS3. The Wii U will be sold at a loss.The news was announced by Nintendo’s president, Satoru Iwata, to the company’s investors along with further bad news that Nintendo didn’t reach it’s profit expectations this year. Naturally, Nintendo had to make the choice between pricing the console based on its manufacturing cost or a price that consumers would find reasonable. Wisely, they chose the latter which will hopefully profit Nintendo more in the long run.Last year, Nintendo had it’s first yearly loss due to a dramatic price cut for the 3DS in the summer because it wasn’t selling well, but that price cut paid off as the 3DS then went on to be very successful.Nintendo’s profits at the end of this financial year will inevitably go down even further, but it also means they will likely sell more consoles because of the lower price. There’s still concerns it isn’t low enough though, based on what it is competing against.What is the cause of the high cost of Wii U production? It’s most likely the GamePad, which has already proved difficult to make and certainly costs more than your typical console controller. However, just like all hardware, prices will come down as components get shrunk and combined, and manufacturing orders increase is size.Despite the bad news, Nintendo expects to sell a huge amount of units by March. 5.5 million to be exact along with 24 million games, and looking at Wii’s figures from a few years ago, it’s not a ridiculous estimation to make.via Eurogamer
Update 2yearold boy dies from E coli contracted at San Diego County
June 29, 2019 Posted: June 29, 2019 Updated: 6:48 AM SAN DIEGO (KUSI) — A 2-year-old boy died and three other children became ill from E. Coli after visiting the San Diego County Fair, health officials say. The four cases were confirmed in children ranging from two to 13 years old, according to the County Health and Human Services Agency.Fair officials have closed public access to all animal areas, including the petting zoo, at the livestock barn on the eastern side of the Del Mar Fairgrounds as a precautionary measure while the source of the E. Coli is investigated.In the first case, a 13-year-old girl visited the fair on June 8 and became ill on June 10. The girl is recovering and was not hospitalized.In the second, an 11-year-old girl visited the fair on June 8 and 12, when she fell ill. The girl is recovering and was not hospitalized.The third case involved a 9-year-old boy who visited the fair on June 13. He became ill June 16. The boy is recovering and was not hospitalized.In the fourth case, a 2-year-old boy visited the fair on June 15. He bame ill June 19. The boy suffered from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and was hospitalized. He died on June 24.The toddler was identified by family members as Jedediah Cabezuela. He died from Shiga-toxin-producing E. Coli. Health officials said Saturday there were no other clusters of Shiga-toxin in the county.E. Coli can cause HUS, a condition that destroys red blood cells and causes kidney failure, which can lead to death. The illnesses are being investigated by the County Department of Environmental Health and the Health and Human Services Epidemiology Program.County inspectors said the illnesses had no link to the food facilities the children accessed at the fair. All four children visited the animal areas or had contact with animals at the fair, county health officials said, which led fair officials to close access to animal areas. Fair and health officials have not, however, definitely linked the cause of the E. Coli bacteria to animals at the fair.The Junior Livestock Auction on Saturday continued as planned, officials said.Fair officials said Saturday at a news conference that the fair is “safe and secure.”Officials recommend fair attendees to use hand-washing stations around the fairgrounds, especially before eating. People who do not wash their hands after petting an animal or have food or drinks in an area with animals increase their chance of contracting the illness, according to CDC officials.All animals were scheduled to leave the fair’s barn area Sunday night and officials said animal pens are sanitized before and after the fair and cleaned daily. Fair organizers said they expect the animal exhibit to return with more safeguards and policies next season, 10News reported.The family of Cabezuela gathered Saturday for a fundraiser at Rosie O’Grady’s restaurant in Normal Heights. By Saturday night, a GoFundMe account for funeral expenses reached more than $16,000.Symptoms of E.Coli include severe abdominal cramping, watery or bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Symptoms may also occur with or without a fever. County health officials said anyone who experienced the symptoms on or after June 8 should contact their healthcare provider. KUSI Newsroom 
Update: 2-year-old boy dies from E. coli contracted at San Diego County Fair KUSI Newsroom, Categories: Local San Diego News FacebookTwitter
NOW HIRING 10 New Job Openings In Wilmington
WILMINGTON, MA — Below are some of the newest job openings in Wilmington:Full-Time Customer On-Boarding Specialist at AmetrosFull-Time Business Development Representative at AmetrosPart-Time Dietary Aide at CareOneFull-Time Customer Service Advisor at National Tire & BatteryFull-Time AP/Job Cost Accountant at Trinity Building & Construction Management Corp.Full-Time/Part-Time Starbucks Team Member at TargetFull-Time Carpet Cleaning Technician at New England Carpet MasterPart-Time Babysitter For 2 Wilmington ChildrenFull-Time Operations Analyst at SOVOS ComplianceFull-Time Research Analyst at SOVOS Compliance(NOTE: Wilmington businesses — Feel free to send me your job postings at wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.)Like Wilmington Apple on Facebook. Follow Wilmington Apple on Twitter. Follow Wilmington Apple on Instagram. Subscribe to Wilmington Apple’s daily email newsletter HERE. Got a comment, question, photo, press release, or news tip? Email wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading… RelatedNOW HIRING: 10 Job Openings In WilmingtonIn “Business”NOW HIRING: 50 New Job Openings In Wilmington (Week of June 23, 2019)In “Business”NOW HIRING: 60 New Job Openings In Wilmington (Week of August 11, 2019)In “Business”
With icy roads afoot APD responds to 87 collisions
Slick ice and a dusting of new snow made commuting on the Glenn Highway treacherous Monday morning. Alaska State Troopers responded to 31 vehicle incidents on the Glenn in their Matanuska Valley jurisdiction today according to spokesperson Megan Peters.Download AudioA driver reported a near standstill where Abbott Road meets Hillside. Photo: Bob Wyatt/Alaska Public Media.Anita Shell with the Anchorage Police Department said since midnight, Anchorage police responded to 87 collisions and more than 90 vehicles in distress, throughout APD’s jurisdiction. Only ten involved non life threatening injuries. APD patrols the Glenn Highway from the Knik River bridge to the city.Wasilla to Anchorage commuter Ron Zastrow said his normal 50-minute drive time was stretched to three hours.Everybody that I saw on the Southbound lanes was driving very slow. I didn’t see as many vehicles in the ditch as I thought I was going to see.”Another thing Zastrow didn’t see… sand trucks heading South.“There was no sand on the highway that I saw.”The Glenn is a Priority One traffic artery, according to Jill Reese, media liason with the state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.“Level one is of course the major highways, safety corridors, major urban and community routes. These can take up to 24 hours to clear after a winter storm. We try to get all the major traffic through, commuters and those sorts of things through first, then we go on to the lesser prioroties.”Photo: Bob Wyatt/Alaska Public Media.She says DOT’s sand trucks went to work at 5 a.m., although the trucks go where they are most needed, and are not tied to any particular route.“It’s normal, Alaska winter ice. People sometimes forget how to drive on this ice when we first get hit. Every year it is the same.”Reese says the weather conditions are worsened, because warm tires melt the ice underneath them, and then it freezes again, so there is continuous cycle of ice and thaw. And even if the road is sanded, that doesn’t solve all the traffic woes.“It’s not DOT’s practice, even in year’s past, to sand the entire length of a highway. We sand the approaches, the curves, intersections, those sorts of things. We rely on motorists to drive for the conditions of the road. And we will put sand on those areas as we can.”Reese says DOT’s budget has been cut by 25 percent, along with other state agency budgets, due to the current state fiscal shortfall. And that reduction has been felt in materials the department uses, such as sand.
BNP MPs took oath at Tariques order Fakhrul
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. File PhotoBNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said their party’s MPs-elect have taken oath at party acting chairman’s Tarique Rahman’s instruction.Two hours after their party’s four MPs-elect were sworn in, Fakhrul came up with the remarks at a press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.”Amid a serious crisis in national politics and a complicated situation, our party has taken the decision to join parliament as part of our movement for our leader Khaleda Zia’s release and her proper treatment and restoration of democracy,” he said.Earlier, two BNP MPs also claimed that they have taken oath at the last moment at the behest of party acting chairman Tarique Rahman.Talking to reporters after taking oath, Harun-ur-Rashid Harun and lawyer Abdus Sattar also said they came to parliament after consultation with Tarique.Abdus Sattar, also a former state minister, said they talked to Tarique through videoconferencing, and he permitted them to take oath.Harun, also a party joint general secretary, said, “We’ve come to parliament and taken oath at Tarique Rahman’s order.”He said the current parliament is not representing people and the government is not elected with people’s votes. “There’s no election on 30 December. That’s why BNP rejected the election. But we joined parliament to talk about the misrule of the government.”Harun said the government has destroyed democracy through rigging votes while it amended the constitution to hang onto power unfairly. “It’s now the responsibility of the government to form an administration with people’s representatives.”Mentioning that their chairperson has been kept in jail through a ruling ‘party-dictated’ lower court verdict, he hoped that the government will take immediate steps for freeing Khaleda Zia on bail and ensuring her proper treatment.Asked why their party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir did not take oath when Tarique asked them to do so, Harun declined to make any comment on it saying, “He (Fakhrul) can say about it better.”.Replying to another question, he said their party expelled Zahidur Rahman Zahid as he was sworn in before getting the party’s green signal. “He apologised to Tarique Rahman today, and the party will now change its decision on him.”Asked whether parliament has got legitimacy with their oath-taking, the BNP joint secretary general said, “We’ve come to parliament to depict the country’s anarchic situation as there’s no rule of law and good governance.”Earlier, BNP’s four MPs-elect — Advocate Abdus Sattar (Brahmanbaria-2), Harun-ur Rashid Harun (Chapainawabganj-3), Aminul Islam (Chapainawabganj-2) and Mosharraf Hossain (Bogura-4) — took oath as members of the 11th Parliament, following the footstep of Zahidur Rahman Zahid (Thakurgaon-3).Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury administered the swearing-in around 5:40pm at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban while parliament senior secretary Zafar Ahmed Khan conducted the oath-taking ceremony.With the latest ones, 299 MPs-elect out of 300 in the 11th parliamentary polls were sworn in.Only BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir did not take oath while the stipulated time for being sworn expired today.BNP along with Gonoforum and some other parties joined the election in alliance under the banner of Jatiya Oikyafront. BNP bagged six seats while Gonoforum two in the election.The alliance turned down the election results bringing the allegation of ‘massive vote robbery’ and decided not to join parliament.However, Gonoforum’s two MPs-elect Sultan Mohammad Mansur (Moulvibazar-2) and Mokabbir Khan (Sylhet-2) were sworn in on 7 and 2 April respectively.Read more:Fakhrul says people now hostage to a party whim
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