Moga, Apr 26 (PTI) Sehajdhari Sikhs today protested against a bill passed by Parliament which excludes them from voting in the elections to Sikh religious bodies saying it will take a legal action as it prevents 70 lakh community members from exercising their franchise.”We will take a legal recourse as the bill is against our voting rights,” Sehajdhari Sikh leader Paramjit Singn Ranu said here after a meeting.Parliament passed the bill yesterday to amend a 91-year-old law to exclude Sahajdharis from voting in the elections to Sikh religious bodies, fulfilling a long-pending demand of the community ahead of Assembly elections in Punjab next year.Ranu alleged the bill was sponsored by the SAD (Shiromani Akali Dal) to maintain its control of SGPC.”It is a political move and it has cultural implications which will divide Sikh minority into a sub minority,” he said.Criticising both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha for passing the the bill without waiting for the Supreme Courts decision where an appeal had been filed, Ranu termed the bill as “unconstitutional”.”Passing such a bill is illegal and unconstitutional. By this discrimination against a particular section of the Sikh community, the bill will further divide the Sikhs,” he said.”We will wait for the Supreme Court decision and also adopt all legal measures against the passage of the bill,” Ranu said.The Sikh Gurudwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2016 was passed by Lok Sabha yesterday more than a month after Rajya Sabha approved it.The definition of Sehajdhari Sikh has no religious sanction as far as the fundamental tenets of the religion are concerned. This nomenclature was added to the Sikh Gurudwaras Act, 1925 under certain circumstances prevailing then.advertisementThe bill proposes to remove the exception given to Sahejdharis in 1944 to vote in elections to select members of the Board and the Committees constituted under the Act. PTI CORR VJ ASV SC ASV
Premalatha, the force behind Captain’s new innings in Tamil Nadu
If Vijaykanth is the King, his wife seems to be the kingmaker. And I realised how tough it was to get to the power centre of the DMDK – Premalatha. Two weeks of relentless pursuit, of which, one week to get to her assistant. And finally, she gave me 24 hours to travel 370 kms from Chennai to Dindigul to catch her in between her campaign.One night’s drive with no sleep… and 2 hours of wait at Dindigul… I was paranoid, she might postpone the interview… Finally at 2pm, I saw her. A hint of disappointment washed over me to realise Vijaykanth was not with her. As if reading my mind, she came up to me and said, “Vijaykanth is in Virudhunagar. And I was in Erode. I am driving through the lengths and breadths of TN for the campaign. Sorry for the delay.” Loud voice, confident stride, dominant attitude and bold persona – that is Premalatha for you.Mention Vijaykanth and she didn’t waste a minute to say he is the king. Though, he decided to do so after much deliberation and later seeking an answer from his followers in Kancheepuram. “Whatever decision he makes, usually he will ask in the rally,” she said. And she justified the decision by saying, “DMDK came as an alternative to DMK and the AIADMK.”However, DMDK did join hands with AIADMK in 2011. And Premalatha said that was one of the biggest mistakes. She said Vijaykanth was furious Jaya was straying away from her election promises. Even now, Premalatha said that Jaya has shown no development in the state. She said, “I travel all over TN. I see trees, but no industries. There is no development. And no basic needs.”advertisementPremalatha is against both the “ruling party as well as the ruled party”. She is sure that Stalin’s makeover will have zero connect with the voters. Whether he sips tea or sings a song, she said, “all that is drama. People can see through it. Why did he not meet the people when he was deputy CM?” She is also convinced that captain’s white dhoti and shirt retains the TN culture, which will make him click, as opposed to the trousers that Stalin and Anbumani Ramadoss sport. “Those two dress like they are going for a film shoot,” she said.Vijaykanth may have hailed from the film industry before he stepped into the political world. For Premalatha, Vijaykanth is a man meant for the people. Jaya has always said, “makkalikaaga naan, makkalaal naan (meaning I am for the people and I am because of the people)”. Premalatha said, “Vijaykanth can act in cinema. But he can’t act before his people.” Also said that if Jaya meant what she said, ‘amma’ wouldn’t be sitting in an AC enclosure letting her ‘children’ die in the hot sun.While Amma is known for her whatsapp calls, Vijaykanth is known for his whatsapp jokes. “It used to upset me,” Premalatha said, “But I have realised that there are no negative things about captain. No corruption. No criminal cases. They will criticise him only like this. It’s all planned by the AIADMK and the DMK.”Jokes apart, Vijaykanth was one of the ‘most-wanted’ man when the election was announced. DMK used many proverbs to suggest that the alliance between DMK and DMDK was almost through. Premalatha said, “It was all spread by Kalaignar. Is there any place where DMK and DMDK officially met? Captain never announced anywhere. Did he?” However, there was an official meeting held between the BJP and the DMDK. Premalatha blamed it on the communists who were part of the alliance that forced them to say no to the BJP.After all, Modi seems to have no magic in an amma-nadu. “It was in 2014 only during the MP elections. Not now. I don’t think so,” Premalatha said.As we wrapped up, Premalatha was gearing up for her campaign and was telling me that TN is 100 per cent ready for change… She smiled and waltzed away. Being an ardent follower of Tamil cinema, I remembered a dialogue from Vijaykanth’s famous movies Ramana. “Change – TN ku pudicha orrey vaarthey. (meaning change is the only word that TN likes)”.
Once a shepherd, Alireza Beiranvand is now Iran’s goalkeeper at the World Cup
He has played two matches till now and has let in just one goal and that one goal also sneaked in because of the striker’s pure luck and he still has a chance to guide Iran to the Round of 16 in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.Alireza Beiranvand has been a solid figure for Iran at the back. Along with his hard-working defenders, he cuts a formidable figure under the sticks.On Wednesday, he conceded his first World Cup goal, against the mighty Spain, up against one of the best strikers in the business Diego Costa.2018 FIFA WORLD CUP: FULL COVERAGEHow did that goal happen though? It was a stroke of luck. Beiranvand was deceived because Costa’s strike got deflected, bounced back off the Spaniard and then went into the goal. Alireza Beiranvand kept a clean sheet against Morocco and pulled off some good saves versus Spain (Reuters Photo)Beiranvand’s determination to guard his goal perhaps comes from the staunch personality he has developed through the various struggles he has undergone to reach to the top of his country’s football.FIFA WORLD CUP: FIXTURES | POINTS TABLEHaving been born in a nomadic family and being the eldest son, he was a shepherd back in time. It was in his free time that he used to play football and a local game named Dal Paran, which involved throwing stones to long distances.It was at the age of 12 that his family settled down and he began training at a local club. Though he started as a striker, an injury to the goalkeeper meant he took the place, made a brilliant save and sealed his place.advertisementHowever, it was then that his real troubles began.Iranian women watch football in Tehran stadium for first time since 1979His father disapproved of him taking up football as a professional career, even tore his clothes and gloves. It was then that Beiranvand decided to leave his home.Borrowing money from a relative, he decided to take a bus to Tehran. It was in that bus that he met a football coach, Hossein Feiz, who managed a local team. Feiz told him that he could train at the club in return for some money.In Russia, a plea to support Iranian women to enter stadiumsOf course, Beiranvand had no money, no place to sleep.For days he slept at the roads. One day he decided to sleep outside the club where he trained on trial every day.”I slept by the club’s door and when I got up in the morning I noticed the coins that people had dropped for me,” he told the Guardian. “They had thought I was a beggar! Well, I had a delicious breakfast for the first time in a long while.”Finally Feiz took him in and asked the captain of the club to help him. He slept at the captain’s place for two weeks before starting to work at another colleague’s father’s dressmaking factory so he could sleep there.Iran captain says World Cup not the right place to discuss women issuesDespite coming such a long way, there was far more road to cover.He next used to wash SUVs for money and soon, he met a Naft-e-Tehran coach and moved there. In the beginning, he slept at the club’s prayer room but soon he had to move out.From working at a pizza shop to working as a street cleaner, Beiranvand was soon finding it difficult to stay fit and was soon sacked by Naft for training with another team and getting injured.He then went to another club, Homa, but the manager there was reluctant to take him in.However, it was a few days that luck finally decided to smile at him.The Naft U-23 manager called him asking him to come back if he had not signed elsewhere. He joined back and the rest is history. Alireza Beiranvand is Iran’s first choice goalkeeper in this year’s FIFA World Cup (Reuters Photo)He is now Iran’s first-choice keeper, playing at the biggest stage in world football and holding his ground.On June 25, he will have perhaps one of the toughest job in the world — stopping Cristiano Ronaldo from finding the back of the net — when Iran will take on Portugal in their final group game.Like he has shown in the two matches till now though, he will be up for the challenge.
IPL 2019: MS Dhoni fined after fierce on-field argument with umpires in tense CSK chase
MS Dhoni has been fined 50 per cent of his match fee after his outburst against the umpires during Chennai Super Kings’ thrilling last-ball win over Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur Thursday night.There was confusion over a no-ball in the last over of a tense match in the 2019 Indian Premier League. Ben Stokes delivered a high full toss and while the umpire signaled a no-ball, Bruce Oxenford at square let, said it was a legal delivery.On-field batsmen Ravindra Jadeja and Mitchell Santner immediately got into an argument with the umpires while MS Dhoni charged onto the field and got involved in a heated argument with the match officials.Santner hit the last ball for a six to secure a thrilling victory and MS Dhoni was named man-of-the-match for his gritty fifty. He appeared to struggle and even received on-field medical attention during his knock.Soon after the match, an IPL press release said Dhoni had admitted to breaching the tournament’s Code of Conduct.”MS Dhoni, the Chennai Super Kings captain, was fined 50 per cent of his match fees for breaching the VIVO Indian Premier League’s (IPL) Code of Conduct during his team’s match against Rajasthan Royals at Jaipur.””Mr Dhoni admitted to the Level 2 offence 2.20 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct and accepted the sanction,” the release said.Surprisingly, Murali Karthik did not ask MS Dhoni any questions on his outburst during the post-match presentation ceremony.ALSO READ | IPL 2019: Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni smash Rajasthan Royals as CSK edge closer to playoffsadvertisementALSO READ | IPL 2019: Angry MS Dhoni storms on to the field after another no-ball controversyALSO READ | MS Dhoni first ever captain to win 100 matches in IPL history
Revealed: Barca’s €115m package for Coutinho
Transfers Revealed: Coutinho offered €115 million contract by Barcelona in summer transfer bid Goal Last updated 2 years ago 18:21 23/9/2017 FacebookTwitterRedditcopy Comments(5) 
Getty composite Transfers Barcelona Philippe Coutinho Leicester City v Liverpool Girona v Barcelona Girona Leicester City Liverpool Premier League Primera División In the latest leaks made public, the full details of the Catalans’ attempts to sign the 25-year-old Brazil international have been disclosed Liverpool persistently rebuffed Barcelona’s summer approaches for Philippe Coutinho, telling the Catalan club that “no sum” could persuade them to sell the Brazil international, in Football Leaks documents made public by Spiegel.Barca were seeking a replacement for Neymar, who had been sold in a world-record deal to Paris Saint-Germain, and had turned their attention to the Anfield star.Barcelona 6/1 to beat Girona 2-0 Article continues below Editors’ Picks ‘I’m getting better’ – Can Man Utd flop Fred save his Old Trafford career? Why Barcelona god Messi will never be worshipped in the same way in Argentina Lyon treble & England heartbreak: The full story behind Lucy Bronze’s dramatic 2019 Liverpool v Man City is now the league’s biggest rivalry and the bitterness is growing So confident of securing the player’s signature, they had drafted a 20-page employment contract for the Brazilian and had even set the date for his arrival to be August 31. Coutinho would have received €115 million over five years, putting him between Luis Suarez and the likes of Gerard Pique and Andres Iniesta in the club’s salary scale. Meanwhile, his agent would have earned €10m had the transfer fee been less than €100m.
A first offer was made by Barca on July 20, though it was rebuffed by the Premier League side. Michael Edwards, Liverpool’s sporting director, wrote in an email to Oscar Grau, chairman of Barcelona’s management board: “Unfortunately, Philippe can not be sold at any price and, as you know, has recently extended his contract with us.”Several days later, Barca launched a second, “significantly improved” approach for Coutinho. The Camp Nou club came back with an offer of €90m plus bonus payments that could have totalled €40m.Edwards, however, would not be moved. “I would kindly ask you to refrain from showing interest in Philippe both privately and publicly. No sum will lead up to reverse our decision,” he told Grau.This was information confirmed by Goal at the time .Coutinho made his first Premier League start for the Reds following the summer’s drama in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Burnley and was then involved in the midweek Carabao Cup exit to Leicester City.
My mother cried when I told her about Brescia – Balotelli
Mario Balotelli has revealed that his mother burst into tears when she heard that he had the chance to sign for his hometown club Brescia.The newly promoted club confirmed the signing of Balotelli on Sunday, with the striker reportedly signing a three-year deal after previous negotiations with Brazilian giants Flamengo broke down.The 29-year-old was a free agent after his short-term contract with Marseille expired at the end of last season. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Emery out of jail – for now – as brilliant Pepe papers over Arsenal’s cracks What is Manchester United’s ownership situation and how would Kevin Glazer’s sale of shares affect the club? Ox-rated! Dream night in Genk for Liverpool ace after injury nightmare Messi a man for all Champions League seasons – but will this really be Barcelona’s? It means a return to his native Italy after three seasons in France and an emotional move to the city where he spent the majority of his childhood.Balotelli revealed it was a particularly moving moment for his foster mother Silvia, who cared for Balotelli from the age of three.“When I told her that I could come back to play in Brescia, she started crying,” said Balotelli. “I asked her for an opinion, but she cried.”The Italy forward also brushed off suggestions that he would struggle to replicate his previous form for his new club.”It seems that you are more afraid of my failure than I am,” he added. “I’m not afraid, zero. I’m fine, I’m serene. This is my home.”During his time at AC Milan Balotelli was targeted by racist abuse, which has continued to blight Serie A in recent years.”I don’t know what to expect,” he said when asked about racism in Italian football. “I hope things don’t happen like in the past.”Balotelli returns to Serie A on the back of a successful spell at Marseille, where he scored eight goals in 15 appearances.However, financial restrictions meant the club were unable to offer him a long-term deal and he was released at the end of the season.Prior to that Balotelli spent two-and-a-half seasons with Nice after his ill-fated three-year spell with Liverpool came to an end.The former Lumezzane youth player has won a host of honours during his career, both in Italy in England. He won three successive Serie A titles at Inter and was part of the side that won the Champions League in 2010 to complete the domestic treble.Balotelli then went on to win the Premier League and the FA Cup during his three-year stint at Manchester City, becoming a cult figure with the supporters in the process.
Samsung Heavy, Korea Eximbank Take Reins at Sungdong
zoom South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries and the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank) have agreed to take over and jointly manage the financially troubled Sungdong Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering for an initial period of four years, the state-run lender said in a release.Samsung Heavy will be in charge of Sungdong’s sales, procurement, production and technology sectors, a move expected to attract fresh orders. In return for taking over shipbuilding operations at Sungdong, Samsung Heavy will be granted the right of first refusal once the shipbuilder completes restructuring and is put up for sale.Korea Eximbank, the debt stricken Sungdong’s main creditor with KRW 1.6 trillion (USD 1.36 billion) worth of loans and a stake of KRW 1 trillion, will manage finances, human resources, and labor issues at this mid-sized shipbuilder located in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province.The bank also announced several hundred billion worth of additional loans to Sungdong by year’s end.World Maritime News Staff
Province Announces Finalists for Prestigious Portia White Prize
Three talented and respected Nova Scotian artists have been selected as finalists for the 2008 Portia White Prize. “The finalists for this year’s Portia White Prize have all left an important mark on arts and culture in our province,” said Bill Dooks, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. “They represent a high level of excellence and have created a legacy of creativity and achievement of which all Nova Scotians can be proud.” The winner of the award will be announced at the Creative Nova Scotia awards gala being held at Pier 21 in Halifax on Saturday, Nov. 1. A peer jury comprised of five arts and culture sector members reviewed the nominations for the award. As part of the selection process, they identified three finalists. Mary Jane Lamond is a singer and Gaelic cultural ambassador from Glendale, Inverness Co. She uses modern instrumentation and arrangements that provide a beautiful framework for Nova Scotia’s Gaelic traditions and songs. Her gripping vocal performances have earned her many Juno and East Coast Music Award nominations as well as a MuchMusic Global Groove Award. John Little is a blacksmith and sculptor from East Dover. He is a self-taught artist known for his passion for the forging process and his dedication to teaching, mentoring and jurying exhibitions in Canada and New England. Respected members of the international music community have recognized John’s forged metal sculptures for musical performance as significant accomplishments. Walter Ostrom is a ceramics artist and craftsperson from Lunenburg. He has elevated his craft beyond the simple understanding of structural design and aesthetic. His work can be found in the pages of the world’s first scholarly journal in fine craft, Journal of Modern Craft, and in the studios of Nova Scotia College of Art and Design Mr. Ostrom has helped four decades of students discover new ways of advancing and applying their craft. The $25,000 annual award is named after Nova Scotian classical singer Portia White. It is one of the most prestigious arts awards in Canada, promoting excellence, innovation and expression in the arts. The Creative Nova Scotia Awards Gala will include performances by MOCEAN Dance, Eastern Front Theatre, Chelsea Nisbett and Lorri Neilen Glenn, as well as the presentation of the Prix Grande Pre, Community Arts and Culture Recognition Award, and the Established Artist Recognition Award. The gala and an associated conference are organized by the Nova Scotia Arts and Culture Partnership Council.
Maharashtra ACB books cop civic officials in DA cases
Thane: The Maharashtra Anti Corruption Bureau has registered disproportionate assets (DA) cases against a former senior police inspector, a Zilla Parishad executive engineer and a deputy tax collector for having excess income cumulatively valued at Rs 1.78 crore, an official said on Monday. Former senior inspector Shahaji Jadhav, who had served with Thane police, is accused of having excess assets of Rs 41.65 lakh, which is 47 per cent more than his known sources of income, Thane Unit ACB Superintendent of Police Mahesh Patil said. Also Read – Uddhav bats for ‘Sena CM’Patil said Jadhav collected this amount between 1985 and 2015 and a case was filed against him following an inquiry at the Wagle Estate police station. Sanjay Baviskar, then Executive Engineer of the Rural Water Supply Scheme of the Thane Zilla Parishad, and four others including his wife, were booked for having extra assets worth Rs 1.03 crore, accumulated between 1989 and 2015, which was 45.46 per cent more than his known sources of income, the ACB SP informed. In the third case, Sunil Bane, then deputy tax collector of the Vigilance Cell of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, and his wife were booked for excess income of Rs 33.02 lakh, he said. This is 30.38 per cent more than his known sources of income and it was got between 2000 and 2014, the SP said, adding that a case had been registered in Rabodi police station in neighbouring Navi Mumbai.
Residential schools chief adjudicator to resign
By Kathleen Martens APTN National News WINNIPEG — Canada’s chief adjudicator for the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement’s Independent Assessment Process (IAP) has resigned, APTN Investigates has learned.Dan Ish gave his written notice to the IAP’s Oversight Committee a few weeks ago, saying it will be effective in June.Ish has been overseeing the multi-billion dollar program since being appointed for five years in Sept. 19, 2007.However, the IAP has received triple the expected number of applications from former residential school survivors, something Ish cited in stepping down.The deadline for applications expired Sept. 19, 2012, but the work is expected to continue for several more years.Sources say Ish’s resignation was accepted “with regret” by the IAP Oversight Committee at its meeting in Vancouver last month. Ish was not immediately available for comment.The meeting occurred only a week after Ish was once again before Vancouver’s Supreme Court seeking court approval to investigate a lawyer for a suspected breach of IAP guidelines.Justice Brenda Brown rejected the request for a potentially lengthy, multi-million dollar investigation. She instead mediated an agreement for the Indian Residential School Adjudication Secretariat (IRSAS) to review the IAP casework of Vancouver lawyer Stephen Bronstein, with an option to order a full investigation down the road.The IRSAS is probing Bronstein’s alleged connection to Ivon Johnny, a 62-year-old, convicted murderer who said he was doing IAP intake work for Bronstein while on parole. However, former students in the Chilcotin communities around Williams Lake, B.C., complained Johnny was extorting money from their compensation payouts.Johnny’s full parole was revoked in January as a result of the complaints.It was also complaints from former students that led to a $3.5-million investigation into Calgary lawyer David Blott in November 2011. Brown kicked Blott and others out of the IAP after investigators found he violated the trust of his vulnerable clients, wrongly provided loans against their compensation claims, and improperly charged them interest, penalties or fees.Blott represented more than 4,000 claimants across Canada.The compensation is for survivors who suffered serious physical and sexual abuse while young students at Canada’s notorious Indian Residential Schools. The most recent statistics provided by IRSAS show $1.8-billion has been spent completing the claims of about 75,000 former students.kmartens@aptn.ca@kmarte
Reddit raises $300M in finance round led by China’s Tencent
SAN FRANCISCO — Social media service Reddit Inc. says it has raised $300 million in a financing round led by Chinese internet giant Tencent.Reddit’s CEO, Steve Huffman, told CNBC on Monday that values the privately held company at $3 billion.Half the new money came from Tencent, Asia’s most valuable tech company. Other investors included Sequoia, Fidelity, Andreessen Horowitz, Quiet Capital, VY and Snoop Dogg.The announcement prompted criticism of Reddit for linking itself with a company from China, where the ruling Communist Party enforces extensive online censorship. Access to Reddit is blocked in China.Tencent operates online games and popular WeChat social media service. It owns 40 per cent of “Fortnite” creator Epic Games and 15 per cent of photo service Snap.The Associated Press
Number of Irregular Moroccan Migrants in Spain Increased 8-Fold in 2…
Rabat – Spanish news outlet Diarodesvilla shared statistics from the Spanish Ministry of Interior, saying that by the end of October, 10,060 irregular Moroccan migrants had arrived in Spain so far this year, up from 1,310 in the same period in 2016.The news outlet reported that 90 percent of the migrants arrived in Spain by sea to Andalusia and the rest to the Canary Islands.The news outlet added that some of the irregular migrants returned to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta and Melilla, where they asked for asylum. Read Also: Morocco’s Royal Navy Rescues 181 Irregular MigrantsMoroccan migration might increase in the coming years as a new Gallup survey has estimated that Morocco would lose 19 percent of its adult population and 29 percent of its 15 to 29-year-olds if migration were completely possible.To help ease the pressure of migration on Morocco, the European Union said that it will grant financial aid to Morocco to help combat irregular migration.The EU will give Morocco €148 million in the coming days, according to a statement from the EU Commission.The statement, issued on December 14, said that the EU is currently “stepping up its assistance to Morocco to combat irregular migration in a context of increased migratory pressures along the western Mediterranean route.”According to El Pais, Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE) said that Moroccan immigration “peaked 10 years ago as there were 70,000 arrivals of migrants.” In 2017 39,000 migrants arrived in Spain from Morocco.Spanish and Moroccan news outlets reported today that Spain has dismantled a Moroccan human trafficking network operating between Spain and Morocco.The suspects involved in the network, all of which were Moroccans, were arrested. EFE reported that network has been labeling itself as a “travel agency” based in Larache, a city near Tangier in northern Morocco. The suspects charged the irregular migrants a minimum of €2,500 per passenger.
Most actively traded companies on the TSX
Some of the most active companies traded Friday on the Toronto Stock Exchange:Toronto Stock Exchange (15,172.72, up 0.31 of a point):Bombardier Inc. (TSX:BBD.B). Aerospace, rail equipment. Down four cents, or 1.65 per cent, to $2.38 on 22.4 million shares.Manulife Financial Corp. (TSX:MFC). Financial Services. Down 14 cents, or 0.57 per cent, to $24.27 on 15.3 million shares.Trican Well Service Ltd. (TSX:TCW). Oil and gas. Down five cents, or 1.27 per cent, to $3.90 on 15.2 million shares.Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD). Bank. Up 18 cents, or 0.27 per cent, to $67.45 on 14.6 million shares.Cenovus Energy Inc. (TSX:CVE). Oil and gas. Down nine cents, or 0.81 per cent, to $11.02 on 14.4 million shares.Suncor Energy Inc. (TSX:SU). Oil and gas. Down eight cents, or 0.19 per cent, to $41.55 on 14.1 million shares.Companies reporting major news:Eldorado Gold Corp. (TSX:ELD). Miner. Down eight cents, or 2.76 per cent, to $2.82 on 11.2 million shares. The Canadian gold miner says it has received another permit and the approval of a technical study for the closure of its Old Olympias mine in Greece.
New sports complex a boost for Norwich
Like the rest of Oxford County, Norwich township opens its fields May 1, as the weather permits, but it’s expected to take a bit of extra time to ensure the grass fields at the new sports plex will remain in good shape after they’re used.Hovorka said the municipality will aerate and overseed to let the root base grow, while the lack of an irrigation system means the fields will need to rely on spring rains to help.The fields will hopefully create a boost for Norwich Minor Soccer while also giving people another area to exercise in the township through the addition of the walking track.“We’re anticipating it’ll be a boost for them once the fields open. that’s what we’re hoping for. We’re very excited about the fields,” Hovorka said. “Because we’ve added the perimeter walking path, it’ll be well used by family and friends at soccer games. It’s also open seven days a week so anyone can use it. It’s a very safe and level surface. We’ve had positive feedback since we’re creating an area all people can use.”Hovorka said the project began shortly after receiving the trillium grant and was finished by late November before the first snowfall.After missing out in 2017, Norwich was approved March 1, 2018, and work began April 16, 2018, after reporting to council during its April 10, 2018, meeting.He said the project cost about $200,000, with $10,000 coming from Norwich Minor Soccer and the rest from the township’s budget, but was originally estimated at about $300,000. Hovorka said the savings came from different strategies to cut costs without sacrificing quality.The location is the former Norwich Golf Course, which meant the soil was in usable condition. Rather than digging up and trucking out the existing soil to bring in new product, the township was able to use what was there.The township lifted the existing soil and used a screener to sift through the dirt to remove large objects such as rocks and roots. The workers then put it in large piles to have it ferment before relaying it.Hovorka said that process saved about $80,000 and also saw several people in the community pitch in.“It was a big undertaking. … We had a few strategies to cut costs and local sponsors really helped us a lot,” he said. “Without those people, it wouldn’t have happened. We’ve got such great community minded people. We’re very lucky to have the people we do.”Now with an extra recreation space, the goal is to get as much use as possible for the new facility.“We’re looking forward to opening it up and have people in the community use it. It’s already getting some walkers which is terrific,” Hovorka said. “The more you can get community people involved in recreation, that’s the main goal. It’s been a common theme for us to install paved pathways to enhance accessibility and encourage people to use it and get active.”gcolgan@postmedia.com Norwich township will have a sparkling new recreation facility by this summer.The township plans to open the Norwich Soccer Plex in the spring, with its three soccer pitches in use by mid-summer at the latest. The recreation facility also has a paved perimeter track for walking and exercise.Pat Hovorka, Norwich township’s director of community development services, said the township had anticipated completing the project over the coming years. But when the municipality received a $150,000 grant through the Ontario Trillium Foundation, they were able to do the work in 2018.“We’ve catered to hockey and baseball quite a bit, and they have top-notch facilities, and we got some funding through (the) trillium (program),” he said. “We’ve had it in our budget for a few years down the road, but we fast forwarded it with the trillium grant.“We always wanted some fitness and walking trails, and it’s accessible with extra wide pathways to give a lot of room.”The fields are located north and east of the municipal administration building on Airport Road and includes one full-size adult field, an intermediate-size field and the mini-field. Parking will have access off of Airport Road to the east of the two new pitches.The first steps began a few years ago when the municipality created a mini-field, but the trillium grant gave Norwich a shot in the arm.The township was able to finish seeding and fertilizing the fields before the snow came, and it will be adding winter fertilizer to hopefully create a root base for the fields to come through in the spring.“It all depends on the root base,” Hovorka said. “We’re crossing our fingers it’s playable by early summer.” Norwich Township will open the Norwich Soccer Plex in the spring, with the three soccer fields able to be used by mid-summer at the latest. The recreation facility also has a paved perimeter track for walking and exercise.Submitted photo
Gaming has become more mainstream Football Manager chief
Certainly, journalists who’ve grown up playing video games, as they start getting editorial positions, it does improve things, but it’s improving because gaming is becoming more mainstream in general.I still haven’t seen the guys who made Call of Duty on chat shows and stuff like that. I think there have been a couple of instances in America where people have gone on, but it’s normally to do game demos. COMPUTER GAMES HAVE become more mainstream and acceptable in the eyes of the media over the past two or three years, according to one of the former industry’s most influential figures.Having previously lamented the reluctance of those in influential positions to embrace the video-gaming industry, studio director of the multi-million-selling Football Manager series, Miles Jacobson, now feels there is a more accepting attitude towards the industry.Jacobson, who received an OBE in 2011 for his services to the gaming industry, admits there are some cynical reasons behind this change.“I think it’s partly improved because the games industry advertises more in the mainstream media now,” he told TheJournal.ie. “Therefore, they take us more seriously because they’re making more money out of us.”However, he also feels the transformation is partly as a result of the growing prominence and popularity of games at all levels. “But it’s still going to take time [before games gain full acceptance]. When Elvis Presley came along, it was described as the devil music and he did alright for himself. People [who criticise games] just don’t understand them. It’s just a form of entertainment.”And despite his success, Jacobson and his colleagues are not universally loved within the industry.Several installments of the Football Manager series are among the highest-selling PC games of all time, and this level of success has somewhat inevitably attracted skeptics.“It’s more popular inside the football world than it is inside the video game world. And that’s quite an interesting thing.“We’re kind of seen as the Status Quo of the video games industry, but when you look at us from a football perspective, people are using our database to aid their work and I think we’re a lot cooler in football circles than we are in video game circles.“Maybe we’re more like Boyzone than Status Quo. Boyzone were always popular among footballers, but weren’t that cool within the music industry.”Our full interview with Miles Jacobson will be up on the site from 12pm today.Football Manager 2014 was released this week. More details here.How Championship Manager sabotaged my Junior Cert>Fascinating Web Summit start-ups you need to hear about>
Dead pigs in river show dark side of China food industry
THOUSANDS OF DEAD pigs in a Shanghai river have cast a spotlight on China’s poorly regulated farm production, with the country’s favourite meat joining a long list of food scares.As of Friday, the number of carcasses recovered in recent days from the Huangpu river – which cuts through the commercial hub and supplies over 20 per cent of its drinking water – had reached more than 7,500.Shanghai has blamed the farmers of Jiaxing in neighbouring Zhejiang province for casting pigs thought to have died of disease into the river upstream, but officials from the area have admitted to only a single producer doing so.The city has stepped up inspections of markets to stop meat from the dead animals from reaching dining tables of its 23 million people.From recycled cooking oil to dangerous chemicals in baby milk powder, a series of food scandals in China has caused huge public concern.Pork is king in China, accounting for 64 per cent of total meat output last year, and urban residents with growing wallets and waistlines ate 20.63 kilograms (45lbs) of the meat per person in 2011.Images of Shanghai’s dead pigs have hit the nation’s collective gut, but in Zhulin village, a major hog-raising centre in Jiaxing, the farmers claim their innocence in the scandal.“The government is very strict. We give our pigs vaccinations. If they are sick, they can’t be sold,” said Pan Juying, 57, as she hoisted two baskets of freshly cut grass to feed her eight pigs.But a bloated piglet lying by the roadside a hundred metres away from a stream showed that not all dead animals are properly disposed of.A pig floats among the rubbish on the river (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)Wang Wei, a veterinarian for the Hengyuan Company which produces medicines for farm animals, said a large number of pigs died from unknown causes in Zhejiang just before and after the Chinese Lunar New Year in February.“It must have been a big pig farm” that was responsible for events in Shanghai, he said in Zhulin’s main street, which is lined with animal medicine and feed stores.They can’t control an outbreak of infectious disease.Despite laws against the practice, animals that die from disease in China can end up in the food supply chain or improperly disposed of.In Wenling, also in Zhejiang, authorities announced this week that 46 people had been jailed for up to six-and-a-half years for processing and selling pork from more than 1,000 diseased pigs.Not the first food safety issueChina was rocked by one of its biggest-ever food safety scandals in 2008 when the industrial chemical melamine was found to have been illegally added to dairy products, killing at least six babies and making 300,000 people ill.Across China, cheap recycled cooking oil is available made illegally from leftovers scooped out of restaurant drains. Amid public disgust authorities arrested more than 30 people over its sale, but it remains commonplace.In another recent incident, US fast food giant KFC was hit by controversy after revealing some Chinese suppliers provided chicken with high levels of antibiotics, in what appeared to be an industry-wide practice.Zhu Yi, a professor at China Agricultural University, said that the country’s vast number of small-scale farmers were “hard to supervise and regulate”.“Food safety is an issue that requires continuous efforts, you simply cannot put everything right once and for all,” she said.The current livestock breeding model is too crude, and the standards too low.But large-scale production also carried risks of its own, she added.“Every country has its own problems,” she said. “The highly industrialised European Union was caught up by the horse meat scandal.” – © AFP, 2013Read: Sky News reporter broadcasts arrest live on TV > Read: Trinity signs student exchange deal with China’s biggest university >
Man donates kidney to stranger after seeing Facebook post
A heartwarming video from Beaumont Hospital in Michigan shows two men explaining why one decided to donate a kidney to the other — but there’s a twist. Everyone’s favorite social network had a hand in connecting the two.Thirty-five-year-old Jeff Kurze was in desperate need of a kidney. He’d already had one stroke, and the dialysis was extremely physically draining. The wait list for a kidney was three to five years long, which was too long for Kurze’s wife Roxy to wait.AdChoices广告Facebook statuses are often used to tell your friends about the great concert you just went to, or to complain about all the homework you have to do tonight, but one status update changed everything. Roxy wrote on Facebook that she was “wishing a kidney would fall out of the sky so my husband can stop suffering.” She asked if anyone knew of a live donor with type O blood, and to please let her know. Lo and behold, she got a response, and, surprisingly, it was from someone who was virtually a stranger.Ricky Cisco, 25, was friends with Roxy on Facebook through a distant work relationship. Neither of them actually knew each other. Cisco knew he had type O blood, and noticed Roxy’s plea for help one day while checking the site. Cisco said he’d never thought about donating a kidney, but was intrigued about what it entailed, so he started doing some research. Cisco realized that donating a kidney was less dangerous than driving to work every day, and said he really had no excuse to fall back on once he realized how safe it was.When Cisco met Jeff, the two realized they’d already met briefly when Jeff sold him a laptop about a year before that. Cisco said in the video that he “always wanted to be a hero,” but since he’s not very strong and can’t lift anything, he can’t save people in traditional ways.The transplant was done on March 30, and the video below shows the two telling their story two days before the surgery at Beaumont Hospital in the Detroit area. The two have become friends through this and now see each other at least once a week.See? Facebook really is where friends meet.Via MSNBC’s Digital Life
Greek expats in Australia concerned about potential tax changes
Facebook Twitter: @NeosKosmos Instagram In a move which is certainly a sign of the times, and shows the Greek economy is still under major pressure, the Greek government has floated the idea of charging additional tax on Greek property income, either from rental or sale, for expats living in Australia. This is despite the fact that the Australian government and the Greek authorities have in place a “double taxation” agreement which should in practice avoid any such issues. If you take a step back and look at the situation, there is no doubt that the Greek economy is under pressure, the Greek government is now in the pocket of the European Union and something needs to be done to claw back lost revenue. However, critics of the Greek government blame the fact that potentially hundreds of millions of Euros in taxes have yet to be collected, many of these debts have been written off and suggest this is the area in which regulatory changes should be made. The Greek community in Australia The 2006 Australian census states that there were 260,000 people of Greek nationality living Australia with 126,000 actually born in Greece. Therefore, it goes without saying that the Greek expat community in Australia is certainly a significant force and already the Australian government has confirmed that it is “monitoring the situation” with regards to potential issues of double taxation. The fear is that the Greek government is to effectively deem all people from Greece as “living in Greece” for taxation purposes although they have stated point-blank that they will not tax income earned in Australia. For some reason the Greek expat community does not trust or believe what it is been told at the moment and there is growing anxiety amongst this expat community. There is a potential “get out clause” because the Greek government has suggested that the implementation of the recently confirmed property tax could effectively be delayed or cancelled if the Greek economy improves. How likely is this under the significant financial pressure at the moment? The future of Greece It is no surprise to learn that there is a significant Greek expat community in Australia especially when you bear in mind the ongoing economic difficulties. The figure of 260,000 expats gleaned from the consensus of 2006 is likely to be significantly higher especially when you bear in mind recent events. It will be interesting to see how the Australian government supports the Greek expat community because in effect by allowing them to stay in Australia they are under the stewardship of the Australian government. Quote from AustraliaForum.com: “The Greek government has this week confirmed it is looking at introducing a property tax for Greek expats in Australia, and other areas of the world, earning rental income and sales income on properly held in Greece.” The short to medium-term outlook for the Greek economy is not good, the Greek government is effectively at the beck and call of the European Union and many experts predict significant budget problems for many years to come. Against this backdrop, it is difficult to see the so-called “get out clause” brought up by the Greek authorities ever being activated. To all intents and purposes, this is something of a red herring to potentially take the edge off the proposed property tax. Conclusion While the Greek government has been talking about austerity measures and increased taxation in the same breath, looking towards those who have moved overseas, it is difficult to see how the Greek government can justify pushing this too far. Income on rental property and property sales in Greece has been suggested although so far the legislation has been held back for further discussions. Concerns about potential double taxation problems on income earned in Australia seems to be well wide of the mark but when you bear in mind the precarious position of the Greek government perhaps anything can happen? It will be interesting to see how far the Australian government is prepared to go to protect the assets and the wealth of Greek expats living under their stewardship. This could well be a major test of the rights of expats when moving to Australia and whether indeed the federal government will look to protect these? * This article was first published on www.australianforum.com
Twitter va inclure de la publicité dans ses applications mobiles
Twitter va inclure de la publicité dans ses applications mobilesLe réseau de micro-blogging cherche désormais à accroître sa rentabilité. Cela passera prochainement par l’ajout de tweets publicitaires dans les flux de lecture des abonnés.Twitter va en 2012 développer son modèle économique basé quasi-uniquement sur la publicité. Les utilisateurs des applications mobiles du réseau social, quelle que soit la plateforme, vont avoir la surprise, dans les prochaines semaines, de découvrir dans leur fil d’actualité des tweets sponsorisés, désormais imposés à tous.À lire aussiDengue : symptômes, traitement, prévention, où en est-on ?”Les tweets sponsorisés apparaissent dans votre timeline comme n’importe quel tweet standard” explique Twitter, qui précise aussi que ces derniers n’apparaîtront que si ceux-ci sont pertinents. En clair, de la publicité ciblée, facile à produire pour un réseau social qui au fur et à mesure des publications connaît bien les goûts de ses abonnés.L’année dernière, Twitter avait amassé avec la publicité 139,5 millions de dollars (105 millions d’euros), et il en espère précisément 259,9 millions (195 millions d’euros) cette année selon le site All Things D. Toutes les applications sont donc concernées, ainsi que le client web. Un seul client n’est pas encore concerné par cette nouvelle politique commerciale, c’est celui réservé à l’iPad, mais il suffira d’une simple mise à jour pour le conformer aux autres plateformes. Le 1 mars 2012 à 11:15 • Maxime Lambert
Zinio Discounts Entire Newsstand With Groupon
Digital magazine and newsstand provider Zinio is cashing in on the discount phenomenon with a new collaborative project with Groupon.”We’ve been looking at creative, innovative and interesting new ways to educate the world about Zinio and what its opportunities are,” says Jeanniey Mullen, global executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Zinio. “Groupon, among a number of those deal sites, have come into our radar and we’ve been actually considering working with one of these types of companies as a test for quite a while. We decided to go ahead and kick it off and the first city test just went live [Thursday].”These initial tests give Groupon users access to $35 worth of any magazine in the newsstand for just $15. Users could get a year’s subscription to one publication, which could run as low as $14.99, and then buy several single copies of other titles for just $4.99, or another subscription. The deal ran in Anchorage, Alaska, Baltimore, MA and is live in Chattanooga, TN for the next four days.”Groupon helped us make sure that the way we positioned the brand resonated with their fans and buyers,” she says. “They work with you to craft the language to make sure that it’s as successful as possible. We were happy to have that because the Groupon audience is a group of people who love deals and they’re really interested in immediacy and something of value so, quite frankly, we weren’t sure if would be a huge success or a terrible disaster or somewhere in between.” There are over 4,300 titles in the digital newsstand offered by Zinio and the deals give individuals the ability to try any title with minimal risk.”We were excited about this because it allows people to take their choice of our entire newsstand-we weren’t just picking a title and saying this Groupon is between Zinio and Elle or Zinio and Popular Mechanics-we said try our entire newsstand whether you want to read content you love or content you’ve never heard of,” Mullen says.Through working with Groupon, Zinio has access to a dashboard that provides insight on demographics and age. While it is still too early to tell whether this partnership will pay off for the newsstand, Zinio sees the demographic being reached matches what Mullen calls the company’s “best buyers.”According to Mullen the Baltimore discount ran in three different ways, with 350 Groupon users taking advantage of the deal. The Anchorage deal generated 143 buyers, the Chattanooga deal is still available.”I’m hoping that it sells so well that it takes down the site and we can’t beat off the traffic,” jokes Mullen. “I’m dying to see how it ends.”
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