As India is celebrating the entry of the national women’s cricket team into the ICC Women’s World Cup final, courtesy Harmanpreet Kaur’s brilliant knock 171 not out off 115 balls, the cricketer’s mother has urged the nation to empower their daughters.CLICK TO WATCH FULL INTERVIEWExpressing happiness over her daughter’s achievement, Kaur’s mother said the entire family used to enjoy her game and would just stick to the television set to watch her game.”I just want to say that the way my daughter has made us proud, others should also give their daughter a chance to live their dream and shouldn’t kill them in the womb,” Kaur’s mother told ANI.She gave the credit of Kaur’s achievement to her father, saying that he supported her the most and was the one to take her to grounds for practice when she was a kid.Meanwhile, Kaur’s father wished the Indian team luck to bring the World Cup trophy home and to make the nation proud.”I just wish the Indian women team all the luck. I hope Harmanpreet keeps playing the way she has been and bring the World Cup to India and make the nation proud,” he said.A magnificent unbeaten century from star batswoman Harmanpreet Kaur yesterday helped India beat Australia by 36 runs in the semi-final of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup at the county ground.Chasing a daunting total of 282 in a match that was reduced to 42 overs because of rain, the defending champions were bowled out for 245 in the 40th over.advertisementWinning the toss and electing to bat in derby, which was virtually India’s home ground, Harmanpreet played gem of an innings, scoring 171* to propel India to 281.She smashed the Australian bowlers to all parts of the ground and was absolutely brutal with her power hitting. Her 115-ball knock was studded with 20 fours and seven sixes and was rightly adjudged the player of the match award.Now, India will face host England in what could be expected as a cracker of a final on Sunday at the iconic Lord’s.
Category: gqeuuqgc
Valley of optimism
Picture this: you take up a new role in Kashmir, a state with almost non-existent football culture; guide them to promotion and turn them into genuine contenders of country’s primary league title in their first season.That’s what David Robertson has done with Real Kashmir.The team with a 2-1 win against Mohun Bagan in Kolkata on Sunday rubber-stamped their credentials on I League and look to be on a run that could well end with the trophy in their laps.It would be premature to say the club has jumped hoops and have been the best side in the league. But catch a glimpse of the league table and you will know it’s a pageantry of Robertson’s efficient work with the club.For a state that has long craved for a peaceful life, is well reaping benefits of ‘the beautiful game’.”I think the success of Real Kashmir will put the state on the map. The growth of Kashmir football has been very difficult. Unlike Kolkata, we don’t have a tournament like the Calcutta Premier League. These players are pretty much playing among themselves. The players are getting exposure now and we have fans coming to watch the home matches as well. I think, with more professional players in the state now, it is beginning to change all that,” Robertson told Mail Today.Records speak for Real Kashmir. Seven goals conceded – the least by any club in the league – 15 goals scored, fifth highest in the league and five clean sheets to take them top of that particular stat chart. They are unbeaten in all away matches and are currently second in the table, three points behind league leaders Chennai City FC.advertisementAll this is accumulation of the former Rangers and Aberdeen left-back’s stringent regime and his eye for a steady defence.His major signing, also his son, Mason Lee Roberston has been a key member of the squad not just with his presence at the back but also as a frequent goal-scorer.”I think he has played well. Any foreign signing can be a good addition to the squad and Mason has done well to adapt to the team. He has been important for us during the set pieces and as you can see, he has scored goals for us,” added the father.On his part, Mason, who left Scottish club Peterhead FC for a country he has never set foot in, is enjoying his first season at the club.”I am having an amazing time in Kashmir. I think my father played a big part in me being here in India and I believe I made the right choice. I was introduced to the players and the people at the start and all are very welcoming. I believe my career is on the correct path,” Mason told Mail Today.Midfielder Surchandra Singh feels team unity has been the important factor behind Real Kashmir’s prolific start to life in the top division.The 25-year-old former Mohun Bagan man shifted base from Kolkata to Srinagar with a dream to one day play for the national team.Looking back, the Manipur boy said it was the right decision to make.”I come from the town where the likes of Renedy Singh were born. Whenever these guys came back from their clubs and national duty, they would train us. I have learnt a lot from them and it is the dream of one day playing at the big stage like them, that has kept me going,” he told Mail Today.”We are a unit and we play like a unit. Off the field, we have been on the road for so long, but the team integrity has been solid. I believe we can go on and be the champions.”From here, David Robertson and boys will have to step carefully in their quest to be another fairytale story of country’s primary league champions.Also Read | I-League: Real Kashmir beat Mohun Bagan to keep title hopes aliveAlso Read | AFC Asian Cup: Sunil Chhetri overtakes Messi as India thrash Thailand 4-1 to create historyAlso Read | AFC Asian Cup: Chhetri proud of his boys, says India a difficult team to play against
Why England won the World Cup 2019 even after Super Over tie?
England have finally won the World Cup and what a thrilling finish it was. The match went to a super over after scores were tied at the end of England’s chase of 242. England scored 15 off their six balls but New Zealand did well to match them shot for shot by ending up with 15 runs of their own. However, England were declared winners as they had scored more boundaries (in the match including the super over). While New Zealand scored 17 boundaries in total (both 4s and 6s), England were far more superior in the department, having blazed 26 fours and sixes.Chasing 16 in the Super Over, New Zealand managed 15 but England won because they scored more boundaries in the whole match.A World Cup final has just been tied off 50 overs, tied off the Super Over, and decided by superior boundary count.Let that sink in.#CWC19Final | #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/gCQinnPJAVCricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) July 14, 2019Ben Stokes had starred with an unbeaten 84 but his heroics were not enough as New Zealand held on to a thrilling tie. Lockie Ferguson and James Neesham struck crucial blows at the death while Trent Boult conceded 14 in the final over when England needed 15 to win the title clash without having to go to the Super Over.In the Super Over, England sent in Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler to face Trent Boult and the pair managed 15 runs.Jofra Archer bowled the Super Over for England and did an excellent job.This one has to go down as one of the best finals in the history of Cricket World Cups. Both teams played high attrition cricket on a pitch where run-making was not always easy. England’s pacers Chris Woakes, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett were brilliant upfront before Lockie Ferguson bowled a sensational final spell to produce some thrilling moments in the World Cup finale.advertisementAlso Read | Rohit Sharma finishes with most runs in World Cup 2019Also Read | World Cup 2019 Final: Security stop streaker from pitch invasion at Lord’sAlso See
SOUTH QLD SHARKS AND GLADES GOLF & SPA TEAM UP TO RAISE FUNDS FOR PLAYERS
South Queensland & Border Districts Touch Association will join forces with Glades Golf & Spa to host the Inaugural South Queensland Sharks Golf Day Fund Raiser at 11.30am on Saturday, 4 August 2007.South Queensland Sharks Head Coach Mr. Corey Foster has been instrumental in orchestrating a partnership with the Glades Golf & Spa organisation that will allow Sharks to host two fund raising events in 2007.The two Golfing events will provide financial assistance to Sharks representative players who face significant financial hurdles in their quest to represent the region across all age divisions.“We really just wanted to set up a fund that could be accessed by deserving Sharks players who were struggling through various circumstances to compete at tournaments. If that’s a Junior Development Camp, or the World Cup, if they are a junior or a long serving representative of the region – we just want to provide assistance wherever possible,” Mr. Foster said.Corey Foster, who is also the President of Sharks Social Golf Club, has represented the Sharks region over an incredible unbroken twenty-year period, winning numerous National Touch League titles, and representing Queensland at Origin and Australia at World Cup level in Men’s Open and Mixed Open, and certainly knows the difficulty of raising funds to pay the price to follow a dream.“It’s important to provide as much support as possible to people who are in need, who have the ability and the necessary levels of dedication and passion to achieve goals; but may be held back because the costs are prohibitive. Glades Golf & Spa were very keen to work with us on a partnership that will be mutually beneficial for both parties and we look forward to this becoming a regular event on the calendar for the region,” Mr. Foster said.Glades Golf & Spa is a Greg Norman designed award winning golf course, complemented by a palatial clubhouse, a wildlife sanctuary, and a luxurious day spa.South Queensland Sharks will host two Golfing events this year, one on 4 August 2007 and the other on 1 December 2007.The first event will start at 11.30am on Saturday, August 4th with a BBQ registration for a two man Ambrose event to be played at the Glades Golf & Spa complex at Robina.The cost to participate in the Inaugural event is $ 100.00 and will include use of an electric cart, use of the driving range prior to tee off, and use of a complimentary day locker.The day promises to be a wonderful social occasion with prizes and awards to be presented.The event has a maximum capacity of 60 players, so intending participants are encouraged to register sooner, rather than later to avoid disappointment.For full information, including a nomination form, registration of your team, and method of payment information, please visit the South Queensland Sharks Special events page at: www.sqbdspecialevents.com or contact the South Queensland Sharks office on 07 55355777 if you have further queries.
Korea’s Big Three to Lose State Aid if Restructurings Fail?
zoom South Korea’s three major shipbuilders could be exempt from the government’s plan to inject KRW 750 billion (USD 653.7 million) into the shipbuilding sector in an effort to prevent major layoffs at over 7,800 companies related to the industry, according to Korea Times.The three cash-strapped shipbuilders, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), could be left out of the government’s support program as their labor unions are opposing the companies’ restructuring schemes.The unionized workers of the shipbuilders earlier said that they would launch a strike against the government’s request to submit self-restructuring measures, which may include pay cuts and layoffs.The management and the unions now have to devise detailed self-restructuring plans, and once the plans are submitted, the government would decide whether to include the three ailing shipbuilders in the support program.The country announced the financial support program, saying that it would be provided to the companies from the shipbuilding sector, which suspend operations instead of firing workers, for one year.World Maritime News Staff
SC verdict moral victory for rebel MLAs Yeddyurappa
Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa Wednesday welcomed the Supreme court order on the political crisis, asserting that it was a “moral victory” for the rebel MLAs, whose resignations have pushed the ruling Congress-JDS coalition to the brink of collapse.Yeddyurappa underlined that the political parties cannot issue a whip to the 15 rebel lawmakers, who have resigned their Assembly membership, and they cannot be compelled to attend the House proceedings. Also Read – Squadrons which participated in Balakot air strike awarded citations on IAF DayThe apex court gave its verdict keeping all the facts about Karnataka in mind, he said.Against this backdrop, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will have to resign on Thursday when he will face the confidence vote in the Assembly, Yeddyurappa told reporters here.”When there is no majority, he (chief minister) will automatically resign tomorrow,” he said.The BJP president also emphasised that the speaker has been directed to take a decision at the earliest and submit his order to the Supreme Court. Also Read – SC declines Oil Min request to stay sharing of documents on Reliance penalty”I welcome the Supreme Court decision. It is a victory of the Constitution and democracy. It is a moral victory for rebel MLAs.”It is only an interim order and in the future, the SC will decide the power of the speaker. It will set a new trend in the parliamentary democracy,” Yeddyurappa said. The Supreme Court directed on Wednesday that the 15 rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs “ought not” to be compelled to take part in the proceedings of the Karnataka Assembly, which is slated to decide the confidence motion moved by the H D Kumaraswamy-led state government on July 18.A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi also said Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kuma was free to decide on the resignations of the rebel legislators within such time-frame as deemed appropriate by him.
Stars Support Children Of Syria On Third Anniversary Of Conflict
March 15 marked the third anniversary of the outbreak of conflict in Syria, and a number of stars used the occasion to hit their social media sites and call their fans to help the children who are suffering.Children Of Syria CampaignVideo: Join David Beckham: Champion the #childrenofsyriaDavid Beckham, Serena Williams, Leo Messi, Pau Gasol, Danny Glover, Serge Ibaka, Maria Guleghina, Lang Lang, Mia Farrow, Hayley Westenra, Sir Roger Moore, Yuna Kim, Alyssa Milano, Charlize Theron, Eddie Izzard, Michael Sheen and Christiane Amanpour are just some of the stars who have supported the campaign on their social media platform either through the image ‘fade out’ or sharing the call to action or both.Ewan McGregor even filmed a small video message as per below.Video: Join Ewan McGregor: Champion the #childrenofsyriaIn addition Ronan Farrow has supported the campaign all week on his MSNBC show.To find out how you can be part of the call to action, click here.
Grande Prairie RCMP searching for missing woman
GRANDE PRAIRIE, A.B. – The Grande Prairie RCMP are asking for the public’s help in locating a woman who hasn’t been seen in nearly two months. 45-year-old Leona Lee Hommy was last seen in Grande Prairie on March 11th. Hommy is described as Caucasian, standing 5’5” tall, weighing 140 lbs., with red hair, and green eyes. She was last seen wearing a hat, coat, and pants, though police do not know the colour of her clothing.There is a concern for Hommy’s well-being, and the RCMP would like to locate and speak with her as soon as possible. Anyone with information about Hommy or her whereabouts asked to call the Grande Prairie RCMP at 780-830-5700. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 1.800.222.8477 (TIPS) or by Internet at www.tipsubmit.com. 
Photo by RCMP
Death toll rises to 2275 in Philippines
MANILA – An estimated 3,665 are wounded and hundreds missing in the typhoon which inflicted severe damage on 7,488 villages.The Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council confirmed the death toll from Typhoon Haiyan as 2,275 with the number of wounded persons at 3,665 in additional to hundreds of missing individuals.Official sources recorded that around 59,733 families or 286,433 people have been evacuated to the 993 evacuation centers established across the country.It was also reported that the typhoon made severe damage on 7,488 villages in seven regions of the country.The Philippine government declared a state of emergency for the region affected by the disaster.
King Inaugurates in Marrakech Mohammed VI Administrative Cultural Complex
Marrakech – King Mohammed VI inaugurated, on Friday in Marrakech, the “Mohammed VI” administrative and cultural complex of the ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs. The new complex, which the sovereign named after himself, was constructed pursuant to the royal instructions related to building integrated complexes in all the Moroccan prefectures and provinces in order to spread the religious and cultural heritage and help Ulema (religious leaders) to fulfill their mission of guidance and the promotion of religious and national immutable values.The new complex, the largest in Morocco, is in line with King Mohammed VI’s efforts to enable the endowments to recover their pivotal role they used to play in serving scientific libraries, spreading the Islamic culture and safeguarding the Muslim heritage. The facility, whose architecture and urban design reflect the city’s civilizational wealth, historical greatness and strong spiritual dimension, includes an administrative pavilion housing the head offices of the regional delegation for Islamic affairs, the Ulema local council and the endowments Nedharat (people tasked with sighting the lunar crescent).It also includes a cultural department comprising a reference and cultural activities library (a multidisciplinary library, a computer room, an information room for visually-impaired and hard of hearing people, an audiovisual room, and a children’s area).Additionally, it includes a conference hall comprising an 826-place lecture theater and two seminar rooms sitting 283 people each, as well as an art gallery hosting currently an exhibition of some 80 paintings by Moroccan calligraphers on the theme of Islam teachings and the environment.Built over a surface area of 48,000 square meters for an amount of 238 million dirhams, this administrative and cultural complex is the ideal place to organize religious and cultural events and will help with the community-based management of religious affairs.The facility is part of the multi-dimensional, global and integrated strategy led by the ministry of endowments and Islamic affairs and touching on carrying out similar complexes in the different Moroccan cities.
North American stock markets rally as Trump holds off on raising tariffs
TORONTO — A broad-based rally helped Canada’s main stock index head higher in late-morning trading as U.S. markets also rallied as U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to hold off on raising tariffs on Chinese goods.The S&P/TSX composite index was up 65.52 points at 16,078.53.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 180.28 points at 26,212.09. The S&P 500 index was up 17.98 points at 2,810.65, while the Nasdaq composite was up 70.78 points at 7,598.33.The Canadian dollar traded for 75.89 cents US compared with an average of 75.91 cents US on Friday.The April crude contract was down US$1.46 at US$55.80 per barrel and the April natural gas contract was up 3.4 cents at US$2.773 per mmBTU.The April gold contract was down US$1.10 at US$1,331.70 an ounce and the March copper contract was down 0.10 of a cent at US$2.9505 a pound. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD=X) The Canadian Press
GuineaBissau Annan calls for peaceful resolution of remaining tensions
“The lingering political instability not only hampers further democratic progress, but also drives donors to withhold the assistance the country urgently needs to meet its massive reconstruction and development challenges,” he says in his latest report to the Security Council on developments in the West African country, including the work of the UN Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS).In particular, Mr. Annan calls for all stakeholders to respect the ruling of the Supreme Court, once it is rendered, on the case filed over the constitutionality of the recent governmental changes made by President João Bernardo “Nino” Vieira.President Vieira issued one decree dismissing the Government and another appointing a new Prime Minister on 2 November saying that tensions within the Government had hampered the functioning of State institutions and weakened their capacity to pay salaries or survive in Parliament.In his report, Mr. Annan also reiterates the importance of more assistance from the international community for Guinea-Bissau. “Continued support, especially economic and financial assistance, is particularly important if the ongoing stabilization effort to consolidate peace and prevent violence is to succeed,” he says.The focus of UNOGBIS’s activities since September has been support to national initiatives for security sector reform, according to the report. To that end, an advisory team from the United Kingdom visited the country between 10 and 13 October. In addition, efforts for small arms control and demining are continuing.The report adds that police operations continue to be hampered by inadequate resources, however, with rising concern over the country’s use as a transit point for drug traffic between South America and Europe. In response, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime plans to conduct an assessment mission in the country.
Mortgage giant Freddie Mac posts 475M loss in 3Q no dividend payment
FILE – This July 13, 2008, file photo shows the Freddie Mac corporate office in McLean, Va. Freddie Mac reports quarterly financial results on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) WASHINGTON – Mortgage giant Freddie Mac reported a $475 million net loss for the third quarter due to losses it sustained on the investments it uses to hedge against swings in interest rates.The government-controlled company said Tuesday the July-through-September loss mainly reflected accounting measures, while its business was strong and continued to improve. The loss compared with net income of $2.1 billion in the same period of 2014. It broke a streak of 15 straight profitable quarters.The company, based in McLean, Virginia, won’t pay a dividend to the U.S. Treasury next month. Freddie previously has paid $96.5 billion in dividends, exceeding its government bailout of $71 billion.The government rescued Freddie and larger sibling Fannie Mae at the height of the financial crisis in September 2008, after they suffered huge losses from risky mortgages in the housing market bust.Together the two companies received taxpayer aid totalling about $187 billion. The housing market’s gradual recovery has made Freddie and Fannie profitable again.At the same time, the companies have been whittling down their mortgage holdings and transferring risky loans to the private market, away from taxpayers — a trend that is likely to reduce their revenue.The head of the federal agency that oversees Fannie and Freddie raised the possibility that future quarterly losses could mean they would have to receive further government aid.Volatile interest rates and reduced capital cushions for the two companies, under their agreements with the government, “will likely make both enterprises increasingly susceptible to the possibility of quarterly losses that could result in draws” from the Treasury, Mel Watt, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, said in a statement Tuesday.Watt noted that Freddie’s third-quarter loss wasn’t due to a deteriorating risk profile of mortgages or an increase in losses related to repayment risk, but rather to volatility in interest rates as reflected in accounting. “Freddie Mac continues to fulfil its obligations to support the housing finance market, and provide liquidity and access to mortgage credit,” Watt said.Freddie and Fannie own or guarantee about half of all U.S. mortgages, worth about $5 trillion. Along with other federal agencies, they back roughly 90 per cent of new home loans.The two companies don’t directly make loans to borrowers. They buy mortgages from lenders, package them as bonds, guarantee them against default and sell them to investors. That helps make loans available.Freddie’s third-quarter loss was attributed largely to accounting losses from derivatives, financial transactions that the company uses to hedge against swings in interest rates. Freddie reported derivatives losses of $4.2 billion in the July-September quarter, widened from about $600 million a year earlier.A plan to phase out Fannie and Freddie and instead use mainly private insurers to backstop home loans advanced in the Senate last year and was endorsed by the White House. The plan would create a new government insurance fund. Investors would pay fees in exchange for insurance on mortgage securities they buy, and the government would become a last-resort loan guarantor. No work on the proposal has been done this year in the current Congress.The prospect of possible losses for Fannie and Freddie “is another reminder that comprehensive housing-finance reform is necessary,” Treasury Department spokesman Rob Runyan said in a statement. “Taxpayers remain on the hook for losses incurred” by the companies.__This story has been corrected to show that the amount of Freddie Mac’s third-quarter derivatives losses was $4.2 billion, not $1.5 billion. by Marcy Gordon, The Associated Press Posted Nov 3, 2015 6:45 am MDT Last Updated Nov 3, 2015 at 4:47 pm MDT AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to RedditRedditShare to 電子郵件Email Mortgage giant Freddie Mac posts $475M loss in 3Q; no dividend payment to government
Ban welcomes parliamentary approval of recent agreements between Sudan and South Sudan
“The Secretary-General urges both countries to now embark on the implementation of all the agreements they have signed and proceed immediately with the operationalization of their Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism,” the spokesperson added in a note to the news media today. South Sudan became independent from Sudan in July last year, six years after the signing of the peace agreement that ended decades of warfare between the north and the south. However, the peace between the two countries had come under threat over recent months by armed clashes along their common border and outstanding post-independence issues that have yet to be resolved.The cooperation agreements between the two countries were reached in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on 27 September, at talks held under the auspices of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel. The talks were designed to enable the two nations to fulfil their obligations under a so-called roadmap aimed at easing tensions, facilitating the resumption of negotiations on post-secession relations and normalizing the relations between the two countries.In the days following the agreements, the Security Council and the Secretary-General both welcomed the moves, with Mr. Ban commending Presidents Al-Bashir and Kiir “for demonstrating the statesmanship that made a comprehensive agreement possible, and for having once again chosen peace over war.”In his statement, Mr. Ban’s spokesperson noted that the UN chief calls on both parties to continue their constructive engagement with the Panel, notably to agree on a process to settle the issue of remaining disputed and claimed areas and the determination of the final status of Abyei, a disputed region straddling the border area between Sudan and South Sudan. “The UN stands ready to continue assisting the parties, in collaboration with partners,” the spokesperson added.
UNbrokered IntraSyrian talks officially start in Geneva with opposition meeting
“As far as we are concerned, their arrival at the Palais des Nations and initiating the discussions with us is the official beginning of the Geneva talks,” said UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, who already met the HNC yesterday, but at their hotel, not at the UN’s Geneva headquarters. Mr. de Mistura, who is mediating the indirect talks between Government and opposition factions in close proximity diplomacy, which will see him shuttling between the parties in different rooms, will meet Government representative tomorrow morning and plans a second meeting with the HNC in the afternoon to go more deeply into the issues raised today.These concern the opposition’s desire to see, for the talks’ duration, a reduction in violence, release of detainees and lifting the sieges that have driven several towns to the brink of starvation, with dozens reported dead. “Of course we do respect very much and we heard very clearly their very clear position,” Mr. de Mistura told a news briefing. “We feel they have a very strong point because this is the voice of the Syrian people asking for that. When I meet Syrian people they tell me, please don’t just have a conference, have something also that we can see and touch while you are meeting in Geneva,” he said.He noted that in Vienna, where the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) – comprising the Arab League, the European Union, the United Nations, and 17 countries including the United States and Russia – laid the groundwork for the Geneva talks, there was a message that “in parallel there should be a serious discussion about a ceasefire.”Mr. de Mistura has made clear that he is under no illusions about the difficulties in ending a war that has killed over 250,000 people, sent over 4 million fleeing the country, displaced 6.5 million internally, and put 13.5 million people inside the country in urgent need of humanitarian aid.“There will be a lot of posturing, we know that, a lot of walk-outs and walk-ins because a bomb has fallen or because someone has done an attack, and you will see that happening,” he said last week.Asked today what his immediate short-term objectives are, he replied: “The first immediate objective is to make sure that the talks continue and that everyone is on board. It’s crucial that no one should be feeling excluded and that everyone should be concretely, constructively but also effectively be part of it.” In reply to another question, he said he has not yet received a list of detainees which he has asked for and wants “because I think that a list of the names, particularly of women and children detained, should be the first among the signals that in fact there is something different happening.”
International Bulletin – December 2009 Issue
Automechanika 2010. Diary Dates for 2010. International Environmental Vehicle Conference:23 & 24 November. Open Forum: 25 February 2010. Report on Euromold 2009DOWNLOADClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Get used to ugly apples shoppers are told after cold snap
Consumers will have to get used to ugly apples for the next year as British fruit has been damaged by frost. Alison Capper, chairman of the National Farmers’ Union horticulture board, said that harvests would be affected by a cold April, reducing the size and affecting the appearance of the crop. “The risk of frost from now on is low, but the damage has been done,” she said. “The frost that we had two or three weeks ago has caused the damage that’s starting to emerge now.” Cold weather damages fruit and reduces the quantity that a plant produces. Ms Capper runs a hops and fruit farm on the border of Herefordshire and Worcestershire border.The unseasonably dry weather is also affecting British farmers, with many irrigating their crops much earlier than they normally would. Vineyards also suffered from frost, with this farm in Hampshire using candles to keept the cold awayCredit:Andrew Matthews /PA Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings. 
The UK suffered a cold snap in AprilCredit:Alamy Harvested apples are stored in fridges and sold in supermarkets until the following spring, so the effects will be seen for at least a year from now. Britain was hit by flurries of snow in late April this year. Areas as far south as Norfolk experienced the unseasonable weather as Arctic winds pushed cold air south from Scotland. 
Ms Capper said her own harvest, which includes Gala, Braeburn and Red Windsor apples, could drop by 70 to 80 per cent as a result of the cold weather.It can also produce a “russeting” effect which makes the fruit look less attractive. The weather will also affect British pears, plums and cherries.The apples being sold in supermarkets now are from last year’s harvest, so buyers will not yet be seeing the effects of the cold weather.The apples are harvested from August through to October, so consumers might see fewer English apples being sold in the shops from late summer onwards. 
No further prosecution in Fr Niall Molloy case
MINISTER FOR JUSTICE Alan Shatter has said that today that no further prosecution will be taken arising out of the death of Fr Niall Molloy in 1985.The priest died in violent circumstances in Offaly and media reports, mostly by former Irish Independent journalist Gemma O’Doherty, alleged a possible cover-up by gardaí and some members of the political establishment at the time.In a statement today, Shatter said that following a review by the Garda Series Crime Review Team, the DPP has determined that no further prosecutions should be made. He said the review involved an extensive examination of the original investigation into the man’s death as well as detailed enquiries into issues subsequently raised.“Many claims have been made regarding the death of Fr Molloy, and I am anxious to put as much information into the public domain as is possible and appropriate in order to address these claims,” he said.Independent examinationHowever the minister said it is not open to him to publish the garda report and instead will facilitate an independent examination of the report, the results of which can be put into the public domain. Shatter today informed the Cabinet that he is consulting with the Attorney General with a view to the appointment of a Senior Counsel to conduct the examination of the report.I am conscious that to leave the matter at that would allow baseless assertions to be made that the government has some interest in suppressing information about this case when, in fact, what is at issue is having due regard to the rule of law; the independence of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions; and protecting the rights of all.TransparencyHe said the new examination of the report will aim to identify whether there are matters of significant public concern and whether any form of further inquiry, aside from the criminal investigation, would have a reasonable prospect of establishing the truth of such matters and would be warranted in the public interest.“I am taking this step solely in the interests of transparency and of bringing the advice of an independent person into consideration of this matte,” Shatter added. “I should emphasise that it does not imply in any way that I am dissatisfied with the work undertaken by the Garda Serious Crime Review Team.”Related: Call for judicial inquiry into death of Fr Niall Molloy>Read: Garda Commissioner asked about Fr Molloy murder, Love/Hate drama>
Cases of obesity in developing countries more than triples over 28 years
ALMOST 1.5 BILLION adults are now obese, with the number rising significantly in developing countries, according to a new report from the Overseas Development Institute.‘Future Diets’, published by the UK research organisation, says that due to a “creeping homogenisation in diets” around the world, the number of people obese in the developing world has more than tripled since 1980, rising to 904 million in 2008.This is compared to this figure rising in developed countries 1.7 times over the same period.As income increases, so does the consumption of fruit, vegetables, but also oils, fats, and sugar, the report notes. People move away from a traditional subsistence diet of ‘grains and starchy staples’.However, it dismisses the notion that diets are converging on a worldwide norm, noting that substantial differences persist between countries, cultures, and individuals, and that this leaves room for public policy to create a strong influence on people’s diets.This is not currently the case, the ODI suggests, saying that “politicians are fearful of meddling with diets, and alienating farming and food-industry interests”.The work of the South Korean government is praised, which began promoting and educating the public on the country’s low-fat high-vegetable traditional diet, leading to increased consumption of this diet despite rising incomes.The study also found that while ‘future diets’ drive up the price of meat due to increased consumption, it had little effect on the price of grain.Read: Concerns that Ireland is ‘not far behind the US’ for obesity >Minister: The number of obese three-year-olds in Ireland is frightening >
One day in iOS is the biggest platform for Google Now
With the flip of a switch, Google has made one of their most interesting apps available to millions of users. They didn’t do this by making it available to more of their own OS, but instead by making it available to Apple customers.If you’re a frequent user of Google’s free services, Now is an incredible tool to take advantage of. Even if you’re not a fan of talking at your phone (unless there’s a human being on the other end), Google Now’s contextual awareness is significant. The service spans your entire Google account, pulling traffic information from location searches as easily as it does movie showtimes. The more ways you use Google, the more you get out of Now.When the service was released alongside the latest version of Android, a significant chunk of the Google ecosystem was left to wonder what it would be like to experience Now. Their latest update reaches out to a whole new audience, and in doing so increased their total possible user base exponentially.Google Now for iOS has been a long time coming, complete with a brief public finger pointing from Eric Schmidt himself to help bring it to market. Now that it’s finally available on iOS, the addition to Google Search is available to every iPhone from the 3GS to the iPhone 5, every iPod Touch, and every iPad. Nearly every iOS device since 2009 has the ability to access Google Now. Compared to Android where only 25% of the total ecosystem, almost every phone or tablet released in the last year has access to Now. The other 75% of Android users will only see Google Now when their phones update to the latest version of Android or they move on to a new phone to tablet.This isn’t a new problem for Android users. In fact, it’s been the same story from Google for a little while now. The core of Android’s ecosystem will tell you that if you want the latest and greatest from Google you should get a Nexus device. Unfortunately, the Nexus 4 pales in comparison to Android titans like the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4, so that’s not really an answer. It turns out, if you really want the latest and greatest from Google and you don’t want to shell out for a new phone every year you should just get an iPhone. Any iPhone but the very first one will do.