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[
"Source"
] | 2016-08-26T13:19:11 | null | 2016-08-25T08:08:06 |
Joe Hart is a Manchester City club legend, says manager Pep Guardiola at a news conference on Tuesday at the Etihad Stadium
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ffootball%2Fvideo%2F2016%2Faug%2F25%2Fpep-guardiola-joe-hart-manchester-city-legend-video.json
|
en
| null |
Pep Guardiola: Joe Hart is a Manchester City legend - video
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
Joe Hart is a Manchester City club legend, says manager Pep Guardiola on Tuesday night at the Etihad Stadium. Speaking at a news conference, Guardiola says Hart has played a big role in bringing recent success to the club and will always held in high regard by fans. The City manager goes on to say he been honest with Hart about his role within the team
|
https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2016/aug/25/pep-guardiola-joe-hart-manchester-city-legend-video
|
en
| 2016-08-25T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/9f7131bb75464e7258ec992819e4f0baa8fd2d59ce2b3cc62cd928795a4b52b7.json
|
|
[
"Associated Press In Yellowstone National Park"
] | 2016-08-28T16:57:22 | null | 2016-08-28T16:31:20 |
Yellowstone and other major parks grappling with illegal camping, vandalism, theft of resources, wildlife harassment and other misbehavior from visitors
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fenvironment%2F2016%2Faug%2F28%2Fnational-parks-tourism-bad-behavior.json
|
en
| null |
Record tourism in national parks comes with increasing threats - antsy humans
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
On the edge of a meadow in Yellowstone National Park, tourist John Gleason crept through the grass, four small children close behind, inching toward a bull elk with antlers like small trees.
“They’re going to give me a heart attack,” said Gleason’s mother-in-law, Barbara Henry, as the group came within about a dozen yards of the massive animal.
Increase in Yellowstone visitors raises park's concerns over wildlife and safety Read more
The elk’s ears pricked up, and it eyed the children and Washington state man before leaping up a hillside. Other tourists – likewise ignoring rules to keep 25 yards from wildlife – picked up the pursuit, snapping pictures and forcing the animal into headlong retreat.
Record visitor numbers at the nation’s first national park have transformed its annual summer rush into a sometimes dangerous frenzy, with selfie-taking tourists routinely breaking park rules and getting too close to Yellowstone’s storied elk herds, grizzly bears, wolves and bison.
Law enforcement records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request suggest such problems are on the rise, offering a stark illustration of the pressures facing some of America’s most treasured lands as the National Park Service marks its 100th anniversary.
From Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains to the Grand Canyon of Arizona, major parks are grappling with illegal camping, vandalism, theft of resources, wildlife harassment and other misbehavior, according to the records. In July alone, law enforcement rangers handled more than 11,000 incidents at the 10 most-visited national parks.
In Yellowstone, rangers are recording more wildlife violations, more people treading on sensitive thermal areas and more camping in off-limit areas. The rule-breaking puts visitors in harm’s way and can damage resources and displace wildlife, officials said.
Often the incidents go unaddressed, such as when Gleason and the children approached the bull elk with no park personnel around. Gleason said he was “maybe” too close but felt comfortable in the situation as an experienced hunter who has spent lots of time outdoors.
'I was born to do this': national park rangers on their triumphs and tragedies Read more
These transgressions add to rangers’ growing workload that includes traffic violations, searches for missing hikers and pets running off-leash in parks intended to be refuges of untrammeled nature.
“It’s more like going to a carnival,” said Susan Clark, a Yale University professor of wildlife ecology who has been conducting research in the Yellowstone area for 48 years. “If you look at the cumulative impacts, the trends are not good.
“The basic question is, ‘What is the appropriate relationship with humans and nature?’ We as a society have not been clear about what that ought to be, and so it’s really, really messy and nasty.”
Recent events at Yellowstone that grabbed national headlines include a Canadian tourist putting a bison calf in his SUV, hoping to save it, causing wildlife workers to euthanise the animal when they could not reunite it with its herd; three visitors from Asia being cited on separate occasions for illegally collecting water from the park’s thermal features; and the death of a Washington state man who left a designated boardwalk and fell into a near-boiling hot spring.
The flouting of park rules stems from disbelief among visitors that they will get hurt, said Yellowstone superintendent Dan Wenk. “I can’t tell you how many times I have to talk to people and say, ‘Step back. There’s a dangerous animal,’ and they look at me like I have three heads,” he said.
Inconsistent record-keeping, including a recent switch to a new criminal offenses reporting system, makes it difficult to identify trends that apply uniformly across the major parks. But the records reviewed by the AP reveal the scope of visitor misbehavior.
In Yellowstone, administrators and outside observers including Clark say the park’s problems have become more acute. That threatens its mission to manage its lands and wildlife “unimpaired” for future generations. Beyond incidents that lead to citations are many more that result in warnings. More than 52,000 warnings were issued in 2015, up almost 20% from the year before.
Washington state resident Lisa Morrow’s son was among the children Gleason led toward the elk. Despite safety advisories – and numerous examples of visitors being gored by bison, mauled by bears or chased by elk – Morrow declared herself unafraid of the park’s wildlife. She said she was eager to see a grizzly up close.
America’s most remote site – the undiscovered side of Yellowstone Read more
“I want to see one right there,” Morrow said, pointing to a spot just feet away. “I’d throw it a cookie.”
The top 10 parks by visitation collectively hosted almost 44 million people last year, according to National Park Service figures. That’s a 26% increase from a decade earlier, or more than 9.1 million new visitors combined at Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite and the other national parks on the list.
Yellowstone has the most large, dangerous carnivores among those parks, but each has its risks. In Rocky Mountain National Park, elk become more aggressive during mating season.Yosemite has towering waterfalls where visitors insist on swimming near the edge. In the Grand Canyon, squirrels habituated to humans are sometimes quick to bite an outstretched hand.
Wenk said the rise in popularity of social media has complicated the task of keeping visitors safe.
“You take a picture of yourself standing 10ft in front of a bison, and all of a sudden a few hundred people see it, and it’s reposted – at the same time we’re telling everybody wildlife is dangerous,” Wenk said.
“They get incongruous messages and then it happens. They get too close, and the bison charges.”
|
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/aug/28/national-parks-tourism-bad-behavior
|
en
| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/44016ab18933644f7b174d667ee313a286b014e74e90f0611745f4d2f86fcdaa.json
|
|
[
"Vic Marks"
] | 2016-08-26T18:51:37 | null | 2016-08-26T17:00:39 |
The England wicketkeeper declined to be drawn on the squad’s eagerness to travel to Bangladesh this autumn as security issues clouded the buildup to the second ODI against Pakistan
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsport%2F2016%2Faug%2F26%2Fengland-pakistan-second-odi-preview-lords-bangladesh.json
|
en
| null |
England’s Jos Buttler hints at Bangladesh doubts before Pakistan ODI
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
The greatest challenge for the England team on a balmy practice day at Lord’s was to concentrate on Saturday’s one-day international against Pakistan rather than the anxieties raised by the England and Wales Cricket Board’s decision to go ahead with the tour to Bangladesh this autumn.
Most of the relevant England players attended a meeting on Thursday night, where Reg Dickason, the ECB’s security expert, outlined the findings of his trip to Bangladesh. The advice was that it was safe to tour. Jos Buttler, a discreet man, was never going to share much of the contents of that meeting. In contrast to his preferred mode of operating at the crease, Buttler politely dead-batted questions about the discussion.
Mark Wood ‘consistently quicker’ as he strives to make up for lost time Read more
“It was a positive meeting last night with lots of information to digest,” said Buttler. “It’s tricky for us at the moment. We’ve got a game tomorrow.”
In fact what Buttler declined to say was more revealing. He could not confirm that the squad were four-square behind the decision to tour. Nor would he give an indication of his own view. “I’ve said plenty, thanks,” he added, before speaking with greater enthusiasm about his recovery from a broken thumb and the exceptional pace generated by Mark Wood in the first ODI against Pakistan. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that there are significant reservations among the players about the tour to Bangladesh.
Andrew Strauss, England’s cricket director, was more precise. “I’m 100% convinced that it is safe to tour,” he said. “I have the utmost confidence in Reg Dickason. I respect the fact that you can’t force anyone to tour but it is my job to assure the players that it is safe and that there is no reason to pull out.”
“It is not easy for the players. I appreciate what they are going through [he experienced something similar in 2008 when England returned to India for two Tests after terrorist attacks in Mumbai].” The purpose of the meeting was not to ask whether the players were available but to share information, but Strauss said he was hopeful that he would be able to convince them to tour and that all would be willing to travel.
He could not provide the same assurances to any England supporters who are contemplating following the team in Bangladesh. That was beyond the ECB’s remit: “They must do their own assessments and refer to Foreign Office advice.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Yasir Shah is likely to return for Pakistan after being left out at Southampton. Photograph: Marwan Naamani/AFP/Getty Images
The problems posed for England’s cricketers by Pakistan in the Lord’s ODI seem minor by comparison and this even seems to be the view of the Pakistan coach, Mickey Arthur, who is more candid than many of his peers. The loss at Southampton was the first witnessed by Arthur as coach and he said: “Everything I’ve heard about this side was on view.”
Pakistan languish at No9 in the ODI table and the impression is that they play the game in an old-fashioned, risk-averse way, familiar to England supporters until about 18 months ago. “We have had a good chat,” said Arthur, “and I’ve told the players that there is nothing to lose. I want them to play with freedom. We do not want to be left behind.”
By the same token Arthur also issued a warning. “Nobody’s place is safe in this side. Especially the over-30s have to carry out their jobs more often than not. Everyone knows that they are on notice.”
England cricketers will not be pushed to tour Bangladesh says Andrew Strauss Read more
Arthur felt that his team needed “to attack a bit more” and he indicated that the strange decision at Southampton to omit the wrist-spinner Yasir Shah, so influential throughout the Test series, was likely to be reversed. “Without a doubt we have got to find a way to get Yasir in,” he said. This is not a straightforward operation since Pakistan do not possess as many all-round cricketers as England. To add to their concerns there is a doubt about Mohammad Amir’s fitness.
So England remain favourites. Buttler, in particular, is hungry for action after his enforced absence. He was not needed with the bat at Southampton and he acknowledges that runs might enhance his chances of being considered as a possible Test batsman in the future. But like the impending decision over Bangladesh he is sensibly pushing such thoughts to the back of his mind.
“I don’t want to be stood in the middle thinking: ‘Get some runs here and get picked for the winter tours.’ It’s about playing the game as it is and trying to win a game of cricket. I feel the less I think about that stuff, the better.”
Yet beyond the boundary some hard thinking remains for the England players before the squads for Bangladesh and beyond are announced soon after the summer’s internationals are completed.
|
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/26/england-pakistan-second-odi-preview-lords-bangladesh
|
en
| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/ba58259c25715fe4db791044a7241fe98604d31304fde22ab0cfdc41b4180f53.json
|
|
[
"Sarah Butler"
] | 2016-08-30T04:55:15 | null | 2016-07-10T23:01:35 |
Uncertainty caused by Brexit vote means ‘national living wage’ will rise more slowly, according to the Resolution Foundation
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fbusiness%2F2016%2Fjul%2F11%2Flowest-paid-workers-to-receive-smaller-pay-rises-says-thinktank.json
|
en
| null |
Lowest-paid workers to receive smaller pay rises, says thinktank
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
Millions of workers on the national living wage are set for smaller than expected pay rises by the end of the decade after the EU referendum, according to a thinktank.
The “national living wage” introduced by the chancellor, George Osborne, is set to rise more slowly because it is linked to average worker earnings, which are now expected to come under pressure following the referendum.
The real-terms value of the wage by 2020 could be up to 40p an hour lower than the £8.31 predicted before the EU vote, according to the report by the Resolution Foundation.
The minimum pay rate of £7.20 an hour for over-25s was introduced by Osborne in April after he said: “Britain deserves a pay rise.” The rate is designed to gradually increase over the next four years and initial estimates had suggested it could reach £9 an hour by 2020.
But the thinktank found there is increasing uncertainty about the outlook for earnings. This will have a major knock-on effect on the national living wage, it says. The national living wage aims to reach 60% of a typical (over-25) worker’s hourly wage by 2020. The Resolution Foundation expects 4.5 million employees to benefit from the national living wage in 2016, rising to 6 million – or 23% of all employees – in 2020.
However, wage growth has stalled recently, with analysts citing a number of reasons. These include a lack of job-to-job moves and employer reluctance to increase pay while inflation is so low and the economic outlook is unclear.
Conor D’Arcy, a policy analyst at the Resolution Foundation, said: “Brexit is likely to reshape the landscape in which many low-paying sectors operate.”
According to an Ipsos Mori poll carried out for the thinktank, one in seven firms have already cut jobs, reduced staff hours or slowed recruitment after the national living wage’s introduction in April.
About 35% of the 500 businesses polled said their wage bill had increased as a result of the wage.
Of those businesses affected, 36% responded by increasing prices and 29% by taking lower profits. The Resolution Foundation said such short-term responses would have to be replaced by changes in behaviour over the medium-to-long term.
The national living wage and what it means Read more
One in seven firms have already invested more in training and 12% have spent more on technology to improve productivity. The Resolution Foundation said such approaches are important in making the national living wage a success and tackling the UK’s wider productivity problems.
But the survey also found 14% of firms had used fewer workers, offered fewer hours to staff or slowed recruitment. In addition, 8% had reduced other aspects of their staff reward package, such as paid breaks, overtime or bank holiday pay.
The survey results counter evidence that high-profile companies, including Tesco, Marks & Spencer and B&Q, clawed back staff benefits after the introduction of the national living wage.
D’Arcy said: “Encouragingly, evidence of workers seeing their hours cut or even losing their jobs has so far been relatively limited. The challenge now is for firms to continue to respond positively to the national living wage, particularly by raising productivity.”
|
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jul/11/lowest-paid-workers-to-receive-smaller-pay-rises-says-thinktank
|
en
| 2016-07-10T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/84a930123ee11c8f1085cb2f0479c5db6e116924f4b55788c9c558ea1b8c00a6.json
|
|
[
"Sarah Marsh",
"Guardian Readers",
"Matthew Holmes",
"Caelainn Barr",
"Amelia Gentleman",
"Eleni Stefanou",
"Joanna Ruck",
"Paul Campbell",
"John Harris",
"Nicola Davis"
] | 2016-08-26T13:22:14 | null | 2016-08-05T15:28:57 |
Look back on our discussion about the week’s best stories and comments, with views from our journalists
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fcommentisfree%2Flive%2F2016%2Faug%2F05%2Fmilennial-sex-and-trump-meltdown-join-our-readers-space-for-a-live-look-at-the-week.json
|
en
| null |
Millennial sex and Trump meltdown? Catch up on our live look at the week
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
09:04
The week before the Olympics is always a drag. It dawdles along with all the urgency of a slug in summer, only stopping to spit out bad news. So far week we’ve had word from Rio that the judges and referees might be corrupt, the water is dangerous, the infrastructure is collapsing, and that Great Britain might not even exist by the time the next Olympics come along.
But we’ve been here before. In the week before London 2012 we worried about athletes not going to the opening ceremony, transport confusion and the exorbitant cost of the whole thing.
'It completely changed my life': your memories from London 2012 Read more
The day before the opening ceremony in 2012, Mitt Romney reported “disconcerting signs” in London and suggested that the city was not ready for such a big undertaking. By the time the summer was out, everyone was asking a different question: had we just enjoyed the greatest Games in history?
The Olympic flag is carried by Daniel Barenboim, Sally Becker, Shami Chakrabati, Leymah Gbowee, Haile Gebrselassie, Doreen Lawrence, Ban Ki-moon and Marina Silva during the opening ceremony of London 2012. Photograph: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
The turnaround might not be so spectacular this time around – and it is clear that the Brazilian government and the Olympic movement have serious, long-term problems that need to be addressed – but it’s worth remembering that, once the sport begins, little can touch the Olympics for magic. This is no ordinary sporting competition. The Games as we know them began in 776BC, when a Greek baker by the name of Koroibos stripped off his clothes and ran across a stadium in Olympia quicker than any of his fellow athletes.
The stories have kept coming in the last 2,792 years. At the first modern Games, in 1986, Edwin Flack won the 800m and 1,500m events despite suffering a hefty bout of travel sickness during his six-day journey from London to Athens. The trainee accountant was so buoyed by his success that he entered the marathon event – even though he had never run more than 10 miles before in his life. He finished second, not bad for a man who had snuck off to Athens without telling colleagues as he worried he might be fired.
Four years later, at the 1900 Olympics in Paris, a young art student by the name of Margaret Abbott decided to enter the golf competition as she was in the city. She beat all comers – including her mother, who also entered – to win a porcelain bowl (gold medals weren’t used at the Olympics until 1904 – and they haven’t been made out of solid gold since 1912). Abbott had no idea that the golf competition was part of the Games and she died in 1955 without knowing she was America’s first female Olympic champion.
There are already some good news coming out of Rio, such as the journey Ellis Hill took to see his son compete in the shot put at the Games. Hill drives for Uber in Pennsylvania, where he happened to tell a customer that his son was competing at the Games but he couldn’t afford to travel down to Brazil to support him. The passenger set up a crowdfunding page as she thought it was only right that a father could see his son become an Olympian. The money was raised in one wee and Ellis will be in Rio to cheer on his boy. Hopefully the rest of us will enjoy the show when the the Games begin.
|
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/live/2016/aug/05/milennial-sex-and-trump-meltdown-join-our-readers-space-for-a-live-look-at-the-week
|
en
| 2016-08-05T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/9258cb1414e43c195defa0d8f45f9ad77198459cf5273491e1902c06fb8b18e5.json
|
|
[
"Ben Doherty"
] | 2016-08-29T14:52:10 | null | 2016-08-29T12:57:35 |
Australia brought before permanent court of arbitration in the Hague after refusal to negotiate with northern neighbour over long-running dispute
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2016%2Faug%2F29%2Ftimor-leste-urges-australia-not-to-turn-its-back-on-law-over-maritime-boundary.json
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en
| null |
Timor Leste urges Australia 'not to turn its back on law' over maritime boundary
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
Timor-Leste has urged Australia not to “turn its back on the law” and to negotiate over the Timor Sea maritime boundary, but Australia has claimed the commission it has been brought before has no jurisdiction to hear the matter and said that any decision it makes will be not be binding on Australia.
Australia has been forced to appear before a commission of the permanent court of arbitration in the Hague – the first time any country has been brought before the court for “compulsory conciliation” – by Timor Leste after its consistent refusal to negotiate a permanent maritime boundary, and revelations Australian agents spied on Timor-Leste’s government during earlier treaty talks.
The long-running dispute centres upon the maritime boundary between Timor-Leste and Australia, most pointedly over control of the area where an estimated $40bn worth of oil and gas lies beneath the sea.
On Timor, Australia looks like it's denying an impoverished neighbour its birthright | Ben Saul Read more
Timor-Leste argues the maritime boundary between it and Australia should be a median line equidistant between the two countries, putting the vast majority of the exploitable area in its territory. This position is supported by international law, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which Australia signed and ratified in 1994.
But Australia says a 2006 temporary revenue sharing agreement (known as CMATS) that divides the revenues –significantly in Timor-Leste’s favour, it argues – is valid, and should be honoured.
Timor-Leste argues that treaty should be scrapped because, six years after it was signed, it was revealed Australia had bugged the Timor-Leste government’s cabinet room, with listening devices implanted by Australian Security Intelligence Service (Asis) agents pretending to be aid workers renovating the office.
Xanana Gusmão, the freedom fighter who became Timor-Leste’s first elected president and then its prime minister, led his country’s delegation at the Hague overnight Australian time.
He said he had, in his various roles “tried to persuade consecutive Australian governments to sit down as friends and negotiate”.
“But Australia turns its back on the law,” he told the court.
Gusmão said Timor-Leste’s early years of independence were marked by vulnerability and poverty, and that this was exploited in negotiations. “Our land was scorched, our people were killed ... we had no money, forcing us to beg”.
“We were not aware at the time, that under the cover of an Australian aid program, Australia installed listening devices in the East Timorese cabinet offices. When this came to light, we were shocked and appalled.”
Gusmao said Timor-Leste remained willing to negotiate and that he only wanted an arbitration in line with international law, which, he said, was clear.
“We have not come to the Hague to ask for favours or for special treatment. We have come to seek our rights under international law.”
Australia illegally occupying maritime territory of Timor-Leste, protesters say Read more
“The maritime law between two countries should stand at halfway between them.”
Gusmao said Timor-Leste was a young country, and a developing nation, but that it understood, and would insist upon, recognition of its rights.
“We will not rest until we have our sovereign rights over land and sea.”
Australia’s solicitor general, Justin Gleeson, told the commission that the current treaty – CMATS – provide a stable platform for the development and exploitation of the area to the benefit of both nations.
“The treaties are reasonable and they are right and they should be respected,” he said.
“Australia would reject any assertion that the treaties were one-sided or conducted ... under duress.”
Prior to the conciliation beginning, the foreign minister, Julie Bishop, and the attorney general, George Brandis, issued a joint statement saying they did not believe the commission could adjudicate on the matter because the 2006 treaty was in effect.
“In line with our pre-existing, legally binding treaties, which are in full accordance with international law, we will argue that the commission does not have jurisdiction to conduct hearings on maritime boundaries,” they said.
Brandis and Bishop said Australia would abide by the commission’s finding as to whether it has jurisdiction to hear matters on maritime boundaries, but “if the commission ultimately finds that it does have jurisdiction to hear matters on maritime boundaries, then its final report on that matter is not binding”.
“Our statement reaffirms our principled commitment to upholding existing treaty obligations with Timor-Leste. These have benefited both our countries, and enabled Timor-Leste to accumulate a Petroleum Fund worth more than $16bn, more than eight times its annual GDP.”
Timor-Leste presses ahead with challenge to Timor Sea oil and gas treaty Read more
The dispute over the Timor Sea – more specifically the wealth that lies under it – has pre-empted and then shadowed all of the short and chequered history between the independent Timor-Leste and Australia.
In 1975, Portugal, as part of a broader global movement towards decolonisation, granted independence to Timor-Leste. Nine days later, the newly-free nation was invaded by Indonesia’s military in breach of international law, and to widespread international condemnation.
In 1979, Australia became the only Western nation to offer de jure recognition of Indonesia’s forced annexation, so that the two countries could begin negotiations over the Timor Sea’s resources.
The Timor Gap treaty was signed – then foreign ministers Gareth Evans and Ali Alatas famously clinking champagne glasses in a plane above the Timor Sea – between Australia and Indonesia in 1989. That treaty did not establish a maritime boundary, but provided for shared exploitation of petroleum resources in the part of the Timor Sea seabed claimed jointly by both countries.
Australia was Timor-Leste’s saviour in 1999, leading the Interfet force which restored order in the country following the vote for independence and retribution by pro-Indonesia militias.
However in 2002, just two months before Timor-Leste became independent, Australia secretly withdrew from the maritime boundary dispute resolution procedures of UNCLOS, and the equivalent jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, so that it could not be compelled into legally-binding international arbitration. (Parliament was only told after the withdrawal had occurred).
Timor-Leste’s first treaty – the Timor Sea Treaty – signed in 2002, gave a 90-10 split, in Timor-Leste’s favour, of revenues from a joint development zone in the Timor Sea.
A second treaty, Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea, known as CMATS, was signed in 2006, in which both sides agreed to impose a 50-year moratorium on negotiating a permanent maritime border. CMATS gives Timor-Leste 90% of the current oil revenues from the joint petroleum development area, and Australia 10%, but a further treaty (Sunrise IUA) gives Timor-Leste only limited claim over future exploitation of the larger Greater Sunrise field.
It was during the negotiations over CMATS that Australia bugged Timor-Leste’s cabinet room. Australia has not admitted to the espionage, though it did raid the Canberra offices of Timor-Leste’s lawyer Bernard Collaery, and seized the passport of the intelligence agent who blew the whistle on the spying operation.
Timor-Leste say the spying voids the treaty, which, it argues, was not negotiated in good faith.
|
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/29/timor-leste-urges-australia-not-to-turn-its-back-on-law-over-maritime-boundary
|
en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/22930242adbd1db2db97dd18aca01c1a40ebb7d70c984a2479911d3e0a99512b.json
|
|
[
"Haroon Siddique"
] | 2016-08-30T12:50:14 | null | 2016-08-30T11:57:43 |
NHS trust’s leadership was criticised after death of Connor Sparrowhawk, and Katrina Percy says her role has become untenable
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsociety%2F2016%2Faug%2F30%2Fsouthern-health-chief-quits-connor-sparrowhawk-death.json
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en
| null |
Under-fire Southern Health chief quits over 'media attention'
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
The boss of an NHS trust that was heavily criticised for failing to investigate unexpected deaths of patients with mental health problems or learning disabilities has quit, citing “media attention”.
Katrina Percy, the chief executive of Southern Health NHS foundation trust, who has been under pressure to stand down for months, announced her resignation on Tuesday.
The trust’s leadership was censured in an independent report commissioned by NHS England after 18-year-old Connor Sparrowhawk, who had learning disabilities, drowned in a bath after an epileptic seizure at Slade House in Oxfordshire in July 2013.
In December the inquiry team concluded that the trust had failed to properly investigate the deaths of more than 1,000 patients with learning disabilities or mental health problems over a four-year period, and criticised a “failure of leadership”.
In April the trust’s chairman, Mike Petter, stood down just before the publication of another critical report, this time by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which said the trust was still not doing enough to protect people in its care.
But Percy resisted calls to quit, including from Connor’s mother, Dr Sara Ryan, and the shadow health minister, Luciana Berger, until Tuesday.
Announcing her decision, Percy said: “I have reflected on the effect the ongoing personal media attention has had on staff and patients and have come to the conclusion that this has made my role untenable.
“I know and understand that many will say I should have stepped down sooner given the very public concerns which have been raised in the past months. I stayed on as I firmly believed it was my responsibility to oversee the necessary improvements and to continue the groundbreaking work we have begun with GPs to transform care for our patients.”
Percy said she would be taking up an alternative role providing strategic advice to local GP leaders. Julie Dawes, who joined the trust in May as director of nursing and quality, will take over as chief executive on an interim basis.
‘We never thought he wouldn’t come home’: why did our son, Connor Sparrowhawk, die? Read more
The report commissioned by NHS England, carried out by the audit firm Mazars, concluded that failures by the trust’s board and senior executives meant there was no “effective” management of deaths or investigations and a lack of “effective focus or leadership from the board”.
The CQC, which subsequently carried out a snap inspection, said: “The key risks and actions to address them were not driving the senior leadership or board agenda.” It said the leadership did not proactively address risks “before concerns are raised by external bodies”.
In June the trust accepted responsibility for Connor’s death and agreed to pay his family £80,000 in compensation. Last October an inquest jury concluded that neglect contributed to the death of the teenager, who was known affectionately as Laughing Boy or LB.
Southern Health’s interim chairman, Tim Smart, said Percy had reached the conclusion that “due to the significant focus on her as an individual, it is in the best interests of the trust, patients and staff for her to step down”.
|
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/aug/30/southern-health-chief-quits-connor-sparrowhawk-death
|
en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/71dd99367d8191a26aad64ca17259252746afb4ae3948f2baf6e306a4dfef260.json
|
|
[
"Paul Karp"
] | 2016-08-28T06:51:41 | null | 2016-08-28T05:26:43 |
Labor powerbroker says blocking plebiscite won’t necessarily delay equality for three years as government won’t last that long
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Faustralia-news%2F2016%2Faug%2F28%2Fsam-dastyari-says-tony-abbott-having-another-tilt-at-the-leadership.json
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en
| null |
Sam Dastyari says Tony Abbott 'having another tilt at the leadership'
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
The Turnbull government will be lucky to last 18 months because Tony Abbott is campaigning to get the top job back, the Labor powerbroker Sam Dastyari has said.
Dastyari, the manager of opposition business in the Senate, made the comments on Sky News on Sunday while discussing Labor’s opposition to the same-sex marriage plebiscite and its tactics in the Senate in the 45th parliament.
Asked if blocking the plebiscite would delay marriage equality for three years, Dastyari replied: “I don’t accept the proposition or premise that this is a three-year government.
Turnbull contradicts Abbott's claim Coalition isn't in control of budget repair Read more
“This is not a government that is going to last three years.
“I would be surprised if this lasts over 18 months the way things headed at the moment.”
Dastyari said that Abbott was “running his own campaign”.
“You don’t go around the country giving speeches about the economy and this and that as a backbencher from Warringah.”
It comes after a speech by Abbott to the Master Builders Association in Victoria on Friday, in which he warned the Coalition not to move closer to Labor.
In an interview on ABC’s Insiders, Turnbull rejected Abbott’s views that the Coalition is in office but not in power on the issue of budget repair and risks abandoning its principles if it tries to govern from the sensible centre.
Asked if it was possible Abbott would be reinstalled as prime minister, Dastyari replied “of course” and “without a doubt”.
He said Labor’s experience in dumping Kevin Rudd for Julia Gillard only to return to Rudd as evidence the party knew how the revolving door of leadership worked.
“This isn’t our first rodeo, we’ve been through this before ... It’s happened in the past,” he said. “We sat here and we’ve had the exact same conversations about Kevin Rudd and we were saying it can’t happen, it can’t happen, and it happened.”
Dastyari said Abbott clearly thinks it’s possible he will return, because he was taking “premeditated” actions like giving speeches, “reminding everyone he’s around and talking about his legacy”.
“This is a guy who is having another tilt at the leadership,” Dastyari said. “Blind Freddie can see it ... There’s a script in how this is done, he’s following the script; he’s very good at it.”
It follows a report that Abbott will spend a week in a remote West Australian Indigenous community.
Abbott, who spends a week every year in Indigenous communities, will go to the East Kimberley and give support to the trial of cashless debit cards for welfare recipients designed to crack down on spending on drugs, alcohol and gambling.
On Sky News Dastyari criticised the government’s proposed marriage equality plebiscite, labelling it a “fix to an internal Liberal party problem”.
He said Malcolm Turnbull was “held hostage by the rightwing” of his party in the same way David Cameron was forced to commit to a referendum for Britain to leave the European Union.
Dastyari said he believed the plebiscite would record a vote for same-sex marriage to be legalised.
The manager of opposition business said the new Senate was tougher for the government because Labor and the Greens only needed the Xenophon team, or One Nation, or three of the other crossbench senators to block legislation.
But he said it would be difficult for Labor to deal with One Nation.
Labor would accept One Nation votes when the party supported Labor’s position, such as on the proposed bank royal commission.
But Dastyari promised not to “compromise our values and our position” by horse-trading to win One Nation’s votes.
'It's a thumping': Labor wins Northern Territory election Read more
He said a Greens proposal for a parliamentary inquiry into banks if the government refused a royal commission was “not the best option”. He said Labor would still push a motion calling for a royal commission.
“I suspect it will sail through the Senate ... The question would be whether some of these Liberals, conservatives that have spoken out on this issue, are prepared to cross floor in the House of Representatives.
“Senator [John] Williams is of the view that [they are] probably not, I don’t know the answer to that, I don’t have an opinion on it.”
Dastyari suggested it would be extremely difficult for the prime minister to ignore a motion calling for a royal commission if it passed both houses of parliament.
|
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/aug/28/sam-dastyari-says-tony-abbott-having-another-tilt-at-the-leadership
|
en
| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/8de559c702ac564536f6c14563edcbdcc889189c5bec85fa55686a57f94d460d.json
|
|
[
"Vic Marks"
] | 2016-08-30T20:52:51 | null | 2016-08-30T20:30:39 |
Alex Hales smashed 171 as England made a world record 444 for three in victory over Pakistan
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsport%2F2016%2Faug%2F30%2Fengland-pakistan-odi-world-record-match-report.json
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en
| null |
Hales and England rewrite record books in thumping win over Pakistan
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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In the Trent Bridge torture chamber the Pakistan bowlers were frazzled. Their chief tormentor was Alex Hales, who hit England’s highest ever score in ODI cricket, a majestic 171 surpassing Robin Smith’s unbeaten 167 at Edgbaston in 1993 against Australia, which was not enough to win the game.
Hales, however, ended up on the happier side here as England won by 169 runs.
Records galore were broken: England’s 444 for three was the highest ever total in ODI cricket, beating Sri Lanka’s 443 for nine against the Netherlands in 2006. Jos Buttler hit the quickest half-century by an Englishman in 22 balls, having managed just one run in his first seven deliveries. Never have so many boundaries been hit in an ODI innings – there were 43 fours and 16 sixes. And there have never been so many misfields in the first three overs of an international match.
There was a hint that this was not going to be Pakistan’s day – or night – right from the start. Mohammad Nawaz failed to locate the ball on the square leg boundary as England opened their account; Babar Azam let a pushed drive from Hales through his legs at extra cover and the captain, Azhar Ali, dived over the ball at mid-off within the first three overs.
Wahab Riaz just avoided the indignity of the most expensive spell ever: his nought for 110 is now second on the list after Australia’s Mick Lewis (113) but he did endure the humiliation of taking two wickets from no-balls, a delayed source of exasperation in this series since the no-ball is decreed by the third umpire up in the pavilion. Wahab had Hales caught on the boundary on 72 and Buttler clean bowled on 78 all to no avail.
For Hales, revelling on his home patch, there was a mixture of joy and relief that he should return to form in such spectacular fashion. After the frustrations of his Test series against Pakistan and two failures in this series, he was smiling again. “It can be a cruel game”, he said “and it can be the best game in the world. It’s been an emotional summer so you have got to enjoy moments like this.” He did not know the precise numbers of Smith’s knock but recognized something was up when he hit Wahab to the boundary on 167.
It is amazing that Smith’s record has lasted for so long since the game is barely recognizable to the one they were playing 23 years ago. There were four sixes in that Edgbaston match, three hit by Smith and none by the victorious Australians. Here the crowd was regularly taking cover.
Hales began a little edgily though on this pitch and with this outfield edges often reached the boundary. But soon the ball was finding the middle of his bat regularly; his first six came from a free hit after another no-ball, this time by Hasan Ali; he was ruthless when Azhar decided to experiment with an over of his own slow leg-breaks, which yielded 20 runs.
After 25 overs he had posted his fourth ODI century and punched the air vigorously, almost falling over on the process. Then he opened his shoulders and the ball flew around Trent Bridge like a pinball.Joe Root was an ideal foil and an unusually anonymous one. He would effortlessly contribute 85 from 86 balls, which constituted his fifth score in succession over 50 in this format.
Hales and Root departed in the space of seven balls but this did not hamper the impetus of the innings greatly. Out came Buttler for his second innings in seven weeks – he was run out for four at Lord’s last Saturday – and he looked rusty. After seven balls he had one run and had survived two vehement lbw appeals; after 22 balls he had 53 runs and he would finish unbeaten on 90 from 51 balls.
Buttler assaulted the Pakistan spinners brilliantly. Mohammed Nawaz, the young left-armer, had bowled impressively but with help from Eoin Morgan 20 runs were cracked from his last over.
Then Buttler took four sixes in an over off Shoaib Malik. From the stands one spied a length ball from the off-spinner, which was sufficient to know that it would be hit for six by Buttler, usually, but not always, from the middle of his bat.
By the end of the innings Morgan’s hitting was just as awesome. On another day his 57 from 27 balls would have been headline material; here it was a footnote.
For Pakistan the situation was hopeless despite what happened in Johannesburg 10 years ago when South Africa chased down Australia’s 434-4. The air is thicker in Nottingham and there were no Herschelle Gibbs or Graeme Smith equivalents in the Pakistan lineup. Sharjeel Khan made a nasty dent in Mark Wood’s figures with a series of lusty leg-side boundaries.Wood propelled one delivery that registered as 95mph on the radar and that was also thumped for four.
Sharjeel posted 58 in 30 balls but no one else caused any bother until the last pair of Yasir Shah and Mohammed Amir made merry courtesy of a dropped catch by Buttler. They smashed 76 for the last wicket. Amir, at No11, cracked a 22-ball half-century of his own, badly damaging Adil Rashid’s figures in the process. Ben Stokes managed to avoid Sharjeel – and Amir – and then delivered a spell that was positively miserly by the standards of the day on his return to all-rounder’s duties. This was some consolation for Stokes since he must have fancied a bat out there.
|
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/30/england-pakistan-odi-world-record-match-report
|
en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/94619ad381099c4ab814854cf2d3c7f15f9e64381acbc9564f82589717753e83.json
|
|
[
"Henry Mcdonald"
] | 2016-08-28T12:49:40 | null | 2016-08-28T12:03:43 |
Up to eight youths attacked graves with hammers, according to Northern Ireland assembly member
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsociety%2F2016%2Faug%2F28%2Fjewish-graves-desecrated-belfast-cemetery.json
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en
| null |
Seventeen Jewish graves desecrated in Belfast cemetery
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
Seventeen Jewish graves have been destroyed and vandalised in what appears to have been an organised attack inside a Belfast cemetery.
Up to eight youths, some using hammers, attacked the graves in west Belfast on Friday evening, according to a member of the Northern Ireland assembly.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has confirmed it is investigating the incident as a hate crime. The graves, some of which date back to the 1870s, are in a walled-off section of Belfast city cemetery between the Whiterock and Falls roads.
Ch Insp Norman Haslett of the PSNI said the attack was “a particularly sickening incident, which we are treating as a hate crime”. He added: “To disturb the sanctity of a cemetery in this way is completely unacceptable and I can assure the public that we will conduct a robust investigation.”
Democratic Unionist assembly member William Humphrey said he has learned from Belfast city council staff that eight youths were involved and that they used hammers and blocks during the attack. Humphrey said a larger crowd had gone into the cemetery to support the eight youths carrying out the vandalism. “A graveyard is a sacred place and should be respected as such,” he said.
Paul Maskey, Sinn Féin’s West Belfast MP, also condemned those responsible for the vandalism. “Visiting cemeteries can bring great comfort to grieving relatives and friends and it would be very distressing for anyone to have the grave of a loved one desecrated in this way,” Maskey said.
The Alliance party Belfast councillor Michael Long said he believed the vandalism was a targeted attack.
|
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/aug/28/jewish-graves-desecrated-belfast-cemetery
|
en
| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/e11d3cb6c4f88ab5e361d6ef5ecccd11eb8cfe640b2b9ec1e0e736bdbe20a211.json
|
|
[
"Photograph",
"Sarah Berry Guardianwitness",
"Caspar W Guardianwitness",
"Distorteddisco Guardianwitness",
"Rebecca Roache Guardianwitness",
"Sam Grant Guardianwitness",
"Brianhomer Guardianwitness",
"Colinpage Guardianwitness"
] | 2016-08-28T08:49:33 | null | 2016-08-28T07:00:26 |
The last of our summer underwhelming galleries is the usual sorry collection of unsuccessful barbecues, disappointing caravan holidays and blurry views of mist and fog
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fuk-news%2Fgallery%2F2016%2Faug%2F28%2Fhaving-a-washed-out-weekend-these-photos-will-make-you-feel-better.json
|
en
| null |
Having a washed out weekend? These photos will make you feel better
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
‘This sums up our annual family holiday. We couldn’t afford to go abroad, so did our standard camping trip to our favourite campsite near Abersoch. It rained pretty much the whole time so we just let the kids, 14 months and 2 years, play in the rain. They had a ball. We need another holiday!’
Photograph: Sarah Berry/GuardianWitness
|
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/gallery/2016/aug/28/having-a-washed-out-weekend-these-photos-will-make-you-feel-better
|
en
| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/3ddd20701e1393cac97408acd2be4410817860960301221cf0dd93219a6be407.json
|
|
[
"Source"
] | 2016-08-26T16:51:34 | null | 2016-08-26T15:43:03 |
Records, Roger and rain – points to debate ahead of the 2016 US Open in New York
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsport%2Fvideo%2F2016%2Faug%2F26%2Ffive-questions-ahead-us-open-video.json
|
en
| null |
Five questions ahead of the 2016 US Open - video
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
Can Serena Williams finally break Steffi Graf’s record? Will Novak Djokovic improve? Can Andy Murray maintain his fine form? How much will we miss Roger Federer? And most importantly, will there be rain at Flushing Meadows? Five points to debate ahead of the 2016 US Open in New York
|
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/video/2016/aug/26/five-questions-ahead-us-open-video
|
en
| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/fda5aaae8adf8fa9ce967fcdbd27da50e038732e53f677cc08e78cb7d146bfdc.json
|
|
[
"Sanam Naraghi Anderlini"
] | 2016-08-28T00:51:39 | null | 2016-08-27T23:05:16 |
Compared with the problem of radicalisation in jails, the burkini ban was a distraction, but an all-too-familiar one
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Flifeandstyle%2F2016%2Faug%2F27%2Fburkini-ban-riyadh-riviera-women-fight.json
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en
| null |
In Riyadh and the Riviera, women have to fight for the right to be themselves
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
So, after all the sound and fury, the burkini fiasco est fini. On Friday, the French courts overturned the ban, once again allowing women to wear whatever they want on the beaches and poolsides of France. The French embassy protesters, tweeters and social media activists can go home. Quelle victory for liberté, égalité, and sororité! Or is it?
Certainly the ban was an assault on freedom of expression and clearly it was discriminatory against Muslim women, given that neither Catholic nuns in their habits nor women of European origin with sensitive skin – were forced to strip at the beach. But it is a small victory in the face of absurdity: a problem that should never have been. It is a case, as we say in Farsi, of “being sent to find black peas”: a distraction from the real issues at the root of the debate.
First, the burkini was banned because, according to French officials, it is “ostentatious clothing that makes reference to an allegiance to terrorist movements who are at war with us”. If the concern is rising extremism in Muslim communities, why did it take the French authorities 20 years before questioning the Saudi funding of mosques and the migration of their extremist Salafi imams into France?
Moreover, instead of wasting French taxpayers’ euros on policemen checking out and harassing women in the name of preventing extremism, how about tackling the problem of jihadi recruitment in French prisons? Muslims make up between 5% and 10% of the French population, but between 50% and 70% of the country’s prison population. The humane approach would be to examine why so many young people – especially young men – are falling through the cracks to end up in petty crime and jail. Perhaps the state could take a more serious look at creating employment and opportunities for them.
At the same time, how about fixing that prison problem? How is it possible that radicalisation is taking place in state prisons? What confidence can we have in our government’s anti-extremism policies if it can’t handle a problem that is arising under its own nose?
This is not just a French problem: prison radicalisation is a concern everywhere. Offering young men a chance to reintegrate into society, have self-respect and be productive will take time and is not as Instagram-y as pulling clothes off a woman’s back. But the chances are it will be a far more effective policy than empty gestures demonstrating the state’s power over some of its least protected citizens.
Second, supporters of the burkini ban claimed it was a fight for women against oppression; that this – together with its precursor, the hijab ban – was symbolic of the French government’s chivalrous defence of women’s liberation. Setting aside the obvious fact that liberation means we, as women, choose what we wear, say and do as freely as men, the question that comes to mind is: how consistent is France in its defence of women’s rights?
The answer, sadly, is murky. Just last year, President Hollande committed $15.3bn of direct foreign investment in Saudi Arabia, becoming the country’s third largest investor. Saudi Arabia is the country where women cannot drive, or open bank accounts, or show their face in public. Even foreign women cannot swim. Liberté and egalité for women be damned, it seems, where money is involved.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Women fleeing the Syrian war at a checkpoint in Harjala village. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Third, I’m wary of this obsession with women’s bodies – inside and out – that governments and groups that wrap themselves in the mantle of religion, race or nationalism have. Everywhere we look, there are big men spouting angry words against each other. But when it comes down to it, they play out their fantasy of leadership on the backs and bodies of women and children. It is women who suffer over 80% of attacks by Islamophobes in France. It is women who are targeted by Islamists for daring to speak out for equality and rights. It is also women who suffer most when the Vatican and Christian evangelists try to limit access to abortions.
And, lest we forget, it is women who are now left to run Syrian communities and women who were left to care for the children in Iraq. The men are either dead, in flight or in the fight. Neither our governments nor the militias actually protect or listen to them. When the women of Libya warned against rising extremism, because they had been targeted already, neither the EU nor the US nor the UN paid attention. When Afghan women said education and healthcare and jobs for the men were their priorities, no one really took notice. Western leaders speak of empowering women in these countries, but it is veil-deep.
Finally, this debacle has again reminded us that we live in the age of extreme pluralism. Everyone has multiple identities they want to assert. But we are also challenged to ensure unity, dignity and respect among us all – even for things we may find distasteful or even threatening.
To me that may be a woman in a burkini or a thong, or it may be a portly, hairy-chested white man in Speedos. To a patrician Frenchman it may be a woman in a wetsuit (aka burkini), or perhaps a young man with tattoos on the beach in Cannes. But we have to remember that none of these people is doing any real harm. The harm comes if anyone tries to impose their beliefs and values on others. If you don’t like what you see, don’t stare. But, by the same token, if we are serious about equality and liberty, don’t turn away when a subset of society is being attacked, or revert to the comfort of cultural relativism.
Sanam Naraghi Anderlini is co-founder and executive director of the International Civil Society Action Network (Ican)
|
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/aug/27/burkini-ban-riyadh-riviera-women-fight
|
en
| 2016-08-27T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/1c74b1a704570a0e26c0673247cb9a9939d01fbe98f7ac83480912eb4508b3d7.json
|
|
[
"Hilary Osborne",
"Paddy Allen"
] | 2016-08-26T13:29:33 | null | 2015-01-09T00:00:00 |
From rich to poor, housing affects us all. We look at the numbers that have brought us to this state
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmoney%2F2015%2Fjan%2F12%2Fthe-housing-crisis-in-charts.json
|
en
| null |
The housing crisis in charts
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
From tenants battling on a London housing estate to keep their affordable homes to celebrity interventions over the mansion tax, the cost of property and who owns it has been in the news time and again over the past year.
The subject encapsulates many wider issues, from the impact of high living standards on the younger generations and the vulnerable to concerns over high personal debt. But the causes of these problems, including the number of homes being built and the council house sell-off, have been building up for years.
In some areas of the country homes now cost almost nine times local salaries, and those who will never be able to afford to buy or rent privately are on council house waiting lists with more than 20,000 other people.
These seven charts show some of the reasons why we are in a housing crisis. The biggest problem is that the UK is not building enough homes, but pressure has been put on the housing stock by other factors too.
1. Average cost of a UK home
Graph shows average UK house price based on Nationwide’s mortgage approvals
The house price index published by Nationwide, the UK’s biggest building society, goes back to 1952. Back then, the average UK house changed hands for £1,891. It didn’t move much for a decade until the first instance of double-digit price growth in late 1963. Then in the early 70s the first boom years arrived. In the second half of 1972 annual price inflation was running at above 40%. Fuelled by the deregulation of the mortgage market and tax relief for borrowers prices didn’t fall until the crash of the early 1990s. The average house price hit £188,559 in December – almost exactly 100 times the level that the index started at.
The society has a series showing “real” house prices too, adjusted for inflation. That shows that once inflation is taken into account, prices are below the previous peak of £228,986, reached in the third quarter of 2007, but have more than doubled over the past 30 years.
2. Average cost of a first-time buyer home relative to earnings
Graph shows cost of typical first-time buyer property relative to local full-time incomes.
House price increases are less painful for aspiring buyers if they are accompanied by rising salaries. For much of the past 30 years, the earnings of first-time buyers have kept pace with the cost of buying a first home, according to Nationwide. But in the run-up to the last housing boom prices broke away from earnings. Immediately after the crash, the amount you needed to raise to buy a home dropped off, but it has never returned to the levels seen 11 years ago, when a home cost less than four times average salary. In London, despite a slowdown in house price growth, first-time buyers are spending nine times their salary on homes on average. With interest rates low, monthly mortgage repayments are relatively affordable, but the Bank of England is sufficiently worried about the disconnect of prices to wages to limit lending at more than 4.5 times salary.
3. Number of homes created
Graph shows the number of homes built and the number of new homes added to the housing stock once demolitions are taken into account
According to the housing charity Shelter, England needs 250,000 homes a year to keep up with growing demand. It said this should be made up of 125,000 homes sold at the market rate, 50,000 “intermediate” homes – including those at an affordable rent and shared-ownership homes, and 75,000 homes for social renters.
Campbell Robb, Shelter’s chief executive, said: “We are seeing a three-fold crisis in housebuilding at the moment. The number of homes being built is less than half of the 250,0000 needed each year just to meet demand, and within that, the amount of so-called affordable housing has also fallen sharply. But what’s most concerning is the drop in social housing – which has plummeted by over two-thirds since 2010. If these trends continue, there’ll be nothing left that’s affordable for people on ordinary incomes.”
Housing completions in England increased in the third quarter to 31,130, of which 24,280 homes were built by private companies. Over the same period, new housing starts fell, to 33,000, of which the majority were also by private developers.
Building figures tell half the story, but the net change in the number of homes is more critical. This takes into account both conversions and demolitions. Neal Hudson, a housing market expert at property firm Savills who provided the data for this chart, said: “You hear a lot of about building levels in the 1930s but at the same time they were clearing a lot of substandard housing stock – all of the tenements and slums.” With this in mind, the 50s, 60s and run-up to the recent financial crisis were years in which more homes were created.
4. Number of council homes sold off
Graph shows the number of social housing flats and houses sold each year by local authorities and housing associations
Since Margaret Thatcher championed right-to-buy in the early 1980s, around 2m social houses have been sold off in England alone. Tens of thousands of properties were sold off throughout the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, and local authorities were forbidden from replacing them. To some extent, housing associations have taken their place, but affordable, social rented homes have been sold off more quickly than they have been replaced. In turn, this has meant tenants are more likely to be in private rented accommodation, making it a more attractive proposition for buy-to-let investors. The table, from DCLG and covering only England, shows how the pace of sales has picked up since the financial crisis – thanks, in part, to a rejuvenated scheme with bigger discounts, launched in 2012. In Scotland, the government has voted to end right to buy in 2016.
5. The buy-to-let boom
Graphic shows the number of homes built and the number of new homes added to the housing stock once demolitions are taken into account
The 1988 Housing Act brought assured shorthold tenancies into law and got rid of rent controls, making property a much easier and more attractive investment. In 1996 the Association of Residential Letting Agents (Arla) coined the phrase “buy to let” and brought together mortgage lenders who were willing to fund investment properties to develop and launch new types of loans for the new audience of buyers. In the first five years after the scheme was launched, Arla saw a 49% increase in the number of landlords doing business.
The figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders show how much the market has grown since. In recent years, part of buy to let’s growth as a percentage of the market has been driven by a fall in the number of mortgages taken out by homeowners, but even during the downturn the number of landlord mortgages taken out each year grew. The number of outstanding buy-to-let mortgages has grown by 2,500% since the start of 1999.
Alex Hilton, director of Generation Rent, said landlords now dominated the housing market: “It’s a great investment because as you outbid first-time buyers they get trapped in the rental market, which is now worth £40bn a year. That’s £40bn people could be spending on paying off their own mortgages instead of their landlords’.”
6. Number of households in the UK
Graph shows number of UK households
The number of households that need homes has increased by around 10 million since these records began, and it is only predicted to keep growing over the coming years. In 2021 it is forecast to reach 29.1m. A growing population, together with an increase in the number of one-person households, is putting pressure on housing stock. So, too, are second homes and those that are in disrepair.
7. Number of firms building
Graphic shows number of small builders operating in England and Wales
The building industry has been contracting since the late 1980s, but the financial crisis hastened the decline as small developers found it increasingly hard to raise money. Data from the Home Builders Federation shows how the number of firms in England and Wales building 100 or fewer units a year fell over the 24 years to the end of 2013.
“If we are to meet the targets set by politicians of all parties, and deliver the increases in the number of homes the country needs, it is vital we find a way of getting more smaller companies building again,” said Steve Turner of the Home Builders Federation. He said small builders would mean more building – there would be more sites and sales outlets, and they are also more likely to build on very small sites that a larger developer wouldn’t consider.
• This article was amended on 12 January to clarify that local authorities were expressly forbidden from replacing social housing stock by the Thatcher government under the right-to-buy programme
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https://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/jan/12/the-housing-crisis-in-charts
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| 2015-01-09T00:00:00 |
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[] | 2016-08-26T13:20:59 | null | 2016-08-26T04:06:23 |
Pavlina Pižova, the Czech tourist who spent a month living in an isolated hut in the New Zealand mountains, has spoken about her survival ordeal
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Inside the Routeburn track hut that saved Czech woman stuck in NZ wilderness - pictures
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Pavlina Pižova, the Czech tourist who spent a month living in an isolated hut in the New Zealand mountains, has spoken about her survival ordeal. She told how she and partner Ondrej Petr got lost two days into a planned hike. The couple spent one night in the open and the next day, according to Pižova, Petr fell down a steep slope and died shortly afterwards
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2016/aug/26/inside-the-routeburn-track-hut-that-saved-czech-woman-stuck-in-nz-wildnerness-pictures
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| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/39521889dcac185977123100a0d9bbfdd13c98cba2f63b38715459029cefa960.json
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[
"Matthew Weaver",
"Julian Borger"
] | 2016-08-26T18:50:56 | null | 2015-12-01T10:22:06 |
On Wednesday MPs will vote on whether to extend the UK’s air campaign against Isis to Syria. Here are the issues that should inform their decision
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Syria airstrikes: everything you need to know
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As Jeremy Corbyn offers his party a free vote over military action in Syria what are the arguments for and against the UK extending its air campaign against Islamic State militants?
Why are we debating airstrikes in Syria?
The government is planning to hold a Commons vote on Wednesday on extending Britain’s bombing campaign against Isis from Iraq to Syria as public alarm about the extremist group’s continuing strength increases in the wake of the attacks in Paris. David Cameron set out the “moral” and “security” case for bombing Isis in Syria in the Commons last week, saying it was morally unacceptable to leave the US, France and other allies to carry the burden. “If not now, when?” he asked MPs.
The issue has exposed deep divisions in the Labour party. In 2013 Labour’s opposition helped inflict a surprise defeat against Cameron and his plans to launch airstrikes against the regime of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, over his use of chemical weapons. More than two years later many in the parliamentary Labour party, including half the shadow cabinet, are much more convinced by the case for airstrikes in Syria against Isis, which has seized and held territory amid the civil war. Corbyn, the party leader, is opposed.
Who is currently bombing Isis in Syria?
Facebook Twitter Pinterest A French Mirage 2000 fighter prepares to take off for an airstrike on Raqqa. Photograph: Abaca/PA
There have been almost 3,000 airstrikes against Isis targets in Syria since a US-led campaign began in September 2014. More than 95% of these have been conducted by the United States, according to the US monitoring group Airwars. From the start, America’s Gulf allies – Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar – have all taken part in some of the airstrikes. In September, France joined the campaign, and has since stepped up its airstrikes in Syria in the wake of the Paris attacks with a “massive” attack on the Isis stronghold of Raqqa in the north-east of the country.
In September, Russia also launched airstrikes “against terrorist groups” in Syria. Fewer than 10% of its initial strikes were against Isis targets, the majority have been against anti-Assad groups, some backed by the US and Turkey.
What is the current state of Isis in Syria?
Facebook Twitter Pinterest A member of Isis carries the flag in Raqqa. Photograph: Reuters
Isis controls large swaths of north-east Syria including its stronghold of Raqqa and a number of lucrative gas and oil fields in the east. It controls most of the territory along the banks of the Euphrates including strategically important dams. It only controls one of Syria’s top 10 cities by population – Deir Ezzor near the border with Iraq.
The number of people fighting for Isis is more difficult to gauge. In 2014 the CIA estimated its strength at up to 31,500 fighters in both Iraq and Syria. Since airstrikes began the US says it has killed at least 10,000 militants in both countries, though the arrival of fresh fighters from outside the country may not have significantly hit its overall strength. Some have estimated there are up to 50,000 Isis fighters in the region.
How strong are the anti-Isis forces?
Citing British intelligence, Cameron said there were about 70,000 non-extremist Syrian opposition fighters who could help fight Isis. What he didn’t emphasise is that these fighters are split into at least 100 to 120 different groups, with various aims, and differing in size from thousands to just 100 to 200 members. So far they have not shown much interest in focusing on Isis, being too preoccupied fighting Assad’s Syrian army.
Who are these 70,000 Syrian fighters David Cameron is relying on? Read more
Are anti-Isis groups in the Syrian opposition moderate?
The most effective groups militarily in the opposition are among the most hardline. Two groups currently dominant are Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham, which have a combined strength of 27,500 fighters, according to analyst Charles Lister from the Brookings Doha centre. “Both of these groups and perhaps a small number of others are definitely not natural western allies, no doubt about it. But they vehemently oppose [Isis] being in Syria and have fought it successfully in the past – with far better results than our currently favoured allies, the Kurds,” he points out.
One of the other most powerful forces is the al-Qaida linked group, Jabhat al-Nusra, which has also been banned by the US. Both Jabhat al-Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham have been heavily involved in ousting Isis fighters from Syria’s Idlib province and the Aleppo countryside in the north.
How strong is the Free Syrian Army?
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Free Syrian Army. Photograph: Zohra Bensemra/Reuters
The alliances of “moderate” opposition fighters in Syria is constantly shifting, but many still fight under the broad banner of the Free Syrian Army (FSA). They control much of the territory in and around the western Syrian cities of Hama and Homs. They include groups such as Tajamu Ala’Azza and Liwa Suqor al-Jebel which have received CIA training and weapons. Groups allied with the FSA also control areas around Syria’s southern border with Jordan. But after years of disunity and faltering advances the influence of the FSA is on the wane, according to the Guardian’s Syria specialist, Martin Chulov.
Who is fighting whom?
There are a series of global, regional and religious conflicts being played out in Syria that make the conflict so potentially explosive and complicated. These are the main battles:
Assad v the opposition
Sunni v Shia: President Assad and many of those in his inner circle are Alawites – a minority sect in Syria that is a branch of Shia Islam. Shia forces involved in the Syrian civil war on Assad’s side include Iran’s elite Quds force under Qassem Suleimani; the Lebanese group Hezbollah, and the Shia militias of Iraq.
President Assad and many of those in his inner circle are Alawites – a minority sect in Syria that is a branch of Shia Islam. Shia forces involved in the Syrian civil war on Assad’s side include Iran’s elite Quds force under Qassem Suleimani; the Lebanese group Hezbollah, and the Shia militias of Iraq. Kurdish battle for independence: Kurds represent about 10% of Syria’s population and live mostly along its border with Turkey and northern Iraq. They have established control of a large part of this area since the withdrawal of Syrian government forces in 2012. The US has used airstrikes to help Kurds hold on to their gains against the advance of Isis. This has alarmed Turkey, which has its own Kurdish population. In the infamous battle for Kobane, Kurdish fighters resisted Isis with help of US airstrikes, while Ankara stood by and refused to allow Kurdish fighters to cross into Syria. Turkey has bombed Kurdish guerrillas in Syria, who it says were aiding fighters on its territory.
What is the UK’s position?
Whether the UK should get involved in this conflict is the subject of a debate that has exposed serious divisions in the Labour party, but also unease among some government backbenchers. The government’s case is built on the argument that such action would disrupt the ability of Isis to organise attacks in Europe, while containing the extremist group by denying it territory and access to finance, primarily through oil exports.
Will bombing disrupt Isis’s ability to carry out terrorist attacks in Europe?
The investigation into the Paris attacks showed that at least half the perpetrators had undergone some kind of centrally organised training with Isis.
The experience of the fight against al-Qaida suggests that precise targeting of training camps and leaders reduced its capacity to strike western capitals. Documents recovered by US navy seals at Osama bin Laden’s compound showed that drone strikes had made it near impossible for al-Qaida to host and train foreign fighters in the main area under its control, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) in western Pakistan.
However, there are also signs that Isis has learned from al-Qaida’s mistakes, and now avoids structured training camps, preferring to live and organise in residential buildings among civilians.
“In Raqqa, Deir Ezzor and Mosul, Isis is living almost totally among civilians, so you can’t hit them,” said Rami Abdurrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. He pointed out that thousands of foreign jihadi had managed to travel to and from Syria for the past few years through Turkey and questioned the wisdom of now trying to stop militants with bombs when they could have been stopped with tighter border controls.
The Paris conspirators, including the presumed ringleader, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, were able to travel between Belgium, France and Syria while the US-led airstrikes targeting Isis command and control were in full swing.
Can bombing contain Isis?
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Residents inspect a damaged site from what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in Nawa city, Deraa. Photograph: Alaa Al-Faqir/Reuters
US-led airstrikes helped stop Isis capturing key strategic points such as Kobane on the Turkish border, and the Kurdish stronghold of Irbil. In neighbouring Iraq, they were instrumental in preventing the fall of Baghdad when Isis’s power was at its zenith. UK air support also played a role in the liberation of the Iraqi town of Sinjar by Kurdish peshmerga forces.
Counter-terrorism experts say that such defeats damage Isis’s international appeal to foreign jihadis, which depends on the image of a constantly expanding “caliphate”.
However, further gains against Isis will require something that has so far eluded the western coalition, a working alliance with other Sunni rebel groups in Syria.
Hassan Hassan, a Syria expert at the Chatham House thinktank and co-author of Isis: Inside the Army of Terror, said that persuading other Sunni armed groups to fight Isis as well as the Assad regime may ultimately be the key to success, but that requires a great deal of local knowledge and political commitment.
“The answer is not dropping more bombs,” Hassan said. “The answer is to find a way to support these groups on the ground. It’s not about money or even weapons. It is about helping them with tactics and an overall strategy that has been missing.”
He argued that the expensive US efforts to build an anti-Isis rebel movement failed because it worked with the wrong people and lacked long-term political commitment. The success of any British military contribution, Hassan added, will lie in the UK’s ability to “break out of the constraints” of Washington’s current strategy.
The recent emphasis on striking tankers carrying Isis oil exports is likely to dent the group’s vast financial resources but may not affect its immediate fighting capacity. Hassan said Isis scored its most significant victories before it captured the oil fields.
Could bombing Isis backfire?
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Footage from the Russian defence ministry of an explosion after airstrikes carried out by Russian air force on Idlib. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
Airstrikes on Raqqa last week are reported to have killed at least 12 people, including five children, when bombs fell near a school. It was not clear whether the bombs were dropped by Russian, American or French planes.
“The number of civilian casualties from Russian bombardment is far higher than the number caused by American and French airstrikes,” said Wael Aleji, spokesman for the Syrian Network for Human Rights. “This can be attributed to technology. The Russians use more ‘dumb’ bombs and have less advanced guidance systems.”
In his memorandum to the Commons, Cameron pointed to the enhanced precision of the UK’s Brimstone missile as one of the contributions Britain can make to the air campaign. But avoiding civilian casualties will also depend on good intelligence.
One of the worst civilian tolls attributed by human rights activists to a US strike was on 1 May near Aleppo, where more than 60 civilians were said to have been killed, perhaps more than half of them children. Abdurrahman said: “We think they got the wrong information. They thought it was Isis, but it wasn’t.”
As it becomes harder to find genuine Isis targets, as the terrorist group gets better at melting in with the surrounding population, the civilian toll is likely to rise. And Syrians on the receiving end are unlikely to make the distinction between British warplanes and Russian bombers sent by Assad’s chief ally.
“This is likely to generate support for Isis, or at least create indifference among local people,” Hassan said. “These are the risks of unintended consequences.”
Where does the public stand on bombing Syria?
Antiwar demonstrators gathered outside Downing Street and other locations across the UK on Saturday, but a YouGov poll for the Times found that the majority of voters (59%) back airstrikes in Syria. There was clear backing even among Labour voters with 52% saying they would approve of airstrikes compared with 26% against. But Labour members, especially those who voted for Corbyn in the leadership contest, were overwhelming opposed to the move. Meanwhile Labour said a random sample of full individual Labour party members showed 75% were against UK bombing in Syria, 13% were in favour and 11% were undecided.
— Dylan Sharpe (@dylsharpe) Diane Abbott keeps saying the public are opposed to air strikes on Syria. There is absolutely no evidence for this pic.twitter.com/p6eahXmqbZ
• Do you have any further questions about military action in Syria? What else would you like to know? Share your questions in the comments below, and we’ll answer a selection.
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| 2015-12-01T00:00:00 |
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"Rebecca Ratcliffe"
] | 2016-08-27T20:51:11 | null | 2016-08-27T19:15:11 |
Thousands turn out across the country for free sports days to encourage post-Games activities
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Sports fans pick up the baton as Olympians are welcomed home
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It was as if the Olympics had never left London. Armed with blue foam fingers and Team GB T-shirts, crowds at the Olympic Park’s Copper Box arena gave double gold-medallist gymnast Max Whitlock and taekwondo silver medallist Lutalo Muhammad a heroes’ welcome.
Free sports sessions were held at the arena, which hosted handball and fencing at London 2012. There were 2,600 such events across the UK,as clubs and sports centres opened their doors to celebrate Team GB’s Rio Olympics success.
The national sports day, titled I Am Team GB, represented the latest attempt to kickstart popular participation in sport after the slightly disappointing non-legacy of 2012. Sport England figures show that 15.8 million people play sport or exercise at least once a week, down 0.4% on four years ago.
Sport England unveils new four-year plan to tackle inactivity Read more
ITV, which helped to organise the event along with the National Lottery, switched off all seven of its TV channels for an hour at 9.30am to encourage people to get involved.
Nicole Sherapin, from Stratford in east London, brought her two children to the Copper Box arena to try out the bikes, badminton and table tennis.
“I watched the Olympics every time it was on. It’s great that Team GB came second in the medal table,” said Sherapin. “I thought I’d bring the kids here because they’re really into sport.” Caitlin Taylor, 13, from Cardiff, wanted to meet Whitlock. “I’ve loved watching the Olympics – one minute we were 12th and then all of a sudden we kept winning golds,” she said. “We kept setting our alarms to watch events during the night. We’ve had it on 24/7. Gymnastics was my favourite.”
Hundreds of thousands were thought to have taken part in the sports day, which included free activities at the Sport Wales National Centre, the Gateshead International Stadium, the Glasgow National Hockey Centre and on the sets of Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
Events also took place in parks and smaller venues – including in long jump world champion Greg Rutherford’s back garden in Woburn Sands, near Milton Keynes, where he has a practice track that he opened to local youngsters. “It’s an interesting concept: come to my back garden and jump into the pit that I train on,” he said. He has a 52-metre runway and a nine-metre pit for children from the local athletics club to try out.
“It’s just very important for kids to be getting involved,” said Rutherford, 29. “We live in a day and age now where there’re so many different distractions and there’re so many different things youngsters can do. When I was growing up, we didn’t have a computer in the house until I was 13 or 14. Nowadays kids learn to walk and they can play on an iPad. When I was younger, I was getting out climbing trees and being active.”
Many of the Olympians taking part tried a new sport alongside members of the public. Gymnast Beth Tweddle, an Olympic bronze medallist and three-time world champion, visited a session at the Wirral and Chester Taekwondo Academy. She said the day was about “bringing the Olympic message home”.
“I was lucky that my parents were into sport, so they got me to try out different sports,” she said. “They gave me the opportunities and said have a go at it – I tried hockey, athletics, swimming, ballet, and then it was just my dad’s friend who said, ‘Why don’t you take her to gymnastics because she lives her life upside down’? “It’s important to create these opportunities, whether in school or in clubs – we need to send that team message and create the opportunities for people.”
Jamie Barry, event director at the Stretford parkrun run in Greater Manchester, saw 495 turn out, including 108 first-timers who had the chance to meet cycling team pursuit gold medallist Joanna Rowsell as part of the event.
Team GB return from Rio Olympics on gold-nosed 747 Read more
“This sporty summer we’ve been experiencing has definitely impacted on the number of runners at the park run,” said Barry. “The Olympics have really brought everyone together through celebrating and now taking part in sport. It’s great to see people enjoying their local area or park too.”
Adam Chataway, marketing manager at Camelot, co-sponsor of I Am Team GB, said that a one-day event alone wasn’t the answer to getting Britain active, but that for some it could be “their first steps on the path to becoming more active”.
“The Olympics has obviously caught the imagination of the nation and what we really wanted to do was bottle that and use the excitement of the Olympians returning to their communities to get out there, get active and give people the encouragement to get involved and give sport a go,” he said.
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https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/27/team-gb-olympic-games-max-whitlock-london-2012-medals
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| 2016-08-27T00:00:00 |
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"Guardian Staff"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:56 | null | 2016-08-26T06:14:29 |
Belgian authorities report at least one dead and four others injured in Chimay after blast in town on border with France
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Explosion destroys sports centre in Belgium, killing at least one
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An explosion has destroyed half of a sports centre in Belgium, with reports at least one person has died and four have been injured, two seriously.
The blast happened shortly after midnight at a complex known as Le Chalon in the southern municipality of Chimay, on the border with France.
Chimay police chief Pierre Maton said early on Friday that the blast was most likely “a gas explosion,” but an investigation into the cause was ongoing. There was no indication of it being a militant attack, officials said.
It is thought there was a total of five people in the building.
Several dozen police and firefighters attended the scene and the area had been cordoned off, but the damage was not as serious as initially feared. Windows were blown out of the two-story building, and one corner of the structure was badly damaged but there was no major collapse.
The town has a population of 10,000 and lies 120km (75 miles) south of Brussels.
A municipal stage of emergency has been declared and police have set up a security perimeter at the scene of the disaster, according to local media reports.
Belgium and France, along with the rest of Europe, have been on high alert after Islamic State attacks in Paris and Brussels over the past year.
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/26/belgium-explosion-chimay-sports-centre-collapses-fatal
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| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
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[
"Press Association"
] | 2016-08-28T10:51:40 | null | 2016-08-28T10:29:16 |
West Ham have announced the signing of the Italy striker Simone Zaza on an initial season-long loan from Juventus
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West Ham sign Simone Zaza on loan with view to permanent move
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West Ham have announced the signing of the Italy striker Simone Zaza on an initial season-long loan from Juventus.
The Hammers will pay £5m for the loan, and the 25-year-old’s move will become permanent – for a further £20m fee – if he makes a set number of Premier League appearances for the club this season.
Manchester City v West Ham United: match preview Read more
Zaza, who scored at London Stadium while playing for Juventus in pre-season, said: “I want to thank everyone for welcoming me including the fans and everyone at the club. I wanted to start a new experience and I feel this is the right choice for me.
“I have been fortunate enough to have already played at the new stadium with a different shirt. It is a beautiful stadium and I felt the warmth of the fans and this was a big reason why I wanted to join the club.
“I want to become a better player and I know I can do that at West Ham. Unfortunately we could not qualify for the Europa League, but I am hoping I can help the club do that next season.”
Zaza joined Juve from Sassuolo last summer and helped the club win the Serie A title and Coppa Italia, scoring eight goals in 24 appearances in all competitions.
Capped 14 times by his country, Zaza played for Italy at Euro 2016 although his tournament is best remembered for a terrible penalty miss in a shootout he had come off the bench specifically to take part in as the Azzurri lost to Germany in the quarter-finals.
West Ham have already signed Andre Ayew, Manuel Lanzini and Sofiane Feghouli this summer, and confirmed that the deal for Zaza takes their spending past the £60m mark.
“The signing again illustrates the board’s commitment to reinvesting the revenue raised from the club’s move to London Stadium and building a squad commensurate with those stunning surroundings,” a statement said.
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/28/west-ham-simone-zaza-loan-permant-move
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| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
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[] | 2016-08-26T13:17:25 | null | 2016-08-24T23:47:11 |
The 52-year-old is the latest female actor to speak out about the pressure on older women to keep their youthful looks
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Friends star Courteney Cox regrets 'horrible' efforts to fight ageing
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Courteney Cox, the former Friends star, has said she is reconciled to looking older and regrets some procedures she had in the past to keep the wrinkles at bay.
Cox, 52, spoke out during an expedition with outdoor adventurer Bear Grylls in the Irish highlands, in which the pair abseiled down cliffs and shared maggots found in a rotting sheep.
“Getting older has not been ... I don’t think it’s the easiest thing. But I have learned lessons,” Cox said in the Running Wild with Bear Grylls episode that aired on NBC television in the US on Monday.
At what point are women allowed to look their age?|Suzanne Moore Read more
Cox, who spoke some years ago about using Botox and laser treatments to prolong her youthful looks, said she was now more relaxed.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Courteney Cox on surviving fame
“Sometimes you find yourself trying and then you look at a picture of yourself and go, ‘Oh, God.’ Like, you look horrible. I have done things that I regret, and luckily they’re things that dissolve and go away. So, um, that’s good, because it’s not always been my best look. So, now I just have a new motto: ‘Just let it be,’” she said.
Cox, who played Monica Geller for 10 years in the comedy series Friends, is the latest star to speak out about the pressure women feel in Hollywood to maintain their looks.
Her co-star from the successful, long-running sitcom, Jennifer Aniston, 47, last month wrote that she was sick of the “sport-like scrutiny and body shaming that occurs daily” in celebrity and other media. And Renee Zellweger, star of the Bridget Jones films, who is also 47, rejected persistent speculation that she had undergone plastic surgery on her face or eyes.
“Too skinny, too fat, showing age, better as a brunette, cellulite thighs, facelift scandal, going bald, fat belly or bump? Ugly shoes, ugly feet, ugly smile, ugly hands, ugly dress, ugly laugh; headline material which emphasizes the implied variables meant to determine a person’s worth,” Zellweger wrote in a blog on 5 August for the Huffington Post.
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https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/aug/25/friends-star-courteney-cox-regrets-horrible-efforts-to-fight-ageing
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| 2016-08-24T00:00:00 |
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[
"Guardian Readers",
"Maree Louise",
"Michelle Mcdonald",
"Michael Hooper"
] | 2016-08-28T08:51:48 | null | 2016-08-28T07:27:42 |
Demonstrations have been held across Australia in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart and Perth on Saturday and in Darwin on Sunday
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Your photos from #CloseTheCamps and #BringThemHere protests
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An estimated 250 people have attended a protest against Australia’s offshore detention of asylum seekers and refugees in Darwin on Sunday, following protests in other Australian cities on Saturday and in London and Tokyo on Friday.
The Catholic Alliance for People Seeking Asylum and Darwin Asylum Seeker Support and Advocacy Network held a “circle of silence” rally in Raintree Park, Darwin, the day after the Northern Territory election.
#CloseTheCamps rallies across Australia call for Nauru and Manus centres to shut Read more
Other cities attracted thousands to events held on Saturday. Organisers estimated 2,000 were at the Melbourne rally and between 3,000 and 5,000 at the Sydney event. Demonstrations were also held in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Ballina and Hobart.
In London protesters staged a live reading of all the incident reports contained in the Nauru files outside Australia House.
Here are photos from Guardian readers of protests across Australia submitted via the #CloseTheCamps Witness assignment:
Sign at rally in Sydney "For those who've travelled across the sea, we've boundless plains to share"
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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/aug/28/witness-your-photos-from-closethecamps-and-bringthemhere-protests
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| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/c6f9ec70924797538c6a7510024a7e681e095089e918638682c2f79ae1c7303d.json
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[
"John Ashdown"
] | 2016-08-30T12:52:43 | null | 2016-08-30T12:08:37 |
The Warwickshire batsman’s possible England comeback for the tours to Bangladesh and India has divided opinion but history shows returnees can rediscover their magic touch
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Ian Bell could join Botham, Boycott, Close and Thorpe in fairytale return
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Glue or fairweather friend?
What is it about Ian Bell? In his own quiet way he has been almost as polarising a figure as Kevin Pietersen over the past decade or so. For some he was the ultimate cult hero, the most aesthetically pleasing cog in the England machine, the often-overlooked glue that bound the flashier elements together. For others, he was a flake, a fairweather friend, a frustration. And each camp’s existence helped entrench the other.
Sign up to the Spin Read more
The fiery debates appeared to have ended for good last November when Bell was left out of the squad for South Africa, after 118 Tests. But the travails of England’s middle-order this summer breathed life into the embers and the revelation last week that the 34-year-old has been sounded out about a return for the tours of Bangladesh and India brought the flames roaring back, though this time the arguments surround not whether he should keep his place but whether he should be getting it back.
Even former England captains struggle to agree over Bell. At the start of the summer Michael Atherton was in the minority when making the case for Bell’s return in the middle order, quoting the stellar records of Kumar Sangakkara, Graham Gooch and Jacques Kallis after turning 34. Last week Nasser Hussain described the potential selection of Bell as “a backward step”, adding: “I would like to look to the future, especially with the tour of Bangladesh. I don’t see the mileage of taking Bell, albeit a fantastic player.”
And isn’t it typical of the man that the pontificating over his unexceptional County Championship season – 565 runs at 37.66 (34 batsmen have scored more Division One runs than him this season) – had barely finished when he produced a superb unbeaten 94 in Warwickshire’s Royal London One Day Cup win over Somerset in Monday’s semi-final.
Other statistics don’t really help bring clarity either. His record on the subcontinent may be excellent – he averages 44.09 in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan combined – but his record in India alone, where England are likely to need runs the most, is not much to write home about – 352 runs at 27.07. And just to further muddy the waters, he has signed up to join Perth Scorchers for the Big Bash. The final Test of the India series begins on 16 December, the Scorchers’ first fixture is against Adelaide Strikers on 23 December.
Just as you have had to do throughout his career – through no fault of his own – you simply have to pick a side with the Sledgehammer of Eternal Justice. But whether you sign up to the idea that his form is temporary, his class permanent, or would prefer simply to move on with new names and faces, perhaps there’s one thing we can all agree on.
Everybody loves a comeback tale. And English cricket history is littered with returnees who made an impact. Take Ian Botham in 1991. After two years out of the Test team, the all-rounder returned to face West Indies one last time. It was, as Rob Smyth put it in this excellent Spin from 2012: “Both v Viv, one last time: Botham’s comeback and Viv Richards’s farewell.” And despite struggling to recapture the old magic with bat and ball, Botham managed to make an indelible mark: his dismissal in the first innings, when he tumbled into his stumps, prompted Brian Johnson’s unforgettable “leg over” moment on TMS, he became the first England player to wear sunglasses in a Test, and he even strolled out to smack the winning runs on the final day.
Fifteen years earlier there had been Brian Close. Again the West Indies were in town when England asked the 45-year-old Close to return, nine years after his previous Test. Promoted to open the batting at Old Trafford against the fearsome attack of Michael Holding, Andy Roberts and Wayne Daniel, on the evening of the third day Close and John Edrich stood up to one of the more terrifying spells in Test history. Watching the footage now, you can still hear the thunk of leather on barrel chest.
Geoff Boycott’s first Test back in the fold after his self-imposed three-year exile was no less notable. For the third Ashes Test at Trent Bridge in 1977 he returned and produced what he rates as his best Test innings, though for many it is more memorable for his run out of the Nottinghamshire favourite Derek Randall.
Graham Thorpe deserves a place on the list too for his century against South Africa at The Oval in 2003 (a complex story told brilliantly by Donald McRae and Thorpe himself in an interview at the time). A partnership of 268 with Marcus Trescothick, after South Africa had made 484, was pivotal in taking England to victory in the Test and with it the series.
There are plenty of others scattered through the years. This is not to say that all comebacks are imbued with a fairytale quality – the struggles of England’s latest returnee, Nick Compton, are testament to that – but that magic exists in potentia. With Bell there is no need for England to leave the memories alone when there is still the chance to make new ones.
This is an extract taken from The Spin, the Guardian’s weekly cricket email. To subscribe, just visit this page and follow the instructions.
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https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/aug/30/ian-bell-botham-close-boycott-england-return
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| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
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[
"Marine Gauthier"
] | 2016-08-28T12:51:53 | null | 2016-08-28T11:30:31 |
One of the world’s smallest ethnic groups is finding its cultural traditions on the wrong side of Mongolian law, putting its very existence in peril
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'We have nothing but our reindeer': conservation threatens ruination for Mongolia's Dukha
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www.theguardian.com
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Global development is supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
In the Mongolian taiga, or snow forest, a few kilometres from the Russian border, a group of 250 reindeer herders preserve their traditions with care. They dwell, as their ancestors did, in the forest, where they live by hunting, gathering and drinking the milk of their animals. But the creation of a protected area to preserve the wild environment may threaten their survival.
Two men, one battle
Ganbat and Tumursukh were born in the same village in the middle of the taiga, about 50 years ago. Reaching the snow-covered forest region in the country’s north-east takes two days by car from the nearest city, Murun, and then a journey by horse or reindeer – including passage across Khovsgol lake – all without encountering a soul beyond the odd elk or lynx. The two men, now fathers and respected elders in their communities, have dedicated their lives to this vast expanse of boreal forest. Their eyes light up when they speak of it.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumursukh sits before a map of Mongolia’s national parks in a cafe near the environment ministry in Ulaanbaatar. All photographs by Riccardo Pravettoni
“I’m proud to have been born in this region,” says Tumursukh. “My father took me to the forest as a child, and I learned to know it and to love it. When I had the opportunity to leave and study in Ulaanbaatar [Mongolia’s capital], I wanted to come back. I waited several years before realising my dream: being named manager of the regional protection of Khovsgol by the ministry of the environment.
“In 1987, I was able to establish the first protected area in the region and save a part of it from mining exploitation. In the 80s, industrial outfits began to come into the region. The companies mined the mountain [Urandush in the Jankal range] for phosphorus. We fight to preserve our environment again these threats. The taiga is precious and fragile. It’s home to rare and endangered species of flower, to snow leopards, elk, ibex … The government has understood and has begun to preserve it.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Ganbat in his tipi – or ortz, as they are known locally
Sitting beside his wife in his ortz, a felt-lined tipi made of wood, Ganbat says: “The taiga is our life. We don’t know how to do anything other than live with it. We have always taken care of nature – this is what our ancestors taught us. Our role is to testify to our love and respect for the taiga. We’ve taken care of our reindeer since before Mongolia existed, they are our pride.”
The taiga is fragile. Ganbat and Tumursukh are aware of this and fight daily for its survival. Despite this common cause, the two men have different backgrounds and their approach to conserving the taiga is bringing them into conflict.
Tumursukh, who is an ethnic Mongol, is responsible for the natural reserves of the region and is a fervent opponent of mining in the area. Mining has driven Mongolia’s recent economic boom, which has propelled the country to middle-income status. But mining the rich subsoil has also caused environmental degradation and ravaged the land.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Ganbat practises the lasso with other reindeer herders in the summer Dukha encampment. The group moves according to the seasons
Ganbat is a Dukha, one of the smallest ethnic groups in the world, comprising about 250 people. A reindeer herder, hunter and protector of the traditions of his people, he watches over his community and their traditional lands. He is the oldest man in the Dukha camp, a respected sage to whom the group listens.
Originally from Russia, the Dukha (who are also called Tsataan in Mongolian) are closer in traditions and way of life to Laplanders, the reindeer herders of the Arctic, than to Mongols of the steppe, as they are nomadic.
These Dukha nomads move their ortz according to the migrations of the reindeer in these wild mountains – the only environment favourable to their animals. They don’t grow crops, or raise animals other than reindeer. They don’t eat the reindeer, using them only for their milk and for transhumance.
It was only after the second world war that the Dukha established themselves definitively in Mongolia. “Our fathers were accustomed to migrating where they wanted to within the taiga,” says Buyantogtoh, Ganbat’s sister and the group’s doyen. “We knew no frontiers, and went wherever our reindeer had sufficient pasture. Then the war broke out, and the Russian soldiers wanted to recruit our men to go and fight far away from us. We fled to the south. Then they closed the borders, and we stayed on this side, in Mongolia.”
From state hunters to poachers Facebook Twitter Pinterest Oltsen leads his herd of reindeers through the thick snow in the Tengis Shishged national reserve
Initially, relations with the Mongolian state were positive, according to the Dukha, who have rarely mixed with the people living in the valleys. Known for their vast knowledge of the taiga and their capability as hunters, they were hired as “state hunters” by Mongolia’s communist government.
Oltsen is one of the best hunters in the group, and is capable of confronting the bears that menace the reindeer herds. “My father was a state hunter,” says Oltsen, proudly. “He hunted, would go down to the villages to bring the meat, and would return with vegetables and flour. This became more difficult after the fall of the communist government: he lost his job. But we have pursued commercial activity, selling furs and meat when we can. Tourists came as well, and we began to do crafts. They liked that.”
The situation has worsened: without a place in society, regarded as merely reindeer herders, the Dukha have become marginalised. In 2011, their lives changed radically.
“People came and told us that they had studied the taiga for 10 years,” says Oltsen, bitterly. “We had never seen them. They explained to us that this territory had become a national reserve and that new laws had been put in place. They had decided that we couldn’t hunt any more and that only three areas were authorised for the pasturing of our reindeer. We were no longer permitted to take them beyond the Tengis river and the Gugned Valley. But how would we live if we weren’t able to hunt any more?
“To make sure that we didn’t hunt, they forbade us from bringing our dogs to guard the reindeer. But there are wolves here. Our herds were decimated. We don’t have anything but our reindeer. It’s our right to take care of them.”
Under Mongolian law, hunting is forbidden in the Tengis Shishged national reserve, as are fishing and chopping wood, and only limited migrations are allowed, in order to preserve biodiversity. Recently, rangers have been deployed to protect the area. Itn is easy to imagine how relations between these rangers – mainly young, urban newcomers – and the Dukha, who have dwelled in these lands for hundreds of years, rapidly became strained.
“They don’t let us live any more. They track us, breathing down our necks to make sure our sons aren’t hunting,” says Buyantogtoh, who cooks bread in his ortz, while the wind blows at -20°C outside. “We need to hunt to live, to cut wood to warm ourselves, to access pasture to feed our reindeer. If these things are outlawed, we’re no longer free.”
“Do they want to make us Mongols of the steppe,” asks Oltsen. “I don’t know how to do anything other than live here. But I know the taiga better than anyone. I know every corner of this mountain. I know the animals and we show them respect, just as our fathers taught us. We communicate with nature. If I go hunting and don’t see many animals, it means that nature isn’t ready to give them to me and I go home. We lose our culture if we can’t hunt any longer or can’t keep our reindeer. We’re scared.”
A few months ago, five Dukha hunters were arrested for poaching while searching for food. Ganbat’s son was among them.
“They were taken to the police station in town. But we don’t have vehicles, or the means to let them stay in town,” Ganbat says. “We’re all afraid. We don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Police headquarters and the courts are in far-off Murun. The young men have returned to the Dukha camp but (risk up to five years in prison, and fines of up to £7,500, for breaking the laws of the reserve.
The manager of the Murun police investigations department said: “The reserve has brought a complaint against them for poaching. They were caught red-handed hunting. Here in Mongolia, the law applies to everybody. The Dukha are not above Mongolian law.”
A clash of rights Facebook Twitter Pinterest A view of Murun taken from a drone flying over the city
“The Dukha don’t understand our work,” laments Tumursukh. “Our goal is to preserve the taiga and to create strictly protected areas in which humans will not be able to destroy nature. These resources must be preserved for future generations. If we don’t create this reserve, these resources will disappear. We can’t let that happen.”
He has just returned from a trip to the US, where he has raised funding from private donors and signed an official partnership with Yosemite national park, known for being the first protected park in history – and for having been created on the territories of indigenous people, who have all but disappeared.
US donors are raising funds to buy motorbikes for Tengis Shishged park rangers, making it easier for them to cover the region more efficiently. Their website, Rally for Rangers, says: “The Tengis Shishged park is one of the rare places in the world where this ancient pastoral religious form survives.” Not for long, if the Dukha are no longer allowed to carry on their traditional activities.
The Dukha are sceptical about the initiative: “They [rangers] spend their time riding up and down the mountain, frightening the animals. And they follow us even more aggressively now,” says Ganbat. “We want our message to be heard. We want to remain in our home and live freely.”
In 2014, the Mongolian government heard the pleas of the Dukha and a salary of £50 a person is now provided each month. It is meagre compensation for being deprived of food from hunting, wood to build their homes, pasture for their reindeer and the sacred sites where they honour their ancestors.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Oltsen carves a piece of reindeer hide – the Dukha can make money from selling craftwork to tourists
For the Dukha, the message is clear. “They don’t want us to hunt, they want to make us sedentary, live close to the villages, so that we buy their food,” says Buyantogtoh. The Dukha aren’t complaining about their new source of revenue, which allows them access to resources and luxuries they wouldn’t otherwise have, yet they remain defiant when it comes to their tradition of preserving, in their own way, the land on which they live.
“I’m not afraid of them, even with their motorbikes and their park,” Buyantogtoh says. “With or without them, we will conserve our forest.”
“Why don’t they come and talk with us?” asks Ganbat. “We would tell them what to protect and where the animals are. But also which lands we need for our reindeer. Why couldn’t we work together?”
Worldwide, that question echoes in many indigenous communities. The Dukha aren’t alone: there are about 370 million indigenous people, spread across five continents. They live in regions threatened by exploitation, conservation of which nonetheless sometimes comes at the expense of those who reside within them.
In 2014, Mongolia passed a law to create protected cultural areas, which would be managed by local communities and help to preserve their cultural heritage. Oyungerel Tsedevdamba, a former Mongolian MP and minister of culture who campaigned for the new law, says: “Mongolia must preserve its cultural heritage and help people who want to maintain their lifestyles. In a protected cultural area, hunting would be allowed, for example – even if regulated – as a cultural practice.”
On paper, this appears promising. But Oyungerel, who was a prominent spokeswoman for Dukha rights, is no longer in government. The law is legally in force but has not yet been implemented, and the Dukha aren’t even aware of it. Challenges lie ahead for this tiny group of nomads, trying to survive in their corner of taiga.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest A Dukha home in the taiga, a snow-capped forest region in northern Mongolia
• The travel for this reporting was supported by the European Journalism Centre’s Innovation in Development Reporting Grant Programme (www.journalismgrants.org)
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https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/aug/28/reindeer-conservation-threatens-ruination-mongolia-dukha
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| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
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[
"Press Association"
] | 2016-08-26T13:18:41 | null | 2016-08-25T10:54:50 |
Jürgen Klopp has no issue with Daniel Sturridge voicing his disappointment at being asked to play out wide for Liverpool, with the manager stating that he has no intention of fielding him as a winger
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ffootball%2F2016%2Faug%2F25%2Fjurgen-klopp-daniel-sturridge-is-not-a-wide-player-for-liverpool.json
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Jürgen Klopp: Daniel Sturridge is not a wide player for Liverpool
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Jürgen Klopp has no issue with Daniel Sturridge voicing his disappointment at being asked to play out wide for Liverpool, with the manager stating that he has no intention of fielding him as a winger.
The 26-year-old scored twice in the 5-0 EFL Cup victory at Burton Albion on Tuesday but afterwards admitted he was not happy playing out on the flank. “Of course it’s more difficult for me to play wide because I am a centre-forward,” Sturridge said. “I am not saying I am happy to do it, I am saying I have to do a job for the team.”
Speaking on Thursday, Klopp insisted that he sees the striker as one of his main – if not the main - goalscorer in his side but wants him to add more movement and deception to his game. “The first thing is I don’t want to play Daniel as a wide player but of course he can start there and play there but in the decisive moments he needs to be involved in all the finishing situations,” said the German.
Daniel Sturridge tells Jürgen Klopp: I am a centre-forward not a winger Read more
“I think both goals [against Burton] he scored inside the box so he was not on the wing in this moment – that is flexible football. That is how football works, it is not a fixed position [where you] stay outside and wait until you get the ball – especially not in Daniel’s case.
“When a striker plays in the centre it makes no sense so you have to change positions. Daniel is a very smart player in hiding himself in positions where it is not easy to defend and it is very often in a wing position. When he is not involved any more in defending you need a smart striker who takes the centre-half and moves them into a position where they don’t feel comfortable. It is only a starting position for the next offensive move for my team.”
Liverpool have a couple of injury worries before their league context with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, with Emre Can (ankle) and Divock Origi (cramp) unlikely to be fit for the game at White Hart Lane.
On Can, Klopp said: “There is nothing really serious in the ankle but it is the ankle where he had a few problems in the past so it should not be too long. It is the same with Divock; it is nothing serious but if you have a cramp you need to have a look at it so it is not for sure they will be available.”
Players who definitely will not feature at the weekend include the likes of striker Mario Balotelli and winger Lazar Markovic. The club have been trying to offload the pair but with less than a week remaining of the transfer window options are becoming limited.
“You have to make decisions about your squad,” said Klopp. “Building an ideal squad is where everyone has the perspective to play. We don’t have 60-something games and to have a good atmosphere all players need to see their perspective and that is what we are working for.
“There is no reason at this moment to think about what could happen if we have too big a squad because we are working on this side but I cannot say anything about it until 1 September.”
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/25/jurgen-klopp-daniel-sturridge-is-not-a-wide-player-for-liverpool
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| 2016-08-25T00:00:00 |
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[
"Alan Long"
] | 2016-08-30T10:59:46 | null | 2016-08-30T08:01:42 |
Commissioning practices that mean providers cannot pay the ‘national living wage’ or deliver good services have no place in 21st-century Britain
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Why my company is handing homecare contracts back to councils
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In the last few months, my company – Mears – has taken agonising decisions to hand back a number of homecare contracts to local authorities, especially in the north of England.
Why Islington introduced the living wage for all homecare workers Read more
As painful as this has been for the people we have been providing care for – and for our care workers – we hope others will follow our lead and help to end commissioning practices that should have no place in 21st-century Britain.
Exiting contracts in this way is always the last resort and follows many months of trying to develop a different solution with a commissioner. But, ultimately, it may be the only means to drive the essential change in services that are life-critical to our most vulnerable citizens. We are not happy with the disruption this creates, but we feel that we have to take a stand to lead positive change in the absence of leadership from elsewhere.
The contracts we have exited are those where simple mathematics shows that the charge rate a council wants to pay will result in a provider either not meeting the requirements of the “national living wage” for care staff, or not delivering the service needed by the user.
In the homecare world, generally, councils only pay for “contact time” – the time a care worker spends with a service user. They don’t pay for the time it takes the worker to get to the property or move on to the next. They don’t pay for any of the time the worker must spend on training, or for the worker’s “on-costs” to ensure they are looked after if they fall sick. Nor do they help pay into their pensions. In recent years, councils have also shortened call lengths in order to cut costs, and many people have lost a service altogether.
I love being a care worker, but I feel guilty when it's time to go Read more
The “national living wage” is, of course, the bare minimum we need to pay – and rightly so. Being a care worker is an increasingly skilled job, requiring staff who can provide highly intimate personal care as well as support with medication. It is not for the faint-hearted and requires talent, dedication and strength. It is no surprise then that there is a national shortage of care staff. In the last 12 months alone, a lack of homecare capacity in the community has caused delayed discharges from hospitals to increase by 40%.
At a time when the NHS is creaking at the seams, there is an inherent short-sightedness in a system that focuses on cutting support for individuals, reducing call lengths and keeping charge rates for providers below sustainable levels.
Unfortunately, many care providers still choose to accept very low charge rates from councils. This could be due to a lack of understanding of the minimum wage law, but is often simply caused by local businesses feeling they have no choice but to accept the terms offered, or risk going under. These businesses are often small and rely on a single contract just to exist.
Care staff should command the same respect as doctors and nurses, and a career in care should be rewarded appropriately
I have huge sympathy for councils on this issue, especially as many have been forced to cut other services to protect social care budgets. However, there is no excuse for setting charge rates that will almost certainly lead to breaches of the minimum wage or poor service. The last few governments have talked about reconsidering how we, as a society, fund social care – but nothing material has happened. Ultimately, this means we are failing to examine how we want to look after older and vulnerable people who need our support. All demographics point to an increasingly elderly population over the next 10 to 20 years, many of whom will be living with multiple long-term conditions. Surely it is a measure of a good society that we provide proper care for those people, at a time when they need it most?
If we had given even 1% of the time spent discussing Brexit on trying to reach a solution to the social care crisis, we might have one by now.
Real integration of health and social care is important, but it is a long way off in most parts of the UK. In those places where it has been achieved, it is not all plain sailing. Our first priority should be ensuring that the care system is sustainable.
We must move away from a system that pays the provider for the minutes spent with a service user, to one that rewards quality and the impact on that person’s life. Having due regard for those we rely on to carry out that work is just as essential; care staff should command the same respect as doctors and nurses, and a career in care should be rewarded appropriately.
There are councils, such as Torbay and Wiltshire, that are moving to fundamentally different ways of working that are positive and take these factors into account. At Mears, we are doing everything we can to support positive changes to working practices, better conditions for the workforce and greater focus on the service user. At times, however, we feel like a lone voice.
It has been said that to care for those who once cared for us is not just a responsibility but an honour. Now is the chance for society to prove that.
Alan Long is executive director of Mears Group PLC
Join the Social Care Network to read more pieces like this. Follow us on Twitter (@GdnSocialCare) and like us on Facebook to keep up with the latest social care news and views.
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https://www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/2016/aug/30/company-handing-homecare-contracts-back-to-councils
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| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
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[
"Anna Tims"
] | 2016-08-26T13:29:02 | null | 2016-08-18T06:00:25 |
It’s taken seven months and all the call centre tells me to do is cancel the order and reorder. I’ve done that five times
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BT leaves me hanging on with no hope of being connected
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I have been trying for seven months to get a landline and broadband service from BT.
I have been hooked up to the wrong exchange four times. I was then given two case workers and finally put on to the right exchange, but with no live line. An engineer told me the fault was underground and would be fixed, but three weeks passed with no progress.
I have tried to contact my case workers roughly 30 times and am greeted with an automated message. Five emails have gone unanswered.
The call centre just tells me to cancel the order and reorder, which I have already done five times. AH, Preston
My inbox echoes to the cries of householders cut off for weeks while BT fails to connect their lines, but your story takes its incompetence to new levels.
Only after I involved the press office did BT admit that it gave incorrect information to its engineers when you first placed the order, then failed to amend its records when, on its own advice, you ordered again – and again and again.
Miraculously, your phone and broadband were up and running within two days of press interference. You have been paid £132.49 compensation and refunded £54.94, which BT debited from your account by mistake.
If you need help email Anna Tims at your.problems@observer.co.uk or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number.
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https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/aug/18/bt-phone-connection-call-centre-your-problems
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en
| 2016-08-18T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/73507628793ba0a9447f55710eefd3e188177f0ebc06d8690e36bf4e07e57d44.json
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[
"Ian Sample"
] | 2016-08-26T13:27:47 | null | 2016-08-23T15:22:59 |
Discovery that sleeplessness causes neurons to become ‘muddled’ with electrical activity could help develop new treatments for mental health disorders
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fscience%2F2016%2Faug%2F23%2Fsleep-resets-brain-connections-crucial-for-memory-and-learning-study-reveals.json
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en
| null |
Sleep 'resets' brain connections crucial for memory and learning, study reveals
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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For Jules Verne it was the friend who keeps us waiting. For Edgar Allan Poe so many little slices of death. But though the reason we spend a third of our lives asleep has so far resisted scientific explanation, research into the impact of sleepless nights on brain function has shed fresh light on the mystery - and also offered intriguing clues to potential treatments for depression.
In a study published on Tuesday, researchers show for the first time that sleep resets the steady build-up of connectivity in the human brain which takes place in our waking hours. The process appears to be crucial for our brains to remember and learn so we can adapt to the world around us.
The loss of a single night’s sleep was enough to block the brain’s natural reset mechanism, the scientists found. Deprived of rest, the brain’s neurons seemingly became over-connected and so muddled with electrical activity that new memories could not be properly laid down.
Lack of sleep alters brain chemicals to bring on cannabis-style 'munchies' Read more
But Christoph Nissen, a psychiatrist who led the study at the University of Freiburg, is also excited about the potential for helping people with mental health disorders. One radical treatment for major depression is therapeutic sleep deprivation, which Nissen believes works through changing the patient’s brain connectivity. The new research offers a deeper understanding of the phenomenon which could be adapted to produce more practical treatments.
“Why we sleep is a fundamental question. Why do we spend so much of our lives in this brain state? This work shows us that sleep is a highly active brain process and not a waste of time. It’s required for healthy brain function,” said Nissen.
The results are a boost for what is called the synaptic homeostasis hypothesis of sleep, which was developed by scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2003. It explains why our brains need to rest after a day spent absorbing all manner of information, from the morning news and the state of the weather, to a chat over lunch and what we must buy for tea.
Known more simply as SHY, the hypothesis states that when we are awake, the synapses that form connections between our brain cells strengthen more and more as we learn and eventually saturate our brains with information. The process requires a lot of energy, but sleep allows the brain to wind down its activity, consolidate our memories, and be ready to start again the next morning.
Writing in the journal Nature Communications, Nissen describes a series of tests that 11 men and nine women aged 19 to 25 took part in, either after a good night’s sleep, or after a night without sleep. On the sleepless night, participants played games, went for walks and cooked food, but were not allowed caffeine. Staff watched them throughout to make sure they stayed awake.
In the first round of experiments, Nissen used magnetic pulses to make neurons fire in the volunteers’ brains and cause a muscle in the left hand to twitch. When sleep deprived, far weaker pulses were sufficient to make the muscles move. This implied that sleepless brains are in a more excitable state, with their neurons more strongly connected than they are after a good night’s sleep.
Nissen next turned to another form of brain stimulation to mimic the way neurons fire when memories are laid down. He found it harder to get the neurons to respond in sleep-deprived people, a sign that the process of writing memories was impaired by sleep loss.
Why do we sleep? To clean our brains, say US scientists Read more
Taken together, the results suggest that sleep allows the brain to calm its activity so memories can be written down. In contrast, the sleep-deprived brain becomes noisy with electrical activity and so feeble at laying down memories that the process is all but blocked. The consequences of sleep loss were clear in a simple memory test, with tired volunteers faring worse than those who were well-rested.
Teasing out how sleep affects brain connections could do more than answer why we snooze so much. Shift workers and military personnel that have to cope with sleep deprivation could benefit from new drugs or countermeasures that restore normal brain connectivity. Blood samples taken from volunteers in the study showed that sleep deprivation lowered levels of a molecule called BDNF, or brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which regulates synaptic connections in the brain.
But Nissen is more excited about the study’s implications for understanding therapeutic sleep deprivation and its impact on depression. “If you deprive people with major depression of sleep for one night, about 60% show a substantial improvement in mood, motivation and cognitive function. We think it works by shifting these patients into a more favourable state,” he said.
Though striking when it works, therapeutic sleep deprivation is not much use because many patients relapse after the subsequent night’s sleep. But that is not the point, Nissen says. “It proves that it’s possible to shift a person’s mood from one state to another within hours. The idea is that we use sleep and sleep deprivation to understand the brain and develop new treatments. If you think about antidepressants or psychotherapy, it can take weeks or months to see any effects.”
Giulio Tononi, a professor of sleep medicine who first proposed SHY at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said the new study was “truly elegant and powerful” and confirmed experiments that until now had only been performed in animals.
“Sleep is essential, and one main reason is that it allows the brain to learn new things every day while preserving and consolidating the old memories,” Tononi said. “Learning and memory require synaptic activity, which is very energetically expensive and prone to saturation. Sleep allows the brain to renormalize this synaptic activity after it increases in the waking day.”
Lars Westlye, a psychologist at University of Oslo, called the study “wonderful” and said the results could throw light on links between the biology of sleep, more complex brain functions, and severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. Like Nissen he believes that a clearer understanding of brain connectivity might explain why sleep deprivation can be so effective in people with depression, and plans to study the effect in patients.
“These new results should strongly motivate further studies in patient groups, both to learn more about the roots of the disorders and how to treat them,” Westlye said.
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https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/aug/23/sleep-resets-brain-connections-crucial-for-memory-and-learning-study-reveals
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en
| 2016-08-23T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/242ceaf81bd73dc119e3fa3b289fac3d9fa4915419ceef874e529a94a67e75b3.json
|
|
[
"Agence France-Presse In Berlin"
] | 2016-08-29T18:52:17 | null | 2016-08-29T18:21:52 |
Proposed ‘milkmen’s kids law’ aims to give greater protection to ‘false’ fathers and help settle disputes over support payments
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2016%2Faug%2F29%2Fgermany-plan-force-mothers-reveal-childs-biological-father.json
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en
| null |
Germany mulls plan to force mothers to reveal child’s biological father
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Germany has drafted legislation requiring mothers to inform their partners if their children were fathered by another man.
The measure, known in the media as the “milkmen’s kids law”, will go before the cabinet as early as Wednesday before heading to parliament.
It would apply to cases in which men who believe they are not the real fathers seek compensation. A court would determine whether a mother could keep the biological father’s identity a secret.
“We need to offer more legal protection for ‘false’ fathers to seek recourse,” said the justice minister, Heiko Maas, as he announced the measure on Monday. “The mother should only have the right to remain silent when there are serious reasons for her not to name the biological father.”
The draft law limits the false father’s financial claim to two years’ worth of maintenance costs. Previously this was open-ended.
Maas began work on the legislation after a federal court ruling in February last year said the government needed to put men tricked into believing they were fathers on to a firmer legal footing.
Opinions vary on how many children grow up thinking the wrong man is their father, but German studies put the figure at between less than 4% and more than 10%.
It was not immediately clear what penalties a woman who refused to name the biological father would face.
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/29/germany-plan-force-mothers-reveal-childs-biological-father
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en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/24c211bfb735e1dc56b9de82d2738655d1c1a8199dd4d35a725e111614ea87d7.json
|
|
[
"Sam Jones"
] | 2016-08-31T12:52:55 | null | 2016-08-31T12:35:36 |
US presidential candidate urged to apologise for past remarks, and Mexican president criticised for inviting him
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2016%2Faug%2F31%2Fdonald-trump-mexico-visit-greeted-with-hostility-online.json
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en
| null |
Donald Trump's visit to Mexico is greeted with hostility online
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Donald Trump’s surprise decision to visit Mexico, the country he wants to seal off from the US with a security wall, has not been warmly received south of the border.
Mexico’s president, Enrique Peña Nieto, who has previously compared the Republican presidential nominee to Hitler and Mussolini, tried to strike a more emollient tone, tweeting: “I believe in dialogue to promote the interests of Mexico in the world and to protect Mexicans wherever they are.”
Many of his countrymen, however, were rather blunter as they anticipated the arrival of a man who has accused Mexico of “bringing their worst people” to America, including criminals and “rapists”.
Trump announces trip to Mexico for talks with President Peña Nieto Read more
“@realDonaldTrump you are not welcome in Mexico,” tweeted Miguel Barbosa, of the opposition party of the Democratic Revolution. “Get out! You’re coming to get your picture taken with the very people you’ve offended.”
Barbosa also attacked Peña Nieto, saying his invitation to Trump was not worthy of the Mexican government.
The former president Vicente Fox, who has frequently criticised Trump for his conduct towards Mexicans, was equally direct. “There’s no turning back, Trump, your insults to Mexicans, Muslims and others have dropped you into the hole where you find yourself today. Goodbye, Trump!”
Enrique Krauze, a historian, called on Trump to show he was sorry for his words and ideas. “Apologise @realDonaldTrump for calling us rapists and killers, guarantee that you won’t build the wall or deport 11 million Mexicans,” he wrote.
Pascal Beltrán del Río, a journalist, invited Peña Nieto to stand up to Trump and make his country’s grievances plain. “I’d like [him] to tell Trump to his face that Mexicans don’t deserve the things he’s said about us and that we won’t pay for the damn wall.”
Others felt Peña Nieto had committed a grave error by inviting Trump and thereby bolstering the legitimacy and credibility of his campaign.
“So this is the brilliant strategy that the Mexican government has devised for dealing with Trump?” asked Tatiana Basáñez, a social psychologist.
“[He’s] become a propaganda tool for the country’s worst enemy,” wrote Jesús Silva Herzog, a political analyst, adding: “No. This isn’t a calculated risk. It’s monumental stupidity. There’s no way this will work out well.”
Trump is expected to meet Peña Nieto at some point in the middle of the day before travelling to Phoenix, Arizona, to deliver an address on immigration.
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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/31/donald-trump-mexico-visit-greeted-with-hostility-online
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en
| 2016-08-31T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/66fa2673357be476c109df25ac8ddf09817d9c8b122ac4c2116b4e939a01e596.json
|
|
[
"Press Association"
] | 2016-08-30T00:50:19 | null | 2016-08-29T23:08:21 |
Former PM bumped up salaries of some advisors by £18,000 at a time when public pay sector pay rises were capped at 1%
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http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fpolitics%2F2016%2Faug%2F30%2Fdavid-cameron-gave-pay-rise-of-24-to-some-special-advisers-before-resignation.json
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en
| null |
Cameron 'gave pay rise of 24% to some special advisers' before resignation
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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David Cameron gave some of his special advisers bumper pay rises just months before they were given generous severance packages, it has been reported.
Unions angered by 'miserly' 1% pay rise for public sector workers Read more
The former prime minister upped the salary of some of his advisers by as much as £18,000 – or up to 24%, according to an analysis by Civil Service World.
The double-digit hikes were ordered despite pay rises being capped at 1% across the public sector. Trade unions and taxpayer groups said the increases were “shameful” at a time when government departments have faced cuts.
Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union – which represents senior officials – told Civil Service World: “It would seem hypocrisy knows no bounds from a prime minister who preached pay restraint and austerity to public servants and the public, while at the same time awarding double-digit pay rises to his special advisers ... The very same special advisers who received enhanced redundancy terms from the outgoing prime minister also received pay rises of up to 24% in one year.”
This information came to light just a month after it emerged that Cameron overruled strongly worded civil service advice and boosted the severance pay he gave his special advisers. He ignored concerns raised by civil service chief executive John Manzoni to hand his staff an extra £282,000.
Seven out of 10 of the Downing Street advisers reappointed after last year’s general election – and who therefore became entitled to bigger severance packages – received pay rises of up to 24% in 2015, according to Civil Service World. This far outstripped the 2% average pay award across the private sector in 2015.
Adam Atashzai, one of the advisers given an enhanced severance package, saw his salary increase from less than £58,200 in 2014 to £72,000 in 2015 – up 24%. He was also awarded an MBE in Cameron’s resignation honours list.
Ameet Gill, former director of strategy, and Liz Sugg, former head of operations at No 10, both reportedly received pay rises of 23% – sending their salaries from £80,000 in 2014 to £98,000 in 2015. Sugg was given a life peerage after Cameron’s resignation.
Special adviser Kate Marley went from being on pay band one in 2014, which is capped at £54,121, to earning £65,000 in 2015, an increase of at least 20%, it was reported, while Daniel Korski, former deputy director of the No 10 policy unit, had a 16% pay increase from £80,000 in 2014 to £93,000 in 2015.
Special adviser Nick Seddon, who was awarded an MBE, benefited from an 11% pay rise last year, with his salary increased to £88,000, Civil Service World said, adding that other advisers and speechwriters including Max Chambers, Laura Trott, Richard Parr, Martha Varney and Kate Shouesmith all enjoyed pay increases.
Furthermore Frances Trivett, the political private secretary to the prime minister’s chief of staff, progressed from being in a pay band capped at £40,352 a year, to pay band one in 2015 – capped at £52,999 a year.
Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union, told Civil Service World: “We believe that every civil servant deserves a decent pay rise. It is frankly shameful that David Cameron thinks that this should just apply to his close circle of political friends.
“Our members will be rightly outraged by the double standards of a prime minister who richly rewards a privileged few, while ignoring the falling living standards of hundreds of thousands of dedicated civil servants.”
A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said: “Decisions about special adviser salaries take into account various factors including the level of responsibility associated with a particular role and the background and experience of the individual concerned.
“These increases, which were agreed by the then prime minister, reflected changes to the scope and range of responsibility in the roles of a number of special advisers following their reappointment after the 2015 general election.”
|
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/aug/30/david-cameron-gave-pay-rise-of-24-to-some-special-advisers-before-resignation
|
en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/8b3c543a840033a21eae2d45cc74b687547bb894d66e8722f9a8273dd87277c3.json
|
|
[
"Julia Kollewe",
"Nils Pratley"
] | 2016-08-28T10:49:37 | null | 2016-08-28T10:41:02 |
Labour MP says he stands by description of retail tycoon as ‘evil’
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fbusiness%2F2016%2Faug%2F28%2Ffrank-field-accuses-sir-philip-green-of-asset-stripping-bhs.json
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en
| null |
Frank Field accuses Sir Philip Green of asset stripping BHS
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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The Labour MP Frank Field has renewed his attack on Sir Philip Green, accusing him of asset stripping at BHS, which closes its doors for the final time today after 88 years on the high street.
Speaking on Sky TV, Field, who chairs the parliamentary work and pensions committee, said he stood by his description of Green as “evil”. He accused him of “plundering” the company, which employed 11,000 people but went into administration in April with a £571m pension deficit. “What he turns out to be is a sort of asset stripper,” Field said.
The administrators to BHS have already closed 141 stores in recent weeks, including its flagship Oxford Street branch in the West End of London. The last 22 BHS stores will close on Sunday.
A damning report from the work and pensions and the business, innovations and skills committees found that BHS was subject to “systematic plunder” by former owners Green and Dominic Chappell, and branded Green the “unacceptable face of capitalism”.
Green wants assurances that regulators will drop their investigation into BHS’s pension deficit if he makes a voluntary contribution, estimated at at least £300m, Sky News reported. The Pensions Regulator launched an anti-avoidance probe shortly after the retail tycoon sold BHS for £1 to a consortium led by Chappell, a former bankrupt.
Field told Sky TV that it would be “great to get a settlement which ensures no-one takes a pension cut, but that’s not the end of the story.”
Asked whether Green should be stripped of his knighthood, Field said there would be considerable pressure from the business community, adding that it was not just Labour MPs but also a large number of Tory MPs “who will be furious”. “That is a very big alliance that [Green] has got to break up if he is to keep his knighthood.”
But the bigger question, Field said, was how to undo the damage inflicted by Green on the department store chain. He highlighted the Serious Fraud Office’s investigation into the collapse and whether it was caused by fraud by deception. Field said: “It doesn’t get the jobs back which is the key thing, but it means justice will be delivered even it it’s late.”
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https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/aug/28/frank-field-accuses-sir-philip-green-of-asset-stripping-bhs
|
en
| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/9258acba0b2a40ec2950558acf1610ec643241b0610b4ddf441f79942e64bf3a.json
|
|
[
"Australian Associated Press"
] | 2016-08-26T13:18:55 | null | 2016-08-24T22:15:01 |
Putting thousands on attendances, serenading his new team and, now, getting on the field, Tim Cahill already feels like he’s been at Melbourne City forever and is loving being home
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ffootball%2F2016%2Faug%2F25%2Ftim-cahill-re-born-after-taking-melbourne-city-bow-in-ffa-cup-win.json
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en
| null |
Tim Cahill re-born after taking Melbourne City bow in FFA Cup win
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Socceroo Tim Cahill made his first senior club appearance in Australian football on Wednesday night, coming on as 64th-minute substitute in Melbourne City’s 2-1 victory over Brisbane Strikers in the FFA Cup round of 16.
The 36-year-old, who drew a sellout 3,571 crowd to Perry Park in Brisbane, entered the fray to a rapturous ovation with the scores level at 1-1. Playing just behind striker Bruno Fornaroli, Cahill had his own effort on goal blocked in the 73rd minute before putting his hand up to take a penalty that came four minutes later, but skipper Fornaroli waved him away before netting his second spot-kick of the night.
Sydney FC coach welcomes Tim Cahill, and star recruit Bobo to A-League Read more
The Strikers opened the scoring in the 34th minute when unmarked centre-back Greig Henslee turned home Hiroki Omori’s inswinging free-kick from six metres out. The National Premier League Queensland winners were full value for the lead after goalkeeper Thomas Sørensen had being called on to make stops from Omori and Rhys Meredith.
Three minutes after his goal, Henslee undid his good work by chopping down Nick Fitzgerald in the penalty area to concede in the box and Fornaroli hit his penalty to the left of Sebastian Usai’s outstretched arm.
The second spot-kick was almost a carbon copy of the first with Bruce Kamau this time goal-bound before Jake Marshall, who had blocked Cahill’s effort minutes earlier, rashly brought down the winger. Last year’s A-League top scorer Fornaroli blasted the penalty down the middle of the goal to put his side through to the last eight.
Although relieved at making the quarter finals, City’s defence will have worried John van ‘t Schip with balls played over the top of their defence consistently, causing difficulty throughout the night. It is no surprise City are likely to sign a defender as a marquee player before the A-League season starts in October.
Cahill played his part as an ambassador, signing numerous autographs before and after the match for the record crowd, the first of many contributions back following his part-FFA-funded estimated $4 million two-year deal with City.
“It felt like I was starting my career again,” Cahill said. “I began my career playing in grounds like this. These guys were up for it; they can be proud at what they achieved – and so can City. It was a really good effort and [they are] a good footballing team.
“This is amazing, it’s really good for this place and I’m really happy for them. This is what it’s all about to come to places like this and help fill the ground up and contribute for 30 minutes is nice. Obviously, I’d have liked to contribute a bit more on the pitch, but I’ve got a few games coming up with the Socceroos being involved in and we’ll see what happens with that,” Cahill said.
Also on Wednesday, FFA Cup holders Melbourne Victory needed a lone strike from goal king Besart Berisha to see off semi-professional side Hume City and advance to the quarter-finals. Victory were pushed to the limit in an at-times feisty affair at ABD Stadium in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, in a repeat of last season’s semi-final.
Berisha netted from the penalty spot midway through the first half to extend his FFA Cup goalscoring record to 10 in as many matches. Victory were fortunate to be awarded the penalty as midfielder Fahid Ben Khalfallah went to ground easily after dribbling into the penalty area.
Melbourne dominated possession with Socceroo midfield pair Oliver Bozanic and new signing James Troisi looking sharp, but Hume created several half-chances of their own. Kym Harris was denied a second-half equaliser for Hume after some desperate, last-gasp defending from Victory.
One-time Socceroo midfielder Carl Valeri, who missed much of last season through illness, didn’t take the field and is set for a stint on the sidelines after having his tonsils removed.
Canberra Olympic ended the run of giant killers Redlands United, the Brisbane-based side who shocked Adelaide United in the previous round. Futsal international Angelo Konstantinou and prolific veteran striker Robbie Cattanach scored in a 2-0 win in the nation’s capital.
Blacktown City are also through to the quarter-finals after easing to a comfortable 3-0 over fellow Sydney club Bonnyrigg White Eagles.
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/25/tim-cahill-re-born-after-taking-melbourne-city-bow-in-ffa-cup-win
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en
| 2016-08-24T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/6bc02ab85ec7b9c1348aa98439c0eac27c42109887ebed156240aa65205e5b30.json
|
|
[
"Mark King"
] | 2016-08-30T00:59:42 | null | 2012-09-06T00:00:00 |
Banking rules and shop etiquette collide over the acceptance of Scottish currency in England. Be prepared for inconsistency
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmoney%2F2012%2Fsep%2F12%2Fcan-i-spend-scottish-money-england.json
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en
| null |
Can I spend Scottish money in England?
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
Yes, you can – but it doesn't legally have to be accepted. Three banks in Scotland are authorised to issue notes: Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland. There are also four note-issuing banks in Northern Ireland: Bank of Ireland; AIB Group (which trades as First Trust Bank in Northern Ireland), Northern Bank and Ulster Bank.
Banknotes issued by all seven are legal currency and can be accepted throughout the UK. But it doesn't necessarily mean they will be.
The Association of Commercial Banknote Issuers states: "The term 'legal tender' has very little practical meaning as far as ordinary, everyday transactions are concerned, and it has no bearing on the acceptability of authorised banknotes as a means of payment …" Crucially, it adds: "The acceptability of any means of payment, including banknotes, is essentially a matter for agreement between the parties involved."
English shopkeepers who are unfamiliar with them may refuse to accept Scottish or Northern Irish notes. This is usually because they cannot tell whether the note is genuine, rather than their feeling towards the Scots.
Trivia fans may like the following: by law, authorised banks are required to hold backing assets for their notes at all times, which can be done in the form of special Bank of England notes – amounts can range up to £1m notes (Giants) and £100m notes (Titans).
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https://www.theguardian.com/money/2012/sep/12/can-i-spend-scottish-money-england
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en
| 2012-09-06T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/c3de4e79c0fa60b1a759c7f0de0ecf0863a6a66ac1c8c3f36a31517537137c7b.json
|
|
[
"Ruth Maclean"
] | 2016-08-30T18:52:29 | null | 2016-08-30T17:52:32 |
Residents in capital stockpiling food and staying indoors in anticipation of repeat of violence that followed disputed 2009 poll
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2016%2Faug%2F30%2Fgabon-army-deployed-before-official-result-election.json
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en
| null |
Gabon army deployed before result of fraught election is announced
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
Police and the army have been deployed on the streets of Libreville, the capital of Gabon, as tensions rise before the announcement of the result of a fraught election in which both sides have claimed victory.
If the main opposition candidate, Jean Ping, and analysts are correct, the ruling Bongo family’s half-century in power is about to end.
In the seaside capital residents stockpiled food on Tuesday and tried to stay indoors, anticipating a repeat of the violence after the disputed 2009 election.
On Sunday, Ping said: “I am elected. I am waiting for the outgoing president to call me to congratulate me.” He repeated this claim on Monday.
However, he was not the only one claiming victory.
“Be confident, great things await us,” the incumbent president, Ali Bongo, told supporters, following remarks that he would calmly await the announcement of the national election commission.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Gabon’s incumbent president, Ali Bongo. Photograph: Steve Jordan/AFP/Getty Images
Bongo took over from his father, Omar , who was Africa’s longest-ruling president when he died in 2009. His Gabonese Democratic party (PDG) had been widely expected to win another term until just a week before the election when the main opposition parties formed a last-minute coalition, uniting behind Ping, who was once very close to the Bongo family.
Ping was foreign minister under “Papa Bongo” . He has two children from his relationship with the late president’s daughter Pascaline.
In tactics similar to those used by the anti-Barack Obama “birther movement” in the US, Ping had accused Ali Bongo of not being Omar’s biological son, but an adopted Nigerian refugee, which would disqualify him as a presidential candidate. He also called the incumbent president a “genocidaire”, a thief and a pyromaniac in a Facebook post that led to Bongo opening proceedings against him. Ping reacted by saying that he had lodged a case against Bongo at the international criminal court in The Hague.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Gabonese opposition leader, Jean Ping, addresses the media in Libreville. Photograph: Marco Longari/AFP/Getty Images
Official international observers said Bongo had had an advantage during the election, through his greater access to money and the media.
“I congratulate Gabonese voters who expressed their democratic will in a process whose management lacked transparency,” the European Union’s Mariya Gabriel said, adding that the electoral commission had failed to provide the interested parties with essential information such as the electoral roll or list of polling stations.
Those remarks prompted Bongo’s spokesman to accuse the observers mission of overstepping its mandate. Alain-Claude Nze said: “This mission was looking into things that had nothing to do with this election.”
Analysts said they expected the electoral commission to declare Bongo the winner.
François Conradie, the head of research at NKC African Economics, said: “Incumbency isn’t what it used to be, and Ping has run a good campaign. Bongo depended entirely on his PDG network, which he has, a bit ironically, weakened by cleaning up government, so he has less to hand out. That’s a big part of the reason so many PDG operators are now opposition.”
Former colonial power France’s ruling Socialist party surprised observers by declaring early on: “First estimates indicate that the outgoing president, Ali Bongo, will be beaten by Jean Ping … A changeover would be a sign of good democratic health and an example.”
Two parliamentarians from tPresident François Hollande’s party, Jean-Marie Bockel and Jean-François Mancel, went even further, congratulating Ping for winning the election.
“The ingratitude. How many Bongo millions went to Flanby’s campaign?” said Conradie, referring to Hollande by one of his nicknames.
Omar Bongo enjoyed strong links to France and was known as a “pillar of Françafrique” – the term for an underhand network of influence, money and power between France and its former colonies in Africa.
But France has been less friendly towards his son: Ali Bongo’s chief of staff was arrested last year in Paris in connection with an investigation into corruption.
Last year, tapes of Bongo’s conversations with Michel Tomi, a controversial Corsican businessman known as the “last of the Godfathers” were leaked to the French investigative website Mediapart. They suggested that Bongo had received luxury watches, vehicles and trips in private jets in return for his patronage.
He announced last year that he would give up his share of the inheritance from his father, declaring that all Gabonese citizens were the heirs of Omar Bongo.
Gabon is one of Africa’s richest countries, but the majority of its citizens do not enjoy the benefits of its great oil wealth, with a fifth living on less than $2 a day. Both Bongo and Ping have promised to tackle poverty, which has been exacerbated by a fall in oil prices in recent years.
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/30/gabon-army-deployed-before-official-result-election
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en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/95347d1524c2c40276dbd10f0504520bbdd32923f202a366a9a8d94f7043a164.json
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[] | 2016-08-26T13:28:57 | null | 2016-08-19T06:00:10 |
The cost of retraining and long-term job prospects are worrying me
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmoney%2F2016%2Faug%2F19%2Fshould-i-join-merchant-navy.json
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en
| null |
I'm struggling with my career choice - should I join the merchant navy?
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Twice a week we publish problems that will feature in a forthcoming Dear Jeremy advice column in the Saturday Guardian so that readers can offer their own advice and suggestions. We then print the best of your comments alongside Jeremy’s own insights. Here is the latest dilemma – what are your thoughts?
I’m in my mid-20s and struggling with my career choice. I graduated with a degree in physical geography a few years ago and ever since I’ve felt lost. After a year of job searching I got a graduate role as a geotechnical engineer. I felt a bit of a fraud and not really qualified for the role. The job was a high-pressure one and the working conditions added to my stress. In just two years of working there my friendships suffered, I was exhausted, seemed unable to stand up for myself and became something of a wreck.
I did the best thing I could think of and went travelling. I was lucky to get a new job at a local authority within a month of returning to the UK, but three months on I feel bored by it in comparison to my old job.
I’ve been thinking of retraining to work in the merchant navy but am struggling to find the confidence to start somewhere new and worry about the application process, coupled with the prospect of taking out a loan for something that isn’t guaranteed to pay off in the long term.
What can I do to stop feeling like such a worrier, and be able to enjoy my life and make use of my qualifications?
Do you need advice on a work issue? For Jeremy’s and readers’ help, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@theguardian.com. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or to reply personally.
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https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/aug/19/should-i-join-merchant-navy
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en
| 2016-08-19T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/eedf7cb11ebfb9fcde1d04b223b0241777404cd46293fca5dfea24b1dfb87686.json
|
|
[
"Sarah Butler",
"Julia Kollewe",
"Larry Elliott"
] | 2016-08-26T13:23:52 | null | 2016-08-25T16:28:22 |
L&G and Aberdeen Asset Management join Investor Forum in calling for plan of action to rebuild confidence in retailer
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fbusiness%2F2016%2Faug%2F25%2Fsports-direct-corporate-governance-criticised-investor-forum.json
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en
| null |
More shareholders criticise Sports Direct's corporate governance
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Two major fund management firms have backed an influential shareholder group in publicly criticising corporate governance at Sports Direct and demanding change at the top of the retail group.
Legal & General Investment Management said it would be voting against the re-election of all Sports Direct’s non-executive directors, including the chairman, Keith Hellawell, whom it has voted against for the past two years.
Aberdeen Asset Management said it would also be voting against the reappointment of Hellawell, as well as chief executive Dave Forsey and acting chief financial officer Matt Pearson.
Both shareholder groups said they would be supporting a trade-union-backed resolution that calls for an independent review of labour practices at the retail group, in the wake of a highly critical parliamentary report and an investigation by the Guardian.
L&G’s move comes after the Investor Forum, a shareholder group with combined assets of £14.5tn, ratcheted up pressure on Sports Direct by publicly criticising the retailer’s corporate governance failings.
It is the first time that the Investor Forum, set up two years ago, has aired concerns about a company in public. The group has 40 members and represents 27% of Sports Direct’s independent shareholders, including L&G, Aviva, Standard Life and Fidelity.
“Governance failings are clearly resulting in declines in operating performance and long-term shareholder value,” said the Investor Forum, deploring the lack of progress. It called for a clear plan of action to begin rebuilding the confidence of shareholders and others.
Shareholders will have to consider how they vote at the retailer’s annual general meeting on 7 September “with great care”, the investor group said, after the sportswear chain was hit by a series of damaging revelations about the treatment of workers and its business practices.
Sacha Sadan, director of corporate governance at L&G Investment Management, which holds a 1% stake in Sports Direct, said it supported the Investor Forum stance and that “all shareholders should send a strong signal to Sports Direct calling for change”.
“We will be voting against the re-election of all non-executive directors, as we believe that Sports Direct needs a stronger body of independent non-executive directors to ensure the business is run in the interest of all shareholders. We are disappointed that there have been no new non-executive board appointments in the last five years.”
Aberdeen Asset Management, which owns less than 0.5% of the retailer’s stock, said in a statement: “Like many investors, we have been in dialogue with Sports Direct for some time. Its [AGM] is the latest formal interaction, and offers an opportunity again to press for constructive change.
“The company’s well-chronicled problems and [Mike Ashley’s] comments to the select committee have highlighted the need to upgrade the senior management team. Sports Direct is a multimillion-pound business that would benefit from an injection of new talent with the skill sets required to run an enterprise of its size and complexity.”
For the first time this year, independent shareholders will hold real sway at Sports Direct’s AGM, under new regulatory rules governing companies that have a controlling shareholder with a stake of 30% or more. In the past, founder and executive deputy chairman Mike Ashley, who owns a 55% stake, was able to outvote any detractors. But now the election of non-executive directors must be approved separately by minority shareholders. To go against their wishes, Sports Direct would be forced to hold another vote between three and six months later. While he could out-vote minority shareholders at that point, such a move would be highly contentious.
In an effort to win over its critics, Sports Direct announced earlier this week that it would open its doors to the public on the day of the AGM, held in Shirebrook, Derbyshire.
Andy Griffiths, the executive director of the Investor Forum, welcomed the plan for an open day but said the group had not received an “appropriate level of commitment to respond to investor concerns and, as a result, the usual options have been exhausted.” “We do not take this step lightly,” he said.
In July, it was announced that thousands of warehouse workers would receive back pay totalling about £1m after the retailer admitted breaking the law by not paying the national minimum wage. A Guardian investigation last year exposed the fact that Sports Direct workers were being paid less than the legal requirement. The company and its employment agencies face fines of up to £2m.
The Investor Forum called on the retailer to carry out a “wide-reaching independent review of the entire governance practices at the company”, as recommended by a parliamentary select committee, not just its employment practices. It also called on Sports Direct to review corporate governance and board oversight and effectiveness, acquisition strategy and associated due diligence, and the oversight of key supplier relationships and the management of its store portfolio.
The group said it did not regard the review of employment practices being carried out by RPC, Sports Direct’s lawyers, as independent, echoing the views of other shareholders. The recently announced external board evaluation “fails to reflect the breadth and magnitude of reform that is required”, it said.
On Monday, it emerged that Sports Direct pays a company owned by the brother of Mike Ashley to deliver online purchases to customers outside the UK.
Britain’s largest union, Unite, called on Sports Direct to tackle “endemic abuses” within its employment agencies and move longstanding agency workers on to direct, permanent contracts. Unite, which has been leading a campaign against “Victorian” work practices at Sports Direct, is urging shareholders to back the AGM resolution for an independent review into work practices.
The Unite assistant general secretary, Steve Turner, said: “Sports Direct has achieved a rare feat in uniting the City, politicians and Unite in the need to address deep-seated problems with its work practices and corporate governance.”
|
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/aug/25/sports-direct-corporate-governance-criticised-investor-forum
|
en
| 2016-08-25T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/3f5a2beea699d9af11d9db8dfaa08e9bace7043af148e503182e39815965b086.json
|
|
[
"Press Association"
] | 2016-08-29T08:49:53 | null | 2016-08-29T08:08:31 |
Two-thirds of huge new station concourse will open on Monday but work will not be completed until 2018
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fuk-news%2F2016%2Faug%2F29%2Ffootball-pitch-sized-concourse-to-partially-open-at-london-bridge-station.json
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en
| null |
Football pitch-sized concourse to partially open at London Bridge
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Two thirds of a new concourse will open at London Bridge railway station on Monday as part of a major redevelopment.
Once completed in January 2018 it will be bigger than the pitch at Wembley Stadium and the largest of any station in Britain.
Passengers will be able to access all platforms from one concourse at London Bridge for the first time.
Over the bank holiday weekend the project’s construction site is being moved away from the Southern and future Thameslink platforms to focus on the north of the station, used by Southeastern.
Trains into Charing Cross will begin calling at London Bridge on Monday for the first time since January 2015, but Cannon Street trains stopped serving the station on Friday and will not resume until January 2018.
The south London station has suffered incidents of severe overcrowding since work began four years ago.
Reconfiguring the complex track layout around the station has exacerbated the impact of any delays.
Network Rail (NR), which owns and operates Britain’s railway tracks, signals and busiest stations, including London Bridge, said the improvements will allow up to 24 Thameslink trains an hour to run through the capital – equivalent to one every two to three minutes – compared with just eight previously.
There will also be more connections to Gatwick and Luton airports, and beyond to Peterborough and Cambridge.
The NR chief executive, Mark Carne, claimed the redevelopment will “transform north-south travel through London”.
He said: “We are rebuilding Britain’s fourth busiest station – the tracks, the platforms and the infrastructure which enables trains to run – all the while keeping the station open and doing our best to keep passengers moving.
“I am extremely sorry that while doing this work there have been times when passengers have suffered frustrating delays.
“I know that the promises about tomorrow are of little consolation when performance isn’t good enough today.
“I am pleased that, finally, some of the benefits of this project will be much more visible.”
|
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/29/football-pitch-sized-concourse-to-partially-open-at-london-bridge-station
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en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/e7e3d2c04f585928a960e6cca8c4a922b7f198d526bb7068fdb4f97c1ba5bf4d.json
|
|
[
"Source"
] | 2016-08-26T16:51:03 | null | 2016-08-26T16:35:59 |
22 August 2016 Weekly Agency News
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2Fvideo%2F2016%2Faug%2F26%2Fsouth-africa-judge-denies-oscar-pistorius-sentence-appeal-video.json
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en
| null |
South Africa judge denies Oscar Pistorius sentence appeal - video
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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South African judge Thokozile Masipa dismisses an appeal by prosecutor Gerrie Nel for a harsher sentence against Oscar Pistorius on Friday. Nel tells the court that six years is not appropriate for the crime of murdering Reena Steenkamp. Defence advocate Barry Roux argues Pistorius made the ‘mistake of his life’
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2016/aug/26/south-africa-judge-denies-oscar-pistorius-sentence-appeal-video
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en
| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/519e2955465a35c99709a1a1e8371162588f778da0cf7f9771a86b05df5071d4.json
|
|
[
"Chris Fenn",
"Ed Aarons",
"Marcus Christenson"
] | 2016-08-26T13:31:01 | null | 2016-08-23T07:47:51 |
A look at how the 20 clubs have done in this transfer window – and the two previous summer ones. Light blue indicates a player signed and dark blue a player sold. Hover over the circles for the name of each player.
|
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ffootball%2Fng-interactive%2F2016%2Faug%2F23%2Fpremier-league-transfer-window-summer-2016-interactive.json
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en
| null |
Premier League: transfer window summer 2016 - interactive
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
A look at how the 20 clubs have done in this transfer window – and the two previous summer ones. Light blue indicates a player signed and dark blue a player sold. Hover over the circles for the name of each player.
|
http://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2016/aug/23/premier-league-transfer-window-summer-2016-interactive
|
en
| 2016-08-23T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/b453ba244f1df35d7cac73c5cafa275e087bdfcf1601c3f1dfdb4222f7fb5ad6.json
|
|
[
"Simon Bowers"
] | 2016-08-30T12:55:20 | null | 2016-08-30T11:47:31 |
Why must Apple repay Ireland €13bn in back taxes? And will this make multinationals more transparent in their tax affairs? Find out here …
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fbusiness%2F2016%2Faug%2F30%2Feu-apple-ireland-tax-ruling-q-and-a.json
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en
| null |
The Apple tax ruling - what this means for Ireland, tax and multinationals
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
The European commission has ordered Apple to pay back the Irish state up to €13bn in taxes in a landmark ruling. Apple paid a tax rate on European profits of between 0.005% and 1%, according to the EU’s executive arm. The US technology group, and Ireland, have said they will appeal against the decision but it will have ramifications for countries and companies across Europe.
Why has the European commission ordered Ireland to claw back up to €13bn in tax from Apple?
The commission has found that Apple benefited from a sweetheart tax ruling granted by Ireland decades ago, saving the iPhone-maker huge sums in taxes over many years. The ruling was not only generous but gave Apple special tax treatment unavailable to competitors. As such, competition officials in Brussels have found it amounted to unlawful state aid under EU rules. The sweetheart deal allowed Apple to shift up to two-thirds of its global profits through a handful of Irish-registered companies that routinely paid less than 1% tax.
Are other companies in the line of fire?
Over the past four years the commission has been looking at similar generous tax deals handed out to multinationals, questioning whether they too amount to unlawful state aid. Tax rulings from Luxembourg and the Netherlands – granted to Fiat and Starbucks respectively – have already been found unlawful. In both cases the companies are appealing against the commission’s findings. Meanwhile, competition regulators are also investigating a tax deal from Luxembourg awarded to both McDonald’s and Amazon.
Will EU taxpayers benefit and will multinationals become more transparent with tax?
If the commission’s decision is not overturned on appeal, then Ireland will have to recalculate years of back taxes and send Apple a large bill. That will boost Ireland’s public purse, but in the longer term it may damage its reputation as one of the most attractive places for multinational companies such as Facebook and Google to locate their operations.
Will Ireland cease to be a tax haven for multinationals?
Ireland has been under pressure to ditch its most aggressive tax deals for multinationals for many years. Pressure comes not just from other European countries, but also from the US, where Ireland has been heavily criticised for helping big businesses hoard profits offshore, beyond the reach of the US tax authorities. The so-called “double Irish” tax structure, which has been used by Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Apple, is being phased out. However, Ireland has made sure it has other replacement tax breaks to keep multinationals from moving elsewhere.
EU orders Apple to pay up to €13bn in Irish taxes - business live Read more
Will this make US multinationals bring their cash piles home?
The last place American multinationals want to move profits is back home to the US, where the 35% headline tax rate is one of the highest in the world. While many big firms worry that Brussels may try to chase these huge cash reserves, they would prefer to be taxed in Europe than America so are unlikely to repatriate funds.
Can Apple afford to pay back €13bn?
Yes it can. The technology group – valued at $570bn on the stock market – has a cash stockpile of more than $230bn, of which more than 90% is kept outside the US so that it does not attract US tax. Therefore the ruling should not have a material impact on the group’s finances or its considerable research and development spending.
The €13bn represents more than a quarter of its last full year profits, which were $53.4bn and is equal to sales of 20m iPhone6 Plus handsets, at a current UK cost price of £539.
What does €13bn mean to Ireland?
It is a huge sum – more than the €12.9bn annual government spending on the Irish health service and nearly one-third of Ireland’s total government tax revenue in 2015, which was €45.6bn.
It is also the equivalent of €2,830 for every one of Ireland’s 4.6 million population.
Could a post-Brexit UK now offer such generous tax deals?
Brussels has no power over corporation tax rates, which member states have always been able to set themselves. The former chancellor, George Osborne, had pledged to make Britain the most competitive G20 country in terms of corporation tax. That has seen him set a roadmap that, unless it is adjusted by his successor, Philip Hammond, will soon take the UK corporate tax rate down to 17%. Once it is outside the EU, Britain would have even more leeway to offer special deals to multinationals in the hope they would invest in the UK. That said, such moves could leave Britain looking more and more like a tax haven, and could hamper the willingness of other countries to trade openly with the UK.
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https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/aug/30/eu-apple-ireland-tax-ruling-q-and-a
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en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/86302543f4e5577b90689077e2e1ec29b4c505e6b31538c372573a26af4c4770.json
|
|
[] | 2016-08-30T06:52:16 | null | 2016-08-30T05:14:50 |
Health ministry says one person dead and three injured in capital Bishkek after a car rammed the embassy’s gate before exploding
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2016%2Faug%2F30%2Fbomb-attack-chinese-embassy-kyrgyzstan-bishkek.json
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en
| null |
Fatal bomb attack hits Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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An explosion at the Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan has killed at least one person and wounded several others.
Kyrgyzstan’s deputy prime minister said a suicide bomber rammed his car into the gate of the embassy compound in the capital Bishkek, detonating a bomb and injuring three embassy employees.
25 years with the Soviet Union, 25 without. We want to hear your stories Read more
Zhenish Razakov said the bomber had died and three embassy employees, all Kyrgyz nationals, were injured, Russia’s Interfax news agency reported.
The GKNB state security service said it was investigating the blast but provided no other details.
Kyrgyz news website 24.kg reported that the car appeared to have rammed the embassy’s gate before exploding.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) Video of aftermath of #China embassy car bombing in Bishkek, #Kyrgyzstan: https://t.co/U50TvJqiet
Chinese state news agency Xinhua, citing a Kyrgyz security official, said it was a “suicide car bombing attack”.
This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/30/bomb-attack-chinese-embassy-kyrgyzstan-bishkek
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en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/decc777729ac7dc8bbec7a9797806fd6e4bc978a608931391430c83dda693ed9.json
|
|
[
"Lisa Campbell"
] | 2016-08-30T12:59:47 | null | 2012-08-29T00:00:00 |
The slightest trace on your property – even on your street – could lose you your mortgage
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmoney%2F2012%2Fsep%2F08%2Fjapanese-knotweed-house-sale.json
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en
| null |
Japanese knotweed: the scourge that could sink your house sale
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Two weeks before he was due to exchange contracts and move into a new home, Peter Gingell received a call from his estate agent saying the whole thing was off. His buyers had pulled out, his chain had collapsed and his dream home was just that. The reason? A 3cm-high weed in his back garden.
"When I was told, I thought it was a joke," says Gingell.
However, this wasn't just any old weed; it was Japanese knotweed, described by the Environment Agency as "indisputably the UK's most aggressive, destructive and invasive plant".
It can grow to 3-4m in just 10 weeks – the equivalent of two grown adults. Underground, its roots – or rhizomes – can spread 7m horizontally and compromise the structure of buildings.
Jonathan Harris, director of mortgage broker Anderson Harris, acknowledges that the problem of securing mortgages on properties affected by the plant has escalated in recent years, despite the fact that it has been around in the UK since the 19th century.
"If a bank's valuer finds evidence of it, or there is a history of it in the area, a specialist survey will be required. Lenders can get quite hysterical and over-react. The bank may not lend, or may retain part of the loan."
Mark Harris, chief executive of broker SPF Private Clients, says: "It's a mixed bag. Woolwich, Santander and Leeds Building Society will decline mortgage applications on properties where Japanese knotweed is present, while others will consider it, with guarantees or an indemnity in place, and be guided by a surveyor, such as Northern Rock, Clydesdale and Nationwide."
Yet, according to Richard Sexton, business development director of e.surv: "No house in the UK has fallen down because of knotweed. Yes, it grows like billio and can exploit holes and cracks but there's an element of scare stories that has made the banks panic over the past two to three years. It's not that it's suddenly spreading more, but as awareness has risen, valuers report it more."
He acknowledges a "lack of clarity", with some lenders wanting to know not just whether it's in the garden, but whether it's in the street or even the town. Lenders, he says, have panicked and, coupled with the economic climate, "gone into risk-averse mode".
Soon after his buyer pulled out, Gingell carried out his own research and soon realised there are varying degrees of severity, in particular its proximity to properties. Although it's not easy, it can be treated. "It seems so unfair that a lender has a blanket policy of saying 'no'. It's treatable, but they have rendered my property worthless overnight."
He called in a specialist (it took both of them 20 minutes, on their hands and knees, to even locate the specimen) who reported: "In my opinion, the knotweed offers no threat to the building or its foundations and, provided it is treated before it has a chance to spread further, it should be eradicated within two years."
Gingell has been quoted £300 per treatment, carried out twice a year for the next two years. He warns against what was his initial temptation – ripping it out and binning it: "You can face a massive fine or even imprisonment if it isn't disposed of at a landfill site, or incinerated. And if you don't do it properly, it will definitely come back." A fingernail-sized fragment is enough to grow into a whole new plant.
Having lost his savings and, faced with a currently un-mortgageable flat, Gingell is keen to raise awareness of the issue, given estimates show at least one infestation in every 10 sq kms in the UK. He has launched a campaign on his website knotaware.com urging banks to change their lending policy and adopt a grading system rather than simply saying no.
The future looks more positive after a working party, including lenders, surveyors and knotweed treatment companies produced an information paper for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). It has the backing of the Council of Mortgage Lenders and the Building Societies Association.
"It's the first step towards proper guidance for the market," says Philip Santo, director of Philip Santo and Company, which produced the paper on behalf of the RCIS in a bid "to make properties mortgageable again".
Importantly, it sets out to distinguish myth from reality and addresses the need for surveyors to have a tier system to indicate the level of risk. It also looks at how the growing number of treatment companies could agree on the best methods of working.
The Property Care Association now audits these firms and provides training.
Mortgage advisers and surveyors admit it will probably take at least until the end of the year before the guidelines become more widely adopted. Santo says: "It is early days in terms of all the banks coming on board, but if a lender declines an application, I strongly recommend people challenge them to see if the policy reflects the changes and recognised treatment regime set out in the RICS paper. I know of two cases where people have gone back and had the decision modified."
The lowdown on knotweed law
The Environment Agency describes Japanese knotweed as the most invasive species of plant in Britain. Landowners are under a statutory duty to be proactive in the control and eradication of it. All parts of the plant and any soil contaminated with it are classified as controlled waste and must be removed and disposed of by a licensed waste control operator. Here, Chris Alexander, a property litigation lawyer at SA Law outlines your legal rights:
• If you have Japanese knotweed on your land:
It is not an offence to have Japanese knotweed on your land and it is not a notifiable weed. However, under Section 14(1) and (2), of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is a criminal offence to plant Japanese knotweed or otherwise cause it to grow in the wild.
It is a defence to a prosecution to prove that all reasonable steps were taken and all due diligence was exercised by the landowner.
The removal, eradication and disposal of the weed may be expensive but given that the presence of it can impede the sale of your property and/or affect the value, a least-risk approach would be to have it removed by licensed contractors and properly disposed of.
• If your neighbour has Japanese knotweed on their land:
Again, it is not an offence for Japanese knotweed to be present on your neighbour's land but allowing it to encroach onto your property may constitute a private nuisance under common law.
A landowner affected by knotweed growth from a neighbouring property may therefore be able to apply to court for an injunction requiring the neighbouring owner to abate the nuisance. Such a claim can also include a sum of money in damages to reflect the cost of any physical damage to the property and/or the diminution in value of the landowner's property as a result of the nuisance.
• For information on the RICS Japanese knotweed and Residential Property paper go to rics.org.uk. A list of approved treatment firms are at property-care.org
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https://www.theguardian.com/money/2012/sep/08/japanese-knotweed-house-sale
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en
| 2012-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/3cc37f1c4c80d9d6696c1d8fd122843ab494820a8b4a722f2d4109cd97e85fb6.json
|
|
[
"Nadia Khomami"
] | 2016-08-30T08:50:19 | null | 2016-08-30T08:38:15 |
Presenter in vitriolic attack on Mature Times magazine, whose publisher brands him ‘Clarkson without the charisma’
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmedia%2F2016%2Faug%2F30%2Fjeremy-paxman-pensioners-virtual-corpses-verge-incontinence-idiocy-mature-times.json
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en
| null |
Paxman: pensioners 'are virtual corpses' on verge of 'incontinence and idiocy'
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
Jeremy Paxman has been accused of insulting millions of people after he branded pensioners “virtual corpses” riddled with “incontinence and idiocy”.
The former Newsnight presenter, who is 66 himself, has become embroiled in a dispute with Mature Times, a newspaper aimed at the over-50s, after he launched a scathing attack on the publication.
Its publisher, Andrew Silk, hit back by claiming Paxman was clearly in denial about his age and likened him to Jeremy Clarkson, without the charisma.
In a column for the Financial Times, Paxman wrote: “At the reception desk of a hotel to which I checked in this week was a pile of free copies of Mature Times, which calls itself ‘the voice of our generation’. Oh God, I thought, the cheeky bastards are including me. Back off.
“For this must be the most unfashionable publication in Britain. Who wants to be called ‘mature’, like an old cheese? We all know that ‘mature’ means on the verge of incontinence, idiocy and peevish valetudinarianism. They might as well have named it the ‘Surgical Stocking Sentinel’ or ‘Winceyette Weekly’.
“The paper is adorned with advertisements for hearing aids, recliner chairs, copper insoles, stairlifts, devices to help you in and out of the bath, and Your Life After Death, a book written by someone called ‘Joseph’ who, apparently, is dead.
“I should rather be keeping company with Joseph than looking forward to any of these products: why do people who run these dreary publications assume that, apart from a cruise somewhere in the company of other virtual corpses, this sort of stuff is all we want?”
Jeremy Paxman's top 10 Newsnight moments - in videos Read more
Paxman went on to accuse the elderly of being humourless and said there was a strong case to restrict their ability to vote in polls such as the EU referendum. “It’s simply not fair to allow people to vote for a future they won’t live to enjoy or endure. The case for curtailing the franchise is undeniable,” he said.
He added that politicians were too frightened to confront the “whiffy vested interest” of old people. “They have every reason to laugh at the way government after government has skewed things in their favour. Yet the most striking thing about rooms full of old people is how very little you see them laughing.”
Silk then wrote a rebuttal in Mature Times in which he took issue with Paxman’s “massive ego”.
Silk wrote: “He is 66, so he obviously does not see himself as one of the people he wants to poke fun at, which is irrational. This could be his Gerald Ratner moment.
“I see similarities between him and Jeremy Clarkson. He could be Clarkson without the money - Clarkson has made a living from being offensive. Paxman tries to be the intellectual one but he’s lacking the charisma of Clarkson.
“I suspect that with the high media profile enjoyed by Mr Paxman, comes a massive ego as well – but perhaps it’s time for that ego to contemplate a little.
“Mr Paxman, you have just insulted over 21 million people (yes that’s how many over 50s there are in the UK), you have called them ‘cheesy and on the verge of incontinence’ and I’m sure, on reflection you may regret such a statement.”
He added: “Now, I’m all open for criticism, and I’m happy to accept this where it’s due – but what I really, really do object to is being referred to as a ‘cheeky bastard’ - in fact I’d go so far as to say that it’s downright insulting and unprofessional for a man of Mr Paxman’s standing to use such language in such a way. I also object to the degrading and demeaning language that he used towards our readers.”
Silk asked Paxman to apologise and consider contributing a more reasoned article to the next edition of Mature Times about how the over 50s contribute to society. “I must say, I’m not holding my breath - but the invitation is there – let’s see if you’re man enough - or should I say ‘Mature’ enough to take me up on it!” he said.
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https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/aug/30/jeremy-paxman-pensioners-virtual-corpses-verge-incontinence-idiocy-mature-times
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en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/dfd35aa3ee28c548e2984e93be04fb960259e1c5a3f8350edb8ebc709398d087.json
|
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[
"Jason Burke",
"Ranjeni Munusamy"
] | 2016-08-26T13:16:38 | null | 2016-08-26T12:26:21 |
South African state prosecutor wanted Oscar Pistorius’s six-year sentence for Reeva Steenkamp’s murder increased
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2016%2Faug%2F26%2Fsouth-african-prosecutors-attempt-to-appeal-oscar-pistorius-sentence-rejected.json
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| null |
South African prosecutors' attempt to appeal against Oscar Pistorius sentence rejected
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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A judge in South Africa has refused an attempt by prosecutors to appeal against the six-year jail sentence imposed on Oscar Pistorius for murdering his girlfriend in February 2013.
Thokozile Masipa said an application by state prosecutors to appeal against the sentence she imposed in July had no reasonable prospect of success.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reeva Steenkamp. Photograph: Gallo Images/Rex Shutterstock
Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, by firing four bullets from a handgun through a closed toilet door in his luxury home in Pretoria, South Africa’s administrative capital, on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
The sentence was much lower than many had expected and was widely criticised. Public prosecutors had demanded the mandatory minimum for murder of 15 years. Steenkamp’s family, however, did not actively support their appeal.
Critics said Pistorius had received preferential treatment as a wealthy, white celebrity.
Gerrie Nel, the lead state prosecutor, told the court on Friday that Pistorius had not shown any remorse and had yet to convincingly explain why he fired the fatal shots.
“The respondent fired four shots through the door and never offered an acceptable explanation for doing so,” Nel said, adding that the sentence was “shockingly lenient”.
Pistorius has always maintained he fired in the mistaken belief that an intruder was hiding behind the door.
His defence argued that his disability – he had his lower legs amputated before his first birthday – and the mental stress that occurred in the aftermath of the killing should be considered as mitigating circumstances.
“I see a lot of prejudice against the accused from the state’s side,” Barry Roux, the former athlete’s main defence lawyer, said on Friday. “This trial and this process has been exhausted beyond any conceivable exhaustive process.”
Oscar Pistorius begins murder term after trial that held mirror to South Africa Read more
During sentencing hearings in June, a clinical psychologist called as a defence witness told the court in Pretoria that Pistorius was “a broken man”.
Pistorius was initially convicted of culpable homicide and sentenced to five years in prison. After an appeal by state prosecutors, he was convicted of murder in December.
In her judgment, Masipa said the evidence she had heard convinced her Pistorius was not a violent person, was unlikely to reoffend and had shown remorse.
The judge said she had to balance the interests of society, the accused and relatives of the victim. Pistorius, she said, was “a fallen hero who has lost his career and been ruined financially. He cannot be at peace.”
Women’s rights activists disagreed. “The judgment is an insult to women. It sends the wrong message,” Jacqui Mofokeng of the African National Congress women’s league, told the Guardian after the sentencing in July.
Under South African law, Pistorius will be eligible for parole long before the end of the sentence.
The 29-year-old was treated for wrist injuries this month after apparently falling from his bed. Prison officials said he denied trying to kill himself.
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/26/south-african-prosecutors-attempt-to-appeal-oscar-pistorius-sentence-rejected
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en
| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/8ec9e4b417c32d4e89b6efa6499ddd3de083edefddb84ea27d991c7e5cf2e305.json
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[
"Anushka Asthana",
"Peter Walker"
] | 2016-08-28T20:49:44 | null | 2016-08-28T19:15:01 |
Research by Tory peer Robert Hayward suggests up to 30 constituencies held by Labour could be abolished altogether
|
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fpolitics%2F2016%2Faug%2F28%2Fboundary-review-changes-affect-200-labour-party-seats-robert-hayward-report.json
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| null |
Boundary changes could affect up to 200 Labour seats, says analysis
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Two hundred Labour seats – more than 85% of the party’s total – could be affected by the review of parliamentary boundaries due next month, according to a detailed analysis of the review’s likely impact.
Up to 30 Labour seats could disappear altogether, says Lord Hayward, an analyst widely regarded as an expert on the boundary review, while the rest will see their composition altered in some form.
Although the changes will also affect the Conservatives, Hayward, a Tory peer, said his analysis of demographics in the UK concluded that Labour is over-represented.
Parties urged to ensure female MPs do not lose out in constituency changes Read more
“The party that will suffer most is the Labour party because such a high proportion of their current seats are well below the required quota, particularly in Wales, the north-east and parts of the M62 corridor,” he said.
The changes, initiated by David Cameron, which will cut the number of MPs by 50 to 600, aims to ensure that each person’s vote is of similar value by equalising the number of registered voters in each constituency to within 5% of 74,769. A higher proportion of Tory seats are currently within the range, so only between 10 and 15 of the party’s seats are expected to disappear.
MPs of all parties face the prospect of battling it out with colleagues to retain a seat, but anxieties will be particularly acute within Labour, where anti-Corbyn MPs fear that the necessary reselection contests could be an opportunity to reshape the parliamentary party in Corbyn’s favour, if he retains the leadership. “This will have implications for large numbers of Labour MPs who may well have to compete against each other for reselection,” Hayward added.
Hayward’s estimates have already resulted in a backlash from Labour, who have accused the government of “gerrymandering”. A spokesperson for Rosie Winterton, Labour chief whip, reacted angrily.
“Lord Hayward’s comments – a key architect of the Conservative’s boundary changes – that reducing the number of elected members of parliament by 50 will benefit the Tories’ electorally, is further evidence that the sole motivation for these changes is a partisan plan to give the Tories’ an unfair advantage at the expense of democracy. Simply put, this is gerrymandering,” he said, urging Theresa May to think again about the policy, which he called “a major constitutional change”.
Proposals will be released by the Boundary Commissions for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland during September, but Hayward has looked at the possible implications ahead of the actual data. Maps published on Sunday show that the vast majority of seats that fall within the new range are held by the Conservatives, while three in four Labour seats are below the required size, many in urban areas. Hayward analysed the impact on each region to come up with an estimation.
His figures suggest that of the 50 seats that disappear, the Conservatives will lose between 10 to 15, which is 4.5% of their total. That could still prove to be a headache for May given that it is more MPs than the party’s majority.
However, Labour is on track to lose between 25 and 30, which is 13% of their total. Other constituencies will be significantly changed with some turning from safe Labour seats to marginal ones, harder for Labour politicians to hold on to.
Other parties, including the SNP, will also be hit.
Hayward argued that there had been an unfair advantage for Labour previously and that it was right to redress the balance.
“The intention is to produce equally sized constituencies and then each vote would be fairly represented as against the unbalance that exists at the moment,” he said.
Labour, however, also believes that Brexit provides further justification to row back on the policy given that all 73 of the UK’s MEPs are expected to go by the end of this parliament. “In light of this, a reduction in the number of elected members of parliament is simply wrong,” Winterton’s spokesman said.
The opposition party is also angry that the boundary changes are based on the number of people on the electoral register at the end of 2015, arguing that 2m extra people signed up in the run-up to the EU referendum this year. “Worryingly, under the Tories’ plan, not a single one of those 2 million extra people will be taken into account in the drawing up of the new constituency boundaries. This is simply wrong and runs the risk of further distorting the Boundary Review Process,” he added.
Some MPs argue it is unfair not to take into account people who live in constituencies but are not signed up to the electoral register.
The SNP have also raised concerns. “In the run up to the Scottish independence referendum, the UK government said that if Scotland rejected independence we would be treated as an equal partner in a family of nations, with our views valued and respected.
“Since then we’ve had English votes for English laws, then the Tories tried to cut £7bn from Scotland’s budget, now they want to drag Scotland out of the EU against our will, and then slash the number of Scottish MPs at Westminster by 10%,” a party spokesman said.
A similar exercise was begun in 2013 but abandoned by Cameron in the face of pressure from his Lib Dem coalition partners, and anger from his own backbenches. The Tories are hoping to avoid a repeat of the anger by offering affected its MPs the chance to move into seats vacated by colleagues retiring.
Prof Ron Johnston of Bristol University, who has advised the government about boundary changes, said the existing structure of constituencies had disadvantaged the Tories. His team calculated that the 2001 election was “probably the most biased in its outcome”. If Labour and Conservatives had scored the same share of vote in that contest, Labour would still have won 142 more seats, of which 50-60 would be due to size variations. “So yes, the system was stacked against the Tories.”
A spokesperson for the Boundary Commission for England, which will publish its maps on 13 September, said a parliamentary act dictated that the 2015 data was used. “Many current constituencies are not within the permitted electorate range, and some that are may still need to change, to enable neighbouring constituencies to be suitably adjusted,” they added.
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http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/aug/28/boundary-review-changes-affect-200-labour-party-seats-robert-hayward-report
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en
| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/1a4fad334bf42d455059c5cd73fdea22f97e16475f0803a1ae2374ba70b9f165.json
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|
[
"Martha Mills"
] | 2016-08-30T14:59:27 | null | 2016-08-30T13:42:06 |
Martha Mills: How to talk to a woman wearing headphones, without seeming like a terrifying harasser
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fscience%2Fbrain-flapping%2F2016%2Faug%2F30%2Fhow-to-actually-talk-to-a-woman-wearing-headphones.json
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How to actually talk to a woman wearing headphones
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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An article has surfaced from the quagmire of bilge that is The Internet and it has caused, not without reason, a small tornado of outrage. Written as dating advice for “The Modern Man” (a misnomer if ever there were one), it promises a solution to the hot ‘n’ horny down-on-their-luck young bucks of the world who face the tedious obstacle of a woman wearing headphones, because how dare she. And no, it isn’t a parody.
You can read it in its full entitled glory, or stick with me as I dissect each grubby, jaw-dropping delusion of psychopathic awfulness. It’s going to be quite a ride.
How to Talk to a Woman Who is Wearing Headphones “These days, many women walk around playing with a smartphone or tablet device and are often wearing headphones and listening to music at the same time. Yet, that doesn’t mean you can’t talk to them. Of course, not all women are open to being approached because not all women are single and looking. However, if a woman wearing headphones is single and hoping to meet a boyfriend (or even a new lover), she will almost always be happy to take off her headphones to give you an opportunity to create a spark with her.”
The author, one Dan Bacon, could have saved us all a lot of bother here by answering his “How to” with “Don’t”. Sadly he seems to have missed some basic behavioural science here, you see, the very reason I and many other women wear headphones isn’t as a trivial obstacle to some throbbing hormone mountain, nor as a challenge for those blessed with an abundance of ego. It’s a defence. A defence against the aural onslaught of modern life and especially the leering advances of said throbbing hormone mountains. In short, we wear them because we don’t want to be talked to. It’s basic physics really - we fill our ear holes to stop you from getting in.
But back to Dan:
What to Do to Get Her Attention 1. Stand in front of her (with 1 to 1.5 meters between you). 2. Have a relaxed, easy-going smile.
3. Is she hasn’t already looked up at you, simply get her attention with a wave of your hand. Wave your hand in her direct line of vision so she can’t ignore it.
4. When she looks at you, smile and point to her headphones and say, “Take off your headphones for a minute” and pretend to be taking headphones off your head, so she fully understands.
If she doesn’t understand (most women will), simply gesture that you want to talk to her by briefly pointing back and forth from you to her and say, “I want to talk to you for a minute.”
In most cases, you won’t have to go to that extreme, but some girls are shy and will be hesitant to take the headphones off right away because they are feeling a lot of nervousness and excitement about what is happening. 5. Then, do what we call “Acknowledging the Awkwardness” by quickly mentioning something about the awkwardness of the moment (see the conversation example below), to demonstrate you understand that approaching a woman in this way isn’t the most common of experiences for either party.
This helps put her at ease and know that you are a cool guy who she can relax and open up to.
I don’t know if these five steps are a common “thing”, but I have personally experienced this several times. At step 1 I know what you are doing and I’m ignoring you, hoping the ground will open up and take one of us to the depths of somewhere Hellish, which would be more pleasant than this situation is developing to be. By step 3 I’m not feeling “excited” and I’m not feeling “flattered” as Dan later tells his readers I will be - I’m feeling harassed. Straight up, dictionary definition harassed.
By step 4 I’ve learnt that you can’t understand a basic body language brush-off and are therefore a direct threat to my personal safety. My brain is in fight or flight, checking for escape routes, it’s trying to figure out just how aggressively you’re going to react to any further action I take to extract myself from a situation entirely not of my own making and it is praying they use a flattering photo of me on the news, not that one when my front-facing camera went off accidentally that time.
According to step 5, the fact you have bullied me into one of the most awkward and scary moments of my life makes you a “cool guy”. Mr Bacon clearly has trouble spelling. It begins with a ‘t’, Dan.
Here’s Dan’s interpretation of how the conversation goes once a man has used his infallible five-point Jedi mind trick to bludgeon a woman from her blissful state of aural security:
You: [Smile in a friendly, confident manner] Hey – I know it’s not normal for people to talk to someone with headphones in, but I was walking along and saw you and thought – wow, she’s a cutie, I have to say hi. I’m Dan, what’s your name? Woman: [Usually flattered by the compliment and impressed by your confidence to approach her like that] Jessica. You: [Add in some humor] Cool…nice to meet you Jessica. I don’t normally talk to girls with headphones, but your big green headphones were just calling out to me. Woman: [Most likely laughing, smiling and enjoying the interaction]. You: [Let her know that you have something to do/somewhere to go, so she understands that you’re not going to stand there talking to her for 30 minutes] Anyway, so I’m just out doing a bit of shopping at the moment. I’m on my way to a store up the street. How’s your day going so far?
In his scenario, Jessica has just been waiting her whole life to be blessed with the attention of a complete stranger who mistakes hunched shoulders, darting eyes and rictus for laughing and smiling.
Here’s how it plays out in real life. Trust me, I’ve been it, seen it and spoken to the survivors:
Him: I see you don’t want to be talked to but I find you physically attractive and I’m making that your problem. Her: Please leave me alone. Him: F*** YOU, YOU STUCK UP B****, I DIDN’T FANCY YOU ANYWAY.
With “advice” like this out there, it’s hardly any surprise, is it? These lonely men so desperately in search of conquests have been given permission, blessed with the entitlement to go forth and pluck their bounty using but five humble steps. So imagine their horror and indignation when that which has been promised doesn’t want to be plucked and tells them to sling their greasy hook.
Next Dan lists the five mistakes men make when approaching a woman who is wearing headphones. Sadly not one of them is to sod right off.
Points 1, 4 and 5 are fairly inoffensive, generic dating guff (be confident, be engaging, be flirty), but oh boy, just try and get your noggin round points 2 and 3.
2. Allowing her to ignore him
“Headphones are a great barrier between a person and the rest of the world.
That being said, if a guy wants to get a woman’s attention he needs to show confidence by being determined to get her to stop listening to the music and chat to him to him. If a guy has a weak vibe or presence about him, a woman usually won’t give in to his request for her to remove the headphones. Women love to test guys to see how confident they really are and a favorite test of women is to ignore a guy’s attempts to converse with her and see what he will do next. Will he walk away in shame, or will he remain calm and continue talking to her in a confident, easy-going manner? This is her way of gauging his interest in her and also a way of determining whether he is mentally and emotionally strong enough for a girl like her. If a guy gives up at the first sign of resistance, most women will be turned off by his mental and emotional weakness as a man.”
3. Allowing her to take control of the interaction
“No matter how confident or challenging a woman might behave, she still dreams of meeting a guy who is more confident than her. A woman doesn’t want to be forced to control an interaction with a guy (i.e. call the shots, boss him around), but she will if she has to. Controlling an interaction with a woman is not about bossing her around, being arrogant or being too assertive. Instead, you simply need to assume the role of the man and let her be the woman. In other words, make her feel girly around you because you think, behave and feel (your vibe) so masculine.”
The advice here is basically “No doesn’t mean no, it means keep going until you get what you want - the screaming will stop eventually”. Because apparently that’s what women want - and forms the basis for a million rape defence cases. Trust me, when we tell you to go away we aren’t testing your measure as a man, we’re testing how quickly your legs can carry you in an offward direction.
Put Dan’s advice into any other scenario for the true jaw-drop factor: “Shopkeepers may lock their doors at night, but if you want a pint of milk, just hammer on the door until they open up. They’ll be flattered.”
I appreciate the world of mating is hard but please, for the love of humanity, learn this: just because you want, doesn’t mean you can have. Women are not commodities to be hunted and won, and if you have no luck finding someone to bump pink bits with, that’s your problem, not our fault for not adhering to the playbook rules. It’s a playbook we never signed up for and it’s only a game if both teams actually know they’re playing.
Nowhere in his advice does Dan tell his frustrated man-babies how to handle rejection with grace, because the advice is simply not to accept it. This attitude is why I and countless other women have been been chased down the street, followed home, physically restrained, spat at, verbally abused and generally made to feel like garbage, merely for trying to exist.
So when, I hear the whiny pissbabies ask, when am I allowed to approach hot single women? Simple.
If a woman has her headphones in, the answer is never - and before you bleat on about “ooh, what if there’s a fire?”, she’ll smell it, even through all your bulls**t. If you’re in a bar or party, her flirtatious smile may be the come-on you’re looking for, but be prepared to accept that you read it wrong, politely wish her a good evening and toddle back off out of her life without 20 minutes of awkward pawing, insisting she let you buy her a rohypnoltini. But how about this; take up a hobby, ask your friends if they know of someone looking to date or (brace yourself for a whopper of a revelation) if you’re looking for a hoard of single, eligible women all looking for friendship-maybe-more in one convenient place, try a dating site.
Anyway, coming soon from Dan Bacon, ‘How To Talk To A Woman Through A Fog Of Pepper Spray’. Probably.
Martha Mills is on Twitter as @mittendamour
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https://www.theguardian.com/science/brain-flapping/2016/aug/30/how-to-actually-talk-to-a-woman-wearing-headphones
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en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/4c60b7d6ea79c33a44ce7e97d364674accd8f59eab821035a5219afaf4614235.json
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[
"John Wilson"
] | 2016-08-26T13:28:26 | null | 2016-08-08T10:49:25 |
I’m angry no one told me the property was affected by the plant until I did some digging – the lack of transparency has been so frustrating
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmoney%2F2016%2Faug%2F08%2Ffirst-home-found-japanese-knotweed-pull-out-purchase.json
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I thought I'd found my first home - instead I found Japanese knotweed
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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A few weeks ago, I was expecting to enjoy the summer in the communal garden of my new home, but after weeks of the legal process grinding on, my dreams were shattered by something lurking out there: Japanese knotweed.
This is an invasive and destructive plant well known for damaging buildings, tarmac and drains. Looks-wise, think bamboo. In the summertime it grows like billy-o – 7ft up and clumps of it at least as wide. While it dies down in winter, it returns each year thanks to creeping underground stems. Digging it up is usually a thankless task; chemicals are favoured but can take years to kill it and cost thousands of pounds.
I had asked my solicitor to find out if there were any issues around knotweed after seeing online that it was an important question in the conveyancing process. On reflection, I should have asked this question before making an offer as the presence of knotweed is hugely significant.
I didn’t check the garden or surrounding properties for it when viewing. But even if I had known what it looked like, I doubt I would have seen it anyway, as apparently it is lurking underground in the communal back garden. While the survey I commissioned found no evidence of the plant, it also said that the easily accessible garden and grounds were not inspected. That surprised my solicitor and me, especially as I had opted for a homebuyer’s report for £150, bolted on to the lender’s free valuation. The survey did recommend that my solicitor ask the seller about any previous growth and treatment.
So the knotweed only emerged in mid-June when the management company finally responded to the question my solicitor raised. I was told that for around 10 years there had been a treatment programme in place with apparently no signs of regrowth in the past year. But I wasn’t prepared to take the management company’s word for it. As far as I had come and as much as I wanted the place, I needed to investigate matters more. Cue phone calls to specialists who enlightened and concerned me in equal measure.
Perhaps I took the coward’s route, especially as there had been no recent regrowth, but the risks were too high
My main concerns centred on possible resale issues. After all, if the knotweed scared me, I am sure it could scare someone else in my position. A search online confirmed what it looked like and why it mattered. Pictures and stories of it sprouting through bricks and causing structural damage made me even more worried, as did word from those I knew. I really didn’t fancy living in a place that could be badly affected structurally. The thought of paying out for ongoing treatment was similarly unappealing.
What ensued was a fairly bitter battle of who would pay for the specialist surveyor I wanted to call in. The vendor refused to pay, claiming no knowledge of it; the estate agent’s attitude was the same. I certainly wasn’t going to on principle. I thought it was shocking that it was revealed at such a late stage, especially as I had invested a lot of money in financial adviser, surveyor and solicitor fees. And that’s disregarding the emotional investment and the hope dangled in front of my face of finally being a homeowner.
Eventually, after the management company also refused to pay, I withdrew my offer. Perhaps I took the coward’s route by withdrawing, especially as there had apparently been no recent regrowth, but for me the risks were just too high.
Investing £20,000 of hard-earned cash and borrowing nigh on £120,000 to live in a place I might struggle to sell was too much of a gamble. And that is assuming the lender would have continued to offer me the mortgage anyway. Better to lose a little than a lot. I read a telling piece of advice online – a question really: “If I had known then, pre-offer, what I know now, post-offer, would I have offered? If the answer is no, pull out.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest ‘I really didn’t fancy living in a place that could be badly affected structurally.’ Photograph: PR
The whole experience made me feel bitter – towards the management company for apparently not telling their lessees about knotweed, to the vendor for asserting the property had categorically not been affected by it, and to the surveyor for not bothering to look for any signs. I felt I had been deceived and had no recourse. Some system.
But a week or two on, I’m optimistic about my new search. I will take stock and drill down the questions to ask and at what point. I will now be asking all the questions on the property information form that the seller completes pre-offer. After all, neighbour disputes, knotweed and boundary line issues can be deal breakers.
While I’ve spent a lot, I’ve learned a lot too. I’ll aim to keep my cool and professionalism, recognising as I do that buying a house is just another business deal. I’m keen to find a place that represents better value and am now prepared to roll up my sleeves and consider a doer-upper. Also, I’m going to spread my search wider, as long as getting to work in Southampton is doable.
A system that sees homebuyers lose £270m a year on doomed purchases urgently needs a kick into the 21st century
I now face a summer of Rightmove some £800 poorer. Meanwhile, my surveyor is £150 richer and my solicitor around £650. Luckily, my IFA, who I coughed up £300 to, is happy to rearrange another mortgage at no extra cost. There really needs to be some system of financial redress for when things go wrong – both I and the vendor have lost out.
In the budget the government talked about improving the homebuying process – and about time too. A system that sees homebuyers lose £270m a year on doomed purchases urgently needs a kick into the 21st century.
Obviously I would like to see a system where solicitors are only paid upon completion, but that said, why should they work for free? Crucially, we need full disclosure of all property details on the advert or certainly pre-offer. This will enable informed decision-making and help reduce house sales falling through, saving money for those whose lives are massively affected. Why I had to wait until such a late date to find out this vital information is beyond me.
I would also like to see some service-level agreements put in place to expedite matters. Perhaps enabling a discussion between vendors and buyers could help. Often, I found not only myself in the dark, but the estate agent and solicitor were also unaware of exactly what was happening. Being drip-fed information about any progress made was annoying and counter-productive. When the knotweed rose its ugly head, I took it upon myself to call the management company and the specialist contractor, which shone a little light on proceedings.
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https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/aug/08/first-home-found-japanese-knotweed-pull-out-purchase
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en
| 2016-08-08T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/31f50668f57b44c450caeec9787ee157e9638f99e54ab233a52cf84bcb6e11b7.json
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[
"Giles Richards"
] | 2016-08-29T14:52:19 | null | 2016-08-29T13:00:37 |
Lewis Hamilton has plenty of reasons to be cheerful, Force India are on an upward curve, penalties are proving pointless and Max Verstappen is an accident waiting to happen
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsport%2Fblog%2F2016%2Faug%2F29%2Ff1-five-things-learned-spa-lewis-hamilton-mclaren.json
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| null |
F1 Belgian Grand Prix: five things we learned from Spa
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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1) Penalties proving pointless
That the arms race of spending within Formula One needed to be curtailed was clear to all. Fitting a new engine for each day of a race weekend had become unsustainable and limiting the number of power-unit components to five per season was designed to rein in costs.
To an extent the policy has achieved its goal, but in Spa the policing of that rule with grid penalties was made to look farcical. Lewis Hamilton was given a 55-place drop (plus five more for breaking a gearbox seal in parc ferme), most of which became entirely meaningless once he had already been relegated to the back. Fernando Alonso’s 60-place sanction was equally absurd. Both teams fitted three new power units – Mercedes for tactical reasons to give Hamilton a stock of parts, and McLaren for an upgrade and because of technical failures – and the expense will not have been a concern to either team.
Fans on Saturday were denied a qualifying shootout involving Hamilton as he took the penalty and opted to conserve his rubber, which left a hollow ring to the whole affair. The British driver has long been critical of the engine formula, and was so again last weekend, also taking aim at the penalty rule. His team executive director, Toto Wolff, agreed with him.
“The figures are pointless and we shouldn’t bother with them any more,” said Jenson Button, which is true but the reality is the sport needs to find a way to control costs that does not impact on the spectacle it is selling – perhaps by deducting constructors’ points – and it needs to do it right. “In Formula One every time we try to save money, we spend more,” McLaren’s team principal, Éric Boullier, noted after Alonso took his third engine on Saturday.
Lewis Hamilton comes third to keep F1 lead as Nico Rosberg wins Belgian GP Read more
2) Verstappen is at the limit
He is young, he is very popular, he is talented and there was evidence of all three in the Ardennes for Max Verstappen. In qualifying Verstappen had taken Ricardo Rodríguez’s record, held since 1961, for being the youngest driver to start from the front-row of the grid. He did so in front of a huge contingent of Dutch and Belgian fans, with both claiming him as their own. He is registered as a driver for the Netherlands, as was his father Jos, but his mother is Belgian and he was born just 40 miles from Spa in Hasselt.
He has been unafraid all season to take on experienced drivers, not least Sebastian Vettel on the outside of Becketts and Kimi Raikkonen in Spain and Hungary. But although he was not punished by the stewards, much of his drive at Spa has given many cause for concern.
He was too impetuous at La Source on lap one, which is the very first place this race can be lost and where it consequently was for him, Raikkonen and Vettel (who was also at fault). But much worse was the late block in front of the Finn on the Kemmel Straight.
Coming out of Eau Rouge in eighth gear at 200mph is no place to risk a pointless accident. He did similar in Spain to prompt similar ire from Raikkonen but again no action from the stewards. His advance to F1 has been shockingly quick with little time to learn his race craft, or indeed his limitations. “We were fortunate there wasn’t a big accident because of that,” Raikkonen said, and the Finn was right. At the moment Verstappen is an accident waiting to happen.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Max Verstappen benefitted from raucous home support - both Belgian and Dutch - in Spa but he is starting to seem an accident waiting to happen. Photograph: Action Press/REX/Shutterstock
3) No wonder Lewis Hamilton is smiling
Mercedes had predicted no better than eighth at Spa for the British driver and Hamilton himself had expressed doubts about reaching the top 10.
He accepted a hit in return for three new power units but his chief concern was to limit the damage to his championship lead. It was perfectly feasible that Rosberg would, in fact, surpass him in Belgium in the championship standings. As it transpired, though, the bigger challenge for Hamilton was not so much that, nor the glorious Spa circuit, nor even fighting through the field, but the state of his tyres. Exceptionally high temperatures all week – it was 43C (109F) on track in qualifying – combined with the Mercedes power and downforce being overly tough on the Pirelli rubber that would be running in dirty air, made everyone cautious.
Third place, then, was way beyond expectations and Hamilton still has a nine-point lead in the championship. Lower temperatures, the safety car, three rivals out at turn one and the red flag all played their part as did Hamilton in keeping his head. If the title goes to the wire this was the sort of performance that would make the difference and was an object lesson to Verstappen. But what will please Hamilton even more is what awaits – he knows he is exceptionally strong going into the races that constitute the run-in. His recent record post-Belgium is six wins from seven in 2014 for the title and four from five to clinch it three races early last year.
McLaren back at scene of triumphs and preparing for repeats in future Read more
4) Force India on the move
There were smiles, too, for Force India, who continued their happy hunting at Spa with Nico Hülkenberg and Sergio Pérez in fourth and fifth. The team’s first and only pole was scored here in 2009 by Giancarlo Fisichella, who converted it into what is still their best finish – second place. They, too, benefited from the turn-one incident but Hülkenberg’s race was somewhat compromised by the safety car and red flag and might even have yielded a third position.
Nonetheless both drivers put in very strong drives and such a strong result was huge for them. It is the first time they have put two cars in the top five since Bahrain in 2014 and most importantly it has moved them ahead of Williams to fourth in the constructors’ championship.
From 15 points behind before Spa they are now two points ahead and in a position to potentially take the greater financial reward that place will offer should they hold it until the end of the season. Fifth last season is the team’s best finish but bettering it will mean a big fight with Williams.
The Grove-based squad, who have underperformed this year, will be in no mood to give up their place as best of the rest. How much more each team can bring to this year’s car with the bulk of resources already on the 2017 iteration may prove vital. The midfield battle for the run-in should be as exciting as the one at the front.
F1: Nico Rosberg wins Belgian Grand Prix; Lewis Hamilton third – as it happened Read more
5) Fernando Alonso still has it
An absolute rollercoaster of a weekend for McLaren ended on a high note. It had begun with the Honda director Yusuke Hasegawa telling me of his optimism for next year, of the strides his team were making in development and a real desire to be fighting for wins in 2017.
They had used seven development tokens on engine upgrades for the race and although they were always going to struggle on a power track like Spa, they were confident of a good performance. Then a water leak forced another engine change for Alonso’s car and what Hasegawa admitted was a bad call when they sent him out for qualifying with an oil-pressure problem, forcing a third engine change and a 60-place grid penalty. Then, reason for cheers as Jenson Button wrung the neck of his McLaren to take ninth on the grid.
But his actual race was short-lived after he was unceremoniously biffed out by Pascal Wehrlein on lap one. Alonso, however, had a stormer from last on the grid. He had joked about following Hamilton through the pack on Saturday but after two laps of the race he was ahead of the British driver in 11th. He avoided incident and took every advantage as the runners on soft rubber stopped early, putting him as high as fourth.
He was never going to hold it but he did fight to the last and clung on to take seventh ahead of both Williams drivers in undoubtedly faster cars. “Seventh is very good points for the team and to be in the points, on a circuit like this, was unthinkable a couple of months ago,” he said.
It moved McLaren into sixth in the championship ahead of Toro Rosso and perhaps the early optimism of the weekend was borne out. Certainly Alonso thought so. “The progress that the team has made is just amazing and if we keep this momentum for next year that will be great news,” the Spaniard said.
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https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/aug/29/f1-five-things-learned-spa-lewis-hamilton-mclaren
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en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/735c0054037630849193d03f97c77432e791cc1ef2a9c62db4be8dbbc704038f.json
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[
"Heather Stewart",
"Michael White",
"Sadiq Khan"
] | 2016-08-29T14:50:06 | null | 2016-08-29T12:51:34 |
Shadow foreign secretary adds her voice to leadership contest as she condemns new rules that block new members from voting
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http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fpolitics%2F2016%2Faug%2F29%2Femily-thornberry-tom-watson-labour-leadership-race-nec-voting-members.json
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| null |
Emily Thornberry hits out at Tom Watson and Labour NEC
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www.theguardian.com
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The shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, has intervened in the Labour leadership race, criticising the party’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, and accusing senior figures of attempting to “put the party’s members back in their box”.
Thornberry, whose Islington South and Finsbury constituency neighbours Jeremy Corbyn’s, used a post on her Facebook page to break her silence on the issue, as the row continues within Labour over what the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has called a “rigged purge” of party members by its national executive committee.
Boundary changes could affect up to 200 Labour seats, says analysis Read more
Thornberry condemned the NEC’s decisions to impose a six-month cutoff point for new members to be allowed to vote in the leadership ballot and a £25 fee for registered supporters.
“Here we are now, less than a year after Jeremy’s overwhelming victory, and the party hierarchy – through decisions of the national executive committee – is attempting to overturn that result, quash Jeremy’s mandate, and put the party’s members back in their box. And they are doing so in the most naked way,” she wrote.
She accused members of the last Labour government, including Watson, of deliberately picking a fight with the membership on issues including terrorism, in a show of strength to impress the rightwing press. She claimed he “growled” at her that she was a traitor in 2005 when she opposed 90-day detention without trial for suspected terrorists.
“Who exactly was I betraying? Just a party hierarchy and a party leadership who were trying to shore up their relationship with the rightwing press by ‘taking on’ their members, and trying to outflank the Tories on security,” she wrote.
A spokesman for Watson said: “Emily Thornberry’s recollection of an event that took place over a decade ago is inaccurate. Tom is always respectful of other views.”
He said Watson had “understood” when Thornberry voted for an expansion of government surveillance powers as shadow attorney general, at a time when he was leading opposition to them in parliament.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Corbyn and Watson. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA
Thornberry said she had not always agreed with Corbyn since being appointed to his shadow cabinet, but said: “I have always found him and his team willing to get around a table, listen, reflect and discuss a way forward.”
That contrasts with the view of several former members of Corbyn’s shadow cabinet, including Lilian Greenwood, Chi Onwurah and Angela Eagle, who have all said over the summer that they found his approach dysfunctional and were sometimes unable to speak to him directly.
“I fundamentally disagree with this attempt to take us back to the years when our members were deliberately antagonised, alienated and ignored,” Thornberry said.
She recently took on the role of shadowing the new Brexit ministry, alongside the foreign affairs brief, with several members of the shadow cabinet being forced to double up jobs after scores of resignations.
Watson, who sits on the NEC, is regarded by Corbyn’s allies as having directed what they regard as manoeuvres designed to prevent new members – seen as being overwhelmingly pro-Corbyn – from being allowed to vote. This month he claimed he feared Labour was at risk of being infiltrated by “Trotskyist entryists”.
Some have suggested Watson could be ousted as party chair if Corbyn retains the leadership, though he would remain as deputy leader, a post to which he was directly elected. A spokesman for Watson declined to comment.
Corbyn’s team insist he is keen to reunite Labour and rebuild his shadow cabinet if he wins the leadership, as most MPs expect. But the bitter tone of the battle for the future of the party has made that look increasingly difficult to many.
Thornberry resigned from Ed Miliband’s shadow cabinet after posting a tweet of a house in Rochester with a white van parked outside and several flags of St George draped on it, which saw her accused of snobbery.
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http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/aug/29/emily-thornberry-tom-watson-labour-leadership-race-nec-voting-members
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en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/bcf1a5a70b23ef9b52ca46316b3fcb63556db03f92cc9c12a5dbb505b02ca358.json
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[
"Australian Associated Press"
] | 2016-08-29T12:52:22 | null | 2016-08-29T11:15:28 |
In their final fixture at Pirtek Stadium, Parramatta signed off in style with a 30-18 win over St George Illawarra, featuring a Bevan French hat-trick
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsport%2F2016%2Faug%2F29%2Fparramatta-eels-farewell-pirtek-stadium-in-style-after-frenchs-hat-trick.json
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Parramatta Eels farewell Pirtek Stadium in style after French's hat-trick
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www.theguardian.com
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They were saying goodbye to the past, but they also got a glimpse of the future. Parramatta farewelled Pirtek Stadium in style on Monday, with a hat-trick of tries to fullback-in waiting Bevan French leading the Eels to a 30-18 win over St George Illawarra.
In the final NRL fixture at the western Sydney venue before it undergoes reconstruction at the end of the year, a hearty crowd of 13,553 departed with a special memento. French scored twice in the first half to help his team to a 12-6 lead at the break, however it was a special third that showed why coach Brad Arthur has handed him the No1 jersey for much of the past month.
What began with a Tim Mannah offload on the 50-metre line turned into Brad Takairangi breaking free out wide, before a sharp kick in-field found a flying French to complete his hat-trick in the 62nd minute.
Warriors out of NRL title hunt as Wests stay alive with victory in Auckland Read more
Veteran Michael Gordon also signed off from his final home game as an Eel with a second half try and a perfect five goals from five attempts to finish with a personal haul of 14 points. By then the Eels had a commanding 30-6 lead.
Dragons winger Kurt Mann nabbed two consolation tries late, but it was yet another disappointing performance from the Dragons, who slumped to their seventh loss in eight games. It was just the second time they scored more than two tries over that span.
Not even the introduction of youngster Drew Hutchison could spark their flailing attack. Called into the team for axed veteran Benji Marshall, the 21-year-old took control of most of the team’s kicking but played behind a badly beaten forward pack that spent most of the game in its own territory.
Compounding the defeat was a second-half ankle injury to forward Tariq Sims. Tyson Frizell came from the field with a knee injury in the first half but retired with an ankle injury in the second. The match was also the final Monday night NRL game.
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https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/29/parramatta-eels-farewell-pirtek-stadium-in-style-after-frenchs-hat-trick
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en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/55960574eeab54bfa45d70407f7fa51d78e9a379dfc88f8c6ab89ed5e51665b0.json
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[
"Jonathan Watts"
] | 2016-08-29T18:52:15 | null | 2016-08-29T18:45:31 |
The Workers’ party leader could be ejected from power by the senate within days but the former Marxist guerrilla told her accusers the process amounts to a coup
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Brazil president Dilma Rousseff comes out fighting in impeachment trial
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Brazil’s first female president, Dilma Rousseff, put up a fight in keeping with her Marxist guerrilla background on Monday with a powerful denunciation of the politicians who are poised to eject her from power within days.
Testifying in her own defence before a predominantly opposition senate, the Workers’ party leader said she had withstood torture in her fight for democracy and would not back down even though she is widely expected to lose a final impeachment vote likely to occur within the next two days.
A warrior to the end: Dilma Rousseff a sinner and saint in impeachment fight Read more
“I fought against dictatorship. I have the mark of torture on my body,” she reminded senators of the abuse she suffered during imprisonment by the military government. “At almost 70 years of age, it’s not going to be now, after becoming a mother and grandmother, that I will abandon the principles that have always guided me.”
Her comparison with the military tribunals that condemned her to prison more than 40 years ago was in keeping with the suspended president’s consistent claim throughout the nearly 10-month impeachment debate that she is the victim of a coup.
Opponents, however, used the question-and-answer session to assert their claim that Rousseff is undergoing a constitutionally approved trial overseen by the supreme court to assess whether she committed a “crime of responsibility” by putty-filling government accounts ahead of the last election.
Now nearing its end, the protracted political trial has paralysed government, overshadowed the buildup to the Olympics, and undermined efforts to reverse the alarming decline of Latin America’s biggest economy.
Although many Brazilians are tired of the squabbles in Brasília, historians are likely to look back on today’s session in the senate as a key moment in the ousting of the Workers’ party, which is about to be thrown out of power despite never losing a presidential election since 2002.
As the president’s motorcade left the Palácio da Alvorada in the morning, several hundred supporters lined the roads bearing banners condemning the illegality of impeachment. As Rousseff entered the legislative building, allies chanted: “Olê, Olê, Olê, Olá, Dilma Dilma.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Brazilian musician Chico Buarque attend President Dilma Rousseff’s impeachment trial. Photograph: Evaristo Sa/AFP/Getty Images
The floor had been packed for the arrival of Rousseff, but there were just as many eyes on her invited guests who showed their support by filling out the media gallery. Among them was former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who barely changed his steely forward-facing stare throughout the speech. He sat beside musical legend Chico Buarque – a prominent critic of impeachment – who caused a commotion when he arrived as senators and staff flurried to take photos.
Rousseff followed soon after with little ceremony and, as the hearing began, a hush descended on the chamber that was broken only by the chatter of camera shutters as the president waved and smiled from the bench while she was introduced by the chief justice of the supreme court, Ricardo Lewandowski, who is presiding over the trial in the senate.
In Brazil, women are fighting against the sexist impeachment of Dilma Rousseff | Ani Hao Read more
In her 40-minute statement, Rousseff serenely proclaimed her innocence and struck a tone which oscillated between that of a defiant warrior defending social rights and a victimised woman wronged by her usurpers.
She reminded senators that during the inauguration of her second term in January 2015, she had promised to respect the constitution, observe the laws and carry out a mandate given to her by 54 million voters – a majority. But she also acknowledged that she had her flaws and that her government had been hurt by economic crises and political instability worsened by her opponents.
Later, for perhaps the first time in this process, Rousseff appeared to choke up as she recounted Workers’ party achievements – the expansion of welfare payments, increased access to higher education, a rise in the minimum wage, development of offshore oilfields and the hosting of the World Cup and the Olympics. It was unclear whether this pause was from emotion or fatigue, but supporters cheered their encouragement as she paused to sip water.
“No demonstrations please,” came a reprimand from the public address system, in a tone more respectful than earlier episodes in the impeachment process.
The anti-Rousseff camp in the senate was keen to avoid the boisterously triumphant scenes witnessed when the lower house voted for impeachment in April, and to minimise the impression that the country’s first female president is a victim.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva watches President Dilma Rousseff’s appearance at her impeachment trial intently. Photograph: Evaristo Sa/AFP/Getty Images
But that will be hard to do, as Rousseff has lived in the shadow of an impeachment threat for more than a year.
Monday’s debate also set the stage for the next presidential election in 2018. As the president spoke, her predecessor and mentor Lula – who faces a criminal trial for corruption and obstruction of justice – looked pensive. Like Rousseff, he denies the charges against him, which he believes have been trumped up by political enemies to prevent him from running again. But the Workers’ party will try to rally around the sense of injustice many feel about the forced demise of its leaders.
Rousseff may be wounded, perhaps beyond recovery, but she used her speech to maul some of those who brought her down.
“Everybody knows this impeachment process opened with explicit blackmail by the former head of the lower house, Eduardo Cunha,” she said, noting that her accusers are themselves accused of more serious crimes.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest President Dilma Rousseff listens to a question by Senator Ronaldo Caiado during her impeachment trial. Photograph: Evaristo Sa/AFP/Getty Images
Although she did not mention the interim president, Michel Temer, by name, she implicitly condemned her former running mate for stealing her office in a “coup” that bypassed direct elections. “As is typical of authoritarian elites, they do not see the will of the people as the source of legitimacy. They want power at any price,” she said.
Authoritarian elites … do not see the will of the people as the source of legitimacy. They want power at any price. Dilma Rousseff
There were broadsides too for Temer’s appointment of an all-male, all white cabinet, despite the fact that the electorate had chosen a woman to lead them.
As the president concluded her speech with a call for senators to vote against impeachment and for democracy, supporters on the floor briefly erupted in applause and cheers of “Dilma, guerreira do povo brasileiro”, (“Dilma, the warrior of the Brazilian people”), while her opponents sat in silence.
A question-and-answer session followed. The first to have five minutes at the microphone was the former agriculture minister Kátia Abreu – a loyal supporter – who expressed her conviction that Rousseff was innocent and wrongly accused. Humberto Costa, the leader of the Workers’ party in the upper house, said he hoped this would be remembered as a “day of redemption”.
But the vast majority of those who posed questions or made statements were critical of Rousseff’s leadership and said she was being removed as a result of due constitutional process.
“This isn’t a coup, it’s democracy in evolution,” claimed Senator José Medeiros, who blamed the current turmoil in Brazil on Rousseff’s government. “You call this process a coup? The supreme court presides over this session. Is the chief justice a coup-monger?” asked Ricardo Ferraço of the Social Democratic party of Brazil.
Rousseff is being impeached for window-dressing government accounts ahead of the last election, by issuing decrees on spending without congressional approval and waiting several months to reimburse a state-owned bank for a low-interest financing scheme for family farmers.
Senators have to judge whether this is a “crime of responsibility” that merits removal from office.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Rousseff supporters on the streets of Brasília hold signs in Portuguese reading ‘Come Back Dilma’ and ‘The coup against Brazil’. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images
But Rousseff’s lawyers argue the charge is more political than legal. Similar fiscal irregularities went unpunished in previous national and regional administrations, but these were being used as a pretext to remove a leader who had struggled to assert her authority. Prominent senators – close to Temer – have also been secretly recorded plotting to remove Rousseff in the hope that it will kill off a wide-ranging corruption investigation – known as Lava Jato (Car Wash) – that has implicated many of them in a kickback scheme involving the state-run oil company Petrobras.
Allies said there was little chance the president would survive the final impeachment vote.
At the start of the senate process in May, opponents had already secured more than the two-thirds of the 81 votes they will need to remove the president from office. There has been no evident progress in changing minds since then.
Senator Otto Alencar, of the Social Democratic party (PSD) from the north-eastern state of Bahia, revealed he would vote against the president’s impeachment but said few would be swayed by Rousseff’s speech.
“There’s no crime of responsibility. If she’s ousted, she’ll be ousted for political and administrative errors. She’s an honest woman.” he said. “I don’t think anyone will change their minds – I’ll vote with Dilma but I think my vote will be a vote for a lost cause.”
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/29/brazil-president-dilma-rousseff-impeachment-trial
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en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/04c5ffa56760920664c4cb55d6508e374570f7a4f4e2cffeb6495c3729581908.json
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[
"Jack Schofield"
] | 2016-08-26T13:26:47 | null | 2016-08-11T08:15:28 |
Microsoft’s ‘simple’ naming system has created a lot of confusion about Windows Live Mail, but not much is actually changing
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Can I still use Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail?
| null | null |
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Since Windows Mail is going out, what would you recommend for another free email server? What about Gmail? I have Windows 10. Thanks, Laurel
I answered a topical question about Microsoft’s changes to Windows Live Mail, which I fondly imagined answered everybody’s questions. The result was roughly three dozen confused emails. I’ve tried to cover most of the points raised, but apologise for picking on Laurel. She sent the shortest question, not, by a long way, the most confused one.
Most of the confusion is Microsoft’s fault. Once upon a time, it wanted people to use Windows Live Mail to collect mail from its Windows Live email service. Well, it should be easy if they both had the same name, right? Now it wants people to use Outlook (a Windows or smartphone app) or Outlook (a Microsoft Office program) to collect their email from outlook.com (a mail service), which is even more confusing. It’s no wonder people get them mixed up.
In fact, no version of Windows Mail is going away, and nobody needs to change to a different email service. Even Windows Live Mail 2012 is still available, though it doesn’t follow Microsoft’s modern finger-friendly style, and the Windows Live Essentials suite is being phased out.
Yes, you may need to change your email settings, but ONLY if you use Windows Live Mail 2012 (the PC email program) with a Microsoft email service such as Hotmail, Live, or outlook.com.
If you use Windows Live Mail 2012 with any other email service – for example, if you have a BT, Virgin, Comcast, Yahoo, Gmail or other email address – then you don’t need to change anything. You are not affected. This does not concern you.
How we got here
Microsoft started this mess by writing to people who used Windows Live Mail with Microsoft email accounts to say that Windows Live Mail would stop working by 30 June 2016. It was moving all the Microsoft Hotmail and Live Mail accounts to a new version of outlook.com, which Windows Live Mail would not support. Microsoft said users could switch to Outlook, the free email app, or Outlook, the Microsoft Office email program, which it offered free for one year.
My answer said that people with Hotmail and Live Mail email addresses could still use Windows Live Mail 2012 with outlook.com if they changed the settings to use the IMAP mail protocol.
Well, the deadline has gone, and there’s at least one case where Windows Live Mail 2012 is still working unchanged after an upgrade to Windows 10. I know this because my wife has an old Hotmail.co.uk address, and I’m still waiting for her Windows Live Mail to break.
If yours has broken, you will get Server error 3219 and Windows Live Mail error 0x8DE00005, and you will be unable to send or receive messages. This means your mail service has been moved to a new outlook.com server, and you will have to change your email settings manually, or switch to a different email program.
Some people changed the settings in Windows Live Mail 2012 to work with the IMAP protocol, as I suggested in June. However, one reader – Gerry from Sweden – says this has stopped working: he can receive email but not send it.
If you’re in a similar position, with non-working email, the best answer is to change the settings to POP3. Helpful reader Terry Hewitt recently wrote in to say that Microsoft had enabled POP3, so you just have to log on to outlook.com (the website) and turn it on.
To do this, click the cogwheel, select Options, and click “POP and IMAP” in the left hand menu (see photo). Click Yes to “Let devices and apps use POP” but don’t allow them to delete messages. Save your changes and hit the back arrow.
After enabling POP3, open Windows Live Mail 2012, create a new account for your old email address, and check the box that says “Manually configure server settings”. For “Incoming server information” select POP with the server address pop-mail.outlook.com and Port: 995 with a secure connection (SSL). For the “Outgoing server information” use smtp-mail.outlook.com and Port: 25, or Port: 587 if 25 is blocked. These settings work for me with a hotmail.com address and Windows Live Mail 2012 running in Windows 10.
Where’s the problem?
If you have an email problem, it could be in the mail server on the internet, which receives and stores your email, or in the email program on your PC, which collects it from the server. Here’s a brief guide to which does what.
First, the email service provides your email address and hosts your inbox. Most consumer email addresses include the name of the mail service. Examples include gmail.com, yahoo.com, fastmail.com and any local variations such as hotmail.co.uk. (Laurel: Gmail is a great alternative email service, if you don’t mind changing your email address.)
Second, an email client program collects your emails from the server, and sends any replies. Nowadays you can access most email services directly, via a web browser, so you don’t have to use a program to do it. However, many people prefer to use client programs, which can handle two or more email services at the same time. They can also provide more powerful sorting, filing and back-up options, and they work even when you are not online. They may be faster, too.
Email client programs include Windows Live Mail, Microsoft Office Outlook, Mailbird, eM Client, Mozilla Thunderbird, Pine and many more. You can use whichever you like. Most popular email clients already know the settings for most popular email servers, though sometimes you may have to enter them manually.
Third, there’s the operating system, which doesn’t matter. As long as you use a standard client program, email services don’t care which OS you use.
Almost everybody uses email, so almost every major operating system comes with a usable email client. This includes Windows, macOS (Mac OS X), Linux, Apple iOS, Google Android and so on. Of course, if you don’t like the bundled email client, you can usually download an alternative.
PC manufacturers used to ship Windows Live Mail as the client program on machines running Windows 7, and now they ship the Outlook mail app with Windows 10. But Windows Live Mail still runs perfectly well on Windows 8.x and 10, so you can still use it: you just have to download it.
If you have a copy of the Outlook program from Microsoft Office 2007, 2010 or later, that will also work on all supported versions of Windows.
However, if you log on to Windows 10 with a Microsoft Account, the Outlook mail app will check your email automatically even if you don’t tell it to. It will also show details of new emails in the Mail tile in Windows 10’s Start menu, without downloading them. The built-in Outlook mail app is therefore the easiest way to start using email in Windows 10, but it’s not compulsory. You can use whatever you like.
Either way, if you’re going to write in with an email question, please distinguish between Windows Live (the email service) and Windows Live Mail 2012 (the email program); and between outlook.com (the email service), Outlook (the Windows app) and Microsoft Office Outlook (the email program). It saves time in the long run.
Have you got another question for Jack? Email it to Ask.Jack@theguardian.com
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https://www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2016/aug/11/can-i-still-use-windows-mail-and-windows-live-mail
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| 2016-08-11T00:00:00 |
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[
"Michael Safi"
] | 2016-08-26T13:19:50 | null | 2016-08-26T06:43:43 |
Anger after Dana Majhi walks 12km of a 60km trek home, claiming an Odisha hospital refused to transport her body
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Indian man forced to carry dead wife home after hospital 'refuses' transport
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A villager in the east Indian state of Odisha carried his deceased wife 12km after the hospital where she died allegedly refused to transport her body back home.
Dana Majhi’s wife Amang died from tuberculosis on Tuesday at Bhawanipatna hospital, about 60km from their home in Melghara.
He was spotted by locals on Wednesday after trekking around 10km with his wife’s body wrapped in a sheet over his shoulder, walking beside his crying 12-year-old daughter Chaula.
Footage of the sorry scene was broadcast on Indian television and shared widely across social media, triggering an outcry and the launch of free transport scheme to return the dead to their homes for cremation.
Majhi, a daily wage labourer, told a local TV station the hospital had declined to return his 42-year-old wife’s body home and asked him repeatedly to move her himself.
“The hospital authorities said that there are no vehicles. I pleaded with them saying I am a poor person and cannot afford a vehicle to carry my wife’s body. Despite repeated requests, they said they cannot offer me any help,” Majhi said.
Flooding in Indian holy city halts cremations Read more
After being alerted that Majhi was walking home with her body, district officials arranged for an ambulance to drive the family the remaining 50km back to Melghara.
The local district administrator’s office investigated the matter and cleared the hospital on Friday, denying staff had refused to transport Amang’s body home. It claimed Majhi had taken her body without informing anyone or collecting her death certificate.
— Baijayant Jay Panda (@PandaJay) [1/2] Despite much progress in Odisha's health sector, y'day news of a man carrying his wife's body for more than 10km was awful. Meantime..
— Baijayant Jay Panda (@PandaJay) [2/2] A plan had been in the works, today CM @Naveen_Odisha launched "Mahaprayana" scheme w/12 hearses for dist hospitals. Will be expanded
It was one of several recent incidents highlighting the problem of transporting cadavers in a nation where more than 270 million people still live below the poverty line.
On Wednesday railway police were seen carrying the body of a 76-year-old woman who had been hit by a train in Soro, also in Odisha. “I saw the visuals of my mother being shifted like a dead animal. It was painful,” her son Rabindra said, according to the Times of India.
The same day in another part of the remote state, a family also reportedly dumped the body of a 45-year-old family member near a hospital to save the cost of transporting the man home.
The chief minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, announced a policy in February to provide free transport home for the deceased relations of poor families. In response to the outcry over Majhi’s long walk home he formally launched the scheme on Thursday.
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/26/indian-man-carry-dead-body-wife-home-hospital-refuses-help
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| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
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[
"Eeva Riihelä Rex Shutterstock"
] | 2016-08-27T10:51:16 | null | 2016-08-27T06:38:59 |
Photographs from the Eyewitness series
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Eyewitness: Oulu, Finland
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| 2016-08-27T00:00:00 |
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[
"Alex Bellos"
] | 2016-08-29T06:59:12 | null | 2016-08-29T06:20:54 |
A rum puzzle
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Can you solve it? Are you smarter than a carnival reveller?
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Hello guzzlers,
Today’s puzzle comes courtesy of Jelmer Steenhuis, a legendary Dutch puzzle designer. It’s a contemporary twist on riddle that has been around since medieval times, and may be of use to revellers out partying today.
Three friends set off to carnival with a jerry can containing 1.2litres of rum punch. On arrival they decide to go to three separate sound systems. So they must divide the booze equally between themselves. They have brought two large bottles for this purpose. But then they discover that these bottles have no measurements on them. One of the friends spots an empty 50cl can of Red Stripe and an empty 15cl vial of something marked ‘rave juice’ on the ground. There’s a water tap on hand to clean the can and the vial. The friends are able to divide the punch into three equal portions by pouring between the jerry can, the two bottles, the beer can and the vial. How do they do it? Remember that the only measurements they have are for a full can and a full vial, but they also know there is 1.2litres of rum punch in the jerry can to start with. Assume that when you pour from one vessel to another no liquid is spilled.
I’ll be back at 5pm with the answer. Try not to put spoilers in the comments, thanks.
Jelmer studied law and was a lawyer for 20 years before moving into puzzles full time. He is best known in Holland for his crosswords and word games, which have appeared in many publications. If you speak Dutch, you can find some on his website .
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Walker Books
I post a puzzle here on a Monday every two weeks. If you want to propose a puzzle for this column, please email me I’d love to hear it.
My latest book is out this week: Football School: Where Football Explains the World is for children and uses football to explain subjects like maths, English, geography, physics, music, fashion, biology and more.
You can check me out on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, my personal website or my Guardian maths blog.
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https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/aug/29/can-you-solve-it-are-you-smarter-than-a-carnival-reveller
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| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
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[
"Amy Lawrence"
] | 2016-08-27T14:51:01 | null | 2016-08-27T13:39:31 |
A penalty from James Milner was the only chance of many that Liverpool converted at White Hart Lane and Tottenham’s Danny Rose secured a 1-1 draw for the home side
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Tottenham and Danny Rose punish wasteful Liverpool to claim draw
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Greeting the sight of a corner to Tottenham towards the end of this tussle, Mauricio Pochettino gestured intensely, trying to summon something more from somewhere. “Vamos! Vamos!” he barked into the tense White Hart Lane air. It was that kind of game. Both teams needed a little bit more than they were able to produce to achieve a win.
Tottenham were fortunate they found enough to claim a point from a game in which they mostly toiled, while Liverpool had more than enough chances to have garnered all three points before Danny Rose escaped the general congestion to equalise. Pochettino is not the only manager who has lamented the difficulty in finding a sharp groove after a truncated, post-Euros pre-season. It almost feels like it will be a relief to start afresh after the international break. This three game mini-season of sorts has not been the easiest moment to negotiate.
Liverpool should have picked up where they left off when they were last in north London, scoring seemingly at will on the rapier break. There were less than five minutes on the clock as Roberto Firmino rolled the ball invitingly to Philippe Coutinho, who contrived to shoot meekly straight at Michel Vorm. A let-off for Spurs.
Between the thrust of Sadio Mané and the trickery of Coutinho, Jürgen Klopp’s team had the better of the opening exchanges. In the 25th minute the pair linked up, Mané finding Coutinho with a teasing cross. The Brazilian, from an angle, shot too close to Vorm again.
Tottenham 1-1 Liverpool: Premier League – as it happened Read more
Tottenham strained for rhythm. Without the drive of Mousa Dembélé in midfield, still suspended from his rush of blood at Stamford Bridge at the bitter end of last season, lacklustre Tottenham found it tricky to switch from defence to attack.
Midway through a stodgy opening period they were forced into a change as Kyle Walker went off. That prompted a few positional shifts as Eric Dier withdrew to defence, and Harry Kane and Dele Alli both dropped deeper to accommodate the new striker Vincent Janssen.
With half-time approaching Liverpool were handed a clear opportunity to turn their attacking promise into something concrete with a penalty. Referee Bobby Madley saw Érik Lamela catch Firmino on the edge of the area (the actual contact appeared to be just outside) and pointed to the spot. It was down to James Milner, who had been filling in unfussily at left back, to make the difference. He slammed his shot past Vorm.
Tottenham needed a response, a shot of energy, of inspiration after half-time. But it was Liverpool who restarted with more intent, Georginio Wijnaldum scooping over.
Mané was doing a good job in getting under Totttenham’s skin. Having already been booked, he wasn’t shy of a couple more challenges and then fell theatrically when Jan Vertonghen tried to pull him back.
Tottenham seemed strangely bemused by the whole occasion, being outmanoeuvred comfortably by Liverpool. The red attacks kept coming. Joël Matip’s header skimmed the top of the crossbar, and Mané side-footed the ball into the net only for the referee to disallow a second for an offside by Adam Lallana in the buildup.
On the hour mark Tottenham finally manufactured a threatening chance. Christian Eriksen met Dier’s cross and swept his shot over the crossbar. Pochettino stomped down the tunnel in frustration.
But at least there was life in his team, and Liverpool needed Simon Mignolet to demonstrate fine reflexes to protect their lead as Tottenham slipped up a gear. Lamela’s free-kick was tipped over, before Mignolet produced a stunning save to turn Dier’s header away.
Tottenham’s equaliser came when Liverpool switched off at the back allowing Rose generous time and space to pick his spot when Dier’s cross was knocked towards him. Rose beat Mignolet at the near post, releasing a wave of pent-up Tottenham angst.
Daniel Sturridge was introduced unfashionably late – the second-choice attacking substitute after Divock Origi came on earlier – and Liverpool came close late on when Wijnaldum’s shot deflected off Toby Alderweireld’s arm and the defender also blocked Lallana.
The final whistle was greeted with muted applause.
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/27/tottenham-hotspur-liverpool-premier-league-match-report
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| 2016-08-27T00:00:00 |
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[
"Dan Roberts"
] | 2016-08-29T10:52:08 | null | 2016-08-29T10:00:03 |
Even at the Hall of Fame in North Carolina, pessimism is rising as fast as the billionaire falls in the polls, threatening GOP control of Congress
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Trump's slump in Nascar country deepens Republican fears of defeat
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One month on from a precipitous collapse in Donald Trump’s poll ratings, many Republicans are no longer asking whether he can win the White House, but how badly he will lose.
Turned off by Trump: Republican mega-donors focus on congressional races Read more
Election models put Hillary Clinton’s chances of victory in November’s presidential election at over 80% – in the words of the New York Times, “about the same as the probability that an NFL kicker misses a field goal from the 20-yard line”. FiveThirtyEight statistician Nate Silver predicts a 28% chance of a landslide, in which she wins the popular vote by double digits.
Pundits have been wrong about Trump before, and in recent polls he has shown some signs of recovery. A Morning Consult poll released on Sunday showed him three points down on Clinton head-to-head, a halving of the gap a week before. The realclearpolitics.com average of polls, however, had him down by six.
Answering the question of just how bad things could get for Republicans, in Senate and House races as well as the general election, requires state-by-state analysis, an assessment of congressional contests and, perhaps, a little unscientific sampling of the mood.
Among demographic stereotypes who ought to remain loyal to Trump, few stand out quite like the “Nascar dads”. In 2004, these supposedly white, male and mostly southern fans of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing were targeted by Democrats in their battle with George W Bush. In 2016, after eight years of Barack Obama, they should be a bastion of enthusiasm for Trump.
While other former swing demographics, such as “soccer moms” in the suburbs, look lost to Clinton for good, white men in America’s red states are at the heart of Trump’s support. Early on, the campaign heralded an endorsement by Nascar boss Brian France and several drivers.
Yet recently, outside the Nascar Hall of Fame in Charlotte, the mood among visiting families who spoke to the Guardian before a recent Trump rally in the city seemed at best to have stalled.
At first, Keith, a former military man from nearby Fayetteville, home to Fort Bragg, the world’s largest military base, was supportive.
“I’m definitely against Hillary and I voted for [Trump] for the primary,” he said. “There’s no filter. He’s gonna tell you the truth.”
North Carolina is perhaps the most important of the traditional battleground states this year. In 2012, it was the only swing state that Obama lost to Mitt Romney. Since then it has swung further to the right, replacing one of its senators with a Republican in 2014 and sitting at the centre of a conservative backlash against transgender rights.
Nonetheless, five of the last presidential opinion polls here have show Clinton ahead. If Trump cannot win North Carolina, something is going badly wrong.
Keith, who like many Trump voters was reluctant to give his surname, echoed the very issue that the campaign is most worried could alienate voters in increasingly diverse states like this come November.
Saying ‘I am the only one who can fix everything you need’ sounds a lot like a dictator in Latin America or North Korea Mark, 35, from Connecticut
“The way he deals with certain things worries me,” he said. “Immigration is a big thing. You can’t just ban a certain race from coming into the country. It doesn’t work that way, especially as it’s the land of the free.”
For core supporters, Trump’s intolerant views and loud mouth matter less. For example, Keith’s friend Kaycee, an accountant from Great Falls, Montana, was less worried: “I would vote for Trump even though his social game isn’t so hot. He is an incredible businessman and I really think that’s what America needs right now. Sometimes he has no filter, but sometimes that’s not a bad quality.”
But among floating voters, particularly in states without a tradition of voting Republican but where Trump’s economic message is resonating, people are easily turned off by the billionaire’s brash style.
“From where I come from, they call him a bullshit artist,” said Neil, a 63-year-old self-employed heating and air-conditioning contractor from Providence, Rhode Island who was also visiting the Nascar Hall of Fame on the day Trump landed in town.
“I am not a big fan. I just don’t trust what he says. He’s got that very pushy attitude. From a political standpoint, I don’t think he is doing that well. He just squirts off what’s off the top of his head. I don’t think he spends a lot time thinking about what he’s saying.”
The younger voters get, the bluer the state they come from, the more Trump’s style is a turn-off. Even, it turns out, for white dads at the Nascar shrine.
“He’s thin on policy, big on broad-based authoritarian statements,” said Mark, a 35-year-old engineer from Connecticut. “Saying ‘I am the only one who can fix everything you need’ sounds a lot like a dictator in Latin America or North Korea or something.
“I think he is very popular in a very narrow strip of America. That works well in a Republican primary, but not in a general election.”
A failure to capture states like North Carolina would kill Trump’s hopes of winning the White House. Worse, for Republicans, the mood among potential voters here speaks to the party’s concern about losing the control of the Senate that was gained two years ago with victories like that of Thom Tillis.
Senate seats last for six years, so Tillis is safe for now, but his North Carolina colleague Richard Burr is up for re-election. He is only two points ahead of his Democratic challenger, Deborah Ross.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest American, Confederate and NRA flags fly on top of motor homes at the Daytona International Speedway in July 2015. Photograph: Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP
Welcome to Iowa, where Trump's purple patch could turn a blue state red Read more
Across states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, New Hampshire, Arizona, Wisconsin and Iowa, there is a real fear that Trump’s unpopularity could cause loyal Republicans to stay home and steer enough independents into handing control of the Senate back to Democrats.
The New York Times Upshot model gives Democrats a 57% chance of winning the Senate, and may even seriously erode the Republican party’s tighter grip on the House of Representatives.
Such is the worry, more than 70 Republicans recently sent an open letter to the party’s national chairman, Reince Priebus, urging him to divert resources away from the race for the White House and towards protecting the lead in Congress.
“If it’s truly a [Clinton] landslide, even the House may be at risk as well,” former Bob Dole spokesman Andrew Weinstein, a vocal anti-Trump Republican who helped organise the petition, told MSNBC last week.
“This guy is the Titanic. He is sinking, and right now the RNC is locking everyone in the boiler room and claiming we’ll all be fine. What we should be doing is putting out the lifeboats.”
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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/29/donald-trump-nascar-north-carolina-republicans
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| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
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[
"Aisha Gani"
] | 2016-08-29T00:49:43 | null | 2016-04-25T12:11:12 |
Friends pay tribute to war veteran, 31, who had suspected cardiac arrest while running to raise money for injured soldiers
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London Marathon runner David Seath dies after collapsing near finish line
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An Afghanistan war veteran who collapsed during the London Marathon on Sunday has died.
Capt David Seath, 31, a fire support team commander in 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery who was running to raise money for wounded soldiers, had a suspected cardiac arrest three miles short of the finish line.
Seath, who had hoped to raise £250 for Help for Heroes, surpassed his target and raised nearly £700 before the race. His friends said they wanted to “complete what he started” in finishing the marathon course for him and continuing to raise money for his charity.
Thousands take part in London marathon after countdown from space Read more
Seath was taken to hospital by the London ambulance service after collapsing during the 26.2-mile race, but later died. He said he was running for the UK military charity because “the forces community need our help and continued support”.
His mother, Libby, said: “David has achieved more in 31 years than most people do in 70. He lived his life on the edge and to the full. He was running to raise money for Help for Heroes, a cause which was very important to him.”
Lt Col Jon Cresswell, his commanding officer, said: “The regiment was devastated to learn of the tragic loss of Capt Dave Seath during 2016’s London Marathon. Dave was an outstanding commando officer, a natural leader and a true gentleman. He was my assistant adjutant and so I knew him very well. He served on operations in Helmand with 19th Regiment Royal Artillery before joining the Commando Gunners and earning his green beret.
“Witty, charming and polished, Dave was a fabulous host and stylish performer. As such, he was the obvious choice to lead the Blue Peter Ten Tors team last year. Selected to train the future officers of the Afghan national army later this year in the rank of major, Dave had a great career ahead of him.
“The thoughts of the regiment are with [his partner] Gabby and Dave’s family and friends at this tragic time. We have lost one of the great characters of our regiment and take strength from the memory of his example and leadership.”
A London Marathon spokesman said the organisation “would like to express sincere condolences to David’s family and friends”, adding that the exact cause of his death would be established by medical examination.
A JustGiving page created by Capt James Walker-McClimens, an army officer and close friend of Seath, reads: “He was three miles short of the finish line and collapsed on Upper Thames Street. His friends and colleagues are planning to complete what he started, in his honour. We will walk as one, the final three miles of the marathon, starting where he fell.
“We’re raising money for Help for Heroes, a cause he ran and died for. He was our friend and hero. Please share this page far and wide.” ore than £70,000 had been raised on that page by early Tuesday morning.
Capt Walker-McClimens of the 7th Parachute Royal Horse Artillery served with Capt Seath in the 19th Regiment The Royal Artillery The Highland Gunners in Tidworth. They then went on tour together to Afghanistan in 2012, returning at the same time.
“We have stayed in touch ever since, he was at my wedding last year,” said Capt Walker-McClimens. “He was the greatest type of guy you could imagine – everyone loved him. He was funny, outgoing, generous – he was just not a bad guy in any way, shape or form.”
Well-wishers have been paying tribute to Seath on the charity page. One fellow marathon runner wrote: “I’m so sorry to hear this, I passed James yesterday and prayed he would be OK. My thoughts and deepest sympathy are with all his family and friends.”
Martin King, who donated to the charity in memory of Seath, wrote: “I didn’t know you, but hope this helps those you raised money for and your family under such tragic circumstances. RIP.”
Another person wrote: “I was one of the spectators who witnessed this yesterday and I’m so sorry to hear this news. We all really hoped he’d pull through. What a heroic man, RIP David.”
Anna, who also donated, wrote: “Kind, considerate, courageous and excellent company. He was a good friend to me when my son, one of Dave’s best mates, was in Afghanistan.”
Seath, who was from Arbroath in Angus, Scotland, completed two master’s degrees at the University of Aberdeen before joining the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2009.
Before the run he posted on his JustGiving page: “A big thank you to everyone that has been so generous and sponsoring me for tomorrow. I am sure H4H [Help for Heroes] will be equally as appreciative. Every penny counts and to have broken the 200 mark with your help is very special. Thank you all so much.”
Since his death the total on his JustGiving page has risen to almost £4,000 donated by about 250 supporters.
Prof Sanjay Sharma, a cardiologist at St George’s, University of London, who has been medical director of the London Marathon since 2007, said: “This young man’s death is a total tragedy and our thoughts are with his family and friends. Sudden death among people who exercise is a very rare occurrence – just one in 50,000 – and in the whole history of the London Marathon there have only been 14 deaths despite a million people taking part.
“While exercise has enormous benefits for the vast number of people, including their physical and mental health, cardiologists are also aware that one in 300 people in the UK, aged 12-35, have an electrical or structural fault with their hearts which could lead to sudden death. Warning signs of problems might include a heaviness in the chest or disproportionate breathlessness during exercise and dizziness or loss of consciousness.
“There is help available, such as the work by the Cardiac Risk in the Young charity based at St George’s, University of London, which screens 20,000 young people every year to this end. People should get screened for heart problems if they have concerns so we can try to put an end to such tragedies in the future.”
In the London Marathon’s 35-year history, 11 participants have died. Before Seath, the most recent death of a competitor in the 40,000-person race was Robert Berry, shortly after he crossed the finish line in 2014.
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https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/apr/25/london-marathon-runner-capt-david-seath-dies-collapsing-near-finish-line
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| 2016-04-25T00:00:00 |
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[
"Ed Aarons"
] | 2016-08-30T16:52:44 | null | 2016-08-30T16:38:13 |
Stoke are closing in on the signing of Bruno Martins Indi from FC Porto after agreeing a deal to take the Holland central defender on a season-long loan
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Stoke set to sign Bruno Martins Indi from FC Porto on season-long loan
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www.theguardian.com
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Stoke are closing in on the signing of Bruno Martins Indi from FC Porto after agreeing a deal to take the Holland central defender on a season-long loan.
Martins Indi, who moved to Portugal from Feyenoord for €7.7m, has been told he is free to leave the Estádio do Dragão this summer after Porto lined up Manchester City’s Eliaquim Mangala as his replacement.
Sergio Agüero could miss Manchester derby after FA misconduct charge Read more
The 24-year-old has won 31 caps for his country and was a regular in Louis van Gaal’s side which reached the semi-finals at the 2014 World Cup. It is understood that Martins Indi flew to England on Tuesday to discuss personal terms ahead of his move, with Liverpool and Everton both reported to have also shown an interest.
However, Stoke are now believed to have moved ahead, with the player expected at the club’s training ground on Wednesday morning for a medical.
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/30/stoke-set-to-sign-bruno-martins-indi-from-fc-porto-on-season-long-loan
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en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/aded935c963e043f8a0f49894a959d70df15205c0c1b9feffa97beaaa29d2849.json
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[
"Alan Travis",
"Amanda Feilding"
] | 2016-08-26T13:05:55 | null | 2016-08-25T23:01:03 |
Three months after ban came into force, Home Office estimates businesses could lose £32m annually
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsociety%2F2016%2Faug%2F26%2Fformerly-legal-highs-retailers-home-office.json
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| null |
Over 330 physical retailers stop selling formerly legal highs
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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More than 330 shops, takeaways, tattoo parlours, petrol stations and newsagents have stopped selling formerly legal highs three months after the blanket ban on novel psychoactive substances, according to newly released Home Office figures.
Police forces across England and Wales report they have arrested 186 alleged offenders involved in the trade in the substances, and 24 head shops have closed down altogether since the blanket ban came into effect on 26 May.
The term novel psychoactive substances covers a wide range of chemicals that mimic the effects of traditional illicit drugs and include nitrous oxide (laughing gas) canisters, which have been popular at festivals. They are often sold under brand names such as Clockwork Orange, Bliss and Mary Jane as a lucrative sideline by high-street retailers.
This ban on legal highs will only have one effect: more drug-related deaths | David Nutt Read more
Commander Simon Bray, the National Police Chiefs Council lead for psychoactive substances, said: “The significant reduction in the number of head shops and retailers stocking psychoactive substances in just three months demonstrates the hard work of officers across the country in getting these harmful drugs off the market. It is still early days but the police enforcement approach combined with education and support services for users is helping to reduce the damage that misuse of these substances can cause in communities.”
The action by police forces aimed at shops and small retailers has been backed up by action by the National Crime Agency to shut down websites found to be in breach of the blanket ban. It is also working with international police forces to tackle websites based overseas selling into the UK. More than 120 UK-based websites were involved in the trade when it was legal.
An official impact assessment produced during the passage of the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 through parliament estimated there were 450 businesses in Britain for whom the trade in formerly legal highs was a major component of their turnover. The Home Office estimated the ban could cost them £32m annually in lost profit. Officials said there were a further 210 additional small scale sellers who regarded trade in the substances as a lucrative sideline.
A decision by 308 shops to stop selling legal highs and the closure of a further 28 head shops means that about half the physical outlets have left the business within the first three months of the blanket ban.
The new legislation gives the police powers to issue prohibition and premises orders allowing them to shut down head shops and online dealers, with up to two years in prison for those who fail to comply. Those directly involved in supplying, importing, or producing legal highs can face prison sentences of up to seven years. Individual possession of legal highs is not a criminal offence under the legislation.
In one case, South Wales police arrested a man at a Cardiff music festival on suspicion of possessing psychoactive substances with intent to supply, after 144 canisters of nitrous oxide were discovered.
Danny Kushlick of Transform, the drugs policy campaign, said: “The act itself was only ever intended to stop visible sales, so politicians have their visible PR success, but the market will simply shift to unregulated street and online sales. It has, in the main, done just that. The ban has only served to drive the trade underground, increasing health harms and criminality.”
But Home Office minister Sarah Newton said she was encouraged to see that after only three months the police were using their new powers to take dealers off the streets and that so many retailers had been denied the opportunity to profit from the trade. “The Psychoactive Substances Act is sending out a clear message: this government will take whatever action is necessary to keep our families and communities safe. These drugs are not legal, they are not safe and we will not allow them to be sold in this country,” she said.
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https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/aug/26/formerly-legal-highs-retailers-home-office
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en
| 2016-08-25T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/652b733f48c4a6c004906d61f6d742ab0adc33c705413171393e687c6a76ad73.json
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|
[
"Owen Jones",
"Leah Green",
"Bruno Rinvolucri"
] | 2016-08-26T13:22:52 | null | 2016-07-21T06:00:01 |
From opposing the convention of human rights, to telling illegal immigrants to ‘go home’, there are things we should know about our new prime minister, says Owen Jones
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fcommentisfree%2Fvideo%2F2016%2Fjul%2F21%2Fowen-jones-we-need-to-talk-about-theresa-may-video.json
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| null |
We need to talk about Theresa May - video
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Theresa May is seen as a ‘safe pair of hands’, and many of us are yearning for that at a time of massive political turmoil. But, argues Owen Jones, we should still think about what kind of politician she is. From opposing the convention of human rights, to telling illegal immigrants to ‘go home’, there are things we should know about our new prime minister
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https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2016/jul/21/owen-jones-we-need-to-talk-about-theresa-may-video
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en
| 2016-07-21T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/52b547f3c599c4fcc93a892c7543e95f98d3ffb76eec451e8bb8ae4954f31f4d.json
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[] | 2016-08-31T10:50:28 | null | 2016-08-31T10:30:34 |
The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific concepts
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Flifeandstyle%2F2016%2Faug%2F31%2Fweather-forecasters-cannot-agree-notes-queries.json
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Why can’t weather forecasters agree on what’s coming?
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Why are the three weather forecasts I see each day – the Guardian; the TV; the Met Office on the web – all saying different things?
Rob Parrish, Starcross, Devon
• Post your answers – and new questions – below or email them to nq@theguardian.com. Please include name, address and phone number.
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https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/aug/31/weather-forecasters-cannot-agree-notes-queries
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en
| 2016-08-31T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/267c44584800d68a09adbce2ec89dc0c2717275c69a3df193a12dfefc623288a.json
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[
"Rupert Neate"
] | 2016-08-26T13:27:08 | null | 2016-08-24T17:51:29 |
US Treasury says investigations into alleged tax avoidance by US companies including Amazon and Starbucks could create ‘unfortunate precedent’
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US warns Europe over plan to demand millions in unpaid taxes from Apple
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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The US has warned the European commission that it will consider retaliating if Brussels goes ahead with plans to demand billions of dollars in unpaid taxes from Apple and other US multinational companies.
The Obama administration warned the EU on Wednesday that its investigations into alleged tax avoidance by US firms, including Apple, Amazon and Starbucks, could “create an unfortunate international tax policy precedent”.
In a white paper commissioned by US Treasury secretary Jack Lew, the US warned that Brussels was overstepping its powers and becoming a “supranational tax authority”.
The US warned that if Brussels pushes ahead with threatened plans to demand as much as $19bn (£14.4bn) from Apple for alleged unpaid taxes as a result of so-called sweetheart deals with Ireland the US Treasury will “consider potential responses”.
The EU has been investigating whether Apple’s tax deals with Ireland, which allowed the company to pay very little tax on income earned throughout Europe, amounted to state aid. The commission is expected next month to rule on the case, the biggest single corporate tax avoidance investigation.
Investment bank JP Morgan has warned that if the commission requires Apple to retroactively pay the Irish corporate tax rate of 12.5% on the pre-tax profits it collected via Ireland it could cost the company as much as $19bn.
A US Senate investigation in 2013 found that Apple paid little or no tax on profits of at least $74bn over four years by exploiting gaps in the Irish and American tax code. The investigation found no evidence of illegal activity and both Apple and Ireland deny any wrongdoing.
Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, has called the investigations “political crap”. “There is no truth behind it,” he said. “Apple pays every tax dollar we owe.”
In its final warning to the EU before the expected ruling, the US Treasury accused Brussels of a “shift in approach [that] appears to expand the role of the Commission beyond enforcement of competition and State aid law ... into that of a supranational tax authority that reviews member state transfer price determinations”.
“The US Treasury Department continues to consider potential responses should the Commission continue its present course,” the white paper warned in the US’s strongest language to date. “A strongly preferred and mutually beneficial outcome would be a return to the system and practice of international tax cooperation that has long fostered cross-border investment between the United States and EU member states.”
The threat that the US may retaliate against the EU comes shortly after Lew flew to Brussels for talks with the EU’s competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager on “transatlantic cooperation”.
— Margrethe Vestager (@vestager) Very good meeting with Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew on the European economy and transatlantic cooperation. pic.twitter.com/XiQBa6STAg
Vestager has already demanded €20m-€30m in back taxes from Starbucks and Fiat Chrysler after ruling the firms struck illegal tax deals with the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The commission is also pursuing a similar investigation against Amazon.
Lew has accused the commission of “targeting US companies disproportionately”. The commission denied this on Wednesday, saying its investigation “applies to all companies operating in Europe – there is no bias against US companies”.
The EU estimates that corporate tax avoidance costs member states €50m-€70bn a year in lost taxes.
The US Treasury warned that American taxpayers could end up footing the bill if the commission goes ahead and demands back taxes from Apple and other US companies as the firms may be able to offset the EU-demand taxes against US tax payments. It described this potential outcome as “deeply troubling, as it would effectively constitute a transfer of revenue to the EU from the US government and its taxpayers”.
The white paper said the commission’s demand for retroactive tax payments “sets an undesirable precedent that could lead to other tax authorities, particularly those in developing countries that look to the EU as a model, to seek large and punitive retroactive recoveries from both US and EU companies”.
Cook has said Apple will “obviously appeal” the commission’s ruling if the company doesn’t get a fair hearing.
“It’s important for everyone to understand that the allegation made in the EU is that Ireland gave us a special deal. Ireland denies that. The structure we have was applicable to everybody – it wasn’t something that was done unique to Apple. It was their law,” Cook told the Washington Post earlier this month.
“And the basic controversy at the root of this is, people really aren’t arguing that Apple should pay more taxes. They’re arguing about who they should be paid to. And so there’s a tug of war going on between the countries of how you allocate profits.”
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https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/aug/24/apple-taxes-european-commission
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en
| 2016-08-24T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/e484576342775f88b67d70186ce82a9270d8e31cc9e315544433e108f0c59ae4.json
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[] | 2016-08-26T13:30:17 | null | 2016-08-20T06:00:06 |
We’ve heard mixed reviews about the online service, and want readers’ views
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmoney%2Fblog%2F2016%2Faug%2F20%2Fis-it-worth-doing-airbnb-spare-room.json
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| null |
Is it really worth doing Airbnb with our spare room?
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Every week a Guardian Money reader submits a question, and it’s up to you to help him or her out – a selection of the best answers will appear in next Saturday’s paper.
This week’s question:
We’ve a spare double bedroom in our central(ish) Bristol house, and are thinking of doing Airbnb for the first time – probably at £40-£45 a night. Some people say it’s too much hassle. What are the top tips for making it work, and what are the downsides?
Do you have a problem readers could solve? Email your suggestions to money@theguardian.com or write to us at Money, The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU.
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https://www.theguardian.com/money/blog/2016/aug/20/is-it-worth-doing-airbnb-spare-room
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en
| 2016-08-20T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/5328ab8049c9231ce8ef3872e041c33f620b6606ad8c94005d33a171b69e559f.json
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[
"Australian Associated Press"
] | 2016-08-29T08:52:17 | null | 2016-08-29T03:46:30 |
Justin Leppitsch has been sacked as Brisbane Lions coach, with chairman Bob Sharpless saying the AFL club needed to go in a different direction
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsport%2F2016%2Faug%2F29%2Fjustin-leppitsch-sacked-as-brisbane-lions-afl-coach.json
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| null |
Justin Leppitsch sacked as Brisbane Lions AFL coach
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Brisbane’s declining performance under Justin Leppitsch left the Lions with little choice but to sack him as coach, chairman Bob Sharpless says. Leppitsch was ousted with one year still remaining on his contract, having won just 14 matches in three seasons at the helm.
The Lions made the decision at a board meeting on Monday morning, with Sharpless conceding they are “simply not a competitive football team”.
“We have regressed from 10 wins in 2013, to seven wins in 2014, four wins last season, and to three this year,” Sharpless said. “The nature of some of this season’s heavy defeats to teams around the same position on the AFL ladder have been bitterly disappointing. There’s something not right, and our view was we needed to do something about it.”
AFL announces 40-man All Australian squad featuring 24 new faces Read more
Leppitsch chose not to join Sharpless and chief executive Greg Swann at Monday’s media conference and was informed of his axing by telephone. The playing group was told via email and were apparently unable to be gathered together because they were due for end-of-season reviews with their line coaches.
In his final appearance before the media as coach following Sunday’s defeat to St Kilda, Leppitsch had complained club powerbrokers had shifted the goalposts on what he needed to do.
Sharpless rejected that view, describing the team’s basic skills as a “bit deficient” and admitting some players wanted Leppitsch removed. “We extended his contact at the start of this year because we had the belief we were heading in the right direction, but this season just has not turned out the way we expected,” he said.
Swann said the board had yet to determine whether Leppitsch’s replacement needed to have had previous experience as an AFL head coach, or if there was a preference for someone not associated with the club. “Ultimately we’ll just get the best coach there is,” he said.
Swann also said the decision would be Brisbane’s alone and not influenced by the AFL. The Lions ended the 2016 home-and-away season in second-last spot on the ladder with three victories, avoiding the wooden spoon by just half a percentage point.
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https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/29/justin-leppitsch-sacked-as-brisbane-lions-afl-coach
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en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/7e4441067a865ee5346e04ca150653fd44084a55d8d871c4a65b8eff798ac19c.json
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[
"Matt Shardlow"
] | 2016-08-30T04:50:08 | null | 2016-08-30T04:30:21 |
Country diary: Rutland Water, Rutland Ram’s-horns are very successful animals and are found in just about every permanent still water body in the UK
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fenvironment%2F2016%2Faug%2F30%2Fbeneath-lily-leaf-hides-tiny-water-snail.json
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| null |
Beneath the lily leaf hides a tiny water snail
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Secluded by sallow bushes and clumps of great willow herb is a small pond. In the natural surroundings it looks a little contrived, being a raised wooden structure, bench height and pentagonal. Nevertheless it provides a quiet haven after a day of solid talking at the British bird fair.
The heavy warm air is now cooling and the clouds darkening. With casual curiosity I lift a white water-lily leaf the size of a dinner plate from the pond surface and peer underneath. Adhering to the underside, looking like a dark brown shirt button, is a tight coil of a ram’s-horn snail.
There are 14 species of ram’s-horns in Britain, all aquatic and brown with flat coiled shells. Compared with the shells, their bodies are diminutive: delicate, ruddy brown, with threadlike tentacles that waft in any tiny current.
Despite the apparent ungainliness of their physical construction, ram’s-horns are very successful animals and are found in just about every permanent still water body in the UK, although even the common species peter out in Cornwall, west Wales and Scotland. Perhaps the secret is haemoglobin, a rare chemical in molluscs, which they use to extract oxygen from the waters they inhabit.
White waterlilies combine purity with a hint of danger Read more
This one is the Whirlpool ram’s-horn (Anisus vortex), identified by its size and the tight, even coils of its shell. Other lily leaves hide more ram’s-horns and long clear jelly blobs containing dozens of snail eggs.
There are two other species obviously present: the deeper-bodied and more thickset margined ram’s-horn (Planorbis planorbis) and the even more heavily built great ram’s-horn (Planorbarius corneus). The latter is easily the biggest native, up to 3.5cm in diameter, the nearest thing to a living British ammonite.
I find these enigmatic water dwellers charming, but for me they also evoke fond memories of dashing around the Norfolk Broads, delving in weedy ditches, ponds and lake beaches for snails for a university project and later working to help conserve the little whirlpool ram’s-horn snail (A vorticulus), an animal on the verge of national extinction.
Follow Country diary on Twitter: @gdncountrydiary
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/aug/30/beneath-lily-leaf-hides-tiny-water-snail
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en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/78652cf0395a99bcd5ca582b7e0e01e380381637b3ae81d7b44d3221f1be992f.json
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|
[
"Vic Marks"
] | 2016-08-27T14:51:44 | null | 2016-08-27T12:59:04 |
The First Division of the County Championship is building towards an exciting climax but the domestic limited-overs game remains riven by discord
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsport%2Fblog%2F2016%2Faug%2F27%2Fcounty-championship-season-merits-memorable-finale.json
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| null |
County Championship: fine season merits memorable finale
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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As September approaches the domestic season is hotting up nicely. In the First Division of the County Championship half a dozen sides have not given up on winning the pennant; half a dozen are still keeping an eye on the ignominy of relegation (yes, it is possible to do both simultaneously).
There is the chance of a climax as exciting as 2010, when the England and Wales Cricket Board’s metaphorical helicopter was hovering in the air on the last afternoon before delivering the trophy to Nottinghamshire. (Actually it was not a very enjoyable afternoon for followers of Somerset, who were within half an hour of winning the championship for the first time … but the competition was the winner.)
County cricket: Surrey v Lancashire and much more – as it happened Read more
Now is the time of year when the diehard supporters – and there are many more of them out there than one might think – keep in constant touch with what is happening around the shires via one of the 21st century’s countless sources of info. Every fall of wicket seems to have a butterfly effect. “That means another bonus point at Edgbaston so maximum batting points are essential at Chester-le Street and there will have to be a challenging declaration at Lord’s because a draw is no good to either side.”
A lot can happen in four rounds of championship cricket: a couple of victories can transform a season, as a vibrant Surrey side have demonstrated in recent weeks. This coming week Surrey look on, so they hope for damp, low-scoring draws everywhere when the other eight sides in the First Division lock horns.
Currently Middlesex and Yorkshire are best placed and intriguingly they are destined to meet at Lord’s in the final round of matches in the third week of September. This week Yorkshire are at the Ageas Bowl, where Hampshire are clutching on to First Division status by their fingernails. (Oddly in cricket there are not massive financial implications from relegation but staying in the top division really seems to matter.) There have been some dull surfaces down at Southampton this season. Dare the home side spice their pitch up a little? Yorkshire, no doubt, hope they will.
Meanwhile Middlesex, the only unbeaten side in the division, are at Edgbaston. Former England players abound in this fixture and some of them may be eyeing a recall (whether it be old Ian Bell or young Sam Robson) but their main focus will be a victory that may prove decisive. As Andrew Strauss hoped at the start of the season, both sides have leant on the contributions of their spinner: Jeetan Patel for Warwickshire, who is not qualified for England, and Olly Rayner for Middlesex, who is.
Northamptonshire overcome litany of problems with inspirational team spirit | Will Macpherson Read more
Likewise spin bowling could be a major factor at Old Trafford, where Lancashire frequently play two specialist spinners. Somerset are the visitors and their leading wicket-taker this summer is the 25-year-old left-armer Jack Leach. Recently the ball has turned at Taunton (far more than it used to) and Leach alongside Roelof van der Merwe has been busy. He is a no-nonsense left‑armer with an easy, orthodox action which means that he obeys one of the cardinal rules; he bowls a consistent line and length at a good pace. There are also signs that he enjoys a tight situation; he has been centre stage with bat and ball in two taut victories at Taunton.
At Chester-le-Street two sides more preoccupied with survival meet. Nottinghamshire, a prosperous county, are the favourites to be relegated. Durham, with severe financial problems, have battled bravely yet again but their lack of resources cannot be overcome year after year. Mark Stoneman is off to The Oval next year while Mark Wood’s future with the club may well be dependent on whether he gets another ECB contract (if so, he will probably stay).
Yorkshire win puts pressure on Middlesex at top of Championship Read more
On Sunday and Monday four First Division sides contest the semi-finals of the 50-over Royal London Cup, with Yorkshire taking on Surrey at Headingley first and Somerset playing Warwickshire at Edgbaston the following day.
Amid all this excitement there remains uncertainty and some discord over the future of the domestic structure, in particular that of the T20 competition. City franchises are still on the agenda. Crucial to the outcome will be whether counties such as Northamptonshire, brilliant winners of this year’s T20 tournament despite their financial difficulties, can avoid the temptation of being paid great chunks of money not to play T20 at the highest level at Wantage Road. This would be just one undesirable outcome of the city franchise scheme.
Some research, not commissioned by the ECB but put together by Oliver and Ohlbaum Associates, who are sports media rights specialists, suggests: “There is little consumer demand for the proposed city-based T20 competition even among younger and currently more casual fans of cricket.”
They regard the ECB’s enthusiasm for the franchise system as a quest for lost revenue. “The main impetus behind the new competition could be that it gives the ECB new broadcast rights to market. The ECB has been locked in a contract with Sky for all forms since 2012 and has not been able to capitalise on the buoyant UK rights market. The length of the current cricket deal (this runs until 2019), which included an option for Sky to extend by two years, has stagnated media growth.” Oliver and Ohlbaum estimate the loss to be in the region of £60m, a figure that will have those at Chester-le-Street and Northampton salivating.
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https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/aug/27/county-championship-season-merits-memorable-finale
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| 2016-08-27T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/58c4b0a74092b22322b857e8ad8c2d4009ec1532143f626c94dbecefb1d3beec.json
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[] | 2016-08-26T16:50:44 | null | 2016-08-26T14:58:04 |
Manchester City are flying with Pep Guardiola at the helm and will not fear a trip from injury-hit West Ham United who failed to make it into the group stages of the Europa League on Thursday
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ffootball%2F2016%2Faug%2F26%2Fmanchester-city-west-ham-united-match-preview.json
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| null |
Manchester City v West Ham United: match preview
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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So far, so very good for the Pep Guardiola Manchester City project. A disrupted pre-season is no longer a factor and the Catalan’s side are flying. What will fascinate is when the Pep bounce falters and his side suffer a defeat. Slaven Bilic’s West Ham United won at the Etihad Stadium 2-1 last season, so might they be the team to offer City a first taste of adversity? Jamie Jackson
Kick-off Sunday 4pm
Venue Etihad Stadium
Last season Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2
Live Sky Sports 1
Referee Andre Marriner
This season G1, Y1, R0, 1.00 cards per game
Odds H 3-10 A 10-1 D 9-2
Manchester City
Subs from Hart, Otamendi, Zabaleta, Delph, Fernando, Navas, Nasri, Bony, Iheanacho, Zinchenko, Adarabioyo, Denayer, Mangala, Gündogan, Sané, Touré, Bravo
Doubtful Gündogan, Sané (match fitness)
Injured Kompany (thigh, unknown)
Suspended None
Form WW
Discipline Y5 R0
Leading scorer Agüero 3
West Ham United
Subs from Randolph, Spiegel, Ogbonna, Burke, Oxford, Fernandes, Lanzini, Nordtveit, Payet, Valencia, Fletcher, Quina, Browne
Doubtful Lanzini (knee), Noble (wrist), Nordtveit (foot), Payet (match fitness)
Injured Feghouli (hamstring, 10 Sep), Ayew (thigh, Dec), Carroll (25 Sep), Cresswell (Dec), Henry (all knee, unknown)
Suspended None
Form LW
Discipline Y5 R0
Leading scorers Antonio, Collins 1
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/26/manchester-city-west-ham-united-match-preview
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| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/b4c282bbc9b48ccef45c8e3819ff05e287b4dfdf7a7a26302a7fa5098f5d5c6d.json
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[
"Luis Miguel Echegaray"
] | 2016-08-26T13:21:20 | null | 2016-08-24T10:00:17 |
America achieved a record medal haul at the Rio Games. Here’s a celebration of the Latino athletes who stood on that podium wearing red, white and blue
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsport%2Fblog%2F2016%2Faug%2F24%2Frio-2016-usa-latino-medal-winners-america.json
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| null |
Rio 2016: USA's Latino medal winners showcased the best of America
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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In two dramatic weeks, the backdrops of Corcovado and Copacabana served as visual soundtracks to the 31st Olympiad. Rio de Janeiro, the sixth most populated city in the Americas, played host to 207 nations, and welcomed athletic competitors from the first refugee team, South Sudan, and Kosovo.
The United States of America, a nation built by immigrants, left the Games as a melting pot of multicultural glory. Every shade of America’s skin was present and carrying the same message: don’t ever give up, because the fight is not done.
So it’s only fair to commemorate the Latino athletes who stood on that podium, wearing red, white and blue while inspiring millions of viewers. We honor their achievements because they reflect our own sacrifices and the ones made by our parents and grandparents who risked so much to be here.
Gracias to Maya Dirado. Her humble approach to competition makes her even more likeable – if that was even possible. When she stood on that podium after winning the 200m backstroke and out-touched the heavy favorite, Katinka Hosszu of Hungary, the tears of joy were a brief reminder of the hours of work that no one else sees. After the race, Dirado – whose father is from Argentina – couldn’t contain her emotions. “I can’t believe that just happened,” she said in an interview with Michele Tafoya, still in disbelief. Four medals, including two golds, signified that in Rio she was a force to be reckoned with.
Dirado’s modest demeanor could perhaps equal Nico Hernandez, the boxer from Wichita, Kansas. The 20-year-old Mexican American light flyweight was the first male US fighter to claim a medal of any kind at the Games since 2008. After losing the semi-final bout and earning a bronze, Hernandez remained respectful and never complained, admitting his opponent was the better competitor.
“I know, win or lose, my supporters back home are proud of me either way,” he said after the fight. He owes so much to his father, a truck mechanic who introduced him to the sport when he was nine. “He’s been pushing me since I was little and helping me chase my dreams,” he told NBC before the Games began. No one gave him a shot in the first bout against Italy’s Manuel Cappai, and now he’s an Olympic bronze medallist.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Nico Miguel Hernandez, left, fights Uzbekistan’s Hasanboy Dusmatov in the semi-final. Photograph: Frank Franklin II/AP
Speaking of opportunity, Danell Leyva, the Cuban American gymnast most definitely took his. After replacing John Orozco due to an ACL injury, Leyva posted a video on Instagram expressing his gratitude for the selection and his condolences for the injured athlete. “I am incredibly honored to be chosen for the team but I’m also devastated for John,” he said about his friend and team-mate. “This wasn’t the way I wanted to make the team.” Leyva, however, did not take this opportunity for granted and delivered in great fashion by winning two silver medals in parallel and horizontal bars.
How about the wonderfully colorful Laurie Hernandez, the youngest member of the Final Five? After helping Team USA win gold in the team all-around, the 16-year-old became the first and only Latina ever to win a medal on balance beam. The New Jersey native is an inspiration to millions of Hispanic girls across the country who look up to her and can’t help but smile when they see the mesmerizing floor routine. I had the pleasure of spending time with Hernandez before she exploded on to the scene and can confirm she is a smart, beautiful and personable young athlete. The Sky is the limit for the Boricua. Let’s hope she keeps shining.
The spotlight was definitely shining on America’s men and women basketball teams this past weekend, and Team USA did everything and more to in order to achieve gold. It’s a sweeter victory when you realize that both squads were led by New York Knicks star and all-time Olympic scorer Carmelo Anthony (whose father was the Puerto Rican social activist Carmelo Iriarte) and three-point queen Diana Taurasi. The Argentinian American showed a tremendous amount of grit as the greatest women’s player ever scored 17 points in the final against Spain, propelling her team to a dominating win and making the case for the women’s US team as the greatest Olympic squad ever. Between them, they have eight Olympic medals.
Since we are discussing leadership, let’s celebrate Maggie Steffens, captain and Olympics MVP of the women’s water polo team, who achieved gold for a second consecutive time. She is the daughter of Carlos Steffens, who played for Puerto Rico’s men’s water polo team in three Pan-American Games and was a three-time all-American for UC Berkeley. The 23-year-old – alongside Katie Ledecky and Simone Manuel – is a product of Stanford University’s powerful athletic program.
— Maggie Steffens (@maggiesteffens) Boricua!!! Amazing Games @lzhernandez02 !!! Representing America and Puerto Rico proud! #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/1yMxI41sRB
Thank you to weightlifter Sarah Robles. As a Mexican American, she understands how important it is to represent one’s heritage and become a voice for the community. “As an Olympic athlete, I represent all Americans,” she said in an interview with EFE last month. “But representing Latinos and Latinas is a great honor.” Robles won a weightlifting medal for America for the first time since 2000.
You'll never regret working hard, trying to do the right thing, loving yourself or putting a smile on your face. A photo posted by Sarah Robles (@roblympian) on Aug 22, 2016 at 8:17am PDT
The meaning of these achievements may seem trivial to some, but to many they serve as sources of inspiration as a large number of young Latinos see these athletes as role models and valid examples of what can happen when you apply the values of hard work and dedication.
You can’t get more American than that.
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https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/aug/24/rio-2016-usa-latino-medal-winners-america
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en
| 2016-08-24T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/0fca4050fae368572da2c786acee903c56fda7f8ee8610f906617c1bc53a406e.json
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[
"Michael Williams"
] | 2016-08-30T18:52:47 | null | 2016-08-30T13:03:54 |
The runners approach the four furlong marker during the Charlton Hunt Nursery Fillies’ Stakes at Goodwood racecourse in Chichester. The race was won by Shane Kelly, in the red silks, riding Paco’s Angel
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsport%2Fpicture%2F2016%2Faug%2F30%2Fsport-picture-of-the-day-goodwood-glory-for-pacos-angel.json
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Sport picture of the day : Goodwood glory for Paco's Angel
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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The runners approach the four furlong marker during the Charlton Hunt Nursery Fillies’ Stakes at Goodwood racecourse in Chichester. The race was won by Shane Kelly, in the red silks, riding Paco’s Angel
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https://www.theguardian.com/sport/picture/2016/aug/30/sport-picture-of-the-day-goodwood-glory-for-pacos-angel
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en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/48253849a43323aedc9396f0b2f1f34560c5b205ecd0f89238c233292dab8907.json
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[
"Graham Ruthven",
"Dave Martinez"
] | 2016-08-26T13:18:22 | null | 2016-08-22T11:43:42 |
Plus: Red Bulls collapse on the road again ; NYC FC find home comforts; an unenviable streak ends; FC Dallas paying the price for not signing a striker
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ffootball%2Fblog%2F2016%2Faug%2F22%2Fseattle-turn-western-conference-play-off-race-into-a-fight-to-the-death.json
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Seattle turn Western Conference play-off race into a fight to the death
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www.theguardian.com
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They wasted a lot of time this season, but boy, the Seattle Sounders are making up for it. Sunday’s Cascadia Cup win over the Portland Timbers means that since firing Sigi Schmid the CenturyLink Field side have drawn one and won three of their four league matches, lifting them into play-off contention in the West. A race that looked to have settled into a rhythm just a few weeks back is now a chaotic hot-mess. Seattle haven’t just lit the fuse, they’ve sparked a raging furnace.
The 3-1 win over Portland was probably their most satisfying under Brian Schmetzer yet, with the Sounders at their attacking best against their closest rivals. Clint Dempsey has finally found the groove that makes him one of the most potent attackers in the league, but it is the improvement of his supporting cast - and the introduction of Nicolas Lodeiro - that has been most stark.
Cristian Roldan, for instance, was outstanding throughout. The 21-year-old looks more suited to the deeper role given to his by Schmertzer in recent weeks, scoring twice, assisting twice and drawing two penalties in the four games he’s played under the interim head coach. Roldan has finally found his identity as a soccer player. It’s not as a playmaker or as a box-to-box operator, but as a space occupier. He fills the areas left by others, and he is just another talent that Schmertzer is now making the most of.
So just how far can the Sounders go and how hard can they press for a play-off place, given how late they have left it to make a charge? Their chances could rely on the consistency of their starting lineup. Against Portland, Schmertzer picked the same team for the fourth straight game (the first time since 2010 that Seattle have done that). With the Sounders currently a well-balanced, cohesive, winning side that was to be expected, but what happens when changes have to be made? Will Seattle retain that balance and cohesion? The true depth of their challenge is not yet known.
Nonetheless, with the form of the San Jose Earthquakes and the Timbers patchy at present, Seattle’s upward arc could take them all the way into the top six and the play-offs. The Cascadia Cup win over Portland on Sunday proved that their resurgence is for real and not just a fleeting flash of green. GR
Jesse Marsch needs a plan for when things collapse on the road
The New York Red Bulls should have known what to do this time. They’d been there before, after all. Holding a 2-0 lead on the road, on this occasion at East coast rivals DC United, Jesse Marsch’s side looked on course for a statement win. But the Red Bulls know by now not to count their away points until they are on the board. In the end, only one was tallied up after they once again conceded a two-goal lead away from home.
It was the same against the Philadelphia Union last month, when a Sacha Kljestan double gave the Red Bulls a 2-0 lead, only for the visitors to PPL Park to capitulate and eventually settle for a 2-2 draw. It happened at StubHub Center too, with the LA Galaxy fighting back from a two-goal deficit to claim a point against an away team all too vulnerable from a winning position. The Chicago Fire also claimed a 2-2 draw against the Harrison side, although they only ever trailed by a single goal.
Surely by now Marsch should have a plan to address this critical shortcoming? With Marcelo Sarvas’ penalty kick on Sunday evening, dragging DC United back into the contest at 2-1, the Red Bulls should have resorted to a tactical blueprint designed to limit the damage. Instead they made the same mistakes they have made so many times before. This is more than just misfortune. This is now careless management.
Just as in Carson and Chester before that, the Red Bulls were found out at full-back. DC United exploited the space left in behind Kemar Lawrence on the left and Chris Duvall on the right, as Lamar Neagle, Patrick Nyarko and Patrick Mullins exposed the visitors to the Capitol. It’s somewhat astonishing that lessons hadn’t been learned already, but Marsch, as a priority, must ensure his players know how to deal with such a situation when it arises again.
Ordinarily, Marsch could put Sunday’s result and the manner of their surrender down to the unpredictability of local rivalries, but this has become a glaring weakness of his team over the past month or two. This deficiency could undermine the Red Bulls’ challenge in the East, certainly hindering their chances of catching New York City FC. Marsch must address it. GR
New York City FC find home comforts
Sometimes, it takes a little while for people to adjust to their new home.
New York City FC have dealt with that reality for their entire existence – and opposing fans have relished that fact. From inception, NYC FC have had a tough time traversing the laid-in sod of the Yankee Stadium diamond, the narrow confines of their makeshift home and the depth perception issues common with the sprawling baseball stadium. Last year, those struggles led to an unsightly 6-7-4 record at home.
This year, however, Patrick Vieira and his staff have begun to use the baseball ground to their favor. The latest example of this came Saturday evening as NYC FC rode a sixth minute David Villa goal towards an impressive 1-0 win over the LA Galaxy.
This match was supposed to be about Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard rekindling their vaunted rivalry on the other side of the Atlantic. Instead, it was NYC FC’s stout defensive effort that took center stage, neutralizing the midfield and making two of England’s greatest ever players an afterthought.
Forget about the fact that Villa’s winner came while he was offside. Instead, focus on the NYC FC defense that, without Maxime Chanot, managed to hold the big-name Galaxy roster to a single shot on goal. Their ability to confound Bruce Arena’s troops resulted in a club record fourth straight victory at home. With that win, NYC FC are just one victory away from tying their 2015 home mark – with four games yet to be played in the Bronx.
Beating the Galaxy and shoring their home form also raises important question: are NYCFC for real? Their current home winning run seems to suggest so, with impressive victories over MLS powers like LA, the New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union and the Colorado Rapids.
But that streak is only part of the NYC FC revival. Their stellar away form (6-4-3), the leadership of MLS goal scoring leader Villa, their dynamic wing options in Jack Harrison and Tommy McNamara and their reinforced defense also speaks to a larger narrative.
In short: NYC FC have proven their place amongst the upper echelon of MLS teams. And despite all the setbacks they endured in the nascent days of this franchise, it is now impossible to deny: NYC FC are an MLS Cup contender. And they have earned that distinction. DM
FC Dallas are paying the price for not signing a top-class striker
Sitting atop the Western Conference, leading the race for the Supporters’ Shield, FC Dallas’ away loss to Real Salt Lake on Saturday was hardly the manifestation of a side on the slide. Yet there were hints at how the Texans’ downfall could happen. Oscar Pareja has forged an astute outfit that could go the distance this season, but he could yet count the cost of his team’s attacking deficiencies.
Against RSL, their shortcomings were exposed, succumbing to a goal on the counter-attack having passed several chances of their own. A top-class No9 would surely have taken one of those chances, but FC Dallas don’t have a top-class No9. They have Max Urruti - one of MLS’s most infuriatingly inconsistent forwards - and Getterson - a journeyman on loan from the Brazilian fourth tier. In that respect, they are grossly under-equipped for a tilt at North American soccer’s top prizes.
It was a similar story against the Vancouver Whitecaps a week previously, with Urruti spurning a number of chances to secure three points for FC Dallas. The Texans could have been out of sight - or certainly further ahead - at the top of the Western standings were it not for their lack of killer instinct in the final third. Subsequently, Pareja must surely rue not making a move for a dependable striker when the window was open, especially with Fabian Castillo now in Turkey.
Of course, FC Dallas could still sign an out-of-contract player, with murmurings that they might have freed up an international spot this week in preparation for a new arrival, but it seems unlikely that Pareja will find the number nine he needs in the free agent market. Truly top-class strikers tend not to be free agents for long, particularly at this time of year.
Up until now, FC Dallas have managed to spread the goals across their team. They average 13.1 shots per game, making them MLS’s fourth-most prolific shooters, with their tally of 39 goals for the season so far making them the West’s top scorers. But what happens when goals from midfield and elsewhere dry up, like they did against Real Salt Lake? FC Dallas are hardly renowned as big-spenders, but they might regret not stumping up for a striker good enough to carry them when others can’t. GR
An unenviable streak comes to an end
Two years? 110 weeks? 770 days? No matter which unit of time you use, we can all agree that the Chicago Fire waited a long time to break their winless road streak.
Goals from Luis Solignac, David Accam and Matt Polster propelled the visiting Fire past Didier Drogba’s Montreal Impact 3-0 at Stade Saputo on Saturday evening. It is Chicago’s first road win since 12 July 2014 when they beat the New England Revolution 1-0 at Gilette Stadium.
Let’s put that stretch into perspective. In the time since Chicago’s last road victory, New York City FC and Orlando City SC entered MLS, and Minnesota United and Los Angeles FC announced their intent to join the league.
And who remains on the roster from the 2014 Fire? Only Sean Johnson and Răzvan Cocis – and Cocis wasn’t even there for the last road win. He joined the club two days after that victory, leaving Johnson the lone witness to Chicago “history”.
Chicago didn’t just end that drab road form with Saturday’s win. They also snapped a nine-match road losing streak that dates back to 11 May. Their last away point came against New York City FC on April 10th. Since then, they have been outscored 19-7 in their away fixtures, averaging less than a goal per game while being shut out in four of those nine encounters.
But how MLS is this? The Chicago Fire are still in the playoff hunt. That comes courtesy of the cannibalization of the Eastern Conference. As of Saturday night, the bottom feeding Chicago Fire sit six points away from sixth place Orlando City for the final postseason berth with 11 games to play. Five of their final 11 matches will come on the road against playoff bound NYC FC, DC United and Toronto FC. Cellar dwellers Seattle Sounders and Columbus Crew will also host Chicago. Their remaining home matches are no picnic either, with encounters against the LA Galaxy and Philadelphia Union in the cards.
Nevertheless, the Fire fans finally have reason to celebrate. Not only did the team win on the road, but they also gifted their followers something they have not enjoyed in a long time: hope.
Now let’s see how long that lasts. DM
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/aug/22/seattle-turn-western-conference-play-off-race-into-a-fight-to-the-death
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en
| 2016-08-22T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/c8516d08b8e5be2f82bb6b728cb19b46f7f16a8fee2258fc095a373760365bd3.json
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[
"Daniel Harris"
] | 2016-08-29T08:51:57 | null | 2016-08-29T08:20:36 |
Porto’s Yacine Brahimi to Everton? | José Fonte and Fabinho to Manchester United? | Kurt Zouma to Schalke? | Ignacio Camacho to West Brom?
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Football transfer rumours: Chelsea to sign Real Madrid's James Rodríguez?
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www.theguardian.com
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Potentially the highest-profile move between now and the end of the transfer window is that of James Rodríguez to Chelsea. Apparently, Rodríguez’s family are particularly keen on moving to England – to the extent that they have contacted the press to share this desire with them – and given a player as obsessed with running hard as Antonio Conte is with parties and late nights, it is impossible to see what could possibly go wrong. But the attempt to do the deal is nonetheless “audacious”, as Real Madrid would like to sell whereas Chelsea would prefer a loan; punk spirit, never die.
Conte would also like to buy a left-back, and as such discussions are ongoing with Fiorentina with regard to Marcos Alonso – he would cost £17.5m. For his part, Alonso is not opposed to the idea, but is understandably reluctant to part from the most lusciously beautiful kit in football. Chelsea are also interested in Porto winger Yacine Brahimi, as too are Arsenal. Somehow, Everton remain “confident” that he will sign for them – on what basis is unclear – but with the player intent on leaving, they hope to reach a compromise somewhere between the asking price of £35m and their opening bid of £25.5m.
Premier League: transfer window summer 2016 – interactive Read more
Nor are Chelsea finished there. Kurt Zouma is close to recovering from a horrific injury, so they would like to bin him off to Schalke on loan, so that he might rehabilitate there; no doubt Zouma feels deeply fortified by this touching gesture. Chelsea are not alone in their altruism; Manchester United are also getting in on the act, looking to relieve other clubs of their hard-developed young players.
The latest addition to the Old Trafford production line of homegrown talent looks like being Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Sheffield United, a 19-year-old striker who had a successful loan spell at Northampton last season and whose move to Everton fell through earlier in the summer; he would cost in the region of £1m, a small price to pay for keeping up tradition.
United are also looking to strengthen their first team, as José Mourinho continues to disprove the scurrilous allegation that he simply buys success wherever he goes. He would, it seems, like more height in his back-four, and with improving the tall players he already has apparently beyond him, is still keen on signing José Fonte. Fonte, it is said, has a gentleman’s agreement that Southampton allow him to leave should another club offer better wages – and what could be more gentlemanly than that? – so has asked them to honour it.
Mourinho would also like to sign Fabinho, Monaco’s Brazilian right-back, who has been discussing a potential move. “With the Champions League, it’s not bad staying at Monaco,” he generously proclaimed to widespread relief. “I’m not certain of staying, but at the same time, there’s more chance of me staying than leaving.” Counselling is available for those struggling with the suspense.
Finally for today, the excruciation that is Tony Pulis’ West Bromwich Albion are hoping to enter the market. In the first instance, Pulis’ fabled man management skills mean that his principal hope is that he get shot of Saido Berahino. “You’ll see in the next 48 hours, hopefully,” he replied when asked why one of his better players was on the bench.
Pulis will, though, soon become the latest manager to investigate precisely what it is that Nacer Chadli does, having agreed a club-record £13m fee with Tottenham Hotspur – one he intends to break immediately afterwards, giving Malaga £15.3m for Ignacio Camacho. “We’re the top team in the West Midlands,” he said. “And that’s where we want to stay.”
Now that is truly audacious.
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/29/football-transfer-rumours-chelsea-to-sign-real-madrids-james-rodriguez
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| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/de4abc07c18af8d68f19ea3c5788bfa840e0e5601996b9c9000587567e8e6bf0.json
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[
"Paul Farrell"
] | 2016-08-30T10:52:31 | null | 2016-08-30T10:31:48 |
Last-minute decision by Nauruan authorities to block MPs’ visit to Australian-run centre triggers accusations of an ‘undemocratic’ process
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2016%2Faug%2F30%2Fdanish-delegation-visit-to-nauru-australian-detention-centre-refused-visas.json
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Danish delegation planning visit to Nauru detention centre refused visas
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www.theguardian.com
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The government of Nauru has refused to grant visas to two Danish politicians critical of Australia’s offshore detention system, triggering a diplomatic row between Australia, Nauru and Denmark for the “undemocratic” decision.
The diplomatic crisis has drawn the Danish foreign minister, Kristian Jensen, into the dispute with the Nauruan government and high level Australian officials.
The Guardian understands that the delegation were given approval to visit the immigration processing centre in official correspondence with Australia and Nauru.
Your photos from #CloseTheCamps and #BringThemHere protests Read more
The decision to refuse the politicians visas is likely to intensity international scrutiny on Australia’s immigration detention system, following the publication of the Nauru files by the Guardian, and longstanding concerns over the secrecy of Australia’s detention regime.
A cross-party Danish parliamentary group of six politicians has been in Australia since Saturday, as part of a long planned visit to examine Australia’s offshore detention system.
They met with Australian immigration officials while in Australia, and had planned to depart for Nauru on Tuesday to gain a rare glimpse on the Nauru detention facility.
But their plans were thwarted when the arrived at Canberra airport on Tuesday for the flight to Nauru and discovered three members of the delegation had been refused visas.
Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen, a progressive politician from the red-green alliance (Enhedslisten), has been openly critical of Australia’s detention system. She and Socialist People Party member Jacob Mark, who had also been critical of Australia’s policies, were two of the members who were declined visas. A third politician, who has not been publicly critical of Australia, Syrian-born conservative MP Naser Khader, was also denied a visa.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Danish MP Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen of the Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten) one of the MPs refused a visa to Nauru. Photograph: Mark Knudsen
Schmidt-Nielsen posted on Facebook: “The Danish delegation as a whole then cancelled their visit to Nauru. The government of another country should not be able to pick out members of a Danish parliamentary delegation. Such an action is deeply undemocratic.”
“The visit has been under preparation for a long time in cooperation between authorities form Denmark, Australia and Nauru. A detailed programme of the visit had been made.”
She said it was “anybody’s guess” why Khader had been denied access as well.
“It is totally unacceptable, antidemocratic and very telling of the situation on Nauru that critics are denied access.”
Jensen tweeted on Tuesday he was working on resolving the matter. The Guardian understands he had been in contact with the Nauruan government’s foreign minister.
— Kristian Jensen (@Kristian_Jensen) .@UM_dk kæmper for at skaffe adgang til Nauru for alle MF'ere. Vigtigt med adgang til at se lejrene ved selvsyn. #dkpol
Politicians from the Social Democratic party, the Danish People’s party and the governing Liberal party (Venstre) were still permitted to continue on to Nauru. But the remaining three politicians all declined to continue on to their visit to Nauru without the other three delegates.
The trip had been a secret for months until a Danish radio station 24syv broke news of the visit. It is costing the Danish government about AU$100,000.
Heated debate has occurred in Denmark over how the country should respond to migration in Europe. Some far-right groups have urged the country to adopt a similar model to Australia’s system of offshore detention.
I've worked in most conflict zones. I've never seen such high rates of trauma as on Nauru | Anna Neistat Read more
The Danish People’s party has even suggested asylum seekers should be sent to Greenland or Tanzania as part of a similar offshore arrangement.
The Australian government has faced heavy international criticism over its management of the Nauru detention centre, as well as the extraordinary regime of secrecy it has put in place over the facility. Only a few handpicked journalists have been able to access the detention centre since it opened three years ago.
The government of Nauru has been contacted for comment.
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/30/danish-delegation-visit-to-nauru-australian-detention-centre-refused-visas
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| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/9a9e2f4f661da47879ffd45590482208d8571efc55513eb8eec8990b6d3f9fe8.json
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[] | 2016-08-28T18:51:53 | null | 2016-08-28T18:30:06 |
Letters: The whole miserable story is one from which no one, French or English – except the victim herself – emerges with any credit
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2016%2Faug%2F28%2Fjoan-of-arc-suffered-rough-french-justice.json
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Joan of Arc suffered rough French justice
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www.theguardian.com
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Joan of Arc’s interrogation was conducted not by “an English ecclesiastical court” (Royal appeal saves Joan’s ring for France, 21 August) but a French one. Under the presidency of the bishop of Beauvais, her prosecutors, assessors and judges were members of the Norman clergy and of the University of Paris. The court was a tribunal of the French Inquisition. No attempt was made by her own side to save her. The whole miserable story is one from which no one, French or English – except the victim herself – emerges with any credit. And the recently sold finger ring attributed to her, which has no secure or solid provenance whatsoever, seems to be one of those objects, venerated as relics, that suddenly came to light during the Joan of Arc mania that led to her canonisation in 1920. Perhaps the theme park, to which it has been sold, is the best place for it.
Malcolm Vale
St John’s College, Oxford
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/28/joan-of-arc-suffered-rough-french-justice
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| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
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[
"Peter Walker",
"Graham Ruddick",
"Dan Milmo",
"Owen Jones"
] | 2016-08-26T13:30:52 | null | 2016-08-25T13:00:46 |
Two days after the eruption of the row between the Labour leader and Virgin, Corbyn was back on the train. Thankfully, this time he got a seat
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Traingate latest: Jeremy Corbyn gets seat on Glasgow service
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Whatever Jeremy Corbyn’s destiny as Labour leader, one element of his future now seems certain: every time he gets a seat on a train, someone will take a photograph for posterity.
Two days after the eruption of Corbyn’s unlikely if bitter row with Virgin Trains about whether there were empty seats on a London to Newcastle service, he was on another of its routes, this time heading to Glasgow.
A Twitter user, David Rose, posted a photograph of a smiling Corbyn, safely berthed in a window seat, next to a pair of children.
— David Rose (@roseyboy17) My kids just got on @VirginTrains from Euston to Glasgow with @jeremycorbyn. He has a seat. Good job @richardbranson pic.twitter.com/UETWdZehNW
Eager perhaps to improve relations with the Labour leader, Virgin Trains wished Corbyn a “great trip” to Glasgow. In a Twitter message the operator said: “Welcome onboard! Hope you all have a great trip to Glasgow this morning.”
It was not immediately clear if Corbyn and his colleagues had sought to reserve seats.
Earlier this week Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin group, tweeted his 8.2 million Twitter followers to publicise the company’s response to a video of Corbyn shot when the Labour leader was en route to Newcastle on 11 August to take part in a leadership hustings against Owen Smith.
In the video, made by a Corbyn-supporting filmmaker travelling with him, the Labour leader is shown sitting on the floor in a vestibule area, and says the service is “completely ram-packed”.
Virgin’s delayed rejoinder was to release selected CCTV stills from the train showing Corbyn and his team walking past what appeared to be empty and unreserved seats shortly after the train left.
Amid a deluge of social media speculation about who was telling the truth, it eventually emerged that both sides actually agreed about much of the convoluted narrative.
On Wednesday, Corbyn confirmed there had been some available seats, but not two together, and that he was hoping to sit next to his wife.
As a series of passengers came forward to confirm they, too, had not been able to find seats at the start of the trip, Virgin trains agreed the service had been busy, and that they had been making a very specific point about some seats being free.
One of the problems appeared to be passengers not sitting in seats that had been reserved by other people who did not get on the train. About 45 minutes into the three-hour trip, train staff moved people into free seats to clear some of the blockages.
Corbyn said he was seated after staff upgraded a seated family to first class, allowing him space. The Labour leader said he had refused an upgrade earlier.
Corbyn’s new trip is also before a Labour hustings, taking place in Glasgow on Thursday evening.
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http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/aug/25/traingate-latest-jeremy-corbyn-gets-seat-on-glasgow-virgin-service
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en
| 2016-08-25T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/953f623fb2d5e88f6fd12f0f7d626119f492f632d3b809a4afe7c669dac73b6a.json
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[
"Felicity Carus"
] | 2016-08-28T04:57:16 | null | 2009-06-11T00:00:00 |
Lesser consumption of animal products is necessary to save the world from the worst impacts of climate change, UN report says
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fenvironment%2F2010%2Fjun%2F02%2Fun-report-meat-free-diet.json
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| null |
UN urges global move to meat and dairy-free diet
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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A global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world from hunger, fuel poverty and the worst impacts of climate change, a UN report said today.
As the global population surges towards a predicted 9.1 billion people by 2050, western tastes for diets rich in meat and dairy products are unsustainable, says the report from United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) international panel of sustainable resource management.
It says: “Impacts from agriculture are expected to increase substantially due to population growth increasing consumption of animal products. Unlike fossil fuels, it is difficult to look for alternatives: people have to eat. A substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products.”
Professor Edgar Hertwich, the lead author of the report, said: “Animal products cause more damage than [producing] construction minerals such as sand or cement, plastics or metals. Biomass and crops for animals are as damaging as [burning] fossil fuels.”
The recommendation follows advice last year that a vegetarian diet was better for the planet from Lord Nicholas Stern, former adviser to the Labour government on the economics of climate change. Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has also urged people to observe one meat-free day a week to curb carbon emissions.
The panel of experts ranked products, resources, economic activities and transport according to their environmental impacts. Agriculture was on a par with fossil fuel consumption because both rise rapidly with increased economic growth, they said.
Ernst von Weizsaecker, an environmental scientist who co-chaired the panel, said: “Rising affluence is triggering a shift in diets towards meat and dairy products - livestock now consumes much of the world’s crops and by inference a great deal of freshwater, fertilisers and pesticides.”
Both energy and agriculture need to be “decoupled” from economic growth because environmental impacts rise roughly 80% with a doubling of income, the report found.
Achim Steiner, the UN under-secretary general and executive director of the UNEP, said: “Decoupling growth from environmental degradation is the number one challenge facing governments in a world of rising numbers of people, rising incomes, rising consumption demands and the persistent challenge of poverty alleviation.”
The panel, which drew on numerous studies including the Millennium ecosystem assessment, cites the following pressures on the environment as priorities for governments around the world: climate change, habitat change, wasteful use of nitrogen and phosphorus in fertilisers, over-exploitation of fisheries, forests and other resources, invasive species, unsafe drinking water and sanitation, lead exposure, urban air pollution and occupational exposure to particulate matter.
Agriculture, particularly meat and dairy products, accounts for 70% of global freshwater consumption, 38% of the total land use and 19% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, says the report, which has been launched to coincide with UN World Environment day on Saturday.
Last year the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation said that food production would have to increase globally by 70% by 2050 to feed the world’s surging population. The panel says that efficiency gains in agriculture will be overwhelmed by the expected population growth.
Prof Hertwich, who is also the director of the industrial ecology programme at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, said that developing countries – where much of this population growth will take place – must not follow the western world’s pattern of increasing consumption: “Developing countries should not follow our model. But it’s up to us to develop the technologies in, say, renewable energy or irrigation methods.”
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/jun/02/un-report-meat-free-diet
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en
| 2009-06-11T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/09c000e91ddfb9462bebc306dc9e09e1801dea049da4d4893a61b539aabc41e5.json
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[
"Helen Massy-Beresford"
] | 2016-08-30T20:55:22 | null | 2014-03-13T00:00:00 |
Bajan pop star's endorsement of trainers has fuelled a boom in business for the factory in the small village of Flimby
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fbusiness%2F2014%2Fmar%2F13%2Frihanna-trainers-cumbria-shoemaking-new-balance-flimby.json
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| null |
How Rihanna's love of New Balance helped revive Cumbrian shoemaking
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Flimby in Cumbria is the last place you would associate with Rihanna. Looking over the blustery Solway Firth with its wind turbines and the Scottish coast beyond, it is a world removed from showbiz glamour.
The unlikely connection is the Bajan pop star's trainers of choice – New Balance. The US brand manufactures its brightly coloured footwear in the small Cumbrian village, in a factory that has single-handedly revived the region's shoemaking tradition.
It could be a timely reminder to George Osborne, tipped to announced further export-boosting measures in next week's budget, that Britain can compete with China in a global trade where cost often determines manufacturing location.
Unofficial endorsements from the likes of Rihanna, her fellow chart topper Pharrell Williams and the designer Phoebe Philo have helped boost New Balance's sales, creating more jobs in Flimby, where the company began manufacturing in 1991. It arrived in west Cumbria, where jobs were scarce, in 1982, starting production in what had been the K-Shoes factory in Workington.
Rihanna in New York wearing a pair of her favoured New Balance trainers. Photograph: Alo Ceballos/FilmMagic
In recent years, business has been booming. The factory manager, Andy Okolowicz, presides over a 245-strong workforce that turns out a million pairs of trainers a year.
Production rose in 2013 and Okolowicz expects about a 10% increase this year in "cut and stitch output", or shoes made from scratch at the site. Output of assembled shoes – put together from readymade uppers and other components - is expected to remain steady.
That growth echoes the broader manufacturing sector, which is helping Britain's economy recover after the steep downturn exposed the country's overdependence on financial services.
"In recent years the keyword from policymakers has been rebalancing the economy, giving it a more forward-looking outlook," said Neil Prothero, the deputy chief economist at the manufacturers' association EEF.
Prothero added that manufacturing, which accounts for about 11% of GDP, makes up about 45-46% of all UK exports – a larger share than any other sector – with about a third of the country's manufacturing firms selling their goods abroad. "It's about manufacturing and exports versus consumption – manufacturing is an important step towards a more balanced economy," said Okolowicz.
Flimby is a shining example, exporting three-quarters of its shoes to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, China and Japan, and about 5% to the US. About 20% of its output is sold in the UK and Ireland.
New Balance factory manager Andy Okolowicz: “In 1997 we had 126 people and we were making 8,000 pairs a week or 400,000 a year. That has more than doubled.” Photograph: Christopher Thomond
Many of its workers were previously employed in nearby shoe factories that closed down – Bata in Maryport, or Millers in Cockermouth which had a 3,000-strong workforce at its peak.
"There was a ready-made workforce when New Balance arrived about 12 months after the Millers factory went – some had still not found work," said Jim Fox, 61, who works in the planning department and has been with the company for 29 years.
Now only New Balance remains, its banks of automatic stitching machines whirring away among bales of brightly coloured leather and racks of lasts – the foot-shaped moulds around which shoes are made.
"Large manufacturers such as New Balance play a crucial role in supporting the local economy by providing highly skilled and permanent employment for over 200 employees who then go on to spend in local shops, in attractions, on eating and drinking and taking part in local activities," said Councillor Mark Fryer, Allerdale borough council's executive member with responsibility for economic growth.
A glance at a list of the factory's workforce also illustrates how important New Balance is for the local community – Fox's wife, Jean, 60, a stitcher, also works at New Balance and has been there since 1990. And the Foxes are not the only family members to share the workplace: siblings, cousins, husbands and wives, mothers and daughters all work together, many clocking up several decades of service.
"Millers was big on that too," said Fox, as scraps of dark blue leather gradually filled a bin behind him. "But it had a bad effect when it went down because everyone was in the same boat."
Ann Ormond, Mary Graham and Ian Byers joined in 1982 having previously worked at K-Shoes, while sisters Elaine Wordsworth, 59, and Marie Donaghee, 61, are also among the longer-serving staff, clocking up 31 and 28 years respectively.
New Balance’s workforce includes siblings, husbands and wives, and mothers and daughters, some of whom have clocked up decades of service. Photograph: Christopher Thomond
Key to the closely intertwined livelihoods of New Balance's workers and this small local community is overseas demand for the shoes. "In 1997 we had 126 people and we were making 8,000 pairs a week or 400,000 a year. That has more than doubled," Okolowicz said.
Manufacturing techniques pioneered under the Japanese "lean" system of continuous improvement have made a big difference to productivity. "The manufacturing process has changed – a pair would take 2-3 weeks from start to finish so there was a lot of work in progress in the factory. Now from the cut material the shoes are in the box three hours later," Okolowicz said.
Explaining why Britain can still compete with emerging economies as a manufacturing base, EEF's Prothero said: "For higher value-added goods you have to look at skills and the UK provides a high level of skilled workforce.
"As costs have risen relatively in emerging markets some firms have decided they want to retain more control over the manufacturing process, supply chain and their ability to respond to consumer demands."
While proximity to Europe is a boon for New Balance, growing prosperity in emerging markets such as China, and their evolution into consumer-led economies, also provides an opportunity for British manufacturers. "Ten to 15 years ago emerging markets were purely seen as low-cost markets. Those economies now view UK-made goods as a high quality brand. In some, consumers are willing to pay a premium for 'made in Britain'," Prothero said.
Okolowicz agreed: "Made in Britain is significantly important to our survival. With Chinese, Middle Eastern and Japanese buyers, they're buying the craftsmanship as well as the materials. The emphasis is on manufacturing heritage – 30 to 40 years of experience." An embroidered union flag added to some styles in 2010 has drawn compliments: "We're not complacent but it seems to be getting more important," he said.
But if British manufacturing is enjoying its revival, that guard against complacency is still vital, Okolowicz said. "We're competing against the far east. One of the biggest costs is training, which can take 12 months and cost as much as £10,000. For the first one or two months the worker is just training on scraps."
Leather prices are rising and Flimby's electricity bill has gone up from about £30-40,000 to £100,000 a year, hence the solar panels that now generate nearly 10% of its needs.
Okolowicz added: "People know that they can't afford to stagnate. We need to keep looking to better ways to maintain competitiveness because there's a limit to what anyone will pay for a pair of trainers."
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https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/mar/13/rihanna-trainers-cumbria-shoemaking-new-balance-flimby
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en
| 2014-03-13T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/21f6984a3e7cf2b0193293e60416f570204bebd96b1f429cdeacb8bbdb6bd1ce.json
|
|
[
"Martin Rees",
"Simon Lewis"
] | 2016-08-29T12:57:29 | null | 2016-08-29T12:00:01 |
The darkest prognosis is that bio, cyber or environmental catastrophes could foreclose humanity’s potential. But there is an optimistic option
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fenvironment%2F2016%2Faug%2F29%2Fthe-anthropocene-epoch-could-inaugurate-even-more-marvellous-eras-of-evolution.json
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en
| null |
The Anthropocene epoch could inaugurate even more marvellous eras of evolution
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
On Christmas Eve 1968, the Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders took a photograph of the view outside the window as his spaceship orbited the moon. The now iconic Earthrise image shows our half-moon blue planet under a decoration of clouds rising from the blackness of space over the lunar surface.
The picture encapsulated Earth’s precariousness in the cosmos and, for many, contained a message of humility and stewardship for our home.
We’ve had Earthrise and images like it from the Apollo missions for half a century now. But suppose some aliens had been viewing our planet for its entire 4.5bn-year history. What would they have seen?
Over nearly all that immense time, changes would have been very gradual: continents drifted; the ice cover waxed and waned; successive species emerged, evolved and became extinct during a succession of geological eras.
But visible change has accelerated rapidly in the past few thousand years – a tiny sliver of the Earth’s history. Now geologists have decided those changes have been so profound, so global and so permanent that our catalogue of the Earth’s history needs to change accordingly. Since the last ice age, around 11,000 years ago, human civilisation has flourished in the climatically benign Holocene. Now they believe that epoch has come to an end and we have entered a new human-influenced age, the Anthropocene.
The Anthropocene epoch: scientists declare dawn of human-influenced age Read more
The changes that our aliens could observe from space are not hard to spot. In just the last few thousand years, the patterns of vegetation altered much faster than before. These human-induced changes signalled the start of agriculture.
And human activity manifested itself in other ways that will leave traces in the geological record. Constructs of concrete and metal sprawled across the continents; domesticated vertebrates numerically overwhelmed wild ones; the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rose anomalously fast; traces appeared of plutonium and other “un-natural” substances.
The imaginary aliens watching our world would have noticed something else unprecedented in geological history. Rockets launched from the planet’s surface escaped the biosphere completely. Some were propelled into orbits around the Earth; some journeyed to the moon and planets.
What do these trends portend? Should we be optimistic or anxious? It’s surprising how little we can confidently predict – indeed, we can’t predict as far ahead as our forebears could. Our medieval ancestors thought the Earth was only a few thousand years old, and might only last another thousand. But they didn’t expect their children’s lives to be very different from theirs. They built cathedrals that wouldn’t be finished in their lifetime.
Our time horizons, both past and future, now stretch billions of years, not just thousands. The sun will keep shining for about another 6bn years. But ironically we can’t forecast terrestrial trends with as much confidence as our ancestors could. Their lives and environment changed slowly from generation to generation. For us, technological change is so fast that scenarios quickly enter the realm of wild conjecture and science fiction.
But some things we can predict, at least a few decades ahead. By mid-century, the world will be more crowded, and our collective footprint will be heavier. World population is now 7.2 billion and is forecast to rise to around 9 billion by 2050. Experts predict continuing urbanisation – and huge growth of megacities such as Lagos, São Paulo and Delhi. Population trends later this century depend largely on what happens in Africa, where some UN predictions foresee a further doubling between 2050 and 2100.
Moreover, if humanity’s collective impact on nature pushes too hard against what Johan Rockstrom calls “planetary boundaries”, the resultant “ecological shock” could irreversibly degrade our biosphere. And if global warming reaches a tipping point that triggers melting of Greenland’s ice, coastlines a millennium hence would be drastically different. Extinction rates are rising. We’ve only identified about two million of the (estimated) 10 billion living species: we’re destroying the book of life before we’ve read it. To quote the great ecologist EO Wilson, “mass extinction is the sin that future generations will least forgive us for”.
The darkest prognosis for the next millennium is that bio, cyber or environmental catastrophes could foreclose humanity’s immense potential, leaving a depleted biosphere. Darwinian selection would resume, perhaps leading, in some far-future geological era, to the re-emergence of intelligent beings. If this happens, or if there are aliens out there who actually visit and study the Earth, then, digging through the geological record (and applying archaeological techniques as well) they would uncover traces of a distinctive transient epoch, and ponder the all-too-brief flourishing of a species that failed in its stewardship of “spaceship Earth”.
But there is an optimistic option.
Human societies could navigate these threats, achieve a sustainable future, and inaugurate eras of post-human evolution even more marvellous than what’s led to us. The dawn of the Anthropocene epoch would then mark a one-off transformation from a natural world to one where humans jumpstart the transition to electronic (and potentially immortal) entities, that transcend our limitations and eventually spread their influence far beyond the Earth.
Even in a cosmic time-perspective, therefore, the 21st century is special. It marks our collective realisation that the Anthropocene has begun – and it’s a century when human actions will determine how long that epoch lasts.
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/aug/29/the-anthropocene-epoch-could-inaugurate-even-more-marvellous-eras-of-evolution
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en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/9b91d187f48ca869cf805db030eafb1ec81a285b6c022a10a9f942c5a7a6592a.json
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|
[
"Agence France-Presse"
] | 2016-08-30T00:52:14 | null | 2016-08-30T00:14:10 |
Salinity and arsenic affect 60% of underground supply across vast Indo-Gangetic Basin, according to research published in Nature Geoscience
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2016%2Faug%2F30%2Fmore-than-half-of-south-asias-groundwater-too-contaminated-to-use-study.json
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en
| null |
More than half of south Asia's groundwater too contaminated to use - study
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Sixty per cent of the groundwater in a river basin supporting more than 750 million people in Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh is not drinkable or usable for irrigation, researchers have said.
The biggest threat to groundwater in the Indo-Gangetic Basin, named after the Indus and Ganges rivers, is not depletion but contamination, they reported in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Global water shortages to deliver 'severe hit' to economies, World Bank warns Read more
“The two main concerns are salinity and arsenic,” the authors of the study wrote.
Up to a depth of 200m (650ft), some 23% of the groundwater stored in the basin is too salty, and about 37% “is affected by arsenic at toxic concentrations”, they said.
The Indo-Gangetic basin accounts for about a quarter of the global extraction of groundwater – freshwater which is stored underground in crevices and spaces in soil or rock, fed by rivers and rainfall.
Fifteen to twenty million wells extract water from the basin every year amid growing concerns about depletion.
The new study – based on local records of groundwater levels and quality from 2000 to 2012 – found that the water table was in fact stable or rising across about 70% of the aquifer.
It was found to be falling in the other 30%, mainly near highly populated areas.
Groundwater can become salty through natural and manmade causes, including inefficient farmland irrigation and poor drainage.
Arsenic, too, is naturally present, but levels are exacerbated by use of fertilisers and mining.
Arsenic poisoning of drinking water is a major problem in the region.
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/30/more-than-half-of-south-asias-groundwater-too-contaminated-to-use-study
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en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/09dc8c682ab5f331646145d5640ea70f5a983deae4c784336f22e3d35dd9099e.json
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|
[] | 2016-08-29T18:52:21 | null | 2016-08-29T16:51:37 |
Letters: Female imams in Henan, central China, are delighted that their proud history of female-led Islamic institutions has proved inspirational in the opening of women’s mosques in the US and Europe
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2016%2Faug%2F29%2Fchinas-proud-300-year-history-of-female-led-mosques-is-an-inspiration-to-the-west.json
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en
| null |
China’s proud 300-year history of female-led mosques is an inspiration to the west
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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When I informed some of the female imams in Henan, central China, of the opening of women’s mosques in the US and in Europe, most recently in Copenhagen (Female imams make history with a new call to prayer, 27 August), they were delighted. Delighted that their proud history of female-led Islamic institutions, which can be traced back more than 300 years, has proved inspirational. By the same token, a more accurate and nuanced knowledge of China’s unique Islamic tradition (now no longer quite so unique) is called for. There is ample scholarship on the history of women’s mosques in China.
This history is a long one. Its unique manifestation of independent institutions, Nüxue or Nüsi – women’s (Qur’anic) school or women’s mosque – emerged from complex historical and socio-political negotiations over the nature of Muslim identity in the Chinese diaspora and over means to keep faith alive and religio-ethnic identity intact.
The incorporation of women into educational projects during the late Ming and early Qing Islamic renaissance (17th century), inspired by Hui Muslim intellectuals and educationists, was born of the need to bring religious knowledge into families and families into mosques. The growth and consolidation of women’s own spaces of worship, education and congregation were only halted with the religious persecutions of the 1950s, and only hesitantly resumed in the course of less repressive government treatment of religions during the 1980s. Women’s mosques have reopened, or – especially in the Muslim communities of central China – have been built anew, most especially since the late 1990s. Intriguingly, we may observe something like an Islamic resurgence in certain parts of China – outward-looking yet conscious of history, building on proud traditions yet not confined by them – led by a young generation of well-educated and charismatic young female ahong.
Maria Jaschok
Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/29/chinas-proud-300-year-history-of-female-led-mosques-is-an-inspiration-to-the-west
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en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/5ce0efe08ddaaf5fb7f7ab407777e30f7df046e1a7cdfa552eea58806c464f42.json
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|
[
"Nick Fletcher"
] | 2016-08-30T08:55:17 | null | 2016-08-30T08:40:29 |
Broker note boosts ABF but miners hit by continuing dollar strength
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fbusiness%2Fmarketforceslive%2F2016%2Faug%2F30%2Fftse-flat-as-mining-shares-weigh-but-primark-owner-abf-jumps-2.json
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en
| null |
FTSE flat as mining shares weigh but Primark owner ABF jumps 2%
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Leading shares are struggling for direction after the long Bank Holiday weekend, but Primark owner Associated British Foods is striding higher.
The company is up 64p or more than 2% at £30.14 following a positive note from analysts at RBC, who moved their recommendation from sector perform to outperform and raised their target price from £28 to £34.
But mining shares are proving a drag on the market after Friday’s speech by Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen held out the prospect of a rise in US interest rates this year, despite mixed economic signals. The rate rise talk supported the dollar, which in turn hit commodity prices.
So Antofagasta has fallen 24.5p to 517p, Rio Tinto is down 105p at 2362.5p, and Glencore has lost 6.1p to 178.9p. Even precious metal miners, often a haven for investors, are under pressure, with Randgold Resources down 350p at £73.25 and Fresnillo falling 65p to £17.25. Mike van Dulken, head of research at Accendo Markets, said:
Holding back the [mining] sector are two drivers. The first is technicals after major breakdowns in the prices of key raw materials iron and copper, both barometers of global growth. The second is a stronger US dollar (3-week highs and still rising) which makes the latter more expensive. This is a product of Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s Jackson Hole speech last Friday, one which saw her accomplish the difficult task of offering something for both the doves and hawks on monetary policy watch. The fact that US markets closed only marginally lower on Friday and posted gains last night suggests an absence of panic about another rate rise. Markets appear to be increasingly coming round to the prospect of another US rate hike this year.
Friday’s US non-farm payroll numbers will be the next big indicator of the strength or otherwise of the country’s economy, and thus the Fed’s likely view on any move in borrowing costs.
Overall the FTSE 100 is virtually unchanged, down just 1.25 points at 6836.80 despite a bigger than expected drop in UK mortgage approvals in July.
Among the other gainers, Bunzl is 47p higher at £24.67 after the distribution group reported better than expected first half profits, up 13% to £210.6m.
Banks are better, with Standard Chartered adding 12.1p to 635p and HSBC 9.8p higher at 556.7p.
|
https://www.theguardian.com/business/marketforceslive/2016/aug/30/ftse-flat-as-mining-shares-weigh-but-primark-owner-abf-jumps-2
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en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/e49ba5bc11ba01f9e504e2a567b1bcb17992e42d6c784841c80948c330289675.json
|
|
[
"Press Association",
"Polly Toynbee",
"Nish Kumar"
] | 2016-08-26T13:11:25 | null | 2016-08-26T07:38:25 |
Heavy rain likely in southern England on Saturday when roads are expected to be at their busiest
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2016%2Faug%2F26%2Fbank-holiday-13m-motorists-to-hit-roads-as-weather-worsens.json
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en
| null |
Bank holiday: 13m motorists to hit roads as weather worsens
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
An estimated 13 million drivers will take to the UK roads for a break or a day out this bank holiday weekend when the weather is expected to worsen.
The AA said the busiest single day for motorists going on leisure journeys was expected to be Saturday, when 10 million drivers would get behind the wheel.
The tourism agency VisitEngland said an estimated 5.1 million people would take a break in the UK, generating around £1.3bn for the economy.
Holidaymakers look set to get little cooperation from the weather, with a front bringing heavy rain up from the south on Saturday and showers dotted around the country on Sunday, according to the Met Office. The weather for bank holiday Monday, which is marked in all UK countries except Scotland, was forecast to be fresher but with more sunshine.
MPs call to scrap 'dangerous' hard shoulder motorway plan Read more
The transport information supplier Inrix said some stretches of road could have twice as many vehicles between Friday and Monday as on a normal weekend. Hotspots to avoid included sections of the M25, M6, M4 and M27.
Max Holdstock, of the AA, said traffic jams would build up around large events and he urged people to carry at least a litre of water per person in their vehicles because of the warm weather.
“August bank holiday weekend is always a bit of a mad scramble on the roads,” he said. “Traffic is likely to build up on Friday evening as people set off early to make the most of the weekend, and will be busy again for the return on Monday afternoon – so allow plenty of extra time if you’re travelling then.”
He said routes to the south-west and the coast would be among the busiest.
A number of music festivals are taking place this weekend, including Reading and Leeds, Creamfields in Cheshire and CarFest South in Hampshire.
Highways England said almost 98% of England’s motorways and major A roads would be clear of roadworks over the weekend. About 375 miles of roadworks had been either completed or suspended.
The coach operator National Express said it expected its busiest weekend of the year, with hundreds of thousands travelling by coach.
Rail passengers will be affected by nearly 1,000 engineering projects being carried out across the network, meaning some lines will be closed.
Major work is taking place to upgrade signalling in the Bristol area, affecting Great Western Railway passengers. Other work includes track replacement disrupting services between Milton Keynes and Rugby, and rail replacement buses operating between Preston and Bolton because of a project to electrify the railway through Chorley.
Network Rail’s route managing director, Martin Frobisher, said: “Work takes place 365 days a year as part of our railway upgrade plan but we carry out larger upgrades over bank holidays when there are fewer passengers travelling.”
The travel organisation Abta estimated 2 million Britons would head abroad between Friday and Monday, with Heathrow airport expecting more than 440,000 passengers to depart over the last long weekend before Christmas.
Rediscovered film solves mystery of the farmhouse on the M62 Read more
The Abta chief executive, Mark Tanzer, said: “This weekend is the traditional curtain closer for the peak summer months and it is always a very busy weekend for travel.”
The following are the top 11 congestion hotspots over the bank holiday weekend (expected delay in brackets), according to Inrix:
1. M25 between J9 Leatherhead and J21 Winch Hill Wood (90 minutes)
2. M5 southbound from J14 Thornbury and J22 Highbridge (90 minutes)
3. M25 between J4 Orpington and Dartford Tunnel (50 minutes)
4. M27/A31 between Southampton and Ringwood (50 minutes)
5. M4 westbound from London to the west country (50 minutes)
6. M6 between J19 Knutsford and J22 Warrington (45 minutes)
7. M6 northbound from Keele to Knutsford (40 minutes)
8. A303 westbound from Andover to Amesbury (40 minutes)
9. M5 between J4a Bromsgrove and J7 Worcester (30 minutes)
10. M25 between J29 Codham Hall Wood and the QEII bridge (30 minutes)
11. M60/M62 between J8 Carrington and J20 Rochdale (20 minutes)
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/26/bank-holiday-13m-motorists-to-hit-roads-as-weather-worsens
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en
| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/43f77344fc243e48c8a569e94d0d16036841940ac3325905e2dbdd891736f04a.json
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[
"Simon Hattenstone"
] | 2016-08-30T10:55:22 | null | 2009-03-07T00:01:00 |
Eighteen years ago Gerald Ratner called his own company's products 'crap'. Now he's making a comeback
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fbusiness%2F2009%2Fmar%2F07%2Fgerald-ratner-interview.json
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Simon Hattenstone interviews Gerald Ratner
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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The electronic gates open. There is a Bentley in the drive, a tennis court in the garden, and a considerable Edwardian house straight ahead. This may not be the palatial residence of old, but Gerald Ratner appears to be doing very nicely thank you. As he welcomes me, I'm staring at the front-door mat. "Oh no, not you again!" it says.
"That was for my wife's personal trainer," he says. "I didn't like him ..." He pauses. "Well it wasn't so much that I didn't like him, it's just that he was round here all the time."
"Oh no, not you again!" The same could be said for him. Nobody fell from corporate grace quite like Ratner. Not even Fred Goodwin. Ratner is the Icarus of the bling business. In 1984, at the age of 34, he took over the family firm, Ratners. It had 100 shops, most of them loss making. The shares were worth 27p - but within a couple of years they rocketed to £4.20. He streamlined and accumulated, discounted and marketed, mounted audacious takeover after audacious takeover and, by the time he was 40, Ratners was the biggest jeweller in the world with 2,500 shops, and he was a master of the universe. Then he made the speech.
It was supposed to be one of the greatest days of his life - the then 41-year-old north Londoner, who'd left school with no qualifications and had struggled in the family business for 20 years, was addressing 5,000 members of the Institute of Directors at the Royal Albert Hall. All of them there, just to listen to his pearls. He showed the speech to one of his own directors. Not bad, he said, but why no jokes? So he reinstated a joke: "We do cut-glass sherry decanters complete with six glasses on a silver-plated tray your butler can serve you drinks on, all for £4.95. People say how can you sell this for such a low price? I say because it is total crap." Then another: "We even sell a pair of gold earrings for under £1, which is cheaper than a prawn sandwich from Marks & Spencer. But I have to say that the sandwich will probably last longer than the earrings." Boom boom! Two jokes. And his world fell apart.
Eighteen years on, post-bankruptcy, post-breakdown, Ratner is standing in the kitchen, his wife, Moira, is making coffee and I'm cuddling their labrador Benjie. "Perhaps I should have my photo taken with Benjie," he says. "I once had a picture in the paper with our cat - it was the most positive coverage I ever got." Moira interjects: "You sound so desperate to be liked, Gerald."
Ratner is to feature in Thursday's celebrity version of the Apprentice for Red Nose Day. He can't give away too much, but he promises a cracking row with Alan Sugar. Was he a good apprentice? "No, not really." He has a rather sad, hangdog expression - even when talking about his comeback. He recently published his autobiography, he now has an internet jewellery business Gerald Online, and last year he even bid to take over part of the old firm. How's the book doing? "Not great. The highest it got was 800 in the Amazon charts." His new jewellery business is Britain's biggest online jewellery business, but if he's being honest that's not so impressive. "We're the 232,000th most popular website."
He says he has changed hugely since the old days, and gives me an example. "I do this 22-mile cycle every day and yesterday I fell off my bike. Another cyclist very nicely comes and puts my chain back on my bike and we chat for a bit and he says 'I'm going into Windsor to have a cup of tea, why don't you join me?' I didn't know the bloke and we just went and had a cup of tea and sat there for half an hour. The old Gerald of the 80s would be too busy for that."
What would the old Gerald have said? "Fuck off, probably!" and Ratner laughs a roguish laugh.
Well perhaps everything turned out for the best, I say. We've been talking for a while and not mentioned the C word. I sense Ratner wants to unburden himself. And suddenly he does. "People always say do you regret saying it, and I say that is the most stupid question anybody's ever asked, of course I regret it, I lost everything."
You're talking, crap? "Yes, yes. Well you hadn't brought it up which is a bloody miracle after 20 minutes. People think they're being funny. I'm in the fishmonger, and he says 'What are you doing these days Mr Ratner?' and I say 'I'm back in the jewellery business' and he says, 'Is it crap?' thinking I'm going to laugh at that." What does her do? "Laugh. Politely. It's not a genuine laugh. I don't find it in the slightest bit funny."
When Ratner made his speech, Britain was in the middle of recession. There are many parallels with today, I begin to say. "You took the words right out of my mouth. This whole banking crisis they've pinned on Fred Goodwin. It's much more personal if they can attack one person rather than an anonymous bank. I think they used me because everybody was losing their houses, everybody was losing their jobs, everybody was skint, so here's a perfect person to pin the blame on."
What exactly did they pin on him? "They said I was worth £350m, had a yacht and private plane, lots of houses, and I make fun of my customers who are poor." Was he mocking them? He looks aghast. "Why would I make fun about my customers knowing they were going to read about it?"
He remembers the speech as if it was yesterday. Still can't get it out of his head. There are so many ironies - he'd made the jokes so many times before, he handed the speech to the press because he thought it was good publicity, he spent most of the 45 minutes talking about the quality and range of Ratner products, the line about the prawn sandwich lasting longer than the earrings wasn't even his. Whatever, he says, he made one of the great clangers in history. Even now it's known as "Doing a Ratner".
The day after the speech the Sun splashed with "ROTNERS", the Mirror with "You 22-carat gold mugs". The share price eventually fell to 7p. Ratner was advised to appoint a chairman who first cut his £650,000 salary in half, then took away his fleet of cars, and finally sacked him from his own family business. "It was horrendous. A Greek tragedy." Ratner was broke and broken.
"It was a bad time. I can't put any gloss on it. I recently did a talk for a timeshare company and timeshares were the most successful product after Australian Chardonnay, Prozac and the iPod, and I said I was on all three of those after my speech." He stops to correct himself. "Moira said actually they hadn't invented the iPod then. So yeah, it was a difficult time."
Did he consider killing himself? "As Joan Rivers said, it's so 80s committing suicide. I didn't think it was the fashionable thing to do." He smiles. I look at him. Was he really so glib? "No."
For five years, he just cycled. Every day, all day. "If I'd been running people would have said he I was running away from something. Well I was cycling away from something. You couldn't get depressed if you cycled all day."
Was Moira worried? "Yes because I was going potty. I read in a paper that Gerald Ratner must wake up in a cold sweat at 4am every day thinking how could he have done this. I hadn't done until I read the article [but] sure enough I started waking up in the middle of the night." Things reached their nadir when he couldn't even cycle. "I was just lying in bed watching Countdown, not able to get up. Moira said I had to get a job."
So he got himself a consultancy and failed at that. Then another, and failed at that too. Then he ingeniously got his bank to give him a loan to open up a fitness club (he advertised in the local paper saying he was opening a club, and membership was free, he got a huge response, then told the bank manager he already had 500 members). He sold the business in 2001 for £3.9m. "When I transferred it into my account it was just the most incredible feeling."
With half that money he invested in Gerald Online. Three years ago he bought the Bentley for £127,000. "That was a nice moment." He recently read that Ashley Cole almost crashed his Bentley when he heard Arsenal, then his club, were only prepared to pay him £55,000 a week. "I thought, that guy is not happy. Whereas somebody who's actually been round the block a few times appreciates the leather and the wood, which I do now. I didn't before."
For so long, the crap quote was Ratner's albatross. Now he's learned to laugh at himself along with everybody else. The strange thing is, he always believed his product was quality - even the crap was quality crap. But he's a realist, he knows he will only be remembered for the one thing. "Not for building up the world's largest jewellery business, not for making a comeback, not for anything but that speech. It's all that will ever be in my obituary."
He says he's still got business problems, and makes plenty of mistakes - he has lost a load in shares, he can't get Gerald Online to the top of a Google search when you type in "diamond earrings", but somehow it doesn't matter like it once did. I ask him how he would describe the stuff he sells these days. He grins. "Well I won't say Cheap Reliable Affordable Products."
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https://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/mar/07/gerald-ratner-interview
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en
| 2009-03-07T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/5edb5c516ea193368c6d41b9ef71e7978f883a5df007b4b09d0e0c102a669d30.json
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|
[
"Marina Hyde"
] | 2016-08-26T16:48:56 | null | 2016-08-26T14:49:44 |
Some say Britain doesn’t make or export things any more. But we did supply Donald Trump with a straight man
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fcommentisfree%2F2016%2Faug%2F26%2Fnigel-farage-brexit-hero-donald-trump.json
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| null |
Nigel Farage: from Brexit hero to Trump’s little helper. That’s some career path
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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What a thrill to see new life breathed into the buddy demagogue movie in Jackson, Mississippi, on Wednesday night. You only had to look at Nigel Farage’s little face to see how thrilled he was at the chance to play the Danny Glover to Donald Trump’s Mel Gibson. As for Trump, he was all over Nigel’s cheap suit like a cheap suit.
I still find it impossible to imagine Trump touching anyone except his daughter without pulling the full Mariah Carey and screaming for the hand sanitiser the second he’s offstage. But Mr Soon-They-Will-Be-Calling-Me-Mr-Brexit made an excellent fist of embracing Mr Brexit for his crowds of occasionally bemused supporters. A fanfare for the little people ensued.
Even Donald Trump is learning that nice guys don’t always finish last | Gaby Hinsliff Read more
I’m sure Farage’s life wants him back and everything, but duty calls.
This week found the outgoing Ukip leader shaving off his gap year moustache and going all the way to that America. He was joined by his backer, Arron Banks – still growing into the role of kingmaker, it must be said – though the pair left their immigrant wives at home, so we were denied the spectacle of a bilateral with Melania. (Incidentally, why do so many of our most frothingly anti-immigrant elite populists seem to have immigrant wives? I find all my non-scientific answers to be entirely unprintable. Perhaps an academic study could put it mildly.)
Initially, alas, Farage’s visit was not without its indignities. Barely hours out from the event, Trump’s campaign spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, said she would “highly doubt” reports that such a joint appearance would happen, adding dismissively that the two men “don’t know each other”.
But it all ended in a populist form of triumph, when the day after their appearance in Jackson, Hillary Clinton devoted a passage in her speech denouncing the rise of the alt-right to Farage. “Just yesterday,” she warned, “one of Britain’s most prominent rightwing leaders, a man named Nigel Farage, who stoked anti-immigrant sentiments to win the referendum, to have Britain leave the European Union, campaigned with Donald Trump in Mississippi.”
If this cast Farage as some distance to the right of Trump, it wasn’t the only carnival mirror moment of the week. “You’ve got to have some weight to get someone like that to come out here,” judged one member of Trump’s audience of the candidate’s success in pulling off the Farage booking. “It shows Trump is a heavyweight.” Blimey. I hadn’t realised quite how damaged America’s self-esteem was.
That a significant section of people feel left behind by mainstream politics is clear from the rise of populist movements on both sides of the Atlantic. That Trump can make their lives better seems considerably less likely even than Farage being able to do the same. The only way these two men can show their supporters how much they care about them is to display how much they despise almost everyone else. Yet the suspension of disbelief holds, and shows no sign of breaking in the short- or even medium-term future.
A highly indifferent former City trader cosies up to the bizarre confection of megalomania that is Trump, yet the sense of rebellion against elites among their supporters is real. It may seem odd, considering he resembles a picture too hideous even for the attic, but Trump frequently reminds me of a line in The Picture of Dorian Gray: “You are the type of what the age is searching for, and what it is afraid it has found.”
These two men show their supporters how much they care about them by displaying how much they despise everyone else
There is no need for a word cloud after a Farage event these days, because his shtick can be reduced down to about four phrases that would sound patronising in any less looking-glass a world. “Little people”. “Ordinary people”. “Decent people”. “Real people”. Farage thinks America’s infinitely superior polling is as out of whack as the UK’s, so you can see why Trump likes him so much right now. But on the off chance that the Donald isn’t triumphantly landing his private jet on Pennsylvania Avenue on 9 November, I’d like to see Trump launch a range of colognes to go with his established lines, Success by Trump, and Empire by Trump. Why not market Little People by Trump, Real People by Trump, Ordinary People by Trump, and Decent People by Trump?
After all, Trump is incapable of having an experience without wondering primarily how it might be monetised. Persistent rumours suggest he is eyeing the establishment of a rightwing news network, post-election, which would allow him to maximise the opportunity of the audience he has acquired.
Perhaps Farage envisages a role for himself on this putative network. It would be something to fill the time and keep him in a version of the limelight before his inevitable return to lead Ukip – or whatever successor to the party Banks is planning – in time for the 2020 election. As Farage was saying with hilarious specificity by the end of his own resignation speech: “Let’s see. Let’s see where we are in two and a half years’ time.”
Any Farage show on the Trump network wouldn’t be within four hours of prime time, obviously. I see him in the Alan Partridge graveyard slot – 3am till 6am – taking calls from deranged insomniac survivalists and consoling himself with the thought that there are far higher callings than spending time with one’s family.
Then again, perhaps he prefers the smaller pond. Farage’s failure to go as far as endorsing Trump suggests he has more than one eye on how it might play back where it really matters to him, while his reaction to Hillary’s speech could scarcely have been more UK-centric, leading with: “She sounds rather like Bob Geldof and can’t accept Brexit.” If that line was designed to land anywhere in the States, then Farage probably wants to buy in some new writers.
Still, look at him now – all dressed up and doing the town. As I was sorry to have to observe before the referendum vote itself, all those who voted out for reasons of sovereignty or whatnot would eventually discover that what they really ended up voting for is something embodied in Farage. A lot of those same people are always complaining we don’t make and export anything in this country any more. I beg to differ: we make desperately grateful straight men for Donald Trump.
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https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/26/nigel-farage-brexit-hero-donald-trump
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en
| 2016-08-26T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/c7a40e80efb4a8d81919b9c39d50faec05e2799963c49e28106102f72135f172.json
|
|
[
"Australian Associated Press"
] | 2016-08-29T00:52:00 | null | 2016-08-29T00:14:24 |
NSW government asks commission to examine events at foster home but opposition says it should be suspended
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Faustralia-news%2F2016%2Faug%2F29%2Fgirl-x-case-minister-asks-royal-commission-to-examine-alleged-foster-care-abuse.json
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| null |
Girl X case: minister asks royal commission to examine alleged foster care abuse
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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The New South Wales government has asked the child sex abuse royal commission to look into events at a Sydney foster care refuge centre where a teenage girl was allegedly repeatedly raped in 2012.
The family and community services minister, Brad Hazzard, confirmed he had written to the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse to look into the alleged historical abuse from 2012 to 2014.
The state opposition has called for the immediate suspension of the centre.
Child abuse royal commission investigating immigration department Read more
A week-long inquest into the death of the 15-year-old girl at the centre of the allegations – dubbed Girl X – starts on Monday in Sydney’s coroner’s court.
Labor’s shadow minister for family and community services, Tania Mihailuk, said it was a concern that the government had recently renewed the contract at the centre.
“The government needs to suspend the centre,” Mihailuk said on Monday. “It needs to step in. We need to know that other children in that facility are safe.”
Hazzard called on the director of public prosecutions to reopen an investigation last week after it was revealed sexual assault charges were dropped after the girl’s death.
This was despite evidence reportedly showing semen matching a care home worker’s DNA on the girl’s underwear.
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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/aug/29/girl-x-case-minister-asks-royal-commission-to-examine-alleged-foster-care-abuse
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en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/3bc12a3c73a7bd815d9bdac2d8f63a05e98258961df81f233264531b67108479.json
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|
[
"Erin Fitzgerald"
] | 2016-08-26T13:16:52 | null | 2016-08-24T11:47:13 |
Yellowstone national park is trying to manage crushing tourism that tangles roadways, spawns traffic accidents and provokes clashes between humans and the park’s natural world
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fenvironment%2Fvideo%2F2016%2Faug%2F24%2Fyellowstone-tourism-animals-video.json
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en
| null |
Animal jams and selfies: Yellowstone deals with record number of tourists - video
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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With limited resources, Yellowstone national park is trying to manage crushing tourism that tangles roadways, spawns traffic accidents and provokes clashes between humans and the park’s natural world
|
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/video/2016/aug/24/yellowstone-tourism-animals-video
|
en
| 2016-08-24T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/720b58c7329f2a68e28747e324bf5555e0c3f96d4226bda4ab98001809b17e2a.json
|
|
[
"Rob Smyth"
] | 2016-08-26T13:19:16 | null | 2016-08-12T09:00:03 |
The Sky Sports commentator on Sergio Agüero, weird dreams, his childhood crush and how Jimmy Hill changed his life
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ffootball%2F2016%2Faug%2F12%2Fmartin-tyler-bohemian-rhapsody-is-the-worst-song-in-christendom.json
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| null |
Martin Tyler: 'Bohemian Rhapsody is the worst song in Christendom'
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
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Hi Martin, how are you doing?
Hi Small Talk. I’m very well. We’ve been doing a few interviews today so I hope I have enough energy left to say something interesting. But please don’t ask me who’s going to win the league!
Who’sgonnawinthele- You’ve been commentating for over 40 years. How does Leicester’s title win compare to everything else you’ve seen?
I think it’s probably the greatest achievement. I did do a little bit of Nottingham Forest in their title-winning season but I wasn’t as closely involved as a commentator. Football was more democratic in those days; there weren’t the super-rich clubs we have now. I used to think Arsenal’s Invincibles season was the most amazing achievement in the Premier League era but they were at least expected to be challenging for the title.
For Leicester – who lost only three games remember – to win the league by ten points, when they’d never done it before, and to do it in such a lovable way, was amazing. There were parts of the world where people didn’t even know how to pronounce Leicester yet everyone was still talking about them. It’s done so much for the essence of sport and the romance of sport. It was a privilege to be there for the day the trophy was presented. I’ve never seen such happiness around one game.
Is it true you turned down your first job in TV?
Yes. I was a non-league footballer of not much repute. I wanted to keep playing, and I was doing a pre-season in 1973 when I got an offer to be an editorial assistant at LWT on the Big Match and On the Ball. I was already doing some work ghost-writing Jimmy Hill’s newspaper column, which I would deliver longhand to his flat in Holland Park on a Friday. On this particular day I knocked on the door to make sure the copy was okay and he asked me in for a coffee. I told him about the job I’d been offered and that I’d turned it down. He threw his hands up in horror: ‘What do you mean? How good a player are you anyway?’ He said I was mad and that – these were his exact words – ‘you never know where it will take you’. So I called up to see if the job was still available and it was. And he was right: it’s led me to talking to you 43 years later!
Twitter links with Sky Sports to show Premier League highlights Read more
Do you feel like the last of a great generation of commentators?
I don’t feel like I’m part of a great generation of anything. Sky have given me a fantastic platform, as ITV did beforehand. I was lucky enough to have done enough, but still be young enough, to be considered for the job when the Premier League started. I don’t think I was the first choice – I’ve never checked it out, but I know that when I joined BSB in 1990 a lot of people turned it down because they thought people wouldn’t watch on satellite TV. I joined because a guy called John Hockey, who handled my affairs at the time, said to me: ‘Everybody in football will be watching.’ And I thought, ‘That’s the audience I want to reach.’
Do you still get nervous before games?
There is always a feeling of excitement before a game. Nerves are part of it but it’s more: what’s gonna happen? You’ve done your preparation, and just as a player wants to make the first pass an accurate one, so you want to make the first two sentences work for you. You have to respect the game, you have to be prepared because you never know what will happen. I’m lucky to be a small part of it – we’re not in football, we’re associate members of the family really. I’m very grateful for that.
What do you remember about the Sergio Agüero commentary?
We went for a meal in Altrincham that night and I was just pleased it was such a thrilling end to the season and that I got the score right! My colleagues were playing it on their phones in the restaurant, and I thought, ‘Well if you enjoyed it maybe other people did as well,’ and after 38 years I became an overnight success thanks to Sergio Agüero!
It was his moment, let’s get that absolutely straight. Jim White – not our Jim White, but the one who writes for the Telegraph - asked me about it for a book he was writing, and I said he should talk to Manchester City fans who were behind the goal. He said he wanted to talk to me because I was the chief witness. I thought that was nice. I’m happy to be the chief witness for a moment like that.
Do you ever have anxiety dreams about your job?
I dream about not getting there on time. I’m sure the psychiatrists and psychologists would have a field day. I have one where every turn I take takes me in the wrong direction; there’s another where I’ve lost my bag. The strangest thing, which happens from time to time, is that I’m sitting in the commentary position and it moves because I’m on a train and it takes me away from the game. (Laughs) Those are my dreams.
You talk a lot about looking forward to the next game rather than back...
You have to, especially when you’re broadcasting live. You can spend 40 years building a reputation and then lose it in 40 seconds. You’ve got to be on it. It’s not always easy; we’re human beings. You have better days and days that aren’t so good. And to be honest with you, I would say only four or five times a season am I really happy with what I’ve done, because you can’t do a perfect commentary.
Do you review them?
I review them in my head, usually on the journey home. I know. Even when they’re going on, I know where I might have said something different. You’d be lying if you said you’re not pleased if somebody comes up to you and says ‘I thought you captured the moment’, but in your head you’re remembering the moments you didn’t capture! It’s a quest for perfectionism that can never be attained, but it doesn’t stop you trying.
What’s your favourite film?
Goal. That’s the Goal of 1966, not the one I was in. And Escape to Victory, if you want something that isn’t factual. I love it when Russell Osman says ‘We can win this’, and instead of escaping they climb back up to play the second half. I could watch that on a loop.
What’s your favourite TV show?
I’m a big James Corden fan. I love Gavin & Stacey and I’m thrilled he’s doing so brilliantly. I took my daughter to see Gavin & Stacey being filmed in Barry Island and he kindly came out to say hello. I was lucky enough to have a really good education but I’m very lowbrow. I love pop music, I don’t like clever music: Bohemian Rhapsody is the worst song in Christendom because it’s so pretentious. Give me something by Adam Faith in 1961, or one minute 25 seconds of pure pop. I love all that. I try to switch off when I watch TV. And it has to have a happy ending. I’m no good with this serious stuff. If it’s too heart-rending, I’m in bits.
Do you cry at the end of films?
Yep, and not just at the end of films. I think as you get older you get more sentimental as well, and there’s been enough in a troubled world to make you cry in the last few years.
Who was your childhood crush?
That’s a really good question. (Thinks for a bit) There was an Israeli actress called Daliah Lavi, she was absolutely stunning.
And who’s your adulthood crush?
Jenny Agutter.
What would you put in Room 101?
Artificial pitches. They have to be an unfair advantage and I think the FA should look at creating a feeder league where all the clubs with artificial pitches play each other, and the others play on grass. That way the players can decide what they want to play on.
If you could go back and commentate on one game, what would it be?
The. 1966. World. Cup. Final. We did a documentary earlier in the year, and it was such an honour. They are my heroes, the Boys of 66. Funnily enough, because we showed it on Monday Night Football, I was asked to do the commentary because we couldn’t use the BBC commentary. But ITV kindly allowed us to use Hugh Johns’ commentary, which isn’t so well known because not many people had ITV in those days. I thought it would be great for his commentary to be heard.
I was 20 when the final took place, so I could have done it – [swallows some helium] and I would have done it in a very tremulous voice! I did Italia 90 and Euro 96 for SBS in Australia, so I got close to commentating on England in a final. I think I might have one more go in Russia. Good luck Big Sam!
Thanks for your time Martin. Enjoy the season
Thanks Small Talk.
Sky Sports’ biggest ever football season includes 126 live games from the Premier League starting this Saturday with Hull City v Leicester City
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/12/martin-tyler-bohemian-rhapsody-is-the-worst-song-in-christendom
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en
| 2016-08-12T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/76c3a0ef6c17ce975641a10058bfcd19f1853f6431e6b4eb66579664e989684f.json
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[
"Jack Schofield"
] | 2016-08-26T13:26:15 | null | 2016-07-07T08:45:58 |
Steve wants to know how to protect his personal information if his Windows 7 laptop falls prey to thieves
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ftechnology%2F2016%2Fjul%2F07%2Fhow-can-i-protect-my-data-if-my-laptop-is-stolen.json
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How can I protect my data if my laptop is stolen?
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www.theguardian.com
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I’m trying not to get my personal details, er, hijacked if my laptop is stolen. Is there any way I can protect myself, assuming a decent password is no defence? I’m running Windows 7 Pro. Steve
How much security do you need, and how much are you willing to pay for it? The answers will depend on what kind of information you want to protect, where the information is stored and who you are protecting it from.
For example, if you have thousands of secret government documents and the CIA, FBI and MI5 are on your tail, then you will need to take serious precautions. These will cover your email communications and browsing data, as well as the physical security of your laptop.
People in the medical and financial industries also have to take extreme care of laptops that contain other people’s personal data, because they can be fined for losing it. But if your laptop is for personal use only, what’s the actual risk, and how can you minimise it?
My own approach has changed over the years. In the 1990s, my laptops had most of the same software and data as my desktops. Nowadays, I take the view that a laptop can be more or less empty, apart from Microsoft Office and certain utilities. If I need more data, I can store it in the cloud, or log on to my desktop PC remotely.
International travellers, especially journalists, are easy targets for police state operations, including the UK’s. You basically have no rights, and you’re unlikely to get any legal advice. I prefer to be in a position where I have nothing to hide, and if my £150-to-£350 Windows laptop is confiscated or stolen, I really don’t have to care. I can easily buy another, log on with my Windows Account, and say: “set it up like this” (picking the stored profile of the old one).
Passwords and encryption
If someone has physical possession of your laptop, passwords are not much help. They can use a guest account (unless you disabled it), boot your PC with a different operating system (Linux), or remove the hard drive and install it in another PC. Encryption is the only viable defence.
For many years, most geeks used TrueCrypt for this purpose. More recently, many switched to VeraCrypt, which is based on TrueCrypt 7.1a. DiskCryptor is a viable alternative.
The Intercept has a useful article, Encrypting Your Laptop Like You Mean It, which covers Windows, macOS/OS X and Linux. It points out that full disk encryption (FDE) doesn’t protect you against malicious websites and viruses, nor does it stop internet surveillance. Even a fully encrypted laptop can be hacked using, for example, the “evil maid” attack.
Of course, if you go for FDE, you must remember your password, or you lose access to your PC. It may therefore be safer to encrypt important files and folders, which you will obviously have backed up somewhere else.
You can do this with Windows 7 Pro’s built-in encrypting file system. Right-click the file or folder, select properties, and click the advanced button to bring up the sheet called “advanced attributes”. The bottom half offers two options: “Compress contents to save disk space” and “Encrypt contents to secure data”. This doesn’t ask for a password: it uses a file encryption certificate, which you have to back up to a USB key or similar. Messing around with certificates is tedious ...
You can also do the job with VeraCrypt, or – my preference – with a file compression/archiving program such as 7-Zip, PeaZip, WinRAR and so on. For maximum security, you should use a recent archiver that supports 256-bit AES encryption. Manchester University has a handy guide to using 7-Zip (PDF).
As the university points out, you should use Microsoft Office’s built-in encryption for Office files.
Biometrics and authentication
Governments and large corporations often use biometrics and two-factor authentication (2FA) to increase security. Some laptops have had built-in fingerprint readers since the turn of the century, and AuthenTec shipped 100m fingerprint sensors before Apple bought the company. Various laptops have also shipped with face- or iris-recognition programs that use built-in webcams.
Ideally, the biometric should be linked to the encryption system. For example, Dell’s Digital Persona Fingerprint Suite provides one-touch log-ons and also adds the option to encrypt and decrypt files.
Today, face- and fingerprint-based authentication are included in Windows Hello, which is an important part of Windows 10. It’s part of the increased security that prompted the US Defense Department to start moving to Windows 10 as rapidly as possible. If your laptop doesn’t have an Intel RealSense-compatible camera or suitable fingerprint sensor, this will not help you, but it’s worth bearing in mind if you upgrade.
Two-factor authentication is becoming increasingly popular. It is usually based on something you have, plus something you know. The most familiar example is a bank card and a pin. For many years, some business laptops have used slot-in smartcards for extra security, or small gadgets that generate the required pin.
Today, 2FA is often based on using a smartphone. For example, to confirm a Microsoft, Google or a Twitter account, the company sends you a passcode in an SMS message.
The obvious next step would be to use a smartphone to secure your laptop. One example is the Rohos Logon Key, which works on Windows PCs and Macs.
Rohos also offers a system that lets you log on to your laptop using a USB thumb drive as a security token. Alternative systems include KeyLock and USB Raptor. However, I’ve never used any of these. Worse, I’ve never seen anyone else use them either.
Email and web security
If there’s any compromising data on your laptop, you can remove, encrypt or otherwise hide it. The problem is that someone who can access your laptop may also have access to your email and all the websites you use, including Facebook, Twitter and Amazon.
This problem is usually that passwords are stored, for convenience, in the browser. The solution is to remove them and either remember passwords separately, or use a master password or password manager. For instructions, search for “manage passwords” and the name of your browser.
Email is also risky. Your mailbox probably contains lots of information that would be useful for identity theft. It may include emails containing plain text passwords, and someone with access to your email address can get other account passwords reset. Further, your email password may provide direct access to many other services including cloud drives (OneDrive, Gdrive etc), camera rolls, blog sites and other personal stuff.
You may be able to avert the worst even if your laptop is stolen. For example, Prey is a free program that lets you track the location of a stolen Windows or Linux PC, a Mac or Android device. The paid-for Personal version also allows “remote wipe” for three devices for $5 (£3.80) a month.
Windows 10 includes “find my device” tracking as standard, but it doesn’t have “remote wipe”. Also, it won’t stop the thief from doing a factory reset then selling your laptop, though that may be the least bad outcome from your point of view.
Have you got another question for Jack? Email it to Ask.Jack@theguardian.com
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https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jul/07/how-can-i-protect-my-data-if-my-laptop-is-stolen
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en
| 2016-07-07T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/a97af9def5378323d74895dac0b84d7280444dc24022fac7a961b225789753df.json
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[
"Guardian Staff"
] | 2016-08-27T00:49:10 | null | 2016-08-27T00:27:41 |
Organisers read aloud 8,000 pages to emphasise normalisation of violence for refugees held in indefinite detention
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fnews%2F2016%2Faug%2F27%2Fnauru-files-leaked-reports-read-aloud-in-10-hour-vigil-outside-australia-house-in-london.json
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Nauru files: leaked reports read aloud in 10-hour vigil outside Australia House in London
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www.theguardian.com
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Protesters have read aloud more than 20,000 leaked incident reports published by Guardian Australia as the Nauru files during a 10-hour vigil outside Australia House in London.
The protest at the Australian high commission was organised by members of the International Alliance Against Mandatory Detention.
The files, totalling more than 8,000 pages, include allegations of sexual abuse, torture and humiliation inflicted on children held by Australia in offshore detention.
“We want Australia to be internationally shamed,” said Sarah Keenan, who co-organised the event with seven other members of the alliance. “We want everyone to hear these documented incidents of abuse, self-harm, humiliation and squalor that is the everyday life for refugees on Nauru.
“The duration, monotony and repetition entailed in the reading of each file echoes the normalisation of the violence and tedium endured by refugees in indefinite detention.”
— Fabien Cante (@FabienCante) #naurufilesreading kicks off @australiahouse - 10h performance documenting detention horror pic.twitter.com/0JVsDsbFYw
— Kim Simpson (@AmatoryAnon) If you're in central, come and join #naurufilesreading pic.twitter.com/OCt2RiCIpW
Nadine El-Enany, another alliance organiser, said: “These detainees must be settled in the Australian community as is their right under international law.
“We have chosen to read the report out in front of Australia House because this narrative of abuse directly contradicts the image the Australian high commission seeks to convey of Australia as a progressive nation and a desirable destination for tourists, students, highly skilled workers and international investors.
“Nauru Files Reading embodies the ongoing racist violence that has defined the settler colony of Australia since its inception.”
The Nauru files: the lives of asylum seekers in detention detailed in a unique database – interactive Read more
Australia’s opposition Labor party says it will move to establish a parliamentary inquiry into allegations of sexual assault and child abuse at Nauru. However, the governing Liberal and National party Coalition says there is still public support for the policy to detain asylum seekers offshore.
The Australian immigration minister, Peter Dutton, has attacked news organisations, refugee advocates and Save the Children Australia, accusing the child rights agency of leaking the more 2,000 incident reports published as the Nauru files.
El-Enany said: “The Australian government detains refugees indefinitely [on these islands] as part of its offshore detention policy designed to deter refugees from arriving in Australia by boat.
“More than 500 refugees are detained on Nauru, including many children.
“Refugees on Nauru are regularly subjected to abuse, violence, sexual assault and rape. Self-harm and suicide attempts are common.”
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https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/aug/27/nauru-files-leaked-reports-read-aloud-in-10-hour-vigil-outside-australia-house-in-london
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en
| 2016-08-27T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/a1aced36986eaa049b29f163cfa41e3a251ff0c70cb54d8c3b1364e430b8fc60.json
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[
"Source"
] | 2016-08-29T14:52:20 | null | 2016-08-29T13:38:02 |
Manager Sam Allardyce speaks about his decision to drop Ross Barkley from the squad for England’s upcoming World Cup qualifier against Slovakia
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ffootball%2Fvideo%2F2016%2Faug%2F29%2Fsam-allardyce-leaving-ross-barkley-out-of-england-squad-very-difficult-video.json
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Sam Allardyce: leaving Ross Barkley out of England squad was very difficult - video
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After naming his first squad in the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Slovakia, England manager Sam Allardyce speaks about his decisions during a press conference on Monday. The manager, who omitted Ross Barkley when announcing the team on Sunday, says not picking the midfielder was a very difficult decision, but he had to pick 23 players to make the best team
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2016/aug/29/sam-allardyce-leaving-ross-barkley-out-of-england-squad-very-difficult-video
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en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/6574ab9e5acd8f25be088a858da9cae669ecd534b7856f30fbaeca1ba1b04df8.json
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[
"Kara Gammell",
"Simon Jenkins"
] | 2016-08-26T18:59:11 | null | 2016-01-27T09:37:49 |
Drivers who opt to attend a course, rather than accept penalty points, could be in for a nasty surprise when they inform their insurer
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmoney%2F2016%2Fjan%2F27%2Fwhy-speed-awareness-course-could-hike-up-insurance-premiums.json
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Why a speed awareness course could hike up your insurance premiums
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www.theguardian.com
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Most drivers realise that if you get caught speeding, you are going to be punished. In the UK, motorists committing minor offences for the first time have a choice: instead of a three-point penalty and a £100 fine they can opt to attend a speed awareness course.
Most police forces offer a course to drivers who are caught speeding between 10% plus 2 and 10% plus 9 of the legal limit. In other words, if you get caught driving between 35mph and 42mph in a 30mph zone, or between 79mph and 86mph in a 70mph zone.
The course, which takes place in a classroom rather than a car, has been developed by psychologists and aims to educate rather than prosecute motorists in an attempt to improve road safety. The courses are four hours long and aren’t much cheaper than the fine, with the typical cost being about £85. You can only attend one once every three years, which means if you offend again within that period you will have to take the points.
The speed awareness course is a popular choice. Figures from the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme show that in 2014 alone, nearly 1.2 million drivers completed the course. But while taking it means that police do not record your speeding offence as a conviction, few motorists realise that going on a speeding course can still push up your car insurance premiums. What’s more, younger drivers who typically face a much higher cost of cover, will face a more severe increase.
Julie Robertson, the head of the driving offences team at law firm Simpson Millar, says: “There is no question that having taken part in a speeding course can, and often will, inflate a person’s insurance premium - sometimes quite substantially.
“Several of my clients have reported significant rises in their insurance premiums after they attended a speeding course, and subsequently informed their insurer. Clearly, it is interpreted as an element of enhanced risk despite the fact that it might actually be the opposite.”
Experts say that premiums can rise by between 10% and 30%, but it depends on your insurer because not all ask drivers to declare a course.
Admiral Group is one insurer that increases premiums. A spokesman at the firm, which includes companies such as Admiral, elephant.co.uk, Diamond, and confused.com, said: “Attending a speed awareness course is something we take into account when calculating a premium. Although a speed awareness course is a replacement for penalty points, it doesn’t change the fact that the person involved has committed a speeding offence.
“Our claims statistics show that drivers who have committed a speeding offence are a higher risk than drivers who do not commit speeding offences in the first place.”
Ian Crowder, a spokesman for the AA, disputes this. “Actuarially, those who have committed a speeding offence are more likely to go on to make a fault claim,” he says. “But those who go on a speed awareness course learn something, don’t collect points and we believe, go on to be better drivers and thus less likely to make a fault claim.”
Robertson agrees. “Increasing a motorist’s premium simply because they have attended a speed awareness course is utterly unfair,” she says. “Unlike a fixed penalty or court-endorsed speeding offence, a speed awareness course does not in any way represent a conviction.”
Attending a speed awareness course makes drivers aware of the dangers of speeding, Robertson adds. “It should be seen as a positive move, not something to be punished for with an increased insurance premium.”
The Department of Transport is carrying out a study to find out if this is the case. In the meantime, motorists should shop around for the best deal.
Unlike penalty points, insurance firms cannot check whether a driver has taken a speed awareness course unless they admit to it, as this information is held by local police forces rather than the DVLA. However, if you fail to reveal that you have and later make a claim, you could find that your policy is invalid.
Opting for points on your licence as an alternative to attending a speeding course is likely to increase your insurance premium even further. Points are considered an admission of guilt and a legal conviction. Figures from the AA show that drivers with a single speeding conviction are 10-12% more likely to make a claim than those with a clean licence. It is therefore no surprise that the more penalty points someone has recorded on their licence, the more likely drivers are to face increases in their insurance premiums.
According to the AA, a first speeding conviction might typically add about 12.2% to premiums. For example, a 35-year-old Ford Mondeo driver in Gloucester could expect to see his annual premium increase from £569 to £639.
While a second offence, would see premiums rise by an average 34.1% – adding £218 to an annual bill.
Although the courts only consider convictions to be relevant for a period of three years from the date of the offence, some insurers take penalty points into account for a period of five years.
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https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/jan/27/why-speed-awareness-course-could-hike-up-insurance-premiums
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en
| 2016-01-27T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/64bf4e592aebff96d50e29f7cb03360c03b1f1391c835d93df505e9038bb44f7.json
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[] | 2016-08-29T20:52:11 | null | 2016-08-29T20:31:45 |
Got a minute? Top Clinton aide suspends marriage after return of sexting scandal … Trump warns sexting may have hurt national security … and everything else today from the trail. By Tom McCarthy
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2Flive%2F2016%2Faug%2F29%2Fhuma-abedin-separates-anthony-weiner.json
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Abedin separates from Weiner
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Who knows what he learned and who he told? It’s just another example of Hillary Clinton’s bad judgment. It is possible that our country and its security have been greatly compromised by this.
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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2016/aug/29/huma-abedin-separates-anthony-weiner
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en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/15114d8f746f7ad118d2bdb15c112829890f0a511e529a7c7093392a6529cb87.json
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[] | 2016-08-26T13:21:09 | null | 2016-08-23T20:09:17 |
Brazilian police say they have uncovered emails between the IOC member Pat Hickey and head of the THG Sports hospitality company that discussed the illegal sale of Olympic tickets
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsport%2F2016%2Faug%2F23%2Fbrazilian-police-pat-hickey-oci-thg-tickets.json
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Brazilian police uncover emails sent by OCI’s Pat Hickey to head of THG
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Brazilian police said on Tuesday that they had uncovered emails between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Pat Hickey and the head of the THG Sports hospitality company that discussed the illegal sale of Olympic tickets.
Pat Hickey allegations remind world that IOC is as out-of-date as Fifa Read more
Police told a news conference in Rio de Janeiro that they were also investigating bank documents amid suspicion of money laundering tied to the illegal ticketing ring.
Hickey, the former top European official at the IOC, was arrested in Brazil last week on charges that he took part in illegal ticket sales for the Rio Games, which ended on Sunday.
Three members of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) are suspected of involvement in the illegal sales, police said: executive director Stephen Martin, secretary-general Dermot Henihan and treasurer Kevin Kilty. The men remain in Brazil and their passports were seized by police on Sunday.
A Brazilian judge also ordered the seizure of the passports of stand-in OCI president Willie O’Brien, vice-president John Delaney, and an OCI personal assistant, Linda O’Reilly.
A court in Rio de Janeiro said earlier on Tuesday that no date has been set for a hearing for Hickey, who stood aside as head of the OCI and from all his other Olympic roles during the investigation.
Hickey, a 71-year-old Irishman, is in a maximum-security Rio prison following a police raid last week at his hotel on suspicion he participated the illegal sales plot.
Police allege Hickey was part of a scam involving Ireland’s official Games ticket reseller, Dublin-based PRO10 Sports Management, and an international sports hospitality company, THG Sports.
They accuse PRO10 of funneling tickets to THG Sports, which sold them illegally at inflated prices. A director of THG Sports, Kevin Mallon, was arrested this month in Brazil and is now sharing a cell with Hickey in the Bangu 10 prison.
PRO10 and THG have denied wrongdoing. Hickey’s lawyer in Dublin did not respond to an email from Reuters requesting comment.
The IOC had said that Hickey would face a judge on Tuesday but the Rio court said that no hearing has yet been scheduled.
Police say they seized more than 1,000 tickets from THG Sports, which is not an official ticket reseller, and a judge has ordered the arrest of four more THG executives on accusations of fraudulent ticket sales at the Olympics.
THG has said the seized tickets were being held legally on behalf of PRO10.
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https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/23/brazilian-police-pat-hickey-oci-thg-tickets
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en
| 2016-08-23T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/4d145e8397fd7d811d67283049e41577fe8e6c947a85989980dcb190a76e0774.json
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[
"Emma Featherstone"
] | 2016-08-26T13:24:18 | null | 2016-08-17T07:09:44 |
Sustainable fashion entrepreneur Tom Cridland has dressed Leonardo DiCaprio – now he’s launching a campaign to increase business education in the curriculum
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsmall-business-network%2F2016%2Faug%2F17%2Fpublic-state-schools-should-teach-business-tom-cridland.json
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‘Public or state, the point is the same’: why schools should teach business
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With steely persistence and a savvy approach to marketing –including sending free samples to celebrities - Tom Cridland has created a buzz around his business, which designs and sells sustainable menswear.
His products, including T-shirts, jackets, sweatshirts and trousers, come with a 30-year guarantee and have been worn by A-listers such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Craig. Successful crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter and Indiegogo have enabled Cridland to develop and build his eponymous brand. Earlier this year the 25-year-old opened his first bricks-and-mortar shop on Kings Road, London.
Government support – a £6,000 startup loan – was vital for Cridland to get started. And now he wants to encourage the government to extend their backing of entrepreneurship by better incorporating business education into the school curriculum.
On 15 September, Cridland, who lives in Fulham, is launching a campaign on Kickstarter for better business education with the aid of a new product – a shirt with a 30-year guarantee, called “The Entrepreneur’s Shirt”. For every shirt sold, 10% of the sales will be evenly split between the charities Deki and Young Enterprise.
Deki provides loans to aspiring entrepreneurs in developing countries while Young Enterprise runs programmes encouraging young people (aged 4 to 25) to develop their personal and business skills. Cridland partnered with the charities after receiving letters from them asking for his support.
“I wanted to make, [through a campaign], an important point to the government, that we really need a greater focus on entrepreneurship in our education system from primary school to university,” says Cridland. He believes there should be a particular focus on school leavers, with career advisers encouraged to suggest starting a business as a post-education option.
“The campaign is going to be a two-pronged attack,” he says. Aside from the monetary contribution from shirt sales, whenever Cridland is promoting the shirt he will speak about the need to incorporate entrepreneurship in education – whether that is in his Huffington Post blog or speaking on the radio. He also plans to write to his local MP and education secretary Justine Greening setting out his ideas for business education in schools.
What specific suggestions will he put to them? “At primary school age you don’t want to be teaching people how to fill in VAT returns,” he acknowledges. He suggests, instead, that a playful approach could be taken, such as brainstorming simple business ideas and trying them out in role plays. “Just getting those wheels turning from an early age could be invaluable,” he adds.
“It doesn’t matter if you want to start up your own business, or you’re looking to climb the ladder of a corporate institution, you can still benefit from time spent thinking entrepreneurially.”
Cridland started his brand post-university after feeling at a loss for career ambitions with his modern languages degree. “I didn’t want to become an interpreter or a teacher. And, to be honest, my level of French was pretty poor for someone who came out of university with a 2:1 – it’s almost embarrassing how bad I am.”
Whether his business success will match the media hype around the brand remains to be seen. To date, the brand has sold around 10,000 pairs of trousers, 8,500 T-shirts, 500 jackets and over 10,000 sweatshirts. It is has a turnover of £1m.
Rather than sending The Entrepreneur’s Shirt to film stars, this time Cridland is planning to pursue Richard Branson and American entrepreneur Tim Ferriss (author of The 4-Hour Workweek).
Cridland attended Eton before studying at Bristol University, but says despite gaining a prestigious education, his experience of careers advice was poor. “I think that advice needs to be much more practical and realistic.”
However, he plans to concentrate the campaign on young people in deprived areas. “This campaign will focus on people who are less likely to have the opportunity to read or find out about how they might start a business. But it doesn’t matter if you’re in a public school or a state school, the point remains the same.”
Sign up to become a member of the Guardian Small Business Network here for more advice, insight and best practice direct to your inbox.
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https://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2016/aug/17/public-state-schools-should-teach-business-tom-cridland
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en
| 2016-08-17T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/b1f2ea502f34f0cbb1585e18d6fa9b0b53584c712979539fe92bb8e7e693ea62.json
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[
"Polly Toynbee"
] | 2016-08-30T06:50:07 | null | 2016-08-30T05:59:22 |
The fate of a ship stuck in Great Yarmouth sums up the damage that state inaction and unfettered free markets have inflicted on a once-proud merchant fleet
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https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fcommentisfree%2F2016%2Faug%2F30%2Fmalaviya-twenty-britain-sank-shipping-industry.json
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How Britain sank its shipping industry by waiving the rules
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Malaviya Twenty has been moored in Great Yarmouth docks since December. To look at, it’s no rustbucket, kept in good shape by its Indian crew – but when I visited a week ago, they hadn’t been paid by the ship’s owners for all those months. This is a story about the fate of shipping in Britain – an often forgotten industry, though we depend on it for over 90% of our imports and exports, and for most of what is stacked on supermarket shelves.
Captain refuses to abandon ship after eight months stranded in Sussex port Read more
Waiting for their wages, the 12 crew members spent their time growing vegetables – onions, garlic, cabbages and tomatoes – in pots on the deck. The company hoped they would give up, but they are holding out for their pay. “They’re trying to wear us down,” says one officer: they want no names printed for fear of blacklisting. He can’t go home without his pay as he has taken out loans to keep his family.
Why was this ship contracted here in the first place? That reveals much about British shipping and the fate of seafarers. This is an Indian supply ship sailing between the British coast and UK offshore oil rigs and wind farms. Despite this, their foreign owners need not pay the UK minimum wage: rates are often a third less than for British sailors.
The trade union Nautilus International,which often helps stranded crews, has stepped in, calling in the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). This means the ship is officially prevented from leaving port until the men are paid.
Its sister ship Malaviya Seven has been similarly holed up in Aberdeen. This crew were owed a total of $380,000 (£290,000) in June: some has been paid following MCA intervention, but Paul Keenan of Nautilus says $200,000 is still owing. The ship, worth millions, could be sold off to pay its debts.
The shipping industry is a prime example of what an unfettered free market does to a workforce, of globalisation at its reddest in tooth and claw. Flying flags of convenience, British shipping has been allowed to register in low-pay, low-regulation countries. That exodus took off in the wicked 1980s when the number of British merchant navy officers was cut by two-thirds, replaced by cheaper foreign staff. Now only a third of British-owned shipping is registered under a British flag.
Can Britain rule its own waves again after Brexit, restoring its ships to the UK flag with decent pay and safety conditions? No chance, since Britain has been the strongest lobby in Europe against reform. Of EU nations, Britain protects its own sailors least from unfair, undercutting competition, and issuing most “certificates of equivalent competency” to foreign mariners so they can work on its ships.
A mirror vision of industrial failure – the UK lorry trade | Polly Toynbee Read more
The three politicians who now command the Brexit negotiations are all extreme free marketeers. Once outside the EU, don’t expect welfare, wages and working conditions to be high among their priorities as they attempt to strike new trade deals. Indeed, the risk is that after Brexit shipping companies based in the UK will try to drop existing EU regulations. Others may leave because they need an EU base: Stena Line warned immediately after the referendum that it might re-flag its UK vessels.
A manning directive to ensure that ships sailing between EU states are paid and regulated under EU law has failed to gain approval in Brussels for years, defeated by ship owners wanting to hire cheaper non-EU crews.
Compare this with how the US protects its industry: all ships working between US ports must be US-built and crewed. Many countries do likewise. But in Britain and the EU it’s a global free-for-all, where the cheapest contract wins. The result is a collapse in the British-registered shipping industry, now only 0.8% of the total worldwide. Why would owners pay British wages when they can hire crews elsewhere for much less?
There has been a steep drop in training British mariners: companies are obliged to train some cadets, but then rarely take them on. More than 10 keen, well-qualified young people apply for every merchant navy training place; but despite promising good apprenticeships, the government has just cut funding for maritime training. Numbers are falling fast, though thousands of experienced officers are needed onshore as harbourmasters and marine pilots.
The City employs 15,000 of these trained officers in marine insurance, who arbitrate in causes of accidents and other shipping specialisms. A government report last year dodged all the real issues, but it did warn of the urgent need “to replenish and develop the skills needed to maintain our position as a world-leading maritime centre”. The 90,000 UK seafarers of 40 years ago have now become only 19,000.
In Britain, few employees are as brutally undercut as these. Ship owners fly foreign flags of convenience that allow them to fire British crews and hire others from the poorest countries, paying the lowest rates in a race to the bottom. Meanwhile the government turns a blind eye.
The sea has ebbed in the national consciousness, though it matters as much as ever to an island. Its romance still draws keen recruits, but it’s a dangerous workplace, with climate change causing more violent storms. Britain depends for everything on this buccaneering industry, yet wages are undercut and jobs lost through aggressive globalisation. As with the equally essential road transport industry, the state steps back where it should step up.
Two days ago Malaviya Twenty’s owners paid off some of the crew, who are flying home – though the ship will be detained until all wages are fully paid. And as the Nautilus union protests: “The exploitation of these crews directly undermines our own shipping industry with unfair competition.”
British politics focuses too little on the reality of working lives. Many who voted Brexit overestimated the impact of migration on their own low pay, or the lack of housing and public services. But here’s a case of crude, obvious labour-market abuse by employers substituting cheaper foreign staff.
If one company does it and undercuts the rest, then all must follow suit in bidding for contracts. Only government intervention can prevent a race to the bottom that is eroding established working rights in so many sectors.
|
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/30/malaviya-twenty-britain-sank-shipping-industry
|
en
| 2016-08-30T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/22a153f526a95a339722fd82080067ed3ccdff97ecc1124637bbd2cc9494fa3c.json
|
|
[] | 2016-08-28T18:52:09 | null | 2016-08-28T18:42:18 |
Australia have edged Sri Lanka by two wickets to spoil Tillakaratne Dilshan’s one-day farewell and go 2-1 up in the five-match series
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsport%2F2016%2Faug%2F28%2Fsri-lanka-australia-one-day-international-cricket-tillakaratne-dilshan.json
|
en
| null |
Australia beat Sri Lanka in Tillakaratne Dilshan’s final one-day international
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
Australia edged out Sri Lanka by two wickets to spoil Tillakaratne Dilshan’s one-day farewell and go 2-1 up in the five-match series on Sunday.
Opting to bat first, Sri Lanka were all out for 226 with four balls remaining, a total built around Dinesh Chandimal’s gutsy 102 in an otherwise poor batting display by the home side in the third match of the series.
Ben Stokes: I’m fit and ready to bowl for England in third ODI if needed Read more
Dilshan’s fluent 42 in his one-day swansong was the second highest score and the former Sri Lanka captain quit the format with 10,290 runs, including 22 centuries from 330 matches. He will play the two Twenty20 matches against Australia next month before retiring from international cricket.
Australia wobbled early in their reply but George Bailey, who scored 70, featured as the tourists chased down the target with four overs to spare.
Earlier, Dilshan was given a guard of honour by his Sri Lanka team mates when the 39-year-old went out to bat but the team looked in trouble after being reduced to 23 for two in the fourth over.
Dilshan joined forces with Chandimal for a 73-run partnership before he fell to an Adam Zampa full toss. Australia’s fielders shook hands with Dilshan, who received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.
Zampa dismissed Angelo Mathews in his next over but Chandimal maintained his 50-over form and brought up his fourth one-day century before being the last man out, holing out to Zampa off James Faulkner. Chandimal’s last seven one-day scores are 52, 62, 63, 53, 80 not out, 48 and 102.
Leading the side in absence of the regular captain Steve Smith, who has returned home to rest, David Warner marshalled his bowlers well to restrict the hosts to a modest total.
Mathews dented Australia’s top order, however, cheaply dismissing Warner and Shaun Marsh as the touring side slumped to 44 for three in the ninth over. Bailey added 62 runs with Travis Head to put Australia’s chase back on track and put on 81 runs with Matthew Wade to take the side close to victory. Zampa, who had claimed three for 38 with the ball, scored the winning run but Bailey bagged the man-of-the-match award. The teams stay put in Dambulla for the fourth one-day international on Wednesday.
|
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/28/sri-lanka-australia-one-day-international-cricket-tillakaratne-dilshan
|
en
| 2016-08-28T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/d29834eb510a8986d55c285ab05a19685c0aeacd18d3e3c8bdb86f85f835fab7.json
|
|
[
"Photograph",
"Cory Lum Getty Images",
"Andrea Pistolesi Getty Images",
"Nurphoto Via Getty Images",
"Narendra Shrestha Epa",
"Yasser Al-Zayyat Afp Getty Images",
"Sia Kambou Afp Getty Images",
"Mary Turner Getty Images",
"Look Alamy",
"Ebrahim Noroozi Ap"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:49 | null | 2016-08-18T15:10:13 |
A period of relative stability has put the Iranian capital No1 on the list of world cities that have achieved biggest improvements in liveability over the past five years, as calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fcities%2Fgallery%2F2016%2Faug%2F18%2Ftehran-economist-intelligence-unit-global-liveability-ranking.json
|
en
| null |
Liveable cities 2016: Tehran tops 'most improved' list - in pictures
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
A period of relative stability has put the Iranian capital No1 on the list of world cities that have achieved biggest improvements in liveability over the past five years, as calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The ‘most improved’ top 10 contains some unexpected names ...
|
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2016/aug/18/tehran-economist-intelligence-unit-global-liveability-ranking
|
en
| 2016-08-18T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/43d8cd235f066609e7f0252f2797632d5d6189e9c6e316ecf1d7c65db23a0357.json
|
|
[
"Associated Press In New York"
] | 2016-08-29T12:52:09 | null | 2016-08-29T11:58:36 |
The off-brand injectable allergy medication will have a list price of $300 for a two-pack, the company said, which is about half of the recently increased cost
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fbusiness%2F2016%2Faug%2F29%2Fmylan-generic-epipen-price-hike.json
|
en
| null |
Mylan announces cheaper generic EpiPens amid price-gouging accusations
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
Mylan says it will make available a generic version of its EpiPen, as criticism mounts over the price of its injectable medicine.
Mylan CEO sold $5m worth of stock while EpiPen price drew scrutiny Read more
The company said on Monday that its US subsidiary will put out a generic version of the EpiPen that will have a list price of $300 for a two-pack – about half the current price. It will be available in both 0.15mg and 0.30mg strengths.
The company charges $608 for a two-pack of the branded EpiPen. Mylan said it will keep in place the $300 savings card for the branded EpiPen and the revised patient assistance program announced last week.
Consumers and politicians have accused the company of price-gouging, considering that the product has been on the market since 1987 and the price didn’t start rising significantly until Mylan acquired it in 2007. There is also little competition, with the only rival product being Adrenaclick, which carries a list price of $461.
Mylan chief executive Heather Bresch has defended the price hikes, saying the company only received $274 of the total price for a twin-package while insurers, pharmacies and other parties divvy up the rest.
EpiPens are used in emergencies to treat severe allergies to insect bites and foods like nuts and eggs that can lead to anaphylactic shock. People usually keep a number of EpiPens handy at home, school or work. The syringes, prefilled with the hormone epinephrine, expire after a year.
Mylan said that it anticipates having the generic versions available in the next several weeks. It will continue to market and distribute a branded EpiPen.
Who is to blame for the EpiPen hike? Drug monopolies – not evil CEOs | Colin Holtz Read more
Numerous members of Congress and other politicians this week have called for congressional hearings on Mylan’s pricing, an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission and action by the Food and Drug Administration to increase competition by speeding up approvals of any rival products.
At least two companies are trying to get US approval to sell a rival brand or generic version of EpiPen. None is likely to hit the US market until well into next year. Relief could come sooner from Imprimis Pharmaceuticals, a compounding pharmacy that prepares medicines to fill individual prescriptions. It said it might be able to sell a version in a few months and would likely charge around $100 for two injectors.
Last week, the actress Sarah Jessica Parker terminated her role as a spokesperson for Mylan.
|
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/aug/29/mylan-generic-epipen-price-hike
|
en
| 2016-08-29T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/e35e51cc4df9fa2dbe5ffd2df3bd24a6ef3461ced40ce33133bda6d0fb0a3df9.json
|
|
[
"Samuel Gibbs"
] | 2016-08-26T13:27:09 | null | 2016-06-01T08:16:39 |
Make unlocking your smartphone even smarter by preparing for those times when you have sticky or wet digits
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ftechnology%2F2016%2Fjun%2F01%2Fregister-five-fingerprints-smartphone-unlock-high-smarter.json
|
en
| null |
Did you know you can add more fingerprints to your phone? Here's how
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
Most top-end smartphones, and even some low-end models, come with a fingerprint scanner these days.
Last year, the fingerprint sensor stopped being a gimmick and started becoming one of the most useful parts of a modern smartphone. From keeping your phone secure to authenticating payments, the one-touch fingerprint sensor has numerous advantages over a pin code – but only when it works. There are few things more frustrating than repeatedly touching your finger tip only to have it refuse to unlock.
But what most people don’t realise is that the fingerprint scanner on most smartphones and tablets can recognise up to five fingers.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Whether on the back, front or side, fingerprint scanners speed up the phone unlocking and payment confirmation process without the need to bash in your passcode each time. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs for the Guardian
In the initial setup of the phone, it will run you through registering one digit and then say you can register more now, or skip. Most hit skip, trying to run through the setup routine as fast as possible. It’s understandable, but registering more than one finger makes using the scanner a lot easier and more convenient.
If one finger is wet or sticky, use the other. Register fingers on different hands so you can unlock the phone with either hand. Use a thumb for unlocking it in your hand, but an index finger to unlock it on your desk. You can even register someone else’s fingerprint – a partner for instance – although the terms and conditions for some applications, including Android Pay, specifically prohibit digits from others being registered on your device for obvious reasons.
To register an extra finger or four, all you have to do is find the security settings for the fingerprint scanner and run the setup routine for a new finger, which normally takes less than a minute.
Android
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Registering extra fingerprints in settings on Android Marshmallow. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs for the Guardian
On an Android device running Lollipop, Marshmallow or N, head to Settings -> Security -> Fingerprint and then start the routine to add another fingerprint. You may be asked for your pin or passcode before registering a new fingerprint.
iOS
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Registering extra fingerprints with Touch ID in the Settings app on iOS 9.3.2 on an iPhone. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs for the Guardian
For iPhone or iPad users head to the Settings app -> Touch ID & Passcode -> Enter your pin or passcode -> Add a Fingerprint. That will start the Touch ID registration for another finger.
With most devices, tapping the fingerprint sensor with a pre-registered finger when viewing the list of fingerprints currently registered will identify which fingerprint corresponds to which entry.
It’s also worth noting that for older devices with early fingerprint scanners, such as the Samsung Galaxy S5 or Galaxy Note 4, registering the same fingerprint more than once using different parts of your finger each time can help increase accuracy and reduce the number of times when your finger isn’t recognised. That isn’t necessary with the majority of fingerprint scanners on smartphones from 2015 onwards, but can help make the fingerprint scanners on older models less irritating.
|
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jun/01/register-five-fingerprints-smartphone-unlock-high-smarter
|
en
| 2016-06-01T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/ad38b0688d07b48e888e26a2f00d9870848772d9b275d4fbe4395c63ba5b23b1.json
|
|
[
"Jon Henley",
"Vikram Dodd",
"Rachel Bryson"
] | 2016-08-27T08:49:17 | null | 2016-08-12T07:21:22 |
Kadiza Sultana, one of three pupils who left the UK together to join jihadis, is thought to have been killed while planning to flee
|
https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fuk-news%2F2016%2Faug%2F11%2Flondon-schoolgirl-kadiza-sultana-who-joined-isis-believed-killed-in-syria-airstrike.json
|
en
| null |
Kadiza Sultana: London schoolgirl who joined Isis believed killed in Syria airstrike
| null | null |
www.theguardian.com
|
A schoolgirl who fled Britain last year to join Islamic State is believed to have been killed in an airstrike in Syria, apparently while planning to escape.
Kadiza Sultana, who left her east London home in Bethnal Green during the half-term break in February 2015 with friends Shamima Begum and Amira Abase, is thought to have died during an airstrike on the terror group’s stronghold of Raqqa in May this year, ITV News reported.
Her sister Halima Khanom said in a statement to the channel: “We were expecting this, in a way. But at least we know she is in a better place.”
Tasnime Akunjee, solicitor for the family, told the Guardian they believed she had been killed, probably several weeks ago.
The three schoolgirls, aged 15 and 16 when they caught a flight from Gatwick to Turkey and a bus to the Syrian border, were gifted students at the Bethnal Green academy before being lured by Isis propaganda, abandoning their A-level courses and families to marry jihadis in Syria.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest CCTV image of (from left) Kadiza Sultana, Shamima Begum, and Amira Abase going through security at Gatwick airport. Photograph: Metropolitan police/PA
Citing conversations with her family and Raqqa residents, ITV said Sultana had become disillusioned with life in the city and had been planning to try to make her way back across the border and eventually to Britain.
“It is believed she was killed before she could flee, after the property she was staying in was obliterated by the airstrike in May,” the channel said in a statement.
The British Foreign Office said it could not confirm the report. “The UK has advised for some time against all travel to Syria,” it said in a statement. “As all UK consular services there are suspended, it is extremely difficult to confirm the status and whereabouts of British nationals in Syria. Anyone who does travel to these areas, for whatever reason, is putting themselves in considerable danger.”
ITV said it had not been able to confirm all details because of the ongoing conflict, but it believed the teenager had been inside a residential building when it was hit by an airstrike, probably from a Russian bomber.
Akunjee said on Thursday: “The family are devastated. A number of sources have said that she has been killed and she has not been in contact with the family for several weeks. Over a year ago, she had been talking about leaving. There was a plan to get her out.”
The plan to extract the teenager is understood not to have involved the British and Turkish authorities. One massive dilemma any Isis recruit who wants to leave faces is the brutal revenge the group will exact if they are captured. One European female caught trying to flee is reported to have been publicly beaten to death by Isis.
Khanom told ITV in an interview recorded earlier that Sultana’s situation there had changed. “The way she used to communicate with me … The way she used to talk about things has totally changed … She’s scared of being there,” Khanom said.
In a phone conversation with her sister recorded by ITV shortly before her death, Sultana said: “I don’t have a good feeling. I feel scared.” Asked why, she replied: “If something goes wrong, that’s it. I will never be with you.”
She added: “You know the borders are closed right now, so how am I going to get out?” She said she would never be able to cross territory held by the Kurdish PKK forces inside Syria to reach the border and had “zero” confidence she would be able to get out. At the end of the conversation, she asked: “Where is mum? I want to speak to her.”
The loss of the three girls, who followed a friend who had earlier left for Syria, was a major blow to the Muslim community in east London and a powerful indication of how strong the lure of Isis can be.
They plotted the trip together, according to material recovered by investigators, making a shopping list of items to take with them and then deceiving their families.
Latest video footage reportedly shows London teenagers en route to Syria Read more
The items for their escape to Syria ranged from a mobile phone to underwear, makeup and an epilator. Plane tickets to get them to Turkey are listed at just over £1,000. The list appears to be consistent with an Isis online guide for potential recruits.
All four girls married fighters approved by Isis – including an Australian and a US national – and two became widows within months of arriving in Syria, their families were told.
In March last year, the Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, said the teenagers could return home without fear of being prosecuted for terrorism, as long as no evidence emerged of them being engaged in violence.
Akunjee told ITV: “Leaving Isis is like trying to escape from Alcatraz, with a shoot-to-kill order added in ... Perhaps the only benefit out of this is as a tombstone and a testimony for others of the risks of actually going to a war zone, to dissuade people from ever making that choice.”
|
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/11/london-schoolgirl-kadiza-sultana-who-joined-isis-believed-killed-in-syria-airstrike
|
en
| 2016-08-12T00:00:00 |
www.theguardian.com/44ebf30200c64da79f25520ff75524a8198b7bc462334f1e64e5c3dd92751e90.json
|
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