Miss Piggy, star of ABC’s “The Muppets,” will make a special appearance during the 2015 National Christmas Tree Lighting, presented by the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks.Piggy will be joining performers such as Fall Out Boy, Tori Kelly, Aloe Blacc, and Crosby, Stills and Nash.An international celebrity, television and feature film star, best-selling author, supermodel, and fashion icon, Miss Piggy will help kick-off the holiday season at the 93rd annual National Christmas Tree Lighting on Thursday, December 3, 2015, on the Ellipse at President’s Park (White House). The event can be seen on public television throughout the month of December. For broadcast times, check local listings or the National Christmas Tree Lighting website.“I am so thrilled to be part of the National Christmas Tree Lighting, I hear this year’s tree will be almost as bright, shiny and dazzlingly beautiful as moi!” says Miss Piggy.Keep up with the National Christmas Tree on Twitter at @TheNationalTree and follow #NCTL2015 on social media for more information about the event and its history. For Miss Piggy, visit Twitter and Facebook.An American holiday tradition started by President Calvin Coolidge in 1923, the National Christmas Tree Lighting is a great example of the countless ways there are to #FindYourPark. Launched in March 2015, Find Your Park/Encuentra Tu Parque is a public awareness and education movement to inspire people from all backgrounds to connect with, celebrate, and support America’s national parks and community-based programs. Celebrating the National Park Service Centennial and setting the stage for the Service’s next 100 years, #FindYourPark invites people to discover and share their own unique connections to our nation’s natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history.The Walt Disney Company, including Disney|ABC Television Group which is the home of The Muppets, is a premier partner of the #FindYourPark movement and a lead sponsor of the National Park Foundation’s Open Outdoors for Kids program, aiming to get half a million kids into national parks by 2017.A special thanks to GE Lighting, Amtrak, Christmas Northeast, Inc., Guest Services, Inc., Hudler Carolina Tree Farms, Loews Madison, Southwest Airlines, and Washington Marriott at Metro Center for their generous support of the 2015 National Christmas Tree Lighting.
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Palestinian economic prospects look bleak according to World Bank report
17 September 2008The Palestinian economy is becoming increasingly aid dependent, and Israel’s policy of border crossings closures in the Gaza Strip is eroding the occupied territory’s industrial backbone and paralyzing its municipal services, a World Bank report warns today. The Palestinian economy is becoming increasingly aid dependent, and Israel’s policy of border crossings closures in the Gaza Strip is eroding the occupied territory’s industrial backbone and paralyzing its municipal services, a World Bank report warns today.Real per capita gross domestic product (GDP) is now 30 per cent below its height in 1999 as the economy shrinks and the population grows, according to the report on Palestinian economic prospects.The report has been published amid growing concern over the occupied Palestinian territories’ stability, with recent UN reports indicating that unemployment has reached nearly 30 per cent, and the percentage of those living below the national poverty rose to 57 per cent in 2006. Today’s report noted that so far this year the Palestinian Authority has received $1.2 billion in external budget support but requires another $650 million and $300 million in development aid, highlighting the fact that as the Palestinian economy declines, it is becoming more aid dependent. It also draw attention to the crippling economic effect of Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip, stating that 98 per cent of its industrial operations have been shut down – out of 3,900 industries, only 23 are operating.“Closure of Gaza is also resulting in the collapse of the municipal sector. Municipalities, providing key services such as water, sewage, solid waste [disposal] etc. are facing a deep financial crisis,” the report stated.“The impoverishment of the population and the near absence of private sector activities imply that municipalities are unable to collect fees for service provision and are unable to pay staff salaries.”
Ontario has zero chance of making its 5 by 2020 electric vehicle
TORONTO — Ontario is envisioning a future in which millions of electric vehicles are on the roads, but analysts predict consumer uptake will remain far off the government target for 2020, despite tens of millions of dollars in subsidies.The Liberal government has been encouraging electric vehicle sales by doling out $75 million in rebates to vehicle owners, offering various other incentives and programs, installing a network of charging stations and spending $1 million to open an electric vehicle education centre.But that so far hasn’t translated into vast numbers of vehicles. The official data for 2017 isn’t yet available, but at the end of last year, electric vehicles represented less than one per cent of all passenger vehicle sales in Ontario.In just two years, by 2020, the government hopes to see that number increase to five per cent.It can’t be done, analysts say.“The chances of meeting it aren’t low, they’re zero,” said auto industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers. “In the auto sector all roads lead to electric, it just happens to be that the road to serious acceptance of them is probably at least 2030 and more likely 2040, 2050.”Tony Faria, an auto industry analyst at the University of Windsor, agrees that Ontario won’t meet its goal by 2020.“We will almost assuredly get to five per cent electric vehicles purchased or on the road at some point in time, it’s just not going to be in the next couple of years,” he said. “We’re really wedded to our gasoline-driven vehicles because of the flexibility they give us distance wise, amazing availability of where you can fill up and so on.”Range anxiety — a fear that an electric vehicle would run out of charge somewhere far from a charging station — is cited by analysts, the industry and government as one of the main reasons more people haven’t yet switched to electric vehicles.The government announced in July 2016 that it would spend $20 million to build a network of 500 public charging stations along highways and at public places across the province by March 31, 2017.But now, more than eight months after that self-imposed deadline, just two-thirds of the stations are in use.Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca said that timeline was “ambitious” and there have been challenges around the locations of some of the chargers, permits and construction delays, but he still believes the target can be met.“We see what the numbers are currently, but again when you look at not only the demand we’ve seen over the last few months, but the forecasted demand for the next three or four years we do see and certainly do predict fairly sharp increases in people’s appetite for (electric) vehicles,” he said.It takes time to get people to change their behaviours, Del Duca said.“People get very comfortable in their patterns, both as commuters and when they’re making their product selections when they’re looking at cars,” he said. “I think there was always going to be the need for some time for a cultural shift.”FleetCarma, a company that promotes electric vehicles, reports on quarterly sales numbers and found that in Ontario those numbers are up 96 per cent year-over-year for the first nine months of 2017.In the second quarter, they reported electric vehicle sales represented about 0.7 per cent of the market.“While these numbers may seem small compared to the total number of auto sales the thing to take note of here is the trajectory of the numbers,” they wrote.The president of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association said those numbers bode well and he believes there is a good chance of hitting the five per cent target in 2020. The industry itself is doing a lot to encourage sales, but for now the market demand is still very small and manufacturers are losing money on their production, said Mark Nantais.“There’s a good deal of literature out there by independent parties to suggest that at this point in time vehicle manufacturers are losing anywhere from $10,000 to $14,000 per vehicle,” he said.That will change over time as demand increases, he said.“Sometimes we proceed with costly technologies that — while we might be losing money on them — we ultimately think that the market will improve, that the number of vehicles will increase, that the cost of the technology will come down,” Nantais said.To increase sales, the government offers rebates of up to $14,000 for electric vehicles that cost up to $150,000.In order to encourage customers to choose electric vehicles, auto dealers will often give buyers the rebate out of their own funds, but that has left some out hundreds of thousands of dollars, they say.Frank Notte, with the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association, said many dealers are waiting up to five or six months for the government to reimburse them. One dealer is owed more than $400,000, he said, and GM dealers in the Greater Toronto Area alone are owed about $2.3 million.The Ministry of Transportation wouldn’t confirm those numbers, but said it is working to streamline the process so dealers can get reimbursed more quickly.The province has also put $1 million toward the Plug’n Drive Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre in northern Toronto, where people can learn about and test drive electric vehicles. The centre said it has seen 1,600 test drives with more than 4,000 visitors since it opened this spring.
Week in Brussels – week ending Friday 10 July 2015
DOWNLOADACEA revises forecast for 2015 car sales to 5%Automotive and petroleum refining industry: open letter on diesel to EU policy makersTTIP: EP vote paves way for new ISDSGreek debt crisis: Greece submits reform planClimate: EP backs reform of carbon marketWeek aheadClick to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Queen hit extremely hard by death of her beloved last Royal corgi
A Buckingham Palace source told the Daily Mail: “She has mourned every one of her corgis over the years, but she has been more upset about Willow’s death than any of them… It is probably because Willow was the last link to her parents and a pastime that goes back to her own childhood. It really does feel like the end of an era.” Monty, Willow and Holly greeted the secret agent, played by Daniel Craig, as he arrived at the Palace to accept a mission from the Queen.Monty, who was 13, died a couple of months later.Holly was put down in October 2016 after suffering from an illness, leaving Willow, who died on Sunday, as the Queen’s final corgi descended from Susan. Queen Elizabeth II pictured walking her dogs in 1973 with a corgi leading the way and another ushering from behindCredit:Alpha Press Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (left) with one of their corgis at Windsor Castle pictured in 1959 and Her Majesty walking her dogs in 1980 (right)Credit:PA/Getty 
Pharos – then one of the Queen’s oldest corgis – was savaged by another dog and had to be put down.The Queen was devastated at the death of one of her favourite pets.Dottie, an English bull terrier owned by the Princess Royal, was blamed. The year before, Anne had been fined £500 when the same dog attacked two children in Windsor Great Park.But some days later, an announcement from the Palace revealed it was a case of mistaken identity. The real killer of Pharos was Florence, another of Anne’s dogs.Pharos was buried in the Sandringham grounds, joining Susan and some of the other corgis with gravestones there. She also enjoyed walking her corgis and they knew when it was time for their exercise.If the Queen came in wearing a tiara, they laid glumly on the carpet; if she was in a headscarf, they knew it was time for walkies.The Duke of York said his mother’s love of her corgis has helped to keep her fit.”She is just amazing at her age and she walks a long way, the dogs keep her active,” Andrew said.Corgis are liable to bite people’s legs because their forebears rounded up sheep by snapping at their feet.One footman at the Palace found a novel way of getting his own back. The dogs ran down the stairs, performed tummy rolls and then stood as a helicopter took off for the Olympic stadium, carrying Bond and a stunt double of the Queen.Monty, who was 13, died a couple of months later.Holly was put down in October 2016 after suffering from an illness, leaving Willow as the Queen’s final corgi.In 2015, the Queen decided to stop breeding Pembroke Welsh corgis over fears she might trip over and hurt herself over them. It was also reported that she didn’t want to leave any behind when she dies.Yet during her time looking after them, she has had more than 30 corgis stemming from Susan’s puppies Sugar and Honey, who were born in 1949. Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings. She needed three stitches and her chauffeur needed a tetanus jab.Canine psychiatrist Roger Mugford prescribed an ear-piercing rape alarm which the Queen used to break up the dog fights.He also sent the leader of the pack, Apollo, to live with the Princess Royal.But sometimes it was the corgis who found themselves under attack.In 2003, as the royals were gathering for Christmas at Sandringham in Norfolk, one suffered a tragic fate. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the reports, saying it would be a private matter.Prince Harry revealed last year how his fiancee Meghan Markle had managed to charm the Queen’s dogs.The prince said in his engagement interview: “And the corgis took to you straightaway.”I’ve spent the last 33 years being barked at – this one walks in, absolutely nothing.”Describing the moment, Ms Markle said: “Just laying on my feet during tea, it was very sweet.” The snappy little dogs had a penchant for nipping servants’ ankles, but the Queen has always been devoted to them.She has owned more than 30 of the breed, as well as dorgis, black Labradors and cocker spaniels.Her first corgi, Susan, was given to her as an 18th birthday present by her parents in 1944.The Queen had fallen in love with her father’s dog Dookie, a Pembrokeshire corgi, and wanted one of her own.Susan became the founder of the Queen’s royal dog dynasty, and was even taken on honeymoon by Princess Elizabeth.But Susan was not always well-behaved. She bit a royal clockwinder on the ankle and was also rather partial to going for servants’ legs. Daniel Craig and Queen Elizabeth II with her corgisCredit:Videograb Her grandson, Whisky, apparently tore the seat out of a Guards officer’s trousers.The Queen has looked after her own dogs as much as possible.She now has Whisper – a corgi she adopted after the death of its owner, a Sandringham gamekeeper – and two dorgis, Vulcan and Candy.During weekends at Windsor, the corgis went too and lived in her private apartments.She fed them herself, whenever her busy schedule permitted. She mixed their feed with a spoon and fork, from ingredients brought on a tray by a footman.
Corgis have played a massive role in Her Majesty’s lifeCredit:Rex Features/Shutterstock 
The Queen has reportedly been hit “extremely hard” by the loss of her corgi Willow who died on Sunday – ending Her Majesty’s close association with the breed dating back eight decades.The dog, which was 14th generation and descended from the Queen’s first dog Susan, was suffering from a cancer-related illness.It is understood The Queen did not want Willow, who was almost 15, to suffer any further. Insiders said she was hit “extremely hard” by the loss of Willow, who had become her most devoted companion. As a descendant of Susan, who was an 18th birthday present when she was then Princess Elizabeth, Willow had a particularly close link with the Queen.On her 90th birthday, when she posed for portraits with her grandchildren, she also let her dogs share the limelight. Willow was one of four dogs at the time who featured in a picture with her, taken on steps in the grounds of Windsor castle. He spiked the dogs’ food and water with whisky and gin, then watched in amusement as the tipsy animals staggered around. But he was discovered and demoted.At one stage, the Queen was forced to call in a dog psychiatrist when her corgis kept setting upon each other.The worst incident was when Ranger, who belonged to the Queen Mother, killed the Queen’s dorgi Chipper in 1989.Two years later the Queen was bitten on the left hand while trying to break up a fight between six of her corgis and two of the Queen Mother’s at Windsor. Queen Elizabeth II’s long-standing love of corgisThe Queen is synonymous with her love of corgis. It was reported that the Queen was still feeding and exercising Willow until the weekend, but the dog’s condition worsened.A vet was then said to have been called on Sunday afternoon, when Prince Philip was able to rejoin her after nearly two weeks in hospital following a hip operation.The Queen still has Vulcan and Candy, two dorgis – corgi-dachshund crosses, but Willow was the only dog left with a link to the Queen’s original family of royal corgis.Last year Her Majesty agreed to adopt a corgi, Whisper, after the death of his owner, a former Sandringham gamekeeper.As a teenager, The Queen fell in love with her father’s dog Dookie, a Pembrokeshire corgi, and wanted one of her own.She was subsequently given Susan and during her reign she has owned more than 30 corgis, many of them direct descendants of her first dog.Susan was so loved that she accompanied Her Majesty and The Duke of Edinburgh on on their honeymoon. 
Her descendant Willow appeared in the 2012 James Bond sketch which the Queen recorded with Daniel Craig for the London Olympics opening ceremony.The dog and two other corgis, Monty and Holly, greeted the secret agent, played by Daniel Craig, as he arrived at the palace to accept a mission from the Queen. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh during their traditional summer break at Balmoral Castle. The royal couple are seen with ‘Tinker’, a cross between a corgi and long haired dachshundCredit:PA 
A corgi passes between two rugby players in 2007 when The Queen greeted internationals Credit:Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty In 2012, the Queen’s remaining corgis had a starring role in the James Bond sketch the Queen recorded for the London Olympics opening ceremony. 
Heat back into AustralianAfrican mining ventures
Paydirt says it’s “the world’s largest Australian African business forum.” Africa Down Under (ADU) will be held in Perth next week as higher investor sentiment returns to the arena after a tough five years on equity markets for Australian explorers and miners involved in Africa’s minerals sector.Western Australia’s Mines and Petroleum Minister, the Hon. Bill Johnston MLA, will open the 1,400 strong delegate conference on Wednesday morning (August 29) at Perth’s Pan Pacific Hotel, with at least 15 African Ministerial presentations over the following days.Keynote Australian presenters include Resolute Mining’s John Welborn, decorated Australian mining industry veteran, Hugh Morgan, renowned international resources deal maker, Owen Hegarty, and the Head of Global Mining at the Toronto Stock Exchange, Dean McPherson.The forum is Africa Down Under’s largest turnout since 2013 and will hear from nearly 70 presenters, including at least 35 ASX-listed companies. It boasts a sold-out 90 booth exhibition.ADU Convenor, Bill Repard says “African aligned ASX-listed companies suffered even more than their Australian-focused peers during the last commodities downturn and even as the rebound took hold domestically, African focused Australian miners and explorers remained less loved by Australia’s domestic equities market.“Equity market activity in the first half of 2018, points to a reversal of that trend.“Several African-focused IPOs have landed on the ASX in the past nine months and the region’s established Australian players are enjoying long overdue but renewed market interest.“Challenges continue on the African continent with a number of countries’ relationship with their mining sectors fraught with conflict. On the upside, however, we have seen the dropping of investment barriers in South Africa, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Angola – factors helping drive the renewed equity market interest.“Interestingly, Australian-focused mining companies have enjoyed a stellar run over the past few years as commodity prices, led by gold and lithium, continued their upward trend. “However, with many Australian miners reaching record valuation marks, investors are beginning to look offshore for the next opportunity. .“There is also a severe lack of good exploration ground available in Australia and a chronic shortage of good development and growth stories among the domestically-focused juniors. In contrast, Africa boasts all three in abundance yet the few established ASX-listed gold producers in Africa are undervalued compared to their Australian equivalents.“At the junior end of the gold sector, explorers are proving West Africa remains one of the world’s hottest exploration destinations, with recent impressive drill results only just beginning to resonate with investors.“The resounding success in April this year of the significantly oversubscribed A$240 million IPO by Australia’s Jupiter Mines – whose assets include a large operating open-pit manganese mine in South Africa’s northern region – proved the ASX is once again a preferred investor destination for African resources projects.”Jupiter’s Tshipi Borwa mine is in the Kalahari Manganese Field (KMF) located in the Northern Cape, where some 80% of the world’s known economic manganese resources are to be found.Tshipi manganese ore is shipped to multiple customers around the world and based on Jupiter’s sales experience has been a highly sought-after product in the market place. The mine exported 3.34 Mt of manganese ore in FY18 and production has been steadily growing over recent years. It has the flexibility to scale production between 3.0 – 3.6 Mt/y.Jupiter notes that “Tshipi continues to be one of the largest and lowest cost manganese exporters globally. Strong cash margins throughout the cycle and further cost reductions are being targeted.”
Its Time To Fill The Boot Again
Facebook0TwitterEmailPrintFriendly分享CES firefighters, together with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, will post up with boots in hand, asking pedestrians, motorists, customers and other passersby to make a donation to MDA for the firefighters’ annual Fill the Boot fundraising campaign. Since 1954 when Fill the Boot events began, the International Firefighters Association has raised over $530 million for MDA. In 2018, CES raised over $7,000 during the fundraising event. All proceeds go to benefit muscular dystrophy. CES Deputy Chief Dan Grimes on the day of the event last year: “We’ve got volunteers out here from our fire department, we’ve got our fire department staff, families of our firefighters out here today. All of us out here helping to raise money for muscular dystrophy.” 
Each year, over the Labor Day weekend Central Emergency Services holds their annual fundraiser at the Fred Meyer parking lot in Soldotna. CES will Fill the Boot the following times:August 30 – 11:00AM-6:00PMAugust 31 – 10:00AM – 4:00PM
Newsweek Redesign on the Way
Days after Newsweek and the Daily Beast officially merged, reports come that a redesigned Newsweek is about to make the rounds among ad buyers. The magazine is offering deep discounts according to Adweek, which quotes one anonymous ad buyer as saying, “I can’t fall off the floor with my rates.” Newsweek and The Daily Beast completed their merger on Feb. 1, creating a company called The Newsweek/Daily Beast Co. that is led by four directors: Newsweek buyer Sidney Harman as executive chairman, Daily Beast owner Barry Diller and two others-one appointed from each side. Tina Brown is editor-in-chief of both properties while former Daily Beast president Stephen Colvin is CEO.Ad pages fell 19.8 percent to 895 in Newsweek in 2010, according to Publishers Information Bureau. Former owner Washington Post Co. said the magazine lost $30 million in 2009 before selling to Harman.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT 4 Wilmington Students Named To Deans List At University Of Maine
ORONO, ME — The University of Maine recognized 2,388 students for achieving Dean’s List honors in the Fall 2018 semester.The following Wilmington students received Dean’s List honors for fall 2018, completing 12 or more credit hours in the semester and earning a grade point average of 3.5 or higher:Rose CrispinJillian DoyleJocelyn FerraroShannon Smith(NOTE: The above announcement is from the University of Maine.)Like Wilmington Apple on Facebook. Follow Wilmington Apple on Twitter. Follow Wilmington Apple on Instagram. Subscribe to Wilmington Apple’s daily email newsletter HERE. Got a comment, question, photo, press release, or news tip? Email wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.Thank You To Our Sponsor:Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading… RelatedSTUDENT SPOTLIGHT: 5 Wilmington Students Named To Dean’s List At University Of MaineIn “Education”STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: 6 Wilmington Students Named To Dean’s List At Bridgewater State UniversityIn “Education”STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: 6 Wilmington Students Named To Dean’s List At University of New EnglandIn “Education”
NGOs kind gesture to kin of deceased ryots
Vikarabad: City-based 12-years-old Valmiki Foundation on Sunday donated sewing machines, school bags, sports kits, notebooks worth Rs 6 lakh to the families of farmers, who committed suicides in Dharur, near Vikarabad, 50 km away from the State capital. They all hail from tribal villages. Film and TV star Anasuya Bharadwaj, who was the chief guest, handed over the doles to the families at a function held in Dharur on Sunday. Harish Kumar Gupta, Additional DGP, Andhra Pradesh and others participated. Speaking on the occasion, Anasuya exhorted the bereaved families to remain bold and face difficult situations. “Suicide is not the solution to the problems”, she added. Also Read – Secunderabad: Major General N Srinivas Rao makes farewell visit to AOC Advertise With Us A Kisan Mitra volunteer of Vikarabad, who spoke on the occasion, said in the last five years, some 4,200 farmers committed suicide in Telangana. But, the State government recognized only 1,200 due to various reasons. What about 3,000 farmers who committed suicides and their bereaved families, he wondered. “No government would ever like to recognise that people are committing suicides. That is why Kisan Mithra helpline was started in Vikarabad district to help farmers to cope with their depression”, he said. He also lauded the Valmiki Foundation for coming forward to help the families of those farmers who committed suicides. Also Read – Kolkata artists giving final touches to 24 ft clay Ganesh idol Advertise With Us Around 40 sewing machines, school books, bicycles and cricket kits were distributed to the tribal villagers and orphan kids at a function held at the Sacred Space in Dharur on the eve of 12th anniversary of Valmiki Foundation. It was jointly organized by Valmiki Foundation, Sacred Spaces Rythu Nestham. Over 300 villagers, Valmiki Foundation volunteers, and children participated in the function. President and secretary of Valmiki Foundation Ganesh and Kishan said that their organisation reached out to nearly 50,000 kids till now and they were . aiming to reach out to one lakh children. “We want to set up a Gurukulam School on a five-acre land with a project outlay of Rs 3 crore. We are scouting for the place. We want to provide value based and quality education with all round development of the personality, informed Ganesh Valmiki. Valmiki Foundation is also setting up a tailoring training centre at Sacred Space was founded by Nayanthara for the empowerment of rural women and till now, it imparted training to 30 family members of those farmers who committed suicide in tailoring and embroidery of farmers.
Cadila Healthcare gains 20 on positive observation by US FDA pharma stocks
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building in Mumbai in this file photo on November 9, 2016 (representational image).IANSCadila Healthcare shares flared up on the BSE on Thursday after the Zydus Cadila Group company informed the bourses that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not find any observation (under number 483). The stock closed 19.94 percent higher at Rs 429, lifting in the process, many pharma stocks such as Sun Pharma, Aurobindo Pharma and Jubilant Lifesciences.”We are pleased to announce that the US FDA inspected our Moraiya facility from February 6 to 15, 2017. At the end of the inspection, no observation (483) is issued,” Cadila Healthcare said in a regulatory filing to the BSE on Thursday. The Moraiya facility generates ~60 percent of US revenues for the company.Read: Nasscom could give a projection of 6-8% for FY 2018; TCS to consider share buybackThe BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty snapped their two-day losing streak on Thursday. The 30-scrip benchmark index Sensex closed 146 points higher at 28,301, while the NSE Nifty ended 53 points up at 8,778. Top Sensex gainers were Sun Pharma, Infosys, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Steel and Tata Motors.The BSE Healthcare index outperformed the Sensex and closed 2.46 percent higher.A rise in metal prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) aided the rally on Indian stock markets. “Metal stocks recorded smart rally on account of increased base metal price on LME. Vedanta climbed up 6 percent to close at Rs 263. Hindalco gained percent to close at Rs188,” brokerage Motilal Oswal Securities said in a note.State Bank of India and associate banks SBBJ and SBT also gained on the clearance given for the merger of associate banks with the parent entity.Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) were net sellers of Indian equities worth Rs 216 crore on Thursday, according to provisional data released by the NSE.The Indian rupee closed 17 paise lower at 67.07 to the US dollar, while gold prices gained Rs 75 to end at Rs 29,700.
While We Might Be Divided Dan Rather Says Theres More Of What
00:00 /11:50 – / 9 Listen X Michael Hagerty These days, we’re so used to hearing how divided we are as a nation. But not everyone sees it that way.Long-time CBS News anchor and Houston-area native Dan Rather spoke here last week about just that. He’s on a book tour discussing What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism, his collection of essays on the values and characteristics he feels most Americans share – despite their political affiliations. Houston Public Media’s Ernie Manouse interviewed Rather onstage at the Brazos Bookstore event.Rather spoke about how he got interested in journalism. He told of how being bedridden with rheumatic fever – with only the radio as his companion – gave him a hunger to explore the world around him. He discussed the sense of optimism that led him to write the book. And he compared how this current climate for journalism and journalists compares to what he’d seen over the course of his long career.MORE: Dan Rather – Extended Conversation X
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Close Up Baltimore Documents Everyday Baltimore Life
Baltimore is a big city with a small town feel. The 57 bus driver and I are on a first name basis, I still see the famous running man trotting around and my old YMCA instructor lives next to my best friend.I was a pipe fitter for a chemical plant for 30 years, retired and got sick of sitting at home. (Photo credit: Close Up Baltimore)Baltimore locals will most likely see some familiar faces on “Close Up Baltimore,” a photography project on Facebook started in response to the events of April. In an interview with The AFRO, Joe Rubino, the creator of CUB, explained the ins and outs of his work, which showcases a single photograph of an individual with a few sentences about their life.“Close Up Baltimore is a project that was inspired by “Humans of New York” [a similar effort about New Yorkers]. In April, I was contacted by the Strauss Foundation,” Rubino said.“It said ‘Everyone in America thinks Baltimore is a city that’s on fire. So, would you be willing to walk around the city, taking photos of regular people doing regular things?’”The riots that erupted towards the end of April set Baltimore ablaze but with more than just fire. It seemed that amid all the chaos and frustration, flowers bloomed in the midst of smoke. Many creative works and fascinating projects came out of the violence–including Close Up Baltimore.“The idea was to get as wide of a range of people and geographical spread as I could. We just needed to show how many different kinds of people there are in the city and what they are doing.”I have a huge family. My grandma had 12 kids. They’re all alive. My mom dropped out of school at 15 to have me. (Photo credit: Close Up Baltimore)To date, almost 200 photographs are online. Rubino crisscrossed over 28 neighborhoods–including Sandtown–and the process expanded his view of the city.“I think the thing is that I live up here [in Hampden] and there are parts of the city I’ve never travelled to,” he said “It was shocking as far as the depravation goes in some of these neighborhoods, the physical conditions in some of them.”“I went to Sandtown and I wasn’t sure if I would be okay. I thought people would be looking at me. I’m this white guy with a camera [and they might be] wondering ‘Why am I doing that?’,” he said.People are “surprisingly open” to being photographed and saying a few words about their lives.“When I started the project, I really thought half the people I asked would say no,” he said. “I’ve had people say no but I haven’t had any angry or nasty people that have been offended by it.”“I’ve been shocked by the things they tell me, [sometimes] they are very personal things,” he said.I owned my own restaurant. I had cancer. My insurance only covered 45% of the bills, so I had to sell everything. (Photo credit: Close Up Baltimore)There have been some stories from people that have stuck with Rubino.“One was a young woman in Hampden and she was a well dressed, professional woman probably under 30. I was just talking to her about her life when out of the blue she told me she was a two-time rape survivor,” he said. “As a result of this, she had been hospitalized and diagnosed with PTSD and dissociation.”“She had some tattoos on her and she said the reason she had them on her body was if she could cover herself in beautiful things, it was a way of reclaiming her body,” he said.The range of emotions throughout Rubino’s work cataloging Baltimore’s citizens have helped make it a small success as well as remind people that we are just trying to stay afloat. It not only plays on a person’s perspective but also the immediate judgments we tend to make before getting to know someone.“I think it’s interesting to look at someone’s picture, make a snap judgment about who they, what they do and then read about them. [You] find out that they are totally different from your judgment,” he said.Joe Rubino’s work can be seen on Facebook. Search ‘Close Up Baltimore’ or at twitter.com/closeupbmore
Mendelson Offers Free Back to School Haircuts
By James Wright, Special to the AFRO, jwright@afro.comThe chairman of the D.C. Council offered young people in Ward 8 a chance to look good on the first day of school. D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) paid for free haircuts from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Aug. 13 at the popular Davis Barber and Beauty Services on Livingston Road, S.E. in Ward 8. This is Mendelson’s third year of paying for haircuts.“Getting a fresh haircut is a positive message to kids about going to school,” the chairman told the AFRO. “This will help low-income families with preparing their children for school.”Derek Davis provided free haircuts for kids at his barber shop in Washington, D.C. (Courtesy photo)Free haircuts have become commonplace among “Back-to-School” activities in the District of Columbia. Barbers donate their services and generally give free basic haircuts at school sites and in their shops.Davis Barber is a product of the Willie Davis family, which started the shop in 1968. The late Willie Davis was known to run a professional establishment focused on serving the needs of the customer in a clean environment.Willie Davis was a respected barber on the national level and in 2009 he was elected to the National Association of Barber Board of America Hall of Fame.His son, Derek, a retired District of Columbia Public School educator, manages the shop, with his sibling Marsten and is a prominent African-American barber. Derek Davis was elected president of the National Association of Barber Boards of America in 2013 and has served as the chairman of the District of Columbia’s Barber and Cosmetology Board.Marsten teaches barbering at Ballou Stay High School, an alternative institution for people who have dropped out for various reasons. He also works in the shop during opening hours.Some of the barbers in the shop have been with Davis for decades.Derek Davis told the AFRO that his family believes in giving back to the community. “We want to give something back and Ward 8 has been good to us,” Davis said. “We can afford to give free haircuts to young people so they can look nice for school.”Davis admitted that the free haircuts also serve as a vehicle to getting new customers.Among the patrons that Davis Barber has had over the years is a former mayor of the District.“Marion Barry used to come here to get his hair cut,” Davis said of the late political icon. “He was a good customer and some members of my family would socialize with him at The Players’ Lounge.Twenty families had their sons’ hair worked on while book bags and other school supplies were handed out. Monica McLamore lives in the immediate area of Davis Barber and regularly participates in the free hair cut event. “I bring my boys to this every year and this is the third year for us,” McLamore told the AFRO. “This prepares them for school and it helps economically.”Helping people is precisely why Mendelson does this. “This barbershop is part of the neighborhood and anything I can do to help the community I will certainly try to do,” he said.
Car crashes into TLB near Indoor Sports Complex
A car hit a TLB in Dry Road near the Indoor Sports Complex earlier today (June 2).The driver of the car then lost control and went down an embankment.Read also: Bakkie and delivery vehicle involved in crash in LadysmithAlso read: Political Killing Update: Alleged hit-man in court for ANC candidate’s deadly ambush in KZNEmergency services were on scene. WebsiteWebsiteWebsite WebsiteWebsiteWebsite WebsiteWebsiteWebsite One person sustained slight injuries and it is believed that one of the drivers was arrested.Click to receive news links via WhatsApp. Or for the latest news, visit our webpage or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Join us there!
AMResorts hits the 20000 rooms mark two years ahead of schedule
PHILADELPHIA — Since arriving on the scene with its first Sunscape Resorts & Spa property in 2001 – hardly an auspicious year to launch any venture in the travel business – AMResorts has added five more brands and expanded to 60 resorts and more than 20,000 rooms. It’s a new milestone the company and it’s two years ahead of schedule.AMResorts signed multiple hotels over the past seven months and the new deals represent 10% portfolio growth. One of the most recent was the signing of Zoëtry Chamela Costalegre Mexico, a 120-room new-build about 140 kilometres south of Puerto Vallarta, in the high-end vacation destination of Chamela Bay.By the end of 2016 AMResorts will open 10 new resorts across its six brands: Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets, Breathless, Dreams, Now and Sunscape Resorts & Spas.“Our dynamic business model combined with our ability to find the right deal in the right place at the right time has enabled us to grow at an industry-leading pace,” said Javier Coll, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of parent company Apple Leisure Group. “In addition to continued expansion in Mexico and the Caribbean, we are introducing AMResorts’ innovative Endless Privileges, Unlimited-Luxury and Unlimited-Fun resort concepts to new markets like Costa Rica and Panama.”More news: Transat calls Groupe Mach’s latest offer “highly abusive, coercive and misleading”AMResorts President Gonzalo del Peon said the company’s tailored approach to the traditional all-inclusive resort model through six resort brands “has allowed us to deliver exceptional products and services to a wide variety of travellers”. Reaching the 60-resort goal as AMResorts hits the 15-year mark “highlights AMResorts’ proven track record of bringing high-end resort brands to beachfront destinations that are easily accessible from numerous gateways across North America,” he added. Thursday, August 11, 2016 << Previous PostNext Post >> Tags: AMResorts Posted by
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Costa Ricas Óscar Duarte the first Nicaraguan to score in the World
CATARINA, Nicaragua – Catarina, the birthplace of La Sele defender Óscar Duarte, the first Nicaraguanto score a World Cup goal, overflowed with fans receiving its most famous son last week.Duarte, 25, scored the game-winning goal against Uruguay in Costa Rica’s first match of the tournament. When he stepped out onto the pitch, he became the first Nicaragua to ever play in a World Cup match – and then he became the first to score.“They opened the door there [in Costa Rica] to achieve a dream I had as a child: playing in the World Cup, scoring a goal and being recognized by FIFA to be among the best players,” Duarte said.He added: “I knew that my family and many people [in Nicaragua] were watching the game and that meant a lot.”Thousands of fans walked around the truck that carried Duarte through his hometown. They raised their hands to touch him, passed him T-shirts to sign or simply greeted him.A large procession followed the sports hero, playing philharmonic music and setting off firecrackers.Duarte’s success at the World Cup puts him on the level of other Nicaraguan sports heroes like three-time boxing world champion Alexis Argüello and four-time Major League Baseball all-star Dennis Martínez.By becoming the first Nicaraguan to play in the World Cup, Duarte helped lessen tensions between his homeland and Costa Rica — the two frequently bickering neighbors are involved in several border disputes.Duarte celebrated that Nicaraguans, whose favorite sport is baseball, had given their support to Costa Rica and he expressed hope that “with time there will be better relations” between the two countries.“Oscarito” as they call him in the neighborhood where his family lives, was declared a “favorite son” of Catarina by the municipal government. He was honored with a plaque recognizing his outstanding play. Fans welcome Óscar Duarte as he arrives in Catarina, Nicaragua. Duarte played for Costa Rica in the World Cup Brazil 2014. AFP/INTI OCONHe kicked the ball since he was a childMore than 500,000 Nicaraguans have immigrated to their neighboring country in search of work to help their families. And Duarte left to Costa Rica with his mother at a young age.“When he was a child and went with his mom to Costa Rica, he already carried with him the idea of playing football, because he walked around kicking a ball with the kids in the street, and once he broke the glass on an international bus passing through [the pueblo],” said neighbor Robert Gutiérrez while laughing.The gestures of admiration for Duarte began when he arrived at the Augusto C. Sandino International Airport, where young followers received him while waving Nicaraguan flags.Before arriving in Catarina, a motorcade escorted him from Managua as he toured several neighboring villages where people came out of their houses to give tribute to the defender who plays professionally in Belgium.“It’s an honor for us to have him as a neighbor,” said Miriam Hernández. “Always when he comes to visit his family in Nicaragua he is very happy and never conceited. He greets all of us.” Facebook Comments Related posts:What I’ll tell my daughter about La Sele, 2014 Costa Rica great Paulo Wanchope insists Ticos will ‘keep surprising the world’ A rebuttal to Wall Street Journal editor’s call for US World Cup fans to ignore Costa Rica Costa Rica’s last hurrah in historic World Cup run
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Comments Share Asked Monday what his team must do in order to have success in the playoffs, Arians said nothing special.“Just play to our own strengths,” he said. “When we play with passion and energy, we don’t miss tackles. We do a much better job following bootlegs and things like that. We’re more focused. Offensively, just catch the damn ball. It’s not like we’ve dropped a lot of balls this year, but we dropped a bunch in that game (vs. Seattle), which was a total lack of focus.” – / 39 The 5: Takeaways from the Coyotes’ introduction of Alex Meruelo Grace expects Greinke trade to have emotional impact Derrick Hall satisfied with D-backs’ buying and selling Top Stories 
Former Cardinals kicker Phil Dawson retires 3. Arizona CardinalsFPI rank: firstEPA rankings: first offense, third defenseComment: Coach Bruce Arians wrote off the Cardinals’ 36-6 defeat to Seattle as a “good wake-up call” heading into the playoffs. He might be right, but there is little precedent. This was the third-worst Week 17 defeat for a playoff team since the NFL realigned to eight divisions in 2002. Only the 2005 and 2009 Cincinnati Bengals lost by more in Week 17 before entering the playoffs.Carson Palmer has been much better for this Cardinals team than he was for those Bengals teams. He led the league in Total QBR (82.1) and was the most consistently productive quarterback in the NFL this season. While he made it through the regular season without suffering another knee injury, an injured right index finger did affect him in the final two games. The bye week gives Palmer’s finger time to heal while letting his 36-year-old body rest following a 16-game grind. That should be big for Arizona.Prior to Sunday’s defeat, the Cardinals had won nine games in a row — with one of the victories coming over the Seahawks in Seattle.Arizona finished the season ranked first in the NFL in total offense, averaging 408.3 yards per game, and second in points per game at 30.6. The Cardinals are also fifth in total defense, allowing 321.7 yards per game, and seventh in points allowed per game, at 19.6. Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) throws against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) The regular season is a thing of the past. Now, it’s time for the playoffs.The Arizona Cardinals enter the postseason with a 13-3 record to go along with the second seed in the NFC. They are the favorites to win the Super Bowl according to the Las Vegas oddsmakers, and could very well be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at Levi’s Stadium next month.Time will tell, but as the playoffs get set to kick off, ESPN NFL writer Mike Sando, in his playoff team rankings (ESPN Insider), has the Cardinals sitting third behind No. 1 Seattle and No. 2 Carolina.
Holidaymakers thinking of booking flights abroad s
Holidaymakers thinking of booking flights abroad should not be concerned about further collapses in the holiday market, ABTA – The Travel Association has assured customers.Frances Tuke, an ABTA spokesperson, said the collapse of travel firms is unavoidable, especially during the ongoing economic difficulties.”We get failures no matter what the economic climate, and in a recession every company is that little more vulnerable,” she explained.”We wouldn’t rule out the fact that there are going to be failures this year and over the last couple of years we’ve actually seen a steadying off of failures.”Ms Tuke added that big failures, such as XL going into administration last year, happen “about once every ten years”.Freedom Direct became the latest holiday company to collapse as a result of the recession.The folding of the firm, which traded under names including freedomdirect.co.uk and holidaysyoulike.co.uk, is thought to have affected almost 9,000 holiday bookings.XL Holidays announced that it had entered administration in September after it was unable to obtain further funding as a result of “volatile fuel prices and the economic downturn”. ReturnOne wayMulti-cityFromAdd nearby airports ToAdd nearby airportsDepart14/08/2019Return21/08/2019Cabin Class & Travellers1 adult, EconomyDirect flights onlySearch flights Map RelatedHolidaymakers wait until ‘the last minute’ to book their trip abroadHolidaymakers wait until ‘the last minute’ to book their trip abroadTunisia and Morocco will be ‘big winners’ in short breaks marketMore Brits are expected to book flights to Tunisia and Morocco this year thanks to the restructuring of air passenger duty.Travel sector ‘cautiously optimistic’ about next yearThe travel industry is cautiously optimistic about its prospects next year, ABTA – the Travel Association has said.
Its the tube like youve never seen it before
It’s ‘the tube’ like you’ve never seen it before. It’s made from an old concrete drainage pipe, has a bed, a light, and a big round door. Dasparkhotel now has two sites in Austria offering its unusual tubular stays – Bernepark and Ottensheim – and operates on a ‘pay as you wish’ basis, making this perfect for budget travellers.Created by designer Andreas Strauss, an Austrian art college graduate, he hit upon the idea of his ‘pipe dream’ using the practical, simple and functional concrete sections.The rooms are basic, after all this is just a giant concrete pipe with a wall at one end, a door at the other, one hole for sunlight and a ‘eurofoam mattress’. Toilets and showers are available on site and there is a café nearby serving food and drinks. However, they are already proving popular with those who enjoy quirky places to lay their head, and are a great value option for a cheap stay in the Danube region, and have been particular popular with canoeists.More: Dasparkhotel.net Picture: Andrea Strauss ReturnOne wayMulti-cityFromAdd nearby airports ToAdd nearby airportsDepart14/08/2019Return21/08/2019Cabin Class & Travellers1 adult, EconomyDirect flights onlySearch flights Map RelatedChic on the cheap: budget boutique hotelsChic on the cheap: budget boutique hotels7 of the world’s creepiest abandoned holiday resortsAvoid long queues at the reception desk or fighting over the last sausage at the breakfast buffet – guests are few and far between at the following abandoned, and strangely beautiful, resorts.7 of the world’s creepiest abandoned holiday resortsAvoid long queues at the reception desk or fighting over the last sausage at the breakfast buffet – guests are few and far between at the following abandoned, and strangely beautiful, resorts.