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After more than a year of development and testing, Alibaba Group on Wednesday unveiled a new internet car for the China market aimed at expanding the internet-of-things (IoT) to the automotive sector.The release of the new OS’Car RX5 sport utility vehicle, which was built in partnership with SAIC Motor Corp., China’s largest automaker, is part of Alibaba’s push to change cars from mere methods of transport to connected devices in their own right.That change will be powered by an operating system built especially for the automotive industry by the company’s YunOS division, Alibaba said. YunOs, in addition to making operating systems for mobile phones and tablets, has also developed one for smart home appliances including refrigerators, air conditioners and even robotic vacuum cleaners.(Photo: Alibaba Group)The difference between an internet car and a traditional car is that connected smart operating systems like YunOS will improve the consumer experience beyond just driving, said Dr. Wang Jian, chairman of Alibaba’s Technology Steering Committee.”Smart operating systems become the second engine of cars, while data is the new fuel,” he said in a statement.While some cars are able to access the internet through third-party software or apps, Alibaba said it wants to make all vehicles a part of the larger IoT ecosystem, where smart devices collect and exchange data in order to improve efficiencies for their users. Wang said cars are a new smart platform through which Alibaba can offer internet-based services to create a better driving experience for consumers.advertisementIn the RX5, Alibaba will use its own e-commerce ecosystem to deliver the services. For example, drivers will be able to book and pay for parking spaces, gas stations and coffee shops through Alipay. The company will also continue to leverage consumer data to tailor those features to each individual driver. Each driver will have an “internet ID” that allows the OS to not only recognize different users but also to make recommendations for music, air temperature or nearby restaurants based on past trips.(Photo: Alibaba Group)Alibaba’s internet car will also have navigation and voice control features, as well as three LED screens for interfacing with the OS and 360-degree detachable cameras for recording trips-and selfies.Zhang Chunhui, president of YunOS, said the OS would not be a closed system but rather would be open to other companies to deliver their own services through the internet car’s operating system.”Our vision is to enable Internet-connected cars to become the largest open platform capable of incorporating all kind of services, both from YunOS or third-party developers,'” he said. “In the future, we hope Internet-connected cars to be a solid foundation for the development of smarter transportation and smarter cities.”The RX5 sport utility vehicle will be the first mass-produced smart vehicle, Alibaba said. Prices start at RMB 148,800 ($22,300). Consumers can pre-order the car through Tmall, with deliveries expected in August.WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:Alibaba CEO takes Jack Ma on a test drive of the company’s newly launched RX5 internet car.https://t.co/33mpkKPITA Alibaba Group (@AlibabaGroup) July 6, 2016
Former England captain Nasser Hussain has suggested all-rounder Ben Stokes to earn another demerit point in the third Test of the ongoing series against West Indies in order to avoid a ban during the Ashes this summer.Stokes picked up his third demerit point for making an “inappropriate comment” during the second day’s play in the ongoing second Test against West Indies at the Headingley, Leeds.The incident happened in the 101st over of the Windies innings, when Stokes reacted in frustration after being edged by Shai Hope for a boundary by making an inappropriate comment, which was clearly audible through the stump mic and also heard by the match officials.If he gets another demerit point, he would be suspended for either his next Test match or two limited-overs internationals, leaving the possibility of him being out of the first Ashes Test.But if the 26-year-old earns a demerit point in either the third Test or the six white-ball internationals that follow against the West Indies, he would cop a ban but effectively enter the all-important Ashes with a clean slate.”If I were ( England captain Joe) Root I’d be tempted to tell him to get another demerit point during the third Test at Lord’s (against the Windies), so he’d reach the four-point threshold for a ban and miss two of the forthcoming one-day matches, for which he may have been rested anyway, rather than an Ashes game,” cricket.com.au quoted Hussain as saying.The former skipper said that people know that Stokes has a fiery temper and that’s why they will try to get him to react.advertisement”This winter the Aussies will be going at him with subtle little digs around the bat, knowing that he’s liable to gob off and possibly get banned for a Test,” he said.The all-rounder had received one demerit point apiece in October and November 2016 for similar verbal offences.
Samsung has finally unveiled the Galaxy S10 series and from what it seems, the South Korean giant seems to have set its mind on offsetting all other flagship offerings for 2019. The Galaxy S10 offers a new fullscreen display and a host of clever features to attract other smartphone users and bring them into the Samsung ecosystem. Unlike previous Galaxy S models, the S10 gets three models with different specifications. The range starts with the Galaxy S10e with a price of $749. The S10e is supposed to offer the thrills of the standard S10 without asking a humongous price. On second thought, it’s a natural competitor to the Apple iPhone XR.The iPhone XR was launched late last year as the entry-level model to the 2018 flagship iPhone lineup from Apple. The iPhone XR offered most of the features from the iPhone XS but cut down where it deemed unnecessary. Despite watered-down features, the iPhone XR impressed critics with huge battery stamina and offered a cheaper entry to the modern fullscreen iPhones. The iPhone XR starts $749 in the US and Rs 77,000 in India.If you are in the market to burn around Rs 77,000 on a smartphone, which of these makes more sense? Since the S10e will take a while to come for review, we see how it compares on paper with the iPhone XR.Design and buildBoth the Galaxy S10e and the iPhone XR are well-built premium smartphones. Bot of these sports a glass-metal sandwich design and fullscreen displays with narrow-bezels. However, the Galaxy S10e is certified as IP68 water and dust resistant while the iPhone XR is rated at IP67.advertisement The Galaxy S10e sports a dual rear camera while the iPhone XR goes for a single rear camera. The iPhone XR also retains the big notch with the TrueDepth camera system while the Galaxy S10e sports the new Infinity-O display with a punch-hole camera. The Galaxy S10e loses out on facial recognition but gains a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. The iPhone XR solely relies on the FaceID system.DisplayThe Galaxy S10e sports Samsung’s latest Infinity-O display. It’s a 5.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with a 1080 x 2280 pixel resolution. Samsung says the Dynamic AMOLED display can cut down on blue light by 40 per cent without using the blue light filter. Additionally, the display gets support for HDR10 and is protected by Gorilla Glass 5. The display achieves a screen-to-body ratio of 83.3 per cent.The iPhone XR sports a Liquid Retina display. In essence, it’s a 6.1-inch LCD panel with curved edges that renders images at a resolution of 828 x 1792 pixels. The display sports 120Hz touch sensing and gets support for Apple’s True Tone display. The display achieves a screen-to-body ratio of 79 per cent.PerformanceThe Galaxy S10e is powered by two kinds of chipsets. The US version gets the 7nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset that will power most flagship phones in 2019. The global variant will be powered by the Exynos 9820 chipset built on the 8nm manufacturing process. The Galaxy S10e will ship with Samsung’s OneUI based on Android 9 Pie out-of-the-box. The S10e comes with at least 6GB RAM and 128GB storage while the top-end variant gets 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. The storage can be expanded up to 512GB.The iPhone XR is built around Apple’s A12 Bionic chipset, The A12 is known to be most powerful chipset in the industry right now and is built on the 7nm process. The iPhone XR comes with iOS 12 out of the box and will be updated to the newest iOS versions from at least four years. The iPhone XR comes with 3GB RAM and is available in three storage variants – 64GB, 128GB and 256GB.CameraThe Galaxy S10e comes with a dual camera setup for the rear. There’s a 12-megapixel primary camera with a variable aperture (F1.5 – F2.4) with 1/2.55 sensor, 1.4um pixels and Dual Pixel PDAF. It also gets support for OIS. The secondary sensor is an ultra-wide 16-megapixel camera with F2.2 aperture. There’s a 10-megapixel front camera with F1.9 aperture and Dual Pixel PDAF. The iPhone XR comes with a single 12-megapixel camera with F1.8 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor, 1.4um pixels. The camera comes with OIS for stability. For the front, there’s a 7-megapixel camera with F2.2 aperture that is also assisted by the TrueDepth camera system for clicking portraits.Both phones rely on computational photography and AI algorithms.BatteryThe Galaxy S10e comes with a 3100mAh battery and comes with support 15W fast charging. The S10e also supports fast wireless charging. Users can charge the battery via the USB-C port.advertisementThe iPhone XR gets a slightly smaller 2942mAh battery but has proven to be a long lasting smartphone due to an efficient operating system and optimisation. The iPhone XR also gets support for fast wireless charging and support wired fast charging.Galaxy S10e vs iPhone XR: Should you wait for the baby Samsung?The Galaxy S10e seems to be superior offering on paper than the iPhone XR. Samsung offers a better high-resolution display, a fingerprint sensor, a dual camera system with an ultra-wide camera and a bigger battery. If these parameters of the Galaxy S10e excite you, then it’s probably worth the wait. However, we can only give a definitive conclusion once we are done with the review of the Galaxy S10e.The iPhone XR is a proven device and is considered to be one of the most refined smartphones you can buy. The iPhone XR impresses with its larger battery stamina, the superfast performance and the next-generation FaceID system.ALSO READ | Samsung Galaxy S10 launched: Key specs, features, price and everything you need to knowALSO READ | Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10 Plus and Galaxy S10E launched, price starts from $750ALSO READ | Samsung Galaxy Fold with Infinity Flex Display announced, may cost around Rs 1.5 lakh in India
Barcelona Juventus v Real MadridThis is a repeat of last season’s Champions League final (and the 1998 final) but neither team feel quite the same as they did in Cardiff. Although Juve eventually had the wherewithal and ruthlessness to beat Tottenham, there were long spells of that last-16 tie in which the Premier League side looked quicker, sharper and stronger. Perhaps that is less of an issue here given Madrid will not press Juve in anything like the same way, not least because the restricted movement of Ronaldo means they cannot. Ronaldo’s sphere of on-pitch influence gets smaller by the season; his continued capacity to score goals is not in doubt but the question is always at what cost to team structure. Madrid have had an indifferent season, lying third in la Liga and finishing second in their group after taking a single point from Tottenham but the abandonment of the familiar 4-3-1-2 for a 4-4-2, with Casemiro and Mateo Kovacic in the centre with Lucas Vázquez and Marco Asensio wide hinted at a possible future. Leaving out Luka Modric and Toni Kroos makes it harder to control possession but the width should mean a steadier supply of crosses for Ronaldo.Verdict Real Madrid Barcelona v RomaThis Barcelona are not the side of 2009-11, nor even the team of 2015, but they do have a knack of not losing. Since being roundly outplayed across two games of the Spanish Super Cup by Real Madrid, they have lost once in all competitions and that was to Espanyol in the first leg of a Copa del Rey quarter-final they ended up winning. The last-16 tie against Chelsea, though, suggested a surprising vulnerability, one that makes it hard to understand how they have conceded only six goals at home in the league this season. Sergio Busquets, who is doubtful anyway with a broken toe, may remain a fine distributor and reader of the game but what little pace he had has deserted him and the installation of Ivan Rakitic as a central midfield partner in a 4-4-2 has not offered him protection he perhaps needs. The sight of Willian tearing through open space in the first leg should encourage any opponent. Set against that is the ongoing ruthlessness of Lionel Messi. The suggestion is that Roma are better playing on the break than when they have to take the game to an opponent – they have let in only eight goals away from home in the league this season – but this will be a huge ask of Eusebio Di Francesco’s side.Verdict BarcelonaSevilla v Bayern MunichJupp Heynckes has won a record 11 successive Champions League games. In three previous seasons managing in the competition he has always reached at least the final. In Jérôme Boateng and Mats Hummels he has probably the best central defensive pairing in the last eight, a duo who are complementary and have played together for years. The question, as ever with Bayern, is how hardened they are for the fight when they stand 20 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga but the 3-1 victory at home to PSG (admittedly a PSG side who had already qualified) at the end of the group stage suggested the capacity to play a more balanced game than they have to week-to-week. That said, their approach against Sevilla should probably be tilted to attack. In 12 games under Vincenzo Montella, Sevilla have conceded five on three occasions. There is vulnerability, even if the games against Manchester United showed how dangerous they can be, particularly if Wissam Ben Yedder, who has scored more goals in the competition this term than anybody other than Cristiano Ronaldo, is back in form, and if Éver Banega is given space to create the play.Verdict Bayern Munich Juventus Ronaldo’s continued capacity to score goals is not in doubt but the question is always at what cost to team structure Reuse this content Liverpool Share on LinkedIn Read more Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Sevilla Liverpool v Manchester CityLiverpool are the only side to beat City in the league this season and stand alongside Wigan as one of only two teams to have defeated City in games that had something riding on them. That match at Anfield in January highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of the two sides. At the time it was a game between the team with the best home defensive record in the league and the side with the best away defensive record, and yet nobody was surprised when it finished 4-3. Liverpool, although they eventually lost 5-0, had also troubled City at the Etihad earlier in the season when Sadio Mané was sent off for a high foot on Ederson with the score at 1-0. Both teams press high up the pitch, are heavily focused on attack and, while they can overwhelm sides, the sense is that if you can get beyond the press to attack them they can be vulnerable. Jürgen Klopp has said that to sit deep against a team such as City is to hope to win the lottery, and the effectiveness of his proactive approach is perhaps seen in the fact that no manager has a better record against Pep Guardiola than him: 12 previous meetings have brought him six wins and a draw.Verdict Manchester City Manchester City Share via Email Share on Facebook features Share on WhatsApp Liverpool’s Jürgen Klopp fumes about ‘breakfast’ kick-off for Merseyside derby Share on Messenger Champions League Topics Roma
COLLEGE STATION, TX – OCTOBER 08: Head coach Kevin Sumlin of the Texas A&M Aggies waits on the sideline in the second half of their game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Kyle Field on October 8, 2016 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin appears to have had a DM misfire on Twitter this afternoon. A short time ago, Sumlin tweeted a message that included a joke about him being glad he “didn’t pull a Sark after Dark.” That’s a reference to USC head coach Steve Sarkisian’s drunken antics at a Trojans’ booster event last weekend. Of course, as with all DM misfires, Sumlin deleted the tweet, but not before an alert Twitter user captured a screen shot. Man Kevin Sumlin is a savage for this #sarkafterdark pic.twitter.com/bFH4yK6N4a— Jamie (@jspride) August 29, 2015Other users spotted it and have been referencing it as well.Sooooo…Sumlin deleted that pretty quick once he realized it wasn’t a DM.— Shooter Flatch (@texasagsec) August 29, 2015@ParkerTodd16 hahaha that was a quick delete by Sumlin— Justin Rydell (@jrydell15) August 29, 2015That’s a real tweet from Kevin Sumlin.— Joaquin (@BoughtAtAPrice7) August 29, 2015
Another Car Carrier Gets Stuck at Southampton Docks Maersk Giant Breaks 18,000 TEU Ceiling Taiwan’s Evergreen Group, the owner of the world’s fifth largest container shipping company Evergreen Line, has signed charter agreements for eleven 18,000 TEU container ships with Japan’s Shoei Kisen Kaisha, Thai n…Read more The newbuilding order intake of South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has taken a plunge as the shipbuilder recorded 27.5 pct dip in new orders in 2014 when compared to last year’s figures.…Read more VIDEO: Preps for Höegh Osaka’s Repair Underway Preparation of a repair plan for the car carrier Höegh Osaka is underway, according to the vessel’s owner Höegh Autoliners.…Read more Maersk Line’s Triple E container ship behemoth Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller left the Spain’s Port of Algeciras yesterday loaded with 18,168 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), beating the previous world record held by another Maersk’s Trip…Read more
HHI’s Order Intake Plunges Evergreen Joins 18,000 TEU Club zoom World Maritime News Staff Another car carrier has been left stranded in Southampton water for a week after it got stuck at Southampton docks, writes the UK’s Daily Echo.…Read more
New Delhi: In a bid to infuse fresh energy in the party organisation and with the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in mind, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will increase the frequency of her tours to the state and meet party workers at least twice a week, sources said on Sunday.The All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh is ready to hit the ground in the state, following the Congress’s debacle in the recent Lok Sabha election, in order to strengthen the party organisation in time for the 2022 Assembly polls. Also Read – Cong may promise farm loan waiver in HaryanaIn a bid to ensure a direct communication with the party workers, Priyanka Gandhi will meet them twice a week without prior appointments, the sources said. “It emerged from the review meetings held after the Lok Sabha polls that there should be a greater coordination and communication between the leaders and the workers. For this, it has been decided that Priyanka Gandhi will meet the party workers at least twice a week,” a Congress leader said on the condition of anonymity. Also Read – Modi formed OBC commission which earlier govts didn’t do: Shah”The frequency of her tours to Uttar Pradesh will also increase in the near future,” he added. The plan to step up her Uttar Pradesh tours and establish a direct communication with the party workers comes days after Priyanka Gandhi, during a visit to Raebareli, told the workers that they had let down the grand old party in the Lok Sabha polls. Accompanied by her mother and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who visited her parliamentary constituency last Wednesday, Priyanka Gandhi pulled up the party workers for failing to work for the Congress during the polls. “I will find out the names of the workers who did not work for the party in the election,” she had said, adding that those who had toiled honestly and sincerely for the party knew that from the core of their hearts. “But those who did not, I will find out their names,” she had said. Priyanka Gandhi, who was appointed as the party general secretary just ahead of the parliamentary polls, had campaigned vigorously for Congress candidates in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Raebareli and Amethi. But of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the Congress could manage to win only Raebareli. Even party president Rahul Gandhi lost to Union minister Smriti Irani from his family stronghold of Amethi. Priyanka Gandhi and AICC in-charge of western Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia held review meetings following the party’s debacle in the Lok Sabha polls, in which it managed to win 52 seats nationally. Bypolls are due for 11 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh after the respective MLAs were elected to Parliament.
Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee remembered the third anniversary of the day when the state government handed over parchas (documents) of land to the farmers of Singur whose plots were forcibly acquired by the then Left Front government for the Nano factory.She tweeted: “Today marks the third anniversary of the historic day when our Govt of #Bangla handed over to farmers the parchas of land forcibly acquired in Singur. We reiterate our commitment to the welfare of farmers, alongside promoting industry. My humble pronam to Maa, Mati, Manush.” Also Read – Bengal family worships Muslim girl as Goddess Durga in Kumari PujaIt may be recalled that handing over the forcibly acquired land to the unwilling farmers of Singur was the main slogan of the Trinamool Congress before the 2011 Assembly election. After the Supreme Court, in a judgment on August 31, 2016, described the acquisition of land by the state government for the automobile factory illegal, the TMC-led state government immediately took up the matter and decided to return the land to the deprived farmers. The Singur movement was launched by Mamata Banerjee against the forcible acquisition of farmland by the erstwhile Left Front government in 2006. She stood by the farmers and observed a fast that lasted for 26 days. She broke her fast on December 29, 2006 after being persuaded by the then President APJ Abdul Kalam, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Atal Behari Vajpayee, who wrote letters on December 28, requesting her to give up her fast. Also Read – Bengal civic volunteer dies in road mishap on national highwayAt a joint press conference held on May 18, 2006, the then Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Ratan Tata announced that a small project would come up at Singur on 700 acres of land and the ancillary units would come up on another 300 acres of land. On July 17, the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) began to acquire land in Singur, which the local farmers resisted. Banerjee lent her support to the farmers and the agitation took the shape of a movement. The agitation continued for over a year and finally, the Tatas withdrew themselves from the project on October 3, 2008. Banerjee was sworn in as the Chief Minister on May 20, 2011. On July 14, 2011, the Bengal Assembly passed the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Bill 2011, which received the Governor’s approval on July 20. Banerjee went to Singur and returned the lands to the farmers at a function on September 14, 2016. Agricultural experts were brought in who examined the condition of the soil. A martyrs’ column was erected in Singur and the movement has been included in the history syllabus of school students.
TORONTO – Many who venture into Toronto’s PATH walkway get lost in the labyrinth of underground tunnels. But a new website wants to help people navigate the largest subterranean shopping mall in the world.“I’ve personally experienced the frustration of getting lost in the PATH,” says Eric Rotberg, the 38-year-old inventor who took it upon himself to develop the mobile site, Pathmap.ca. “Once you’ve found your current location and selected your destination, the site calculates the shortest, quickest route to get you there.”About 200,000 people use the 30-kilometre-long network every day. While many locals use it to get to and from work daily, occasional users and visitors to the city can have a difficult time finding their way through the maze of tunnels that connect 50 buildings and 1,200 shops.“[The PATH] is a tourist trap in the literal sense. Anybody that comes down there for the first time is bound to get lost,” says Richard Joy, executive director of Toronto’s Urban Land Institute.It often takes some trial and error to find your way on the PATH, Joy says. “When you’re aboveground, you can always find the CN Tower and get your bearings. But belowground, I don’t think that’s something that can be vastly improved.”A 2016 report by N. Barry Lyon Consultants suggests that the PATH is underused because of unclear signage. It also said that there’s a lack of confidence for anyone who’s not already familiar with the walkway in finding their way around.New signs and maps are being rolled out for the PATH, says Tim Kocur, spokesperson for the Toronto Financial District Business Improvement Area. The group helped develop a new mapping system in partnership with the city.Not everyone thinks that using a phone will help people find their way in the PATH.“I’m not utterly convinced that you can make the PATH especially navigable for the first-time and second-time user,” says Joy.Site creator Rotberg says he’s still trying to improve his “bare-bones” navigation tool, explaining that additional features will be added. He’s developing a mobile app for iOS and Android systems that will have step-by-step navigation. “It will prompt you and say, ‘turn left at Tim Hortons’ and ‘turn right at Aldo Shoes,’ for example.”Other major cities have developed apps to map out their underground pedestrian networks. An app is available for Montreal’s Underground City. Houston’s tunnel system, which is a third of the size of the PATH at 11-kilometres long, also has one.“Our vision would be to potentially partner with the City of Toronto to make the application official,” says Rotberg.
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One of the pieces is a navy blue leather jacket with embroidered suns, moons and stars. On the back is “of the stars” written in Cree syllabic.The jacket currently hangs in her Hamilton boutique with the rest of her new collection launching Feb. 15. The James Street North boutique has exposed brick walls and change rooms with yellow suede curtains.The showcase will take place at Canada House in Trafalgar Square in London, England, and is a collaboration between Toronto Fashion Incubator, the City of Toronto and The High Commission of Canada to the United Kingdom.Keya Wings, a First Nations model from Calgary, is wearing a leather jacket from DeMontigny’s newest collection. ‘Of the stars’ is written and embroidered in Cree syllabic. (Marta Hewson/DeMontigny Boutique|Gallery)‘Indigenous luxury’DeMontigny said people sometimes make assumptions about her work because she is an Indigenous designer and it’s been “really challenging” fighting the stereotypes. Advertisement Angela DeMontigny is headed for London Fashion Week as one of nine Canadian designers chosen for a showcase in partnership between Toronto Fashion Incubator, the City of Toronto and The High Commission of Canada to the United Kingdom. (Lisa MacIntosh/DeMontigny Boutique|Gallery) Angela DeMontigny, a Hamiltonian of Cree/Métis heritage, will be bringing her “100 per cent Indigenous” collection to London Fashion Week as one of nine Canadian designers selected for a showcase.Her collection named, “Of the stars,” designed and made ready-to-wear in just a month, is one that shows the connections Indigenous people have with the stars, sun and moon.“A lot of people don’t know that in Indigenous culture, we have so many creation stories and legends about us coming from the stars,” she said.
11 December 2007The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today drew attention to seven hotspots worldwide – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Chad, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Somalia, Sudan and Zimbabwe – where conflict has led to widespread hunger. People in these countries “don’t know what tomorrow will bring and they often have to rely on WFP for their next meal,” the agency noted in a press release, calling for greater international support.WFP’s food distribution of high energy biscuits to the western Afghan province of Hirat resumed late last month, having been halted in June because of road insecurity. The agency said that over 80 per cent of the 22,900 megatons of pre-positioned food to the country has now been dispatched to the high elevation areas where roads are inaccessible during the harsh winter season.Cyclone Sidr devastated Bangladesh last month, killing 3,275 people, with the number expected to rise, and the UN has contributed to efforts to respond to the damage to homes, infrastructure, communications and agriculture. Delivery by air of high energy biscuits to remote and inaccessible parts of the country is ongoing.Also in Asia, WFP said it is stepping up its operations in the DPRK, where a vessel carrying more than 2,400 tons of wheat flour is due to arrive this week, while several consignments of vegetable oil, sugar and dried skimmed milk are expected to be sent in the mail from China.In eastern Chad, where four major battles between Government forces and rebel groups having taken place in the past six days, aid workers’ access has been impeded, disrupting food distribution.Meanwhile in Somalia, WFP resumed distributing food after suspending operations due to insecurity in June.A wet feeding programme kicked off on 25 November targeting 50,000 of the most vulnerable people living in the capital Mogadishu, with 10 wet feeding centres – each able to supply prepared foods to up to 5,000 people – expected to be operational within a few days.Security incidents such as carjackings and acts of armed banditry have plagued humanitarian operations in the western Sudanese region of Darfur recently, with three commercial trucks carrying WFP supplies being shot at, leaving three drivers injured.Sudanese Government military escorts are now active in South Darfur to avoid further incidents, and nearly 80 trucks loaded with WFP food are currently waiting for safe passage to Nyala.Lastly, in Zimbabwe, although food distributions are proceeding, the difficulties faced included fuel availability, power cuts and mobile network problems. Shops in rural areas are still closed because of the unavailability of commodities, and the prize of maize continues to rise.
Palaeontologists from the Royal Saskatchewan Museum (RSM) spent the summer digging for dinosaurs, and unveiled their big finds during an event Monday afternoon.From new dinosaurs and marine reptiles in Grasslands National Park to wasps and flies found in Cretaceous amber in the Big Muddy Badlands, the new discoveries will be added to the provincial collection to be studied and researched for years to come.Related Paleontologists using 100-year-old notes to relocate fossil quarries Great Scott! Dinosaur reveal attracts international attention “The museum collection continues to grow, as does the world’s appreciation of Saskatchewan’s fossil resources,” said an RSM news release.Limb, rib and vertebrae bones from a juvenile Triceratops, and vertebrae and limb bones from a Triceratops and a Hadrosaur (duck-billed dinosaur) were found in the East Block of Grasslands National Park. New fossil plants found by palaeontologists from the Royal Saskatchewan Museum while looking for Triceratops fossils. Amber found around a dinosaur eggshell site was also discovered near Consul, as well as new plant fossils found while looking for Triceratops fossils. Over in the Big Muddy Badlands, new wasps and flies were discovered in amber from the Cretaceous era (a geological era which began 145 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago). The wasp is believed to be around 66-67 million years old. Dr. Emily Bamforth, curatorial assistant palaeontology, shows some new fossil plants found while looking for Triceratops fossils. TROY FLEECE / Regina Leader-Post Dr. Hallie Street, curatorial assistant palaeontology, points out vertebrae from a Plesiosaur, a marine reptile. TROY FLEECE / Regina Leader-Post A piece of amber found with a wasp that is believed to be 66-67 million years old. TROY FLEECE / Regina Leader-Post Vertebrae from a Plesiosaur, a marine reptile. A bone from a juvenile Triceratops found in the East Block of Grasslands National Park. Wes Long, curatorial assistant palaeontology, with bones from a juvenile Triceratops found in the East Block of Grasslands National Park. TROY FLEECE / Regina Leader-Post “Fieldwork such as this contributes to the RSM’s status as an internationally recognized centre for research and teaching,” said the news release.For more information, visit www.royalsaskmusuem.ca/rsm. Numerous vertebrae from a Plesiosaur (marine reptile) were found in the West Block.Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet,but your article continues below. Dr. Emily Bamforth, curatorial assistant palaeontology, shows some new fossil plants found while looking for Triceratops fossils. TROY FLEECE / Regina Leader-Post
NOW THAT JANUARY is here again, the obsession with change, detox, and new year resolutions will have started. Human nature being what it is, we will no doubt have ‘overdone it’ at Christmas, promising ourselves to then be ‘good’ from the 1st of January or for what has become known as the ‘detox’ season. This quote I read recently makes the important point,“it’s not what we do between Christmas and New Year that matters, it’s what we do between New Year and Christmas that’s the most important”.Despite the fact that detox plays a large part in my work, I have a problem with the word and what it has come to symbolise. It conjours up images of drastic doing without, eating little or nothing, and denial, denial, denial. I am constantly searching for a different word that encompasses all the benefits of this process without the food austerity.To me a successful ‘detox’ shows you that the complete opposite is actually the truth. We need the food we eat to satisfy in order for us to be happy and effective. Our bodies need the right nutrients to be able to operate at optimum capacity, we benefit from enjoying the taste of our food and having a supportive social setting while eating creates a positive emotional link to food. Detox should be nourishing, gentle, sustaining, pampering and should ultimately start a journey of permanent change. At its best, a detox programme will create a sense of giving the body a rest and create excitement for the potential positive change that this can provide. It’s really important to realise however, that this will be mean different things to different people. Everyone has varying capacities when it comes to making changes, but all that really matters is just getting started and not how much you do or don’t do.Why should we detox?Why the need to detox? Our reliance on processed and convenience food has created eating habits that are having an increasingly negative effect on our bodies. The effect of this is two-fold, as we are not only eating foods that are damaging to our bodies such as trans-fats, but we are also losing out on the valuable nutrients our bodies need because we can only consume so many calories in one day. Making the switch to including high-nutrient food and at the same time reducing the foods that are damaging, starts the detoxifying process and allows the body to not only start to heal, but to begin also to function at its best. Removing any foods from the diet that are damaging to the body will always result in positive change, however small.It’s all about habit! When you think about it we tend to eat the same things over and over on a fairly regular basis. Most of us have a repetoire of six or seven meals that we cook in rotation, with some variations from time to time. We often eat the same breakfasts every day, and probably two to three lunches in rotation also. We like predictability and so eating the same foods on a regular basis creates an expectation in the body and we start to crave the foods we regularly eat. This is great news for anyone who wants to create change in their eating habits because however embedded habits are, it is always possible to change them. Any detox programme should have this principal at its core otherwise we end up, as a friend of mine puts it, ‘re-toxing’ as soon as we finish the detox. Far better to make a permanent small change, than do an extreme diet that you can’t wait to finish and revert to original unhealthy eating habits.Categorising some foods as ‘good’ and some as ‘bad’ always results in the feeling that we are denying ourselves and missing out on something. So for me, the first and most important part of detox is the mindset before starting. Focusing attention on what you are putting in instead of taking out is essential for success, making sure that any changes and new foods you are including taste delicious and are really satisfying. Trying to make any changes in diet and at the same time feeling that you are missing out is a complete waste of time as it won’t result in sustainable change. If you are including lots of nutrient rich foods for all your meals and snacks throughout the day, it hopefully won’t leave much room for anything else!What are your options? Detox (or changing your diet habits) can be adapted to suit your way of life and there are lots of options available. Three to seven day juice fasts are a great way to give your body a boost, create more energy and give the digestive system a holiday. You can make it even easier for yourself by buying your juices daily from a reliable supplier (see resources), just make sure that the juices that are being provided have a higher proportion of vegetables to fruit to keep the sugar content low. If you find self discipline difficult, you could consider an ‘away’ experience of juicing, which can often be easier when you are out of your normal routine and everyone is doing the same thing.If that option is not for you, here are some suggestions that will help to detoxify your body and support changing eating habits. Choosing one to start with is advisable, until that becomes part of your daily routine, before moving on to another.Eat lots of food to populate your gut with healthy bacteria and I DON’T include any of the growing number of yoghurt drinks in this category. The vast population of 100 billion bacteria inhabiting a healthy gut and recently named as the “forgotten digestive organ” in a study by the National University of Ireland, is the key to boosting immunity, creating super efficient digestion and instigating gentle detoxification in the body. Naturally fermented foods are easy and cheap to make and have the potential to make a big difference to our health if included daily (see resources).Eat LOTS of greens. Eat something green with every meal, have salad with everything, sprinkle fresh herbs on top of all your food. Of all the high quality healthy foods we have available to us in Ireland, greens (and particularly dark leafy greens) are the ones that are the easiest to become addicted to! It won’t take long for you to start to crave greens, if you start including them every day as part of your diet. They will give you lots of energy, stifle sweet cravings, boost your mood and help to detox the body.Eat more vegetable based meals. The digestive system has to work harder to digest meat, so give it a holiday a couple of times a week by eating main meals based on vegetables.Resources: www.dorcasbarry.com for classes and events www.selectstores.ie for 3 and 7 day juice programmes www.juice2go.ie for juice delivery www.cloona.ie for juicing retreats in Ireland http://www.juicemaster.com/retreats/ for juicing retreats in Turkey and Portugal www.theculturedclub.com classes in Ireland on home fermented foods www.natashaslivingfood.ie Irish supplier of fermented foods www.culturedfoodlife.com ebooks, recipes, and videos on fermented foodsDorcas Barry is a nutritional consultant and chef who works in both the private and corporate sectors. Dorcas runs programmes and cookery demonstrations that help people make permanent changes, and illustrate how delicious healthy food can be. Follow her on Twitter @dorcasbarry or visit her website DorcasBarry.com.Read: EU proposes ban on cloning farm animals and selling clone meatRead: The “Waterford blaa” is now a protected termWe’re interested in your ideas and opinions – do you have a story you would like to see featured in Opinion & Insight? Email opinions@thejournal.ie
“SCULPTED LIKE A work of art,” exclaims the head of jewellery at Christie’s Switzerland as he describes the 101.73-carat diamond his department is auctioning later this year.“Just as a great artist is able to see a masterpiece in a block of marble, a perfect diamond is the result of the skill and vision of a master cutter who is able to uncover beauty from a rough gem,” continues Rahul Kadakia.The auction house in Geneva is to sell the perfect pear-shaped diamond on 15 May this year. As demand for fine gems has surged in recent years, it is expected to draw bids of more than $20 million.The Gemological Institute of America has given the diamond top grades in both colour (D) and clarity (flawless). According to Christie’s, it also benefits from “rare brilliance and inner limpidity that is only to be found in the chemically pure Type IIA diamonds, which account for less than 2 per cent of the world’s diamond population”.The flawless tag is given to no more than 600 diamonds that finish as polished stones of between just one and two carats. “Above ten carats this figure decreases dramatically so at 101.73 carats, it is not only an exceptional rarity but a grand event in the world of gems and jewellery.”It is the largest diamond ever to be put up for sale at auction and its buyer will be allowed to name it. Well that’s the least (s)he could get for parting with $20 million, no?More: $150k raised for homeless man who returned valuable engagement ring
Early adopters are always at the mercy of manufacturing defects, which are common when new devices go into production. When the new 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX started reaching users a few days ago, there were immediate complaints that many units displayed an odd blue glow around the edges of the screen. At first, Amazon reps were telling customers this was a defect and the device should be exchanged. Now, however, the online retail behemoth is singing a different tune — this is just how the Fire HDX is supposed to look.The blue glow is reportedly visible on all screens, but is especially apparent on white backgrounds. It is also equally present on all edges of the panel. It looks a bit like backlight bleed, which is common on LCD screens, but why is it blue? Amazon has clarified the situation with a note right at the top of the 7-inch Fire HDX product page.The “We want you to know…” header explains that the blue tint is a result of good, old-fashioned backlight bleed. It’s blue because Amazon chose to use blue LEDs as the backlight instead of white ones. According to the party line, this allows for more accurate colors without sacrificing weight or battery life. Of course, the backlight bleed is much more noticeable as a result.Not all panels have the same degree of backlight bleed, which would explain why some users notice the blue fringe and others don’t. It looks like this is simply the way the new Kindle Fire will work, so waiting for Amazon to tweak the manufacturing process won’t get you anywhere. The best buyers can hope for is a unit with less blue backlight bleed.
By Cianan Brennan Introducing Lynlee Boemer – a baby who has quite literally been born twice Lynlee Hope was diagnosed as having a rare tumour while still in the womb, and underwent surgery performed via caesarean section. Monday 24 Oct 2016, 8:42 PM 39 Comments Share911 Tweet Email Short URL http://jrnl.ie/3044377 File photo Source: Shira GalLYNLEE HOPE BOEMER is a unique child – she holds the distinction of having been born twice.Her mother, Texas native Margaret, went for a routine ultrasound scan at 16 weeks only to hear the last news anyone wants to hear – her baby was very sick.Lynlee Hope had a tumour known as a sacrococcygeal teratoma, that affects one in every 35,000 infants.Boemer had already been through one tragedy in the course of her pregnancy – Lynlee had initially been a twin but the other baby had been lost.“They saw something on the scan, and the doctor came in and told us that there was something seriously wrong with our baby,” Margaret told CNN. Source: CNN/FacebookAnd it was very shocking and scary, because we didn’t know what that long word meant or what diagnosis that would bringAt 16 weeks of pregnancy, the only option to treat Lynlee’s tumour was emergency foetal surgery. When performed, the tumour was nearly as large as Lynlee herself.The surgery itself was performed at 23 weeks and five days. It lasted five hours.Lynlee was almost entirely removed from the womb so the surgery could be performed.“”The part on the foetus we do very, very quickly,” surgeon Darrell Cass told CNN.It’s only 20 minutes or so on the actual foetus.The rest of the operation is spent opening and shutting the uterus Cass explained.The baby is “hanging out in the air… essentially, the foetus is outside, like completely out, all the amniotic fluid falls out, it’s actually fairly dramatic,” he said.Following the successful surgery, Lynlee was placed back in the womb and Margaret, already a mother-of-two, was confined to bed for the remainder of the pregnancy.That came to an end on 6 June when Lynlee Hope, aged almost 36 weeks, was born for a second time, at a healthy five pounds, five ounces. The remains of the tumour that could not be removed first time round were taken away in a further operation eight days later.And she continues to thrive.“Baby Boemer is still an infant but is doing beautiful,” Cass said.Read: ‘It’s a squirm-a-thon for me’: Bill Murray accepts America’s top comedy awardRead: United Airlines flight makes emergency landing at Shannon Airport Tweet thisShare on FacebookEmail this article Oct 24th 2016, 8:42 PM 33,509 Views 
Short URL By Dil Wickremasinghe 10 Comments https://jrnl.ie/4603464 11,301 Views Wednesday 24 Apr 2019, 7:00 AM Apr 24th 2019, 7:01 AM 
Share Tweet Email Dil Wickremasinghe ON EASTER SUNDAY, Sri Lanka was rocked by a wave of coordinated bombings that killed more than 300 people at churches and hotels.Most of the victims were Sri Lankans and at least 31 foreign nationals were also among those killed.Three bomb blasts took place at churches while three others hit the Shangri-La, Kingsbury and Cinnamon Grand hotels in Colombo. My relatives were due to have breakfast in the Cinnamon – our family’s favourite hotel. Thankfully they changed their plans. Too Close to HomeAs a Sri Lankan, now naturalised Irish citizen living in Dublin for nearly 20 years, I am accustomed to the familiar terror of hearing of senseless acts of violence from my home country. But after a decade of peace, I had hoped that our troubles were behind us.Although I was born in Italy to Sri Lankan parents, I lived in Sri Lanka’s largest city Colombo from 1984 to 1995, from the age of 12 until I was 21.During this time I lost family and friends to terrorist attacks and witnessed the massacre of innocent lives. Just like other children growing up in war-torn countries I tried to navigate my teenage years amidst curfews, army checkpoints and sporadic bomb attacks.I attended mass every Sunday with my grandparents and parents at St Anthony Shrine, which is one of the churches that were targeted in the attacks.The Cinnamon Grand Hotel, a luxury hotel that was targeted, is our family’s favourite hotel, I stayed in it less than a year ago on my last visit.My uncle and aunt, as well as my cousin with his wife and their 11-year-old daughter, were meant to have breakfast there on Easter morning.Thankfully they opted to go for lunch instead and escaped the attack. The manager who took their reservation died in the bomb blast.Two further explosions were reported later as the police searched for suspects.This is by far the deadliest attack that the country has experienced since the end of the civil war in 2009. That war lasted 26 years and was between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as the Tamil Tigers.Sri Lanka has declared a state of emergency, and yesterday was declared a national day of mourning with mass funerals taking place for the victims.Police have made more than 40 arrests and have enlisted the assistance of Interpol, the FBI and the Australian Police in an effort to contain the situation and find the people responsible.Celebration of Diversity of Religion and EthnicityThe population of Sri Lanka is 22 million people and the country is home to four major religions, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian.The vast majority of the time the four religions live side by side and all join in to mark all religious celebrations and festivals.It is very common to hear Buddhist monks chanting in the Buddhist temple while hearing the Muslim call for prayer and the chiming of bells from the local church and the Hindu temple simultaneously. Sri Lanka is also home to multiple ethnicities, the Sinhalese and Tamil being the major ones and the Burghers and the Malays being smaller groups. Sinhalese, Tamil and English are the official languages with all public signage displayed in all three languages.Although this all sounds idyllic, not all diversity is celebrated as homosexuality is yet to be decriminalised.This was the major reason why I was forced to emigrate in search of a country like Ireland where I could live an authentic life as a proud lesbian.Sri Lanka and the MediaThere have been numerous reports that the Sri Lankan Government was aware of an impending attack and just last January the authorities apprehended a group with 100kg of explosives and 90 detonators.Like many Sri Lankans, I am outraged that the government didn’t take these signs seriously enough to warn the public.I am concerned that warning signs may have been intentionally ignored in the interest of preserving Sri Lanka’s image of being a perfect tropical holiday destination.In the aftermath of the attacks, Sri Lanka also issued a ban on social media which is a painful reminder of its long history of media censorship when journalists including my cousin, Richard de Zoysa, were murdered by Sri Lankan death squads.Richard was killed 29 years ago because he refused to compromise his integrity as a journalist. Press freedom has been a long-standing problem in Sri Lanka as journalists are often forced to exercise self-censorship to survive.Although my career as a journalist began in Colombo it was short lived as I was advised to conceal my sexuality if I wanted to have a successful career.History of Conflict Repeating ItselfThe civil war ended in 2009 after a large-scale operation by the Sri Lankan army that defeated the Tamil Tigers.According to the United Nations in the last stage of the war, there were as many as 40,000 people killed.Like many Sri Lankans, I was shocked and ashamed by how the civil war ended – as many of the issues around the systematic prejudice and discrimination that led to the civil war remain unaddressed to this day.There was no meaningful resolution found to the conflict. Instead there was just horrific and unimaginable violence that resulted in the massacre of thousands of civilians.As I write this article I am struggling to keep my hope for peace alive in Sri Lanka, as well as in Ireland due to the recent shocking killing of the journalist, Lyra McKee.“We need to have conversations. Difficult conversations,” Lyra said in her TEDx Stormont Women Talk – because without them meaningful resolutions and lasting peace will not be possible.I hope and pray for my people in Sri Lanka during this challenging time – that instead of resorting to more violence they will find the courage to have those difficult conversations and pave the way for an inclusive, compassionate and peaceful nation.Dil Wickremasinghe is the Co-Founder of Insight Matters, psychotherapy, counselling and wellness services and podcaster of “Insight Matters – Inspiring Change in Self & Society”. Opinion: My Sri Lankan relatives had a lucky escape from the bombings – I’m struggling to keep my hopes for peace alive After a decade of peace, I had hoped that our troubles were behind us, writes Dil Wickremasinghe. Tweet thisShare on FacebookEmail this article
Red Cross Distributes Sandbags and Disaster Response Kits Red Cross Gala near sold out Facebook Twitter Google+LinkedInPinterestWhatsAppProvidenciales, 06 Nov 2015 – This weekend war veterans will be remembered in a series of services to be held around the world, including right here in the TCI. Governor Peter Beckingham, will on Sunday place a wreath at the War Memorial in Grand Turk, while Deputy Governor Anya Williams will lay the wreath here in Provo. In Grand Turk, the remembrance of the Allied, Commonwealth and British personnel who fought in the two world wars of the 20th Century and in subsequent conflicts will be paid homage at the 9:45am service at the St Mary’s Pro Cathedral on Front Street in the capital; a similar commemoration will take place at the St. Monica’s Anglican church at 12:30pm in Providenciales – both on Sunday November 8th. Also joining the wreath laying will be, the Hon. Premier; the Leader of the Opposition; TCI Ex-Services Legion; the Commissioner of Police; TCIG Medical Department; the Scouts, Guides and Brownies; Rotary International; Soroptimists International and the Red Cross. His Excellency Beckingham said: “I look forward to attending again the Remembrance Service in Grand Turk, which is always one of the most moving and solemn occasions, and an opportunity to remind ourselves of the sacrifices of others.” Louis Bacon’s Moore Bahamas Foundation Announces Donation To Rotary Club Of The Bahamas For Relief Efforts In The Bahamas Related Items:Guides and Brownies, his excellency beckingham, red cross, remembrance day, Rotary International, Soroptimists International, TCI Ex-Services Legion, TCIG Medical Department, the Scouts Recommended for you Facebook Twitter Google+LinkedInPinterestWhatsApp
, Updated: 1:28 PM December 14, 2017 Posted: December 14, 2017 00:00 00:00 spaceplay / pause qunload | stop ffullscreenshift + ←→slower / faster ↑↓volume mmute ←→seek . seek to previous 12… 6 seek to 10%, 20% … 60% XColor SettingsAaAaAaAaTextBackgroundOpacity SettingsTextOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundSemi-TransparentOpaqueTransparentFont SettingsSize||TypeSerif MonospaceSerifSans Serif MonospaceSans SerifCasualCursiveSmallCapsResetSave SettingsSAN DIEGO (KUSI) — The California Department of Insurance has formed a task force to fight fraud and scams targeted at the survivors of the devastating Lilac Fire.Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones made the announcement Thursday at a Vista library branch which is now functioning as an assistance center for fire survivors.”This is ground zero for protecting wildfire survivors and we are taking a stand against disaster fraud,” Jones said.The Department of Insurance will be working with the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office to canvas neighborhoods scorched by the fires, and warn residents about the dangers of hiring unlicensed contractors.California law is very clear about what kinds of financial obligations are allowed. Rick Lopes, a spokesperson for the Contractors State License Board said that homeowners should be concerned if any contractor demands a lot of money upfront.”They can ask for no more than 10 percent or $1,000, whichever is less. Once you get past the down payment, they cannot require you to pay for any work before that work is done or for any of the materials before the materials are delivered to your job site,” Lopes said. Unlicensed contractors who are caught trying to solicit work in the disaster area could be prosecuted on felony charges. For more tips and useful guidelines on hiring a reputable contractor, you can go to the website, www.cslb.ca.gov or CheckTheLicenseFirst.com. Categories: Local San Diego News FacebookTwitter Anti-fraud task force aims to protect wildfire survivors