Walmart Stores Inc is in negotiations to become the largest shareholder in Flipkart, India’s largest online retail company. Walmart, which operates wholesale stores in India called Best Price, is the world’s largest brick-and-mortar retailer. It will acquire 20-26 per cent stake in the Indian e-retailer.The shareholding could go up to 51 per cent later, according to the Economic Times. The initial investment will be around $1-2 billion and could go up to $10-12 billion. The agreement includes sale of shares owned by Japanese telecom giant SoftBank.“The primary investment will be between $1-2 bn, depending on the final size of the deal. The rest will be Walmart buying shares from other investors,” ET quoted a source as saying.With the primary investment, the value of the Bengaluru-based company could stand around $20-22 billion, a significant increase from the $10.2 billion valuation it got in April 2017. Walmart may also take hands-on approach in managing Flipkart.According to the Economic Times, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon led a delegation that visited Flipkart’s Bengaluru office in January. He was accompanied by Marc Lore, the CEO of Walmart e-commerce, and Judith McKenna, the CEO of Walmart International. Walmart’s investment negotiations with Flipkart also include a proposal to open a chain of retail stores in India, ET reported on Feb. 20.Walmart also sees Amazon as an opponent in India in the retail industry. Amazon recently announced that it would be investing $5 billion to grow its business in India. Another competitor in this sector is Paytm Mall, backed by Chinese e-commerce major Alibaba, which may soon have investment from SoftBank too.“As large as they (Walmart) are, Amazon has eaten away a significant chunk of their revenues and I think… they view India as the largest market possibly for this (taking on Amazon),” a source said, Business Today reported.In 2017, Flipkart raised $4 billion in funding from SoftBank, Tiger Global and South African media giant Naspers.Walmart announced in September 2017 the launch of its Cash & Carry business in Mumbai for small businesses. The Cash & Carry would cater to the business needs of small businesses, resellers, kirana stores, office and institutions and HoReCa members of Mumbai city and neighboring areas. Related ItemsAmazonFlipkartWalmart
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A thief was killed in firing by a security guard of the Hindustan Paper Corporation’s mill at Panchgram when he and his four accomplices attacked the security personnel posted there, sources said on Monday. The gang of five thieves armed with weapons had entered the defunct paper mill at around 3.45 p.m. on Sunday and tried to steal the equipment lying there, the sources said. They were spotted by three private security guards on duty when the thieves were about to flee. The thieves attacked the security guards, one of whom fired in self-defence. A bullet hit one of the thieves and the rest of the gang fled. The injured was rushed to Silchar Medical College and Hospital where he was declared brought dead, the sources said. District Superintendent of Police Pabindra Kumar Nath, who had rushed to the spot, said the body is yet to be identified and investigation into the incident is on. Police have seized the 12 bore double barrel gun of the security guard, he added. Cases of theft at the defunct paper mill have been on the rise and the last one was reported about a month ago, the sources said.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) released official ODI, Test and T20 teams’ rankings. India has been placed at number two position in the Test ranking with Australia, which is emerging as the number one team. India Women’s team stands at 4th position.Here is a list of Test, ODI, and T20I rankings:ICC Test RankingsRankTeamMatchesRatingPoints1Australia3211837652India2011222383Pakistan2011122274England3610838725New Zealand259824496South Africa229220157Sri Lanka288523838West Indies216513749Bangladesh125768710Zimbabwe41248ICC ODI RankingsRankTeamMatchesRatingPoints1Australia4012349162New Zealand4111346313India4811052784South Africa4611050475England4510647866Sri Lanka5010250897Bangladesh249823478West Indies309428089Pakistan4287364410Afghanistan195196111Zimbabwe4646211212Ireland1341531ICC T20I RankingsRankTeamMatchesRatingPoints1New Zealand2013226352India2512832123West Indies1812221924South Africa2311927345England2111624276Australia1911020997Pakistan2810429248Sri Lanka269625089Afghanistan2278172510Bangladesh2374170811Netherlands106766712Zimbabwe2262135813Scotland115762214United Arab Emirates145275715Ireland114852616Oman123744217Hong Kong1529440ICC Women’s RankingsRankTeamMatchesRatingPoints1Australia Women5912875242England Women5512468293New Zealand Women5611564244India Women4510748275West Indies Women6010462636South Africa Women569351907Pakistan Women568045008Sri Lanka Women557139229Bangladesh Women224598510Ireland Women2029573Interested in General Knowledge and Current Affairs? Click here to stay informed and know what is happening around the world with our G.K. and Current Affairs section.To get more updates on Current Affairs, send in your query by mail to education.intoday@gmail.com
Stung by two successive reversals, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will look bounce back and stay in contention for a play-off berth when they take on lowly Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in an Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter in Bengaluru on Sunday.KKR, who suffered losses against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rising Pune Supergiant in their previous two matches, need two wins out of the remaining three matches to seal their berth in the knockout stage.Placed second in the IPL standings with 14 points from 11 matches, the two-time IPL winners are followed by Rising Pune Supergiant and Sunrisers Hyderabad at 14 and 13 points.The manner in which RCB lost to KKR at the Eden Gardens should give them a lot of confidence going into this tie.KKR had handed out a 82-run defeat to RCB after bundling them out for 49 – the lowest score in IPL history.In the next two matches, KKR would be facing Kings XI Punjab, who registered a 19-run victory against RCB on Friday, and already qualified Mumbai Indians who have 16 points from 10 outings.Gautam Gambhir’s side lost by four wickets against Pune and the defeat could be a reality check for the Kolkata side as their top order collapsed in the last match, while Colin de Grandhomme’s 36 and Manish Pandey’s 37 saved the blushes.Rahul Tripathi then single-handedly won it for Pune with a belligerent 52-ball 93.KKR are eagerly awaiting the services of Chris Lynn who has practised recently and is expected to be back by May 9. The hamstring injury to in-form top order bat Robin Uthappa is a cause of worry too. The Karnataka dasher missed out the last game and it is unclear whether he will take a part in Sunday’s game as well.advertisementSunil Narine’s opening experiment is slowly starting to fall off and if Gambhir and Manish Pandey has a bad day, it could well be down to Yusuf Pathan, who is in poor form.RCB, on the other hand, have been the biggest disappointment of this year’s IPL. Virat Kohli’s rock-bottom team has been bowled out four times this season and has just five points to show for from 12 matches.Unlike the previous seasons, RCB’s batting has been the biggest disappointment with the likes of Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers and Kohli himself not stepping up.RCB’s two leg-spinners spinners – Samuel Badree (9 wickets) and Yuzvendra Chahal (13 wickets) have been the only ones who stood up and KKR would be way of that threat.
Transfers Pochettino quiet on Alderweireld future amid Man Utd & Real Madrid transfer talk Ben Spratt 16:31 2/24/18 FacebookTwitterRedditcopy Comments(0) 
Getty Images Transfers Manchester United Real Madrid Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur Crystal Palace Premier League As speculation surrounds the defender’s long-term Tottenham future, his manager has only agreed to discuss the player’s availability following a knock Toby Alderweireld is a doubt for Tottenham’s clash with Crystal Palace on Sunday, although Mauricio Pochettino would not comment on the defender’s future.The Belgium international has not featured in the Premier League or the Champions League since his return from a three-month injury lay-off earlier in February, Davinson Sanchez having established himself as a starter.And reports have suggested Spurs may now be open to selling Alderweireld after failing to agree terms on a contract renewal, with a number of rival clubs – including Manchester United and Real Madrid – apparently interested. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Lyon treble & England heartbreak: The full story behind Lucy Bronze’s dramatic 2019 Liverpool v Man City is now the league’s biggest rivalry and the bitterness is growing Megan Rapinoe: Born & brilliant in the U.S.A. A Liverpool legend in the making: Behind Virgil van Dijk’s remarkable rise to world’s best player However, Pochettino would only confirm the player suffered a knock in training on Thursday that will need to be assessed, and refused to be drawn on the latest rumours.”It was only Toby that could not finish the training session [on Thursday] after an incident,” the manager told a pre-match news conference.”It was an incident in the same leg [as was previously injured] but a different area. We hope it is not a big issue. We will assess him [on Friday and Saturday].”On the speculation surrounding the 28-year-old, Pochettino added: “I am not involved in [contract] negotiations.”I never talk about rumours, what the media say or what happens around the club. It’s not my job. I cannot say nothing about that.”Tottenham have a gruelling schedule in the coming weeks, with games in the league, the FA Cup and in Europe, but Pochettino is confident his squad can cope.”The team is ready,” he said. “Nearly all the players are fit to compete and available to be selected. That is an advantage and we understand that’s an advantage.”We are capable and able to deal with the busy schedule. There is nothing to complain about.”
ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 08: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts to throwing a seven yard touchdown pass during the fourth quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)In just a few hours, the Heisman Trophy will be doled out to one of three incredible college quarterbacks. Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa started the season as the favorite to win the award and dominated the majority of the regular college football season.It looked like Tua had the award locked up until the SEC title game when he suffered a high ankle sprain and struggled against the Georgia Bulldogs. Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray and Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins took advantage of their opportunity to strike and now enter a close Heisman race.Alabama fans might be more worried about Tua’s health than his Heisman chances. Well, Tua has good news on that front.The Alabama star made an appearance on College GameDay and announced he plans to be out of his walking boot when he take the red carpet for tonight’s Heisman ceremony.Tua Tagovailoa on ESPN’s college Gameday, “I think I’m going to come out of the boot for tonight’s ceremony.” #Heisman pic.twitter.com/lCh9V9ROuX— Kyle Henderson (@Rivals_Kyle) December 8, 2018That’s huge news for Alabama fans and college football fans everywhere who want to see he and Kyler Murray battle it out in the College Football Playoff.The Heisman ceremony kicks off tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The province has introduced a Segway pilot project to test and evaluate Segway use on streets and sidewalks. People who own or lease at least three Segways may apply to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal to participate. “We’re pleased to explore opportunities that will help to support alternative transportation options,” said Geoff MacLellan, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. “I can’t stress enough how critical road safety will factor into the final pilot project evaluation. Safety for both the Segway user and all others on the roads, including pedestrians and cyclists, is the priority.” Potential participants must submit an application explaining how many Segways will be operated, where, and a description of the training program for Segway users. Approved applicants will receive a permit to participate in the pilot. There will be strict rules, including using helmets and a minimum age of 16 for drivers, or 14 with a guardian’s consent. Segways can not operate on roads with a speed limit higher than 60 kilometres per hour, or travel faster than 20 kilometres per hour. The province can cancel or amend the terms and conditions of the pilot permits, if needed. Segway operators will be expected to share the road with pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. On a sidewalk, pedestrians will have the right of way. On a bike path or a road shoulder, Segway operators will behave as a cyclist. The pilot will conclude in January 2016. Evaluations will help the department determine if amendments will be made to the Motor Vehicle Act to permanently allow Segway use in the province. Amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act made in last spring support pilot projects to test and evaluate alternative forms of transportation. For pilot application forms and more information go to http://novascotia.ca/tran/roadsafety/segwaypp.asp . Anyone with questions, comments or feedback on Segway use can call 1-844-428-0174 or e-mail Segwaypilotproject@gov.ns.ca .
Victoria wants to eliminate public transit fares for everyone in the region as a way to reduce the impacts of climate change.Mayor Lisa Helps will bring a motion to the regional transit commission Monday, asking it to embrace a policy of phasing out user fees and expand bus service to meet an anticipated increase in demand.Coun. Ben Isitt, who introduced the motion that was passed Thursday by council, says it would begin with the elimination of fares for youth under 19 next year and the broader community would be phased in.He says the transit system currently depends on $40 million in annual revenue from fares but is primarily funded through taxation in the form of provincial subsidies, gas taxes and property taxes.He says the proposal would see fares eliminated and the existing taxation formula expanded.The policy is already in place in jurisdictions like Luxembourg and Estonia, while youth ride free in Kingston, Ont.The Canadian Press
Augustina Harker has avoided relaxing and playing with her partner and two children in the backyard for the past three summers because of the noise from a rail line used as a staging area behind her house in Winnipeg.“It’s like you’re inside of a factory,” Harker said, adding that the smell of diesel periodically penetrates her home. “It shakes the house when those cars are hitting together.”Harker and other residents of the east Winnipeg neighbourhood told a tribunal last year they hear valves releasing, engines throttling, trains braking and freight cars banging at all hours. “It’s an extraordinary disruption,” she said in an interview Friday.Harker may be able to take heart. The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed a challenge by the Canadian National Railway Company to an earlier ruling that CN’s railway activity was too noisy for residents.The initial May 2017 decision by a Canadian Transportation Agency tribunal ruled “that the noise levels caused by CN’s operations constitute substantial interference” and “are not reasonable, as they cause an excessive impact on the residents.”The tribunal stated the agency may order CN to make “any change” to its operations that the regulator considers reasonable.Wednesday’s federal court decision dismissed CN’s application for judicial review on the grounds that questions of fact were beyond the court’s role as an appeal body in this case.Multiple Winnipeg residents living alongside the rail line near the Transcona Rail Yard told the tribunal in 2016 that CN has been using the area to hold and rearrange trains since 2015, when construction on an underpass — completed the following year — began.Robert Scott, who filed the complaint, argued the vibrations and noise have cracked home foundations, ceilings and drywall and caused sleep deprivation, high blood pressure, headaches and anxiety among the applicants.“The applicants provided an example of one incident…where a train idled with its engine revving up and down for over an hour before departing,” the tribunal’s decision reads.“The applicants state that when idle trains start to move, there are successive banging noises resembling explosions, as the boxcars slam into one another. The applicants state these noises also occur both day and night.”CN had argued it was “only causing such noise and vibration as is reasonable,” and requested the initial complaint be dismissed, the tribunal said.Companies in the story: (TSX:CNR)
After mounting 26 shows pan India and internationally, Pune based artist Neena Singh is showcasing her artworks in an exhibition titled ‘Paridrishya – A solo exhibition of paintings’, at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi from April 12-18, 2019.The exhibition was inaugurated on April 12, in the presence of art lovers and connoisseurs. Singh is an acclaimed artist best known for her series of paintings on Marble rocks. Ever since she made a move from Jabalpur to Pune she has been working on the series of ‘Dynasty of marble rock’ and has painted about 45 artworks in varying sizes. Also Read – An income drop can harm brainNeena Singh has a multifaceted personality being an artist par excellence, an art conservator, Chemist, teacher, and writer. She believes that art is not just a tool for information but it has to be envisaged as a catalyst to stimulate discourse and foster change in society. Talking about her artworks, the artist said: “I did not want my painting to be just a representation of a scene rather I wanted to represent the mood, emotions which I experience when associated with nature. I have used tonalism to express a sense of unity over diversity, tranquillity overactivity and spiritual over physical.” Also Read – Shallu Jindal honoured with Mahatma AwardThe artist reveals that among all the colours, blue dominates her palette, which she says is the colour of the sea and sky, and has a quality of cool expansiveness and openness.”Soft, soothing, compassionate and caring, blue is an introspective colour. But, the quiet character and poetic subtlety of blue can also be associated with melancholy and resignation,” she elaborates. In her works, she has used oil as the medium and has not hesitated to experiment with texture, colour and light extensively to express the grandeur of the marble rock jotting out of the beautiful Narmada, whose bluish-greenish water matching with the colour of the sky. The abstract mosaic of colour and texture lend a sculptural effect to the paintings. The artist believes that the eye never wearies of about the effect produced by the broken and reflected sunlight glancing from the pinnacle of white marbles reared against the deep blue sky. The brilliantly coloured cliffs and watching the seasons and the light change provided endless inspiration for her paintings. Taking inspiration of her art from the Narmada, Neena says, “Just before the Narmada passes through the gorge it plunges down from 100 feet height, it is a sight to behold and its roar is heard from a far distance. The mist created by water falling on hard rock creates visuals of smoke emanating from the river bed hence the name ‘Dhuandhar or Smoke Cascade’. Since my childhood, I wished to paint this scene and I am happy with the use of colour, texture, and form to create a visually stimulating image which depicts the spontaneity, rhythm, and flow of water.” The artist spent a great part of her life in Jabalpur, either at spiritual Gwarighat or adventurous Bargi Dam, followed by being enamoured by her sensuous flow at Bhedaghat. Over the centuries forces of nature has curved out strange structures on the marble cliffs and every rock narrates its story, and through the medium of paint, Neena has also expressed colour in all its beauty. Her paintings are directly connected to life and interact with the viewer because everyone connects to nature. In recent times, due to rapid technological developments, there is a gradual increase in the tendency to distance ourselves from the environment and culture. And, through her paintings, she attempts to reveal the beauty of nature with fresh, vibrant, colourful and poetic colours and motivates viewers to preserve it for the future.
Rabat – Police services at the Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca arrested a Nigerian national, aged 40, for hiding 900 g of cocaine in his stomach, said the national police (DGSN).The accused, coming from Sao-Paulo and heading for Monrovia, was arrested following a routine operation after the scanner detected suspicious pills hidden in his stomach.The Nigerian citizen was transferred to Ibn Rochd Hospital in Casablanca, where 83 capsules containing 890 g of cocaine were removed from his body, according to the same source. The suspect was remanded in custody under medical supervision until he recovers and could be questioned on the illegal substance.
U.S. stock indexes closed mostly higher Thursday, as gains for banks, big retailers and communication services companies offset losses elsewhere in the market.A late-afternoon flurry of buying helped nudge the benchmark S&P 500 index’s winning streak to a sixth straight day. Traders were looking ahead to the government’s jobs report on Friday and preparing for a new round of corporate earnings reports next week.On Thursday:The S&P 500 index rose 5.99 points, or 0.2%, to 2,879.39.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 166.50 points, or 0.6%, to 26,384.63.The Nasdaq fell 3.77 points, or 0.1%, to 7,891.78.The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 6.58 points, or 0.4%, to 1,567.49.For the week:The S&P 500 is up 44.99 points, or 1.6%.The Dow is up 455.95 points, or 1.8%.The Nasdaq is up 162.46 points, or 2.1%.The Russell 2000 is up 27.75 points, or 1.8%.For the year:The S&P 500 is up 372.54 points, or 14.9%.The Dow is up 3,057.17 points, or 13.1%.The Nasdaq is up 1,256.51 points, or 18.9%.The Russell 2000 is up 218.93 points, or 16.2%.The Associated Press
One-third of the Earth’s surface is affected by desertification, endangering the livelihoods and development of up to 1 billion people, Mr. Ban said in a message to commemorate the Day, which has been observed since 1995. “Faced with long periods of drought, famine and deepening poverty, many have only one option: flight from the land,” he said, noting that there are already 24 million peopled forced by land degradation to leave their homes and that one-third of the world’s cropland has been abandoned in the past four decades. Climate change is one force behind desertification, but the Secretary-General stressed that “we must reconsider our agricultural practices and how we manage our water resources,” with agriculture and livestock raising accounting for 70 per cent of fresh water use and up to 80 per cent of deforestation. Increased demand for crops for both animal feed and biofuels will also strain scarce water resources without sustainable management, he pointed out. Today’s message also emphasized the unsustainable nature of current global consumption and production patterns, which could lead to further global food crises, similar to last year’s, as well as continued desertification, land degradation and drought. “As usual, the poor will be the first victims and the last to recover,” Mr. Ban said. He exhorted world leaders to “seal [the] deal” on an ambitious new climate change pact – to replace the Kyoto Protocol – in Copenhagen, Denmark, this December. “A comprehensive and equitable agreement to slow down global warming must also help developing countries to adapt to the impacts that are already under way,” the Secretary-General said. “In particular, it must provide adequate and predictable financing to support improved land management, more efficient water use and sustainable agriculture.” A United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) scheme to stem desertification in Africa has made strides, with extinct grass species being re-introduced, deploying rainwater harvesting, rotation grazing and other strategies. The Desert Margins Programme has demonstrated success in pilot projects in nine African nations, including Senegal, where the Sahel Apple, a nutritious fruit with a high-market value which also restores degraded lands, was introduced by the scheme. “Land degradation and desertification [are] not inevitable and the multiple inspiring solutions from the Deserts Margin Programme underscore this,” said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. “It is time to scale-up and to replicate these kinds of actions in order to climate-proof vulnerable communities while boosting livelihoods, biodiversity and water supplies en route to achieving the UN’s poverty-related Millennium Development Goals [MDGs].” 17 June 2009With 200 million people projected to become environmentally-induced migrants by 2050, land degradation threatens national and regional stability, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, marking the World Day to Combat Desertification.
“We continue to receive multiple reports of violent attacks against civilians, of fighting between rival factions, as well as attacks by armed groups and the national security forces,” said prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo in a press release.“We are closely watching the situation on the ground, and recourse to violence will not be accepted.”Congolese went to the polls on 28 November to cast their ballots in presidential and parliamentary elections – only the second time that the country has held multi-party polls since independence from Belgium in 1960.Press reports have indicated that there is growing tension in the capital, Kinshasa, as results trickle in, with at least one politician and his supporters reportedly claiming to have won.“We are urgently requesting information from the DRC authorities on the allegations that security forces fired at demonstrators,” said Mr. Moreno-Ocampo.“We welcome and are closely following the initiatives taken by national authorities to investigate and prosecute those responsible for such attacks against the civilian population.”He said he was also aware of reports of violence by armed groups apparently associated with different political parties, politicians and party officials against demonstrators from other parties.“As we have shown in both Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire, planning and executing attacks on civilians for electoral gain will not be tolerated. This court can investigate and prosecute you if you are responsible for committing ICC crimes, irrespective of position, and irrespective of political affiliation,” said the prosecutor.“I urge leaders, commanders, and politicians on all sides to calm your supporters. Electoral violence is no longer a ticket to power, I assure you. It is a ticket to The Hague,” he added. 6 December 2011As the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) await the results of last week’s presidential and legislative elections, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) warned today that any outbreak of poll-related violence will be investigated and those found responsible prosecuted.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) António Guterres left today on an eight-day mission to four African nations that will culminate in Liberia next week when he marks World Refugee Day on June 20 with some of the hundreds of thousands of returning refugees and displaced now struggling to rebuild their country.During the first stage of the mission in Tanzania and Burundi, Mr. Guterres will be joined by EU Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Louis Michel to get a first-hand look at major refugee and repatriation operations in the Great Lakes region.“In both the Great Lakes region and in Liberia, hundreds of thousands of people are making the choice to return to their devastated homelands in the hope they can rebuild their lives,” UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis told reporters in Geneva today.“While the huge numbers of refugees going home is indeed good news, we still have to worry about what happens to them once they get there. For many, rebuilding their lives at home can be even more of a struggle than life in a refugee camp, where they at least had access to basic services such as health care, primary education, shelter, food and clean water.”The EU’s Humanitarian Aid Department has been crucial to UNHCR’s work and Mr. Guterres and Mr. Michel want to underscore the need for sustained international involvement in helping nations emerging from conflict.“According to the UNDP [United Nations Development Programme], half of all countries emerging from conflict slip back into violence within five years. One of our major challenges therefore is ensuring that returnees are not forced to flee again, a point that the High Commissioner and Mr. Michel are underscoring throughout their mission,” Ms. Pagonis said.Among other engagements during their trip, Mr. Michel and Mr. Guterres will meet refugees in Tanzania who are going back to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where they face enormous difficulties. For example in South Kiva, 70 per cent of return areas are accessible only on foot, while 80 per cent of schools no longer exist.The two officials will then spend Friday and most of Saturday in Burundi, including visits to camps and transit centres on the Burundi-Tanzania border as well as meetings with senior government officials and partners before travelling to Nairobi on Saturday evening to conclude the joint mission.Mr. Guterres will fly to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, next Sunday and will hold meetings with various government officials on Monday before travelling to Monrovia, Liberia. On World Refugee Day next Tuesday – the theme of which for this year is ‘Hope’ – Mr. Guterres is scheduled among other activities to welcome a repatriation convoy bringing Liberian refugees from Sierra Leone and will then accompany them on their journey home.The High Commissioner returns to Geneva on June 22.
AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to RedditRedditShare to 電子郵件Email US manufacturing expands at slowest pace in 6 months in December, though growth still solid WASHINGTON – U.S. factory activity grew at the slowest pace in six months in December, weakened by declines in orders and production. Yet growth was still healthy, a sign manufacturing may help drive the economy’s expansion in 2015 as it did last year.The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing managers, said Friday that its manufacturing index fell to 55.5 in December from 58.7 in November. Any reading above 50 signals expansion. November’s figure was just below a three-year high reached in October.December’s reading is the lowest since June. But it is also close to the average for all of 2014 and remains at a solid level. Americans are buying more cars and appliances, boosting demand for factory-made goods. Economists also forecast that businesses may spend more on industrial equipment this year, which would also lift output.A labour dispute at West Coast seaports, from San Diego to Seattle, has interrupted the shipment of raw materials for many manufacturers, the ISM survey found. That has disrupted production and likely contributed to the lower reading.Despite the decline, most economists are optimistic about manufacturing’s prospects in 2015.“These were readings that in any ordinary time would be considered excellent,” Guy Berger, an economist at RBS Securities wrote in a note to clients.The survey’s measure of employment rose to a four-month high, evidence that factories added jobs last month. That is a good sign for the December jobs report, which will be released next Friday.U.S. manufacturers are still growing despite struggling economies overseas. A measure of overseas demand for U.S. goods fell last month, the ISM survey found, but remained in expansion territory. Most economists are confident that the U.S. market is large enough to sustain U.S. factory growth this year.“The strength of domestic demand will ensure that industry and the wider economy still perform particularly well in 2015,” Paul Dales, an economist at Capital Economics, said.Factory activity in China contracted last month for the first time since May, according to a survey by the bank HSBC Corp. That’s the latest sign that the world’s second-largest economy is slowing even as its government seeks to put it on a more sustainable path.A manufacturing index for the nations that share the euro currency rose slightly in December after falling to a 17-month low the previous month.Falling prices for oil and other commodities have helped many manufacturers by lowering costs, the ISM found.Other recent data on U.S. manufacturing has been modestly positive.Factory production jumped in November, surpassing its pre-recession peak, the Federal Reserve said earlier this month. Strong auto manufacturing, spurred by healthy car sales, boosted output.Meanwhile, demand for long-lasting factory goods slipped in November for the third time in four months, according to the Commerce Department.The drop was driven mostly by lower orders for military goods. A category that economists view as a proxy for business investment spending — which excludes volatile aircraft and defence orders — was flat last month. That marks an improvement from declines of 1.9 per cent in October and 1.1 per cent in September. by Christopher S. Rugaber, The Associated Press Posted Jan 2, 2015 8:16 am MDT
Members of OSU softball team. Credit: Courtesy of OSUAfter a week off, the Ohio State softball team (9-4) is set to head west to Tempe, Arizona, for the Louisville Slugger Invitational hosted by Arizona State. The Buckeyes are slated to face four opponents, three of which are ranked in the USA Today Top 25 poll. OSU’s first matchup is scheduled to begin Friday at 1 p.m. against James Madison (17-1).At this juncture in the season, the Buckeyes have faced only one ranked team, a loss to then-No. 3 LSU, so the weekend looks primed to be stuffed with a string of intense contests.“This spring trip will probably be the toughest stretch of (nine) games we will play this year before postseason play,” said OSU coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly, looking ahead to both this weekend and next week’s five-game trip to San Diego.Sizing up the opponentsJames Madison is the Buckeyes’ highest-ranked opponent this weekend, moving from its preseason ranking of No. 19 to No. 10 after its successful start. The Dukes are 4-1 against other ranked teams, including a 3-2 win over No. 3 Auburn in February.James Madison poses a threat from the mound because of the forceful duo of sophomore Megan Good and senior Jailyn Ford. Both pitchers have an ERA below 1.00, and Good has struck out 70 batters in her 13 appearances.Schoenly is cognizant of the Dukes’ powerhouse pitching staff, which will help prepare OSU’s batters for the subsequent energetic efforts from the mound.“We will be facing some of the toughest pitchers in the country over the next (nine) games, and it will be great to see who rises to the challenge,” she said.Seven Dukes are hitting above .350, five of whom have started all 18 games. Senior Erica Field is off to another stellar season after breaking four program single-season and three career records last season. The catcher’s career batting average of .359 rivals OSU senior catcher Cammi Prantl’s .342, which is the top mark among Buckeye starters.Georgetown (5-11) is OSU’s only unranked opponent in Arizona. As such, Schoenly said the Buckeyes are hoping to take advantage at the plate in Game 2 on Friday after likely having to grind out hits against James Madison’s pitching staff.The Buckeye offense will face a struggling Hoya pitching staff, which has a combined ERA of 6.83. Georgetown’s three pitchers have also walked more than twice the number of batters they have struck out.Senior Samantha Giovanniello leads the Hoyas with five home runs and 19 RBIs, which is just two short of her 2015 total.The Buckeyes’ own offensive weakness continues to be stranding runners, something that could make a difference in a tight game.“The few games we have lost, we had many baserunners during the game,” Schoenly said. “We just needed a timely hit here and there.”OSU is scheduled to play its only game Saturday against No. 23 Nebraska, which is currently ranked second in the Big Ten, while the Buckeyes sit at fourth in the conference.Cornhusker infielder M.J. Knighten leads the Big Ten in batting with 11 home runs and a .473 batting average. The junior was named Big Ten Player of the Week last month after a strong showing in Iowa. Also delivering at the plate for Nebraska (12-4) is senior outfielder Kiki Stokes with a .435 batting average, and senior infielder Alicia Armstrong with 15 RBIs.Nebraska sits in the middle of the conference in pitching and is led by junior right-hander Cassidy McClure with 33 strikeouts. The right-hander and the three other pitchers for the Huskers have a combined ERA of 3.11.The Scarlet and Gray finish their outing in Arizona with a matchup against Arizona State (18-5). The No. 19 Sun Devils have eight batters hitting over .350, half of whom have RBI totals in the double digits. Freshman first baseman Ulufa Leilua has a .903 slugging percentage, while senior infielder Nikki Girard has seven doubles and three homers.OSU’s defense has been effective in getting out of tough situations with big hitters like Leilua at the plate, something Schoenly mentioned as a key to the Buckeyes’ success this weekend.“We are looking for our pitchers to continue limiting teams to a few runs a game,” Schoenly said. “The key for our defense will be to limit the opponents’ big innings and for us to have timely hitting.”Schoenly also praised sophomore third baseman Ashley Goodwin’s constant awareness of the field to stop opponents’ offenses from scoring.Finishing strongAfter her leading performance in South Carolina, Prantl was named Big Ten Player of the Week and Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Player of the Week.The senior hit .786 over five games, including a 4-for-4, three-RBI showing against Furman.“I am extremely honored and humbled to be receiving this national award,” Prantl said in a press release. “This would not be possible without the support of my teammates and the coaching staff. Driving in runs is impossible without my teammates being on base.”Prantl has 47 doubles in her career, only 11 away from the Buckeyes’ all-time record. She had 16 doubles during both her sophomore and junior seasons, so Prantl has a reasonable chance to set a new program mark.Up nextThe Buckeyes are scheduled to face San Diego State in a single game on March 16 before facing four opponents at the San Diego State Tournament from March 17 to 20. OSU’s matchup against the Aztecs is slated to begin at 9 p.m.
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The exoskeleton suit features light, battery-powered motors at the hip and knee joint. It senses subtle changes in its user’s centre of gravity, meaning that leaning forward causes the suit to take a step forward. After the race Mr Kindleysides said: “I am in a lot of pain. It has taken it out of me and I don’t know how it is going to affect me physically afterwards.“I hadn’t walked 26 miles in my life when I was able bodied, so that is a massive achievement in itself.“The support has just been overwhelming and like a dream come true. It is incredible because I didn’t expect it to be as big as it was.”Mr Kindleysides’ partner, Jenna, walked six miles alongside him.It is not the first time Mr Kindleysides has overcome his disability for charity. In 2015 he hand-cycled from London to Paris raising £5,000 in the process. He added: “I just wanted to show that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. You can stay in bed and feel sorry for yourself or get out and enjoy your life, because you are only here once.” Well-wishers have donated medals to Mr Kindleysides because he is ineligible for one due to finishing a day late Credit:Flynet Pictures Mr Kindleysides was raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity and at the time of writing has raised £8,630.04, just short of his goal of £10,000. He has been donated some medals from well-wishers and has also been awarded the Spirit of London award, which the London Marathon gives to participants who “encapsulated the unique spirit” of the race. He is the first finisher from this year’s race to be given the award.Mr Kindleysides joins the likes of former boxer Michael Watson, the biggest individual fundraiser Rev Steve Chalke and Fajau Singh, the oldest person to finish the event, who have won the award in the past.The London Marathon said that they had worked closely with Mr Kindleysides in planning his walk and supporting his logistics team. The first paralysed man to complete the London Marathon on foot has cross the finish line, but has been denied a medal because he completed the race a day late. Simon Kindleysides set off at 10am on Sunday alongside thousands of other racers and finished at 10:46pm on Monday – the last person to cross the line. The 34-year-old, a father of three from Blofield, was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder and a glioma brain tumour in 2013, which left him paralysed from the waist down.He walked the 26.2-mile marathon course using a ReWalk exoskeleton suit.But because Mr Kindleysides did not finished the race on Sunday, he has been refused an official medal.
Hydraulic oil offers improved fuel efficiency and extended oil drain intervals. Mobil DTE 10 Excel can provide up to a 6% improvement in hydraulic system efficiency and a 300% increase in oil drain intervals compared to standard hydraulic oils. Field demonstration with excavator achieves up to a 6% reduction in fuel per work cycle. This state-of-the-art hydraulic oil has been proven to help mines increase productivity, reduce unscheduled downtime and improve the fuel efficiency of their machinery. Formulated with extensive laboratory and in-service field testing, Mobil DTE 10 Excel can help provide quantifiable increases in hydraulic efficiency compared to standard hydraulic oils. This can translate to reduced power consumption or increased machine output, resulting in monetary savings. In controlled laboratory efficiency testing, Mobil DTE 10 Excel was measured to provide up to a 6% improvement in hydraulic pump efficiency compared to ExxonMobil’s standard hydraulic fluid, Mobil DTE 20, when operating in typical hydraulic applications.Hydraulic efficiency benefits can translate to increased machine productivity and/or reduced fuel consumption. In a controlled field demonstration with a commercially available excavator using Mobil DTE 10 Excel, up to a 6% reduction in fuel consumption per work cycle was documented, as well as a significant reduction in cycle time versus a standard SAE 10W hydraulic fluid.In addition, laboratory and in-service field demonstrations conducted on a wide range of modern hydraulic systems, demonstrated exceptional oil life, outlasting Mobil DTE 20 by up to three times whilst maintaining outstanding hydraulic system cleanliness and component protection. Mobil DTE 10 Excel has also been designed to perform in the extreme environments sometimes found at mining locations, operating successfully in temperatures as low as -34°C as well as offering excellent ‘start-up’ protection.“Mobil DTE 10 Excel has been designed to help improve a mining company’s bottom line – the annual fuel savings alone can sometimes be more than the yearly cost of the hydraulic oil,” said Andrea Jacobsen, European Industrial Lubricants Marketing Manager, ExxonMobil Lubricants & Petroleum Specialties Europe. “By significantly extending oil drain intervals and reducing fuel consumption we can help mining operators optimise the performance of their equipment in the field.”
A close up of newspaper front pages focusing on the Ebola outbreak, including a newspaper, left, reading ‘Burn all bodies’ in the city of Monrovia, Liberia. Source: AP/Press Association Images‘An extraordinary challenge’The WHO raised the death toll by 57 to 729, announcing that 122 new cases had been detected between Thursday and Sunday last week.“The Ebola virus disease poses an extraordinary challenge to our nation,” Sierra Leone’s leader Ernest Bai Koroma said in a televised address to the nation.“Consequently… I hereby proclaim a state of public emergency to enable us to take a more robust approach to deal with the Ebola outbreak.”Koroma confirmed he had cancelled a trip to the summit of around 50 African leaders in Washington next week.He announced a raft of measures as part of the state of emergency, including quarantining Ebola-hit areas and cancelling foreign trips by ministers.Sierra Leone, which has seen 233 deaths, yesterday buried medic Umar Khan, described by Koroma as a “national hero” who saved the lives of more than 100 Ebola patients before succumbing to the tropical bug.- © AFP, 2014Read: Quarantines declared in Nigeria over spread of deadly Ebola virus WEST AFRICA’S EBOLA-HIT nations imposed stringent new rules to tackle the world’s worst ever outbreak of the tropical virus ahead of a special regional summit to launch an emergency response plan.The leaders of four west African countries — Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Ivory Coast — meet in the Guinean capital Conakry today, along with the head of the World Health Organisation, Margaret Chan, to launch a €75-million joint plan to tackle the epidemic.The meeting comes as US, German and French health authorities issued a warning on Thursday against travel to the three affected countries — Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone — to stop the disease spreading to their shores.“It is like fighting a forest fire. If you leave behind even one burning ember, one case undetected, it could reignite the epidemic,” said Tom Frieden, the chief of the US’s top public health body.Chan said hundreds more humanitarian workers would be deployed under the emergency plan.A hospital in the southern United States said it was preparing to receive an Ebola patient “within the next several days” for treatment in its specialised containment unit.Meanwhile Nigeria quarantined two people who had “primary contact” with a man who died of Ebola in Lagos last week as west Africa battled to tame the deadliest ever outbreak of the virus.Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are struggling to contain an epidemic that has infected more than 1,300 people since the start of the year, hit major cities and sparked alarm over its possible spread to other nations.