Drink To This
The $1.2 billion acquisition of Scottish distiller Whyte & Mackay Ltd. by Vijay Mallya’s UB Group will catapult the Indian distiller to the world’s second largest maker of spirits after Pernod Ricard of France.The acquisition will expand Whyte and Mackay to Asian markets, while also opening access of Europe and North America to the UB Group, beside adding Scotch Whisky to its portfolio.“Scotch has been a missing link in our portfolio. With the acquisition of Whyte & Mackay, we now have a captive supply source and excellent (Scotch) brands, which we will immediately introduce in China, Middle East and India,” Mallya said. Related Items
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Mumbai, Apr 14 (PTI) The ongoing thrust on the shipping sector will not help lenders with a revival in the asset quality, but can be of benefit over a longer period, State Bank of India chief Arundhati Bhattacharya today said.”Asset quality issues are issues of the past. They are legacy issues. Whether they will turnaround immediately, I dont really think so, not in the shipping sector at least,” she told reporters on the sidelines of the maiden Maritime Summit here.The head of the countrys largest bank, however, welcomed the ongoing efforts to provide fillip to the sector, saying from a longer-term horizon, things will be better for lenders.”There are projects being thought of, which will ameliorate some of the interest that we are seeing and definitely, going forward, we believe things will be better.”It can be said that the shipping sector, especially the shipbuilding yards, has been a pain point for banks with loans of thousands of crores either restructured or classified as bad debts. Some shipbuilders in the private sector have gone belly up and been taken over by banks.Earlier, speaking at a CEOs roundtable, she said even though the government has given the infrastructure status to shipbuilding, the RBI is yet to come out with its views.Refinance under the 5/25 scheme is also not possible for shipbuilders as they do not have a “positive number” when one subtracts the operating profit from the interest outstanding, Bhattacharya said.”How do we ensure these units, which are otherwise good but stressed, are revived” she asked the Shipping Ministry officials and warned that if they are not turned around, the shipbuilding capacity will come down drastically.advertisement”There is a crying need to look into these issues and to see how best these units can be rebuilt so as to come out of the stress.”Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari acknowledged that all the 27 shipbuilding yards are under stress and added the government is looking at ways to revive the sector.On the Vijay Mallya-Kingfisher saga, Bhattacharya refused to comment, saying the matter is pending with the Supreme Court. She also did not comment on reports about the Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines willing to pay up to Rs 6,000 crore out of the Rs 9000-crore dues of banks, saying the matter is sub-judice. PTI AA PSK BEN RSY MKJ
Gujarat Lions all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is all set to tie the nuptial knot with fiance Riva Solanki, a Rajkot based mechanical engineer, on Sunday.Riva completed her engineering degree at Atmiya College and is now preparing for UPSC examination in Delhi. Her mother Prafullaba Solanki is an Indian Railway employee while her father is a businessman.Jadeja and Riva got engaged in February this year at the cricketer’s restaurant in Rajkot.Sources also said that Gujarat Lions team members are expected to attend the wedding reception on Sunday.Jadeja will also miss Saturday’s game against Mumbai Indians. His availability for the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 21 is also uncertain. “Ravindra Jadeja is not going to play Saturday’s match and has not come to Mumbai with the team as he is getting married,” sources in Gujarat Lions team said.”It is also not sure whether he would be available for game against Sunrisers Hyderabad to be played on April 21,” sources said, adding that the game is to be played in Rajkot and therefore there are still chances of Jadeja playing in that match.Gujarat have started the tournament with a bang. They opened the campaign with a big win over Kings XI Punjab and outclassed Dhoni’s Rising Pune Supergiants on Monday.Jadeja, one of the team’s key player, played well in the game against Pune Supergiants where he took two wickets and conceded only 18 runs in his four-over spell.
India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan in a match of the Hockey World League Semi-Final in London on June 18 next year. The HWL Semi-Final, a qualifying event for the 2018 World Cup, will be held from June 15 to 25 and will feature 10 of the worlds best mens hockey teams.The match will be held exactly two weeks after the cricket teams from both the nations would have fought an intense battle in one of the biggest games of the ICC Champions Trophy at Edgbaston on June 4.Six teams have already been confirmed for the HWL Semi-Final, including hosts England, Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallists Argentina, reigning European champions Netherlands, Asian champions India, Korea and Pakistan.The International Hockey Federation (FIH), while announcing the schedule of the tournament in London today, said that another four teams will qualify from the Hockey World League Round 2 events taking place between January and April 2017.All the matches will be played at Lee Valley’s Hockey and Tennis Centre in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London.With 11 Olympic titles between them, the India-Pakistan game will indeed be the biggest crowd puller of the tournament.India recently beat Pakistan to clinch the Asian Champions Trophy title.
Perhaps the single greatest tactical revolution that helped Spain to dominate world football in the early part of this decade was tiki-taka.The short, sharp passing style was forged, along with many of the greatest players of the age, in Barcelona’s La Masia academy and it was the Camp Nou club that trademarked the brand, with Pep Guardiola often considered to be its father.”He is the Steve Jobs of football: experimental, brave, a lover of beauty and innovative,” Real Madrid legend Jorge Valdano said when the Catalan stood down from his role as Barca head coach in 2012. “He is a reference point in world football and rightly so. Barca have turned their football into a culture.”But what is it that made tiki-taka so avidly followed?What are the tactics behind tiki-taka?At the heart of the tactic is possession of the football. The idea is for a team to monopolise possession, using their technical superiority and fluidity of positioning to overcome opponents.Although there is no definitive answer as to where the name came from, one theory is that Spanish commentator Andres Montes coined it during Spain’s 2006 World Cup run who said: “We’re playing with the ball tiki-taka, tiki-taka.”As the sound of the name may suggest, one-touch passing is an essential skill to successfully pull off this strategy, although there is more to it than simple retention of the ball.“I loathe all that passing for the sake of it, all that tiki-taka. It’s so much rubbish and has no purpose,” Guardiola complained to journalist Marti Perarnau in 2014. “You have to pass the ball with a clear intention, with the aim of making it into the opposition’s goal. It’s not about passing for the sake of it.”Guardiola, who also claimed that “Barca didn’t do tiki-taka! It’s completely made up!”, felt that the tactic he had been credited with inventing had become a caricature of itself: keeping the ball for the sake of it.But whether Pep likes it or not, he will be forever associated with the name.His Barcelona side managed to employ it successfully, though, because they passed the ball purposefully. They sought to draw their opposition out and create spaces that a fluid forward line could exploit, with the passing talents of the midfield capable of carving through any defence given an open passing lane.To Guardiola, it was about creating overloads, forcing the defence to tilt unevenly to one side before quick passes to the other exploited the weak area.But there is a defensive aspect to the idea, too, with pressure applied as soon as the opponent is in possession, with the idea being to win the ball as high up the field as possible and hope to profit in the transition game.Tiki-taka, then, is not just passing the ball quickly between players, it is about interchanging positions and intelligent movement that can create space and passing lanes for others to exploit.In possession, it is about making the pitch as big as possible for the opponent, while shrinking it as small as possible when they have the ball.Who invented tiki-taka?Although it could be argued that systems like ‘Schalke’s spinning top’ tactic from the 1930s and the Total Football approach of the Ajax and the Netherlands of the 1970s were forms of tiki-taka, in truth these were watered-down versions.It was Johan Cruyff’s influence in the early 1990s that was the true genesis of modern tiki-taka, with Guardiola among the players that the Dutch great influenced. Whereas Total Football had a similar fluidity and interchanging of positions, it was not based so solely around passing.After Cruyff left the head coach role, the influence of the Dutch school continued with Louis van Gaal and Frank Rijkaard, whose desire to integrate La Masia with the first team saw them begin to drill the short-passing game into the club’s youngsters, who were groomed for technical talent as opposed to their physicality. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Emery out of jail – for now – as brilliant Pepe papers over Arsenal’s cracks What is Manchester United’s ownership situation and how would Kevin Glazer’s sale of shares affect the club? Ox-rated! Dream night in Genk for Liverpool ace after injury nightmare Messi a man for all Champions League seasons – but will this really be Barcelona’s? Speaking in 2013, Cruyff reflected: “I think the way Barcelona played, it’s a pleasure for everybody who likes football, because the technical qualities are the highest standard and every little child can try to do the technical qualities. It’s not like somebody runs 100 yards in nine seconds and if you can’t do it, you don’t count. You always count because you can always get better. If you want to play basketball you’ve got to be two metres. Otherwise you can’t play. Here, everyone can play and everyone can develop. That’s the nicest thing about the game of football.”A particularly rich crop blossomed as the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta broke into the Barca midfield over the first decade of the millennium, and while they took time to mature, by the time Lionel Messi had broken into the first team, tiki-taka was ready to takeover the game.“I’ve been lucky enough to be brought up on the Barcelona ethos, which has taught me the value of being part of a team. ‘Today for you, tomorrow for me.’ Those qualities are essential for life in general,” Xavi said over the mindset that pervaded the club as he came through the academy.True tiki-taka is generally thought to have begun, therefore, when Pep Guardiola took over as Barcelona head coach in 2008.Which teams have used tiki-taka?Barcelona are the side that has most notably and most successfully employed tiki-taka at club level, incredibly going 317 competitive games without losing the possession battle between May 7, 2008 and September 21, 2013.”People weren’t happy because they had slightly more possession than us,” Cesc Fabregas remembered. That’s why the club is so special, no-one plays quite like Barca.”Blessed with an exceptional group of players that had come through their youth system and, therefore, had an intricate understanding of what the tactic involved. It led to a golden age for the club, which has seen them win seven Primera Division titles since the 2008-09 campaign, not to mention three Champions Leagues.Only when Xavi left in 2015 did Barcelona start to drift away from their tiki-taka ideals, with Ernesto Valverde’s appointment as coach in the summer of 2017 signalling a more radical shift away from the move, with the Catalans starting to play in a more direct manner.
On the international scene, Spain profited from the same group of exceptional midfielders to further help the country become synonymous with the idea.Such were the volume of excellent technical players available to La Roja, they came to dominate world football, winning the European Championships in 2008 and 2012, and the World Cup in 2010. It was their Barcelona-based heart, though, that made it possible.”Barca won the World Cup, it’s just that they were wearing the wrong shirt,” erstwhile club president Joan Laporta declared after La Roja’s success in South Africa.When tiki-taka went wrong, though, it could become boring and monotonous; possession simply for the sake of having the ball. “Spain’s football is like love without the sex, it lacks a bit of spice,” former France international Bixente Lizarazu once quipped as the verve once associated with the great team faded.But even Barca have been criticised for their style, notably by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who famously enjoys rock and roll football.Speaking 2013, when still in charge of Borussia Dortmund, he said: “If Barcelona were the team I first saw playing as a four-year-old – the serenity of football they have, winning 5- or 6-0, I would have played tennis. It’s not my sport. I don’t like winning with 80% possession. Sorry, it’s not enough for me.”Does anyone still use tiki-taka?There are no longer teams that play with the same imperative upon possession as Barcelona did at their peak.Although the broad ideas of their tiki-taka ideals are retained, they are far more direct in their approach under Valverde than they were in the Guardila, Tito Vilanova, Tata Martino or Luis Enrique.In part, this has been prompted by the departures of Xavi and Iniesta, the fulcrums of the system.Equally, Guardiola’s ideals have altered over the years. His style remains based around possession, fluidity and high pressing, but he has become more pragmatic and more direct.The age of pure tiki-taka, it seems, is over.
The Best Wired and Wireless Headphones for Travel How to Remove a Tick: A Simple Guide to Safely Getting Rid of Ticks When many people hear the term “high-end,” they immediately think “high-priced,” and most of the time, they’re right. Emotiva Audio Corporation doesn’t think that has to be the case, and with its latest product, the BasX MC-700 surround sound processor, the company is looking to prove it.“We call BasX our ‘aspirational line’, but a powerhouse processor like the MC-700 crushes competitive models at similar price points,” Emotiva president and founder Dan Laufman said in a statement. “The combination of 4K UHD High Dynamic Range (HDR) video, high resolution surround sound audio, and the latest generation of our highly acclaimed EmoQ automatic room correction system, makes the MC-700 the best choice for anybody who wants to take their home theater experience to another level, but without paying the high prices of typical audiophile gear.”The Bas-X MC-700 features support for both 5.1-channel and 7.1-channel surround sound in all the current formats, as well as the 4K video with HDR mentioned above. In the latter case, only HDR10 compatability is mentioned. Whether or not the required hardware for Dolby Vision is included isn’t clear, but it isn’t very likely.This processor boasts six HDMI inputs, three of which feature HDMI 2.0a for both 4K and HDR support, along with HDCP 2.2. In addition to HDMI, both S/PDIF coaxial and Toslink optical digital audio inputs are provided, and Bluetooth is supported via the optional Bluetooth dongle.Of the two HDMI outputs, one supports HDR. Looking at the other outputs, one set of analog 7.1-channel outs are included, as well as one balanced subwoofer output, meant to be used with a powered subwoofer. Of course, since this is just a processor, you’ll need to pair it with a worthy amplifier to power your speakers.The Emotiva BasX MC-700 is priced at $600, though the company is offering it for $100 off through the end of the month or until the first shipment is sold out. The company will be showing the MC-700 one of the highlights of its CES display next month in Las Vegas. For more information, see the Emotiva website.A version of this post was first published on our “brother site” Digital Trends. Editors’ Recommendations Is It a Home of the Future or a Nod to the Past? On the Rocks is Both 10 Top Shelf Vodka Brands that are Actually Worth a Damn 12 Best Seiko Watches for Men, From Flashy to Functional
The Best Whiskey Quotes of All Time In most parts of these United States of America, the summer weather is still going strong, which is to say it’s hot out. Likely the last thing you’re thinking about right now is a warm, crackling fire; not when it’s still the season of swimsuits, beach parties, and mosquitoes rife with dengue fever. But autumn comes on apace, friends, and with her comes colder weather. Soon enough, you’ll be clearing the cobwebs from your fireplace, dusting off the outdoor fire pit, and splitting logs and kindling to make yourself a warming, welcome blaze. (Colder climes can also be found at any time simply by ascending a few thousand feet into the mountains, FYI. I recommend you do that from time to time.)If you’re like me, you like to be prepared. That’s why I started testing out my new Zippo Mag Strike fire starting tool a few weeks ago, despite the fact that it was still in the upper 80s most days. By the time the first cold front comes through, you too could have mastered the technique involved in starting a fire using your own handy Zippo Mag Strike. In fact, you can probably master its use with about about five minutes of concerted effort. As for making the perfect pile of tinder to catch the shower of sparks you’ll be creating, and as for laying the perfect fire to help delicate embers grow into a raging conflagration pleasant campfire or a fire in the hearth, that will require more practice. We’ll discuss that another day.The Zippo Mag Strike Fire Starter Tool……is essentially nothing more than a 5/16-inch rod of ferrocerium — an alloy designed to create hot sparks with friction — set into a triangular grip. The rod slides into a protective ABS plastic case when not in use, and built into this case is a stainless steel chisel-like protrusion with a sharp edge perfect for use scraping the ferrocerium. That’s it: simplicity is the name of the game here. The Zippo Mag Strike is really nothing more than a rod that readily sparks when struck and a striking tool with which to create said sparks. You don’t gild a lily, right? Same concept applies here.OK, there are a few more aspects worth noting. The triangular base at the end of ferrocerium rod and the triangle shape into which the strike is set allow for an easy, firm grip even when the tool is damp or when your fingers are chilled. The unit features dual loops through which a lanyard can be tied for secure storage and/or easy access. And the snug case will keep the rod dry even in a downpour, though to be fair, with enough oppressor applied, you can probably draw sparks even when the tool is damp. The Mag Strike retails for just under $15, and considering it might help you start a lifesaving fire if you’re ever lost in the wilderness (and/or in a post apocalypse type of scenario), that’s a damn good value.Now… there are a few critiques I have to make here. The brand new rod arrives covered with a thin layer of protective coating that must be scratched off before you can draw a decent spark. It takes a solid five minutes of scraping to remove this essentially pointless coating, though the process could be sped up with a file or even a sander. You, of course, will have tested and prepared your gear long before you ever need it, so this will be merely a frustration, not a real setback in the field when every second counts as your extremities go numb, but I’ll wager you see my point.Second, while the sparks came off the end of the rod nice and hot, the ready-made “Tinder Shreds” tinder bundles also sourced from Zippo did not readily take a flame. I know my way around a fire rather well, and I know I was raining plenty of hot sparks down on the bundles, which I had even roughed up some to allow for more air and surface area, and still no dice. Granted, I only tried for a minute or two, and I’m sure eventually I would have prevailed (and I’m sure they burn hot and slow), but if you want to be sure you’ll get a fire going fast, I’d bring along a block of magnesium to shave down, just as an extra precaution.Overall, for the price, the Zippo Mag Strike is worth having in your pack. How to Clean a Fish: A Quick Reference Guide How to Pack a Dopp Kit (aka Toiletry Bag) for When You Won’t be Sleeping at Home The Best Backpacking Chairs for Your Next Adventure Editors’ Recommendations How to Enjoy Your Campfires Responsibly 
zoom Athens-based Diana Shipping has, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, agreed to extend the present time charter contract with Cargill International S.A., Geneva, for one of its Panamax dry bulk vessels, the m/v Leto.The charter extension is for a period of about fifteen to eighteen months.The gross charter rate is USD 7,100 per day, and is expected to commence on June 19, 2015.This employment extension is anticipated to generate approximately USD 3.1 million of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the time charter.Diana initially chartered out Leto to Cargill back in July 2014, at a gross charter rate of USD 11,350 per day.The Leto is a 81,297 dwt Panamax dry bulk vessel built in 2010.
Les tronçons des autoroutes seront ouverts à mesure qu’ils seront terminés. « Je suis ravi que l’élargissement à quatre voies soit réalisé dans un avenir prévisible, déclare Joe MacDonald, chef du service de pompiers volontaires de Barneys River. C’est très important pour nous d’avoir une route sécuritaire à Sutherlands River. Je crois que de nombreuses vies seront sauvées. » Le financement inclut également 30 millions de dollars pour l’amélioration de la sécurité sur les tronçons de routes à deux voies. Ces mesures pourraient inclure l’amélioration des échangeurs, ainsi que l’ajout de voies de dépassement et de virage. Une étude sur la sécurité de l’autoroute 107, de Burnside à Musquodoboit, sera également effectuée. La contribution financière servira à accéder à des programmes d’infrastructure fédéraux à frais partagés. La Nouvelle-Écosse a soumis des analyses de rentabilité au gouvernement fédéral aux fins de considération. Le gouvernement provincial continuera de travailler avec le gouvernement fédéral afin d’officialiser les ententes. Le gouvernement provincial éliminera aussi le péage du passage Cobequid pour les automobilistes néo-écossais une fois les obligations payées (prévu en 2019). Une décision concernant les camions commerciaux et les conducteurs de l’extérieur de la Nouvelle-Écosse sera prise à une date ultérieure, une fois les frais d’entretien et d’exploitation à long terme évalués. « Nous voulons donner un peu de répit aux automobilistes de la Nouvelle-Écosse. Lorsque nous approcherons 2019, nous déterminerons comment nous pourrons assurer l’entretien de cette infrastructure essentielle », affirme M. MacLellan. Plus de 2 000 Néo-Écossais ont participé à 14 séances publiques du 30 janvier au 9 mars. Des commentaires ont également été soumis en ligne par près de 5 400 personnes. Les commentaires des gens, ainsi que les présentations et les ressources des consultations, peuvent être consultés en ligne au 
Finance and Treasury Board Minister Karen Casey introduced the Financial Measures (2017) Act today, Oct. 11. The act provides the legislative authority to implement measures in Budget 2017-18, including tax reductions. It also continues the freeze on salaries for members of the legislature. “Government has tabled back-to-back balanced budgets, in part, by keeping a close eye on expenses,” said Ms. Casey. “Freezing MLA salaries demonstrates our commitment to working with Nova Scotians to restore our province’s financial health. “Nova Scotians will benefit from our ongoing efforts, as we are in a better financial position to reduce their taxes and invest in their priorities, like health care, education, our youth and the economy.” The act increases the basic personal allowance for those who have a taxable income under $75,000. This means more than 60,000 additional Nova Scotians will no longer pay provincial income tax. It increases the number of people who do not pay tax by 28 per cent. When it comes in effect on Jan. 1, more than 280,000 Nova Scotians will no longer pay any provincial income tax. “This is one of the largest income tax cuts in recent history – it helps those who need it most,” said Ms. Casey. Budget 2017-18 provides tax relief to small business by increasing the small business tax threshold to $500,000 from $350,000. About 11,400 businesses pay the small business rate now. “We are also providing tax relief to an additional 1,800 small businesses so they can grow and hire more Nova Scotians,” said Ms. Casey. Ms. Casey said this budget is another step on the province’s path toward better financial health. Recent reports from Standard and Poor’s and the Parliamentary Budget Officer praised the fiscal efforts of Nova Scotians. The Parliamentary Budget Officer said Nova Scotia is one of only two provinces with sustainable finances over the long term. “We kept a close eye on spending, controlled costs, and made strategic investments to get to this point,” said Ms. Casey. “Now Nova Scotians are reaping the rewards with tax cuts, historic investments in pre-primary, and more money to improve access to health care.” For Budget 2017-18 information, see www.novascotia.ca/budget .
Two belugas at Marineland will be moved to a Spanish facility that the federal government says is better equipped to look after them.Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson approved the permits for the move under a new law that bans the imports and exports of live whales, dolphins and porpoises. “Marineland has a large number of animals there,” Wilkinson said in an interview. “I would tell you that the Spanish facility is much better equipped to take care of these whales on an ongoing basis in a manner that many of us would be comfortable with.”There are about 50 belugas at Marineland, the company has previously said. The two belugas that will be sent to Oceanografic — an aquarium in the Spanish city of Valencia — are owned by Vancouver Aquarium’s parent company, Ocean Wise, but housed at Marineland.Under the new law that went into effect in June, there are two exceptions to the import and export ban — if it is in the best interest of the whales or to conduct scientific research.Wilkinson said the extensive application from Ocean Wise satisfied both exceptions.“Our view is it is in the best interest of the whales,” Wilkinson said. “It will be a better facility for these whales and they have also committed there will be no captive breeding, which is important for us.”He also said the research at the Spanish facility will touch on a subject the ministry is keenly interested in: the impact of noise on belugas.Marineland said in a statement that it “meets or exceeds the highest internationally recognized standards of care for its whales in the world.”“The relocation of two beluga whales to Spain is a significant international achievement, requiring close co-operation between Marineland, Ocean Wise, Oceanografic, and experts within the Canadian government, and was only approved by the minister following a comprehensive and lengthy science-based review,” Marineland said in a statement.“Marineland will continue to work closely with the Government of Canada and internationally accredited, experienced research facilities to provide for the future relocation of some of its whales to aid in critical international research efforts in support of endangered whale populations worldwide.”Ocean Wise said the belugas will be “part of a smaller social grouping under excellent animal care.” Studies will include examining the whales’ physiology and vocalization. Just before the new export laws came into effect, Marineland had also applied to move five belugas to an unidentified facility in the United States. Wilkinson said Marineland has not yet reapplied for his approval on those animals.Marineland did not respond to questions about the fate of those five belugas.Liam Casey, The Canadian Press
Country music superstar Keith Urban is set to perform with seven young musicians who have participated in the GRAMMY Foundation’s GRAMMY Camp music program on the AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS, airing live from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas Monday, Dec. 10 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.The performance is intended to highlight the need to support music-based initiatives that attract young people to music and encourage their musical pursuits. As part of the campaign, a $25,000 donation will be made to support the GRAMMY Foundation’s GRAMMY in the Schools programs, including scholarship support for GRAMMY Camp.Through the years, Urban’s commitment to music programs has been consistent and unwavering. He’s been an active participant in the efforts of The Grammy Foundation’s Grammy Camp and Nashville’s Music Makes Us program and has encouraged aspiring musicians by giving them the opportunity to perform. His annual We’re All For The Hall concerts have raised nearly $1.5 million for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which supports numerous music-based initiatives, and just recently he participated in the Hall’s first All Access music program.Additionally, hosts Trace Adkins and Kristin Chenoweth each will be added to the list of performers for AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS.The two-hour, star-studded special also will feature appearances by Eli Young Band, Lindsey Buckingham, Carmen Electra, Florida Georgia Line, Gloriana, Love and Theft, Penn & Teller and the San Francisco Giants’ Brandon Belt and Barry Zito. Previously announced participants include Natasha Bedingfield, Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, champion cowboy Trevor Brazile, Casey James, Miranda Lambert, LeAnn Rimes, Lee Brice, Jana Kramer, Dustin Lynch, Ron White and Chris Young.The two-hour live music spectacular offers country music fans the opportunity to vote for their favorite artists not only in traditional categories, but also in a previously unrecognized area – touring – encompassing the entire spectrum of country music.In 2001, the Country Music Association honored Keith Urban with its Horizon Award, designating him a talented artist with a bright future. He is the first Horizon Award winner in history to go on to win the CMA’s Male Vocalist of the Year, a title he’s captured three times, and the coveted Entertainer of the Year. More than 15 million albums later, Urban is a four-time Grammy Award winner, who has also won a People’s Choice and American Music Award. He’s won five Academy of Country Music Awards and had 14 No. 1 songs, including 28 Top 5 hits. In 2012, he became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. His latest CD, “Get Closer,” comes on the heels of his fifth consecutive platinum or multi-platinum release. It has produced three consecutive No. 1 singles: “You Gonna Fly,” “Long Hot Summer” and “Without You.”In 2009, Urban was named radio’s most-played country artist, thanks to No. 1 hits such as “Sweet Thing,” “You’ll Think Of Me,” “Only You Can Love Me This Way,” “Better Life” and “Days Go By.” In addition, his 2002 smash, “Somebody Like You,” was named the No. 1 Country Song of the Decade by Nielsen BDS (based on radio airplay and audience impressions).But Urban’s reputation as an elite songwriter, musician, vocalist and virtuoso guitarist is no more evident than when he is onstage. His electrifying concerts have played to sold-out venues in Australia, Germany, England, Canada and the United States, all while receiving high praise from critics. In fact, 2009’s Escape Together World Tour, as well as 2007’s Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy World Tour, were both, according to Pollstar, one of the top-grossing tours for their respective years. Last year, his Get Closer 2011 World Tour solidified Urban as one of the music industry’s best live performers.
The pair met while she worked for the US PGA and lived in Palm Beach, Florida.She was credited with getting the 27-year-old star to the first tee on time for his singles match in the 2012 Ryder Cup “Miracle in Medinah” after he missed his alarm. Stevie Wonder is thought to have been the star performer, while the guest list is thought to include Niall Horan of One Direction and Ed Sheeran.Prior to his performance the Superstitious singer surprised Galway residents by visiting computer shop Compu B on Saturday.Sales assistant Eoin Healy said staff were stunned when they realised who their customer was.He said: “I was like ‘Oh my ******* God, it’s Stevie Wonder.”“He was so friendly and started talking to me about how beautiful Ireland is even though it’s a bit cold. “He didn’t mention anything about the wedding though, but he asked everyone their names and was happy to get into a picture with us.“He bought two pairs of Apple wireless earphones, a car charger and Bang and Olufsen earphones.”It is understood that Ms Stoll, a New Yorker, is a big fan of the star.The exclusive estate, in the village of Cong in Co Mayo, is no stranger to stars from as far back as the 1950s when it was the setting for screen classic The Quiet Man starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara.As helicopters and blacked out cars and SUVs ferried guests to Ashford Castle, a steady stream of locals and tourists traipsed up to the gates in forlorn hope of a sneak peek. Rory McIlroyCredit:Andrew Redington/Getty Images Golf star Rory McIlroy has married his sweetheart Erica Stoll in the west of Ireland today, with Stevie Wonder reportedly leading the hoards of celebrities attending the lavish wedding.The ceremony in the 13th century Ashford Castle was billed as the wedding of the year, with the rumour mill in overdrive about which illustrious guests had flown in for the celebrations. Rory McIlroy and his fiance Erica StollCredit:PA 
Behind the 12ft walls the ceremony was thought to have included a massive fireworks display, while a more down to earth touch came as a photo booth was brought into the historic venue for guests to create their own memento.And to avoid any unwanted intrusion past the gatekeepers, the organisers went as far as to bring in anti-drone experts and put security teams on boats on Lough Corrib.The castle venue, with its 350 acres, nine-hole golf course, horse riding, falconry, fishing and clay pigeon shooting, can be rented for about €100,000 (£83,700) a day at this time of year.It has been on lockdown since Thursday, with staff and guests asked to wear wristbands for security checks. Ashford Castle in Co MayoCredit:PA Locals have been hoping to capitalise on the latest celebrity to descend on the area. Sadly the four time major winner’s representatives insisted the celebrations were a private event and no photographs have yet been released of the big day. Several of McIlroy’s Ryder Cup colleagues were spotted arriving, including Spanish Masters champion Sergio Garcia who touched down at Knock airport on Friday.The bride’s family arrived on Saturday by helicopter.Ryder Cup 2014 captain and longtime friend Paul McGinley is also rumoured to have been seen in the town.McIlroy revealed in a recent interview that he was friends with Ms Stoll before romance blossomed.She was credited with getting the star to the first tee on time for his singles match in the 2012 Ryder Cup “Miracle in Medinah” after he missed his alarm.For anyone wondering what a multi-millionaire golf star has in mind for a honeymoon, McIlroy said he was planning something in “the middle of nowhere”. 
He just called to say … pleasure to have the one and only #StevieWonder in our #Galway store this afternoon !! 😎 pic.twitter.com/2sd5Krj1rT— Compu b (@compub) April 21, 2017 Not to miss an opportunity the ladies from Ballinrobe Golf Club dropped by to follow-up on an invite for McIlroy to play their course. They did not get far on their mission and have yet to get a reply.”We sent it to his wedding planner in February but we still hope at some stage that he will take up the offer, and he would be an honorary life member,” said Breege Costello.And for anyone wondering what a multi-millionaire golf star has in mind for a honeymoon, McIlroy said he was planning something in “the middle of nowhere”. Gerry Collins, founder of the village’s The Quiet Man Museum and a film location walking tour company, wondered if the newlyweds might use the golf course to recreate the scene in the film when O’Hara was flung on to the bed, only for it to break.Mr Collins said: “That’d be a great start to a wedding and married life wouldn’t it?”He added: “This would remind you of 1951 when John Wayne stepped off the train in Cong, or Ronald Reagan in 1984.”There’s a big buzz around Cong but we don’t know anything, it’s just what we can see out the window.”McIlroy, from Holywood, Co Down, revealed in a recent interview that he was friends with 29-year-old New Yorker Ms Stoll before romance blossomed. 
Crowd of locals here at Ashford Castle to wish @McIlroyRory well on his wedding day pic.twitter.com/PHSxg5c9ak— Claire Gorman (@clairemgorman) April 22, 2017 Bride to be Aiofe Power (centre ) stops with her hen party outside Ashford Castle in Co Mayo, where Golf star Rory McIlroy and fiancee Erica Stoll married on SaturdayCredit:PA Ashford Castle in Co Mayo, where golf star Rory McIlroy is to marry Erica StollCredit:PA Wire Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings.
A device to cut fuel use by 10 to 15% while reducing the exhaust emissions of internal combustion engines will be targeted at mining and the transport industries. Hydroflex is preparing for final trials of its version one hydrogen-based fuel reduction system in South Australia ahead of a commercial launch.The systems can be fitted to any internal combustion diesel or petrol engine ranging in size from a car to a cruise ship.The company is initially focusing on large engines such as generators on mining sites, long-haul trucks, ships and diesel trains because they represent the biggest opportunities in terms of fuel savings and emission reductions.Independent testing will begin on generators for the mining industry and trucks for the transport industry in the coming weeks.The first commercial units are expected to be available for sale before the end of the year.Hydroflex, formerly known as Hydrogen Power Systems, relocated from San Diego in the US to the Tonsley Innovation Hub in the South Australian capital Adelaide in April.Chief Technology Officer and inventor Richard Connors has been working on the device for a decade.He said unlike catalytic converters and diesel particulate filters that treated emissions “after the fact”, his device used hydrogen and oxygen to increase the amount of fuel burnt in the combustion process.“We have a device that is cost effective and delivers value to the bottom line of the customer and at the same time reduces all seven types of pollution that normally come out of the back end of an exhaust pipe – we positively reduce all of them at different ratios,” Connors said.The device includes a 1.5 litre tank of water with an electrolyte in it. A small voltage of electricity is applied to the water to initiate electrolysis that creates hydrogen and oxygen vapour. The vapour is then piped through a standard rubber hose to the front of the air filter where it is combined with normal air to produce a hydrogen enhanced combustion process.“So our hydrogen and oxygen is not a fuel, it is an accelerant that is consumed in the process and thereby because it moves the flame front faster it burns more of the fuel leading to more power and less pollution,” Connors said. “To run this thing all they have to do is add 1.5 litres of ordinary tap water every 2,000 km.”Connors said previous hydrogen systems relied on pressurized gas cylinders, needed operator intervention and had safety issues requiring certification.The Hydroflex device has been vetted by government officials and does not need any special approvals before being fitted to an engine.Pricing will be dependent on the size of the engine and the level of after sales support required, but payback periods would average about 12 months for most engines.The reduction in carbon emissions could also make companies eligible for carbon credits.The device can be moved from one vehicle to another and updated as new versions are developed.Connors said each device had an expected life of at least five years. “If a part wears out you put another part in,” he said. “If it’s properly maintained it can last as long as your truck and then some.”Hydroflex Chief Operator Officer Ron Basset said payback times would also depend on vehicle usage. “A truck driving from Adelaide to Melbourne goes through $100,000 a year in diesel so even at a 10% saving that’s $10,000 a year,” he said. “What we want to do initially is work very closely with two or three companies in the mining and transport industries.”“The benefit of our system is that if something goes wrong for whatever reason, the only thing that happens is the motor continues to run normally, it just doesn’t get the extra fuel savings,” Basset said. “A lot of the other technologies out there are years away from commercialization, this is ready now and that’s the most exciting thing about this project.”Version one is for vehicles manufactured up to 2010. Version two, designed for more modern engines, is about three months away.“Then we will see version three in 18 to 24 months, which will fit in everyone’s car and we envisage that people will be able to buy it and get it installed for between $300 and $400 that’s our target,” Basset said.
Tweet thisShare on FacebookEmail this article RYANAIR HAS BEEN fined €3 million by Italy’s antitrust authority over its cabin baggage policy introduced late last year. The fine relates to the airline’s policy which allows small bags into the cabin free of charge only if they can be stowed under the seat in front of passengers.Bigger bags of up to 10 kilos require a luggage fee, or a fee-paying priority boarding pass.The Italian antitrust agency said that most passengers expected to travel with a larger carry-on bag and that by imposing an extra payment of between €5 and €25 the airline was raising ticket prices in a “non-transparent” manner.After Ryanair announced its new cabin bag policy in August, Italian regulators ordered the airline – as well as Hungary’s Wizzair – to suspend the measure, saying it misled consumers and distorted competition with carriers that transported cabin luggage for free.Wizzair was also fined by the agency, and ordered to pay €1 million. Ryanair rejected the Italian decision, saying its policy was transparent and helped flight punctuality as it speeded up boarding.It came into effect in November.With reporting from AFP 66 Comments Ryanair fined €3 million by Italian authorities over luggage policy Italy’s antitrust agency accused the airline of effectively raising ticket prices in a “non-transparent manner”. Thursday 21 Feb 2019, 6:59 PM Image: Shutterstock/InsectWorld Short URL https://jrnl.ie/4506577 Share113 Tweet Email2 Image: Shutterstock/InsectWorld By Sean Murray Feb 21st 2019, 6:59 PM 28,530 Views 
Bayer Leverkusen has been known to snap up young Brazilians and this time it got its hands on 17-year-old Paulinho.Paulo Henrique Sampaio Filho, better known as Paulinho, made his debut for the Rio de Janeiro side Vasco de Gama as a 16-year-old and has been on the radar of multiple European clubs ever since. Bayer Leverkusen is the team that was able to secure his signature, which will see him remain a part of the Bundesliga side for five years. The teenager will join his teammates in July when he’ll turn 18.According to Goal.com, there were two main reasons why the Brazilian versatile attacker chose Leverkusen. The first one was Bayer’s participation in the Champions League (berth still not locked).“I want to play in the Champions League and continue to improve myself,”
Report: Dortmund hammer four past Leverkusen George Patchias – September 14, 2019 Borussia Dortmund put four past Bayer Leverkusen.Borussia Dortmund leapfrogged Bayern Munich to claim second place in the Bundesliga. After handing out a 4-0 thrashing of…The second reason was the success Paulinho’s fellow Brazilians had after joining this particular club.“Emerson, Lucio, Jorginho, Ze Roberto and Juan were fantastic players whose global career started at Bayer. The club has a great reputation back home and everybody knows them as a club in Europe where a lot of Brazilians have been happy.“Renato Augusto cried when he left Leverkusen and with Wendell I know how much they support young foreign pros.”The youngster is currently out with a broken arm, but the winger/striker should be ready in time for next season.