Yeah we can work with that Auto talks mark potential NAFTA breakthrough
WASHINGTON – A potential breakthough to an impasse over automobiles has created a new sense of optimism in the NAFTA negotiations, with different players Tuesday declaring themselves more hopeful of a deal than they have been in some time.Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., David MacNaughton, suggested his newfound optimism was based on two developments in recent days: progress on the top U.S. priority of auto-parts rules, as well as a more general thawing of the frosty tone in earlier talks.This comes as the United States appears increasingly keen on securing a quick agreement, with an upcoming round in Washington expected to feature a final push to obtain a deal before election campaigns in Mexico and in the U.S. Congress punt the process into 2019.MacNaughton said the most recent American proposals could help the U.S. achieve its goal of safeguarding auto production there, potentially without a strict American-made content requirement in every car, an idea that has been a source of friction with Canada and Mexico.He cautioned that the autos impasse isn’t completely sorted out yet.“They came back with some ideas that if you take them to their logical conclusion would mean that you wouldn’t need that (American content) requirement,” MacNaughton told reporters after speaking at a Washington gathering of the American Association of Port Authorities.“They put some interesting ideas on the table … which were actually quite creative. To which we sort of said, ‘Yeah, we can work with that.’… Did we get to somewhere where you could shake hands and say, ‘We’ve got a deal?’ Absolutely not… Whether or not we can get there I don’t know. But I took it as being a positive thing that they had another way of getting at that issue.”His assessment came after a discreet high-level meeting.Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland did not make any public appearances last week when she was in Washington to meet U.S. trade czar Robert Lighthizer, who has said he is hoping for an agreement in principle within weeks.While cautioning that the talks can’t be bound by artificial deadlines, MacNaughton said there really is a good-faith effort to get as close to a deal as possible early next month: “We will meet seven days a week, 24 hours a day to make as much progress as we can.”There are rumours of a lengthy, two-week round planned in Washington starting in early April. In the runup, MacNaughton said the countries have not only been meeting in person, but also in phone discussions.“I must say that in the last two weeks the talks that we’ve had … have been more positive than I’ve seen them before,” MacNaughton told Tuesday’s conference.“We still have a long way to go. But certainly the environment is one which is conducive to making a lot more progress in the next short while… I’m optimistic. I am confident that we are going to move forward. … Certainly the environment is conducive to making a lot more progress in the next short while.”He cited two reasons for optimism. In addition to the autos progress, he lauded the attitude around the table recently: “I was encouraged as much by the tone as by the substance.”One autos stakeholder said he’s newly hopeful, too.“We’re optimistic. We’re hopeful about the timeline,” said Flavio Volpe of Canada’s Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, whose group was recently invited by the U.S. to offer ideas for breaking through the impasse.“Certainly I haven’t said that before.”The White House on Tuesday said little in response to a public observation from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that U.S. President Donald Trump seems to be more enthusiastic about completing a deal.“The president is always enthusiastic about making a good deal, but that would be the key caveat to any conversation, is making sure that whatever deal he makes is good for Americans, and American workers,” said his spokeswomen, Sarah Sanders.MacNaughton also shared an anecdote about the Trudeau-Trump relationship.He described the prime minister attending a meeting of U.S. state governors last summer in Rhode Island, where he also met Mike Pence and he said the vice-president told Trudeau: “‘You know, the president really does like you.’”MacNaughton joked that the relationship is already good, with common collaboration all over the world, on issues ranging from North Korea to Venezuela, but added: “If they really want to make it an even better relationship we’ll agree on NAFTA.”The Americans will get to tell their side of the story about the state of the talks. Lighthizer has two days of hearings scheduled before the U.S. Congress starting Wednesday, where he is sure to be asked about the NAFTA negotiations.
A tennis coach has been cleared of physically and verbally abusing his daughters in a bid to turn them into Wimbledon champions after a jury decided in just 90 minutes that he was “a pushy parent” and not a cruel father.John De’Viana, 54, was alleged to have taken both girls out of school to enforce gruelling all-day training regimes on them, making them practise from 5.30am until they went to bed.Monaei De’Viana, now 21, had claimed her father spat at her as she was driven back from a tennis tournament because she had not played well enough. She also told the jury about an incident when, at the age of nine or 10, her father wrote “L for loser” on her forehead in permanent marker.Nephe Viana, now 19, was compared to a “dog” and claimed she was forced to carry her kit in a bin liner for not performing in a tournament. A jury cleared him of two charges of cruelty to a person aged under 16, after just an hour-and-a-half of deliberations at Snaresbrook Crown Court.Mr De’Viana broke down in tears and threw his head in his hands as he was cleared and sobbed loudly as he left court.After the case, Mr De’Viana said in a statement through his lawyers that he would “always love” the daughters who accused him of child abuse, adding that he “hopes that one day he can speak to them about what has happened”. His solicitor, Daniel Salter, said in a statement:”This has been a difficult and upsetting time for Mr De’Viana, particularly seeing his daughters giving evidence.”As their father rather than their coach, he loves them and will always love them.”He hopes that one day he can speak to them about what has happened.” John De’Viana outside Snaresbrook Crown CourtCredit:Dominic Lipinski/PA 
Nephe De’Viana was a poster girl for the Lawn Tennis Association Nephe alleged she was taken out of sight of other players at Redbrige sports centre in Ilford to be kicked and slapped by her fuming father. 
Summing up the case, Judge Martyn Zeidman QC had told the jury to consider if his actions were “more than being a pushy parent”.Mr De’Viana had told jurors he had said goodbye to the girls after taking them for a tennis session and had not seen them since.”I was pretty tearful because I knew that I didn’t want to leave the girls,” he explained. “I called them both over and put my arms around them and said how much I love them and they were pushing themselves away from me as if it was a joke. They didn’t understand what was going on.”They later alleged he bombarded them with physical and verbal abuse over years of coaching. 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. Monaei De’Viana told the court her father John, left, wrote on her forehead and shut her in a caravan Both girls were talented and had their picture taken with Andy Murray after they were sponsored by the Lawn Tennis Association.But Mr De’Viana claimed the girls made up the claims when he separated from their mother Michelle Horne amid claims that she cheated on him.He told the court: “I didn’t give them the courtesy of an explanation when I left, they are not feeling too good towards me. I can only assume that they are pretty upset with me as a father.”He insisted he had never forced the girls to do anything they had not wanted to and would never strike or abuse them. Monaei had also claimed Mr De’Viana hit Nephe for not playing well enough.Mr De’Viana had categorically denied all allegations of swearing or violence towards the children, describing the latter as “simply impossible”.He added: “You can’t force a child to play a particular sport especially when that child is developing at a phenomenal rate and there’s many psychologists and reports from a governing body monitoring her rise though the ranks.”Mr De’Viana, of Ilford, Essex, was cleared off two counts of cruelty to a person aged under 16. Both girls gave up tennis after their parents separated. 
A DUBLIN FIREFIGHTER was forced to run out of an apartment block which was on fire on Sunday morning after his breathing apparatus set failed and he ran out of air.TheJournal.ie has learned that the breathing apparatus sets of two of the Dublin Fire Brigade members attending the incident at the building on Thomas Court in the early hours of Sunday malfunctioned, cutting off their air supplies. Five units of the Dublin Fire Brigade were sent to the blaze, rescuing three adults and five children.A spokesperson for the fire brigade hailed it as a “good save” at the time but sources have now revealed that one of the firefighters had such trouble with his equipment that he had to run out of the building from the second floor as he was “not able to get in any air from his air cylinder”.These breathing apparatus sets have been the subject of controversy before with representative group IFESA claiming in 2012 – a year after they were introduced – that they were faulty and had failed a number of times.One source with knowledge on the subject said they believe this is “endangering both firefighters and the public”.‘Like going into a fire without water’Another source told TheJournal.ie that most of the issues with the sets “seem to have been ironed out but there are still intermittent problems”.“They’re still not up to standard and they still don’t do what they’re supposed to,” they said.“The set would not be suitable for a working fire brigade,” the source said, as they are in constant use, stored on moving trucks and they are” not robust enough” for this.It’s total madness, it’s like going into a fire without water. The two things you need going into a fire is enough fresh air and whatever suppressant you’re using. Once you’re in there, whether it be an apartment block or a warehouse, if you haven’t got air and you have to pull the mask off, you’re dealing with hot fumes and gases – you’d be destroyed for life, that’s it.A spokesperson for Dublin Fire Brigade said the matter is currently being investigated and declined to comment further.Read: Three adults and five children rescued from fire at Thomas Court in Dublin>Read: Firefighters raise concerns after breathing equipment ‘collapses’>
Image: Shutterstock/Shebeko By Órla Ryan Comments are closed due to ongoing legal proceedings in one or more of the above cases. 10,295 Views The 9 at 9: St Patrick’s Day Here’s all the news you need to know this morning. EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you all the news you need to know as you start the day.1. #NEW ZEALAND: A man whose wife was killed in the Christchurch terror attack as she rushed back into a mosque to rescue him said he forgives the gunman, as the death toll from the mass shooting rises to 50.2. #GARDAÍ: At least 10 complaints, including allegations of physically threatening behaviour, have been made against a senior garda officer in the past four years, TheJournal.ie has learned.3. #ASYLUM SEEKERS: Concerns have been raised about the location of some Direct Provision centres, with asylum seekers at one planned centre in Donegal possibly having to cross the border into Northern Ireland, a criminal offence, to get to Dublin.4. #ST PATRICK’S WEEK: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar completed the final leg of his US trip with by walking in the Chicago parade alongside Conor McGregor.5. #BREXIT: Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, British Prime Minister Theresa May has said if MPs don’t back her Brexit deal, set to be voted on for the third time next week, Britain “will not leave the EU for many months, if ever“.6. #INJECNTION CENTRES: A plan to open a medically supervised injecting facility in Dublin city has been met with fierce local opposition.7. #ANGLO: Anglo Irish Bank used unauthorised “cut and paste” signatures on a €1 billion loan facility, the family of former billionaire Sean Quinn has claimed in court, the Sunday Business Post reports. The Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC), formerly Anglo, denies the allegations.8. #NURSES’ STRIKE: Dying cancer patients, students and Fine Gael voters were among those who wrote to Leo Varadkar to express support for nurses during last month’s strike, correspondence sent to the Taoiseach’s office and seen by TheJournal.ie shows.9. #ST PATRICK’S DAY: There are St Patrick’s Day parades happening all over the country, and the world, today. If you’re going to the parade in Dublin, here’s everything you need to know.On the go? You can now listen to the 9 at 9 as an audio bulletin from TheJournal.ie, supported by Volkswagen. Get started by hitting the button below. https://jrnl.ie/4547366 Sunday 17 Mar 2019, 8:43 AM Mar 17th 2019, 8:43 AM No Comments Image: Shutterstock/Shebeko Share1 Tweet Email1 Get the 9 at 9 News audio Short URL Tweet thisShare on FacebookEmail this article
Live Podcast: Reviewing and discussing WWE Clash of Champions from Charlotte Twitter Wrestleview Live #65: Reviewing and discussing WWE Clash of Champions from Charlotte Pinterest Sonya Deville Now Playing Up Next WhatsApp Videos Articles Videos Articles Braun Strowman Eddie Hearn WWE Confirms The Shield And Ronda Rousey At Super Show-Down Lacey Evans Shows Up In Stellar Outfit To Make Monday Night RAW Debut Adam Martin RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR The following was taped on Wednesday night at Full Sail University.4/19 WWE NXT TV taping results:Dark Match: Jeet Rama w/ The Bollywood Boyz def. a local talent.* Hideo Itami def. Kona Reeves.* Killian Dain def. Danny Burch.* Heavy Machinery def. two local talents.* Sonya Deville (aka Daria Berenato) def. Lacey Evans (aka Macey Estrella).* Aleister Black def. Cezar Bononi.* Hideo Itami def. Roderick Strong in a No. 1 Contenders match for the NXT Championship. Itami will now challenge Bobby Roode at NXT TakeOver: Chicago for the NXT Championship.* Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford def. HoHo Lun and Dylan Miley.* Drew McIntyre def. Sean Maluta.* Kassius Ohno def. Andrade “Cien” Almas. During the match, Thea Trinidad was at ringside sitting front row watching Almas.* #DIY def. Riddick Moss and Tino Sabbatelli.* NXT Champion Bobby Roode cut a promo running down both Shinsuke Nakamura and Hideo Itami. Itami comes to the ring, brawls with Roode and then ends the segment giving him a GTS.* A Battle Royal to determine a new No. 1 Contender for the NXT Women’s Championship ended in a no contest. Ember Moon, Ruby Riot and Nikki Cross were the remaining three. William Regal then rules Asuka will defend her title in a fatal four way at NXT TakeOver: Chicago against Moon, Riot and Cross.* Dark Match: Sanity vs. NXT Tag Team Champions The Authors of Pain went to a no contest. Security broke up the teams.Source: The Wrestling Observer/Figure Four OnlinePhotos below courtesy of @JJWilliamsWON.#NXTFSLive Spoilers Photo Album! Please credit me if using anywhere, thank you. #NXTFullSail https://t.co/oG5gYgPwu7 pic.twitter.com/AUkBaUE0PV— JJ Williams (@JJWilliamsWON) April 20, 2017 Now Playing Up Next Now Playing Up Next WWE Clash of Champions Results – 9/15/19 (Rollins vs. Strowman, Kingston vs. Orton) Videos Articles WWE SmackDown Results Are In For 2019 Facebook Recommended videosPowered by AnyClipWWE SmackDown Results Are In For 2019Video Player is loading.Play VideoPauseUnmuteDuration 0:30/Current Time 0:02Loaded: 100.00%0:03Remaining Time -0:28 FullscreenUp NextThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.Replay the list Now Playing Up Next Google+ Now Playing Up Next WWE Announces Rey Mysterio Match For SmackDown 1000 Rumored Plans For Rey Mysterio Upon WWE Return
Hurricane Jose Not A Threat to The Bahamas, For Now Facebook Twitter Google+LinkedInPinterestWhatsAppWith financial experts searching for ways to recover from last week’s stunning further downgrading of The Bahamas’ credit rating, a leading real estate broker today said one answer is right in front of our faces and up and down every block.According to Mario Carey, incentives to encourage a flurry of activity in the housing market, both new construction and sales of existing homes, will spur economic growth in a way that no other quick fix with long-term benefits can.“The housing market in Western societies is a leading predictor of economic health,” said Carey, founder and president of MCR, one of the country’s top property sales, leasing and management firms.“Strong sales mean a strong and healthy economy and when sales fall off, it’s just a matter of time until you see a slide in all aspects of an economy.”More than just an economic barometer, housing sales translate into jobs, he said.“Every home that is sold generates three full-time jobs, according to research commissioned by the National Association of Realtors in the U.S.,” said Carey. “Here that number would be even greater. In both places, the spin-offs from home ownership are enormous and create sustainable business activity. It is not just the fees generated by the move itself but the ongoing expenses the homeowner assumes – lawn and gardening services, painting, perhaps pool or roofing or plumbing, electrical, air-conditioning, furniture, décor, appliances. There are also the benefits to government from Stamp Tax. On a luxury property sale of $10 million, for example, government immediately collects $1 million in Stamp Tax. Incentives move people at every income level. If the Stamp Tax is reduced to 6% for a specified time, the buyer considering a purchase may be prompted to complete and save a substantial sum when they split the tax with the seller.”The highly successful broker who has handled more than one billion dollars in transactions in a career that spans three decades pointed to past successes when incentives were offered.“When the government offered Stamp Tax exemptions for first time home buyers, we saw a tremendous response,” Carey said. “Then when the first $250,000 of a purchase was exempted from real property tax and Stamp Tax, it was another incentive and when the interest on outstanding balances of real property tax forgiveness was announced, that drove hundreds to bring their past due tax bills up to date. Incentives work and there has never been a better or more important time to introduce them to spur the housing market which in turn will show diversification of the economy leading to a strengthening of our credit rating.”Carey has long argued that real estate should be recognized as the third pillar of the Bahamian economy, tying activity in the market to new construction, remodels, expansion and more. “If anyone doubts how critical home ownership is to a healthy economy, look at what happens when sales slump,” says Carey. “When the housing market collapsed in 2008, it took the rest of the economy down with it and we are still feeling the repercussions, though I believe the economy is beginning its slow climb back up for the middle to upper middle class family who was so hard hit by the economic freefall.“I encourage the government to appoint an ad hoc advisory committee comprised of real estate professionals, developers, financial institutions, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and a few successful businesspersons to report back in a relatively short period of time with recommendations for jumpstarting housing sales across the board,” said Carey. “I want to see the day when every Bahamian youngster coming out of school believes that he or she will own a home and that can be their reality. Home ownership is the single fastest route to economic prosperity. And it is one step we can take without damaging the environment or causing long-term negative impacts. It is time to explore the options.” Bahamian music legend gunned down at home in Turks and Caicos Recommended for you Bi-lateral talks with Bahamas to resume, UK gives green light to high-level TCI delegation Facebook Twitter Google+LinkedInPinterestWhatsApp Related Items:bahamas, bahamas real estate, mario carey, mcr
The UEFA president criticized the notion that the Spain-Portugal-Morocco bid will not be supported by the federationSpain, Portugal, and Morocco are studying the idea of bidding for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.This would be the first Europe/Africa tournament, as the old Mediterranean Games.But for UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, this is not a good idea.
England and Bulgaria on a collision course over racism George Patchias – September 13, 2019 England’s concerns over racism in Bulgaria has sparked a furious row.Recently England manager Gareth Southgate expressed his concern over racist abuse being aimed at…“I’m not in favor of cross-confederation bids, to be honest,” he told The Balls.“Someone should say to the politicians it’s not up to them to speak about who will be hosts for sports events or not.”“I’ve seen many politicians saying that they will be candidates for this or that but they need to speak to their member associations. Some of them don’t even know about the public statements of the politicians,” he added.Ceferin promised to “do whatever I can to have one European bid because that raises the chances of Europe hosting the World Cup extremely.”
A kitchen fire late Monday displaced a mother and her daughter from their apartment in Vancouver’s Sifton neighborhood.About 20 Vancouver firefighters were dispatched just after 8 p.m. to the fire at the Prairie View Apartments, 12611 N.E. 99th St.The fire was contained in less than 20 minutes, said Capt. Scott Willis, a battalion chief with the Vancouver Fire Department.No one was injured, he said.The fire reportedly started when the daughter and her friend were heating oil on the stove. Their backs were turned when the oil reached its flash point and caused flames to leap from the pan, Willis said. They tossed flour to try to quell the flames, but the fire continued to spread, he said. They then evacuated with the mother. A neighbor who heard reports of the fire went to the apartment and threw a wet blanket or towel on the fire to try to slow it down, Willis said.The fire was contained to that unit and caused no structural damage. There was about $15,000 in cosmetic and smoke damage to the apartment, Willis said.The mother and daughter were able to stay with family or friends, he said. They also were offered assistance from the Red Cross, he said.
[Representational image]Creative CommonsIt was around a few months back that Iain McDonald, a top scientist at the Cardiff University’s school of earth and ocean sciences claimed that the earth will be hit by a doomsday asteroid one day or the other. After making this prediction, McDonald claimed that catastrophic events like asteroid hits are not confined to the past, but will happen in the future too.As per NASA, more than 900 asteroids with a diameter of minimum one kilometer are orbiting the earth around the sun. In this long list, experts consider Apophis asteroid as the most dangerous rogue body that could hit the earth. Since its detection in 2004, space experts at NASA have been observing the celestial body, and as per latest updates, this deadly space rock could zip past or hit the earth on April 13, 2036.If April 13, 2036, goes uneventful, asteroid Apophis will return back for another close encounter in 2068. NASA reveals that the chances of Apophis hitting the earth on April 13, 2036, is 1 in 45,000, while the possibility of an impact in 2068 is 1 in 1,50,000.If such an impact happens, the area of impact and thousands of kilometers around the site will face huge devastation. Popular physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson had previously revealed that Apophis asteroid hit is capable of triggering a gigantic tsunami on the US coast. Tyson made these remarks during a public lecture with Ryan Watt in San Francisco in 2008.”In the era of observing the cosmos with technology, this will be the closest biggest thing we will ever see. If it goes through the center, it will plunge down into the Pacific Ocean to a depth of three miles, at which point it explodes, caveating the Pacific in a hole that’s three miles wide. That will send a tsunami wave outwards from that location that is 50 feet high,” he said.”Oceans don’t like having holes in them, so this three-mile-high wall does what? It collapses. It falls back into the hole sloshing against itself with such ferocity that it rises high into the atmosphere and falls back down to the ocean, caveating it again,” said Neil deGrasse Tyson, Express.co.uk reports.In the meantime, NASA is busy developing their planetary defense weapon to protect the earth from rogue space bodies like asteroids and meteorites. Using this weapon, NASA is aiming to deflect the trajectories of space bodies that are approaching the earth for a possible collision.
Kolkata: Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sovan Chatterjee resigned from the post of Kolkata mayor on Thursday as directed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Chatterjee sent his resignation letter through a messenger to Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) chairperson Mala Roy. Roy, accepting the resignation letter, held a high-level meeting at her office Thursday. “Received Mr Sovan Chatterjee’s resignation from the post of mayor through his messenger. I have accepted it. The other formalities will be followed as per rules, after a Trinamool Congress councillors meeting convened by the party supremo Mamata Banerjee is held this evening.” Also Read – Rain batters Kolkata, cripples normal life Chatterjee, who was holding two important portfolios of the housing and fire service department, had resigned from the cabinet on Tuesday. Accepting his resignation letter, Banerjee had asked him to also quit the post of mayor. The resignation letter had been forwarded to Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, the chief minister had stated. KMC Commissioner Khalil Ahmed was asked to look after the operations of the civic body till the new mayor was appointed. Earlier this year, Banerjee had removed Chatterjee from the post of the Environment minister. The distance between Banerjee and Chatterjee, who was once considered a trusted aide of the chief minister, started growing after reports of problems in his conjugal life surfaced.
“Every artist dips his brush into his own soul, and paints his nature into his picture, “said Henry Ward Beecher.Featuring a fabulous collection of artworks, one of the most awaited event in the art fraternity in India, the second National Art Icons Exhibition was recently held at the AIFACS Gallery, Rafi Marg. The exhibition was formally inaugurated by Paramjeet Singh, Chairman, All India Fine Arts and Craft Society.Speaking at the award presentation ceremony at India International Centre, Hriday Nath Singh, Rashtriya Sangathan Mantri, BJP and Dr Udit Raj, Member of Parliament, complimented Hammerartag.com for holding the second National Art Icons Exhibition and Competition for the promotion of lesser known artists. Hriday Nath Singh emphasised on the need to promote regional art globally as India is being recognised as a ‘soft power’, all such efforts are substantial for understanding cultural values of the country. Also Read – Add new books to your shelfOn the other hand, Dr Udit Raj noted the imperativeness of art and culture for the sake of human understanding, for strengthening the national unity and for attaining peace at a global level. The award presentation ceremony was attended by the distinguished guests including, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Mayor (South Delhi) and Mukesh Kumar Tanwar, Mahamantri, Delhi, BJP. Others to witness the occasion were Gayatri Vashistha, Managing Director Hammerartag.com, Dr Sangeeta Tyagi, President Nari Shakti Foundation, artists and media persons. Also Read – Over 2 hours screen time daily will make your kids impulsiveArtists participating from all across the country were felicitated by the eminent jury. Bishwaranjan Bhunia won the Gold medal for his outstanding work titled, “Hare Rama Hare Krishna”, Bijoy Dutta secured a silver medal for his unique work namely “Durga”, while the bronze medal was presented for “Raag Shankar” to Gauranga Bariki. Also, the “Hammerartag.com Special Award for Freedom of Expression” was announced for Sunita Dinda’s “Kite – 2”. The consolation prizes were bagged by Santanu Dinda for “Let her Free”, Neelima Sharma for “Rhythm of Dance”, Apet Pramod for “Festival”, Kashish Batra for “Scheming Saadhu”, Shahed Pasha for “King Using Laptop” and Harsha mandurkar for “Jai Jagdish Hare”.As told by Gayatri Vashistha, MD, Hammerartag.com, “The event is an effort to promote peace in this stressful world thereby encouraging upcoming talent. Making the event truly national, the participant from nearly every state and union territory brought forth the real colours of the place they belong to.””Around forty icon artists were selected for display after meaningful interaction with over six thousand artists through National Art Icons Competition which comprises of competition, awards, souvenir and auction,” she added. The third edition of the National Art Icons competition will be held with enhanced number of the icon artists. The event will be organised with Hammerartagt.com in association with the exhibition showcase from January 12 to 15, 2018 in Mumbai.
Top Stories Quick workouts for men (AP) – Key details of cease-fire agreement reached Wednesday between Israel and Hamas to end fighting:_ Israel agrees to stop hostilities in Gaza, including targeted killings._ Palestinians agree to stop rocket fire into Israel and attacks along the border with Gaza._ Ease the movement of people and goods through Gaza border crossings 24 hours after truce takes hold._ Egypt will act as sponsor of agreement. Bottoms up! Enjoy a cold one for International Beer Day Parents, stop beating yourself up Mary Coyle ice cream to reopen in central Phoenix Construction begins on Chandler hospital expansion project
Former Arizona Rep. Don Shooter shows health improvement (Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) Sponsored Stories Comments Share Four benefits of having a wireless security system
Patients with chronic pain give advice Sponsored Stories Top Stories 5 treatments for adult scoliosis Milstead says best way to stop wrong-way incidents is driving sober The North Carolina law would have required abortion providers to display and describe the ultrasound even if the woman refused to look and listen — a mandate that the court found particularly troublesome. The law did not include any exception for cases of rape, incest or severe fetal anomalies.“North Carolinians should take comfort in knowing that this intrusive and unconstitutional law, which placed the ideological agenda of politicians above a doctor’s ability to provide a patient with the specific care she needs, will never go into effect,” said Sarah Preston of the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, one of several groups that opposed the law in court. “We’re very glad the courts have recognized that politicians have no business interfering in personal medical decisions that should be left to a woman and her doctor.”North Carolina is among 23 states, mostly in the South and the Midwest, which passed laws dealing with the administration of ultrasounds by abortion providers, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research institute that supports abortion-rights.Justice Antonin Scalia voted to hear the appeal.The court took no action in a separate abortion case from Mississippi. The state is appealing a lower court ruling that effectively allowed Mississippi’s lone abortion clinic to remain open and blocked a state law that would have required the clinic’s doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. Here’s how to repair and patch damaged drywall WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from North Carolina to revive a requirement that abortion providers show and describe an ultrasound to a pregnant woman before she has an abortion.The justices left in place an appeals court decision that said the 2011 North Carolina law was “ideological in intent” and violated doctors’ free-speech rights. The measure was championed by conservative Republicans in the state legislature, who overrode a veto from the then-Democratic governor to approve the law. Men’s health affects baby’s health too A second appeals court ruling involving a Texas law imposing restrictions on abortion providers also is expected to make its way to the Supreme Court soon. In Texas, the appeals court upheld the admitting privileges requirement and other provisions that could force 11 clinics to close by July 1, lawyers for the clinics said in court papers.The North Carolina case is Walker-McGill v. Stuart, 14-1172.Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. New Valley school lets students pick career-path academies Ex-FBI agent details raid on Phoenix body donation facility Comments Share 
Mentors and mentees of the Travel Industry Mentor Experience (TIME) joined other industry professionals on Wednesday night at the Harbourview Hotel North Sydney to learn more about the professional development programme and to hear first hand from its members how the initiative was faring one year after its launch. Addressing the 70 attendees of the event was keynote speaker and former United Airlines Australia general manager Anne Keating, who after 23 years in the travel industry advised mentees not to “just take the lineal path”. “You have to be prepared to do things a little differently.”“And you have to stand for something” Ms Keating said, emphasising the importance of philanthropic pursuits. Unveiled at the event was the new “Gift of TIME” incentive, a voucher rewarding loyal employees and suppliers with six months of professional personal mentoring available to employers for AU$1,500.The Travel Authority Group general manager and programme mentor Uschi Howard told e-Travel Blackboard the initiative was about delivering relevant advice to aspiring industry leaders.“You [mentees] don’t have to take everything on board,” Ms Howard said.WorldStrides Australia sales executive and mentee Angelya Vassiliadis–Balaguer told e-Travel Blackboard the programme so far had been “fantastic”, calling her mentor – Ms Howard – her “professional psychologist”.Guest speaker Anne KeatingSimon, Shannon (American Express Business Travel)Vanessa (Sabre), Cherie (CTM)Angelya (WorldStrides), Yonas (CTM), Jake (Pan Australian Travel)Rowena (Top Deck Travel), Jan (Jan Knox Consulting), Julie (Creative Holidays)Gary (The Travel Wherehouse), Robyn (Travelscene AMEX), Peter (The Travel Authority) Uschi (The Travel Authority), Angelya (WorldStrides) ::It’s about TIME:: Source = e-Travel Blackboard: M.H
Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, Information Minister, State Minister for Youth Affairs and the Supreme Tourism Committee Chairman has called for establishing a tourism authority in order to manage the sector’s diverse activities including cultural and entertainment programs.During a meeting of the commission, the Minister affirmed keenness on overhauling the sector with the intent of making it one of the national income sources, as part of the state revenues’ diversifying policy.This sector has been envisioned as one of the Kuwaiti economy foundations, considering its high proceeds and political, economic and social benefits, Minister Sheikh Salman said, noting the private sector should be included in such a process; backed by the government with the necessary legislations.The supreme commission, which groups talented citizens, is capable of activating such a strategy for the Kuwaiti tourism, he said, noting the need for in-depth studies, upgrading the infrastructure, diversifying the programs and allocating more lands for new projects. He also called for training national cadres, particularly the young nationals, in the process to develop the field.Expansion of Kuwait International Airport to reach an accommodation capacity of 25 million passengers per year, warrants expansion of the services and tourism projects, “which in turn should lure many young Kuwaitis thus creating new work opportunities for them,” the Minister said. The meeting was held following the shift of the tourism portfolio from the Ministry of Commerce to the Information Ministry.
Agents & Brokers Attorneys & Title Companies Existing-Home Sales Home Sales Investors Lenders & Servicers National Association of Realtors Service Providers 2012-05-30 Mark Lieberman in Data, Government, Origination, Secondary Market, Servicing Share Pending Home Sales Index Slips Badly in April
The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) gave back its entire March increase in April, falling to 95.5 from 101.1 one month earlier, the “”National Association of Realtors””:http://www.realtor.org/ reported Wednesday. The March index was revised downward from the originally reported 101.4 adding to the gloomy report.[IMAGE]Economists had expected the Index to increase 0.5 percent from March.Even with the decline though, the index is up 14.4 percent since April 2011, but is now at its lowest level since December, dampening expectations at the onset of the home-buying season.Pending home sales are counted when sales contracts are signed, and are viewed as a leading indicator of existing home sales; recent reports suggest that home re-sales should be a bit stronger over the next couple of months but at a level that is still fairly subdued. April pending sales would be included in the home sales report for June. The PHSI in February ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô which translated into reported [COLUMN_BREAK]sales (closings) in April ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô had been 97.4, up, 0.4 percent from 97.0 in January. April existing home sales, as reported, were up 3.4 percent from March.In percentage terms, the month-month PHSI decline was the steepest since April 2011 when the index dropped 7.7 percent month-month.The decline was the first in four months and was widespread. The index fell in three of the four census regions, improving only in the Northeast, and there by a modest 0.9 percent. The index plunged 12.0 percent in the West to 94.9, its lowest level since March 2011.The PHSI has been drifting upward, albeit modestly for most of the past two years. The April drop coming at the beginning of the traditional home buying season is a disappointing signal tempered further by the reality that a substantial number of sales contracts are failing to meet underwriting tests and/or other loan standards. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist offered a positive spin on the disappointing report saying a one-month setback in light of many months of gains does not change the fundamentally improving housing market conditions. “”Home contract activity has been above year-ago levels now for 12 consecutive months. The housing recovery momentum continues,”” he said.The index is based on a large national sample, representing about 20 percent of transactions for existing-home sales. An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, which was the first year to be examined as well as the first of five consecutive record years for existing-home sales; it coincides with a level that is historically healthy. May 30, 2012 423 Views 
Top Stories Derrick Hall satisfied with D-backs’ buying and selling 26 Comments Share The 5: Takeaways from the Coyotes’ introduction of Alex Meruelo Arizona Cardinals kicker Phil Dawson (4) walks away after missing a field goal as Seattle Seahawks defensive back Neiko Thorpe (23) and Arizona Cardinals punter Andy Lee (2) watch during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018, in Glendale, Ariz. The Seahawks won 20-17. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Phil Dawson, the Cardinals’ 43-year-old kicker, went 1-for-3 on his attempts Sunday, but his two misses couldn’t be overcome by his team.With just under two minutes to go — and following some really conservative play calling by the Cardinals offense — Dawson left a go-ahead 45-yard attempt wide right, giving the Seahawks an opportunity Janikowski cashed in on.“It was a terrible kick, no excuses,” Dawson said. I didn’t do my job well today. Just a good, old-fashioned miss.”Dawson, who due to the ineptitude of the Cardinals’ offense early this season, didn’t attempt a point-scoring kick in the team’s first two games. He kicked two extra points in a Week 3 loss to the Bears, and didn’t get a shot at a field goal attempt until the second quarter Sunday, when he connected on a 23-yard attempt to put Arizona on the board.His highlights would end there.After the Cardinals held Seattle on a 4th down at the Arizona 44-yard-line with just 30 seconds to go in the first half, Josh Rosen navigated the offense to the Seattle 32 with two ticks remaining on the clock. A make would have tied the score and given the Cardinals a little momentum heading into the locker room. He missed, wide right.
Former Cardinals kicker Phil Dawson retires “Missed them both wide right,” Dawson said after the game. Related LinksThe Cardinals are 0-4 yet the biggest takeaway is cause for celebrationRosen’s performance provides rare bright spot for CardinalsRapid Reaction: Cardinals can’t close the deal against the SeahawksCardinals open up playbook but go conservative late in loss to SeahawksCardinals drops, Earl Thomas’ errant finger stand out vs. SeahawksRosen looks strong in 4th quarter but Cardinals fall on last second field goalThe veteran struggled early in 2017, his first year in Arizona. He missed an attempt in each of the Cardinals’ first three games, during which they went 1-2. He seemingly righted the ship in the second half of the year, hitting 20-of-22 field goal attempts, including a 57-yarder in the closing seconds in an upset win over Jacksonville.That’s a distant memory now. Even after the miss from 50 in the second quarter, head coach Steve Wilks went conservative in the fourth quarter, figuring Dawson would give his team the lead.“We know exactly where he is throughout the week,” Wilks said about his kicker’s range. “They warm up pregame so we’re right there, exactly where we felt he was very comfortable and didn’t execute.“We had two costly ones right there and that was the difference today.” – / 28 GLENDALE, Ariz. — Two of the most accomplished kickers in the history of the National Football League were on opposing sidelines Sunday at State Farm Stadium, and it’s fair to say they had their fingerprints (footprints?) all over the Seahawks’ 20-17 win over the Arizona Cardinals.Sebastian Janikowski, Seattle’s 40-year-old kicker, bounced back from two misses to hit a game-winning 52-yard field goal as time expired. Grace expects Greinke trade to have emotional impact