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UN envoy calls for a 'unified mechanism' to lead reconstruction of Libya's flood-wrecked city
UN envoy calls for a 'unified mechanism' to lead reconstruction of Libya's flood-wrecked city
The United Nations’ top official in divided Libya has called for a unified mechanism to lead the reconstruction a coastal city that was wrecked by devastating floods last month
2023-10-03 05:01
Why did Kim Zolciak call the cops on Kroy Biermann? 'RHOA' alums got into nasty disagreement leading to police intervention
Why did Kim Zolciak call the cops on Kroy Biermann? 'RHOA' alums got into nasty disagreement leading to police intervention
'RHOA' alum Kim Zolciak said that she was unable to enter her bedroom to get to her personal items and medicine
2023-10-05 09:41
Hockey Twitter is pissed at Elon Musk for access limits during NHL free agency frenzy
Hockey Twitter is pissed at Elon Musk for access limits during NHL free agency frenzy
NHL teams, media, and fans are frustrated with Elon Musk for setting access limits on Twitter the day that 2023 free agency officially began.When the clock struck noon ET on July 1, the NHL free agency frenzy began. Prior to free agency opening, teams were allowed to speak with their own players...
2023-07-02 23:45
West Indies post 149-6 in 1st T20 against India
West Indies post 149-6 in 1st T20 against India
Captain Rovman Powell top-scored with 48 as the West Indies made 149-6 after winning the toss and batting in the first T20 against India on...
2023-08-04 00:29
Who are the threats to the Lionesses at the Women’s World Cup?
Who are the threats to the Lionesses at the Women’s World Cup?
After bringing football home, England head ‘Down Under’ looking to add the Women’s World Cup to last summer’s Euros glory. The Lionesses won their first major prize with their game-changing victory on home soil but Sarina Wiegman’s side are focused on a new goal as they head to Australia as one of the favourites for the tournament. England will face a completely different challenge to what they experienced at the Euros. Not only are they away from home and on the other side of the world, but Wiegman’s team has gone through significant change in the last 12 months, much of it enforced. Injuries have been the hot topic ahead of the World Cup with Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby all ruled out, but those who remain have the experience of winning a major tournament and that should still give England confidence ahead of what is still a wide-open World Cup. Some key questions remain, however, particularly when it comes to depth. England look strong in some areas but appear to be lacking in others, particularly in defence with Williamson a key absentee. There is real talent among the wide forwards and significant competition for the starting striker role, but it does also give the sense that Wiegman is yet to land upon her starting eleven for the World Cup. That was crucial at the Euros, where Wiegman named the same starting line-up for England’s six matches. Denmark, China and Haiti complete Group D and will look to cause an upset, with some serious threats looming ahead of the knockout stages. Although the Lionesses backed up their Euros win with a win against the United States in September and victory in the inaugural women’s Finalissima against Brazil, Australia ended England’s 30-game unbeaten run in April and could be their opponents in the last-16. England Group fixtures (all times BST) Saturday 22 July 2023: England vs Haiti (10:30, Brisbane Stadium) Friday 28 July 2023: England vs Denmark (09:30, Sydney Football Stadium) Tuesday 1 August: China vs England (12:00, Adelaide) Confirmed squad Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Hannah Hampton (Aston Villa), Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City) Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Esme Morgan (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal) Midfielders: Laura Coombs (Manchester City), Jordan Nobbs (Aston Villa), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Katie Zelem (Manchester United) Forwards: Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Bethany England (Tottenham Hotspur), Lauren Hemp, (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Katie Robinson (Brighton & Hove Albion), Alessia Russo (Manchester United) Key player Keira Walsh was the player of the match in the Euros final and remains England’s most important player with her ability to set the team’s pace and tempo in midfield. Walsh moved to Barcelona last summer for what was said to be a world-record fee and after winning the Champions League on her first season at the club, the 26-year-old has returned to the Lionesses to set higher standards. The coach The best tournament manager in the world? After winning the Euros in 2017 and reaching the World Cup final in 2019 with her native Netherlands, and then winning the Euros again with England in 2022, Sarina Wiegman has every right to make that claim. The World Cup in 2023 could be her greatest challenge but Wiegman, with her supreme communication, tactical observation, and player management skills, can rise to it. What are their chances? The Lionesses were declared favourites for the World Cup after winning the Euros and beating the world champions United States in September. There is less overt optimism now, due to England’s injuries and the quality of the other main contenders, but the Lionesses still remain of the strongest teams at the tournament and have been building towards this moment where they can arrive at a World Cup and act like one of the favourites. Now it’s about delivering under the pressure and amid the adversity. Denmark Group fixtures (all times BST) Saturday 22 July: Denmark vs China (13:00, Perth Rectangular Stadium) Friday 28 July: England vs Denmark (09:30, Sydney Football Stadium) Tuesday 1 August: Haiti vs Denmark (12:00, Perth Rectangular Stadium) Confirmed squad Goalkeepers: Lene Christensen (Rosenborg), Katherin Larsen (Brøndby IF), Maja Bay Østergaard (FC Thy-Thisted Q) Defenders: Simone Boye (Hammarby IF), Stine Ballisager (Vålerenga), Rikke Sevecke (Everton), Luna Gevitz (Montpellier), Sofie Svava (Real Madrid), Katrine Veje (Everton) Midfielders: Frederikke Thøgersen (Inter Milan), Karen Holmgaard (Everton), Sofie Junge Pedersen (Juventus), Josefine Hasbo (Harvard Crimson), Sanne Troelsgaard (Reading), Kathrine Møller Kühl (Arsenal), Emma Snerle (West Ham) Forwards: Signe Bruun (Lyon), Nicoline Sørensen (Everton), Amalie Vangsgaard (PSG), Pernille Harder (Bayern Munich), Janni Thomsen (Vålerenga), Rikke Madsen (North Carolina Courage), Mille Gejl (North Carolina Courage) Star player Pernille Harder is one of the top players in the world and will be a familiar face to England fans after three successful seasons spent in the Women’s Super League with Chelsea, who she joined for a world-record fee in 2020. The skillful and tireless attacker leads the line for Denmark, who cannot afford to leave her isolated. One of the game’s most decorated players, Harder will be making her World Cup debut. The coach Lars Søndergaard will say goodbye to Denmark after the World Cup after seven years in charge but the team have had their confidence boosted by recent wins against Norway, Japan and Sweden. Søndergaard, who asks his side to sit deep before breaking on the counter-attack, preferes to field a 3-4-3 formation that can switch to 4-3-3 during sustained attacks. What are their chances? Denmark will be making their first appearance at a Women’s World Cup since 2007 and will be desperate to make up for lost time. They will hope to test England and challenge for a place in the last-16. China Group fixtures (all times BST) Saturday 22 July: Denmark vs China (13:00, Perth Rectangular Stadium) Friday 28 July 2023: China vs Haiti (12:00, Adelaide) Tuesday 1 August: China vs England (12:30, Adelaide) Confirmed squad Goalkeepers: Zhu Yu (Shanghai RCB), Xu Huan (Jiangsu Wuxi), Pan Hongyan (Beijing) Defenders: Wu Haiyan (Wuhan Jianghan University), Yao Wei (Wuhan Jianghan University), Wang Linlin (Shanghai RCB), Gao Chen (CCDZZY W.F.C), Chen Qiaozhu (Guangdong), Li Mengwen (Jiangsu Wuxi), Dou Jiaxing (Jiangsu Wuxi) Midfielders: Zhang Rui (Wuhan Jianghan University), Yao Lingwei (Wuhan Jianghan University), Gu Yasha (Wuhan Jianghan University), Zhang Xin (Shanghai RCB), Yang Lina (Levante UD), Wu Chengshu (Canberra United), Zhang Linyan (Wuhan Jianghan University), Shen Mengyu (Celtic F.C.) Forwards: Wang Shanshan (Wuhan Jianghan University), Wang Shuang (Racing Louisville FC), Tang Jiali (Shanghai RCB), Xiao Yuyi (Shanghai RCB), Lou Jiahui (Wuhan Jianghan University) Key player China’s captain Wang Shanshan is a wonder: a veteran striker with a tendency to score crucial goals, the 33-year-old can also help out defensively by playing at centre-back for the team. The coach Shui Qingxia took charge after the 2021 Olympics and led China to victory in the 2022 Asian Cup, where they beat Korea Republic in the final and Japan in the semis. A former midfielder who won five Asian Cups and the Olympic silver medal as a player, Qingxia is China’s first female coach and has brought glory back to the team as manager. What are their chances? Qingxia admitted that their European opponents in Group D are ahead of China, but their Asian Cup win should give them confidence. China reached the World Cup final in 1999 during the team’s golden era, where they lost to the United States. Haiti Group fixtures (all times BST) Saturday 22 July 2023: England vs Haiti (10:30, Brisbane Stadium) Friday 28 July 2023: China vs Haiti (12:00, Adelaide) Tuesday 1 August: Haiti vs Denmark (12:00, Perth Rectangular Stadium) Confirmed squad Goalkeepers: Nahomie Ambroise (Little Haiti), Lara-Sofia Larco (Georgetown University), Kerly Theus (Miami City). Defenders: Tabita Joseph (Stade Brestois 29), Kethna Louis (Montpellier), Ruthny Mathurin (Mississippi State), Betina Petit-Frere (Stade Brestois 29), Milan Raquel Pierre-Jerome (Georges Mason University), Chelsea Surpris (Grenoble), Jennyfer Limage (Grenoble), Maudeline Moryl (Grenoble) Joseph Esthericove (Exafoot) Midfielders: Melchie Dumornay (Lyon), Danielle Etienne (Fordham Rams), Noa Olivia Ganthier (Weston), Sherly Jeudy (Grenoble), Dayana Pierre-Louis (GPSO Issy) Forwards: Roselord Borgella (Dijon), Roseline Eloissaint (Nantes), Florsie Darlina Joseph (Grenoble), Shwendesky Macelus Joseph (Zenit St Petersburg), Batcheba Louis (FC Fleury), Nerilia Mondesir (Montpellier) Key player There is considerable excitement around the 19-year-old Melchie Dumornay, who has signed a pre-contract with European powerhouse Lyon ahead of the new season. The midfielder scored twice as Haiti beat Chile in the inter-continental play-offs to qualify for the World Cup and is regarded as one of the best young players in the world. “You can’t compare Melchie with any other player, she’s special,” team-mate Jennyfer Limage told Fifa. The coach Frenchman Nicolas Delepine helped spark scenes of national celebration when Haiti qualified for their first ever World Cup by beating Chile in the play-off final. With the majority of the Haiti team already playing France, Delepine took the job from French club Grenoble Foot 38 and wants his team to play quick, attacking football. What are their chances? Haiti have nothing to lose on their World Cup debut and with players such as the exciting Melchie Dumornay, they have the talent to cause an upset if they can balance their ambition with defence organisation. Read More Lionesses bonus row could drag on until after World Cup Women’s World Cup history hangs over co-hosts New Zealand The inspiration behind Australia’s shot at home World Cup glory Can Spain regroup from mutiny to challenge for the Women’s World Cup? The inspiration behind Australia’s shot at home World Cup glory Women’s World Cup stars to offset climate impact of flights to tournament
2023-07-14 19:13
Barclays Sets Aside Balance Sheet Cash for Private Debt Push
Barclays Sets Aside Balance Sheet Cash for Private Debt Push
Barclays Plc has earmarked cash from its balance sheet to hold corporate loans and compete directly with private
2023-09-01 16:10
Damning report criticises Trump and Biden for ‘dangerous and chaotic’ US withdrawal from Afghanistan
Damning report criticises Trump and Biden for ‘dangerous and chaotic’ US withdrawal from Afghanistan
The US State Department released its Afghanistan After Action Review report, detailing the failures of both the Trump and Biden administrations during the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021. The long-awaited report found that the decision by both administrations had detrimental consequences and laid out the shortcomings of a “chaotic and dangerous environment” during the pullout after nearly two decades of war in Afghanistan. “The decisions of both President (Donald) Trump and President (Joe) Biden to end the US military mission in Afghanistan had serious consequences for the viability of the Afghan government and its security,” said the unclassified report. “Those decisions are beyond the scope of this review, but the AAR (After Action Review) team found that during both administrations there was insufficient senior-level consideration of worst-case scenarios and how quickly those might follow,” it added. Out of the 85-page After Action Report, the department made only 24 pages public, keeping the remainder classified. The details emerged more than a year following a 90-day long review of the handling of the evacuation operation and include details of what happened in the final days of US presence in Afghanistan and recommendations to prepare for future events. The finding of the reports also highlighted the shortcomings of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, without naming him. It included the state department’s failure in expanding its crisis management task force as the Taliban advanced on Kabul in August 2021 and the lack of a senior diplomat “to oversee all elements of the crisis response”. Referring to the State Department’s top floor where Mr Blinken and other top diplomats have their office, it said: “Naming a 7th floor principal ... would have improved coordination across different lines of effort.” The report stated that senior Biden administration officials had “not made clear decisions” regarding at-risk Afghans. There were no clear instructions about who would be included in the evacuation operation or about where they would be taken. “That added significantly to the challenges the Department and DoD faced during the evacuation,” it said. The State Department’s noncombatant evacuation operation (NEO) “was hindered by the fact that it was unclear who in the Department had the lead”, it said. The review also stated the concerns about signalling and maintaining confidence in the Afghan government hindered crisis preparation and planning. This inhibition ultimately contributed to the collapse of the Afghan government in mid-August 2021. The report comes as the Biden administration was criticised for its chaotic pullout of US troops and its officials from Kabul after the takeover of the Taliban, toppling president Ashraf Ghani’s government. The unprecedented scenes showed hundreds of thousands of Afghans and other citizens trying to flee Taliban rule and attempting to enter Kabul airport. Videos showed men clinging onto aircraft as they taxied down runways and others trying to climb the big walls of the airport. During the evacuations, an Islamic State suicide bomber killed 13 US servicemembers and more than 150 Afghans outside an airport gate. According to the report, approximately 125,000 individuals, including nearly 6,000 Americans, were evacuated from Kabul prior to the departure of the last US soldiers from Afghanistan on 20 August. Defending Mr Biden’s handling of evacuations, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the decisions were made to end the war. “He had to make a decision,” she told reporters on Friday. The US had poured “billions of dollars into a war with no end in sight” and that “he wanted to stop that, he wanted to end that,” she said. A Trump spokesperson said: “There’s only one person responsible for the disastrous pullout of Afghanistan — Joe Biden.” The State Department’s critical review was not reflected in the White House report which was released in April. Read More Over 1,000 Afghan civilians killed in violence under Taliban rule, says UN Xi undecided on whether to order military unification with Taiwan by 2027, top US official claims Ukraine Russia – live: CIA director William Burns ‘called Kremlin’ after Wagner mutiny Who are Isis-K? Al-Qaeda ‘could regroup in Afghanistan in two years and threaten US’ Biden overruled Blinken and Austin on Afghanistan pullout, book says
2023-07-01 19:13
Analysis-Bulging warehouses mean lean times for longer for US, European companies
Analysis-Bulging warehouses mean lean times for longer for US, European companies
By Siddharth Cavale and Josephine Mason NEW YORK/LONDON Lean times faced by many U.S. and European companies may
2023-08-10 14:05
Hilton Earnings Beat Estimates on Stronger International Demand
Hilton Earnings Beat Estimates on Stronger International Demand
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. reported earnings that beat analyst estimates as strong demand for international trips made up
2023-10-25 18:22
Ozzy Osbourne PlayStation tweet which failed to reveal link to Sony banned
Ozzy Osbourne PlayStation tweet which failed to reveal link to Sony banned
A tweet by Ozzy Osbourne showing him gaming on a Sony PlayStation VR2 has been banned for failing to mention that it was an ad. The tweet from Osbourne’s account in February read: “Did this spot with @PlayStation team. We had a lot of fun. Their new VR2 is really amazing.” The tweet included a video which began with a blue screen displaying the PlayStation logo before cutting to Osbourne in a living room taking a virtual reality headset and controllers out of a blue PlayStation box as his wife Sharon Osbourne told him that they needed to pack boxes and catch a flight to England. Osbourne replied that he wanted to play on his PlayStation and was shown swearing at dinosaurs via a VR headset and controllers before the video ended with the text: “Play has no limits,” followed by the PlayStation logo. We considered the wording, including the use of the word spot to refer to the video, was not sufficient to clearly indicate to consumers that the tweet was part of a commercial relationship between Sony and Ozzy Osbourne Advertising Standards Authority Sony, which responded to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) on both their and Osbourne’s behalf, said their agreement gave Osbourne’s management company final approval over the video’s script. The tech giant confirmed that Osbourne was contracted to post a tweet sharing the video as part of the agreement, with Sony specifying only that Osbourne must share the video in a way which clearly disclosed that he had worked with Sony. Addressing the tweet itself, Sony believed that the word “spot” in the text “Did this spot with the @PlayStation team” would be clearly understood by Twitter users to refer to an ad. They also believed that the placement of the wording at the beginning of the tweet meant it was sufficiently prominent for consumers to understand the commercial nature of the video before they watched it. The ASA said consumers should be made aware that a post was an ad before they engaged with it. The watchdog said: “We acknowledged the positioning of that wording in the tweet was both prominent and visible before the video started playing. “However, we considered the wording, including the use of the word spot to refer to the video, was not sufficient to clearly indicate to consumers that the tweet was part of a commercial relationship between Sony and Ozzy Osbourne and that the tweet was therefore an ad.” It added: “Because the ad did not make clear its commercial intent upfront, we considered it was not obviously identifiable as a marketing communication and concluded that it breached the Code.” It ruled that the ad must not appear again in the form complained about. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live No evidence to suggest Facebook not good for wellbeing, Oxford scientists say Harry and Meghan ring young online innovators after funding awards James Bulger’s mother condemns ‘disgusting’ AI clips on TikTok of murdered son
2023-08-09 07:01
Taylor Swift news diary: Singer's friendship with Brittany Mahomes in the spotlight at Kansas Chiefs' latest game
Taylor Swift news diary: Singer's friendship with Brittany Mahomes in the spotlight at Kansas Chiefs' latest game
Taylor Swift attended her fourth Kansas City Chiefs game on Sunday, October 22
2023-10-23 21:47
'Overwatch 2': xQc slams developers for prioritizing cosmetic Updates over PvE mode
'Overwatch 2': xQc slams developers for prioritizing cosmetic Updates over PvE mode
'If they are not working on PvE and they're not doing it anymore, then where is all the time spent then?' asked xQc
2023-05-19 14:38