Month: March 2017

Haze problem worsens in North as many provinces hit by wildfires

MANY PROVINCES were affected by wildfires yesterday, causing the acute haze problem to intensify, while the Disease Control Department warned vulnerable groups such as the elderly and the infirm to stay indoors and wear face masks. The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said that due to worsening smog caused by wildfires, Lampang province had suffered from harmful air pollution levels for three days in a row.

Body found in canal: Round-up story and pictures

Police received a call from a concerned member of the public just before 7.30am today morning reporting they had seen a body in the canal at Spring Lane, near Worcester Shrub Hill railway station. The body has not yet been formally identified and police say they are treating the death as “unexplained” at this stage.

Princess Diana’s butler says he’s gay

PRINCESS Diana’s “rock” Paul Burrell comes out as gay – and reveals he is about to marry his long-term partner. A source said: “Paul’s friends and family all know but for a long time he kept it a closely guarded secret.

NZ rugby concussion study to go global

Pioneering research into the health of retired rugby players conducted in New Zealand will be taken to the global arena. The Rugby Health Project, led by AUT University’s Professor Patria Hume, which discovered higher rates of cognitive impairment in retired rugby players who suffered concussion during their careers, will be extended to the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

Christopher Plummer reflects on roots ahead of Canadian Screen Awards

Of all the revered roles Christopher Plummer has portrayed over the years – Capt. Georg von Trapp, King Lear, Macbeth, to name but a few – the most exciting one for him was that of Henry V. He played the part during his 1956 debut at Ontario’s Stratford Festival – in a tent, no less – alongside a group of “superb” French-Canadian actors he still misses “dreadfully,” he says.

Chanel collection takes off at Paris Fashion week

With a giant white rocket in the middle of Grand Palais Hall in Paris, Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld took his A-list audience on an intergalactic journey with a space-inspired collection on the closing day of Paris Fashion Week. The German designer opted for a mix of a galactic and 1960s-inspired style for the French luxury powerhouse’s ready-to-wear show on Tuesday, full of star-studded glitz and glamor.

A French Surrealist’s Eclectic Remembrances of His Cohort, Finally in English

Lost Profiles : Memoirs of Cubism, Dada, and Surrealism is a diminutive, stylish book that kicks off by appreciatively documenting a curiously seedy period of transition within the anti-rationalist French avant-garde: from Dada to Surrealism. Published by legendary City Lights in late 2016, this alluring collection of amiable reminiscences was penned by co-founding Surrealist poet Philippe Soupault and first appeared in French in 1963 as Profils perdus .

Check out the hotel packages and special Airline promotions

The Okura Prestige Bangkok plays host to a Wedding Showcase 2017 on April 1 and 2 joining with experienced wedding planners in offering packages and services. Couples booking their wedding at the event and making a down payment of Bt600,000 will receive a range of benefits including 100 Okura cupcakes, champagne tower, herbal drink and a food station with 100 portions.

Politics a Risk to South African Recovery

Continued political instability that hurt investor confidence and saw South Africa’s economy expand at the slowest rate since 2009 last year could threaten a recovery in 2017, economists said. Gross domestic product expanded 0.3 percent last year, the statistics office said in a report released on Tuesday in the capital, Pretoria.

UPDATE 1-Nigeria sees return to strong growth under recovery plan

Nigeria expects the economy to climb out of recession and grow 2.19 percent this year, the budget ministry said on Tuesday, unveiling a reform plan that includes selling assets and hiking a luxury goods tax. The new Economic Recovery and Growth Plan 2017-2020 says gross domestic product is expected to grow an average of 4.62 percent a year until 2020, and hit 7 percent that year.

Emerging Markets-Brazil rate futures yields up slightly despite weak GDP

SAO PAULO, March 7 Yields paid on Brazilian interest rate futures rose slightly on Tuesday despite worse-than-expected fourth-quarter economic data, as traders bet the central bank will be more focused on upcoming economic reports in deciding the pace of interest rate cuts. Brazil’s gross domestic product contracted by 3.6 percent in 2016, statistics agency IBGE said, following a 3.8 percent drop in 2015.

Israeli police question Hollywood mogul in Netanyahu probe

An Israeli police official says Israeli investigators questioned Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan in the U.S. last week as part of a corruption investigation into Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The investigation, dubbed “File 1000,” reportedly concerns claims that Netanyahu improperly accepted lavish gifts from wealthy supporters, including Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer.

German court rejects injunction for Facebook in Syrian selfie case

A German court on Tuesday rejected a temporary injunction against Facebook in a case brought by a Syrian refugee who sued the social networking site for failing to remove faked posts linking him to crimes and militant attacks. The Wuerzburg district court said in a preliminary ruling that Facebook is neither a “perpetrator nor a participant” in what it said was “undisputable defamation” by Facebook users, but simply acting as a hosting provider which is not responsible for pre-emptively blocking offensive content under European law.

Hollywood film on couple who saved Jews premiering in Poland

Film director Niki Caro, left and Hollywood star Jessica Chastain, who plays the main character, gesture during a press conference prior to the gala screening of “The Zookeeper’s Wife” in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, March 7, 2017. less CORRECTS SLUG – Film director Niki Caro, left and Hollywood star Jessica Chastain, who plays the main character, gesture during a press conference prior to the gala screening of “The Zookeeper’s Wife” in … more Hollywood star Jessica Chastain, who plays the main character, speaks during a press conference prior to the gala screening of “The Zookeeper’s Wife” in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, March 7, 2017.

Iran drawn with Korea in Asian Boys’ U19 Volleyball Championship

Fourteen teams will strut their stuff in the “SMM” 11th Asian Boys’ U19 Yangon Aerodrome Volleyball Championship in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar between March 28 and April 5, vying for the top honour and four tickets to compete in the 2017 FIVB Volleyball Boys’ U19 World Championship in Bahrain from August 18 to 27. Casting lots for the top-notch championship took place recently at the AVC Headquarters which saw all participating teams divided into four pools. Pool A comprises Hong Kong, Malaysia and Australia.

New entrepreneurship curriculum to help Nigeria industrialize

A new United Nations Industrial Development Organization project will develop an entrepreneurship curriculum for senior secondary schools in Nigeria. The project, costing US$3m, part of which will be funded by the Government of Japan, will be implemented in the course of the next five years and will focus on supporting the education process in a total of nine states, namely: Anambra State, Bauchi State, Benue State, Cross River State, Delta State, Katsina State, Ogun State, Ondo State, and Oyo State.

Pickin: Third place is a more realistic target for Bees

The only direct promotion is by winning the division and, although there is a play-off spot available against the winners of North One West, Bees’ first-team manager Benji Pickin said: “Gaining promotion is still a long way off but third place would be a very good achievement after coming up last season.” The fifth-placed Bees started with the experienced Andy Smith in the front row as the hosts demoted Michael Crotch, who has a habit of picking up yellow cards, to the bench.

Palace players hit the beach in Morocco on scooters

With his arm-waving antics, revolutionary tactics and love affair with Chelsea fans, Conte has made Mourinho a distant memory Pogba’s impact at Manchester United was criticised by Lampard and Carraghera and here’s why they were RIGHT to question the A 90m midfielder Shakespeare ready to pen new chapter at Leicester as he prepares to take charge until the end of the season FAN’S VIEW: Wenger’s criticism of Sanchez made no sense… you can’t blame our star for showing frustration ‘Here’s why English clubs keep flopping in Europe’: Bale on faltering Premier League, Spanish lessons and that man Ronaldo Celtic could wrap up the Scottish title by March 12 by beating Rangers… and their next target is a European record Kante deserves to be crowned player of the year… his quiet influence in Chelsea’s engine room is unrivalled in Premier League Chelsea are 10 points clear at the top and on … (more)

Expert compares Karen Karapetyan’s phenomenon with that of Man Utd and BVB

“I have got the impression that we are in a cloakroom of a store, rather than in the run-up to the parliamentary elections,” a Yerevan-based expert in political technologies said on March 7 when assessing the campaign slogans and videos of the political forces running in the April 2 vote. Karen Kocharyan says on the whole the campaign did not generate great public excitement.

Vet singer plays Doctor Grenvil in Met Opera’s ‘Traviata’

Before the first plaintive strains of music are heard in Verdi’s “La Traviata,” a gentleman with long white hair and beard to match takes his seat next to a giant clock at the side of the Metropolitan Opera stage. He will remain in view through much of the opera, a mostly silent presence looming over Violetta as she enacts her tragic story.

On being bold for change

AMBITION: Bendigo Health chief medical officer and clinical support services executive director Dr Humsha Naidoo with interns outside the main entrance of the new Bendigo hospital. For Bendigo Health chief medical officer and executive director of clinical support services, Dr Humsha Naidoo, being bold means being proactive.

UPDATE 1-Bank of England deputy under fire over undeclared conflict of interest

New Bank of England Deputy Governor Charlotte Hogg came under fire from the central bank’s supervisors and lawmakers on Tuesday, after she admitted failing to declare to the central bank a potential conflict of interest from her brother’s role at Barclays ( But she said in a letter published on Tuesday that she only highlighted her brother’s role in Barclays’ strategy office when she submitted documentation to a parliamentary committee before it reviewed her appointment last week. Under questioning from a parliamentary committee on Tuesday, the chair of the BoE’s supervisory body said Hogg’s failure to inform him of her brother’s role was “very serious”.

RPT-COLUMN-Saudi cuts to lighter crude prices show shifting oil market: Russell

LAUNCESTON, Australia, March 7 A decision by Saudi Aramco to cut the price of its benchmark Arab Light crude to Asian refiners for April-delivery cargoes has prompted speculation that the world’s top oil exporter is chasing market share. There is always a risk in over-interpreting moves in Aramco’s official selling prices , and trying to fit them into a narrative that supports a particular view of the state of the market.

The Investment Case For New Zealand

U.S. markets are considered expensive and overvalued. A common indicator favoured by Warren Buffett, the market capitalization over GNP , shows that markets are significantly overvalued, by 31% to be exact.

The Cheese Geek’s Guide to Affinage

Did you know that France produces more than 350 types of cheese ? Each variety is the unique result of a specific production method and aging process, requiring both technical skill and intuition. We talk about cheese a lot on Chocolate & Zucchini: we’ve covered how to shop for cheese and the notion of cheese terroir , and today I am happy to present a guest post by Jonathan Deitch, a.k.a. Monsieur Fromage , a fellow bilingual blogger and passionate explorer of all things cheese.

Turkish Stream, Akkuyu NPP high on agenda at Moskow-Ankara talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan will discuss the implementation of projects on building the first Turkish nuclear power plant Akkuyu and the construction of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline during the meeting in Moscow scheduled for March 10. “The agenda, in particular, includes the implementation of joint projects to build the first Turkish nuclear power plant Akkuyu and the construction of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline,” RIA Novosti reported with reference to the Kremlin statement. In addition, the leaders of the countries “will discuss the entire complex of issues of Russian-Turkish relations with an emphasis on further restoring mutually beneficial trade and economic ties.”

SES and SPI/FILMBOX Sign Capacity Deal to Distribute HD Channels in Latin America

SES S.A. , the world-leading satellite operator, announced today that it has signed a multi-year capacity agreement with Group , a global media company that operates more than 30 TV channels, to support the company’s expansion in Latin America and distribute its HD channels in the region. SPI will extend its reach in Latin America thanks to the C-band capacity of NSS-806, which covers the entire region in one single beam and is capable of reaching about 90% of all pay TV subscribers in South America.