Modi wishes good health long life to Rahul Gandhi on his birthday
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday wished good health and a long life to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on his birthday. Modi took to Twitter to convey his wishes to Gandhi, who turned 49 on Wednesday. “Best wishes to Shri Rahul Gandhi on his birthday. May he be blessed with good health and a long life,” he tweeted. The two leaders were involved in a war of words in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls, in which the BJP-led NDA returned to power with a massive majority. Congress leaders and workers also wished Gandhi on his birthday at the party headquarters on Akbar Road. The party chief, who was in a joyous mood, shared some light moments with the workers and mediapersons. He also offered sweets to those wishing him on his birthday.
OTTAWA – Crown attorney Jeffery Richardson says jurors ought to have no reasonable doubts that Basil Borutski killed three former friends in a carefully executed plan to exact revenge.Borutski is on trial for first-degree murder in the deaths of Carol Culleton, 66, Anastasia Kuzyk, 36, and Nathalie Warmerdam, 48.Culleton was strangled to death with a television coaxial cable and Kuzyk and Warmerdam were both killed with a 12-gauge shotgun fired at close range. They all died within about an hour of each other at their residences in Renfrew County on the morning of Sept. 22, 2015.Richardson delivered his closing statement to the jury on Tuesday, saying the case he laid out proves Borutski planned to kill all three women in a twisted belief they deserved to die because he felt they had lied about him to police and their friends and used him for money.He explained that to prove murder he has to show Borutski killed the three women intentionally and unlawfully and to prove first-degree murder he has to show it was planned and deliberate. He says the evidence proves all of that. He said DNA, firearms evidence and eyewitness testimony all identify Borutski as the killer.Then there is the five-hour videotaped confession Borutski gave to an OPP officer the day after the murders in which he repeatedly admits to killing them and explains how he did it, but claims it wasn’t murder because they were not innocent. According to Borutski, only innocent people can be murdered.He argued that Kuzyk and Warmerdam lied in court when they helped get him convicted of threatening and assaulting them and Culleton lied about her relationship with him and then shunned him for another man.“Borutski would have us cast some sort of biblical justification upon what is really nothing more than a callous, premeditated act of revenge, an act of murder in any way you define it,” Richardson said. “There is no justification for what he did.”Richardson said there is no doubt Borutski intended to kill Kuzyk when he shot her while she cowered behind her kitchen island, or that he intended to kill Warmerdam as he chased her around her farmhouse and shot her at close range while she tried to run up the stairs.He said there is no doubt he intended to kill Culleton when he broke into her cottage and picked up a coaxial cable inside while she tried to defend herself and begged him to reconsider saying “this is not you Basil.”“Pause now and consider the physical act of wrapping a cable around a living woman’s neck six times, how long it takes, how much effort it takes, while she is fighting for her life,” Richardson asked the jury.The 11-member jury will be charged by the judge Wednesday morning before beginning deliberations. Justice Robert Maranger discharged the 12th member of the jury Tuesday morning after a family emergency left her unable to attend the trial.Borutski, 60, is representing himself, but sat silently in the prisoner’s box and refused to participate Tuesday, as he has throughout the trial. He did not acknowledge the judge when Maranger asked him if he wanted to give a closing statement.James Foord, the lawyer appointed by Maranger to ensure Borutski’s right to a fair trial, delivered a closing statement, reminding the jurors they have to decide if Borutski planned and deliberately killed the three women.— follow @mrabson on Twitter.
APTN National News OTTAWA–Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt defended Ottawa’s treatment of First Nation children Tuesday as the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal continued to hear closing arguments on a discrimination case against the federal government.Valcourt faced questions from the NDP in the House of Commons over the lack of funding for First Nation child and family services.NDP Aboriginal affairs critic Jean Crowder said during question period that Ottawa was providing 22 per cent less funding for child services compared to provincial levels.“The Conservative government is facing an unprecedented human rights tribunal for systematically discriminating against First Nation children on reserve,” said Crowder. “Its own experts have confirmed the shortfall. How can the prime minister justify treating children on reserve as second-class citizens?”Valcourt said the Harper government had increased funding for Aboriginal Affairs’ child and family services program by 40 per cent since 2006 and the total had risen to almost $630 million.“Protecting women and children, in particular on reserve, is and remains a priority of our government,” said Valcourt. “We will continue to take action to ensure that children and families have the support they need.”A few blocks away, in an eleventh floor hearing room, the three-person Canadian Human Rights Tribunal panel continued to hear closing arguments in a discrimination case against the federal government. The First Nation Child and Family Caring Society along with the Assembly of First Nations launched the complaint alleging Ottawa discriminated against First Nations children by spending less for child welfare compared to provincial child welfare systems serving non-Indigenous people.Justice Canada lawyers have unsuccessfully tried to have the complaint thrown out on grounds the tribunal does not have the jurisdiction to rule on the matter.There are currently between 30,000 to 40,000 Indigenous children in care across the country, according to Aboriginal Affairs’ numbers from 2012.news@aptn.ca@APTNNews
Tina HouseAPTN NewsAlberta has passed landmark legislation giving it sweeping power to intervene in oil and gas exports that could result in punitive price spikes in British Columbia in the dispute over the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion.Premier Rachel Notley won’t say when and how the power will be used but said she won’t wait long.“Alberta will be equipped with new tools to assert our rights to control the flow of our resources to British Columbia,” Notley said Wednesday prior to Bill 12 passing third and final reading.“Albertans, British Columbians and all Canadians should understand that if the path forward for the pipeline through B.C. is not settled soon, I’m ready and prepared to turn off the taps.”The bill would give Alberta the power to intervene in the energy market, to decide how much fuel is sent and by what means, be it by rail or pipeline.B.C. Premier John Horgan called the Alberta law provocative.thouse@aptn.ca@inthehouse7-with files from the Canadian Press
The range of Sandvik Mining equipment and services is now available for iPad and will soon be accessible across other mobile devices, providing mining companies a comprehensive reference anytime, anywhere. In response to increased demand from its customers for digital information optimized for mobile devices, Sandvik Mining has launched Offering Guide, a new application combining its diverse portfolio of innovative products and solutions into one convenient and easy-to-use resource. It modernised its existing iPhone app, originally launched in March 2011, to the iPad version as uptake of the popular touchscreen device continues to increase. Android and smartphone versions of Offering Guide will also soon be released.“Our aim is to be able to serve our customers’ needs at a moment’s notice, regardless of location, time zone or challenge,” says Jeanette Svensson, Marketing Communications Manager at Sandvik Mining.The iPad app offers project managers, foremen and equipment operators instant offline access to a digital catalog of Sandvik Mining equipment and services, whether underground, at a temporary office or in transit. App users can delve into 11 product groups from an animated home screen of a mine environment. Each group is easy to navigate and features detailed product pages that include up-to-date technical specifications and photos for everything from drill rigs and rock tools to crushers and conveyor components.Embedded film clips and other forms of instruction from real environments complement product information in the new app, which also allows users to print and share information when online.“This app will be a valuable resource for our customers and representatives on the go who need ready access to our product information and equipment specifications,” Svensson says.Download the app here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sandvik-mining-offering-guide/id643885341?ls=1&mt=8
REPRESENTATIVES OF DUBLIN’S hospitality sector today called on the residents of areas around Croke Park to “put their country first” and drop their objections to the five Garth Brooks gigs.The heads of the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA), the Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI), the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) and the Dublin Chamber of Commerce today said that the cancellation of the gigs would cost the city €50 million.All of the representatives say that the furore over the concerts is harming Ireland’s reputation abroad and may even impact on our ability to attract future events, including the Rugby World Cup.“There is huge losses both directly and indirectly if these two extra gigs don’t go ahead,” said Donal O’Keefe of the LVA.Adrian Cummins of the RAI said that €15 million of the €50 million figure would come from food, adding that “if we cannot get our act together, it will affect us in the future”.“A lot of our businesses need this injection of cash at a fragile time in our industry’s fragile recovery.” Source: AP/Press Association ImagesStephen McNally of the IHF said that around 90,000 people are set to come from outside Ireland to see the gigs.“The patient is in intensive care and I would call on all parties to get the patient well and get this thing on.”All three indicated that their members would roster around a thousand staff per gig between them, with part-time staff set to benefit from the extra hours.O’Keefe said that pubs in the vicinity of the stadium would be treating it “like five consecutive Saturday nights”.Carte blancheCummins said that people needed to “take a step back and put their country first in this instance”.“The eyes of the world are upon us in the event management industry and the sports planning industry.“They need to know that Ireland can put on a large-scale event of this magnitude.”However, the idea that buckling to perceived pressure would give carte blanche to promoters was rejected.“I think this debacle shows huge flaws in our planning process,” said Fianna Fáil senator Averil Power.“We need to move from blame in this situation and find a solution.”Power went on to say that legislative change was needed to ensure that customers are not put out and that promoters cannot hold cities to ransom.CompromiseWith the negotiations so protracted and divisive, the idea of a solution that is fully approved by all sides is ambitious, but compromise is being called for.“There will have to be compromise to find a solution and that means that some people won’t have it all the way they wanted,” said Gina Quinn of Dublin Chamber of Commerce.“But we’re right up against the wire here.”Donal O’Keefe said that it is “counter-productive to talk of winners and losers.”Stephen McNally said that “if people aren’t going to compromise, we’re going to go nowhere.”Read: Garth Brooks concert debacle has “major impact on Ireland’s reputation”
Yes, badly (1778) Just a little (6516) Image: PA Archive/PA Images Yes, badlyJust a littleNoVote 34,467 Views Jun 19th 2017, 12:45 PM https://jrnl.ie/3451525 By Fora Staff Poll Results: IT WAS A glorious weekend across the island of Ireland with temperatures reaching the mid-20s.As usual when the sun comes out, we all got excited, forgetting the many warning about lashing on the sunscreen.There are some tender bodies in TheJournal.ie HQ today. What about you? So today we’re asking: Are you sunburnt?
Tweet thisShare on FacebookEmail this article Poll: Are you sunburnt? Give it to us straight. Honest answers only. Share3 Tweet Email1 Image: PA Archive/PA Images 61 Comments Monday 19 Jun 2017, 12:45 PM Short URL No (11478)
Coffee organisation Starbucks has enhanced its rental deposit loan scheme for UK employees, enabling more staff to gain access to the benefit.The Home Sweet Loan scheme, which launched in September 2015, provides eligible employees with an interest-free loan, up to the value of a month’s salary, to cover the costs of a rental deposit when moving home. Employees pay back the loan over a 12-month period.The scheme has now been extended to include employees who are sub-letting rooms and the eligibility period has been reduced from 12 months of service to six months of service. In addition, Starbucks UK has shortened the amount of time between application and loan delivery.The scheme aims to help employees based across the organisation’s 5,500 stores, particularly those under the age of 25, with living costs and the expense associated with moving home.The scheme was originally developed in partnership with housing charity Shelter and not-for-profit campaigning organisation Generation Rent. The amendments to the benefit were announced today (27 June 2017) at The Prince’s Seeing is Believing event, in partnership with Business in the Community (BITC) and London First.Martin Brok, president at Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), said: “A lot of our [employees] live in cities close to our stores where the cost of living is soaring and we believe with Home Sweet Loan we can make a real difference to their lives by offering this benefit.“This month we have had the highest number of applicants, so we hope by extending the scheme, more [employees] will take advantage of this initiative.”
Tags Share your voice 1 Tech Industry Security Facebook may soon agree to 20 years of oversight of its privacy policies and practices by the US government, Reuters reported Monday.An investigation by the Federal Trade Commission is trying to determine whether Facebook’s actions violated a 2011 agreement with the government in which it pledged to keep user data private. Facebook has said it didn’t violate the consent decree.Under the agreement, Facebook agreed to get permission from users before sharing their data with third parties. In addition, the tech giant is required to have a third party conduct audits every two years for 20 years to ensure the program is effective.The consumer watchdog began investigating Facebook after revelations surfaced last year that UK consultancy Cambridge Analytica harvested the data of as many as 87 million users without their permission. The social media giant and the consumer protection agency have reportedly been in discussions for months to settle the investigation. Facebook said last month that it had set aside $3 billion to cover possible expenses for a possible fine related to the ongoing investigation.The as-yet-unannounced FTC fine, which Facebook said could be as high as $5 billion, would be the largest ever against a US tech company. The FTC’s previous record-setting fine against a tech company for breaking a privacy agreement was against Google in 2012 for $22.5 million.A settlement announcement could be a month away, a source told Reuters.Facebook and the FTC declined to comment. Comment Privacy Facebook FTC
$999 Sprint Preview • iPhone XS is the new $1,000 iPhone X Sarah Tew/CNET The Cheapskate See It Formerly known as the Google Home Hub, Google’s Nest Hub packs a wealth of Google Assistant goodness into a 7-inch screen. At $59, this is within a buck of the best price we’ve seen. It lists for $129 and sells elsewhere in the $89-to-$99 range.This is one item of many available as part of eBay’s Labor Day Sale (which, at this writing, doesn’t specifically mention Labor Day, but that’s how it was pitched to us). $999 Apple iPhone XS $299 at Amazon Mobile Read Lenovo Smart Clock review CNET may get a commission from retail offers. Read DJI Osmo Action preview Review • iPhone XS review, updated: A few luxury upgrades over the XR Though not technically a Labor Day sale, it’s happening during Labor Day sale season — and it’s too good not to share. Nationwide Distributors, via Google Express, has just about the best AirPods deal we’ve seen (when you apply promo code ZBEDWZ at checkout). This is for the second-gen AirPods with the wireless charging case. Can’t imagine these will last long at this price, so if you’re interested, act fast. Sarah Tew/CNET Tags Angela Lang/CNET Use promo code 19LABOR10 to get an unusually good deal on JBL’s interesting hybrid product — not quite headphones, and not quite a traditional speaker, but something you wear like neckphones to listen to music on the go. Best laptops for college students: We’ve got an affordable laptop for every student. Best live TV streaming services: Ditch your cable company but keep the live channels and DVR. $261 at Daily Steals via Google Express Recently updated to include digital-photo-frame capabilities, the Lenovo Smart Clock brings Google Assistant goodness to your nightstand. It’s a little smaller than the Amazon Echo Show 5, but also a full $30 less (and tied with Prime Day pricing) during this Best Buy Labor Day sale. I thought this might be a mistake, but, no, the weirdly named HP Laptop 15t Value is indeed quite the value at this price. Specs include an Intel Core i7 processor, 12GB of RAM, a 256GB solid-state drive and a 15.6-inch display. However, I strongly recommend paying an extra $50 to upgrade that display to FHD (1,920×1,080), because you’re not likely to be happy with the native 1,366×768 resolution. The problem with most entry-level laptops: They come with mechanical hard drives. That makes for a mighty slow Windows experience. This Lenovo model features a 128GB solid-state drive, so it should be pretty quick to boot and load software, even with its basic processor. Plus, it has a DVD-burner! That’s not something you see in many modern laptops, especially at this price. HP Laptop 15t Value: $520 (save $780) Turo is kind of like Uber meets Airbnb: You borrow someone’s car, but you do all the driving. I’ve used it many times and found it a great alternative to traditional car-rental services — in part because you get to choose exactly the vehicle you want (not just, say, “midsize”) and in part because you can often do pickup and dropoff right outside baggage claim.Between now and Sept. 1, the first 300 people to check out can get $30 off any Turo rental with promo code LDW30. Read the Rylo camera preview DJI Osmo Action camera: $261 (save $89) Turo: Save $30 on any car rental $59 at eBay Read Google Home Hub review Best Buy DJI’s answer to GoPro’s action cameras is rugged little model that’s shockproof, dustproof and waterproof down to 11 meters. It normally runs $350, but this deal drops it to $261 when you apply promo code 19LABOR10 at checkout. JBL Soundgear wearable speaker: $90 (save $160) Comments $999 Boost Mobile Other Labor Day sales you should check out Best Buy: In addition to some pretty solid MacBook deals that have been running for about a week already, Best Buy is offering up to 40% off major appliances like washers, dryers and stoves. There are also gift cards available with the purchase of select appliances. See it at Best BuyDell: Through Aug. 28, Dell is offering an extra 12% off various laptops, desktops and electronics. And check back starting Aug. 29 for a big batch of Labor Day doorbusters. See it at DellGlassesUSA: Aug. 29 – Sept. 3 only, you can save 65% on all frames with promo code labor65. See it at GlassesUSALenovo: The tech company is offering a large assortment of deals and doorbusters through Labor Day, with the promise of up to 56% off certain items — including, at this writing, the IdeaPad 730S laptop for $700 (save $300).See it at LenovoLensabl: Want to keep the frames you already love and paid for? Lensabl lets you mail them in for new lenses, based on your prescription. From now through Sept. 2 only, you can save 20% on the blue light-blocking lens option with promo code BLOCKBLUE. See it at LensablSears: Between now and Sept. 7, you can save up to 40% on appliances (plus an additional 10% if you shop online), up to 60% on mattresses, up to 50% on Craftsman products and more. The store is also offering some fairly hefty cashback bonuses. See it at SearsNote: This post was published previously and is continuously updated with new information.CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page, and find more great buys on the CNET Deals page. Piracy is costing the entertainment industry a lot of money. James Martin/CNET Piracy doesn’t just affect the US entertainment industry, says a new government study. It’s capping the industry’s earning potential while also hurting the economy. Global digital piracy costs the US film and TV industry at least an estimated $29.2 billion and as much as $71 billion annually, according to a new study from the US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Innovation Policy Center on Tuesday. That represents a revenue reduction of 11% to 24%. The study also says 230,000 to 560,000 jobs were lost because of piracy, which in turn resulted in the US GDP taking a hit of $47.5 billion to as much as $115.3 billion in 2017. “Digital video piracy results in significant losses to the US economy, harming businesses ranging from content production firms to the innovative technology companies that are driving the digital distribution revolution,” David Hirschmann, CEO of GIPC, said in the study. “While there is no single solution, global collaboration among industries and governments to educate consumers of the dangers of piracy, coupled with the expansion of legal options in cases of infringement, is necessary to curb these negative effects.”The methodology for the study used estimates based on the number of digitally pirated movies and TV episodes, the market value of that content and how much of that content would have been purchased. The biggest culprit of piracy is online streaming, which accounts for more than 80% of pirated content, according to the study.
2 Comments An Echo Dot makes a fine match for any Fire edition TV, because you can use the latter to say things like, “Alexa, turn on the TV.” Right now, the 24-inch Insignia Fire TV Edition starts at just $100, while the 32-inch Toshiba Fire TV Editions is on sale for $130. Just add any Fire TV Edition to your cart, then add a third-gen Echo Dot, and presto: The latter is free. Chris Monroe/CNET Rylo 5.8K 360 Video Camera: $250 (save $250) piracy,I’m shocked — shocked! — to learn that stores are turning Labor Day into an excuse to sell stuff. Wait — no, I’m not. As much as I respect the original intent of the holiday (which became official back in 1894), to most of us, it’s just a bonus day off — one that’s blissfully tacked onto a weekend. So, yeah, stores; go ahead, run your sales. I’m listening. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Labor Day doesn’t bring out bargains to compete with the likes of Black Friday (which will be here before you know it), but there are definitely some sales worth your time.For example:We’ve rounded up the best Labor Day mattress deals.We’ve also gathered the best Labor Day laptop deals at Best Buy.The 2019 Vizio P Series Quantum is back under $999.Be sure to check out Amazon’s roughly three dozen Labor Day deals on TVs and audio. Google Express is having a big sale as well, one that includes deals on game consoles, AirPods, iPhones, laptops and more.Below I’ve rounded up a handful of individual items I consider to be the cream of the crop, followed by a handy reference guide to other Labor Day sales. Keep in mind, of course, that products may sell out at any time, even if the sale itself is still running. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page. What’s cooler: A snapshot of a firework exploding in front of you, or full 360-degree video of all the fireworks and all the reactions to seeing them? Oooh, ahhh, indeed. At $250, the compact Rylo dual-lens camera is selling for its lowest price yet. And for an extra $50, you can get the bundle that includes the waterproof housing.This deal runs through Sept. 3; it usually costs $500. Turo Read the AirPods review Sarah Tew/CNET See It $90 at Daily Steals via Google Express TVs Speakers Mobile Accessories Cameras Laptops Automobiles Smart Speakers & Displays See it Mentioned Above Apple iPhone XS (64GB, space gray) $210 at Best Buy Lenovo 130-15AST 15.6-inch laptop: $210 (save $90) See at Amazon Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case: $155 (save $45) Tags Lenovo Smart Clock: $59.99 (save $20) Share your voice See at Turo $520 at HP Google Nest Hub: $59 (save $70) $155 at Google Express Spotify and most other streaming services rely on compressed audio, which robs the listener of full fidelity. Enter Tidal, the only “major” service that delivers lossless audio — meaning at least on par with CD quality, if not better. Want to see (er, hear) the difference for yourself? Grab this excellent extended trial while you can. It’s just $6 for three months, and it’s good for up to six listeners. $6 at Tidal Share your voice Sarah Tew/CNET Free Echo Dot with an Insignia or Toshiba TV (save $50) Rylo 7 See It Tidal 3-month family subscription: $5.99 (save $54) $60 at Best Buy $999 Amazon
Bharat Forge, a Pune-based company with interests in heavy vehicles and defence equipment, faces bleak prospects in the US where it sells its Class 8 trucks and earns about a fifth of its revenues. In December 2016, orders inflows for these trucks fell 23 per cent YoY, according to the Freight Transportation Research (FTR). Bharat Forge shares closed at Rs 907 on Monday (January 9) on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), down 0.46 per cent from their previous close. The BSE Sensex ended 0.12 per cent lower at 26,726.Order inflows for Class 8 trucks in North America dropped to 21,200 units last December YoY, though there was an increase of 10 per cent when compared to November 2016 due to the seasonality factor, Nomura analysts said in a note on Monday, citing preliminary FTR data.Calendar year (CY) 2016 saw order inflows hovering around 15,400 units, a fall of about 35 per cent when compared to CY 2015, analysts Kapil Singh and Siddhartha Bera at Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities (India) Private Limited, or NFASL, wrote, adding that prospects for Bharat Forge Company (BHFC) in the current year are not so bright.”2017 production outlook still remains weak with most OEMs having guided for decline in volumes. BHFC indicated that it derived ~20% of its FY16 stand-alone revenues from the NA heavy trucks segment. Class 8 truck production was ~304k units in FY16, but trailing 12-month orders are ~185k units,” the analysts said.Production levels usually lag order inflows by six to eight months. Thus, currently we do not expect any change to our FY18 estimate of ~5% y-y growth for US auto revenues of BHFC,” they added.The company’s revenues from domestic medium and heavy commercial vehicle sales, which generates about 17 per cent revenues on a standalone basis, are also bleak. Revenues from new business lines comprising railways and aerospace are negligible to offset the main streams of sales.These factors have prompted the analysts to downgrade the stock to Rs 797 from its current market price. “The stock is currently trading at ~27x FY18F EPS (+1SD), which we believe is expensive in the current context,” they wrote.