Capturing the action at a sporting event can be challenging. Set yourself up for victory by choosing the right lens for shooting live sports.Images via ShutterstockEvery video project comes with its own unique set of technical challenges, and shooting live sports is certainly no exception. There’s arguably no more difficult type of event to shoot than a live sports game. The speed and intensity of the action can be difficult to follow and capture, and shooting from the sidelines severely limits your creative options. Without the right tools, you definitely won’t be able to capture the images you’re hoping for.For those of you looking for some new glass to tackle this challenge, make sure you take the following considerations into account before buying your next lens.Telephoto and Wide-Angle LensesIt goes without saying that a long telephoto lens (such as a 300mm) will help you capture those nice close-up shots, even when shooting from the sidelines or among the crowd. But having a wide-angle lens in your kit (such as a 16mm) can be just as useful for different reasons.When shooting live sports, there’s never really a middle ground from a lensing perspective. You’re typically either going to be buried on the sidelines far away from the action, or right up close to it — for instance, in the locker room after the game. Both circumstances call for different lensing options at complete opposite ends of the spectrum. While your telephoto might be the obvious choice for covering the game itself, your wide-angle lens will be a lifesaver when shooting interviews or b-roll before or after the main event.Chances are you probably already have some normal focal length lenses in your kit. If you’re serious about shooting sports, then be sure to add both a wide-angle and telephoto to your arsenal.ZoomsIn most scenarios, you’re going to need a zoom lens to cover the action in your frame most efficiently. With that said, you’ll want to avoid buying a zoom lens that only covers a standard range, such as a 24-105. Instead opt for a longer zoom like a 70-200 or a wider zoom such as an 11-16. Doing so will ensure that you have enough range to capture the dynamic changes in what you’re shooting.You should also look for lenses that are parfocal — meaning they’ll hold the focus when zooming in or out. Not all lenses are parfocal, which can be problematic when trying to zoom to focus on your subject and then zoom back out to a wider shot — only to realize your image is no longer in focus. Working quickly is essential to shooting sports, and having a zoom lens (especially one that is parfocal) will help you move much more swiftly.Image StabilizationAchieving a stable shot when shooting in a live sports environment is easier said than done. You’ll often find yourself shooting in very crowded spaces, surrounded by people stomping, cheering, and potentially even knocking your gear from time to time. To add insult to injury, you’re likely shooting on a long lens, meaning that any shakes your camera picks up from the surrounding movement or other environmental factors will wreak havoc on your image quality.For this reason, it’s absolutely crucial to use lenses with image stabilization. They’ll help mitigate any camera shake you may encounter in such a chaotic environment. Even if you have a very stable place to shoot from, you’ll still be glad to have image stabilization on your lens to help smooth out any pans and tilts that you make on your telephoto lenses.Fast ApertureMost sports stadiums are quite well lit, and assuming you’re shooting at 24p or 60i, your shutter speed is only going to ever need to be at a maximum of 1/60. This means that (under normal conditions) you won’t have a difficult time exposing your image properly, even when working with a relatively slow lens.With that said, depending on the type of content you’re shooting, there’s a good chance you’ll want to crank up your shutter speed significantly in order to capture slow motion shots. If you’re shooting on a camera like the Sony FS7 that can record at 240fps, your shutter speed is going to be set to 1/500, which means your exposure will drop quite a bit.Having a fast lens can be essential in a scenario like this, as it’ll allow you to open up to a wide aperture and achieve a nice bright exposure, even when shooting at a high shutter speed. It’s unlikely that you’ll find a telephoto zoom lens with an F1.4 aperture, but even a lens that can open up to F2.8 will help you achieve nice results — especially when compared to many zoom lenses which often range from F4 – F5.6.What is your go-to sports lens? Share in the comments below. read more
Kin of Misamis Oriental hero cop to get death benefits, award — PNP Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns, center, shoots as Oklahoma City Thunder’s Paul George, left, Carmelo Anthony, right, watch during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Oct. 27, 2017, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)MINNEAPOLIS — When Jimmy Butler was sidelined for two games with an upper respiratory infection, the Minnesota Timberwolves lacked energy and struggled on defense. The end result was a pair of losses by an average of 22 points.In Butler’s return Friday night against Oklahoma City, it was evident just how different a team Minnesota is with him on the court.ADVERTISEMENT LATEST STORIES QC cops nab robbery gang leader, cohort Trending Articles PLAY LIST 00:50Trending Articles01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:29DOH kicks off nationwide polio vaccination drive01:37Protesters burn down Iran consulate in Najaf01:47Panelo casts doubts on Robredo’s drug war ‘discoveries’01:29Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university01:35Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games MOST READ View comments Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC Japan ex-PM Nakasone who boosted ties with US dies at 101 Timberwolves: Wiggins shot 5 of 15 from the floor. . C Gorgui Dieng hit a long 2-point shot that beat the buzzer to end the third quarter. That gave Minnesota a 90-89 lead to start the fourth.ANTHONY GETS LAST LOOKWestbrook has often been the one to take the last shot for the Thunder, but he deferred to Anthony late in this game. With Oklahoma City trailing by three, it was Anthony who had a look at a potential tying 3-pointer.His shot in the final seconds was no good and Minnesota grabbed the rebound to seal it.“We had to push the ball at that point in time and I think Russell was just surveying the field and trying to find a way maybe to get Carmelo trailing a little bit there,” Donovan said. “I’ll see the film, but I do think that Russell is going to try in those situations to get the best shot, and if he can get Carmelo a shot, I think he’s going to try to generate a shot for him.”UP NEXTThunder: At Chicago on Saturday night.Timberwolves: At Miami on Monday night. “Obviously, they’re a very talented team and we’ve got a talented team as well,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. “Both games have been hard-fought.”Minnesota point guard Jeff Teague had 16 points and 10 assists for his first double-double of the season. Teague hit a free throw with 12.4 seconds to play, giving the Wolves a three-point lead.Minnesota overcame an 11-point deficit to enter halftime with the game tied at 59. A three-point play by Towns put the Wolves up two with just under a minute to play in the half.There were 31 lead changes in all, and the game was tied 15 times.Anthony couldn’t miss from the floor in the second quarter, scoring the Thunder’s first nine points of the period on several long jumpers.The Timberwolves used an 8-0 run in the third to go ahead 83-78. Towns and Taj Gibson each had four points during that stretch, which was capped by Gibson’s dunk in transition.The win helped Minnesota move past a pair of blowout losses to Indiana and Detroit.“We got humbled the last few games,” Gibson said. “You just saw a completely different team today.”TIP-INSThunder: Steven Adams scored the Thunder’s first eight points after halftime, including a pair of free throws and an alley-oop dunk. . Oklahoma City entered with the worst free throw percentage in the NBA (67.5 percent), but was 22 of 25 from the line against Minnesota. Butler scored 13 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and helped the Timberwolves hold on for a 119-116 win over the Thunder. His veteran leadership was felt on both ends of the floor for Minnesota, which improved to 3-2.“He makes a big difference,” Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Just having his presence — he’s a great leader, does the right things on the floor.”FEATURED STORIESSPORTSWATCH: Drones light up sky in final leg of SEA Games torch runSPORTSSEA Games: Philippines picks up 1st win in men’s water poloSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutKarl-Anthony Towns had 33 points and 19 rebounds to lead Minnesota. Towns also had arguably his best defensive game of the young season, posting a season-high four blocks.While Towns and other Timberwolves fed off Butler’s energy, Butler did what he could at both ends to keep the Thunder at bay in the final minutes. He scored nine points in the final 4:09 to help the Wolves close it out. He also played a team-high 38 minutes in his return from illness. Typhoon Kammuri accelerates, gains strength en route to PH Stronger peso trims PH debt value to P7.9 trillion Kammuri turning to super typhoon less likely but possible — Pagasa “I just wanted to win, man,” Butler said. “These guys out there with me, they just played so incredibly hard. When we’re playing like that, we look really good, we feel really good, and we end up winning games.”Russell Westbrook led the way for Oklahoma City with 27 points. He had nine assists and eight rebounds, falling just shy of a triple-double. Carmelo Anthony added 23 points for the Thunder.It was the second time in a week the Timberwolves edged the Thunder in a close game. Minnesota won Sunday in Oklahoma City on a buzzer-beater by Andrew Wiggins.READ: Wiggins banks in buzzer-beater, Wolves stun ThunderThis time, Anthony’s 3-point attempt to tie it at the end of regulation was no good.ADVERTISEMENT CPP denies ‘Ka Diego’ arrest caused ‘mass panic’ among S. Tagalog NPA Read Next Darvish left spinning as Dodgers fall into World Series deficit read more
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray termed the decision to close the fodder camps as wrong, and said if farmers took to the streets to oppose it, his party will have to join them.”It is improper for the state government to shut down fodder camps. There is still time for monsoon and this is the time when farmers need it the most. The water situation is very bad at present and will become worse in future,” he said.”If the fodder camps are closed now and angry farmers take to streets to oppose the governments move, we will have to hit the streets in their support,” Thackeray said. PTI MM KRK SMJ SRE
By PragyaNew Delhi, Jun 4 (PTI) He was billed as the next big thing in Dalit politics in Uttar Pradesh and a challenge for the BSP but Mayawatis party is least impressed by the exploits of Chandrasekhar Azad Ravan let alone consider him a threat.Recently, Chandrasekhar organised a massive Dalit protest in Delhi against “atrocities” by the upper caste in Saharanpur, despite being underground to evade arrest for his alleged role in inflaming caste-based violence in the district.The presence of around 5,000 supporters carrying blue- themed posters and masks of Chandrasekhar alongside B R Ambedkars led to observers terming it as the beginning of a new era in Dalit politics and a threat to Bahujan Samaj Party.Sporting a chevron moustache, a blue scarf and an acquired sturdiness, Chandrasekhar is anything but tame.Chandrasekhars Bhim army is based out of Saharanpur from where the founder of BSP, the late Kanshi Ram, began his political career.While Kanshi Ram got several mentions by Bhim army, the outfit alleges BSP supremo Mayawati seemed to have failed in leaving an imprint on the Dalits.”Leaders who represent us have done nothing to make our situation better. That is why we had to come up with our own army to protect our brothers from the upper-caste,” a member of Bhim army said.With nearly six lakhs Dalits residing in the district, Saharanpur had been a stronghold for the BSP until recently when the party lost the seats both in general election in 2014 and Assembly election this year.advertisementThe BSP, whose symbolic colour is also blue, however, downplayed losing ground in the district and refused to acknowledge Bhim army or Chandrasekhar as a threat.”We lost the election as Congress-SP alliance led to polarisation,” said BSPs Jagpal Singh who lost the Assembly election in Saharanpur by nearly 12,000 votes to Masood Akhtar of the Congress.He preferred calling the members of Bhim army as his children who were young and committed to Dalit rights albeit not integrated enough to run an oraganisation or a party.”They used WhatsApp to gather Dalits for the protest in Delhi. It did not involve hard work while the BSP is committed to the idea of Bahujan (people in majority) and brotherhood,” Singh told PTI.The Bhim army, meanwhile, has alleged police action on their members after the violence.”They are saying we received funds from Naxalites. We have no connection with them yet, but have to rethink if we do not get justice,” Jai Bhagwan Jatav, a confidant of Chandrasekhar, said.The tension between Dalits and Thakurs snowballed into a full-blown clash on May 5 in Saharanpurs Shabbirpur village. The district is simmering following a spate of caste clashes and killings.Saharanpur police, however, said that it was probing the case only through criminal angle.”It hardly matters what their ideology is, and we dont want to get involved in that. We are investigating the matter from a criminal angle,” senior superintendent of police Prabal Pratap Singh said.It has been close to a month since an FIR was registered against Chandrasekhar but he is yet to be nabbed, and continues to reach out to his supporters through WhatsApp and Facebook videos.”We (Bhim army) are not a political outfit. We are representatives of our community who will not sit silently anymore,” 30-year-old Chandrasekhar, a lawyer from the Chamar community, said in a Facebook video on May 28.Saharanpur is the north-most district of Uttar Pradesh. Scheduled caste population in the district is about 21 per cent of the total population which is nearly 29 lakhs. PTI PRG ZMN SRY read more
New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) The following are the top/expected stories at 1715 hours: EXPECTED STORIES:*Day 2 report of the second Test between India and England from London. *Interview of Abhinav Bindra. STORIES ON THE WIRE: SPO-ASIAD-HOCK-SARDARThanks to Indian coach, words are not lost in translation anymore: Sardar By Bharat SharmaNew Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) Senior players Sardar Singh and Manpreet Singh say having an Indian as the national team’s head coach has broken all communication barriers and tactically too Harendra Singh is no less than any of his foreign counterparts.SPO-ASIAD-LD NEERAJNeeraj named India’s flag-bearer for Asian Games opening ceremony (Eds: Adding additional inputs and quotes of Neeraj) New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was today named the Indian contingent’s flag-bearer for the Asian Games opening ceremony to be held on August 18 in Jakarta.SPO-ASIAD-ROWERSRowers Bhonkanal, Sawarn gear up to make a big splash at AsiadBy Nikhil BapatMumbai, Aug 10 (PTI) Their preparations going well in Pune, rowers Dattu Baban Bhonkanal and Sawarn Singhsound upbeat about their medal chances in the upcoming Asian Games.SPO-GILLGill hopes to be third-time lucky, says Arjuna will make motorsports popularNew Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) A national award will provide a much-needed fillip to Indian motorsports, believes three-time Asia Pacific Rally Champion (APRC) Gaurav Gill, who is hoping to be third time lucky after being nominated for the Arjuna award again. PTISPO-GOLF-PGASteady start for Shubhankar, Lahiri at PGA ChampionshipSt. Louis (US), Aug 10 (PTI) India’s Shubhankar Sharma shot his first sub-par round at a Major as he compiled a one-under 69 to lie tied 33rd after the first round of the 100th PGA Championship here. PTIadvertisement BSBS read more
Rabat – The Nahda stage in Rabat will welcome the most beautiful voices of Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine in the annual Mawazine Festival Rhythm of the World, June 24-26.In its latest press release on April 3, the Maroc Cultures Association, in charge of cultural and artistic creation, presented four big names of the Arabic music industry, including Lebanese singer Melhem Zein, Syrian vocalist Rouwaida Attieh, Palestinian singer Ameer Dandan, and Lebanese superstar Wael Jassar. The Melhem Zein – June 24 Also known as “Al Rayes,” Melhem Zein first appeared on the musical scene when he participated in the LBC’s singing program, Kaas Al Noujoum (“All-Stars Cup”), where he received winning title of Al Rayes. Since then, he has continued to build his career, appearing in the talent show Super Star in its first season, where he was ranked 3rd.Melhem Zein has made five albums, including two big successes: “Enti Msheeti (You’re gone),” released in 2004, and “Baddi Hibbik (I want to love you),” launched in the summer of 2006.The 35-years-old singer will offer the Moroccan crowd some much-wanted traditional Lebanese sounds, with a touch of pop remix and funk.Rouwaida Attieh – June 24As one of the most influential young artists of the Arabic music industry, Syrian vocalist Rouwaida Attieh born in Taklakh, Syria, where she began her career by landing the second spot on the Arab version of the music show “Super Star” in 2003.Rouwaida quickly won the heart of millions across the Arab World, thanks to the power of her voice and her excellent use of classic Arabic tarab style, a traditional form of art-music used in Arab culture to describe the emotional effect of music. She has released four albums.The 35-years-old singer has worked with a lot of huge artists such as Najwa’s Karam producer, Lebanese legend Wadih El Safi and Egyptian composer Salah El Sharnoubi.Ameer Dandan – June 26Ameer Dandan is a 27-year-old vocalist who studied music and the lute, in the “House of Music” school in Palestine.His appearance on the 4th season of Arab Idol–where he came in second overall–helped him to launch his career. In the time since, the young artist has released two new songs,“Soukar Kamalak (Your beauty is like a sugar)” and “Ya batal (Hero).”Wael Jassar – June 26Wael Jassar needs no introduction among Arab audiences. This big-name star in the Arab World is well-known for his relevant texts, respect for tradition, and his unique style and exceptional voice.The 41-year-old artist has released two albums of religious songs and more than 13 opuses. His album “Teweedi Leih” is considered the most successful of his career.Mawazine Rhythms of the World is one of the world’s largest international annual festivals held in Rabat-Sale, that brings together local stars and international sensations from around the world. Maroc Cultures is a non-profit organization that offers the highest forms of professional cultural and artistic entertainment in the region of Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, established in 2001, by King Mohammed VI. read more
Rabat – The Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) has ranked Morocco among countries with low cybersecurity.The GCI scores published by the UK-based company Comparitech assessed 60 countries with low to high cybersecurity based on seven criteria, from malware rates to cybersecurity-related legislation.Not all countries that scored well in some areas scored the same in others. “There were some countries that lacked significantly in a variety of areas and others who outperformed the majority of countries,” stated Comparitech. Morocco ranked 25th out of the 60 listed countries, scoring 36.47 points out of 100.The country scored 10.61 points in the percentage of mobiles infected with malware; in 1.5 points in the percentage of financial malware attacks; 21.7 points in the percentage of computers infected with malware; 0.11 points in the percentage of telnet attacks by originating country; and 3.01 points in the percentage of attacks by cryptominers.Read Also: Freedom House: At ‘Partly Free’ Morocco Is MENA Region’s 4th Most FreeIn the category of the best-prepared countries for cyber attacks, Singapore scored the highest point, 0.925, whereas Morocco recorded a medium score of 0.541 points.Morocco ranked 4th out of 10 countrie with the most up-to-date legislation against cyberattacks.Algeria is the least cyber-secure country of the 60 studied countries, recording the highest percentage of mobile and computer malware infections with worst up-to-date legislation for cybersecurity and poor preparation for cyber attacks.Other countries with poor cybersecurity are Indonesia, Vietnam, Tanzania, and Uzbekistan.Read Also: Tangier’s Cybercrimes Brigade Dismantles Criminal NetworkJapan is the most cyber-secure country in the world, outperforming all listed countries and other top-performing countries such as France, Canada, Denmark, and the US, in most of the categories including the preparation for cyber attacks and legislation.“Despite some countries having clear strengths and weaknesses, there is definite room for improvement in each and every one,” in terms of better protections from malware and cyber attacks, and strong legislations, the report concluded. read more
21 July 2011Overcoming key development and trade gaps can unleash the potential of Asia and the Pacific to be leader in the global economy, the top United Nations official in the region said today. “Changes taking place in the world economy are likely to catapult the Asia-Pacific region as the centre of gravity of the world economy with China, India and Indonesia emerging as the growth poles for not only the region, but also the entire world,” said the Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Noeleen Heyzer.In her keynote address to the Indonesia International Conference 2011 in Jakarta, Ms. Heyzer said that region must address major challenges before it can realize its economic potential and reclaim “the pre-eminent position it had for most of human history.” A major concern is the sharp rise in global food and energy prices which, according to ESCAP estimates, could delay and reverse progress in poverty reduction in many countries in the region. The most basic challenge facing Asia-Pacific economies, said Ms. Heyzer, is to reduce their traditional reliance on export markets in the slowing developed economies by deepening intra-regional trade and investment.The Executive Secretary has previously stated that the economic crisis has exposed the limitations of a ‘manufactured in Asia – consumed in the West’ model for economic growth, stressing that there are enormous opportunities to promote trade and investment within East Asia. “ESCAP analysis shows that consumption has failed to keep pace with growth in East Asian countries while investment has failed to keep up in ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] countries, including Indonesia.”She highlighted the potential for increasing trade among Asia-Pacific countries which has grown much faster than the region’s trade with the rest of the world. Realizing this potential, she added, will require improving physical and trade connectivity within the region by developing transport links and harmonizing international business procedures.These challenges provide the region with a “historic opportunity to rebalance its economic structure in favour of itself to sustain its dynamism with strengthened connectivity and balanced regional development, and to make the 21st century a truly Asia-Pacific century,” she said.The Indonesia International Conference 2011 brought together leading thinkers, Governments, multilateral agencies, international trade bodies and civil society representatives to analyze critical global political, economic and social issues. read more
During a solemn ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York, instruments of ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) were formally lodged by representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Republic of the Congo, Ireland, Jordan, Mongolia, Niger, Romania and Slovakia. The UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Hans Corell, accepted them on behalf of Secretary-General Kofi Annan.The 10 instruments simultaneously deposited this morning bring the number of ratifications to 66, or six past the total required for the entry into force of the landmark treaty that had been adopted in Rome in July 1998. The Rome Statute will now enter into force on 1 July. The first conference of the States Parties will be held in September and the Court itself, to be based in The Hague, Netherlands, is expected to be established in 2003.The treaty event this morning was witnessed by a group of ambassadors and delegates to the ICC preparatory session currently under way at UN Headquarters, as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations and the media. “A page in the history of humankind is being turned,” Mr. Corell said at the end of the ceremony. “May all this serve our society well in the years to come.”Joining Mr. Corell at a press conference later in the day, Ambassador Philippe Kirsch of Canada, Chairman of the Preparatory Commission for the ICC, stressed that the Statute’s entry into force came a lot sooner than anyone had expected following the 1998 United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court in Rome, which had negotiated the text of the treaty.That fact showed a real determination on the part of the international community “to finally put an end to this culture of impunity, and replace it with a culture of accountability for those crimes that are described in the statute – genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and eventually, also aggression,” he said.Another reason for the quick number of ratifications was that the Statute was much better understood than it had been some years ago, Ambassador Kirsch added, noting that it was a legal instrument “designed to ensure the punishment of very serious crimes and to deter the future commission of those crimes.”The Statute was full of legal safeguards to ensure due process, including the principle of “complementarity,” which meant that the Court would only step in if a national system were unable or unwilling to do so. “The primary responsibility for the punishment of crimes is with States and not with the international community,” he stressed.The Court will consist of 18 international judges elected for a nine-year term, and a team of prosecutors and investigators. It will not be part of the United Nations; instead it will be accountable to the countries that ratify the Statute, which have agreed to prosecute individuals accused of such crimes under their own laws, or to surrender them to the Court for trial. read more
It will also be of assistance as he writes his own report on the implementation of the Millennium Declaration, a UN General Assembly document aimed at accelerating socio-economic development, he said in a statement after the British Government sent him a copy of the Commission’s report.The 17-member Commission urges donor countries to increase the present assistance to Africa to $25 billion in phases and African Governments to increase economic growth, allowing them to provide $12.5 billion from their own revenues.Calling for the abolition of unpayable debts, the 453-page report says the fight against “systemic” corruption should be strengthened through good governance, which in turn would reduce the scope for corruption and the funds that corrupt African dictators have deposited in the banks of developed countries should be returned to the countries of origin.”The amount stolen and now held in foreign banks is equivalent to more than half of the continent’s external debt,” it says, quoting a European study.”Rich countries have recognized the importance of the issue, and have made commitments, such as that made by G-8 countries at Kananaskis (Canada) in June 2002; but the amount of stolen money returned to African countries is still relatively small,” it says.The report responds to Africa’s call for help in dealing with the rapid urbanization spotlighted especially by one Commissioner, Executive Director Anna Tibaijuka of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), who served on the panel in her personal capacity.It says Africa would need $50 billion by 2010, of which $20 billion should go to ports, roads, telecommunications and other infrastructure.Another Commissioner, K.Y. Amoako, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) who also served in his personal capacity, said in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, that the report acknowledged “the legacy of colonialism (as well as) the damaging impact of the structural adjustment years” imposed by international financial institutions (IFIs).In addition, there was “the odious debt built up by irresponsible borrowing and irresponsible lending, the aid that was more designed to help wealthy donors than the poor recipients and the Cold War’s fuelling of African conflicts and backing for dictators who were hostile to their own people,” he said.”No one doubts that African governments have made serious mistakes,” Mr. Amoako said, “but they have also repeatedly faced obstacles placed in their path by the rich world. And this must change if there is to be any progress.”The report calls for actions to strengthen Africa’s conflict prevention and peacekeeping capacities, especially through the African Union, “to enable the AU to act quickly and effectively to prevent and resolve violent conflict.”Welcoming the report, the Global Fund for to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, one of Mr. Annan’s initiatives, noted that the Commission calls for substantial new “investments in people,” both by donors and by African nations themselves, and calls on the world’s rich countries to fully finance the Global Fund.At the Fund’s replenishment conference, scheduled to take place next week in Stockholm, Sweden, donors will entertain requests for $2.3 billion in 2005, $3.5 billion in 2006 and $3.6 billion 1n 2007.”We welcome the priority that the Commission for Africa has given to providing insecticide-treated bed nets and effective malaria drugs, as well as drastically scaling up the battle against HIV/AIDS. These are key elements in the core business of the Global Fund,” said Fund Executive Director Richard Feachem. read more
by Josh Boak, The Associated Press Posted Dec 5, 2013 8:23 am MDT US factory orders drop 0.9 per cent in October on fewer orders for aircrafts and computers AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to RedditRedditShare to 電子郵件Email WASHINGTON – U.S. factories received fewer orders in October, as aircraft demand fell and businesses cut back on computers. The decline suggests companies were hesitant to invest during the 16-day partial government shutdown.Factory orders dropped 0.9 per cent in October, the Commerce Department said Thursday. That followed a 1.8 per cent increase in September.A big reason for the decline in October was a steep drop in orders for aircraft.But core capital goods, which are a proxy for business investment, dropped 0.6 per cent, the second straight decline. Economists watch this category closely because it excludes volatile orders for aircraft and defence equipment.Much of the decline in that category came from a drop in demand for computers. Demand picked up for primary metals, household appliances and oil and gas field machinery.All of these are long-lasting goods. The government estimated demand for these products last week and revised their figures in the factory orders report on Thursday.The report also includes orders for non-durable goods, such as food, chemicals and paper. Those orders fell 0.2 per cent and have declined for the past three months.The government’s data have conflicted with other reports that show manufacturing is on an upswing.The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group, said Monday that factory activity grew last month at the fastest pace in 2 1/2 years. It was also the sixth straight month that the survey showed improvement.Strong auto sales have pushed up demand for steel and other metals, while the rebound in home construction after a summer lull should translate into demand for furniture and appliances.Factory output rose for the third straight month in October, according to the Federal Reserve, driven higher by greater production of primary metals and furniture. Overseas demand for many goods has also risen as Europe has climbed out of recession, Japan is growing faster and China’s economy has slowed but is still growing at a healthy pace.Manufacturers are also hiring more workers, typically a sign of confidence in the market. Factories have added 38,000 jobs from August through October, according to the government’s employment reports.November was likely another strong month, according to the ISM data and private payroll provider ADP. On Wednesday, ADP said factories added 18,000 jobs last month.The government releases its November employment report on Friday. read more
Danish handballEstavana PolmanSanne van OlphenSonderjuskesonderjyske handball Danish Sonderjyske wins battle for promotion to Danish Elite Division, but also to keep two topscorers, Sanne van Olphen and Estavana Polman. Two players were target of many teams from Denmark and other countries, but ambitious Management persuade them to stay in the young – perspective team. ← Previous Story Women’s TOP 10 “BEST BUYS” for 2011/2012: Woltering is the best investment! Next Story → Hvidt and Noddesbo are not “guilty” – In “Blaugrana” with complete teams
THE MINUTE JOE SCHMIDT said he would coach Ireland, you’d have thought that Brian O’Driscoll would be convinced to play another year.It certainly would have left a bad taste in the mouth if he had to hang up the boots after he got that yellow card against Italy and with Ireland not playing well.I’m really looking forward to seeing what Joe Schmidt can bring to the Ireland set-up. It’s a good squad, with plenty of talented young players and not too many holes in it. If Schmidt can freshen things up in there and bring his vision to bear, it could be a very exciting season.You can be damned sure that Brian and Joe had a long talk about him staying on for Ireland. For his first season in charge of Ireland, Joe will rely on anchors of the team like Brian and Paul O’Connell. He is becoming more and more of a danger to himself as time goes on. He is throwing his body on the line more often in recent years. The back spasm [that sees him miss the Challenge Cup Final] is something that happens to a lot of players and, while it can come and go within days, it often arises due to fatigue.O’Driscoll’s legacyFrom his exploding on the scenes in the late 90s to today, he has been at the top of the world game. He, unusually, made his first senior appearances for Ireland before Leinster.We all remember the hat-trick in Paris. That was the day he announced himself to the world.For various reasons, whether it was form, injury or age, people have been writing him off for years but, as the eternal player and professional, he has reinvented his game. The respect that he is held in around the world is huge. He has been through it all and stood up to be counted against every single player that has been held up as the next man to find him out. It never happens.I’m sure he did not take the decision lightly. When children arrive [Brian’s daughter Sadie is three-months old], it has more of an influence on your thinking than you would think. Family life is very important to him so, once he got their blessing, staying on for one more year was never in doubt. *Shane Byrne’s publication, Club Rugby Magazine is available monthly in the Irish Independent. Follow the magazine, and all the latest rugby news, on Twitter @ClubRugby1Brian O’Driscoll signs on for 1 more year with Leinster and Ireland“In all the world, I’ve never seen anyone like him” – O’Driscoll’s year in quotes O’Driscoll, as we all know, is the ultimate combatant. He’d like to finish on his own terms and I’m sure a successful Six Nations, even a Grand Slam, would be in his sights.We’d hate to see anything happen with him. He could end up limping off the pitch in the middle of next season and his career could end that way. That’s the ultimate gamble but Brian is aware of that.I would have been more than happy to see him retire after a successful Lions tour in Australia. read more
Développement durable : l’ONU lance la campagne “L’avenir que nous voulons” Lundi à Rio, les Nations unies ont lancé la campagne “L’avenir que nous voulons”. L’objectif : mobiliser la société civile dans la perspective de la conférence mondiale sur le développement durable qui aura lieu l’année prochaine.Plus de 7 mois avant l’ouverture de Rio+20, l’Organisation des Nations unies a décidé de prendre les devants pour préparer cette grande conférence mondiale qui aura pour thème le développement durable. Lundi, l’ONU a ainsi annoncé le lancement de la campagne “L’avenir que nous voulons”, une opération destinée à mobiliser tous les secteurs de la société pour un dialogue mondial, via internet et les réseaux sociaux, sur l’avenir que veulent les gens dans leur ville, leur village, dans 20 ou 40 ans et “avant qu’il ne soit trop tard”.Organisé 20 ans après le sommet de la Terre de Rio, Rio+20 réunira des chefs de gouvernement de toute la planète, sous la présidence brésilienne, et cherchera à débattre d’un modèle d’économie verte pour la planète. “A Rio+20, il s’agira de renouveler l’engagement politique pour un développement durable avec sept milliards de personnes. Nous devons montrer maintenant qu’il est possible d’avoir un développement qui génère des richesses et protège l’environnement” pour les générations à venir, a expliqué Kiyo Akasaka, le secrétaire général adjoint des Nations unies à la communication et à l’information. Néanmoins, celui-ci critique le fait que “les pays riches ne prennent pas au sérieux l’engagement pris lors du protocole de Kyoto, il y a 14 ans, pour réduire leurs émissions de gaz à effet de serre” qui provoquent le réchauffement climatique.Faire aussi appel aux populations indigènes À lire aussiA Rio+20, l’ONU lance le “Défi faim zéro”Alors que la campagne de l’ONU vise à mobiliser le plus de personnes possibles, un Indien d’Amazonie, Carlos Tucano, a fait remarquer que les indigènes “étaient toujours oubliés dans les discussions mondiales et considérés comme des personnes exotiques ou des sauvages” et ce, malgré les grandes connaissances qu’ils possèdent pour protéger la forêt, cite l’AFP. Une requête à laquelle Kiyo Akasaka a répondu que l’ONU soutenait les indigènes et que Rio+20 serait l’occasion d’approfondir le sujet : “c’est une question importante; l’ONU a une réunion annuelle pour discuter des droits des indigènes dans le monde”.Le 29 novembre 2011 à 18:43 • Maxime Lambert read more
The suspect in the Feb. 28 bomb threat at Battle Ground High School will undergo a mental evaluation by Western State Hospital to determine if he is competent to stand trial.Clark County Superior Court Judge Scott Collier ordered the evaluation Friday at the request of suspect Luke M. Love’s attorney, Art Bennett.The 18-year-old is accused of writing a bomb threat on a boys’ bathroom wall at the high school, prompting an all-day evacuation of the campus. Court records indicate Love has multiple disabilities and mental health issues, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder and major depression.While a juvenile, he was convicted of two counts of fourth-degree assault against his father in 2010 and 2011, according to court documents.Paris Achen: 360-735-4551; paris.achen@columbian.com read more
Protesters gather outside the Department of Justice during a demonstration demanding that Hong Kong’s leaders step down and withdraw the extradition bill, in Hong Kong, China on 27 June 2019. Photo: ReutersImmigration consultants in Hong Kong have seen a dramatic surge in inquiries, especially from the young, after mass protests against an extradition bill that would allow people to be sent to mainland China from the Asian financial hub for trial.Millions of people have taken to the streets in recent weeks in some of the Chinese-ruled city’s largest and most violent demonstrations in decades, forcing Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to suspend the bill indefinitely.The planned legislation sparked concern it will threaten the rule of law that underpins Hong Kong’s international financial status at a time when many are already worried over the tightening grip of Communist Party rulers in Beijing over the former British colony.Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” formula, which guarantees its freedoms, including freedom to protest and an independent judiciary, not enjoyed on the mainland.Young people are more interested in Asian destinations such as Taiwan, Malaysia and Thailand, in contrast to previous trends that saw many target the likes of Canada and Australia, thanks to cheaper immigration costs and better job prospects closer to home, immigration consultants said.Last weekend, around 1,000 people attended an immigration seminar on Southeast Asia organised by Golden Emperor Properties, a rise from around 100 at its previous seminars.“It’s the first time ever so many people have attended our seminar, and never before have we seen so many young people attending,” Golden Emperor Properties managing director Terence Chan said, referring to interest from 30- and 40-year-olds.General inquiries had increased since 9 June when hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets to try to thwart the extradition bill, and the number spiked after 12 June when Hong Kong police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at demonstrators.Centaline Immigration Consultant general manager David Hui said he had received more inquiries in the past two to three months as controversy over the bill intensified.The number of inquiries from young people rose around 30 per cent, he added.Some Hong Kong tycoons have already started moving personal wealth offshore amid concerns over the legislation.“Many people wouldn’t consider Southeast Asia before…but one client told me jokingly he thought that region was not very politically stable, but now Hong Kong is even more unstable,” Chan said.He said Southeast Asia was ideal for young people who do not have a lot of money but are desperate to seek an “escape door”.Even though it is difficult to acquire permanent residency in some of these Asian countries, Chan said people were happy with a long-term visa.“They don’t mind because they don’t want to be completely detached from Hong Kong,” he said.A senior executive in the financial services industry told Reuters companies were starting to look beyond Singapore to Thailand as a safe alternative to Hong Kong.More Hong Kong people are also leaving for Taiwan, speeding up a trend in recent years, citing fears of Chinese erosion of the “one country, two systems” formula which Beijing hopes it can introduce one day on the island it claims as its own. read more
The Potter’s House, 1658 Columbia Road N.W., will be sponsoring an “Art Between Us” open mic event on May 13from 5 p. m. – 8 p. m . The event part of an ongoing Gender + Justice events series that focuses on women’s voices in an effort to inspire fellowship, create safe spaces, and establish networks. The event costs $5. For more information, visit facebook.com/events/1671232603141240, or email food4theory@gmail.com.
1 2 Most mobile games are successful because they deliver a quick, fun experience. You can walk away from the game whenever you want, or you can dedicate an entire weekend to getting the highest possible score. These kinds of games are great, but since we’ve got this tiny computer in our pockets why not enjoy a game that is a little more complex, right?Clash of Clans is one of many mobile strategy games out there that allow you to immerse yourself in a multiplayer online world where your empire is constantly at risk. It’s up to you to build the best defenses and attack your enemies when the time is right. It’s a great game, but if you’ve been playing for a while you may be looking for something new.We took a look at a few games like Clash of Clans that combine the strategy and online elements beautifully.Modern WarWhile Clash of Clans and most of the games like it are set in fantasy worlds that often possess a general medieval theme, Modern War takes a different approach. As the name would suggest, you’re in the modern world with modern weapons and modern armies. As a result, the gameplay is heavily augmented to allow for fighter jets, tanks, and less focus on fortifications and physical defensive measures. The basic gameplay themes are still alive and well, however. You build up your army, use it to attack other players, and you can form alliances as necessary to survive in this online environment.Unlike Clash of Clans, Modern War is available on iOS and Android, and both platforms exist in the same world. As a result, the monthly live World Domination events can be really exciting, putting you right in the middle of a massive multiplayer online combat event. These events could end in you walking away with immense wealth or you could wind up being beaten so bad that your military force is all but starting over again. Modern War is great if you’re looking for something like Clash of Clans in concept, but executed with greater focus on the multiplayer elements and modern look and feel.Dragon EmpireWhere our last game like Clash of Clans focused on a modern look and more online gameplay, Dragon Empire heads in the exact opposite direction. The fantasy elements in Dragon Empire are delve even deeper into myth and legend, with a heavy focus on Dragons. Each Dragon race in their game offer a unique magical power that helps the user in some way, usually to enhance the combat skills of your soldiers in one way or another. The basics of the game still feel very much like Clash of Clans, were you build a wall enclosed village and spend the time you’re not being attacked to raise the best army possible and lead them to glorious victory against the evil dragons and the other online players.Dragon Empire’s artwork has a more animated feel to it, and the online gameplay clearly takes a back seat at first to the initial challenges of raising an army and building your village. The game is designed so you don’t really have to interact much with other online players if you don’t want to, which can often be exactly what some RTS players want. As an Android only title that runs on any phone or tablet with version 2.2 or higher, the game is available to just about all of Android for free.Next page: League of Shadows and more games like Clash of Clans… read more
More information: Long-term reliability of the Athabasca River (Alberta, Canada) as the water source for oil sands mining, David J. Sauchyn, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1509726112AbstractExploitation of the Alberta oil sands, the world’s third-largest crude oil reserve, requires fresh water from the Athabasca River, an allocation of 4.4% of the mean annual flow. This allocation takes into account seasonal fluctuations but not long-term climatic variability and change. This paper examines the decadal-scale variability in river discharge in the Athabasca River Basin (ARB) with (i) a generalized least-squares (GLS) regression analysis of the trend and variability in gauged flow and (ii) a 900-y tree-ring reconstruction of the water-year flow of the Athabasca River at Athabasca, Alberta. The GLS analysis removes confounding transient trends related to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and Pacific North American mode (PNA). It shows long-term declining flows throughout the ARB. The tree-ring record reveals a larger range of flows and severity of hydrologic deficits than those captured by the instrumental records that are the basis for surface water allocation. It includes periods of sustained low flow of multiple decades in duration, suggesting the influence of the PDO and PNA teleconnections. These results together demonstrate that low-frequency variability must be considered in ARB water allocation, which has not been the case. We show that the current and projected surface water allocations from the Athabasca River for the exploitation of the Alberta oil sands are based on an untenable assumption of the representativeness of the short instrumental record. (Phys.org)—A trio of researchers with the University of Regina and University of Western Ontario, both in Canada, has found that a history of drought in the areas that feed the Athabasca River indicates that droughts are likely in the future, perhaps putting oilsands mining in jeopardy. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, David Sauchyn, Jeannine-Marie St-Jacques, and Brian Luckman describe their study of tree rings in the area and what doing so revealed about the history of rainfall there. The upper reaches of the Athabasca River in Jasper National Park. Credit: David Sauchyn. Athabasca Glacier at the headwaters of the Athabasca River. Credit: David Sauchyn. Scientists already know that less water is flowing today in the Athabasca River than in years past, due to less glacial melt, which in turn is due to global warming. In this new effort, the researchers found that the area appears to be susceptible to future drought as well because droughts have occurred periodically throughout the past 900 years.Water from the river is used to extract oil from sand—it takes approximately 3.1 barrels of it to get just one barrel of oil—records indicate that oilsand mining accounts for approximately 72 percent of the water pulled from the river. Such extractions are regulated by the Canadian government, but, the researchers note, those regulations are based on data that only goes back to the 1950’s. To get a better picture of the future, the researchers fanned out and took core samples from trees throughout the area, some of which dated back 1111 years.In analyzing the data, the researchers first compared their data with actual rainfall records dating back to the 1950’s and found them to be about the same. Then they looked at data going back over nine hundred years of history. They discovered that the area experienced a drought at least once a century ranging from a short period to up to fifty years.Those running the oilsands mining operations are currently allowed to take 4.4 percent of the water flowing through the area near the mine, though they never use near that much—typically it is just a fraction of that. But that could change in a drastic way, the researchers note if the area were to experience a severe drought—they believe it would be better to look into the rules now, while there is plenty of water, rather than later, during the middle of a drought. Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Citation: Canadian River used for oilsands extraction may be at risk from drought (2015, September 23) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2015-09-canadian-river-oilsands-drought.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. Study shows increase in concurrent droughts and heat waves in US Explore further © 2015 Phys.org read more
Kolkata: Holding the West Bengal government liable for any loss of lives and property due to violence during the upcoming panchayat polls, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday said the state will have to pay compensation in such cases. Disposing off a petition moved by the Congress seeking quashing of the single-phase panchayat polling date on May 14 on grounds of inadequate security arrangements, a division bench of Chief Justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya and Justice Arijit Banerjee said it was up to the State Election Commission to decide the date.The bench said whenever the election took place, it should be held in a free and fair manner.The court’s direction came after hearing the petitioners and respondents and taking stock of the deployment of armed forces on the polling day by the state government. read more