Tim Cone. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.netBarangay Ginebra’s character was tested on Sunday when a motivated Meralco crew threw everything it had to equalize the series on Sunday.“It was a struggle. [Meralco is] mentally very tough and they’re hard to crack. But I’m just truly happy with our guys, just hanging in there, battling and finding a way,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone.ADVERTISEMENT Read Next Nonong Araneta re-elected as PFF president Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Mbala locks down Desiderio in DLSU rout of UP Frontrow holds fun run to raise funds for young cancer patients LATEST STORIES Typhoon Kammuri accelerates, gains strength en route to PH Trending Articles PLAY LIST 00:50Trending Articles05:25PH boxing team determined to deliver gold medals for PH00:50Trending Articles01:37Protesters 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 LOOK: Loisa Andalio, Ronnie Alonte unwind in Amanpulo for 3rd anniversary MOST READ “Our energy went up in the last three minutes of the game when we tied the basketball game and we just kind of fed off that energy the rest of the way, emotionally. Seeing that the opportunity was there for us to win that game.”The triumph gave the Gin Kings to a 2-0 series lead in the 2017 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals, two wins away from retaining their title in the season-ending conference.It was an uplifting win given the situation both teams had to go through stemming from Game 1 in Lucena, but Cone knows the Gin Kings have their work cut out for them with a desperate Meralco side fighting for its life on Wednesday.“I think they have a lot of punches left to throw us. This is a real trying game because of the out-of-town experience that we had 48 hours ago. We didn’t get back to Manila until 3 o’ clock in the morning and guys weren’t asleep until 3:30 or 4 a.m,” Cone said.“So it was a real trying weekend for us and for them as well. It just looked like at the end, we just had a little more than they did. Now they got two days to refresh, and I think that extra day in a series is really valuable to the teams,” he added. “They’re gonna come out with full punches in Game 3.“ADVERTISEMENT “We didn’t shoot the ball particularly well tonight, but we played the game in other areas and made it up there,” said coach Tim Cone.The Gin Kings anticipated a huge fightback from the Bolts as they saw themselves down early, 8-17 to start the game. But they put themselves within striking distance as they waited for the right time to strike.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 shutoutWith Meralco holding a 75-69 edge in the final 5:56, that was when Ginebra made its rally, with Japeth Aguilar’s thunderous dunk igniting what would be a deciding 17-1 finishing kick as the Kings came away with the 86-76 Game 2 win.“We took a big punch from them early in the game. We kind of survived that and we were able to kind of make it into a possession-by-possession game. No one really got up in front, then we had a real good closing kick,” Cone said. Fire hits houses in Mandaluyong City Kammuri turning to super typhoon less likely but possible — Pagasa Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC BSP sees higher prices in November, but expects stronger peso, low rice costs to put up fight View comments read more
Shaq delos Santos says women’s nat’l team only lacks exposure: ‘We have height, skills’ LATEST STORIES Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Private companies step in to help SEA Games hosting P2.5 B shabu seized in Makati sting, Chinese national nabbed SEA Games hosting troubles anger Duterte P2.5 B shabu seized in Makati sting, Chinese national nabbed Trending Articles PLAY LIST 00:50Trending Articles00:50Trending Articles01:33Leo Austria, SMB wary of ‘more experienced’ Hotshots ahead of PBA Finals rematch02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games02:11Trump awards medals to Jon Voight, Alison Krauss “For the purposes of the national team, his medium range shot is good enough, you don’t need to shoot a three to be effective,” said Guiao. “As long as you can step out and shoot a 15, 16-foot jumper with some accuracy.”Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next PBA IMAGESMANILA, Philippines—If there’s one head coach in the PBA that likes his big men shooting from long range, it’s NLEX’s Yeng Guiao.Even during his time with Rain or Shine, Guiao not only allowed his centers and power forwards to shoot from deep, he straight up encouraged them.ADVERTISEMENT Lacson backs proposal to elect president and vice president in tandem MOST READ View comments “It’s something that you have to develop for a longer period of time. He’s going to have to take a lot more three-point shots in order to [be consistent] but every once in a while that’s going to happen.”Fajardo made his third career triple in the first quarter with the shot clock about to expire to give the Beermen a 28-4 lead.In comparison, Fajardo’s one three-point field goal this season is just a fraction of what Belga, Quiñahan, and Taulava have had.Belga already has six this season while Quiñahan and Taulava have made 12 and two, respectively.Guiao said that Fajardo may not necessarily have to take shots from beyond the arc for the national team since the center’s mid-range game is already sufficient.ADVERTISEMENT Hong Kong tunnel reopens, campus siege nears end Trump campaign, GOP groups attack Google’s new ad policy From Beau Belga to JR Quiñahan and even Asi Taulava, Guiao had no problems pushing his bigs to hit outside shots.So when San Miguel center June Mar Fajardo, who is Guiao’s player in the national team, hit a three against the Road Warriors the fiery head coach’s opinion had to be instantly asked.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSUrgent reply from Philippine football chiefSPORTSPalace wants Cayetano’s PHISGOC Foundation probed over corruption chargesGuiao said that Fajardo can shoot three-pointers on occasion but it would be hard to believe seeing the 6-foot-10 center, who primarily operates in the paint, moving out towards beyond the arc.“I think every once in a while he’s going to hit a three-point shot but I don’t see him doing that on a regular basis,” said Guiao after NLEX’s 121-11 loss to San Miguel in the PBA Philippine Cup Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. 1 dead, 3 injured in Quezon road crash read more
GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 30: Running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on during the second half of the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl against the Washington Huskies at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Penn State Nittany Lions won 35-28. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)Penn State just scored to take a 20-7 lead over Buffalo early in the fourth quarter in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions’ reached the end zone on a short pass from Christian Hackenberg to DaeSean Hamilton, but it was freshman running back Saquon Barkley who did the heavy lifting on the scoring drive.Barkley ripped off a 33-yard gain, and on the ensuing play, took a hand-off and dashed through the middle of the Buffalo defense. A Bull defender tried to tackle him low, and it was a bad idea. Barkley hurdled him cleanly in an impressive display of athleticism. Penn State has something going with true freshman Saquon Barkley at RB. What a hurdle. pic.twitter.com/zNHx3L0QeM— Dr. Saturday (@YahooDrSaturday) September 12, 2015That was sick. Barkley has been a definite bright spot for a PSU offense still looking to find itself. read more
(In order of appearance: RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson refuses to answer questions while in his SUV; RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Harold Pfleiderer refuses to answer questions from APTN; Justice Minister Peter MacKay; Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney. APTN/Video)Jorge Barrera APTN National NewsA grand chief from Alberta wrote to RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson Monday requesting he authorize the public release of all data collected by the federal police force as part of its review of 30 years of murdered and missing Indigenous women cases across the country.Treaty 6 Grand Chief Bernice Martial wrote to Paulson in response to recent claims made by Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt that unreleased RCMP data shows Indigenous men are responsible for 70 per cent of the murders of Indigenous women. Valcourt made the statement during a closed-door meeting with three grand chiefs, including Martial, while the minister was in Calgary on March 20.“We are requesting that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police release the report in its entirety on missing and murdered Indigenous women,” said Martial, in the letter obtained by APTN National News. “As the Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations of Alberta, this issue is at the heart of our communities and families who need some answers on their murdered and missing loved ones.”The RCMP said in a statement last Thursday that it would not be releasing any data based on the “ethnicity” of perpetrators. RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Harold Pfleiderer also refused to back Valcourt’s claim that his statistic came from unreleased RCMP information.Martial said the RCMP needed to release the information to determine whether Valcourt’s statements were true.“With the recent statements by (Valcourt) stating that 70 per cent of Indigenous men are responsible for the deaths of the approximately 1,200 missing and murdered Indigenous we would like to review the report to see if his claims are accurate,” wrote Martial, whose treaty organization represents 25 First Nations. “This issue is close to my heart as I know it has affected so many families within our territory of Treaty 6.”The RCMP has released only a portion of the information it gathered as part of its missing and murdered Indigenous women project. The federal police force reviewed cases held by about 200 police agencies across the country dating back to 1980.Valcourt would not stop to answer questions from APTN about the data prior to question period Monday. Inside the House, he faced similar questions on the issue for a third time. Valcourt was not allowed to respond to the issue during question period last Friday.This time, he answered one of two questions on the subject.Quebec NDP MP Mylene Freeman, whose riding includes the Mohawk community Kanesatake, demanded during question period that Valcourt apologize for his “unsourced” claim.“The Minister of Aboriginal Affairs…deeply offended First Nations leaders when he tried to cite an unsourced fact contradicted by the RCMP,” said Freeman. “Instead of attacking Indigenous people, the minister should bring people together to end the violence and finally call a national public inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women.”Valcourt said he wouldn’t comment on what was said behind closed doors.“What I got from many people outside of those meetings, and I am talking about chiefs and tribal councils, is that they will indeed use the action plan to address the issues of missing and murdered Aboriginal women,” said Valcourt, during question period.The minister, however, remained seated when Freeman launched a second question, this time in French which is Valcourt’s mother-tongue.Referring to a recent appearance on popular Quebec television show Tout le Monde en Parle by Laurie Odjick, whose daughter disappeared from Kitigan Zibi, which sits north of Ottawa in Quebec, Freeman asked the government to call a public inquiry.“We do not need a national inquiry,” said Susan Truppe, parliamentary secretary for the status of women department. “We are developing more community safety plans on and off reserves, including in regions identified specifically by the RCMP. This action plan will engage men and boys. It will raise awareness to breakinter-generational cycles of violence.”Paulson on Monday appeared before the Senate committee conducting a pre-study of the Harper government’s proposed anti-terror legislation, Bill C-51. Paulson left the committee meeting through a back door to avoid media and refused to roll down the window of his SUV when APTN caught up with him on the street.Pfleiderer was also present at the committee hearing, but he refused to comment when approached by an APTN reporter.“I am the spokesperson,” he said. “Give me a call in the office…I am not giving you a comment.”Justice Minister Peter MacKay and Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney also appeared at the Senate hearing.MacKay told APTN it was his understanding that Valcourt obtained his information from the RCMP, but he hadn’t personally seen the specific 70 per cent number.“I believe he was referencing material he was given by the RCMP. I wasn’t present at the meeting, I only heard what he has said about it since,” said MacKay. “I am only telling you what he has said about where this information originated.”Blaney seemed to suggest Valcourt’s number came from an “analysis” of public information.“The data are up there, anyone who wants to know about the file can download the data and make their own analysis,” said Blaney.jbarrera@aptn.ca@JorgeBarrera read more
VANCOUVER – Canfor Corp. says it is temporarily curtailing sawmill operations in British Columbia by about 10 per cent during the fourth quarter.The Vancouver-based forest products producer says the decision was made due to market conditions, including falling lumber prices, uncompetitive log costs and supply challenges following another difficult wildfire season.Chief executive Don Kayne says the company is working to mitigate the impacts on employees “as much as possible.”Lumber production will be reduced by cutting the number of operating days, including immediate short-term curtailments at some facilities and extended downtime over the holidays.Canfor has 13 sawmills in Canada, with total annual capacity of about 3.8 billion board feet.Lumber prices soared as U.S. export duties were initially passed on to consumers, but those have subsequently decreased.Companies in this story: (TSX:CFP) read more
CALGARY (660 NEWS) – The entire process had to be started over again, but there is hope in the oil and gas industry that the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project will go through. This as the consultation meetings between the National Energy Board (NEB) and indigenous groups continue in Calgary.The new consultations are needed after the Federal Court of Appeals stopped the project in August, citing a lack of consultation with indigenous communities and not enough of an environmental review when it comes to researching the effects of increased tanker traffic off of the BC coast.Nick Schultz is the VP of pipeline regulation with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP).He believes there will be progress from these latest rounds of consultations.“That’s being undertaken in a very rigorous way in accordance with the direction of the court so we (CAPP) have great confidence that will be done appropriately,” he said. “Not to say that it is easy, or that there won’t be some controversy, or that there won’t be people who feel this is not quite enough for them, but this is all moving in the right direction.”He understands that not everyone will be on board with this project, no matter what is undertaken.“There is a whole bunch of folks who have adopted the ‘over my dead body approach’ to the project so whatever anybody does is not going to satisfy people of that mind.”He believes many of the indigenous groups will have their lingering questions answered at these new meetings.“There’s common ground there to build on for many if not all of the First Nations. There may be some that fall into the category of not wanting it under any circumstances, but one can only do so much.”He said while it has been frustrating, the fact that the industry had to go back and start new consultation processes is a sign of how stringent the process to get a pipeline built in Canada is.“Canada does this probably better than many other countries in the world. We have constitutionally protected rights that are taken very seriously.” read more
For the new Poland national team manager, the game against Italy will be useful to restart his country’s ambitions in international footballPoland had a very awful run in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.The European nation lost 2-1 against Senegal and then was defeated 3-0 by Colombia.The team only got one victory and it was against Japan 1-0 after the squad was already eliminated from Group H.And now the future of Polish football is in the hands of coach Jerzy Brzeczek, who will debut against Italy in the UEFA Nations League.Serie A Betting: Match-day 3 Stuart Heath – September 14, 2019 Considering there is a number of perfect starts so early in the Serie A season, as well as a few surprisingly not-so perfect ones….“It is my first game and we will start a new chapter with some new people,” Brzeczek told reporters as echoed by Football Italia.“It will be interesting to play against Italy, as both teams are in a similar situation. Poland did not do as well as people expected at the World Cup, and Italy – a giant of world football – did not qualify at all.”“Aside from final tournaments, I cannot remember Poland getting to play big teams as often [as in the Nations League]. It is a good test which will show immediately whether my choices are the right ones,” he added.“I want to see how much we have grown. Italy is the favorite going into this game, but we have no fear. I want us to play with humility and determination.”“I won’t look at the past. We have a lot of potential in this squad and we must concentrate on the present,” he concluded. read more
CMI’s assets include Content Marketing World, an annual event held in Cleveland each September, as well as a series of other conferences. The company’s event business earned between $6 and $9 million last year, according to UBM, with about an additional $3 million from “other marketing services.” “Our ‘events-first’ strategy focuses on improving the quality of UBM’s portfolio and Content Marketing World, as the leading event in this high-growth sector, enhances our portfolio and strengthens our leading position in the U.S. events industry,” said UBM CEO Tom Cobbold in a statement. UBM plc has acquired the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) for $17.6 million, subject to the meeting of profit targets over the next two years, the global marketing services and self-proclaimed “events-first” B2B media company announced today. “Even though we always imagined selling the business at some point, this was an incredibly difficult decision. We would never decide to sell the business if our vision would be compromised in any way,” wrote CMI founder Joe Pulizzi in a note on the company’s website. “One of the reasons UBM decided to make this purchase is because of the passion of the CMI team and the community. Continuing that is critical to our ongoing success.” Pulizzi notes that there will be no changes to the CMI team, and that the company will become a part of UBM’s technology events group. It’s the second acquisition in just over a month for UBM, who in late April purchased Business Journals Inc., producers of a number of notable fashion shows across the U.S., for $69 million. Former Rodale president Scott Schulman came on board as CEO of UBM’s Americas division earlier in April, tasked with further implementing the “events-first” strategy that has the conference and trade show business driving the majority of UBM’s revenues. The company sold PR Newswire to Cision late last year in a blockbuster deal worth $841 million. read more
Facebook Twitter Hear Bebe Rexha’s Two Hot New Singles bebe-rexha-debuts-new-singles-ferrari-2-souls-fire Bebe Rexha Debuts New Singles “Ferrari,” “2 Souls On Fire” NETWORK ERRORCannot Contact ServerRELOAD YOUR SCREEN OR TRY SELECTING A DIFFERENT VIDEO Sep 12, 2017 – 11:57 am Bebe Rexha: “I Got You” Inspiration The first new single, “Ferrari,” starts with a simple guitar line and builds to an anthemic chorus that is easy to picture booming around a stadium. Rexha shows off her considerable musical skills on a track that has “hit” written all over it.Rexha also dropped “2 Souls On Fire,” featuring Migos rapper Quavo. The track sees the pair trading off lines with a catchy beat that belies traditional pop conventions.Both songs will be available on Expectations, which is due out June 22. The album is available via presale starting April 13. Catch a preview of what’s to come on the singer/songwriter’s upcoming debut albumRenée FabianGRAMMYs Apr 13, 2018 – 11:34 am After you hear Bebe Rexha sing once, you’ll never forget her distinctive voice, and she’ll leave you wanting more. Well, on April 13, the “I Got You” singer/songwriter gifted us with two new singles from her upcoming debut album, Expectations. News Email My Debut album “Expectations” our for pre-order this Friday April 13th. pic.twitter.com/gf6zYLDIyR— Bebe Rexha (@BebeRexha) April 8, 2018Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? “Talk To GRAMMYs”Read more read more
9 Photos Car Industry Electric Cars Tesla Model 3 Review: Performance trim 2019 Nissan Leaf Plus review: A better EV, but maybe not the best More From Roadshow Tags Tesla Arcade just made in-car gaming way more fun Enlarge ImageThe Big T is looking to venture out on its own and bring battery design and production in house to save cost. Tim Stevens/Roadshow When we read that Tesla was developing its own battery cells in a secret lab, we naturally assumed that Elon had set this up inside a volcano on an island in the South Pacific. That only makes sense, right?Well, according to a report published Wednesday by CNBC, the truth about the lab’s location is sadly much more disappointing (it’s in Fremont, California), but what the lab is working on is pretty cool — but that’s also likely going to be problematic for Tesla’s current battery partner, Panasonic.Why would Tesla be trying to get out from under its longtime partnership with Panasonic? Well, costs, mostly. If it can develop and produce its own cells, then it no longer has to pay someone else to do it. This would, in theory, bring costs down, something Tesla is desperate to do these days.Currently, Tesla vehicles use two types of cells. Models S and X use the older but still mostly industry-standard 18650 cells, while the Model 3 (and soon the Model Y) use the physically larger 2170 cell. Getting all of Tesla’s production on a single cell design would likely be a cost savings by itself, but developing cells that are more energy dense would allow Tesla to extend its cars’ range, but more importantly, it could allow vehicles to maintain their current range estimates with fewer cells in their packs.Tesla didn’t immediately respond to Roadshow’s request for comment. Now playing: Watch this: 2:16 Share your voice 3 Comments Tesla Tesla pulls the wraps off its Model Y crossover SUV 2020 BMW M340i review: A dash of M makes everything better Tesla read more
Customers queue to wait for the opening of a new Apple Store in Chongqing municipality, January 31, 2015. The store is the second in the city and the fifteenth in mainland China, local media reported. Apple Inc is steering clear of Chinese rival Xiaomi Inc’s low-price online strategy, ramping up store openings in China to harness its premium edge and fend off the fast-growing No.3 global smartphone maker.ReutersApple became the first American company to cross $700 billion stock market valuation on Tuesday.Apple shares closed on Tuesday at $122.02, up by 1.9%, with market valuation at $710 billion. The valuation puts Apple on the top, which is more than the combined valuation of Google and Microsoft, its two closest competitors.Meanwhile, speaking at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference in San Francisco, Apple CEO Tim Cook suggested that the company can clock growth like a start-up.He noted that at Apple, they do not believe in “laws of large numbers,” and termed it “an old dogma that was cooked up by someone.” He made references to the founding father of the firm, the late Steve Jobs imploring people to never limit their thinking.Apple Pay, the mobile-payment service launched by the company, as an offering in its feature-rich iPhone 6 and 6+, was growing “much faster” than expected, said Financial Times.Cash holdings at $142 billionCook spoke to Goldman Sachs COO Gary Cohn, describing his plans for the cash hoard worth $142 billion, noting that the next earnings call in April 2015, will outline details of his plan to return cash to the investors. Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during a presentation at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California October 16, 2014.ReutersHe reiterated his stand that the cash, which was not needed above a buffer level, would find its way back to the shareholders.However, cash return to investors would be listed after research and development spending, acquisitions, store expansion and maintenance of Apple’s infrastructure.InvestmentsOn Tuesday, Apple announced plans to invest $850 million to build a 1,300 acre solar-power plant in California, to provide renewable energy to power its new campus, other offices and retailing stores.Cook remarked that Apple was investing in the plant because it believes it is the “right thing to do,” adding that the new plant would help with “very significant savings for the company.”China and India PotentialChina, which is about to become Apple’s single largest market, is a country of “enormous opportunity,” said Cook. He made references to the widening base of middle class, who are potential customers for the technology company.India, Cook said, hold similar potential, but noted that Apple has not yet invested “as much energy,” which could possibly become another potential market.Cheaper iPhone?Cook dismissed suggestions over a cheaper iPhone, in a bid to appeal to emerging markets, remarking people seek a “great product,” which however, may not be affordable by everyone, but still they would want an iPhone.Apple WatchWith iPad sales stagnating, and iPhone growing by 46%, thanks to the entry into the Chinese market, Apple needs newer generation of products to move forward its growth strategy. An Apple Watch is seen during an Apple event at the Flint Center in Cupertino, CaliforniaReutersCook kept expectations high on the Apple Watch, which he said, will surprise Apple customers with its features designed to redefine how people look at such devices. read more
Reuters FileA ‘black money bonhomie’ has come under the scanner involving builders, stock brokers and Bollywood entities as a multi-agency probe gets underway to pierce the corporate veil of hundreds of suspected shell companies, according to PTI reports.Markets regulator the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has begun shooting off show-cause notices to 331 listed entities, suspected to have acted as ‘shell companies’ for those with illicit funds, while action has also begun against more than 100 unlisted entities that could have traded in stocks with laundered money, top regulatory and government sources said.While the capital market regulator’s decision to restrict share trading has been reversed in case of some firms after they approached the Securities Appellate Tribunal, it has been permitted to go ahead with its probe against them and others who could have violated securities laws.Also under the scanner is the role of some brokers in creating a panic-like situation in the stock market after Sebi’s restrict trading in shares of 331 firms, a official told Firstpost. He further said that the move would have safeguarded the interest of minority shareholders but the brokers with their skin in the game wanted to get their money out.More than 13,000 shell companies were identified by investigation agencies following the demonetisation process initiated by the government in November last year.The regulator cum watchdog continues probe, affairs of these companies are also being looked into by different agencies such as (Income Tax) I-T Department, (Enforcing Directorate) ED and SFIO (Serious Fraud Investigation Office) to unravel what one top regulatory official described is a “big black money bonhomie.”The regulator and investigative agencies are working in a co-ordinated manner and are sharing their investigation reports with each other, the official told Firstpost.The last week’s action on suspected 331 listed firms has already been followed up with Sebi asking exchanges and brokers to verify credentials of 107 unlisted entities and barred them from trading if results are found unsatisfactory.This list also mostly includes entities supposed to be engaged in real estate, plantation, trading and finance related businesses. read more
Colorado Springs, Colo. – In its last summer of international competition before the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, USA Swimming has announced its coaching staffs for the 2019 FINA World Championships, World University Games and Pan American Games. University of Louisville head coach Arthur Albiero has been named to the Team USA coaching staff for Worlds. “We are fortunate to have excellent collegiate and club coaches in this country and proud of the men and women who will play a big part in our overall positive culture and success this summer,” Mintenko said. “Not only do these international competitions help refine and prepare the U.S.’s top swimmers, but they allow us to provide valuable leadership and development opportunities for our national coaches.” FINA World ChampionshipsTokyo 2020 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team head coaches Dave Durden (Cal Men’s Swimming) and Greg Meehan (Stanford Women’s Swimming) have been named head coaches of the men’s and women’s U.S. world championship teams, respectively, for the 18th FINA World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, July 21-28. Durden and Meehan served in the same roles for USA Swimming at the 2017 FINA World Championships, where the American roster won a record 38 medals in the pool competition. Albiero, the ACC Women’s Coach of the Year, will be on deck as a coach. The Team USA roster features Cardinals Kelsi Worrell Dahlia, Mallory Comerford and Zach Harting. Representing their home countries and Louisville will be Cardinals Joao DeLucca (Brazil), Andrej Barna (Serbia), Arina Openysheva (Russia), and Marcelo Acosta (El Salvador) Pan American Gameshttps://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/mediadocuments/swimming-history-and-rosters/additional-rosters/2019-pan-american-games-roster_5-1-2019.pdf?sfvrsn=8 The complete World Championships coaching staff: Dave Durden (Cal Men’s Swimming) Greg Meehan (Stanford Women’s Swimming) Teri McKeever (Cal Women’s Swimming) Gregg Troy (Gator Swim Club) Ray Looze (Indiana Swimming) Arthur Albiero (Louisville Swimming) Jack Bauerle (Georgia Swimming) David Marsh (Team Elite Aquatics) Story Links World Championshipshttps://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/mediadocuments/swimming-history-and-rosters/additional-rosters/2019-world-championships-roster_5-1-2019.pdf?sfvrsn=6 World University Games Braden Holloway (N.C. State Swimming) and Tracy Slusser (Stanford Women’s Swimming) have been given the honors of leading the American collegiate athletes in Napoli, Italy, July 3-14 at the World University Games. A five-time ACC Coach of the Year, Holloway will head the men’s team, while Slusser, Associate Head Coach of the NCAA Champion Stanford Cardinal, will lead Team USA’s women’s squad. This will be the second time Holloway has served on a World University Games coaching staff, having been an assistant in 2017 in Taipei. Prior to helping Stanford win its third-consecutive NCAA title in March, Slusser was on coaching staffs at Arizona and Texas A&M, where she helped both programs to top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships. Cardinal Forever Grigory Tarasevich will be competing for Russia at WUGsPan American Games At the Pan American Games, July 26-August 11 in Lima, Peru, USA Swimming has selected Matt Kredich (Tennessee Swimming) to lead the men’s team, while Steve Bultman (Texas A&M Swimming) will coach the women’s team. During Kredich’s time at Tennessee, the 14-year coach was twice named SEC Women’s Coach of the Year, in 2008 and 2012. Before his arrival at Tennessee, Kredich was the women’s head coach at the University of Richmond, where he won Atlantic-10 Coach of the Year four-consecutive years from 2002-05. Bultman has led the Aggies program to six conference championships and has seen every school record broken during his time at the helm of the team. Internationally, Bultman was an assistant on both the 1988 and 2012 U.S. Olympic swimming coaching staffs. He also held assistant coach titles at the 1985 Pan Pacific Championships, the 2001, 2009 and 2015 World University Games and the 2013 FINA World Championships. UofL Olympian and NCAA Champion Joao DeLucca will represent the Cardinals at the Pan Ams for Brazil. Maria Sumida (Brazil), Marcelo Acosta (El Salvador) and diver Daniel Pinto (Peru) will also be swimming at Pan Ams. The complete team rosters can be found here: World University Gameshttps://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/mediadocuments/swimming-history-and-rosters/additional-rosters/2019-world-university-games-roster_5-1-2019.pdf?sfvrsn=2Keep up with all the latest USA Swimming news by following @usaswimming on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.- usaswimming.org -Print Friendly Version 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
The government has decided to infuse Rs 2,375.42 crore to revive 23 District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) in four states which were on the verge of closure. Of the total amount, state government would contribute Rs 1,464.59 crore, Centre Rs 673.29 crore and NABARD Rs 237.54 crore, said a statement issued after the cabinet meeting here.‘Government of India has decided to revive and infuse capital in 23 cooperative banks in the country,’ Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters after the Cabinet meeting. According to Prasad, there are 23 unlicenced district level banks including 16 in Uttar Pradesh, three each in Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra and one in West Bengal. These banks were on the verge of closure. Also Read – Need to understand why law graduate’s natural choice is not legal profession: CJIThese banks have deposits base of about Rs 6,839 crore and loan book of around Rs 3,774 crore. The Minister said the government wanted to revive these banks as people from lower strata of society and small businessmen have deposits in these institutions. He said that the central government will fully cooperate with states to revive these banks through NABARD.According to the statement, Centre’s share of Rs 673.29 crore would be released through NABARD as interest-free loan and would be converted into grant on fulfilment of conditionalities/deliverables outlined in the scheme. These conditionalities include bringing the NPAs to at least half of the current levels by March 31, 2017; making 15 percent growth rate of deposits for next two years; drawing up of a monthly Monitorable Action Plan; placement of competent CEOs fulfilling ‘Fit & Proper’ criteria; and putting Corporate Governance Systems in place. The scheme for revival of these unlicensed DCCBs will help in revival of these cooperative banks. read more
Spanish cable operator Ono has added remote record to its TiVo platform.Users can schedule a recording using any compute with internet access. TiVo by Ono lets users record two channels simultaneously and store more than 200 hours of content. The platform is currently available in Madrid and Barcelona and will roll out to the rest of the country in the coming months.
Vodafone Portugal has launched a service that allows people to stream content shot using a GoPro camera direct to the TV via its Live On TV service.Content shot using a GoPro Hero 3 or 4 camera can be downloaded via the operator’s Live On TV app, which is available for Apple iPhones from version 5S upwards, and linked with the GoPro Camera app. Footage can then be transmitted to the user’s TV or to friends’ TV with Vodafone’s service.The initiative is the latest innovation from Vodafone Portugal, following its recent launch of a TV service to the smartwatch.Vodafone’s TV Net Voz service provides a range of channels for €25.90 a month on a two-year contract.
In This Issue.* ZEW indicates a German turn around. * IMM futures positions pare back A$ holdings. * Norway to join the world with rate cuts? * Gold get a break from its daily beatings.And, Now, Today’s Pfennig For Your Thoughts!Check The Docket For What Happens March 1st. Good day. And a Tom Terrific Tuesday to you! With yesterday being a holiday, I hope you were able to enjoy a 3-day weekend. President’s Day. Did you go out and buy a new mattress? HA! I think I liked it better when as a kid we celebrated Abe Lincoln’s birthday and George Washington’s birthday separately. With it now being called “President’s Day”, we have to assume that knuckleheads like Woodrow Wilson is part of the celebration. Long time readers know of my dislike for Wilson, so knowing he’s a part, really is a drag for me!Well, here in the U.S. we were all out buying new mattresses to celebrate President’s Day, and the foreign markets took over. and they didn’t like not having their U.S. counterparts in for the day, so they left the currencies and metals in tight ranges for the day. Well, the U.S. traders will return today from their weekends in the Hamptons, and it will be interesting to see where they want to take everything..The IMM futures positions for currencies had a different look to them last week. The Aussie dollar (A$) long positions were pared way back from nearly 81,000 long contracts to 54,000 long contracts. I think this move was quite evident in the spot price for A$’s last week, which couldn’t hold $1.04. The A$ wasn’t the only currency to see their long positions cut. The euro saw its long positions cut from 38,000 to 24,000. Japanese yen continued to see short positions added to its total, and pound sterling shorts increased.Overall, the IMM futures positions report was not a good one for the currencies. The main beneficiary of last week’s moves was the U.S. dollar. Strange, don’t you think, given the stuff on our docket? Oh, you forgot? Well, March 1st, is fast approaching, and on March 1st, $85 Billion in budget cuts will automatically start taking effect. So, between March 1, and September 30 (the fiscal year end for the U.S. Gov’t) reductions of 13% for defense programs and 9% for other programs will take place.Don’t worry, the U.S. troops at war will be protected, the defense cuts would come in fewer Air Force flying hours, and less training for some Army & Navy units. The thing that I think will rile up the U.S. citizenry is $1.6 Billion that will be cut from the National Institutes of Health, and the $600,000 that will affect low-income pregnant women and new mothers would lose food aid and nutrition education. There will be cuts to Education, Transportation, Environment, and a host of other things. The best one I found is a reduction in IRS workers!These cuts are small chinks in the armor. I’m well aware of that. But, they might begin to cause problems. remember how much the euro suffered when the pictures of Greeks burning their Gov’t buildings and banks showed up on TV screens all over the world? What will happen to the dollar, should we experience the same type of stuff here? I know. my fellow Americans as a whole are not going to have a problem with these cuts, for they are just a drop in the bucket of cuts that need to be made. But remember we as a country are growing ever so close to ½ the country receiving some benefit from the Gov’t. There’s bound to be some bad apples in there, eh?One of the things that the options positions revealed last week was that the bets on a Eurozone breakup have fallen to a 5-year low. So, the rest of the world is climbing on my bandwagon that noticed the relative calm coming over the Eurozone last year. That kind of news should underpin the euro. Then add in the news that German Investor Confidence as measured by the think tank ZEW, jumped more than forecast this month, to the highest it has been in 3 years! This report by ZEW tries to predict the economic developments 6-months in advance. so it is a forward looking report, which I always like more than the water under the bridge stuff.Remember, I was the one that told you that I thought the German economy troughed in the last quarter. Things like the ZEW pointing to better times in Germany, really give that call of a trough last quarter, credence! The euro is weaker this morning, which is a surprise given the options news and the ZEW news. But it is what it is.Well. one of my long time readers and someone that I consider to be “an email friend”, sent me a story last night, regarding Norway. UGH! It seems now that Norway’s Central Bank, The Norges Bank, and its Gov., Olsen, are throwing in the towel, and joining the rest of the world. With what I hear you asking? Interest rates, that’s what! Olsen said last night, that, “if it gets too strong over time, leading to inflation that’s too low, we will act.” Yes, he was talking about the Norwegian krone, getting too strong. OK. I’ve always held the Norges Bank in high regard, but if they are going to start playing games like this, they will get on my you know what list very quickly! For one thing, I think Olsen is barking up the wrong tree. the Norwegian property market is overheated, and lower interest rates would just fed that bear. and we all know that we’re not supposed to feed the bears, right Yogi? I just cracked myself up with the Yogi bear thought. When my darling daughter, Dawn, was a little toddler, I used to call her Boo-Boo Bear. Over time it shortened to Boo. and then Dawnieboo… But, remember Boo-Boo Bear? Yogi’s little friend. great memories in those cartoons, folks.OK Chuck, get back to work! OK. Well, as I said above, the short positions in futures for Japanese yen increased last week. And when I signed off on Friday, the yen has rallied a bit, only to see that rally fade quickly. Japanese Finance Minister, Aso, said last night, that the Gov’t has “no intention of buying foreign bonds.” Which was interesting, because just earlier in the day, Japanese Prime Minister, Abe, told parliament that “buying foreign bonds exists as one idea”. So, these two leaders are not singing from the same song sheet, folks. and when that happens, the currency of that country usually gets hammered.I just wrote a piece for the World Money Analyst, of which I now contribute to monthly, on Japanese yen. I didn’t say anything new that Pfennig Readers haven’t read before regarding yen. But. one thing that I pointed out was that just like in Greece, the debt in Japan wasn’t a problem, until it was. and then all hell breaks loose. When does that happen in the U.S. ?Last night, the meeting minutes from the last Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) meeting were printed. And they weren’t as dovish as I would have thought them to be given the statement that followed the meeting. But in the minutes, the RBA said they were in a data-watch mode. Let’s listen in on the RBA. “The inflation outlook affords scope to ease policy further if necessary, but that monetary policy was already accommodative and that this stimulus was continuing to work its way through the economy.” Hmmm. sounds to me as if they are in a “wait-n-see” moods. While I think the markets are correct to call for another rate cut here in the first half of 2013, I also think that if the previous rate cuts begin to show up in a stronger economy, the markets could end up disappointed.Across the Tasman in New Zealand, the New Zealand dollar / kiwi, dropped back on the news that China destroyed some imported New Zealand milk powder. It wasn’t a huge amount that was destroyed, but still, kiwi got taken to the woodshed. I don’t think this is something that will continue, so the beating of kiwi should back off soon.Well. Gold actually saw some love yesterday. But that was without the NY traders in to apply their daily beating on Gold & Silver. The NY traders are back today, so we’ll have to see if they still want to take Gold lower. It makes no sense to me, folks. the daily beatings go right alongside the daily increases in the amount of fiat currencies that get printed by Central Banks all over the world. And with every new paper currency printed, the value of previous printed currencies gets devalued. and should be devalued against Gold & Silver. That is unless something new has taken the place of Gold & Silver. and even platinum for that matter..The stories about Gold shipments / imports by countries continues to tell a different story on Gold. For instance, India’s gold imports in January surged 23% from a year ago! In addition, this was the largest import number for Gold in the past 18 months. 100 tonnes. can you believe that? India imported 860 tonnes in 2012, and they shot up to 100 tonnes in January? So, Central Banks around the world continue to take on Gold.Not much in the way of data in the U.S. data cupboard today. Last Friday, we saw some weak data in the form of Industrial Production, which contracted in the month of January -.1% . Just another U.S. report that doesn’t come shining through.Then There Was This. I saw this story on MarketWatch this weekend, and it plays well with my thought on currency printing and how that should benefit Gold. “Talk of a so-called currency war has been heating up, and it might finally light a fire under gold, too.Efforts by countries such as Japan to boost growth with massive stimulus programs – which in turn have devalued their currencies, an aid to exports – can benefit prices for gold. These have started to alter the precious metal’s relationship with the foreign-exchange market and expand its role as a safe-haven asset.“We are now moving irrevocably to a time when gold will measure currencies, not currencies measure gold,” said Julian Phillips, a South Africa-based contributor and founder at GoldForecaster.com.Chuck again. Enough said about all that. unless the NY traders get caught shorting the metals, or until this all catches up with them, these fundamentals for why Gold & Silver should be higher in price, will take a back seat.To recap. Currencies and metals trade in tight ranges yesterday, without the NY Traders around to dictate direction. This morning we’re seeing some weakness in the currencies for the most part, with the Aussie dollar (A$) being the exception. The Reserve Bank of Australia’s meeting minutes boosted the A$ overnight. And Japanese yen is back on the selling blocks this morning.Currencies today 2/19/13. American Style: A$ $1.0340, kiwi .8445, C$ $.9880, euro 1.3340, sterling 1.5465, Swiss $1.0820, . European Style: rand 8.9025, krone 5.5550, SEK 6.3320, forint 218.10, zloty 3.1325, koruna 19.0335, RUB 30.12, yen 93.50, sing 1.2390, HKD 7.7545, INR 54.19, China 6.2437, pesos 12.68, BRL 1.96, Dollar Index 80.62, Oil $95.44, 10-year 1.99%, Silver $30.06, and Gold. $1,613.25That’s it for today. Well, I made it through my 5-days at home alone. I know the ladies on the desk here, didn’t think that was going to be possible! HA! Our Blues came home from a 3-game winning streak on the road. Looks like they turned things around, and not too soon! Pitchers, catchers and position players are in camp now, and spring training is full-on. All is right in the world again, the stars are in alignment, and the karma is flowing once again. I have three more weeks before I leave to join my beloved Cardinals in Jupiter, Florida. These will be the three longest weeks for me! I love spring training so much. And with that. thanks for reading the Pfennig, and I hope you have a Tom Terrific Tuesday!Chuck Butler President EverBank World Markets 1-800-926-4922 1-314-647-3837 read more
A disabled woman has lost the car she relied on to attend vital hospital appointments after the government decided she no longer needed higher level mobility support without bothering to carry out a face-to-face assessment of her needs.Jo Jones (pictured), from Stockport, had her Motability vehicle removed today (Thursday) because of the decision to reduce the amount she receives for mobility support through the new personal independence payment (PIP).Disabled activists said that her case demonstrated the impact of the government’s “vicious” social security reforms, its attempts to cut spending on disability benefits, and the impact of introducing PIP, particularly on those with mobility impairments.Jones only began receiving PIP in April 2014, after having her leg amputated the previous year.She was previously an accountant, but was dismissed from her job in June 2014 because she was not able to tell her employer when she would be able to return to work following health problems.Due to diabetes, high blood pressure, neuropathy, asthma, depression, the amputation, and being prone to leg ulcers in her remaining leg, she was awarded the enhanced rate for both the mobility and daily living components, after a face-to-face assessment by government contractors.She used the enhanced rate mobility component to lease a Motability vehicle, which she has been driving for the last year.But 12 months after securing the PIP award she was told she was being reassessed. Two months later – without any further face-to-face assessment – the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) told her she no longer qualified for the enhanced mobility rate, and so would have to return her Motability car.She asked DWP to reconsider its decision, in a process known as a “mandatory reconsideration”, which has to be carried out before she can appeal to a tribunal.Just three days later she received a call from a DWP civil servant who confirmed that the reason she had lost her entitlement to the enhanced mobility rate was because she could walk between 20 and 50 metres without any pain.Under disability living allowance (DLA) – which is being replaced by PIP for working-age claimants – someone is eligible for the higher rate if they cannot walk more than 50 metres, but under PIP this criteria has been cut to just 20 metres.Jones insists that she cannot walk more than 20 metres without pain, and that a short walk also leaves her breathless, due to asthma.She said: “I can get from my front door to my car and I get breathless. I can get across the road but I am out of breath.“Even though I have a prosthetic limb I still get pain in my stump and in my remaining leg and in my lower back. NHS prosthetic limbs are metal, wood and plastic. I just don’t think they appreciate that.”Soon after the call from DWP, she received a letter from Motability saying that it planned to reclaim her car on 6 August.This morning (6 August), when her husband called DWP, he was told that, following the mandatory reconsideration, they were sticking by their decision. This afternoon, a representative from Motability reclaimed her car.Because her husband does not drive and works all day, Jones said she would now find it almost impossible to leave the house.She said she was furious at the decision and how she had been treated.She said: “To be assessed without being seen, that is cost-cutting. They are making decisions about me and my condition without actually seeing me.“I know I am not alone. I know there are people in a worse state than me who are losing their benefits.”She added: “It’s going to make things incredibly difficult because I have to go to physio every week, I also have appointments at my GP and at the local hospital, and two counselling appointments a week.”She can’t walk to the nearest bus stop, because it is too far, and can’t use public transport independently even if she could reach the bus stop.She said: “I will just have to sit indoors all day. I sleep downstairs, my bathroom is downstairs. These four walls of my living room is it. We have a conservatory but to all intents and purposes this room is it.”Government figures predict that, with the mobility criteria set at 20 metres, 548,000 of the 892,000 working-age people who were receiving the higher rate of the DLA mobility component in February 2013 will not receive the enhanced mobility rate of PIP once they are transferred to the new benefit.Jones said: “It is an absolute disgrace. I have a friend whose cousin works for DWP. She goes home and cannot sleep because of the decisions she is being asked to make regarding people’s claims.”She plans to appeal against the DWP decision, and if successful she will be able to apply for a new Motability vehicle.Disabled campaigner and researcher Catherine Hale said: “This case proves that the Tories’ claim to be providing more support to the ‘most vulnerable’ via PIP is an outrageous lie.“The DWP appears to be under pressure to remove support even from people with incontrovertible mobility impairments in order to reduce spending by the government’s 20 per cent target.“As with the employment and support allowance fiasco, how much of these welfare ‘savings’ will be lost to the tribunal system as people with clear entitlements like Ms Jones fight for their right to simply leave their home?”Linda Burnip, co-founder of Disabled People Against Cuts, said: “This case shows how vicious the change of criteria from being able to walk 50 metres down to only 20 metres actually is in reality and how that change can devastate someone’s life. “At the very least, some option should be in place to ensure that no-one’s vehicle is repossessed until the outcome of an appeal has been made so that disabled people do not wrongly suffer, and to make the best use of Motability’s apparently limited resources.”Pat Onions, founder of Pat’s Petition, said: “If the government keep drawing the criteria for benefits tighter and tighter, then many individuals will lose support.“This decision is appalling and we hope the decision can be reversed.“But it is good that this case has been highlighted in the [media] and we hope that the public will realise how many more individual cases there are that don’t reach the [media].”Michelle Maher, from the WOWcampaign, said the case was a “shocking indictment again of disabled people being penalised under a system that was designed to remove 500,000 from DLA/PIP”.She said: “The fact it was done without even seeing the woman is even more worrying. But the government, without examining one person, said half a million would lose out under PIP, so we shouldn’t be surprised.“Sick and disabled people are being punished for being something they had no part of, caught in an ideological attack by a Tory party determined to [remove] all forms of support.“Somewhere along the line, disabled people became the vilified, the shirkers, when pain and disability can’t always be seen when walking 20 metres.”Motability said that it provided support for customers who lost their vehicles in such situations, and allowed them to keep their car for seven weeks after they had been notified of the PIP or DLA decision.Motability also sends them a booklet with information on buying a new or used car, insurance, tax, breakdown cover, servicing, maintenance, adaptations and other mobility options.A Motability spokesman said: “Motability has no role in determining who should receive DLA or PIP; that is solely the responsibility of DWP.”He added: “Customers are able to challenge if they disagree with the DWP decision, initially by asking DWP to reconsider their decision and then by appealing to HM Courts and Tribunals Service.“However, DWP does not continue to make DLA or PIP payments while a decision is being challenged and the Motability Scheme is therefore not able to leave a vehicle with the customer.“If their challenge is successful and the enhanced rate of the mobility component of PIP is subsequently awarded, the customer will of course be eligible to re-join the scheme.”DWP refused to comment. read more