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Home | Savings and Investments
Finance Ministry Approves Employees' Provident Fund Interest Rate Hike
After the Finance Ministry concurrence, the Income Tax Department and the Labour Ministry would notify the rate of interest for 2018-19.
Savings And Investments | Press Trust of India | Updated: April 27, 2019 16:42 IST
The EPFO had provided a five-year low interest rate of 8.55 per cent to its subscribers for 2017-18.
The Finance Ministry has approved 8.65 per cent rate of interest on Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) for 2018-19 as decided by retirement fund body EPFO, benefitting more than 6 crore formal sector workers.
"The Department of Financial Services (DFS), a wing of Finance Ministry, has given its concurrence to Employees Provident Fund Organisation's (EPFO) decision to provide 8.65 per cent rate of interest for 2018-19 to its subscribers," a source privy to the development told PTI.
"The DFS has approved the proposal subject to fulfilment of certain conditions related to efficient management of the retirement fund," the source said further. Earlier in February, the EPFO's apex decision making body Central Board of Trustees headed by Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar had decided to raise the interest rate on EPF to 8.65 per cent for 2018-19, which was the first increase in the last three years.
The interest rate on EPF was hiked to 8.65 per cent for the last fiscal from 8.55 per cent provided in 2017-18. The EPFO had earlier reduced the interest rate in 2016-17 to 8.65 per cent from 8.8 per cent in 2015-16.
After the Finance Ministry concurrence, the Income Tax Department and the Labour Ministry would notify the rate of interest for 2018-19. Thereafter the EPFO would give directions to its over 120 field offices to credit the rate of interest into subscribers' account and settle their claims accordingly.
According to the EPFO estimates, there would be a surplus of Rs 151.67 crore after providing 8.65 per cent rate of interest for 2018-19 on EPF. There would have been a deficit of Rs 158 crore on providing 8.7 per cent rate of interest in EPF for last fiscal. That is why the body decided to provide 8.65 per cent rate of interest for 2018-19.
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Phoebe cathia är en lagerväxtart som först beskrevs av David Don, och fick sitt nu gällande namn av Kostermans. Phoebe cathia ingår i släktet Phoebe och familjen lagerväxter. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

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Gutter and downspout cleaning is a job that is best left to a skilled professional for a number of good reasons. If you are considering cleaning your gutters yourself then you should take a moment to think of whether or not this is really the best course of action. Is it worth you getting hurt? Not only is it an extremely challenging and grimy job, but it's also highly not likely that you are going to be able to do as good of a job as one of our hardworking workers at Clean Pro Gutter Cleaning™.
No matter how conscientious you are, standing on a ladder with a pail and a water garden hose isn't going to get your gutter and downspout as clean as they would be if you had the professionals accomplish the job for you. Give us a ring today.
One aspect of working with a qualified professional to clean your gutters that you might not have actually considered is an expert will examine your gutters as they clean them. Chances are that you don't understand what to look for if you are trying to spot small gutter problems before they become huge ones. But, if you hire us to clean your gutters for you, then we ensure you that the professional we send will thoroughly check your gutter for you.
We are a competent, trustworthy option that understands exactly how to get your rain gutters cleaned well before they trigger any problems.
Our Gutter Cleaning professionals are friendly and reliable. We work diligently and meticulously and are totally insured. We never rest ladders on your rain gutters or leave behind scuff-marks on your deck from a rain gutter clean-up. Our gutter cleaning service will never jeopardize your landscaping. After the completion of your cleaning, we will make sure to check the area and leave it in a better condition than when we arrived.
Trustworthy — We get the gutters cleaned out quickly. We work hard to make sure we can get to the gutter cleaning service before the scheduled date. We aren't able to always do that, but we always try our very best to make it happen.
Budget friendly — Though we usually are not the cheapest around, we make every effort to make sure all quotes are fair. We review our prices regularly to make sure we're providing a great value for our customers.
Online Quotes, Scheduling, & Payments — Everything is at the tip of your fingertips. We've made the routine of getting a cleaning quote, scheduling service and even paying for that gutter cleaning uncomplicated.
If you think that the cost of gutter cleaning is too pricey, then you probably do not understand just how important it is to have a skilled professional company, clean, and maintain your gutters and downspouts. Depending on the type of building material used, rain gutters can last for a number of years or perhaps a life time. But the catch here is that they must be well maintained. You can't expect anything to last for any length of time if you do not take care of it. This is particularly true when it comes to your rain gutters and downspouts.
Rain gutters are created for strength and light-weight. They are attached near the top of your house to a relatively thin board called a fascia. Because of this, the gutters should not be any much heavier than is needed. What do you believe happens if you permit debris to accumulate in them over a period of time? Even if an obstruction never forms you are still applying additional pressure on the gutters. This extra weight might not be very heavy, but over the course of months or years, it can do a great deal of damage.
If things are permitted to progress to the point where a real obstruction is formed, then things can take a quick turn for the worse. An obstruction causes water to become trapped, where it can easily seep inside your house. In case you didn't know it already, water within your house is not a good thing. A clog during the winter months can also result in the development of an ice dam. An ice dam is merely trapped water that freezes. Ice dams are especially hazardous since they grow with time, and will frequently result in your gutters collapsing.
Why should you care about all of this? In a word, the mighty dollar. If you are putting off working with a gutter cleaning service just because you are trying to save a buck, you are going to be in for a surprise when the time comes to replace your rain gutters and downspouts.
Make no mistake about it, if you do not clean your rain gutters and downspout then you are going to wind up needing to remove and replace your gutters quicker than normal. This can result in a bill that varies between anywhere from a thousand dollars ($1,000) all the way up to close to ten thousand dollars. That's a lot more money than the cost of gutter cleaning.
The cash to hire a qualified professional gutter cleaning business is going to differ depending upon a number of variables. Recognizing these aspects can assist you to see if you are getting a bargain, or if a company is trying to capitalize on you. The money that an experienced professional is going to charge to clean your rain gutters will mostly depend on how many stories your home is, and the number of feet of gutters required to have cleared, cleaned and maintained.
So, just what is the average cost to clean gutters in different houses with various lengths of guttering ? The following examples should provide you a tip of what the industry average rates are. Let's say that you have a single-story home with 150 feet of gutters and downspouts. In this case, you ought to be looking at a typical expense of $135 to $200. What about a single-story house with about 180 feet of rain gutters? In this case, you ought to be looking at an expense of about $175 to $225. If you have a two-story home with around 200 feet of gutters and downspouts you are going to be looking at a typical cost of about $ 197 to 277 bucks.
Another factor that will enter into play when determining the cost to clean rain gutters on your home is the landscaping you have. If your home has a lot of trees, bushes, and other landscaping that make it more difficult to get to to your rain gutters, then this will usually wind up making the price for your gutter cleaning to go up. This should not be surprising since anything that makes a gutter cleaning company to have to take more time and effort while working on your home would logically make the job more costly for the property owner.
Now, if the gutter cleaners you select quote you a greater rate, you don't have to panic. What you must do is ask them why the rate is higher. There are a number of factors why a gutter cleaning company might end up charging you more. If you understand the reasons then you will be able to assess if you are being overcharged, or if your estimate is in fact fair.
The primary factor triggering your rain gutters cleaning charge to be higher is if your gutters and downspouts have been ignored for a long time. Gutters that are excessively grimy are going to take a lot more labor to clear, clean and maintain. So, it stands to reason that your invoice would be greater. After all, you honestly would not expect a business to undertake additional work for free, now would you?
Another thing that can cause your gutter cleaning invoice to be higher is if you have gutter guards in place. What are gutter guards? Gutter guards are numerous kinds of devices that people have installed to attempt to keep debris from getting in their gutters. Whether having gutter guards is worth the cost is betwixt and between. What isn't uncertain is the fact that having gutter guards is going to cause a higher gutter cleaning charge.
When you have rain gutter guards they need to be removed and then replaced once again after the cleaning and maintenance procedure is completed. This essentially boils down to the similar basic challenge as having exceedingly filthy rain gutters. When there is more work involved you can expect to pay a greater bill.
When you are a House owner you have a lot of responsibilities that you must look after, if you desire your house to go up in value. Among the most important preventative maintenance items that you need to take note of are, your gutters. The thing you definitely need to remember is that the expense of gutters cleaning is quite economical, while the cost of having a brand-new gutter system replaced, and water damage repair is not.


In an effort to promote melanoma cancer awareness and raise money for the Tye Eiken Scholarship Fund, the fourth annual Run From The Sun Run/Walk will be held Saturday, Aug. 11, in Mabel. Registration for the 5k/10k run/walk will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the Mabel Area Community Center. Races will begin at 9 a.m. Eiken, of Mabel, succumbed to a long battle with cancer in March of 2015.
The run/walk will be held in conjunction with Mabel's '50s and '60s Day celebration, which will be held in downtown Mabel on Aug. 11.
The scholarship in Eiken's name has allowed two graduating seniors from Mabel-Canton High School to receive $600 scholarships. Those applying for the scholarship are required to compose an essay on the dangers of melanoma cancer and the various precautions persons need to take to avoid the deadly disease.
Westby and some of his friends and family decided to take the bull by the horns and organized the first annual Run From The Sun Run/Walk in 2015. They had 151 persons turn out for the event, which was quite impressive for the initial year. Last year's event attracted nearly 200 participants. Westby anticipates an even larger field of runners/walkers this year.
The Mabel Lions Club has also been involved in the event each year. The club holds a pancake breakfast at the community center from 7 to 10:30 a.m.
The 5k run/walk will begin at the Mabel Area Community Center and meander around Mabel. The 10k run/walk will also begin at the Mabel Area Community Center and run through Hesper and the picturesque countryside.
Registration is $30. Medals and other prizes will be awarded.
For more information, persons can contact Carl Westby at Westbycarl@hotmail.com.


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For over Twenty four years Bishop Eric Lloyd has uncompromisingly preached the Word of God, crossing the boundaries of denomination, countries, and even race. He has become one of the most sought-after speakers of this generation. Bishop Lloyd served faithfully under Bishop Michael T. Martin of Gospel Tabernacle Church of the Apostolic Faith, Inc. before.


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Home › World
5 Humanitarian Crises In Black Countries That Deserve As Much Attention As Ukraine
Although Ukraine gets the majority of the world's attention, it's not the only country fighting through a devastating humanitarian crisis.
Written By Bilal G. Morris | 03.23.22
Source: J. Countess / Getty
If you haven't heard about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, then you've probably been living under a rock. Every news outlet in the world has somehow covered the war in Ukraine–and for good reason.
According to the United Nations, 816 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Russia invaded the country a month ago. The UN has also estimated more than 3 million refugees have already fled Ukraine.
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Although Ukraine gets the majority of the world's attention, it's not the only country fighting through a devastating humanitarian crisis–but it's one of the whitest.
So what about the rest of the world? Here are 5 humanitarian crises happening in Black and brown countries that aren't getting as much attention as Ukraine. If you haven't heard of any of these, please use this as a catalyst to get involved. If we Black folks around the world don't help each other who will?
It's important to note that we are not comparing the crisis in Ukraine with any other conflicts happening around the world. Our comparisons are geared towards showing how some conflicts get more sympathy and attention than others.
1. Hunger Crisis In Ethiopia
In November 2020 a civil war erupted in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region. What began as political turmoil between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Tigray People's Liberation Front turned into all-out violence and the casualties of war have been immense.
Thousands of Ethiopians have been killed and millions have been forced from their homes as the condition of the country continues to deteriorate. The conflict has also devastated everyday life for Ethiopians.
On top of a dragging war, the country also faces one of its worst locust plagues in the last 25 years. According to the UN, at least 5.2 million people urgently need food support, 3.1 million children are at risk of malnutrition and more than 3 million people do not have access to safe drinking water.
Source: FRED DUFOUR / Getty
2. Cameroonian Civil War
In 2016, a civil war broke out in Cameroon between Cameroon's military and separatist forces from the Anglophone territories in the Southern Cameroons region of the country. The Cameroonian Civil War, which is also known as the Anglophone Crisis, is an ongoing conflict between Cameroon's military and separatist forces.
According to Human Rights Watch, the conflict has resulted in 4,000 civilian deaths, more than 712,000 displaced from their homes, and more than 1.3 million people in need of humanitarian aid.
Source: – / Getty
3. Violence In Sudan
For the last 20 years, Sudan has been engulfed in violence.
Since February 2003, the government of Sudan has been in constant conflict with two rebel groups in the Darfur region of the country–the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement.
The genocidal violence in Darfur has been some of the worst this world has ever seen. Hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed during a campaign of ethnic cleansing against non-Arabs in Darfur by Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir. His crimes against humanity were deemed so heinous that he was indicted by the International Criminal Court.
In the past year alone, 420,000 Africans were forced to flee from their homes in the Darfur region, and an estimated 700 people were killed.
Source: STANLEY LOUIS / Getty
4. Dysfunction In Haiti
It seems like every year Haiti is hit with another disaster or crisis. Hurricanes, earthquakes, political assassinations, COVID-19, and a host of other crises have all been at the forefront of Haiti's dysfunction.
After the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, gang violence and kidnappings have crippled the country. In August 2021 Haiti was hit with a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, which further exacerbated the nation's problems.
More than 2,100 people were injured and tens of thousands were left without homes.
As Haitians tried to migrate to the U.S. they were met with whips on horseback by U.S. Border Patrol. More than 800,000 Haitians were impacted by the August earthquake.
Source: OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / Getty
5. Jihadist insurgents in The Sahel
The Sahel is a large region of Africa on the southern edge of the Sahara desert. That region consists of many different countries but the main core is Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mauritania.
Over the past 10 years, jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda have terrorized the region. In 2012, jihadist violence in Mali spread to the neighboring countries of Niger and Burkina Faso, resulting in the deaths of thousands and more than 3.5 million people displaced from their homes.
High-profile kidnappings are also the norm in the region. As jihadist groups continue to wreak havoc on the Sahel, humanitarian support is needed now more than ever.
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article black countries Cameroon Ethiopia Haiti Humanitarian Crises Newsletter Sudan The Sahel Ukraine

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Tue, February 10, 2009
Sci-Tech > Science > Severe drought hits N China
Drought-resistant seeds to help growers
BEIJING, Feb. 10 -- The Ministry of Science and Technology has listed 20 types of drought-resistant wheat seeds to help farmers combat the worst dry spell in large parts of the country since 1951.
Though the seeds have been available in local markets, many farmers still do not know about them, Wang Xueqin, chief of the ministry's agriculture department, told China Daily Monday.
That is why the ministry has decided not only to promote the seeds, but also provide technological help to farmers who buy them, he said.
Farmers who have lost wheat seedlings to the dry spell can sow the drought-resistant seeds, which cost largely the same as the common varieties, and "reduce their losses", Wang said.
"The government will provide farmers with 50 kinds of new seed technologies and relative services, too, as part of the free drought relief work," Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang told a meeting yesterday.
But despite the efforts it would be difficult for the country to reach last year's wheat output level of 109 million tons, the highest since 2003.
The worst drought to hit the country in more than half a century has hurt the livelihood of people in eight provinces - Hebei, Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Henan, Shandong, Shaanxi and Gansu. And till Friday, it had damaged or destroyed crops on about 158 million mu (10 million hectares).
"The crops in drought-hit regions may not survive the unexpected drops in temperature," said Wang Zhimin, a professor of China Agricultural University.
Many farmers have been using wheat seeds with a short growth period because of the warm winters in recent years, he said. But usually such seeds are not cold-resistant.
In spring, temperatures can drop drastically at nights, something such seeds cannot sustain because they don't have the special features of the stronger drought-resistant varieties, Wang Zhimin said.
Though local governments have raised their subsidy levels for farmers to help them buy more irrigation and water-saving equipment, farmers could still face heavy loses, he said. For example, a farmer in Hubei has to pay 30 yuan as water and electricity fee for every mu of land he/she irrigates, he said.
But it's too early to say if the drought will influence the price of wheat this year because that it also depends on the total output of the grain, he said.
Irrigation covered more than half of the wheat fields in the drought-hit provinces, Minister of Agriculture Sun Zhengcai said on Sunday, and 85 million mu of them have been irrigated in provinces such as Henan, Anhui, Shandong and Hebei.
(Source: China Daily)
BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Irrigation has covered 52.7 percent of the wheat farmland in drought-hit provinces in China by Saturday, said the Ministry of Agriculture.
A total of 85 million mu (about 5.67 hectares) of wheat land have been irrigated in eight drought-stricken provincial regions, the ministry told a meeting on Sunday. Full story
BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has urged officials in drought-hit areas to place "top priority" on relief work as agricultural stability concerns China's bid to revive its economy.
The fight against drought has to do not only with the safety of grain supply but also with the country's efforts to stimulate domestic demand, Wen said during a visit to central China's drought-hit Henan Province on Saturday and Sunday. Full story
BEIJING, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Finance (MOF) on Friday allocated 86.7 billion yuan (about 12.69 billion U.S. dollars) from its reserve to drought-hit areas in relief funds.
Of the total, 71.6 billion yuan will be given to farmers for buying relief materials, and the other 15.1 billion yuan will go to grain producers to supplement incomes. Full story
BEIJING, Feb. 7 -- A top weather expert said four to five periods of rain are expected in central China's drought-stricken Henan Province over the next three weeks.
Zhao Guoqiang, vice-deputy director of the Meteorological Administration of Henan, made the promising announcement on Thursday. Full story
BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have ordered all-out efforts to combat the severe drought in the country's vast wheat-growing area to ensure a good summer harvest, a State Council meeting was told Thursday.
The central government on Thursday decided to earmark another 300 million yuan (44 million U.S. dollars) as drought relief fund in additional to 100 million yuan already allocated. The fund will be used to buy agricultural machinery and other production materials. Full story
BEIJING, Feb 5 (Xinhua) -- China raised the drought emergency class Thursday from level two to level one, the highest alert, in response to the worst drought to hit northern China in half a century, according to a State Council meeting.
Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have ordered all-out efforts to combat the severe drought in the country's vast wheat-growing area to ensure a good summer harvest, according to a State Council meeting held Thursday. Full story
BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- China, the world's biggest agricultural country in terms of farm population, might find it hard to bring in a good harvest this year, with a four-month drought tightening its grip on large sections of the country's northern half.
The drought has added to the woes of the nation's rural economy, which has been affected by falling commodity prices amid the global downturn. All these pressures will make it more difficult for China to stabilize grain production, increase farm incomes and expand rural markets. Full story
BEIJING, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Lack of rainfall has led to severe drought in northern China, affecting more than 140 million mu (9.3 million hectares) of wheat, said the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) on Tuesday.
By February 2, 141 million mu wheat in six major grain production provinces, including Henan, Anhui, Shandong, Shanxi, Gansu and Shaanxi, were hit by drought, Agriculture Minister Sun Zhengcai said at a video conference called to coordinate drought relief efforts. Full story
BEIJING, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Different levels of governments should collect strength to combat drought, which has crippled China's agriculture, said Vice Premier Hui Liangyu Tuesday.
He urged efforts to give drought-relief work top priority. Full story
BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Severe drought in north China was expected to continue as no rain has been forecasted for the next ten days, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said Monday.
The ministries said the current situation remained grim and called for prolonged fight against the extreme drought that began last November.
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BOAC to the Future as BA B747 Gets Retro Look in Dublin
Aviation fans were out in force at Dublin Airport to watch the departure of a British Airways Boeing 747 painted in the iconic design of its predecessor, British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).
The aircraft entered the IAC paint bay at Dublin Airport on 5th February where it was stripped of its current British Airways Chatham Dockyard design before being repainted with the BOAC livery that adorned the BOAC fleet between 1964 and 1974.
Alex Cruz, British Airways' Chairman and Chief Executive, said: "The enormous interest we have had in this project demonstrates the attachment many people have to British Airways' history. It is something we are incredibly proud of, so in our centenary year it is a pleasure to be celebrating our past while also looking to the future. We look forward to many more exciting moments like this as our other aircraft with heritage designs enter service."
Tail plane of G-BYGC
From the paint bay at Dublin Airport, the BOAC Boeing 747 flew directly to London Heathrow on the aptly named BA100. Its next flight is to New York JFK operating as flight BA117. This flight is particularly significant as it was the first route the B747 flew in BOAC colours.
After this, the aircraft will continue to fly British Airways' B747-operated routes proudly showcasing the design as part of the airline's centenary celebrations. The aircraft can be tracked using Flight Radar, which will feature a special image of the livery.
The BOAC livery will remain on the B747 until it retires in 2023 to allow as many customers as possible to have the chance to see it. By this time, British Airways will have retired the majority of its B747 fleet, replacing them with new state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft. This includes taking delivery of 18 A350s and 12 B787 Dreamliners in the next four years – which feature new cabins and are more environmentally efficient – as well as another 26 short-haul aircraft, all part of the airline's £6.5 billion investment.
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CSEduino
Daddy's Nightmare
MC Boards
Basking in a quantum efficiency glow
Date 2018-10-25 CategoryNews
"New houses could soon deliver on a long-awaited promise and incorporate windows or roof tiles that harvest solar energy, research conducted at KAUST suggests.
Derya Baran, at the KAUST Solar Center, and her colleagues have developed a photovoltaic organic material that captures light efficiently and that potentially could be coated on building materials.
Traditional roof-mounted solar panels are made from slabs of silicon, but organic molecules can also capture energy from sunlight. These molecules could be formulated as inexpensive printable inks that are applied to regular building components such as windows. Turning sunlight into electricity is a multistep process, and the key to developing high-performance organic photovoltaic materials has been to find organic molecules that are good at every step, Baran explains.
When light strikes an organic photovoltaic material it knocks free an electron, leaving behind a positively charged hole. If the oppositely charged electron and hole recombine, the captured energy is lost. Thus, organic solar cells incorporate a mixture of electron donor and electron acceptor molecules to draw the charges apart.
"When I started my postgraduate studies in 2015, there was a lot of hype about fullerene buckyball derivatives as acceptors, and record efficiencies were around 10-11 percent with poor stabilities," Baran recalls. But fullerenes have several drawbacks—not least, relatively poor light absorption—so Baran has been investigating nonfullerene acceptors. "Now efficiencies up to 17 percent are being reported," she says. "I believe these acceptors will shape the future of organic photovoltaics."
The nonfullerene acceptor, known as EHIDTBR, assessed by Baran and her colleagues offers several advantages: The team showed that as well as strongly absorbing visible light, it mixed well with the electron donor component, which is important for long-term stability and performance.
EHIDTBR was also very efficient at dissociating excitons and preventing recombination—a property that should make for easy manufacturing, Baran says. In materials where recombination is high, the light-harvesting layer must be very thin so that the charges quickly reach the electrode layer, minimizing their chance to recombine. But these ultrathin layers are challenging to manufacture. "Thicker films are easier to print, particularly when they need to be scaled up for manufacturing," Baran says.
Scaling up the technology is the team's next step, Baran adds. "We have a spin-out company from KAUST Solar Center and through this company we want to make photovoltaic windows for electricity generation.""
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'Lightyear' To Create A Buzz This Father's Day/Juneteenth Weekend
June 16, 2022 8:42 PDT - By Sam Mendelsohn - Box Office News
There's a starman waiting in the sky, and audiences of all ages should flock to see his intergalactic adventures this weekend. 27 years after Pixar launched with Toy Story and revolutionized CG animation, the landmark film's conceited plastic co-hero, Buzz, finally gets a starring role in Lightyear. The film doesn't take place in the world of toys, however. Rather, the conceit of the stand-alone sci-fi adventure is that it's the actual 1995 film about the eponymous space ranger (now voiced by Chris Evans) on which the Toy Story "Buzz" toy which Andy received is based. Even if we can't expect the spinoff to reach the box office highs of the latest Toy Story sequels, it should do strong business over the Father's Day/Juneteenth weekend.
Lightyear opens in 4,200+ theaters, and after three Disney films going straight to Disney+ in the U.S. (Luca, Soul, and Turning Red), Pixar returns to cinemas with one of their biggest franchises. The third and fourth films in the Toy Story series were the studio's fourth and third highest grossers respectively in the domestic market, grossing between $415-434 million, and worldwide they rank as Pixar's second and third biggest grossers, with both films finishing at roughly $1.07 billion. Given Lightyear's different genre, not to mention just one of the many beloved characters from the classic franchise, these don't make great comps, but there is no doubt that Buzz Lightyear is a name that will sell a spaceship-load of tickets.
The film's gross may not go to infinity and beyond, but it should be the top grossing animated film since Frozen II in late 2019. It's also in the running alongside Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to be the top family film since the start of the pandemic (Sonic 2 opened at $72 million and has a cume of $190 million), and there's a good chance the Pixar film will come out ahead. The release is well-timed as all of the family options still in theaters (Sonic 2, The Bad Guys, and The Bob's Burgers Movie) have largely run their course, though there is certainly crossover here with the audience of Jurassic World: Dominion, especially for fathers and sons looking for a film to see on Father's Day.
Competition will come in two weeks when Minions: The Rise Of Gru opens, but that won't stop Lightyear from playing long, as is typical for animated films in general and Pixar films specifically. Toy Story 3 and Toy Story 4 opened to $110-121 million, and the films had multipliers of 3.6-3.8, which are standard multipliers for the studio. Excluding Onward, which was released in early March 2020 right when the pandemic was breaking out, all Pixar films with Rotten Tomatoes scores above 80% had multipliers above 3.3 (and the relatively low 3.34 multiplier of Incredibles 2 can be explained away by its massive $183 million opening). Lightyear's reviews don't put it in the top tier of Pixar films, but at 82% on Rotten Tomatoes it looks like it will continue the studio's streak of family favorites.
Previews started from Wednesday at 6pm on IMAX and other PLF screens and Thursday at 3pm on normal screens. Worldwide it opens in most markets this week, though France has to wait a week and Japan has to wait two weeks, while as of now there is no release in China, Russia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and much of the Middle East.
For something more down to earth, Focus Features is opening Brian and Charles in limited release. The quirky British dramedy is about an inventor in Wales who creates a humanoid robot. David Earl and Chris Hayward both star in and co-wrote the film, and first time filmmaker Jim Archer directs. It played at Sundance where the critical response was positive, garnering it 81% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Beyond the new releases, Jurassic World: Dominion in its second weekend and Top Gun: Maverick in its fourth weekend remain major box office draws. Having overtaken Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Top Gun: Maverick is now the year's biggest film, and going by its 42% drop last weekend and $400+ million cume in just 18 days, it looks like it will stay that way for some time.
As for Jurassic World: Dominion, we have a good comp with its predecessor Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, which opened just $3 million above Dominion and had the same A- CinemaScore. That film dropped 59% in its second weekend, and a similar drop for Dominion would give it a $59.5 million weekend two. We'll see how Dominion holds up to Fallen Kingdom, which in its second weekend did not have any comparable competition as we're seeing with Lightyear (with which it will have to share hundreds of IMAX and other PLF screens). Also, Dominion's weekday numbers aren't living up to Fallen Kingdom's, with a $12.7 million Monday and $14.8 million Tuesday falling below the $14.7 million and $18.2 million Monday and Tuesday we saw from Fallen Kingdom. Even if Dominion can follow Fallen Kingdom's trajectory and cross $400 million, that won't be enough for it to win the summer as Top Gun: Maverick is flying past the competition.
With three legacy franchise entries (all playing off originals released within the span of a decade from 1986 to 1995) leading the way, we may see the year's biggest weekend yet, beating the May 6-8 weekend of $222 million. We will definitely see the fourth weekend in a row above $100 million, the first time since January 2020, and it may also be the first time since March 2017 when two weekends in a row have an overall gross above $200 million.


text:
Understand death? Sure. That was when the monsters got you
July 1, 2013 § Leave a comment
An extraordinary fuss about eavesdropping started in the spring of 1844, when Giuseppe Mazzini, an Italian exile in London, became convinced that the British government was opening his mail. Mazzini, a revolutionary who'd been thrown in jail in Genoa, imprisoned in Savona, sentenced to death in absentia, and arrested in Paris, was plotting the unification of the kingdoms of Italy and the founding of an Italian republic. He suspected that, in London, he'd been the victim of what he called "post-office espionage": he believed that the Home Secretary, Sir James Graham, had ordered his mail to be opened, at the request of the Austrian Ambassador, who, like many people, feared what Mazzini hoped—that an insurrection in Italy would spark a series of revolutions across Europe. Mazzini knew how to find out: he put poppy seeds, strands of hair, and grains of sand into envelopes, sealed the envelopes with wax, and sent them, by post, to himself. When the letters arrived—still sealed—they contained no poppy seeds, no hair, and no grains of sand. Mazzini then had his friend Thomas Duncombe, a Member of Parliament, submit a petition to the House of Commons. Duncombe wanted to know if Graham really had ordered the opening of Mazzini's mail. Was the British government in the business of prying into people's private correspondence? Graham said the answer to that question was a secret.
Questions raised this month about surveillance conducted by the National Security Agency have been met, so far, with much the same response that Duncombe got from Graham in 1844: the program is classified. (This, a secret secret, is known as a double secret.) Luckily, old secrets aren't secret; old secrets are history. The Mazzini affair, as the historian David Vincent argued in "The Culture of Secrecy," led to "the first modern attack on official secrecy." It stirred a public uproar, and eventually the House of Commons appointed a Committee of Secrecy "to inquire into the State of the Law in respect of the Detaining and Opening of Letters at the General Post-office, and into the Mode under which the Authority given for such Detaining and Opening has been exercised." In August of 1844, the committee issued a hundred-and-sixteen-page report on the goings on at the post office. Fascinating to historians, it must have bored Parliament silly. It includes a history of the delivery of the mail, back to the sixteenth century. (The committee members had "showed so much antiquarian research," Lord John Russell remarked, that he was surprised they hadn't gone all the way back to "the case of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, who opened the letters which had been committed to his charge, and got Rosencrantz and Guildenstern put to death instead of himself.")
The report revealed that Mazzini's mail had indeed been opened and that there existed something called the Secret Department of the Post Office. Warrants had been issued for reading the mail of the king's subjects for centuries. Before Mazzini and the poppy seeds, the practice was scarcely questioned. It was not, however, widespread. "The general average of Warrants issued during the present century, does not much exceed 8 a-year," the investigation revealed. "This number would comprehend, on an average, the Letters of about 16 persons annually." The Committee of Secrecy was relieved to report that rumors that the Secret Department of the Post Office had, at times, sent "entire mail-bags" to the Home Office were false: "None but separate Letters or Packets are ever sent."
The entire episode was closely watched in the United States, where the New-York Tribune condemned the opening of Mazzini's mail as "a barbarian breach of honor and decency." After the Committee of Secrecy issued its report, Mazzini published an essay called "Letter-Opening at the Post-Office." Two months after the Mazzini affair began, the Secret Department of the Post Office was abolished. What replaced it, in the long run, was even sneakier: better-kept secrets. read more
PHOTOGRAPH: Derek Vincent
Tagged: committee of secrecy, david vincent, edgar allan poe, giuseppe mazzini, james graham, james holbrook, jeremy bentham, jill lepore, london, louis brandeis, mozilla, mystery, national security agency, of publicity, post office, prism, privacy, roy olmstead, samuel warren, secrecy, secret department of the post office, stop watching us, surveillance, ten years among the mail bags, the culture of secrecy, the fall of the house of usher, the purloined letter, the right to privacy, thomas duncombe, thomas jefferson
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the main Other disciplines Ohorona Pratsi - Moskalova V.M.
Ohorona Pratsi - Moskalova V.M.
Zgіdno to the structure of distsiplіni complex The Teaching-methodical zabezpechennya mіstit Price not specified schodo vivchennya power bases fіzіologії, gіgієni pratsі that virobnichoї sanіtarії, characteristics of the main shkіdlivih virobnichih chinnikіv, that їh bіologіchnu dіyu on organіzm Lyudin and takozh osnovnі vimogi to tehnіchnoї i pozhezhnoї BEZPEKA at ekspluatatsії tehnologіchnogo obladnannya that warehousing systems nadіynnogo zahistu.
The complex of methodicals of the discipline .
1. The program of regulatory discipline "Ohorona Pratsi"
2.6 Analysis of the causes of injuries and occupational injuries.
2.7 Call on the school of occupational injuries and occupational injuries.


text:
South Korea more aggressive than Japan in India, registers higher trade volume year after year
January 9, 2023 January 9, 2023 impexexim news, Export, Import
In 2022, Korea's trade with India touched an all-time high at USD 27.8 bn while Japan lingers around USD 20 bn. Similar was the case last year, and previously too. The count of Korean companies in India is increasing fast whereas the number of Japanese companies remained stagnant in the past few years.
ACN EXCLUSIVE: On their mission to look for an alternate turf beyond China to expand their trade and settle for years to come, Japan and South Korea both are trying hard to strengthen business ties with India. However, having entered India late than Japan, South Korea has exhibited an aggressive approach to gaining ground in India. Not only Korea's trade with India has been touching new heights year after year, but the number of its companies entering India is also increasing much faster than its arc competitor Japan.
The latest India-Korea bilateral trade volume data accessed exclusively by Asian Community News Network (ACN Network) reveals, South Korea's annual trade with India in the year 2022 (Jan-Dec) reached an all-time high figure of USD 27.8 bn. This included export of USD 18.9 billion and imports USD 8.9 billion from India. This increase in exports and imports was aided by a rebound in economic activity and industrial output. India-Korea bilateral trade figures were registered at USD 23.7 bn last year.
In deep contrast, Japan lingers around USD 20 bn annually for the past two years. 4th largest investor in the Indian economy with cumulative FDI inflows of USD 38.13 bn (April 2000 to September 2022), Japan registered bilateral trade volume with India at crossed USD 18.5 bn in the year 2022 (Jan-Nov).
If India and South Korea are committed to taking their bilateral trade to USD 50 bn by the year 2030, Japan has pledged to invest JPY 5 trillion in next five years in India.
Source : asiancommunitynews.com/ For more Details
Previous Previous post: Certain amendments have been made to the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) and Handbook of Procedures to allow International Trade Settlement in Rupees.
Next Next post: India's central bank governor warns of South Asian debt distress


The following requirements are for those that wish to become members. To play in our games, you need only suit up in the minimum loadout as outlined in the Join section.
Note: While OCP may be either Multicam or the new Scorpion W2 pattern, the new Scorpion W2 pattern is preferred.
Boots should be Coyote Brown 498. T-shirts, belts and gloves should be Tan 499. Accessories should match the uniform pattern whenever possible.
Since many of our events are private games we often play against ourselves. So, all members should also have an "OPFOR" kit in addition to their primary uniform.
OPFOR kits can be anything EXCEPT USFOR patterns (Multi/ACU). Any other camo pattern or civilian attire is acceptable.
Our patches consist of a Centurion Patch, US Flag Patch, Centurions Name Tape, and a Personal Name Tape.
In addition, we issue two name tapes for your blouse that go above the pockets: 'Centurions' for the left side and 'Your Name' (or nickname) on the right side.
Name tapes will be ordered for you in ACU and green and brown are available for other uniforms if you indicate which ones you need when you join.
All patches/nametapes have velcro backing for easy application on ACU's.
Outdoor: 400 fps max as measured with .20g ammo.
Indoor: 320 fps max as measured with .20g ammo.
Other venues may vary, but since we play primarily at CE fields and events be sure to invest in some guns that meet these limits.
While it is not mandatory, we prefer that you invest in military style/M16 series weapons as a primary and Kalishnikov style/AK series weapons as a secondary.
Again, this is not mandatory and you are free to use a variety of weapons, but we strive to have a contrast between our armies. The M16 series tend to signify 'Western' forces and the AK's are notorious as their counterpart throughout the world. Please try to invest in these as they will enhance your experience on the battlefield.
This depends on the venue. Centurions always follow the prescribed safety gear requirements for the venue they are attending.
For our private games you may wear whatever eye/face protection you wish. You are playing at your own risk so it's up to you.
For Combat Enterprises events, ANSI, ASTM or MILSPEC rated ballistic goggles with a full seal are required. Paintball goggles/mask are recommended for their superior strength and durability.
JT also offers thermal lenses which are a must or your goggles will fog up during play. A sweatband or other material to cover your forehead will help prevent you from fogging up as well.
Centurions are required to wear tactical footwear with their uniform. You must have some type of closed toe footwear with ankle support and combat boots are preferred (no street shoes).
Good quality boots ensure both durability and comfort on the battlefield so it's wise to invest in a high quality pair for sustained use.
Note! Never touch thermal lenses! You must use micro-fiber cloth or you will scratch them.
Money for admission and ammo.


Joe Mellery-Pratt, the property manager of Richmond Gate in Bournemouth was interviewed by BBC South Today 3 August, following the theft of brass dry riser valves on each floor. These valves, which are an integral part of the fire fighting system in high rise blocks, are being targeted by metal thieves and then sold for scrap. Joe explained to the BBC reporter that we picked up the theft on one of our routine inspections at the block and were now checking the CCTV footage to try and identify the culprit.
Matthew Strong the Managing Director of Rebbeck Brothers attended the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Annual Residential Conference on 2nd July. The Conference covered a wide range of issues including housing policy, economic trends based on the RICS Housing Survey and the development of international standards on ethics in the property industry. All Rebbeck Brothers staff are encouraged to attend work based courses as part of the Company's commitment to ongoing training.
After over 8 years of service to Rebbeck Brothers we congratulate Rita on her retirement.
We wish Rita good luck on her exciting next chapter in life.
We are delighted to welcome a new member to the team at Rebbeck Brothers. Marie Coles holds a degree in Business Management from the University of Surrey and is also an Associate of the Institute of Residential Property Management. Having worked in the local property industry for the last 8 years, Marie has joined us to help manage our growing portfolio of blocks.
Rebbecks Introduce On-Line Replies to Solicitor Enquiries – As part of our commitment to streamline the way we manage our portfolio of properties, we have recently introduced on line replies to solicitor enquires on the sale of a flat. This means that solicitors can log onto the secure Block Login section of our web site and down load the replies we have uploaded for them. This not only helps speed up the process but also reduces our impact on the environment by eliminating the need to print and post a large bundle of documents.
We would like to congratulate Joe Mellery-Pratt on successfully passing the IRPM exam. He now becomes an Associate of the Institute of Residential Property Management. Membership of the IRPM ensures that our staff continue to maintain high standards and allows us to keep up to date with changes in the property management industry.
As part of our ongoing commitment to embrace modern technology, we have just upgraded our telephone system. As part of this, we have introduced an encrypted call recording system. This means that all incoming and outgoing calls will now be recorded for monitoring and training purposes.
Rebbeck Brothers were delighted to have been able to support a local charity at Christmas. The staff donated boxes of chocolates and biscuits and sparkling wine to serve at a local Christmas day lunch for elderly people who would otherwise have been on their own at Christmas.
Here at Rebbeck Brothers we comply with the RICS and ARMA Code of Practice to ensure that we communicate efficiently with our clients and are as transparent as possible…property managers accredited under the new ARMA-Q regulation regime will also 'have the edge' over other non-regulated firms…watch this space for news on ARMA-Q.


Summary: It's a tough life for a stormtrooper.
The song choice is all thingswithwings though - I asked her for the songs she rejected making "Working for a Living."
Argh, sorry about that! The mediafire link works for me, but they've been frustratingly inconsistent lately. Here's a sendspace alternative; if that doesn't work please let me know!
The link worked perfectly, thank you!
Thanks for the Sendspace link, Mediafire didn't work for me, either. Your vid is awesome!
WHY ARE THERE NOT MORE COMMENTS ON THIS?????????????
I think this is the most brilliant fanvid I've seen since the Angel vid to West Hollywood Lifestyle (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kanEF17a0cM). You are a freaking genius. I've never seen the lego video game before, who cares???? You're so talented.
I just watched this with my friend lalaith to brighten our lunchbreak and she said it was, and I quote, "one of the greatest vids ever made." This truly says something universal about humanity (legomanity)? And clones. It's beautiful.
Awww, thanks to you (and lalaith!) I am glad that I managed to successfully portray the universal lego struggle!
How weird! Mediafire is doing a lot of strange things lately. Does sendspace link work for you?
Cute and snappy, love seeing the humour of the games vidded.
This is hilarious. Makes me want to play those games so much too!
That's the best Star Wars vid ever made.
Oh man, this vid made me super, super happy. Inspired song choice, perfect lyric matching, and minifigs: a recipe for fun. <3!
Sure thing! Is sendspace okay? If so, here's a fresh link.


text:
namespace Microsoft.Azure.Management.Sql.Models
{
    using Microsoft.Azure;
    using Microsoft.Azure.Management;
    using Microsoft.Azure.Management.Sql;
    using Microsoft.Rest;
    using Microsoft.Rest.Serialization;
    using Newtonsoft.Json;
    using System.Collections;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using System.Linq;

    /// <summary>
    /// A failover group update request.
    /// </summary>
    [Rest.Serialization.JsonTransformation]
    public partial class FailoverGroupUpdate
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Initializes a new instance of the FailoverGroupUpdate class.
        /// </summary>
        public FailoverGroupUpdate()
        {
          CustomInit();
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Initializes a new instance of the FailoverGroupUpdate class.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="readWriteEndpoint">Read-write endpoint of the failover
        /// group instance.</param>
        /// <param name="readOnlyEndpoint">Read-only endpoint of the failover
        /// group instance.</param>
        /// <param name="databases">List of databases in the failover
        /// group.</param>
        /// <param name="tags">Resource tags.</param>
        public FailoverGroupUpdate(FailoverGroupReadWriteEndpoint readWriteEndpoint = default(FailoverGroupReadWriteEndpoint), FailoverGroupReadOnlyEndpoint readOnlyEndpoint = default(FailoverGroupReadOnlyEndpoint), IList<string> databases = default(IList<string>), IDictionary<string, string> tags = default(IDictionary<string, string>))
        {
            ReadWriteEndpoint = readWriteEndpoint;
            ReadOnlyEndpoint = readOnlyEndpoint;
            Databases = databases;
            Tags = tags;
            CustomInit();
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// An initialization method that performs custom operations like setting defaults
        /// </summary>
        partial void CustomInit();

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets read-write endpoint of the failover group instance.
        /// </summary>
        [JsonProperty(PropertyName = "properties.readWriteEndpoint")]
        public FailoverGroupReadWriteEndpoint ReadWriteEndpoint { get; set; }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets read-only endpoint of the failover group instance.
        /// </summary>
        [JsonProperty(PropertyName = "properties.readOnlyEndpoint")]
        public FailoverGroupReadOnlyEndpoint ReadOnlyEndpoint { get; set; }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets list of databases in the failover group.
        /// </summary>
        [JsonProperty(PropertyName = "properties.databases")]
        public IList<string> Databases { get; set; }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets resource tags.
        /// </summary>
        [JsonProperty(PropertyName = "tags")]
        public IDictionary<string, string> Tags { get; set; }

        /// <summary>
        /// Validate the object.
        /// </summary>
        /// <exception cref="ValidationException">
        /// Thrown if validation fails
        /// </exception>
        public virtual void Validate()
        {
            if (ReadWriteEndpoint != null)
            {
                ReadWriteEndpoint.Validate();
            }
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Sri Lanka Badminton brings on Li Ning – Lanka Shuttle Challenge 2020
Niluka Karunaratne raises his hands in jubilation after defeating world number eight Kenichi Tago of Japan at the 2012 London Olympics. Sri Lanka Badminton says that Niluka Karunaratne is in contention to qualify and represent the country at the Tokyo Olympics. (File Pic RF)
All year long, most of the national athletes have been training without a goal in sight. As in most sports, Badminton too had its fair share of missed competitions, both local and international. A frustrating sojourn in fact for many players who remain frustrated with a cascade of cancelled tournaments all over the world. The Olympics now saved for August 2021 would rekindle some hope and for Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB), Niluka Karunaratne remains in contention to qualify and represent the country in Tokyo.
SLB has therefore taken the plunge and mooted the Lanka Shuttle Challenge 2020 (LSC 2020) for its National Pool, which will give it the opportunity to assess its key players. Fortunately, the Ministry of Sports & Ministry of Health has been most supportive, permitting SLB to conduct this tournament, though under strict health conditions. SLB has accordingly put together a robust protocol that will conform to MOH guidelines working closely with PHI's in charge of the venues selected.
Thus, the LSC 2020 will serve-off from the 16 – 20 December at the SLB & MBA stadium courts with 06 Teams of 12 players each vying for recognition and handsome prizes. SLB has adopted a franchise model to add glamour and set the precedents for an annual event each year that will complement the Senior and Junior Nationals, which has also been postponed to early 2021; target February.
The 06 Teams listed above are led by senior champion players with the national pool players evenly distributed to create a fine balance of talent. Managers consisting of SLB VP's are heading the teams with assigned coaches and chosen captains, all gearing for a high-powered competition over the week. The Karunaratne brothers, Niluka & Dinuka, along with Sachin Dias, Buwaneka Gunetileke, Thilini Hendehewa, Kavidi Sirimanage & Dilmi Dias are all in the fray!
Namal Rajapaksa, the Minister of Sports will be the Chief Guest at the Opening and Closing ceremonies including the Prize Distribution.
Rohan De Silva, the SLB President and Chairman of the McLarens Group in his inimitable way, has offered the funds to run the event with the Prize Money alone more than Rs.600, 000. All teams will receive an appearance fee while the winners start from Rs. 250,000 for the Champions.
Li Ning is the SLB Corporate as well as Title Sponsor of the LSC 2020 and will bring a largesse of prizes for outstanding performances. SLB NPTC Chairman Palitha Hettiarachchi heads the organizing committee while Ajith Wijayasinghe as Event Director and Sanjeewa Wijesekera as Tournament Referee supported by a host of SLB Ex Co veterans.
SLB believes in the adage, Serving for Success and this introductory League tournament will no doubt set the trend for heightened competition in the years to come!
St. Joseph's, Royal cruise to final
Viren upsets Sachin, Karunaratne brothers reach quarter-finals
Parliament prorogued on Friday night
Remembering Upali Wijewardene, the founder of the Upali Group of Companies
CARAT/MAREX Lanka concludes, enhancing naval partnerships and disaster response
The upcoming women's T20 World Cup in South Africa will have an all-woman line-up of match officials, in what will be a landmark first in the game.On Friday, the ICC announced the panel of three match referees and ten umpires, featuring officials from seven countries. The match referees are GS Lakshmi (India), Shandre Fritz (South Africa) and Michell Pereira (Sri Lanka). The on-field and TV umpires will be Sue Redfern (England), Eloise Sheridan (Australia), Claire Polosak (Australia), Jacqueline Williams (West Indies), Kim Cotton (new Zealand), Lauren Agenbag (South Africa), Anna Harris (England), Vrinda Rathi (India), N Janani (India) and Nimali Perera (Sri Lanka).
Selecting this panel was part of the governing body's "strategic ambition of advancing the involvement and visibility of women in cricket," an ICC statement said.
The panel will also have the most number of women umpires and match referees in a global ICC tournament, four more than the nine who are at the ongoing women's Under-19 T20 World Cup.
"Women's cricket has been growing rapidly in recent years and as part of that, we have been building the pathways to ensure more women have the opportunity to officiate at the highest level," Wasim Khan, ICC's general manager of cricket, said. "This announcement is a reflection of our intent in this space and just the start of our journey where men and women enjoy the same opportunities across our sport.
"We are committed to continuing to support our female match officials and provide opportunities to showcase their talents on the global stage. I wish them all the best for the tournament."
The eighth edition of the women's T20 World Cup begins with hosts South Africa facing Sri Lanka on February 10. Defending champions Australia are in Group A with Bangladesh, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and South Arica. Group B has England, India, Ireland, Pakistan and West Indies. The top two teams from each group will move into the semi-finals.The matches will be played in Cape Town, Gqeberha and Paarl with the final scheduled for February 26 at Newlands.
(Cricinfo)
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) will meet in Bahrain on February 4. A decision on the Asia Cup is expected at the much-awaited meeting where the representatives of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will be present. It could be a stormy affair in the Persian Gulf city of Bahrain, with the two boards having been at loggerheads.
The hosting right of the upcoming Asia Cup, which will be an ODI championship among the continental sides, has been a bone of contention, with the BCCI and the PCB being at odds over the venue. The August-September championship was allotted to the PCB but in view of political tension between India and Pakistan, the BCCI had declared that the Indian team will not be in a position to travel to Pakistan.
The BCCI's refusal was initially escalated by former PCB chairman Ramiz Raja who threatened to boycott the World Cup in India later in the year. A similar stand seems to have also been taken by Najam Sethi, who succeeded Raja, but there seems little support from other ACC members to the PCB position.
The BCCI and the PCB sparred recently after Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary and ACC president, announced the schedule of the council. It was responded with sarcasm by Sethi who said in a social media post, "Thank you @JayShah for unilaterally presenting @ACCMedia1 structure & calendars 2023-24 especially relating to Asia Cup 2023 for which Pakistan is the event host. While you are at it, you might as well present structure & calendar of our PSL 2023! A swift response will be appreciated (sic)."
The PCB chairman's comments were rejected by ACC which declared that Shah's post was not unilateral. "It has come to our knowledge that PCB Chairman Mr Najam Sethi has made a comment on the ACC President unilaterally taking the decision on finalising the calendar and announcing the same. The ACC wants to clarify that it has followed well established and due process. The calendar was approved by its Development Committee and Finance & Marketing Committee in a meeting held on December 13th, 2022.
"The calendar was then communicated to all the participating members individually, including Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), via an email dated December 22nd, 2022. While responses were received from certain Member Boards, no comments or suggested modifications were received from PCB. In view of the above, Mr Sethi's comments on a social media platform are baseless and are vehemently denied by the ACC," the ACC said backing Shah's position.
With the meeting in Bahrain happening in such a backdrop, it could be a stormy affair. A BCCI official, who was in Mumbai for the unveiling of Women's Premier League teams, confirmed a final decision on the Asia Cup will be taken in Bahrain on February 4.
(Cricbuzz)
Cricket West Indies have roped in legendary batter Brian Lara as a 'performance mentor', who will work across formats with the international teams as well as with the academy. Lara will assist the various coaches with regard to "providing players with tactical advice and improving their game sense". He will also work with Jimmy Adams, the Director of Cricket, on ICC World Cup tournament strategic planning.
"Having spent time with the players and coaches in Australia and in discussions with CWI, I really believe that I can help the players with their mental approach to the game and with their tactics to be more successful," Lara said.
The 53-year-old Lara's first assignment in the new role will be with the Test side on the tour of Zimbwbwe, where he has already joined the squad ahead of the first Test in Bulawayo on February 4. Lara will take a short break in the middle to discharge his duties as the head coach of the Sunrisers Hyderabad during IPL 2023.
Lara was recently appointed on a CWI review panel following their early exit at the 2022 T20 World Cup. They were subsequently swept 2-0 by Australia in a Test series and now seek a course-correction as they build towards this year's 50-over World Cup in India.
"I am really looking forward to Brian making a significant contribution to our cricket system by providing invaluable guidance and advice to our players and coaches," Adams said. "We are confident that Brian will help to improve our high-performance mindset and strategic culture that will bring us more success on the field across all formats. Everyone is excited to have Brian involved in supporting our players."


I want to be clear that all the arguments going around the blog and facebook world about modesty have been fine and dandy. I'm not saying that modesty isn't a heart issue first and foremost. On the contrary, it is. And I think the fact that it's been such a long and good discussion has been fantastic. I don't mean to end the conversation. This is just something I've been thinking a lot about these last few weeks. I still have a lot of thinking about it to do too. I'm probably leaving some important things out and possibly thinking some of these things through inadequately. But hear me out.
What I *do* intend is to suggest that we are approaching the subject from the wrong angle. Rather than taking one verse about modesty (I. Tim. 2:9, and we will come back to that one) and spreading it thinly over the whole discussion, I think we need to reevaluate what God says about clothing throughout all of Scripture.
This means the first few chapters of Genesis are a good place to start, and this is where I'm afraid I've attracted the attention. I think my statement about Adam and Eve having sexual relations after the Fall has more attention than even the modesty issue. I will talk about what I meant here, but let me make clear that I think my other clothing comments coming later still stand in spite of whether you agree with me about these first few chapters of Genesis or not. Though it sure makes it even more clear if you *do* agree with this part.
I'm going to overdo this for the sake of clarity. And I also want to be clear that if we disagree here, it's not like we can't be friends still.
God planted two trees in the Garden. One for Life and one for Knowledge of Good and Evil. He made two naked newborns. Not that they were necessarily babies in body. Obviously Adam was old enough to have language and use it to name all the animals. I have no problem imagining him as a full grown man. But he was still very naïve. After all, he was *not* eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil just yet.
God created Eve and then Adam praised her and called her woman. But that's it. Perhaps they did it then and there. It's certainly possible and not ruled out. But it doesn't say that they did. It saves that for after the Fall. And I think there's a reason for that. I think they were still naïve and unashamed (Gen. 2:25), essentially, toddlers or children.
Do you think that the tree of knowledge of good and evil was always going to be off limits? Do you think God planted it there to permanently be the no-no? Was it there to just always keep Adam and Eve in check? It doesn't say, and I realize that. But I am suggesting that it was eventually going to be permitted. God was training up his two children and He was going to give them Knowledge of good and evil and He was going to give them sexual pleasure and He was going to let them out of the nursery garden and into the whole world to turn it into one big garden city. That was always part of the plan. But they would also be allowed to continue to eat from the *other* tree too. They would create heaven on earth, is what I'm saying. They would be like we are going to be one day. They would have eternal life in *real* bodies, creating God's kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
But they disobeyed. And while God's plan adjusted for this, it was ultimately going to end up the same way, but BETTER. Because now the world would have a far deeper understanding of GRATITUDE. And that's another conversation.
The point is, Adam and Eve grew up when they ate that fruit. Not that their bodies necessarily changed. I don't know about that. But they suddenly realized they were naked. It doesn't say they were ashamed necessarily, but I think it's probably a safe assumption. I do *not* think it is a safe assumption that nakedness is in and of itself shameful. On the contrary, naked bodies are beautiful, and very much so on purpose. God made them that way, right? The shame was because they realized they had no glory. They were not fit to be what God had given them to be. There is no shame in a husband and wife being naked in front of each other, right? But there is *vulnerability* even in that situation. Adam and Eve realized their vulnerability, their inadequacy.
So what did they do? They sewed fig leaves into coverings. Note, they didn't just grab a branch and hide behind it. They "sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings" (Gen. 3:7). They put some effort into this. They thought it would be good enough, I suppose. But then God comes, deals with what happened, and then makes tunics of skin to clothe them. I think this is important for a couple reasons, but the more important one, and the one I want to bring up right now, is that if clothing was just about modesty, THE FIG LEAVES WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH. As far as covering goes, they were getting the job done. There was something missing though apparently because God clothed them in a different way. A heavier way.
And then we are allowed a glimpse of God's conversation within His personhood. Adam and Eve had indeed become like Him in knowing Good and Evil and He did not want them to be allowed to eat from the Tree of Life any longer. So rather than allowing them to eat from both trees and expand God's kingdom from the Garden into the whole world, Adam and Eve were forced to leave the Garden to till the ground from which they came. The Kingdom would have to come later, with a new Adam.
And *this* is when it says, "Now Adam knew Eve his wife…" (Gen. 4:1). I think this makes perfect sense if you view their eating of the fruit as a strange coming of age. Otherwise it seems like a complete change of subject. But really, it's the perfect flow. Because in that very same verse, Eve gives birth to a son, whom, if I was her anyhow, I would assume is the Seed God had just promised. But of course God's story isn't that simplistic. It's better.
Ok, so hopefully I've explained myself more fully. Like I said, you don't have to agree, but I think that what I'm going to say from here on out will make even more sense if you are at least willing to think about what I've said above.
I want to talk about glory now. I don't claim to know exactly what glory means all the time, but I do have some thoughts. In Hebrew, in its most basic sense, it means weighty or heavy. And from that it also means magnificence, wealth, stateliness, you get the idea. What's not so obvious about the word, I suggest, is that it also implies some sort of appearance. Over and over again, the glory of the Lord is appearing to people. In the cloud while the Israelites are wandering in the wilderness. When the ark was first brought into the Temple, the priests couldn't even be in there because it was so full of this glory. In the psalms He appears in His glory. Isaiah says, "The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together" (40:5). Ezekiel tries to describe God's glory: "Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord" (1:28). Stephen saw the glory of God before he was martyred (Acts 7:55). And there's more, but I hope you get the point, which is: this word for glory also has an implication of appearance or being seen.
So, in Psalm 45:13, the beautiful wedding picture: "The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; Her clothing is woven with gold." In Isaiah 4:2, the Branch of the Lord shall be "both beautiful and glorious". In Exodus 28, the garments of the priests are "for glory and for beauty" (v. 2 and v. 40).
I also think that this helps Psalm 19 make more sense. How exactly do the heavens declare the *glory* of the Lord? Well if glory has an appearance aspect, then that works well. The heavens can simply display His glory. That's how they declare it. Which helps us understand what exactly it means when *we* are repeatedly commanded to declare His glory too (Isaiah 66:19, Psalm 96:3). It means we display it. We demonstrate it. We live it out and we always point it back to God. We don't only use words words words to evangelize the nations. We have to declare His GLORY. That was a free thought, with nothing to do with the rest here.
So glory is an appearance of some sort and generally a beautiful appearance, or an adornment. I suggest that clothing is a glory. Like hair on a woman's head (I Cor. 11:15). (Doxa, the Greek for glory also definitely has an appearance aspect to it as well.) Nope, I don't have any specific verses to back this up. But I think taken as a whole, clothing appears to be a beautiful adornment. To say much more than this is to say more than Scripture bothers with.
I Peter 5:5 tells young people to be clothed with humility and let God exalt them in due time.
The Proverbs 31 woman is clothed in tapestry, fine linen and purple while her household is clothed in scarlet as a protection against harsh weather. But most importantly, strength and honor are her clothing.
Now the modesty verse. I Timothy 2:9 is the only verse in the whole Bible about what is or isn't appropriate to wear. To interpret the verse, I think you need to read the one before it. Paul tells Timothy, "I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting". The first phrase is explained by the next two. So also with the next verse, "in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works." While this verse *could* be about covering all the right parts (and that would be fine if it was), I don't think that's actually what he means by modest here. I think it's safe to say that what Paul means by modest is that your clothing *not* be ostentatious or a display of wealth. That it be appropriate. The exact word seems to mean appropriate or orderly.
Again, I'm not saying that we shouldn't have boundaries for our daughters. I'm not saying that anything goes. But I *am* trying to make folks see that we really can't go farther than Scripture does. I think that if we teach our daughters that clothing is a glory, that it is an adornment of an already beautiful thing, but that it is more important to be clothed in humility, strength, honor, and good works FIRST AND FOREMOST, then this whole modesty conversation will become insignificant. The longer we try to push this modesty concept (modesty meant in a far more specific way than Paul used it) the more confused or legalistic we encourage our women to be.
Good stuff to think on, Leah. Thanks for writing!
And woman is the glory of man too, which is a whole 'nother related thing. Yup.


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Evolving Perspectives: Evelyn Siu '15 ›
Evolving Perspectives: Evelyn Siu '15
Monday, Apr 10, 2017
by Alex Wheatley '16
Evelyn Siu '15 opened our conversation with a laugh: "joining the Global Health Program really threw my career plans off track," she said. In her second year with the GHP program, she dropped her plans for medical school to explore other aspects of health and health policy. She's since jumped from the basic sciences to the social sciences to the business side of health, in the US and abroad.
Evelyn grew up in a very scientifically-oriented family. She came to Princeton with a deep interest in the biological and clinical sides of health, and the strong desire to become a doctor. Joining GHP in her junior year, she says, opened her eyes to a new perspective on health. "It [GHP] taught me that successful healthcare cannot work with only the scientific aspect… Global health is a field that requires a diversity of views. You can't only have scientists, coming from a scientific perspective, and expect to vaccinate everyone in a country." She learned to embrace the different sides of health. Through GHP seminars and lunch colloquiums she engaged with health issues at a variety of levels (from minute details to large policy questions) and from many different perspectives (molecular biology to anthropology to economics). Studying with the Global Health Program showed her the value of interdisciplinary study and interventions: "if you hadn't been exposed to situations like this [in GHP classrooms and events], you can very easily become insulated in your way of thinking."
She's grateful to the many professors, speakers, and GHP connections that helped her to explore the different arenas of global health. She shared a memorable story from her junior year: after a GHP event with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) about energy security and malaria in Southeast Asia, Evelyn (with the help of GHP director Kristina Graff) was able to speak individually with the panelists. "He [the panelist] was very friendly and open about discussing his research, background, and career advice with me," she said. "He even introduced me to another researcher who was working on a malaria vaccine that I could connect with." These discussions led to an invitation to attend a conference on malaria in Washington, D.C. later that year, as she was studying malaria infection in human liver chimeric mice for her thesis. Evelyn's connections, facilitated by GHP, gave her a unique experience with two distinct perspectives on malaria: lab and policy. Her lab thesis brought her to a policy-centered conference. This sort of interdisciplinary thinking is extremely valuable in global health work. The most important skill she has taken from GHP, she says, is "to be malleable in your way of thinking." Embracing multiple perspectives has helped her jump between basic science and social sciences, and now from research into business.
After graduation, Evelyn spent a year studying doctor-patient relationships in Taiwan as a Fulbright Fellow. The experience taught her about the nuances of a universal healthcare system, the challenges of living abroad, and the advantages of qualitative research. Now back in the US, Evelyn has accepted a position in the Life Sciences Division of Simon-Kucher and Partners, a consulting firm. This position will introduce her to many different aspects of healthcare while broadening her economic and business health skills. Down the line, she hopes to end up in the nonprofit sphere.
Evelyn encourages current GHP students to be proactive and listen to those who have wisdom to share. Connections may alter your path; if they do, think big picture. "One reason I wanted to enter medicine is because I really enjoy working with people, particularly when there's a problem that needs solving. That passion has translated into global health." If you follow your passions, you'll find a way.


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Airtel to roll out VoLTE service across India by March 2018
Telecom major Bharti Airtel plans to roll out VoLTE service, that enables phone calls using 4G technology, across India by end of the current financial year, a top official of the company today said.
July 26, 2017 6:31:44 pm
Telecom major Bharti Airtel plans to roll out VoLTE service, that enables phone calls using 4G technology, across India by end of the current financial year, a top official of the company today said. (Source: Airtel)
Telecom major Bharti Airtel plans to roll out VoLTE service, that enables phone calls using 4G technology, across India by end of the current financial year, a top official of the company today said. "We have done (VoLTE) trials in 5-6 cities. Towards the end of this fiscal year, we will be taking VoLTE everywhere. The uptake of VoLTE devices will depend on certification…We should be very much national in the coming 6-9 months," Gopal Vittal, MD and CEO (India and South Asia), Bharti Airtel said during earnings call.
At present, Mukesh Ambani controlled Reliance Jio is the only operator in India offering voice on 4G network using VoLTE technology, while the incumbent telcos have been offering voice calls to their 4G customers with support of their other established networks — 2G and 3G. Vittal said that 3G networks in India will be phased out faster than other parts of the world and "India will get to a situation where 4G and 2G will co-exist for a while." Bharti Airtel on Tueday reported its smallest profit in 18 quarters as the price war triggered by newcomer Reliance Jio led to a massive 75 per cent fall in its April-June earnings.
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The net profit for the first quarter of 2017-18, at Rs 367 crore, was 74.9 per cent lower than the year-ago period, and the company blamed the disruptive pricing of the new entrant for continued "turbulence" and stress in the market. The net income for the Sunil Mittal company stood at Rs 1,462 crore in the first quarter of 2016-17. To questions on Airtel's strategy to counter the new 4G feature phone announced by Jio, Vittal said Airtel will not be taking a similar route. "One of the things that we have stayed away and have no intention to get into is subsidising device, managing device inventories and running these devices as they belong to us," he said.
Reliance Jio has announced that it will launch a 4G feature phone against one-time refundable deposit of Rs 1,500 a unit. It will come pre-loaded with applications with the option of unlimited data usage and free calling service starting at Rs 24. Vittal said that Jio's feature phone will open up new segment for 4G services. "We believe that this could propel the launch of cheaper phones in the market and that is something that we embrace. We will work with all the device companies to encourage this. We will continue to look at opportunity where we can bundle," he said while raising uncertainty over pick up of JioPhone.
Vittal said that the price of the feature phone is on the higher side than what is being sold in the market. "60-65 per cent feature phones are sold below Rs 1,000 in India. This is higher end of that. We need to understand what the terms and conditions are and how customers respond. We will respond at the right point of time," he said. Vittal said that aggressive plans of Jio may lead to further consolidation which will benefit Airtel. He, however, said that company will respond with competitive strategy to increase its market share. "You have seen action in the market already. We have lost ARPU over last few quarters, we have seen revenue erosion.
This is simply because we have responded in the marketplace with aggressive pricing in order to compete and grow our market share. That aspect will continue," Vittal said. The total customer base of Airtel in India increased by 9.7 per cent to over 28 crore but its average revenue per user (ARPU) declined by 21.1 per cent to Rs 154 from Rs 196 on YoY basis. "The reason that is important is as you come out of this war that is currently on, we believe that this market will consolidate behind three players plus the government player, may be four, but perhaps three. We believe our objective is to consolidate and grow our market share," Vittal said.
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Tourism in Berlin: 11 million overnight stays in the first half of 2022
By Ven America Group 18 agosto, 2022 286 views
Tourism in Berlin recovers considerably
June was the strongest month of the year so far. International guests are returning
Berlin.- 4.36 million guests travelled to Berlin in the first six months of the year, and spent around 11.15 million nights in the city's hotels. This can be seen from the figures released yesterday by the Berlin-Brandenburg state office for statistics. This represents about 65 percent of the pre-crisis level in arrivals and about 70 percent in overnight stays.
With a 64 per cent share of the overnight stays, Germany remains the most important market. But more and more international guests are returning to the capital: While international guests represented a share of 29 per cent of the overnight stays in 2021, the figure had already risen to 36 per cent between January and June of 2022. The United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Spain were among the most important European markets in the first half of this year. The USA was the strongest overseas market.
Burkhard Kieker, visitBerlin CEO: "The guests are coming back to Berlin. That's a good sign. Berlin has lost none of its appeal. The Restart program for the visitor economy which visitBerlin implemented in collaboration with the Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises made a decisive contribution to these impressive numbers."
The German capital's standing its ground internationally, too: As a destination, Berlin had a hotel occupancy rate of 80.4 per cent in June of this year. Compared to other countries, Berlin has thus restarted its tourism sector very impressively indeed – In this regard, it is ahead of Lisbon (80.1 per cent), Paris (80.0 per cent), New York (79.6 per cent) and London (78.5 per cent), and behind Barcelona (84.3 per cent).
The guest numbers for Berlin's tourist attractions also exhibited a positive trend during the first half of the year. According to the 'Visitor Insight' market research tool, the visitor numbers for the theatres were almost at the level of 2019. Among other things, data from the Interessenverband der touristischen Attraktionen Berlins (Intoura) is factored into Visitor Insight. Museums, memorials and tourist attractions reported just 25 per cent fewer guests than in the pre-coronavirus year. June was a particularly strong month for them.
Restart campaigns: visitBerlin supported restart of the visitor economy
Together with the Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises, visitBerlin ran several campaigns to help restart Berlin's tourism and convention economy. The 'Visit the world of Berlin' summer campaign is currently whetting appetites for a visit to Berlin and drawing attention to the German capital's summer season. The marketing for the 'Going local Berlin' theme is being intensified. Since April, visitBerlin's media roadshow has been touring Europe and America to acquaint the world's journalists with Berlin-related news. The 'Tell me, Berlin' convention campaign was developed to boost the conference and convention segment. Around 800 participants from the travel industry and convention sector are expected to be in Berlin for an international branch event for the tourism and event economy which is currently being prepared.
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Home » Shreya » Shriya Saran took one day lecture for IIT students!
Shriya Saran took one day lecture for IIT students!
Actress Shriya Saran took one day lesion for IIT, Madras students last week. She took lesion about the film, brief history and films as a medium of culture exchange.
Shriya Saran discussed with students about piracy. You guys must say no to piracy.
It is not the first time Shriya Saran is interacting with prestigious Indian students. She earlier impressed the IIM students of Ahmedabad last year. There also she was asked to talk about the movie industry followed by a question hour, which the actress handled them with spontaneity and humor.
Shriya is currently working 'Rowdram' with Jiva, Deepa Mehta's 'Midnight Children' and Mohanlal's 'Casanova'.


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Chief executive of MIND calls for more people to take up mental health first aid
By Danielle Morris
ANDY with his children.
WHAT would you do if you saw someone about to take their life on your way home from work?
Would you try to help or turn the other cheek in the hope that someone else will intervene?
What if that person was a family member or a friend, would you think differently then?
A mental health worker from Taunton says he wants people to be more willing to help others and take up mental health first aid.
Andy Pritchard, chief executive of MIND Taunton and West Somerset, helped save the life of a young woman last month after talking to her while she was sitting over the railings on the bridge at Obridge, in Taunton.
It was the rush-hour and Andy says people were just driving around the woman and beeping and shouting at her.
He was driving past with his two children and pulled over to try to help her, but he was shocked by the lack of care shown by other people.
He said: "I just couldn't drive by without trying to do something, it really shocked me at the number of people who had gone past without trying to help and, even more shockingly, people going by beeping their horns and shouting at her.
"She was clearly vulnerable; she was sat over the bridge."
Andy said he believes that, in many cases, people were too afraid to try to help.
He added: "I think there are a number of reasons as to why perhaps people didn't try.
"But, what if that was a family member? You would hope that someone was there to step in wouldn't you?
"Some people might not have felt confident in dealing with the situation or could have been afraid of making it worse but even just talking to someone can be so helpful.
"It means the person who is considering taking their lives can take a step back and maybe reconsider what they're doing."
Andy hopes that one day mental health first aid will be given as much funding as first aid is.
"We do a lot of training with professionals such as people in the police force but I think this is something more people need to know," he said.
"If you can recognise the warning signs, you'll be in a better position to help someone and, perhaps, prevent them from doing something like considering taking their lives.
"Sadly, the momentum for the training isn't there yet but I'm hopeful it will be one day soon.
"If we can get people talking about it, perhaps those interested will come forward and do some training.