lifesitenews--2019-11-12--Alberta passes bill to protect conscience rights of pro-life healthcare workers

EDMONTON, Alberta, November 11, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) — The Alberta United Conservative Party (UCP) passed a private member’s bill on first reading Thursday that protects the conscience rights of healthcare workers and religious organizations who refuse to participate in practices such as abortion or euthanasia.  While mainstream media is full of stories warning that Bill 207 will restrict access to abortion and euthanasia, Alex Schadenberg, executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Society, lauded the bill as “fabulous.”  Introduced by UCP backbencher Dan Williams (Peace River), the Conscience Rights (Health Care Providers) Protection Act reasserts the Charter rights of healthcare professionals to refuse to advise, assist or perform any “medical procedures” — such as abortions, contraception and euthanasia — they object to for personal or religious beliefs, CBC reported.  The purpose of the bill is to “protect healthcare providers and religious health care organizations from being subject to a claim for damages based on the exercise of rights under section 2(a) of the Charter,” it reads.  It will safeguard physicians “from having to do an act or refer for an act that they consider to be morally wrong,” Schadenberg told LifeSiteNews.  A great benefit of the law is that it does not list specific procedures, which allows wide latitude for doctors to conscientiously object to a number of “procedures” based on their religious convictions, he pointed out.  Currently, Alberta has a “1-800” number for a health ministry service that will direct patients who are seeking such morally objectionable services as euthanasia or abortion, and that doctors are expected to give to their patients, he said.  The bill also extends conscience protection to religious organizations, which the Charter does not, Schadenberg said.  The bill passed 36-15 on first reading, with all UCP members present voting for it and all NDP members voting against it. Premier Jason Kenney was not present for the vote.  Williams tweeted Thursday about the bill’s first step:  However, among media naysayers were Global News talk-show host Charles Adler and Macleans Magazine reporter Jason Markusoff, who tweeted in response:  Calgary Herald columnist Don Braid pointed out the conscience rights’ bill “provides immunity from complaint or discipline to health providers that refuse to deal with patients whose needs offend their conscience.”  The bill “never uses the word abortion, which makes it potentially wide-reaching. Conscience rights could also be expanded to help for LGBTQ people and assisted death,” opined Braid.  Moreover, CBC ran a story Sunday warning the bill could affect access to hormone therapy or medical treatment for transgender individuals.  The NDP also claimed the bill is the UCP’s attempt to limit access to abortion, but Williams said last Wednesday that is “absolutely not” the case.  “Let me be clear, this bill not only protects freedom of conscience, but it also in no way limits access to healthcare services in the province,” Williams said.  The rookie MLA said his bill was a response to the “moral distress” of doctors who believe their conscience rights are under threat, particularly after the Appeal Court of Ontario ruling last May, the CBC reported.  The appeal court upheld the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario’s policy mandating that doctors who conscientiously object to certain medical “procedures” must provide an “effective referral” — that is, for the purposes of the act — to their patients.  “There is a real concern. They feel as though within the province, particularly in health care, but in our country at large across all professions and in public, there is an attack on conscientious belief and a diversity of views,” Williams said, as quoted in the CBC.  “This legislation is intended only to protect the Charter rights that individuals have and access to all these (medical) services will continue afterwards as before — no changes,” he added.  The bill has now been referred to the Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members' Public Bills. There are 63 UCP MLAs in the Alberta legislature to the NDP’s 24.


npr--2019-01-28--Merci Suarez Wins Newbery Medal and Hello Lighthouse Draws Caldecott

'Merci Suárez' Wins Newbery Medal, and 'Hello Lighthouse' Draws Caldecott

Sure, we may be mired in the dark days of winter, but you wouldn't know it by the splash of color that saturated the American Library Association's annual award presentation Monday — from the pastels on the pages of the picture books, to the two bronze medals that represent some of the highest honors in children's literature.  Meg Medina's Merci Suárez Changes Gears won this year's Newbery Medal, awarded for the "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." Meanwhile, Sophie Blackall's Hello Lighthouse won the Caldecott Medal, which goes to the artist behind the "most distinguished American picture book for children."  It is the second Caldecott Medal for Blackall in just four years, as the illustrator also won in 2016 for her work on Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear.  The two medals headlined the ALA's Youth Media Awards, the ceremony that regularly crowns the association's midwinter meeting in Seattle, but these awards were by no means the only ones handed out.  In fact, more than a dozen other prizes got distributed.  That includes the Michael L. Printz Award, which went to Elizabeth Acevedo's The Poet X for young adult literature; the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for work geared toward beginning readers, which was awarded to Corey R. Tabor's Fox the Tiger; and the Coretta Scott King Awards, which celebrate the best works by African-American authors and illustrators celebrating the black experience.  The latter award, which was named for the activist and wife of Martin Luther King Jr., is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.  To see the full list of winners — of all the many prizes handed out Monday — click this link or just scroll down. You can also check out a glimpse inside the covers of the Caldecott winner, Hello Lighthouse, by scrolling all the way down or just clicking here to make the big jump.  Caldecott Medal: Hello Lighthouse, illustrated and written by Sophie Blackall.  Theodor Seuss Geisel Award (for "the most distinguished American book for beginning readers"): Fox the Tiger, written and illustrated by Corey R. Tabor.  Children's Literature Legacy Award (for an author or illustrator whose books "over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children through books that demonstrate integrity and respect for all children's lives and experiences"): Walter Dean Myers.  Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media (for "distinguished digital media for an early learning audience"): Play and Learn Science, produced by PBS Kids.  Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal (for "the most distinguished informational book"): The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science, by Joyce Sidman.  Mildred L. Batchelder Award (for the publisher of the most outstanding books originating in a country other than the U.S. and in a language other than English, later translated and published in the U.S.): The Fox on the Swing, published by Thames & Hudson, written by Evelina Daciūtė, illustrated by Aušra Kiudulaitė, and translated from Lithuanian by the Translation Bureau.  May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award (selecting an honoree "who shall prepare a paper considered to be a significant contribution to the field of children's literature"): Neil Gaiman.  Pura Belpré Award (for "a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth"):  Michael L. Printz Award (for "the best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit"): The Poet X, by Elizabeth Acevedo.  Excellence in Nonfiction Award (for "the best nonfiction book published for young adults — ages 12-18"): The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees, by Don Brown.  William C. Morris Award (for work "published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature"): Darius the Great is Not Okay, by Adib Khorram.  Odyssey Award (for the "best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the U.S."): Sadie, produced by Macmillan Audio, written by Courtney Summers, narrated by Rebecca Soler, Fred Berman, Dan Bittner, Gabra Zackman and more.  Margaret A. Edwards Award (for "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature"): M.T. Anderson.  Coretta Scott King Book Awards (for "books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values"):  Stonewall Book Awards (for work of "exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience"):  Schneider Family Book Award (for "a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences"):  Sydney Taylor Book Award (for "outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience"):  Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association Award for Literature (for outstanding "work about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage"):


npr--2019-10-10--Simone Biles Wins Fifth All-Around World Championship Medal

Editor's Note: Earlier, we mistakenly reported that Simone Biles had set a new record for most world championship medals. She is one medal away from tying the record.  As of Thursday, Simone Biles is a step closer to being the greatest gymnast ever to have competed in the world championships.  Biles won her fifth world all-around title by dominating the field at the 2019 World Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. With the win, she now holds 22 world medals.  The 22-year-old is hoping to surpass Belarusian Vitaly Scherbo, who accumulated 23 medals at the world championship stage when he competed during the 1990s. After starting the day needing two medals to tie Scherbo, Biles now needs only one to match him. She'll try to accomplish that in the upcoming individual events, which run through Sunday.  Biles competed Thursday in four disciplines against the top 23 gymnasts from the qualifying round. Her combined score was 58.999, earning her the all-around gold by a wide margin of more than 2 points.  Xijing Tang of China placed second with 56.899. Russian gymnast Angelina Melnikova collected the bronze, with an overall score of 56.399.  In last year's competition, Biles won the individual all-around gold medal and scored the most points in the vault and floor events.  At this year's championship, Biles placed first in the vault portion of the all-around event with a score of 15.233. She was also first on the balance beam, where she scored 14.633 points.  The native of Texas ended the 2019 all-around competition with a bang by placing first on the floor segment, with a score of 14.400 that secured her victory.  On Tuesday, Biles led Team USA to their fifth consecutive world title.  Athletes and celebrities flocked to Twitter to praise Biles' 2019 performances.  Biles has four signature gymnastic moves named after her.Gymnasts must submit it for consideration and successfully land it at a major competition to have a move named after them. Two of those moves, the "Biles II" and the "Biles", were added during Biles's 2019 performances.  Despite her record-setting performance at the championships, both Biles and USA Gymnastics expressed disappointment at the points classification the "Biles" was assigned. The FIG Women's Technical Committee said the move was given a lower score in order to dissuade gymnasts from attempting a potentially dangerous maneuver.  Paolo Zialcita is an intern on NPR's News Desk.


rferl--2019-12-29--Iranian Chess Player Who Refused To Play For His Country Wins Silver Medal At World Championship

Alireza Firouzja, a top-rated chess player from Iran and the world's No. 2 ranked junior player, has won the silver medal at the World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship in Moscow after competing under the flag of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).  Firouzja, 16, had decided not to play for his country in an apparent reaction to the Islamic republic’s ban on competing against Israeli players.  Iran does not recognize Israel, and Iranian sports teams have employed a policy of not competing against Israelis for the past several decades.  “Congratulations to Alireza Firouzja on a fantastic silver medal. And shame on all those who seek to thwart his career,” FIDE Vice President Nigel Short said on Twitter on December 28.  There was no immediate reaction from Iranian authorities.  Firouzja, widely praised as a chess prodigy, is the second Iranian sports figure in recent months to try to renounce his citizenship over state pressure on Iranian athletes to forego matches with Israeli competitors.  In October, Iran was banned from international judo competitions indefinitely over the country's refusal to face Israeli competitors. The decision by the International Judo Federation (IJF) came after Iranian judoka Saeid Mollaei said he was pressured to drop out of bouts to avoid facing an Israeli opponent.  "Firouzja has made his decision and has told us that he wants to change his nationality," the president of Iran's Chess Federation, Mehrdad Pahlavanzadeh, told the semiofficial news agency Tasnim last week.  Firouzja and his father are currently living in France.  In April, Iranian media reported that Firouzja had refused to play against an Israeli player in a tournament in Germany.  Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has praised athletes who have refused to face opponents from Israel.  With reporting by RFE/RL’s Radio Farda, Reuters, and The Guardian


sputnik--2019-02-06--Russian Snowboarder Loginov Wins His 2nd Gold Medal at World Championship

Dmitry Loginov has won his second gold medal at the championship in two days, beating Slovenian Tim Mastnak. His victory brought Russia its first-ever parallel slalom (PSL) gold at a world championship.  "I can't believe it", Loginov said, according to the International Ski Federation website. "I'm only 19. I'm the youngest world champion of all time, and it's just incredible".  READ MORE: Some Like It Cold: Best Russian Skiing and Snowboarding Resorts  Loginov also became the first snowboarder in history to hold all four of the PGS and PSL junior and world titles simultaneously.


sputnik--2019-07-22--India Hails Golden Girl Hima Das as She Wins 5th Gold Medal in One Month

With the Indian President and Prime Minster leading the nation, celebrities and sports lovers followed their example and showered praise on the young girl from the State of Assam.  Other prominent political leaders also heaped praise on the country's young sensation.  India’s legendary superstar Amitabh Bachchan described her as the “Pride of India” while other celebs called her ‘The Golden Girl’. Many film personalities took part in hailing the gold medalist.  India’s cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who was recently inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, and other cricketers joined the league in congratulating Hima Das.  Hima Das, who felt honoured by the outpouring of wishes, said she would continue to work hard to bring laurels for the country.  The gold rush began for Das on 2 July at the Poznan Athletics Grand Prix in Poland.  The second victory came in women's 200m at the Kutno Athletics Meet in Poland on 7 July.  The third gold medal was at the Kladno Memorial Athletics Meet in the Czech Republic on 13 July.  Das clinched her fourth gold at the 200m race at the Tabor Athletics Meet in the Czech Republic on 17 July.  She bagged her fifth gold medal at the 400-metre competition with a clock time of 52.09 seconds at the Nove Mesto Grand Prix in the Czech Republic on 20 July.  Her fifth medal came with a better time than her previous performance, in which she clocked 52.88 seconds but slower than her personal best that she managed at the 2018 Asian Games with a clock time of 50.79 seconds in a 400m race.


sputnik--2019-08-29--Twitterati Cheer Indias Incredible Four Medal Win at WorldSkills Russia

Twitterati Cheer India’s Incredible Four Medal Win at WorldSkills Russia

Held in the sports-friendly Russian city of Kazan from 22 to 27 August, the WorldSkills competition is the world’s biggest competition dedicated to excellence in vocational work skills.  By securing 13th place out of 63 participating countries, the Indian contingent is winning millions of hearts for its amazing feat in the global competition.  The winners received medals at a glittering closing ceremony on Tuesday, which was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin.  The gold medal was clinched by Aswatha Narayan Sanagavarapu in the water technology category. He competed against skilled workers from 11 countries. He was awarded “Best of Nation” out of all Indian competitors present there.  Pranav Nutalapati, 17, won silver medal in the web technology category. Sanjoy Pramanik and Shweta Ratanpura, both bagged bronze medals, in jewellery and graphic design technology, respectively.  The Indian contingent was the sixth largest at the ceremony; India's competitors also won 15 medallions in various categories, apart from the medals.  As Shweta Ratanpura became the first-ever Indian woman to bring laurels to India at WorldSkills Russia, twitterati heaped praise at her feat.  India’s acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik congratulated S. Aswatha Narayana for winning India’ s first-ever gold through his sand art at Puri beach in Odisha state.


sputnik--2019-10-10--India’s Mary Kom Wins Accolades After Becoming First Female Boxer to Win 8 World Championship Medals

By defeating a spirited rival in Colombia's Valencia Victoria, fetching a unanimous 5-0 verdict to make the last-eight stage, Mary Kom  (51kg) bettered her own record as the most successful boxer in the history of the marquee tournament.  She has assured India of its first medal in the ongoing edition of the premier boxing event.  Mary Kom will take on second-seeded Turk Busenaz Cakiroglu in her semifinal bout on Saturday, after a rest day on Friday.  Cakiroglu is the reigning European Championships and European Games gold-medallist. She defeated Cai Zongju of China in her  quarterfinal bout, just after Mary Kom's impressive victory in Russia.  The Boxing Federation of India shared a video on Twitter where Mary hopes to try her best and win the gold medal.  Indian Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju also congratulated the boxer on Twitter.  Mary Kom won the wholehearted praise of the Twitterati.  Entering into this edition, Mary Kom had six golds and a silver in her kitty, but this is the first time, she has secured a world medal in the 51kg category. She had finished as a quarterfinalist in this division in the past.


tass--2019-03-23--Russian figure skaters Sinitsina and Katsalapov win silver medal at World Championships

### Nikita Katsalapov and Victoria Sinitsina  © Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS  SIATAMA / Japan /, March 23. / TASS /. Russians Viktoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov took second place at the 2019 World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan. The duo earned a total of 211.76 points for rhythmic and free dance.  The French couple Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron (222.65) earned the gold medal with 222.65 points, updating the free skate record at 134.23 points, as well as for the total of the program.  The bronze medal went to the Americans Madison Hubbel and Zachary Donohue (210.40).  Russians Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin placed fourth (208.52).  The World Championships in Saitama will end on March 24 with exhibition performances.  In other media


tass--2019-06-24--Russian athletes win 21 medals on Day 2 of 2019 European Games in Minsk

MINSK, June 24. /TASS/. The Russian national team has reinforced its top position in the overall medals standings after Day 2 of the 2019 European Games in the Belarusian capital of Minsk having won 21 more medals on Sunday.  Thirty-eight sets of medals were contested on June 23 and the athletes of the Russian national team grabbed ten gold, five silver and six bronze medals.  After two days of the 2019 European Games’ competitions, the Russian team is in the lead packing 19 gold, 10 silver and 10 bronze medals.  Hosts Belarus are second in the overall medals standings with ten gold, nine silver and 15 bronze medals. They are followed by Ukraine with 17 medals (five gold, six silver and six bronze medals).  The 2019 European Games are being held in Minsk, Belarus, between June 21 and 30, bringing together over 3,600 athletes from 50 countries. A total of 199 sets of medals in 15 different sports are up for grabs during the 2019 European Games.  The Russian team of athletes in Minsk includes more than 220 athletes. At the previous European Games, hosted by Azerbaijan’s Baku in 2015, the Russian national team won 164 medals (79 golds, 40 silvers and 45 bronzes).


tass--2019-06-25--Russian athletes win five medals on Day 4 of 2019 European Games in Minsk

MINSK, June 25. /TASS/. The Russian national team retains its top position in the overall medals standings after Day 4 of the 2019 European Games in the Belarusian capital city Minsk, having won five more medals.  Eight sets of medals were contested on Tuesday. The Russian team won two gold, one silver and two bronze medals.  After four days of the 2019 European Games’ competitions, the Russian team is in the lead with 24 gold, 13 silver and 16 bronze medals.  Hosts Belarus are second in the overall medals standings, having won 14 gold, 9 silver and 18 bronze medals. They are followed by Georgia with six gold, five silver and nine bronze medals.  The 2019 European Games are being held in Minsk, Belarus, between June 21 and 30, bringing together over 3,600 athletes from 50 countries. A total of 199 sets of medals in 15 different sports are up for grabs during the 2019 European Games.  The Russian team of athletes in Minsk includes more than 220 athletes. At the previous European Games, hosted by Azerbaijan’s Baku in 2015, the Russian national team won 164 medals (79 golds, 40 silvers and 45 bronzes).


tass--2019-06-26--Russian athletes win ten medals on Day 5 of 2019 European Games

MINSK, June 26. /TASS/. The Russian national team retains its top position in the overall medals standings after Day 5 of the 2019 European Games in the Belarusian capital city Minsk, having won ten more medals.  Sixteen sets of medals were contested on Wednesday. The Russian team won four gold, two silver and four bronze medals.  The Russian team has a total of 28 gold, 15 silver and 20 bronze medals. Hosts Belarus are second in the overall medals standings with 15 gold, 11 silver and 19 bronze medals. They are followed by Georgia with six gold, six silver and ten bronze medals.  The 2019 European Games are being held in Minsk, Belarus, between June 21 and 30, bringing together over 3,600 athletes from 50 countries. A total of 199 sets of medals in 15 different sports are up for grabs during the 2019 European Games.  The Russian team of athletes in Minsk includes more than 220 athletes. At the previous European Games, hosted by Azerbaijan’s Baku in 2015, the Russian national team won 164 medals (79 golds, 40 silvers and 45 bronzes).


tass--2019-07-06--Russia wins eight medals on second day of Universiade in Naples

MOSCOW, July 5. /TASS/. Russian athletes won eight medals on the second day of competitions at the Summer Universiade in Italy’s Naples.  On Thursday, 16 sets of medals were up for grabs, and the Russian team secured two gold, four silver and two bronze medals.  The gold medals were won in swimming by Grigory Tarasevich (Men 100m Backstroke) and in judo wrestling by Evgenii Prokopchuk (Men 73kg).  The individual silver medals went to Dmitriy Gusev in fencing (Men Epee Individual) and Kirill Prigoda (swimming, Men 100m Breaststroke). The silver medals in team events were won by Evgeniia Selezneva and Egor Lapin in diving (Mixed 3m Synchronized Springboard) and by Liliia Akhaimova, Tatiana Nabieva and Uliana Perebinosova in artistic gymnastics.  Kamila Badurova (Women 63kg) and Natalia Golomidova (Women 57kg) won the bronze in judo wrestling competitions.  Russian female basketball team lost 54:75 to Portugal in the final third game of the group stage and finished second in group B. The men’s basketball team defeated Argentina 84:80 in the second game.  In rugby sevens, women’s team defeated Argentina 33:0 in the first game of the group stage, the men’s team defeated Romania 33:5.  Russian women’s volleyball team began their participation in the tournament by defeating Thailand 3-0 (25:14, 25:15, 25:19).  The Japanese team is leading in the overall medal count with seven gold, five silver and one bronze medals, the US team is the runner-up (5-2-2) and China is third (5-2-0). The Universiade in Naples will be wrapped up on July 14.


tass--2019-09-22--Russian boxers win four medals at World Championships in Yekaterinburg

YEKATERINBURG, September 21. /TASS/. Russian boxers have been placed second in the overall medal table at the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships, completed in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg on Saturday. The Russian men’s team won three gold and one bronze medals.  Russia’s gold medalist are Andrey Zamkovoy who won in the welterweight category (69 kg), Gleb Bakshi - middleweight (75 kg) and Muslim Gadzhimagomedov - heavyweight (91 kg).  Maxim Babanin won the bronze one day earlier when he failed to qualify for the gold medal match in super heavyweight category (over 91 kg).  Overall, Uzbekistan finished first in the medal table, having won three gold, one silver and one bronze medals. Kazakhstan came third (1-1-4).  The championship was far more successful for Russia than the previous tournament held in German Hamburg. Then, the team won one silver and one bronze medals.  The bouts of the championships’ final day went in the same breath, Russian Minister of Sports Pavel Kolobkov told TASS.  "I would like to congratulate the Sverdlovsk Region (where Yekaterinburg is situated - TASS) and personally governor Yevgeny Kuyvashev, as well as the International Boxing Association (AIBA) and the Russian Boxing Federation on a great championship. I congratulate our athletes on this great result, this was a true celebration for all boxing fans in Russia. Four hours of bouts passed unnoticed and in one breath. I am certain that all spectators were truly delighted," Kolobkov said.  Secretary General of the Russian Boxing Federation Umar Kremlev announced that gold medalist would be awarded five million rubles ($78,000) and cars. "Coaches had a great tournament, they will also be rewarded. An award for a [boxer’s] gold medal is five million rubles and cars," he said.  AIBA lauded the tournament as the best World Championships ever held. "It is great that such an assessment comes at the time of our team’s successful performance," Kremlev added.  The competitions in Yekaterinburg was not designated as a qualification tournament for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. In view of this, Russian boxers will still have to fight for their Olympic tickets in the spring of 2020. Kremlev said that fans could expect a decent result of the team at the games in Japan.  "We could do a little bit better but this is also a great result. We can hope for decent results at the Olympics in Tokyo as well for Russia’s team," he said.


theguardianuk--2019-03-14--Chess England win first major medal in 22 years with silver at world teams

Chess: England win first major medal in 22 years with silver at world teams

England’s silver medals on Thursday at the World Team Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan, were the team’s first of any colour in major competition since 1997. European gold in that year seemed the last hurrah of a generation which had proved itself No 2 to the former Soviet Union. Before that England won bronze at the 1989 world teams and the 1990 Olympiad but then the Berlin Wall came down and new strong chess nations appeared from Eastern Europe and Asia.  England proved themselves more consistent than their major rivals, China, India and the US, in Kazakhstan, although the margins were narrow. They were mentally tough, too, often fighting back strongly from dubious mid-session positions.  The team captain, Malcolm Pein, said: “We showed in Astana that, although our teams do not receive the official and financial backing of many of our rivals, our resilience and team spirit are second to none.”  Expectations at Astana were muted. Only four of England’s six world-class grandmasters were available, the team struggled with heavy colds in the first few days as it was minus 15 outside the playing hall, while Michael Adams, its lynchpin for two decades, was feeling the years at 47 and lost his first two games.  However, boards two to four, Luke McShane, David Howell and Gawain Jones, were all in medal-winning form. Tied matches against USA, Russia and India, all major rivals, were followed by convincing wins against the weaker Iran, Egypt and Sweden, with the only defeat coming against China in the penultimate round.  The final leading scores were Russia 16 match points (23.5 game points), England 13 (21), China 12 (21), India 11 (22) and USA 11 (20). McShane won the board two gold with 6/9, Jones the board four silver with 5.5/8 and Howell the board three bronze with 6/9.  The result has another significance for English chess, which has been dominated by Nigel Short and Adams for three decades. Currently the live ratings show that the England top five, the four in Astana plus Matthew Sadler, are all covered by a mere 14 rating points, with Howell fractionally ahead of Adams. Short, at age 53, has dropped out of the world top 100. Dominance has given way to primus inter pares.  Further down the line, the dearth of new potential global level talent is an increasing concern. Jones and Howell in the late 1990s were the last to show clear potential to reach a 2600 rating, the level of the world top 200 and a springboard for further progress.  There is an array of initiatives to encourage juniors, from grandmaster coaching for the most promising down to the very popular UK Chess Challenge, which has its early rounds in schools and attracts tens of thousands of boys and girls. But the implicit ceiling for achievement has become lower, so that the talents are satisfied to become a teenage international master or maybe to go for grandmaster norms in a university gap year.  Luke McShane’s victory against India was a key moment in his own and the team’s success, and demonstrated the subtleties of equalising then building an advantage with the black pieces. It was a humdrum Giuoco Piano (quiet game) until White’s committal 11 d4?! (Nbd2) gave him an isolated centre pawn.  More misjudgments by 23 Ne1?! (Qc2) and 25 Nd3? (Ba5) accentuated the isolated pawn weakness which in turn made his bishop less active than Black’s knight pair. So McShane offered the queen swap 27…Qd5! which White could not accept and left him in real trouble. The end was the simple tactic in this week’s puzzle, but McShane did the spadework far ahead of that.  1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 d3 Bc5 5 c3 a6 6 a4 d6 7 O-O Ba7 8 b4 O-O 9 Re1 h6 10 h3 Ne7 11 d4?! exd4 12 cxd4 d5 13 exd5 Nexd5 14 b5 axb5 15 axb5 Be6 16 Qb3 Bb6 17 Rxa8 Qxa8 18 Bd2 Ba5 19 Nc3 Bxc3 20 Bxc3 Re8 21 Bd2 Qc8 22 Re5 Qd7 23 Ne1?! Nb6 24 Bxe6 Rxe6 25 Nd3? Rxe5 26 dxe5 Ne4 27 Be3 Qd5! 28 Qc2 Nc4 29 b6 c5 30 e6 (see the puzzle diagram for the finish).  3610: 30...Qxe6! 31 Bxc5? ( 31 Nxc5 is similar, and otherwise White will shortly be two pawns down) Nxc5 32 Nxc5 Qe1+ 33 Kh2 Qe5+ and White resigned 0-1 as Qxc5 follows.


theguardianuk--2019-03-22--Chess Englands medallists battle jetlag but rack up six wins in 4NCL

Chess: England’s medallists battle jetlag but rack up six wins in 4NCL

Forty-eight hours after the world team championship closing ceremony in Astana, Kazakhstan, England’s jet-lagged trio of team silver and individual board medal winners Luke McShane (gold), Gawain Jones (silver) and David Howell (bronze) were in action again in the penultimate weekend of the 4NCL, Britain’s national league. Not conveniently near Heathrow, either – they had a further tiring journey to Telford in the West Midlands.  The decorated trio notched up a combined result of six wins in six games. It was a significant feat, since jetlag is well known to affect chess players and another participant at Astana, attempting the same operation in a different European league, lost badly with the comment: “My brain was just useless.”  Jones and McShane led the Guildford team which continued its record unbeaten run, now standing at 72 wins and two draws spread over more than six years. Guildford has 8/8 match points, followed by Howell’s Cheddleton squad and chess.com Manx Liberty on 6/8.  Manx was level with Guildford in February, but was then beaten by Yorkshire’s White Rose, for whom James Adair scored in this week’s puzzle.  The title deciders are at the final league weekend in early May, when Guildford meet both Cheddleton and Manx. The Surrey team is far ahead in tiebreaking game points, so the realistic question is whether well-financed Manx can end Guildford’s mammoth unbeaten run and thus gain a psychological edge for a serious title challenge in 2019-20. Rumour has it that Manx will really go for it and bring in a couple of 2,700-rated elite GMs to outrate Jones and McShane, plus some 2,600s in support.  A different question prompted by the England medal trio’s intercontinental dash is why they took such trouble, since their teams won by wide margins anyway. At least part of the answer lies in the bunched live ratings, which show England’s top five – the medal trio plus Michael Adams and Matthew Sadler – covered by a mere 15 rating points between Howell 2,701 at world No 39 and McShane 2,686 at world No 54. The race is on to succeed Nigel Short and Adams as top dog and every rating point counts.  McShane’s win below was a classic case of too many early queen moves, here seven of the first 14, by his opponent. White’s homespun plan was intended to dodge the mainline Berlin Wall 5 d4 or 5 Re1, but when the errant queen finally returned to base by 14 Qd2 McShane already had a pleasant position with active bishops and knight.  White tried a tactical trick 19 Bxc7 but McShane struck with 20...f5! and 23...Bxg2! comically netting the white queen still recovering at d2 from her early sortie. In theory there was still work to do with rook, knight and pawn for queen, but Black’s active queen soon homed in on the a2 pawn and White resigned due to 34 Ra1 Qa3 35 h4 Qb2 when the queen eats White’s a2 pawn and Black’s own a pawn has a clear run.  3611 1 Bh7+! so that if Kf8 2 Qxh6! gxh6 3 Rxf7 mate. The game ended 1...Kh8 2 Bg6! and Black resigned faced with fxg6 3 Nf7+ and 4 Nxd8.


theguardianuk--2019-10-13--Simone Biles wins two more golds and sets world championship medal record

Simone Biles became the most decorated gymnast in world championship history on Sunday when she won the beam and floor finals in Stuttgart to take her career tally to 25 medals while Great Britain’s Joe Fraser took a stunning gold medal on the parallel bars.  Biles arrived on the final day of competition with gold medals in the team, all-around and vault finals. For most gymnasts that would have been sufficient, but Biles had a point to prove on the balance beam. At the Rio Olympics she took bronze after losing her balance and grabbing hold of the beam, and last year she fell off the beam in the all-around final at the world championships.  No matter. This time Biles produced one of the greatest beam routines of her career, taking gold with a score of 15.066 and not a single wobble. The most remarkable part of her enduring success is that, after 25 medals, 19 of them gold, she is only getting better.  “It meant a lot because Cecile [Landi, beam coach] has really been working on bringing my confidence back up to where it used to be on the beam,” Biles said. “To go out there and nail the routine, just like I do in practice, it felt really good and I knew she was really proud.”  Biles finished her historic championships by winning a fifth gold medal, her highest haul, on her favoured floor exercise. She beamed as she easily landed her triple-double and again as her score read 15.133, a lead of a full point ahead of her compatriot Sunisa Lee.  As Biles celebrated her continued improvement, Fraser’s teammates screamed and lifted him into the air after his assured, polished routine on the parallel bars scored 15.000 and edged out Turkey’s Ahmet Onder by .017 points.  The gold medal may have been a surprise, but the 20-year-old Fraser’s rise has been coming. At the European championships this spring, he missed out on the all‑around bronze medal by 0.033 points and finished eighth in the men’s all-around final. His victory in Stuttgart marks the first medal for Britain on the apparatus, and perhaps the first of many.  Fraser’s gold medal wrapped up two of the greatest days in British gymnastics history. Ellie Downie bounced back after failing to qualify for the all-around final by winning bronze on the vault and Max Whitlock secured his third world championship gold medal on the pommel horse with a score of 15.5.  Meanwhile Downie’s sister, the 27-year-old veteran Becky, put behind her years of injuries and heartbreak and near misses by executing her newest, hardest uneven bars routine to win a silver medal.


theindependent--2019-03-23--Joshua Buatsi vs Liam Conroy result Rio medallist wins British title with destructive performance

Joshua Buatsi vs Liam Conroy result: Rio medallist wins British title with destructive performance

Joshua Buatsi destroyed Liam Conroy in three rounds to capture to British light heavyweight title and enhance his reputation as one of British boxing's future stars.  Buatsi, who emerged from the Rio Olympics with bronze, came into the fight off the back of three successive first round knockouts, but was forced to be more measured against Conroy.  After proving to be elusive for two rounds, Conroy was sent sprawling in the third after a beautiful right hand connected sweetly.  And despite rising to continue, the fight was soon over after a blistering combination from Buatsi spun a now disorientated Conroy to the canvas again.  Buatsi had taken time to warm up but once he round his range, he went through Conroy like a whirlwind, validating the considerable hype surrounding his future.  Buatsi has the requisite ingredients to become a legitimate star in the sport, and he appears to know it, too, given his outlandish grey and silver shorts with pink trim.  His meteoric rise looks set to continue this summer with a place on the undercard of Anthony Joshua vs Jarrell Miller in New York at Madison Square Garden.  But the cool nature of Buatsi still holds him back from announcing such extravagant plans after a mere 10 fights.  “Fair play to Conroy for stepping up and he caught me in there," Buatsi said.  “There’s still a long way to go but I’m grateful to everybody. I have to thank Eddie [Hearn] as well, who has guided my career.”  Hearn added: “We would love him to box at MSG on the Anthony Joshua card. He’s a special talent.  "He is so composed and I am very excited about him. And he will have to be very talented because it is a dangerous division.”  Keep up to date with all the latest news with expert comment and analysis from our award-winning writers


theindependent--2019-07-28--World Aquatics Championships Adam Peaty claims third gold medal as Great Britain win 4x100m medley

World Aquatics Championships: Adam Peaty claims third gold medal as Great Britain win 4x100m medley relay

Adam Peaty claimed his third gold medal of the World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju as Great Britain won the men's 4x100m medley relay.  Peaty, who successfully defended his 50m and 100m breaststroke titles earlier in the week, teamed up with Luke Greenbank, James Guy and Duncan Scott to record a thrilling victory over the United States.  Scott's storming final freestyle leg helped the British quartet set a new European record of three minutes, 28.10 seconds.  After a solid backstroke leg from Greenbank, Peaty took over and unsurprisingly got Britain in front at the next change, but Guy was passed on the butterfly leg by America's Caeleb Dressel and Russia's Andrei Minakov.  Scott still trailed at the final turn by 0.84 secs but produced a strong finish to snatch victory, and his split of 46.14s would have broken the world record in a regular 100m freestyle.  In the women's race, the British quartet of Georgia Davies, Molly Renshaw, Alys Thomas and Freya Anderson could only finish eighth as the United States took gold in a new world record time of 3m 50.30s.  There was also disappointment for Max Litchfield in the men's 400m individual medley and Anna Hopkin in the 50m freestyle as both swimmers finished seventh.


theindependent--2019-10-13--Simone Biles wins floor and beam events to win record 25th world championship medal

American Simone Biles became the most decorated gymnast in world championship history on Sunday when she won the beam and floor finals to take her career tally to 25 medals.  Soon after securing a convincing victory on the beam in Stuttgart to overtake Belarusian Vitaly Scherbo’s record tally of 23 world medals, the 22-year-old Biles successfully defended her floor title to win medal number 25.  The four-time Olympic champion is now the owner of 19 gold medals across four championships against 12 for Scherbo, who competed in five world events between 1991 and 1996.  Making her final appearance of the week in front of a raucous crowd, Biles wasted no time as she landed a superb triple-twisting double back flip -- known as the Biles II – on her first pass.  Biles’s double layout with a half turn -- another skill named after her -- put her out of bounds for a 0.1 penalty but she did enough to post a winning score of 15.133.  The Americans took a one-two finish as Sunisa Lee finished with 14.133 for the silver medal, while Russian Angelina Melnikova came third.  Earlier, Biles delivered a polished routine on the beam before a full twisting double tuck dismount for an impressive 15.066.  Although Biles had twice before won the world beam title, in 2014 and 2015, it has not always been plain sailing for her on the apparatus.  Her slip on the landing of a front tucked somersault at the 2016 Rio Olympics meant she had to settle for a bronze in the event. Last year again, she dropped off the beam during the women’s all-around final at the world championships.  But she has regained her swagger this week, under the watchful eyes of balance beam coach Cecile Landi, and posted top scores in all four attempts -- qualifying, the team and all-around finals and Sunday’s apparatus final.  As another title-winning score was announced in the arena, Biles punched the air in jubilation before joining celebrations with the U.S. team.  Last year’s winner Liu Tingting of China took silver with 14.433, while team mate Li Shijia won the bronze.  Biles finished her campaign in Stuttgart with five gold medals from six events to mark ideal preparations for next year’s Tokyo Olympics.  Her barnstorming run included a record fifth all-around gold as well as helping the U.S. to a fifth straight world team title.


unian--2019-02-06--Ukraine wins first ever World Championship medal in snowboarding

Ukrainian snowboarder Annamari Dancha became a silver medalist of the FIS Snowboarding World Championship.  This is the first ever medal for Ukraine in snowboarding at the world championships. It is worth noting that Dancha had earlier barely made it to TOP 16, securing only the 15th spot.  In the decisive round, Dancha showed almost the same result as Switzerland's Julie Zogg; however, she lost her position in the last meters of the race.  Another Ukrainian Oleksandra Maliovana, who also took part in these competitions, took the 34th place.


breitbart--2019-08-22--Donald Trump Awards Medal of Freedom to Boston Celtics Legend Bob Cousy

The president awarded the medal in the Oval Office of the White House surrounded by nearly two dozen family and friends.  A point guard for the Boston Celtics, Cousy helped win six NBA championships in seven years from 1957-62.  “You’re one of the all-time greats in the history of sports — not just basketball — and an inspiration to us all,” Trump said. “And today, America honors and celebrates everything that you have achieved.”  Trump spoke at length about Cousy’s legendary performance in the game of basketball and his contributions to his community outside of the court.  “If I’d known I was going to be eulogized I would probably have done the only decent thing and died,” Cousy joked.   Cousy thanked Trump for the honor, calling him “the most extraordinary president in my lifetime.”  West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin attended the ceremony with his wife and Fox News reporter Ed Henry.  Speaking about his love for his family, Cousy started choking up with tears.  “That’s why you shouldn’t invite old men to the White House. They get emotional.” Cousy said.  Trump credited Manchin for reaching out to him about Cousy, after learning that Cousy would be honored to receive the award.  Cousy, now 91, admitted in a recent interview that he did not vote for President Trump or Hillary Clinton, but rather Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson. But he said that would change in 2020.  “This President will definitely have my vote in 2020,” he said. “I simply feel, without getting into the politics of it at all, like many Americans — I agree with some of the things he’s done and disagree with others.”


breitbart--2019-11-18--Trump to Award Jon Voight with National Medal of Arts

President Donald Trump will award the Oscar-winning actor Jon Voight with the National Medal of Arts, the White House announced on Sunday.  In a statement, the White House confirmed that Jon Voight, who is one of Trump’s few prominent Hollywood supporters, will be honored at a ceremony later this week for his “exceptional capacity as an actor to portray deeply complex characters.”  “Captivating audiences, he has given us insights into the richness of the human mind and heart,” the statement read.  Voight, who won the Academy Award for best actor in 1978 for his role as veteran Luke Martin in Coming Home, is a fervent supporter of the president. Earlier this year, the star declared President Trump the “greatest president since Abraham Lincoln.”  “Our country is stronger, safer and with more jobs, because our president has made his every move correct,” he said Voight, who is the father of actress Angelina Jolie. “Don’t be fooled by the political left because we are the people of this nation that is witnessing triumph.”  In July, Voight went viral as he was captured on camera wiping the rain off of chairs reserved for Gold Star family members who were set to attend President Trump’s Salute to America event on Independence Day.  Other individuals to be recognized on Thursday include bluegrass-country singer Allison Krauss, philanthropist Sharon Percy Rockefeller, and The Musicians of the United States Military.  “From concert halls to warzones, these extraordinary patriots have inspired and uplifted their fellow Americans over generations with their incredible courage and breathtaking musical talent,” the statement says of the military musicians.


cnn--2019-05-06--Trump awards Medal of Freedom to long-time friend Tiger Woods

Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump bestowed Tiger Woods with the nation's highest civilian honor , the Presidential Medal of Freedom, on Monday evening in the White House Rose Garden, hailing Woods as a "global symbol of American excellence."  The duo shares a love of the game of golf, but both have also risen to unpredictable and spectacular comebacks: Trump from bankruptcy to the presidency; Woods from public shaming following multiple affairs, injuries and a resulting painkiller addiction, to winning this year's Masters.  Trump recalled Woods' historic career from 1997 to his 2019 Masters win, including his injuries and miraculous comeback.  When the President discussed the 2019 Masters win, he also noted that Woods' run broke television records that day as well.  "Congratulations again on your amazing comeback and your amazing life and for giving sports fans everywhere a lifetime of memories," Trump said.  Woods received a standing ovation upon the beginning of his remarks.  "This has been an unbelievable experience," Woods said, thanking his family, including his late father.  The Medal of Freedom recognizes individuals who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors," according to the executive order designating the award. Since taking office, Trump has presented the award to numerous athletes, including Alan Page, Roger Staubach, and a posthumous award to Babe Ruth  Trump, who has a long history with Woods, said in a tweet after the Masters that he had congratulated the golfer on the win and his comeback, announcing that he would be giving him the award.  "Spoke to @TigerWoods to congratulate him on the great victory he had in yesterday's @TheMasters, & to inform him that because of his incredible Success & Comeback in Sports (Golf) and, more importantly, LIFE, I will be presenting him with the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM!" the tweet said.  Woods' career slumped following his divorce and surrounding scandal in late 2009 and early 2010. He lost about $20 million from estimated endorsements after sponsors including Gatorade, AT&T, and Accenture cut ties. After a string of losses in 2011, Woods failed to make the World Golf Ranking's top 50 players list. But one fan who stuck with him: Donald Trump, who supported the embattled golfer in March 2013 via Twitter.  While it's entirely up to the President's discretion as to who receives the Medal of Freedom, the choice of Woods, who at 43 is still relatively young compared to other recipients, has raised eyebrows for Trump's business ties to the pro golfer.  Trump, an avid golfer, owns courses across the world and frequently hits the links, playing most recently this Saturday at the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. His Trump National Doral in Miami has a villa named for Woods. According to The New York Times , Woods celebrated his first Masters win in 1997 at Trump's Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  And, per the Times, Woods is designing a course in Dubai that would be managed by the Trump Organization. Though it was expected to be completed by the end of 2017, it has yet to open, and a spokesman for Woods declined to comment to the Times.  The President has played multiple rounds with Woods, including alongside Jack Nicklaus in February at Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida.  "He picks whoever's playing the best and puts himself on their team, and it may -- he may change teams two or three times in a round. It's just fun," he told Fox News, adding, "It's a faux competition but it's just fun. If somebody hits a bad shot, he just tells them, 'Drop another ball, we're out here having fun.' There's no stress in it."  For his part, Woods defended his friendly relationship with the President, saying he respects the office.


cnn--2019-06-20--Trump to award race team owner Roger Penske Medal of Freedom

Trump called Penske "a great gentleman who has won 18 Indianapolis 500s" and said Penske is "very thrilled to be getting it."  "He's very deserving, he's a great gentleman. I've known him a long time and a very brilliant guy," Trump added.  Penske, through Team Penske's social media , said in a statement that he was "humbled by the President's acknowledgment of our achievements in business, in motorsports and in our community."  "Thank you to President Trump for this special recognition. On behalf of my wife Kathy (Penske), our family and our nearly 65,000 team members worldwide, it will be my privilege to accept this prestigious award," the statement said. The announcement comes a day after Trump awarded economist Arthur Laffer with the Medal of Freedom. The award recognizes "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors." NASCAR driver Richard Petty received the award in 1992. Earlier this month, Trump welcomed Penske's racing team to the White House for their most recent Indy 500 win. Penske also attended an April ceremony honoring one of his NASCAR team drivers, Joey Logano, for his NASCAR Cup Series win. During April's ceremony, the President said he's known Penske "for a long time." Trump also called Penske "one of the truly great people of this world -- not only our country; I really mean that -- one of the truly great people of our world."


cnn--2019-11-21--Trump awards 8 National Medals of Arts and Humanities

Recipients included the chef at the Inn at Little Washington, 27-time Grammy Award-winning musician Alison Krauss, the best-selling novelist James Patterson and Academy Award-winning actor Jon Voight.  "Great nations produce great thinkers, artists, musicians and scholars who make our world a more beautiful, enlightened and joyful place," Trump said during the awards reception in the East Room. "Each of today's recipients has made outstanding contributions to society, culture and life. They exemplify the genius, talent and creativity of our exceptional nation."  The White House announced earlier this week that the President would be awarding four of each medal, with some recipients being recognized as a group, such as the United States Military's musicians and the Claremont Institute, a conservative think tank.  The medal ceremony was the President's only scheduled public appearance on Thursday, which took place as members of Congress heard from witnesses during the fifth day of the public impeachment hearings . The President did not comment on the impeachment inquiry -- which is examining his alleged abuse of power -- during the East Room ceremony.  Voight is an outspoken Trump supporter and Patterson, who published a book co-written with former President Bill Clinton in 2018, is a member of Trump's Mar-a-Lago golf club. Trump called both men his friends when delivering remarks at the White House ceremony. There were a few odd moments during the East Room event. Voight at one point when loud music played off cue, began to dance on stage, by himself, in front of the audience and next to the President. And while congratulating author Patterson, Trump admitted he had sold more books than even Trump, though pointed out he hadn't sold more than the Bible. The medals have typically been awarded on an annual basis, but this will be the first time Trump has awarded the medals since taking office in 2017. In 2017, the 16 remaining members of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities resigned in protest of Trump's defense of white nationalists during demonstrations in Charlottesville, Virginia. The committee, established by then-President Ronald Reagan, was among the ceremonial White House committees tasked with advising the president on arts and humanities issues.


eveningstandard--2019-09-25--World Athletics Championships 2019 Doha medal table and Team GB medallists

World Athletics Championships 2019: Doha medal table and Team GB medallists

The USA are hot favourites to top the medal table once again at the 2019 Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar.  The USA dominated at the last world championships in London, winning a total of 30 medals, including 11 golds.  Great Britain won six medals during those championships, but a third of them were claimed by Mo Farah, who will not be competing in Doha as he focuses on October’s Chicago Marathon.  Unsurprisingly, it is the USA who also lead the all-time medal table, having won 156 golds prior to these championships, with Kenya a distant second on 55 golds, the majority of which have been won in the distance running events.  Russia are third on the all-time table, but will not compete in Doha after the IAAF extended their ban against the country’s federation over doping violations, though some Russians will compete as authorised neutral athletes.  Jamaican sprint star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is the most decorated athlete to be competing at these championships, having won nine world medals, including seven golds.  Full medal table will appear below once the first final has concluded…


eveningstandard--2019-09-27--World Athletics Championships 2019 Doha medal table and Team GB medallists


eveningstandard--2019-09-29--World Athletics Championships 2019 Doha medal table and Great Britain medallists

World Athletics Championships 2019: Doha medal table and Great Britain medallists


eveningstandard--2019-10-04--World Athletics Championships 2019 Doha medal table and Great Britain medallists

The USA are hot favourites to top the medal table once again at the 2019 Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar.  The USA dominated at the last world championships in London, winning a total of 30 medals, including 11 golds.  Great Britain won six medals during those championships, but a third of them were claimed by Mo Farah, who will not be competing in Doha as he focuses on October’s Chicago Marathon.  Unsurprisingly, it is the USA who also lead the all-time medal table, having won 156 golds prior to these championships, with Kenya a distant second on 55 golds, the majority of which have been won in the distance running events.  Russia are third on the all-time table, but will not compete in Doha after the IAAF extended their ban against the country’s federation over doping violations, though some Russians will compete as authorised neutral athletes.  Jamaican sprint star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is the most decorated athlete to be competing at these championships, having won nine world medals, including seven golds.  Full medal table will appear below once the first final has concluded...


fortune--2019-04-15--Tiger Woods to Get Presidential Medal of Freedom From Trump

President Donald Trump said Monday that he would award Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the highest civilian honor in the U.S.—after the golfer won the 2019 Masters by one stroke on Sunday, marking his fifth time winning the tournament. It was his first major championship victory in 11 years.  “Spoke to @TigerWoods to congratulate him on the great victory he had in yesterday’s @TheMasters, & to inform him that because of his incredible Success & Comeback in Sports (Golf) and, more importantly, LIFE, I will be presenting him with the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM!’ Trump tweeted.  The Presidential Medal of Freedom honors those who make an “especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.  Yogi Berra, Billie Jean King, Muhammad Ali and Arnold Palmer are among other sports figures who have received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.


foxnews--2019-09-09--Trump awards Medal of Valor to Dayton police officers commendations to El Paso first responders

Trump awards Medal of Valor to Dayton police officers, commendations to El Paso first responders

President Trump on Monday presented the nation's award highest award for public safety to six Dayton police officers who responded to last month’s mass shooting in the Ohio city that left nine people dead and more than two dozen injured.  Appearing alongside Attorney General William Barr, the president presented the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor to the officers who first responded to the Aug. 4 mass shooting in a crowded downtown Dayton entertainment district. The officers confronted the shooter within 30 seconds, a swift response credited with preventing more deaths.  “There are few people who could have done, and would have done, what these police officers did,” Trump said from the White House’s East Room. “To each of you, we are in awe of your swift response, sterling professionalism, and rock-solid nerves of steel.”  OHIO SHOOTING VICTIMS INCLUDE GUNMAN'S SISTER, MOTHER OF TWO WHO WAS A NURSING STUDENT  The Dayton police officers who received the Medal of Valor were Sgt. William Knight and officers Brian Rolfes, Jeremy Campbell, Vincent Carter, Ryan Nabel and David Denlinger.  According to authorities, 24-year-old Connor Betts shot 26 people in the span of 32 seconds before Knight returned fire after hearing the gunshots from his police cruiser. The five other officers rushed toward the gunman and prevented him from continuing his rampage.  “These officers were the thin blue line between life and death,” Barr said. “We thank God on that horrible night in Dayton we had men with these qualities.”  The president also honored the heroism of five civilians with heroic commendations for having helped others as a gunman opened fire at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, killing 22 people and wounding others.  Calling the shooter “soulless and bigoted” and the attack “racist,” Trump went on to praise the civilians who put their lives in danger to help save others when the gunman began his shooting inside the Walmart.  EL PASO SHOOTING SUSPECT'S MOM SAYS SHE CALLED POLICE WITH CONCERN ABOUT RIFLE SON OWNED: REPORT  “In the darkest moments of despair, God called them into action and they put love of their neighbor above their life,” Trump said. “We are forever inspired by their goodness and the grace of their deeds.”  The commendations were granted to Robert Evans, who notified store employees of the shooting; Gilbert Serna, who guided customers to the back entrance during the shooting and hid them in shipping containers; Marisela Luna, who guided customers near the store’s lobby; Angelica Silva, who helped save the lives of wounded victims; and Chris Grant, who was wounded when he threw soda bottles at the shooter to district him.  “To the families of the heroes, you understand the difference your loved ones made in lives,” Trump said. “We thank you from bottom of our hearts.”  The pair of shootings in August – followed by another one in Texas weeks later – has sparked renewed national discussion of gun control.  CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP  In the days after the shootings, which happened within 24 hours of each other, Trump signaled he was open to proposals for new background checks, saying "there is a great appetite" for such measures. But within days, following a call with NRA president Wayne LaPierre, Trump abruptly changed his tone and said background checks would not have helped.  Trump's comments were reminiscent of his wavering last year, when he vowed to support background checks in the wake of a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, only to relent after receiving pressure from the NRA.  This time there seems to be more sustained momentum to produce some sort of measure after Trump asked aides to pull together a comprehensive list of ideas. White House officials have been meeting with lawmakers and congressional staff as they try to formulate a plan Trump can support without risking fallout from his political base.  The Associated Press contributed to this report.


breitbart--2019-09-05--Donald Trump Awards Medal of Freedom to LA Lakers Legend Jerry West

Donald Trump Awards Medal of Freedom to L.A. Lakers Legend Jerry West

Born in West Virginia, West played at West Virginia University before playing for the Lakers in Los Angeles. West played 14 seasons in the NBA for the Lakers, making the all-star team every year.  “In the years that followed, he was to become a legend and made plays that will be remembered forever,” Trump said. “I know many of them.”  Trump recalled when West rallied his team in Game 3 of the NBA finals in 1962 back to tie the game and scored right before the end of the game, earning the nickname “Mr. Clutch.”  After his career as a player, he became a legendary general manager for the Lakers during their triumphant domination of the sport in the 1980-2000s.  “Jerry is one of the greatest negotiators, managers, and executives in the history of the NBA,” Trump said. He also highlighted West’s charitable efforts in Los Angeles and West Virginia and his work with veterans.  He is also nicknamed as “The Logo,” as his silhouette is still featured in the NBA logo today.  West was accompanied at the Oval Office ceremony with members of his family and one close friend from West Virginia University. Chris Wallace, the Chief Communications Officer for the Los Angeles Clippers also attended.  “I was a dreamer,” he said, addressing the group. “My family didn’t have much, but we had a clear view of the Appalachian Mountains. And I’ve had several on our front porch and wonder if I ever make it to the top of that mountain. Will I see on the other side? Well, I did make it to the other side. My dreams have come true.”  West Virginia officials Governor Jim Justice and Sen. Joe Manchin also joined the president for the ceremony.


breitbart--2019-09-16--Enter Sandman Donald Trump Awards Yankees Legend Mariano Rivera Medal of Freedom

'Enter Sandman' — Donald Trump Awards Yankees Legend Mariano Rivera Medal of Freedom

Rivera entered the White House East Room with Trump for the ceremony to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” the same song that he used as a walkup song during his career with the Yankees.  “Game after game, when his entrance song ‘Enter Sandman’ filled the arena, fans went wild knowing that the game was all but over,” Trump said. “His dominance on the mound mesmerized fans, teammates, and, unfortunately for them, it mesmerized the competitors.”   Trump said that First Lady Melania Trump asked him why the song was so important to Rivera’s legacy.  “Because he put the batter to sleep,” Trump recalled telling her. “’The Sandman’ A lot of people don’t know that, but the Yankee fans know that.”  Rivera is a five-time world series champion and is the greatest relief pitcher in the history of the sport.  He was elected by the first-ever unanimous vote into the National Baseball Hall of fame in July 2019.  Trump also referred to Rivera’s prominent work for American communities through his charitable foundation inspired by his Christian faith.  “Throughout Marino’s incredible career, he remained a humble man guided by a deep Christian faith that inspires everyone around him,” Trump said.  “All I did was try to be the best and try to do the best for America,” he said.  Born in Panama, Rivera told a story about his effort to learn English after coming to America to play baseball.  “By the end of the year, I was able to communicate with my manager and my teammates and I was the happiest man in baseball,” he said, adding that as immigrants, “learning Engish is the first thing we can do.”


breitbart--2019-10-10--Trump to Award the Medal of Honor to Green Beret Master Sgt. Matthew Williams

U.S. Army Special Operations Command announced Thursday that President Donald Trump will award Army Green Beret Master Sgt. Matthew O. Williams with the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry on October 30.  Williams will receive the medal for his actions in Afghanistan on April 6, 2008, as a weapons sergeant with Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3336, Special Operations Task Force-33, assault element.  His actions helped save the lives of four critically wounded soldiers and prevented the lead element of the assault force from being overrun by the enemy, according to a White House statement.  Facing rocket-propelled grenade, sniper, and machine gun fire, then-Sgt. Williams led an Afghan Commando element across a fast-moving, ice cold, and waist-deep river to fight its way up a terraced mountain to the besieged lead element of the assault force. He then set up a base of fire that the enemy was not able to overcome.  When his team sergeant was wounded by sniper fire, Williams exposed himself to enemy fire to come to his aid and to move him down the mountainside to the casualty collection point, and then braved small arms fire and climbed back up the cliff to evacuate other injured soldiers and repair the team’s satellite radio.  He again exposed himself to enemy fire as he helped move several casualties down the near vertical mountainside and as he carried and loaded casualties on to evacuation helicopters.  “Sergeant Williams’ actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself. Combined Joint Special Operations Task-Force-Afghanistan, Operation Command Central, and the United States Army,” USASOC spokesman Lt. Col. Loren Bymer said in a statement.  Williams is a native of Boerne, Texas, and graduated from Angelo State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice.  He enlisted into the Army under the 18X Special Forces enlistment program in September 2005 and became a Green Beret in 2007, serving with Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).  In 2008, he deployed to Afghanistan with Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3336, Special Operations Task Force-33.  Williams has deployed multiple times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Juniper Shield, serving in numerous positions, including weapons sergeant, Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd SFG (A); senior weapons sergeant, Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd SFG (A); senior instructor/writer, Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group; senior weapons sergeant, Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion 3rd SFG (A); and operations sergeant, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion 3rd SFG (A).  He is still serving in the United States Army and is assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. When off duty, he enjoys hunting and spending time with his wife, Kate, and their son, Nolan, the White House statement said.  His awards and decorations include the Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal with Bronze Clasp and four Loops, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three Bronze Service Stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with Numeral “4,” Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral “3,” Valorous Unit Award, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, and Special Forces Tab.


breitbart--2019-11-21--Donald Trump Awards National Medal of Arts to Actor Jon Voight at White House

President Donald Trump awarded the National Medal of Arts to Actor Jon Voight, who surprised him with a dance to the music from Midnight Cowboy.  As Trump began speaking, Voight began to dance on the stage while the Midnight Cowboy theme played on the loudspeaker.  Trump was clearly surprised by the move but grinned as Voight continued his performance.  “I want to hear that whole song, but I don’t know Jon, maybe we have to get it moving a little bit,” Trump said, calling Voight “one of the greatest living legends in cinema.”  Trump recalled Voight’s roles in Midnight Cowboy, Coming Home, Mission Impossible, National Treasure and the film The Champ, which he called the “the greatest boxing movie all time.”  “That was some great movie,” Trump recalled. “Everyone was crying at that movie. I tried not to John, but it wasn’t easy.”  President Trump praised Voight as an actor of “astonishing range and depth,” recalling his performances in Deliverance, The Odessa Files, playing Franklin Delano Rosevelt in Pearl Harbor, and a role in the movie Ali.  “John captures the imagination of the audiences and dominates almost every single scene he’s in,” Trump said. “He’s a special person.”  Voight is one of the rare vocal conservatives in Hollywood and is a friend of President Donald Trump.  Read the final list of medal recipients below:  Alison Krauss for making extraordinary contributions to American music. Blending bluegrass, folk, gospel, and country into a unique style, she has entertained and enriched the souls of millions.  Sharon Percy Rockefeller for being a renowned champion of the arts, a generous supporter of charity, and a pioneer of new ideas and approaches in the field of public policy.  The Musicians of the United States Military for personifying excellence in music and service to country. From concert halls to war zones, these extraordinary patriots have inspired and uplifted their fellow Americans over generations with their incredible courage and breathtaking musical talent. The Award will be accepted by the youngest member of all Premier Service Bands, Staff Sergeant Jan Knutson.  Jon Voight for his exceptional capacity as an actor to portray deeply complex characters. Captivating audiences, he has given us insights into the richness of the human mind and heart.  Trump also awarded a medal to singer Alison Krauss, as the song “Down to the River to Pray” from the film soundtrack O Brother Where Art Thou played during Trump’s speech.  The Claremont Institute for championing the Nation’s founding principles and enriching American minds. Its publications and public events have deepened our understanding and appreciation of American freedom, democracy, justice, and rule of law. The Award will be accepted by President of the Claremont Institute, Ryan Williams.  Teresa Lozano Long for supporting the arts and improving educational opportunities. Through scholarships and philanthropy, she has helped America’s children and young adults learn the skills they need to succeed.  Patrick J. O’Connell for being one of the greatest chefs of our time. Through the Inn at Little Washington, he has raised the culinary arts to new heights of excellence by embracing regional flavors and championing local farmers.  James Patterson for being one of the most successful American authors of our time. His prodigious imagination has resulted in fascinating works that have been enjoyed by millions and his championship of literacy in America has inspired many to realize their potential.


cnn--2019-04-15--Trump to award Tiger Woods with the Presidential Medal of Freedom

"Spoke to @TigerWoods to congratulate him on the great victory he had in yesterday's @TheMasters, & to inform him that because of his incredible Success & Comeback in Sports (Golf) and, more importantly, LIFE, I will be presenting him with the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM!" Trump tweeted Monday afternoon.  In 2017, he underwent a spinal fusion surgery, and was later arrested and charged with driving under the influence. He pleaded guilty to reckless driving and was put on a diversion program, returning to the circuit in 2018.  The Medal of Freedom recognizes individuals who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors," according to the executive order designating the award.


newyorkpost--2019-10-08--Trump awards Medal of Freedom to former attorney general Edwin Meese

WASHINGTON — President Trump awarded the Medal of Freedom Tuesday to Edwin Meese III, calling the former attorney general “a titan” and “a star.”  Meese was attorney general under President Ronald Reagan and has since been a longtime conservative legal and thought leader at the Heritage Foundation.  “He was a star,” Trump said of Meese’s work in the Reagan administration during a crowded Oval Office ceremony.  “You are a loyal fighter for freedom, champion for law and order,” Trump told Meese.  Trump put the medal around Meese’s neck and praised him for a “lifetime of exceptional service and devotion to our country.”  Meese was joined by his wife, Ursula, and their children, grandchildren, grandson and other family members. Also on hand were conservative radio host Mark Levin and his wife Julie, who are personal friends of Meese.  Meese, 87, thanked the president and said he would cherish the medal forever. He praised Trump and Vice President Mike Pence for making “one of the finest teams we’ve ever had in our country.”  Meese thanked President Reagan, his family, his colleagues and friends, including Levin.  Levin also spoke and thanked Trump “for everything you’re doing for this country.”  The White House gave Meese the highest civilian honor because he “helped to craft a foreign policy strong enough to end the Cold War and played a pivotal role in securing historic tax cuts,” a White House statement said. “As Attorney General, he promoted Federalism and the original public understanding of our Constitution.”  Trump has awarded the Medal of Freedom to a number of politicians and athletes.  The recipients have included former Yankee closer Mariano Rivera, former NBA players Jerry West and Bob Cousy, golfer Tiger Woods, former Sen. Orrin Hatch and former NFL quarterback Roger Staubach.


rt--2019-09-16--Trump awards Medal of Freedom after hard-rocking walkout to Metallicas Enter Sandman

Trump awards Medal of Freedom after hard-rocking walkout to Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’

The awarding of the Presidential Medal of Freedom is usually a formal affair, but President Donald Trump has broken the mold, walking into the ceremony to the driving metal riffs of Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman.’  Presenting the medal to New York Yankees Hall of Fame pitcher Mariano Rivera on Monday, the President entered the East Room of the White House, with ‘Hail to the Chief’ giving way to the instantly recognizable main riff of Metallica’s 1991 megahit.  The music choice was fitting, as ‘Enter Sandman’ would reverberate through New York’s Yankee Stadium as Rivera walked onto the field to the pitcher’s mound during his career with the ‘Bronx Bombers.’  “Why do they call him the sandman?” Trump said that his wife Melania asked him before the ceremony. “I said because he put the batter to sleep, right, the sandman.”  While the choice of tunes was a hit with Trump and Rivera’s fans, the anti-Trump crowd were predictably displeased. “Few moments in live sports were more enjoyable than Metallica’s Enter Sandman playing as Mariano Rivera came out from bullpen with 50,000 fans on their feet,” journalist Chuck Modi tweeted. “Now Trump has ruined that too.”  Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!


sottnet--2019-05-03--Trump to award Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom

President Trump will give Masters champion Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Monday.The event will be "invitation only" and take place in the Rose Garden, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Thursday. She said reporters will be invited to cover it as well.Trump had tweeted throughout the Masters - which Woods won April 14 - calling it "very exciting" and encouraging Americans to tune in. "Congratulations to @TigerWoods, a truly Great Champion!" Trump wrote after Woods won his fifth green jacket - and first major title since 2008.A day after Woods' win, Trump announced he would be giving the golfer the Presidential Medal of Freedom , which is the country's highest civilian honor.Trump has golfed with Woods in the past, most recently on Feb. 2 at the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida.


sputnik--2019-05-06--Trump Awards Golfer Tiger Woods Presidential Medal of Freedom

The US president awarded Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Monday during an official ceremony in the White House Rose Garden.  Woods, whose real name is Eldrick Tont, was not only presented with the Presidential Medal but was also named by Trump "a global symbol of American excellence, devotion, and drive."  During the ceremony Trump recalled Tiger's career in details, praising the golfer's "relentless will to win, win, win."  Woods, in his turn, thanked his mother, his two children, his girlfriend, and his caddy, while receiving the award.  "My dad is no longer here, but my mom is here," Woods said. "I love you, Mom." "I have tried to hang in there and I have tried to come back and play the great game of golf again," Woods said. "I have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to do it again."  Woods became the fourth golfer to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Ex-US president George W. Bush presented the honor to Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus in 2004 and 2005, respectively, a Fox News report says. President Barack Obama gave the Medal of Freedom to Charlie Sifford, the first African-American to join the PGA Tour, in 2014.  Trump announced that he would present Woods with the award in the mid-April after the golfer won the Masters Tournament, for the first time since 2005.


theconservativetreehouse--2019-05-06--President Trump Awards Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom 600pm Livestream

President Trump Awards Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom – 6:00pm Livestream

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thedailycaller--2019-05-31--Trump To Award Art Laffer Presidential Medal Of Freedom

President Donald Trump will award economist Art Laffer with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  The ceremony will take place June 19, the White House announced in a press release. (RELATED: White House Aide Says WSJ Falsely Accused Him Of Speaking To Meeting He Didn’t Attend)  “Arthur B. Laffer, the ‘Father of Supply-Side Economics,’ is one of the most influential economists in American history,” the White House said in a statement. “He is renowned for his economic theory, the ‘Laffer Curve,’ which establishes the strong incentive effects of lower tax rates that spur investment, production, jobs, wages, economic growth, and tax compliance.”  Laffer is widely considered the intellectual founder of “Reaganomics,” the economic philosophy named after former Republican President Ronald Reagan, which emphasizes tax cuts, deregulation, and supply side economics. He is also the namesake for the Laffer Curve, a disputed political theory that postulates cutting taxes actually increases tax revenue in some circumstances.  The decision to award Laffer the Medal of Freedom comes a year after Laffer wrote a book titled “Trumponomics,” a book co-written by fellow conservative economist Stephen Moore. (RELATED: Art Laffer Explains Why The US Isn’t In A Trade War)  The White House’s move will likely be met with intense criticism from liberals who have spent decades opposing Laffer’s economic philosophy.


thedenverpost--2019-08-23--President Trump awards Medal of Freedom to NBA star Bob Cousy

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump presented 91-year-old basketball legend Bob Cousy with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Thursday, praising the Boston Celtics star as “one of the all-time greats in the history of sports.”  Cousy played for the Celtics from 1950 to 1963, winning six league championships and the 1957 MVP title. The Bob Cousy Award, given to the country’s best point guard in men’s college basketball, is named for him. He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and played a pivotal role in founding the NBA Player’s Association.  After hanging up his No. 14 jersey, the 13-time NBA All-Star went on to coach basketball at Boston College.  “This acknowledgment allows me to complete my life circle,” Cousy said during the Oval Office awards ceremony. “I can stop chasing a bouncing ball. The Presidential Medal of Freedom allows me to reach a level of acceptance in our society I never once ever dreamed of.”  Trump spoke of Cousy’s childhood during the Great Depression and discovering his talent for basketball at a young age. The president said Cousy never forgot his first mentor’s advice to never be predictable, and jokingly added: “Hey, I’ve heard that lesson, too.”  The president recognized Cousy’s achievements on and off the court, lauding his support for underprivileged young athletes and speaking out against racism.  Cousy, who is white, ardently supported his black teammates who faced discrimination during the civil rights movement. Still, Cousy lamented in Gary Pomerantz’s biography “The Last Pass: Cousy, Russell, the Celtics, and What Matters in the End,” that he didn’t do more for his black teammates, including 2011 Medal of Freedom recipient Bill Russell.  The Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, celebrates individuals for their “especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the U.S., to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”  Trump credited West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin for suggesting the medal be given to Cousy.  Cousy is the second Medal of Freedom recipient this year. Trump presented the award to golfer Tiger Woods in May.  Cousy is the 10th honoree under Trump, who is Cousy’s candidate of choice in the 2020 presidential election.  In a recent interview with NBA.com, Cousy described himself as politically moderate. He said that although he disagrees with some of the president’s actions, he plans to vote for Trump next year.  During the award ceremony, Cousy said the medal was made all the more special because it had been presented by the “most extraordinary” president in his lifetime.  “I know in your world, you’re well on your way to making America great again,” Cousy told the president. “In my world, it’s been great for 91 years. Only in America could my story have been told.”


themoscowtimes--2019-05-23--Putin Awards FIFAs Infantino State Medal for 2018 World Cup

Putin Awards FIFA's Infantino State Medal for 2018 World Cup

FIFA President Gianni Infantino thanked Russia on Thursday for hosting the "best World Cup ever" as President Vladimir Putin presented him with a state award for his role in making last year's tournament possible. In a Kremlin ceremony broadcast on television, Putin thanked "all those who helped to make this dream come to life," including the head of football's global governing body.  Infantino, with the Order of Friendship medal pinned to his lapel, replied: "You welcomed the world as friends, and the world has created bonds of friendship with Russia that will last forever." Russia's successful 2010 bid to host the 2018 tournament, which FIFA oversaw under Infantino's discredited predecessor Sepp Blatter, was marred by allegations of corruption in the bidding process which also saw the 2022 event awarded to Qatar.  In 2014, FIFA cleared Russian authorities of wrongdoing, though Western critics continued in the run-up to the tournament to question its safety credentials and suggest it could play into Putin's hands politically. Qatar has also been cleared of wrongdoing. But last year's month-long event, spread across 11 cities, passed off without major security incidents and was deemed a success by players and fans. Putin said at the time that the World Cup had helped debunk stereotypes about his country. Blatter was honored with state awards by Germany and South Africa, which hosted the 2006 and 2010 tournaments.


thetelegraph--2019-05-21--Chelsea Flower Show 2019 awards revealed full list of medal winners

Chelsea Flower Show 2019 awards revealed: full list of medal winners

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show has revealed its medal winners for 2019.  Known as the most glamorous event on the gardening calendar, the Chelsea Flower Show returned for its 60th year, boasting an impressive display of 11 show gardens and 17 smaller gardens.  The event, which is open to the public from 21 - 25 May, takes gardening to the next level, showcasing plants and sculptures to create a conversation around contemporary topics.  While the top prize, Best Show Garden, will be announced later on Tuesday, below are the best of the best.


eveningstandard--2019-01-03--EuroMillions jackpot winners from UK who scooped 115m prize to be revealed

EuroMillions jackpot winners from UK who scooped £115m prize to be revealed

A couple from Northern Ireland who scooped a £115 million EuroMillions jackpot are set to go public about their lucky start to 2019, Camelot has said.  The pair, who are from County Armagh, won the New Year's Day lottery draw and will speak to the media about their winnings on Friday, the lottery operator announced.  They won a total of £114,969,775.70, making them the fourth biggest UK lottery winners in history.  In the New Year's Day draw 10 other players took home £1 million in prize money each.  The winning main EuroMillions numbers were 01, 08, 11, 25, 28 and the winning EuroMillions Lucky Star numbers were 04 and 06.  The New Year's Day win follows a series of high-profile lottery prizes in recent years.  In July 2011, Colin and Chris Weir, from Ayrshire, Scotland, became the biggest lottery winners in the UK, and across Europe, when they scooped more than £161 million.  Adrian and Gillian Bayford, from Suffolk, took home more than £148 million in August 2012, while the biggest prize awarded in the country in 2018 was £121 million, handed to an anonymous winner in April.  Last November, builder Andrew Clark, 51, from Boston, Lincolnshire, discovered he had won £76 million, six weeks after the draw.  He said he stockpiled tickets in his van, only checking them every three months.


eveningstandard--2019-10-08--Nobel Prize 2019: Winners of the peace, physics, medicine and literature prizes, plus awards schedul

Nobel Prize 2019: Winners of the peace, physics, medicine and literature prizes, plus awards schedule

The Nobel Prize winners are being announced throughout this week, with the world-famous peace award handed out later on.  Teenage climate change activist Greta Thunberg has been heavily tipped to win the coveted Nobel Peace Prize, after a "school strike for climate" which reached all corners of the globe.  Meanwhile the Nobel Prize in Literature will name the winners of both the 2018 and 2019 awards, after last year's award was shelved amid a sexual assault scandal that rocked the Swedish Academy.  Among the favourites are Canadian poet Anne Carson, novelists Maryse Conde of Guadeloupe and Can Xue of China and Canadian writer Margaret Atwood, author of "The Handmaid's Tale," which has been made into a hit TV series.  Here's all you need to know.  When is the Nobel Peace Prize announced?  The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize is the last award to be announced.  It will be handed out on Friday, October 11.  Who is favourite to win the Peace Prize?  Ms Thunberg is among the hot-favourites to scoop the award this year, with Donald Trump listed as a rank outsider behind several other world leaders, including two prime ministers, Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia and Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.  The panel could also choose to acknowledge the joint leadership of Greece's Alexis Tsipras and North Macedonia's Zoran Zaev. The two prime ministers put 30 years of acrimony between their neighboring countries behind them when they agreed that the former Yugoslav republic should officially be renamed from Macedonia to North Macedonia and Greece should drop its objections to its neighbor joining NATO.  What is the schedule for the week?  The Nobel week began on Monday with the awards for physiology and medicine, while the Physics Prize was handed out out today.  Chemistry follows on Wednesday, with the Literature double-header on Thursday and the Peace Prize announced on Friday.  The economics prize - officially known as the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, which is the only prize not created by the Swedish industrialist and inventor of dynamite - will be awarded on Oct. 14.  Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine: Professor William Kaelin Jr, Sir Peter Ratcliffe and Professor Gregg L. Semenza received the award jointly from the Nobel Committee.  The three scientists won the award for their discoveries "how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability", the Nobel Committee said on Monday.  The discoveries made by the three men "have fundamental importance for physiology and have paved the way for promising new strategies to fight anaemia, cancer and many other diseases".  Nobel Prize in Physics: Canadian-American cosmologist James Peebles and Swiss scientists Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz.  The three received the award for ground-breaking work in astronomy, by shedding light on the evolution of the universe and discovering planets orbiting distant suns.


eveningstandard--2019-10-11--Nobel Peace Prize winners: Abiy Ahmed, Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter and other names from past 20 years

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has beaten competition from 301 fellow nominees to win the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.  Mr Ahmed won the award for his peacemaking efforts with Eritrea after restoring relations between the two countries after many years of hostility.  He saw off competition from the likes of teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg, who was heavily tipped to win for her "school strike for climate" campaign which reached all corners of the globe.  Mr Ahmed wil be presented with the award in the Norwegian capital Oslo on December 10, along with a purse of nine million Swedish croons, or around $900,000.  Last year, Congolese doctor Denis Mukwege and human rights activist Nadia Murad jointly won the prestigious award for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.  Here's all you need to know about the award.  The following people have won the Nobel Peace Prize from 2000-2018: • 2013 - Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons  Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine: Professor William Kaelin Jr, Sir Peter Ratcliffe and Professor Gregg L. Semenza received the award jointly from the Nobel Committee.  The three scientists won the award for their discoveries "how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability", the Nobel Committee said on Monday.  The discoveries made by the three men "have fundamental importance for physiology and have paved the way for promising new strategies to fight anaemia, cancer and many other diseases".  Nobel Prize in Physics: Canadian-American cosmologist James Peebles and Swiss scientists Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz.  The three received the award for ground-breaking work in astronomy, by shedding light on the evolution of the universe and discovering planets orbiting distant suns.  Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Scientists John Goodenough, Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino won the 2019 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.  The three were handed the award for the development of lithium-ion batteries, the award-giving body said on Wednesday.  "This lightweight, rechargeable and powerful battery is now used in everything from mobile phones to laptops and electric vehicles," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement  Nobel Prize in Literature: Austria's Peter Handke won the 2019 Nobel Prize for Literature, and the postponed 2018 award went to Polish author Olga Tokarczuk.  Handke won the 2019 prize for "for an influential work that with linguistic ingenuity has explored the periphery and the specificity of human experience," the Academy said in a statement.  The 2018 prize went to Tokarczuk for "for a narrative imagination that with encyclopaedic passion represents the crossing of boundaries as a form of life.  Nobel Peace Prize: Prime Minister of Ethiopa Abiy Ahmed after helping to end war with neighbouring Eritrea.  "Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali has been awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said in its citation.  New: Daily podcast from the Evening Standard  Listen and subscribe to The Leader on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Acast or your chosen podcast provider. New episodes every weekday from 4pm.