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Russian oligarchs who face being caught up in Britain's crackdown

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Russian oligarchs who face being caught up in Britain's crackdown

Scores of Russian oligarchs with bases in London face being caught up in the Government’s resolve to crack down on ‘unexplained’ foreign wealth. They include:

Alisher Usmanov

A shareholder in Arsenal football club, Mr Usmanov’s wealth has been estimated at more than £9.5billion.

As the Soviet Union collapsed, he made a fortune by investing in state-owned metal and mining companies as they were sold off.

He headed Gazprom Investholding, a subsidiary of the world’s biggest extractor of natural gas Gazprom, from 2000 to 2014 and still owns a stake in iron ore and steel giant Metalloinvest. He also owns the Moscow newspaper Kommersant and a telecoms company.

Alisher Usmanov (right), an Arsenal shareholder, pictured with Vladimir Putin in 2013

Mr Usmanov invested in Arsenal in 2007, and he now owns 30 per cent of the club.

Born in Uzbekistan when it was part of the Soviet Union, he hoped to become a diplomat, but was jailed in 1980 for corruption. He served six years but the Uzbek supreme court later quashed the conviction, saying the case had been politically motivated.

Now 64, he has spoken of his pride at his friendship with Vladimir Putin, adding: ‘The fact that everybody does not like him is not Putin’s problem.’

Oleg Deripaska

Once Russia’s richest man, Mr Deripaska came to prominence when he entertained Labour grandee Lord Mandelson on his yacht in Corfu.

He and Mr Abramovich were on lists of Russian oligarchs published by the US Treasury in connection with new sanctions. The tycoon – who is close to Mr Putin – quit as a director of Russian energy giant EN+ Group after being targeted by the sanctions. He owns a house in Belgrave Square and is a grandson by marriage to the late leader Boris Yeltsin.

Oleg Deripaska (pictured), who was once Russia’s richest man, owns a house in Belgrave Square and is a grandson by marriage to the late leader Boris Yeltsin

Mikhail Fridman

The Russian business magnate, investor and philanthropist co-founded Alfa-Group, a multinational Russian conglomerate. According to US business magazine Forbes, Mr Fridman, who has Israeli citizenship, was the seventh richest Russian as of 2017, worth some £10billion. He lives in London.

Igor Shuvalov

Hugely wealthy Mr Shuvalov is a former Russian first deputy prime minister. Close to Putin, he has a London flat a short walk from Downing Street. 

Mikhail Fridman (left) was the seventh richest Russian as of 2017, according to Forbes, while Igor Shuvalov (right) is a former Russian deputy prime minister and ally of Putin 

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Boston Celtics vow to 'get up off mat, go after it again'

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Boston Celtics vow to 'get up off mat, go after it again'

CLEVELAND — Missed dunks and missed opportunities — that was the story of Game 4 for a Boston Celtics team that squandered a chance to put the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ backs against the wall in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Celtics dug themselves an early first-quarter hole highlighted by three missed dunk attempts on a night Boston would miss a staggering 15 dunks and layups overall. And despite numerous second-half surges, the Celtics never truly got over the hump as the Cavaliers fended them off en route to a 111-102 triumph at Quicken Loans Arena.

“It’s the best 2 out of 3 to go to the NBA Finals. Doesn’t get better than that,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens. “Ultimately, anybody that didn’t think this was going to be tough — I mean, everything is tough. In this deal, it’s a blast to have to grit your teeth, get up off the mat and go after it again. That’s part of it.”

The series is tied at 2. Game 5 is in Boston on Wednesday.

LeBron James scored 44 points, surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar atop a postseason list and helped the Cleveland Cavaliers even the Eastern Conference finals at 2-2 on Monday night with a 111-102 victory over the Boston Celtics, who are looking forward to…

With his sixth field goal Monday night, LeBron James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2,356) to become the NBA’s all-time leader in made postseason field goals.

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The Celtics won’t find watching film of Monday’s loss very therapeutic — there were head-slapping miscues in the first half and numerous missed chances to pull close in the fourth quarter.

What’s more, the Cavaliers generated 15 total points directly off the 15 missed dunks and layups that Boston had in Game 4.

“Very frustrating. But that’s life,” Celtics guard Jaylen Brown said. “You keep moving.”

Boston was a combined 1-of-6 shooting with three turnovers any time it cut Cleveland’s lead to single digits in the second half of Game 4, according to ESPN Stats and Info. But the Celtics never pulled closer than seven.

The Celtics were making their most spirited charge of the night early in the fourth frame when Al Horford raced off a pindown screen from Marcus Smart and got a wide-open look from beyond the 3-point arc on the right wing.

It’s a shot that’s been automatic for Horford for most of the postseason and he held his follow through high as it left his hand, only for the shot to clang hard off the back rim.

The Celtics, down 13 entering the final frame, had pulled within eight with a little burst that culminated with Horford losing two defenders on the baseline before a dunk that cut Cleveland’s lead to 96-88.

But Horford’s missed 3-pointer was the first of five chances the Celtics squandered over a 98-second span before Cleveland scored again. Boston missed three shots and committed a turnover before big man Aron Baynes’ drew a foul following an offensive rebound.

Even then, Baynes missed one of the two free throws and Boston never got closer than seven the rest of the way.

“I think we had to tighten up a little bit more and we didn’t do that. We let it slip away a couple times when we had [the deficit] at 8,” Terry Rozier said. “And that’s something that we have to get better at — especially being on the road. We’ve gotta take good shots, better shots.”

Complete coverage | Expert picks | Bracket

• Pressure flips back to Celtics as LeBron, Cavs tie series • 13 moments that help shape LeBron’s story • Steph and defense spark Warriors in Game 3 • Cavs level up, cruise to dominant Game 3 win • Is Brad Stevens more valuable than a star? • How Rockets built team to contend with GSW • NBA offseason guides for eliminated teams • Tickets on Vivid Seats

It was a maddening night for the Celtics, who had a sequence in the first quarter where they missed three dunks. Both Brown and rookie Jayson Tatum missed attempts at loud jams while Horford missed one as well (though he was saved by a foul call).

“Just going too fast, too excited. Just needed to slow down,” Brown said. “We missed a bunch of easy opportunities. We made some bad turnovers and things like that. But we still had opportunities to get into this game and to win. We just have to do just a little more on the road and take some better shot and we’ll be fine.”

Boston was further hindered by foul trouble with Marcus Morris forced to be a little cautious after picking up three early fouls. Morris was particularly irked when he was whistled for kicking his leg out on a made 3-pointer that led to one of the more pronounced scoring swings of the game.

“[Foul trouble was] tough, man. I don’t really want to speak on that and get a fine,” Morris said. “At the end of the day, I work hard, work my a– off to defend this position. The ticky-tack fouls – it is what it is.”

Asked about the difficulty in defending with foul trouble, Morris added, “It’s tough. You’re already playing against the best player in the league, and you can be a little bit physical, it’s tough to guard him. You can’t do anything and it’s fouls, fouls. We almost had to give up baskets.”

The Celtics can find positives in the loss as they were far more competitive than in Saturday’s Game 3 shellacking. But it will be hard not to feel like they missed a chance to really put a stranglehold on the series and now they must go back to Boston for what amounts to the best-of-three series.

“We talked about it in the locker room: Best of 3 to go to the NBA Finals. It’s pretty exciting,” Tatum said.

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Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James now all-time leader in postseason field goals

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Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James now all-time leader in postseason field goals

CLEVELAND — LeBron James‘ two game-winning buzzer-beaters these playoffs might be more memorable, but his jump shot midway through the second quarter of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals on Monday was the most historic.

LeBron James’ sixth 40-point game of the postseason helped Cleveland hold off Boston’s second-half push to tie the Eastern Conference finals at 2-2.

The 22-foot jumper off a JR Smith feed was the 2,357th made field goal of James’ postseason career, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time lead in that category.

“To know where I come from, small city 35 miles south of here, and to hear I’m in the same category or talked about and jumping these greats in the playoffs, it’s pretty cool,” James said. “You hear the scoring, the field goals made, and for a kid that really doesn’t care much about scoring.”

The Cleveland Cavaliers star came into the night averaging a league-leading 32.9 points per game in the 2018 postseason, the second-highest scoring average he has posted in the playoffs (James averaged 35.3 points in 14 games in 2009).

LeBron James has another all-time record, having passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most field goals made in the postseason. AP Photo/Tony Dejak

During the 2017 conference finals, also against the Boston Celtics, James passed Michael Jordan for No. 1 on the all-time postseason scoring list.

James also ranks first in all-time playoff minutes, first in all-time playoff steals, third in all-time playoff assists, seventh in all-time playoff rebounds and is tied for 16th in all-time playoff blocks.

James had 44 points on 17-for-28 shooting in the Cavaliers’ 111-102 win over the Celtics in Game 4, which tied the series 2-2.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs - Ryan Reaves' journey from enforcer to Vegas Golden Knights hero

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2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs - Ryan Reaves' journey from enforcer to Vegas Golden Knights hero

11:58 AM ET

Emily KaplanESPN

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — There was a time, not too long ago, that Ryan Reaves wondered if the NHL wanted him anymore. The league has been turning to smaller and faster players over the past decade. Fighting has, organically, come out of vogue. Reaves — a thick 6-foot-1, 225-pound winger, the son of a professional running back, a player who earned his ticket through grit — began asking: Are hockey players like me becoming extinct?

For a few summers in the NHL, Reaves trained solely in the boxing ring. He’d spar for hours and “throw weights around so I could fight 250-pound guys,” he said. And then he realized: “Those guys are gone, so now I’ve got to get a little quicker. I’ve got to add a little skill to my game. You’ve got to be able to play and not take penalties, and contribute and play responsible in the D-zone.”

Vegas is in the Stanley Cup Final largely due to Marc-Andre Fleury. But who has been the best player in front of the veteran goaltender?

The expansion Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Jets 2-1 on Sunday in Winnipeg to punch their improbable ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.

With a Canadian-heavy roster and their style of play, the Golden Knights — not the Winnipeg Jets — should be Canada’s rooting interest.

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Looking back on his eight seasons in the league, Reaves says, “I had to adjust quite a bit.”

That’s how Reaves has survived in the NHL since 2007 at a time when not every team carries a player like him. That’s why at last year’s draft, the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins traded a first-round pick to the St. Louis Blues to acquire Reaves’ services. They wanted a protector for Sidney Crosby and their other skilled stars.

That’s also why it doesn’t always work out for the 31-year-old Reaves. For as hard as he’s worked to adjust, the truth is he’s still straddling two eras, which can make him feel hamstrung by expectations. The Penguins traded Reaves — who sometimes played less than four minutes per game — to the Vegas Golden Knights at this season’s trade deadline, less than a year into his tenure in Pittsburgh. And Reaves was scratched for the first nine games of the Golden Knights’ postseason.

It’s what makes Reaves the latest unlikely hero in this improbable Vegas playoff run. Reaves tipped in the game-winning goal in the second period of Game 5 against the Winnipeg Jets to send Vegas to the Stanley Cup Final. It was his first goal since Feb. 15. He hadn’t scored in the 26 regular-season and playoff games in which he suited up for Vegas. He has now played in 42 playoff games and has scored just one other time (in 2015 with the Blues).

And there he was, on Sunday night, walking up to the victors’ podium for a news conference alongside Marc-Andre Fleury, clutching a cardboard box of pepperoni pizza (half-eaten) with a grin on his face. He looked at the podium and said: “I can’t believe they even had one of these name cards made up for me.” Later that night, he found out his stick would be shipped to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

“Everybody on this team has something to prove,” Reaves says. “We call ourselves the Golden Misfits for a reason. We’re doing a good job of proving everybody wrong.”

After barely playing in the Golden Knights’ first two playoff series, Ryan Reaves scored the conference finals-clinching goal against the Jets. Jason Halstead/Getty Images

Reaves spent his first seven seasons with St. Louis. The move to the Penguins was as shocking to fans as it was for Reaves.

“In Pittsburgh, they never really carried a player like me. I don’t know if it was … they just wanted me around. But I wasn’t playing a whole lot, and here I was playing a lot more. It was more toward the minutes I was playing last year in St. Louis.”

Reaves’ regular-season average ice time with the Golden Knights was 9:55, far above his career average of 7:56. In Pittsburgh, there were 18 games in which he played six minutes or less. (It should be noted that in Game 5, Reaves played just 6:58, less ice time by far than any of his teammates). However, Reaves plays into a big theme for the Golden Knights this season, thanks to coach Gerard Gallant: Players have been given a bigger opportunity and freedom to explore their limits.

“He gave me no reason not to play him,” Gallant said. “That’s what I liked about him: He’s a character guy, he’s a leader guy. When he didn’t play games, he wasn’t sulking.”

Between the 2009-10 and 2013-14 seasons — spanning time in the AHL and NHL — Reaves fought 84 times, according to hockeyfights.com. Reaves has fought only six times this season — all before Jan. 1. He hasn’t engaged in a fight while with the Golden Knights.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central » Schedule » | Experts’ picks »

Jump to a series: • TB-WSH | • WPG-VGS

Conference semifinal results: • TB-BOS | • WSH-PIT • NSH-WPG | • VGS-SJ

Round 1 results: • TB-NJ | • BOS-TOR • WSH-CBJ | • PIT-PHI • NSH-COL | • WPG-MIN • VGS-LA | • ANA-SJ

But Reaves has found other ways to contribute. He has skated well, he’s been active on the forecheck. As Gallant said, “he makes people make quick plays against him.”

He’s maintained his physicality — and his personality has meshed with the Golden Misfits who were there before him. When asked about going toe-to-toe with Winnipeg’s Dustin Byfuglien earlier in the playoffs, Reaves gushed about how much taller and heavier Byfuglien was than him. When asked if Byfuglien was the toughest player in the league, Reaves deadpanned: “I’m the toughest player in the league.” (He later conceded Byfuglien might be second.)

When asked about a hit on the Jets’ Blake Wheeler that sent Winnipeg’s captain over the boards, Reaves said: “It doesn’t matter who it is. Added bonus if it’s their captain.”

His quick wit and willingness to contribute — wherever, however — has made him a hit with his new linemates.

“He plays the game the right way,” Vegas alternate captain Deryk Engelland said. “First guy on every puck, he creates havoc down low on their D-men, he finishes every check, he creates room for his linemates, he’s going to go to the dirty areas to get the job done. To get that first goal in what, three and a half months? In the conference finals as the game winner? I couldn’t be happier for him.”

Not only has Reaves found a way to stay in this league, but he has become a beloved player on one of the NHL’s best stories. He was also a star in a Western Conference finals clincher — in the city he grew up in, where his father, Willard, won the Canadian Football League’s Most Outstanding Player Award in 1984 — and that’s something he’ll always be able to cherish.

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Yekaterinburg mayor announces resignation

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Yekaterinburg mayor announces resignation

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Is Tesla Abandoning the Mass Market?

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Is Tesla Abandoning the Mass Market?

May 21, 2018 11:40 a.m. ET

Tesla

TSLA 2.77%

has given the first signals that it is giving up on its ambition to become a mass-market car maker. Prospective customers should be angry, and investors ought to be wary.

Over the weekend, Chief Executive

Elon Musk

announced a new, $78,000 version of Tesla’s car for the people, the Model 3. More important was his admission that his promised $35,000 version would cause the company to “lose money and die” if built right away.

Tesla has struggled to produce a $50,000 version of the Model 3, and as the company burns through cash, the question is how many of those will be available once the faster $78,000 offering is ready. If Model 3 is suddenly a high-end car, then Tesla, whose other offerings start around that price, would be more comparable to Maserati than to Chevy, which is producing a $36,620 electric car.

The problem is investors have given Tesla a near $50 billion market cap in the belief the company will upend the global auto industry, not become a niche, high-end electric car maker. What that latter company is worth is hard to say, but it is not the current market valuation.

Then there are the nearly 500,000 Tesla die-hards who put down $1,000 deposits for what they thought was a car that started at $35,000. How many can afford, or would be willing to pay for the higher-end models? These refundable deposits account for a third of the cash on Tesla’s rickety balance sheet.

Mr. Musk said Tesla would produce a low-end Model 3 toward the end of the year, though Tesla’s forecasts are typically optimistic.

Granted, Tesla would hardly be the first auto company to promise a cheap base model with limited availability. And there are sound business reasons to hold off on production. Tesla burned more than $1 billion in cash last quarter, and the $35,000 Model 3 would be unsustainable to produce, Mr. Musk said.

If Tesla gives up on the mass-market, the company will produce a lot fewer cars than investors expect and its valuation should be questioned. Tesla’s market value is about $450,000 per car sold last year; that is more than 16 times the value assigned to peers like

BMW AG

.

Would a shift by Tesla make potential customers ask for their money back? The company hasn’t said how many depositors were only interested in buying the cheapest version of the car. Watching those numbers will be hard, too. It can take several months for customers to get refunds processed, so a refund request issued today might not show up in financial statements until November, when Tesla reports third-quarter results.

Giving up on the mass market may be the right decision for Tesla, but not for shareholders.

Write to Charley Grant at charles.grant@wsj.com

Appeared in the May 22, 2018, print edition as ‘Tesla’s Shift Away From Mass Market Puts Value at Risk.’

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PM May joins families to remember Manchester pop concert victims

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PM May joins families to remember Manchester pop concert victims

LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister Theresa May will join Prince William at a memorial service in Manchester on Tuesday to remember the 22 victims of a suicide bombing on a pop concert a year ago, Britain’s deadliest attack for more than a decade.

Flowers and tributes to the victims of the attack on Manchester Arena fill St Ann’s Square in Manchester, Britain, May 29, 2017. REUTERS/Phil Noble

Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old Briton born to Libyan parents, blew himself up at the end of a show by U.S. singer Ariana Grande at the Manchester Arena in northern England in the deadliest militant attack in Britain for 12 years.

His victims included seven children, the youngest aged just eight, while more than 500 were injured.

On Tuesday, an hour-long service of commemoration will be held at Manchester Cathedral, including a nationwide one-minute silence at 1330 GMT, with William meeting some of the bereaved families privately afterwards.

“The targeting of the young and innocent as they enjoyed a care free night out in the Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017, was an act of sickening cowardice,” May wrote in an article for the Manchester Evening News newspaper.

“It was designed to strike at the heart of our values and our way of life, in one of our most vibrant cities, with the aim of breaking our resolve and dividing us. It failed.”

Britain’s Prime Minister, Theresa May, speaks on science and the Industrial Strategy at Jodrell Bank in Macclesfield, Britain May 21, 2018. REUTERS/Darren Staples/Pool

In other events, singers from local choirs, including the Manchester Survivors Choir made up of those caught up in the attack, will join together in the city for a mass singalong titled “Manchester Together – With One Voice”.

It echoes a moment when crowds broke into an emotional chorus of “Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Manchester rock group Oasis after a minute of silent tribute days after the bombing.

“Thinking of you all today and every day. I love you with all of me and am sending you all of the light and warmth I have to offer on this challenging day,” Grande wrote on Twitter, including a bee emoticon, the symbol of Manchester.

Britain is seeking the extradition of Abedi’s brother Hashem from Libya over the attack, although the authorities do not believe a wider network was involved.

The Manchester bombing was the deadliest of five attacks in Britain last year blamed on militants which killed a total of 36 people.

Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Kate Holton

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Emilia-Romagna in Italy and Dundee are among Lonely Planet's top European destinations

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Emilia-Romagna in Italy and Dundee are among Lonely Planet's top European destinations

The Italian region of Emilia-Romagna is the best place to visit in Europe for 2018, according to a prestigious travel guide.

It saw off competition from destinations across Spain including Cantabria which came second, the UK, France and Greece to top Lonely Planet’s Best in Europe list for 2018.

And a surprising entry on the list is Scottish city of Dundee, which was lauded for its growing cultural scene and exciting transformation of its historic waterfront.

An aerial view of the historic centre of Bologna, which is in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. It has been named as the best place to visit in Europe for 2018 by Lonely Planet 

Lonely Planet’s Best in Europe is compiled annually by the travel company’s European experts to reveal their pick of the most exciting and underrated destinations to visit across the continent.

The experts say that this year’s list directly tackles the hot topic of ‘overtourism’, ‘aiming to inspire travellers to discover some of the best lesser-visited regions, alternative city breaks and hidden gems, beyond Europe’s busiest tourist hotspots.

Emilia Romagna came out on top of the list despite often being overlooked in favour of Italian favourites of Tuscany, Campania and The Veneto.

Judges said the area is increasingly carving out a reputation as the nation’s number one destination for food lovers.

Second on the list is Cantabria, an autonomous region on Spain’s northern coast home to the city of Santander. Pictured are tiny villages across the mountains 

Friesland in the Netherlands, pictured,  is third, with Lonely Planet describing it as ‘a region of beguiling landscapes and a lively capital city

A surprise entry on to the list in fourth place is the newly created state of Kosovo. Experts say it boasts dramatic hiking trails, Ottoman-era history and a growing cultural scene

Rounding off the top five is the Provence region of France, which is best know for its olive groves and lavender fields. Pictured is the Port of Pin in Cassis in France 

It is the birthplace of Ragu, prosciutto di Parma, balsamic vinegar and even Parmesan cheese.

The experts noted that foodie legacy can be explored at Bologna’s newly opened FICO, the world’s largest culinary theme park, while new cultural openings in the cities of Ferrara and Rimini provide more for visitors to get their teeth into.

Coming in second is Cantabria, an autonomous region on Spain’s northern coast home to the city of Santander.

The area was praised for its ‘land of wild, sandy beaches, mist-shrouded moutains and enchanting villages.’

Friesland in the Netherlands is third, with Lonely Planet describing it as ‘a region of beguiling landscapes and a lively capital city that is this year’s European Capital of Culture.’

Dundee, pictured, entered the list in sixth with Scotland’s fourth largest city being praised for its ‘head turning’ urban redevelopment

Dundee is set to open the newest branch of the V&A museum, pictured, in September on the banks of the River Tay 

Coming in fourth is the tiny state of Kosovo, a young nation that experts say boasts dramatic hiking trails, Ottoman-era history and a growing cultural scene.

Rounding off the top five is the Provence region of France, which is best know for its olive groves and lavender fields.

Meanwhile Dundee entered the list in sixth with Scotland’s fourth largest city being praised for its ‘head turning’ urban redevelopment, which is being spearheaded by the opening of the newest branch of the V&A museum in September.

Describing the city, Lonely Planet’s writers praised a creative scene in Dundee that ‘increasingly attracts some of the UK’s most visionary talent’, building on its selection by Unesco as the UK’s first City of Design in 2014.

The Small Cyclades islands in Greece have also made the list of Lonely Planet’s best places to visit in Europe in 2018 

The colourful buildings and the narrow cobbled streets of the Lithunia capital Vilnius, which came eighth on Lonely Planet’s list 

Lonely Planet’s editorial director, Tom Hall said: ‘While visitors have always been assured of a friendly welcome, Dundee has often been overlooked by travellers to Scotland, but that should be set to change.

‘The opening of V&A Dundee is a really exciting moment that marks the city out as well worth a visit, but throw in nationally important museums and attractions, and its dynamic, creative spirit, and travellers will find a city boasting plenty to discover.’

Rounding off the top ten is the Small Cyclades islands in Greece, which includes Mykonos and Santorini, Lithuania capital Vilnius, the Vipava Valley in Slovenia and the capital of Albania, Tirana.

The rural landscape showing vineyards and a pretty church in the wine producing region of the Vipava Valley in Slovenia 

Rounding off Lonely Planet’s list in 10th spot is Tirana, the capital of Albania known for its colourful Ottoman and Soviet-era architecture 

A map showing the top 10 destinations to visit in Europe in 2018 according to prestigious travel guide Lonely Planet 

Mr Hall added: ‘There is growing concern over the increase in tourism to popular European destinations, particularly over the busy summer months, so with this list we wanted to show that there are a wealth of incredible alternatives to discover across Europe.

‘Our expert writers cross the continent and have uncovered some of Europe’s most outstanding, underrated and overlooked places that are well worth planning a trip around.’

‘Whether you’re looking for a cultural city break, spectacular scenery or a buzzing foodie destination, there is something for every taste.

‘You can find all of these things in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, which flies under the radar compared to some of Italy’s bigger hitting destinations, while the other picks showcase some of the places that in-the-know European travellers are excited about right now.’ 

SCOTLAND’S MUST SEE CITY PERCHED ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER TAY 

 It was once famed for jam, jute and journalism.

But now Dundee has has transformed into a home to some of the country’s most exciting examples of design, innovation and culture.

Here’s some places to visit on a trip to the city:

Dundee has has transformed into a home to some of the country’s most exciting examples of design, innovation and culture

V&A Dundee

Dundee cultural credentials increased when the city was named as the home of the only other V&A museum in the world outside of London. Set to open on September 15, the Kengo Kuma-designed attraction will be the jewel in the crown of the city’s tourism offering and provide an introduction to over 500 years of brilliance, ingenuity and achievement in Scottish creativity and the best examples of design from around the world.

A feast for foodies

No trip to Dundee is complete without trying an authentic Dundee pie or ‘peh’ at a local butchers such as Scott Brothers or a slice of the iconic Dundee cake. This bakery favourite is still lovingly created at bakers like Clarks’ Bakery or Goodfellow & Stevens.

The HMS Frigate in Dundee’s waterfront. Dundee is also the birthplace of the Beano – Britain’s longest running children’s comic published by DC Thomson

The Comic Capital

Dundee is the birthplace of the Beano – Britain’s longest running children’s comic published by DC Thomson. Every week, children and adults across the world can follow the antics of legendary characters like Dennis the Menace.. Read an issue of The Beano Comic on the newly named Bash Street or check out the city’s best-loved comic characters, like Desperate Dan and Minnie the Minx in statue form.

A city built on design

Dundee was in competition with 50 other global cities to join the City of Design network in 2014. It was named the UK’s first City of Design by the United Nations for the diverse design innovations. Dundee’s contributions to the world, include aspirin, biomedical research which has led to hundreds of new cancer drugs, comics including the Beano and Dandy, orange marmalade, and video games including Lemmings and Grand Theft Auto.

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Jury discharged in terror trial

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Jury discharged in terror trial

He is alternatively charged with wounding with intent to murder. He has pleaded not guilty to both counts on the grounds of mental illness.

On May 1, the second day of the trial, Mr Greenhalgh gave evidence about the attack.

Wayne Greenhalgh, with wife Bronwen Greenhalgh, outside court.

Photo: Georgina Mitchell

At the end of his evidence, Mr Khan said from the dock, “Mr Greenhalgh, I am so sorry for what I did to you. Can I please speak to you?”

Justice Bellew told Mr Greenhalgh to leave the court without speaking to Mr Khan, who then said, “I’m sorry, sir, please, I am so sorry. You’re not the guy I thought you were.”

Justice Bellew told the jury to ignore Mr Khan’s comments as they weren’t part of the evidence.

The next morning a court officer told Justice Bellew a member of the jury was showing “signs of distress”, which she had put down to menopause.

“I was told she had physically separated herself from the other members of the jury, and had told the officer that she was suffering from hot flushes. The officer also informed me that the member of the jury in question was in tears,” Justice Bellew said.

After being asked to put her state of health in writing, the juror said in a letter to Justice Bellew that she had made a “spur of the moment” decision to write down Mr Khan’s comments and had also discussed them with other jurors.

The juror said the foreperson went into court and, on her return, was congratulated by the court officer for what she had just done.

When the jury returned to court Justice Bellew again stressed the jury was to ignore Mr Khan’s outburst.

“I immediately felt that I – and fellow jurors – had been ‘thrown under the bus’ by the elected foreperson,” the juror said, adding she had lost her confidence to freely discuss relevant matters in the jury room.

Justice Bellew said he could only take at face value claims the foreperson was inappropriately exerting her authority but said the role of a foreperson was essentially administrative and that all jury members were equal.

He said the letter indicated disharmony “amongst at least some jurors”.

“Disharmony of that kind is obviously not conducive to the proper administration of justice,” Justice Bellew said.

Also taking into account that the jurors had discussed Mr Khan’s outburst against the court’s advice, Justice Bellew discharged the jury.

Mr Khan’s matter will return to court in July.

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Inside the Story: Royal Wedding

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Inside the Story: Royal Wedding

It was a good spot – within touching distance of the VVIP guests as they made their way to and from the venue (all of us far too professional to actually attempt touching, of course).

I got to see the couple and the Queen up close, Posh Spice almost smile, and I swear George Clooney waved at me.

This was reporting in style. The palace cracked open the prosecco after the vows and served it in little plastic cups. We even had our own private palace loo.

At first, though, I hated it.

With strict deadlines fast approaching, the wi-fi was out, the one-bar mobile signal was blocked by centuries-old palace stones, and the TV was hooked up to a dodgy aerial so half the time we had no idea what was going on inside the chapel in the ceremony build-up even if we had been able to file a story about it.

Castle officials said they were fixing it. I wondered if they’d get there in time for the start of the wedding, and what on earth I’d do if they didn’t.

I looked around and saw the wi-fi router, tucked in a corner and blocked from half the room by the castle wall. So I nudged it out into the open.

Around that time, the wi-fi started working properly. Maybe coincidence, maybe not. And then they fixed the TV by getting it over the internet rather than from the aerial, which meant on the one hand we could tell what was going on, but on the other we were about 90 seconds behind the action (we heard a huge cheer, then a minute later realised it was ‘the kiss’).

It was a blur of deadlines. We were handed press releases about clothes, flowers, guest seating etc on embargo, which I fed back to our Australian newsdesk for the live blog and for other reporters to get a head start.

At one point I found myself composing a story off the top of my head over the phone, so it would meet the Sun-Herald’s first deadline. I had just emerged from the sweet-smelling, rose-filled chapel for a sneek peek just before guests arrived, and had to compose a bunch of vague impressions and quotes into a story literally within seconds, as I stood blinking in the English sun.

It was not my best work, but it made sense and it made the ‘off stone’ deadline (I assume this phrase dates back to when The Sydney Morning Herald was chiselled into stone tablets by robed artisans).

I hate missing deadlines, though I do enjoy the adrenaline (and last minute inspiration) that comes from stretching them until they creak.

Big shoutout to my colleague Heather McNeill who, unlike me, had to battle through the Windsor crowds to get a story (and to find a loo) and who also surmounted nightmarish communication challenges to file on deadline.

Tight deadlines are part of this job, especially in the 24/7, digital media world.

The hardest thing, looking back, was not the timing but the tone.

I’ve previously been castigated by an editor for not being “joyful” enough about the birth of a royal baby.

The readers that will be reading this stuff want to feel the joy. But I’m guessing you wouldn’t want me to assume you’re all fanatical monarchists, either.

You were there to get caught up in the fun, to feel present at a moment in history, but to stand respectfully rather than kneel obsequiously, to think critically though not cynically.

I tried to write like that. I didn’t shed a tear, like some in the Rampart Room that day, but I didn’t scowl either.

It was a fun job.

And then I went to the pub.

Nick Miller is Europe correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age

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White South African farmers won't get special treatment, despite Peter Dutton's earlier claims - Politics

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White South African farmers won't get special treatment, despite Peter Dutton's earlier claims - Politics

Posted May 22, 2018 16:47:34

White South African farmers will not get any special treatment when they apply for protection visas, despite Peter Dutton’s claims earlier this year that they deserve “special attention”.

Key points:

Peter Dutton asked Home Affairs Department to look into helping persecuted white South African farmers in March

Today during Senate Estimates, bureaucrats were pressed on what “special attention” they had been asked to give

Official says there are “no additional requirements” from the Minister for South African migrants

In March, Home Affairs Minister Mr Dutton asked his department to investigate how it could assist South African farmers facing violent attacks, saying Australia was obligated to help them.

“It’s an horrific circumstance that they face and Australia has a refugee and humanitarian program — as well as a number of other visa programs — where we have the potential to help some of these people that are being persecuted,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

“I think these people deserve special attention and we are certainly applying that special attention now.”

Mr Dutton’s comments drew a diplomatic rebuke from South Africa and stoked a fierce political debate in Australia.

This afternoon, Home Affairs officials told Senate Estimates that they had received refugee visa applications from 213 South Africans, although they did not specify their race or any other details.

Greens senator Nick McKim grilled the bureaucrats to explain what “special attention” they had been directed to give the farmers.

SENATOR MCKIM: Has the Minister asked you to prioritise preparing those assessment from people from South Africa or for white South African farmers?

MALISA GOLIGHTLY: No, Senator.

MCKIM: He hasn’t?

GOLIGHTLY: No.

MCKIM: So as far as the department’s concerned there’s no special attention being given to people either from South Africa or South African farmers or white South African farmers?

GOLIGHTLY: They are being assessed according to the criteria in the law.

MCKIM: Yes, but without any priority?

GOLIGHTLY: No, there’s no additional requirements from the Minister.

MCKIM: They’re just in the normal queue that exists within the department for assessment?

GOLIGHTLY: That’s correct, Senator.

A number of Coalition MPs and senators have been pressing the Government to take in more South African farmers, pointing out that some have been the victims of horrific violence, and arguing it would bring valuable farming skills to regional areas.

Some MPs suggested that the Government could create a special visa for a one-off intake from South Africa, comparable to the visas offered to 12,000 Syrians in the wake of the civil war there.

But the Government has shown no appetite for pursuing that, and maintained South Africans will only be included in Australia’s normal humanitarian intake.

Last month the UN’s refugee agency said the Government should instead offer protection visas to those on Manus Island and Nauru, and cast doubt on whether South African farmers could be classified as refugees.

Topics:

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world-politics,

race-relations,

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immigration,

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australia,

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Russia’s New Nuclear-Powered Cruise Missile Failed in Tests, U.S. Media Report

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Russia’s New Nuclear-Powered Cruise Missile Failed in Tests, U.S. Media Report

Russia’s unlimited-range missile that Vladimir Putin unveiled earlier this year before his election has reportedly crashed after takeoff in numerous tests.  

The new nuclear-powered cruise missile, which Putin boasted could hit almost any point in the world and evade a U.S.-built missile shield, will be called ‘Burevestnik,’ the defense ministry said after a public vote in March. Putin announced the weapon in his saber-rattling state of the nation speech on March 1, weeks before he was elected to his fourth term as president.

The Burevestnik crashed each of the four times it was tested between November and February, the CNBC business outlet reported Tuesday, citing unnamed sources in U.S. intelligence.

The weapon’s shortest and longest test flights lasted from four seconds to just over two minutes, when the missile flew 22 miles before crashing, according to the report.

The Burevestnik is believed to use a gasoline-powered engine at take-off before switching to a nuclear-powered engine for the rest of its flight, CNBC cited sources as saying.

Reuters contributed reporting to this article.

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Real or not? Arizona Diamondbacks should worry about Paul Goldschmidt

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Real or not? Arizona Diamondbacks should worry about Paul Goldschmidt

First off, apologies to the Milwaukee Brewers. They beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 with three home runs off Zack Greinke and Corey Knebel recorded his first save since March 30. They’re in first place in the NL Central and deserve credit for sitting 10 games over .500 even though their lineup has been extremely mediocre. The bullpen, however, has not, and it’s only strengthened if Knebel resumes the closer role, freeing up Josh Hader for those multi-inning stints as needed.

What most intrigues from this game, however, is yet another 0-fer for Paul Goldschmidt. He’s down to .201/.322/.361 and he looks broken right now. We’re now talking about 199 plate appearances with no improvement in sight. An Arizona Republic story on April talked about his slow start. Greg Moore’s column in the Republic on May 9 was headlined “Diamondbacks aren’t worried — slumping Paul Goldschmidt is going to be fine.”

The margins between the best have never been closer, but do we have a new No. 1? And which NL East team pushed its way into the top five?

Was starting Sergio Romo on back-to-back days a clever, one-off maneuver by Kevin Cash to maximize matchups or a sign of widespread things to come?

We all expected an American League East power duo to strike fear in the hearts of opposing pitchers, but not necessarily J.D. Martinez and Mookie Betts.

2 Related

It’s now May 21. It’s time to worry.

You can make the argument that right now Goldschmidt is the most important player in baseball. He’s supposed to be the superstar anchor to a lineup that would have some concerns even if he were producing. A.J. Pollock was crushing it until he landed on the DL. Jake Lamb just returned from spending most of the season on the DL. Steven Souza Jr. has barely played. The catchers haven’t hit a lick, middle infielders Ketel Marte and Nick Ahmed don’t give you much offense and reserves Jarrod Dyson and Chris Owings haven’t done anything.

As a team, the Diamondbacks are hitting .217. Only the Marlins have scored fewer runs per game.

So, before getting to wait ails Goldschmidt, a timeout. The Diamondbacks installed a humidor at Chase Field to help decrease offense at one of the best hitting parks in the majors. Has the humidor worked too well? After all, Goldschmidt is hitting .140 with no home runs at home. Let’s check Arizona’s home/road splits from 2017 and 2018:

Home

2017: .274/.350/.492, HR every 22.5 ABs

2018: .210/.294/.346, HR every 46.7 ABs

Road

2017: .235/.309/.398, HR every 28.4 ABs

2018: .224/.294/.404, HR every 24.3 ABs

Well, that’s something. Arizona’s road production is down from 2018, but not by much, and the Diamondbacks are actually homering a little more often on the road even though power guys such as Lamb and Souza haven’t played much. The home stats, however, are abysmal.

So, back to our resident MVP candidate. Here are Goldschmidt’s home/road splits the past three seasons:

Home

2016: .298/.405/.524, HR every 19.5 ABs

2017: .321/.443/.639, HR every 13.7 ABs

2018: .140/.321/.209, no HRs in 86 ABs

Road

2016: .296/.416/.453, HR every 31.9 ABs

2017: .275/.363/.489, HR every 17.8 ABs

2018: .265/.322/.518, HR every 16.6 ABs

He’s been good on the road, not so good at home. Maybe the humidor is in his head — those fly balls that used to sneak over the fence are now getting caught. We also need to be aware of small sample sizes here. Goldschmidt doesn’t say much, but in the column from May 9 his explanation was “It’s just part of the game.” Still, he’s hit one home run his past 32 games and is hitting .183 in that span. And he leads the NL in strikeouts.

I don’t think it’s just the humidor. Even on the road, his strikeout rate has increased from 22.3 percent in 2017 to 30.0 percent and his walk rate has declined from 11.3 percent to 6.7 percent. Buster Olney alluded to a big issue in a recent column about hitters struggling with big-time fastballs: “Through Friday’s games, the Diamondbacks’ first baseman had seen 77 pitches of 96 mph or faster without logging a hit, the most in the majors.”

While he has one hit since then, Goldschmidt’s swing-and-miss rate has risen the past two seasons:

2016: 22.9 percent

2017: 26.5 percent

2018: 30.9 percent

Another indicator is when he does make contact, Goldschmidt’s average exit velocity is down from 91.4 mph in 2017 to 88.8 mph. Maybe he’s hurt. Maybe all it will take is a mechanical fix he’s yet to figure out. While he probably won’t continue to be this bad, Diamondbacks fans should be worried; there are some bad warning signs here.

Home run of the day: Juan Soto, the Nationals 19-year-old just up from Double-A, did this:

Juan Soto’s first MLB start.

Juan Soto’s first MLB hit.

Juan Soto’s first MLB HR.

Juan Soto’s first MLB RBI … and second MLB RBI … and third MLB RBI. pic.twitter.com/WZROZwD89c

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 21, 2018

He’s the first teenager to homer since some guy named Harper, and only six players since 1965 have homered at a younger age: Cesar Cedeno, Robin Yount, Ken Griffey Jr., Andruw Jones, Adrian Beltre and Jurickson Profar.

The first of many. And the best part: The Bryce Harper imitation, pretending to flip his hair:

Juan Soto swear he @Bharper3407. https://t.co/AAXnqqMIsU pic.twitter.com/JKwo17N5OX

— Cut4 (@Cut4) May 22, 2018

This kid has IT, all caps. Maybe he doesn’t go back to the minors. Eddie Matz has the full report from D.C.

Speaking of NL West first basemen … In that 10-2 win for the Nationals, Mark Reynolds homered twice. That’s four home runs in six games for Reynolds since joining Washington. Meanwhile, in Colorado …

Do you want me to go further? Ian Desmond is at .172/.227/.356. The Rockies need to fix first base. Maybe they should have re-signed Reynolds, who at least gave them a league-average bat last season.

Speaking of rookies who can hit … Gleyber Torres homered twice for the Yankees and is hitting .321/.389/.571:

Gleyber Torres cranks a 3-run B💣MB!#YANKSonYES LIVE stream:https://t.co/oUlioMm001 pic.twitter.com/tlO7vXDSHW

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 20, 2018

By the way, is it possible Shohei Ohtani isn’t a lock for AL Rookie of the Year?

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How the ‘World’s Most Comfortable Shoe’ Is Challenging Nike and Adidas

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How the ‘World’s Most Comfortable Shoe’ Is Challenging Nike and Adidas

It’s a random Saturday in May, and I can barely find enough free space inside Allbirds’s Soho store to try on a pair of what the brand proclaims the “world’s most comfortable shoes.” I’ve been on rush-hour subway cars filled with fewer people. I have to ask a harried sales associate twice to get the $95 Wool Runner sneakers in my size. While waiting, I fondle a display shoe that looks like a pared-down version of an Adidas Yeezy Boost 350. Yet, while that shoe’s upper is made from a synthetic material, the sneaker in my hand is knit from merino wool, making it resemble a winter sock affixed to a white rubber sole, with…

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U.S.'s Pompeo Condemns 'Russia's Occupation on Georgian Soil,' Pledges Support for NATO Membership

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U.S.'s Pompeo Condemns 'Russia's Occupation on Georgian Soil,' Pledges Support for NATO Membership

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday pledged deeper security and economic support for Georgia and called on Russia to withdraw its forces from the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia under a 2008 ceasefire agreement.

Russia still has troops stationed in Georgia after a 2008 war over the breakaway region of South Ossetia, backing Georgia’s Abkhazia, which is also controlled by pro-Russian separatists.

“The United States unequivocally condemns Russia’s occupation on Georgian soil,” Pompeo said in opening remarks to the annual U.S.-Georgian Strategic Partnership in Washington. “Russia’s forcible invasion of Georgia is a clear violation of international peace and security.”

Pompeo repeated U.S. policy that the United States would support Georgia’s eventual membership of the NATO military alliance.

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said American support for a peaceful resolution to Russia’s presence in Georgia “is of highest importance to our country and regional stability.”

Georgia’s membership of the military alliance would be a “clear added value for the Euro-Atlantic security,” Kvirikashvili said.

NATO promised Georgia membership in 2008, and three ex-Soviet Baltic nations – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – are already members.

Kvirikashvili urged closer economic and trade ties, saying U.S. involvement in infrastructure projects, like the Anaklia deep sea port on Georgia’s Black Sea coast, would help attract interest in the region.

The Anaklia Development Consortium is a joint venture of Georgia’s TBC Holding LLC and Conti International LLC, a U.S.-based developer of infrastructure and capital projects.

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Politicians on both sides may actually be ignoring the voters

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Politicians on both sides may actually be ignoring the voters

As Peter Hartcher wrote in this blistering opinion piece to accompany the poll, the numbers show starkly that voters are actually more community-minded than anyone is giving them credit for and would prefer that debt was paid down rather than be handed tax cuts.

The Australian public will have their chance to have their say when the election is (finally) called. Personally, I am of the view that there should be fixed terms for governments at all levels, to prevent what we see in Australian federal politics – an endless cycle of playing to the polls.

Clearly, the PM would be mad to call an election when he knows he will lose, so he will hang on as long as possible, which means more high-visibility clothing for federal MPs for the foreseeable future! If anything is an argument for fixed terms for governments, that is it .

In NSW, of course, we have set election dates and are heading to the ballot box in March next year.

And while the state government might be trying to change the conversation from stadiums to housing supply and demand, in preparation for that poll date, state political editor Alexandra Smith’s story today is also noteworthy. She reports that unions and lobby groups will be restricted to spending $500,000 on advertising and promotional material during an election campaign, under new laws due to be put before the parliament. They can currently spend up to $1.2 million. The laws will also demand political parties disclose donations of more than $1000 within 14 days in the six-month period before an election. These are strong measures, and in a bid to enforce them the laws also propose fines for breaching them to be raised from $4400 up to $22,000.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian is to be applauded for this move, because voters need – and want – transparency and accountability. Similarly, the increase of funding to the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption of $100 million is also welcomed. All we need now is support for a federal ICAC and the mainstream political parties might find themselves being more warmly received in the ballot box.

Meanwhile, the result in the Malaysian election surprised people around the world, and our South-Asia correspondent James Massola was on the ground to report on the seismic shift there. He has only been in the role for a couple of months and was able to secure a terrific “world exclusive” on Tuesday – the first post-prison interview with former Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. Kudos to James for working so tirelessly to secure it; it’s well worth a read.

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Fears for boy missing from private school in Coventry

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Fears for boy missing from private school in Coventry

Abhimanyu Chohan, 15, is a ‘high flyer’ according to his family, who say he must come home and is not in any trouble

A teenager has been missing for five days after running off from school fearing he would be accused of cheating after getting full marks in a test.

Police in Coventry are searching for Abhimanyu Chohan, 15, who disappeared after being dropped off on Friday by his mother.  

The academic teenager recently scored full marks on a test and believed he may be accused of cheating, officers said.

He has not been seen since being dropped off at King Henry VIII Independent School.

West Midlands Police and his parents have urged him to get in contact and want him to know he is not in any trouble. 

Abhimanyu changed his clothes and walked out of school, CCTV by the BP garage on the A45 Fletchamstead Highway in the city has shown.

His father Varinder Chohan, 46, said: ‘We just want him back safe, this is so unlike him. He’s a bit of a high flyer, he’s a smart kid but he’s not street wise.

‘We’re worried he may have though the was in trouble because he got top marks on a mock exam paper.

‘We think he might have seen the paper beforehand but we’re not sure exactly what happened.

‘But he was worried he might get in trouble because he’s never been in trouble before at all.

‘I think he just panicked and took off. We are worried sick.

The missing boy was dropped off at King Henry VIII Independent School on May 18 before he went missing. His family say he is not in trouble and want him home safely 

‘He hugged his mum at the start of the day and then walked off, we’ve searched everywhere for him.’

Speaking to CoventryLive, Abhimanyu’s mother Navneet, 43, said that her son only turned 15 a week or so ago and ‘was so happy’.

She said: ‘I dropped him off and he must have then changed. I dropped him of at 8.17am and he was last spotted at 8.36am.

‘Police came and said “we can do more but have to wait until we are on high alert”.

‘They said maybe he is having time for himself and wants to clear his head.’

His aunt Manjit Sahota said: ‘He is on his own and has no money. Anybody could pick him up and anything could go wrong.

‘It’s four days we have been crying and police just say they will pass it to other officers.

‘We are just sitting there watching the clock and listening for the door.

‘They keep saying wait for the high alert – is that until they find him dead?’

Relatives have been joined by friends and neighbours to help search for the teenager. 

Abhimanyu Chohan has not been seen for four days since his mother dropped him off at school in Coventry

In a statement on King Henry VIII School’s official Facebook page, headmaster Jason Slack said: ‘Abhimanyu Chohan is a pupil in Year 10, aged 15, who has gone missing.

‘Abhimanyu was dropped off at school last Friday morning, May 18, but did not attend school.

‘Before registration, Abhimanyu got changed out of his school uniform and into a blue t-shirt, beige trousers and blue trainers.

‘He was last seen at around 8.45am walking away from school and down Leamington Road past St James’ Church and towards the BP Garage where the A45 crosses the Leamington Road.

‘We are all concerned about Abhimanyu’s whereabouts and his safety and school is working closely with the family and the police to locate Abhimanyu as quickly as possible.

‘If anyone has any information about Abhimanyu’s whereabouts or believe that they may have spotted him then please contact the police immediately on 101.

‘Thank you for any help that you can give.’ 

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