Asian megafarms’ sustainability risks could ‘derail investor returns’ [updated]
Sustainability risks at so-called megafarms in Asia are having a “catastrophic” impact on public health and the environment and pose “significant potential to derail returns”, according to a report backed by pension fund giant APG.The report from the $3trn (€2.6trn) investor network FAIRR and specialist consultancy ARE (Asia Research and Engagement) urged investors to treat the rise of intensive factory farming across Asia with extreme caution and warned them to keep a close eye on the long-term risks of food-related assets across the continent.Jeremy Coller, founder of the FAIRR Initiative and CIO of private equity firm Coller Capital, said: “Asia’s meat, seafood and dairy industries face a range of badly managed sustainability risks – from emissions to epidemics, fraud to food safety, and misuse of antibiotics to misuse of labour. All these issues have significant potential to derail returns.”The report highlighted OECD predictions that Asian meat supply would grow 19% by 2025, generating some 346m tonnes of greenhouse gasses – equivalent to running 100 coal-fired power plants. It also predicted that Asia would increase its use of antibiotics by over 120% in chickens and pigs alone, using 51,000 tonnes of antibiotics by 2030. The World Health Organisation and the United Nations have previously warned that excessive use of antibiotics could lead to the medicines becoming less effective.The FAIRR report said that Asia was still beset by food safety scandals. Most recently, eggs produced in Taiwan were found to have high levels of dioxins, a toxic substance often found in herbicides and pesticides. Three years ago, the news that a Chinese supplier to McDonalds and Yum! Brands was using expired meat led to a combined hit to the two companies’ market cap of $10.8bn.Stuart Palmer, head of ethics research at Australian Ethical Investment, said that population growth, urbanisation and rising incomes in Asia had resulted in a mass shift from traditional farming to industrial farming. “But the model is broken,” he said. “From antibiotics to animal feed, the inputs that Asian factory farms rely on to do business are proving catastrophic for public health and the environment.“It is crucial that investors understand the rapidly evolving Asian food landscape in order to safeguard the value of their investment portfolios and to support development of sustainable food production and consumption models.”However, the report emphasised some “excellent investment opportunities”, such as Quorn – a meat substitute owned by by Asian food giant Monde Nissin, which saw global sales rise by 19% in the first half of 2017.Note: A previous version of this article referenced the California State Teachers Retirement System. This was an error contained in the press material, and this fund has not officially backed the report.
<span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”></span><span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”></span>Kansas City officials together with Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II gathered last week for a ceremonial groundbreaking for Phase V of the Flood Risk Reduction Project for the Dodson Industrial District in southeast Kansas City, Mo.The Army Corps’ Kansas City District commander, Col. Doug Guttormsen, was also at the ceremony.According to USACE, the Dodson Industrial Project scheme, worth around $13 million includes construction of 5,500 feet of earthen embankment to tie together previously completed portions of the flood risk reduction project.Anticipated to be completed in 2020, the project will provide 0.2 percent annual chance of exceedance level of flood protection to the industrial district.
“Our home match with Olympiacos in the Europa League was played on Thursday 27th February and none of our staff who came into contact with him on that matchday have reported any symptoms since. We continue to follow strict protocols with regard to Coronavirus. “We’re following the Government health guidelines and have additional procedures in place to protect our players and staff. This has included regular deep cleaning of areas used by players at Emirates Stadium and our training centre.” His current valuation is around £5million according to Transfermarkt. Read Also:Nottingham Forest owner gets coronavirus weeks after Arsenal visit But the Belgian team are aiming to get as much as £17million from his future sale. Het Nieuwsblad state that Liverpool are still monitoring him as they bid to boost their attacking options in the future. FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail分享 Loading… Greek businessman Marinakis, who also owns Nottingham Forest, was at the Europa League game on February 27 and met Arsenal officials. But none of the Arsenal officials who came into contact with him have reported symptoms and the club has stepped up safety procedures both at the stadium and training ground. But Wolves’ Europa League tie with Olympiacos on Thursday night – already behind closed doors – is in jeopardy and the Premier League club have asked for postponement under circumstances. Marinakis is also believed to have shaken hands with Forest’s players ahead of their game with Millwall last Friday. Olympiacos players are now being sent for tests to see if they have coronavirus while Chelsea are also awaiting UEFA advice to see if their game with Bayern Munich will be behind closed doors.Advertisement Promoted Content7 Black Hole Facts That Will Change Your View Of The Universe7 Non-Obvious Things That Damage Your PhoneThe Highest Paid Football Players In The WorldWhat Happens When You Eat Eggs Every Single Day?Who Is The Most Powerful Woman On Earth?11 Most Immersive Game To Play On Your Table Top7 Universities In The World With The Highest Market Value5 Of The World’s Most Unique Theme ParksTop 10 Most Romantic Nations In The WorldThe Best Cars Of All Time7 Facts About Black Holes That Will Blow Your MindWhy Do So Many Digital Assistants Have Feminine Names & Voices? Arsenal are confident staff and players have not been affected despite Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis publicly admitting that he has the coronavirus.
Four sachets of suspected shabu valuedaround P4,000 were seized from 35-year-old Arturo Alvior III of BarangayDancalan, Ilog, a police report showed. Alvior was nabbed after he soldsuspected illegal drugs to an undercover cop for P300 around 5:45 p.m. on Dec.19, the report added. BACOLOD City – Police arrested a drugsuspect in a buy-bust operation in Barangay II, Ilog, Negros Occidental. 
The suspect was detained in the lockupfacility of the Ilog municipal police station, facing charges for violation ofRepublic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002./PN
Deborah Jean Kosch, age 65 of Seabring, Florida passed away on May 9, 2018. The daughter of Elmer and Betty (nee: Danko) Kosch was born on August 21, 1952 in Dearborn, Michigan.She is survived by long time partner and best friend, Timothy McKenna; her father Elmer Kosch; siblings, Ilona Baggett (Dennis), Greg Kosch (Haydee), Robert Kosch (Nancy), Betty Kirk (Tim), Steven Kosch (Eileen); along with many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.Visitation will be Sunday, May 20, 2018 from 1pm -2:30pm, immediately followed by Funeral Services all at Meyers Funeral Home in Batesville, IN. Rev. Shawn Crisman officiating. Burial will be in Methodist Cemetery, Batesville.
India A won the first match by 69 runs.India A are playing five matches against South Africa A.India will play three Twenty20 Internationals and three Tests vs South Africa. highlights For all the Latest Sports News News, Cricket News News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi: Shikhar Dhawan has been included in the India A squad for the last two unofficial one-dayers against South Africa A in Thiruvananthapuram. India A are currently playing five limited overs games and two unofficial Tests in Wayanad. Dhawan had a modest tour of the West Indies, managing only 27 runs while the two ODIs and 38 runs. He has been named in India’s 15-member T20I squad for the forthcoming home series against South Africa. However, there is more bad news for Vijay Shankar after he was ruled out of the series against South Africa A due to a thumb injury. Shankar first lost his place to KL Rahul in the middle-order before a toe injury ended his World Cup campaign. He wasn’t picked for the tour of West Indies.Dhawan’s assignment in the West Indies was his first after a fractured finger sustained during his century against Australia at The Oval in the 2019 World Cup ended his tournament. India A are currently leading the five-match series 1-0 after winning the first game by 69 runs. The match was reduced to 47 overs per side due to a wet outfield. South Africa A won the toss and chose to bowl but Shubman Gill gave India a good start with an aggressive 46. There were contributions from Manish Pandey and Ishan Kishan but Shivam Dube’s 79 off 60 balls and Axar Patel’s 60 off 36 balls helped India A end on 327/6.Also Read | WATCH: Shikhar Dhawan has heartfelt message after getting ruled out of World Cup 2019In response, Reeza Hendricks blasted a century and Heinrich Klassen hit a quickfire 58 off 43 balls but they were undone by Yuzvendra Chahal who picked up 5/47 and gave India A a commanding win. In addition to his batting exploits, Axar took 2/39 and he was awarded the Man of the Match.Also Read | Shikhar Dhawan hits the gym, aims to be ready for ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 clashSouth Africa are coming to India for a series of three Twenty20 Internationals and three Tests. The three Test will be the first for South Africa in the new World Test Championship. MS Dhoni was not included in the side for the three Twenty20 Internationals while Hardik Pandya makes a comeback after opting to rest for the tour of the West Indies. In South Africa’s last tour to India in 2015, the Proteas won the Twenty20 Internationals 2-0 and the ODIs 3-2 before being hammered in the Test series 3-0.
World number 4, Stan Wawrinka has quit tennis for the rest of 2017 due to surgery on his injured knee and will not defend his US Open title.The 32-year-old Swiss struggled with the knee injury when he was knocked out in the first-round of Wimbledon by Daniil Medvedev last month.In a statement on his official Facebook page, Wawrinka said: “I am sad to announce that, after talking with my team and doctor, I had to make a difficult decision to undergo a medical intervention on my knee.”“This was the only solution to make sure I will be able to compete at the top level for many more years.” Stan Wawrinka won the US Open last year, beating Serbia’s Novak Djokovic at Flushing Meadows to earn his third grand slam title.Wawrinka joins Novak Djokovic in quitting the rest of the 2017 tennis season, and it’s still uncertain if world No1 Andy Murray will recover in time from his hip injury to compete at the US Open.RelatedMilos Raonic Pulls Out Of The US OpenAugust 24, 2017In “Sports”Tennis: Murray Overcomes Wawrinka To Win First Title Since Hip SurgeryOctober 21, 2019In “Tennis”Top Stars Djokovic, Wawrinka To Return In DecemberOctober 24, 2017In “Sports”
AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to FacebookFacebookShare to TwitterTwitterShare to MoreAddThisALPENA, Mich.— The Alpena Public School District is upping the price on school lunches for the next academic year. The increase applies to students who do not qualify for free or reduced lunch.The increase is necessary to cover rising food costs. Meals will increase by ten cents for students at all area schools. Students will continue to have a variety of healthy meal options to choose from and the same proportion of food will be served.It will cost $2.95 for students at the elementary school level and $3.20 for grade levels 6th-12th. The price of the breakfast meal will remain the same at a dollar 75 cents.AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to FacebookFacebookShare to TwitterTwitterShare to MoreAddThisContinue ReadingPrevious Attorney General announces proposals for police reform in MichiganNext Community members to attend informational meeting
Former elite sides push for a return to the Premier League from the various Zones as the Play-Offs for Premier League promotion begins this weekend. Great Olympics, Tema Youth and Okwawu United are all aiming for a return to the top-flight but also face competition from Istanbul when they kick off their quest to seal a return to the premiership next season from Zone III. The competition in Zone III begins on Saturday at the Baba Yara and Len Clay stadia. The competition starts much earlier for teams in Zone II where Dunkwa United, Gold Stars, Feyenoord and Eleven Wise all push for the sole qualifying slot. On Friday,Dunkwa United and Gold Stars will get the action underway before former premiership sides Feyenoord and Eleven Wise meet on Saturday. The winner of each zone qualifies for next season’s Premier League. Zone II Fixtures Match-day-1: Friday, April 25: Dunkwa v Gold Stars – Accra Saturday, April 26: Feyenoord v Eleven Wise – TemaMatch-day-2: Tuesday, April 29 Eleven Wise v Dunkwa – Accra Gold Stars v Feyenoord – Tema Match-day-3: Saturday May 3 Dunkwa v Feyenoord – Accra Eleven Wise v Gold Stars – Tema Zone III Fixtures Match-day-1: Saturday, April 26 Great Olympics v Istanbul – Baba Yara Tema Youth v Okwawu – Len ClayMatch-day-2: Tuesday, April 29 Istanbul v Tema Youth – Baba Yara Okwawu v Great Olympics – Len ClayMatch-day-3: Saturday May 3 Great Olympics v Tema Youth – Baba Yara Okwawu v Istanbul – Len Clay
There was total confusion in the camp of Team Ghana which nearly resulted in a brawl, two days into the start of the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, ScotlandThe near scuffle was between two officials of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) following disagreements over quality of jerseys.Information gathered by sportscrusader.com, reveals that, Nestor Galley, President of the Ghana Badminton Federation (GBF), who doubles as the Third Vice President of the GOC, questioned the quality of jerseys provided for Team Ghana, especially that of the Badminton team.According to the information, Galley’s concern were not taken lightly by the president of the GOC Prof. Francis Dodoo as he got infuriated.Prof. Dodoo, who has become unpopular even among his fellow executives, attacked the retired Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Habour Authority (GHAPOHA) with the intention of punching him but was restrained by onlookers.The action of Prof. Dodoo seem to have attracted the displeasure of other association president who have high regards for Mr Galley.The source hinted that, other Association presidents are unhappy with the way and manner they were being treated by the GOC president and his close confidants as he seemed to have hijacked every operation of the committee.There seem to be growing disquiet over the leadership style of Prof. Dodoo and highly placed sources have indicated that, there are possible plots to unseat him in the next election.Investigation conducted by Sportscrusader.com reveals that, the kits; Evrea, were procured by the GOC at a discounted price of 53,000 Euros.
GLENDALE, Ariz. >> The Dodgers needed a long-haul second baseman.The preceding sentence has no expiration date.They have had seven primary second basemen in their past eight seasons. The only player to “repeat” was Mark Ellis in 2012-13, according to Baseball-Reference.com.They have tried veterans (Orlando Hudson, Howie Kendrick, Chase Utley), kids (Dee Gordon, Blake DeWitt) and multi-use extra men (Jamey Carroll). The ground was a lot firmer from 1973-88, when Davey Lopes and Steve Sax were the only keystone cops the Dodgers needed. But underneath all of their roster churn is a deep lament for stability. This year’s team will bear a startling resemblance to last year’s team.The Dodgers re-signed Justin Turner, Kenley Jansen and Rich Hill. Not since the mid-90s have they needed to conduct fewer introductions.The one stranger is Logan Forsythe, the new second baseman. One reason he’s here is that he’s never a stranger very long.When the Tampa Bay Rays heard Forsythe was leaving, they reacted as if a trusted retriever had run away.“I’m surprised and upset,” said Evan Longoria when he got the news. He tempered it the next day but also said he “would not get over” the trade. Newsroom GuidelinesNews TipsContact UsReport an Error
“Really really really gonna miss Logie Bear,” tweeted Chris Archer, and Stephen Souza called it “a very sad day for me personally.”This was a little stronger than the usual pro forma regret, but the Rays considered Forsythe a “good teammate,” a term that has thrived in the face of the metrics craze.Anyone who makes the habitat more professional is valued beyond his numbers. Forsythe did that. He also hit, fielded and threw.“I remember going to see a Team USA that had a lot of real good college players on it,” said Dave Van Horn, Forsythe’s coach at Arkansas. “He was one of the last guys to make that team. I talked to the coaches and they said he was their favorite player.“He plays with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. He comes from a blue-collar background and that’s the way he plays. Eventually, he makes you like him.”Forsythe is 30 but has been fulltime for only two years. When Nick Franklin got hurt in 2015 spring training, Forsythe became the second baseman.“A little bit of pressure came off,” Forysthe said. “They said I was going in there and it didn’t matter whether I was hot or cold.”He remained seasonably warm. He hit .281 with 17 home runs and was named the Rays’ MVP (the Don Zimmer Award).Last year he hit .264 with 20 home runs. In both seasons he slugged .444. The Dodgers liked his .775 OPS against lefthand pitching in 2016.He also was Tampa Bay’s customary leadoff hitter and hit .314 in the first inning. But he is one more grinder in a clubhouse that suddenly has them in abundance.What is a “good teammate”?“You try to be aware of your surroundings,” Forsythe said. “You make a point of noticing little things. If you get a chance, you talk to the younger guys. But mainly it’s being yourself, being that consistent guy every day. And you listen.”Forsythe’s locker in Glendale is next to Justin Turner’s. Like Forsythe, Turner basically learned how to hit in the major leagues. Forsythe’s main tutor was Rays’ batting coach Derek Shelton, now on Toronto’s staff.“He’s one of my favorite guys,” Shelton said. “He has great control and command of the strike zone. At first he maybe was too selective. We worked on a leg kick to give him some more power to his pull side, but then he strarted driving the ball hard to right-center.”And the origin of the shoulder chip? Forsythe’s dad worked the power lines in Memphis, and money wasn’t plentiful. “There were three kids, so sometimes I’d be home because we couldn’t afford a baby-sitter,” he said.In the SEC Forsythe was a well-respected third baseman, but the glory went to Vanderbilt’s Pedro Alvarez, a slugger who went No. 2 in the draft. Forsythe went No. 46. “I guess you could say there was a rivalry there,” Van Horn said.Now Alvarez has drifted through Pittsburgh and Baltimore and is unsigned, having slipped down the ladder that Forsythe is still climbing.“College was fun,” Forsythe said. “You didn’t have all the technology. You’d have an idea what a guy’s out pitch was and what his (velocity) was, and that was it.”If second base was that simple the Dodgers would have solved it by now. They do sense that the new guy is no one-year wonder.
AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MOREUCLA alum Kenny Clark signs four-year contract extension with PackersIt’s kind of a running question of the season which doesn’t have a clear answer. The Lakers have no strategy in place to sit James for any games. He’s played every night so far, including back-to-backs. There is a bit of an effort to reduce his overall minutes, but the challenge has been that the Lakers have played a lot of close games lately, and LeBron is the most critical player to their success.Frank Vogel admitted on Saturday, after LeBron played for 39 minutes, that he wished he had been able to play fewer. Obviously the Lakers needed him to win a one-point game. The one concession was that LeBron subbed out in the middle of the fourth quarter, which he doesn’t like to do.In fact, you could interpret LeBron’s desire to play as the biggest obstacle to actually managing his minutes and reducing his workload. He wants the ball in critical situations, and the Lakers haven’t built enough solid leads lately to avoid playing LeBron deep in the fourth quarter. I asked him the other night if he’s focused on reducing his minutes to focus on the bigger picture, and his answer was telling:“What’s the bigger picture when you’re living in the moment? We’re not promised tomorrow. I love Coach (Vogel) and what the coaching staff are doing, and I think he’s doing what’s best for the team and obviously I respect that, for sure. We’re going to go with what Coach says, but at the end of the day, you think too much about the future, you lose sight of what’s going on in the present and that’s just who I am.”@15_simba wants to know: “Do the NTC multiple players on the team have really mean anything or is it just there as a formality?” This question is about no-trade clauses, which are confidential parts of players’ contracts. I can’t speak to who specifically has a no-trade clause in his contract because I don’t have the documents, but a big part of that are player options.According to Spotrac, the following players have options for next season: Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and JaVale McGee (Anthony Davis also has a player option, but it’s widely understood that he will decline it next summer to be able to secure a larger percent of the salary cap on his expected max contract). The problem with trading those contracts is that the CBA doesn’t allow one-year deals with a second year as a player option to be traded: The player and team have to agree to exercise the option for any trade to happen, which gives the player a kind of veto power over any trade.This restricts the moves the Lakers can make for the next year or so, given most of their contracts are new anyway and they couldn’t even explore moving most of their players until Dec. 15. Any of those vets would have to be fully on board with a trade for it to happen, and a team would want to have to take on a second year of that player on the books. But with a 14-2 start, there’s not a lot of reason for the team to move off those vets yet, and it’s hard to see any of those vets wanting to move off a team that has a legitimate championship shot.A short answer: It matters, and it makes moves harder for the Lakers. But it’s not an immovable roadblock to making changes down the road.@Black_WhiteNYC wants to know: “Would you please tell Vogel it’s criminal and against the Law to lineup a backcourts of Rondo & Cook or Rondo & Troy Daniel no matter who’s available or not ???”Dubious legality aside, it’s understandable that seeing these bench pairings struggle on certain nights can make some fans want to break out the cuffs. Lineups with both Rajon Rondo and either Troy Daniels or Quinn Cook have been outscored for sure. But let’s keep it in perspective: They’ve only played 47 minutes this season, primarily because of injuries. Bench play tends to be more uneven than starters.When Avery Bradley and Alex Caruso are hurt, those minutes have to go somewhere. And unless you think Zach Norvell is a better option (hint: his small sample-size lineup numbers in NBA action have been worse than Rondo/Daniels/Cook), then there’s not much else the Lakers can do except heal.@HoniAhm wants to know: “Who are your top 16 + 1 MVP candidates”This is a reference to a tweet by Magic Johnson, who is enjoying his departure from the front office by tweeting out his lists for just about everything from films, to travel destinations to athletes-turned-entrepreneurs. All of these lists are just about too long. I can give you a top five, though, in no particular order.James Harden, Houston (37.9 ppg, 8.0 apg, 6.1 rpg) – It would be criminal to look past the production he’s provided for the Rockets, even though I have personal doubts about how the pairing with Russell Westbrook will turn out come the postseason.Pascal Siakam, Toronto (25.7 ppg, 4.1 apg, 8.5 rpg) – You have to give last year’s Most Improved Player some love for how he’s kept the defending champions looking like they could actually defend. His versatility and his scoring leap have been two of the biggest surprises of the season early.Luka Doncic, Dallas (30.6 ppg, 9.8 apg, 10.1 rpg) – It’s just year two for this 20-year-old wunderkind who has delivered early as maybe the closest thing to LeBron since LeBron. He can score and make plays with equally impressive skill.Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee (29.9 ppg, 6.4 apg, 13.9 rpg) – The most physically domineering player in the league has increased his points, rebounds and assists while keeping the Bucks near the top of the Eastern Conference.LeBron James, Lakers (25.2 ppg, 10.8 apg, 7.6 rpg) – In Year 17, he’s leading the league in assists and is the most important player for the team with the best record in the NBA. I mean, come on.— Kyle GoonThanks for reading the Purpler & Bold newsletter. To receive the newsletter in your inbox, sign up here.From the WeekendCan a King get some whistles? – LeBron and the Lakers have been frustrated by the decline in foul calls for their star.Rajon Rondo won’t mince words – After an ejection in Oklahoma City, the Lakers point guard had more to say despite his $35,000 fine.Last gasp by Grizzlies crushed – The Lakers didn’t play their best in Memphis, but they got the key turnover that won the game.Rumbling over the Thunder – Anthony Davis showcased all parts of his game, including his 3-point range.Cousins court update – Charges have been dismissed against the Lakers big man.A father’s aching heart – LeBron wished sorely he could be at his son’s Sierra Canyon debut.Cruising through the schedule – Mirjam meditated on how the Lakers have tackled their winning ways so far. Editor’s note: This is the Nov. 25 edition of the Purple & Bold Lakers newsletter. To receive the newsletter in your inbox, sign up here.I’m writing to you from the balcony of a San Antonio hotel with a sunny view of the Riverwalk. It’s as good a place as any to answer your burning Lakers questions, which we’ll do every other Monday with questions we get from e-mail and social media.I hunt for questions the weekend before we release the newsletter, but feel free to drop me a line anytime. Here’s this week’s batch:@czarkingdom wants to know: “Are there any plans to give LeBron a break or lower his minutes?
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Bjornsson also called out Hall to a boxing match — not the first time they. have hinted at a fight — after breaking the record.”I just knocked out your record and now I’m ready to knock you out in the ring,” Bjornsson said. “Time to put your fist where your big mouth is and sign the CoreSports contract. I’m ready. Are you ready, Eddie?”Eddie vs hafthor in a boxing match🤔 pic.twitter.com/Oq6VUU3pDc— Luqman Bhana (@luqman_bhana) May 2, 2020Hall, to his credit, wished Bjornsson luck ahead of his world-record attempt. The Icelandic strongman set the record after two prior reps of 925 and 1,025 pounds (seen below).MORE: Bjornsson breaks elephant bar deadlift world record.@ThorBjornsson_ just deadlifted 1,025 pounds 🤯He’s ready to break the world record with 1,104 pounds right now on ESPN! #TheOcho pic.twitter.com/p0OJAwyR0X— ESPN (@espn) May 2, 2020And here’s the world-record lift:.@ThorBjornsson_ HAS DONE IT!He just deadlifted 1,104 pounds, setting a new world record 😮💪 #TheOcho pic.twitter.com/YQzO5ULZ3S— ESPN (@espn) May 2, 2020Bjornsson, speaking on the ESPN telecast, said he was pleased with his lift — and that he could have done more.”Not only did I pull this incredible weight, I also feel great afterwards,” Bjornsson said. “I’m standing here, tall, feeling good. No injuries. So I’m healthy as well. I believe today I could have done more, but what’s the point? I’m happy with this. My family and friends, they’re happy. And I’ve decided to call it.” Here’s your annual reminder that Hafthor Bjornnson is an extremely strong man.Bjornsson, also known for his role as The Mountain on “Game of Thrones,” made history Saturday by setting a new world record in the deadlift at 1,104 pounds. In doing so, he broke the 1,102-pound mark set by England’s Eddie Hall in 2016.
The teams are warming up on the court.Ranked 5th in the Pacific, PNG will be hoping to get much support from their home crowd to help them grab a win.The BSP Arena is 80 percent full with PNG supporters.In other results today, Fiji defeated New Caledonia 29-12 and Solomon Islands lost to American Samoa 80-44.
Georgia Blazers basketball coach Nathaniel Patten, father of Edward Grimes, 19, popularly known as Trokon on Warren Street (Monrovia), who suffered an electric shock, along with his manager, Charles Swaray, last week Wednesday, are out of danger.“My son Trokon is back home,” Coach Patten told the Daily Observer last Friday. “He is doing fine.” The incident took place on last Wednesday, April 8, when Trokon attempted to remove live wires that had knocked his manager off, from his body and he was also knocked down.Swaray, according to a woman who only identified herself as his mother said, “I spoke to my son and he is doing fine.” Swaray was admitted at the S. D. Cooper Clinic while Trokon was admitted at the JFK Memorial Hospital. The Daily Observer learned that Swaray was still under observation last Friday, because he could not move two of his fingers.Coach Patten, who took Georgia Blazers to the last basketball championship, said, “When the incident happened and immediately I got the news I was sure that my son would be alright.” He said his faith as a Christian gave him the assurance that his son and his manager would be out of danger.“Trokon has been working with Swaray for the last four years,” Coach Patten said, “and they have been doing fine. Trokon is being taught as an electrician.”He explained that what happened last Wednesday was an accident. Swaray owns a generator for his cold water business, and it was during a process to connect some wires that he was knocked off, and became unconscious.When Trokon realized what had happened, additional information said he cut the power source of the generator, but did not realize that a nearby deep-freezer was still active, and according to Coach Patten it was when his son torched the freezer that he was knocked down and also lapsed into unconscious.He said because of being a dutiful son, the whole community prayed for his son, along with his manager. “I’m thankful to God that everything worked well,” Coach Patten told the Daily Observer.Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
USAID-LGSA Chief of Party, Dr. Yohannes Gebremebhin -USAID-LGSA Chief of Party tells first Geomatics Education Program studentsAs fear resonates that Liberia’s peace may likely be undermined as a result of land conflicts, the Chief of Party (CoP) of USAID-Land Governance Support Activity (LGSA) Dr. Yohannes Gebremebhin says Liberia’s human resources gap in the surveying profession is often filled by unregistered and unlicensed surveyors who do not have any formal training.Dr. Gebremebhin said the situation poses serious challenges to the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) on the highest technical, professional and ethical standards.He said the country currently has 99 licensed land surveyors out of which eight hold college degrees and the rest are high school graduates.The USAID-LGSA Chief of Party made the assertion on Thursday, February 21, at the official launch of the USAID-funded Geomatics Education Program (GEP), which was hosted at the Forestry Training Institute (FTI), in Tubmanburg, Bomi County.The launch also witnessed 30 persons from the 15 counties and who were recruited through a highly competitive process that involved entrance tests and interviews to the program, according to Gebremebhin.The GEP is a 10-month training program that seeks to train students in geomatics education, with the goal of producing survey technicians that will go on to support the Liberian land sector. Graduates are awarded technical level certificates.Gebremebhin further said only 13 of the 99 surveyors were graduates of the former Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy Technical Surveying School that was also hosted in Bomi County.“The school ceased its operations in the early 1980s and there has not been any formal surveying education in the country since then,’” the USAID-LGSA Chief of Party said. “Most surveyors that are currently practicing surveying lack sufficient exposure to modern survey methods that are conducted with current technology,” he said.According to Gebremebhin, the GEP’s aim is to fill the void informal surveying education and enhance the profession by producing a new breed of surveyors that would be trained in modern methods, tools, and technologies and would be able to serve as survey technicians in accordance with “international best practices.”“LGSA views the rather substantial investment, which is being made by USAID in these students and their education, as a critical factor not only in building modern surveying and mapping (geomatics) capacity in Liberia but also in laying a solid foundation upon which a functioning land administration system can be built,” the Chief of Party emphasized.He urged stakeholders to take a long-term perspective and be supportive of “actions that have the potential to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the program as well as its further development to an advanced level.”
Students of USAID-funded Geomatics Education Program (GEP)In his launching remarks, USAID’s Mission Director Anthony Chan said the exercise represents a major step toward professionalizing land survey and mapping in Liberia, “and in a sense is one of the first steps in realizing the vision that is implicit in the passage of the Land Rights Law.”To the students, Chan said, “Remember that if you approach the profession you have chosen with a strong work ethic and a commitment to integrity, you will make your families proud, you will make USAID proud to have supported you, and you will make your fellow Liberians proud of the good work that surveyors can do.”“The program will also work to inculcate in the students the value of adhering to the highest professional and ethical standards in all that you will do,” Chan indicated.Chan reminded his audience that land survey and mapping are core aspects of a fair and efficient land administration system with far-reaching consequences for the country. “They impact land tenure security, property tax assessment, land use planning and zoning, and the implementation of the Land Rights Law.”“Securing land tenure,” he said, “is critical for the development of a robust financial sector supporting products like a home mortgage, housing development, improved credit availability and is essential if Liberia is to realize its potential in agriculture.”He added that it was important that land survey and mapping is conducted in ways that prevent or minimize the risks of misinterpretation by, and conflict among, property owners and public authorities.Chan said for Liberia to attain this goal, “the survey and mapping process must comply with strictly defined and predictable standards so as to achieve accuracy and timely reporting and certification of survey and mapping results.”“The successful adoption and implementation of these standards will, of course, depend on the degree to which Liberia has qualified and properly trained surveyors,” said Chan.Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)