Give ₹2,500 per acre to Haryana farmers for not burning stubble: Hooda
Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday demanded that the Haryana government give compensation of at least ₹2,500 per acre for crop residue management to small and marginal farmers who did not burn stubble. If Punjab can give ₹2,500 per acre as compensation to small and marginal farmers who refrained from burning crop residue, why can’t Haryana do the same, the senior Congress leader asked. Speaking in his home town, Rohtak, Mr. Hooda said the State government’s announcement of giving ₹1,000 per acre as operational charge for managing crop residue would not be enough. The Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly also suggested the government to fix a minimum support price for crop residue and purchase it from farmers the same way it procures crops. “The government should fix MSP and purchase the crop residue, which can be put to use in various industries, including in power plants,” he said. Regarding pollution levels increasing due to stubble burning, the 72-year-old opined that blaming farmers who set fire to crop residue was not going to solve the problem as various stakeholders need to find a solution to the issue.‘Various factors’ “There are various factors that cause pollution. Burning stubble is only one of them. There is pollution caused by vehicle fumes, industries, construction activities and several other factors that are responsible for it. Just putting the blame on farmers is not the right thing to do,” Mr. Hooda said. Notably, burning of crop residue by farmers in Haryana and Punjab is being stated to be one of the major reasons behind the severe pollution levels in Delhi-NCR.
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Hyderabad: Indian Super Leagues new franchisee Hyderabad Football Club here on Sunday unveiled its classic Black and Yellow-coloured jersey for 2019-20 season.The jersey sports a contemporary look and is inspired by the traditional Nizami Sherwani and the city’s architecture and the colours represent the heritage and pride of the city. “We are looking forward to the upcoming season. I really want to make a mark and take it to the levels achieved before in the 50s and 60s when Hyderabad was a force to reckon with (in football). Cricket is massive in India but I want football to challenge cricket and whether that’s in Hyderabad or throughout India,” Hyderabad FC Head Coach Phil Brown said.Former India cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin said he used to play lot of soccer in his school days.”But, I soon realised that I was only very good at running but I had no skill in football and that’s why I changed to cricket.”Azharuddin, elected Hyderabad Cricket Association president on Friday, said a number of players from the city represented India in the Olympics earlier.”We have a very good and rich football history and many tournaments were held. In Hyderabad, I think football has taken a beating don’t know the reasons?. Because of the problems with the football associations or whatever it was,” he said.Azharuddin said he had once tried to revive football about eight to nine years ago but it did not work out.”Wishing the Hyderabad FC, a very best, he said in a lighter vein: The only advise I can give Phil is that you make sure that your players don’t eat too much Biryani. That is one thing you have to take control”He added: “Otherwise you are very experienced and I am sure you will get the best out of the players.”Hyderabad FC Co-owner Vijay Madduri said they were committed to building football in the community from grassroots and they will be working with schools and colleges and other institutions and build future soccer players.”Hyderabad city has a history with football and the Hyderabad FC will revive and strengthen the soccer culture in the city”, Hyderabad FC Co-owner Varun Tripuraneni said.Tollywood Actor Venkatesh Daggubati said: “As a sporting fan, I am really happy that Hyderabad has got its own football club finally fighting to revive and strengthen the soccer culture in the city.””We have produced the best football teams and had the honour of having eight players in the 1956 Olympic team. We hope that with Hyderabad FC we will be able to revive the passion for the sport and replenish the lost glory to the city and the country.”The sixth edition of the ISL begins on October 20. 2019-20HyderabadHyderabad FCindian super league First Published: September 29, 2019, 3:42 PM IST Get the best of News18 delivered to your inbox – subscribe to News18 Daybreak. Follow News18.com on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, TikTok and on YouTube, and stay in the know with what’s happening in the world around you – in real time.
New Delhi, Sep 15 (PTI) One of Spains most revered strikers Fernando Morientes feels that the Gen-Next of the La Rojas may find it difficult to replicate the success of their Golden Generation as the national team is going through a difficult transition phase. With early exits in the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016, it has been widely discussed whether the current national team is as good as the one comprising Xavi Hernandes, Andres Iniesta, Carlos Puyol and Fernando Torres — who formed the core during the teams magical run which saw them win two Euros and a World Cup. “Spanish national team is going through a change. The transition phase for any national team is a difficult one. In Europe, the gap between quality of various teams is decreasing. There are far too many competitive teams now,” Morientes, who is here as a La Liga ambassador, told PTI during an interaction. “Look at Iceland during Euro 2016. What we had during those years (2008-12) was special. That was a golden generation of once in a lifetime players. It is difficult to predict whether the current set of players will be able to achieve what the likes of Xavi, Iniesta achieved,” said Morientes, who has 27 international goals for Spain including five in two editions of the World Cup. But Morientes made it clear that new coach Julen Lopetegui cannot deviate from tiki-taka style of play. “It will be very difficult to change tiki-taka style as it is one of the foundations of Spanish football strategy,” he added. One of the Real Madrid stars of his time, Morientes is happy that Real Madrid beat Sporting Lisbon 2-1 in the Champions League match. “Since I was on flight to India, I failed to catch the action live. But today I saw the images of the match and I am very happy. The focus for all top teams is to win Champions League and it is no different for Real Madrid. But obviously we are not taking La Liga any lightly and it remains one of our top priorities,” said the 40-year-old, who had scored 72 goals for Real Madrid in 182 appearances between 1997-2005. Morientes was all praise for his one-time teammate Zinedine Zidane, terming him the ideal person for Real Madrid managers post. “It is not the easiest job to manage Real Madrid dressing room and Zidane is the perfect man. Since he has come, there has been a prevailing sense of calm in the dressing room and we have a happy bunch of players. A managers work is not only about what players do on the pitch but also what they are doing off it,” Morientes said without referring to the reported cold vibes that Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo shared. Morientes feels that any coach who has played a lot of football at the highest level knows what needs to be done. “Zidane has been a Real Galactico. He has had such huge success as a player that he knows what exactly needs to be done at the highest level. A great player can be a great mentor and strategically well-equipped to handle stars,” feels the 40-year-old, who has also played for Liverpool and Monaco. Asked about his partnership with Raul and compare them Ronaldo-Bale duo, he smiled and replied: “I would have bias as Raul is a friend and I played a lot with him. He has had such incredible contribution in Reals success during his time. There are so many great memories with Raul.” Queried about Rauls speciality as a striker, Morientes said: “Its his intelligence. He could analyse where the ball is coming and accordingly position himself. Add to that his velocity and power. His reaction time in the penalty box very less. He was one of his kind.” Asked about his disallowed goal in the controversial World Cup quarterfinal against South Korea, Morientes said it still rankles. “Yeah, it still hurts but thats football for you. I have to live with it,” he concluded. PTI KHS PM PMadvertisement
FC Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has said that he felt that refereeing decisions had influenced the destination of this season’s Liga Santander title.”I sincerely think that the referees influenced the outcome of the title, but I won’t be drawing up a list to back myself up,” Pique was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.”They (Real Madrid) won the title and now we have to turn over the page and continue,” Pique said on Friday.The defender admitted there were “some games where we didn’t do enough,” and that Barca “need to be a better team,” but hoped that, “last season’s experiences will serve to implement Video Referee Technology.”He then looked ahead to the Cup final, which will be Luis Enrique’s last game as Barca coach after three seasons at the Camp Nou.”He deserves a good send off, because he’s been one of the best coaches in the club’s history and deserves to leave us with a trophy … These three seasons have been magnificent and I want him to leave with a winners’ medal and on a happy note,” said the defender.Finally Pique warned about the threat posed by an Alaves side who earlier in the season won 2-1 in the Camp Nou.”Alaves have done really well and now they have a chance to make history and so they’ll be extra motivated. We will have to match their motivation and then after that, draw on our quality. It’ll be difficult,” he assured.
England have impressed everyone with their free-flowing football so far in World Cup 2018. In three group matches, Gareth Southgate’s side scored eight goals as they won two of their three matches to qualify for the knockouts.But the reat test for the youthful side begins now as they take on Colombia in the Round of 16 match on TuesdayWith or without their talented number 10 James Rodriguez, the South American side possess plenty of talent and their run to the quarter-finals in Brazil four years ago showed they are capable of something England haven’t managed in 12 years — winning in the knockout stage.England qualified from Group G thanks to wins over Tunisia and Panama and with their place booked they fielded a second-string side in their 1-0 defeat to a similarly weakened Belgium in a strange final group game that neither side showed much desire to win.2018 FIFA WORLD CUP: FULL COVERAGEThe ‘prize’ for finishing second in the group, was to be in the easier half of the draw but all the talk of a ‘path’ to the final risks under-estimating the difficulty of their immediate obstacle.Rodriguez, whose involvement is questionable as he is suffering from swelling in his leg, was the Golden Boot winner in 2014 with six goals and before his fitness problems was showing signs of that form again.Radamel Falcao’s failure to make a strong impact in the Premier League during spells with Manchester United and Chelsea, should not disguise the fact that he is a prolific finisher and a real threat.advertisementLikewise winger Juan Cuadrado’s disappointment at Chelsea needs to be set against his impressive performances in Serie A for Juventus and his importance to Jose Pekerman’s Colombian side.England right-back Kieran Trippier, who impressed so much in the opening two games, says the players are well aware of the challenge facing them.”We have done a lot of work on them. When you look at the players they’ve got in the team and the way the qualified in their group as well, theyve got some quality players and we need to be aware of that,” he said.Trippier suggested England will continue with the approach they have shown so far in this tournament and indeed Southgate is expected to return to the line-up that he started with in the opener against Tunisia.It means Dele Alli should be back in his supporting role to five-goal striker Harry Kane at the expense of Ruben Loftus-Cheek.Colombia defensive midfielder Carlos Sanchez expects a tight encounter.”They have a lot of history and top players, but I am sure that we have the weapons. It is a match where we both have the same chances to continue in this World Cup.”Colombia respects these opponents very much because they have shown they have great power, but we can also do a thing or two,” he said.(With Reuters inputs)
She received distinctions in Spanish, Geography, Mathematics, English Language, English Literature, Principles of Business, Information Technology, Human and Social Biology, along with a grade two in Chemistry. Story Highlights As Shanique Sommerville walked up to collect her scholarship award for outstanding performance in the 2017 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, her first thoughts were of her late mother.Cheva Newton died seven years ago, when Shanique was just 12 years old.The 19-year-old, who is in Upper Six at the Manning’s School in Westmoreland, says she is driven by thoughts of what would have made her mother proud.She noted that since her mother’s passing, she has been determined to excel academically and not fall within the statistics of youth who are unattached and unskilled.“I believe what I am doing now and my major achievements so far, would have made my mother proud. When I was crowned Miss Manning’s (2017), I knew she would have been proud,” Shanique added.She was speaking to JIS News at the Board of Supervision Outreach and Welfare Committee’s awards ceremony, held recently at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge, St. Andrew, where she was named the top CSEC scholarship recipient.She received distinctions in Spanish, Geography, Mathematics, English Language, English Literature, Principles of Business, Information Technology, Human and Social Biology, along with a grade two in Chemistry.The young woman, who hails from Peggy Barry district in Grange Hill, Westmoreland, says she is elated by the award, which will cover her fees for the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).Shanique has been receiving support from the Board of Supervision since her mother’s passing. “I am very happy. It’s an awesome feeling to be here,” she gushed.“At one point, I didn’t know where I would get the resources to pay for the fees, and then when I heard that they were being covered, it was like a burden being lifted off me. I basically had more time to focus on what I should be focused on – schoolwork – and not worried about where the funds will come from,” she said.Shanique is no stranger to academic achievement, and tells JIS News that she has made the headmaster’s honour roll every year at Manning’s.“I have been at the top in my year group on numerous occasions. I’ve been working hard. I’m a very determined young lady and I go for what I want, and I want to become successful; and this is the path I believe I should take. I was also awarded as one of the top CSEC recipients at my school,” she noted.Shanique expressed gratitude to her grandmother, Dawn Warren, noting that she was a tower of support while she was preparing for her CSEC examinations.“At first, it was very hard. I normally have migraines, so that began to act up, and I also had training (in the evenings), because I am the captain for the track team. I would wake up like 3:00 a.m. to study and my grandma would make my breakfast, and I would have to get ready by 6:00 a.m. and leave out by 7:00 a.m.,” she recalled.As it relates to her career goals, Shanique told JIS News that she wants to become an educator or lawyer.“I want to become a lecturer or a professor. I’ve always had a passion for teaching from I was in primary school, and I would practise on my veranda. But I am also thinking about law. Right now, I’m in the process of applying to the University of the West Indies and I have stopped, because I am at the part of which faculty to choose, either law or humanities. I think I am going to choose law,” Shanique said.A 400-metre runner, who has competed at the Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships, Shanique has been offered an athletic scholarship for the University of Technology (UTech).Shanique said, “my daily motivation is life. Life is a gift, and you just have to enjoy it. Take one step at a time and just enjoy it. Live life”.The Board of Supervision is a statutory body operating under the portfolio of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development.It was established under the Poor Relief Act to supervise and monitor the delivery of the poor-relief services performed by the municipal authorities.The main functions of the Board of Supervision are characterised as supervisory, advisory, regulatory, auditory, training, appellate, inquiry, rules formulation (for Poor Relief Administration), and sites and plan approval for infirmary buildings. As Shanique Sommerville walked up to collect her scholarship award for outstanding performance in the 2017 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, her first thoughts were of her late mother. “I believe what I am doing now and my major achievements so far, would have made my mother proud. When I was crowned Miss Manning’s (2017), I knew she would have been proud,” Shanique added.
The needs and demands of the modern times are far too many. As much as unemployment has been a constant for the past few years, the drudgery of employed life is one to occasionally warrant some carefree and unapologetic distressing. Travel is one such method and very popular among youth in particular. But given the uncompassionate lop-sided nature of a ‘normal’ city work life, popular tourist spots bear the brunt such ‘destressing’. It was only few months ago that the famous hill station of Shimla had to request travellers to not visit Simla at all in that season owing to acute and unprecedented water crisis in the city. Ladakh is another example of how the place is paying the price for being a popular tourist destination; more than the revenue generated for development and other works, each tourist season ends with the fresh challenge of clearing out the garbage, most of which is discarded plastic of different kinds. Striking a balance between these extreme situations is a fast emerging environment- and people-friendly solution that goes beyond the purview of tourism and conserves the environment as well as the direct dependents of these environments. Developing sustainable eco-tourism encourages responsible travelling to natural areas and serves the dual purpose of promoting tourism and connecting people to distant and diverse places away from the confines of comfort while restoring an indigenous environment and conserving its ecology together with improving the well-being of the local people. With the funds generated by this method of ecological conservation, the local people from these regions, most of whom are quite nearly dependent on the environment for their livelihood stand to gain much. Home stays, being tourist guides, providing vehicles for tourists and doing odd jobs are some of the ways of modern dependence on an environment. The money thus earned can enhance ecological conservation, bring economic development, and enable political empowerment of the local communities and in the process, generally promoting sensitisation and respect for different cultures and human rights. Eco-tourism is definitely a critical endeavour in conserving the environment and biodiversity while still keeping it open for people to explore provided minimal destruction, environmental growth and general awareness about sustainable living is ensured. The result is bringing to attention and glorifying lesser-known places, their culture and their traditions. The entire effort is made with the purpose to explicitly not stress the environment while visitors distress themselves. Also Read – A compounding difficultyIn line with this direction of sustainable growth, Maharashtra is seeking afresh to develop the eco-tourism sector by connecting close to 350 locations to a common grid for providing better facilities and developing popular destinations in the state. In the official statement, Maharastra’s Minister of Finance, Planning, and Forests, Sudhir Mungantiwar, said that 43 destinations under the grid will be taken up in the first phase and the remaining ones in the second and third phases. The government has allocated Rs 351 crore for this purpose. Besides the iconic perception of Mumbai city for its glitz and Bollywood and fast city life, this eco-tourism project will include Mumbai’s Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Maharashtra is a state endowed with the scope of a wide range of tourism right from historical haunts to coastal tourism with forests safaris and even spiritual tourism with ample prospects to explore. With the promise of employment for locals, the Eco-tourism Board of Maharashtra state has proceeded to implement various initiatives considering the wide range of aspects impacting and engendering from tourism, emphasising that this will be one of the major projects of the Board. The said circuit will include and connect 124 forest gardens, 43 historical forts, six tiger projects, 33 wildlife sanctuaries, 52 religious destinations, 55 eco-tourism destinations and five hill stations. The first phase will mark the development of 43 eco-tourism destinations, the second phase will include another 139 locations. Moving towards the realisation of this initiative, draft plans for 189 out of 347 eco-tourism destinations in the State have been approved. The local people are also to be provided with training and basic facilities. Provide better facilities to tourists will be possible if buffer and corridor areas of forests are developed from the perspective of tourism. Adventure sports the forts of the State is also an innovative use of the space and structure for more than history. Definitely, tourism is a sector of development that promotes way more than recreation. It has its effects trickling down on the economic, social, and environmental aspects of both, a destination and what a tourist returns with from this destination. One of the best steps taken in this direction is involving the youth in assisting the promotion of tourism in specific ways. Awareness about forests and wildlife help significantly with participation in the conservation and growth of forests and green areas. There are numerous examples of how ecotourism has contributed to restoring the environment while empowering the people of the destination economically, socially, and even politically. The story of Vengurla, a coastal village in Maharashtra, is a feather in Maharashtra state’s environment hat as it is a living proof of how tourism is helping fisher women have turned entrepreneurs in preserving the ecologically very crucial mangroves in the backwaters of the region and are conserving the ecology they have inherited.
Beijing: China warned Tuesday that the US decision to impose sanctions on buyers of Iranian oil will “intensify turmoil” in the Middle East and in the international energy market. The White House announced Monday it was calling an end to six-month waivers that had exempted several countries — including major importer China — from unilateral US sanctions on Iranian oil exports. “China firmly opposes the US implementation of unilateral sanctions and its so-called long-armed jurisdiction,” foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing. Also Read – Thermal coal import may surpass 200 MT this fiscal”The relevant move by the United States will intensify the turmoil in the Middle East and the turmoil in the international energy market.” In seeking to reduce Iran’s oil exports to zero, the Trump administration is targeting the country’s top revenue earner in its latest no-holds-barred move to crush the economy and scale back the clerical regime’s influence. Eight governments were initially given the six-month reprieve on oil sanctions that had been imposed last year by the United States. The exemption will now end on May 2. Also Read – Food grain output seen at 140.57 mt in current fiscal on monsoon boostGreece, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan — have already ended or heavily reduced their purchases from Iran. The other three are China, India and Turkey, with Ankara vowing to defy the US demands. For its part, China will “continue to work in order to safeguard the lawful and legitimate rights of Chinese companies,” Geng said. Japan’s Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters that Tokyo hopes to “exchange opinions with related Japanese firms and discuss necessary actions to avoid (negative) impact on energy supply in Japan.”
Kolkata: A Trinamool Congress activist was killed by some unidentified miscreants at Sahabazpur village of Domkal in Murshidabad on Sunday night.Incidentally, it may be mentioned here that elections were held in Murshidabad on April 23 in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The victim has been identified as Sahabaz Seikh. He was returning home after dropping a TMC leader at his house. When he was crossing Kuchimara village, some miscreants stopped his way. There were around 7 miscreants who came on two motorcycles. One of the miscreants attacked the victim with a sharp weapon. Also Read – Bengal family worships Muslim girl as Goddess Durga in Kumari PujaThe victim fell on the ground after being injured. The miscreants fled from the spot immediately after the incident. Some of the local residents found the victim lying on a pool of blood. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where the patient was pronounced brought dead by the doctors. The body has been sent for an autopsy. Police reached the spot and started a probe in this regard. Raids are being conducted to nab the culprits. The district Trinamool Congress leaders alleged that local Congress and CPI(M) leaders had masterminded the incident. Police are looking into the allegation. They have started a case in this connection. Also Read – Bengal civic volunteer dies in road mishap on national highwayIt may also be mentioned that one Mojammel Seikh, a Trinamool Congress leader from Domkal who had suffered serious injuries in his head on April 23 during elections, succumbed to his injuries in a city hospital on May 4. In that case too, the Trinamool Congress leaders had accused CPI(M) and Congress activists of attacking the victim on the day of elections. The TMC leaders have also lodged a complaint in this regard, on the basis of which a probe has been initiated. It has been learnt that Seikh had been standing near a polling booth in Domkal on April 23, when some CPI(M) and Congress workers attacked him with a bamboo stick. He received severe injuries in his head and various others parts of his body.
A fleet of Hitachi construction machinery has been working successfully for LNS Greenland AS (LNSG) at its mining operations in southwest Greenland. LNSG operates a mine at Aappaluttoq on behalf of Canadian company True North Gems Inc (TNG), which has a license to mine rubies and pink sapphires at the site for the next 10 years. The Hitachi machines “have been playing a key role since infrastructure work began in September 2014.” LNSG utilises three wheel loaders, a ZW310-5, a ZW220-5 and a ZW75, and three excavators, a ZX520LCH-3, a ZX290LC-5 and a ZX65USB-5 at the remote 12 km² site.Once this work has been completed, the mine is scheduled to be in operation by spring 2016. “Hitachi machinery is ideal for the type of work we do in such an isolated location,” says LNSG’s Project Director Peter Madsen. “The maintenance work is easy to carry out and our technicians find it straightforward when it comes to replacing spare parts.” Madsen depends on equipment that can withstand the harsh climate common to the area. “The wheel loaders and excavators are the most reliable option and are particularly robust given the tough conditions,” he continues. “The fuel efficiency of each machine is also a positive.”Wheel loader operator Carsten Folmer Jensen said of the functionality of the Hitachi machines: “They are comfortable and move quickly around the site. This makes them suitable for the conditions and the work we do here. I have used other machines in the past, but I’ve been more satisfied when working with Hitachi equipment.” LNSG is supported by HP Entreprenørmaskiner A/S (HP), the authorised dealer of Hitachi construction machinery in Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The combination of reliable equipment and support is a key factor for Madsen. “We chose Hitachi machines because of the excellent relationship we have with HP,” he explains. “We receive a fantastic service from them.”Despite the remoteness of the Aappaluttoq mine, Hitachi says LNSG can keep downtime to a minimum on all machines. Every wheel loader and excavator is covered under a basic service contract, while the ZW310-5, ZW220-5 and ZX290LC-5 are protected by the Hitachi Extended Life Program (HELP). All units are monitored remotely with Hitachi Global e-Service. LNSG’s Chief of Construction Jonny Jensen believes there are distinct benefits in selecting Hitachi. “The support from Hitachi is top class here in Greenland,” he explains. “It is the only company that can deliver a reliable service in such a location. Last winter we operated for three months in -25C conditions and the machines started every morning. They are completely reliable.”
Roskill reports that ASX-listed Rift Valley Resources is targeting the Longonjo carbonatite in Angola for rare earth exploration, after publishing a maiden monazite (80%) and bastnaesite (20%) rare earth Inferred Resource in September 2017. The combined Inferred Resource is 44.7 Mt at 2.5% total rare-earth oxides (TREO), including a “from-surface” resource of 11.6 Mt at 4.3% TREO oxide ore (cutoff of 1.0%). The company is planning a drilling program around the inferred resource to map out the remainder of the rare earth potential of the weathered carbonatite. The Longonjo rare earth deposit falls within Rift Valley Resources’ 70%-owned Ozango Licence, which also hosts lithium, gold, copper and base metal resources.Roskill view: “China produced 83% of the world’s rare earths in 2017, with Lynas in Australia being the only major producer outside of China, accounting for an additional 12%. Africa joined the rare earths supply chain in 2017, with high-grade rare earth concentrates (47-67% TREO) being produced from veins at Rainbow Rare Earths’ Gakara mine in Burundi. In 2017, Africa (i.e. Gakara) accounted for 0.3% of the global supply, but ongoing exploration and project advancements are expected which could see Africa’s share grow over the next few years. Rift Valley Resources falls in line with Mkango and Peak Resources, which are advancing rare earth projects in Malawi and Tanzania, respectively.”
NEARLY 1,500 PAINTINGS including works by Picasso and Matisse, that were stolen by the Nazis, have been discovered in a German flat, a newspaper reported today, putting their total value at around a billion euros.German weekly Focus said the paintings were found in an apartment belonging to the octogenarian son of an art collector who had bought them during the 1930s and 1940s.For nearly half a century, the artworks lay hidden in darkened rooms in the man’s apartment in the southern German city of Munich, Focus said.He had sold a few over the course of the years, living off the proceeds, the paper reported.The collection included many of the great masters of the 20th century, among them the German painters Emil Nolde, Franz Marc, Max Beckmann and Max Liebermann.Among the paintings discovered was one by Henri Matisse that had belonged to the Jewish collector Paul Rosenberg.Rosenberg, who fled Paris leaving his collection behind, was the grandfather of Anne Sinclair, the former wife of the disgraced French politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn.Nazi plunderingThe prosecutor in the southern city of Augsburg, who is reportedly handling the affair, declined to comment on the story, according to German press agency DPA.The Nazis massively plundered artworks in Germany and across Europe before and during World War II, confiscating many from Jews or forcing them to sell their works at a low price.Between 1940 and 1944, German forces seized an estimated 100,000 paintings, artworks, tapestries and antiques from the homes of Jews in France, stripped of their rights by the racial laws enforced by the collaborationist government.Thousands of stolen artworks have since been returned to their owners or their descendants, but many more have never resurfaced.In 2007 a German expert published a book on looted art, estimating that thousands of masterpieces and tens of thousands of lesser works had yet to be restored to their rightful owners.Only last week, an investigation by Dutch museums revealed that 139 of their artworks, including a Matisse and two Kandinsky paintings, may have been stolen by the Nazis.- © AFP 2013eBay: We’re sorry we allowed Holocaust memorabilia to be listed on our website
THE SEANAD SAT for just two-days this week, the second time this has happened in the last six weeks, because there are no ministers available to discuss business that had been scheduled for today.The upper house had been due to discuss the Companies Bill and a motion on Youth Justice Policy with Ministers Richard Bruton and Frances Fitzgerald respectively.However, Bruton’s trade mission to India means discussion on the report and final stages of the mammoth Companies Bill has been moved to next Wednesday.Meanwhile, Fitzgerald is due in the Dáil to oversee the passage of the Child and Family Agency Bill, meaning she cannot provide what’s officially titled as ‘An Update on Youth Justice Policy’. This has been deferred to an unspecified later date.All of which means that the Seanad will not sit today, reducing its normal three-day week to a two-day one.It was a similar situation six weeks ago, when the uncertainty over the future of the upper house meant that little-to-no business was scheduled in the week after the referendum on its future was defeated.On 9 October, the Seanad adjourned after a two-day week in which it spent just half-an-hour debating government legislation.Despite introducing a number of Dáil reforms in recent weeks, the government has not yet made any provision for reforming the Seanad.However in the wake of the referendum defeat, the Taoiseach has indicated a willingness to reform the upper house, saying he will look to enact the 1979 referendum result to widen the electorate for the university panels so as that all third level graduates can vote.Previously: The Seanad sat for just two days this weekEnda Kenny tells the Seanad: ‘I come in peace, not in war’‘They’d do an excellent job’: MEP says senators should scrutinise EU legislation