DHT Holdings Locks Financing for VLCC Newbuilds
zoom Crude oil tanker operator DHT Holdings has secured bank financing for the two 318,000 dwt VLCCs newbuildings ordered at South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI). The VLCCs were ordered in January 2017 and are to be delivered in July and September 2018, respectively.As disclosed, the financing will cover about 50% of the contract price with the remainder being financed by cash at hand.“As such, DHT does not intend to issue any stock to finance the two newbuildings,” the company said in a release.In line with the terms of the deal, the financing has a 5 year tenor and its 20 year repayment profile is in support of DHT’s low cash break-even levels.“DHT estimates that the average cash break-even for each vessel to cover OPEX, interest and debt repayment to be about USD 16,800 per day. The bank financing has a margin of 250bps above LIBOR and 50% of the financing is structured as a revolving credit facility,” the release further reads.Separately, the company said yesterday that its Board of Directors unanimously rejected Frontline’s revised proposal to acquire all of the outstanding shares of common stock of DHT at an exchange ratio of 0.8 Frontline shares for each DHT share.“After a comprehensive review, conducted in consultation with its financial and legal advisors, the DHT Board concluded that the revised Frontline proposal continues to be wholly inadequate and not in the best interests of DHT or its shareholders. The Board notes, in particular, that Frontline’s revised proposal continues to significantly undervalue the contribution that DHT’s business and fleet would make to a combined company, including with respect to net asset value and profit contribution,” DHT explained.As pointed out, DHT Board informed Frontline of its decision on Sunday, February 26 and, in its response letter, offered to have DHT’s co-CEOs meet with Frontline over the coming days, which Frontline is said to have rejected on both February 28 or Wednesday, March 1.DHT has a total fleet of 21 VLCCs, 19 in the water and two under construction, as well as two Aframaxes. Six of the VLCCs and the two Aframaxes are on fixed rate time charters.
Kolkata: The Bengali film fraternity on Monday mourned the death of Jnanpith award winner Girish Karnad and took to social media remembering the stalwart’s contributions.Karnad died at his residence in Bengaluru on Monday morning. He was 81. “Playwright, actor, scholar, an inspiring personality with brilliant intellect wit and humour, my earliest remembrance of Girish Karnad being an eternal favourite – Swami’s father in Malgudi Days. Farewell to an institution – you seldom come across such profound people nowadays,” tweeted National award-winning director Atanu Ghosh of Mayurakshi fame. Also Read – City bids adieu to Goddess DurgaActor Parambrata Chatterjee seen alongside Vidya Balan in Kahani lamented the demise of an alternative voice amidst tmainstream cinema. “We grew up with your films and plays! Will always remember you as an alternative, progressive voice amidst the mainstream din. #RIPGirishKarnad,” he wrote. Bengali superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee shared a “Rest in peace #GirishKarnad” message on his social media page. Director Srijit Mukherji known for films like Autograph and Chotushkone spoke about Karnad’s achievements. Also Read – Centuries-old Durga Pujas continue to be hit among revellers”He also coincidentally won the Sahitya Academy, Sahitya Natak Academy, Jnanpith, National Award, Filmfare, Padmashri and Padma Bhushan,” Mukherji tweeted. Young Bengali actor Riddhi Sen, who grabbed nationwide attention with his role in Nagarkirtan, expressed grief and anger at the stalwart’s demise. “Very true, he is also the person who defines and changed modern Kannada playwriting forever. Deeply, deeply saddened. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light,” Sen wrote. Agencies
WINNIPEG – A Manitoba woman who admitted her repeated abuse and neglect killed her 21-month-old daughter is facing a possible sentence of life in prison without parole for at least 14 years.That’s the joint recommendation from the Crown and defence for Vanessa Lynn Bushie, who pleaded guilty earlier this year to the second-degree murder of Kierra Williams.The toddler showed signs of multiple injuries and malnutrition when she was brought to hospital in July 2014.Bushie, who is from the Peguis First Nation, was to have her sentencing hearing today, but it was postponed because her lawyer is still preparing a report on her personal history.The case has raised more questions about Manitoba’s child-welfare system, because social workers had been involved with the family, although the provincial government has not released details.When Bushie pleaded guilty in April, court heard that Kierra had endured a lengthy period of abuse, which was apparent to staff at the hospital where she died.“It became patently clear to medical staff upon presentation that the child had suffered severe neglect and abuse, and, ultimately, a final culminating assaultive incident,” Crown attorney Daniel Chaput said at the April hearing.“What is quite clear is that the accused failed to provide the necessities of life to the victim — including nourishment and medical treatment — over a prolonged period of time.”Bushie said little at the April hearing, other than admitting to the facts as presented.“And you admit that your mistreatment of your child resulted in your child’s death?” Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Douglas Abra asked Bushie.“Yes,” the 39-year-old replied.The minimum sentence for second-degree murder is life in prison without parole eligibility for 10 years.Bushie’s husband, Daniel Williams, is charged with manslaughter. His trial is set for next February and March.A publication ban on the names of the mother and daughter was lifted Wednesday.Kierra’s death followed other high-profile cases in which children were killed by family members despite earlier intervention by child welfare workers.The most notorious was that of Phoenix Sinclair, a five-year-old girl who was beaten to death by her mother and mother’s boyfriend after social workers decided she would be safe with the couple and closed her file.A public inquiry found social workers repeatedly failed to monitor the young girl, whose 2005 death went undetected for nine months.
APTN National NewsViolent crime has risen dramatically in Nunavut, with no fewer than six incidents involving firearms in the last four months.In two incidents this week, an RCMP officer shot and killed a man inside his home after being threatened with an unknown weapon, and earlier, another man is charged with firing nine shots into the homes of two RCMP officers and their families.APTN National News reporter Kent Driscoll and anchor Michael Hutchinson talk about the spate of violence and how it’s affecting the territory.
FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Representatives from UNBC’s Community Development Institute gave a presentation at yesterday’s committee of the whole meeting of the Institute’s first community profile of Fort St. John, showing that while some facets of the city have stayed the same over the years, the community has experienced a number of drastic demographic changes.Researcher Dr. Michael Lait and the CDI’s co-director Marleen Morris presented a summary of the Institute’s 61-page report that chronicles the changes the Energetic City has experienced over the past 32 years. The report, which represents the CDI’s first of two phases to profile the community, took a look at census data and government statistics.Looking at the size of the community itself, Dr. Lait said that with an exception during the 1980’s energy industry recession, Fort St. John’s population grew 45 percent between 1981 and 2016, to an estimated 20,155. However, the demographics of the community have aged slightly. In 1981, people under 35 comprised 75 percent of the city’s population, but in 2016 that number fell to 57 percent. Despite this, the city’s median age two years ago was 31.5 years, which is still far below the provincial median age of 41 years. Still, the city’s population of senior citizens increased 119 percent over the last 30 years.Fort St. John’s residents have gotten more educated over the last 12 years, as data shows the percentage of city residents that did not complete high school fell from 20 percent in 2006 to 12 percent in 2016. During that time, the provincial average fell from 12 to 10 percent. The only area where Fort St. John ranked higher than the provincial average was the percentage of residents in an apprenticeship or that had a trades certificate or diploma. Fifteen percent of city residents were in the trades both in 2006 and 2016, while during that time the provincial average fell from 12 to nine percent.Interestingly, the percentage of School District 60 students graduating high school stayed fairly constant between the 2011/12 school year and 2015/16. That rate is lower both than the provincial average rate and the percentage of Peace River South students. Another statistic showed that the percentage of First Nations students graduating in Peace River North fell slightly with wild variations during those five years, while the rate south of the Peace increased steadily over the same period.In terms of housing, the average rental rate in Fort St. John in 2016 worked out to $1,275 per month, while Vancouver’s average that year was only $21/month more. This was despite the average value of a home in Fort St. John being over 2/3 lower than the same value in Vancouver. Despite this, Dr. Lait said that city residents faced less stress than both the average renter and homeowner in B.C. when it came to paying for their dwellings. The percentage of renters and homeowners in Fort St. John paying more than 30 percent of earnings on housing costs fell much more from 2011 to 2016 than in the rest of B.C. as a whole.The entire report from the CDI can be read below.
He had a very dark side which he kept concealed.James Varley, prosecuting A Sunday school teacher was jailed for life today for a string of sickening child sex offences against girls as young as four in the Philippines – despite being 7,000 miles away.Married father-of-two Paul O’Neill, 57, who taught maths at a Catholic secondary school, arranged for youngsters to be raped and abused by adults, watching live on a webcam and directing the offences from his home in Wollaton Vale in Nottingham.At Nottingham Crown Court O’Neill admitted 30 charges, involving 12 girls aged from four to 15, including three child rapes, arranging or facilitating the commission of child sex offences, causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, conspiring to rape a child, and arranging child prostitution.In a case thought to be the first of its kind in the UK, O’Neill, who was a minister with special responsibilities for children with the New Apostolic Church, was charged despite not being present or physically taking part in the abuse. James Varley, prosecuting, said: “In short Mr O’Neill, a retired teacher, a bastion of the local church community, a Sunday School teacher, appeared to be a wholesome married father-of-two. Prosecutors described O’Neill as a “virtual sex tourist” with a “very dark secret”, and said he “relished” the financial imbalance between himself and his poverty-stricken victims. The offences took place between 2008 and 2016, and involved girls between four and 15. Mr Varley said: “The chat logs are very explicit. In them, he either orders in advance what he wants, or once children are procured and are in front of the camera, he directs the action. “It is plain he is relishing the imbalance between him and them, and what he can get them to do. Some of it is quite chilling in its coldness. At one point he says, as if it is a joke, ‘I am a bad man’.”The hearing was told O’Neill was known to have travelled to the Philippines for some years as a teacher for a charity, but it was not known whether he had personally abused any children. He taught for 25 years at The Becket School in West Bridgford, Nottingham, retiring last August. “We know that is not the case. In fact, he had a very dark side which he kept concealed. He was obsessed with the exploitation of young children, particularly pre-pubescent young girls.”Mr Varley said: “This was virtual sex tourism. People were being exploited in the Philippines, which is a very poor country. “When there were occasions where people were unwilling, he was very clear – they would not get the money they required for the medicine for their family, or whatever it was. “There is, tragically, an industry in the Philippines where very young children are exploited for the titillation of Western men on webcam, and shows are ordered in advance and the person would effectively direct the shows using chat logs.”He became aware, doubtless via web searches, that this market existed, and became a very enthusiastic user of it.”
Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings. Mr O’Neill, a retired teacher, a bastion of the local church community, a Sunday School teacher, appeared to be a wholesome married father-of-two. We know that is not the case.James Varley, prosecuting This was virtual sex tourism.James Varley, prosecuting O’Neill was arrested in November last year after police were notified about high volumes of payments to the Philippines, and his computer equipment seized.Investigations revealed he had sent at least £6,000, described by Mr Varley as a “phenomenal” sum of money there. Incredibly, after being released on bail, the “first thing” he did was to buy a new laptop and use it to search for explicit terms.
US coal exports increased 35% to 53.6 million short tons through June 2011, according to a recent edition of NMA’s (National Mining Association) International Coal Review. Strong demand from Asia and Europe for steam and metallurgical coal is expected to push coal exports above 100 million tons by the year’s end, the highest level in nearly 20 years. NMA’s economic forecast prepared in May predicted 2011 coal exports would reach 101.5 million tons (up 24%). The Energy Information Administration’s August Short-term Energy Outlook predicts 2011 coal exports of 98 million tons. The annualised rate based on half year data would be about 107 million tons by the year’s end. In 2010, the US exported just more than 81 million tons of coal.Steam coal exports through June 2011, excluding lignite and anthracite, increased 88% to 18 million tons, and metallurgical coal exports increased nearly 18% to 35 million tons, according to the report. Anthracite and lignite exports were up 6% and 1% respectively.NMA’s report found that imported coal, which stood at about 6.8 million tons year to date, was down about 31% from the 2010 level of 9.9 million tons. Annual coal imports peaked at 36.3 million tons in 2007, dropping somewhat in recent years. Coal imports totalled 22.6 million tons in 2010 and now account for roughly 2% of US coal consumption.
After Microsoft pulled the Xbox 180 and dispensed with all of its draconian always-on and used games DRM, the console became much more appealing, though still employed some other unfortunate policies. Microsoft has announced it will remove yet another one of those unappealing policies, and will allow game developers to self-publish on the Xbox One.The report originally came from GameInformer, and was then confirmed by Xbox vice president Marc Whitten. Publishers will no longer be charged a fee to update their games, and they can set their own release dates and pricing models. Along with these changes, Microsoft will also be overhauling its much-maligned certification process. Rather than performing an extensive check of a submission’s code, it will instead only look for significant bugs and terms of service violations. The end result of this change will be a speedy two-week turnaround.Another bombshell is that each and every Xbox One can be turned into a debug unit. Microsoft would simply authorize a specific console to be able to play pre-release code, which means self-publishing developers could more easily test their games considering they wouldn’t need specialized hardware. GameInformer also claims that Microsoft will be able to provision 25,000 users per software beta test, which makes a self-publisher’s testing period even easier.All of this, of course, is great news for indie developers who want to get in on the Xbox One side of the spectrum, and will perhaps put Microsoft back into the good graces of indie developers. Whitten said Microsoft will divulge more details regarding these changes during Gamescom in August.
Facebook Twitter: @NeosKosmos Instagram The former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Talat has been forced to cancel his trip to Australia this month, following advice from the Australian Government’s Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Mr Talat was due to visit Melbourne and Sydney in order to take part in two public forums at the invitation of the sponsoring organisation for his visit – The Australian Peace Initiative for Cyprus – a bi-communal organisation that encourages dialogue on the Cyprus situation. In a statement provided to the sponsoring body, DFAT explained that “the Australian Government does not recognise the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’. In giving effect to this policy the DIAC instructions on this matter are quite explicit, we are unable to evidence a visa in a Turkish passport which asserts the legitimacy of the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’.” The correspondence from DFAT went on to say: “If Mr Talat is able to provide a travel document which meets Australian requirements we would be very happy to receive his visa application.” The DFAT statement added that the Australian High Commission in Nicosia, “has emphasised our response is to the information in the [travel] document, and in no way reflects on Mr Talat or his commitment over many years to seeking a just and lasting settlement on the Cyprus issue.” A spokesman for the Australian Peace Initiative for Cyprus, Mr Tumer Mimi, told Neos Kosmos he was, “more than disappointed with the Australian Government’s position,” and that in his view, “major questions need answering.” “As Mr Talat had confirmed to me, in recent years ministers and TRNC MPs had visited Australia with similar passports,” said Mr Mimi. “Australian officials had known for a long time that Mr Talat accepted the invitation to visit, and would be travelling with a similar passport to all the other TRNC officials who have visited Australia.” “My expectation is that the Australian Government sees where they have been inconsistent and acknowledge the impact it has on the integrity and the clarity of their policies, and the impact it has on the people and the peace movement. We would like to think that such acknowledgement will open up new opportunities for Australia and the peace movement, and all concerned.” Dr Michalis Michael, Deputy Director of the Centre for Dialogue at Melbourne’s La Trobe University was scheduled to chair the ‘Conversation with Talat’ event in Melbourne on November 10. “We were informed by his Australian sponsors that Mr Talat’s visit was cancelled, and we are disappointed,” said Dr Michael. Mr Talat’s visit would have coincided with the 28th anniversary of the formation on November 15 1983, of the self-declared ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’.
“Aider à mourir” plutôt que de “laisser mourir”Dans ses “60 engagements pour la France” dévoilés fin janvier, le candidat François Hollande propose “d’aider à mourir” sous de strictes conditions les patients en fin de vie et atteints de maladie incurable. Alors que le Pays-Bas vient de mettre en place des équipes mobiles pour aider les malades incurables à mourir, le débat sur l’euthanasie se ranime peu à peu en France. En effet, le candidat à l’élection présidentielle François Hollande propose parmi ses “60 engagements pour la France” “d’aider à mourir” les patients atteints de maladie incurable mais ce, sous de strictes conditions. “Nous constatons que la loi dite Leonetti de 2005 permet de laisser mourir. Aujourd’hui, il s’agit de permettre d’aider à mourir. La frontière est certes ténue, et les modalités seront à discuter avec tous les acteurs. Il s’agit de fixer un cadre très strict de recueillement du consentement de la personne”, explique Marisol Touraine, chargée des questions sociales dans son équipe, au cours d’une interview publiée samedi dans Libération. “Il s’agit d’encourager les directives anticipées, comme la désignation des personnes de confiance, de garantir, aussi, le dialogue entre le médecin, les soignants, le malade et sa famille” et “respecter, bien sûr, l’objection de conscience pour le médecin”, ajoute t-elle encore.Si Marisol Touraine espère que le plus de malades possible “trouveront un soulagement et une envie de vivre quand même, avec des soins palliatifs ou curatifs”, celle-ci interroge : “mais pour les autres ? (…) Qui peut se substituer à un malade qui constate que la façon dont il vit ne correspond pas à sa conception de la vie ?”. Plus précisément, le texte dévoilé pour la campagne propose ainsi que “toute personne majeure en phase avancée ou terminale d’une maladie incurable, provoquant une souffrance physique ou psychique insupportable, et qui ne peut être apaisée, puisse demander dans des conditions précises et strictes à bénéficier d’une assistance médicalisée pour terminer sa vie dans la dignité”. Un prochain rapport sur la réalité de l’euthanasie en France À lire aussiAsthme : symptômes, traitement, définition, causes, de quoi s’agit-il ?Depuis 2005, la loi Leonetti a trouvé une parade au problème de “l’acharnement thérapeutique” en instaurant un droit au “laisser mourir”. Pour autant, il n’autorise pas les professionnels de santé à administrer directement des substances mortelles à un patient en fin de vie qui le demanderait. Dès lors, deux camps se forment : ceux qui veulent autoriser les médecins à aider à mourir tant que le malade en fait la demande et ceux qui refusent de leur accorder un tel droit. Deux positions qui s’affrontent régulièrement mais un rapport remis le 14 février dernier par l’Observatoire national de la fin de vie a soulevé un autre problème : il n’existe aucune donnée fiable sur l’état de cette pratique en France.Face à un tel manque, le débat manquerait donc de réalité. Toutefois, une nouvelle étude menée conjointement par l’Observatoire et l’Institut national d’études démographiques pourrait lever le voile sur “la réalité des euthanasies en France”. Ces travaux qui pourraient être publiés en mars ne manqueront alors pas de susciter la controverse à nouveau sur un sujet aussi délicat. Le 5 mars 2012 à 10:25 • Maxime Lambert
ADC AUTHOR It may be days before leaders at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., can assess the damage caused by the weekend flooding of the Missouri River. About a third of the base was underwater, according to the Omaha World-Herald….Military leaders joined the South Georgia community to honor Parker Greene, a longtime Moody Air Force Base supporter who died in December, according to the Valdosta Times. “Parker Greene makes us want to be better men and women, to live up to a higher standard, to love and care for airmen as much as he did and to give with no expectation of getting anything in return,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said last week presenting Greene the Air Force Distinguished Public Service Award, accepted by Greene’s wife Lucy, also a local champion for airmen and their families. Greene became the first person ever to receive the honor twice….The Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority in Arkansas is taking applications for an interim executive director and permanent executive director.Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Rachelle Blake
2020 BMW 745e xDrive review: A plush plug-in with power and presence Share your voice Post a comment 1:25 Now playing: Watch this: 2019 BMW X7 first drive: Big-time Bavarian More From Roadshow 2019 BMW X5 xDrive50i review: A potent and tech-rich SUV 42 Photos
BMW X5 M and X6 M: The dynamic duo Tags 0 Enlarge ImageBMW’s X6 sports activity vehicle has been driving a wedge between enthusiasts since 2008, and now it’s entering its third generation. BMW BMW’s X6 “sports activity vehicle” has been both a success for the brand and a wildly polarizing model since it made its debut back in 2008. Since then, it’s seen several refreshes, including a second generation which came out in 2014, but it’s high time that BMW came out with a new version.Thankfully that’s exactly what it’s doing with the third-generation 2020 BMW X6, which the company announced on Tuesday. The new car has all the same lifted coupe on big wheels styling that customers want but gets the same excellent upgrades that we saw on its sister model, the X5 SUV.The 2020 X6 will be available in three flavors, depending on how much performance you need and how much cash you’re willing to part with. The base model is the sDrive40i, followed by the xDrive40i and the M50i. Don’t let that M in M50i fool you though. This is just an M Performance trim level and not a full-fat M vehicle.The sDrive40i is rear-wheel drive and makes a healthy 335 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. The xDrive40i is similar but also drives the front wheels. The M50i model is where things start to get really spicy though because its 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 produces 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. That’s a lot of jam, friends.Power in all models is sent through BMW’s eight-speed automatic transmission. Nothing shocking there. Speaking of shocking though, BMW’s X6 is equipped with active roll stabilization which is powered by high-voltage electric swivel motors that work to smooth out rough pavement and keeps the SAV flatter in the corners, despite its tall bulk.
US Tech Policy “They’re playing with a lot of minds and they’re playing unfairly,” President Donald Trump said at his social media summit. Getty Images President Donald Trump said he will invite social media companies to the White House, a comment made at the “social media summit” from which they were excluded. The summit, which took place Thursday, included right-wing personalities but no representatives from Facebook, Twitter or other social media giants. “We’re going to be calling a big meeting of the companies,” Trump said in opening remarks at the summit, adding the meeting would likely take place in a week or two. “They have to be here.” Facebook and Twitter declined to comment. The White House hasn’t released any more information about a possible meeting with social media companies.Trump’s social media summit brought together media personalities popular in conservative circles, such as YouTuber Tim Pool and Jim Hoft of The Gateway Pundit, a site that has published right-wing conspiracy theories. Facebook and Twitter had previously said they weren’t invited to participate. YouTube didn’t respond to a request for comment about whether it had been invited.”They’re playing with a lot of minds and they’re playing unfairly,” the president said of the tech giants during the summit. He also complained about his follower count. Aug 7 • Trump’s emissions and fuel economy rollbacks will cost Americans money, study says Politics Tech Industry Jul 28 • Apple’s Q3 earnings are all about the iPhone 11 hints Facebook Google Twitter Post a comment Before the event, Trump lashed out at social media companies. The companies exhibit “tremendous dishonesty, bias, discrimination and suppression,” the president tweeted.”We will not let them get away with it much longer,” he said.The White House gathering comes as tensions between social media companies and prominent conservatives escalate amid a crackdown on hate speech, violence and other content that violates their rules. The companies have banned far-right figures, including InfoWars host Alex Jones, Milo Yiannopoulos and Laura Loomer. In response, lawmakers on Capitol Hill have criticized the moves at hearings, and the White House launched a website giving people the opportunity to report allegations of political bias by the companies.Trump has alleged Twitter makes it hard for people to follow him, though he has offered no evidence. In a meeting with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Trump complained about losing followers.Trump said he’d instruct his administration to “explore all regulatory and legislative solutions” to protect free speech.Many of the attendees at Thursday’s event, which started just after a Twitter outage, have accused social media companies of attempting to hamper their growth and reach. Facebook, Twitter and Google have repeatedly denied these accusations.James O’Keefe, head of Project Veritas, a conservative news outlet whose hidden-camera videos are popular on YouTube, attended the summit. Project Veritas has been accused of editing videos to twist what their subjects say, and of attempting to trick reporters at The Washington Post into pursuing a false story. O’Keefe has denied the allegations.Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, and Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida, were also invited to the summit. YourVoice America host Bill Mitchell, who’s promoted the extremist QAnon conspiracy, tweeted last week that he planned to attend the summit. Various conservatives groups including the Heritage Foundation, Prager University and the Media Research Center got invites as well, according to The Washington Post.On Thursday, advocacy groups such as the Muslim Advocates accused Trump of holding the summit to pressure social media companies into not enforcing their online rules. “President Trump’s social media summit is a ruse designed to intimidate technology companies like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube into allowing bigoted and white nationalist hate content on their platforms,” said Madihha Ahussain, Muslim Advocates’ special counsel for anti-Muslim bigotry. “Enforcing basic standards of decency on social media isn’t censoring conservative speech.”First published July 11 at 11:25 a.m. PT.Update, 2:18 p.m. PT: Adds details from the event. US Tech Policy See All Share your voice • Aug 6 • Trump says he’s watching Google ‘very closely,’ slams CEO Sundar Pichai Tags reading • Trump wants Facebook, Twitter to attend a different social media summit Aug 6 • President Trump wants social media to catch shooters before they strike. It’s going to be hard 0
Sheila DikshitReutersBollywood celebrities including legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, and actors Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur and Bhumi Pednekar, on Saturday expressed grief over the demise of veteran Congress leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, remembering her as a “tall leader”.Dikshit passed away at a private hospital here following a cardiac arrest. She was 81.Mangeshkar recalled her conversations with Dikshit on music and poetry.”A remarkable woman, former CM of New Delhi and a keen admirer of all art forms. We never discussed politics but had long talks on music and poetry. May her soul rest in peace, and heartfelt condolences to her family,” Mangeshkar tweeted.Akshay praised Sheila Dikshit for her contribution to the national Capital.”Extremely sad to know about the passing away of Sheila Dikshitji… she effectively changed the face of Delhi during her tenure. Heartfelt condolences to her family,” he wrote.Bhumi Pednekar wrote: A great leader indeed… My condolences to the family. You were so loved ma’am. A great loss to our nation. May your soul rest in peace.Nimrat Kaur called Dikshit a “lady par excellene”.She wrote: “Deepest condolences and heartfelt prayers on the passing of Sheila Dikshitji. A lady par excellence, someone who lead by example. An indispensable presence for generations to remember. May her blessed soul rest in peace.”Actress Richa Chadha considered Dikshit’s death as “a personal loss to anyone who grew up in Delhi”.”During my school and college, the green cover of Delhi actually grew by 300 per cent ! A tall leader. Rest in peace ma’am. Condolences to family,” she added.Bhangra star Mika Singh wrote: “Very sad news.. Our Ex Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit, has sadly passed but has left us with her beautiful memories… May God bless her soul, Rest in peace.”Isha Koppikar said she was “deeply saddened”.”Deeply saddened by the news of Sheila Dikshitji passing away. I offer my deepest condolences, and may her soul rest in peace,” Isha wrote.Dikshit is given credit for Delhi’s growing infrastructure, including roads and flyovers, better public transport system – especially the Delhi Metro – as well as development on the health and educational fronts. She had also been Kerala Governor briefly in 2014.
Darjeeling: With the tripartite talks failing in Uttar Kanya, the Joint Forum of Tea Trade Unions have called for a three-day bandh of all tea estates in Terai and Dooars in the plains and stopping of tea dispatch in all the tea gardens of the Hills. They also started a sit-in demonstration inside the Uttar Kanya compound in the Jalpaiguridistrict, which was lifted after assurance from the assistant labour commissioner that the meeting would continue on Tuesday. Also Read – Rain batters Kolkata, cripples normal lifeIncidentally, the tea trade unions have been demanding the implementation of minimum wages in the tea gardens. A minimum wage advisory committee was also constituted by the government in 2015. Several meetings have been held since then to resolve the issue.Tripartite talks between the state government, management and tea trade unions was held in Uttar Kanya, the mini secretariat in Jalpaiguri on Monday.”From the government’s side, we proposed a minimum wage amount of Rs 172. As per the demand of the trade unions, we had reviewed and increased the food basket and clothing component as the earlier rates were of 2014. There has been a 56% increase of these components, resulting in the increase from Rs 158 to Rs 172,” stated Jawaid Akhtar, labour commissioner, who is the member secretary of the minimum wage advisory committee. Also Read – Speeding Jaguar crashes into Mercedes car in Kolkata, 2 pedestrians killedThe labour commissioner stated that a group of trade unions have put forward fresh proposals like decreasing the amount of rice grains being given and instead add the cost of fruits in the food basket.”They have proposed a new rate. We have to review this rate, discuss it with the government and then continue talks. Another round of talks will be held on August 20 in Kolkata, where other components like medical and housing will be discussed. Some trade unions were satisfied with this and have confirmed their participation for the August 20 talks,” added the labour commissioner. He, however, did not want to disclose the rate put forward by the Union. The Joint Forum has proposed an amount of Rs 239. The Joint Forum had sat on a dharna immediately after the meeting ended at around 3:40 pm, demanding that the meeting continues.”All tea gardens in the plains will be closed for the next three days. Tea dispatch will be stopped in the Hills. The dharna in Uttar Kanya will continue and tea garden workers from the Hills and the plains in masses will march to Uttar Kanya to join the dharna from Tuesday,” stated Zia Ur Alam, convenor of the Joint Forum, a conglomeration of 26 tea trade unions.
Kolkata: The health condition of singer Dwijen Mukhopadhyay, who was admitted to SSKM Hospital on Saturday following some respiratory distress, has improved. He has, however, been kept under observation at a cabin of Woodburn block.The doctors at the hospital were concerned over the health condition of the veteran singer.According to hospital sources, the patient had responded to medicines as showed significant improve in his health condition in the Also Read – Rain batters Kolkata, cripples normal lifepast two days.Mukhopadhyay was brought to the hospital on Saturday afternoon after he had complained of respiratory distress and fever. As a result of this, his family members decided to take him to hospital on Saturday.After his treatment was started, the doctors found that he had been suffering from pneumonia. According to hospital sources, the patient has various age related ailments including high blood pressure, blood sugar, osteoarthritis. The veteran singer has been a chronic patient of COPD.It may be mentioned that Mukhopadhyay was earlier admitted to SSKM Hospital a month ago with same ailments and was later released from the hospital after a few days.According to a senior official of SSKM Hospital, the patient’s condition is stable but he will be kept under observation.
Sixers’ ‘Process’ isn’t ready for a playoff runColin paid up on his bet to wear a Sixers jersey on the air today after Philly won their 40th game of the season. Even Colin has to admit he’s impressed with their young core of talent, he still thinks they aren’t ready to win in the playoffs because they’re a bad three-point shooting team and lead the league in the turnovers.‘The Process’ has had a good year, but LeBron still owns the Eastern Conference. Rams are going all-in while Jared Goff is still cheapThe Rams were the most improved team last season and are going all-in acquiring players this offseason. Colin agrees with the Rams aggressive approach because they still have Jared Goff playing under his cheap with his rookie contract.The Seahawks and Eagles built Super Bowl winners with the same strategy of loading up on pricey talent when they realized they hit on Russell Wilson and Carson Wentz. It’s a copycat league and the Rams are smartly following the blueprint. Also:– Colin’s Mock Draft 5.0– D’Antoni’s Rockets won’t win it all like the SunsGuests:Chris Mannix – NBA Writer at The Vertical joins the show to talk Toronto’s loss in Cleveland; why LeBron has fallen off on defense; and if there’s long term concern in Boston over Kyrie Irving’s knee.Rod Woodson – NFL Hall of Famer is in-studio discussing the craziest locker rooms during his career; and how far Dez Bryant’s game has fallen.Anthony Herron – Fox Sports College Football Analyst joins the show to compare Rosen/Darnold; and why Ezekiel Elliott/Saquon Barkley comparisons are off base.
Sometimes it may seem like a tougher market out there for black and Hispanic homebuyers. However, according to a report from the Urban Institute, there may not be as large a gap as previously believed. Laurie Goodman, Vice President, Housing Finance Policy at Urban Institute and Bing Bai, Research Associate with Urban Institute explain in an Urban Wire post that the traditional method for measuring denial metrics, called the “observed denial rate”, does not account for the creditworthiness of mortgage applicants.In order to account for creditworthiness, Goodman and Bai developed a metric called the “real denial rate”. While the traditional “observed denial rate” divides the total number of denied applicants by the total number of mortgage applications, the real denial rate account for credit by dividing owner-occupied purchase borrowers into two halves: higher-credit-profile applicants and lower-credit-profile applicants.According to the “observed denial” data for 2017, the denial rate was nine percent for non-Hispanic whites, 18 percent for non-Hispanic blacks, 13 percent for Hispanics, and 11 percent for Asians. However, the “real denial rate”, accounting for creditworthiness, shows much higher denial rates for all races: 30 percent for whites, 37 percent for blacks, 33 percent for Hispanics, and 43 percent for Asians. Though these numbers are overall higher, the gaps between them are significantly smaller. Additionally, according to the “real denial rate”, Asians have the highest denial rate. Urban Institute notes that this is due in part to the low number of lower-credit-profile applicants in this group. Additionally, Asian borrowers are less likely to take advantage of government loans than other groups.Still, the real denial rate is not perfect. It does not account for income or borrower’s assets, but can still be used as a tool to understand discrimination problems in the housing market. According to the Urban Institute, black homeownership has dropped by five percent, while white homeownership has dropped by just one percent and Hispanic homeownership has increased. The real denial rate may help researchers and policymakers understand why.Learn more about how servicers and government entities are realizing the business case for diversity; read expert opinions on combating implicit bias and get answers to how far have we come 50 years after the passage of the Fair Housing Act in the Diversity & Inclusion special issue of DS News, out this September.Find more on the real denial rate at Urban Wire. Share in Daily Dose, Data, News, Origination Examining the Gaps in Loan Application Denials
applications Demographics denial loans mortgage 2018-08-27 Seth Welborn August 27, 2018 554 Views 
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