Month: April 2019

Home / Month: April 2019

Billionaire chief executive of electric carmaker Tesla Elon Musk has vowed that his company will hit the Indian car market as early as this year.

“Would love to be there this year. If not, definitely next!” Musk said in a Twitter post, responding to a question about Tesla’s long-delayed entry to India.

The claims come just 10 months after the businessman, famous for his inflammatory tweets, accused India’s challenging regulations of preventing the manufacturer from coming to the world’s fourth-largest automobile market.

Bringing sexy back: Elon Musk unveils Tesla’s 2nd electric SUV Model Y

Tesla had previously expressed hopes of entering India’s market. In 2014, Tesla’s former CIO, Jayaprakash Vijayan, announced plans to launch a distribution network in the country. However, India’s taxation policy and high import costs prevented the world’s leading electric vehicle brand from taking the step.

Two years ago, Anand Mahindra, the CEO of Indian multinational conglomerate Mahindra Group, invited Tesla to set up a base in the country.

“You don’t want to leave that whole market to Mahindra, do you?” the executive asked Musk in a friendly tweet after Tesla’s CEO commented on India’s ambitious plans to sell only electric cars by 2030.

Earlier this month, the country’s government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved a proposal aimed at implementing an eco-friendly policy called “Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India Phase II.” The three-year program, which will receive an initial investment of around $1.5 billion, will be launched in April.

India’s market looks promising for Tesla, but the country is still lagging behind neighboring China, where the manufacturer launched its first production facility outside the US. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, only 6,000 passenger electric cars are currently on Indian roads, compared to 1.35 million in China. India reportedly had just 425 publicly available charging points as of the end of 2017.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT’s business section

LOUISVILLE, Ky. –  Emporia State’s Danielle Sprinkle and Winona State’s Jordyn Kleman garnered the final Louisville/Slugger NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the week recognition of 2018 for contests played April 23-29.

Sprinkle played a pivotal role and was the offense’s table setter in eighth-seeded Emporia State’s run to a 2018 Mid-American Intercollege Athletic Conference championship and a berth into the NCAA Tournament. In the first inning of three of their four wins, the senior first baseman knocked in the first run of the game. She finished the five contests with a .714 average (10-for-14), two doubles, a home run and seven RBI.

In their opening upset of top seed Washburn, Sprinkle drove in the game’s first run and scored in the 3-0 victory. She also knocked in the first run in victories over Lindenwood and Central Oklahoma. In the championship clincher against the Bronchos, she was 4-for-4 with an RBI. A native of Salina, Kan., Sprinkle went 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBI in a wild 11-10 win over Northwest Missouri.

Kleman recorded three complete game victories, including a perfect game, to help No. 5 Winona State clinch its fourth Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular season title and first since 2007. Her perfecto came in a five-inning win over Minnesota State Moorhead in which she fanned 11 of 15 batters faced.

Kleman struck out 14, allowed a run on five hits and did not walk a batter in a 2-1 win over Northern State. She also struck out six in a complete-game effort against Concordia St. Paul. Fort the week, the La Crosse, Wis. Native was 3-0 with a 1.47 ERA with 31 strikeouts to just on walk in 19 innings of work.

Top Performances

Lani Van Zyl, Winona State– .722, 13 H, 4 2B, HR, 8 RBI, 8 R; Robyn Wampler, UC San Diego– 2-0, SV, 0.88 ERA, 25 K, 3 BB, 9 H, .167 opp BA; Ashley Hardin, West Texas A&M– .750, 9 H, 2 2B, 4 HR, grand slam, 10 RBI, 1.917 SLG; Lakyn Wagoner, Illinois Springfield– .615, 8 H, 3 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R, 1.308 SLG; Kilee Halbert, West Texas A&M– 2-0, 0.64 ERA, SHO, 3 H, R, 2 BB, 11 K, 11 IP, .083 opp BA, no-hitter vs. Eastern New Mexico; Sarah Ingerick, Gannon– .563, 9 H, 2 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 9 R, 1.250 SLG, .611 OBP; Bekah Slattery, Lock Haven– 3-0, SV 3 SHO, 0 R, 6 H, 34 K, 22 IP; Rachel Griffin, Davenport– .550, 11 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 12 RBI; Mariah Jameyson, Texas A&M University-Commerce– 1.000 (3-for-3), 10 BB (9 IBB), 1.000 OBP, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3.000 SLG; Michaela Hynes, Palm Beach Atlantic– .500, 6 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 R, 1.167 SLG; Makayla McCarthy, Wilmington– .438, 7 H, 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 3 R, 1.000 SLG, .500 OBP; 2-0, 0.41 ERA, SV, SHO, 22 K, 2 BB, 6 H, 17 IP; Ashton Adkins, Palm Beach Atlantic– 2-0, SV, 0 R, SHO, 5 H, 10 K, 13.2 IP, .109 opp BA; Maggie Hall, Bloomsburg- .619, 13 H, 5 2B, HR, 8 R, 4 RBI, 0 K, 2 BB, 2 SB; Amanda Gjertsen, Concordia Irvine– .429, 9 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 0 K; Jayda Alaan, Academy of Art– .625, 5 H, 2 2B, HR, 11 RBI, 7 R, 1.250 SLG, .733 OBP; Kylee Smith, North Georgia– 2-0, 0.42 ERA, SV, SHO, 2 CG, 18 K, 3 BB, 7 H, 16.2 IP; Melanie Murphy, Florida Tech– 2-0, 0.58 ERA, 12 K, 1 BB, 1 H, no-hitter vs. Lynn; Brooke Harner, West Chester– 2-0, 2 SHO, 15 K, 6 H, 14 IP; Emilee Downing, California– 2-1, SV, SHO, 1.67 ERA, 36 K, 29.1 IP, 6 app.

Halifax House Fire Kills Family's 7 Children

April 4, 2019 | News | No Comments

HALIFAX — Seven children, all members of a Syrian refugee family who arrived in Canada about two years ago, died in an early morning fire Tuesday that witnesses said quickly engulfed a home in a Halifax suburb.

Their parents, identified as Ebraheim and Kawthar Barho, were in hospital Tuesday, where Ebraheim was fighting for his life after apparently trying in vain to save his children.

Kawthar Barho was also injured but is expected to survive. Their children ranged in age from about three months to the mid-teens.

“We’re here in hospital with a desperate mother who lost seven of her kids,” he said, noting that officials are conducting DNA tests to confirm identities before they can proceed with a traditional Islamic burial process.

“She’s saying to us, ‘Am I going to get my children back?’ … It’s so hard. It’s so sad.”

Many people from Halifax’s tight-knit Muslim community had gathered at the hospital, he said.

“People want to try to help, but how can we … how can we provide her with anything?” said Haridy. “It’s a shock. It’s a tragedy.”

The family is among 1,795 Syrian refugees who have come to Nova Scotia in recent years, including 345 privately sponsored refugees.

For the Nova Scotians who sponsored the Syrian family, the news of the deaths of the children they’d grown close to came as an “unthinkable” blow.

“I think everyone is devastated and our loss pales in comparison to the parents,” said Natalie Horne, vice president of the Hants East Assisting Refugees Team (HEART).

Family was days from moving

Horne said the family arrived on Sept. 29, 2017. She said the children who died are: Ahmad, 14; Rola, 12; Mohamad, 9; Ola, 8; Hala, 3; Rana, 2 and Abdullah, who was born in Canada in November.

She said the family lived in Elmsdale for over a year and then came to Halifax to be closer to refugee support services, such as English-language training.

But she said they had missed the support of the community and the HEART society and had decided to return to Elmsdale.

The tragedy struck just days before the move back would have taken place.

“We were expecting them back in our community on March. … It was a huge loss for the family, when they moved. And they were looking forward to coming back. The children especially,” she said.

The group added in a Facebook post: “For the past year and a half, the children have been able to enjoy life as kids should be able to: going to school, riding bicycles, swimming, having friends, running in the yard, celebrating birthday parties and hanging out with the neighbours on their porch swing. They loved every minute of it, and it seems impossible we won’t hear their laughter and feel their hugs again.”

Halifax Fire Deputy Chief Dave Meldrum told reporters it was the deadliest fire anyone could remember in Nova Scotia.

“Words fail when children are taken from us too soon, especially in circumstances like this,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a tweet. “My heart goes out to the survivors of the horrible fire in Halifax this morning, and the loved ones who are mourning this tremendous loss.”

‘It was just awful’

Danielle Burt, who lives next door to the family on Quartz Drive, said she heard a loud bang and a woman screaming just after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday.

She fled the house with her four children and saw the parents outside in a harrowing scene.

“The mother was on the grass, praying I guess, bowing her hands down, and pulling on my husband’s arm to call 911,” she said, becoming emotional.

“She said the kids were inside and the dad was sitting on the steps. I think he had gone back in because he was really burnt. It was just awful.”

Burt said her children had become good friends with the children lost in the fire.

“They were just over at our house yesterday,” she said. “It’s just something out of a horror movie that you just never would wish on anybody.”

Rich Farrell, who lives down the street, said he and other neighbours ran up to the house as soon as the fire broke out to see if they could help. First responders were not yet on scene.

“It’s so frightening but in the space of 30 seconds, it went from what looked like a little bit of flame to the whole thing just becoming engulfed,” said Farrell, standing on his porch on a bitterly cold, sunny day.

“You can’t say for sure what happened, but it makes you think about fire safety and what you might be able to do to protect your family.”

Funerals to be held Wednesday

Imam Abdallah Yousri of the Ummah Mosque and Community Centre in Halifax said the family was from Raqqa, Syria.

He said the funerals would likely be held Wednesday.

“Our entire municipality is heartbroken and our thoughts are with the loved ones of the family,” Halifax Mayor Mike Savage said in a tweet.

Jennifer Watts, the CEO of the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia, said in an interview that staff members who worked directly teaching the family English and providing services are heartbroken by the deaths.

“It is very, very sad this has happened … for the Syrian community here and the wider community in Halifax,” she said in a telephone interview.

“It’s shocking and very sad. It’s had an impact on our clients who knew them and on our staff who were working with them,” she said.

Doug Hadley, a spokesman for the Halifax Regional Centre for Education, said four of the children attended schools in the area — two at Central Spryfield Elementary and two at Rockingstone Heights.

“This is a tremendously difficult day for both school communities,” he said in an emailed statement.

“We have additional staff in place at both schools to provide support to students. They will provide support on site for as long as necessary.”

The family’s home, which was extensively damaged in the blaze, is situated in a newly built residential neighbourhood. The entire backside of the home was gutted by the blaze, and adjacent homes were also damaged.

Colourful children’s toys could be seen piled in the open garage. Nearby, mourners had placed flowers and a teddy bear at the foot of a lamp post.

A neighbour who didn’t want to be identified told The Canadian Press that she was startled awake by screams.

“We heard horrible screams and then got up and saw the flames,” she said. “It was horrible. We called 911 but it took a long time to get through because apparently everyone was calling 911 at the same time.”

‘It was really scary’

The fire spread very quickly as they watched, she said.

“It was really scary,” she said.

“I was nervous it was going to hit the house next door but it didn’t. And then the fire crews finally got here, but there were flames shooting out the front of the house, like shooting out the windows. It was horrible.”

When Meldrum was asked why a fire would spread so quickly through a new home, he declined to speak about the nature of the fire in question, but he general terms he said: “New homes are built with light-weight construction. Once fire barriers are penetrated, rapid fire spread is possible in new construction.”

Halifax District Fire Chief Mike Blackburn said the fire was very heavy when they arrived, but firefighters were able to “knock it down” quickly.

He suggested firefighters were deeply affected by what they saw.

“They’ll process this over time but it’s very difficult and it’s not going to get any easier.”

Watts said the immigrant services association was providing trauma counselling to friends and people shaken by the tragedy.

“This is a moment for all of us in our communities to think about reaching out to immigrants and newcomers who don’t have all the family and friends in the community and building those relationships … so that people don’t feel alone and disconnected when something like this happens,” she said.

A fundraising campaign, organized by family friends including the Imam Council of Halifax, has been launched to help the grieving parents.

“They have lost all their children,” the Go Fund Me page, called Halifax House Fire Tragedy, said. “Mother is thankfully safe but the husband is facing life threatening injuries.”

“We need to support them in facing their calamity and help them finding a new shelter and pay for expected expenses,” the page said. “It’s hard to estimate how much they’ll need to restart their lives.”

— With files from Brett Bundale, Keith Doucette, Michael Tutton and Michael MacDonald

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Fifty outstanding softball players have been chosen for the 2019 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division III National Player of the Year watch list, which will be paired down in the coming months, until just one player remains at the conclusion of the season.

Twenty-six returning NFCA All-Americans top the list, including seven first-team honorees, 11 second-team selections and eight from last year’s third team. The remaining 24 members of the group all earned first-team NFCA All-Region recognition last season.

The University of Texas at Tyler leads all schools with five players on the list, while national runner-up Illinois Wesleyan had three players chosen, and Coe and Rowan each had two players selected.

Virginia Wesleyan lefty pitcher Hanna Hull, who has won the Schutt Sports/NFCA National Player of the Year award the past two seasons, is back on the list, as the two-time reigning national champion Marlins’ lone representative, while 37 other schools also had one representative.

In all, there are 25 seniors, 14 juniors and 11 sophomores in the group.

The list is compiled annually by the NFCA’s Division III All-America committee. The list will subsequently be cut to 25 and 10 as the season progresses, before the winner is chosen following the completion of the NCAA Championship.

The list will be adjusted along the way to assure the best players are being considered, with the eventual winner coming from the group of 10 finalists.

To view and download the full list, please click HERE.

Contracts for the purchase of troubled Boeing 737 MAX aircraft have been suspended indefinitely by a number of Russian airlines, according to Vladimir Afonsky, a member of the State Duma Committee on Transport and Construction.

He told TASS, with a reference to Deputy Transport Minister Aleksandr Yurchik, that these were contracts for the supply of several dozen aircraft to UTair, Ural Airlines, Pobeda Airlines and S7.

The indefinite suspension will last “until the circumstances of this situation [the two recent crashes of the Boeing 737 MAX planes] were ascertained,” Afonsky said.

Ural Airlines had ordered 14 MAX aircraft from Boeing, with the first jet expected to arrive in October. Pobeda Airlines (part of the Aeroflot Group) was planning to buy 30 planes. It has not sealed a firm contract yet but had already made an advance payment for the aircraft.

Aeroflot CEO Vitaly Savelyev said earlier that the company could refuse operating twenty MAX planes ordered for Pobeda.

Earlier this month, Boeing 737 MAX planes were grounded worldwide after two similar crashes just months apart. Last October, a Lion Air jet crashed in Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board. On March 10, another crash killed 157 people in Ethiopia.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT’s business section

Editor’s Note: This article initially attributed a number of statements to Wilson Chowdhry, a representative of the British Pakistani Christian Association. After publication, Chowdhry and another representative of the group alerted HuffPost to problems with those attributions. An internal review determined that HuffPost UK did not accurately report his remarks and represented paraphrases of some comments as direct quotes.

HuffPost has updated the article to verify our reporting and has removed the erroneous statements. HuffPost apologizes to Mr. Chowdhry and to our readers.

Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who spent eight years on death row in Pakistan for blasphemy, is expected to move to Canada after receiving offers of asylum from different countries. Several senior officials across the Canadian government told HuffPost Canada they are actively working to secure her release but won’t confirm details due to safety concerns for Bibi and diplomats.

The news comes as Pakistan’s top court rejected a challenge to the acquittal of the mother-of-five on blasphemy charges, after she was accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court upheld its decision to overturn Asia Bibi’s conviction and death sentence, sparking fears of civil unrest which plagued her release last year.

Several countries have reportedly offered Bibi asylum, including Italy and Australia.

“The general belief among the world leaders who have registered concern is that we needed to let the judicial process run its course. That process has successfully confirmed her acquittal and now we are waiting to hear that she has landed in a new safe place,” said a statement from the British Pakistani Christian Association, a charity that has been assisting the Bibi family.

It is hoped Bibi, 54, will join two of her daughters, who were flown to Canada in December for their safety, reported The Daily Telegraph.

“I can only confirm that I believe Asia will travel to Canada to be reunited with her family,” said Wilson Chowdhry of the British Pakistani Christian Association.

Canada’s Global Affairs department said that Bibi’s case is a “priority” for the Canadian government.

“Canada is prepared to do everything we can to ensure the safety of Asia Bibi,” Global Affairs Canada spokeswoman Brittany Fletcher said on Tuesday. “We urge the Government of Pakistan to take all necessary steps to keep her safe. Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right, and must be fully respected.”

‘Canada is a welcoming country’: Trudeau

Bibi, a farm labourer, was released from prison two months ago after Pakistan’s highest court acquitted her in a landmark decision.

Last month, a delegation from the BPCA visited Canada and garnered support from MPs there, who said they would welcome Asia and her family to the country.

The Trudeau government has the support of the opposition Conservatives, who have urged him to “use every mechanism at his disposal to offer the Bibi family asylum.”

Last November, Trudeau told reporters in Paris, “There is a delicate domestic context that we respect which is why I don’t want to say any more about that, but I will remind people Canada is a welcoming country.”

Watch: Who is Asia Bibi? Story continues below.

Bibi spent years in solitary confinement after an argument in June 2009 with a group of Muslim women, who accused her of insulting the Prophet Muhammad. Last fall, Pakistan’s Supreme Court overturned her conviction, saying the case against her was based on flimsy evidence.

Her acquittal sparked violent protests across the country, led by Islamic religious hardliners from the extremist group Tehreek-e-Labbaik, whose leaders were later arrested and detained on terrorism and sedition charges.

Days after her release, Bibi’s husband Ashiq Masih made an impassioned video plea to British Prime Minister Theresa May asking for asylum in the UK.

But her appeal for sanctuary was denied by the UK’s home office because of fears British embassies and diplomatic staff would be targeted by Islamic extremists.

With files from HuffPost Canada’s Samantha Beattie and Althia Raj

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misspelled Wilson Chowdhry’s name as Chowdry. The story has been updated.

Continuing on the road to the Women’s College World Series (WCWS), ESPN will televise every game from the NCAA Division I Softball Super Regionals providing fans up to 24 games across ESPN networks from Thursday, May 24, to Sunday, May 27. Games will be available on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU.

Road to the Women’s College World Series 
What started as a field of 64 has been reduced to 16 heading into the Super Regionals with this weekend determining the eight teams that will compete in the Women’s College World Series. For the second consecutive year, all 16 national seeds advanced following regional play with only three of those teams needing a game seven to punch their ticket.

The two-time defending champions No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners will host the No.13 Arkansas Razorbacks who make their first ever appearance in the Super Regionals. No. 1 seed Oregon will host No. 16 Kentucky in Eugene for the second consecutive year. Perhaps the most-storied Super Regional will be Los Angeles, where fans will witness the two most winningest teams in NCAA softball history in No. 3 UCLA and No. 14 Arizona—who, between the two schools, hold 19 of the 35 WCWS titles.

Shaggin’ Stats

  • The SEC continues on a three-year streak of being the conference to send the most teams to the Super Regionals with nine, breaking its own record of eight from last year.
  • No.12 Alabama has made the highest number of appearances at the Super Regionals (format began in 2005) with 14, followed by No. 8 Arizona with 13, No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 5 Washington both with 12
  • Three of the Super Regional match-ups will be between Pac-12 and SEC Schools. The Pac-12 is currently 3-1 against the SEC in the post-season.

The Voices of ESPN 
ESPN’s WCWS commentator team will reunite for the Los Angeles Super Regional when Sunday Night Baseball analyst and two-time Olympic softball player Jessica Mendoza joins fellow college softball analyst Michele Smith, play-by-play commentator Beth Mowins and reporter Holly Rowe. Mendoza began her career with ESPN as a softball analyst and has contributed to many WCWS telecasts. Amanda Scarborough—who is the analyst on the dayside team for the WCWS—will be in Gainseville alongside play-by-play commentator Tiffany Greene.

The additional commentator teams for the weekend: Eric Frede and Jennie Ritter (Seattle), Alex Loeb and Megan Willis (Athens), Mark Neely and Danielle Lawrie (Eugene), Kevin Brown and Erin Miller (Tallahassee), Pam Ward and Carol Bruggeman (Norman) and Courtney Lyle and Jenny Dalton-Hill (Tempe).

7Innings Podcast
Fans can keep up with all of the action thanks to 7Innings, a weekly softball podcast chronicling the Road to the WCWS. Each week ESPN personalities covering the sport shine a spotlight on the teams and players that make the sport so special. The talent line-up includes Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Amanda Scarborough, Holly Rowe, Laura Rutledge and Adam Amin.

 

The most recent edition “Sunset Skirmish” posted on Tuesday, May 22 and is available via iTunes and Google Play. An additional full-length, edition will be availableTuesday, May 29, leading into the WCWS and as an added bonus, shorter editions called “Extra Innings” will be available every morning of the WCWS.

espnW

espnW will continue to provide in-depth softball coverage with news, scores, highlights and analysis throughout the Super Regionals. In addition, espnW will announce its espnW Player of the Year on Wednesday, May 23.

Eugene Super Regional

Date

Time

Game

Network

Thu, May 24

9 p.m.

No. 16 Kentucky vs. No. 1 Oregon 
Mark Neely, Danielle Lawrie

ESPN2

Fri, May 25

11 p.m.

No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 16 Kentucky
Mark Neely, Danielle Lawrie

ESPN2

Sat, May 26

9 p.m.

Game 3: If Necessary

ESPN

Tempe Super Regional

Date

Time

Game

Network

Fri, May 25

11 p.m.

No. 9 South Carolina vs. No. 8 Arizona State 
Courtney Lyle, Jenny Dalton-Hill

ESPNU

Sat, May 26

9 p.m.

No. 8 Arizona State vs. No. 8 South Carolina
Courtney Lyle, Jenny Dalton-Hill

ESPN2

Sun, May 27

9 p.m.

Game 3: If Necessary

ESPNU

 

Seattle Super Regional

Date

Time

Game

Network

Fri, May 25

9 p.m.

No. 12 Alabama vs. No. 5 Washington
Eric Frede, Jennie Ritter

ESPNU

Sat, May 26

7 p.m.

No. 5 Washington vs. No. 12 Alabama 
Eric Frede, Jennie Ritter

ESPN2

Sun, May 27

7 p.m.

Game 3: If Necessary

ESPNU

Norman Super Regional

Date

Time

Game

Network

Fri, May 25

5 p.m.

No. 13 Arkansas vs. No. 4 Oklahoma 
Pam Ward, Carol Bruggeman

ESPN2

Sat, May 26

1 p.m.

No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Arkansas 
Pam Ward, Carol Bruggeman

ESPN

Sun, May 27

1 p.m.

Game 3: If Necessary

ESPN

Los Angeles Super Regional

Date

Time

Game

Network

Thu, May 24

9 p.m.

No. 14 Arizona vs. No. 3 UCLA 
Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe

ESPN

Fri, May 25

9 p.m.

No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 14 Arizona

Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Jessica Mendoza, Holly Rowe

ESPN2

Sat, May 26 

7 p.m.

Game 3: If Necessary

ESPN

Tallahassee Super Regional

Date

Time

Game

Network

Fri, May 25

7 p.m.

No. 11 LSU vs. No. 6 Florida State 
Kevin Brown, Erin Miller

ESPNU

Sat, May 26

5 p.m.

No. 6 Florida State vs. No. 11 LSU

Kevin Brown, Erin Miller

ESPN2

Sun, May 27

3 p.m.

Game 3: If Necessary

ESPNU

Athens Super Regional

Date

Time

Game

Network

Fri, May 25

5 p.m.

No. 10 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Georgia 
Alex Loeb, Megan Willis

ESPNU

Sat, May 26

3 p.m.

No. 7 Georgia vs. No. 10 Tennessee 
Alex Loeb, Megan Willis

ESPN

Sun, May 27

3 p.m.

Game 3: If Necessary

ESPN

Gainesville Super Regional

Date

Time

Game

Network

Thu, May 24 

7 p.m.

No. 15 Texas A&M vs. No. 2 Florida 
Tiffany Greene, Amanda Scarborough

ESPN

Fri, May 25

7 p.m.

No. 2 Florida vs. No. 15 Texas A&M
Tiffany Greene, Amanda Scarborough

ESPN2

Sat, May 26 

5 p.m.

Game 3: If Necessary

ESPN

— Courtesy of ESPN media

China undermines US monopoly, making cheaper goods and equipment America cannot spy on, veteran economist Michael Hudson told RT’s Max Keiser. He warns that the world is to split if the two powers fail to settle their row.

Washington cannot stand and feels insecure when it cannot totally control other countries, allowing it to make others do “whatever we want in foreign policy and treat you like we are treating Iran,” professor of economics at the University of Missouri and a researcher at the Levy Economics Institute explained in a New Year’s special of Keiser Report.

The same applies if the US is unable to put spyware in different devices, the analyst added. But China manufactures its own chips among other high technology equipment thus making this mission impossible.

“China is making telephones and computer equipment that we can’t spy on and that is a threat to our national security because they’re interfering with our ability to spy on you and on it,” Hudson said.

The world anticipates the upcoming high-level talks between the two world biggest economies, that is to take place on January 7-8. While markets rallied on and oil jumped on the news on Friday, the economist warned that the outcome of the trade “cold war” can literally change the global economy.

“Each country splitting and going its own way – the Chinese ‘Belt and Road’ group, the Eurasian group…will go their way and the Americans and their satellites – Canada and Europe and Latin America – will go its way. So you’ll have a fracturing of the world,” Hudson explained.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT’s business section

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says executives with “outrageous” salaries will lose their jobs as the province merges 20 health agencies into one.

A reporter asked the premier at a Cambridge, Ont. announcement whether his government’s comments that no “frontline” workers will lose their jobs is an admission that others will. The government has changed its messaging in recent weeks, after Ford promised repeatedly during last year’s election campaign that no public servants would lose their jobs under a Progressive Conservative government.

“You know who’s going to lose their jobs, unfortunately, are the people in the [Local Health Integration Networks], the CEOs, that are making hundreds of thousands of dollars, the big silos they have there, the big executives, presidents, vice presidents, making outrageous amounts of money,” the premier said Wednesday.

“We’re going to take that money and put it to the frontlines.”

Ford’s minister of health, Christine Elliott, announced in February that the PCs will merge Ontario’s 14 Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and other health agencies into one “super agency” to oversee health care.

Elliott refused to directly answer questions about layoffs at the time.

“That is something that we can’t answer right now,” she said.

Ford blamed the impending layoffs on former premier Kathleen Wynne’s government.

“I’ll tell you, when we came into office, those books were a financial disaster, absolute disaster,” he said. “You look at all the files, no matter the autism file, the energy file, I don’t know how this government even worked.”

Ontario’s deficit skyrocketed under the Liberals, with the province now spending $12.3 billion more than it brings in every year. As a result, total debt stands at nearly $350 billion.

Ford said Wednesday that his government’s first budget, on April 11, will include a plan to get back to balance.

“We’re not going in there with a big hack saw, chopping everything up,” he said. “We’re going to do it responsibly.”

Asked if managers in areas other than health care, like education, can also expect to lose their jobs, Ford said that is still under review.

“I’ve always said we’re going to protect our frontline people,” he said, even though that was not his message during the campaign.

“We’ve kept our promise made, promise kept on that.”

Some frontline workers are losing their jobs, however.

Brant Child and Family Services in Brantford says that the Ontario government has asked it to cut about 24 staff members. And Grand River Hospital in Waterloo, Ont. recently eliminated 40 nursing positions, though 30 of those nurses were offered other positions and some left through early retirement.

This story has been updated with details about layoffs at Brant Child and Family Services and Grand River Hospital.

Also On HuffPost:

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The NFCA is excited to announce that Easton Diamond Sports, LLC will continue its relationship with the Association. The longtime official sponsor renewed with the Association, signing a multi-year deal and will continue as the title sponsor for the NFCA’s Scholar-Athlete, Top Academic Team and Assistant Coach of the Year awards.

 To learn more about these awards, please visit NFCA Awards.

“The NFCA gives so many young coaches and players the opportunity to learn and network with the best of the best in our sport,” said Don Cooper, Director of Marketing/Sponsorships – Associations at Easton Diamond Sports. “Additionally, the annual Convention is the ultimate gathering of players, sponsors, manufacturers and coaches.”

Easton is the world’s leading manufacturer of baseball and softball equipment and one of the most iconic brands in these sports. Headquartered in Thousand Oaks, Calif., Easton Diamond Sports, LLC, manufactures bats, ball gloves, apparel bags, batting gloves, helmets, catcher’s equipment and related accessories. The company’s commitment to innovation and game-changing technologies drove its growth to the No. 1 position, including the introduction of the first true aluminum bat in 1972. As a result of this commitment to R&D and its storied brand heritage, Easton has long-standing relationships with the Little League World Series, professional sports organizations and NCAA collegiate teams.

“The NFCA is thrilled to continue our partnership with Easton,” said executive director Carol Bruggeman. “Easton is an industry leader, associated with excellence. Our coaches are excited to see their ongoing commitment to the NFCA and its Convention. We truly appreciate their support of the fastpitch community.”