Racing backed a loser on poisonous FOBTs and recovery will be painful

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The sport has been part of the problem for years, doing its best to keep out of the fixed-odds betting terminals debate while pocketing millions in media rights payments

Finally, the deed is done. It is too late to mend or renew the countless lives that have been blighted by high-stakes gaming on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs), or to reclaim any of the total of about £25bn that has been sucked from the poorest communities in the country over the last 13 years. But the long-awaited – and long-overdue – decision to limit FOBT stakes to £2 does at least signal a start to the process of recovering from one of the most catastrophic blunders ever committed in the name of deregulation.

The bookmakers with big betting shops chains – Ladbrokes/Coral, William Hill and BetFred – will no doubt continue to whine about the unfairness of it all for some while yet. They have, after all, watched and marvelled as billions of pounds in entirely risk-free profits has poured onto their balance sheets since FOBTs were legitimised in 2005. As it would be for any individual or any business, the effect has been intoxicating – and ultimately addictive. Free money is pernicious. Before too long, you convince yourself that you have earned it and deserve it, and that the good times are never going to end. A finger in each ear ensures that you do not hear those who tell you otherwise.

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Written by Greg Wood This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/may/17/horse-racing-backed-a-loser-on-poisonous-fixed-odds-betting-terminals under the title “Racing backed a loser on poisonous FOBTs and recovery will be painful”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

UK Sport’s report suggests penny is dropping that kindness costs little | Sean Ingle

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The health check was a long time in coming but a trend towards a softer approach to coaching, as seen in hockey, bodes promisingly for sport’s wellbeing

“The truth will be uncovered,” promised Dame Katherine Grainger as she revealed UK Sport’s first culture health check. “Whether it is good, bad, or ugly.”

The good? The report found that 90% of British athletes are proud to be on the world class programme. The bad? Thirty-one per cent of athletes have witnessed or experienced unacceptable behaviour. And the ugly? Eighteen per cent of athletes feel there are no consequences when people behave inappropriately. The sincerity of Grainger, who took over as chair of UK Sport last year, was obvious and her pledge to lance any lingering pus in the system welcome. But one question hung uneasily in the air: why had it taken so long to confront the ghost in the machine?

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Written by Sean Ingle This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/may/17/uk-sport-health-check-hockey under the title “UK Sport’s report suggests penny is dropping that kindness costs little | Sean Ingle”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Holstein Kiel dreaming of fairy-tale ascent to Bundesliga

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Holstein Kiel dreaming of fairy-tale ascent to Bundesliga

File Photo: Holstein Kiel player Rafael Czichos, center right, celebrates with Stephen Lewerenz, center left, after scoring his side’s fourth goal, during the match against Eintracht Braunschweig, on Sunday May 13, 2018. Photo: Associated Press

With a stadium too small for the Bundesliga, Holstein Kiel nevertheless dreams of playing in Germany’s top division for the first time.

Five years after securing promotion from the fourth division and only one after progressing from the third, the northern German club is on the verge of another promotion to complete a fairy-tale ascent to the Bundesliga.

“It’s something special, something historic,” Kiel coach Markus Anfang said. “It’s possible of course – we’re in the competition – and we’ll do everything we can to achieve it.”

Before mixing with Germany’s top clubs, Kiel will have to get past Volkswagen-backed Wolfsburg in a two-leg playoff. The winner of the games in Wolfsburg on Thursday and Kiel the following Monday will play in the Bundesliga next season.

If Kiel did make it through, it will have to quickly increase its stadium capacity after the German soccer league ruled that its 10,000-capacity Holstein-Stadion is too small for Bundesliga games. The league wants stadiums to hold at least 15,000 supporters in the top division, 8,000 of those seated.

On Wednesday the league said it would allow Kiel to construct an extra stand to accommodate the increased numbers by October, while work on the stadium’s east stand will increase capacity to 18,400 by next year.

Kiel fans lined up for tickets to the games and excitement in the port city of 250,000 inhabitants is palpable. It’s been a long time since a soccer team from Schleswig-Holstein, Germany’s most northerly state, generated national headlines.

The club’s heyday was between 1910 and 1930 when it won six Northern German championships. Kiel defeated Karlsruher FV with a penalty from Ernst Moeller to win its only German title in 1912. It finished runner-up in 1910 and 1930 and just missed out on promotion to the Bundesliga in 1965.

This season, Kiel has the advantage over Wolfsburg after finishing third in the second division with a 6-2 rout of Eintracht Braunschweig. Wolfsburg only avoided automatic demotion from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 win over already-relegated Cologne, its first victory in four games.

Anfang began his coaching career with Kiel in September 2016 and led the side to promotion in his first season.

“Up to now, we’ve gone into every game to win it, and that’s what we’ll do against Wolfsburg,” the former midfielder said.

Whatever happens, Anfang will not be coaching in the Bundesliga next season. The Cologne-native has already agreed to take over his hometown club following its relegation. Anfang and assistant Tom Cichon signed three-year deals with Cologne.

Last season was Kiel’s first in the second division in 36 years. The team finished with the best attack, scoring 71 goals in 34 games. It lost only six of those – another best-mark in the division.

Wolfsburg could only win six of its 34 games in the Bundesliga. It scored 36 goals, just over half of Kiel’s total, albeit in a tougher division.

It will be Wolfsburg’s second playoff for survival in as many years, underlining the club’s fall in stature in the wake of the Volkswagen emissions scandal in 2015. Wolfsburg won the German Cup and finished runner-up in the league that year, securing a spot in the Champions League, but it has struggled since, particularly in the last two seasons.

Wolfsburg’s troubles are encouragement for Kiel.

“For us, it would crown the last two years if we could manage it,” Anfang said. “We believe in it.”

The post Holstein Kiel dreaming of fairy-tale ascent to Bundesliga appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

Written by Siddhartha Pokharel This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/sports/holstein-kiel-dreaming-of-fairy-tale-ascent-to-bundesliga/ under the title “Holstein Kiel dreaming of fairy-tale ascent to Bundesliga”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Gareth Southgate sticks to his guns with squad it’s hard to argue with | Daniel Taylor

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John Stones may count himself fortunate to be in England’s World Cup 23 but the manager has largely remained true to principles he set out just after his appointment

A video has been doing the rounds in the last couple of days showing the moment when Fagner, a defender for Corinthians, is waiting to discover whether he has been named in Brazil’s squad for the World Cup. It is lovely to see. Fagner is with his family – lots of family, mostly wearing that famous yellow kit – but standing apart, listening to the names being announced, one by one, on television. If he looks nervous it is understandable bearing in mind his whole career, at the age of 28, has brought him only four caps. He has clearly not had any advance warning. And then, finally, it is his name read out and, amid the screams and the hugs, we see what it means for a footballer to be selected for this tournament.

Festa na casa do lateral direito Fagner… CONVOCADO PARA A SELEÇÃO BRASILEIRA! pic.twitter.com/yPIDns1Ixk

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Written by Daniel Taylor This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/may/16/gareth-southgate-squad-england-world-cup-23 under the title “Gareth Southgate sticks to his guns with squad it’s hard to argue with | Daniel Taylor”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Whistleblowers’ fears revealed in landmark UK Sport report

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‘Culture health check’ shows widespread pride but reports almost a third of Olympic athletes fear reprisals for speaking out

The optimistic tone of the UK Sport hierarchy as they presented the results of what they called a “culture health check” has rarely been heard over the last two years as they lurched from one duty-of-care crisis to another.

Barely a corner of the system has been left untouched by allegations of bullying, discrimination and favouritism – from cycling to gymnastics, canoeing and bobsleigh, to mention just a few. Now Chelsea Warr, the performance director of UK Sport, has claimed this survey of more than 2,000 elite athletes and staff across the Olympic spectrum is proof that those problems are not endemic in the system.

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Written by Martha Kelner This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/may/16/whistleblowers-fears-revealed-uk-sport-report-olympic-athletes under the title “Whistleblowers’ fears revealed in landmark UK Sport report”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Furious Karolina Pliskova attacks tennis umpire’s chair at Italian Open

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  • Enraged world No 5 smashes hole with racket
  • Czech upset by line call at tournament in Rome

World No 5 Karolina Pliskova lost her cool over a line call and bashed a hole into the umpire’s chair with her racket after suffering a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 defeat by Maria Sakkari in the Italian Open second round.

Pliskova had argued heatedly with umpire Marta Mrozinska after her smash was called out when serving at 30-30 and 5-5 in the final set, and her Greek opponent won the game before serving out the match.

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Written by Reuters This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/may/17/furious-karolina-pliskova-attacks-tennis-umpires-chair under the title “
Furious Karolina Pliskova attacks tennis umpire’s chair at Italian Open
“. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

IBN to publish DFS notice for metro rail today

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Kathmandu, May 16

The Investment Board Nepal (IBN) has said that it will publish a notice seeking expression of interest (EoI) to conduct the detailed feasibility study (DFS) of the Nagdhunga-Koteshwor-Dhulikhel metro rail project on Thursday.

The 21-day notice will be open for all interested national and international companies.

“We will publish a global tender calling on interested parties to submit EoI for Route Number 2 of the metro rail project,” said Maha Prasad Adhikari, CEO of IBN.

Route Number 2 of the metro rail project comprises Nagdhunga-Kalanki-Koteshwor areas of Kathmandu Valley and Dhulikhel of Kavre district and will be 37 kilometres long. The preliminary study of the project was jointly prepared by the Department of Railways and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The government had directed IBN to prepare the DFS of the metro rail project of the Nagdhunga-Kalanki-Koteshwor-Dhulikhel section (Route Number 2), on April 30.

“We will follow a transparent bidding process and Public Procurement Act to award the contract for the DFS,” Adhikari stated, adding that IBN will select a company within six months.

He further said that the metro rail will be operated under the public-private partnership (PPP) model and IBN will select a company that also has experience of building projects under the aforementioned model.

The 30th executive meeting of the IBN held under the leadership of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is also the chairman of IBN, mandated the IBN to conduct DFS for the proposed Route Number 2 of the Kathmandu Valley Metro Rail Project last month.

The shortlisted firm will be given a deadline of 15 months to complete the DFS. “We will select an experienced and technically and economically viable company to prepare the feasibility report of the project,” said Adhikari.

The proposed Route Number 1 of the Kathmandu Valley Metro Rail Project comprises the Budhanilkantha-Satdobato-Khokana sector.

“The DFS will suggest the engineering and investment model of the project and after that the detailed project report (DPR) will spell out the actual cost and time that will be required to build the project,” Adhikari informed.

IBN believes that the metro rail will sharply reduce the increasing problems of traffic congestion and pollution in the Valley.

The post IBN to publish DFS notice for metro rail today appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

Written by Sandeep This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/ibn-to-publish-dfs-notice-for-metro-rail-today/ under the title “IBN to publish DFS notice for metro rail today”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Blueair’s air purifiers launched

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Blueair’s air purifiers launched
air purifier

TR Ganesh, general manager of Blueair MiddleEast (centre), launching Blueair indoor air purifiers, in Kathmandu, on Wednesday. Photo: THT

Kathmandu, May 16

Blueair, the world’s pioneer air purification solution, has launched indoor air purifiers of various price range in Nepali market today.

Blueair, owned by multinational Unilever, believes that sales will pick up along with their awareness campaign on air quality. Blueair has planned to launch a campaign on air quality and to establish air purifier as an essential commodity like how water purifiers have become these days.

“A few years ago, people used to drink water directly from the tap or boil it before consuming. However, along with awareness, people started using water purifiers, which have become one of the most essential commodities now,” said TR Ganesh, general manager of Blueair MiddleEast that looks after the Middle East and South Asian markets.

Blueair decided to launch the product in Nepal as the country’s ranking in air quality index is poor. “People normally think that the outdoor air is bad, but not many people know that air indoors can be 10 times worse,” he said. “This is because contained areas enable potential pollutants to build up more than open spaces do.”

Blueair air purifiers were already being supplied to the diplomatic missions in Nepal. Seeing the scope of the product in the Nepali market, the company decided to officially launch its products here.

Get Ahead Trading has been appointed the authorised dealer of the product, which will appoint sub-dealers mainly in urban areas first. Blueair has planned to launch its product range in Bangladesh after Nepal in the South Asian market.

The price of 20 types of air purifiers launched by the Blueair ranges from $150 to $2,000, depending on its size, and the appropriate product can be determined by the room size. The cheapest air purifier is for 18-square- metre room, while costliest is for 120 square metres, as per Ganesh, who joined Blueair after Unilever acquired the Sweden-based company in 2016.

With presence in over 75 countries, Blueair claims to have a huge customer base in China, United States, South Korea, Japan and India.

The post Blueair’s air purifiers launched appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

Written by Sandeep This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/blueairs-air-purifiers-launched/ under the title “Blueair’s air purifiers launched”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

13.46pc growth in international arrivals

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13.46pc growth in international arrivals

Kathmandu, May 16

The country received 387,568 tourists in the first four months of 2018 via air routes.

According to Nepal Tourism Board, tourist arrivals surged by 45,993 or 13.46 per cent compared to the same period of 2017. Nepal had received a total of 341,575 international visitors in the first four months of 2017.

NTB has said it expects the flow of international tourists to cross one million by the end of 2018 if the country is able to maintain the momentum of the first quadrimester.

It terms of flow of tourists, China ranked at the top with 53,528 Chinese tourists coming to Nepal in the first four months. It was followed by India, United States, United Kingdom and Thailand.

A total of 50,745 Indian tourists visited Nepal via air route in the review period.

Likewise, the US was the third largest contributor in terms of number of international visitors to Nepal, with 29,550 US passport holders visiting Nepal between January and April.

Similarly, visitors from UK stood at 21,950 and 21,495 Thai tourists visited Nepal in the same period.

Tourist arrival from other South Asian countries, apart from India, also picked up.

As per NTB, a total of 18,166 tourists from Sri Lanka and 10,945 tourists from Bangladesh visited the country.

Tourist arrival from Sri Lanka was better than arrivals from Germany and Australia. A total of 13,442 German nationals and 12,628 Australians visited Nepal.

The post 13.46pc growth in international arrivals appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

Written by Sandeep This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/13-46pc-growth-in-international-arrivals/ under the title “13.46pc growth in international arrivals”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Govt in no mood to unfreeze bank accounts of transport bodies

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Kathmandu, May 16

The government seems to be in no mood to unfreeze bank accounts of transport bodies — transport committees and associations — any time soon.

The government had suspended the accounts a few weeks back on the charge that the transport bodies were backing the syndicate system in the public transportation industry.

Acting even stricter towards such anti-competitive practices that prevailed in the public transportation sector, a meeting of Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa, Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Raghubir Mahaseth, Nepal Rastra Bank’s Governor Chiranjibi Nepal and other concerned agencies on Tuesday evening decided to suspend bank accounts of all remaining transport bodies and start probing their properties.

Earlier, the Ministry of Finance had directed Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) to freeze bank accounts of 245 transport bodies that were against the decision of the government to end the transport syndicate.

The meeting has also asked the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) to furnish details of all other transport bodies and submit them to the Ministry of Finance (MoF).

“Hundreds of transport bodies are avoiding paying government taxes though they are earning huge amounts of money. Thus, probe into all movable and immovable properties of transport bodies is justifiable,” said an official at the DoTM, seeking anonymity.

Though registered at the District Administration Offices (DAOs) as non-profit organisations, these transport bodies have been making transactions worth billions of rupees every year. However, they do not fall under income tax net of the government.

As the government has already announced it will not renew registration of such transport bodies, making it mandatory for them to register as companies, the end of the transport syndicate is expected to bring billions of rupees under the tax net.

DoTM officials informed that the bank accounts of transport bodies might be unfrozen after the government’s probe into their property is completed.

Meanwhile, MoF officials have already clarified that bank accounts of transport bodies will be unfrozen only after a joint recommendation for the same from the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and Ministry of Home Affairs, which is unlikely in the near future.

However, Saroj Sitaula, general secretary of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs, insisted that the government should unfreeze bank accounts of all transport bodies as they have already agreed to support the government’s move to end transportation syndicate.

The post Govt in no mood to unfreeze bank accounts of transport bodies appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

Written by Sandeep This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/government-in-no-mood-to-unfreeze-bank-accounts-of-transport-bodies/ under the title “Govt in no mood to unfreeze bank accounts of transport bodies”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
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