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Showing posts with the label The Guardian

From Mick Jagger to Mike Love: all hail the money-grabbing men of rock

The Beach Boys, Pink Floyd and the Smiths all benefited from business-minded members, so why don’t responsible rock stars ever get their dues? Music celebrates the wild ones. It hails the people who put themselves out there in pursuit of their art. It eulogises the addicts, the ill, the unpredictable, the ones in whom the flame burns bright. It tends not to lavish such affection on those who keep the fire alight, doing the grunt work of going outside to chop up the logs, drying them out and putting them on the fire to feed the flames. Hence the lack of excitement about the Beach Boys’ Mike Love announcing his solo record Unleash the Love . Admittedly, it’s hard to get enthusiastic about an album that includes a rerecording of Do It Again featuring former ER star John Stamos on drums, but lack of excitement turned into open mockery on social media, where music writers rolled their eyes at the latest hubristic gesture from the man who is rumoured to have told Brian Wilson, as he stretc...

Women’s cricket ‘likely to be a target’ for corruption, insiders fear

• Betting on women’s game has mushroomed in past year • ‘There is no global education programme’ says players’ association leader Senior figures in world cricket have warned of the growing threat of corruption within the “vulnerable” women’s game, with an explosion in interest making it more attractive to fixers. The warnings come in the wake of a successful World Cup and as England prepare in Australia for the Women’s Ashes, which begins on 22 October. Tony Irish, the chief executive of international cricket’s players’ association warned that the women’s game was particularly at risk. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2ybXflS

Arjen Robben: how Holland will miss the wonderful master of cutting inside

The winger could be annoying at times with his tendency to fall over too easily but after 14 years of playing for the Oranje he will be remembered for what he is: a simply outstanding footballer “Fourteen years is a long time. ‘The Man of Glass’ lasted the longest” – Arjen Robben probably summed it up best himself. After an international career with 37 goals in 96 matches for Holland the 33-year-old bade farewell to the Oranje on Tuesday night . Early on in his career, he had been mocked for getting injured too often but in the end there was just a sense of loss. The Dutch had not only failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia next summer, they now have to try to regroup without the one outstanding player they have at their disposal. Because make no mistake, Robben is an extraordinary player and, as with so many others, perhaps he will only be fully appreciated now that he has left. Related: Portugal and France reach World Cup as Holland and Arjen Robben bow out Continue readi...

Barcelona chief executive talks up January bid for Philippe Coutinho

• ‘We are ready to buy Coutinho in the winter market,’ says Òscar Grau • Barcelona had three bids, including one of €130m, rejected by Liverpool The Barcelona chief executive, Òscar Grau, has claimed his club are prepared to make another attempt to sign Philippe Coutinho when the transfer window opens in January. The Catalan club had three offers for the Brazil international rejected by Liverpool during the summer window, the third worth up to €130m (£116.7m) following Coutinho’s decision to submit a transfer request at Anfield. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2i3pjUq

Tokyo Olympic stadium worker’s death follows 190 hours of overtime in a month

• Man logged 90 hours of overtime more than the monthly threshold for karoshi • Japan again forced to confront work culture after 23-year-old’s death Japanese labour inspectors have determined that the suicide of a 23-year-old man who worked at Tokyo’s new Olympic stadium construction site stemmed from overwork, and that his family was eligible for government compensation. Hiroshi Kawahito, a lawyer representing the bereaved family, said that the victim, in charge of quality control of materials at the stadium site, recorded 190 hours of overtime in one month before killing himself in March, according to Japan’s NHK public television. The worker had been in the role for less than a year. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2gbNwHY

Uefa unveils format for new Nations League to start in September 2018

• 55 European nations split into four groups based on rankings • Competition aimed at replacing most friendlies will feature finals tournament Uefa has confirmed which teams are in each of the four leagues for the inaugural Nations League, European football’s new international competition intended to replace most friendlies. Based on the coefficient rankings after the group stages of the European qualifiers for Russia 2018, England, ranked sixth, are in League A, while Wales (14th), the Republic of Ireland (19th) and Northern Ireland (21st) are in League B, and Scotland (27th) are in League C. All 55 Uefa nations are assigned to a league, with 12 teams in A and B, 15 in C and 16 in D. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2wO0O0j

Sergio Agüero targets early Manchester City return after car crash

• Rib injury suffered in Amsterdam car crash on 28 September • Striker now in training and Pep Guardiola hopes he can face Stoke Sergio Agüero is hopeful of being available for Manchester City’s home game with Stoke City on Saturday in what would be a surprise early return from the rib injury the striker suffered in a car crash less than two weeks ago. Agüero broke a rib in Amsterdam when the vehicle taking him to the airport after a pop concert crashed into a pole on 28 September, two days before City won 1-0 at Chelsea in their final match before the international break. The Argentinian was expected to be ruled out for around six weeks yet it is understood he will undergo a late fitness test before the Stoke game. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2i36mRM

UK gender inequality as bad as 10 years ago, EU league table shows

Britain ranks alongside Slovakia and the Czech Republic in gender equality index as having made no progress in range of fields Britain has made zero progress in tackling inequality between the sexes in the past decade and lags behind Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and France in the EU’s latest gender equality league table. The UK joins Slovakia and the Czech Republic among the EU’s 28 member states in having made no significant advances in reducing levels of inequality when taking into account a range of fields including the workplace, income, education, health or political engagement. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2g0KkLf

Stubbornness and lack of talent: the factors that doomed USA's World Cup

Bruce Arena’s team will not be at Russia 2018. It doesn’t take long to discover why they failed so badly in their bid to qualify for the tournament The shock is just now beginning to subside after the US men’s national team was eliminated from contention for the next summer’s World Cup in Russia. Every result that could have doomed them on Tuesday night came about, with Honduras and Panama’s respective wins combining with the US’s own 2-1 loss at already eliminated Trinidad & Tobago to knock Bruce Arena’s men out. The list of what didn’t doom the United States’ qualifying campaign is lengthy – vastly greater resources and spending power relative to the rest of the Concacaf region, first and foremost – but before the autopsy begins in earnest, below are four things that consigned the US to desperate failure. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2yFPmbD

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn at PMQs - Politics live

Number of Romanians and Bulgarians in UK rises to 413,000

Office for National Statistics report shows nearly 80% increase from 2014 in people from the two countries living in Britain The number of Romanians and Bulgarians living in Britain has risen by nearly 80% from 230,000 in 2014 to 413,000 last year, according to the Office for National Statistics. The surge in numbers coming to live in Britain from the two countries that joined the European Union in 2007 reflects the removal of restrictions on their rights to work in the UK in 2014. The number of people coming may also reflect the outcome of the EU referendum last year. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2kEYffb

Colombia’s Farc guerillas turn to football as route back into society

Now the guns are finally silenced after 53 years of conflict in Colombia, the Marxist Farc, formerly one of the most powerful and feared groups in the world, want to have a professional team A six-hour drive south of the Colombian capital, Bogotá, across scorched plains and through twisting passes stretched along high Andean peaks, a dozen men kick a battered football across a strip of land clogged with mud and stones. On the sidelines a man slumped in a wheelchair clatters his prosthetic leg against the frame. A woman standing beside him howls at the referee. She is clutching a rabbit. A rifle peeps from the bundle of white fur. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2yEYOf5

Philip Hammond wants 'rapid' EU response to PM's transition deal offer

Chancellor says proposal is a ‘wasting asset’ for business and suggests EU should break out of its current negotiations structure Philip Hammond has called for a “rapid response” from the EU27 to the prime minister’s offer of a transition deal, describing it as a “wasting asset” which will be less valuable to businesses the longer it takes to agree. The chancellor underlined the “need for speed” in agreeing the outlines of a deal, expected to cover around two years, which is aimed at giving businesses and the government time to adjust to the post-Brexit world. And he warned that a no-deal outcome was still possible, raising the possibility that the talks could end in a “bad-tempered breakdown”. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2y9G86S

Coffee shops not doing enough to combat huge increase in waste cups

Just 1% of the 2.5bn disposable cups thrown away each year in the UK are recycled, committee of MPs is told Coffee shops are not doing enough to deal with the billions of disposable cups that are thrown away in the UK each year, an influential committee of MPs has been told. The environment audit committee heard that the phenomenal growth of on-the-go coffee meant that 2.5bn disposable cups are thrown away annually in the UK, a number expected to rise to about 3bn by 2025. Only 1% are recycled. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2wLDgcd

I am Catalan: 'It's about building a new society for all' – video

As Catalonia continues to debate independence from Spain, the Guardian has been hearing from people in the region who worry that their views have not been represented in the mainstream media. In the third video of our series, Anna Coll, a member of the pro-independence CUP and a resident of Sant Feliu de Llobregat, argues that a breakaway is the only option for improving living conditions for all Catalans. • This is the third of five videos in our 'I am Catalan' series. Watch them all here .  Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2xwSDtL

Sister of UK man who died in custody hits out over mental health services

Inquest jury concluded ‘chaotic response’ to Joseph Phuong, who had schizophrenia, could have led to his death in 2015 The sister of a man with schizophrenia who died in police custody in south London has hit out at the lack of resources in mental health services after an inquest jury concluded a “chaotic response” to his medical emergency could have led to his death. Joseph Phuong, 32, was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia 10 years ago and received monthly injections of an anti-psychotic drug that allowed him to live with periods of happiness and calm. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2i3bgP1

World Cup 2018 power rankings: Germany on top among qualified 23 | Nick Ames

Twenty-three nations have booked their places for the World Cup in Russia, with the holders and Brazil looking in good shape but we rank England in 13th place, below Iceland If the world champions were frustrated by their failure to win continental honours at Euro 2016 they have certainly taken it out on everyone else since. Germany won 10 qualifying games out of 10 and, even if San Marino’s presence in Group C needs taking into account, a record 43 goals scored suggests things are back in their old working order. So too did their Confederations Cup title in July, achieved with an experimental squad; Joachim Low can select from an unrivalled depth of talent and, while winning back-to-back World Cups remain a huge task, none of next summer’s contenders has an equivalent selection of tools with which to tackle the different challenges they will face. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2y8OQSN

Harvey Weinstein allegations mount as wife condemns him

Georgina Chapman expresses sympathy for women who have ‘suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions’ Sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein continue to mount after his wife announced she was leaving him and his most powerful allies, including Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, expressed disgust at his actions. Georgina Chapman, co-founder of the Marchesa luxury brand and the mother of two of Weinstein’s children, said she was ending her 10-year marriage to the disgraced producer. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2gubf2N

Ministers to face court challenge over gender-neutral passports

Campaigner Christie Elan-Cane wins go-ahead for high court case against government A campaigner has won the go-ahead to bring a high court challenge against the government over gender-neutral passports. Christie Elan-Cane, who has given evidence to parliament about transgender equality, believes the UK’s passport application process, which requires individuals to indicate whether they are male or female, is inappropriate. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2hAHHjK

'Come here, Katy': how Donald Trump turned me into a target

Journalist Katy Tur’s new book, Unbelievable, covers the ‘ever-deepening weirdness’ that developed between Donald Trump and her during the campaign I wake up to sirens at 7.45am. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2wNeoke