Month: July 2019

LIMA – Peru’s ex-president Alejandro Toledo, who is wanted in his country on corruption charges, was arrested early Tuesday in the United States, Peruvian judicial officials said.

“The attorney general’s office … reports that the former president Alejandro Toledo Manrique was arrested this morning in the United States over an extradition request (by Peru),” the attorney general’s office wrote on its official Twitter account.

Toledo was being brought before US authorities “as part of the process aimed at securing his return to the country,” said prosecutors.

The former head of state, who has been living in the United States since 2017, is accused of various crimes, including accepting bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht in exchange for a government contract to build the Interoceanic Highway linking Peru and Brazil.

Charges have also been brought against his wife Eliane Karp, and his former head of security Avraham Dan On, and his son Shai Dan On.

Extradition proceedings could take up to a year and a half.

Revelations that Odebrecht regularly bribed officials in Latin America to secure lucrative government contracts have tainted a string of Peruvian presidents, including Ollanta Humala, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and the late Alan Garcia during his second term in office.

Click Here: watford fc shirt

Humala was arrested in 2017 and is awaiting trial. Kuczynski resigned to avoid an impeachment trial in 2018.

How designer Mary Quant launched a high-street and aesthetic revolution

From miniskirts and hot pants to vibrant tights and makeup, Mary Quant launched a fashion revolution on the British high street. A design and retail pioneer, she popularized super-high hemlines and a range of irreverent looks that became critical to the development of the Swinging Sixties scene. Her legacy is celebrated in Mary Quant, a major exhibition at the V&A in London, which opened on April 6 and runs until Feb 16, 2020.

Although Quant is often credited with creating the decade’s most iconic look, the miniskirt, there’s no conclusive evidence to say who first took hemlines a daringly long way north of the knee (French couturier Andre Courreges is another possibility). Regardless, extremely short skirts and shift dresses became Quant’s trademark, and were popularized by the era’s most high-profile model, Twiggy, whose willowy figure helped turn ultrashort hemlines into an international trend.

Click Here: watford fc shirt

The 35-year-old was set to retire after leaving Roma but a move to Argentina is now seemingly close

Boca Juniors president Daniel Angelici believes a deal for former Roma icon Daniele de Rossi is all but sealed.

Sporting director Nicolas Burdisso spoke last month of his desire to see De Rossi join Boca after the World Cup winner left boyhood club Roma.

And despite reports the Italian would instead retire, links to the Argentine giants have persisted.

Click Here: Cheap kid backpacks

Angelici now hopes a move is close, claiming negotiations are 99 per cent of the way.

“The negotiations for De Rossi are well under way,” he told TyC Sports. “In the coming days, he will fly to Buenos Aires.

“It is 99 per cent that Daniele will be a Boca player.

“To have a world champion say he wants to finish his career here fills me with pride. It is good for Argentine football to have a player like this.”

De Rossi would likely replace Uruguay star Nahitan Nandez, who is a reported target for Cagliari.

The 35-year-old played 616 games at Roma during an 18-year career. The Italian also earned 117 international caps, winning the World Cup in 2006.

Burdisso, who played with De Rossi at Roma between 2009 and 2014, is thought to have had a major influence on bringing his former team-mate to Argentina. 

The Old Trafford outfit should not give up on on the Belgian striker insists the former Red Devil despite increasing talk of a move to Inter

Dimitar Berbatov feels criticism of Manchester United forward Romelu Lukaku is unfair and hopes the Belgian stays at Old Trafford.

Lukaku joined United from Everton in a £75 million deal ($94m) in 2017, scoring 28 goals in 66 Premier League games since then, but his performances have been much maligned.

The former Chelsea man has been heavily linked with a switch to Inter as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer shakes up his United squad ahead of the new season.

But Berbatov, who played under Alex Ferguson for four years at United, would prefer to see Lukaku remain at the club.

“I think he should stay,” the former Red Devils striker told Sky Sports. “I like him, I don’t agree with all the criticism he’s getting — yes he has some areas which he need to work like every other player.

“But his teammates need to help him as well.

“For example if I’m a midfield player and I play with him, I will know how to pass him the ball, when to pass him the ball, on which foot to pass him the ball. This is what your teammates need to know, how to play with you.”

Berbatov believes Lukaku is in the right situation to improve however, as his current coach has plenty of experience as a No.9 at Old Trafford.

“I think Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a good coach for him because if Lukaku wants to ask the coach something, he can go and ask him, because Solskajer was a good striker,” Berbatov added. “So if you need striker’s advice, you go to the coach.”

However, Berbatov believes United would have the firepower to cope with Lukaku’s departure, telling the Straits Times he backs Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford for big seasons.

“I am calm because I like Martial a lot,” he said. “I used to play with him in Monaco a lot and I know that he is really good and that he can be even better.

“I like Rashford as well; he can develop and become even better.”

Click Here: Sports Water Bottle Accessories

The club’s technical director claims that their interest has never gone any further than admiration.

Paolo Maldini insists AC Milan did not make an offer for Luka Modric this close season, although he admits the Real Madrid man would be “perfect” at San Siro.

Modric is expected to stay at Madrid, where he has been since 2012, but the 33-year-old was linked with moves to Inter last year and rivals Milan in recent months.

Maldini, acknowledging the midfielder’s blend of experience and talent, says there was never any negotiation for the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner.

Click Here: Sports Water Bottle Accessories

“We never negotiated for Modric, but we’ve said to [coach Marco] Giampaolo this club are looking for good young players and some experienced ones,” Rossoneri technical director Maldini told a news conference.

“The growth of young players takes place through the presence of experienced players. Modric would be perfect here, but we’ve never negotiated for him.”

Maldini was speaking alongside Rade Krunic and Theo Hernandez as they were presented as Milan players on Friday.

Hernandez, a left-back just as Maldini was in his playing days, was delighted to have joined Milan.

“It is a real honour to be sitting next to [Maldini],” Hernandez said. “He will always be the best full-back in the world.

“We met in Ibiza, where he had some very beautiful and sincere words for me. Since then, I have had the desire to join Milan. I trained hard to succeed and in the end I did it.”

Krunic, a Bosnia and Herzegovina international midfielder, joined after spending four seasons with Empoli. 
 

The 19-year-old continues to be tipped for a bright future at Anfield, and he is determined to repay the faith shown in him by Reds boss Jurgen Klopp

Rhian Brewster is ready to fill the “big boots” of Daniel Sturridge at Liverpool and repay the faith shown in him by Jurgen Klopp.

The 19-year-old has long been tipped for the top at Anfield, and a number of exciting performances at academy level, along with an impressive strike rate, have seen him billed as a potential star of the future.

Now, with injury struggles having been overcome, the Under-17 World Cup winner is ready to make his mark and force his way into contention under Klopp.

Competitive minutes could come his way in 2019-20, with an attacking berth having opened up following the departure of Sturridge at the end of his contract.

And Brewster has told Liverpool’s official website of the praise he has received from a manager looking for a promising youngster to prove his worth.

“He has said it quite a few times now and I just want to repay his faith in me,” said the London-born forward.

“It is alright him saying it, but it is for me to go out there and do it. I’m looking forward to doing that.

“Of course it’s sad that Daniel has gone, but it’s a gap for me and hopefully I can fill his big boots. He’s not a bad player! Hopefully I can push on this season.”

Brewster has staked a serious claim to a more regular role with his efforts in pre-season so far, with three goals recorded across outings against Tranmere and Bradford.

He is now part of the squad preparing for meetings with Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Sporting in America.

When asked about his form, he added: “I got two goals against Tranmere and a goal against Bradford, but coming to the US we’ve got Dortmund, Sevilla and Sporting.

“It’s going to be a tough task but it will be good to get more minutes in this heat. Hopefully I can get a few more goals and push on.”

Despite not taking in any outings for Liverpool last season, Brewster was an unused substitute in the Reds’ Champions League final win over Tottenham and now has a European Cup winners’ medal to his name.

Click Here: Sports Water Bottles

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that a US warship destroyed an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking at the White House, Trump said that USS Boxer, an amphibious assault ship of the US Navy, destroyed the drone that threatened the US warship by flying within 1,000 yards of it.

Trump said the drone was “threatening the safety of the ship and the ship’s crew,” calling the downing a “defensive action.”

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman later said in a statement that USS Boxer downed the approaching drone at approximately 10 a.m. local time during its planned inbound transit of the Strait of Hormuz.

“A fixed wing unmanned aerial system (UAS) approached USS Boxer and closed within a threatening range. The ship took defensive action against the UAS to ensure the safety of the ship and its crew,” said the statement.

Click Here: Pandora Jewelry

The Hangzhou-Shaoxing-Taizhou line in East China’s Zhejiang province, which is the first privately controlled high-speed railway line in China, is expected to become the country’s first railroad line managed by artificial intelligence, according to the companies responsible for the railway’s construction.

HSTR, the company in charge of construction and management of the railway line, signed an agreement with China Railway Gecent Technology Co Ltd on Wednesday in Shanghai to apply the latest technology innovation in the Hangzhou-Shaoxing-Taizhou line to make it the first smart railway line in the country.

Wu Peirong, general manager of HSTR, said that the newly announced cooperation with CRGT will introduce technologies such as the internet of things and artificial intelligence while building the railway line.

CRGT is a joint venture set up by State-owned China Railway Investment Co Ltd, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group and Tencent Holdings Ltd. China Railway Investment holds the controlling 51 percent stake in CRGT while the remaining 49 percent is held by the two privately owned companies.

The primary operation of CRGT is to build and manage Wi-Fi services on high-speed trains in China. The company released a smartphone application in September last year with which passengers can connect to the on-board Wi-Fi, look for online entertainment and even make food delivery orders. Up till now, CRGT has gained more than 10 million users in China.

Pan Yunbin, chief executive officer of CRGT, explained that artificial intelligence can be introduced for the construction of the Hangzhou-Shaoxing-Taizhou line to manage equipment, the flow of passengers, parking lots, businesses and even billboards to make the line run more efficiently.

The application of artificial intelligence can also help to cut the operating costs of the railway line, said Pan. Its electricity costs, for example, can be cut by at least 30 percent if the power supply is managed by intelligent machines.

“The Hangzhou-Shaoxing-Taizhou railway line is completely new, including the stations. In this sense, it is unnecessary to resort to the older technologies when building the line. A new technology system can be developed here,” said Pan.

The investment agreement for the Hangzhou-Shaoxing-Taizhou line was signed in September 2017, with a total investment of 44.89 billion yuan ($6.53 billion). A consortium of eight privately owned enterprises led by Shanghai-based conglomerate Fosun International will take a controlling 51 percent stake in the railway project’s registered capital of 12.36 billion yuan. It is one of the eight railway projects involving private investment approved by the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top economic regulator.

Construction of the public-private partnership railway project started at the end of 2017. So far, 35 percent of the project has been completed, according to information provided at the signing ceremony on Wednesday. Work on the Taizhou station, which is the largest project in this 269-kilometer line, started on June 27. The entire project is scheduled to wrap up and officially start running in 2021.

The Guadalajara club’s directors once again have put its squad in a tough situation, asking it to play in two tournaments simultaneously

Chivas play Saturday. Chivas play Sunday. 

It seems like a video game, when you and your friend pick the same team to have the fairest matchup possible. But this is no game. The historic Guadalajara side is splitting in half, with a portion of its squad headed west to California for an International Champions Cup match against Benfica and the others going south to Torreon where they’ll open the Liga MX campaign against Santos Laguna on Sunday. 

Of course, players are not video game avatars. They’re real people who get affected by flights, by tight muscles, by long stretches away from home. 

It’s a situation with which no one seems happy – not Liga MX, not the ICC, not Chivas and not their opponents. Chivas manager Tomas Boy is understandably one of the most frustrated. 

“I would’ve liked if the FMF were more accommodating with us, a bit more understanding,” Boy said. “The federation could have taken another position toward Guadalajara and given us the ability to face these tough opponents. We’re playing Saturday and Sunday, so I’m going to give priority to the league.” 

He doesn’t have much choice, but that creates other problems. With the ICC now irritated at having to market Chivas B vs. Benfica to the Northern California market, the top players are set to go straight from Torreon to DFW for the club’s final ICC match featuring Chivas against Atletico Madrid in Arlington, Texas. That guarantees that not only will preparations for Jornada 1 be disrupted, so too will those for the club’s home opener against Tigres. 

European managers often have seen their seasons tanked by an overloaded team running out of gas after starting the year by contesting tournaments like the Europa League plus cup competitions. This run of four matches in a week, which will see the team cover more than 6,500 miles in 11 days, will be tough for the team to bounce back from. 

Boy can point his finger at the league, but his frustration really should be with his own directors. Jorge Vergara, his son Amaury and the others running the club are responsible. 

They’re reaping the benefits from sending their club barnstorming through the United States, where they know they can make dollars from the fan base that has money to spend but only has Chivas in town once every few years.  

They’ve once again put profit before points, sending their players barnstorming through the U.S. while other teams have preseasons that actually serve to get them ready for the Apertura. It’d be one thing if this were all a misunderstanding, but Chivas clearly thought they could throw their weight around and get the league to postpone its opener. 

“We have to prioritize our tournament, and a friendly match can’t be above our league,” Liga MX president Enrique Bonilla said. “They were informed of this before they signed the contract. They wanted to do it like that. It’s their decision, but the calendar has been previously announced.” 

Fans shouldn’t even be comforted by the idea that perhaps this debacle will teach the owners a lesson. They didn’t learn from past mistakes, either. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Chivas played two games in the same day in 2006, with half of Chepo de la Torre’s squad opening league play, the other half taking on Barcelona in a friendly match in Los Angeles and De La Torre on the bench for both contests.  

In 2006, however, Chivas were not in the same situation they find themselves in now – which is to say that in 2006 Chivas were not at risk of relegation. All things being considered, the Goats are probably fine. Even if they have a poor Apertura and Clausura, all they have to do is be better than Veracruz, and they avoid the drop. Even if they should go down on sporting merit, the league has let the last two teams that should have gone down stay in the top division after paying a fine. But what an absolute embarrassment it would be if Chivas go into April or May needing points not to get into the Liguilla but to stay in the league.  

That’s part of the reason the club accepting the ICC’s invitation is so galling. In theory, this is supposed to be a tournament for teams that are actually good. Chivas won the league-cup double in 2017 and managed to win the Concacaf Champions League the following year. After that, they ran off manager Matias Almeyda and have failed to be champion of anything since his departure. 

The ‘stars’ fans won’t be seeing Saturday isn’t exactly a who’s who of Mexican soccer. Oribe Peralta, Oswaldo Alanis, Jesus Molina, Isaac Brizuela and Eduardo “La Chofis” Lopez are all fine squad players in the league, but none are currently in the picture for Tata Martino’s Mexico national team. 

That’s just another demonstration of how far Chivas have fallen. Their brand is far stronger than their squad, and rather than do something about it those in charge are content to sit back and watch the money roll in. 

Click Here: Sports Water Bottles

The Reds boss appreciates the veteran midfielder’s contributions and insists that his side wouldn’t have achieved the success they have without him

James Milner’s team talks might not be fit for public consumption but Jurgen Klopp values them as part of the Liverpool midfielder’s “outstanding” attitude and leadership.

Now 33, the experienced former England international is set to embark upon his fifth season with the Reds.

Click Here: Sports Water Bottles

It will be his first as a Champions League winner and, with Klopp hesitant to upset the balance by adding new signings, the core of the side that exceeded expectations last term will remain unchanged.

That means the same level of responsibility for Premier League veteran Milner, a player the Reds boss trusts to tell home truths in close confines.

“His attitude is outstanding,” Klopp told Liverpool’s website. “Millie is a sports guy, in each sport he does he is brilliant. Without Millie it wouldn’t have been possible [to have the same level of success].

“His kind of a little bit dirty dressing-room talks I cannot do, these things you say in the dressing room that I am not allowed to say in public.

“That’s the last little kick and that’s nice.

“Millie looks again in pre-season like [he’s in] in his early 20s, but he isn’t. He knows that, and we try to respect that. But not only in the game is he [almost unstoppable], in training it’s the same.”

Milner’s professionalism provides the perfect example for youngsters like striker Rhian Brewster, who looks increasingly close to a breakthrough at Anfield.

The 19-year-old has stirred excitement with three goals in two pre-season games, but any first-team minutes over the coming months will be provided free of pressure and expectation.

“We think he is ready, to be honest, but we have to see when and how often and stuff like this,” Klopp said.

“He was injured for a long time. He is a fantastic footballer, we fought really hard to get him [from Chelsea] and then to keep him.

“Now he is here and I think he sees the chance, the chance is there and that’s very good.”

Liverpool have already played two games in pre-season, smashing Tranmere 6-0 before a 3-1 win over Bradford City.

Next up for the Reds is a meeting with Klopp’s former side Dortmund in Indiana, while their Premier League campaign gets underway on August 9 against Norwich City.