Baroness Bowles: Nationwide using sneaky tactics to avoid Virgin vote
Concern: Lib Dem peer Baroness BowlesNationwide has been accused of using 'sneaky' tactics to avoid putting its £2.9 billion takeover of rival lender Virgin Money to a member vote. Campaigners accuse Nationwide of 'relying on a technicality' in the Building Societies Act to block a vote. Virgin Money's home loan income last year was £1.5 billion – less than 40 per cent, suggesting a vote is needed, campaigners claim. But Nationwide insists the 50 per cent hurdle is cleared if income from financial contracts called swaps is included. Lib Dem peer Baroness Bowles, who sits on the London Stock Exchange's board, said: 'It does seem that Nationwide is being somewhat sneaky by including swap income.'
Source:Daily Mail
May 05, 2024 04:14 UTC
“I’ll listen to the birds singing in a certain frequency. I’ll listen to the cattle and the sheep and the horses. I love Clare.’ Susan O’Neill’s love of home
The musician on her solo life on the road and the joy of waitingFor the umpteenth time this morning, Susan O’Neill trails off mid-sentence. The singer-songwriter is here to talk about her second solo album Now In a Minute, which is due for release in September. “Or just go walk along the coastline in rugged Doolin and listen to the birds singing in a certain frequency. But her love for the west of Ireland is so pure and infectious, it is impossible to take umbrage. In On the Road, he sings “the life I love is making music with my friends”.
Source:Irish Independent
May 05, 2024 03:09 UTC
Editorial: Public tolerance of immigration is waning
Today’s Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks opinion poll lays bare the impact of last week’s row on the attitude of voters here — and it shows those attitudes to have hardened considerably in relation to immigration. Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin has referred to work the Government has to do to explain the complexities of immigration to the public. That is one of the failures of this administration, which is struggling with the hugely difficult task of managing an ever-growing crisis. Today’s poll indicates the extent of the communications shortcomings, which can be set alongside a shortage of accommodation for asylum-seekers and a lack of early preparedness at the International Protection Office in Dublin to meet the challenge. If anything, there is a high level of confusion about the migration pact — another failure of government communication.
Source:Irish Independent
May 05, 2024 03:07 UTC
ODYSSEAN INVESTMENT TRUST: Newcomer's knack for seeing unloved gems turn into polished diamonds
Shareholders in investment trust Odyssean have had an enjoyable – yet bumpy – journey since the fund was launched six years ago. It is also founded on an expected rerating of the sector that Odyssean targets – UK smaller companies. These factors, he says, could provide the trigger for a period of sustained performance from these smaller companies. 'We search for unloved gems,' says Widdowson, 'and hope they turn into polished diamonds.' First, its shares seldom trade at a discount to the underlying assets, which means shareholders' holdings are not diminished in value.
Source:Daily Mail
May 05, 2024 03:00 UTC
Tributes paid to Cork woman who died while canyoneering in Philippines
Tributes have been paid to a Cork woman who died suddenly after taking ill while canyoneering in the Philippines. Meg Haugh, a 26-year-old from Ballintemple, had been taking part in the adventure activity in the town of Badian when she collapsed having complained of chest pains on Thursday morning.
Source:Irish Examiner
May 05, 2024 00:36 UTC
My Saturday with crooner Jack Lukeman: 'There is always something to do'
8.00There are two Saturdays for me — the one when I’m gigging and the one when I’m not. If I’m in Ireland I like to get home after a gig but if I’m abroad I’m in hotels. 15.00If I’m gigging I try to eat at around 3pm, which is an odd time because everywhere is usually closed. If I’m not gigging or on family duties, I’d be in the studio on a Saturday — there is always something to do. People talk about the ‘flow state’ when you’re playing music – you’re in the eye of the storm.
Source:Irish Examiner
May 04, 2024 23:52 UTC
St Kilian’s plays host to students from Germany
The staff, students and parents of St Kilian’s Community School, Bray, were delighted to welcome their German exchange partners recently, after almost five years. On Tuesday, the German pupils and their teachers visited Wicklow Gaol and Beyond the Trees at Avondale. On Wednesday, the group, along with their Irish host students, were warmly welcomed by Cathaoirleach Melanie Corrigan at a civic reception in Bray Town Hall, while Thursday saw the group travel to Dublin. The group returned to Germany on Sunday afternoon, after spending Saturday with the host families. Their trip to Ireland was a wonderful success, and the pupils are already looking forward to the return trip to Wurzburg in June.
Source:Irish Independent
May 04, 2024 23:03 UTC
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Germany denounces rising political violence as MEP hospitalised
German interior minister Nancy Faeser said the attack on Matthias Ecke, a German member of the European Parliament, was 'an attack on democracy'. Nationwide, the number of attacks on politicians of parties represented in parliament has doubled since 2019, government figures published in January show. A surge in support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) over the past year has taken it to second place in nationwide polls. The Greens in her region had agreed that information stands should always have at least three staff for extra safety. – Reporting by Sarah Marsh, Andreas Rinke and Christian Ruettger in Berlin, Additional Reporting by Kate Abnett in Brussels(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024
Source:The Irish Times
May 04, 2024 20:24 UTC
Profile of a parkrunner: Meet Patrick
Profile of a parkrunner: Meet PatrickMeet Patrick Carlyle, a parkrun enthusiast who is a regular at Mountlucas parkrun but enjoys engaging in some “parkrun tourism” on occasion. What is your favourite thing about parkrun? What is your favourite parkrun memory? I completed my 50th parkrun on my Birthday, so everyone singing happy Birthday, and then completing my 50th parkrun was really, really nice. It’s so welcoming and it puts you in really good form because everyone is really nice and asks how you’re getting on, and particularly if you’re there consistently.
Source:Irish Independent
May 04, 2024 18:38 UTC
Teenager raises funds for cancer research
A young South Roscommon student has raised hundreds of euro for cancer research, putting his body, and hair, on the line to do it. Sixteen-year-old Matthew Parker from Toberdan, Lecarrow, has almost €2,000 of a €5,000 goal raised for the Irish Cancer Society. “Cancer has affected me in my life, and I just wanted to do something to help,” said Matthew, who plans to study medicine after secondary school. He also plans to run 5km, and should he reach his €5,000 goal he will get an Irish Cancer Society daffodil flower tattoo. To donate visit Matthew’s ‘Fundraising for Irish Cancer Society’ GoFundMe page.
Source:The Herald
May 04, 2024 18:20 UTC
Woman dies after fall at Cliffs of Moher
It’s understood that the woman, a college student, had been visiting the Cliffs of Moher with three friends when she lost her footing and fell. Members of the Doolin unit of the Coast Guard and gardaí responded to the location while the Shannon-based search and rescue helicopter was also tasked. The body was then taken to Doolin Coast Guard station where the woman was formally pronounced dead. A Garda spokesperson confirmed: “Gardaí and emergency services conducted an operation following reports of an incident at the Cliffs Moher this afternoon. In June 2007, a Hungarian man in his 20s died after he fell to his death at the Cliffs of Moher.
Source:The Herald
May 04, 2024 18:19 UTC
Host Oregon Tech softball team upset in first round of CCC Tournament
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Source:The Herald
May 04, 2024 16:56 UTC
Rick O’Shea: The new book I’ll recommend to everyone I meet... and more poets who write stunning prose
Rick O’Shea: The new book I’ll recommend to everyone I meet... and more poets who write stunning proseThe Alternatives by Caoilinn Hughes is full of images and ideas that will stop you in your tracksCaoilinn Hughes, author of The AlternativesRick O'Shea Today at 02:30I feel a unique anticipation when there’s a new book due from a writer whose work I especially love. It can be someone I’ve read all my life or a new author on their second novel, it doesn’t matter. If it falls flat, I’ll be in low-grade mourning for a little while, even if I know I’ll read the next book in case this one was a blip.
Source:Irish Independent
May 04, 2024 15:42 UTC
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Could the Bank of England leapfrog the Fed and cut interest rates first?
Decision time: Governor Andrew Bailey has increasingly distanced UK and US monetary policyWhen will the Federal Reserve cut rates? That may mean the Bank cuts interest rates earlier and further than the Fed… the big and obvious risk is that UK inflation trends follow US trends.' When will the Bank of England cut rates? 'Whatever happens, it looks like the Bank of England may well cut rates ahead of the Fed, where we expect the first move in September. It might also rest on when the European Central Bank (ECB) starts to cut rates.
Source:Daily Mail
May 04, 2024 13:09 UTC