Latest news with #Briggs
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Edinburgh roads: Miles Briggs launches campaign for Scottish Government to prioritise Sheriffhall upgrade
A Lothian MSP today launched a campaign calling on the Scottish Government to prioritise the upgrade of the most notorious junction on the Edinburgh City Bypass. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Tory MIles Briggs said motorists had been subjected to "countless hours of unnecessary congestion" at the Sheriffhall roundabout because of the long delay in starting work on the proposed flyover. He said: "It's ridiculous that after nearly 20 years of discussion and more than £6m in consultation, Sheriffhall continues to bring the Edinburgh Bypass to a standstill every rush-hour. An artist's impression of the proposed Sheriffhall roundabout flyover. | Contributed Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'From day one it was clear that the roundabout needed a fly-over; 40 years later we have a significantly larger population across the region but have seen no progress whatsoever to improve the roundabout." Funding for he junction revamp was included in the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Regional Deal announced in July 2017. But the £120 million price tag attached to it at that time is certain to have increased dramatically. Ground Investigations were carried out in 2018 and draft road orders were published in 2019. But in 2020 the plans were put on hold to allow a review of the project as part of a Scottish Government budget deal with the Greens. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A public local inquiry was eventually held in early 2023 and the report, delivered to the Scottish Government in early 2024, is still under consideration by ministers over a year later. In a Scottish Parliament debate in 2018, Mr Briggs highlighted the economic value of the City Bypass and warning that gridlocked traffic was putting off potential investors to the area. He cited a report by Inrix which identified the bypass as the most congested trunk road outside London and predicted that the cost of bypass congestion to the economy could reach £2.8 billion by 2025. Now Mr Briggs has launched an online campaign, which will encourage the public to make their voice heard and put pressure on the government to provide a renewed commitment to this project. He said more than 75,000 vehicles used the bypass every day already, but that was set to increase since Lothian has the fastest growing population in Scotland and is forecast to account for 84 per cent of Scotland's predicted population growth over the period to 2033. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said: 'Sheriffhall is costing commuters and businesses in our region time, money, and pollution from congestion. 'However, due to Green party opposition and SNP complacency, proposals have been left to gather dust while costs increase. 'It is time for SNP ministers to act and provide the leadership needed to get the upgrade back on track. 'That is why I have launched my campaign to upgrade this notorious junction, asking residents across Lothian to make their voice heard. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Edinburgh and the Lothians deserve better than this and I hope my campaign to upgrade the junction will make SNP ministers understand the level of frustration motorists are facing and give the upgrade the priority it deserves.'
The Herald Scotland
26-05-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Frank's Law: 71,000 people benefit from 'Milestone' law
She was successful in 2019 when Frank's Law was introduced, extending free personal care to those under 65. Mrs Kopel had argued the rules discriminated against those with disabilities and degenerative conditions. Read More: Now, Conservative MSP Miles Briggs has received a written response from the Scottish Government showing more than 71,000 people have benefitted from Frank's Law since it was introduced. Support from Mr Briggs and former SNP health secretary Alex Neil was instrumental in passing the law. Mrs Kopel said: 'I am overwhelmed to hear that Frank's Law has helped so many people in Scotland to access free personal care. 'It's humbling to think of the difference our campaign has made to the lives of more than 71,000 families. Undated family handout photo of Amanda Kopel and her husband Frank (Image: Amanda Kopel) 'I can never thank enough all the people who helped me in the fight for justice to end the blatant discrimination against the under-65s – especially the people in Scotland living with dementia, whose shoes I had walked in. 'It was all in honour of my soulmate Frankie, whose battle against dementia, was far harder than any battle I went through.' Mr Briggs, who represents the Lothians region, said: 'I'm very happy that I was able to help Amanda's battle for free personal care for dementia patients like her husband Frank. 'For too long many people under 65 were left to fight for access to vital care and health services at the very time they needed the health system to support them. 'In many cases this resulted in poorer outcomes for individuals and drove many families to despair.' The charity Alzheimer Scotland presented Mrs Kopel with a lifetime achievement award in 2019 in recognition of her efforts. Henry Simmons, chief executive of Alzheimer Scotland, described her as 'an inspiration'.
Business Insider
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Business Insider
The first woman to complete the Boston Marathon is now 78 and runs most days. She shared 3 tips for getting fit at any age.
Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as an official competitor, despite a race official trying to physically stop her. Since that day in 1967, she has dedicated her life to other women experiencing the same feeling of empowerment from running, regardless of their age or ability. In the run-up to the race, Switzer, at the time a 20-year-old journalism student at Syracuse University, trained with her college's cross-country team for a year (it was against collegiate rules for a woman to compete in the sport). She couldn't keep up with most of the men on the team, so the assistant coach, Arnie Briggs, began training with her separately as he recovered from a knee injury. "We got better and stronger," Switzer told Business Insider. "We got up to five miles and then seven and then 11. The guys on the cross country team wouldn't come out with us after 20 kilometers, but that's when I could keep up with them because they didn't have the endurance I had." On their runs, Switzer and Briggs discussed marathons — Briggs had run the Boston Marathon 15 times but didn't believe that a woman could run that far. "But then he said, 'Look, if any woman could, I would believe it was you. But you would have to prove it to me, and then I'd take you to Boston.' I said, 'Hot damn, you're on,'" Switzer said. They did a trial marathon and ended up running an extra five miles at the end because Switzer suspected the course was shorter than the required 26.2 miles and still had energy. She and Briggs paid the $2 entry fee and signed up for the 1967 Boston Marathon. (The entry fee was $250 for the 2025 race.) About two miles into the race, things went awry. The race manager pulled up in a bus and ran after Switzer. "He grabbed me by the shoulders and threw me back. He tried to pull off my number bib and screamed, 'Get the hell out of my race and give me those numbers,'" she said. When the official grabbed Switzer by the shirt, her boyfriend at the time, who was training to compete in hammer throw at the Olympics, charged at him and sent him flying off to the side of the road, she said. As she kept running, the press hounded her, asking if she was a suffragette and what she was trying to prove. "I wasn't trying to prove anything, I was just trying to run," she said. "But they stayed with me a long time and really hassled me, asking me, 'When are you going to quit?' Finally, I said, 'I'm going to finish this race on my hands and my knees if I have to.'" She did finish (and stayed upright). She said she felt empowered, and in 1972 organized the first women-only road race, which was 10-kilometer-long, and lobbied for the inclusion of a women's marathon event in the Olympics, which eventually happened in 1984. In 2024, she worked with Every Woman's Marathon to hold a women's-only marathon, which had 7,000 participants. Now 78, Switzer still runs six times a week, including one day where she focuses on 800-meter sprints and a day for a longer run that takes at least 1.5 hours. She ramps up her training when she's approaching a marathon. Switzer set her personal best at the 1975 Boston Marathon with a time of two hours and fifty-one minutes. It now takes her four to five hours, but it isn't about the time, she said. She's happy that she can run a marathon alongside other women, of every age, size, ethnicity, and religion, thanks to her efforts and those of other women who paved the way. "I believe you can start a fitness program at any age," she said, giving the example of a woman she knows who took up running at 72 and ran her first marathon at 81. Switzer shared her tips for getting fit, whether you can run for one minute or three hours. Start slow, but be consistent "Consistency is everything. You just need to keep running every day and build it up," she said. She started by running a mile a day around her garden at age 12 and gradually increased the number of laps over time. But it wasn't easy, she said. "I struggled through that summer, running that mile every single day. Pretty soon, this amazing sense of empowerment came over me," she said. "For some people, this process is going to be faster; for other people, it's going to be slower." Have a goal Having a goal provides focus and will motivate you to "put the work in," Switzer said. Her motivation was to prove Briggs wrong and show that women could run marathons, but your goal doesn't have to be as big, she said. "There's going to be plenty of days when you don't want to go out," she said. She still has days when she doesn't want to run after almost 60 years of doing the sport. But having something to aim for means you're less likely to skip a workout. Accountability is key Switzer's final tip is to find a way to hold yourself accountable. You could get a training partner or keep a diary of your workouts, she said. "People should write their workout down every day because when you write it down, it keeps you honest," she said. "But a buddy is really a nice thing to have. I don't think I ever would have been a runner if it hadn't been for Arnie, my coach," she added. "And for a lot of women, safety is a really big factor. So run with other women — it also creates a really good community."
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump's $6 Trillion Investment Deals Face Reality Check: Only A Fraction May Reach The Real Economy
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. President Donald Trump has touted multi-trillion-dollar investment commitments as proof that his economic strategy is delivering a historic revival of American manufacturing and infrastructure. Yet, behind the massive figures, new analysis from Goldman Sachs suggests the actual economic impact could be far more modest. Foreign governments and corporations have pledged over $6 trillion in U.S. investments, including $2 trillion from companies and $4.2 trillion from foreign governments, according to Goldman Sachs economist Joseph Briggs. Trending: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Just a week ago, President Trump secured $2 trillion in investment commitments from Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, Japan pledged $1 trillion. Among the companies making the largest pledges, Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) announced $787 billion, followed by International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) with $409 billion, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) with $302 billion, and Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE:LLY) with $35 billion. "We expect the impact on U.S. investment to be smaller than suggested by these promises for three reasons," Briggs said in a report, highlighting project uncertainty, limited alignment with national accounts definitions, and overlap with prior plans. After analyzing the announcements and stripping out less tangible commitments—like purchases of goods, partnerships, and reannounced projects—Goldman estimates that only $135 billion in new annual investment is directly tied to GDP-relevant projects like physical capital expenditures and R&D. Applying historical realization rates and analyst feedback, the bank sees the likely net impact closer to $30 billion per year, or just 0.1% of U.S. GDP. That figure starkly contrasts with headline projections that initially suggested a 4% GDP boost over large-cap companies, including Apple Inc. and Nvidia Corp., have promised massive investments—$500 billion each over multiple years—but their past spending doesn't align. Apple spent just $10 billion on U.S. capex and $31.4 billion on global R&D in 2024. Nvidia's corresponding figures were even lower, suggesting that headline figures may include spending on acquisitions, partnerships or input costs that don't translate into actual U.S. capital formation. Further, Goldman's equity analysts found that 69% of the corporate investments likely overlap with previously planned spending, with just 6% seen as mostly new. Goldman Sachs noted that 'these announcements have not driven major upgrades to equity analyst capex forecasts.' 'In contrast to company-level announcements, investment promises from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Japan could provide a material incremental increase if they materialize,' Briggs said. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Japan and the UAE have announced ambitious commitments—from AI data centers to energy infrastructure and defense purchases. Both Saudi Arabia and Qatar emphasized large-scale purchases of U.S. goods—$142 billion in defense contracts from Saudi Arabia and $96 billion in aircraft orders from Qatar—which would support U.S. GDP through exports, but not count as domestic investment. Yet, the lack of specificity on most other announced projects suggests that much of the foreign capital may contribute indirectly by lowering financing costs rather than driving immediate, measurable increases in U.S. capital formation. Read Next: Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — Invest at $0.60/share before it's too late. Invest Where It Hurts — And Help Millions Heal: Invest in Cytonics and help disrupt a $390B Big Pharma stronghold. Photo: Shutterstock Send To MSN: Send to MSN This article Trump's $6 Trillion Investment Deals Face Reality Check: Only A Fraction May Reach The Real Economy originally appeared on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
7NEWS
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
Fans call for Briggs to be given AFL grand final entertainment after epic Dreamtime at the ‘G performance
AFL fans on social media are almost universally calling for Indigenous Australian rapper Briggs to be courted for this year's grand final pre-game entertainment after an epic Dreamtime at the 'G performance. Briggs performed three songs alongside longtime friend and Aussie rock legend, Paul Kelly, as well as his band, in what was an expanded pre-game entertainment that also acknowledged some Indigenous elders and past Indigenous AFL champions. The performance went for around 20 minutes and included traditional Aboriginal dance and rituals, ahead of Richmond and Essendon's annual clash. It was showered with love from fans watching at home, and prompted the suggestion that Briggs take centre stage before the grand final. 'Briggs, Brother, that #DreamtimeAtTheG performance was fire. Better than any GF performance, ever,' one fan said. 'They should just have Briggs as Grand Final entertainment, that was great #afldeadly,' another added. Channel 7's Jason Richardson said the performance was a perfect advertisement for a night grand final. ' 'Briggs night AFL GF …. yes please,' he said. There were a host of others who agreed. 'How good Briggs, could feel the power and pride.' 'Let's give Briggs the GF show. That was better than anything we've had on GF day. Spectacular.' 'When we have Australian musicians, black and white, singing together at the G, It's wild. Briggs and PK bringing it. This is the best performance I think I've seen at the football. So good.' 'Briggs > every grand final performer.' 'Briggs absolutely bangs!' 'I've seen enough, Briggs/A.B Original should do the GF.' Players from both sides entered the ground shortly after the entertainment, where they lined up for the traditional Dreamtime dance on the wing. Half-way through the moving cultural performance, players came together as one, locking arms side by side.
