Latest news with #Nats
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Nats chiefs told to follow Danes and back nuclear power
Denmark has been used by SNP ministers to demonstrate the possible benefits of Scottish independence Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SNP ministers were last night urged to follow one of their model countries for independence - by u-turning on their opposition to nuclear power. Nats chiefs have repeatedly claimed they're inspired by Denmark and other Nordic nations as templates for how Scotland could go it alone. 2 Torness nuclear power station near Dunbar, East Lothian Credit: Alamy 2 First Minister John Swinney has been urged to ditch the SNP's opposition to nuclear power Credit: PA And last night the SNP were urged to follow the Danes after the Copenhagen government signalled last week it would axe its decades-old opposition to nuclear power. The issue is on the agenda in Scotland amid UK Government plans for a new breed of 'clean' reactors as part of a bid to cut bills to ensure energy security. But the Scottish Government has vowed to block any in Scotland, despite polls signalling public backing. Sam Richards, founder of pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade, said: 'Denmark is just the latest country waking up to reality - meanwhile, the SNP continues to bury its head in the sand. Find out what's really going on Register now for our free weekly politics newsletter for an insightful and irreverent look at the (sometimes excruciating) world of Scottish Politics. Every Thursday our hotshot politics team goes behind the headlines to bring you a rundown of key events - plus insights and gossip from the corridors of power, including a 'Plonker' and 'Star' of the Week. Sign up now and make sure you don't miss a beat. The politicians would hate that. SIGN UP FOR FREE NOW 'At a time when countries across Europe are embracing nuclear as a safe, clean, and reliable part of the energy mix, Scotland's refusal to even consider it is deeply irresponsible. 'If Denmark can move on from a 40-year-old ban, so can Scotland. It's time for the SNP to ditch the dogma and put the needs of the Scottish people, the economy and energy security first.' Scottish Conservative shadow energy secretary Douglas Lumsden MSP said: 'Everyone appears to be showing some common sense and backing nuclear energy except the SNP. Moment John Swinney is heckled by Reform UK campaigners as FM breezes past warring activists heads of Hamilton by-election 'They are totally out-of-touch from the views of mainstream Scotland and it appears countries they claim to be inspired by. 'Nuclear power would slash bills for families and it is time the SNP embraced it to protect both the economy and the environment.' Denmark's government has said it's considering lifting a 40-year-old ban on nuclear power to boost its energy security. It follows a similar shift in Sweden in 2010, when it reversed its plan to phase out nuclear power. And last week Germany also dropped its long-held opposition to nuclear power. Denmark and other Nordic nations are repeatedly cited in the SNP Government's 'Building a New Scotland' papers released in recent years as a model for what an independent Scotland could be like, in terms of economic and social policies. Nicola Sturgeon opened a Scottish Government's Nordic Office in Copenhagen in 2022 pledged to work with Denmark and others to 'work together to accelerate decarbonisation and share expertise.' Our last nuclear station at Torness, Lothian, is set to shut in 2030. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'New nuclear power would be expensive, will take years to become operational and involves significant environmental concerns due to the radioactive waste which must be safely managed over many decades. 'The Scottish Government is focused on supporting growth and creating jobs by capitalising on Scotland's immense renewable energy capacity rather than the distraction of new nuclear.'
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Tory MSP hands SNP victory in knife-edge Holyrood vote – after hitting Yes button instead of No
A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said it was "a genuine mistake". BUZZER GAFFE Tory MSP hands SNP victory in knife-edge Holyrood vote – after hitting Yes button instead of No Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TORY MSP Brian Whittle handed the SNP victory in a knife-edge Holyrood vote — after hitting the Yes button instead of No. The former Team GB relay runner's blunder saved Nats from defeat as MSPs debated a legal services shake-up. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Brian Whittle takes the baton from Kris Akabusi during his running days 3 The debating chamber of the Scottish Parliament. The SNP instead landed a 59-58 win — while experts claimed the amendment bungle could see home-buyers left high and dry if their solicitor goes bust. Last night, a Holyrood source said: 'Brian dropped the baton — and unfortunately it means the rules are now a complete mess.' Labour MSP Paul O'Kane hit out: 'The amendment was very clearly not in interests of consumers when undertaking what can be an extremely stressful action like buying a house. It shouldn't have been passed and it wouldn't have, had Brian Whittle read his whip sheet properly. 'It's very disappointing.' MSPs had been deciding if the profession's governing body could step in on behalf of clients to ensure work is completed if a solicitors' firm goes bust. Nats wanted to give flop companies the right to appeal. Nats justice minister Siobhan Brown said it was 'important such matters can be tested by the court'. But critics claimed that risked clients being left in limbo and could lead to homes sales falling through. Ex-Olympian Mr Whittle's Tory colleague Tess White told of legal experts' 'concerns' that the move would 'weaken public protections'. Jenny Gilruth accused of 'playing truant' after her parliament no-show But the South of Scotland MSP then failed to follow instructions from party whips and backed Nats' amendment. Further chaos came when he then voted as instructed on a linked measure. The Law Society of Scotland claimed the muddle could create a two-tier system, with larger firms able to appeal but not self-employed solicitors. A Tories spokesman said: 'This was a genuine mistake from Brian while voting on a vast number of amendments. 'He recognises concerns surrounding these proposals. This vote was made in error.'
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Former MLB player files shocking lawsuit against the Cincinnati Reds
As a diehard Washington Nationals fan, I know exactly how unlucky the infield rain tarp at Great American Ball Park can be for opposing infielders. Let me explain. About three weeks ago, the Nats played a road series against the Cincinnati Reds. While the team eventually won two out of three and took the series, the opening Friday-night game was memorable for a couple of reasons. Related: MLB team makes major mistake, costing fans First the Nats got their butts kicked 6-1 after a nearly two-hour rain delay. Second, Nathaniel Lowe, the Nats' new first baseman, had a scary moment when he ran full speed and tripped over the infield rain tarp set against the divider separating the first baseline bleachers from the field. But Lowe wasn't tripped into the protective netting as much as he was launched. He looked like a running back going full speed, whose knees were taken out by Ray Lewis. Thankfully, Lowe was only dinged up and didn't miss any time. However, I was reminded of this incident after hearing about litigation against the Cincinnati Reds from another opposing first baseman who wasn't so lucky after he ran into the Reds' tarp. His career ended after the collision, according to a lawsuit filed this week. Darin Ruf was never a superstar, but he was a solid big-leaguer who skipped Triple-A ball on his way to a September 2012 callup with the Philadelphia Phillies. After spending parts of the next four seasons bouncing from the bigs to the minors, Ruf's contract was sold to a Korean team. He spent three seasons in Korea before returning to the Majors in 2020 on a minor-league deal, making the San Francisco Giants' opening day roster and becoming a regular starter for the next couple of seasons. After bouncing around for a bit, he landed with the Milwaukee Brewers on May 15, 2023. Less than three weeks later, his career would end at Great American Ball Park on June 2. Ruf fractured his kneecap and deeply lacerated his knee on the play. He never played in MLB again. Ruf claims in his lawsuit that he could not see the exposed metal at the end of the roller because of the Gorilla Glue advertisement covering the tarp. "This didn't need to happen. I wish it didn't happen," said Ruf in a news release. "Players shouldn't have to worry about hidden hazards like that on a Major League field." Ruf is suing the Reds for negligence in failing to maintain safe field conditions. "This was an obvious and avoidable risk. There are basic safety protocols every MLB team should follow. Leaving an unpadded metal roller on the edge of the field is inexcusable," Ruf's lawyer, Tad Thomas, said, according to CBS. TheStreet could not immediately get in touch with the Cincinnati Reds for comment. Related: Major League Baseball rivals settle long, angry dispute off the diamond The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
The Age
6 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Australia news LIVE: Coalition parties inch closer to reuniting; PM speaks from disaster zone; Calwell and Bradfield races tighten further
Key posts 2.21pm Ley gets partyroom green light to strike deal with Nats 2.01pm Calwell count tightens as independent leaps ahead of Liberals 1.19pm The story so far 12.46pm Watch: Anthony Albanese and Chris Minns speak from disaster zone 12.14pm Boele's wafer-thin lead in Bradfield narrows further to just five votes 11.34am More Jetstar flights disrupted by GPS glitches 10.32am Trump's ban on foreign students at Harvard 'distressing' for Australians: Rudd 9.48am More rate cuts could be on the horizon: NAB CEO Hide key posts Latest posts Latest posts 2.21pm Ley gets partyroom green light to strike deal with Nats By Paul Sakkal Returning to one of the week's biggest stories now: The Liberal and National parties are inching closer to reforming the Coalition after Liberal MPs authorised leader Sussan Ley to get a deal done with counterpart David Littleproud. Liberals held their second online party room meeting in as many days, after Littleproud announced on Tuesday he wanted to exit the Coalition. Loading Some Liberals on the hook-up pushed for more detailed examination of Littleproud's demands on lifting the moratorium on nuclear power and creating new powers to force divestment of anticompetitive supermarkets. The party reached a consensus to agree to the policy demands at a principle level, while reserving its rights to negotiate on some details. Crucially, MPs decided to give Ley the power to continue her talks with Littleproud in the hope of striking a deal and forming a joint shadow cabinet by the time parliament sits on July 22. Much of the speculation about policy differences centred on the policies of nuclear power and forced supermarket breakups. Loading But the items that Liberals determined needed further consideration related to Littleproud's two lower-profile demands. On the $20 billion regional fund, Liberals want to ensure the money is used in regional Liberal seats as well as Nationals seats (senior Liberals Angus Taylor, Dan Tehan and Ley herself are among those with seats outside capital cities). And on the universal mobile service pledge, Liberals worry the policy demand goes further than the party's election commitment. Ley has received criticism in some quarters of the Liberal Party for failing to convene a party room meeting earlier in the week to assess the Nationals' demands. 2.01pm Calwell count tightens as independent leaps ahead of Liberals By Adam Carey The race for the last undeclared seat in Victoria has tightened, with Labor still in doubt of retaining the once super-safe seat of Calwell in Melbourne's outer north. Carly Moore, a three-time Calwell mayor who quit the ALP to run as an independent, has catapulted into second place as counting progresses in what the Australian Electoral Commission called the most complicated count in its history. Moore currently trails Labor's candidate Basem Abdo with 45.8 per cent of votes, compared to Abdo's 54.2 per cent after preferences. Moore needs to secure 64.4 per cent of preferences from Liberal and Greens votes in Calwell as those parties' candidates are eliminated from the count in coming days. In his blog The Tally Room, psephologist Ben Raue said 'Moore's chances of winning now look very good'. Loading Moore told this masthead that she believed the result would come down to the wire in a complex contest in which multiple independents polled well, and their preferences sprayed around. Moore campaigned on a platform of grievance about perceived Labor neglect of the economically disadvantaged and ethnically diverse electorate. She preferenced Abdo last on her how-to-vote card. 'All the things that we were saying during the campaign are true, that this community feels like we're being taken advantage of,' she said. 'We've been treated like a safe seat because we've been a safe seat'. Moore said Labor, which previously held Calwell with a 12.4 per cent margin, would have to devote more resources to the seat in future elections, no matter who wins this time. 'This should be Labor heartland. I hope that they see this as a bit of a wake-up call to make sure they're listening to what the community is telling them, because I don't think they have been'. Abdo was contacted for comment. Labor has not lost a single seat in the 2025 election. But it suffered a primary vote swing of 14.3 per cent in Calwell. 1.39pm Australia must prepare for Hollywood-style cyberattack: Cybersecurity sheriff By Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson Australia has yet to suffer a critical, Hollywood-style cybersecurity incident, according to the nation's top online cop, but our defences are being tested and criminals grow in number. The rate of cyberattacks against Australian businesses may also be higher than statistics indicate, she warned as small businesses continue bearing the brunt of financial losses. National Cyber Security Co-ordinator Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness issued the warnings at the AusCERT Cyber Security Conference on the Gold Coast today, while also promising public consultation to inform future online safety policies. The event has drawn 900 delegates and comes a month after large superannuation firms were targeted in a co-ordinated online attack and less than a year after 12.9 million Australians had private information stolen in the MediSecure hack. Loading Despite a growing number of attacks on large Australian organisations including in the healthcare and telecommunications sectors and legal firms, McGuinness told the audience none had damaged the nation's critical infrastructure or had a lasting impact. 'Australia has seen the dark side of significant cyber incidents such as Optus, Medibank, Latitude Financial, Ramsay Health Care… but we are actually yet to see a catastrophic cyber incident with impacts across multiple critical infrastructure sectors,' she said. 'We must continue to evolve and thrive to ensure that those scenes we see in Hollywood [movies] never actually eventuate.' The Annual Cyber Threat Report released in November found Australian cybercrime reports grew by 12 per cent in 2024 and the cost of attacks to individuals grew by 17 per cent to an average of $30,700. The Australian Cyber Security Strategy, launched in November 2023, is due to be updated by 2026 to address a broader range of cybersecurity investments, and a public consultation will be launched in the coming months. 1.19pm The story so far By Alexander Darling Good afternoon, Alexander Darling here in the newsroom to take you through until the weekend. Here's a quick recap of what's happened so far this Friday. The prime minister and NSW Premier Chris Minns just addressed the media in NSW as the ongoing flood emergency continues (see the presser below, we've got a separate liveblog for this too). Another Jetstar flight has been cancelled after a fault in its navigation system, suspected to be related to solar flare activity. The count for the Sydney seat of Bradfield remains a rollercoaster: Teal hopeful Nicolette Boele's lead over Liberal candidate Giselle Kapterian has dipped from 39 to just four votes as postal votes have been counted across this week. Australia's ambassador to the US said he was working with the US government, after the Trump administration blocked Harvard University from enrolling international students. Following Tuesday's rate cut by the RBA, the chief executive of NAB said three more could be on the horizon. And the latest on the Liberal-National break-up saga is that former Nationals leaders Michael McCormack and Barnaby Joyce have worked with Liberal leader Sussan Ley to pressure David Littleproud into reopening Coalition talks. I'll keep you up to date across the afternoon on this one. 12.46pm Watch: Anthony Albanese and Chris Minns speak from disaster zone By Angus Dalton Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns have spoken from Maitland, in the state's flood-affected Hunter region. Watch in full below: Here are some key points: Loading Premier Chris Minns has announced the rollout of personal hardship grants to help battered northern NSW residents recover from the flood disaster. He said grants of up to $180 for individuals and $900 for families affected by the floods would be available soon, funded jointly by the state and federal governments. Minns has also urged flood-affected residents to consult the Hazards Near Me app and the State Emergency Service website even as sunshine begins to peak through clouds up north. You can keep up to date with all the latest flood information in our dedicated live blog. At least four people have been killed, and rescue operations are continuing. 12.38pm Former Nationals leader McCormack says he is 'ambitious' for Littleproud By Paul Sakkal and Olivia Ireland Former Nationals leader Michael McCormack, whom David Littleproud was set to dump from his Nationals-only frontbench, said most Australians would have been asking 'what the hell is going on' in the aftermath of the Coalition split. McCormack stressed that Littleproud's leadership was not under threat, though he also appeared to echo former prime minister Scott Morrison's comments about Malcolm Turnbull before taking leadership of the Liberal Party in 2018. Loading 'I'm ambitious for him [Littleproud],' McCormack told ABC Canberra this morning. 'He's been messy, he's been really messy, and for people on the outside looking in they just wonder what the hell is going on.' McCormack, Chester and Barnaby Joyce had talks with Liberal leader Sussan Ley since the split in a bid to revive the Coalition relationship. McCormack and Chester confirmed the discussions. 'Sussan and I are very close, and we speak together very regularly,' McCormack said. 'The Nationals walked away from the Liberals, and Sussan was the newly anointed Liberal leader. It's important that I did talk to her and try and get things patched up.' 12.14pm Boele's wafer-thin lead in Bradfield narrows further to just five votes The count for Bradfield has been a rollercoaster ride for Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian and her opponent, teal hopeful Nicolette Boele. When provisional counting ended on Monday, Boele was in front by 39 votes. Loading But today, Boele's already wafer-thin margin over Kapterian has narrowed further to just four votes, the Australian Electoral Commission says. The north shore seat was called for Boele on election night by the ABC and Nine, only for Kapterian to forge ahead on the back of postal votes to a winnable position several days later. As the final votes trickled in, however, the Liberals were caught off guard. While postal votes usually favour the Coalition, a batch of international ballots swung heavily in Boele's favour. Bradfield has traditionally been considered a safe Liberal seat – retiring MP Paul Fletcher has held the northern Sydney seat since the byelection in 2009. Preferences are being distributed, and if fewer than 100 votes still separate the candidates, there will be a recount. 12.00pm ASX edges higher, Rio Tinto slides as CEO heads for exit The Australian sharemarket has advanced after a choppy session on Wall Street caused by worries coming out of the bond market about the US government's debt. The ASX 200 rose 26.6 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 8366.8 by 11am AEST on Friday, with five of 11 industry sectors in the green. Mining giant Rio Tinto was 1.5 per cent lower in early trade after it announced on Thursday night it had started a global search to replace chief executive Jakob Stausholm, who will step down from his position after spending almost five years at the top. Loading BHP was 0.4 per cent lower and Fortescue shed 1.6 per cent in early trade. The big four banks are in positive territory. NAB added 0.6 per cent, Westpac gained 0.5 per cent, while CBA and ANZ both edged up 0.1 per cent. Energy stocks are the best-performing sector, with Woodside and Santos adding 0.5 per cent in early trade. Wall Street trading remained choppy throughout most of the day following Wednesday's big slump for the S&P 500. That loss has put the benchmark index on track for its worst week in the past seven. The S&P 500 slipped 2.60 points, or less than 0.1 per cent, to close at 5842.01. The Dow Jones fell 1.35 points, or less than 0.1 per cent, to 41,859.09. The Nasdaq composite rose 53.09 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 18,925.73. 11.34am More Jetstar flights disrupted by GPS glitches By Chris Zappone A second Jetstar flight has been cancelled after a fault in its navigation system, suspected to be related to solar flare activity. A Brisbane to Bali flight was scrapped on Thursday after disturbances to its Global Positioning System (GPS) prevented the flight from taking off, Jetstar confirmed. The disruption follows an earlier cancellation of a flight from Melbourne to Bali on Wednesday, as well as a number of delays, lasting for hours, that affected other flights at the Qantas-owned economy airline. The GPS fault also caused subsequent delays of Jetstar flights to Bali, Fiji and Hobart from Australia's east coast on Thursday. The spate of difficulties comes days after the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a warning about solar flare activity in previous days, raising the possibility that electromagnetic interference could affect aviation communication and navigation. The Jetstar aircraft received a message 'requiring the [GPS] system to be reset before the flight departs', a spokesperson for the airline said, which caused 'a small number of disruptions to flights'. 'Engineers have inspected the aircraft and have determined the multiple aircraft GPS systems continue to operate and transmit signals,' Jetstar said. No other Qantas-owned aircraft were affected. A spokesperson for Virgin Australia said no similar issues had been reported with its aircraft. 11.10am Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie swats away questions on Littleproud's leadership By Cindy Yin Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has thrown her support behind leader David Littleproud after swatting away questions on whether he could survive as the party's leader. It comes after this masthead reported that former Nationals leaders Michael McCormack and Barnaby Joyce – who Littleproud was preparing to dump from his frontbench – had worked with Liberal leader Sussan Ley to pressure Littleproud into reopening Coalition talks. McKenzie was asked on Sky News this morning if David Littleproud's leadership of the Nationals was at risk as a result of the rifts. 'David Littleproud is our leader, the party room made a collective decision to leave the Coalition. 'We will come back together post the Liberal Party's meeting to discuss whatever comes out of that.' McKenzie declined to comment on specifics. 'I'm not going to become a gossip columnist about who said what to whom, that's up for others to discuss that,' she said. 'I'm the Senate leader – I'm going to be looking forward, to see what the Liberal Party has to say and where we go from here. Do we stay separate or are we going to renegotiate a Coalition agreement?'
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Beggary in Lucknow: Four FIRs, four zones - proof of a syndicate at work begs attention
Multiple FIRs have been lodged across various city police stations in the sweeping crackdown on beggary. Not only does the development uncover the vast and organised nature of the racket but also exposes the involvement of local residents and outsiders across the state capital in sustaining it. The brazen attack in Bangla Bazar against the rescue team on Monday also indicates the presence of an organised syndicate behind the begging group. In the four FIRs registered in four police stations of four zones: Ashiana police in East zone, Sushant Golf City in South, North Zone's Gudamba Police and Naka Hindola Police in central zone, nearly 20 people have been booked. Interestingly, out of the four cases, two clearly suggest the involvement of a local gang and even outsiders in promoting beggary. Rae Bareli women brought daily to Lko to beg Another FIR registered in Sushant Golf city police station recently highlights the case of suspected human trafficking and organised begging, where a man known only as 'Fattebaaz' allegedly ferries women from Rae Bareli to Lucknow each morning and returns them in the evening. 'The revelation surfaced during an anti-beggary rescue operation at the Ahimamau intersection conducted by the team formed by the district magistrate. During the drive, officials found Raveena, 28, begging with her 1-year-old child, along with three other women and seven children. Upon being approached, nearly 10–12 women fled, suggesting possible coercion and organised involvement,' read the FIR copy. According to the complainant, Vikas Trivedi, a member of the surveillance team, Raveena informed the team that Fattebaaz, whose full identity is yet to be verified, transports women daily from Rae Bareli, apparently to beg at busy intersections in Lucknow before taking them back at the day's end. Officials suspect that the operation may be part of a larger trafficking ring, exploiting vulnerable women and children for forced begging under organised supervision. Video and testimonial evidence will be key in determining the full extent of the network. SHO Sushant Golf City Anjani Kumar Mishra, said, ' We're working to identify and arrest Fattebaaz.' Nat community members behind Bangla Bazar nexus As per the FIR registered on Monday by Ashiana police, members of the nomadic tribe, Nats, are said to be the men behind the beggars near Bangla Bazar, which also attacked the officials reaching to recuse them during an anti-beggary operation. According to a formal complaint by the district probation officer, Vikas Singh, the Nat community members identified as Aarti and Avadh Ram, along with 2–3 local accomplices, are behind the nexus who physically assaulted two government officers. 'The attackers, some of whom were reportedly wearing yellow turbans and inciting others, beat the officers with sticks and by hand and threatened them,' said the complainant in the FIR. 'One person from the tribe, identified as Mukesh, has been arrested and the search for others is on using the video footage,' said SHO Ashiana Kshatrapal. Multiple arrested In a total of four FIRs registered, multiple have been arrested as well. Naka SHO Virendra Tripathi said 'out of total five booked, all five were arrested and charge-sheets will be filed soon.' Ashiana SHO Kshatrapal said, 'one was arrested in the case.' However, in Gudamba, where an FIR was registered naming one 'Juggania', SHO Prabhatesh Kumar Srivastav said, 'the charges under JJ Act don't allow us to arrest them.'
