Latest news with #StraightNoChaser
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Straight No Chaser' to bring holiday tunes to Mohegan Sun this winter
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (WTNH) — The A Capella group 'Straight No Chaser' is set to bring holiday festivity to Mohegan Sun Arena this December. Their 'Holiday Road Tour' is set to stop in Connecticut on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. Mohegan Sun unveils summer 2025 outdoor entertainment lineup According to Mohegan Sun, the tour will coincide with the group's release of a full-length collection of holiday songs called 'Holiday Road.' 'For Straight No Chaser, it absolutely is the most wonderful time of the year,' group member Walter Chase said. 'This year, we poured our hearts into our latest album, Holiday Road. I am so excited to see which songs will be our audience's favorites! If you come to our show, you can expect to laugh, sing and be fully prepared to ring in the holidays. We can't wait to see you on the Holiday Road Tour!' Tickets go on sale on on Friday, May 16 at 10 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The National
18-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Lebanon's AI minister says $50m can transform government to make it more accountable
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah 5.10pm: Continous 5.45pm: Raging Torrent 6.20pm: West Acre 7pm: Flood Zone 7.40pm: Straight No Chaser 8.15pm: Romantic Warrior 8.50pm: Calandogan 9.30pm: Forever Young %3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EArtist%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKhaled%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELabel%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBelieve%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE) Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman) Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman) On sale: Now Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman) Global events: Much of the UK's economic woes were blamed on 'increased global uncertainty', which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump's tariffs. Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise '£6.5bn per year' for the public purse Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances Director: Matty Brown Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea Rating: 2.5/5 Results Oman beat Nepal by 18 runs Oman beat United States by six wickets Nepal beat United States by 35 runs Oman beat Nepal by eight wickets Fixtures Tuesday, Oman v United States Wednesday, Nepal v United States The Land between Two Rivers: Writing in an Age of Refugees Tom Sleigh, Graywolf Press Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month. The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said. Dubai's real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate's total property transactions, according to the DLD. Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham Rating: 3.5/5 Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants. %3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Raha%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kuwait%2FSaudi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tech%20Logistics%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2414%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Soor%20Capital%2C%20eWTP%20Arabia%20Capital%2C%20Aujan%20Enterprises%2C%20Nox%20Management%2C%20Cedar%20Mundi%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20166%3C%2Fp%3E%0A Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades Improve the appearance of textbooks Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants. Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy. A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF. Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF. A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg. On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection. The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples. Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient. The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later. Engine: 1.5-litre turbo Power: 181hp Torque: 230Nm Transmission: 6-speed automatic Starting price: Dh79,000 On sale: Now UAE coins Dh5 note Dh10 note Dh20 note Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010 Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from 'tax collection' around Marseille Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise 'two-digit million amounts' Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 Updated: April 18, 2025, 6:02 PM
The National
15-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Shadi's take on the talks between Iran and the US
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah 5.10pm: Continous 5.45pm: Raging Torrent 6.20pm: West Acre 7pm: Flood Zone 7.40pm: Straight No Chaser 8.15pm: Romantic Warrior 8.50pm: Calandogan 9.30pm: Forever Young Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said. Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth. ' Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,' said Mr AbuShaban. Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients' money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients. 'We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client's) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,' he added. Mercer Wealth's clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others. From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth. Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year's global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation. BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent. Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG. Another general trend in the region is clients' looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban. 'Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,' said Mr AbuShaban. Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure. 'What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,' he said. 'In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.' The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority's private equity department focused on structured equities owing to 'their defensive characteristics.' 1. Fasting 2. Prayer 3. Hajj 4. Shahada 5. Zakat Saturday, October 26: 'The Time That Remains' (2009) by Elia Suleiman Saturday, November 2: 'Beginners' (2010) by Mike Mills Saturday, November 16: 'Finding Vivian Maier' (2013) by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel Tuesday, November 26: 'All the President's Men' (1976) by Alan J Pakula Saturday, December 7: 'Timbuktu' (2014) by Abderrahmane Sissako Saturday, December 21: 'Rams' (2015) by Grimur Hakonarson Engine: Duel electric motors Power: 659hp Torque: 1075Nm On sale: Available for pre-order now Price: On request Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE) Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman) Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman) Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman) Cheat's nigiri This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger. Easy omurice This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette. Deconstructed sushi salad platter This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side. SPECS Mini John Cooper Works Clubman and Mini John Cooper Works Countryman Engine: two-litre 4-cylinder turbo Transmission: nine-speed automatic Power: 306hp Torque: 450Nm Price: JCW Clubman, Dh220,500; JCW Countryman, Dh225,500 Creator: Mike White Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell Rating: 4.5/5 • Goals • Penalty decisions • Direct red-card incidents • Mistaken identity %3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Chris%20Buck%2C%20Fawn%20Veerasunthorn%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ariana%20DeBose%2C%20Chris%20Pine%2C%20Alan%20Tudyk%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Gulf Today
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Straight No Chaser out to fulfill trainer Blacker's Dubai dream at World Cup
If attention to detail is what makes a good racehorse trainer, then Dan Blacker has it in abundance. The California-based trainer flew 16 hours to Dubai last week to watch his superstar Straight No Chaser work at Meydan Racecourse ahead of the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (sponsored by Nakheel) on 5 April. 'I came in for four days,' he explained. 'It was his first work there so I just wanted to see him go over the track and talk to my assistant, Juan Landeros, who gets on him every day. He's a big part of this horse's success.' In a sense, it was a return to the start for Blacker, who graduated from the Godolphin Flying Start programme in 2007. The two-year course involved a stint in Dubai, which Blacker remembers fondly. 'Dubai was a lot different then to what it is now,' he says. 'It's always had a special place in my heart and I've always hoped to have a horse good enough to compete on World Cup night. I'm thrilled to get the opportunity to do it with this horse.' Also on that 2007 course was soon to be Bloodstock Agent Conor Foley, who later purchased Tuz for just $7,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale back in 2018. Seven years later, Tuz will be the main rival to Straight No Chaser in the Golden Shaheen. Ever thorough, Blacker has done his research on the local sprinting star, who is unbeaten in a year, including this race in 2024. 'I've watched his win in the Golden Shaheen last year and we respect that horse a lot,' he says. 'Bhupat [Seemar, trainer] does a great job and he's on his home turf – I think that's the main thing. This is a new surface for us, a new challenge. We'll just have to see who's best on the big night.' New challenges don't seem to faze Straight No Chaser, who followed his G1 Breeders' Cup Sprint success at Del Mar in November with a blistering win in the G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi a month ago. 'Saudi was a great experience personally,' says Blacker. 'The horse really thrived there and he's thriving in Dubai too. What's remarkable about this horse is not only his talent and his desire but that he just takes everything in his stride – all the travel is no trouble to him - that's what makes him so special.' The Straight No Chaser journey hasn't always been smooth however, and the six-year-old son of Speightster required plenty of patience early on in his career. '[Owners] My Racehorse purchased him at the Fasig-Tipton [Midlantic] Breeze-up Sale in Maryland,' explains Blacker. After that he needed a bit of time, just immaturity stuff, nothing major. He came into my barn at the end of his two-year-old year and was a little bit of a late bloomer. But as he trained and grew, he just got stronger. We had a minor issue with him at the beginning of his three-year-old year so he didn't start until July. But he always showed a lot of talent - right from the word go.' Blacker, who is married to well-known racing TV host Christina Blacker, is originally from the UK and perhaps still has his British sense of reserve, despite 18 years in California. Even so, he admits that Straight No Chaser has broken new ground for him. 'He's the best horse I've ever had, so of course he's changed my life,' he says. 'I've got to follow him in his races around the world and any horse that does that is very special. To compete on the global stage has always been an ambition of mine, so to have a horse that can do that and win is very exciting. I'm thankful to be his trainer.' Should Straight No Chaser win the Shaheen, even Meydan's spacious winner's stage could become a little crowded. Through micro share company My Racehorse, he has 946 owners, plenty of whom will be making the trip. 'The more owners, the bigger the party!' says Blacker, with a little US-inflection on the last word. 'I don't feel any pressure. I think the micro share syndicates like My Racehorse are a great addition to the industry. It encourages people to get into ownership when they might not have before. I think it's a really positive thing and I'm proud to be a part of that. 'I enjoy sharing my love for the game and my love for horses with people who are less exposed to horses and horse racing, I believe that owners get more of a thrill when they are part of the process leading up to every race. One of our challenges in the industry is promoting the sport in a positive way and they can see firsthand the care these horses get and spread that message.' In addition to being grateful for his part in the Straight No Chaser story, Blacker is thankful for a lucky escape earlier this year when his family home was scarily close to the California Wildfires. 'We evacuated for about a week,' he explains. 'We live in Pasadena and could see the fire from our backyard on January 7th. The winds were like nothing I've ever felt before, and I've lived in California for 18 years. Our house wasn't burned but we had to replace a lot of things due to smoke damage and ash. Overall, we were very lucky.'
Express Tribune
22-02-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Straight No Chaser wins $2 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint
Straight No Chaser, a 6-year-old gelding trained by Dan Blacker, claimed victory in the $2 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint on Saturday at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. With jockey John Velazquez aboard, Straight No Chaser powered home to win the Group 2 race after holding off a strong challenge from the Japanese sprinter, Jasper Krone. The race saw Straight No Chaser engage in a thrilling battle with Krone, who initially took the lead, but the American contender steadily asserted himself down the stretch. Straight No Chaser demonstrated impressive strength and control, despite the pressure from his rival. The victory earns the gelding a fees-paid spot in the 2025 GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, a prestigious race he won in 2024. Muqtahem, representing Saudi Arabia, finished second, while Japan's Gabby's Sister placed third. Straight No Chaser, who was sold for $110,000 as a 2-year-old, has now accumulated $2.6 million in career earnings. His victory continues his successful campaign, which includes an outstanding record of 11 wins from 13 starts. HOW IMPRESSIVE WAS STRAIGHT NO CHASER?!?! He did not mess around in the $2,000,000 Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G2) at @TheSaudiCup. @dan_blacker trains the @MyRacehorse stallion. @ljlmvel piloted him perfectly. Congrats to all the connections! Play the next: — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 22, 2025 The Riyadh Dirt Sprint was part of the Saudi Cup festival, which serves as an automatic qualifier for the Breeders' Cup events. This year's festival features top international contenders, with the $20 million Saudi Cup also offering a Breeders' Cup Classic berth. The event exemplifies the growing synergy between global racing events, with Breeders' Cup's expanded presence in Saudi Arabia marking an exciting new chapter in international competition. As the 2025 Breeders' Cup nears, Straight No Chaser's victory cements his status as one of the top sprinters in the world, with much anticipation surrounding his future performances.
