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Daily Mail
21-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
I'm making serious money on OnlyFans but my boyfriend hates it. He's offered to pay me to stop... should I accept? VICKY REYNAL has the surprising answer
I'm making real money on an OnlyFans – but my partner wants me to stop. I started posting during lockdown and it's still bringing in solid income. My partner knew at first and was supportive, but now he's asking me to quit and says he'll give me £800 every month if I stop, so I can pay my bills. I don't know if I should stop just because he asked, and if I should accept the money?
Arab News
09-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan eyes UAE's digitalization model to boost public finance reforms
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's State Minister for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani met his UAE counterpart Mohamed Bin Hadi Al Hussaini on Wednesday, stressing the importance of learning from the Gulf country's digitalization model to promote e-commerce and macroeconomic stability, the Pakistan embassy in Abu Dhabi said. Kayani is leading a senior delegation of Pakistani officials who arrived in the UAE this week to participate in a two-day experience exchange program aimed at learning from the UAE's governance and public sector innovation models. The program, running from July 8–9, includes sessions with various UAE ministries and authorities and focuses on innovative approaches to public service delivery, competitiveness, and institutional reform. The initiative is in line with Islamabad's desire to modernize its public sector and strengthen economic cooperation with the Gulf nation. 'Minister Kayani also outlined Pakistan's reform agenda to modernize public sector finance and emphasized the importance of learning from the UAE's digitalization model,' the Pakistani embassy said about Kayani's meeting with Al Hussaini. Kayani expressed Pakistan's appreciation for the UAE's continued financial support, the statement said, recognizing it played a vital role in maintaining the country's economic stability. The two sides held discussions on key aspects of fiscal management, including budgeting practices, public finance oversight and tax policy reforms, the Pakistan embassy in Abu Dhabi said. 'Both ministers shared insights from their respective national experiences, identifying common challenges and opportunities to strengthen institutional capacity and improve governance frameworks,' it said. Kayani said Pakistan's reform agenda, spearheaded by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was focused on e-commerce, digitization and sustained macroeconomic stability. 'He emphasized that Pakistan remains committed to deepening structural reforms, ensuring fiscal responsibility, and promoting transparency and good governance as key pillars of long-term economic resilience,' the statement said. The two sides also reflected on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Pakistan's Planning Ministry and the UAE's Cabinet Affairs ministry on June 16, 2025. The MoU reinforces the shared commitment of both governments to modernize governance, build institutional capacity, and develop future-ready public administration systems. Islamabad considers UAE a vital economic ally as it is Pakistan's third-largest trading partner after China and the United States. The Gulf country is also home to over 1.8 million Pakistani expatriates and is the highest source of foreign remittances for Pakistan after Saudi Arabia.
Irish Times
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Concern over law which would see separated parents lose widow's pension rights
A bereaved TD has described her shock at planned changes to the widow's pension which, she said, would have left her and her daughter in financial hardship had they been in place when her former husband died. People Before Profit's Ruth Coppinger was teaching part-time when her daughter's father died last year. 'We were married for 14 years and had a maintenance agreement written into our separation agreement. I was reliant on that,' said Ms Coppinger. When her former husband died suddenly,Ms Coppinger worried about their financial security without his support. READ MORE Divorced or legally separated co-parents have been entitled to the widow's, or widower's, pension for almost 30 years – since the 1995 divorce referendum. The weekly rate is up to €249.50 for those aged under 66 and €289.30 for those aged 66 and older, with increases of €50 for each dependent child under 12 and €62 for each child aged 12 and older. 'It was such a relief, financially and mentally, to know I would get the widow's pension, that I would have that for my daughter,' Ms Coppinger said. Planned changes, however, would see parents in her situation excluded from entitlement to the pension. The Bereaved Partner's Pension Bill , expected to complete its passage through the Dáil on Wednesday, will remove entitlement to the pension from bereaved co-parents with the loss of hundreds of euro a week for them and their children, according to one legal charity. The Free Legal Advice Centres (Flac) is to brief Oireachtas members on its concerns about the Bill on Tuesday. The new law is to give effect to last year's Supreme Court judgment in the O'Meara case which ruled the exclusion of John O'Meara, a bereaved, unmarried father of three, from entitlement to the widower's contributory pension scheme was unconstitutional. It found the rules around access to the pension breached the guarantee of equality in the Constitution by refusing it to a bereaved unmarried parent with exactly the same obligations to their children as a bereaved married parent. While the new law extends entitlement to bereaved cohabiting parents, it stipulates they must be in a committed, intimate relationship and living together at the time of bereavement. It removes the entitlement of those who married the deceased parent of their children, but are divorced or separated from them when they die. The new law will not affect current recipients. The existing scenario, in which divorced or legally separated co-parents are entitled to the pension, has been an 'important protection' against poverty for children where the death of a parent meant the loss of maintenance, Flac has said. Karen Kiernan, chief executive of the support charity One Family, said a 'very small number' of divorced or separated people claim a survivor's pension. 'We see no basis for removing their entitlement,' she said. 'It is highly concerning that the potential financial impact ... on this group does not seem to have been considered by the Department in what is otherwise a very positive piece of legislation.' Damien Peelo, chief executive of lone-parent advocacy organisation Treoir, said the bill risked 'replacing one inequality with another' by excluding divorced or separated parents. 'Grieving children deserve equal treatment, regardless of their parents' relationship status,' he said. Ms Coppinger said the law would 'plunge households into poverty' and could see some children facing 'homelessness on top of grief' if their surviving parent could not pay their rent or mortgage. A Department of Social Protection spokesman said the O'Meara judgment had raised 'a range of complex matters. 'The Bill has been developed to ensure that the principle of equality in the treatment of potential beneficiaries is upheld both in relation to eligibility for the payment and the rules on the loss of entitlement when a relationship ends,' he said. 'The representation that this amounts to discrimination against single parents is incorrect.'
Globe and Mail
30-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Northstar Announces Receipt of Letter of Interest on Potential Funding for up to Four United States Asphalt Shingle Reprocessing Facilities
CALGARY, AB , June 30, 2025 /CNW/ - Northstar Clean Technologies Inc. (TSXV: ROOF) (OTCQB: ROOOF) (" Northstar" or the " Company") is pleased to announce that after positive discussions, we received a non-binding Letter of Interest (" LOI") from Export Development Canada (" EDC") for EDC to provide potential financial support, subject to the successful completion of its due diligence process, for the Company's first planned shingle reprocessing facility in the United States (" US Facility#1") and subject to a number of conditions and outcomes, potential funding support for an additional three Northstar processing facilities in the United States. Similar to the non-revolving secured debt facility outstanding with the Business Development Bank of Canada (" BDC") associated with the Company's Empower Calgary Facility, the LOI represents project financing where the security package, financial covenants and debt servicing requirements are directly attributable to the US Facility#1 itself. The LOI stipulates EDC to maintain a first ranking, or senior secured position, on the underlying assets with the ability to co-lend with other debt providers. EDC could extend credit up to C$12.5 million . Financial and reporting covenants, guarantees and pricing would apply and will be finalized as part of ongoing discussions. EDC due diligence will require, among other matters, sufficient comfort on the commercialization of the Empower Calgary Facility, which is nearing commissioning completion, completion support for US Facility#1 involving cost overrun protections, and equity contributions from one or more parties prior to any draws under an EDC debt facility. "While still early days, we are very encouraged by EDC's interest to potentially provide financial support for our growth aspirations in the United States ," stated Aidan Mills , President & CEO. " The United States represents a significant market for Northstar and we continue to advance site selection, permitting and securing long-term supply agreements, for a number of US locations. These efforts are in line with our existing liquid asphalt off-take arrangements for the first four facilities in the United States with TAMKO Building Products LLC. Our international growth objectives align seamlessly with EDC's mandate and we look forward to a long and prosperous partnership." "The LOI from EDC could ultimately lead to a foundational funding vehicle for Northstar's US capital strategy," commented Greg Phaneuf , VP Corporate Development & CFO. "Northstar's business model lends itself to prudent leverage to materially reduce our project cost of capital, thereby enhancing returns for our shareholders. We look forward to working with EDC to crystallize funding terms as part of our larger growth capital initiatives." About Northstar Northstar is a Canadian waste to value technology company focused on the sustainable recovery and reprocessing of asphalt shingles. Northstar developed and owns a proprietary design process for taking discarded asphalt shingles, otherwise destined for already over-crowded landfills, and extracts the liquid asphalt for use in new hot mix asphalt shingle manufacturing and asphalt flat roof systems while also extracting aggregate and fiber for use in construction products and other industrial applications. Focused on the circular economy, Northstar plans to reprocess used or defective asphalt shingle waste back into its three primary components for reuse/resale with its first commercial scale up facility in Calgary, Alberta . As an emerging innovator in sustainable processing, Northstar's mission aims at leading the recovery and reprocessing of asphalt shingles in North America that would otherwise be sent to landfill addressing numerous stakeholder objectives. U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the Company on For further information about Northstar, please visit On Behalf of the Board of Directors, President & CEO, Director Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. This press release may contain forward–looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which forward–looking information reflects the Company's current expectations regarding future events. Forward-looking statements are often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "aim", "objective" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements concerning: (i) Northstar's plans to reprocess used shingles into their component parts in the inaugural commercial facility in Calgary ; (ii) EDC to potentially provide financial support for the Company's first US located facility in addition to a further three US located facilities, (iii) EDC to fund up to C$12.5 million on the first US located facility; (iv) efforts with respect US site selection, permitting and securing long-term supply agreements; (v) anticipated completion of the Empower Calgary Facility; (vi) Northstar's ability to become a leader in the recovery and reprocessing of asphalt shingles in North America ; and (vii) future capital raising opportunities and commitments. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements, including: risks related to factors beyond the control of the Company; inability of the Company to execute on its business plans; changes in business plans and strategies of the Company; the Company may require additional financing which may not be obtainable or on favourable terms; risk inherent to any capital financing transactions; economic uncertainty; and the risks and uncertainties which are more fully described under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis and other filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's profile on SEDAR+. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update such forward–looking information whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated, expected or aimed. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended and such changes could be material. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update the forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law.
Reuters
28-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Trading cards offer lifeline to low-income players
LONDON/NEW YORK, June 28 (Reuters) - A nearly year-old initiative to sell tennis players' trading cards is generating vital extra income for lower earners struggling to make ends meet, its backers said. While the world's elite tennis players can earn fortunes, with Wimbledon for example offering a record 53.5 million pounds ($73.5 million) in prize money this year, those much further down the rankings often struggle financially. Winners Alliance, the commercial partner of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) which wants to address the financial disparities, said the new cards had generated around $20 million since they were rolled out in August. Some 70% of the income has gone to the 400 players signed up. "You have the 100th best player in the world and they're struggling to make a living," Eric Winston, president of Winners Alliance, told Reuters. "That's not right." Winners Alliance has teamed up with the Fanatics-owned Topps brand to produce trading cards for the next 20 years, hoping to emulate the huge popularity of such initiatives in other sports such as soccer and U.S. basketball. The cards, featuring current and former players, are sold online, at hobby shops and on site at big tournaments including the U.S Open and Australian Opens. The latest release on May 15th sold out in 24 hours. Founded in 2022, Winners Alliance, chaired by hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, manages commercial opportunities for sports players and their agents. Its aim is to generate a recurring annual income of $100,000 for all ranked players from trading cards, video games and other income streams. "The level of players in the top 200 has never been so high... and some can barely make ends meet," said PTPA deputy executive director Romain Rosenberg, citing the example of a player near the top 100 who earned $25,000 one year after deducting taxes, coaching and other unavoidable costs. Rosenberg contrasted tennis with other sports such as football where even lower-tier players earn large salaries, often without the high costs tennis players face with coaching, travel and health expenses. "It is still early days but the aim is to emulate the success of U.S. basketball and baseball leagues... even reaching 10% of their revenue in five to 10 years would generate meaningful passive income for players," Rosenberg added. The PTPA, co-founded by players Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil in 2020, has backed various efforts to level the playing field between the haves and have-nots of tennis, including legal aid and health programmes. Sports trading cards have enjoyed enduring popularity, buoyed by record-breaking sales such as a rookie card of baseball great Mickey Mantle fetching $12.6 million at auction in 2022.
