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Agriland
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Agriland
Holstein cow with 'extra ring presence' carries the day at Clogher Valley Show
NISA Sheep Young Handler of the Year Final proves highlight of the show. The Inter-Breed Dairy Championship at Clogher Valley Show was won by an outstanding Holstein fourth calver, owned jointly by the Willis and Booth families. But she didn't have it all her own way. Andrea Rafferty, from Co. Monaghan, judged the dairy classes at Clogher. She described her champion as a tremendous example of the Holstein breed, adding: 'The quality of all the dairy stock competing in all the classes was exceptional. But at the end of the day, the champion had that little bit of extra ring presence. The Beef Inter-Breed Championship was won by the elite Limousin cow, Deerpark Shakira with the Simmental Champion, Ballinalare Farm Nikita taking home the reserve inter-breed accolade. It has been confirmed that both young cows are now back in calf, so watch this space in 2026. The Commercial Beef Championship at Clogher was won by Robert Miller with his very special young heifer, Baby Spice. And it really is a case of success building on success. Clogher was the heifer's sixth show championship of the year. An undoubted highlight of this year's Clogher Valley Show was the event's hosting of the Northern Ireland Shows Association's (NISA's) Sheep Young Handler of the Year Final. It is a competition that has seen the next generation of pedigree sheep breeders turn out in very large numbers at qualifying shows, held across Northern Ireland over the past three months. But, at the end of the day, it was all down to the 24 enthusiasts who turned out for this year's championship class in the hope and expectation of catching the judge's eye. Jean McCollam, from Nutts Corner in Co. Antrim, was given the responsibility of selecting her champion. At the end of a long deliberation, which included an in-depth conversation with each of the finalists, she tapped out Jake Piggott, from Killinchy in Co. Down as the 'young handler of the year'. He exhibited a Zwartble shearling ewe. But it was a close run thing, as Jean explained. She said: "It was great to see so many competing in the class. And this is a trend that has been replicated at all the shows this year. "We need to see lots of young people coming through - they are the future of sheep breeding in Northern Ireland." The Texel breeder also confirmed the overall quality of the sheep competing at Clogher Valley 2025. She explained: "Better breeding and better nutrition are ensuring that sheep sizes are increasing. This is particularly important when it comes to selling pedigree breeding stock." Sheep numbers were up by an estimated 25% at this year's Clogher Valley Show.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
ATO to review processes around decision to cancel ex-PM's company's $950k tax bill
The Australian Taxation Office has moved to allay fears powerful individuals are given special treatment, saying it will review how it made a decision to wipe almost $1 million in penalties and interest from a company owned by former prime minister Paul Keating. "We are following up to ensure all processes were correctly adhered to," the ATO said in a statement following Monday night's Four Corners program. Four Corners revealed an abrupt about face from the tax office in 2015, which followed three years of negotiations and came after a formal payment notice for $953,000 was issued to Mr Keating's company. The decision was unusual because, for most taxpayers, formally challenging such a ruling on a so-called general interest charge (GIC) would typically require them to contest the matter in the Federal Court. "We note concerns raised in the segment about GIC remission for a high-profile taxpayer, which we take seriously," the ATO's statement said. "Where concerns are raised, we aim to respond through appropriate channels, including internal review, independent oversight, and, where necessary, improvements to our systems and processes. "The public rightfully expects the highest standards of integrity, fairness and accountability from us, and we take matters raised in the segment seriously." Jason Harris, a professor of corporate law at Sydney University, said the decision to waive the interest and penalties charge had the potential to undermine public trust in the tax system. "We have an example of someone very famous seemingly getting a special deal without any explanation and that should be a matter of public concern, even outside of tax," he said. "If we had a former PM getting a waiver on a driver's licence fee we should be equally concerned. There should be transparency." The tax debt was discovered in 2012 when the tax office realised that a company owned by Mr Keating had not reported profits from a 2004 share sale. While the company, Brenlex Pty Ltd, later paid the $446,000, the ATO then demanded more than $600,000 in interest and penalties that had accrued in the eight years since the sale occurred. The negotiations stretched over three years, during which time Mr Keating's advisers asked for the debt to be written off via a tax rule called a "commissioner's discretion". Mr Keating's advisers sought the exemption because the former prime minister mistakenly believed Brenlex had paid the tax and had "inadvertently failed to advise his directors" of the sale, the advisers told the tax office. Professor Harris said a commissioner's discretion was generally applied when a taxpayer had experienced some form of unfairness, such as bad advice from an accountant, or where there had been a significant event in their life, such as the death of a loved one. He said the reason Mr Keating's advisers gave — that he had forgotten he had not complied — did not pass muster. "It's outrageous," he said. In April 2015, the ATO issued Mr Keating a statutory demand for payment of the bill, which by then had grown to $953,396. Ten days after a final letter from Mr Keating's advisers, the tax office decided to cancel the debt in full. "I am able to confirm that the GIC and Late Lodgement Penalties … have been remitted in full," a tax official wrote. "Consequently the balance of the account has been reduced to nil and the amount payable as stated in the Creditors Statutory Demand is no longer owed." The email provided no reasons for the tax office's abrupt about face after three years of resisting the arguments of Mr Keating's financial advisers. The principal tax adviser at Australia's Institute of Public Accountants, Tony Greco, said the decision to waive Mr Keating's GIC appeared unusual on its face. "From a normal perspective, forgetting to pay your tax wouldn't be a strong case for remission of the GIC," he said. "More information needs to be provided to see whether they [the tax office] acted within their discretion." Professor of taxation law at UNSW, Michael Walpole, cautioned that not enough was known about Mr Keating's matter to be able to draw any firm conclusion. Speaking generally, he said it was desirable that, as long as they relied on the appropriate protocols, the tax office be able to reach settlements with taxpayers. The ATO told Four Corners in a statement last week that "inadvertently overlooking" the need to pay tax was generally not valid grounds on which to cancel GIC. "However, there may be instances where GIC is remitted when a taxpayer inadvertently overlooks the requirement to lodge a form or make a payment, depending on the individual circumstances of the taxpayer," the ATO said.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Fourth kanwariya hit by speeding ambulance in Ghaziabad dies in hospital
The fourth kanwariya injured after being hit by a speeding ambulance in Ghaziabad on July 19 succumbed to his injuries on Thursday, police said on Saturday. The other three victims had died soon after the accident. All four pilgrims were on their way to Haridwar on two-wheelers when the accident occurred. The ambulance involved belonged to a hospital owned by the family of a Ghaziabad MLA. The ambulance involved in the accident. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo) The latest victim was identified as Ajay Kumar, 30, a resident of Harsh Vihar in east Delhi. The three victims who died earlier were identified as Ritik Singh, 23, Abhinav Samaniya, 25, and Sachin Kumar, 38, residents of Ghaziabad. The ambulance driver has been arrested. The accident took place in Kadrabad in Modinagar on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway. 'Ajay Kumar succumbed to his injuries late Thursday night. Ajay's father on July 21 had given a police complaint, and an FIR was registered against the ambulance driver, Monu Pal, 30, who has been arrested. The ambulance was also seized. We will file a charge sheet against the driver now,' said Gyan Prakash Rai, assistant commissioner of police of Modinagar circle. The ambulance belonged to Jeevan Hospital in Modinagar, which is owned by the family of Modinagar MLA Manju Siwach. 'It is an unfortunate incident. The driver, along with an attendant, was returning from Meerut after dropping off a patient. The driver lost balance as he was trying to avoid some commuters on the road. He was driving on his side, and the vehicle was not at high speed. After the incident, the attendant was assaulted by people on the road,' Siwach had told HT on July 20. The incident happened during the Kanwar Yatra when there were major diversions on the Delhi-Meerut Road. The FIR was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 281 (rash or negligent driving or riding on a public way), 125a (acts endangering human life or the personal safety of others), 324(4) (causing loss of damages), and 106 (causing death by negligence) at Modinagar police station.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Central committee inspects constructions at Bheemili beach
Visakhapatnam: An expert committee constituted by the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change conducted an inspection on Friday at Bheemili beach to assess unauthorised constructions allegedly carried out by Avyaan Realtors, owned by P Neha Reddy and P Rohit Reddy—the daughter and son-in-law of former Rajya Sabha member P Vijaya Sai Reddy. These constructions reportedly violated coastal regulation zone (CRZ) rules. The Andhra Pradesh Coastal Zone Management Authority has filed a case in the Bheemili court against the company for constructing a concrete wall within CRZ limits without prior approval, violating provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986. Though the GVMC partially demolished the wall up to ground level, underground remnants still remain to be cleared. This inspection follows a public interest litigation (PIL No. 53/2024) filed in the AP High Court by Jana Sena corporator Peethala Murthy Yadav, who raised concerns about the large-scale unauthorised concrete structures built on the beach. The High Court ordered the immediate demolition of the illegal constructions and directed authorities to enforce environmental regulations strictly. The expert committee, comprising scientists from the National Institute of Oceanography, Coastal Zone Management Authority, State Pollution Control Board, and Central environment ministry, inspected the site to evaluate the environmental damage caused by the constructions. The committee also collected detailed information related to the case from Murthy Yadav and is expected to submit its report to the high court. The CRZ regulations, framed under the Environment Protection Act, aim to safeguard coastal ecosystems by restricting constructions within a buffer zone from the high tide line.
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Inside eerie £1m mansion abandoned in countryside with classic BMW still in driveway after millionaire owner ‘vanishes'
AN urban explorer has revealed creepy shots of an abandoned millionaire's mansion - with the car still in the driveway and a half-eaten meal in the kitchen. The sprawling property looks as though it's frozen in time, with the lights still left on and kids' toys scattered on the floor. Advertisement 5 A BMW is in the driveway and the entire house has almost been completely covered in foliage Credit: YOUTUBE/THE BEARDED EXPLORER Inside, luxurious furniture, clothes and family photos are coated in a thick layer of dust. Piles of mail lay unopened on the floor and the cupboard is filled with tins with sell-by-dates of around three years. Nestled on the outskirts of London, according to the explorer, the house was once owned by a former RAF officer who became a wealthy oil company executive. The man who found it, known online as 'Urbex Forgotten,' described it as 'stepping into a time capsule.' Advertisement read more on abandoned sites He told The Mirror, 'It was honestly like the people just popped out to the shops and never came back.' The explorer, named Colin, said he had "heard a few stories" about why the property was abandoned, but it still remains a mystery. Some suggest the owner fled financial trouble, and others whisper about legal issues. But no one really knows—and that's what makes it so chilling. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Other fancy cars were found scattered about the land, including a pristine Jaguar XK8. "I cannot believe this is in here, this is crazy," Colin added. Inside the abandoned wreck of Ibiza's first super club The car was originally registered in 2001 and its MOT ran out in 2014. "It currently has 19,000 miles on it, so I don't think this car has been used a lot at all.' Advertisement Earlier this month, a YouTuber discovered an eerie abandoned town which looks like a scene out of Walking Dead. The creepy abandoned community was once home to thousands of British soldiers but now it is slowly decaying with buildings falling apart. An entire village, with hundreds of enormous four-bedroom homes, a barrack-like apartment complex, sports facilities and even a gas station, has been frozen in time for more than ten years and is now being reclaimed by nature. The abandoned site looks like a typical British town, with many of the houses resembling English architecture and having their own garages, some of which are unlocked. Advertisement But it is located in Germany and was built during the height of Cold War by the British government. JHQ Rheindahlen once housed up to 12,000 British personnel and their families between 1952 and 2013. Colin Hodson, known online as the Bearded Explorer, said on his channel: "This place is so big it is pretty much its own city. "I cannot believe this whole estate is completely abandoned.' Advertisement 5 The cupboards are filled with food with use by dates that are a decade old Credit: YOUTUBE/THE BEARDED EXPLORER 5 No one knows who the house belongs to Credit: YOUTUBE/THE BEARDED EXPLORER 5 The bathroom is still perfectly clean Credit: YOUTUBE/THE BEARDED EXPLORER 5 The urban explorer described the home as a 'time capsule' Credit: YOUTUBE/THE BEARDED EXPLORER Advertisement
