One year to go: Will the Paris 2024 Olympics see a return to normalcy?

Angela Schneider, Western University; Alan C Oldham, Western University, and Richard Baka, Victoria University

We haven’t had a “normal” Olympic Games since the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The 2020 Tokyo Summer Games and the 2022 Beijing Winter Games were both affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in significant changes and schedule disruptions. There were virtually no spectators, strict COVID-19 protocols for anyone involved in the Games, budget issues, no corporate hospitality, reduced community engagement and a lackluster atmosphere in the two host cities. But there is hope for a return to a more traditional and enjoyable Games with the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. With 10 million tickets available, spectators will be back in stadiums.Up to 600,000 spectators will be allowed at the opening ceremony in July 2024 which, for the first time in history, won’t take place in a stadium, but along the Seine River in northern France. Athletes will parade six kilometres along the river before arriving at the Trocadéro, where the final parts of the ceremony will take place. Athletes and sports: Since pandemic restrictions are no longer in place, competing at the Olympics and living in the Athlete’s Village will be a much better experience for athletes, who will be able to freely mix and mingle again. There will be 32 sports and 329 events at the Paris Games. Karate, baseball and softball have been dropped. Hoping to attract a youthful audience, breakdancing — known as “breaking” — will make its first Olympic appearance. Sport climbing, surfing and skateboarding, all of which made their debut at Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021), will remain in Paris. In the continuing push for gender equity, there will be equal numbers of male and female athletes for the first time. In the hopes of having as clean a Games as possible, strict doping controls will once again be in place for Paris. Due to sophisticated laboratory testing, some cheats will inevitably be caught — if not during the Games, then afterwards. The Canadian men’s 4x100-metre relay team, for example, just received their upgraded silver medals for the Tokyo Games after the British team tested positive for doping. Aaron Brown, from left to right, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney and Andre De Grasse pose with their upgraded Tokyo Olympics silver medals during a ceremony in Langley, B.C., on July 29, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Russian and Belarusian athletes: A chief question is whether, and on what terms, athletes from Russia and Belarus will compete at the Games. Athletes from both countries have been effectively banned from international competition in the aftermath of Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) strongly recommended banning athletes from both countries from the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, with the International Paralympic Committee following suit days later. Since then, the IOC has faced pressure from both sides. On the one side, several Baltic leaders have threatened to boycott the Games if Russians and Belarusians are allowed to compete. On the other, human rights groups have been advocating that individual athletes not face discrimination based on their nationality. The International Olympic Committee has attempted to strike a balance between continued support for Ukrainian athletes without “punishing athletes for the acts of their governments,” as IOC President Thomas Bach stated. The IOC has the ultimate authority as to who will not receive formal invitations to compete in the Paris Games, and it had earlier stated that it will not invite Russia and Belarus to the 2024 Olympics. While a final decision about the situation is unlikely to be made before the fall, Ukraine’s recent about-face to allow its athletes to compete against Russians and Belarusians reveals the situation’s complexity.

Olympic culture As the host city, Paris will be buzzing with excitement, offering a variety of Olympic activities. These include special fan zones, free viewings of the Olympic Torch Relay and opening ceremonies, access to hospitality houses and opportunities to visit sponsor sites like Samsung, Visa and Pride House. Plus, there is the Cultural Olympiad program that began just after the Tokyo Games finished. This program provides opportunities for host countries to “start new conversations between sporting and cultural circles during the four years building up to the Games then until the closing ceremony.” Record-breaking media coverage: While the Tokyo and Beijing Games still had extensive media coverage, the upcoming Paris Games are expected to have the most coverage out of any Olympics. By May, Paris organizers had sold 6.8 million tickets — about 70 per cent of the total inventory. And in July, the president of the Paris Olympics organizing committee said they had passed the €1 billion (C$1.5 billion) mark in secured sponsorship revenue. 

Coca-Cola, the longest standing Olympic sponsor since 1928, is an official non-alcoholic beverage sponsor and the major sponsor of the Olympic Torch Relay and pin trading centres. Coke’s marketing agreement extends to 2032 and is estimated to be worth a whopping $3 billion. The return of corporate sponsorships will also include extensive corporate hospitality and packages from major sponsors, including Visa, Coke, Samsung and others. Security at the Games: From the French Revolution to the modern day, Paris undoubtedly has a strong history of social demonstrations. Recent events have raised the question of whether this propensity will play out during the Paris 2024 Games. In July, widespread protests and demonstrations took place after police shot and killed 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk, a French citizen of Moroccan and Algerian descent, illustrating how fraught tensions are between racialized communities and law enforcement in France. As for the possibility of demonstrations occurring during the 2024 Olympics, it still remains to be seen. Whether or not they are to be expected, a heavy anti-terrorism security presence can be expected, as has become the norm in recent decades at mega sport events. On the positive side, recent investigations into corruption at French sport’s highest levels may lead to improved transparency regarding corruption in organizing committees as the Games approach. One year to go: The 2024 Paris Olympics should see a return to normalcy compared to the last two games. Although trepidation exists, with one year to go anxieties are normal. As Paris prepares to host its third Olympics (1904, 1924, 2024) — only the second city to achieve this milestone after London (1908, 1948, 2012) — there is optimism the event will run smoothly. The legacy of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the French founder of the modern Olympic Games, and the Olympic Movement should continue unabated. Angela Schneider, Director, International Centre for Olympic Studies, Western University; Alan C Oldham, PhD Student, International Centre for Olympic Studies, Western University, and Richard Baka, Adjunct Fellow, Olympic Scholar and Co-Director of the Olympic and Paralympic Research Centre, Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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The Mind-Boggling Numbers Behind India's Election

By The Associated Press: With more than 800 million eligible voters and close to a million polling stations across the country, everything about India's general elections promises to be huge. For six weeks beginning Monday, Indians will head to the polls in nine phases for parliamentary elections in the world's biggest democracy.

Some of the mind-boggling numbers:

• 1.2 billion: India's population.
• 814.5 million: Eligible voters.
• 543: Constituencies where elections are being held.
• 11 million: Election officials, paramilitary officers and police who will preside over the voting process.
• 1.4 million: Electronic voting machines set up for the election.
• $600 million: What the government will spend to conduct the election.
• $72,800 to $113,250: What each political candidate is allowed to spend on his or her election campaign.
• 935,000: Polling stations.
• 28,000: Transgender voters who registered. For the first time, India offered a third gender choice — "other" on voter registration forms.

Courtesy: http://abcnews.go.com/, Source: flickr.com

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French scholarships for Indian students

The French government is planning to announce more than 300 excellence scholarships worth over one million euros for the academic year 2014-15. Students from all fields and subjects at the bachelor’s, master’s and PhD levels are eligible to apply for these scholarships.

“The French government is keen to welcome Indian students in a wide range of fields like engineering, management, and design,” said a spokesperson from the embassy. The benefits of these scholarships include a monthly stipend to cover daily expenses, free student visa, medical insurance coverage and assistance in finding affordable accommodation in France. Other offers are the Charpak scholarship programme which offers three types of funding (research internship programme, exchange programme, amaster’s programme), Eiffel scholarship programme which provides benefits like living expenses (1,200 euros/ month), travel expenses, health insurance and accommodation. Today France is a much sought after academic destination as far as Indian students are concerned. Small classroom sizes, well developed research facilities and an internationally  acclaimed academic heritage are  the major attractions of this country . “With over 800 courses being taught in English, there has been a spurt of 50% in the number of Indian students going to study in France in the last two to three years. Today, more than 2,600 students opt to study in France and we hope to see this figure doubled over the next five years,” said Francois Richier, Ambassador of France to India. Visa rules simplified: Indian students can go to France on a student visa that is valid for the entire Schengen area. After finishing their course, students can stay for up to one year if they are seeking employment. “Earlier, international students were allowed to stay for just six months. The French government however, extended the period in June last year to foster cooperation. And finally, it was decided that any Indian student who has a graduate or postgraduate degree from a French institute of higher education will be automatically eligible for a short stay tourist and business Schengen visa with five-year validity. Even if one has obtained a degree prior to this decision, he/she can still apply for the alumni visa. This visa can be extended to spouses and children,” informed the ambassador. Job opportunities: International students have a temporary work permit for 60% of the normal work time, which amounts to 18 hours a week. “Studying in France stands one in good stead when it comes to securing placement. A French degree is valued by corporate sectors  and countries across the globe. Thus, many Indian students who’ve graduated from French institutions go on to work with MNCs in the UK or the US,” said Richier. Why study in France?: Classroom sizes are small and students get focussed attention  The country offers a wide range of scholarships across a bouquet of academic disciplines.  Today there are nearly  800 courses that are taught in English in french universities Visa rules have been made easier and students can now stay for an additional year in the country after completing their course Source: Hindustan Times, Image: flickr.com

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PSG clinch Ligue 1 title with victory in Lyon

Paris St Germain clinched their first championship in 19 years on Sunday with a 1-0 win at Olympique Lyon that put them seven points clear of second-placed Olympique Marseille in Ligue 1 with two games left. Jeremy Menez scored the decisive goal in the 53rd minute for Carlo Ancelotti's side as the wealthy Qatari-backed club secured their third league title. They were last crowned champions in 1994, eight years after winning their first title under Gerard Houllier. "We've been living something outstanding, 19 years after the last title. Long live Paris!," centre back Mamadou Sakho, a Paris-born player, told TV broadcaster Canal Plus. Source: Sam Daily Times

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Joe Biden runs up $1Million bill for just Two Nights in London and Paris (and the taxpayer picks up the tab)

Vice President Joe Biden spent more than $1 million for two nights in hotels in London and Paris, according to government documents. Biden and his hefty entourage spent the night at two five-star hotels in early February - one night at the Hyatt Regency London for a total of $459,338.65 and another night at the Hotel Intercontinental Paris Le Grand for $585,000.50, Source: The Coming Crisis

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Figure of the Day: Columbine, 1950

Columbine Glazed Porcelain Flatback, Venice, Italy, 1950-60, The Victoria & Albert Museum

Stalking the Belle Époque, By Joseph Crisalli: Though this Italian glazed porcelain figurine is undated, we can tell by the style of its costume with its impossibly tiny waist, that it was probably made in the late 1950s or early 1960s. Yes, that’s right—1950’s. I’m writing about something from the last century. This figure was most likely created with the tourist market in mind, designed to catch the eye of visitors to Venice who were looking for something pretty to bring home and put on their pianos or mantelpieces. The figurine depicts the character of Columbine standing in front of a Venetian gondola post. It is essentially a Twentieth Century flatback-- designed on one plane to be seen only from the front. This was made as part of a pair with the other figure depicting. Columbine was a character from the Italian traditional panto comedy known as the Commedia dell'Arte which flourished throughout Europe from the Sixteenth to the Eighteenth centuries and from which developed our Mr. Punch. Columbina, as she was known in Italy, was a lady's maid who was soon called “Columbine” in France and England. In her native country, Columbine had been called by a series of other names before settling on the one which still carries today. These names included Franceschina, Smeraldina, Oliva, Nespola, Spinetta, Ricciolina, Corallina, Diamantina and Lisetta. Columbine’s relationship with Harlequin was the central romantic interest in Commedia dell’Arte plays. She was portrayed as being in love with the rascally Harlequin. However, she was always shown as being aware of Harlequin’s foibles and much of the comedy came from her attempts to change him. Typically, Columbine was costumed to match Harlequin's attire in a gown of a patchwork of multi-colored diamond shapes. Here, Columbine is depicted as a blonde dancer wearing a black mask and a multi-colored, calf-length, flared skirt with fitted jacket and sleeves. The figure sports underglaze decoration in blue, pink, green, yellow, orange and purple, and an overglaze with gilt detail for edging and around the lozenge shapes on the dress. Source: Stalking the Belle Époque

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Agritalia Bio: a wide assortment of organic products from all over Italy

Fresh PlazaFounded in 2004 in Faenza (Emilia-Romagna-Italy), Agritalia Bio operates on the market as a producer and seller of organic fruit and vegetables. Twelve producing members (1 in Apulia, 4 in Sicily, 1 in Lombardy and 6 in Emilia-Romagna), 22 employers and 227 supplier companies (138 in Sicily, 21 in Calabria, 20 in Emilia-Romagna, 19 in Veneto and 17 in Apulia, etc), for a total of 2,500 hectares, allow the

company to handle 6,000 tons of organic fresh produce per year. The head office in Bagnacavallo covers a surface of 6,500 square meters, of which 1,800 are covered and destined to warehouses, processing room and offices. Agritalia Bio can use exclusively a warehouse in Calabria (700

square meters) and a factory in Sicily for citrus processing (1,000 square meters). These three factories allow an appropriate package for retail sale,

including customized proposals. The company from Bagnacavallo is certified by BioAgriCert and also the producing units and factories in Calabria and Sicily are certified by EcoGruppo Italia and BioAgriCert.

An accurate planning, in respect of seasonal products, allow Agritalia Bio to

be present with a wide assortment: from citrus (clementines,  oranges  and

lemons) to summer fruit (peaches and nectarines, apricots  and plums) and Sicilian winter vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, courgettes, etc). "50% of 6,000 tons of products is represented by winter vegetables, 30% is citrus and 20% is summer fruit" Auro Sofritti, Agritalia Bio general manager (photo on the side) says. 90% of produce goes to big retail, while the remaining 10% is destined to wholesalers and export, mainly to Germany, Denmark, France and Switzerland. Agritalia Bio receives the sized product directly from the companies or processes it under 'private label'. Even if organic sector is less affected by the financial crisis and consumption reduction, Sofritti explains that the decreasing trend of prices represents a problem also in this sector, mainly for products such as onions and carrots that have tripled production costs. "This year we had a lot of problems with organic oranges: first the truck drivers' strike and then

the heavy snowfall. Further, very small size (8-10) resulted in a 50%-60% reduction of work. Finally, the quality was affected partly by rain. Fortunately all these factors did not influence vegetables." According to Auro

Sofritti, an aspect can be improved in the organic sector: the taste of product. "Using the same parameters of conventional products, the taste does not exalt the healthy features of organic product. For this reason, 

Agritalia Bio and big retail plan the project 'Progetto Maturo', in order to distribute the ripe fruit the day after its harvest, guaranteeing a greater satisfaction for consumers." Tradition and innovation, respect and  control, 

research and strictness are the key points of Agritalia Bio to sort and guarantee a quality produce. The traceability is assured per product, site and packaging site. In line with its philosophy, the company uses also trays made of biodegradable wood pulp. Contact: Agritalia Bio, Auro Sofritti, Via San Gervasio, 16, Bagnacavallo (RA), Phone: +39 (0)545 1930002, Fax: +39 (0)545 1930003, Email: commerciale@agritaliabio.eu, Web: www.agritaliabio.eu, Source: Fresh Plaza

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New tech can prevent suicide attempts, accidents in metros

Indian Express: The growing number of suicides on metro tracks in India could be avoided if a new advanced technology and communications system, which provides for driverless trains and quick response to prevent such accidents, is put in place. Thales Group, which has an impeccable track record in Dubai and other cities - where it provides supervision, communications, security and fare collection facilities has offered India its advanced Communications-based train control (CBTC) system. With the CBTC system, metro trains can run without a driver and all controls are managed from a centralised office which monitors all the tracks and train movements. Incidents of suicides have been on the rise inside Delhi Metro premises for the past few months. The first week of May alone saw four such incidents, prompting authorities to take steps to stop them in future. France-based Thales Group, which plans to bid for the next phase of Delhi Metro as well as the Hyderabad metro among others, feels this technology would help India immensely. "The aim is to reduce the waiting period between two trains to 90 seconds. Our signalling system and CBTC provide for safe and on-time travel. The delay caused by fog in winters would not happen if this technology is used," Eric Lenseigne, country director of Thales India Private Limited, told a group of visiting reporters. CBTC is already in use in Dubai where no accidents or cases of suicide have been reported so far. "We do allow people to have access to tracks. Screen doors have been built at stations which block people from going towards the tracks. Even the staff and workers working on the tracks are not allowed when trains are plying," Ali Abdul Qader Mohammed Saeed, Director, Road Transport Authority (RTA), Government of Dubai, said. Interestingly, the glass screen doors were built to keep out sand and heat from the metro stations. With high temperatures in the desert region, all metro stations are fully airconditioned. Since the number of commuters will rise with the passage of time due to continuing hike in petroleum prices; improving connectivity of metro rail in the wake of its expansion, speed and better communication systems would be required. Here the significance of the technology being offered by Thales becomes significant. "This system has performed very, very well. There is 99 per cent punctuality," said Dubai RTA CEO Adnan Al Hammadi. The reaction time of a driver would be not as good as that of a machine and with train speeds set to increase further, superior technology and communication systems would be required to prevent accidents. Dubai Metro, stretching over 74 km and having 47 stations, has unmanned trains. "There is only a conductor to check tickets and ensure that nobody enters the coach meant for women and children and the VIPs," Hammadi said. Thales already has a presence in India as it provides the fare collection technology to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). It also supplies Passenger Information Display Systems (PIDS) and Public Address Systems (PAS) to DMRC. Thales also provides communication systems to the Versoya-Andheri-Ghatkopar metro corridor in Mumbai and the supervision system to Bengaluru metro. Source: Indian Express

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Royal Enfield hits the road with quieter models

domain-b: Sales are once again booming at Royal Enfield, a 119-year-old Anglo-Indian motorcycle maker which has brought its distinctive bikes into the modern era with new and quieter engines, but is finding it hard to roll them out fast enough to cater to the demand. The company that had almost a laidback attitude sold 74,600 motorcycles in 2011, a 40-per cent increase, all made at its 57-year-old factory in Chennai, and is in the process of upgrading the manufacturing investing $30 million in a bid to double capacity. The waiting period now for customers is six to nine months. "Paradoxically, the more we make the more we appear to be falling behind. Only when the new plant kicks in fully next year will we be able to fully address the waiting periods," Venki Padmanabhan, chief executive officer of Royal Enfield Motors, told Reuters. The bike now sports a new engine in place of the antiquated cast iron engine, which has resulted in boosting acceleration, performance, mileage and reliability besides cutting emissions. The company is almost synonymous with the powerful Bullet model, but what is driving growth is the Classic series sold 10 million motorbikes were last year. According to George Koshy who owns four Royal Enfield bikes, including a Classic 500, the company had finally got the markings, the logo and the colour schemes perfect. Royal Enfield's motorcycles range from Rs108,000 to Rs175,000 in Mumbai as against Rs72,000 for a 220 cc Bajaj Avenger, a similarly powerful bike also marketed towards enthusiasts. Among companies looking to ramp up operations in India is Harley Davidson whose bikes start at Rs560,000. Britain's Triumph and Japan's Kawasaki are also in the process of ramping up activity in India to capture a growing premium motorbike market. Purists still approach the company for a bike with the old engine, but they have to go to the second-hand market as its production ceased in 2010. The company sold just 3,200 bikes overseas last year and is looking at export markets with its upgraded engines. The company recently signed up dealerships in Malaysia and the Philippines, and is working to rebuild its distribution network in Germany and France. The 49-year-old Padmanabhan started his career with General Motors in Michigan and moving over to Royal Enfield served as chief operating officer before taking the top job in January 2011. He said that for many motorcycle companies when they changed engines it was like life and death, if it did not go right they were finished. However, Royal Enfield had been successful with the UCE engine, which just happened a little over a year ago, and there was still a lot more to be done with the engine, he told Reuters. Source: domain-b.com, Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org

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Google designs 'Terminator-style' HUD glasses

Hindustan Times, Agence - France-Presse: Google is rumored to be developing a set of high-tech, Terminator-like glasses that will provide users with real-time information about their surroundings and communicate with Android-based devices. Technology blog 9to5Google reports that the Google [x] Glasses are similar in appearance to Oakley’s Thumps “These glasses, we heard, have a front-facing camera used to gather information and could aid   In the future glasses may show us more than just what's in front of us.

in augmented reality apps,” said  9to5Google. “It will also take pictures. The spied prototype has a flash - perhaps for help at night, or maybe it is just a way to take better photos. The camera is extremely small and likely only a few megapixels.” Contrary to previous reports, 9to5Google says that the glasses will feature a heads-up display (HUD) in one eye only. The HUD will be situated to one side of the glasses because it is not transparent said the blog. Google is reportedly using head tilts to control the prototype glasses, a user input method that 9to5Google says quickly “becomes second nature and almost indistinguishable to outside users.” Technology companies are investing more money and resources into new user input methods (like gesture, proximity and voice control) as consumers spend increasing amounts of time with their devices. “People are not going to put these devices down in the near future,” says The New York Times in an article about Apple’s secret plans to create tiny wearable computers that link with i-devices.Source: Hindustan Times

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Twitter says it can sanction tweets if required

News Bullet, Washington: Twitter has announced that it can now selectively censor tweets on a country-by-country basis, a move which may augur well for India which reportedly urged social media websites to remove offensive contents. In its blog post, titled 'Tweets Must Flow', the San Fransico-based micro-blogging company has said that it could "reactively withhold content from users in a specific country" if legally required to do so. The proposed move came amid reports of a legal clash between India and global Internet giants, including Google, Yahoo, Twitter and Facebook, over pre-screening user contents and removal of offensive materials from their websites. A Delhi court had last month asked 21 social networking websites to remove

derogatory content by February 6 this year. In its blog, citing France or Germany which ban pro-Nazi content as examples, Twitter said yesterday: "As we continue to grow internationally, we will enter countries that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression. "Starting today, we give ourselves the ability to reactively withhold content from users in a specific country -- while keeping it available in the rest of the world. "We haven't yet used this ability, but if and when we are required to withhold a tweet in a specific country, we will attempt to let the user know, and we will clearly mark when the content has been withheld." However, the micro-blogging service with over 100 million active users, said the removed content would be available to the rest of the world. Earlier when it used to delete a tweet, it would disappear worldwide, media reports said. Source: News Bullet

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Dior impresses and Versace dazzles in couture

Indian Express: France  may  have  lost  an  A  in  its credit rating, but fashion
seems to have won it back with a flourishing start to haute couture week -- from the A-list celebrities to Dior's 1950s A-line silhouettes. Monday marked the lavish return to Paris couture of Donatella Versace, who wowed spectators with her unapologetic glitz, gold and famous friends. Since haute couture is such an expensive affair -- shows have been known to cost in the millions -- Versace's decision to show in the French capital after eight years away appears to have been aided by the house's profitable 2011 collaboration with mass-market retailer H&M. Haute
   Image Link Flickr

couture, unlike ready-to-wear, is a protected French appellation existing only in Paris. The status is granted to select fashion houses that produce astronomically-priced, made-to-measure garments, bought by a shrinking number of super-wealthy women. Year upon year critics predict couture's demise, calling anachronistic an art form that generates little or no money in a profit-driven industry. Yet the presence this year of mega-brand Versace suggests otherwise. “Madame Versace's return after all this time shows that haute couture is not in the past. Versace knows they need couture. We tap the creativity (of haute couture) for ready-to-wear like an ideas factory”, said the president of the French Couture Federation, Didier Grumbach. For Christian Dior, it was less a question of tapping new ideas than revamping iconic old ones. Interim designer Bill Gaytten seems to have pleased the fashion crowd by revisiting Dior's iconic New Look, including reworked 1950s bar-suits Source: Indian Express

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Salma Hayek To Be Honored In France

Star Pulse: Salma Hayek is to receive France's highest culture prize - the Legion d'Honneur. The Mexican movie star, who is married to Frenchman Henri Francois Pinault, has been named among the 2012 recipients of the accolade by President Nicolas Sarkozy. Founded by Napoleon exactly 210 years ago, the Legion d'Honneur is awarded to native and international figures for their service to  France. Past   recipients  include   Clint  Eastwood,  Robert  Redford   and

.

Robert De Niro, and Lenny Kravitz was handed the medal in November. The news of the award comes as Hayek's father-in-law, retired businessman Francois Pinault, is promoted to the Legion's rank of Grand Officer.Salma Hayek To Be Honored In France - Star Pulse

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Corruption, kickbacks, politics and racial abuse mar soccer’s year

BusinessDay, By Stuart Condie: Football in 2011 was dominated by events off the field rather than on it. FOOTBALL in 2011 was dominated by events off the field rather than on it. Barcelona and Lionel Messi continued to provide some of the most sparkling performances in the sport’s long history and Uruguay further overshadowed Brazil and Argentina at the top of the South American game, but headlines around the world were dominated by allegations of corruption and bribery at Fifa. The sport’s governing body was beset by allegations as behind-the- scenes politicking  was  thrust  into  the spotlight by the fallout from its decision last year to give future World Cup tournaments to Russia and Qatar. Sepp Blatter was re-elected unopposed as Fifa president but the year was almost out before he announced details of long- promised reforms. Blatter’s position at the top of Fifa was secured after his only rival for the presidency, Mohamed bin Hammam of Qatar, was forced to withdraw from the June election over bribery allegations that later led to a lifetime ban from the sport. Blatter has hinted that his new independent governance committee could examine cases including the decision to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 event to Qatar. Even the 10-year- old kickbacks case that led to former Fifa president Joao Havelange’s resignation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is being picked over. The 95-year-old Havelange, Blatter’s mentor and predecessor, joined the IOC in 1963 and was its longest-standing member. He resigned this month, days before he faced possible suspension for allegedly taking a $1m kickback from World Cup marketing deals while Fifa president. The IOC closed its ethics investigation into Havelange after his resignation. The appointment of a University of Basel professor to spearhead reforms lends credibility to Blatter’s committee. But whether a body widely criticised for a lack of transparency and accountability can be persuaded of the need for comprehensive change remains to be seen. Blatter was forced to apologise last month for causing outrage among players, officials and even sponsors by suggesting that racial incidents between players on the field could be settled by a handshake at the end of a game. The topic of racism surfaced several times through the year, with England captain John Terry and Uruguay forward Luis Suarez both accused of abusing opponents, while France coach Laurent Blanc came close to resigning following a row about quotas at training academies. Blanc acknowledged that his crude language in a conversation with French Football Federation colleagues was wrong and offensive, but said the debate over whether dual nationals of African descent should be in the French system remained valid. Blanc was cleared of discrimination by the French football body. Another immediate challenge facing Blatter and Fifa is the state of Brazil’s preparations to host the 2014 World Cup, which are mired in infighting, corruption allegations and a simple lack of progress. Organising committee head Ricardo Teixeira — himself linked to the ISL kickback case that claimed Havelange — was embroiled in allegations of bribery and money laundering that saw Brazil sports minister Orlando Silva forced out in October. The Brazilian government has yet to pass the necessary laws to allow the country to stage the tournament, and stadium construction is behind schedule. "The executive committee is worried about that," Blatter said. "I will myself take up the World Cup in a presidential level and in the first or second month of next year I will go and meet the head of state." And in a sign of the tensions between various factions, Teixeira snubbed Pele from the 2014 qualifying draw in Rio in July only to see President Dilma Rouseff appoint the former national team great as her government’s World Cup ambassador. Read Full: BusinessDay - Corruption, kickbacks, politics and racial abuse mar soccer’s year

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Automatic pineapple cutter is a fresh experience for the customer

Fresh Plaza: Tastymatic introduced the Pine-o-matic, the automatic pineapple cutter during  AGF Detail 2011, Holland. The article on AGF.nl caught Dokus de Klerk's attention, after which he contacted Tastymatic to obtain more information about the machine. "We were just about immediately convinced and ordered the Pine-o-matic without delay" Dokus tells enthusiastically.  In addition to the company GDK Logistics, Dokus de Klerk also has his own business, Délifrance in Zwijndrecht. "We find it important that our restaurant works with healthy products and the 'fresh 

experience' is central here. Therefore we chose the Pine-o-matic." "The machine has been at the business for about three weeks and it is going well" as per the entrepreneur. "The interest is biggest on Saturdays and on the first Saturday we sold 80 pineapples." "Many clients, who bought a pineapple on the first Saturday came back a week later. In that week we sold more than 300 pineapples. In this way the machine will pay for itself within a year. They were also interested in Fairtrade. "The pineapples are sold by Dokus at 3.95 Euro each. "We are the only Délifrance with this machine and therefore it is really unique."  Jan Molenaar of Tastymatic 

(left) hands the key of the machine to Dokus de Klerk. Next to him his wife Roos, daughter Kelly and son Dave. Jan Molenaar of Tastymatic mentions that the interest in the machine has increased since the introduction. "We are very busy with the production of 15 machines. We have made quite a few changes lately, but now the definite product is ready. We already have a lot of

contacts with countrywide chains, individual entrepreneurs and also from abroad demand increases. Even from India and South Africa interest has been shown."  It is possible to lease the Pine-o-matic. The machine can also be hired with a lady demonstrator. "Many entrepreneurs, after this period of renting, are convinced and buy the machine." Tastymatic is speeding up the manufacture of the machines. "We hope to produce a large

number in 2012," John concludes. Tastymatic will also be present at the Fruit Logistica in February.  For more information: Jan Molenaar, Tastymatic Fresh Food Technology, 20, Expeditieweg , 4501 WC Oostburg, Tel: 0031 612661102 / 0031 117 456057, www.tastymatic.com, www.pine-o-matic.com, Dokus de Klerk, Délifrance, 39, Hof van Holland , 3332 EH, Zwijndrecht, Tel: 003178 6126633, www.delifrance-zwijnd, Source: Fresh Plaza

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Sarkozy tells Obama that Netanyahu is a liar

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In a private conversation that was accidentally broadcast to journalists during last week's G20 summit in Cannes French President Nicolas Sarkozy and U.S. President Barack Obama admitted that both of them were sick of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Some analysts believe the incident could affect the Middle East peace talks."I cannot stand Netanyahu, he's a liar", Sarkozy told Obama. "You may be sick of him, but I have to deal with him every day", Obama replied., Source: Voice of Russia. 

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Carla Bruni-Sarkozy gives birth to baby girl - Indian Express

French first lady Carla Bruni has given birth to a baby girl, the first baby born to a French presidential couple in office. (Reuters)

French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy gave birth to a baby girl on Wednesday night – the first infant born to a sitting president of modern-day France, the French media reported. President Nicolas Sarkozy, finishing up a meeting in Frankfurt on the euro debt crisis, was absent when the couple's first child was born shortly before 8 p.m. (1800 GMT), according to BFM TV. He reportedly arrived at the small, private Muette Clinic about 11 pm (0900 GMT) – his third trip Wednesday to the facility. Europe 1 radio said the birth ''went well'' for the 43-year-old mother, a singer and former supermodel. She entered the medical facility in western Paris in the morning accompanied by Sarkozy, according to the reports.Read Full; Carla Bruni-Sarkozy gives birth to baby girl - Indian Express

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NOAA's Aquarius: An Undersea Home For Scientists, Divers And Even Astronauts

RTSea: Where would you like to spend a faraway vacation? A remote chateau in France? A cozy cabin in the high Sierras? Well, here's one that is on my wish list: over 60 feet below the surface of the waves, off the coast of Florida,  nestled  in  the  Aquarius undersea  research station. Currently, the 

only permanent undersea habitat and research facility, Aquariusis owned and funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) and operated by the University of North Carolina Wilmington. It has been home to a wide array of scientists and researchers since it was first deployed in the Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary in 1993. One of the advantages of an undersea habitat is the ability to extend the amount of bottom (time spent diving and conducting research outside). If you were to dive from the surface to 60 feet, you would have only about one hour of dive time before you would find yourself having to deal with decompression (waiting to discharge accumulated nitrogen) as you surfaced. However, by staying below in a pressurized facility, a scientist could spend a full working day outside, for up to 10 days or more. At the conclusion of the mission there would then be an extended period of time spent decompressing before stepping on dry land, but the ability to spend  days  at  a  time  underwater is 

extremely valuable for many types of scientific ocean studies.Additionally, a facility like Aquarius is ideal for testing how men and women can function in confined environments like they would encounter in deep space missions. NASA just concluded its latest deep space training exercise, NEEMO 15, which stands for NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operation. With NASA's future deep space missions, like ones being considered to the moons of Mars, Mars itself, and even to an asteroid (calling Bruce Willis), it is important to know how astronauts can function effectively and independently, with little or no contact with mother Earth. Medical emergencies, software and hardware repairs, and of course, long-term isolation - all need to be considered and studied.Read Full: NOAA's Aquarius: an undersea  home  for  scientists,  divers  and  even  astronauts

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All Blacks pip France to win Rugby World Cup

New Zealand All Blacks' McCaw holds up the Webb Ellis Cup after beating France to win the Rugby World Cup final match in Auckland. REUTERS.
By: LUKE PHILLIPS, Veteran prop Tony Woodcock scored the All Blacks' sole try, with replacement fly-half Stephen Donald hitting a second-half penalty as first-choice kicker Piri Weepu let eight points go begging.New Zealand ended 24 years of misery when they edged France 8-7 to win the Rugby World Cup for a second time here on Sunday. The All Blacks, who also won the inaugural 1987 tournament, beating the French on home soil in that final too, also at Eden Park, were made to work hard by a 'Les Bleus' team that poured scorn on the view of many pundits that they were the worst side to have ever made a World Cup final. Veteran prop Tony Woodcock scored the All Blacks' sole try, with replacement fly-half Stephen Donald hitting a second-half penalty as first-choice kicker Piri Weepu let eight points go begging. France, guilty of playing too much in their own half, hit back with a try from inspirational captain Thierry Dusautoir converted by Francois Trinh-Duc, but it was not enough against a New Zealand side that offered up a tough-as-teak defence. Victory was especially sweet for All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and coach Graham Henry, who both held their respective roles when New Zealand suffered a crushing quarter-final loss to France in Cardiff four years ago. Business Day - All Blacks pip France to win Rugby World Cup

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Volcanoes can trigger bigger climate impact: Study - Indian Express

A team of researchers, who wanted to find out the influence of volcanoes on global climate, investigated the huge eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland on March 20, 2010. (Reuters)

Volcanic eruptions might affect Earth's climate by releasing far more weather-altering particles than scientists have suspected previously, a new study has found. A team of researchers, who wanted to find out the influence of volcanoes on global climate, investigated the huge eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland on March 20, 2010. From a research station in France, they monitored the volcano's eruption, which rapidly ejected large ash particles into the atmosphere and spread all over Europe. Read Full : Volcanoes can trigger bigger climate impact: Study - Indian Express

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