RESULTS from the Grand Slam, Wimbledon Men's Doubles matches held on Wednesday (July 4, 2019).
First Round Results
(Reuters)
Site Navigation
Search
AI Powered
Human content,
AI powered search.
Latest Stories
Start your day right!
Get latest updates and insights delivered to your inbox.
Related News
More For You
Asian MP 'concerned' over proposed ban on first-cousin marriages
Dec 11, 2024
A BRITISH INDIAN MP has expressed his concerns over a new bill tabled in the House of Commons that seeks to ban marriages between first cousins over the greater risk of children’s birth defects associated with the practice.
The Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill got its first reading in Parliament on Tuesday (10) when backbench Tory MP Richard Holden used the 10-Minute Rule process to introduce his proposals.
Iqbal Mohamed, who was elected as a first-time Independent MP in the July general election from the northern England constituency of Dewsbury and Batley, spoke out against the motion to caution that the matter should be treated as a public health awareness one and not by imposing a ban.
“An estimated 35 per cent to 50 per cent of all sub-Saharan African populations either prefer or accept cousin marriage, and it is extremely common in the Middle East and South Asia," stated Mohamed, whose roots lie in Gujarat.
"The reason the practice is so common is that ordinary people see family intermarriage as something that is very positive overall; as something that helps to build family bonds and puts families on a more secure financial foothold,” Mohamed said.
“However, as is well documented, it is not without health risks for the children of those relationships, some of whom will be born out of wedlock."
"Instead of stigmatising those who are in cousin marriages, or those who are inclined to be, a much more positive approach would be to facilitate advanced genetic test screening for prospective married couples, as is the case in all Arab countries in the Persian Gulf, and to run health education programmes targeting those communities where the practice is most common,” he added.
Introducing the proposal, MP Richard Holden argued that while many may wonder why first-cousin marriage is not already illegal, there remain certain diaspora communities with high rates of first-cousin marriages.
“Certain diaspora communities have extremely high rates of first-cousin marriage, with a rate of 20 per cent to 40 per cent among Irish Travellers and higher rates still among the British Pakistani community,” stated Holden.
There is a worrying trend, as this rate has increased significantly from that of their grandparents’ age group. Although there have been some reports of the rate falling within the last decade as young people push back against the system, there remains an extraordinarily strong link."
He highlighted that according to the ‘Oxford Journal of Law and Religion’, cousin marriage is practised by about 10 per cent of the world and is most prevalent in the Middle East, West Asia and North Africa.
“However, the practice varies enormously within countries and by regional culture, reaching at its highest over 80 per cent in parts of rural Pakistan,” he noted.
Holden was supported in his proposals by a number of fellow Tory MPs, including British Indian former Cabinet minister Claire Coutinho.
Under current UK legislation, marriages to a sibling, parent or child are prohibited but not between first cousins. However, backbench proposals such as these are unlikely to become law without government support because of the limited parliamentary time available for them. The bill is now expected to get a second reading in the Commons by mid-January 2025.
(PTI)
Keep ReadingShow less
Most Popular
Salah scored a decisive penalty in the 63rd minute to help Liverpool overcome Girona, debutants in the tournament. (Photo: Getty Images)
Champions League: Liverpool extend winning run; Real Madrid back on track
Dec 11, 2024
MOHAMED SALAH'S penalty maintained Liverpool’s unbeaten run in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Real Madrid returned to winning ways with a victory over Serie A leaders Atalanta.
Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain secured a crucial win against Salzburg, and Bayer Leverkusen edged past Inter Milan to move into second place in their group standings. Aston Villa, participating in the competition for the first time in 41 years, continued their impressive form with a 3-2 win over Leipzig, leaving them in third place.
Under the competition’s revamped format, the top eight teams advance directly to the last 16, while teams finishing ninth to 24th will enter a play-off round.
In Spain, Salah scored a decisive penalty in the 63rd minute to help Liverpool overcome Girona, debutants in the tournament. The result gave the Premier League leaders their sixth consecutive win in the group stage. Despite the win, Liverpool coach Arne Slot expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s performance.
“If you ask me about all six games, I’m really pleased with all the results... (but) I’m far from pleased about the performance tonight,” Slot told reporters. “(We had) hardly any control at all over the game, maybe the second half was a bit better but then I’m trying to be positive.”
Salah’s goal was his 50th in the Champions League, placing him joint 10th on the competition’s all-time scoring list alongside Filippo Inzaghi. The Egyptian winger, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has scored 16 goals across all competitions this season, proving crucial to Liverpool’s success.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, recovered from their 2-0 loss to Liverpool in their previous match. Kylian Mbappe gave the Spanish side an early lead against Atalanta, but Charles de Ketelaere equalised with a penalty in first-half stoppage time. Goals from Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham secured a 3-2 victory, lifting Real to 18th place on nine points.
PSG, struggling in 25th place before the match, claimed a much-needed 3-0 win over Salzburg. The victory pushed the French champions into 24th position, the final spot for the play-offs.
In other results, Bayern Munich defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 5-1, and Bayer Leverkusen became the first team to score against Inter Milan this season with a 1-0 win. French side Brest continued their strong debut campaign in European football with a 1-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven, moving them into fifth place.
Wednesday’s matches include Manchester City’s trip to Juventus and Barcelona’s visit to Borussia Dortmund.
(With inputs from AFP)
Keep ReadingShow less
Healthcare workers hold placards as they demonstrate on Westminster Bridge, near to St Thomas' Hospital in London on May 1, 2023. (Photo: Getty Images)
Teachers, nurses warn of strikes over 2.8 per cent pay rise proposal
Dec 11, 2024
TEACHERS and nurses may strike after the government recommended a 2.8 per cent pay rise for public sector workers for the next financial year.
Ministers cautioned that higher pay awards would require cuts in Whitehall budgets.
The British Medical Association (BMA) criticised the proposal, with its chair, Philip Banfield, stating that it demonstrates a "poor grasp" of unresolved issues, The Times reported.
"For this government to believe a 2.8 per cent pay rise is enough indicates a poor grasp of the unresolved issues from two years of industrial action," Banfield said.
Unison, representing nearly half a million NHS workers, and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) also condemned the recommendation. Nicola Ranger, general secretary of the RCN, called the proposal "deeply offensive," adding, "The government has today told nursing staff they are worth as little as £2 extra a day."
The dispute follows earlier industrial actions across the public sector. Nurses and NHS staff are seeking an above-inflation increase, frustrated by this year’s 5.5 per cent rise, which was lower than the junior doctors’ 22 per cent deal over two years.
Helga Pile of Unison warned that the proposed rise "barely covers the cost of living." She added, "The decision to push tackling the outdated pay structure back into next year means there could well be more [strikes]," the newspaper reported.
Ministers argue the 2.8 per cent offer aligns with the Bank of England’s inflation forecast of 2.75 per cent, making it a real-terms increase. However, unions contend that pay adjustments fail to address ongoing workforce issues.
Education unions also voiced concerns. Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said, "There are no ‘efficiencies’ that can be made without further damaging education." He warned of potential action, emphasizing the "depth of the crisis" in schools.
A government spokesperson highlighted prior pay awards for over 1.5 million NHS staff and the resolution of recent strikes by junior doctors, adding, "We started the pay-setting process in September — the earliest it’s started for several years," The Times reported.
Keep ReadingShow less
A man walks past a mural that says ‘Northern Ireland’, on Sandy Row in Belfast, Northern Ireland, August 11, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)
Northern Ireland approves extension of post-Brexit trade rules
Dec 11, 2024
NORTHERN Ireland’s devolved government has voted to continue implementing post-Brexit trading arrangements under the Windsor Framework, a deal signed between London and the European Union in February 2023.
The vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont extended the arrangement for four years.
A majority of lawmakers supported the motion, which did not require cross-community support from both pro-UK and pro-Irish unity members. However, the decision drew opposition from unionist members who argued that trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland still persist.
The vote triggered a response from the UK government, with Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn pledging an independent review of the trading arrangements. "The Government welcomes that [Assembly members] have agreed on the continued application of the Windsor Framework," Benn said in a statement. "I will now proceed as required by the law, including to commission an independent review."
Benn emphasised the government’s commitment to implementing the framework in good faith. "The government remains committed to implementing the Windsor Framework in a way that offers stability and works for Northern Ireland, for businesses, and for traders," he added.
The Windsor Framework keeps Northern Ireland within the EU’s single market for goods while removing checks on goods transported from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. This adjustment eliminated the Irish Sea border, which had been a point of contention for pro-UK unionists who feared it weakened ties between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
A central aspect of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which ended decades of sectarian violence, was maintaining an open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. However, the UK’s 2016 Brexit vote introduced challenges, as Northern Ireland's open border could potentially allow unchecked goods to move in and out of the EU.
The 2020 post-Brexit trading arrangements sought to address this by introducing checks on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland while keeping the region partially aligned with EU rules.
(With inputs from AFP)
Keep ReadingShow less
Load More
© Copyright 2024 Garavi Gujarat Publications Ltd & Garavi Gujarat Publications