England, Spain pursue history in Women's World Cup final - CNA

"NEXT QUESTION"

England have been mostly ruthless and machine-like in reaching the final, especially in silencing the home crowd in the 3-1 victory over Australia.

Spain are more slick and have often passed their opponents into submission, coupled with sparks of attacking flair.

England are unbeaten at the tournament, but a notable blip for Jorge Vilda's side was their 4-0 drubbing to a Japan team which hit Spain at pace on the counterattack in the group phase.

Spain had never even won a knockout match at the World Cup until this edition and their exploits are even more impressive for the turmoil that threatened to torpedo their chances.

In September last year, 15 players - many of them from European powerhouse Barcelona - came out and said they no longer wanted to represent their country.

They had numerous complaints, but their chief issue was with Vilda - how strict he was, his lack of success, his tactics and his methods.

Three of the 15 mutineers returned for the World Cup and one of them, Barcelona midfield schemer Aitana Bonmati, has been among the best players at the tournament.

Vilda has been asked repeatedly by reporters at the World Cup about the missing players and was once quizzed if the ones he brought to Australia and New Zealand even liked him.

On the eve of the final he appeared to have had enough of that line of questioning, replying: "Next question, please."

He was more forthright about the spirit among his players, saying they were "united".

"The training sessions, the games, everything that's happened outside has been extraordinary," he said.

"They will have memories for the rest of their lives."

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2023-08-20 04:54:03Z
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Spain Women vs England Women Prediction and Betting Tips | 20th August 2023 - Sportskeeda

Spain Women will take on England Women at Stadium Australia in the FIFA Women's World Cup final on Sunday.

Spain Women vs England Women Preview

The curtain will come down on the ninth edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup on Sunday, with Spain and England contending for their first title. Both teams have been impressive in the tournament but Spain are obviously the surprise package. With their previous best record being a round-of-16 finish, reaching the final was historic.

La Roja have built much confidence since the start and will likely stick to their brand of football when they face England. Their ability to build from the back and sophisticated passing patterns could break England’s long ball style. Spain and England's last three clashes ended in one draw and a win for each side.

England have been in red-hot form, posting a flawless run of six wins in the competition. This will be their first final in the Women's World Cup, but the second for coach Sarina Wiegman, who led the Netherlands to the 2019 final. She lost that final to the United States but is now hoping for the best against Spain.

The Lionesses will register the return of Lauren James, who received a two-game suspension against Nigeria in the round of 16. It’s a huge boost to England’s attack, as the Chelsea striker will be looking to atone for her unsporting behavior. The European Champions have the quality to tie up their campaign with the ultimate prize.

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Spain vs England Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

• Spain have won once, drawn once, and lost thrice in their last five clashes with England.
• Spain have scored 17 goals and conceded seven so far in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
• Spain have played 13 World Cup games, winning six, while England have won 20 in 32 games.
• England have scored 13 goals and conceded five in the ongoing World Cup.
• Spain have won four times and lost once in their last five matches while England have won all five.

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Spain vs England Prediction

Spain will be showcasing Aitana Bonmatí, Jennifer Hermoso, and Alba Redondo, who have scored three goals each. All three players are adept at cutting through the flanks which makes them very dangerous.

England will have Lauren Hemp, Lauren James, and Alessia Russo to rely on upfield. They boast three goals each and have displayed good pace and trickery all along.

England’s individuality and experience put them a step ahead in the race, and we expect them to secure the World Cup title.

Prediction: Spain 1-2 England

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Spain vs England Betting Tips

Tip 1: Result – England Women to win

Tip 2: Game to have over 2.5 goals – Yes

Tip 3: England to score first – Yes

Tip 4: Spain to score - Yes

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Edited by Peter P

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2023-08-20 04:01:34Z
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England-Spain final to round off record-breaking Women's World Cup - CNA

SYDNEY: England and Spain go head-to-head in the final of the Women's World Cup on Sunday (Aug 20), capping off a tournament that has broken attendance and TV records and raised hopes of a surge in interest for the women's game.

Co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, the ninth edition of the global showpiece event was the first to be held in the southern hemisphere and has already broken attendance records.

While local interest ebbed when Australia exited in the semi-finals, some 2 million fans will have passed through the gates in nine host cities by the time Sunday's final kicks off at the Stadium Australia in Sydney.

Australia's semi-final loss to England on Wednesday drew an average of 7.13 million viewers on the channels of local broadcaster Seven Network, the highest viewership ever recorded by research firm OzTAM, which launched in 2001.

Matildas (nickname of the Australian women's football team) matches sold out months in advance, and organisers expect the average attendance to overtake 30,000 once all 64 matches are completed.

The last Women's World Cup in France four years ago attracted more than 1.1. million fans to 52 matches with an average crowd of 21,756.

Demand was weaker in New Zealand, whose team went out in the group stages. FIFA gave away thousands of tickets and some games attracted as few as 7,000 fans, although White Ferns matches broke records for a soccer crowd in the country.

FUNDING GAP

Australia's players, who lost 2-0 in a third-place playoff match to Sweden on Saturday, will earn US$165,000 each in prize money for this tournament, more than 300 times the A$750 (US$480) they received for a quarter-final appearance in 2015.

But at the grassroots level, the sport needs more resources, Matildas striker Sam Kerr said after the loss to England on Wednesday.

"We need funding in our development, we need funding in our grassroots," she said.

"We need funding, you know, we need funding everywhere."

The Matildas' standout World Cup campaign has led to calls for more support to women's soccer in Australia, where it lags more popular football codes like rugby league and Australian rules.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded on Saturday by promising A$200 million for women's sport in the wake of the Matildas' run to the semi-finals.

Albanese said the money would be used to improve sports facilities for women and girls, with soccer tipped to receive "significant resourcing".

The government also wants to ensure women's sporting events are available on free-to-air television, after criticism that most World Cup games not involving Australia were behind a paywall.

Women's football has also confronted a variety of challenges involving finalists England and Spain, who will both be chasing a first world title in Sydney on Sunday.

Women were banned from official facilities in England, the home of the game, until 1970, and have long lagged the men's team in interest and funding, although that began to change after the Lionesses won the European championship last year.

The Spanish team, meanwhile, has been rocked by a locker room dispute with coach Jorge Vilda and the Spanish football federation, with some of their best players absent from the tournament as a result.

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2023-08-20 03:09:00Z
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Russia hits Ukraine city centre after Putin meets generals - CNA

PUTIN MEETS TOP MILITARY BRASS

"There was smoke, screams, people were running, crying, moaning. We ran to the shelter when everything happened and sat there," Iryna, a 24-year-old bartender in Chernihiv, told AFP.

"I'm still a little in shock, because this hasn't happened in a long time, everyone has relaxed a little. But now we will probably be going down to the shelter."

Until the war is over, "we have no options. Either accept or go abroad", added Viktoriya, 40, who manages a coffee shop.

Hours earlier, the Kremlin said that Putin had travelled to the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, Moscow's hub for its operations in Ukraine, to meet his top generals in a rare trip close to combat zones.

Moscow gave no details of when the meeting took place, but footage released by state media indicated that it was at night.

Putin "listened to briefings by the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov, commanders of directions and other senior officers of the group", the Kremlin said.

A video published by the RIA Novosti news agency showed Putin, wearing a suit, stepping out of a jeep in the dark and being greeted with a handshake by Gerasimov, in military attire.

Gerasimov is seen leading Putin down a corridor decorated with portraits of Russian military men and of the president chairing a meeting with army chiefs.

Rostov-on-Don was also the scene of a dramatic armed mutiny by Wagner mercenaries in June, which saw them briefly take over the army headquarters in Rostov, before halting their rebellion.

Gerasimov, who Wagner wanted to unseat, has rarely been seen in public since.

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2023-08-19 13:35:49Z
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Thailand's 'most beautiful' road sweeper brushes off criticism and defies stereotypes - The Straits Times

BANGKOK - Whether she is perched in the back of a water truck, gingerly plucking weeds with her manicured nails or staring down a stray dog on the streets, Ms Pattaramon Thocharoen is always camera-ready with a full face of make-up and several poses.

Also known as “Bow”, the 27-year-old has an image to upkeep with over 300,000 TikTok followers, some of whom have dubbed her Thailand’s “most beautiful street sweeper”.

“People have criticised me for wearing make-up in my profession, but why can’t I look pretty while doing hard work? It’s for my own satisfaction,” the mother of two sons, aged nine and six, told The Straits Times.

Ms Pattaramon’s videos are often light-hearted, showing her dancing or reacting to unusual or funny encounters in her day-to-day work – for example, hunting for her missing broom, or touching up her make-up excitedly after learning that she will be stationed near an army camp for the day.

She shot to fame in the past year for the short video clips she posts on TikTok, and is famous for one video in particular where she rants about an older woman who criticised her for dolling up because Ms Pattaramon was “just a street sweeper”.

“So I said, the goal of (my) life is to be beautiful... We have to make ourselves as happy as possible,” said Ms Pattaramon in the clip that has had over 3.7 million views.

“This was the profession that my parents did to raise me, so I’m proud of it,” said Ms Pattaramon, whose mother was a street sweeper and father a garbage truck driver. Both are retired.

The contrast between her daily tasks, which include collecting rubbish and scrubbing the asphalt, and her glamorous appearance is somewhat stark. But this has allowed her to grow not just her following, but her wages as well.

She earns about 12,000 baht (S$460) a month as a street cleaner in the Chom Thong district under the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority. But she can bring in 50,000 baht a month from her social media engagements, such as brand reviews, product sales and virtual TikTok Gifts, which are given by followers and can be converted to cash.

“Now I’m more financially stable. I’m able to spend more on small things like choosing express delivery when shopping online or having nice meals with my family,” said Ms Pattaramon, who lives in Bangkok with 10 other family members, including her children and parents.

With the rise of what some experts term “working-class” influencers, low-wage earners like Ms Pattaramon have found an avenue to supplement their earnings by giving others a peek into their daily lives on social media.

This emerging group of content creators includes farmers, bus conductors and electricians working on Thailand’s infamous entangled network of overhead power lines, and are a far cry from the role typically associated with wealthy, already-famous or well-connected individuals.

Several digital marketing agencies such as Platform Group have picked up on the rising trend of the “blue-collar” or “ordinary” influencer. The agency currently manages about 500 such content creators, which include housewives, security officers, teachers and factory workers, spread across Thai cities and the countryside.

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2023-08-19 08:19:56Z
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'I am evil': British nurse murdered seven newborn babies - CNA

"MALEVOLENT PRESENCE"

Letby will be sentenced on Monday and faces a lengthy prison term, possibly a rare full life sentence.

Her actions came to light when senior doctors became concerned at the number of unexplained deaths and collapses at the neonatal unit, where premature or sick babies are treated, over 18 months from January 2015.

With doctors unable to find a medical reason, police were called in. After a lengthy investigation, Letby, who had been involved in the care of the babies, was pinpointed as the "constant malevolent presence when things took a turn for the worse", said prosecutor Nick Johnson.

Pictures of Letby on social media portrayed a happy and smiling woman with a busy social life, and in one photo she was seen cradling a baby. But, during months of often distressing evidence, her trial heard she was a determined killer.

The jury was told how Letby had tried on four occasions to murder one baby girl before she finally succeeded. When another of the victim's mothers walked in on her attacking twin babies, she said: "Trust me, I'm a nurse".

At her home after her arrest, detectives found paperwork and medical notes with references to the children involved in the case. She had also carried out social media searches for the parents and families of the murdered babies.

Letby wept when she gave evidence over 14 days, saying she had never tried to hurt the babies and had only ever wanted to care for them, blaming unsafe staffing levels on the ward and its dirty conditions.

She also claimed four doctors had conspired to pin the blame on her for the unit's failings and had written the "I am evil" message because she had felt overwhelmed.

CRUEL LIAR

But the prosecution said she was a cold, cruel, calculating liar who had repeatedly changed her account of events and her notes should be treated as a confession.

Detectives said they had found nothing unusual about Letby's life and could not determine any motive. "Unfortunately, I don't think we'll ever know unless she just chooses to tell us," said Detective Superintendent Paul Hughes who led the investigation.

One senior doctor at the neonatal unit, Stephen Brearey, told the BBC that hospital bosses had failed to investigate allegations against Letby and failed to act on his and his colleagues' concerns.

"Our staff are devastated by what has happened, and we are committed to ensuring that lessons continue to be learned," said Nigel Scawn, medical director at Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

The government said it had ordered an independent inquiry which would include how concerns raised by clinicians were dealt with, while the father of twins who survived her attempts to kill them demanded answers from the hospital.

"They could have stopped it," said the father, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Police are carrying out further investigations into all the time Letby had worked as a nurse at the hospital and at another one in Liverpool where she had trained, to identify if there were any more victims.

"There is a number of cases that are active investigations that parents have been informed of," Hughes said.

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2023-08-18 15:42:00Z
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'Golden passport': A Plan B for the rich, a rear exit and safe haven for crooks - The Straits Times

Bottling lightning

Interpol, anti-money laundering regulators and governments have been pressing for tighter reins or an outright ban on the issuance of golden passports.

They have had some success.

Bulgaria has ended its investor citizenship scheme, while Ireland and Portugal have announced that they are scrapping their own popular golden visa programmes.

Canada has revoked visa-free travel for Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Antigua and Barbuda. In July, Britain struck Vanuatu off its visa-free list.

But it is like catching lightning in a bottle.

The small Caribbean nations on the OECD’s watchlist, for instance, rely on citizenship-for-investment programmes to prop up their economies.

Saint Kitts and Nevis derives 40 per cent of its gross domestic product from these programmes, Dr Surak of the London School of Economics said in her book.

Cracking down on golden passports may also feel like playing a game of whack-a-mole. Cyprus may be closed for business, for instance, but there are others filling the gap.

Malta, another EU member state, has taken Cyprus’ place in the pecking order of best places to get a second citizenship, despite its steeper price of entry: at least €1.2 million.

The European Commission has brought a case against Malta before the EU’s Court of Justice, but even if that case moves forward, other nations such as Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria are just waiting in the wings.

Mr Michael Kosnitzky, a lawyer at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman who has helped many of his high-net-worth clients obtain second, and even third, citizenships, told the online news site Vox that “Turkey is hot right now”.

With an investment requirement of just US$400,000, no minimum stay and a waiting time of three to six months, many of Russia’s wealthiest have been scooping up Turkish passports, which grants visa-free travel to 110 destinations, as a hedge just in case the domestic situation in Russia falls apart.

“There is really little incentive for nations to drop their CBI (citizenship-by-investment) programmes and a very low bar to hurdle for those taking advantage of these programmes,” said Ms Teresa Villareal, a lawyer who handles immigration cases in the Philippines.

She said unless powerful blocs like the EU can come up with a wholesale ban, “any hard-charging action will plug one hole only to open up two more holes”.

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2023-08-18 12:30:00Z
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