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Five-star center Chris Cenac Jr. commits to HoustonCanadian investment fund Brookfield said Wednesday it has dropped its bid for Spanish pharmaceutical firm Grifols following disagreement over its valuation. Brookfield and the Grifols family, which owns about a third of the Barcelona-based company that makes medicine derived from blood plasma, have since July been in talks to take it private. Earlier this month Brookfield made a 6.45-billion-euro bid for Grifols, offering a tentative non-binding price of 10.50 euros ($11) per share. Grifols swiftly rejected the bid, saying it "significantly underestimated the fundamental prospects and long-term potential" of the company. In a statement sent to Spanish stock market regulator CNMV, Brookfield said it was "not in a position to continue with a potential offer" for Grifols. Grifols said its board agreed that "it is not feasible that the transaction goes ahead" and remains focused on "improving the company's long-term value". Its share price plunged in January after US hedge fund Gotham City released a research note accusing the company of "manipulating" its reported debt and operational results to "artificially reduce" its debt ratio, and therefore its financing costs. Grifols has repeatedly denied the allegations. Gotham City is a prominent "short-seller" hedge fund that borrows stock in a company and sells it, hoping to buy it back cheaper to return it to the lender and pocket the difference. Grifols traces its history back to 1909, first as a blood analysis and transfusion laboratory before specialising in products derived from blood plasma. It is present in more than 30 countries including Australia, the United States and Japan. It posted revenue of 6.6 billion euros in 2023, a 10.9 percent increase over the previous year. vab/imm/cw
Organised crime gangs lurking on motorways send cargo thefts soaring by half to £102m - with 'homegrown' groups blamed for majority of raids on lorry drivers to seize luxury brands By EMILY JANE DAVIES Published: 18:53 EST, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 18:55 EST, 29 December 2024 e-mail View comments Organised crime gangs are lurking on motorways to steal cargo from lorry drivers and targeting luxury brand deliveries, experts claim. Brits always go on a spending spree at Christmas , then again during the January sales - and criminals have been nabbing their presents before they can arrive. Make up, perfume, clothing and tech are among the products snatched from lorries on the road or parked at the motorway services. These thefts reached the value of £102million this year, up from £68million recorded in the previous 12 months. Investigators said four high-value thefts - including cosmetics worth £4million - contributed to the loss figure surging by half, according to The Times. The cargo is then broken up - or 'slaughtered' in police-lingo - and distributed through the black market, making its way onto social media and online marketplaces at a discount. Cops said much of it ends up on eBay , Facebook Marketplace, Amazon, Gumtree, TikTok and Vinted. And almost all - 99 per cent - of the thieving is carried out by homegrown criminal networks based in Coventry, Essex, Leeds, Liverpool and London . Make up, perfume, clothing and tech are among products snatched from lorries on the road or parked at motorway services A gang seen targeting a lorry with high-value presents inside Almost all - 99 per cent - of the thieving is carried out by homegrown criminal networks based in Coventry, Essex, Leeds, Liverpool and London The M6 is a target for gin and whiskey being transported from Scotland Speaking to The Times , Michael Dawber, a field intelligence officer at the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service, said: 'Cargo theft is seen as 'low risk, high reward' by criminals if they can pull it off and clever marketing strategies mean stolen goods are often hiding in plain sight. Unfortunately, well-meaning members of the public are unwittingly buying them.' He said eight pallets of designer perfume were stolen from a lorry on the M20 in Kent, with an estimated £1.5 million retail value. And 'within 24 hours' there were 15 eBay accounts selling it across southern England. Criminals lay in wait along the M1 for high-value electrical goods leaving warehouses in Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, while the M6 is a target for gin and whiskey being transported from Scotland. This year, 14 thefts had a gang follow a lorry and they climbed out of a sunroof and broke into the trailer in a dangerous technique called the 'Romanian rollover'. Haulage firm bosses also say they are powerless to stop rising thefts from their lorries conducted by Goodfellas-style organised crime gangs, who are stealing food, cigarettes and alcohol to sell on the black market. Figures produced by the British Standards Institution suggest 24 per cent of all thefts from lorries and warehouses last year were food and drink, up from 13 per cent in 2022 - with the goods being sold online within days. The managing director of one haulage firm told MailOnline the thefts were driving up the prices of deliveries - hitting shoppers' wallets - and creating recruitment problems. The crimes are also hard for police to detect, he added. Criminology experts say the gangs are professional - researching when and where lorries are making deliveries, as well as where drivers are likely to stop so they can pounce without using violence, unlike their fictional counterparts. The thieves typically strike in 'secure' car parks - protected by CCTV, but usually unmanned - slashing holes in the curtains on the sides of transporters or even parking another lorry alongside and moving the goods from one into the other. The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVICS), a nationwide police initiative tracking and cracking down on freight crime, says it is aware of 5,000 freight crimes in 2022, with £70million of goods stolen. A vehicle which had earlier failed to stop for police, leading to a chase on the northbound M606, ended up containing stolen booze A £70,000 stash of stolen whisky was found in the back of a lorry by police in an incident that briefly closed the M606 near Bradford Two males, who were in the lorry, were arrested by police In December, it was made aware of thefts including a trailer containing £50,000 of cheese, while another was stolen containing food and washing powder at an industrial estate in Kidderminster. That same month, a £70,000 stash of stolen whisky was found in the back of a lorry by police in an incident that briefly closed the M606 near Bradford. Officers from West Yorkshire's Roads Policing Unit were carrying out a drink drive patrol when they came across a 'suspicious' lorry. The vehicle had earlier failed to stop for officers, leading to a brief chase on the northbound M606. A government spokesperson said: 'Freight crime can have significant impacts on businesses and drivers and we are working closely with the police, automotive industry and National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service to ensure our response is as strong as it can be. 'We are increasing the capacity for safe and secure HGV parking and are working to analyse HGV-related crimes in England, with a specific focus on identifying high crime areas and crime patterns with existing HGV parking provisions.' London New York Times Amazon Leeds TikTok Share or comment on this article: Organised crime gangs lurking on motorways send cargo thefts soaring by half to £102m - with 'homegrown' groups blamed for majority of raids on lorry drivers to seize luxury brands e-mail Add comment
Extensive confidential documents in the lead-up to the collapse of Northern Ireland’s institutions in 2002 have been made available to the public as part of annual releases from the Irish National Archives. They reveal that the Irish Government wanted to appeal to the UK side against “manipulating” every scenario for favourable election results in Northern Ireland, in an effort to protect the peace process. In the years after the landmark 1998 Good Friday Agreement, a number of outstanding issues left the political environment fraught with tension and disagreement. Mr Trimble, who won a Nobel Peace Prize with SDLP leader John Hume for their work on the Agreement, was keen to gain wins for the UUP on policing, ceasefire audits and paramilitary disarmament – but also to present his party as firmer on these matters amid swipes from its Unionist rival, the DUP. These issues were at the front of his mind as he tried to steer his party into Assembly elections planned for May 2003 and continue in his role as the Executive’s first minister despite increasing political pressure. The documents reveal the extent to which the British and Irish Governments were trying to delicately resolve the contentious negotiations, conscious that moves seen as concessions to one group could provoke anger on the other side. In June 2002, representatives of the SDLP reported to Irish officials on a recent meeting between Mr Hume’s successor Mark Durkan and Prime Minister Tony Blair on policing and security. Mr Blair is said to have suggested that the SDLP and UUP were among those who both supported and took responsibility for the Good Friday Agreement. The confidential report of the meeting says that Mr Durkan, the deputy First Minister, was not sure that Mr Trimble had been correctly categorised. The Prime Minister asked if the SDLP could work more closely with the UUP ahead of the elections. Mr Durkan argued that Mr Trimble was not only not saleable to nationalists, but also not saleable to half of the UUP – to which Mr Blair and Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid are said to have laughed in agreement. The SDLP leader further warned that pursuing a “save David” campaign would ruin all they had worked for. Damien McAteer, an adviser for the SDLP, was recorded as briefing Irish officials on September 10 that it was his view that Mr Trimble was intent on collapsing the institutions in 2003 over expected fallout for Sinn Fein in the wake of the Colombia Three trial, where men linked to the party were charged with training Farc rebels – but predicted the UUP leader would be “in the toilet” by January, when an Ulster Unionist Council (UUC) meeting was due to take place. A week later in mid September, Mr Trimble assured Irish premier Bertie Ahern that the next UUC meeting to take place in two days’ time would be “okay but not great” and insisted he was not planning to play any “big game”. It was at that meeting that he made the bombshell announcement that the UUP would pull out of the Executive if the IRA had not disbanded by January 18. The move came as a surprise to the Irish officials who, along with their UK counterparts, did not see the deadline as realistic. Sinn Fein described the resolution as a “wreckers’ charter”. Doubts were raised that there would be any progress on substantive issues as parties would not be engaged in “pre-election skirmishing”. As that could lead to a UUP walkout and the resulting suspension of the institutions, the prospect of delaying the elections was raised while bringing forward the vote was ruled out. Therefore, the two Governments stressed the need to cooperate as a stabilising force to protect the Agreement – despite not being sure how that process would survive through the January 18 deadline. The Irish officials became worried that the British side did not share their view that Mr Trimble was not “salvageable” and that the fundamental dynamic in the UUP was now Agreement scepticism, the confidential documents state. In a meeting days after the UUC announcements, Mr Reid is recorded in the documents as saying that as infuriating as it was, Mr Trimble was at that moment the “most enlightened Unionist we have”. The Secretary said he would explore what the UUP leader needed to “survive” the period between January 18 and the election, believing a significant prize could avoid him being “massacred”. Such planning went out the window just weeks later, when hundreds of PSNI officers were involved in raids of several buildings – including Sinn Fein’s offices in Stormont. The resulting “Stormontgate” spy-ring scandal accelerated the collapse of powersharing, with the UUP pulling out of the institutions – and the Secretary of State suspending the Assembly and Executive on October 14. For his part, Irish officials were briefed that Mr Reid was said to be “gung ho” about the prospect of exercising direct rule – reportedly making no mention of the Irish Government in a meeting with Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan on that day. The Northern Ireland Secretary was given a new role and Paul Murphy was appointed as his successor. A note on speaking points for a meeting with Mr Murphy in April showed that the Irish side believed the May elections should go ahead: “At a certain stage the political process has to stand on its own feet. “The Governments cannot be manipulating and finessing every scenario to engineer the right result. “We have to start treating the parties and the people as mature and trusting that they have the discernment to make the right choices.” However, the elections planned for May did not materialise, instead delayed until November. Mr Trimble would go on to lose his Westminster seat – and stewardship of the UUP – in 2005. The November election saw the DUP emerge as the largest parties – but direct rule continued as Ian Paisley’s refused to share power with Sinn Fein, which Martin McGuinness’ colleagues. The parties eventually agreed to work together following further elections in 2007. – This article is based on documents in 2024/130/5, 2024/130/6, 2024/130/15Regardless of what the scoreboard says at the end of four quarters of football on Thursday, the Dallas Cowboys will get to have a delicious and substantial Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family. But that shouldn't be the only thing they get to feast on tomorrow when they face the New York Giants. Why? The Cowboys should be able to devour a weak Giants' offensive line that will be protecting third-string quarterback Drew Lock at AT&T Stadium. You see, the Giants are coming into this one with the 21st offensive line in pass block win rate. Pro Football Focus ranks them as the 23rd best pass blocking team in the league. Just last weekend, they allowed four sacks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, looking particularly vulnerable versus the blitz, which they faced in over half of Tommy DeVito's dropbacks. With Micah Parsons back in the lineup, the Cowboys' pass rush has recovered some of its old form, as the star defensive end has been productive upon his return. Last Sunday, he was responsible for two sacks and stood out from a defensive tackle alignment in obvious passing situations paired with timely linebacker blitzes from Eric Kendricks and DeMarvion Overshown. Additionally, Zimmer wasn't afraid to send defensive backs after the quarterback, sometimes doing multiple at a time versus the Commanders. Jourdan Lewis and Donovan Wilson combined for six pass rush snaps on Sunday and they should be busy on Sunday as well. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were quite successful with nickel blitzes against the Giants, including the rep below where they sent two defensive backs after the quarterback. Mike Zimmer is going to get blitz-happy versus the Giants tomorrow. Expect some pass rush action for Cowboys DBs as well, worked out great for the Bucs several times. Here's a double DB blitz: pic.twitter.com/77ShebKtIg And it wasn't just the blitzes. The Giants got completely dominated by the Bucs upfront, which led to a lopsided game that ended 30-7. I am not sure it's fair to trust the Cowboys to get a blowout against a divisional foe but on Thursday, I expect the Cowboys' defensive front to be quite successful against the Giants OL. Additionally, it's hard to forget Mazi Smith's best game of his career came against the Giants, particularly when matched up against center John Michael Schmitz Jr., who had a bad time matched up against Bucs DL Vita Vea . One week after shutting down the Commanders offense for most of the game, I expect Dallas to devour the Giants offensive line. The question will be if a banged up secondary will be able to hold down Malik Nabers , who caught 12 passes for 115 yards in Week 4 against the Cowboys. Or if the Cooper Rush-led offense will be able to be successful. It should be a close one even if it's not the most exciting matchup of the day for NFL fans. Gobble, gobble! This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.Trump picks Charles Kushner, Jared Kushner's father, as ambassador to France
Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Stuck on what to watch, read and listen to during the holidays? Our culture reporters have done the hard work for you. Here are their picks of the best shows, films, podcasts and books from 2024. If it’s good enough for them, it’s definitely good enough for you. Share your favourites in the comments below. Film Challengers (Amazon Prime) Zendaya with Mike Faist (left) and Josh O’Connor in Challengers. Luca Guadagnino’s horny tennis/threesome drama has fallen out of the conversation as a main contender this awards season , but it’s still, hands down, one of my favourite films of the year. And the soundtrack – a pulsating original score of techno bangers composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross – has been on my main rotation while exercising or frantically writing to deadlines since the film’s release in April. If you missed it completely (which means you’ve sadly also missed some of the year’s best memes ), the film follows a 13-year love triangle between an injured tennis star turned coach (Zendaya), her husband now limping towards the end of his successful career (Mike Faist), and his one-time best friend still chasing his shot at glory (Josh O’Connor). It’s a feverish film with frenetic cuts and pounding synth melded through moments of emotional intensity. And while that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, I think it’s exactly what we need more of in cinema: original stories about somewhat regular adult relationships that take big creative swings. If nothing else, it’ll change the way you watch the Australian Open. Meg Watson TV Hit Man (Netflix) Adria Arjona as Madison and Glen Powell as Gary Johnson in Hit Man. Credit: Brian Roedel/Netflix Who would have thought a straight-to-streaming movie would top my list this year? Certainly not me, but that was before I saw Richard Linklater’s ridiculously rewatchable rom-com-thriller Hit Man . Inspired by a 2001 Texas Monthly article by Skip Hollandsworth, the film has a mild-mannered professor (Glen Powell) picking up a gig impersonating assassins for the police. However, his entire moral code is turned on its head after he falls for a woman (Adria Arjona) who hires him to kill her abusive husband. It’s a crime that this film missed out on a proper theatrical release – not only because it stars Powell (surely 2024’s Hollywood sweetheart after Anyone But You and Twisters ) but because of its expert weaving of comedy into a compelling examination of identity and morality. The leading pair ooze chemistry on-screen, Powell somehow makes three-quarter denim pants look hot, and the ending is entirely unpredictable. It’s refreshing to watch something this fun again. So Richard Linklater, thanks for the hit, man. Nell Geraets Ripley (Netflix) Andrew Scott as Tom Ripley in a scene from Ripley. For the first couple of episodes of Steve Zaillian’s take on the chameleonic serial killer Tom Ripley, I wondered why I was watching, and why it existed. After all, Anthony Minghella’s 1999 film The Talented Mr Ripley did such beautiful justice to Patricia Highsmith’s creation (Ripley appears not just in the 1955 novel of that name, but in another four) that it was hard to see what more could be said. But by the third episode, I was completely won over by the slow accretion of detail and lugubrious pacing, by the stunning black-and-white cinematography, and above all by Andrew Scott’s portrayal . In his hands, Ripley is not the young aspirational social climber Matt Damon gave us. Rather, he’s a mid-career petty conman almost at the end of his tether who happens to get incredibly lucky. But he’s such a bumbler that he very nearly blows it, repeatedly. The character, like the show itself, is a tightrope walk, never more than one dreadful misstep from collapse. By its end I wasn’t just grateful to Zaillian for going there, I couldn’t wait to see where he, and Ripley, might take us next. Karl Quinn Podcast Binchtopia Binchtopia podcast hosts, Eliza McLamb (left) and Julia Hava. Credit: Instagram If you want a laugh or just to keep up to speed with internet culture, then the Binchtopia podcast is for you. It will have you speaking like a TikTok-addicted Gen Z after a few episodes, without having to actually watch TikToks. Hosts Julia Hava and Eliza McLamb, the “girlies”, will take you on a journey as they explore concepts such as doomsday prep, lead you down ridiculous Reddit threads, and take on more serious and complex issues such as eating disorders. Highly researched and organically funny, the podcast is ideal listening for lying on the beach or taking a road trip. It strikes a balance between informative and light-hearted, served with a confronting (at first) but endearing vocal fry. Beware – it’s addictive listening. Kayla Olaya Books Playground by Richard Powers Richard Powers, author of The Overstory and Playground. Credit: David Levenson/Getty Weeks after reading this, I am still thinking about it; it’s the best thing I’ve read in 2024. Powers, whose 2018 novel The Overstory was shortlisted for The Booker and also won the Pulitzer for fiction, has essentially written a book that, once you reach the end, has you rethinking the entire story. Longlisted for this year’s Booker, Playground is tricky to describe without spoiling. It follows the intertwined stories of Todd, a billionaire tech giant, Rafi, his college best friend, Rafi’s Polynesian girlfriend Ina and a famous oceanographer, Evie, over several decades. But it’s also a story about the climate crisis, AI, colonialism, the wonders of the ocean and mortality. And in Powers’ hands, each theme is deftly rendered. I’m already thinking about a re-read. Kylie Northover The Passenger and Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy The late author Cormac McCarthy. Credit: AP The best books you read in a year are often not from that year. So I’m happy to stretch the brief and cite Cormac McCarthy’s masterful final novels, The Passenger and Stella Maris , which were published six weeks apart in late 2022. They tell the stories of Bobby Western and his sister Alicia respectively – complex, wounded geniuses struggling to survive in marginalised America, haunted by their father’s work developing the atomic bomb and their feelings for each other. McCarthy’s writing so erudite, so rich with ideas and so evocative that these two interconnected novels would be the high-water marks of most writers’ careers. But he has also been acclaimed for All The Pretty Horses , Blood Meridian , No Country For Old Men and The Road . I’ve struggled to read McCarthy for years, finding his books too unsettling and emotionally bruising. But that’s changed. I’ve just started his first novel, The Orchard Keeper, and plan to work my way through the rest. Garry Maddox The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard Shirley Hazzard, author of The Transit of Venus. Credit: David Levenson Where the hell have you been, you might well ask when I nominate reading this Australian novel as my fave culture moment of the year; after all, it was published in 1980. The story of orphaned Australians Caroline and Grace Bell making new lives in England starts in the 1950s and ends some time in the 1970s, yet it feels absolutely timeless. Hazzard has a clear eye for personality and character, unflinching but not cruel. She captures, especially in the early pages, the sometimes uneasy relationship between Australians and the world they desperately long to be part of. And she has a deft way with plot: one character’s ultimate demise is signalled soon after we first meet him, though it comes decades in the future; another’s, right at the end, is a shock, a twist, a punch to the guts. Hazzard’s way with language impresses most, especially the way she crafts sentences that are unfinished yet complete. Full of empathy for the desires that guide us and the wrong choices we make, and the fleeting moments of perfection that are so easy to miss, The Transit of Venus is achingly sad and blindingly beautiful. Karl Quinn The Booklist is a weekly newsletter for book lovers from books editor Jason Steger. Get it delivered every Friday .Mumbai Metro Phase 2 Connecting Dadar, Worli And Other Stations Likely To Be Launched In March 2025: ReportCanada is already examining tariffs on certain US items following Trump’s tariff threatRodgers praises Celtic's mentality after Maeda wonder strike rescues valuable Champions League point
The confidential briefing note is part of the tranche of documents made public in the annual release of State papers from the Irish National Archives. An Irish Department of Foreign Affairs official focusing on justice and security created the list in October 2002. The document starts by referencing a 1999 interview given by George Mitchell, the chairman of the Good Friday Agreement negotiations, in which he claimed the British and Irish governments, as well as Northern Ireland’s political parties, had leaked information to manipulate public opinion. However, he further accused the NIO of attempting to sabotage the process by leaking information on British Government policy to the media. Mr Mitchell, a former US senator, is said to have expressed alarm and anger over the frequency of leaks from the NIO – saying they were uniquely “designed to undermine the policy of the British Government of which they were a part”. The Irish civil servant notes Mr Mitchell himself was subjected to an attempted “smear” when he first arrived in Northern Ireland, as newspaper articles falsely claimed his chief of staff Martha Pope had had a liaison with Sinn Fein representative Gerry Kelly with ulterior motives. The Irish civil servant goes on to list several “leaks”, starting with the publication of a proposed deal in a newspaper while “intense negotiations” for the Downing Street Declaration were under way. Next, the Department lists two “high-profile and damaging leaks issued from the NIO”. A so-called “gameplan” document was leaked in February 1998, showing papers had been prepared weeks before the Drumcree march on July 6, 1997. In the preceding years, there had been standoffs and clashes as nationalists opposed the procession of an Orange parade down Garvaghy Road in Portadown. The gameplan document showed then secretary of state for Northern Ireland Mo Mowlam, who was publicly expressing a desire for a negotiated solution to the 1997 parade, advocated “finding the lowest common denominator for getting some Orange feet on the Garvaghy Road”. In 1997, a large number of security forces were deployed to the area to allow the march to proceed. The incident sparked heightened tension and a wave of rioting. The document further describes the release of a document submitted by the NIO’s director of communications to the secretary of state as a “second major leak”. It claims a publicity strategy was released to the DUP in the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement and showed how the UK Government would support a yes vote in a referendum following any talks agreement. In addition, it is claimed unionists used leaked sections of the Patten report on policing to invalidate its findings ahead of its publication in 1999. The report recommended the replacement of the Royal Ulster Constabulary with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the changing of symbols, and a 50-50 recruitment policy for Catholics and Protestants. At the time, UUP leader David Trimble said the recommendations would lead to a corruption of policing in Northern Ireland. Chris Patten, chairman of the independent commission on policing, said some of the assertions were a “total fabrication” and designed to “muddy the waters” to create a difficult political atmosphere. Elsewhere, the author notes it was leaked to the media there was serious disagreement between the governments of the UK and Ireland on the composition of that commission – with not a single name submitted by the Irish side being accepted by the other. The author notes this incident, still under the heading “NIO leaks”, was believed by British officials to have emanated from the Irish side. The report turns to leaks of other origin, claiming “disgruntled Special Branch officers in Northern Ireland” were blamed by the British Government for a series of releases about the IRA which were designed to damage Sinn Fein in the 2001 general election in Northern Ireland. One senior Whitehall source was quoted in the Guardian as complaining that Special Branch was “leaking like a sieve” after details of an IRA intelligence database containing the names of leading Tories – described at the time as a “hit list” – was passed to the BBC in April 2002. The briefing note adds: “This was followed days later by a leak to The Sunday Telegraph which alleged that senior IRA commanders bought Russian special forces rifles in Moscow last year. “The newspaper said it was passed details by military intelligence in London.” The briefing note adds that other Special Branch leaks were associated with the Castlereagh break-in. The final incident in the document notes the Police Ombudsman’s Report on the Omagh bombing was also leaked to the press in December 2001. Then Northern Ireland secretary John Reid said at the time: “Leaks are never helpful and usually malicious – I will not be commenting on this report until I have seen the final version.” The reason for creating the list of leaks, which the Irish National Archives holds in a folder alongside briefing notes for ministers ahead of meetings with officials from the UK Government and NIO, is not outlined in the document itself. – This document is based on material in 2024/130/6.The Asia Customer Experience (CX) Philippines 2024 brought together industry leaders, innovators, and professionals to celebrate and explore the best practices shaping customer experience. Held on Friday, November 8, 2024, from 6 PM to 9 PM at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria , the event marked a milestone as the inaugural Asia Customer Experience Awards Philippines . Themed “Pioneering Excellence in Customer Experience and Innovation,” the event emphasized the importance of customer-centric strategies in achieving business success. It provided a platform for expert insights, recognition of excellence, and valuable networking opportunities. The event began with Donald Patrick Lim , President and COO of DITO and Chief Innovation Officer at Udenna Group , delivering his keynote address. Lim highlighted the transformative power of operational excellence integrated with customer-centric approaches, showcasing how these strategies can lead to sustainable growth. The program featured three distinguished speakers who shared insights and strategies on enhancing customer experiences: The session culminated in a 15-minute panel discussion where the speakers addressed audience questions and shared actionable strategies for businesses to enhance their customer experiences. The highlight of the evening was the Asia Customer Experience Awards , celebrating outstanding achievements in customer experience innovation and delivery. The awardees were as follows: Beyond the talks, the event fostered valuable networking opportunities, bringing together professionals from various sectors to share ideas, build connections, and collaborate on advancing customer experience initiatives. “As we navigate a rapidly evolving business environment, the importance of customer experience cannot be overstated,” said an event representative. “This event serves as a platform for leaders to inspire meaningful change and set new benchmarks in delivering exceptional customer journeys.”, said an event attendee. The Asia CX Philippines 2024 underscores the undeniable importance of customer experience in shaping organizations that are not just competitive but forward-thinking. It’s a call to action for businesses to reimagine the way they connect with their customers, placing innovation and empathy at the core of their strategies. In a market that’s constantly evolving, this event stands as a powerful reminder that the key to long-term success lies in the ability to adapt, inspire loyalty, and deliver meaningful, memorable experiences. It’s not just about staying in the game—it’s about leading it. Being business-savvy should be fun, attainable and A+. BMPlus is BusinessMirror's digital arm with practical tips & success stories for aspiring and thriving millennial entrepreneurs.
12 of the best Booking.com hotel deals for Black FridayNoneNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Genesis Bryant scored 27 points, Kendall Bostic secured her third double-double this season with 12 points and 11 rebounds and No. 19 Illinois beat Maryland Eastern Shore 75-55 on Tuesday in the Music City Classic. Illinois (6-0) moved to 6-0 for the second time under third-year coach Shauna Green. Illinois scored the opening nine points of the game and took a double-digit lead for good with 2:11 left in the first quarter when Makira Cook made a 3-pointer to begin 13-2 run. UMES scored 13 straight points midway through the second quarter to get as close as 32-22, but Cook answered with a basket to end Illinois' three-minute drought. Bryant finished the first half with 14 points and Cook added 13 to help Illinois build a 43-26 lead. The pair combined to make seven of Illinois’ 14 field goals. UMES was 9 of 36 (25%), including 0 of 7 from 3-point range at halftime. Illinois also got 15 points from Cook and a career-high 11 rebounds from Brynn Shoup-Hill. Bryant, who reached double figures in the first quarter, scored 20-plus for the first time this season. Zamara Haynes led UMES (4-3) with 20 points and Mahogany Lester added 14. Illinois stays in Nashville to play No. 14 Kentucky on Wednesday. UMES travels to Piscataway, New Jersey, to face Georgia Southern in the Battle on the Banks on Friday. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
Let's aim for a world where older people are known, loved and connectedHavens for fresh produce, while championing local producers and growers, farm shops help reduce our food miles and bring joy from all the growing seasons...here’s our pick of the Essex crop! The butcher counter at Blackwells Farm Shop Blackwells Farm Shop. The main ethos here is supporting local farmers and producers, with more than 90 per cent of produce sourced from within a 30-mile radius. The butcher’s counter is fully stocked with traditional cuts of meat, roasting joints, and weekly changing specials and they dry-age beef for a minimum of 28 days for the very best of tenderness and flavour. A cheese counter, local wines and ales and homemade cakes are offered and looking ahead to Christmas, there’s free-range turkeys, free range geese and chickens. What we love: Monthly butchery courses including sausage making are ideal for educational experience days and gifts. Where: Herons Farm, Colne Road, Coggeshall. CO6 1TQ. blackwellsfarmproduce.co.uk Calcott Hall When the farm size is described as the equivalent to about 70 football pitches, you know there’s going to be plenty of choice grown on the site! The McTurks have been farming here for more than 40 years and within the 120-acre plot a range of vegetables are grown throughout the year. The farm shop has grown and grown and while there’s local products, a staggering amount of other goodies are available, too. What we love: Calcott’s Reward Card provides the opportunity to receive monthly offers and save money. Where: Ongar Road, Brentwood. CM15 9HS. calcotthall.com Manor Farm Shop in Great Baddow The Manor Farm Shop Starting out back in 1979, this family-run business is still in the capable hands of the Dobson family. There’s everything from the usual fresh fruit and vegetables to a selection of the more unusual, too. Wilkin and Sons famous jams and preserves are stocked, as are sausages, ham and bacon from Wicks Manor, and fresh fish can be bought Thursday to Saturday. In fact, there’s not much you can’t find! What we love: Gluten and wheat-free products are available. Where: Maldon Road, Great Baddow, Chelmsford. CM2 7DQ. themanorfarmshopchelmsford.co.uk Great Braxted Farm Shop. Quality, local produce and ethically sourced is the motto of this family-run farm shop which have been supplying the public and trade with their 30 years of experience. There’s not much you can’t find here, from seasonal fruit and vegetables to other products, including original Brick Lane Salt Beef Beigels, but that’s part of the appeal... discovering different items to take home. What we love: Braxted Seafood Hut pops up at the site on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Where: Maldon Road, Tiptree. CO5 0QA. @greatbraxtedfarmshop Coxs at Spencers Farm Shop. For more than 30 years, the Cox family have worked day and night, 364 days a year, to deliver quality fruit and veg across the Essex/Suffolk border. They took over the farm shop in 2020 and have continually invested in new ranges and stocked products. Showcasing the best of local producers, it’s here where there’s everything from the speciality of their soft fruits to delicious homemade cakes and quiches. What we love: Not just a farm shop...there’s a café and crazy golf course, too! Where: Park Road, Wickham St Paul, Halstead. CO9 2PX. spencersfarmshop.com Mitchells Farm Shop. Having farmed in Elmstead Market for 100 years, the Mitchell family have seen many changes throughout their tenure. The farm shop opened in 1995 and stocks a wide range of produce, including bread, milk, eggs, cheese, and the essentials such as fruit and vegetables (fresh and frozen) along with potatoes which are grown on the farm. Household essentials, of course, can also be found. What we love: Sweet treats including delectable ice cream flavours, as well as puddings and patisserie options! Where: School Road, Elmstead Market, Colchester. CO7 7EY. mitchellsfarmshop.net Best pressed...Lathcoats apple juice from its very own orchards Lathcoats Farm. (pic) This award-winning spot, established in 1912, has more than 40 varieties of English apples from its very own orchards and it’s also built up a good reputation for its PYO. Expect to be amazed with the wide selection of produce from trusted, small and family businesses across the region. Fresh fish available from Wednesday to Saturday. What we love: Get the aah factor from one of the animal experiences including alpaca trekking, meet and greets, as well as the junior farmer for the day! Where: Beehive Lane, Galleywood, near Chelmsford. CM2 8LX eapples.co.uk Ashlyns Farm Shop. Dedicated to stocking the best in fresh local produce, there’s everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to grass-fed beef and organic chicken from the onsite butcher, along with award-winning British and European cheese from the deli counter. Locally brewed craft beer, a wide selection of groceries, delicious chutneys, pies and pastries, and many other ingredients for the larder can also be found here. What we love: With a restaurant onsite, enjoy an indulgent brunch or lunch in the wood-beamed spot overlooking the garden. Where: Epping Road, North Weald. CM16 6RZ. ashlynsfarmshop.co.uk
Dunnes Stores bosses slash the price of ultimate cosy winter essential that’s ‘ideal for gifting’ to just €20
What to know about sudden rebel gains in Syria's 13-year war and why it mattersA property firm, Sytemap, has stated that 65 per cent of victims of land scams in Nigeria are women. While announcing an initiative designed to empower women through affordable and secure land ownership in a statement, the firm stated that from March 8 to March 14, 2025, women, including professionals in Africa and the Diaspora, will enjoy an exclusive 50 per cent discount on plots from verified estate developers through the Sytemap platform. It stated, “This initiative, themed ‘Her Land, Her Future,’ underscores Sytemap’s commitment to breaking cultural and economic barriers that have historically sidelined women from property ownership. Partnering with over 30 reputable estate developers, Sytemap is creating unprecedented opportunities for women to invest in land with confidence. “For decades, women in Nigeria and across Africa have faced significant hurdles in land acquisition, including high costs, fear of fraud, and societal biases. In fact, studies show that 65 per cent of victims of land scams in Nigeria are women. “This initiative will launch during the ‘Sytemap Land Trade Fair 1.0,’ an event bringing together key stakeholders, women’s organisations, and influencers to celebrate this transformative moment. Women in the Diaspora are encouraged to participate and take advantage of this life-changing opportunity.” Related News Firm unveils new yoghurt brand Firm unveils network to ease cross-border payments Firm partners NexHub to boost creative exports The Chief Executive Officer, Sytemap, Nnamdi Uba, noted that women have been marginalised for too long. He said, “Imagine a future where women are equal stakeholders in property ownership, shaping communities and securing generational wealth. Sytemap invites women across Africa and the Diaspora to claim their space and rewrite the narrative of land ownership. “Women have long been marginalised in land ownership, a critical path to building wealth and security. Our mission is not only to make land ownership accessible but to eliminate the fears and uncertainties that hold women back. With this initiative, Sytemap leverages its reputation for transparency and cutting-edge technology to offer a simple, scam-free, and empowering process for land purchase. “The campaign is designed to resonate with young professionals, particularly women with good-paying jobs who are ready to invest in their future. For women in the Diaspora, the initiative offers tailored support, including seamless international payment options and an innovative plot-monitoring app that allows buyers to manage their investments from anywhere in the world.”
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