Author: National Tone

The confirmed death in Turkey and northwest Syria from the region’s deadliest earthquake in 20 years stands at more than 23,700, four days after it hit, according to officials. Casualties from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake, which struck in the early hours on Monday, as well as several powerful aftershocks, have surpassed the more than 17,000 killed in 1999 when a similarly powerful earthquake hit northwest Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan acknowledged during a visit to Adiyaman province on Friday that the government’s response could have been better. “Although we have the largest search and rescue team in the world…

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India’s market regulator is investigating Adani Group’s links to some of the investors in the conglomerate’s aborted $2.5bn share sale, two sources said, amid growing concern in New Delhi about a United States-based short-seller’s allegations against one of the country’s top industrial groups. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is looking into any potential violation of Indian securities laws or any conflict of interest in the share sale process, the two sources, who have direct knowledge of the matter, said. The watchdog is investigating relationships between Adani and at least two Mauritius-based firms, Great International Tusker Fund and…

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CLEVELAND — Cleveland Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam are taking another shot at the NBA. Looking to expand their professional sports portfolio outside of Ohio, the Haslams are in talks to buy a minority stake in the Milwaukee Bucks, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Friday. The Haslams have explored buying other pro teams, including the Minnesota Timberwolves in the past, and now are seeking the 25% share currently held by Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry, according to the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. There is…

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Republican lawmakers create $10m programme to fund governor’s push, which critics say treats people as ‘chess pieces’.Legislators in the US state of Florida have passed a bill backing efforts by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis to transport migrants and asylum seekers into Democratic-controlled parts of the United States, a push that critics have decried as “indefensible”. The measure approved on Friday provides $10m to create a new initiative – dubbed the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program – to fund DeSantis’s plan. Last year, the Florida governor – a rising conservative star who is expected to seek the presidency in 2024 – joined…

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Toronto Raptors star forward Pascal Siakam will get to the participate in the NBA All-Star Game as a reserve replacement. Siakam was named Friday as a replacement along with Anthony Edwards from the Minnesota Timberwolves and De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings for the game on Feb. 19 in Salt Lake City. They are expected to replace Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry and New Orleans Pelicans’ Zion Williamson, who are all dealing with injuries. The 28-year-old Siakam was initially snubbed from the mid-season classic as he was not on the list of reserves despite…

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Mumbai, India – Amid the usual traffic snarls on one of central Mumbai’s busiest overpasses, drivers could hardly help but notice a simple, yet large, hand-painted slogan proclaiming that the rapidly rising wealth of businessmen Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani was a miracle of Narendra Modi’s government. In the city’s stock market, however, Adani’s wealth, which has increased by more than $100bn in less than a decade, was eroding faster than the paint on the slogan could dry. Adani’s self-named conglomerate grew by running a rapidly increasing share of India’s public infrastructure including ports, airports, power plants and coal mines.…

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Jonbon is out to cement his Arkle claims in the Virgin Bet Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick on Saturday. Nicky Henderson’s seven-year-old has taken to fences seamlessly and the only defeat in his career remains at the hands of his seemingly other-worldly stablemate Constitution Hill in last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. With El Fabiolo, a neck behind Jonbon at Aintree last season, setting a new marker in the Irish Arkle last weekend, the JP McManus-owned gelding needs to reassert his authority in the ante-post market. With experience of Warwick’s tricky fences already banked, Jonbon will be looking to follow in…

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Jamie Smith and Josh Tongue impressed in England Lions’ second unofficial Test against Sri Lanka A before the game, like the first match, ended in a draw.Surrey batter Smith struck the fastest century by an England Lions batter on day three of the four-day fixture in Galle, with his 71-ball effort eclipsing the 91-ball hundred Luke Wright had scored against New Zealand in 2008/09. Worcestershire seamer Tongue recorded match figures of 8-153 after following his 5-76 in Sri Lanka A’s first innings with 3-77 in their second.Sussex spinner Jack Carson bagged 4-94 second time around as Sri Lanka A were…

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United States President Joe Biden’s administration as well as many bipartisan US legislators and advocates have said they want the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq (AUMF) repealed. The authorisation was signed by former President George W Bush in 2002, enabling the US invasion and occupation of Iraq as the US’s two-decade “war on terror” went into full swing. It has increasingly been condemned by critics for giving the US executive branch broad and menacingly vague military powers. On Thursday, a group of bipartisan legislators in both the House and Senate launched their latest effort to do away with…

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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Exclusive live coverage of the Wembley Fight Night weigh-in featuring Adam Azim, Caroline Dubois and Viddal Riley Rising star Adam Azim and Nicaragua’s unbeaten Santos Reyes weigh in for their clash at Wembley Arena, live on Sky Sports on Saturday night. Joining Azim on the bill is another outstanding prospect, ‘Sweet’ Caroline Duboiswho will be out to extend her own perfect record and put on yet another destructive display when she faces Feriche Mashaury.Super-middleweight Zak Chelly faces Anthony Sims in what promises to be a thrilling ‘Wild Card’ fight, while…

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