It makes sense to re-examine your life when tragedy strikes with the hope that you can learn from whatever might have been responsible for it.It is after then that you can set things that were not right proper with the hope that the future could be better than the past.This reminds me of the popular Liberian Gospel song, titled: ‘A New Day.’ The lyric in that song reflects on the danger of yesterday with a cry to God that what happened yesterday should not repeat itself.Liberian soccer fans should take consolation in that particular song since the national team will always take part in competitions organized by FIFA and CAF.In fact the 2016 Gabon Nations Cup resumes in March next year and Liberia has Djibouti to play twice (home and away); will play Togo at home and the 4th match will be in Tunis, Tunisia.So, instead of weeping over spilt milk, we must get over the Ivorian defeat and take decisions that may re-commit us to work for the games ahead.True, losing to such an incredible margin (3-0) is not something to joke with and not for the weak heart. Luckily for us, there have not been reports about Liberians who might have gotten sick because of the defeat.While that scenario is yet to play itself out, our painful reaction was clear how much trust we have in the current group of Lone Star players. There were Liberians who could not even dream of Lone Star losing to The Elephants, no matter how the Ivorians’ status of being the current African Champions was explained to them.Now some of questions we need to examine objectively are: How much preparation did we put in to get our players to match against the Ivorians? Could it not be that because William Jerbo completed a hat-trick against Guinea Bissau and in Bissau, it created the impression that Liberia was ready to take on the world?And of course, winning abroad can be deceptive, especially so if your opponent is not that known in the game itself, compare with others who have made their marks in soccer world.So to attempt to answer the question about how much preparation the Lone Star had before the Ivorian debacle, you will realize it was next to nothing.We did not play any test match to measure our strength. We did not get our players in Liberia many days to play games together to get use to each other before the Ivorian encounter.And in the first game against Ivorians, Lone Star had to wait 45 minutes before rising to the game when the damage had already been done. The team could not and did not stamp its authority on the match, despite the fact that we were playing at home.The lesson here is: we must learn to win at home. What does that mean? I don’t know and I think the LFA and the technical team can come up with suggestions.Another point is: we must learn to prevent our opponents every chance to do everything with the ball. We must learn from the Ivorian disaster that to win, we must develop players with enough stamina.There are more things we could do, but for now we must ask for a NEW DAY by learning from yesterday.Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) read more

A taxi driver was taken into Police custody following the discovery of 2.5 kilograms of cocaine in a bag that he attempted to dispose of.Reports are 40-year-old Dwayne Gildharie, of Lima, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), was driving his motorcar along the Charity Public Road, Essequibo Coast when he was intercepted by a team of Police ranks who were acting on information.The cocaine found in the bagMoments after the car was stopped, the driver sped away from the scene but the Police gave chase. During the chase, the Police reportedly observed the driver disposed of a bag through the front passenger’s side window.The bag was retrieved and the Police continued to pursue the motorcar. The car was eventually intercepted and the driver was arrested. In the presence of Gildharie, the bag was examined and two parcels of cocaine weighing 2.5 kilograms were unearthed.He was told of the offence, cautioned and subsequently charged for possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. He made an appearance at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday where he denied the offence.The suspected drug mule was remanded to prison and the case will continue on January 7, 2020. read more

Rounding out the top three was the Eddie Murphy comedy “Norbit,” which opened in first place last week. The Paramount Pictures release took in an estimated $20.7 million for a stellar two-week total of $62.7 million. The total haul for the four-day weekend is estimated to be about $185 million, blasting the previous record of $164 million set in 2003, according to the box office tracking firm Media By Numbers. It also stopped a six-week streak of down weekends when revenues came up short compared with the same weekend in 2006. “Either by design or by accident, this was the perfect mix of films,” said Media By Numbers President Paul Dergarabedian. “Each movie targeted a different audience, which allowed each to do well and culminated in this giant weekend.” “Ghost Rider” was the third Sony Pictures Entertainment release to open in first place in 2007, continuing the studio’s record run in 2006, when it had 13 movies open in first place and worldwide grosses exceeding $3 billion. “To continue that momentum into 2007 really feels great,” said Rory Bruer, Sony’s president of domestic distribution. “We felt we had the goods and hoped to open big. Opening on the mid-30 \ would have been terrific, so this goes beyond our expectations. It’s playing like a summer movie.” greg.hernandez@dailynews.com (818) 713-3758 Top 10 movies These are the estimated ticket sales Friday through Monday, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final four-day figures will be released today. 1. “Ghost Rider,” $51.5 million 2. “Bridge to Terabithia,” $29 million 3. “Norbit,” $20.7 million 4. “Music & Lyrics,” $16 million 5. “Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls,” $14.3 million 6. “Breach,” $12.3 million 7. “Hannibal Rising,” $6.5 million 8. “Because I Said So,” $5.9 million 9. “Night at the Museum,” $4.7 million 10.”The Messengers,” $4.4 million160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! The Nicolas Cage adventure film “Ghost Rider” led the movie industry to a record Presidents Day weekend at the box office with an unexpectedly robust $51.5 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Monday. Based on the popular Marvel Comics books, “Ghost Rider” set a number of box office benchmarks: highest February opening ever, biggest opening of any 2007 release and biggest Presidents Day weekend opening. It also opened bigger than any previous movie starring Cage. Finishing a solid second was the new Disney release “Bridge to Terabithia,” which managed an estimated gross of $29 million over the four days to give the studio the biggest February opening of its long history. “It has turned out to be a sensational weekend for the business, and that’s fabulous news for everybody,” said Chuck Viane, president of Disney’s Buena Vista Distribution unit. “When all kinds of movies are seen, that helps the entire business.” read more

DISGRACED poet Cathal O Searcaigh has claimed more than €127,000 in funding from the taxpayer over the past decade as a member of an elite arts club.Aosdana — set up by former Taoiseach Charles Haughey — gives yearly payouts or cnuas of over €17,000 to some of Ireland’s top artists and has cost the taxpayer just under €30million.O Searcaigh continued to receive his full tax-free payments despite a damning 2007 documentary Fairytale of Kathmandu which revealed details of the Gortahork’s poet’s sexual relationships with Nepalese teenagers. He received €12,700 per year between 2001 and 2010.O Searcaigh still insists he has done nothing wrong and blamed selective editing for how he was portrayed.The poet also received a grant to renovate his home in Gortahork and turn it into a interpretive centre for his work.In return for the grant to renovate his home, O Searcaigh has agreed to leave the property to the State.      O SEARCAIGH HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN €127,000 IN GRANTS was last modified: June 3rd, 2012 by StephenShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) read more

A man who was found working illegally at a well-known Letterkenny restaurant has been given the Probation Act.Shapla Indian restaurant in Letterkenny.Faruk Hossain, was found by immigration officers working at Shapla Indian Restaurant on June 27th last. The 28 year old was preparing vegetables but when quizzed, he admitted he had no work permit or passport.Solicitor Frank Dorrian told Letterkenny Court that his client had arrived by ship into Dublin and later joined friends in Letterkenny.He said he was no longer working at Shapla and was basically “rudderless” but still living in Letterkenny where Gardai knew where he was.Judge Paul Kelly said he was applying the Probation Act but instructed Mr Dorrian that this was a “one day only offer.”RESTAURANT WORKER HAD NO WORK PERMIT OR PASSPORT was last modified: September 16th, 2014 by StephenShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Tags:courtGardaiJudge Paul KellyletterkennyShaplawork permit read more

This dog was found in the carpark of Marks and Spencer in Letterkenny at 3:30pm this afternoon.He has a collar, but there is no information on it and he is not chipped.He is around nine years old and is very friendly. If you know who owns this dog please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Gerry on 0868595591 or email info@donegaldaily.comCan you help us reunite this dog with his owner? was last modified: February 2nd, 2018 by Elaine McCalligShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Tags:appealDOGfoundletterkennymissing read more

This week on the health column Medical Matters, Dr Ciaran Roarty of Scally/McDaid Medical Practise explains the symptoms and treatments of  Testicular Cancer.  Testicular Cancer: As the name suggests this is a form of cancer that develops in the testicle. It occurs in under 35s about half the time and rarely before puberty. Almost all develop from the cells that make sperm (and are therefore called germ cell cancers). Often it develops for no apparent reason though some risk factors have been identified. These include:Family history of testicular cancer.Where you are from – white males from Northern Europe have an increased risk.Having HIV/AIDS.Undescended testicles and infertilityOther rarer genetic disorders such as Kleinfelter’s syndromeWhat are the symptoms? Mostly the first thing noticed is a painless lump on one of the testicles, though occasionally some discomfort is noticed. We should remember that most lumps on the testicle are not due to cancer, but should be checked by a doctor nonetheless. Untreated, the cancer may lead to back pain or shortness of breath.How is it diagnosed?After a history (where the doctor asks about your symptoms) and examination, the doctor will refer you to a specialist if he/she suspects cancer. You may have a simple scan performed which gives a lot of information as well as blood tests. If cancer is confirmed surgery is required to remove the affected testicle.  This will not affect either your desire or ability to have sex. If radiotherapy or chemotherapy is required it may affect your fertility, though a lot of men find this returns to normal about a year after their treatment. You will also have tests to see if the cancer has spread anywhere else.  This will also help doctors decide how to treat you and what the likely outlook is for you. Treatment of testicular cancer.Treatment options as mentioned above include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The type of cancer and whether or not it has spread along with your general health will determine which of the above are indicated. Surgery is normally advised in all cases and if the cancer is in the early stages, removing the affected testicle may be all that is required. If it has spread, further, surgery may be necessary to remove lymph nodes after chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Chemotherapy is using medicines to kill cancerous cells. Radiotherapy is the use of high energy beams of radiation to kill cancerous cells. After treatment, specialists will keep a close eye on you with regular tests to ensure the cancer has not returned. We know that people who have been successfully treated for testicular cancer have a higher chance of cardiovascular disease ( heart attacks, strokes angina  etc) so it will be important to take care of other risk factors for these diseases such as not smoking, maintaining a healthy diet and weight and controlling our cholesterol . Whats the prognosis after testicular cancer has been treated?Thankfully testicular cancer is one form of cancer which can be really successfully treated. Over 95% of cases are curable. Most testicular cancers are diagnosed at an early stage, and even if it has spread to other parts of the body, it still responds very well to chemotherapy. How can we pick it up early?It’s important for a man/teenage boy to know how his own testicles feel. That way any change is readily noticeable. The best time to examine them is after a bath or shower when you are relaxed and can easily examine the testicles and nearby structures.  It is quite normal for one testicle to be slightly bigger and for one to hang slightly lower. They feel like smooth soft balls with a soft swelling attached at the top and to the back – this is the epididymis which stores sperm. From this, the vas deferens or tube passes up into the groin. These are all normal structures. Change in size, weight or abnormal lumps or swellings should prompt a visit to the doctor and remember most abnormalities are not actually cancer. Cancer tends to start off as a small hard painless lump.The above information is intended as advice only and should you have any concerns contact your own Doctor.Dr Ciarán Roarty MB, BCh BAO MICGP DRCOG Grad. Cert. Obst. Ultrasound is a full-time GP at Scally McDaid Medical Practice , Scally Place, Letterkenny,  Tel 0749164111Medical Matters: Testicular Cancer was last modified: July 13th, 2018 by Scally McDaid RoartyShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Tags:Medical Mattersmen’s healthtesticular cancer read more

Boris Johnson has said he will press on “undaunted” with Brexit on 31 October, despite losing a crunch Commons vote.The PM must now ask the EU for an extension to that deadline after MPs backed an amendment aimed at ruling out a no-deal Brexit, by 322 votes to 306.But he told MPs: “I will not negotiate a delay with the EU and neither does the law compel me to do so.” He vowed to bring in legislation on Monday to implement the deal he struck with Brussels this week.MPs could also be given another vote on the deal on Monday, if Commons Speaker John Bercow allows it.The Commons defeat is a major setback for the PM, who has repeatedly insisted that the UK will leave at the end of the month come what may.Under the terms of the so-called Benn Act, passed last month by MPs determined to prevent a no-deal Brexit, he has until 2300 BST on Saturday to send a letter to the EU requesting an extension. Mr Johnson said he was not “daunted or dismayed” by the Commons defeat and remained committed to taking Britain out by the end of the month on the basis of his “excellent deal”.Brexit setback for Boris Johnston as British PM vows to press on was last modified: October 19th, 2019 by Staff WriterShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) read more

— Bleacher … Draymond Green sure appeared agitated while trash-talking with Drake after Golden State’s NBA Finals loss Thursday night, but the Warriors forward now insists it was all in good fun.Green also said people are simply making too big of a deal out of what the Raptors’ superfan does during games.Drake called Dray “trash” immediately after the Raptors won Game 1 😳 pic.twitter.com/vJluvzUCFa [vemba-video id=”van/sc/2019/05/31/bang_b8ffbe25-876a-4ad1-9c29-df88a09e91e2″] read more

Tim CohenOne of the oddities of living in a developing country is a real dearth of data on what people really think. To read the press or listen to the radio, it’s easy to develop what might be described as a snapshot view of where South Africans minds are at. Often, the media seems dominated by people with a particular axe to grind or a particular hobby-horse of one kind or another.Some of this is natural. Newspapers all over the world tend to serve constituencies. But where media consumption is generally low, you often get this uneasy feeling that there is a gap between real public opinion and a generalised view of the dominant editorial position of the publications concerned.This happens everywhere, but in most developed countries, the particular views of newspapers or even the media are balanced by regular polls which provide a counterbalancing and stabilising force. Politicians in developed countries are massively guided by opinion polls; in some cases, it would seem, almost too much so, which results in tendency toward short-term solutions.In developing countries, the problem is almost exactly the opposite: politicians have to rely on their instincts or anecdotal conversations or on expert opinion on which to base their policies. Sometimes these instincts or opinions are spot on, but often they are wildly wrong. Ideas have a tendency to become entrenched and the ebb and flow of public opinion seems to slide under the dominant political ethos without seeming to really affected it much.Opinion polls have their own problems, but they at least aim to achieve a scientific and objective view. So I was intrigued recently by a rare poll into the views of a cross-section of South Africans. How would these views compare to the picture a Martian might get by reading the press?The initial results of a survey called FutureFact 2007 reveal that South Africans are a lot more content than the mainstream media suggest.The first interesting topic where a disconnect is visible concerns optimism. Read the press, and your impression might be of a nation of manic depressives. The economy is turning, the politics is changing, the Zimbabwean collapse is causing widespread anger and bile from all sides of the political spectrum.But actually, across all classes, the mood is not pessimistic at all. In response to the statement: “My quality of life in SA is much better than it would be elsewhere”, almost 90% of the upper-middle-class respondents in the survey agreed. The same proportion of middle-class respondents agreed too, while 84% of working and lower-class respondents were also optimistic. (Respondents were asked to place themselves in a particular class.)Views of government were also less negative than it might seem, although the survey was taken last year, before the ruling African National Congress conference in Polokawane where new leadership was installed.About 87% of working-class respondents agreed with the statement, “While the government has made a lot of mistakes, it has done more good things for the country.” Once again, the higher up the income scale, the higher the score. Just on 90% of the middle class and upper-middle class also agreed.The big difference between classes was apparent in answer to the question: “Are you satisfied with your life?” Barely 50% of working-class respondents said yes. The proportion increased the higher the socioeconomic group. Middle-class and upper-class respondents responded with 73% and 82% levels of satisfaction respectively.On reflection, these findings seem intuitively correct and not necessarily at odds with one another. In a developing country, financial well-being is the most crucial variable. Compare these results to findings in developed countries, where often richer people are no more satisfied with their lives than middle-class people.Yet, the survey also reveals findings that should be a concern to government. Almost six in 10 of the respondents in the upper and middle classes have no desire to leave the country, but about a third are “seriously thinking about it”, as are 19% of the middle class. The proportion declines at the working class level to about 17%, but still, that level seems very high. The proportions increase among the higher educated.Perhaps the most positive thing to come out of the survey is the level of entrepreneurial spirit, with most respondents indicating that they prefer to provide an income for themselves rather that wait to be provided for by government. Respondents were also reportedly optimistic about their prospects for class mobility, compared with developed countries.On reflection, this too is not untypical of developing countries either. People can see opportunities and economic growth all around them. The desire to participate in this growth constitutes a powerful force, creating a kind of “lets soldier on” kind of spirit. I think this is because despite the problems reflected in the press, the opportunities seem to be there – if you can only avoid the potholes!Go to the MediaClub weekly columns home pageTim Cohen is a freelance journalist writing for a variety of South African publications. He is currently contracted as a columnist to Business Day and the Weekender, where he worked for most of his career, and financial website Moneyweb where he writes on business and corporate activity for an associate site called Dealweb. He was the 2004 Sanlam Financial Journalist of the Year. read more