Claudio Ranieri fired by Leicester 9 months after leading them to remarkable EPL title

Claudio Ranieri has been fired as the manager of Leicester City. The Foxes have decided to move on from the manager who led them to an improbable Premier League title just nine months ago after dropping into the relegation fight this season.

Ranieri’s status at Leicester has been in question for weeks as the Foxes have stumbled down the table. They are yet to win a Premier League match since the start of  2017 and only have five wins in the entire season. That has left them only a point out of the relegation zone, a fact that would scare any club, but is especially terrifying to the Foxes considering how poorly they’ve played. It’s not hard to argue that Leicester have been the worst team in the league for nearly two months now, making the chances of them being relegated all the more likely.

The hope for Leicester is that a new manager can give them a boost the way new bosses did at Hull and Swansea. The two other relegation contenders have made huge strides since switching managers and the Foxes are betting that a new boss can do the same for them.

That Ranieri had to go is especially difficult considering the wondrous job he did last season. He took Leicester, a team with 5,000/1 odds to win the title, to the top of the Premier League to become the most unexpected champions in the history of the league. He was exceedingly likable, both in Leicester and around the world as fans rallied around the remarkable Foxes. Ranieri threw his players pizza parties and was always quick to a joke, while using his time away from the club to visit his mother back in Italy. He was absolutely beloved and the club wanted nothing more than to keep him.

Unfortunately, the results this season made it tough for Leicester to justify holding onto Ranieri. They simply lost too much and while there was no realistic expectation that they would contend for the title again, the Foxes did not expect to be in a relegation fight. That’s where they find themselves and, needing a change, they had to jettison the man who led them to glory.

Source” www.foxsports.com

Kazakhstan’s Tengiz Oil Field Expansion to Create 20,000 Jobs

The implementation of the project to raise production at Kazakhstan’s huge Tengiz oil field will create more than 20,000 oil-related jobs in the country, the ministry of labor and social protection said on Monday.

The company operating the Tengiz field, Tengizchevroil LLP, is implementing the Future Growth Project and Wellhead Pressure Management Project (FGP-WPMP), under which production is expected to increase by 12 million tons per year, or by 260,000 barrels per day. The WPMP plans to keep the existing Tengiz plants full by lowering the flowing well head pressures and boosting the pressure to the six existing processing trains, according to the company’s plans.

In July last year, Tengizchevroil – in which Chevron holds 50 percent and ExxonMobil another 25 percent - approved a $36.8-billion output expansion plan for Tengiz. Plans are to bolster production to 39 million tons of crude per year, or 850,000 barrels per day, by 2022. The field currently yields 27 million tons per year, which represents over a third of Kazakhstan’s overall crude oil output.

Kazakh Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said back then that the expansion was expected to generate some $120 billion in extra taxes by the year 2033 when the oilfield development contract ends, as well as a cumulative 250 million tons of crude.

Tengizchevroil – whose other shareholders include Kazakhstan’s state company KazMunayGaz with 20 percent and Lukoil’s LukArco with a 5-percent ownership – said that crude oil production was 114.8 million barrels for the first half of 2016.

Estimated oil in place in the Tengiz field is around 25.5 billion barrels.

Total recoverable crude oil in the Tengiz and the nearby Korolev field is estimated at 6.4-10.7 billion barrels.

In 2015, Chevron’s share of the net daily production from the two fields averaged 257,000 barrels of crude oil, 348 million cubic feet of natural gas, and 21,000 barrels of natural gas liquids.

Source: http://oilprice.com

Descendents gather for super-sized family photo

Extended family photos are not unusual in traditional Chinese families, but one this size is no ordinary feat. 

About 500 descendents of the same ancestor squeezed into a super-size family photo at a village in Shengzhou, a county-level city in East China's Zhejiang province, during the Spring Festival holiday. From the 25th to 31st generation, they were among 1,000 people surnamed Ren who reunited on Jan 31, 2017 in their hometown to celebrate their shared history and genealogy. [Photo/VCG]

Source:http://en.people.cn/

Diego Braghi: Super Bowl 2017, New England Patriots 34 Atlanta F...

Diego Braghi: Super Bowl 2017, New England Patriots 34 Atlanta F...: Tom Brady led one of the greatest comebacks in sports history, lifting New England from a 25-point hole to the Patriots' fifth NFL cham...

Super Bowl 2017, New England Patriots 34 Atlanta Falcons 28: MVP Tom Brady leads comeback from 25 points down to stunning overtime win - and his fifth Ring

Tom Brady led one of the greatest comebacks in sports history, lifting New England from a 25-point hole to the Patriots' fifth NFL championship in the first Super Bowl overtime.

The Patriots scored 19 points in the final quarter, including a pair of 2-point conversions, then marched relentlessly to James White's 2-yard touchdown run in overtime to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 on Sunday night.

Tom Brady inspired one of sport's most remarkable comebacks

Brady, the first quarterback with five Super Bowl rings, guided the Patriots (17-2) through a tiring Atlanta defence for fourth-quarter touchdowns on a 6-yard pass to Danny Amendola and a 1-yard run by White, which came with 57 seconds remaining in regulation. White ran for the first 2-pointer and Amendola did the deed with a reception on the second.

Brady, winning Super Bowl MVP for a record fourth-time, finished 43 for 62, the most attempts in Super Bowl history, for 466 yards, also a record, and two touchdowns.

"You know, we all brought each other back," Brady said. "We never felt out of it. It was a tough battle. They have a great team. I give them a lot of credit. We just made a few more plays than them."

Before the stunning rally - New England already held the biggest comeback in the final period when it turned around a 10-point deficit to beat Seattle two years ago - the Falcons (13-6) appeared poised to take their first NFL championship in 51 seasons. Having never been in such a pressurised environment, their previously staunch pass rush disappeared, and Brady tore them apart.

"Deflategate" far behind them, Brady and coach Bill Belichick won their 25th postseason game, by far a record. It's hard to imagine a tenser victory. Belichick became the first coach with five Super Bowl crowns.

The Patriots won the coin toss for overtime and it was no contest. Brady completed six passes. A pass interference call took the ball to the 2, and White scooted to his right and barely over the goal line.

His teammates streamed off the sideline to engulf White as confetti streamed down from the NRG Stadium rafters.

It was almost an impossible dream for the Patriots a bit earlier. But helped by Matt Ryan's fumble on a sack, a spectacular catch by Julian Edelman , and Brady's passing, they never stopped coming.

White had 14 receptions for 110 yards as the key weapon, but Brady hit seven different receivers.

Until the Patriots took charge with their late surge, league MVP Ryan was outplaying Brady. It didn't last.

Falcons head coach Dan Quinn admitted the loss was hard to take. "No doubt that was a tough one for us," said Quinn. "That's a hard one in the locker room."

Quinn felt the Falcons were worn out by the end by the pressure the Patriots applied. "I think for sure we ran out of gas some," Quinn said.

Back in Boston,  hundreds of fans gathered late on Sunday night and early Monday morning in a downtown public park to celebrate. They were dancing, cheering and chanting "Brady."

The mayor of Boston ordered the city to "fire up the duck boats" for the New England Patriots victory parade.

Democratic Mayor Marty Walsh took to Twitter late Sunday night to offer his congratulations "to the greatest team, the greatest coach and the greatest quarterback of all time."

Mr Walsh said a parade celebrating their championship would be held on Tuesday, adding the Pats "have made Boston and New England proud."

Donald Trump was also quick to offer his congratulations. The president, who has often boasted of his friendship with Brady, tweeted: "What an amazing comeback and win by the Patriots. Tom Brady, Bob Kraft and Coach B are total winners. Wow!"

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

A look at Ailuromania Cafe – the UAE’s first cat café

Society’s fascination with furry felines has reached a fever pitch, amplified by daily online viral videos, fanciful Twitter feeds and celebrity kitties including the film star Grumpy Cat and Karl Lagerfeld’s Choupette, who has her own Instagram account.

But while the UAE has a steady stream of stray cats to adopt and an obsessive national love of coffee, the country has been so far left out of the latest trend, which combines the love of animals with cafe culture. That is all about to change in Dubai, where Saudi-born sisters Iman and Allaa Ahmed Al Aulaqi are opening Ailuromania Cafe – the UAE’s first cat cafe – at the end of the month.

In the meantime, Iman is introducing a few of her core team members, ET (sphynx), Mocha (Siamese), Snow, Mo and Jumbo (Persians), to their new home in Jumeirah, where she hopes to attract the kind of fanatical devotion found in cat cafes in other locations, including Paris, Portland, San Diego, New York and Yokohama, Japan.

"I’ve only chosen cats that are sociable, ones that will adapt to the surroundings easily," says Iman, 23, as she lifts the green-eyed sphynx that is wearing a snugly pink sweater. The cat struggles free from her embrace and leaps onto a fully wrapped couch in the still-unfurnished cafe.

"We call him ET because he looks like the character from the movie," says Iman. "Sphynx tend to feel very cold, so she wears a sweater. And she loves to snuggle around the neck to keep warm. She is like a parrot."

The young entrepreneur, who recently graduated from American University in Dubai, has five cats of her own and has fostered more than 12 in the past two years.

Last year, when she was contemplating a start-up, a friend sent her images of a cat cafe in Korea and that struck her as the perfect match for her career goals.

"I’m just combining my obsession with cats with my desire to be a businesswoman," says the finance graduate. "It’s what I’ve always wanted to do."

Iman began following and researching similar cafes around the world and flew to the United Kingdom to check out Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium, the first cat cafe in London, which had a two-month waiting list when it opened in March.

"I wasn’t allowed in because it was only on a booking basis. I pleaded but it didn’t help. I waited outside for 30 minutes, watching the cats from the window. I was so disappointed."

She hopes for similar enthusiasm from residents here. At Ailuromania Cafe, the menu will take a back seat as regulars will be queuing up to play with the 12 rescue cats.

"I think it’ll be a hit with residents who adore cats but can’t keep one because of family members who are allergic or disapprove, or people who live in small apartments. This is where they’ll come to fulfil that want."

The story of each cat will be posted in the cafe alongside their portrait.

Iman shares the story of Bob, a 7-year-old Himalayan. "We found him wandering around in Barsha and [he] had a severely infected eye," she says. "So I took him to a vet and called the owners, but they said they couldn’t take him back.

"Bob isn’t much of a player, but he loves people and will enjoy being petted."

The sisters had to jump through a lot of hoops to make their dream business a reality, especially with the health and safety department.

"We won’t be preparing the food at the cafe because of health and safety regulations," says Iman. "So our cold drinks, snacks, sandwiches, pasta and desserts will be prepared by suppliers and transported and stocked fresh in the cafe every morning. We will, of course, brew the coffee at the venue."

Source: www.thenational.ae

Blaze rips through 75-storey Dubai skyscraper

Fire ripped through a 75-storey Dubai apartment block on Wednesday, forcing police to evacuate the area in the latest of a series of skyscraper blazes in the Gulf state.

An AFP journalist saw burning debris fall from the facade of the Sulafa tower in Dubai Marina as the fire spread up at least 15 floors of the building.

Sirens wailed as police cordoned off the area.

Authorities said fire crews had evacuated the building and were working to contain the blaze. Dubai Civil Defence said no casualties had been reported.

Fires have hit several high-rise buildings in the United Arab Emirates, famed for its record-breaking skyscrapers.

On New Year's Eve a huge blaze ripped through the luxury Address Downtown Hotel, injuring 16 people just a few hours before a spectacular fireworks display nearby.

In November last year, fire engulfed three residential blocs in central Dubai and led to services on a metro line being suspended, although no one was hurt.

In February, a blaze gutted one of the emirate's tallest buildings, also in the Dubai Marina neighbourhood.

It destroyed luxury flats in the Torch tower and prompted authorities to evacuate nearby blocks.

In 2012, a huge blaze gutted the 34-storey Tamweel Tower in the nearby Jumeirah Lake Towers district. It was later revealed to have been caused by a cigarette butt thrown into a bin.

Source: www.msn.com