DEBATE: With Italy now in recession, is the nation facing an economic crisis? February 1, 2019 With Italy now in recession, is the nation facing an economic crisis? Beatrice Faleri, economist and freelance writer originally from Italy, says YES. Less than a month ago, Italy’s Prime Minister boasted of a forthcoming “economic boom”. Yesterday, in a somewhat comical U-turn, he reported that, in fact, the country has entered an economic recession. GDP [...]
Ollie Phillips: Ireland are favourites but the opening round could shape a tight Six Nations January 31, 2019 The Six Nations finally gets under way tomorrow and the fixture list has thrown up some fascinating ties to kick off with. England travel to Dublin to face defending champions Ireland on Saturday, which I think might actually prove to be a blessing rather than a curse as there is little pressure to improve their [...]
Horse racing betting tips: Sir Erec can take Juvenile with a Spring in his step January 31, 2019 ALL EYES are on the weather this evening ahead of Saturday's Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown. The two-day meeting, now in its second year, features eight Grade One races in what promises to be a mouth-watering weekend of action if the frost stays away. Saturday's feature is the Irish Champion Hurdle (1.25pm) which looks at [...]
Horse racing preview: David Pipe looks at his chances this weekend January 31, 2019 IF THE forecast is to be believed, by the time you read this the snow will have hit us down in the West Country. The team are ready for it and will work through the night to ensure we keep the show on the road. Worst case scenario, and if things get really bad, we [...]
Horse racing betting tips: Casko D’Airy to reward patience of connections in Heroes Handicap January 31, 2019 SNOW is due to have arrived overnight and if the weather forecasters are right, Sandown’s card is unlikely to go ahead on Saturday. We can never rely on the weather, though, so let’s hope they’re wrong and that it warms up a bit to get the meeting on. Hot Champion Hurdle favourite Buveur D’Air is [...]
Of course AI can be biased – and it’s up to businesses to fix that January 31, 2019 When Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the recently elected US representative, suggested last week that algorithms could be racist, she received a lot of attention. Naysayers derided her for suggesting that inanimate objects can display prejudice, but a number of experts actually supported her. The central premise of the debate is this: machines cannot be biased, but the humans [...]
Britain has never understood the fervour for the EU project January 31, 2019 What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? It would appear that we are about to find out in the latest instalment of the Brexit soap opera that has been running since we announced our intention to leave in 2016. For no sooner had MPs voted on Tuesday night to back Sir Graham [...]
The UK is trying to leave the European club – in Italy, the club is on fire January 31, 2019 After Tuesday’s parliamentary showdown, all eyes are on Westminster. Don’t be misled, though – the real existential threat to the EU lies in Rome. In the UK, we are debating how to leave the golf club. In Italy, the golf club is likely to be swamped by an approaching tsunami. There may not be a [...]
DEBATE: After Tuesday’s amendments, is a no-deal Brexit actually more likely now? January 31, 2019 After Tuesday’s amendments, is a no-deal Brexit actually more likely now? John Oxley, a Conservative commentator, says YES. The UK leaves the EU by operation of law at 11pm on 29 March. No deal is the default. The insipid amendment “rejecting” that outcome has no force. Only an agreement with the EU or the revocation or extension [...]
Chris Tremlett: Joe Denly has a fantastic opportunity – he must grasp it to stake a claim in England’s batting line-up January 30, 2019 After the horrendous defeat in Barbados there were bound to be changes for England’s second Test against West Indies in Antigua, but I was still a bit surprised to see Keaton Jennings dropped. I thought his unbeaten 146 against Sri Lanka in November might have bought Jennings a bit more time at the top of [...]