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  • CalMac pays out £460,000 to delayed ferry passengers

    CalMac pays out £460,000 to delayed ferry passengers

    PA Media A general view of the Glen Sannox CalMac ferry. The boat's hull is dark coloured with the name of the company and the name of the ship in white writing. The top of the boat is white with a small red section. There are a number of windows on the side with lights on and a row of flags hanging above the passeger deck. It is sitting on calm, dark water on a dark, grey day.PA Media

    The Glen Sannox ferry finally entered service this year after a number of delays

    CalMac has paid out more than £460,000 in compensation to passengers because of delays and cancellations to its services since April last year.

    The state-owned ferry operator paid £432,735 in compensation to travellers in 2024-25, with a further £33,792 paid out in May and June this year.

    It marks a 37% rise on compensation payments in 2023-24, but a slight fall from 2022-23, when the operator paid £454,000 to delayed passengers, according to figures obtained by the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

    A Transport Scotland spokesperson said just over 5% of sailings on the network had been cancelled over the last 10 years.

    Lib Dem transport spokesman, Jamie Greene, accused the Scottish government of “letting the ferry network deteriorate”.

    He pointed to reliability issues within the CalMac fleet and delays in new vessels going into service.

    The Glen Sannox ferry, built by Port Glasgow shipyard Ferguson Marine, was delivered years late and over budget.

    Its sister ship, the Glen Rosa, will now not be delivered until early next year due to a series of delays.

    Meanwhile, the MV Caledonian Isles, which has not sailed since January last year, could be out of action for a further four months in order to undergo further repairs.

    The Lib Dems have launched a consultation on the future of the country’s ferry services.

    Greene, who represents the West Scotland region, said staff and passengers had been “let down” by the SNP’s management of the network

    He added: “The SNP government took control of the company and broke their promise to deliver new ferries on time and on budget, which would have reduced the massive bills we are now seeing for compensation and repairs.

    “All of this has created a grim new norm for my constituents along the west coast, from losing business to missing hospital appointments.”

    Getty Images Jamie Greene looking slightly off camera. He has partially dyed blonde hair which is spiked up at the front. He has a long, light-coloured beard. He is visible from the shoulders up. He is wearing a blue suit over a white shirt with a red tie which has a white polka dot pattern.Getty Images

    Jamie Greene said passengers had been “let down” by reliability issues on the ferry network

    Data obtained by the Lib Dems via freedom of information request showed more than 7,000 compensation claims had been lodged by passengers over a two-year period between April 2023 and April 2025.

    The operator has paid out a total of £1.9m in compensation since the 2017-18 financial year.

    CalMac said it expected to welcome an additional 13 vessels to its fleet by 2029.

    It said, when delays and cancellations did occur, staff worked to find alternative routes or sailings for passengers.

    A spokesperson added: “We’re operating more sailings than ever before, with many of our vessels stretched to their limits.

    “It is no secret that our fleet is ageing and that this can lead to higher levels of technical problems.

    “This is why we are looking forward to welcoming 13 new vessels to the CalMac fleet by 2029, which will lead to less technical problems and cancellations, giving passengers a more reliable service.”

    PA Media A general view of the passenger deck on a CalMac ferry. The company logo is in red and yellow on a red panel on the side with the website adress below in red and black on a white background. The sky is grey with puffy clouds. A number of people are standing on a passenger deck and leaning against railings and are mainly wearing dark clothing.PA Media

    CalMac said its fleet was “ageing”

    A Transport Scotland spokesperson said those new vessels would be able to “operate in more challenging sea and weather conditions”.

    They added: “Between January 2015 and June 2025 CalMac have operated over 1.6 million sailings, with just 5.5% of scheduled sailings cancelled. Of those cancelled sailings, 25% were for technical reasons whilst more than double was due to the weather at 60%.

    “In the coming year, the Scottish government intend to invest over £530m maintaining and enhancing our networks and strengthening resilience of services on the west coast and northern isles.

    “This represents a near 23% increase on 24-25 funding levels.”

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  • Anahat Singh’s spirited run at NSW Squash Bega Open 2025 ends after injury in final

    Anahat Singh’s spirited run at NSW Squash Bega Open 2025 ends after injury in final

    Indian teenager Anahat Singh finished runner-up in the women’s singles event at the NSW Squash Bega Open 2025 after her trailblazing run ended in the final on Sunday.

    The 17-year-old became the first Indian woman to reach the final of a PSA World Tour Copper level meet. The teenager, however, was forced to retire hurt from her summit clash against Egypt’s Habiba Hani.

    Copper level tournaments, introduced last year, are a part of the PSA World Tour, designed to offer lower-ranked players opportunities to gain experience and ranking points.

    Anahat, however, was one point away from losing the match at the time of conceding at the Baga Country Club in New South Wales, Australia.

    The Indian squash player made a strong start by taking the opening game 11-9, but Hani fought back to claim the next two. Trailing 4-10 in the fourth, Anahat, who had been struggling with an ankle injury, retired from the contest.

    On her way to the final, Anahat produced a string of impressive performances. In the semi-finals, the second-seeded Indian squash player edged past Egypt’s Nour Khafagy 3-2 (10-12, 11-5, 11-5, 10-12, 11-7) after battling through her injury.

    Anahat defeated South Africa’s Hayley Ward 3-0 (11-4, 11-9, 14-12) in the quarter-finals after beating Australia’s Sarah Cardwell 3-0 (11-3, 11-3, 11-4) in the round of 16. She had earlier received a bye in the opening round.

    Habiba Hani, meanwhile, had defeated India’s fifth seed Akanksha Salunkhe 3-1 (11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 11-6) in her semi-finals. Another Indian, Tanvi Khanna, exited in the second round, while Remashree Muniady bowed out in the first.

    Anahat Singh has been in terrific form for the past two years. She won the bronze medal at the World Junior Squash Championships 2025 in Egypt in July, ending the country’s 15-year wait for an individual medal at the under-19 event.

    She also won the Asian senior titles in women’s and mixed doubles earlier this year and made her senior World Championship debut in Chicago.

    In 2024, the Indian squash player won an astonishing nine PSA Challenger titles and kicked off 2025 with the British Junior Open U-17 crown in January. She was also part of India’s bronze-winning women’s team at the Asian Games 2023.

    Squash will make its Olympic debut at the LA 2028 Games.

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  • Welcome to the Fast-Food Industry’s Crispy Chicken Summer – The Wall Street Journal

    1. Welcome to the Fast-Food Industry’s Crispy Chicken Summer  The Wall Street Journal
    2. One restaurant chain is dominating the fast food chicken wars  PennLive.com
    3. Here’s why fast food companies love chicken tenders. Again  MSN
    4. Earnings Show Fast-Food Giants Embroiled in a Game of Chicken  Yahoo Finance
    5. Everybody wants to sell chicken now, but can they?  Restaurant Business Magazine

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  • World Games 2025: India finish with record haul

    World Games 2025: India finish with record haul

    India finished the World Games 2025 in Chengdu, the People’s Republic of China, with a record haul of three medals – one silver and two bronze.

    This was India’s best show at the World Games in terms of medals won. The previous best was two medals, both in powerlifting, at the 1989 edition held in Karlsruhe, Germany.

    Rishabh Yadav registered India on the 2025 World Games medal tally by winning the bronze in individual men’s compound archery.

    Namrata Batra followed up with a silver medal in the women’s sanda 52kg event to mark what was India’s first-ever medal in wushu at the World Games.

    Continuing the trend was Anandkumar Velkumar, who won a bronze medal in the men’s 1000m sprint inline speed skating track event to register the country’s maiden roller sports medal at the multi-sport biennial showpiece.

    There were also some close misses. Abhishek Verma missed out on a podium finish after going down to Rishabh in the men’s compound individual bronze medal match.

    Indian billiards player Shivam Arora lost to China’s Tang Chunxiao 5-4 in the mixed heyball pool bronze medal match. Aryanpal Singh Ghuman, meanwhile, missed out on a bronze in the men’s 200m time trial inline speed skating track event by 0.083 seconds.

    India’s campaign wrapped up on Sunday with Shreyashi Joshi finishing sixth in the women’s slalom classic inline freestyle skating event.

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  • Make Your Own Electrolyte Drink for Better Hydration: Dietitian Recipe

    Make Your Own Electrolyte Drink for Better Hydration: Dietitian Recipe

    Hydration is having a moment.

    As wellness becomes a priority for consumers, electrolyte drinks are booming. Demand for sodas is dwindling. Instead, people are flocking to products designed to quench thirst and replenish nutrients.

    Gatorade, PepsiCo’s OG sports drink, is now vying for cooler space alongside BodyArmor (from Coca-Cola) and Electrolit (owned by Keurig Dr. Pepper). A host of electrolyte powder packets are also competing for consumer attention.

    They all promise an extra dose of electrolytes, key minerals like sodium and magnesium that maintain the body’s fluid balance and help the nerves function. We lose these nutrients when we sweat, and depleting them too much can risk symptoms of electrolyte imbalance ranging from mild headache to serious, even life-threatening seizures.

    The problem is, many electrolyte drinks contain a surprising amount of sugar, sometimes as much as soda. Leading brands have as much as 36 grams of added sugar per bottle — the upper daily limit recommended for adults.

    That can be helpful if you’re a pro athlete or practicing an endurance sport, since sugar is a quick way to top up your body’s glycogen stores, the key fuel source.

    But most of us aren’t working out for hours at a time, and our typical diets are already loaded with added sugar, which can increase our risks of heart disease and cancer.

    Here’s an alternative:

    How to make a healthy electrolyte drink at home

    For a healthier option that also saves you some cash, you can make your own sports drink at home using sea salt to provide electrolytes.

    Sports dietitian Angie Asche of Eleat Nutrition shared a recipe with Business Insider from her cookbook Fuel Your Body.

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    To make it, combine:

    • ½ cup orange juice
    • ½ cup coconut water
    • juice from ½ a lemon
    • a pinch of sea salt

    The fruit juice contributes added nutrients like vitamin C and potassium (another electrolyte) along with carbs for energy, at a fraction of the sugar in a typical sports drink. Coconut water provides other electrolytes like magnesium and calcium.

    Depending on where you shop and if you buy in bulk, the ingredients cost just over a dollar per serving.

    Asche recommends sticking to a hydration ratio of about three servings of water for every one serving of electrolyte drinks, depending on your activity level and how much you sweat.


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  • $5.4 billion petrochemical complex to resume operations after suspension – vietnamnews.vn

    1. $5.4 billion petrochemical complex to resume operations after suspension  vietnamnews.vn
    2. Vietnam’s Long Son petrochemical plant to resume after year-long halt  Báo VietNamNet
    3. SCG Chemicals’ Vietnam unit to resume operations late this month  TradingView
    4. SCG Chemicals’ Vietnam to resume operations at $5.4-B Long Son petrochemical complex this month  Hydrocarbon Processing

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  • Pakistan leaves out Babar and Rizwan from T20 squad

    Pakistan leaves out Babar and Rizwan from T20 squad

    ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan left out Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan for an upcoming triangular series and the Asia Cup as it named a 17-member squad on Sunday for the two T20 tournaments in the United Arab Emirates.

    Neither batter has featured in a T20 international since playing against South Africa in December 2024 with Pakistan instead giving chances to batters Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman, who can score quickly.

    Head coach Mike Hesson told reporters that Babar was asked to improve “in some areas” that included his vulnerability against spinners and his strike rate. Babar is due to play for Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League later this year and Hesson said the batter was working hard to be in contention for next year’s T20 World Cup.

    Since Hesson took over as the white-ball coach, Pakistan won two bilateral T20 series against Bangladesh and West Indies, but also lost another to Bangladesh 2-1 in Bangladesh. West Indies also recorded its first bilateral ODI series win against Pakistan in 34 years when it won 2-1, with Babar scoring 47, 0 and 9.

    “At the moment, the players that we have, (they) have performed exceptionally well,” Hesson said in reference to Farhan, Ayub and Zaman. “But certainly a player like Barbar has an opportunity to play in the BBL and start to show that he’s improving in those areas in T20s. He’s too good a player for us not to consider.”

    Pakistan, Afghanistan and UAE will compete in the triangular series at Sharjah in between Aug. 29 and Sept. 7 before Dubai and Abu Dhabi host the Asia Cup from Sept. 9 to Sept. 28.

    Hesson was happy with Pakistan’s preparations for the two tournaments by winning six of the nine T20 games under him and was also impressed with the performance of new fast bowler Salman Mirza in Bangladesh — especially in the death overs.

    Mirza and fellow pace bowler Mohammad Wasim have been included in the squad for both tournaments.

    “From a T20 perspective, this side is traveling quite nicely,” Hesson said. “We’ve also been able to provide some different opportunities for different players during those tours and that’s the only way we’re going to create depth.

    “Whereas, if we continued to play the same team, all the time, we wouldn’t be able to create depth. It’s always a fine line in terms of trying to win every single game and also making sure that you peak for pinnacle events like the Asia Cup.”

    ___

    Squad:

    Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed.

    ___

    AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket


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  • Here’s the Real Reason Taylor Swift Started Dating Travis Kelce – Inc.com

    1. Here’s the Real Reason Taylor Swift Started Dating Travis Kelce  Inc.com
    2. August 13, 2025: Taylor Swift announces track list and release date for new album on ‘New Heights’ podcast  CNN
    3. New Heights Explains Why Taylor Swift Episode Suddenly Went Dark During Livestream  People.com
    4. Taylor Swift announces her next era: ‘The Life of a Showgirl’  NPR
    5. Taylor Swift Reveals ‘The Life of a Showgirl’  Time Magazine

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  • Patients Presented With Common Neurological Diseases Admitted to Referral Neuroscience Hospital in Bangladesh

    Patients Presented With Common Neurological Diseases Admitted to Referral Neuroscience Hospital in Bangladesh


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  • Scientists just proved a fundamental quantum rule for the first time

    Scientists just proved a fundamental quantum rule for the first time

    Researchers at Tampere University and their collaborators from Germany and India have experimentally confirmed that angular momentum is conserved when a single photon is converted into a pair – validating a key principle of physics at the quantum level for the first time. This breakthrough opens new possibilities for creating complex quantum states useful in computing, communication, and sensing.

    Conservation laws are the heart of our natural scientific understanding as they govern which processes are allowed or forbidden. A simple example is that of colliding billiard balls, where the motion – and with it, their linear momentum – is transferred from one ball to another.A similar conservation rule also exists for rotating objects, which have angular momentum. Interestingly, light can also have an angular momentum, e.g., orbital angular momentum (OAM), which is connected to the light’s spatial structure.

    In the quantum realm, this implies that single particles of light, so-called photons, have well-defined quanta of OAM, which need to be conserved in light-matter interactions. In a recent study in Physical Review Letters, researchers from Tampere University and their collaborators, have now pushed the test of these conservation laws to absolute quantum limit. They explore if the conservation of OAM quanta holds when a single photon is split into a photon pair.

    One minus one equals zero

    The conservation rule dictates, e.g., that when a photon with zero OAM is split into two photons, the OAM quanta of both photons must add to zero. Hence, if one of the newly generated photons is found to have one OAM quanta, its partner photon must have the opposite, i.e., negative OAM quanta. Or in other words, the simple formula 1 + (-1) = 0 needs to hold. While these conservation rules have been tested and utilized in a myriad of optics experiments with a laser, they have never been tested for a single photon.

    “Our experiments show that the OAM is indeed conserved even when the process is driven by a single photon. This confirms a key conservation law at the most fundamental level, which is ultimately based on the symmetry of the process,” explains Dr. Lea Kopf, who is the lead author of the study.

    Finding the photonic needle in the laboratory haystack

    The team’s experiments rely on delicate measurements as the required nonlinear optical processes are very inefficient. Only every billionth photon is converted to a photon pair, such that measuring the conservation of OAM for single photons resembles the proverbial search for the needle in the haystack.

    An extremely stable optical setup, low background noise, a detections scheme with the highest possible efficiency, and a lot of experimental endurance enabled the researchers to record enough successful conversions such that they could confirm the fundamental conservation law.

    In addition to confirming OAM conservation, the team observed first indications of quantum entanglement in the generated photon pairs, which suggests that the technique can be extended to create more complex photonic quantum states.

    “This work is not only of fundamental importance, but it also takes us a significant step closer to generating novel quantum states, where the photons are entangled in all possible ways, i.e., in space, time, and polarization,” adds Prof. Robert Fickler, who leads the Experimental Quantum Optics group where the experiment was performed.

    Looking forward, the researchers plan to improve the overall efficiency of their scheme and develop better strategies for measuring the generated quantum state such that in the future these photonic needles can be found easier in the laboratory haystack. Moreover, the researchers aim at leveraging the generated multi-photon quantum states for novel fundamental quantum tests and quantum photonics applications such as quantum communication and network schemes.

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