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Comment Sean KearnsFriday 22 Feb 2019 7:55 amShare this article via facebookShare this article via twitterShare this article via messengerShare this with Share this article via emailShare this article via flipboardCopy link412Shares Advertisement Mesut Ozil started for the first time this month (Picture: Getty)Arsenal boss Unai Emery says he will continue to rotate Mesut Ozil and said the German can expect to be back on the bench in weeks to come.The 30-year-old made his first start in a month in the Gunners’ 3-0 win against BATE Borisov on Thursday and completed 90 minutes for the first time since December.The playmaker was told he could leave the club in January as Emery seeks to get the £350,000-a-week midfielder off the books at the Emirates.Ozil is keen to stay at the club but Emery dampened talk that his return on Thursday was a turning point for the German and said he needs to improve to stay in the side. Advertisement Ozil completed 90 mins for the first time since December (Picture: Getty)‘If he is available, like the last two weeks, we are going to play a lot of matches and maybe sometimes we need him in the starting XI and sometimes on the bench because we have a lot of players to also help us,’ said Emery.AdvertisementAdvertisement‘His spirit like today is good and his quality and combination with some players was good, like with Matteo Guendouzi and Alex Iwobi. Playing Mesut was important and positive today.’More: Arsenal FCArsenal flop Denis Suarez delivers verdict on Thomas Partey and Lucas Torreira movesThomas Partey debut? Ian Wright picks his Arsenal starting XI vs Manchester CityArsene Wenger explains why Mikel Arteta is ‘lucky’ to be managing ArsenalArsenal face Southampton at home on Sunday and Ozil will be desperate to retain his place against the Saints.The former Real Madrid man is a popular figure at the club and Alex Iwobi admitted after the game that he wants the German to stay at the club.‘We know what Mesut’s like because we see him in training every day,’ Iwobi told BT.‘We scored three goals as a result of him playing. I know if I make a run he has the vision to find me.’MORE: Maurizio Sarri aims dig at Arsenal to defend his Chelsea record Unai Emery issues reality check to Mesut Ozil after first start since January against BATE Borisov
Lowry went into the final round just three shots off the lead but paid the price for a slow start and eventually carded a closing 71 to finish in a tie for ninth with world number one Rory McIlroy and Australia’s Jason Day. However, the 28-year-old from Offaly gained enough FedEx Cup points to earn special temporary membership of the PGA Tour for the rest of the season, as well as moving back inside the top 50 in the world rankings. Press Association ” I feel like I played the golf to really have a chance to win at the end,” Lowry said. “I missed a couple of short putts for par that you can’t be doing on days like this. “I just didn’t really do enough. If I holed a few more putts I would have had a chance coming in on the last few. “But it was a good week for me. I’m back inside the top 50 in the world and a few goals have been reached.” Lowry will take the experience of the week into the Open Championship at St Andrews, with his share of ninth equalling his previous best major finish at Hoylake last year. “It was a long morning on Sunday,” he added. “I was awake at 7:30 and not teeing off until almost 2:30. You hope to learn from things like today. “I thoroughly enjoyed my week, to be honest. I loved the golf course, I loved how tough it played. Tends to suit me a lot, tough golf courses. “Overall I’m pretty pleased at how I played. When you walk away from a major championship and you feel like you played the golf to win you’ve got to be happy with yourself.” 
Ireland’s Shane Lowry had the consolation of achieving two important career goals after the disappointment of missing out on a first major title in the US Open at Chambers Bay. 
Three Ireland’s Estars has announced its partnership with Lucozade Energy to assist with delivering the tournament, both online and on the road.The partnership, which has been set as a two-year deal, will see Lucozade become the official soft drinks partner of the league – which is hosted and organised by Three, the telecom and internet provider.This partnership will be debuted at Three Ireland’s EStars League, which commences on March 14th at Dundalk’s Oriel Park. The league will see up-and-coming competitors face off against each other in League of Legends in an attempt to win €20,000 (£17,814.77) and a trip to Las Vegas.The top four teams that advance from the league will battle it out in the Finals at Dublin’s 3Arena on May 13, which will see guests including F2 Freestylers and Prodijig. The league was open to any Ireland resident who is aged 13 or over prior to the February 14th cut-off point.Mags Byrne, Three Ireland’s EStars said the following about the partnership: “We are delighted to partner with Lucozade Energy, a company that matches our vision in providing the growing Irish gaming scene with the stage it deserves. With the League set to launch in just over a week, we know Lucozade Energy will preserve everyone’s stamina, right up the Finals in the 3Arena in May.” Aoife McGuigan, Marketing Manager, Lucozade Energy added: “We’re delighted to be teaming up with Three Ireland EStars. It’s a really exciting time for the Lucozade Energy brand and this is a perfect fit”. The teams who will compete in the league are made up of the nine League of Ireland football teams and a specially made team owned by Three. Here’s the list of teams involved: Dundalk, Bohs, Shamrock Rovers, Sligo, Bray, Limerick, St Pats, Cork, Derry, and Team Three.Esports Insider says: Lucozade hasn’t embraced esports as much as some other sports and energy drink brands, so it’s cool to see it getting involved with a league that supports amateur competitors. Especially those in our neighbouring Ireland. We remain intrigued to see how this league unfolds especially with the likes of Big Betty involved.
By Michele J. Kuhn The municipal workers in Punta Gorda, Fla., know what it’s like to continue working as the community around you tries to recover from a disaster – even if you and your family have suffered significant losses.Employees from the Highlands Department of Public Works continue to clear debris from borough streets. City workers in Punta Gorda, Fla., are holding a car wash in Florida over the weekend to benefit Highlands borough employees hit hard by Sandy.Because of that experience, the employees of the southwestern coastal Florida city will be holding a car wash in Punta Gorda on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 17-18, for four hours each day and will be sending the proceeds to Highlands borough employees impacted by Super Storm Sandy. Donations of a minimum of $5 a car and $10 for vans, SUVs and trucks are being sought.The idea came about during a recent city directors’ staff meeting when employees asked how they – as a group – could help those affected by the devastating storm.The reason was, according to Howard Kunik, the Punta Gorda city manager, “When we had Hurricane Charley in 2004, it was pretty bad … It was a Category 4, almost 5, when it hit directly here. Everything got damaged, some things completely. Our employees, who had to work through the whole event – even though their houses got damaged – got help from other communities.“The public works folks had the idea about what we could do as an organization to help out some town in the northeast, a town like Punta Gorda, small, coastal, fishing, with tourism and a lot of history to it,” Kunik said.The idea for a car wash by city employees, using the city’s car washing facility, was brought up and accepted.Then, the city employees had to decide which municipality to help. Kunik told them he “could think of one, kind of like a Punta Gorda … a place called Highlands, N.J.”Kunik’s wife Helen, whose maiden name is Dempsey, grew up in Highlands. Her sister and brother live there as do many of their relatives. “The public works folks looked it up on the web and, sure enough, it’s a town that got really severely damaged and needs some help … It was a town, like Punta Gorda after Charley,” the city manager said.“The thing about it was, I just happened to mention the possibility of the place,” Kunik said. “It was the employees who were going to decide which community it would be, not me. They looked it up and said, ‘Hey, this could fit.’ So they jumped on it on their own.”Timothy Hill, Highlands borough administrator, called the car wash a “tremendous show of support.“We’ve gotten great support from the whole region … It has been an incredible response. We have a long way to go but this is encouraging,” he said.Hill estimated that the homes of 80 percent of the borough’s employees and emergency service volunteers were damaged during the storm.He said the fact that the Punta Gorda employees made the connection between the help they received in 2004 and the help they are now offering to borough employees is amazing. “When I received the email (about the Flordia fundraiser), it was like …these folks are wonderful, He said. “Words can’t describe…”The Punta Gorda city manager said he isn’t sure how well the car wash will do, there’s a lot going on in the city during the weekend, but another car wash or fundraising event could be planned to help Highlands municipal employees in the future. “We’re going to play it by ear,” Kunik said.“We’re trying to give back to a community that’s small, that face the same obstacles that we did after Charley for the employees,” Kunik said.“Hopefully, we’ll do well,” he said.Though Punta Gorda is larger than Highlands – Highlands has a population of about 5,000 in 1.3 square miles while Punta Gorda has about 17,000 people in 20 square miles – both municipalities have a tradition of supporting the fishing industry, have some tourism and a longstanding town history. Parts of Punta Gorda were settled during the 1800s.“It’s not a new Florida town,” Kunik said.
Melissa JavanSkills development should be linked to corporate social investment programmes, Brand South Africa board chairperson Khanyisile Kweyama tells business leaders at the 2016 In Good Company Conference on 30 August. (Image: Brand South Africa)Engaging with people involved with corporate social investment (CSI) to understand their needs and expectations is one of the guidelines mentioned in a new research report.The report, The Case for Social Investment in South Africa, suggests that if CSI budgets are spent wisely, it could generate R25-billion worth of the country’s economic activity. Undertaken by the University of Stellenbosch, the report was commissioned by the Nation Builder Trust. The trust found that the South African private sector CSI budget for 2015 amounted to R8,1-billion.The report suggests that if CSI is done effectively, it has the potential to support 63 000 jobs. It also says effective CSI could generate another R7,7-billion in labour remuneration.ABOUT THE REPORTThe Case for Social Investment in South Africa was released internally in June 2016, but handed out to delegates at the In Good Company Conference on 30 August 2016. In Good Company is part of an ongoing initiative run by Nation Builder, the conference organisers. Nation Builder is an initiative founded by Muthobi Foundation. It helps companies channel their CSI into initiatives to help build sustainable change in South Africa.Corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting in the country still has room for development, according to the report. Its findings are to assist initiatives such as Nation Builder to help businesses to achieve the best possible impact for their CSI programmes.For example, the report found that in 2014, 72 local companies listed on the JSE’s 2013 Socially Responsible Investment Index were assessed. Based on its latest reporting on CSI, none of these were rated as “excellent” for the overall quality of their reporting. Only 12 of the 72 (17%) achieved a “good rating”.One of the challenges highlighted was that the companies found it difficult to meet reporting requirements within the limited space allocated to CSI in their annual reports. “An understanding in the business of rationale for CSI is therefore is crucial,” reads the report.The assessment further shows that only 39% of companies reported on impact assessments.Apparently the companies acknowledged that it was difficult and expensive to measure and report on the effects of CSI projects and that their budgets often did not allow for this. As a result, many companies relied on anecdotal evidence of the impact of their CSI projects.THE GUIDELINESEach company’s strategy will depend on factors such as industry, resources, complexity, core business and location, says the report. “There is no one size fits all approach for successful CSI activities… What works for one community won’t necessarily work for another.”Brand South Africa board chairperson Khanyisile Kweyama challenged business leaders to go above and beyond to change society for the better. Speaking at the 2016 In Good Company conference, she said: “It’s only when we create sustainable, durable solutions that we overcome challenges.”She urged corporate leaders to show the way forward by being courageous, tenacious and resilient, reported SouthAfrica.info reported. “Let’s improve the social conditions and build a strong nation brand.”She suggested that skills development should be linked to CSI and CSR programmes.Corporate social responsibility programmes increase employee morale and motivation, according to a Canadian study. (Image: Brand South Africa)BENEFITS OF DOING GOODA survey of Canadian companies, included in the report, Corporate Social Responsibility: Lessons Learned, Natural Resources Canada, found that respectively 70% and 40% of respondents cited “cost savings” and “reduced business risk” as business benefits of CSR.The authors found more than 50% of respondents noted that their CSR programmes contributed to increased employee morale and motivation, which, in turn, led to higher productivity.Policies may therefore decrease costs related to employee turnover and performance evaluation, as well as increase worker productivity through better motivation, according to the report.It said more consumers were taking CSR performance into account and tended to be loyal to companies with a good record. Thus, CSR may entice consumers to buy the company’s products or services.CSR can also aid to capital. In South Africa, for example, the JSE’s Responsible Investment Index assesses CSI activities and allows investors to invest in companies with good CSR records.COMPANIES DOING IT RIGHTWhile companies in South Africa are already making a positive impact, more can be achieved by strategic and effective spending, according to the local report.It suggests companies that engage in CSI programmes should make what they are doing as effective and impactful as possible. Best practice principles include engaging with stakeholders, building partnerships, and measuring and communicating outcomes properly.South African companies putting best practice into action, according to the report, include:Virgin Active’s Future Crew Programme: It initially donated gym equipment to schools, but expanded to include training learners and adults in underdeveloped communities to become accredited coaches and trainers. Once qualified, they are either employed by schools or absorbed into the business. Community members can also train to become qualified dance instructors, and start their own income-generating studios.Discovery’s programme to train healthcare workers: It is expected to create 40 000 new jobs by the end of 2016. Discovery has partnered with Umthombo Youth Development Foundation to support youth from rural areas to pursue a health care qualification. A benefit of this programme is that it alleviates the shortage of health care workers and the unemployment problem in the country.
Man Utd captain Ashley Young: A deserved winby Paul Vegasa month agoSend to a friendShare the loveManchester United captain Ashley Young was pleased with victory over Leicester City.United earned a 1-0 win at Old Trafford yesterday.”When you play as a defender, you want to keep a clean sheet and hope the boys up the top can go and get the goals,” said Young.”On days you’re not going to play well and you’re going to win games. On days you’re going to play well and not win games.”There’s going to be a balance and we just want to do the right things and keep applying ourselves the way we have this season.”I think we have been unfortunate, especially at Southampton the other week. I think it was unfortunate against Crystal Palace as well.”I think we’re very close [to getting it right]. It wasn’t a bad performance. I didn’t think it was a bad performance.”If we had gone on and got a second goal after we got the first then it would have been totally different.”But, like I say, we had to show that resilience and that grit and that determination not to concede a goal and we done that today.” About the authorPaul VegasShare the loveHave your say
ANN ARBOR, MI – NOVEMBER 28: Quarterback J.T. Barrett #16 of the Ohio State Buckeyes rushes for a fourth quarter touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on November 28, 2015 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)Ohio State’s 2015 recruiting class is pretty stacked, as you’d expect it would be right after winning a national championship. Four star quarterback Joey Burrow signed his letter of intent this morning, and is already staking his claim as Buckeye fans’ favorite player in the class. Shortly after posting a tweet about his signing day, he sent a picture of toilet paper with a Michigan football logo on it.One dream down now it’s time to chase some more. Special day with my friends pic.twitter.com/byDCNhXtcK— Joey Burrow (@Joe_Burrow10) February 4, 2015Where they should be pic.twitter.com/WD8M9kHl9R— Joey Burrow (@Joe_Burrow10) February 4, 2015That is certainly a good way for a Buckeye to endear himself to his fanbase.[Bleacher Report]
LAWRENCE, KS – MARCH 03: Wayne Selden Jr. #1 of the Kansas Jayhawks stands with Devonte Graham #4 and Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 after the Jayhawks defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers 76-69 in overtime to win the game and clinch their eleventh straight Big IX Championship title at Allen Fieldhouse on March 3, 2015 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)Kansas freshman forward Kelly Oubre Jr., declared for the 2015 NBA Draft today. He’s pretty much a lock to be selected in the first round, and could even merit a spot in the lottery. Oubre Jr. made his move official in a video released by Kansas moments ago. In it, he declares he’s a “Jayhawk for Life.” //“It’s been a blessing to play the game with KANSAS across my chest…”Kelly Oubre Jr declares for the 2015 NBA Draft: kuathne.ws/1G59hxu #alwaysajayhawk #kubballPosted by Kansas Men’s Basketball on Wednesday, April 1, 2015Oubre Jr. averaged 9.3 points and 5.0 rebounds in 21.0 minutes per game in his lone season in Lawrence.
DURHAM, NC – FEBRUARY 09: Cameron Crazies, fans of the Duke Blue Devils, prepare for their game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 9, 2017 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)When Duke’s men’s basketball program won its fifth national championship under Mike Krzyzewski this past spring, it was time for the following car to get a new license plate. The driver of this Subaru Outback gets a new custom license plate every time the Blue Devils win a national title. Here they are: # 5 and Kounting pic.twitter.com/HoNr1uOVm6— Brad Allen Cleary (@bacduke_hoops) June 7, 2015Are all of the license plates kept on the car or were they just being shown off together? Either way, it’s an impressive collection.