Scott walkers

Rugged stayer Robusto ($39) upset the applecart when she produced a well-timed finish to deny Aussie raider Sound a victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Avondale Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie. The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained six-year-old shrugged off a disappointing run in the Wellington Cup (3200m) at her last start to thrust her name into Auckland Cup (3200m) contention as she overcame traffic problems in the home straight to claim her biggest career victory. Given a perfect run in the trail by rider Sam Collett, the daughter of Zed tracked Sound into the race on the home corner before shooting through on his inner at the 200m. Just as Sound was being hailed the winner, Collet poked through along the fence on Robusto who produced one last tenacious burst of speed to head her rival in the shadows of the post, with stablemate Star Tsar snatching third out wider on the track. Co-trainer Andrew Forsman was delighted with the performance by the stablemates. ‘‘That was a real … [Read more...] about Outsider Robusto denies Aussie raider to win Avondale Cup

CANBERRA/TOKYO/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Australia has asked the European Commission to review its decision to block a shipment of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, as countries importing EU-made shots fear a potential impact on supplies. The EU executive backed Italy's decision to block a shipment of 250,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Australia, European officials said, in the first refusal of an export request since a mechanism to monitor vaccine flows was established in late January. The move was a reaction to AstraZeneca's delays in delivering vaccines to the EU. The company has said it can supply only about 40 million doses by the end of this month compared to 90 million foreseen in its contract. One official said the Anglo-Swedish firm had initially asked Rome to ship even more doses to Australia, but then cut its request to 250,000 after a first refusal by Italy, where some of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccines are bottled. "Australia has raised the issue with the … [Read more...] about Australia asks EU to review block of AstraZeneca vaccine

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Saturday passed President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan in a party-line vote after an all-night session that was delayed repeatedly as the Republican minority tried but failed to push through around three dozen amendments. The plan passed in a 50-49 vote with the support of every Democrat but no Republicans. It is one of the largest stimulus bills in U.S. history and gives Biden his first major legislative victory since taking office in January. The partisan victory was made possible by Democrats winning two Senate seats in Georgia special elections in January, giving them narrow control of the chamber. Biden said on Saturday he hoped for quick passage of the revised bill by the House of Representatives so he could sign it and start sending $1,400 direct payments to Americans. "This plan will get checks out the door starting this month to the American people, who so desperately need the help," Biden said at the … [Read more...] about Democrats push Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID bill through Senate on party-line vote

It may sound paradoxical to think about travel when there is a worldwide lockdown in place. But as the wheels of life depend more on hope than fear, we can and should make the most of all that's available regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in. Being a travel influencer is not an easy job. It involves investing a great deal of time and money. More than anything else, you have to be passionate about travel, possess a childlike curiosity about places and people, and be able to engage - on a daily basis - with a vast, restless audience on social media. Here are a few free courses that may help you cultivate what it takes to be a successful travel influencer. Languages open up barriers Travelling far and wide - to busy cities and remote spots alike - stresses the need to know many languages, especially the national - and sometimes regional - languages of different countries. It could help you connect a lot more with the local crowd, something that's … [Read more...] about Want to be a travel influencer? These free online courses will teach you all the skills you need

[UPDATED, Oct 16, 2020]: l eisure travel to Hong Kong might be a possibility in the foreseeable future would have you rejoicing. But in the meantime, why not checkout our list of places to visit here in Singapore that allow you to recreate the Hong Kong experience without having to leave our little red dot. If you slow down, you might just see the slight similarities between both countries. Maybe it's time to play tourist in your own backyard! Here's our list of well-known Hong Kong attractions and their local substitutes. AVENUE OF STARS TRY: ESPLANADE Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui reopened in early 2019 with a refreshed look, and if you want to recreate a leisurely stroll along the promenade to overlook Hong Kong's skyline, Singapore's waterfront at Esplanade comes pretty close. Of course, you will not find handprints and signatures of your favourite stars, but you'll be greeted by the sweeping view of Singapore's skyline. It's exceptionally beautiful in … [Read more...] about Places in Singapore that’ll make you believe you’re in Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui, Victoria Peak & Mongkok