Together with IT expert Albert Gaubitzer, who joins from IT service provider Raiffeisen Service Centre (RSC), Eberhartinger’s first task will be to look into Valida Pension’s member database.Meanwhile, Bernhard Breunlich is leaving the board of management at the Valida Holding to join the boards of the Valida Vorsorgekasse (managing severance pay funds) and Valida Consulting.He will take up the newly created position of development of new business.Robert Kerschbaumer has quit his position on the Valida board to focus on his responsibilities as head of the investment management division at Uniqa, an insurer and the second-largest shareholder in the Valida Group, alongside Raiffeisen and smaller shareholders.Eberhartinger said harmonising membership databases would be his top priority, adding that one of the first things to be brought together under a single system would be pension payouts.Whether asset management for the two funds will also be brought closer together over the long term is unclear.At the Valida Industriepensionskasse, Macquarie is managing all the assets in a masterfund structure with a special focus on alternatives.Combining the two pension funds is not on the agenda over the medium term, as the contract with Siemens obliges Valida to run the Pensionskasse as a separate entity for the next few years. Austria’s Valida Holding, which includes the €4.7bn Valida pension fund, has appointed two new board members to work alongside chairman Andreas Zakostelsky.Stefan Eberhartinger, who will continue to act as managing director of the €723m Valida Industriepensionskasse (formerly Siemens PK), will join the board of management at the Valida group.Two years ago, he was “bought in” – together with the former company pension fund of Siemens – by the Valida Group, which is part of the Raiffeisen conglomerate in Austria.“Valida wants to increase efficiency in the Valida Pension, which, over the years, had to integrate very different administrative platforms for various members,” Eberhartinger told IPE. read more

Indian shipping company Essar Shipping Limited (ESL) has added to its fleet Mahavir, a Panamax bulk carrier. The 74,005 dwt vessel, previously known as Jun Jie, was bought from China’s Fujian Ocean Shipping for USD 4.8 million in January this year, according to information provided by VesselsValue.As disclosed, Mahavir will be deployed for transporting cargo from Essar Steel’s pellet plant in Paradip to the steel plant in Hazira.Commenting on the acquisition, Ranjit Singh, Executive Director & CEO of Essar Shipping, said: “This acquisition is in line with our strategy to find cargo before acquisition to ensure full utilization of the vessel.”Built at Japanese Imabari shipyard in 2000, Mahavir will replace Chandi Prasad which was decommissioned last month.With the latest addition, ESL has a fleet of 14 crude and bulk carriers with a total tonnage of 1.6 million dwt and an average age of 12 years.In 2016/17 fiscal year, ESL reported 22% growth in cargo handling, whereas its capacity utilization grew to 94% from 80%. read more

Connie LawsonIndianapolis, In. — Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson announced that her office has taken an enforcement action as part of an international crackdown on fraudulent Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and cryptocurrency-related investment products. The sweep is being coordinated by the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), of which the Indiana Secretary of State’s office is a member.As part of “Operation Cryptosweep,” the Indiana Secretary of State, Securities Division investigated an online ICO offering by the name of “Bionic.”  The Division found that the offering contained misleading information and that it was not properly registered as a security in Indiana. Indiana Securities Commissioner Alex Glass issued a Cease and Desist Order against Bionic, ordering them to cease the offering and alerting investors to the fraud.“Fraudulent activity involving ICOs and cryptocurrency-related investment products is a significant threat to Main Street investors in Indiana,” Secretary Lawson said. “Cryptocriminals need to know that the Indiana Securities Division is committed to swiftly and effectively protecting investors from schemes and scams involving these products.”The Indiana Secretary of State, Securities Division has joined with more than 40 other state and provincial securities regulators in the United States and Canada in “Operation Cryptosweep,” resulting in nearly 70 inquiries and investigations and 35 pending or completed enforcement actions since the beginning of the month. NASAA members are conducting additional investigations into potentially fraudulent conduct that may result in additional enforcement actions. These actions are in addition to more than a dozen enforcement actions previously undertaken by NASAA members regarding these types of products.In April 2018, NASAA organized a task force of its member state and provincial securities regulators to begin a coordinated series of investigations into ICOs and cryptocurrency-related investment products.Regulators identified many cryptocurrency-related products and as part of its work, the task force identified hundreds of ICOs in the final stages of preparation before being launched to the public. These pending ICOs were advertised and listed on ICO aggregation sites to attract investor interest. Many have been examined and some were determined to warrant further investigation. A number of these investigations are ongoing and others resulted in enforcement actions announced today.“The actions announced today are just the tip of the iceberg,” said Commissioner Glass, noting that NASAA’s task force also found approximately 30,000 crypto-related domain name registrations, the vast majority of which appeared in 2017 and 2018.A critical component of “Operation Cryptosweep” is raising public awareness of the risks associated with ICOs and cryptocurrency-related investment products. “Not every ICO or cryptocurrency-related investment is fraudulent, but we urge investors to approach any initial coin offering or cryptocurrency-related investment product with extreme caution,” Commissioner Glass said.Secretary Lawson urges investors to contact the office before making investments or committing to investment professionals. The office offers a wealth of free investor education materials through its Indiana MoneyWise program, and can help investors research the background of those selling or advising the purchase of an investment. The Secretary of State’s Office can be reached at 317-232-6681 or through its website at www.in.gov/sos/securities. read more

Connersville, In. —  Officials with Reid Health, a nationally-recognized health system committed to serving communities throughout Indiana and Ohio, and Fayette Memorial Hospital Association announced today they have entered into an agreement for Reid Health to acquire a substantial portion of the assets of Fayette Regional Health System in Connersville, Indiana.This announcement comes after the decision by Fayette Regional to file for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy code in October 2018. The specific terms of the transaction will be disclosed in the Fayette Bankruptcy Case and include a payment of $12.75 million to the bankruptcy estate of Fayette. The proposed transaction requires final Bankruptcy Court and regulatory approvals and is expected to be finalized in mid-July 2019.“We are pleased to have been chosen to support the residents of Fayette County and the surrounding region by maintaining access to high-quality healthcare services,” said Craig Kinyon, president and CEO of Reid Health. “Reid Health has proudly served Connersville and the surrounding communities for decades, and we’re looking forward to continuing to provide our friends and neighbors with the exceptional care they deserve.”Reid Health currently provides a wide scope of services in Connersville that include primary, specialty and urgent care, lab and radiology.Randy White, president and CEO of Fayette Regional pledged his support for the transition.“Reid Health is a known entity in our community, and we look forward to working with them through this transition,” White said. “I want to thank our talented team of employees, nurses, and physicians for continuing to provide our patients with an exceptional experience during this time.”Reid Health officials expect to be at Fayette Regional in the coming weeks to discuss details of the transition with leadership and others at Fayette Regional.“Moving forward, we’ll be taking into consideration the unique demographics of Connersville and the surrounding communities, sustainable clinical resources, and the viability of the facilities,” Kinyon said. “Ultimately, we’re committed to offering high-quality healthcare services in the community.” read more

LONDON: West Ham United have confirmed that midfielder Julia Simic has joined Italian club AC Milan. The German-made the switch to the Serie A side after two seasons in the FA Women’s Super League with the Hammers. Simic, who joined West Ham in July 2018 from SC Freiburg, made 22 appearances in all competitions in Claret and Blue, scoring three goals. The playmaker’s time with the Irons was unfortunately hampered due to a persistent knee injury, which saw Simic miss a year of action. The 31-year-old played a crucial role in the team’s fortunes on and off the pitch, helping the club to reach the 2019 SSE Women’s FA Cup Final and establish themselves in the top- flight of women’s football in England. “Everyone at West Ham United would like to thank Julia for all of her efforts during her time with the club and wish her every success in her future career,” West Ham said. IANS Also Watch: Nagaon DC’s Surprise Visit At District Hospital read more

For all the Latest Sports News News, Cricket News News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The England vs New Zealand ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 clash is considered as one of the classic matches in the modern era. New Zealand managed to notch up 241 and England were reeling at one stage. However, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler ensured that England was in the game. Stokes was in great touch and he held the key as England needed 15 runs off the last over. After two dot balls, Stokes smashed a six off Trent Boult and in the fourth ball, a game-changing moment took place. The left-hander worked a full ball to deep midwicket and set off for a couple. When he set off for the second run, Martin Guptill threw the ball at the striker’s end. Stokes had to dive to make his crease but when he dived, the ball hit the bat and went to the third man fence for a boundary. With three required off two balls, the match ended in a tie and in the ensuing super over, that also ended in a tie and England were declared winners due to a superior boundary count. In the aftermath of the match, the four overthrows was a major talking point with many debating that New Zealand was dealt an unfair hand. James Anderson, who was not part of the World Cup squad but is part of the Ashes, had earlier claimed that the all-rounder had asked for the four overthrow runs to be cancelled. However, Stokes has clarified by stating he never asked for such a thing. “I saw all of that. I was thinking to myself, did I say that? But hand on heart, I did not go up to the umpires and say something like that to the umpires. I went straight to Tom Latham and said ‘Mate, I am so sorry’, looked over to Kane (Williamson) and said ‘I’m sorry’,” Stokes said.Also Read | Jofra Archer included in England squad for Ashes opener against Australia in EdgbastonStokes won the Man of the Match and exclaimed he was lost for words after such a pulsating and nerve-wracking final. “I’m pretty lost for words. All the hard work that’s gone on in these four years, and to execute with such a good game is unthinkable. Thanks to everyone for all the support. We just kept talking during the partnership with Jos, and the run-rate wasn’t getting away, and in the last over when the ball hit the bat and went for four – I apologized to Kane for that. I definitely wasn’t going to bowl the last over (laughs). It’s fantastic, the lads, the family, and the support, it’s just been incredible,” Stokes said.Also Read | Ben Stokes wants THIS player to be nominated for New Zealander of the Year awardEngland is now set to play the Ashes against Australia and they will be aiming to retain the Urn back to England, having lost 0-4 to Australia in the 2017/18 series. highlights England lost the Ashes contest 0-4 against Australia in 2017/18.England has not lost the Ashes at home to Australia since 2001.England won the ICC Cricket World Cup for the first time. read more

Pitcher Letty Olivarez and the softball team hope to get their first Big Ten wins today against Iowa.[/media-credit]Following a 2-2 weekend split at Goodman Diamond against Penn State and South Dakota State, the Wisconsin softball team welcomes the Iowa Hawkeyes to Madison today for a doubleheader.Despite still looking for its first Big Ten win, senior pitcher Letty Olivarez maintains that the team is not too down on itself, stressing that the team plays for each other and reminding the younger players they have great things to build for in the future.“We always remind them that this game is bigger than ourselves, we play for the ‘W’,” Olivarez said. “You have to think about yourself and play with your heart, that’s what it all really comes down to, the love of the game and whether you win or lose, just give all you got.”Even though this year’s 10-22 record is comparable to last year’s, UW head coach Chandelle Schulte hopes the experience the eight freshmen on the team gain will help build future success.“I think it does resemble last year in record, but it doesn’t in that we have so many new kids that are young and have talent,” Schulte said. “They’re just getting their feet wet, there are a couple of them who have really bright futures.”The Badgers are winless so far in conference play with an 0-6 mark, while the Hawkeyes are second in conference standings with a record of 6-1. In addition, Iowa is thought of as a balanced team, comprised of solid pitching and hitting.“They’re tough, they’re a very Midwestern team,” Schulte said. “They just grind it out, I don’t think they have superstars, they have kids who just get it done.”When talking about the Hawkeyes, Schulte was very complimentary and talked about them as the kind of team she wants her own to emulate.Iowa is a prototypical Big Ten softball team, playing its first 24 games on the road, specializing in slap bunts and putting the ball in play. They pride themselves on superior coaching and attention to the fundamentals. However, the Hawkeyes, unlike this year’s Badgers, have had success not only in conference play, but in non-conference tournaments as well.Additionally, Iowa has a balanced lineup in terms of lefties and righties, making the lineup even more formidable.Olivarez, who will receive the ball for one of today’s games, isn’t overly frightened of Iowa, but realizes the lineup’s potential to put some big offensive numbers on the board if the Badgers aren’t careful.“They’re good, they have a good mix of lefties in there, so we’re just trying to prepare and hopefully not get beat on the short game,” Olivarez said. “We’re gonna try to get them outside or have them pop it up.”Iowa’s lineup features some of the best power hitters in the conference, including second baseman Chelsea Carmody, who leads the team with a batting average of .366, six home runs and 21 RBIs. Her blend of speed and power makes for a very difficult out.“She’s a triple threat, she can do it all,” Schulte said. “We’re gonna mix it up for her, so she will not be able to get into a routine there, [but]…truth be told, to be successful we need to keep her off the basepaths.”A focus in practice all week has been playing the short game and hitting with runners in scoring position, two problems that have plagued the Badgers all season.“We’ve been working a lot on bunts and hopefully stepping up our short game, especially with our lefties [who have] been trying hard to see the ball and get it down,” Olivarez said. “We’re just gonna try to poke things through, hopefully we can get one hit here and that can lead to another.”The team also tries to stay positive and hungry, and the players genuinely feel they can turn this season and this program around.“I’m excited, I don’t feel any pressure,” freshman third baseman Shannel Blackshear said after belting Goodman Diamond’s first home run of the season Sunday. “I don’t know, now that were in the Big Ten, I’m just ready to play all these teams, and you never know which way it’s gonna go.”However, a sense of urgency is certainly felt by the coaching staff to pick up the first conference win of the season.“It’s a monkey on your back, were not focusing on it, but we certainly all know it’s there,” Schulte said. read more

After an impressive showing in the NorCal Invitational, the USC men’s water polo team returns home this weekend to face California in the Trojans’ first game in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play. The Golden Bears, who also participated in the NorCal Invitational, are coming off two tough losses to UCLA and Stanford.Strong start · Senior driver Andrew Reego and the Trojans are off to an 8-0 start. The Trojans have outscored their opponents 113-34 in 2012. – Chris Roman | Daily Trojan“Any time we play Cal it’s an exciting game,” USC coach Jovan Vavic said. “We just know that all these games will come down to one or two plays, so we cannot relax.”The main challenge the team faces against Cal is its attacking duo of Collin Smith and Aleksa Saponjic. In nine games this season, Smith, a junior, has already scored 29 goals. Saponjic, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics with Serbia, scored 30 goals as a freshman last season.“We need to be aware of where those guys are,” Vavic said. “They create so many opportunities, so our whole team needs to be aware. They are their biggest weapons.”Smith and Saponjic lead a Golden Bears attack that is the most dangerous in fast-break situations. With speed on the outside, they are capable of scoring goals in bunches, which is something the entire USC defense is focused on stopping.“Our challenge is going to be stopping them in the counter attack and making sure we anticipate early and get back on defense,” senior two-meter Matt Burton said. “They have some guys with blinding speed, so that’s going to be our main focus.”In last season’s only meeting between the two teams, USC won 9-8 in sudden death overtime at Berkeley, a key victory that contributed greatly to the team’s postseason success and dashed Cal’s hopes at unseating the Trojans. Coming into this game, the team is fully aware that the Golden Bears are hungry to return the favor.“I’m sure that they are going to come in with a chip on their shoulder, given the intensity of last year’s game,” Burton said. “We’ll be prepared for this game. We always are.”Given how well the team played this past weekend, though, coach Vavic is very confident in his team’s ability to slow down the Bears’ attack.“We have done a good job at stopping our opponent when we needed to get a stop,” Vavic said. “Our half court defense and 5-on-6 defense have been pretty consistent.”USC’s two goalies, sophomore Ely Bonilla and junior James Clark, have played extremely well thus far, allowing an average of 4.25 goals per game between the two of them. Clark, in his first year with the program, knows full well the challenge that Cal presents in such a  young season.“They play a physical game that will be tough to overcome,” Clark said. “It won’t be easy this weekend.”Sunday’s game begins at 1 p.m. at McDonald’s Swim Stadium. It will also be televised on ESPNU. read more

Despite having been teammates for only a few months, senior Meghan Duggan (right) and sophomore Brianna Decker (left) play like they have been linemates for years. They are 2nd and 3rd on the team in goals, a combined 66, and have assisted each other 30 times.[/media-credit]There was Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita from the Chicago Blackhawks. Then there was Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier of the Edmonton Oilers. And don’t forget Batman and Robin.Yet another dynamic duo has been born this season: senior forward Meghan Duggan and sophomore forward Brianna Decker of the Wisconsin women’s hockey team.Decker and Duggan have been playing on the same line all season long. There’s no denying their chemistry on the ice has turned them into UW’s strongest offensive pair.With a total of 66 goals between them, Duggan and Decker have each helped each other out on 30 of them.“They’re a threat,” head coach Mark Johnson said. “Any time they’re on the ice, whether it’s on a power play or killing a penalty, when you have kids that have good chemistry – they know where each other is on the ice, play at a high level – it’s a threat. They become a threat every time they step out on the ice. Obviously that’s a good thing for out team.”This season is the first year the two have played together. During Decker’s freshman year, Duggan was training for the Olympics.Since hitting the ice together for the first time last post-season, they have been on the same line since day one.“Coming in this year I knew she was an outstanding player,” Duggan said. “But we didn’t know each other that well. In the preseason in captain’s practice I had in the back of my mind ‘Gosh, I hope coach puts us together this year…’ That’s just the way it happened. We’ve been playing together since day one, all special teams and stuff like that. I think when you get to know someone that well you just have this thing on the ice. The chemistry just works and it’s been incredible.”Not only has their chemistry on the ice been impossible to ignore, but their friendship off the ice has also helped their success.“You have to be comfortable with who you’re playing with because it’s going to show on the ice,” Decker said. “If you’re not getting along off the ice it’s probably going to carry onto the ice. But yeah he put us together, so we kind of just forced our friendship.”For two players with a few years of experience between them – one of which who also went to the Olympics – Duggan certainly has a lot of knowledge to share with Decker.“I think definitely commitment to how you work and do on the ice and off the ice,” Decker said of what she’s learned from Duggan. “If you ever see her eat, she’s probably one of the healthiest eaters I’ve ever seen. I knew what you eat reflects how you perform on the ice, but she really shows that. And great leadership. Hopefully when I’m a junior and senior I can react to certain situations like she does.”But Decker has also brought out the best in Duggan.“She’s forced me to elevate my game, and I think it’s mutual,” Duggan said. “I think both of us compete hard for each other and expect a lot out of each other, so it works well.”This dynamic duo seems to have a sixth sense for one another.Even this past weekend against St. Cloud, Decker and Duggan found each other for four goals out of the 14 the squad had in the series.No matter where they may be on the ice they have an uncanny ability to find the other one – and eventually the back of the net.“It’s funny actually we were watching video last time we played North Dakota and we were always looking at the Lamoureux twins and how they pass back and forth to each other and they find each other like sisters,” Duggan said. “We just goofed afterwards that we have that same sense that twins do.”“I think some people think we’ve been playing together for a couple years now, but it’s only been months,” Decker added.As Duggan begins to play her final games as a Badger, the two only have a few games left until their remarkable chemistry is no longer a Wisconsin hockey staple.But if there is one thing Decker will never forget about her linemate, it’s her intensity. Their mutual will to win is just another thing these two share.“She never likes to lose,” Decker. “If you take the puck from her, she wants it back. Her determination to score and to want to win – she hates losing… that’s my favorite thing about her.” read more

Michael Van Gerwen continues the defence of his title against Gary Anderson in the second semi-final. An old rivalry gets rekindled on the Alexandra Palace stage tonight – as Phil “The Power” Taylor takes on Raymond van Barneveld in the semi finals of the PDC World Darts Championship. The pair met in two classic finals in the past decade.