The post-apocalyptic landscape of America Pacifica, Anna North's engaging debut novel, feels at once both remarkably familiar and completely alien. The United States of the near future is a "frozen, used-up hulk" from which the fortunate have escaped to spend their days on Pacifica, an "overcrowded, overbuilt and falling apart of the edges" island.
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This is, of course, no offshore paradise. Society here follows a strict class system; the rich continue to get richer in their lush dwellings in Lower Manhattanville, while the poor are condemned to live in swampy, cockroach-infested slums.
It is in one of Pacifica's poorest districts that the reader is introduced to Darcy, the book's protagonist. Eighteen years old, this is the only life she has ever known. Her mother moved to the island from mainland Seattle as one of its first settlers when she herself was young. The two have whittled out a life of sorts ever since. The sudden disappearance of Darcy's mother sets the book on a solid path, as our central character makes a journey of discovery over treacherous terrain.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
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FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
Votes
Total votes: 1.8 million
Ashraf Ghani: 923,592 votes
Abdullah Abdullah: 720,841 votes
Brief scores:
Manchester United 4
Young 13', Mata 28', Lukaku 42', Rashford 82'
Fulham 1
Kamara 67' (pen),
Red card: Anguissa (68')
Man of the match: Juan Mata (Man Utd)
Scores
Wales 74-24 Tonga
England 35-15 Japan
Italy 7-26 Australia
