The Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen prize money for the winners and runners-up slashed in half as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed various cost-cutting measures.
The IPL is the world's richest and most popular Twenty20 league, attracting star cricketers from India and around the world. The latest edition is scheduled to start on March 29.
As well as halving prize money for the top two teams, Indian media reports said the BCCI was doing away with the extravagant opening ceremony.
"The financial rewards have been reworked as a part of the cost-cutting measures," the BCCI said in a circular sent to the franchises.
As a result, the champions will get $1.36 million (Dh5m) instead of $2.72m.
"The franchises are all in good health. They also have multiple ways like sponsorships to bolster their income. Hence the decision on prize money taken," the Press Trust of India quoted a senior BCCI source as saying.
Each of the eight franchises will also have to shell out $68,119 to the state association for each game it hosts, up from $27,197.
The moves have not gone down well with some of the franchise owners, the Times of India said.
The IPL has been hailed as a commercial success since its debut in 2008, and has inspired similar Twenty20 leagues in other countries.
It has also triggered a debate over whether players were giving preference to clubs ahead of their countries, given the large paydays on offer.
Australia's Pat Cummins went for $2.17m in this year's IPL auction. Players keep about 75 per cent of their auction price - effectively their salary for the two-month season.
In 2017, Star India paid about $2.5 billion for five years of broadcast rights, the biggest TV deal seen in cricket.
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
