The wait for the 2018 Fifa World Cup is very nearly over with only a couple of weeks to go until the tournament begins. England were put in Group E during last December's draw in Moscow and will pit their wits against Belgium, Tunisia and Panama for a place in the knockout stages. You can find details about each team, the World Cup group they will be in and our prediction on who makes it through here. Group A - Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Uruguay RUSSIA When the Russians launched their bid to host the World Cup for the first time, they were on a high after reaching the semi-finals at the 2008 European Championship. Times have changed. Russia go into the draw as the lowest-ranked of the 32 teams, having failed to advance past the group stage of any tournament since 2008. Ambitious talk of reaching the quarter-finals or even semi-finals has faded. There are off-field problems too, with reports of disputes between players and the coach. Hooligan rampages at Euro 2016 … [Read more...] about World Cup 2018 groups: Our predictions and latest analysis
Germany and scandinavia
An author in perfect flux: Jack Grimwood and his latest thriller
Who the hell is Jack Grimwood? The short answer is that he’s the author of Nightfall Berlin, the second in his series of gritty, Eighties-set spy thrillers featuring troubled British Intelligence officer Tom Fox. The longer explanation is as complex and twisty as one of Grimwood’s own plots. I first met him when he went by the moniker Jon Courtenay Grimwood, almost ten years ago, when he was writing science fiction and fantasy. He did that between 1997 and 2013, and in the same year that his last fantasy book came out, he switched identities, becoming Jonathan Grimwood, author of the literary tour-de-force The Last Banquet. Grimwood went quiet for a while after that, resurfacing in 2016 as Jack, and another sea-change that saw the release of his first espionage drama Moskva. So will the real Grimwood – Jon Courtenay, Jonathan, or Jack – please stand up? Read more Revenge: The ultra-violent rape thriller that flips the male gaze This much we know: he was … [Read more...] about An author in perfect flux: Jack Grimwood and his latest thriller
Germany’s lessons in demographic policy pay off
The economy with the worst demographic crisis in the G7 is recording the biggest fertility boom in 45 years. Data released by Germany’s Federal Statistics Office on March 29 said the world’s fourth-largest economy saw a surge of 800,000 in births in 2017, which is a 7% rise year-on-year, or a rise from 1.5 to 1.59 births per woman. Traditionally, women of foreign citizenship have more children than women of German origin. Germany has been among the European states with an acute demographic stagnation problem. The UN projects that in a decade from now the German median age will be 50 or higher. That is despite sustained immigration. Of all the 27 European Union states, Germany has over 10 million inhabitants of migrant origin or 12% of its population; most of which are from Turkey, Russia, Poland, Italy, and Greece. Demographically, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Greece are in a worse position, followed closely by Poland, Bosnia, and Croatia. Although the population across … [Read more...] about Germany’s lessons in demographic policy pay off
Germany’s European lessons in demographic policy pay off
The economy with the biggest demographic crisis among the G7 is recording the biggest fertility boost in 45 years. Data released by the Federal Statistics Office on Wednesday suggest a surge of 800,000 in births in 2017, which is a 7% rise year-on-year. That signals a rise from 1,5 to 1,59 in births per woman. Traditionally, women of foreign citizenship are more fertile but there was a marked improvement in fertility rates for women of German origin. Germany is among the European states with an acute demographic stagnation problem. The UN projects that in a decade from now the German median age will be 50 or higher. That is despite sustained immigration. Of all the 27 European Union states, Germany has over 10 million inhabitants of migrant origin or 12% of its population; most come from other European countries, including Turkey, Russia, Poland, Italy, and Greece. Demographically, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece are in a worse position than Germany; Poland, Bosnia and Croatia follow … [Read more...] about Germany’s European lessons in demographic policy pay off
THE Selecter and The Beat featuring Ranking Roger bring tour to City Hall
THE Selecter and The Beat featuring Ranking Roger have teamed up to delight music fans - hitting the road together for a number of co-headline shows. The 2017 tour was originally only six dates but due to phenomenal demand more dates were added. And the successful pairing is now continuing into 2018 and heading worldwide with more dates in the UK plus tours of Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia, Ireland, Germany and France. The tour is at City Hall, Salisbury on March 3, 7pm. The Beat feat. Ranking Roger released their fourth album Bounce, the first in over 30 years, in September 2016. Joining Roger in the revitalised band is his son Ranking Junior AKA Matthew Murphy who is an MC. Their hit singles of the 80s included Mirror In The Bathroom, Hand’s Off She’s Mine, Save It For Later and Too Nice To Talk To. The Selecter is led by their iconic frontwoman Pauline Black, alongside a band of musicians, and co-fronted by original member Arthur ‘Gaps’ … [Read more...] about THE Selecter and The Beat featuring Ranking Roger bring tour to City Hall