Latest news with #AndrewMartin
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
I gave my house a designer makeover using Shein for just £270 – but there's a catch they don't tell you about
Janine, whose method is to spend more on big-ticket items, reveals her star buy and what she really thinks of the quality of Shein's homeware HOUSE THIS! I gave my house a designer makeover using Shein for just £270 – but there's a catch they don't tell you about GIVING your home a designer makeover – but with a bargain price tag – sounds like an impossible task. But while Janine Santos was browsing the Chinese retail website, Shein – known for selling clothes super cheaply – she suddenly spotted a 'Home & Kitchen' category. Advertisement 8 Janine Santos transformed her Cardiff home for just £269 using Shein's homeware Credit: Huw Evans 8 She bought these two single curtains for just £21.75 each Credit: Huw Evans 8 She ordered these £3 and £7 prints to decorate the walls as well as dried pampas grass for £4.19 Credit: Huw Evans There, on her screen, appeared to be the solution to her problem. Attractive-looking curtains, cushions, tapestries, bedding, storage baskets and much more were being offered at rock bottom prices. It seemed too good to be true. Advertisement One thing led to another and soon Janine had bought around 50 items to give her Cardiff home a stylish new 'boho' look that has transformed it from top to bottom. The bill for her haul came in at just £269. 'I wasn't sure about it, as it was so cheap,' says Janine, a 47-year-old cruise fleet manager. 'But the quality looked good. 'Even if I'd gone somewhere else which is considered good value, like Ikea, I would have spent over £1000, easy.' Before she discovered Shein homeware, Janine had a weakness for splurging on high end, expensive items. Advertisement 'I used to use brands like Andrew Martin, Osborne & Little and Farrow & Ball,' says Janine, who is mum to Keanau, 26, and married to Damon, 53, a tiler. 'I also used to love Flamant, a high-end Belgian brand. They were my go-to for timeless pieces.' But when she decided to give her three-bedroom semi a refresh last December, Janine was looking to economise. 'I spend six months away at sea each year with work and when I come home, all I want is a space to relax,' she says. You'd never know I live in a council house thanks to how good it looks - I shopped in IKEA & an Amazon tip saved me cash 'I'd been meaning to do this for a while and make it feel more homely. But I wanted to tighten my belt. I prefer to spend my money on experiences these days, like holidays, and thought: 'How can I do this affordably?'' Janine was shopping for clothing on Shein last December when she noticed they also sell homeware. Advertisement The China-based retailer's popularity is currently soaring in the UK, with sales jumping by nearly 40 per cent to £1.5bn last year. It is expected to become Britain's sixth largest clothing retailer by 2027. For Janine, the prices seemed too good to ignore, so she ordered two photographic prints and some pampas grass to test the waters. 'I used to buy my prints from King & McGaw, which specialises in fine art prints,' says Janine. 'I paid £300 each for two prints years ago. 'But these 50cm x 70cm Shein prints were £3 and £7. I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. They were delivered eight days later, in a cardboard box, and were printed on high quality cardboard. They also came rolled up, so there were no creases. Advertisement 'They didn't come with frames, so I got some from Amazon, at £50 for three.' A couple of weeks later, Janine placed a second, bigger order, then a third. She bought, among other items, a rug to go in front of the fire (£5.24), a king size duvet cover set with pillows (£26.48), two single curtains (£21.75 each), a beige woven wall tapestry (£2.29), dried pampas grass (£4.19), two artificial ivy plants (£1.85 each), three white woven storage baskets (£6.12 each), a wall sticker (£1.30) and a cute ornament of someone reading (£1.10). 8 Janine's house looks very boho chic thanks to this beige woven wall tapestry, £2.29, from Shein Credit: Jam Press 8 She also paid £25 for a king size polycotton white duvet cover and two matching pillowcases Credit: Jam Press Advertisement 'Cushion crazy' 'When I told my husband how much everything cost, he said: 'There's no way, you're lying to me.' 'And one friend who came round couldn't believe it when I told her so much of my stuff was from Shein – she literally screamed. I think she was expecting me to say some fancy, overpriced designer brand. 'She went straight to the website and started filling her basket. People have this idea that Shein is only for clothes – but the home stuff is genuinely stylish and surprisingly good quality. Nothing I ordered felt below par.' When I told my husband how much everything cost, he said: 'There's no way, you're lying to me' Janine's star buy was a pair of cream curtains for the bedroom. Curtains are sold individually on Shein and Janine bought two for £21.75 each. 'In the past I've paid over a thousand pounds for a pair of curtains,' she says. 'They were handmade, very thick, like quilts. I don't feel I need that sort of thing any more.'They're my favourite - they're lined and they've got this lace overlay – they're really drapey and beautiful. I bought the pole off Shein as well for £11.44.' Advertisement Janine is also impressed with the bedding she bought from the retailer. She paid £25 for a king size polycotton white duvet cover and two matching pillowcases. And the cushions were so cheap – just £3 each – that Janine went 'cushion crazy'. 'I've got them all over the house,' she says. 'One is a tan leather look, the others are like the tapestry on the wall, with tassels on them. Damon loves the new look. The only thing he has said is: 'Please, no more cushions'.' 'Boho with a designer twist' Another big hit was the pampas grass. Advertisement 'I ordered the large size,' says Janine. I thought: 'It's going to be limp, but I can try it.' Luckily, it's really full.' Janine's method is to spend more money on big-ticket items – she recently bought a bed and chest of drawers from Freemans for about £1000 and a sofa from DFS for around £2,000 – and save on the accessories that finish off a room. She describes her style as 'boho with a designer twist', mixing budget buys with statement pieces. 'Spending so little is great, because if I want to do a different theme, I can buy a load more stuff from Shein,' she says. 'I will give these to charity, then I can buy new things. I'm just layering on to make a new theme. The foundations stay, they are good quality.' Shipping is free, too, if you spend more than £35. And there are other incentives, says Janine. Advertisement 'They give you vouchers. They say: add another item to your basket to receive a bigger discount. 'Then when I look at it, it's as if I've got those curtains free.' But Shein is not popular with everyone. The brand has been criticised for its sustainability practices, with concerns raised about textile waste and excessive carbon emissions. I'm not here trying to impress anyone, I'm creating a space that feels like me Last August, Shein admitted it had found two cases of child labour in its supply chain and factories failing to pay the minimum wage. Janine says: 'I know there are conversations around sustainability with brands like Shein and it's something I do think about. Advertisement 'When I was decorating, I made sure to choose pieces I actually love and knew I'd keep – not something trendy for a quick fix. I've never been sent the wrong product, or had to return anything, either. 'I think sustainability is also about how you use things and how long you keep them, not just where they come from.' 'I've mixed and matched, like I would with clothes. I might buy a designer outfit, but wear a T-shirt from Primark. 'I'll change a few things in winter, like adding a fluffy rug and throws. I like that I can switch things up without spending a fortune.' Janine has converted the garage in her house, adding an upstairs level and separate entrance to create an Airbnb. Advertisement She also has an Airbnb property in Egypt. Both are decorated with Shein homeware. 'I love my 'Shein house',' she says. 'It feels warm, modern and personal – and that's what matters, not that I've had any negative comments – quite the reverse. 'I'm not here trying to impress anyone, I'm creating a space that feels like me. It's like I've curated a little Pinterest board in real life.' 8 She choses to spend more money on big-ticket item such as this sofa from DFS for £2,000, and instead save on the accessories that finish off a room Credit: Huw Evans Advertisement 8 I love my 'Shein house', says Janine Credit: Huw Evans
BBC News
06-06-2025
- BBC News
Malcolm McKeown: Two men found guilty over Waringstown murder
Two men have been found guilty of the murder of Malcolm McKeown in McKeown, 54, was shot as he sat in a BMW parked at the back of a service station in Waringstown, County Down, in August of that O'Brien, 30, from Rectory Road in Lurgan, County Armagh, and Andrew Thomas Kenneth Martin of Bridge Street in Banbridge, County Down, were both found guilty at Belfast Crown Court on other men - Stevie Lee Watson, 36, from Princeton Avenue in Lurgan and 36-year-old Simon Smyth from Hazelgrove Avenue in Lurgan - were both acquitted of murder and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. Martin admitted to "aiding and abetting" Mr McKeown's murder last while the 29-year-old was given an automatic life sentence, his plea was not accepted by the the non-jury Diplock trial, the assistant state pathologist said the victim died from bullet wounds to his head and body and was hit by at least six pathologist said it was "quite possible" the muzzle of the weapon had been pressed against the victim's was also heard that Mr McKeown was involved in a feud with a criminal organisation known as 'The Firm'.Two young boys out riding their bikes found Mr McKeown's to follow.
Bloomberg
28-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Freepoint Commodities Ex-Analyst Claims Illegal Retaliation
A former senior analyst with Freepoint Commodities LLC claims he was fired from the energy-trading firm for resisting pressure to cooperate with executives in illegal insider trading, market manipulation and trade-theft schemes. The analyst, Andrew Martin, sued May 14 in Manhattan federal court claiming wrongful termination and retaliation by Freepoint, where he had worked for a decade. Martin claimed he was fired to prevent him from reporting alleged violations during a planned visit by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to Freepoint's Stamford, Connecticut, headquarters.
Reuters
28-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Ex-analyst sues Freepoint Commodities, alleges pressure to facilitate insider trading
NEW YORK/HOUSTON, May 28 (Reuters) - A former senior analyst at U.S. trading company Freepoint Commodities has sued the company, alleging that top executives pressured employees to facilitate insider trading and retaliated against employees that objected. The lawsuit, filed in a New York federal court on May 14 by former employee Andrew Martin, claims Freepoint fired Martin in November to stop him from flagging unethical practices on the company's oil team during an FBI visit of its headquarters in December. The Stamford, Connecticut-based company has denied the allegations and said it dismissed Martin for performance-related reasons. "We will contest these spurious allegations from an employee dismissed for performance reasons," Freepoint said in a statement. Freepoint is still in a three-year deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ), which it entered in December 2023 as part of a settlement to resolve charges of bribing Brazilian officials. One of the conditions of that agreement was that Freepoint strengthen its corporate governance. Martin alleges in the lawsuit that Freepoint's global head of oil, Sarathi Roy, and head of refined products, Shai Barnea, sought to maximize Freepoint's profits by manipulating markets through solicitation of material, non-public information from oil producers and refiners. The lawsuit also alleges they distributed copyrighted material from subscription-based providers of market intelligence and research without permission. The events took place both before and after the settlement with the DoJ, according to the lawsuit. Neither Barnea nor Roy responded to Reuters requests for comment. The lawsuit alleges that Barnea pushed Martin to leverage personal contacts at Shell's Deer Park Refinery in Texas to gain non-public insider information on a labor strike there in 2015. Martin worked at Shell Trading before he joined Freepoint in 2014. The suit alleges that Barnea intended to trade on that information and that could have impacted gasoline prices in the U.S. Gulf Coast. Deer Park did not reply to a request for comment. The lawsuit alleges that Barnea also pushed Martin to misappropriate oil market analysis models that he had access to in his previous job at Shell Trading. Other Freepoint staff used data and tools from previous employers, considered trade secrets, as recently as summer 2024, according to the lawsuit. Shell Trading did not respond to a request for comment. Martin's lawsuit says he lodged complaints about Roy and Barnea promoting unethical behavior, and raised his concerns directly with Freepoint Chief Executive Dave Messer in August last year. Messer did not respond to a request for comment. Freepoint declined to give more details on Martin's performance, or answer questions about his claims. "It is our policy not to comment on pending litigation," Freepoint said. Martin said in a statement that he filed the lawsuit after pursuing his concerns with the company. "My aim is to reach a fair resolution and move on," he told Reuters. Barnea left Freepoint in recent weeks, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Reuters was unable to ascertain why he left. Freepoint declined to comment on Barnea's departure. Several other Freepoint traders and analysts have left from multiple locations worldwide in recent months, according to sources familiar with the matter. Those include Eli Reichner, a fuel analyst who worked at the company's Stamford headquarters. In Singapore, oil traders Zhang Peng and Joshua Dawe have left, two sources said. Reichner and Dawe did not respond to Reuters requests for comments. Peng could not be reached for comment.
News.com.au
18-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Corowa, Port Macquarie previews: What can the Pons do with a Drunken Sailor?
Former reinsman James Ponsonby is set to harness another of his bargain buys into a profit making machine when New Zealand-bred blue blood Drunken Sailor heads to Corowa on Monday. The four-year-old son of Ocean Park has banked $55,335 in the space of 11 starts for the Hawkesbury -based Ponsonby. Should he win today's Balldale Hotel Benchmark 58 Handicap (1600m), he will add another $13,950. All this from an initial outlay of just $1,250 at the Inglis January 2024 Online Sale. Drunken Sailor was purchased at Karaka at the NZB Yearling Sale in 2022 by TFI for the not insignificant sum of $220,000. They were the same original owners from whom Ponsonby purchased his iron-horse Philipsburg for $20,000 after an Aquis spend of $110,000, also at Karaka. 'The Burg', as he is known to his owners, including 2GB Radio's top-rating broadcaster John Stanley and SKY Racing presenter Andrew 'Marto' Martin, has won ten races and earned $626,142 with the promise of more to come. Drunken Sailor's Monday mission comes third-up into his present campaign and off a closing second at Queanbeyan on Mother's Day with Winona Costin in the saddle. Exceedingly Hot dominates in the third at Queanbeyan! ðŸ'° @KeatingsCoriah @nickoliveracing — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 11, 2025 • 'He got held up from probably the 400m basically all the way round there to halfway up the straight,'' Ponsonby said. 'Winona said he hit the line really well. 'He's obviously drawn the carpark on Monday but he comes in probably, I'd say at this stage, to barrier 12 or 13. 'John (jockey John Kissick) has had good luck on the horse in the past and hopefully he can weave a bit if magic and get him into the right spot there on Monday 'The horse is getting to mature now and he is settling a lot better so hopefully as he gets up to 2000m in the end, he'll have the manners but still have the speed of a seven furlong/miler horse so that should benefit him later on his career.' Drunken Sailor will have company on the 700km trek from Hawkesbury to Corowa in the shape of Statesville who lines-up in the Campbell's Wines Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1400m. The Aquis Farm-bred son of Written Tycoon has been underwhelming in his four starts this campaign but against considerably stiffer opposition to what he meets on Monday. 'He is probably better suited in a 58 than he has been in any of the previous races, it has just taken a hell of a long time to get his Benchmark down,'' Ponsonby explained. 'They've kept him at a reasonably high country benchmark for it seems like forever. 'So hopefully ridden quietly, we can see a bit better performance but it's been a real shame because I really used to think he was going to make a handy horse but he just didn't progress as far as I would have liked.' Ponsonby will be about as far away from Sydney as it gets to the start the week but he'll be back in town in more ways than one this weekend with the stable captain, the aforementioned Philipsburg. 'He is off to a 2400m at Randwick next Saturday and then depending on how he goes, he might have a little freshen up after that or he could head onto a Group 3 in Brisbane (Premier's Cup) the following weekend,'' Ponsonby said. 'The Burg' will be ridden on Saturday by Costin who has steered the son of Per Incanto to six of his 10 wins including those back-to-back wins at Doomben and Eagle Farm last month. â– â– â– â– â– Spring ambitions for Minervini's Gem Exciting two-year-old Gemologist claimed the scalp of a million-dollar baby on debut and will on Monday be tasked with 'beating the older horses' when he travels to Port Macquarie. The Mark Minervini -trained son of Caulfield Sprint and San Domenico Stakes winner Graff announced himself with a comfortable win in the coveted Star Kingdom held each year at Muswellbrook in May. The 2025 edition attracted a stellar line-up including the Waterhouse/Bott -trained Jet who was knocked down for $1 million at the Gold Coast in 2024. 'Gemologist is a very nice horse and I think he beat a very nice horse,'' Minervini said. 'He's done well since that win. 'He is actually owned in Port Macquarie, the owners weren't at Muswellbrook the other week but they'll be there on Monday. 'I am not too sure if he will have too many more runs this prep. We might put him away and get him ready for the spring. 'He is a couple of months away from being a three-year-old but if he could go there and beat the older horses, I think it is a feather in his cap for sure.' Gemologist gets away from them late and wins at Muswellbrook! ðŸ'Ž @Aaronbullock90 — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 2, 2025 Minervini meanwhile is fast closing on 500 wins; his first coming at Strathalbyn late in 1995. The former master of Morphettville was pleased to welcome another former South Australian to his Newcastle stables in 2025, namely Bella Kathleen who is on her way to Port Macquarie on Monday. A daughter of Melbourne Cup -winner Fiorente, Bella Kathleen broke her maiden status at Gawler on debut back in the winter of 2023. Her next win came on April 12 this year at what was her first run for Minervini in a Newcastle Class 1. Bella Kathleen was runner-up at her subsequent outing in the hotly-contested Godolphin Tiara. 'I wasn't disappointed in her run but I was disappointed she didn't win it at Muswellbrook but the mare that beat her, Gentileschi, got beaten in a photo on Saturday at Scone so the form there is pretty solid,'' Minervini says. Minervini's Monday kicks off in the opener with the well-bred Pratt having his first run for the barn having previously been handled by Chris Waller. 'We have tried to place him to win,'' Minervini says. 'I am really happy with him. I think he is a horse that has got a fair bit of ability.'
