Latest news with #IanThomas
USA Today
17 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
We hit 80 in our Raiders countdown to kickoff. Who wore it best and who's wearing it now
We hit 80 in our Raiders countdown to kickoff. Who wore it best and who's wearing it now We've reached 80 days until the Raiders season opener at Foxboro against the Patriots, With our countdown at 80 days we take a look at who currently dons the number in Silver & Black and who has brought it the most distinction. No. 80 Who's wearing it now: TE Ian Thomas This eighth year veteran has spent his entire career up to this point with the Carolina Panthers. He joins the Raiders as a solid number three tight end option behind Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer. He's a solid 6-4, 260 pounds with some decent hands but even better blocking and special teams abilities. Who wore it best: WR Jerry Rice The GOAT joined the Raiders in 2001 at the age of 39. In his second season with the team, at the age of 40, he put up over 1200 yards receiving (1211), made his 13th career Pro Bowl and the Raiders were in the Super Bowl. In 54 games over four seasons in Oakland, Rice put up 243 catches for 3286 yards and 18 touchdowns. Honorable Mention: TE Zach Miller Miller was a second round pick by the Raiders in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played four seasons for the Raiders, making one Pro Bowl. He may have had more success except he joined the Raiders during some very bad years. This included two years of JaMarcus Russell and three years in which they couldn't get more than five wins in a season.
Straits Times
11-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Qantas sheds Jetstar Asia to protect lead in core domestic Australian market
Qantas said its domestic profit margin was 17 per cent at its half-yearly results in February. PHOTO: ST FILE SYDNEY – National carrier Qantas promotes itself with the proudly patriotic slogan 'Spirit of Australia' – and its decision to close its Singapore-based subsidiary Jetstar Asia was widely seen as a shrewd move to return to the comfort of its highly profitable domestic market. Analysts saw the move as a bid to shift aircraft and capital from the competitive low-cost market in South-east Asia to the Australian market, where Qantas' only serious competitor is Virgin Australia. The Australian domestic market is particularly lucrative now that other rivals such as Rex and Bonza have struggled or collapsed, noted Professor Rico Merkert, an international transport expert from the University of Sydney. 'The Australian market is very profitable. Qantas was probably thinking about how it can benefit more from the high demand and quite nice yields at the moment.' Meanwhile, Qantas has reaped growing domestic profits as the airline and Virgin were both more 'disciplined' and abandoned their all-out war over capacity and prices, he told The Straits Times. 'Closing Jetstar Asia is a sensible decision that will help Jetstar to become more profitable,' he said. Jetstar is Qantas's low-cost domestic subsidiary. Qantas said its domestic profit margin was 17 per cent at its half-yearly results in February, compared with 8 per cent for international and freight. Its move is seen as an attempt to refocus on Australia, as Virgin Australia relists as a public company on June 24, five years after it was taken over by Bain Capital. Mr Ian Thomas, an aviation expert from Sydney-based CAPA Consulting, told ST that Qantas was 'tying off loose ends' as it faced potential increased competition from Virgin. 'Within Australia, Virgin's refloating has put some pressure on Qantas internally,' he said. Virgin Australia had a domestic market share of 35 per cent as at December 2024, compared with Qantas' 63.6 per cent (including Jetstar), according to a Feb 18 report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. 'Qantas has never really invested the amount of money it needed to establish (Jetstar Asia) on a viable basis. It really didn't have the fleet size,' Mr Thomas added. He said Qantas had been reluctant to properly invest in the competitive low-cost Asian market, which left (Jetstar Asia) struggling against bigger players such as Scoot, the low-cost arm of Singapore Airlines, which maintains a fleet of about 50 jets including high-capacity long-haul Boeing Dreamliners. In contrast, Jetstar Asia operates 13 medium-capacity single-aisle Airbus jets. Nine of these A320 jets are slated for Jetstar's for use in Australia and New Zealand, while four will be used on routes servicing mining workers in Western Australia. 'Qantas has fantastic demand domestically but not enough aircraft,' Professor Merkert noted. 'It is not easy to get new aircraft at the moment. The easiest way to do it is for Qantas to redeploy assets that it already has in the fleet.' Qantas said on June 11 the decision to shut down Jetstar Asia after July 31 stems from escalating supplier costs, airport fees and aviation charges in recent years amid intensifying competition and growing capacity, particularly after the Covid-19 pandemic. Jetstar chief executive Stephanie Tully told reporters on June 11 that Jetstar Asia has only been profitable for six years in its two decades operating out of Singapore since 2004. The intra-Asia carrier was expecting to post an underlying loss of A$35 million (S$29.3 million) before interest and tax in the financial year ending June 30. 'Qantas has much bigger (profit) margins in Australia. It would have been more appropriate to use that capital in the Australian domestic market, which it is now proposing to do,' Professor Greg Bamber, an aviation specialist from Monash University, told ST. 'It was probably a mistake for Qantas to have invested in Jetstar Asia in the first place.' He said abandoning the carrier would enable Qantas to focus on reaping profits from routes serving the 'golden triangle' – the east-coast cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane where Australia's vast population is centred. These three cities offer massive demand for travel, but with no high-speed rail to connect them. The move by Qantas also signals a change of direction under group chief executive Vanessa Hudson, who was formerly chief financial officer. She took over in 2023, ending the 15-year reign of Alan Joyce. Mr Joyce was the head of Jetstar when it announced plans to launch Jetstar Asia in 2004. Jetstar Asia marked the first of Qantas's ventures aimed at low-cost travellers in Asia. The airline later launched Jetstar Pacific, operating in Vietnam, but later ended its involvement in the venture. It also launched Jetstar Japan, which some analysts viewed as a more successful model than Jetstar Asia because it involves a partnership with a local carrier, Japan Airlines. Despite the closure of Jetstar Asia, Jetstar will continue to fly from Australia into Asia, including to Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea. It is also looking to return flying to the Philippines after ending its connection there about a decade ago. Ms Hudson, unlike Mr Joyce, never headed Jetstar – and is clearly willing to shed non-performing legacy aspects of her predecessor's era. 'Alan Joyce cut his teeth in Jetstar and had an affinity with its operations,' Mr Thomas said. 'Vanessa Hudson, being the new broom, is going through their strengths and weaknesses. She is reviewing everything and has decided to draw a red pen through Jetstar Asia.' Jonathan Pearlman writes about Australia and the Pacific for The Straits Times. Based in Sydney, he explains matters on Australia and the Pacific to readers outside the Oceania region. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Edinburgh Reporter
03-06-2025
- Health
- Edinburgh Reporter
Walking Rugby team to put best foot forward in France
Midlothian Walking Rugby are travelling to Strasbourg to play an exhibition match at a Cheminots Rugby Club tournament which they hope will spread the word about the concept. The mid-summer exhibition on 21 June stems from Midlothian member Duncan Seymour previously visiting Cheminots and developing a relationship with the rugby club. Drawing on players from Dalkeith, Lasswade and Penicuik the Midlothian club started in May 2016 as part of Midlothian Council Ageing Well Project to help promote the benefits of being active. Now a constituted club, there is a growing membership of over 30 and as part of the constitution money has been raised for Midlothian foodbank, Ukraine's Disaster Emergency Committee and other worthy causes. There are 24 members travelling to Strasbourg to help promote walking rugby. With a history of being the first club in Scotland, the first to hold a walking rugby tournament in this country and pioneers of a Scotland v England 'Auld Calcutta Cup' game with friends from Kendal RFC's 'Auld Greys' in 2020, the aim is to keep spreading the word. Midlothian walking rugby touring squad who are bound for Strasbourg later this month. Ian Thomas, club president, said: 'Walking rugby is much more than just exercise – it's friendship, support and companionship. Over the years we have developed friendships old and new throughout the country and with the tour to Strasbourg we hope to take it to an international level.' Like this: Like Related
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Welsh rock band secures UK number one album
A Welsh band is celebrating after achieving their first number one album. Bridgend rockers Those Damn Crows have claimed top spot in the latest UK Official Albums Chart with their new album 'God Shaped Hole'. The band - made up of Shane Greenhall, Ian Thomas, David Winchurch, Lloyd Wood and Ronnie Huxford - has become the first Welsh artist to secure a UK number one album since Ren in 2023. They join an illustrious set of Welsh bands to have had a number one record, including Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers, and Catatonia. Sabrina Carpenter's 'Short n' Sweet' is at number two in the latest charts, while Oasis continue to enjoy a renewed surge in popularity ahead of their reunion tour later this year, with their compilation album 'Time Flies' charting at number three. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here. READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton's brother left with 'no finances' after keeping secret READ MORE: Adventure activities banned at Welsh beauty spot to protect wildlife after rules ignored Reacting to the news on Friday night, Those Damn Crows said in a statement: 'Really struggling to put these feelings into words right now, but I know how we've achieved this UNBELIEVABLE victory, there's one word that best describes it…. TOGETHER!! "Our dream has turned reality, our band is now permanently etched in music history and its something that cannot be taken from us as we proudly scream from the rafters - Those Damn Crows have a number one album! "'God Shaped Hole' will forever be a special record. We knew it when writing and recording it and now even more so as you, our fans, have embraced it like no other album we have made before. You have literally thrown it to the top of the charts and there it remained DEFIANT until the powers that be made it official! "Your unwavering love and support means we won regardless of where the album landed, but hey!…. Make no mistake, we ALL wanted the top spot and TOGETHER we got it! We're on cloud nine right now and it's gonna take some time for our feet to touch the floor." Join our WhatsApp news community here for the latest breaking news.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Colorado company to become first to refuel Space Force asset
DENVER (KDVR) — Queue the 'Also sprach Zarathrustra' — a Colorado company will become the first to perform an on-orbit refueling of a United States Department of Defense space asset. 'Disgruntled' employee damages Douglas County doughnut shop, faces charges Astroscale U.S. Inc., a Denver-based on-orbit services and logistics company, will perform two refueling operations of a U.S. Department of Defense satellite that is in geostationary orbit for the United States Space Force, according to a press release from the company. 'We're changing the reality of what's possible,' said Ron Lopez, president of Astroscale U.S. 'This mission proves that in-space logistics does not have to be years away. We're a focused team with one goal: deliver and operate an operational prototype spacecraft for the Space Force. That's only possible because of our agile structure, solution-oriented design, close collaboration with Space Systems Command's Servicing Mobility and Logistics program office, and our incredible team. The Astroscale U.S. Refueler is proof that commercial space companies can develop and deliver new, operational capabilities on time and on budget.' The Astroscale U.S. Refueler is expected to launch in the summer of 2026 and will provide on-orbit services to a warfighter. The servicing will be the first to ever support a DoD asset, while simultaneously becoming the first spacecraft to conduct hydrazine refueling above geostationary orbit, according to the company. The Refueler was designed for maneuverability and is a 300-kilogram spacecraft that will carry a refillable hydrazine tank used in two operations that will enable an end-to-end ecosystem between a client, servicer and depot in space. Astroscale developed the spacecraft by selecting Southwest Research Institute to build the bus and using Orbit Fab's refueling interfaces. 'We're not just enabling a refueling mission — we're laying the groundwork for scalable, flexible logistics across space,' said Ian Thomas, Astroscale U.S. Refueler program manager. 'This is infrastructure that expands options for the warfighter and demonstrates what rapid innovation looks like in action.' Former Avs player Chris Simon diagnosed with CTE after he died, analysis finds The company said the Refueler is part of a growing commercial ecosystem supporting dynamic space operations and enhanced options for mission planning, resilience and responsiveness. For more information about the project, visit the Astroscale U.S. Inc. website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
