Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BA in pension pay deferment
MOVE TO BOOST FLAGGING FINANCES
CORONAVIRUS-HIT British Airways has been allowed to defer £450million of pension payments to boost its flagging finances.
The airline said trustees of its pension fund had agreed to it delaying its contributions for last October through to this September in a move that will save the carrier £37.5m a month. In exchange, it has put up certain assets as security and agreed not to pay any dividends to parent company IAG until the end of 2023.
It came as IAG confirmed BA was also set to bank a £2billion government-backed loan by the end of this month. The loan was initially agreed in December.
IAG, which also owns Spanish airlines Iberia and Vueling and Ireland’s Aer Lingus, has also been forced to go cap in hand to investors to bolster its balance sheet. It comes as countries around the world have tightened travel restrictions over the last two months in response to new variants of the coronavirus.
“In addition to these arrangements, IAG continues to explore other debt initiatives to improve further its liquidity,” said IAG. BA is IAG’S biggest and most profitable airline and the pause in dividends means it could be years before IAG shareholders see payments again.
Meantime, figures revealed that just four big planes were ordered anywhere in the world last month as the pandemic slashes demand.
The record low figure nosedived from 296 commercial aircraft bought in January last year before the pandemic struck, said trade body ADS.
Even then, all four were cargo planes, with no orders placed for passenger jets.
JOE ROOT stands on the cusp of a seriesdefining match where he could end up making up to FIVE changes from the previous Test.
After such a trashing in Chennai, that would be one heck of a reaction from a side that has designs on becoming the best team in the world. Unlike the England teams of the 1990s that were fond of their own kind of rotation, known simply as picking and axing,
Root (left) and head coach Chris Silverwood are attempting to find some kind of method to the madness.
From the last match there is no Moeen Ali available, while Olly Stone and Stuart Broad are set to be swapped for fit-again Jofra Archer and Jimmy Anderson (above), who was always pencilled in for this pink-ball match.
In the batting line-up the availability of Jonny Bairstow and Zak Crawley puts Dan Lawrence and Rory Burns under the microscope, even if only one of them ends up making way.
So with a Test series win in India well and truly up for grabs in the day-night Test in Ahmedabad, the skipper admits the situation is not ideal. But in the era of coronavirus, bio-bubbles, mental health awareness and a schedule that is enough to make even the most work hungry Shetland pony wince, chopping and changing has to be the order of the day.
“It’s not ideal but these times are not ideal,” said Root, who has struggled like a Generation Game contestant to remember what his team is at the toss.
“It is trying to factor it all in together and pick the side you think is best to exploit these conditions. Dealing with injuries as well. It is something we have to be adaptable with and make the most of. The attitude from the guys has been outstanding.
“We know the responsibility is on those 11 players to put in a performance and hopefully we are able to do that. It’s 1-1 with a pink-ball game ahead and it’s a very exciting prospect for the group.
“We’ve worked very hard to be in this position.”
There is still a chance for Chris Woakes to make his mark in a hugely frustrating winter, after being denied the chance to play in Sri Lanka due to his period of isolation as a ‘close contact’ of Ali.
England’s limited-overs series against India next month, comprising of five Twenty20s at Ahmedabad and three one-day internationals at Pune, will be screened exclusively by Sky Sports.
JASON HEAVEY
CROWDS could be back on racecourses as early as May 17 as part of the easing of lockdown measures.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday laid out his roadmap for ending Covid restrictions.
He is planning to allow limited fans back into sports venues from May 17 at the earliest. Outdoor events will be capped at 50 per cent capacity or 4,000, whichever is lower. The plan includes special provision for outdoor seated venues where crowds can be safely distributed, allowing up to 10,000 people.
The removal of capacity limits would start no earlier than June 21.
Betting shops can open after April 12 at the earliest so will remain shut for the Cheltenham Festival and Grand National meetings. The British Horseracing Authority said it would be looking at potential pilot events. It is also lobbying for the return of owners to tracks and to allow amateurs to resume riding.
A BHA spokesman said: “We have further discussions with officials scheduled which will enable us to draw up specific proposals for race meetings, including potential pilot events.”
BY
JOSH WARRINGTON has revealed how a “psychology session” from Anthony Joshua is helping him recover from his shock first career defeat.
The Leeds Warrior has also insisted he wants a rematch with Mexican Mauricio Lara next, with plans already being put in place for that fight to happen in August or September.
And he insists, if he loses the return fight, he will quit boxing.
Warrington, 30, was stunned by unknown Lara 10 days ago, when he was stopped in the ninth round despite being a huge favourite.
And who better to talk to about getting knocked out against the odds by a Mexican than WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight king Joshua.
AJ was stopped by Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019 before getting revenge six months later in Saudi Arabia.
“I wanted to know about his mindset, he’s a deep guy and I’m a bit of a deep guy,” said the former IBF featherweight champion, who is now 30-1 as a pro.
“He was telling me things like, ‘Make sure you have your downtime, make sure you dwell because, when you do come back from that, the only way is up. You’ll have the fire in your belly and want to right them wrongs’.
“It was like he was giving me a bit of a psychology session, you feel like you want to get back after it.
“He was telling me a story about when he was in New
York and, after the fight, him and his entourage went for a walk. This guy goes, ‘Hey Anthony, why did you get beat up by that fat Mexican’, and his head went down.
“He went back to the apartment and stayed there for a few days – he said he cried, ate ice cream and sulked. But, once he came back, he was ready to get back on the horse.
“I wanted to have my sulking time – but it has not happened yet.”
Warrington (below) has spent the last 10 days at home with his family recovering from a fractured jaw, busted ear drum and shoulder injury, which have masked the pain of defeat.
The former IBF champion admits he overlooked Lara and was flat when he got in the ring after over-training and failing to get fired up in the warm-up.
Lara has rocked his dreams of huge bouts against WBA champion Can Xu and WBC title holder Gary Russell Jr.
But Warrington is fired up for revenge with promoter Eddie Hearn already considering putting it on at Headingley in the autumn.
The Leeds Warrior added: “Do I want that rematch? I’ve been on the Ben & Jerry’s for the last week, but I would fight him tomorrow.
“I need to overcome this hurdle – whether it be a 12-round dominant performance or me knocking this guy out, I need to do it for myself.
“There’s no f**king point hanging around if I can’t beat this guy.”
Joshua said he cried, ate ice cream & sulked until he was ready to return