Month: December 2016

Trump taps Conway as counselor, Spicer and Hicks to top communications jobs

Trump taps Conway as counselor, Spicer and Hicks to top communications jobs President-elect rounds out his communications team with Spicer, Hicks and Scavino Check out this story on USATODAY.com: http://usat.ly/2ij3n2D Donald Trump appointed campaign manager Kellyanne Conway as his White House counselor on Thursday, and tapped long-time Republican Party spokesman Sean Spicer as the next White House press secretary . Conway “has been a trusted adviser and strategist who played a crucial role in my victory,” Trump said in a statement.

Gas prices surge ahead of Christmas, New Year in unusual trend

UNITED STATES GasBuddy officials say gas prices have seen their largest December rise in six years and are likely to continue rising through the holidays. “When The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries announced production cuts November 30, we knew we were likely to see gasoline prices rise almost immediately,” says GasBuddy Senior Petroleum Analyst, Patrick DeHaan.

Oil Seen at $100 by End 2018 in Lottery Ticket Options Trade

Call it a pre-Christmas lottery ticket, but someone in the oil market has been busy making a bold bet, buying contracts that will be profitable if oil surges again to $100 a barrel. The $100 December 2018 call option — a contract that gives the right to buy Dec. 2018 futures at $100 per barrel — was the most traded contract on Tuesday across the whole ICE Brent market, the latest sign of resurgent optimism in oil.

Man arrested for selling flares to Ultra Thailand group

A man has been arrested for selling illuminating flares to members of the Ultra Thailand group who set them off during the AFF Suzuki Cup final football match between Thailand and Indonesia at the Rajamangala National Stadium on the night of Dec 17. Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahathavorn, the metropolitan police chief, said at a press briefing on Wednesday night that police raided a shop in Bang Na area about 4pm after learning that the flares fired at the sport stadium on Saturday night were bought there. The shop attendant, whose name was withheld, was being held at Bang Kaew police station in Samut Prakan.

Christmas in Bethlehem means souvenirs

Christmas is approaching and pilgrims and tourists have begun to arrive, crowding the souvenir shops that line the narrow streets and alleys of Bethlehem, the biblical town revered as Jesus’ birthplace. But when visitors choose to take a piece of the Holy Land back home with them, they better check the labels.

First road tunnel under Bosphorus Strait opens

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened the first ever road tunnel underneath the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul on Tuesday, the latest project in his plan of transforming Turkey’s infrastructure. The opening ceremony — which brought together Turkey’s entire ruling elite — went ahead as planned despite the shock assassination of the Russian ambassador to Ankara by a Turkish policeman a day earlier.

Mexico fireworks market explosion leaves 33 dead

At least 22 people were killed Tuesday, December 20, 2016 in an explosion at a fireworks market in Tultepec, Mexico, according to local authorities with firsthand knowledge of the search-and-rescue effort. At least 22 people were killed Tuesday, December 20, 2016 in an explosion at a fireworks market in Tultepec, Mexico, according to local authorities with firsthand knowledge of the search-and-rescue effort.

Assassination 101, KGB style

In the summer of 1950, Soviet police arrested a young Ukrainian man for riding a train without paying the fare. Just over a decade later, the same man was found guilty of committing two political assassinations for the KGB.

Deadly Mexico Fireworks Blast Hit Market Packed for Holidays

This image made from video recorded from a passing car shows an explosion ripping through the San Pablito fireworks’ market in Tultepec, Mexico, Tuesday, Dec. 20. Sirens wailed and a heavy scent of gunpowder lingered in the air after the afternoon blast at the market, where most of the fireworks stalls were completely leveled. According to the Mexico state prosecutor there are at least 26 dead.

See More Than the Beach in Belize

I had heard that Belize has long stretches of lovely beach backed by magnificent multihued tropical foliage — and it does. I knew that its dense jungles hide intriguing Mayan ruins, some dating back to before the birth of Christ — and they do.

Seoul investigators seek to detain daughter of Park’s friend

Investigators looking into an explosive corruption scandal surrounding impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye are seeking to detain the daughter of Park’s longtime confidante who faces criminal charges for allegedly extorting companies and manipulating state affairs. A German prosecution official on Thursday told South Korean media that Germany will cooperate with South Korean investigators in their search for Yoora Chung, the daughter of Park’s jailed friend Choi Soon-sil, who is believed to be staying in Germany.

Proposed UN resolution demands end to Israeli settlements

Egypt has circulated a draft U.N. resolution that demands a halt to Israeli settlement activities in Palestinian territory and declares that all existing settlements “have no legal validity” and are “a flagrant violation” of international law. The proposed resolution sent to Security Council members Wednesday evening also stresses that “the cessation of all Israeli settlement activities is essential for salvaging the two-state solution” which would see Israelis and Palestinians living side-by-side in peace.

Berlin attack prompts high security in US cities for holiday

In the wake of the Berlin truck attack, police departments around the U.S. are making a show of force at places where crowds gather at Christmastime. In New York City, police dispatched heavily-armed counterterrorism officers to stand guard at crowded pop-up Christmas markets in Union Square, Bryant Park and Columbus Circle only an hour after news broke Tuesday about the carnage in Berlin, where a stolen truck slammed into a crowd and killed 12 people.

Nominations open for 2016 e.TV Ghana’s Most Influential (GMI) Awards

Nominations for the 2016 edition of e.tv Ghana’s Most Influential Awards have been opened, allowing the general public to nominate and vote for personalities that they feel have been of positive influence to their lives during the year. These awards are aimed at recognizing and celebrating the top 100 most influential Ghanaian personalities as voted by the general public.

Taiwan stocks fall tracking overseas markets

TAIPEI, Dec 22 Taiwan stocks fell on Thursday tracking losses in overseas markets and ahead of the island’s last rate review for the year in which the central bank is expected to keep the key policy rate unchanged, but would provide its outlook for 2017. The main TAIEX index fell 0.6 percent to 9,152.88 points as of 0226 GMT, after closing down 0.4 percent in the previous session.

BRIEF-Long Bon International repurchases 5.5 pct stake shares

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 21 Uber Technologies Inc has removed its self-driving cars from San Francisco streets, halting the autonomous program one week after its launch as the company faced a regulatory crackdown. TAIPEI, Dec 22 Taiwan stocks fell on Thursday tracking losses in overseas markets and ahead of the island’s last rate review for the year in which the central bank is expected to keep the key policy rate unchanged, but would provide its outlook for 2017.

Comprehensive retrospective include many of the Vik Muniz’s most recent works

The Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University serves as the only Midwest venue for a major mid-career retrospective of the celebrated contemporary photographer Vik Muniz in fall 2016. Co-organized by the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography, Vik Muniz covers more than twenty-five years of the imaginative artist’s career and features over 80 photographs, including many of Muniz’s most recent works.

My Home Away From Home Is a Swedish Lifestyle Store

The first time I visited the Slussen metro station, located at the northern tip of Stockholm’s island of SA dermalm, I felt like I’d fallen down a snus -induced rabbit hole and landed at an underground Acne Studios runway show. Not only is there a disproportionate amount of beautiful people heading down the platform with blank expressions, but the style they sport is remarkably consistent.

RSPB and farmers celebrate the completion of Ouse Washes Nature Friendly Zone project

Farmers, conservationists and schoolchildren in The Fens are celebrating the culmination of a three-year project aiming to build closer links between agriculture, wildlife and communities. The Ouse Washes Nature Friendly Zone is a landscape partnership which brought together 12 Fenland farmers, whose combined land covers 4,000 hectares in an area encompassing the borders between Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

Wolfpack trialists take spoils with late winner at Brighouse

Action from the trial match between Brighouse Rangers and Toronto Wolfpack, which attracted a record crowd of over 1,000 to Russell Way – Picture: Keith McGhie A RECORD crowd for their Russell Way ground of over 1,000 watched Brighouse Rangers give Toronto Wolfpack’s trialists the sternest of tests before the Canadian side edged home 28-26. Only a late breakaway try from Nathan Campbell gave a mud-splattered Wolfpack select team, who have been nicknamed ‘Benetton’ by their coaching staff as their players have come from Jamaica, Canada and the United States, the spoils.

After IMF, EU disburses 45 mln euros of aid to Moldova

Dec 21 The European Commission said on Wednesday it had disbursed 45.3 million euros of aid to Moldova, noting the government’s efforts to restore economic stability and reform an opaque banking system. It follows the International Monetary Fund approving a three-year loan programme for Moldova in November, worth $178.7 million, that had been frozen after a $1 billion corruption scandal plunged the ex-Soviet republic into turmoil.

After IMF, EU disburses 45 mln euros of aid to Moldova

Dec 21 The European Commission said on Wednesday it had disbursed 45.3 million euros of aid to Moldova, noting the government’s efforts to restore economic stability and reform an opaque banking system. It follows the International Monetary Fund approving a three-year loan programme for Moldova in November, worth $178.7 million, that had been frozen after a $1 billion corruption scandal plunged the ex-Soviet republic into turmoil.

Final victory for campaigners as Government rules against development of inner city woodland

CAMPAIGNERS in the long-running battle to save an inner-city woodland from development have won their fight as ministers rule against the plans. Opponents of the plan to build around 100 town houses on the site in Glasgow’s west end have been informed by the Scottish Government that it has refused planning permission, marking a victory in the five-year campaign for residents and their high-profile supporters.

Chinese builder in $3.4b agreement for UK homes

China National Building Materials Group Corp struck a 2.75-billion-pound joint venture deal on Monday to open six highly cost-efficient pre-fabricated house-building factories in the United Kingdom, capable of producing 25,000 homes a year. The new homes built by the joint venture will reduce construction costs to a target of 400 pounds per square meter, significantly less than the 1,000 pounds per sq m average in the UK market.

Old papers shed new light on South Korea deal with Lockheed Martin

Letters to former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il from South Korean President Park Geun -hye are shedding light on how Park navigated inter-Korea relations during her years as a lawmaker. The letters and draft documents, obtained by South Korean magazine Weekly Kyunghyang in March and October, are being considered again from a different perspective in the wake of the political scandal that has culminated in Park’s impeachment and the trial of her influential friend Choi Soon-sil.

Old papers shed new light on South Korea deal with Lockheed Martin

Letters to former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il from South Korean President Park Geun -hye are shedding light on how Park navigated inter-Korea relations during her years as a lawmaker. The letters and draft documents, obtained by South Korean magazine Weekly Kyunghyang in March and October, are being considered again from a different perspective in the wake of the political scandal that has culminated in Park’s impeachment and the trial of her influential friend Choi Soon-sil.

LeEco plans to target high-value added customers

Chinese internet major LeEco said on Tuesday that its TV business will open content and platform resources to more third-party partners, with an expectation that its revenue from non-hardware will reach over 20 billion yuan in the next three years. LeEco announced the 2017 to 2019 strategy for its large-screen TV business, emphasizing it will continue to target high-value users, stick to its “open eco” concept and use the US market as the base of global operations.

Argentina, Britain agree to identify bodies from Falklands War

Argentina and Britain have agreed to identify the bodies buried on the disputed Falkland Islands after the 1982 war, both nations’ foreign ministers announced. Forensic experts from the International Committee of the Red Cross will take DNA samples from the soldiers’ bodies as part of the agreement signed Tuesday in London by British Foreign Office Minister Alan Duncan and Argentinian Vice Foreign Minister Pedro Delgado.