Month: December 2016

Philippines’ Duterte to US over aid issue: ‘Bye-bye America’

President Rodrigo Duterte threatened Saturday to terminate a pact that allows U.S. troops to visit the Philippines, saying “bye-bye America” as he reacted with rage to what he thought was a U.S. decision to scrap a major aid package over human rights concerns. A U.S. government aid agency, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, said earlier in the week that its board deferred a vote on a renewal of the development assistance package for the Philippines “subject to a further review of concerns around rule of law and civil liberties.”

England Test new boy Liam Dawson savours impressive innings in India

England’s Liam Dawson was thrilled to make his Test debut count despite the shock of being hit on the head by only the second delivery he faced. The all-rounder may have been picked principally for his left-arm spin, as England try to return fire on Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja on their tough tour of India, but they were indebted to his fine batting after he arrested a first-innings slide which threatened once again to get out of hand.

India openers make steady reply after England tail wags

IMAGE: England’s Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson run between wickets on Day 2 of the 5th Test in Chennai on Saturday. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters ngland’s lower-order gave India a taste of their own medicine on a benign Chepauk track racking up a commendable 477 in their first innings on the second day of the fifth and final cricket Test in Chennai.

Officials say car bombs targeted Turkish military

A suicide car bomb targeting military personnel exploded at the entrance gate to a university in the central province of Kayseri on Saturday, killing 13 Turkish troops and wounding 55 other people, authorities said. The blast comes a week after a car bomb attack claimed by Kurdish militants killed 44 people, mainly riot police posted outside a soccer stadium in Istanbul.

Gambian electoral crisis tops agenda at West African summit

In this Friday Dec. 2, 2016 file photo, Gambians celebrate the victory of Opposition coalition candidate Adama Barrow, run past an army soldier on the streets of Serrekunda, Gambia. The United Nations secretary-general says a takeover by Gambia’s security forces of the country’s electoral commission offices could compromise “sensitive electoral material” as the president refuses to accept being voted out of power.

It’s a crowded starting line for France’s Socialist primary

Former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, now candidate for the socialist party primary election, gestures during the inauguration of his campaign headquarters, Wednesday Dec. 14, 2016, in Paris. Valls hopes to unite the Socialists under his banner and give the left a chance to stay at the Elysee, in the most ambitious challenge of his political life after president Francois Hollande decided not to run for re-election next year.

Supporters, opponents of embattled Park stage big rallies in Seoul

Supporters of South Korean President Pak Geun-hye rallied on Saturday for her reinstatement while opponents gathered to repeat their demands that the leader impeached over a corruption scandal step down immediately. A banner bearing images of South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her father, the late South Korean former military dictator Park Chung-hee, is seen as they attend a protest opposing her impeachment near the constitutional court in Seoul A woman cries while praying for the South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment to be accepted, in front of the constitutional court in Seoul, South Korea, December 17, 2016.

Knights slay Eagles

CENTURION: South Launceston opener hits out on his way to a debut century knock of 106 against Mowbray at the NTCA No.2 Ground. Pictures: Scott Gelston A debut century to Sean Harris helped South Launceston grab valuable points for the Cricket North ladder with an 80-run victory over Mowbray in their round 11 Greater Northern Cup match at the NTCA.

Turkey: car bomb kills thirteen off-duty soldiers

Thirteen soldiers were killed and 48 more were injured when a car bomb hit a bus transporting off-duty military personnel in the central Turkish city of Kayseri on Saturday, one week after a similar attack targeted police outside an Istanbul stadium. The blast is likely to further anger a Turkish public frustrated by a string of deadly attacks this year, several of which have been claimed by Kurdish militants, including last week’s which killed 44 and wounded more than 150.

Saving ancient treasures

The Turkish Cypriot tourism office and the local council of Trikomo have signed an agreement to open an archaeology museum in the town, as part of a drive to ensure every town has a museum. Tourism office head, Fikri Ataoglu, and the leader of the local council, Hasan Sadikoglu, believe the museum will draw visitors to the town and allow them to see the historical artefacts of the island.

Sport24.co.za | Baloyi confident of Chiefs turnaround

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Lucky Baloyi is confident Amakhosi can “turn it around”, ahead of their clash with high-flying Polokwane City at the FNB Stadium. Steve Komphela’s side are hoping to return to the winning trail following a string of disappointing results that has left them seven points off the pace set by league leaders Cape Town City, albeit with a game in hand on Eric Tinkler’s men.

Sport24.co.za | Sundowns’ failure exposes African soccer

In a class of their own in the PSL right now and effectively the number one team in Africa by virtue of annexing CAF’s Champions League trophy, Mamelodi Sundowns’ ill-fated campaign in FIFA’s Club World Cup in Japan tends paradoxically to expose further African soccer in its entirety. And for those who might view this assessment from Sundowns’ two defeats in their two games against Japan’s Kashima Antlers and South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai to be in the realms of an exaggeration, it is as well to be reminded of the fact that no African nation has as yet progressed beyond the quarter-finals of the Soccer World Cup and no African club has annexed the Club World Cup either.

Deal reached that could restart Aleppo evacuation

A Syrian man pulls their belongings after he was evacuated with his family from Aleppo, near Idlib, Syria, Friday, Dec. 16, 2016. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says 7,500 civilians have been evacuated from the Syrian city of Aleppo and that he has reached out to Tehran in a bid to keep the process on track.

NWA dismisses claim that Southern Coastal Highway is a iffya

Chief Executive Office of the National Works Agency EG Hunter says that there is nothing “iffy” about the process leading up to the start of work on the proposed US$384-million Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project. Hunter was responding to a remark by St Thomas Eastern Member of Parliament Fenton Ferguson that there was something “iffy” about the project, as Opposition members of the House of Representatives’ Infrastructure and Physical Development Committee pressed him for details about the agency’s main projects.

MoBay EDM fest tonight

EBMF, now in its fourth year, has become a marquee event on Montego Bay’s entertainment calendar. With its two stages, one catering to dancehall and hip hop and the other to Electronic Dance Music and soca, patrons are in for a treat.

Miss Alia Atkinsona s uplifting example

Time and time again, Jamaicans have found reason to take heart and inspiration from the example of champion swimmer Miss Alia Atkinson. The nation has been inspired not just as a result of Miss Atkinson’s successes, but also by her determination and courage to fight back from bitter disappointment.

.com | I Coast leader seeks bigger majority to keep economy strong

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara is hoping voters will shore up his parliamentary majority Sunday to help keep the world’s top cocoa producer in the fast economic lane. The weeklong election campaign was peaceful, but the authorities have ordered some 30 000 security forces into the street in the wake of scattered incidents in recent months, including attacks on police posts.

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Four cultural preservation projects in Paphos district, aimed at protecting the island’s common cultural heritage, will start next year, following a series of conservation studies. At a press briefing and tour in Paphos, the UNDP-PFF outlined plans for structural and aesthetic restoration of a hamam and three mosques in and around Paphos.

Turkish news agency reports car bomb attack

A deadly car bomb attack hit the central Anatolian province of Kayseri on Saturday morning, according to Turkish media reports. State-run Anadolu Agency said the car bomb went off at an entrance gate of Erciyes University, hitting a public transportation bus that included on-leave soldiers among its passengers.

.com | EXCLUSIVE: DRC nationals in SA vow to ‘remove envoy from Pretoria office’

Democratic Republic of Congo nationals living in South Africa are threatening to take things into their own hands and remove their ambassador in Pretoria from office should President Joseph Kabila not step down on Monday. Ilunga Mpanga Kazadi, a Gauteng-based Congolese community leader, told News24 “we will go to the ambassador on Tuesday and ask him to hand over his credentials, and then he must go”.

Lions hope sleigh outings beat previous festive fundraising efforts

KINGSWINFORD and Stourbridge Lions hope to beat previous festive fundraising efforts with this year’s Christmas sleigh outings with a brand new Santa mobile. The charitable group has been treated to an all-new sleigh this time – thanks to sponsorship from a number of local businesses and organisations including NatWest Bank, West Bromwich Building Society, Asda, Stourbridge Motor House, Imperial Commercials, Crown Butchers.

Is Kate going to be Pippa’s bridesmaid?

Duchess Catherine will still “play a part” in her sister’s wedding. The 34-year-old royal – who is married to Prince William has reportedly decided not to be a bridesmaid or maid of honour when Pippa Middleton ties the knot with James Matthews next May because she doesn’t want to upstage the bride, but insiders insist that doesn’t mean she will be stepping back from proceedings altogether.

5.1 magnitude quake hits Indonesia

Jakarta, Dec 17 : An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale jolted Abepura in Indonesia, the US Geological Survey said. [NK World] The epicentre of the quake on Friday was determined at 3.1272 degrees south latitude and 139.1478 degrees east longitude, Xinhua news agency reported. py/

Indian scientists generate electricity from water sans using energy

New Delhi, Dec. 17 : Soon, a device that runs on a few drops of water could revolutionise the way electricity is generated, thanks to a team of scientists at Delhi’s National Physical Laboratory . [NK Technology] Researchers have developed a novel way of producing electricity from water at room temperature without using any power or chemicals.

Festive misery for travellers as airport crews vote to strike

TENS of thousands of festive travellers are facing the prospect of holiday misery after unions announced a series of strikes at Scotland’s three biggest airports in the days running up to Christmas. Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen are among 18 UK airports targeted by the Unite union as more than 1500 check-in staff, baggage handlers and cargo crew stage a 48-hour walk-out in the runup the December 25. Members of Unite employed by Swissport will walk out on December 23 and 24 at other airports including Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Bournemouth, Cardiff, Doncaster, East Midlands, Gatwick, Heathrow, Leeds/ Bradford, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton and Stansted.

Bisaya songs in Play Store

Collaboration. FPT Software signs an agreement with 22 Tango Records’ Cattski Espina and Kadasig’s Jude Gitamondoc for the development of IslaTunes, an application that will serve as platform for homegrown music.