Month: December 2016

Santa Cruz County jobs picture better than a year ago

SANTA CRUZ >> Santa Cruz County saw farm jobs shrink by 2,700 and hospitality jobs drop 600 in November, typical for the season, but compared to a year ago, the employment picture is much improved, according to state figures posted Friday. • The county’s unemployment rate was 6.1 percent, down from 7.2 percent a year ago and the lowest for November since 2007, when it was 5.4 percent.

Poland’s Kaczynski leaves parliament after police remove protesters

Jaroslaw Kaczynski attends a pro-government demonstration to mark the 35th anniversary of the marshal law in Warsaw, Poland, December 13, 2016. The head of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, left parliament in the early hours of Saturday after the police forcefully removed protesters blocking the exit from parliament, television footage showed.

Peter Mihaere: If you’ve been interviewed by Paul Henry – you will miss him

OPINION: When I was invited to contribute to the Manukau Courier my response was: “any particular focus? I ask because next Friday I head to the UK as a dad to see his daughter; as a great grandson to visit the spot in Belgium where my great-grandfather was rescued in WW1; holidaying in Italy with my family; meeting with a couple of people in London about research for a new book project that will be launched next year around child slave labour… so what were you after?” Trusting me, he said I could write on anything. After cogitating for a number of days I decided to simply give a shout out to a broadcaster we all know.

India rebuff’s China, says Dalai Lama’s visit wasn’t political

New Delhi, Dec. 16 : After China took strong objection to Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama’s sharing dais with President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan during a children’s summit, India on Friday rebuffed Beijing’s charges, saying it was a non-political event orgnaised by Nobel Laureates dedicated to the welfare of children. [NK India] “You are aware of India’s consistent position.

Election Commission extends ‘Every Indian Vote counts’ deadline till Dec.31

New Delhi, Dec. 17 : In view of increasing participation by respondents to the Election Commission of India’s online creative competition for Overseas Indian Citizens on the topic ‘Every Indian Vote Counts’, the last date for submitting entries has now been extended to December 31. [NK India] The winner of the competition shall get return air tickets for two to India sponsored by national carrier Air India. The Online Survey and Competition for Overseas Indian Citizens developed in collaboration with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences , was launched on October 20, 2016.

Rahul Gandhi saying irrelevant things to ensure his relevance in Congress: BJP

New Delhi, Dec. 17 : Reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s opinions on demonetisation, the Bharatiya Janata Party has said the Congress vice-president always says irrelevant things in order to stay relevant within the party and Indian politics. [NK India] “As far as the speeches of Rahul Gandhi are concerned, his working in principle nod is to talk irrelevant in order to be relevant within the Congress party and Indian politics.

Three women win Rs. 1 Lakh at TiE-Aspire Young Achievers Awards 2016

New Delhi, Dec.17 : Aspire, India’s largest Ivy league education firm providing embedded educational programs for schools, colleges and universities to enhance employability and life skills in partnership with the world’s largest network of intellectual capital and entrepreneurs, The Indus Entrepreneurs , has announced the winners of the TiE- Aspire Young Achievers Award today on the first day of the TiE Global Summit 2016. [NK India] In its eighth year, the TiE celebrates the determination, courage and hard work of three young achievers who fight against all odds to achieve something commendable and praiseworthy.

Vancouver Island cannabis growers high on legal pot prospects

Tilray president Brendan Kennedy says the company will enter the recreational marijuana market but with a different brand and product than its medical marijuana line. Licensed medical marijuana producers on Vancouver Island are already angling for expansion into a legalized recreational market as proposed new rules take shape.

Trump tweet attacking Vanity Fair brings it a bonanza

Usually when President-elect Donald Trump pumps out a nasty tweet, the recipient suffers, such as Lockheed did after he derided what he deemed the high cost of a fighter plane it is constructing. But the reverse is true after he took on his newest target: Vanity Fair, which gave the restaurant in Trump Tower a scathingly bad review.

china alarmed by chilli – conspiracy’ in Indonesia

China’s embassy in Indonesia has expressed alarm at media reports accusing China of using a “biological weapon” against Indonesia, after four Chinese nationals were arrested for planting imported chilli seeds contaminated with a bacteria. The headlines splashed across Indonesian media have sparked a wave of anti-Chinese sentiment on social media in a country with a history of simmering resentment towards its giant neighbour and a minority ethnic Chinese community.

Can Stellar ETF Gains Continue In 2017?

Many ETF investors want to know if the long bull market will persist in the new year. The phrase “shock and awe” may very well describe the feelings of many ETF investors when they take stock of their portfolios as a tumultuous and challenging year winds down.

Businesses in Swindon wear it festive for charity

Nationwide, in Pipers Way, raised money for its charity partner Shelter – which seeks to end homelessness in the UK – with a variety of activities including festive treats, quizzes, and employees dressed in their favourite Christmas jumpers. Stephan Uden, head of social investment at Nationwide, said: “It’s great to see all our people coming together to help make a difference to end homelessness in the UK.

US two-star general demoted after affair

A US army major general has been stripped of his stars and forced out of the military after a 30-year military career because of a long extramarital affair and “swinger” lifestyle. An army spokesman says Major General David Haight was demoted by three steps to the rank of lieutenant colonel, a steep and rare downgrade for a senior officer.

Ecopetrol – A High-Risk Investment

It has been a tough two years for energy companies globally with sharply weaker oil placing considerable pressure on margins and the economic viability of a range of oil assets. One integrated energy company that has been hit particularly hard is Colombian government controlled integrated energy major Ecopetrol .

New York New York

New York City is known for path-blocking, slow-moving tourists and cursing city-dwellers trying to get past. Despite the tightness of the avenues and squares, every year on the city street corners you’ll see guys parked all week long, selling Christmas trees of various shapes and sizes on the footpath.

Guardiola fanfare shows how times have changed, says Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger believes there are similarities between him and Pep Guardiola but insists the Manchester City boss has had it easy compared to his own arrival into English football. Arsene Wenger believes there are similarities between him and Pep Guardiola but insists the Manchester City boss has had it easy compared to his own arrival into English football.

Baloch cry for Bangla support

Dec 16: Around December 16 festivities to celebrate Bangladesh’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war of independence, two exiled Baloch leaders are participating in seminars in Dhaka and meeting prominent members of the civil society to seek support for their struggle for an independent Balochistan. Mir Suleman Dawood Jan Ahmedzai, the Khan of Kalat, a title meant for former rulers of Kalat which is part of Balochistan, said from Dhaka that he wanted to remind the people that Pakistan’s action in Balochistan was similar to what Bangladesh had to face before its independence.

Turks and Caicos to be led by first female premier after opposition win

The Turks and Caicos Islands will be governed by its first female premier after the main opposition party dealt a major upset to the ruling party in Thursday’s general elections. The People’s Democratic Movement , led by Attorney Sharlene Cartwright Robinson, won 10 seats including four at-large seats, while the ruling Progressive National Party won five, outgoing Premier Rufus Ewing confirmed to the Miami Herald.

Obama says partisanship in U.S. greater threat than Russian hacking

President Obama Friday said he is deeply frustrated by “hyper-partisan” attitudes that have left some Republicans more trusting of Moscow than Washington, calling such attitudes a greater danger to America’s national security than Russian hacking of U.S. elections. Obama reiterated his contention that “the Russians were responsible for hacking” the Democratic National Committee, starting in mid-2015, and that the U.S. will retaliate against Moscow for the meddling.

Salon raided for A 1,500 worth of hair products

Victoria, Alex and Sandra Stevens, owners of Tops Salon, were shocked to discover the shop had been ram raided over the weekend AN EARLY morning ram raid on a hair salon in Melksham was just one of a spate of car crimes at the weekend as west Wiltshire experiences a mini crimewave. Alex Stevens and her family were woken by a phone call from Wiltshire Police in the early hours of Saturday alerting them to a break-in at Tops salon on the High Street.

Trump’s pick for Israel envoy signals break on US policy

Donald Trump’s selection of a hard-line pro-Israel advocate as his U.S. ambassador to the Jewish state could signal the end of decades of American support for the establishment of an independent Palestine. The president-elect’s transition team already has asked the State Department to assess how to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, according to one official, underscoring Trump’s commitment to back Israel in ways no American leader has before.