Category: World News

American Military Advisers Have Entered Mosul at Times, US Official Says

Since the start of the Iraqi offensive to retake Mosul in mid-October, U.S. officials have not confirmed whether American advisers would operate in the city accompanying Iraqi forces while remaining behind the front lines. “They have been in the city at different times, yes,” said Colonel John Dorrian, the U.S. military spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, in response to a question about whether American military advisers have entered Mosul as part of the Iraqi offensive.

Trump Nominates Jay Clayton as Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman

“Jay Clayton is a highly talented expert on many aspects of financial and regulatory law, and he will ensure our financial institutions can thrive and create jobs while playing by the rules at the same time,” Trump said in a statement released by his transition team. “We need to undo many regulations which have stifled investment in American businesses, and restore oversight of the financial industry in a way that does not harm American workers.”

Human Cities Project Transforms Neighborhood in Uruguay

Eighty artists have helped to transform a neighborhood in Montevideo, Uruguay, as part of a Human Cities initiative developed by AkzoNobel’s Inca paint brand. The eye-catching event saw muralists, graffiti artists and painters take to the streets of La Teja to create murals on more than 40 walls to help brighten up the lives of local people and make their surroundings more liveable and inspiring.

Rentokil Aims to Break the Mosquito Life Cycle

Acting as Aedes Fighters, dedicated volunteers from Rentokil Initial Malaysia have worked together on a mission to eradicate mosquito breeding grounds, reducing the mosquito population, and to create healthier and safer environments for our communities. This nationwide initiative is part of the organisation’s annual corporate social responsibility programme; Community Oriented Health Education Programme , which aims to galvanise the communities in Malaysia into taking actions to preserve a clean and hygienic environment in and out of their residency to keep mosquitoes at bay.

The Latest: Trump hire linked to NJ bridge scandal

WASHINGTON – The Latest on President-elect Donald Trump :4:20 p.m.Donald Trump has hired a political adviser whom New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie cut ties with two years ago in the fallout from the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal.Trump on Wednesday named Bill Stepien as deputy assistant to the president and political director.Stepien … (more)

Appeal after rise in cat poisonings

CAT owners are being urged to be cautious after new figures have revealed a jump in poisoning incidents across certain areas in the past year. The latest figures depict a rise in Caerphilly borough while their has been a slight drop in nearby Torfaen.

Non-OPEC Voluntary Cuts Unraveling Before They Even Start

With much fanfare, OPEC held a press conference on December 10th at its headquarters in Vienna to announce that an agreement had been made with various non-OPEC producers: Azerbaijan, Kingdom of Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Sultanate of Oman, the Russian Federation, Republic of Sudan, and Republic of South Sudan commit to reduce their respective oil production, voluntarily or through managed decline, in accordance with an accelerated schedule. The combined reduction target was agreed at 558,000 barrels a day for the aforementioned producers.”

Cold snap freezes bridge in fixed position

Icy roads have created havoc for Metro Vancouverites this winter, and now boats near Westham Island are being affected by the cold. Chris Bryan with TransLink says the Westham Island Bridge, which connects the Island to Ladner Village, will remain in a “fixed” position.

Smacking Law Rejected, Widely Flouted – Poll

Almost a decade on from the passing of the controversial anti-smacking law, a poll has found continued widespread rejection of the law and an admission that 2 out of 3 NZ’ers would flout the law if they believed it reasonable to correct the behaviour of their child. “Despite having almost 10 years to prove the doubters wrong, the law has failed to convince anybody of its benefits or its effectiveness.

Penis-Proud Former Energy CEO With Ties To Platinum Partners Pleads Guilty To Tax Fraud

Well, the the wacky Aussie with a proclivity for pulling his pecker out at the dinner table and a very intriguing link to Platinum Partners seems to have found himself in another pickle . The former chief executive officer of a company linked to troubled hedge fund manager Platinum Partners was convicted of criminal tax fraud on Wednesday, New York’s attorney general said in a statement.

Ballard is First to Power Fuel Cell Electric Buses For 10+ Million Kilometers of Revenue Service

Ballard Power Systems recently announced that it is the first fuel cell company to power buses for more than 10 million cumulative kilometers of revenue service, equivalent to circling the Earth 250 times at the equator. This fuel cell industry milestone has been achieved across the company’s seven generations of its FCveloCity fuel cell engine, which have been deployed in buses in 15 countries on 5 continents during the past 10 years.

Mother Nature can’t decide which kind of winter to send us

But according to Geoff Coulson, warning preparedness meteorologist for Environment and Climate Change Canada, that was the case in December. After a mild start to December, cold air finally made an extended appearance across the province after about the 7th of the month until the days leading up to Christmas.

Turkey identifies club gunman; Erdogan speaks to nation

Turkey has identified the gunman in the Istanbul nightclub massacre, the foreign minister said Wednesday, as the president vowed that the country won’t surrender to terrorists or become divided. The gunman, who killed 39 people during New Year’s celebrations at the Reina club, is still at large.

Anglo’s 300-Year-Old South Africa Wine Farm Damaged by Fires

Anglo American Plc’s 300-year-old Vergelegen wine farm in South Africa has been damaged by wildfires as strong winds spread the blaze across parts of the country’s Western Cape winelands. “There’s been quite a bit of damage to the wine-farm areas,” including Vergelegen, Theo Layne, a spokesman for the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue department, said by phone Wednesday.

Libya Oil-Export Terminal Said to Re-Open as Output Rises

Libya is re-opening its last major oil-export terminal that shut amid the conflict hobbling output in the country with Africa’s largest crude reserves. The Zawiya terminal is preparing to resume exports after the pipeline supplying it was re-opened, an official at the state-run National Oil Corp. said Wednesday, asking not to be identified for lack of authorization to speak to news media.

Shuswap MLA satisfied with 2016

We are on track to have our entire operating debt written off in 2019, and that’s the first time since 1954. “It’s been a great year, with significant highway and infrastructure improvements,” he said, noting he was particularly pleased with the Malakwa Bridge project, which was on time and on budget, as well as the advancement of the Perry River bridge project.

Building trust with electors

The North Okanagan-Shuswap MP spoke to the Observer on a snowy Friday morning to discuss his accomplishments in 2016, his connection to the Shuswap and national politics. He had already had long day before 10 a.m., flying in from Ottawa the night before, which is three hours ahead.

Turkey PM heading to Iraq to ease tensions

Turkish Prime Minister and the leader of Turkey’s ruling party, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Binali Yildirim, gives a speech during the AK Party’s group meeting at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) in Ankara on Jan. 3, 2017. / AFP / ADEM ALTAN

Hospital staff set to strike over pay ‘anomalies’

Members of public sector Unison working in the sterilisation and disinfection units and the x-ray departments at Morriston, Singleton, Neath Port Talbot and Princess of Wales hospitals have voted in favour of strike action. Union members say the action, by band 2 assistant technical officers in the units, will “seriously disrupt” non-emergency surgery and follows a dispute with employers Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board.

Fire at home of pro golfer

Rick took to Twitter to share his experience with his social media followers and to thank fire service staff for their actions. Rick tweeted: “Just had a huge fire at the house, caused by the dish washer.

Ministers, but not Liberman, call for pardon for IDF soldier

Supporters of Elor Azaria, the Israeli soldier, who shot a Palestinian terrorist in Hebron, demonstrate outside defense HQ in Tel Aviv on January 4, 2017 But she adds that the verdict will cause a social divide in Israel and says the president should therefore consider pardoning him. Though he publicly supported IDF soldier Elor Azaria before assuming the post of defense minister, Avigdor Liberman offers a tempered response to the manslaughter conviction of the IDF soldier.

Liberman: I don’t like the verdict, but we must respect it

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman on Wednesday urged the Israeli public to “accept and respect” a military court’s conviction of IDF soldier Elor Azaria for manslaughter in the killing of a disarmed Palestinian stabber in Hebron, but also said that he didn’t like the verdict and that the defense establishment would help Azaria and his family in any way it could. Liberman, when still an opposition MK last March, argued against Azaria being charged and predicted that he would be acquitted.

Turkey detains 5 IS suspects linked to nightclub attack

A man with a Turkish flag walks past a Turkish police officer guarding the scene, during a memorial outside the Reina club following the New Year’s day attack, in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack killing 39 people saying a “soldier of the caliphate” had carried out the mass shooting to avenge Turkish military operations against IS in northern Syria.

Husband of Briton held in Iran fears outcome of appeal

The husband of a British-Iranian woman imprisoned in Iran has said he is terrified about the possible outcome of his wife’s appeal. Charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 38, has been sentenced to five years for allegedly plotting to topple the government in Tehran, but details of the charges against her have been kept secret.

Updated: 6 hours agoComments (0)The worst of the storm has passed.

A Colorado low dumped up to 30 centimetres of snow on some parts of Northwestern Ontario before moving off to the east on Tuesday. “There was a massive area of precipitation with this thing; rain in southern Ontario to heavy snow in the northern part of the province,” Environment Canada meteorologist Geoff Coulson said Tuesday.

D-Day: here’s when councils are meeting to decide the future of local government in Dorset

Cllr John Beesley, Bournemouth council leader, Cllr Janet Walton, Poole council leader, Cllr Ian Monks, former leader of East Dorset District Council and Cllr Ray Nottage, leader of Christchurch council, launch the ‘super council’ talks Each of the nine existing authorities will discuss the ‘super council’ proposals – either no change, or one of three variations of a two unitary model – intended to mitigate against a predicted future crisis in local government finances. Already the majority of Dorset’s MPs have backed combining Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch, although Christchurch MP Christopher Chope and several of the town’s councillors have indicated a preference for ‘no change’.