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First Half

SEOUL Oil prices rose in the first trading hours of 2017, buoyed by hopes that a deal between OPEC and non-OPEC members to cut production, which kicked in on Sunday, will be effective in draining the global supply glut. International Brent crude oil prices LCOc1 were trading up 31 cents, or 0.55 percent, at $57.13 a barrel at 0203 GMT on Tuesday – close to last year’s […]

LONDON Euro zone stocks opened 2017 by climbing to their highest in more than a year on Monday after data showed manufacturers in the currency bloc ramped up activity at the fastest pace in more than five years. With all of Asia’s major markets closed for the New Year holiday – along with Britain and Switzerland in Europe – trade was thin, which could cause some volatility. […]

The first wedding season of the new year is under way, running from now until March. The bridal gowns, floral decorations and catering for impending winter weddings will be influenced by the flora and fauna of the season. The same will be true of 2017’s second major wedding period, between July and the end of September. Last month in Dubai, concierge company Quintessentially launched a one-stop-shop wedding […]

Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product (GDP), adjusted for inflation, grew by just 0.9 percent from a year earlier in the third quarter of 2016. This compared to the 1.4 percent growth seen in the second quarter, according to data from the Central Department of Statistics showed. The Q3 growth was the slowest recorded since 0.3 percent in the first quarter of 2013. The slowdown comes as Saudi […]

Welcome to a new year and the pressing market issues facing investors as they look to put money to work and navigate 2017. Geopolitical surprises upended expectations last year and few predicted that 2016 would end with a global bull market in equities, while bond yields remain relatively low. Will strategists be any better at forecasting this time around? Here are the big questions that will preoccupy […]

A New York City agency has issued 55-year old Sara Kelly Keenan a birth certificate that bears the word intersex in the gender field. Keenan, who uses female pronouns, was born with male genes and female genitalia. The corrected birth certificate she received via mail last month is the first known intersex birth certificate that was issued in the United States. New Option For People With Non-Binary Gender […]

Make this the year your phone saves you time. Instead of wasting it with social media and silly games, The National staff has put together its list of the most helpful apps. Have anything to add? Send us an email at [email protected] newslide Dubai Now Dubai Now is invaluable for anyone who lives in Dubai. Every city in the world should have an app like this. It […]

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Chinese companies invested a record $45.6bn in the US in 2016 despite a US presidential campaign heavy on China bashing, but Donald Trump’s imminent arrival in Washington is among factors making the feat unlikely to be matched this year, according to a new report. The surge in Chinese foreign direct investment into the US documented by Rhodium Group, a research firm, led the annual flow of corporate […]

By Sally Hayden BEIRUT (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The screams of a dozen Syrian and Palestinian children pierce the air of a community centre in Lebanon’s Shatila refugee camp. Yet the children are not hurt. They are yelling to express the anger and fear they feel as victims of conflict in special “peace education” classes. “We don’t hit each other. We don’t say bad things about each […]

Donald Trump’s Indonesian business partner, a billionaire developer and media mogul, has announced he might run for president in Indonesia’s 2019 elections. “If there is no one I can believe who can fix the problems of the country, I may try to run for president,” Hary Tanoesoedibjo told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “Not for myself, for the country,” he said, adding that the nation of about 260 […]

Authored by Mark St.Cyr, With 2016 now in the rearview mirror. The one thing that was supposed to be included in that vision was the successful resurgence of IPO’s across “The Valley”. 2016 was supposed to be “the year” of the comeback for unicorn cash-out dreams after what can only be described as a “not as advertised” 2015. For if one needs remembering: 2015 was the worst year […]

Photo Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins was sacked by Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the first half. Credit Patrick Smith/Getty Images With four teams vying for two N.F.C. playoff spots, all eyes were on the Giants-Redskins game on Sunday. A Redskins victory could have caused movement in the seedings, with the Lions and Packers playing a win-or-go-home evening matchup. The Giants, who had already locked up the No. […]

Tucked away in an inconspicuous building in Al Mamzar, some of the UAE’s most acclaimed thespians sit, drinking tea, writing and talking. The building is split in two – one half, the Dubai Folklore Society, composed of traditional dance troupes, and the other, the Dubai Folklore Society Theatre, devoted to Emirati drama. In a large, quiet room adorned with framed photographs and awards, Abdullah Saleh sits on […]

Tucked away in an inconspicuous building in Al Mamzar, some of the UAE’s most acclaimed thespians sit, drinking tea, writing and talking. The building is split in two – one half, the Dubai Folklore Society, composed of traditional dance troupes, and the other, the Dubai Folklore Society Theatre, devoted to Emirati drama. In a large, quiet room adorned with framed photographs and awards, Abdullah Saleh sits on […]

U.S. fishing and hunting equipment retailer Cabela’s Inc (CAB.N), which is being bought by privately held rival Bass Pro Shops, said the Federal Trade Commission had sought more information from the companies about the deal. Cabela’s shares were down 7.6 percent at $56.98 in premarket trading on Friday. Cabela’s did not provide details about the FTC’s request. As part of the proposed $5.5 billion deal, announced in […]

The women cowered behind a flimsy bedroom door. One of them dialed 911. Another clutched a stubby kitchen knife. Continue reading the main story Since leaving the corps in 2012, Siatta had been unable to switch off the habits of war. He was hypervigilant and struggled to relax. He watched people, sizing them up and scanning for threats. In the varying situations of everyday life, he constantly […]

Photo Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough after scoring on a 68-yard fourth-quarter run against Washington in the Peach Bowl. Scarbrough finished with 180 yards and two touchdowns. Credit Dale Zanine/USA Today Sports, via Reuters ATLANTA — Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough sure is going to miss the Georgia Dome. Four weeks after his two-touchdown performance here in a win over Florida in the Southeastern Conference championship came, […]

It wasn’t that long ago that there were a few sure things in this world: — ESPN would continue to print money thanks to fees from its 100 million-person subscriber base. — The NFL would continue to generate massive TV ratings thanks to an insatiable demand for all things football. — The Cubs would continue their century-plus run of futility thanks to a curse from a goat, […]

By Lewis Krauskopf and Chuck Mikolajczak | NEW YORK NEW YORK After a late-year rally fueled by the U.S. election pushed stocks to surprising new peaks, investors are wary that the market could be primed for a spill to start 2017. The benchmark S&P 500 .SPX is set to post a roughly 10 percent price gain for 2016 and around 12 percent on a total return basis, […]

In 2014, Walt Disney World Resort began construction of its ambitious project to bring the moon, Pandora, from James Cameron’s movie Avatar, to life in Disney Animal Kingdom. Fans of the epic adventure have actually been waiting since it was officially announced in 2013. Now, three years later, Disney Parks has finally unveiled a two-and-a-half minute sneak peek into the incredible alien world that awaits visitors in the summer […]

BEIJING China’s economy is on a steady growth path as 2016 ends, supported by a housing boom and billions in government investment, but the mood of policymakers is more cautious than celebratory as they face “complexity” in the new year. Controlling risks has been a constant refrain in recent months as the focus of policymakers switches to taming asset bubbles and checking unbalanced growth stemming from efforts […]

By Sam Forgione | NEW YORK NEW YORK The U.S. dollar slipped on Friday but notched its fourth straight year of gains against a basket of major currencies. The dollar index .DXY, which measures the greenback against a basket of six major rivals, gained about 3.7 percent for the year. The index rose about 7.1 percent during the fourth quarter, more than half that gain coming since […]

There are two stories we can tell about US higher education. In the first, public two- and four-year colleges face increasing student service costs, 20 percent less state support than they received before the recession, and a shortfall they pass onto students, who now graduate with an average of $30,000 of debt. In the second story, those institutions have contained costs, keeping tuition increases at inflationary levels, […]

Hindsight Capital beats the market, and all competition, every year. But how would it do over a decade? For the uninitiated, Hindsight Capital is an imaginary hedge fund that is blessed with perfect foresight, which features at this time of year in the Long View column. As real fund managers deploying real money have to hedge their bets, it always does far better than any of them […]

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