(Image: PBO) The equity put into the company responsible for deploying the National Broadband Network across Australia will result in an annual AU$2.1 billion drag on the federal government’s underlying cash balance by 2026-27, the Parliament Budget Office (PBO) has said. PBO said the cost was entirely due to interest payments on the securities issued by the government as part of its debt issuing practices. For 2015-16, […]
By Patricia Zengerle | WASHINGTON WASHINGTON U.S. Senate Democrats plan to enlist accountants and legal experts to pore through the business records of Exxon Mobil Chief Executive Rex Tillerson, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of state, Democratic aides said. Tillerson could face a rocky confirmation process, given concerns among both Democrats and Republicans about his ties to Russia. If Tillerson can overcome the skepticism of Republicans, […]
In a massive (in a literal sense, printing at 25 pages and over 8,000 words as there is little new information revealed in the piece itself) expose issued by the NYT tited “The Perfect Weapon: How Russian Cyberpower Invaded the U.S.” and meant to piggyback on the WaPo’s recent reporting and solidify the left-leaning media’s case that Hillary lost the election, the New York Times try to […]
newslide Dubai set to become online creation hub Dubai is set to join the world’s leading ‘content creation’ hubs following the revelation at Diff 2016 that YouTube is set to open a YouTube Space in Dubai Studio City. What is a YouTube Space, I hear you ask. According to Jamal Al Sharif, head of Dubai Film Commission and Dubai Studio City, it is everything the UAE needs […]
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has advised the Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield that an allocation limit be placed on the upcoming April auction of remaining 700MHz spectrum. In advice released by the Department of Communications on Wednesday, the ACCC recommended the minister limit each mobile carrier to no more than two 20MHz spectrum blocks in the 700MHz band. “Given Telstra currently holds over 50 […]
ERBIL, Iraq — The Pentagon announced on Tuesday that a United States airstrike had killed three Islamic State operatives who were involved in mounting terrorist attacks in Europe, including the deadly assault in Paris in November 2015. The three men were killed on Dec. 4 in an airstrike in Raqqa, Syria, the Islamic State’s declared capital, said Peter Cook, the Pentagon press secretary. He described the men […]
ABU DHABI // Security and economic and cultural integration will help the Arab world build a prosperous future, experts from the region said on Tuesday. They were speaking on the second day of the Fikr 15 conference, which is aimed at finding solutions to the risks, challenges and threats facing Middle East unity and identity. “The threats that face the security of the Arab world are external […]
When I first moved to Mexico, I started working with a really cool organization called Palabra Radio, which is a community radio organization here in Oaxaca. I was really impressed with how communities were operating, owning, and sort of dealing with everything that comes with operating their own low power FM radio station. That gave me the idea to try and do something similar with mobile communication, […]
13 December 2016 HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz AlSaud, Chairman of Alwaleed Philanthropies, announced supporting the Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) with $50 million, through joining Bill Gates and members of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition (BEC) in their commitment to invest more than $1 billion in energy technologies. Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) is an investor-led fund that will finance emerging energy breakthroughs to deliver affordable and […]
By Tom Bergin and Jim Finkle | LONDON/BOSTON LONDON/BOSTON Cyber attacks on the global banking system have continued – and succeeded – since February’s heist of $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank, underscoring the continuing vulnerability of the SWIFT messaging network, a SWIFT official told Reuters. The network, which handles trillions of dollars in transfers daily, has warned banks of the escalating threat to their systems, […]
“It’s just abnormal,” said Doc Rivers, the coach of the Los Angeles Clippers. “I never even spent one second thinking about what I was going to say,” said Kevin McHale, the former coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets. Continue reading the main story A flash of insight? A burst of banter? Those are considered monumental successes in the in-game interview genre, which tends to consist […]
Sumner Redstone and his daughter Shari have scrapped plans to merge Viacom and CBS, the two media companies they control, amid disagreements about valuation and management control. The news surprised investors, who had been betting on a merger after months of discussions between America’s leading broadcast network and the owner of Paramount Pictures and MTV. Viacom shares fell as much as 8 per cent in morning trading […]
By Ahmed Rasheed | BAGHDAD BAGHDAD Several thousand Iraqi federal police are ready to join the assault against Islamic State in east Mosul, a spokesman said on Monday, reinforcing troops who have faced weeks of fierce counter-attacks from the militants. The extra forces are being deployed as the gruelling U.S.-backed campaign to crush Islamic State in its Iraqi stronghold enters its ninth week. Elite army troops have […]
From July 1 2017, users of fixed-line broadband capable of 25Mbps or more are set to be hit with a AU$7 monthly charge, to be contributed to a Regional Broadband Scheme, under draft legislation released by the government on Monday. Citing a net cost of AU$9.8 billion to NBN over the next 30 years due to running non-profitable fixed wireless and satellite services, while still needing to […]
The recent deal to keep Carrier jobs in the United States is not at all unusual. It only received so much press because Trump made it a campaign issue and saw an opportunity to record a big early PR victory before he even took office. Government and corporations cooperate, negotiate deals, scratch each others backs, kickback ill-gotten gains, and function as a career advancement funnel for corrupt […]
The NSW Department of Industry’s Division of Resources and Energy (DRE) has tasked Singapore-based data startup Latize with helping it transform mining safety and incident analysis processes using data intelligence. While the value of the contract has not been disclosed, Latize said DRE is the first local government client it has acquired since opening up an office in Sydney in June. The deal comes at a time […]
Al Ain-based Al Dahra Agriculture has announced that it has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Australian feed processor Glenvar Hay. The purchase will lead to the formation of a new entity called Al Dahra Glenvar Hay Pty Limited, a statement said. Glenvar Hay has been producing a variety of quality feed products since 1925 and has an established sales network domestically in Australia and […]
For the first time, a common bacterium present in improperly cooked chicken meat was shown to cause Guillain-Barre Syndrome. In a study published in the journal Autoimmunity, lead author Linda Mansfield and colleagues not only demonstrated that the food-borne bacterium Campylobacter jejuni leads to Guillain-Barre Syndrome but they also shed light on how treatment interventions can be carried out for more effective results. The study received funding support […]
Qatar Rail has announced a major construction milestone with the completion of all viaducts across the elevated sections of Doha Metro project. The construction of viaducts included the northern and southern sections of the Red Line and a section of the Green Line. The installation of the final segment of the viaducts was celebrated near the Doha Golf Club, a statement said. Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti, […]
LONDON A major shareholder in British pay-TV company Sky (SKYB.L) will vote against Twenty-First Century Fox’s (FOXA.O) $14 billion takeover bid, the investor told Reuters on Sunday, while another said it is unhappy about the offer. Rupert Murdoch’s Fox offered 10.75 pounds ($13.52) a share in cash on Friday in its second attempt to buy the 61 percent of the business that it does not own, with […]
11 December 2016 Dubai, UAE, Azizi Developments – a leading UAE-based real estate developer with global reach into international markets – culminated the year with an annual gala event to celebrate the success with its valued real estate agents at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray on December 8th. More than 450 brokers attended the event organised at a panoramic sea view, luxury resort with plush décor and gala arrangement […]
An astounding 60 percent of employees have been given their walking papers at Yik Yak, a chat app particularly popular among college students. The massive layoff saw the 50-strong startup reduced to a motley crew of 20 on Dec. 8. Yik Yak Layoff The recent development has been surprising for tech industry observers because Yik Yak has managed to raise $73.5 million from investors since it began its […]
DUBAI Iran may spare the life of businessman Babak Zanjani, sentenced to death for fraud, if he can pay back large sums he owes to the government for oil sales despite sanctions, a judiciary spokesman said on Sunday. Earlier this month, Iran’s supreme court upheld the death penalty against Zanjani, accused by prosecutors of owing the government more than $2.7 billion for oil sold on behalf of […]
Editor’s note: A version of this story originally appeared on Medium In March, I started a new role as project manager of elections overseeing a first-time collaboration with four public media organizations: KPCC in Los Angeles, KQED in San Francisco, Capital Public Radio in Sacramento and KPBS in San Diego. We called it California Counts; collectively, we set out to boost civic engagement while reporting on election […]
