An American of Iranian descent arrested in Iran in July and sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment on dubious charges has been released on bail after he went on a hunger strike, rights activists reported on Monday. The American, Robin Shahini, who is 46 or 47, was released about two weeks ago, just before the start of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, according to the Center for Human […]
When we first wrote about Chowbotics, their salad-making robot, which was then just a prototype, stirred a bit of controversy. The company promises to bring nutritious dining options to offices that don’t have a big cafeteria and budget to employ full-time chefs. But, like other food automation technologies, their robot, Sally, threatens to put a number of people out of work if it replaces prep cooks in restaurants. […]
That big hug was just what Mr. Sisi’s government sought, said Eric Trager, a scholar on Egypt at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “It wants to see the White House legitimate it, and set it on a new course.” Continue reading the main story The scene provided a powerful counterpoint to Mr. Sisi’s many critics, in Egypt and abroad, for whom he is known as […]
The annual Cesco Week gathering for the global copper industry starts Monday in Santiago. For the first time in five years, attendees arriving in the Chilean capital can reflect on a copper price that is higher than at the previous year’s event. However, optimism that 2017 represents a turning point in the market should be tempered by the realisation that any sustained recovery in the copper price […]
By Carlos Rawlins and Lesley Wroughton | CARACAS/WASHINGTON CARACAS/WASHINGTON Venezuela’s opposition sought to keep pressure on President Nicolas Maduro with scattered protests on Monday, but there was relief for the socialist government when the Organisation of American States cancelled a crisis meeting. One group of protesters tried to block a major Caracas highway and another dropped a pile of straw in front of court offices to protest […]
The much touted Samsung Bixby smart assistant is exclusive to the latest Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ flagships, but it has already been unofficially ported to older handsets as well. Samsung introduced its new Bixby assistant last month, before the actual unveiling of the Galaxy S8 flagship series. The company promises a “fundamentally different” experience with Bixby as it’s not just another assistant similar to Siri, Cortana or Google […]
Investors face a test of nerve as the second quarter beckons. The rally in US stocks and the dollar sparked by the election of Donald Trump is looking stretched, amid doubts about the president’s ability to deliver fiscal stimulus for the economy that can justify lofty equity valuations. The shifting mood has spurred money into emerging markets and European stocks, with EM currencies enjoying a stellar March […]
Self-described “body hacker” Jowan Osterlund from Biohax Sweden, holds a small microchip implant, similar to those implanted into workers at the Epicenter digital innovation business centre during a party at the co-working space in central Stockholm, Tuesday March 14, 2017. Microchips are being implanted into volunteers to help them open doors and operate office equipment, and its become so popular that members of the Epicentre cyborg club […]
ZDNet ST. MAARTEN: Researchers have discovered an ancient APT used to target the Pentagon decades ago is now being utilized by modern cyberattackers. On Monday, at the Kaspersky Security Analyst Summit in St. Maarten, researchers from Kaspersky and Kings College London said that Moonlight Maze, which sent fear shooting through the hearts of US agencies over two decades ago, is still finding relevance in modern-day attacks. The […]
By Yashaswini Swamynathan U.S. stocks were flat on Monday, with investors awaiting the earnings season to justify high valuations, and, more immediately, the implications of President Donald Trump’s “very difficult” meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump said in a tweet last Thursday that the meeting over the coming Thursday and Friday would be “a very difficult one” as the United States could not risk massive trade […]
Most are familiar with the idea of “Sell in May and go away.” Should one take this advice and sell a month earlier this year? The chart below is from good friend Ryan Detrick, looking at monthly returns of the S&P 500’s performance, over four different time frames. CLICK ON CHART TO ENLARGE The above chart reflects a couple of things; April has historically been a month that it has […]
DUBAI // A man broke into a warehouse and tied up and blindfolded the guard before stealing Dh150,000 worth of electric cables, Dubai Criminal Court was told. The 35-year-old Pakistani defendant broke into the warehouse in Nad Al Hamar in May last year. The cables were sold to a 38-year-old Bangladeshi man who was charged with possession of stolen goods. “The Bangladeshi defendant met with the Pakistani […]
To Jeremy Grantham, co-founder and chief investment strategist of the Boston asset manager GMO, the earth’s changing temperature is an investment imperative as well as a question of ethics. “The climate is moving much faster than people think, and the responses are going to move much faster as well”, he says, arguing that measures to help polluters announced last week by the administration of Donald Trump may […]
LONDON British luxury brand Burberry (BRBY.L) said on Monday it would transfer its beauty business to U.S. group Coty (COTY.N) in a deal that will bring in around $225 million plus ongoing royalty payments and grow the division. Known for its British-made trenchcoats, Burberry’s fragrances include My Burberry and Mr Burberry and it has expanded into cosmetics in recent years to help introduce its brand to younger […]
By Ulf Laessing | MOSUL, Iraq MOSUL, Iraq Sitting in a wheelchair and wearing sunglasses, pensioner Abdelraziq Abdelkarim enjoys the afternoon sun outside his house in Mosul after a day of rain. He does not flinch when a mortar opens fire just around the corner. His home is on the busiest frontline in the northern Iraqi city just 200 m (yards) from Islamic State positions. Outside his […]
Monday 09:35 BST What you need to know ● Equities starting second quarter on the front foot● S&P 500 futures just 1.5 per cent off record and Euro Stoxx up 0.4 per cent ● Investors keeping a watch on national manufacturing surveys● Dollar little changed against peers and South African rand continues to slide● Brent and WTI crude hold above $50 a barrel, while gold soft——————- Hot […]
As aged care service providers come to terms with legislative changes that provide consumers with greater choice, Thomas Holt is forging ahead with its digital transformation initiative to improve the quality of life for residents, drive efficiencies for care workers, and differentiate itself in the market. Earlier this year, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise announced it was providing Thomas Holt Aged Care with a network and communications infrastructure upgrade that […]
When the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and more than 100 media partners began publishing the Panama Papers investigation on April 3, 2016, almost no country was untouched by its revelations. Governments in more than 70 countries have launched over 150 investigations, inquiries, audits and probes into the affairs of thousands of people and corporations linked to Panama Papers. Just last month, Malta’s tax office announced it […]
With so many respected newsrooms still adjusting to having the president call them “enemy of the American people,” next week’s announcement of the 2017 Pulitzer Prizes feels like a showdown. What will the winning journalism say about the press’ value to the public? We’re about to find out. Pulitzer selections reflect a closed-door, two-step process at New York’s Columbia University, which administers the prizes. Jurors from around […]
Dubai // Weather conditions will be hazy and partly cloudy today, with the country’s National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) predicting at least two more days of fog in some areas. The weather bureau confirmed the chance of towering clouds associated with fresh winds and blowing dust, reducing visibility in certain areas. The sea will be moderate in the Arabian Gulf, but it will be rough […]
The Australian Privacy Foundation (APF) has recommended that the Department of Human services (DHS) reform its automated debt recovery process and bring back the “human” involvement that was replaced with the new data-matching technology. In its submission [PDF] to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee, the APF noted several serious concerns about the automatic data matching system used by Centrelink, citing problems with relying on technology as […]
The global cyberwarfare scare washed ashore the British isles this weekend after UK nuclear power stations and airports were told to tighten defenses against terrorist attacks in the face of increased threats to electronic security systems, after intelligence agencies concluded terrorists could plant explosives in laptops and mobile phones that won’t be caught by normal security screenings. The Telegraph reports that British security services issued a series […]
DUBAI // Retailers are bracing for a rush on big-ticket items including cars, electronics and jewellery before the value-added tax is brought in next year. Shoppers are expected to make major purchases earlier to beat the 5 per cent goods and services tax that will be introduced across the GCC next January. At a car show room on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, Abu Razak, 44, a […]
China’s Huishan Dairy raised millions of dollars by selling shadow bank products labelled as “low risk” to the public last year, only months before missed loan payments sent creditors scrambling to protect themselves, according to exchange listings in north-east China. Huishan’s share price plunged 85 per cent in Hong Kong on March 24 amid reports — which the company denies — that chairman and controlling shareholder Yang Kai embezzled Rmb3bn […]
