For a glimpse into just how insane modern finance and capital markets are, look no further than Italy’s thrice insolvent (in three years) bank Monte Paschi, which after failing to finalize a private, is finalizing the terms of its nationalization with the Italian government: a rescue which will cost Italian taxpayers at least €6.6 billion, and likely more. The bailout, however, is not the punchline. What is, […]
As 2017 approaches, people are encouraged to be positive and ask Allah for a year of happiness and prosperity, worshippers will hear on Friday. Friday’s sermon emphasises the importance of having a good omen. As a hadith by Prophet Mohammed says: “Allah, the Most Exalted, says ‘I am as my servant thinks of me, so let him assume about me whatever he wishes.” So if one thinks […]
Vladimir Putin said Russia will not expel any US diplomats in response to sanctions imposed by Washington, in an extraordinary move aimed at limiting the fallout from the Kremlin’s clash with the Obama administration over the hacking of this year’s US presidential election. The Russian president made his announcement on Friday despite foreign ministry proposals for the expulsion of 35 US diplomats. Sergei Lavrov, foreign minister, said […]
This has already changed the course of the Syrian war. Turkey grudgingly accepted the fall of Aleppo in return for a de facto recognition of its zone of influence along the Syrian-Turkish border. Instead of supporting rebel groups fighting in Aleppo or pressuring the Assad forces besieging the city, Turkey raced to capture territory from the Islamic State before the Kurds did. The Kremlin is now not […]
Microsoft’s Surface Studio offers a new angle on the desktop PC Image: Microsoft Microsoft’s high-priced Surface Studio may be selling better than expected, if we can believe a recent report from Digitimes. The Taiwanese company – which publishes a Chinese daily newspaper on IT and high-tech supply chains – reports that “Microsoft has ordered 30,000 units to be shipped in the first quarter of 2017, according to […]
The government of the United States has formally accused Russia of interfering with the 2016 presidential election through a series of hacking attacks. The outgoing Obama administration has issued sanctions for the alleged interference, moves that has prompted the Russian government to promise a retaliation. FBI, DHS Publish Joint Report On Russian Hacking The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security published a joint […]
Italy’s antitrust chief has called for EU member states to set up a network of public agencies to combat fake news. Giovanni Pitruzzella said the regulation of false information on the internet was best done by the state rather than by social media companies such as Facebook. In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Pitruzzella, head of the Italian competition body since 2011, said EU countries […]
“I just think for us, we’re not afraid of the name on the jersey,” Maryland Coach Brenda Frese said. “And that’s three-fourths of the battle.” Continue reading the main story The idea was more than just wishful thinking. Unlike last season, when Connecticut stood well ahead of the pack in both offensive and defensive points per possession, the Huskies trailed the Terrapins on both counts entering the […]
In August, US group ValueAct announced a $1.1bn stake in Morgan Stanley. Yet the notorious boardroom activist had no plans to shake up management, no beef with strategy at the investment bank. The stock, it said, was simply cheap. Mere months later an investment that had seemed brave at the time is worth $1.8bn. ValueAct’s gain is just one of the more striking examples of an extreme […]
Authored by Oliver Stone (via Facebook), THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING As 2016 draws to a close, we find ourselves a deeply unsettled nation. We’re unable to draw the lines of our national interest. Is it jobs and economy, is it national security, or is it now in our interest to ensure global security — in other words, act as the world’s policemen? As the “failing” (to quote […]
The Singapore government has invested significant resources and efforts in building up a thriving startup environment, but its inhabitants must now take risks and look beyond local shores. Jeffrey Paine, general partner at Golden Gate Ventures, believed Singapore’s startup scene had progressed well over the last six to eight years. He said a number of successful startups had grown and executed well in the region, as well […]
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey recently asked what users would want to see or improve on the social media platform for 2017, and responses to the question have flooded in. Some of the top requests include a bookmark button that would allow users to revisit their favorite accounts and tweets, as well as an improved system for reporting harassment. One of the most requested features for Twitter, however, is […]
The two-state solution would establish an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel — two states for two peoples. In theory, this would win Israel security and allow it to retain a Jewish demographic majority (letting the country remain Jewish and democratic) while granting the Palestinians a state. Continue reading the main story Most governments and world bodies have set achievement of the two-state solution as official policy, including […]
The Obama administration along with the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation have released the technical details behind ongoing cyber attacks from Russian intelligence groups. Obama on Thursday outlined a series of sanctions on Russia’s two intelligence services and officers for an ongoing hacking campaign on U.S. targets. The White House also said 35 Russian intelligence were ejected and two compounds in the U.S. […]
By Jeff Mason and Lesley Wroughton | HONOLULU/WASHINGTON HONOLULU/WASHINGTON President Barack Obama ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian suspected spies and imposed sanctions on two Russian intelligence agencies over their involvement in hacking U.S. political groups in the 2016 presidential election. The measures, taken during the last days of Obama’s presidency, mark a new post-Cold War low in U.S.-Russian ties which have deteriorated over Ukraine and Syria. […]
A week ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show, LG has already jumped the gun with the announcement of its Tone Studio, a vibrating plastic neckband that outputs surround sound toward the wearer’s ears. LG Tone Studio The idea with LG’s Tone Studio is that the band snakes around the individual’s neck, instead of being traditional headphones or wireless earbuds. Embedded speakers flank the Tone Studio’s band, offering what […]
ISLAMABAD: A fresh petition was submitted before the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday in the Panama Papers case; the latest petition however pleads the court to dismiss all petitions against the Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. The petition filed by Barrister Zafarullah of the Watan Party, states that the prime minister’s name is not in the Panama Papers and that the court is […]
The last time I wore glasses with a camera built into them, it was Google Glass. The idea, hype, and eventual demise of Google Glass was spurred on by privacy concerns, lack of true augmented reality capabilities, and just how plain goofy the gadget made users look. Snap, the company formerly called Snapchat, is looking to create its own path of wearable cameras with Spectacles. The $129 […]
Dense fog continued to affect road and air traffic in Dubai for the second day on Thursday, with Dubai Police confirming 119 traffic accidents on Wednesday due to early morning fog. The accidents were reported between 4am and 9am, with no injuries, the police said, adding that its control room received a total of 1,892 calls up until 12 noon. Major Mohamed Juma Aman, deputy director of […]
One of reasons I hesitated in purchasing a Google Pixel XL was the lack of water and dust resistance while being priced the same as the iPhone 7 Plus. I enjoy capturing photos while I am in the rivers fly fishing, cycling the trails in the rain, running through the woods, and making snowmen at the base of Mt Rainier. For the last couple of months I’ve […]
The start of a new year is a time when many are angling to follow a healthier path. But aiming towards a 2017 filled with wellbeing and self-care does not have to be an arduous journey. Chiaro Campo, spa manager of the award-winning T Spa at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como, Italy, shares 10 simple steps to promote wellbeing for the next 12 months and […]
How do big data people go about making end-of-year reviews and predictions? Using data is the obvious answer, but there’s a few issues with that approach: there is no synthesis in data alone — you have to find the story behind data, pick an angle and seek meaning. In addition, that approach does not account for subtle hints, industry knowledge, and big ideas. To paraphrase Carl Sagan, […]
After the legalization of recreational marijuana in the state of Washington in 2012, its use among adolescents increased while the perceived risks associated with it dropped. According to a recent study, adolescents in the eighth and 10th grade are less concerned about the negative effects of the use of marijuana. The research, carried out at the University of California, Davis, was published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics and it […]
Photo The body of a 15-year-old girl at a makeshift morgue on Thursday in the rebel-held town of Douma, Syria, on the outskirts of Damascus, after reports of airstrikes. Credit Abd Doumany/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images MOSCOW — The Syrian government and its most important ally, Russia, announced on Thursday that they had reached a cease-fire agreement with Syrian rebels and with Turkey — a potential turning […]
