Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin It seems that just about everyone was in Mauritius at some point—Arabians in the 10th century, followed by the Malays and then the Portuguese, who named it Ilha do Cerne (“Island of the Swan”) but didn’t stick around. The Dutch colonized it, until that failed and the French moved in and named it Isle de France. After a war, the British had a turn until the country became independent in 1968. And while it doesn’t have an easy past (the colonists imported and enslaved much of the population, then enticed Indians essentially as indentured servants), the result of all that history today is a fascinatingly multicultural island. Everything seems to be a blend of European, African, Asian and Creole influences. The island is also an exclusive one, says Ashwin Cahoolessur, an officer at the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority. There are no low-cost flights, and some 50 of the island’s 101 hotels have five stars. He continues that … [Read more...] about 9 Reasons To Love Mauritius Now
Stephen curry 3 point
Russian rouble firms towards 60 vs dollar, stocks mixed
- A + A MOSCOW (Aug 9): The rouble firmed towards 60 against the U.S. dollar on Tuesday, retaining support from capital controls and high prices for oil, Russia's key export, while stock indexes were mixed as the market lacked momentum. At 0738 GMT, the rouble was 0.6% stronger against the dollar at 60.40, trading in a range between 59 and 62 for the sixth day in a row. Against the euro, the rouble firmed 1.2% to 61.48 , well above the record low of 132.42 it hit days after Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24. The rouble is the best-performing currency so far this year as it received a boost from the capital controls Russia imposed to shield its economy and the financial system from sweeping western sanctions. However the rouble may gradually weaken in the near term given the lack of news triggers and the fact that the monthly tax payment period that usually boosts demand for the currency will only start later in August, analyst at … [Read more...] about Russian rouble firms towards 60 vs dollar, stocks mixed
Biden to sign bill to boost US chips, compete with China
- A + A WASHINGTON (Aug 9): President Joe Biden on Tuesday will sign a bill to provide US$52.7 billion in subsidies for US semiconductor production and research and to boost efforts to make the United States more competitive with China's science and technology efforts. The White House is touting investments that chip companies are making even though it remains unclear when the US Commerce Department will write rules for reviewing grant awards and how long it will take to underwrite projects. The chief executives of Micron, Intel, Lockheed Martin, HP and Advanced Micro Devices will attend the signing, set for 10am EDT, as will cabinet officials and auto industry and union leaders, including United Auto Workers President Ray Curry, the White House said. Also attending will be governors of Pennsylvania and Illinois, the mayors of Detroit, Cleveland and Salt Lake City, and lawmakers. The White House said the bill's passage was spurring new chip investments. It noted … [Read more...] about Biden to sign bill to boost US chips, compete with China
Bursa ends mixed
- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 9): Bursa Malaysia closed mixed on Tuesday (Aug 9) with the benchmark index ending in the positive territory backed by buying in heavyweights, in sync with the mixed performance in regional bourses. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) gained 1.65 points to 1,497.68 from Monday’s close of 1,496.03. The benchmark index, which opened 2.49 points higher at 1,498.52 on Tuesday morning, fluctuated between 1,495 and 1,501.03 throughout the trading session. The broader market was negative as losers beat gainers 395 to 373, while 460 counters were unchanged, 1,039 untraded, and eight others suspended. Total turnover increased to 2.52 billion units worth RM1.26 billion from 2.19 billion units worth RM1.33 billion on Monday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said investors seemed reluctant to make more significant moves due to the absence of buying catalysts as the market undertone remained jittery … [Read more...] about Bursa ends mixed
Opinion: Biden’s Afghanistan exit decision looks even worse a year later
Peter Bergen is CNN's national security analyst, a vice president at New America and a professor of practice at Arizona State University. Bergen's new paperback is "The Rise and fall of Osama bin Laden." from which this article is, in part, adapted. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion on CNN. (CNN) In 1961, after a CIA-backed invasion of Cuba failed spectacularly, President John F. Kennedy said of the Bay of Pigs fiasco, "Victory has 100 fathers and defeat is an orphan." Peter Bergen Last week, President Joe Biden took a victory lap when he announced that the US had tracked down and killed its most wanted terrorist, al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was living in a house in Kabul, Afghanistan. Don't expect a similar celebration on August 30, the first anniversary of the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, which ended the longest war in American history. Any realistic assessment of that action shows that it … [Read more...] about Opinion: Biden’s Afghanistan exit decision looks even worse a year later
Opinion: What happens next to Brittney Griner is beyond our control
Gene Seymour is a critic who has written about music, movies and culture for The New York Times, Newsday, Entertainment Weekly and The Washington Post. Follow him on Twitter @GeneSeymour . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. View more opinion on CNN. (CNN) Nobody trusts my ability to forecast the future, least of all me. Nevertheless, I feel fairly safe in predicting that WNBA star Brittney Griner will not serve all nine years of her sentence by a Russian court for drug possession and smuggling. Gene Seymour It's not that much of a stretch to imagine this coming true, especially when recapping the basis for that charge: two vape cartridges of hashish oil found in Griner's luggage at a Moscow airport in February. Nine years? For two cartridges? The maximum sentence is 10 years , and at least Griner didn't get that. Those with long enough memories can't help but think of the incredulous … [Read more...] about Opinion: What happens next to Brittney Griner is beyond our control
CNN Exclusive: Biden administration offers convicted Russian arms dealer in exchange for Griner, Whelan
Washington (CNN) After months of internal debate, the Biden administration has offered to exchange Viktor Bout , a convicted Russian arms trafficker serving a 25-year US prison sentence, as part of a potential deal to secure the release of two Americans held by Russia , Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, according to people briefed on the matter. These sources told CNN that the plan to trade Bout for Whelan and Griner received the backing of President Joe Biden after being under discussion since earlier this year. Biden's support for the swap overrides opposition from the Department of Justice, which is generally against prisoner trades. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that "so far, there is no agreement on this issue." Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday that the US presented a "substantial proposal" to Moscow "weeks ago" for Whelan and Griner, who are classified as wrongfully detained. Speaking at a press … [Read more...] about CNN Exclusive: Biden administration offers convicted Russian arms dealer in exchange for Griner, Whelan
Under 60, healthy, vaccinated and boosted? ‘You’re in a pretty good place’ with Covid-19
(CNN) Data obtained by CNN from New York's largest health-care provider indicates you're very unlikely to become severely ill with Covid-19 if you're under age 60, up to date on your Covid-19 vaccines and don't have underlying health problems, backing up a government plan expected to be announced this week that will ease up on coronavirus restrictions . If you're young, healthy and vaccinated, "you're going to be in a pretty good place," said Dr. William Schaffner, a vaccine adviser to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "You're going to be well-protected." CDC expected to ease Covid-19 recommendations, including for schools, as soon as this week The data from Northwell Health shows that of the nearly 2,000 people hospitalized there for Covid-19 in May, June and July, about 80% were over 60. Nearly 90% had an underlying health problem such as hypertension or diabetes. Vaccination status was also critically important. … [Read more...] about Under 60, healthy, vaccinated and boosted? ‘You’re in a pretty good place’ with Covid-19
The crux of Elon Musk’s countersuit against Twitter
Elon Musk, as surely you know by now, backed out on his $44 billion offer to buy Twitter in July, to the delight of corporate litigators everywhere. Days after Musk’s avowed withdrawal, the social media company filed a lawsuit against Musk to force him to complete the acquisition. And now this week, Musk filed a fiery, 127-page countersuit—the full text of which accuses Twitter of several “sins” and has just become public. advertisement advertisement The document is long and loaded with legalese, but fundamentally, Musk’s legal team seems to be betting on one argument to win: That Twitter had knowingly artificially inflated its monetizable user base by more than 10 times its actual size, and so his offer to buy Twitter was based upon faulty data. Musk’s argument sounds familiar simply because it is. Inflated users are a point that he planted in some of his earliest musings outlining why he might try to acquire the company: that Twitter’s … [Read more...] about The crux of Elon Musk’s countersuit against Twitter
Moneycontrol Pro Panorama | Are US and Indian markets decoupling?
Dear Reader , The Panorama newsletter is sent to Moneycontrol Pro subscribers on market days. It offers easy access to stories published on Moneycontrol Pro and gives a little extra by setting out a context or an event or trend that investors should keep track of. In a case of how cheer for the economy may not be so for markets, investors in US stocks fretted over excellent jobs data. US businesses added 5,28,000 jobs in July, beating most estimates by an embarrassing margin. US 2-year treasuries rose after the report, as the market priced in a more certain likelihood of another 75-basis point rate hike by the US Fed. But the S&P 500 slipped, as investors pondered over what too strong an economy could mean for interest rates. Those fears did not carry over to India, however, with the stock market rising by a strong 0.8 percent at 1.15pm. The RBI’s 50 basis point hike in the repo rate last week and its determination to stay in ‘withdrawal of accommodation’ mode is … [Read more...] about Moneycontrol Pro Panorama | Are US and Indian markets decoupling?