Author: Press Room

People move abroad for any number of reasons – to start a new job, to be closer to a partner, or simply to explore.But as the cost of living crisis bites, looking for a cheaper way of life is becoming the number one reason for a move.Some Europeans have flown south, cutting heating bills by fleeing to warmer climes. And in many countries, expatriates salaried by overseas companies find themselves with increased spending power.So where are the cheapest places to move – and what do locals think of an influx of comparatively wealthy travellers?Cheapest places in Europe for cost of…

ALBANY — A Wednesday state Senate hearing in the Capitol could make or break Gov. Kathy Hochul’s hold on power — just weeks into her newly-won term in office. Left-leaning members of Hochul’s democratic Party want to block the nomination of Judge Hector LaSalle to be New York’s top jurist saying he is not progressive enough — even though his record shows him to be a moderate. “The progressives stop Judge LaSalle’s appointment? They are on their way to controlling state government and neutralizing the governor,” political consultant Hank Sheinkopf told The Post Tuesday. LaSalle will have a chance to…

MACAO: Macao’s former “junket king” Alvin Chau was sentenced on Wednesday (Jan 18) to 18 years in jail for running an illegal gambling empire, ending a criminal trial that shocked the casino hub and toppled one of its highest-profile gaming tycoons. The 48-year-old founder of Suncity Group pioneered the junket industry that brought high rollers from mainland China to Macao, the only place in the country where casinos operate legally. At its peak during the 2010s, junkets contributed the bulk of gaming revenue for the former Portuguese colony, which boasted a pre-pandemic casino industry bigger than Las Vegas. Chau’s downfall…

Sky News host Chris Kenny says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “exposed major flaws” in his advocacy for a Voice to Parliament by giving “problematic answers” to questions over detail and if it will be implemented regardless of referendum results. “His yes campaign is being criticised even more widely now,” Mr Kenny said.“It’s simply wrong to insult the public by suggesting they can’t handle the detail.“The government needs to share a practical model of just how it proposes to make it work.” Source: Sky News

Deutsche Bank has priced its first “panda bond”, raising Rmb1bn ($143mn) in China’s onshore renminbi debt market in the first such transaction since Beijing streamlined regulations to encourage greater issuance by foreign companies.The Chinese currency bond from the German lender, which matures in January 2026, will trade on China’s interbank bond market and carries a coupon of 3.1 per cent, according to a term sheet seen by the Financial Times.The Deutsche bond is the first issued under new rules for renminbi debt issuance by foreign entities announced late last year by the People’s Bank of China and the State Administration…

New York/London CNN  —  Microsoft (MSFT) could announce thousands of job cuts on Wednesday, according to multiple news reports, potentially becoming the latest tech company to cull its workforce as the global economy slows. Sky News, without naming sources, reported the layoffs would affect roughly 5% of the company’s workforce. Microsoft employs 221,000 people around the world, including 122,000 in the United States. The software company plans to cut jobs in a number of engineering divisions, according to Bloomberg, which cited a person familiar with the matter. The Wall Street Journal, also citing a person familiar with the matter, said…

Russian President Vladimir Putin poses as he delivers a New Year’s address to the nation at the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don on December 31, 2022.Mikhail Klimentyev | Afp | Getty ImagesRussian President Vladimir Putin could be ready to announce another mobilization round, as Russia looks to bolster its armed forces in Ukraine, analysts believe.”Putin may announce a second mobilization wave to expand his army in the coming days— possibly as early as January 18,” analysts at the Institute for the Study of War said Tuesday.Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced on Tuesday that Putin will deliver a…

Six people – including three children – died after their throats were cut by kite strings during a festival in India’s Gujarat state, according to local media reports. The incidents reportedly occurred last weekend, when large crowds turned up for the International Kite Festival in Gujarat. According to officials, there were several cases of revellers using sharp strings to fly their kites.  Glass-coated kite strings, also known as Chinese manjha, were said to be the main cause of the incidents, and they remain readily available despite a ban on their use. The kites ended up getting entangled around the necks of the…

The Japanese securities giant Monex Group – the owner of the Coincheck crypto exchange – has suggested that it may move to buy FTX Japan.The status of the Japanese arm of FTX has been up in the air since its parent company FTX filed for bankruptcy last year. Strict Japanese laws governing the management of assets may have ensured that the Japanese platform has not been directly exposed to the FTX-related fallout. However, FTX’s bankruptcy proceedings saw wallets on FTX Japan frozen last year.FTX Japan has previously announced that it is working on a solution that will allow customers to…

There is no estimated reopening date for State Route 154, a key north-south artery in the county that is inundated with mud and rocks, Buttita said.Nine atmospheric rivers since late December caused power outages, flooding, levee breaks, washouts and landslides nearly statewide. At least 20 people were killed.Light rain and snow showers lingered Tuesday in some areas across California, but the skies were finally largely clear.A shot of precipitation from a quick system was predicted for Wednesday or Thursday, followed by a dry period, the National Weather Service said.Forecasters cautioned that although the midweek rainfall will be light, it could be enough…