Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training was both the best and worst time of my life. It was awful in the sense of pain and suffering, but also a blast (pun intended) because of that pain and suffering. What made the six-month selection course tolerable was having a sense of humor. Let’s be candid, SEALs tend to have a sick sense of humor. I remember telling and hearing jokes in the middle of gunfights because, as a SEAL, you just don’t pass up the opportunity to tell a good joke (and if you can do it at your buddy’s expense, even better).
Updated 5 Years ago

After working for so many years in a particular area, you may want to experience life elsewhere as you enter into another phase of your life. It may also be a way of starting over and reinventing yourself. Better still, you could be saving a lot of money that will enable you enjoy luxury you would not have been able to afford if you stayed back in the city where you worked. With relocating abroad now easier than it has been in recent times, due to developments in travel and technology, more people are choosing to do so as they reach retirement age. Global property portal Lamudi has therefore put together a list of the top locations to retire to around the world.
Updated 5 Years ago

Nigeria has not been left out of recent deals struck on the platform of President Obama’s Power Africa Initiative as a group of four American companies have indicated an interest in making investments in the power sector to the tune of $212 million. The four companies, whose huge investment is expected to contribute 100 MW from Renewable Energy sources into the national grid by late 2015, are Global Business Resources USA, FlatBush Solar USA, Global Resources Network USA, and Charbourne & Parke, LLP USA.
Updated 5 Years ago

Sequel to a multi-country licensing agreement made between MasterCard and Ecobank in January, both institutions have signed another deal that will see the use of MasterCard prepaid, debit and credit cards at Ecobank’s Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and Point of Sale (PoS) terminals in 28 African countries. Both institutions are excited about this new opportunity which allows cardholders from the former to transact with some 2,500 ATMs and also make purchases in over 20,000 outlets across Africa including shops, HOTELS, and restaurants.
Updated 5 Years ago

The International Monetary Fund has announced that it has approved an immediate disbursement of $130 million aid to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to help them deal with the economic crises caused by the Ebola outbreak. IMF Chief Christine Lagarde described the Ebola epidemic, which has left over 2500 dead in the three countries, as a “humanitarian crisis” that “could also have deep economic consequences.”
Updated 5 Years ago

Emirates NBD (ENBD) will price a bond offering denominated in New Zealand dollars later on Monday after releasing price guidance for the transaction, a document from lead managers said. Dubai’s largest lender has set initial price thoughts for the 100 million New Zealand dollar ($77.6 million) issue of five years duration at 165 basis points over New Zealand midswaps, the document showed.
Updated 5 Years ago

Football fans throughout the region will be licking their lips at the prospect of Real Madrid and AC Milan going head to head in a friendly at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on December 30. The fifth edition of the Dubai Football Challenge, timed to fit in with a season break, sees UEFA Champions League 2013/14 winners Real and their host of stars play in Dubai for the first time. Tickets are expect to sell out quickly and up to 42,000 fans are expected to attend, with prices from Dhs200.
Updated 5 Years ago

The world's most famous bachelor, George Clooney, broke a vowto remain single on Saturday and married human rights lawyerAmal Alamuddin during a weekend of lavish celebrations inVenice. The Italian city of gondolas and palazzi looked like Hollywood onthe Adriatic as A-list guests cruised between luxury hotels for theextravaganza, billed as the party of the year even as details werekept largely secret.
Updated 5 Years ago

One of the most significant symbols of China's opening up to theworld is the fact that more and more Chinese women are marryingwestern men. In 1983, Li Shuang, a woman from China's capitalcity, Beijing, flew to Paris and married a former French diplomat toChina. She became the first Chinese woman to marry a westernman after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.Since then, Chinese women dating western men has graduallybecome a frequent phenomenon in China.
Updated 5 Years ago

Foreign inbound mergers and acquisitions in Chinasoared in terms of value during the first six months ofthe year, with multinational companies further honingtheir strategies and expanding their presence, areport said on Tuesday. The report, released by global consultancy firmPricewaterhouseCoopers, said foreign firmsclinched deals worth $12.5 billion during the first sixmonths of the year in China, up from around $8.4billion in the second half of 2013. It also marked thefourth consecutive increase in value terms in thefirm's semi-annual survey.
Updated 5 Years ago