The International Monetary Fund says China has overtaken the United States as the world’s largest economy, according to a report.
The IMF estimates that the size of the US economy is $17.4tr, while the Chinese economy comes in at $17.6tr, Business Insider reports.
China’s share of the global economy is 16.48 per cent, while the United States accounts for 16.28 per cent, the IMF said Tuesday as part of its outlook for the world economic growth.
These figures are adjusted for the relative costs of living in both countries, known as “purchasing power parity.”
As recently as 2005, the Chinese economy was less than half the size of the US economy.
Moreover, the IMF projects that China’s economy will be 20 per cent bigger than that of the US by 2019.
China remains the biggest foreign holder of US government debt, holding an estimated $1.27bn in US Treasury bonds.
The United States accuses China of lowering the price of its exports by manipulating its currency.
Earlier this year, China and Russia agreed to a measure to undercut the domination of the US dollar as the international reserve currency by paying each other in domestic currencies.
You’ve been dating your man for a few years and have been bombarded by the “when are you guys going to make it official?” question from your annoyingly nosy family and friends. You know yourself that he is the one you want to spend the rest of your life with, and his actions and words are pointing in the same direction. So, what’s the hold up?
You banged his friend
Everyone has a past. Apparently, yours involve a tryst with his friend, you whore. It doesn’t matter if it was 5 years ago, or 5 days ago – no man wants to be his buddy’s sloppy seconds – let alone wife one up.
You’re too dependent
Men want to be needed, but he doesn’t want to be your be all and end all. While he will do anything to make you happy, he doesn’t want to be the only source of your happiness. Get your shit together.
You’re too nosy
Being curious about each other is natural – hacking into his email account and Facebook is not. If you spend all your spare time watching and monitoring his every move on Facebook or Twitter, trying to decipher the hidden meaning behind every post and tweet, then you’re on the cusp of crazy. Give him some space – there’s a fine line between curiosity and stalker.
He’s not serious about you
For him, there are plenty more fish in the sea and he’s not sold on the fact that you’re the fish he wants to lure. Which may mean…
You’re his side piece
You’ve been with this guy for how long and yet you have yet to meet anyone in his family? There’s a red flag right there. If he’s never around for holidays and shows up at your doorstep at erratic times, he’s not going to marry you because he probably already has a wife.
You’re more beauty than brains –
Having a ditzy, hot girlfriend is one thing – having a bimbo wife who he is unable to bring to any event where conversation is required is another. When a man is ready to commit, he is just as interested in what you bring to the table as he is in your external appearance. If all you bring to the table is a pretty face, a banging body and the ability to suck golf balls through a straw, the lack of anything deeper will limit his pursuit of you to the surface level.
You don’t possess ‘wifely’ qualities
You don’t cook, you don’t clean, you’re terrible with kids and you love to spend money – his money. One of the key reasons that men don’t want to get married is due to the financial aspects — he doesn’t want to go broke trying to keep you, a maid and a chef. Why would he marry you if you’re so useless?
You already act like this wife
Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free? You’re already banging him regularly, playing house, acting like his wife – what man in their right mind would run to get a marriage license when you’re already his bitch?
He’s commitment phobic
Maybe he comes from a broken family, or perhaps he grew up in an environment that places no importance on marriage. If he says to you that he doesn’t believe in marriage, don’t think you’re the magical girl who can change his mind.
It’s too soon
We all know women mature faster than men – so while you may have developed the qualities that make you ready for marriage within a year, it make take 2 or 3 years for him. Ultimately, you’re going to have to take the gamble and decide if he’s worth the wait.
For all the guys who are obviously handsome, you need to read this and be at alert....and I am sure if you are truly handsome, you must have encountered or encountering some of these facts. Kindly read them below after the page cut:
1. Assumed to be a player- Women assume you're a player for no reason. They'll take you less seriously and question your motives the whole time. Its like infidelity is written all over you. Ladies make sentences like “who are you sleeping with now?” Like WTF.
2. Attracting useless women- Sure you attract more girls, but with the quantity comes a drop in quality. You'll constantly run into useless superficial women with no substance while the ones with substance are not phased or impressed by your looks. And trust me we don’t always like the pretty ones.
3. Amebor- Everyone's in your business and wants to know who you're sleeping with. Iya Basira on the street even warns her daughters never to cross your gate. On campus your name is on the lips of everyone, to make matters worse just be a little popular and you’re on every campus magazine. The amount of attention this person attracted troubled and confused her quite a bit. Everyone would know what you have done, not because of what you did but what you look like.
4. Older Women- Older women are pushy and aggressive and don't know when to turn it off. The worst part is the boldest ones are the ugliest more condemned cargo. You have a flock of obasanjo looking women constantly making you uncomfortable. The worst is they're openly biased towards you and will talk about you to everyone creating a lot of awkward tension and unwanted attention. Some would be like “Let me take care of you like a son”, biko does that involve servicing some parts..
5. Gays- Gay men stare at men the way men stare at women. It's annoying and infuriating and makes me want to fight but I'm not on so i refrain. Either way the worst part about it is gay men staring or trying to talk to you. So when a guy you think is straight glances at your arm or chest. Abomination. Once i got asked out by a gay dude, i had to stylishly turn him down, we’re great friends though.
6. Jealous Girlfriend- Your girlfriend or wife is always jealous, if she catches you smiling at a lady it’s almost equal to you sleeping with someone else. She feels so insecure, checks your phone, knows your plans and wants to follow you out on guys night. No matter how much you try to assure her, she still finds a reason not to trust you. 7. You attract Sugar-mummies- this one doesn't need further explanation...lol
The first person to be diagnosed with Ebola within the US has died, Texas hospital officials have said.
Thomas Duncan, who caught the virus in his native Liberia, was being kept in isolation in a Dallas hospital and receiving experimental drugs.
Earlier the US announced new security procedures at entry points to check travellers for symptoms of the virus.
More than 3,000 people have died in West Africa in the worst Ebola outbreak yet.
While Duncan was the first person to be diagnosed within the US, three American aid workers and a photojournalist contracted the virus in Liberia.
“It is with profound sadness and heartfelt disappointment that we must inform you of the death of Thomas Eric Duncan this morning at 7:51 am,” a spokesman said in a statement.
The news came shortly after US Secretary of State John Kerry urged all nations to boost their response to combat the virus.
“More countries can and must step up,” he said in a joint press conference with his British counterpart Philip Hammond.
The US has pledged as many as 4,000 troops to the region, while the UK is sending 750 military personnel to Sierra Leone.
Duncan, a Liberian national, tested positive in Dallas, Texas, on 30 September, 10 days after arriving on a flight from Monrovia via Brussels.
After going to hospital with symptoms, he told them he had been to Liberia but was sent home with antibiotics.
Four days later, he was placed in isolation and given an experimental drug to treat Ebola, but his condition continued to worsen.
Following Duncan’s diagnosis, the first case of contagion outside that continent was confirmed in Spain, where a nurse who treated an Ebola victim in Madrid contracted the virus herself.
Ebola spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of someone who has the virus and the only way to stop an outbreak is to isolate those who are infected.
Earlier on Wednesday, US officials announced travellers from Ebola-affected countries will face increased security scrutiny at American airports.
The Department of Homeland Security has ordered agents at airports and other ports to “observe” arrivals for potential signs of Ebola infection.
The new security measures, rolled out by the Transportation Security Administration, will reportedly take effect this weekend or early next week.
After the battles of linda n her winch hunters I guess google listened to the winch hunters so so sad! Am sure she will host her own site now!!! We miss u linda! Fast n do another!!!!
The story so far
Linda’s success is phenomenal. After 8 years of blogging, she has become a poster child for digital success – a self-made woman who rose from rags to riches with the aid of determination and the internet. She recently caused a minor uproar when she celebrated her birthday by posting pictures of her brand new Range Rover . Linda is a bit of a wunderkind in the Nigerian context – a single woman who achieved success without any obvious patronage from the establishment.
Yet, questions continue to trail her operations – one of the most critical being allegations of plagiarism from local and international sites. As we said earlier, the source in question in this case is an individual who tweets under the handle @MrAyeDee about security affairs in Nigeria, especially on the insurgency raging in the North-East of the country.
He told TechCabal that he noticed tweets and pictures being used on Linda Ikeji’s blog from around the end of September. Once he noticed this, he attempted to contact Linda through the email address on her site before using Twitter to reach out to her. He claims that the blog has used his content in between 7-8 stories, but only made DMCA Takedown requests for 3. They have since been taken down. He claims that has not been able to make any direct contact with Linda.
As the controversy raged on Twitter, Uduak Oduok, a US-based lawyer who frequently comments on entertainment issues, revealed that the owner of the domain on @MrAyeDee’s Twitter profile – 15past8.com – also owns LindaIkeji.net, suggesting that the two had a history and that perhaps, Alexander was guilty of domain squatting and perhaps to trying to extort Ms Ikeji.
Our investigation revealed that indeed, the domains were owned by the same person – Emmanuel Efremov. Alexander confirmed that his company – 15 Past 8 Media – had acquired the LindaIkeji.net domain name, but he was not privy to the details of his company’s domain operations. He however insisted that they acquired the domain for Linda and have made no money from it since registration. Our search confirmed that the domain has redirected to Linda’s blog practically since registration.
Ronaldo and Messi have won the last six Ballon d'Or awards between them and the debate over which player is superior remains one of the most heated in world football.
Koke, though, believes that while the Real Madrid ace's physical prowess warrants recognition, he feels that that the diminutive Barcelona No.10 is a divine talent.
"Ronaldo is an athlete, but Messi is a god," the Spain internationaltold Al Primer Toque.
"They're both great players. I see them on the pitch and it's spectacular. It's tough to decide. You always want them on your team, and even though it's Cristiano, I'd choose Messi."
However, despite his reverence for the Argentine, Koke rejected the opportunity to play alongside Messi this season, insisting that he was not in the least bit tempted to move to Camp Nou when Barcelona came calling during the summer, given he had just helped Atletico beat the Blaugrana to the Liga title.
"I made the decision to continue at Atletico," the 22-year-old explained. "I appreciated the interest of Barcelona, but why would I have left during what is such a good time for Atletico?"
Diego Simeone's side have been accused of employing an overly aggressive approach to the game, particularly this season, and Koke admitted that he has grown weary of the constant criticism of their style of play.
"I am already tired of saying that we are violent," he sighed. "There is a campaign against us and it is not easy.
"But I am proud to be at Atletico. We fight for our lives at this club. We have done so since childhood."
THIS evening, our night will be a little darker, with the second lunar eclipse this year taking place. It’s known as the ‘blood moon’.
Eclipses occur when the Earth is perfectly lined up between the moon and the sun. Tonight’s eclipse will turn the moon into a bright red glow. This will happen because the light the moon usually reflects from the sun being blocked by the earth.
This phenomena is known as a ‘blood moon’, and while the science above is simple enough to explain it, two Christian pastors have claimed the blood moon is a sign that Judgement Day is coming. They say that their claim is further backed up by the fact both solar eclipses each year fall on significant Jewish holidays Passover and Sukkot.
For a scientific view, however, Dr Alan Duffy, an astronomer at Swinburne University of Technology, said that there are three key aspects to the blood moon.
“The eclipse begins with a shadow slowly appearing on the surface of the Moon. Over the next hour more of the Moon will be covered until eventually it lies directly behind the Earth away from the Sun,” Dr Duffy said.
“At this point the Moon should be blacked-out but it will actually appear blood red. This colour is from all the sunrises and sunsets of Earth shining onto the Moon.
“The phase of totality with a red moon lasts for an hour, before the Moon begins to leave the umbra and the series of events reverses over the course of the final hour.”
Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse like this one is safe to watch without any eye protection, so all you will have to do to see it is look up. If you’re stuck inside though,Slooh has a lifestream for you to watch online.
WHEN TO WATCH (local times):
NSW/ACT/VIC/TAS: Eclipse begins 8.15pm, total eclipse 9.25pm-10.25pm, eclipse ends 11.35pm.
QLD: Eclipse begins 7.15pm, total eclipse 8.25pm-9.25pm, eclipse ends 10.35pm.
SA: Eclipse starts 7.45pm, total eclipse 8.55pm-9.55pm, eclipse ends 11.05pm.
NT: Eclipse starts 6.45pm, total eclipse 7.55pm-8.55pm, eclipse ends 10.05pm.
WA: Moon rises at 6.19pm, total eclipse 6.25pm-7.25pm, eclipse ends 8.35pm.
A picture of the last blood moon from April this year.Source: News Corp Australia
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