Myanmar Opposition Party Wins First Seats in Expected Landslide
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's political party has won the first seats in what is expected to be a landslide victory in Sunday's parliamentary elections.
Election officials announced Monday that the National League for Democracy had won 12 lower house seats in the main city of Yangon. The NLD later claimed to have taken 44 of 45 lower house seats in Yangon,
although that figure wasn't immediately confirmed by election officials.
Earlier Monday, Aung San Suu Kyi expressed confidence her party would win the historic vote in a speech to supporters outside NLD headquarters in Yangon, but she did not claim outright victory with the votes still
being counted.
"Until this time the election results have not been declared,” she said. “I think everyone already knows or has guessed what the election result is.”
Aung San Suu Kyi also urged her followers not to provoke the candidates who did not win.
NLD spokesman Win Htein told reporters the party has won 70 percent of the vote nationwide, based on unofficial tallies.
Cuba planning new oil exploration in Gulf of Mexico
Cuba is organising a new search for oil in the Gulf of Mexico after four earlier exploratory wells failed to make commercially viable finds, a state official said Monday.
The new round of drilling in Cuba's exclusive economic zone in the Gulf of Mexico is set to begin in late 2016 or early 2017, said Osvaldo Lopez, head of offshore exploration at state oil company Cupet.
He told state television that Venezuela's PDVSA and Angola's Sonangol will drill for oil at depths of 1,500 meters (4,900 feet).
"We have evidence there are deeper areas generating that oil. What we're trying to do is find a way to get to it," he said.
International experts say the area probably holds five to nine billion barrels, while the government estimates there are as many as 15 billion barrels in untapped reserves.
Cuba's exclusive economic zone in the Gulf of Mexico covers 112,000 square kilometers (43,250 square miles).
PDVSA, Spain's Repsol, Russia's Gazprom Neft and Malaysia's PC Gulf have previously drilled offshore wells, but concluded they were not commercially viable.
Cuba produces about 25 million barrels of oil a year from wells on land and offshore, but that covers less than half the island's consumption. The rest it imports from Venezuela on favourable terms of payment.
Cuban crude is for the most part extra-heavy and used only for electric power generation and the production of cement, lubricants and asphalt.
Last month, Cupet said it was open to negotiating exploration deals with US oil companies.
Caicos Pine Interpretive Trail launched in Middle Caicos
A new nature trail will be launched in Middle Caicos on December 4th. The trail, developed by the Department of Environment & Maritime Affairs (DEMA) and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is a 0.45 mile long ramble, with 16 stopping points, that walks you through the indigenous Caicos Pine Yard, guided by interpretive information signs.
"While historically the pine yards were often visited for agriculture and resource extraction, few people visit them nowadays and the habitat is as much at risk of becoming out-of-sight, out-of-mind as it is from its other threats. The Caicos Pine Yard Trail is a result of seven years of fieldwork with our project partners to increase public awareness about our National Tree and the unique habitat in which it exists. The National Tree Ramble presents a new opportunity to experience the ecosystem and its wildlife, most notably the iconic Caicos pine firsthand.", said Bryan Naqqi Manco, Caicos Pine Recovery Project Manager.
Each stopping point is related to the corresponding text in the trail guide brochure, providing an explanation about the plants, animals, habitat, threats and conservation measures. The trail can be self-guided (brochure available on site) or guided tours by local ecotourism companies and local guides can be arranged contacting DEMA's office in Providenciales.
The Caicos Pine Recovery Project was launched in 2008 after it was found that the TCI's National Tree was under threat of extinction due to a severe infestation by the non-native pine tortoise scale insect. This scale insect has killed over 90% of pines in TCI, devastating the local pine yards in the past 10 years, and few live healthy trees can be seen nowadays. The Caicos pine is now listed in the IUCN Red List of threatened species as Vulnerable.
Procurement Contracts Training workshop hosted November 10 & 12
The Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Planning is hosting a Procurement Contracts Training workshop for all Contractors and Consultants.
The purpose of this workshop is mainly to allow contractors and consultants to be more aware of, as well as understand, TCIG's requirements for tender submissions and contract execution. In some cases, it is noted that submissions from contractors and consultants lack requested information which, by law, is required and the lack thereof has the potential for the submission to be disqualified.
The Ministry feels that this workshop can be extremely beneficial as it will take contractors and consultants through the process, answer questions and provide additional information that may be requested.
The workshops will be held in Grand Turk on Tuesday November 10th 2015 at the Dillon Hall and on Thursday November 12th 2015 at the Environmental Arts Building in Providenciales. Workshops will begin on both days 10:00 am. Interested persons may attend either session.
People’s Choice Awards 2016 Nominees
The Weeknd leads the list of music nominees for People’s Choice Awards 2016, which were announced Tuesday at the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles. The singer scored an impressive five nods, including Favorite Male Artist, Favorite Breakout Artist, Favorite Album, Favorite Song, and Favorite R&B artist.
Taylor Swift and Madonna both scored two nominations each. They’re competing in the Favorite Female Artist category, alongside Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez and Lana Del Rey. Taylor also nabbed a nomination for Favorite Song, for “Bad Blood” featuring Kendrick Lamar, while Madonna is up for the Favorite Music Icon award.
Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber and Nick Jonas join The Weeknd in the Favorite Male Artist category. Justin’s also nominated in the Favorite Song category, for “What Do You Mean?”
In the Favorite Group category, Fall Out Boy, Fifth Harmony, Imagine Dragons, Maroon 5 and One Direction are all competing for the prize.
The 2016 People's Choice Awards will air January 6 on CBS. You can vote for your favorites now at Vote.PeoplesChoice.com through December 3.
Here are the nominees in select music categories:
Favorite Male Artist
Ed Sheeran
Justin Bieber
Luke Bryan
Nick Jonas
The Weeknd
Favorite Female Artist
Demi Lovato
Lana Del Rey
Madonna
Selena Gomez
Taylor Swift
Favorite Group
Fall Out Boy
Fifth Harmony
Imagine Dragons
Maroon 5
One Direction
Favorite Breakout Artist
Fetty Wap
Halsey
Shawn Mendes
Tori Kelly
The Weeknd
Favorite Hip-Hop Artist
Big Sean
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Nicki Minaj
Wiz Khalifa
Favorite R&B Artist
Chris Brown
Ciara
Janet Jackson
Ne-Yo
The Weeknd
Favorite Album
American Beauty / American Psycho by Fall Out Boy
Beauty Behind the Madness by The Weeknd
If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late by Drake
Smoke + Mirrors by Imagine Dragons
Title by Meghan Trainor
Favorite Song
“Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar
“Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd
“Love Me Like You Do” by Ellie Goulding
“See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth
“What Do You Mean?” by Justin Bieber
Favorite Music Icon
Madonna
Paul McCartney
Prince
Steven Tyler
Stevie Wonder
Gwen Stefani Talks Next Solo Album
Judging by her first single “Used to Love You,” Gwen Stefani’s next solo album seems like it’ll be her most personal one yet. On Tuesday's Live! with Kelly and Michael, the singer and Voice coach talks about how the songs just came pouring out of her for this album.
“I was so blocked for so long and all of a sudden I feel like there's this channel that opened up,” she says. “I think I have 20 songs. I've written them in less than two months. It's so weird.”
Gwen previously revealed to Entertainment Weekly she'd scrapped what was initially intended to be her third solo album because “it didn’t feel right.” That gut instinct helps her with her job on The Voice, too. She says she not only loves inspiring the contestants, but they inspire her right back.
“You get so invested in these people's lives and watching them blossom right before your eyes and like you're an influence on them,” Gwen tells Kelly and Michael about her work on The Voice. “I just got so much out of it.”
Plus, she got to meet this season’s key advisor, Rihanna. “We didn't know each other but she didn't let me down,” she says. “She was awesome and funny and smart. It was almost awkward being around someone that beautiful, trying to talk and concentrate at the same time.”
This week, The Voice concluded its knockout rounds and next Monday night the live playoffs begin on NBC.
Fall Out Boy to perform during CFL halftime
Having apparently run out of American sporting events to play, Fall Out Boy will perform during the halftime show of the Grey Cup, the Canadian Football League's championship game.
"We're honored the CFL invited us to perform during one of the country's most monumental events," says Pete Wentz in a statement. "Plus it's pretty rad we get to watch the game in person."
Over the past year, Fall Out Boy has performed at Major League Baseball and National Hockey League games, and they also played a pre-Super Bowl concert. Additionally, the band's song "Centuries," which has become something of a jock-anthem, has been used to soundtrack college football, pro football and WWE wrestling.
The Grey Cup will be held November 29 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The game will air on TSN and ESPN 2 starting at 6 p.m. ET.
Bruno Mars Teams Up With T-Mobile
Bruno Mars is teaming up with T-Mobile for an exclusive Los Angeles concert to celebrate the launch of its new mobile services program, Un-carrier X.
Bruno will play a special show for 6,000 L.A.-area fans and T-Mobile customers on November 10 at the Shrine Auditorium. According to a statement from T-Mobile CEO John Legere, a special surprise guest will be joining him on stage. And since the concert is being held a day before Veteran’s Day, Legere is also encouraging veterans to come see the show.
Tickets for the concert will be made available in limited quantities via T-Mobile social media channels.
Details of Un-carrier X have yet to be revealed, but rumor has it, it will include a free, unlimited video streaming capability for customers.
Carly Rae Jepsen plays struggling singer in new video
Carly Rae Jepsen gets to show off her acting chops in the new music video for her song “Your Type.” In the clip, directed by filmmaker Gia Coppola, Carly plays a struggling singer on stage at a seedy L.A. club, who dreams of a more glamorous gig.
“Gia Coppola had such a confident vision for the music video of ‘Your Type’ that I was tempted to just throw myself into the world she was creating,” Carly says in a statement. “I was so glad I did, as the cinematic story that evolved in the short life of the song was remarkable. I couldn't be prouder of the outcome.”
The video was shot at Los Candiles Night Club in Los Angeles.
Carly kicks off a limited East Coast tour on November 9 in Washington, D.C. She’ll hit Boston on November 10, New York City on November 11 and Philadelphia on November 13. After that, she'll perform three concerts at The Venetian Theatre in Las Vegas to ring in the New Year. She's slated to headline shows on December 30 and 31, and January 2. Tickets go on sale November 5 at Venetian.com/CarlyRaeJepsen.
Train Releases First Single from Holiday Album
"Merry Christmas Everybody," the first single from Train's holiday album Christmas in Tahoe, is now streaming over at Billboard.com. The song was originally recorded by the British band Slade and remains a massive seasonal hit in the U.K. But Train recorded it because it's little known in the U.S.
"Before we decided to make a full-fledged Christmas [disc], we were thinking, 'Let's make something for the U.K.,'" Train singer Pat Monahan tells Billboard. "And in the U.K. nobody knows [R&B standard] 'Merry Christmas Baby.' So that was the idea. And over here, a lot of people don't know ['Merry Christmas Everybody'], so it'll feel like something fresh."
Christmas in Tahoe, which features original songs, some tried-and-true classics and left-of-center covers like "Merry Christmas Everybody," is out November 13, and is available exclusively through Amazon. The band plans to play a December 14 holiday show in San Francisco to benefit their favorite charity, Family House, and in February, they'll launch their third annual Sail Across the Sun fan cruise. In addition, two more Train albums are in the works.
One of those albums will be a tribute to one particular band, the name of whom Train is keeping under wraps... but let's just say that if you're a Train fan, you might have a few good guesses as to who they are. The other is the followup to Train's 2014 album Bulletproof Picasso. Monahan tells Billboard, "I love the people that are in [Train] now. They're capable of doing things that people don't know they're capable of, so I want to make a record that really showcases them."