Egypt to expand Russian industrial zone in Suez www.rt.com

The area of the Russian industrial park on the Suez Canal is to be expanded from 80 to 2,000 hectares (20 sq. km.), said Russia’s Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov.
DalshRussia plans $4.6bn investment in Egypt’s industrial zone
"Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has decided to allocate 80 hectares to us in the eastern part of Port Said on the Suez Canal. In the future Cairo is ready to expand this zone to 2,000 hectares," Manturov said on Friday.

France says au revoir to top earners www.rt.com

A new report from the French Parliament's Finance Commission shows thousands of France’s top earners are leaving the country.

Kuwaitis vote in austerity-focused poll, energized by opposition www.reuters.com

Kuwaitis voted on Saturday in an election energized by the participation of opposition candidates for the first time since 2012 and focused on recent government austerity measures aimed at tackling the oil-rich nation's deficit.

The parliament of Western-allied Kuwait was due to run until July 2017, but the emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, dissolved it in October, saying "security challenges" in the region - an apparent reference to wars in Iraq and Syria - should be met by consulting the popular will.

More than 290 candidates, including 14 women, are standing for 50 seats in an assembly that enjoys legislative powers but has often been at odds with the government of one of the world's wealthiest countries, thwarting attempts to strengthen fiscal discipline.

Turnout appeared to be low in the first few hours after polls opened but officials said they expected a pick up before they close at 2000 local (1700 GMT). Many of the voters who cast their ballot after polls opened at 0800 (0500 GMT) said they hoped the election would inject new blood into parliament.

"I hope we will have a better parliament than the previous one," said a 22-year-old Islamic Waqf Affairs ministry employee after she voted for the first time at a girls' school in the upper middle class al-Rawda district in southern Kuwait City.

"We want young men who can help turn Kuwait into a financial and commercial hub, and who can help give people their rights without the help of influential people," said Amal Abul, 45, a department head at the education ministry.

The opposition, comprising Islamists, liberals and pan-Arabists, won a majority in the February 2012 election but boycotted another in December that year over changes to voting rules that activists said favored pro-government candidates.

AUSTERITY MEASURES

Campaigning has focused mainly on austerity measures adopted in the past year after officials forecast a deficit of 9.5 billion dinars ($31 billion) for the 2016/17 fiscal year. The OPEC state relies on oil for about 90 percent of its revenues.

Although the deficit is likely to be smaller than forecast as it was based on an oil price of $25 a barrel, many Kuwaitis fear the government will try to raise prices further and cut many of the perks they have enjoyed for decades, including free health care, education, subsidized basic products, free housing or land plots and interest-free loans to many citizens.

The cabinet has approved economic reforms, including increasing gasoline prices by as much as 80 percent.

"The raising of fuel prices and electricity prices has severely hurt citizens," 23-year-old Abdallah, said after he cast his ballot at a public school in the upper middle class al-Rawda district in Kuwait City.

Kuwait, a U.S. ally occupied by Iraq in 1990-91, has relatively open politics by Gulf standards and has avoided the protests that have rocked several Arab states since 2011.

But a series of assemblies have been dissolved due to power struggles between the opposition and the cabinet, in which the ruling family holds top posts.

While the assembly can pass legislation and question ministers, the emir has the final say and picks a prime minister who selects a cabinet.

Amal al-Jarallah, a 50-year-old Education Department employee, said she wanted to see MPs try to improve health and education standards and help working mothers.

Asked if she wanted to see women in parliament, she said: "If they are qualified, yes. But that is not an issue."

(Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Alexander Smith)

Hong Kong welcomes launch of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect www.chinadaily.com

HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and institutions welcomed the launch of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect (SZHKSC) on Friday evening.

Cuba's Fidel Castro, former president, dies aged 90 www.bbc.com

Fidel Castro, Cuba's former president and leader of the Communist revolution, has died aged 90, his brother Raul has announced.
"The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 hours this evening," President Raul Castro said.
Fidel Castro ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost 50 years before Raul took over in 2008.
His supporters said he had given Cuba back to the people. But he was also accused of suppressing opposition.

NY shares renew record closing highs www3.nhk.or.jp

Key US stock indexes renewed their record closing highs on Friday due to hopes for the year-end shopping season.

Putin presents Russian passport to Hollywood actor Seagal www.reuters.com

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday presented a Russian passport to U.S. actor Steven Seagal, and said he hoped it would serve as a symbol of how the fractious ties between Moscow and Washington are starting to improve.

Tony Blair says Brexit can be stopped www.cnn.com

Tony Blair says that Britain's departure from the European Union is not etched in stone.
In an interview with the New Statesman, the former British prime minister said the process could be halted.
"It can be stopped if the British people decide that, having seen what it means, the pain-gain cost-benefit analysis doesn't stack up," Blair told the magazine.
The former Labour Party boss believes that parliament -- or the British people -- will in the end be allowed to pass judgment on the specific exit deal negotiated with the EU.
That puts him at odds with Prime Minister Theresa May, who has rejected calls for a second referendum, while insisting that "Brexit means Brexit." She's also appealing a court ruling that parliament should have a vote before the formal exit negotiations begin.
May has committed to triggering the legal exit process by the end of March. That will set off two years of frantic negotiations over the terms of Britain's exit from the trading bloc.
Blair makes the case for a public evaluation of whatever deal is negotiated. Will Britain retain access to the EU's giant free trade area? Or will it be forced to go it alone and negotiate new trade deals with Europe and the rest of the world?
"Why wouldn't you keep your options open? Why wouldn't you say, 'We took this decision, we took it before we saw what its consequences are; now we see its consequences, we're not so sure?' " he asked.

The public got its first official look at the cost of Brexit on Wednesday. The U.K. will be forced to borrow an extra £58.7 billion ($72.6 billion) over the next five years because of an economic slowdown triggered by the exit, according to estimates published by the Office of Budget Responsibility.
The independent government agency said growth will slump to just 1.4% next year -- the weakest rate since 2009.
Blair, who has expressed a desire to reengage in policy debates in the U.K., cited the example of a deal offered to Nissan (NSANY) following the referendum. In exchange for continued investment in the U.K., May is believed to have offered the Japanese automaker certain commitments.
But the specifics of the deal remain a closely held government secret.
"I don't know what the terms of that deal are, but we should know," Blair said. "Because that will tell us a lot about what [the government is] prepared to concede in order to keep access to the [EU] single market."

Blair won three consecutive general elections, the last in 2005. He was the Labour Party's longest serving prime minister but faced fierce criticism over his decision to join the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
Now he is intent on returning to policy debates by leading a resurgence of the center-left.
"You've got to learn the right lessons of Brexit, Trump and these popular movements across the Western world," he said. "Otherwise you're going to end up in a situation where you seriously think that the populism of the left is going to defeat the populism of the right. It absolutely won't."

Asahi to produce beer in Europe www3.nhk.or.jp

Asahi Group Holdings is set to become Japan's first beer maker to produce a flagship product in Europe.

Business booms at Trump Tower, nearby retailers hit by security and crowds www.reuters.com

Bailey White, 13, stood patiently in line with her little brother Keaton at the gift store inside the Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue on Wednesday afternoon, each clutching a stuffed terrier named Charlie that cost $35 per item.

The beagle, with a Trump monogram on its white bandana, was modeled on the pet dog of Eric Trump, the son of President-elect Donald Trump. It was one of the few items left on the shelves of the store, which had sold out of that morning's fresh batch of red "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN" t-shirts by noon.

Bailey and Keaton, 10, however, were happy with their score. The children, who had traveled to New York from Florida originally for the Thanksgiving Day Parade, told Reuters they were huge fans of Donald Trump, listing at the top of their reasons his commitment to reduce illegal immigration. Or, as the younger brother puts it, "To stop bad guys from getting in our country."

As businesses around the president-elect's glitzy New York home have had to deal with extra security and crowds reducing foot traffic sales in the lead up to Fifth Avenue’s busiest shopping weekend, Trump souvenirs have been flying off the shelves at the billionaire's gift store.

Trump supporters like the White siblings and their mom Laura have proven to be a boon for at least one of the his businesses in the immediate aftermath of the U.S. presidential election.

In just one hour, a Reuters reporter counted at least 100 people crowding the shop located on the lower level of the Tower to buy hats, pins and more. Many were disappointed to find the $30 dollar red "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN" hat and all campaign t-shirts out of stock.

Just one door over, a single salesman sat in dim lighting in the middle of the day at a New York City souvenir store, also in Trump Tower, greeting visitors with, "Looking for Trump merchandise?" before redirecting them.

When asked if the number of visitors inside the Trump Tower had increased since the presidential results, a security guard in the building replied: "One hundred percent."

Outside, where some of the world's most well-known retailers spend more on rent than in just about any other city, shoppers had to fight through security, crowds and media packs to enter the Gucci store or tony jeweler Tiffany's.

Rosalia Betancourt, 69, first trekked to Trump Tower two days after Trump was elected in search for the eponymous red hat. They were sold out.

When Betancourt, who moved to New York from Venezuela more than four decades ago, braved holiday crowds a week later on Wednesday, she had to leave empty-handed once again.

"It's all right" she said. "I guess I'll go online. It just has to be red."

Sari Nielsen, 71, was waiting at the Trump Cafe next door to the shop for the crowds to die down.

"I want to buy my nephew Pete a Trump golf hat for Thanksgiving," said Nielsen, who moved to New York in 1975 from Argentina.

Shoppers also had the option of buying Trump cufflinks, blankets, bags, perfume, candy, books authored by members of the family and more.

The line shortened somewhat during lunchtime when visitors turned their attention to the Trump Grill, which does not offer reservations but a $25 dollar fixed-price meal.

Trisha Williams, 50, of San Jose, California also made the trip to New York for the parade with her son Cayden, 8, who stayed up and watched the election. The two stood outside the Trump Tower with their gold Trump store bags.

"We wanted to experience it all and buy some merchandise," Trisha said.

But many of the items she wanted to buy were not available.

"They didn't really have very much," Trisha said noting that a saleswoman at the store gave her a card outlining how she can make purchases online and that she's already followed her advice.

"I wanted a jacket with a Trump logo and a t-shirt, but they didn't really have anything left."

(Reporting by Melissa Fares in New York; Editing by Leela de Kretser and Diane Craft)