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Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox for $60 Billion

Clyde K. Valle
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Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox for $60 Billion

According recent reports, Walt Disney is close to confirming a deal to buy 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets for about $60 billion.

The sale would include the 20th Century Fox film studio and the Sky and Star satellite broadcasters in Europe and Asia.

Disney was left as the front runner after Comcast, the NBC owner, dropped out of the race on December 11.

According to the Financial Times, talks about the price were continuing on December 12.

CNBC reported that Fox and Disney were on a “glide path” for an announcement on December 14, according to people familiar with the negotiations.

The Murdoch family was said to favor a deal with Disney because it would rather be paid in the entertainment giant’s shares than Comcast stock.

Image source Wikipedia

A deal with Disney could also face fewer regulatory hurdles, although it is extremely unlikely to be waved through.

Also in question is what will happen to 21st Century Fox’s bid to buy the 61% of Sky that it does not already own.

Walt Disney Profits Jump 11% in Q1 2017

The deal is already under scrutiny by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which is expected to publish its provisional findings in January.

It is not clear whether Disney will continue with the takeover if it buys the 39% stake from 21st Century Fox as part of the wider transaction.

The assets being sold by Fox include its FX and National Geographic cable channels, 22 regional US sports networks and the company’s stake in the Hulu streaming platform in the US.

It would also add to Disney’s extensive movie and TV library, with movies such as Avatar and Deadpool, as well as small screen hits including The Simpsons and Modern Family.

The Fox broadcast network, Fox News and Fox Sports would remain under the Murdochs’ control.

As well as its film studio, Disney also owns the ESPN sports network and cable channels.

Rupert Murdoch’s decision to sell most of Fox has surprised many commentators given his desire to continually expand his media empire over the past five decades.

Talks were understood to have been held between the two companies in November but did not result in an agreement.

Shares in Disney rose 0.5% in New York on December 12, valuing the company at $162 billion, while 21st Century Fox added 1%, valuing it at $62.6 billion.

Fox shares have jumped by close to a third over the past three months.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f36mebj_MWo

Expect The Unexpected

Dana R
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Expect The Unexpected

There’s always going to be something that goes wrong with your business eventually. Nothing is ever smooth sailing for long, and if you’ve made it this far without any issues, you really do need to expect the unexpected. The thing is with business owners is that they’re so hyper focused on the success they’re having, they really do forget that anything could happen to damage their business at any moment. So, if you take anything from this article, it’s that you really do need to expect the unexpected, and here are somethings that you really might not expect.

office

Image Credit

Systems Down

If you’re an online based business, you know how important the internet and the connectivity of your systems are. If you’re a big business, just a few moments of downtime can cause absolute chaos for you. In extreme circumstances it can cause you to lose some of your data. If you hold confidential files that your customers have trusted you with then you’re going to have an absolute nightmare on your hands. Luckily for you, there are people that can help you through it, and recover systems and information that might have been lost during the down time. DRaaS‎ providers are excellent at recovering anything you’ve lost. Things go wrong with technology all the time, so you might be better off having things backed up before it does happen. You can set your systems to do daily backups, which is going to be much better than just waiting for the worst to happen.

Employee Lawsuits

Maybe not as common as the systems down section, but it does happen. When it does happen it can have the ability to massively damage your reputation, as well as costing you a lot of money. It can happen for any reason when you breach what is in the contract, or if an employee feels they aren’t being treated right. The hard thing with having a big company is you’ll have lots of little managers working for you. They might be the ones causing the issue, not necessarily you. So it’s important to instill the values you have onto the managers who work on the shop flow. Try and let all staff know that if they have an issue that you’d like to deal with it. It’ll be better than them taking legal actions against your company.

Money Trouble

You’re either going to be ready for this, or you aren’t. Some companies do so well for such a long time, then boom, a massive crush hits their business and they struggle to recover. It really isn’t wise to just assume your cash flow is going to stay high for a long time, so whilst it is high you need to consider putting in the work to get some savings. Obviously, if your profit is high you’re going to be able to put a lot aside. But even if you aren’t reaching a high profit margin you should still be looking to put a little aside each month, just like you would in your personal life.

Learn This 7 Great Ways to Get Attractive Lips

Nancy Clayson
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Learn This 7 Great Ways to Get Attractive Lips

Diamonds are often said to be a girl’s best friend, but her soul mate proves to be the lipstick. Women could wear flawless makeup but without lining, glossing or coating their lips, they wouldn’t feel complete. If you want to have the most attractive lips, these seven simple tips should help.

1. Exfoliate regularly. It’s important to exfoliate regularly to maintain the smoothness of your lips and make it easier for you to apply lipstick. For a quick, at-home solution, you can use Aloette Soothe n’ Smooth which costs $24.5. It’s a scrub-and-balm set that helps get rid of flakes and nourishes the lips using peppermint, aloe, beeswax, and safflower oil. Another home remedy is applying Vaseline on a clean, dry toothbrush. Brush your lips gently using the soft bristles to smooth the rough spots.

2. Condition using a lip balm. You will never get that perfect pout you’ve always wanted if you don’t moisturize your lips. Global makeup artist, Gordon Espinet, says that you need to be a lip-conditioner junkie. Thankfully, all it takes is slathering a lip balm that contains beeswax, glycerin or any other moisturizing emollients. It’s also beneficial to get a healthy dose of vitamins C and E. Neutrogena Overnight Lip Treatment costs only $3.49 yet it provides glycerin and vitamin E to help nourish your lips. If you choose, get yourself a hydrating sheer gloss for some extra color. Aveda lip shine works wonderfully well for this because it contains plant lipids and it’s only $13.5.

  1. Switch lipsticks from time to time. President of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Ronald Moy, M.D., explains that matte shades last longer because they contain more pigment but fewer moisturizing ingredients. Nonmatte lipsticks may not last as long, but they’re the better option for retaining moisture on your lips. For only $7.5, try Revlon Moisturous Lipcolor. Pick from 24 shades so you can change lipsticks with ease.

    Image source Max Pixel

 

  1. Treat signs of aging early. The lines that develop on the lips are among the earliest signs of aging. As you may know, these lines trap lipstick, but you can make the problem more manageable with daily prevention. If you treat the first signs of aging, the lines wouldn’t be so deep and the wrinkles would be easier to get rid of. When it comes to wrinkles, retinol is your best bet. Consider using anti-aging creams such as Tazorac, Retin-A, and Avage. You can also use a lipstick that contains retinol such as beComing Lip Delux Retinol Lipcolor, which only sets you back $12.

 

  1. Master the right liner technique. Choose a liner that’s a bit darker than the shade of your lipstick. Proceed with outlining the shape you want. Use a lip brush or the edge of the liner tip to color your lips inward. Next, use a lighter lipstick to fill in the rest of your lips. For starters, you may want to use a pencil in nude color like the Bliss lip liner stick, which costs $15.

 

  1. Avoid sun damage. New York dermatologist, Dennis Gross, explains that the lips do not have a lot of melanin, which means they are prone to sun damage. It’s recommended to use a lip balm with at least SPF 15. Apply frequently especially if you head outdoors often. The Aveda lip saver with SPF 15 is a fantastic choice for just $7.5.

 

  1. Develop good habits. Many of your lip problems are often caused by bad habits such as smoking, which increases the speed with which lines around your mouth develop. Licking your lips is another poor habit, as once saliva evaporates, your lips will be left with little to no moisture. You should also avoid biting your lips, no matter how nervous you feel. The skin on your lips doesn’t have a strong outer layer of protection, causing it to get easily damaged.

Alabama Election: Democrat Doug Jones Wins Senate Seat After Defeating Republican Roy Moore

Diane A. Wade
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Alabama Election: Democrat Doug Jones Wins Senate Seat After Defeating Republican Roy Moore

Democrat Doug Jones has won Alabama election after a bitter campaign against Republican Roy Moore, becoming the first Democrat to win a Senate seat for the state in 25 years.

Doug Jones’ unexpected victory deals a blow to President Donald Trump, who backed Roy Moore, and narrows the Republican majority in the Senate to 51-49.

Roy Moore has so far refused to concede, saying “it’s not over”.

The Republican fought a controversial campaign, in which allegations surfaced of assaulting teenage girls.

Roy Moore, a firebrand conservative who has said he believes that gay activity should be illegal, has repeatedly denied the claims against him.

The contest was for the seat vacated by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions earlier this year.

Doug Jones won with 49.9% of the vote, to Roy Moore’s 48.4%. All votes from precincts around the state have been counted.

The margin of victory is well above the half a percentage point which would have triggered a recount.

Image source Wikimedia

Roy Moore Scandal: Fifth Woman Accuses Alabama Senate Candidate of Assault

However, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, quoted by the Washington Post, said a recount could still be ordered if a review of write-in votes and overseas ballots narrowed it to within this range.

Overseas ballots can continue to come in until the seventh day after the election (December 19), the Department of Defense’s Federal Voting Assistance Program says.

There was a total of 1.7% of votes for write-ins, where voters wrote in names of candidates who did not appear on the ballot paper.

Even if the final result is outside the 0.5% margin, either candidate can request a recount if they are prepared to pay the costs.

Roy Moore, a 70-year-old former judge, told his supporters it was not yet over.

“We’ve been painted in an unfavorable and unfaithful light,” he said.

“Realize that when the vote is this close that it’s not over.”

Although Roy Moore did not concede, President Donald Trump congratulated Doug Jones in a tweet shortly after media declared him the winner, adding that “Republicans will have another shot at this seat in a very short period of time”.

The Senate seat will come up for re-election in November 2020.

Doug Jones, 63, told his supporters in a victory speech that the “entire race has been about dignity and respect”.

“This campaign has been about the rule of law. This campaign has been about common courtesy and decency and making sure everyone in this state, regardless of which zip code you live in, is going to get a fair shake in life,” he said before the crowd erupted in cheers.

Doug Jones is a former lawyer known for helping convict two Ku Klux Klan members who bombed a black church in 1963 in Birmingham, killing four girls. He has never held elected office.

His victory has been credited to an unusually high turnout of black voters. Exit polls also suggest 56% of women voted for him.

After Doug Jones takes his seat, the Republicans can only afford to lose one vote – in the event of a 50-50 split VP Mike Pence will have the casting vote.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYIz9VeuNX4

It’s All About (The) Tuition Rates

Nancy Clayson
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It’s All About (The) Tuition Rates
Image source Flickr

We all know one fact that Singapore education system is the best education system in the world. With so many countries students of Singapore have shown that they have the spark to achieve something new and the hunger to achieve more. Due to an increasing population, the organizations and institutions for studies have increased drastically. This has increased and also introduced a lot of new categories of job opportunities in the society and one of them which is growing a lot these days is the Tuition centers which are also known as coaching centers. In this article, we are going to discuss about the need and importance of tuition centers and what should be the tuition rates that one should have in their centers.

The need of tuition centers is best explained by those who fail to cope up with the class and also by those who want to get the answers to each question before anyone else in the class. Irrespective of the fact that a child is brilliant or dull these centers are filled with students of all calibers. These centers are used in basically and broadly in 2 ways. First is used by those people who have a good IQ and they want to either learn more or get better in what they want and secondly is used by those who have the scope to improve a lot.

The rates of tuition center depend upon many small factors inclusive of the strength of each class, reputation that the teacher holds, liking of students and ease of flexible timing. One who provides all these things will charge more. Moreover, there are 2 types of tuitions that are basically known. One is the home or private tuitions and the second is the public or class tuitions. In the first category, the tuition teacher comes to the house of its student and teaches them there.

Now going to the second category of the tuition centers, it is the general one where students of different institutions come and study together. There is a complete class of a few students ranging from 10 to 100 students at once.

The number of classes per month, duration of study, the category of tuition and a few other factors clubbed together can tell the amount which is charged by the teacher. Apart from this sometimes the standard in which the child studies also makes a difference. It is hard to teach a tiny taught than an elder student.

Now when it comes to the 1-to-1 which means private home tuitions then we have the best teachers that you could ever get. We are proficient in our work and the teachers are expert and are thorough with what they are teaching. We provide these teachers at the best time according to you and at the best rates that you prefer. We have male and female teachers which will erase all the problems of having a teacher at your home. Everything is at your ease with just one click from you. Get your child the best home tuitions so that he/she outshines everybody in the class. To get the best out of them you can hire experts from our institution. We are having a fat chart from which you can choose the best offer for you and your child. We are ready to help your child get the best coaching in all of the Singapore. If you still doubt on the experts of our coaching center you can call us at the given number to arrange a demo class. We will give you complete satisfaction and your child a complete ambiance of study at your doorsteps. The private classes have their own advantages in which the prominent ones are the full of attention devoted to just one student and that is your child. We would produce sample papers, test sheets, and the results will be in front of you without any tampering or delay.

It is easy and you have all the power, it would be easy to keep a check on your child on what he/she is studying and it will give us the leverage of telling you the progress report of your child each day or every couple of days. There is an ease where our teachers can undergo the process of evaluating your child in front of you. We have a complete panel of teachers including experienced teachers of almost all the subjects which are having a good reputation and degrees of their expertise. Investing in us will give you the best output and trust us when we tell you this, your child will be in good hands.

Health Diseases from Fleas and How to Prevent Them

Nancy Clayson
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Health Diseases from Fleas and How to Prevent Them
©otsnews.co.uk

Headnote

Flea comes in tiny packages, which doesn’t lessen their menace even a bit. A flea bite may be just a small irritation, but if the insects carry any diseases, they will transmit them to your body. Some of them are not only unwell conditions, but also fatal strikes.

Below are some problems your pets and you may catch if there are flea around. To get rid of the threats, look at the solutions for some ways to keep the insect away from your family.

Diseases You May Contract Due to Flea Exposure

Plague

You are not misreading; this is precisely the plague causes the annihilation of more than a third of European population in the Middle Ages. Nowadays, there are specific medicines and remedies against the disease and human no longer die because of it. However, it is still a severe threat to our health.

©youtube.com

Plague is transmitted between animals and humans by the bite of infected fleas. Mice are the most common carrier of the pandemic since their fur can contain a large number of the insect, both eggs, and adults. Still, your cats and dogs can be infected and bring the bacteria to your respiratory system when you play with them.

Murine Typhus

The disease is also caused by flea living in animal’s fur, which is mainly rats’. Your cat may be the carrier if you let him chase the mice often and then cuddle him. Murine Typhus gets into your body through flea bites. The bitten area would be itchy, and scratching will facilitate the disease acquisition.

Check for these symptoms: a headache, fever, nausea, and body aches if you think you have caught the disease. After five or six days, a rash will start from your body trunk and spreads to your limbs.

The disease can be treated by antibiotics if you see a doctor in time. If you don’t the condition will stay for long and cause much trouble. People with diabetes, kidney problems, and are alcoholic will have more severe symptoms than others.

Mycoplasma Haemofelis

The disease can be transmitted to cats through infected flea or mosquito, causing the symptoms of fever and anemia. Usually, the human is not affected by mycoplasma haemofelis, but there are proofs that it can harm our bodies if our immune systems are compromised.

The disease causes blood cell destruction in cats since it hassles with the immune system of your pet. In the worst cases, treatment for your cat will take four to six weeks with blood transfusion and antibiotics.

Tapeworms

©wikipedia.org

The disgusting tapeworms can occupy in adult flea, then move into the intestine of dogs and cats. They can get into the human body, too. Cat eating infected mice are the most likely to swallow the loathsome parasites.

Few cases have shown their appearance in adults, but children have tapeworms more often. Treating them is easy, though, just by a drug named praziquantel.

Cat Scratch Disease

Specific studies show that cats are usually exposed to flea at some points in their life. Some never get sick from the bug; some may have severe symptoms like vomiting, seeming lethargic, swollen lymph nodes, having red eyes, etc.

The disease can be transmitted to people when the infected cat scratches or bites the person playing with it. In some rare cases, the condition may affect human brain, eyes, and other internal organs.

Preventing Flea Bites on Humans

There are several methods to get rid of flea, such as:

  1. Make a lemon spray. By spraying all the corner of your house and your pet with the aroma, you can keep flea away. Besides, it is a calming and comfortable smell.
  2. Buy a diffuser and bless your sweet home with the aromas of lavender, cedar woods, or peppermint. Applying lotions of the scents can prevent flea exposure, too.
  3. Keep the bug away by killing the main carrier: rats. If you are searching for a good mouse poison, go to the nearest grocery store. People there will know what you should have to annihilate the hateful animals.
  4. Use an effective flea fogger to kill the loathsome insects right when you see them. Common insecticide will work, too. However, check the labels carefully to avoid health hazard from the flea fogger.
  5. Let some nematodes live in your yard. The beneficial worms feed in fleas, so the number of the bug will reduce massively with the appearance of the new species. Beautiful ladybugs can be an alternative. You should go the nearest garden center to seek a flea predator which can work well in your local climate.
  6. Bath your pets and take them to the vet regularly to check for any signs of fleas. If they have the bug on, you can use some flea drop and avoid playing with them until the problem is solved.

Last words

Flea is a threat to pet and human’s well-being. You should consider the above measures to find the best way to get rid of the bug.

If you have any other ideas about the solutions, or you have coped with the problems and solved it, please let us know. We are always ready to share your information to people.

Gold Is In Style This Wedding Season—You Know What Else Is Golden? A Honeymoon Registry

Dana R
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Gold Is In Style This Wedding Season—You Know What Else Is Golden? A Honeymoon Registry

The Effect Of Color

Technology is a double-edged sword that certainly has its advantages, but also some negative fallouts—like an increase in technology-related health conditions. Part of this is incidental, but strange as it sounds, part of it is by design. The flicker rate of old televisions was designed with a specific purpose in mind.

Soon things became colorized, and here, too, an archetypal aspect of human psychology became affected. People are more interested in rich, visually satisfying hues. So Technicolor made an effort to provide this sought richness. But the truth is, no image, no film, and no technology can replicate the real thing.

marriage

Accordingly, when you’re choosing the color scheme of your wedding, you want it to reflect your passion for the occasion, and the longevity that will be associated with it. For extreme flavor, and longevity, honey has an archetypal quality. It is golden, it lasts perpetually, and it has a deep sweetness to it.

A honey gold is visually, aesthetically, and appropriately pleasing for many wedding ceremonies. This honeyed innovation is beginning to characterize more and more bridesmaid color schemes, as well as those which define other members in a given wedding party.

Dresses And Resources

You can find gold bridesmaid dresses & gold gowns | Azazie has in their offer. This hue will add a touch of glitz and glamour to your wedding since it’s a standout trend for bridesmaid dresses this year.

Speaking of bling, you’re going to need resources for your honeymoon after the ceremony. It is very important to have a memorable vacation with your new spouse. You need to be together, have an adventure, and take in the new reality you’ve become part of.

wedding-rings

You’re going to have hard times, and you’re going to have grand times—that’s life. Amplification often defines the married situation—and this is a good thing. Both parties become stronger, more secure, and more dependable all around. Still, if you can avoid some of the hardships pertaining to money during the honeymoon, that’s a good idea.

One online solution to help you with your honeymoon is HoneyFund. This is a crowdfunding platform squarely aimed at assisting newlyweds in their honeymoon endeavors. It has been very successful, and is a perfect way for friends and family to show their support of your new marriage.

Fully Experiencing The Big Day

The truth is, even established couples will experience some adjustment in the new life, and that’s perfectly natural. Anticipating this, and preparing for it in a financial way through solutions like crowdfunding, can help defray unnecessary difficulties.

Something else you can do to increase the sweetness of your honeyed matrimony is to plan the ceremony out as far in advance as it’s feasible to. Additionally, you want to book vendors, get wardrobe squared away, source transportation, send out the invitations, and all those other necessary things as soon as you can.

This way you can get a better idea of the total cost, and defray a great deal of it. You can additionally increase the celebratory nature of the occasion. A wedding is something to remember, to cherish, and to experience. You are able to be more fully in the moment if you have the least amount of stress tickling the back of your mind.

So don’t let the bee stings of financial realities detract from the sweetness of your new life expansion. Plan in advance, look into creative funding solutions, and find the right color scheme to fully silhouette the final day.

Charles Jenkins: US Army Sergeant Who Defected to North Korea Dies in Japan Aged 77

Diane A. Wade
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Charles Jenkins: US Army Sergeant Who Defected to North Korea Dies in Japan Aged 77

Former US Army Sergeant Charles Jenkins, who defected to North Korea and became Pyongyang’s prisoner for nearly 40 years, has died at the age of 77.

Charles Jenkins lived in Japan where he had settled with his family after his 2004 release.

He was among four US soldiers who defected in the 1960s and later became North Korean film stars, but was the only one who was released.

The other three soldiers reportedly died in North Korea, including James Dresnok who was said to have died of a stroke in 2016.

Charles Jenkins died on Sado island on December 11, where he was living with his wife Hitomi Soga, also a former prisoner of North Korea.

According to Japanese media, Charles Jenkins collapsed outside his home and later died of heart problems in hospital. His wife said in a statement that she was “very surprised” by his death and “cannot think of anything”, according to AFP.

Charles Jenkins had led an extraordinary but also difficult life in North Korea, which he would later chronicle in a memoir and several interviews.

In 1965, while stationed with the US Army in South Korea by the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Charles Jenkins decided to abandon his unit and defect to North Korea, fearing he would be killed in patrols or sent to fight in the Vietnam War.

He said he thought that once in North Korea, he could seek asylum with the Russian embassy, and eventually return to the US in a prisoner swap.

Image source Wikimedia

North Korean Soldier Shot While Defecting to South Korea

Thae Yong-ho: Top North Korean Diplomat Defects to South Korea

One January night, Charles Jenkins said he downed several beers, walked across the DMZ, and surrendered to North Korean soldiers there. He was only 24 years old.

However, Russia did not grant him or the other Americans asylum. Instead, they were held as prisoners by the North Koreans.

In a 2005 interview with CBS, Charles Jenkins said: “Thinking back now, I was a fool. If there’s a God in the heaven, he carried me through it.”

The men were forced to study the teachings of then-leader Kim Il-sung; did translation work; and taught English. However, they also became minor celebrities when they acted in North Korean propaganda films, starring as Western villains.

Charles Jenkins said his captors often beat him, and conducted medical procedures on him that were sometimes unnecessary or brutal, including cutting off a US Army tattoo without anesthesia, an experience which Charles Jenkins had described as “hell”.

In 1980, he was forced to marry a Japanese woman abducted to teach North Korean spies her language.

The couple had two daughters, Mika and Brinda. Charles Jenkins said that as foreign prisoners, they were treated better than ordinary North Koreans and given rations, even during the famine that swept North Korea in the 1990s.

In 2002, his wife was freed after negotiations by the Japanese government. Pyongyang then allowed Charles Jenkins to leave two years later, along with their daughters.

The family reunited under intense scrutiny from the press in Japan, where there was widespread sympathy.

In Japan, Charles Jenkins surrendered to the US Army, almost four decades after he had defected, and was court-martialled.

He was eventually given a 30-day prison sentence, and a dishonorable discharge.

The family settled in Sado island Charles Jenkins eventually found work as a greeter in a tourist park.

However, he had to cope with the culture shock of adapting to the modern world, after spending so many years in an isolated country.

He claimed he had never touched a computer, let alone used the internet, and was surprised to see many women serving in the army as well as black people working as policemen, according to CBS.

Charles Jenkins also suffered from lingering complications from medical procedures he received in North Korea and had to be hospitalized after his release, he told the Los Angeles Times in one of his last media interviews published in August.

Even while living in freedom, Charles Jenkins still remained afraid of his former captors, and was constantly worried that he or his family would eventually be assassinated.

Donald Trump Harassment Accusers Want Congress to Investigate Him

Nancy Clayson
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Donald Trump Harassment Accusers Want Congress to Investigate Him

Three of President Donald Trump’s harassment accusers have demanded a congressional inquiry.

At a New York City news conference, Jessica Leeds, Samantha Holvey and Rachel Crooks accused President Trump of groping, fondling, forcibly kissing, humiliating or harassing them.

The trio detailed their allegations shortly beforehand live on TV.

However, the White House said the women were making “false claims”.

The December 11 press conference was organized by Brave New Films, which last month released a documentary, 16 Women and Donald Trump, about the claims made by multiple women.

Image source Flickr

Donald Trump Rejects Fresh Claims of Assault from Kristin Anderson and Summer Zervos

List of Women Accusing Donald Trump of Inappropriate Contact

Jessica Leeds, Samantha Holvey and Rachel Crooks originally went public separately with their allegations a month before last year’s presidential election.

The claims have been given a new lease of life by the harassment scandals that have engulfed high-profile public figures since October’s fall of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

On December 11, Samantha Holvey told NBC News that Donald Trump had ogled her and other competitors in 2006 at the Miss USA beauty pageant, which he owned.

The former Miss North Carolina, who was 20-years-old at the time, said “he lined all of us up” and was “just looking me over like I was just a piece of meat”.

“It left me feeling very gross,” Samantha Holvey told Megyn Kelly.

She later told the reporters: “They’ve investigated other Congress members, so I think it only stands fair that he [President Trump] is investigated as well

“This isn’t a partisan issue, this is, how women are treated every day.”

Jessica Leeds, now in her 70s, says that when she was 38 she sat next to Donald Trump in the first-class cabin of a flight to New York and he assaulted her.

She said: “He jumped all over me.”

Jessica Leeds said she came forward because: “I wanted people to know what kind of person Trump really is, and what a pervert he is.”

Rachel Crooks said she was kissed on the lips by Donald Trump outside a lift in Trump Tower when she was a 22-year-old receptionist at a real estate company there.

The White House said on December 11: “These false claims, totally disputed in most cases by eyewitness accounts, were addressed at length during last year’s campaign, and the American people voiced their judgment by delivering a decisive victory.

“The timing and absurdity of these false claims speaks volumes and the publicity tour that has begun only further confirms the political motives behind them.”

President Trump rejected such allegations last year and vowed to sue the accusers, though no lawsuit has yet been filed.

However, over the weekend President Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said his accusers “should be heard”.

Speaking to CBS News, Nikki Haley said she was “incredibly proud of the women who have come forward”.

Meanwhile, three Democratic senators – Cory Booker of New Jersey, Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York – called on President Trump to resign over the allegations.

Traveling Overseas May Require Vaccinations — Or Not — It Depends

Nancy Clayson
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When Donald Trump claimed, in the second Republican debate, that vaccines may be linked to autism, he stirred a dispute that began in 1998 and had long been debunked.

Such is the way of the Republican party. Dig up old and discredited arguments. Dust them off and present them as shiny and new.

The approach may not be as harmful when it comes to economic policy, but when it comes to something as potentially life-saving — and life-threatening — as vaccines, then Trump needs to get up-to-date.

The scene of Trump talking about vaccines and autism was unsettlingly familiar.

Many infectious disease specialists have spent their career trying to reveal the lie in the contention that shots can cause severe medical conditions.

A Money Grab?

Years ago, an American traveling overseas would be shown a diagram of where vaccinations were a must. The map designated every country in blue as being one that a visitor must have injections to travel safely.  At the same time, Europeans going overseas were also shown a similar representation.

There were just two differences. On the American’s map, every country was shaded blue except the USA. The European tourist’s guide showed every nation in blue — except Europe.

A conspiracy theorist would enjoy explaining the international drive for inoculations —  when people travel. You may not be a conspiracy theorist but don’t ignore the idea that all travel vaccinations are suggested with something other than health being the top priority.

Travel anywhere requires documentation that the visitor has had their travel vaccinations. Written evidence of immunization can even be drilled down to the level of what region in which a person traveled. For instance, if a person has just visited a nation with a yellow fever concern — which includes much of South America, they may be obligated to show evidence of vaccination before entering another later. It is seldom asked for, except for yellow fever, but sometimes needed.

Vaccine Or Not To Vaccine

Dr. Randall Neustaedter, the author of The Vaccine Guide, offers three simple prerequisites in deciding about travel vaccines: risk, potential vs. likelihood and efficiency.

Risk

Determine which illnesses you may be at risk for in the area you are traveling. Some nations require proof, but most only recommend and don’t require. The latest vaccine recommendations can be found on the official CDC website.

Potential vs. Likelihood

Think about the likelihood of catching an illness compared to possible side effects of a vaccine. While it doesn’t make sense to get an unneeded vaccine, determine if the risks outweigh the shot.

Efficiency

Consider the efficacy rate of the vaccine you’re studying. It’s simple. What can you catch? How likely are you to catch it and what are the side effects?

Neustaedter says Hepatitis A, typhoid, and yellow fever are the three usually considered for travel vaccinations.

Hepatitis A

A viral infection affecting the liver. Rarely fatal and doesn’t cause chronic illness. Commonly acquired by consuming contaminated water, rice or raw foods.

Typhoid

Contracted through water contaminated by sewage. Typhoid is most often acquired in underdeveloped tropical areas of Latin America and Africa.

Yellow Fever

A severe viral disease transmitted between humans via mosquitoes. The sickness is fatal if not treated. Over 100 nations require proof of vaccination for yellow fever below entering — even layovers which last more than twelve hours.

Considerations For Vaccinations Prior To Overseas Travel

Pregnancy

Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccines should be given during pregnancy irredgardless of the woman’s travel plans. The CDC recommends  vaccinations if f a travel itinerary is fixed and specific regions cannot be avoided. The risks for exposure are often believed to outweigh the risks of vaccination.

Children

Vaccinating children for travel requires serious consideration. When possible, children should complete the routine immunizations of childhood on a regular schedule. Travel at a younger age may demand an accelerated timetable of shots and the CDC says not all travel-related shots are useful in infants.  In fact, some are specifically contraindicated.

Elderly

Vaccines.gov suggests those over 65 often need one or more vaccines, including:

Influenza (Flu)

Shingles (Herpes Zoster)

Diphtheria

Tetanus

Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Pneumococcal disease (Pneumonia)

Compromised Immune System

The CDC Travelers Health site lists what vaccines are recommended based on the destination for those with autoimmune disorders. While most vaccines are made from killed bacteria viruses and are safe, they may be less efficient in persons with abnormal immune systems, leaving them unprotected or not adequately protected.



5 Most Common Myths About Visiting The States

Nancy Clayson
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0
Photo credit https://www.pexels.com/photo/city-new-york-statue-of-liberty-usa-60003/

 

It comes to a surprise to Americans that anyone would have a negative view of what most of us consider to be the best country in the world. But if we could step out of our zones and look at America from the outside with an unbiased opinion, we have to admit, it can look like a mess.

Our leaders have made publicly criticizing each other a national pastime. Crimes are continually splashed across internet screens and more than a few countries are taking issue with our policies.

Still, there are a lot of misconceptions about American that are simply not true and are born from confusion. Here we would like to dispel some of these myths.

 

Photo credit https://www.pexels.com/search/wealthy/

 

Myth number 1

  • All Americans are rich

It is easy to see why that is a misconception. Americas are often compared to the celebrities that are always in the news. But all Americans are not celebrities, politicians, or millionaires. According to The World Atlas, The United States is actually number 10 in the wealthiest nations of the world. Many Americans travels in style often using private chartered jets like you will find here, but often those trips are used for the convenience and safety or world commerce leaders who have industry concerns around the world.

Most Americans simply take annual vacations like people in other countries. A popular example is an all-inclusive vacation plan at a resort hotel in Ocean City, Maryland.  The resort is luxurious, but the packages available make it affordable.

Myth number 2

  • All Americans are fat

It is true, the United States has a problem with obesity. So does almost every developed country in the world (including the United Kingdom). The numbers of people in the United Kingdom has been on a rise for problems with obesity.

Many Americans began to gain weight when laws began passing that made smoking uncool. It is not usually the richer classes in any nation that fights the battle on obesity. It is usually the poor who cannot afford healthy foods needed to fill your desire for foods of lower sugar, starch, and other fattening foods

Hobbies that encourage the use of energy like swimming, running, biking, and hiking are being utilized. It takes a lot of calories to go exploring the mountains.

Myth number 3

  • Everyone in America owns a gun.

This is not true. Some states have very strict laws on gun use and others are more lenient. This is a hotly debated topic that gets a lot of media coverage. There is little doubt that the United States has way too many gun deaths. It rates 31st in the world according to WKNO News.

We all know that violence can and does happen everywhere. So while gun violence is too high in the States, it is likely too high in any developed country.

Myth number 4

  • Americans are fake

This is just a cultural misunderstanding. In Europe, the custom is to be standoffish, held back, and withdrawn when they first meet someone. Once they get to know you, they warm up to you and you become friends.

Americans are not standoffish. When we meet someone, we will like you and include you until you give us a reason not too. If you prove to be the person we assumed you are, our friendship remains. If you prove unworthy of our friendship we will break it off then.

Americans are not fake, they are just real with you from day one.

 

Photo credit https://pixabay.com/en/washington-whitehouse-president-usa-1212917/

 

Myth number 5

  • Americans are overly patriotic

No matter where your native land is, you are going to show pride in your country. You may fuss and complain about things in your country that you do not like. We all do. But that doesn’t mean you would let someone from another country trash talk yours. Of course not. Americans are patriotic just as Russians, Germans, Africans, and every other country.

There are a lot of myths about the United States that carry little weight. But, come and see for yourself. You will be greeted warmly by people who love to know all about you and will share their lives with you.

The simple fact is this. With modern technology, we are all a global community. Chances are good that you will have more in common with Americans that you ever thought.

 

Business Savvy Tips for Landing Your Dream Job in Today’s Economy

Clyde K. Valle
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Business Savvy Tips for Landing Your Dream Job in Today’s Economy
Image source Pexels

With the economy on the slow road to recovery after the 2008 collapse, you may be thinking that it is the right time for a career change. Whether looking for a change of scenery, or a leg up, you will find yourself in the unenviable task of putting yourself out there. However, too often people begin their job searches with a lack of preparation. Going into the job market without taking the proper steps beforehand, can decrease the chance of you landing the job you always wanted. Let’s take a look at some simple things you can do to make yourself more ready than ever to find a new job.

Research Potential Employers

When you have had the itch to leave your job for longer than you can even remember, it’s easy to jump ship at the first opportunity. With the economy continuing to add jobs, there are more options than ever. Don’t make this mistake. It might seem like the first job that pops up is the one you have always been waiting for, but it’s likely not. The desire to immediately jump ship is a result of wanting to be rid of your old job, not excitement to work at the new one. Switching jobs frequently can lead to a pattern of working for a small amount of time, only to then switch to a new job, and so on. Not only does this mean you will be constantly retraining and wasting time, but it looks bad on your resume too.

A better solution is to be patient and wait until you the right opportunity opens up. Part of this is knowing what your career goals are. Obviously, if you aspire to be a restaurant manager, switching from your fry cook position to a retail advisor makes zero sense. Ideally, you want every job switch you make to be done with a solid reason as to why your new job will aid your career. Researching the companies that you are considering applying to will help you make those decisions. There are plenty of resources available that can give you detailed information about certain company’s employment policies, pay scale, culture and more. Researching the companies you are thinking of applying to will save you time, and send you on the right path for your career.

Perfect Your Resume

More often than not, your resume will be the first thing any prospective employer will see from you. It can’t be overstated how helpful taking the time to update, rework, and improve your resume can be. Again, it is the first thing an employer is going to look at. You don’t want it to be a flimsy, wrinkled piece of paper you haven’t changed since college.

Sitting down and updating your resume will give you the chance to highlight any strengths you have in your field, as well as cover any weaknesses. Didn’t finish school? Focus on your employment history. Got fired at a previous job for eating too many jelly doughnuts? Talk about your food addiction rehab and how you have positively changed your life and relationship with food since. You don’t have to go it alone either. There are plenty of resources available to help you fine-tune your resume into a veritable work of art. Both online and offline professional resume helpers can give you sound advice on your resume, such as what areas to highlight, or how to format your resume. You can even find great cover letter examples online.

Have A Backup

Sometimes finding the job you want takes a long time. In fact, it can take months of applying, researching, and interviewing before you land a permanent gig. So before you start, it is wise to have a backup plan ready. A backup plan can take a few different forms. One option is to continue to work at the same job you already have. This is the route most people choose, whether it is out of necessity or convenience. On the plus side, it looks good to employers when you are still working while applying, and you keep a steady income. However, one negative aspect is that keeping your old job leaves you less time and energy to search for a different job.

Another option is to save up enough money to able to take time off and dedicate yourself to a job search. While not feasible for everyone, this is the best option if you really want to spend the time searching out the perfect job for yourself. You will have ample free time to research, apply, and prepare for your next job. One possible pitfall though is you get stuck without a job and run out of money, in which case you are back to square one.

Wrap Up

Searching for a job is an exciting time. Just remember to plan out your approach ahead of time, so you are not giving yourself unnecessary headaches, looking for your next job.

Port Authority Bus Terminal Attack Injures Four People in NYC

Nancy Clayson
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Port Authority Bus Terminal Attack Injures Four People in NYC

A suspect, named as Akayed Ullah, has been held in New York City after an attempted terror attack at the Port Authority bus terminal in Manhattan.

“Terrorists won’t win,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said after an explosion at the Port Authority terminal during the morning rush hour on December 11.

Akayed Ullah, a 27-year-old Bangladeshi immigrant, was injured by a “low-tech explosive device” strapped to his body, officials say.

Four other people suffered minor wounds when it blew up in an underpass.

A picture circulating on social media shows a man, said to be Akayed Ullah, lying on the ground with his clothes ripped and lacerations on his upper body.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said he was believed to have acted alone.

Image source Wikimedia

Manhattan Truck Attack: At Least Eight People Killed and Numerous Injured

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said: “This is New York. The reality is that we are a target by many who would like to make a statement against democracy, against freedom.

“We have the Statue of Liberty in our harbor and that makes us an international target.”

The blast occurred at about 07:30 local time.

Nearby subway stations were evacuated, and the bus terminal temporarily shut.

The Port Authority Bus Terminal is the biggest and busiest terminal in the world, serving more than 65 million people a year.

 

Commodities Investments: No Longer An Exclusive Game For The Big Boys!

Dana R
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Commodities Investments: No Longer An Exclusive Game For The Big Boys!

Commodity investments have long been the domain of the floor broker or the large-scale investment brokerage company, that make purchases on behalf of others. However, with online Contracts for Difference (CDF’s) opening up the market to private traders, it is an area of potential profit that we can now all access. Of course, before you sink your life savings into commodities you need to have a good grasp of the market and how the system works. Something you can find out more about by reading the post below.

What are commodities?

Gold

Gold and other precious metals are one type of commodity. Image here

Commodities different from other types of investment because they are actual raw materials such as fuel and petrol, natural gas and precious metal like bronze and gold. These are known as hard commodities because they are mined. Farming commodities, on the other hand, such as corn, beef, or sugar are known as soft commodities because they are harvested agriculturally.

How are they traded?

Commodities are traded in specific markets such as Euronext, ICE, and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The market is regulated in the US by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, something you can find out more about at usagov.ctacdev.com, the official US government site.  

Usually, but not always they are traded as futures. This means that a trade is agreed for a future point in time, and the price and options that have been offered must be honored. The idea being that the buyer picks raw materials that are likely to increase in value, meaning they can make a profit from trading these on at a later date.

How can you invest?

As previously mentioned, investing in commodities used to be limited to one of two ways. The first is that a broker that specializes specifically in this market would trade them on the floor of the exchange to make a profit for the financial company they were employed by. The second way is that large financial companies could make investments on behalf of others, something that has traditionally been prohibitively expensive for the average person, and so has remained the domain of big business.

However, now that many Contracts for Difference brokers have set up online, it has opened up the market and all its benefits to a wider range of investors.

Of course, picking the right CFD has a lot to do with the success of an investment in this sector, and you can check out posts like this Commodity.com review to help you make your decision. This is particularly important at the moment, as one particular CFD broker has got into some trouble lately for unethical trading practices. Something you definitely don’t want your money to get caught up in.

What are the risks?

Last of all, before you decide to invest in commodities, you have to make yourself aware of the risks. In fact Commodities are often seen as a fairly high-risk investment opportunity, because it is a fast moving futures orientated market. That means you do have to balance the potential for large gains with the possibility of large losses if you wish to go ahead and invest in this area.

Jerusalem Issue: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Expects EU Countries to Follow US Recognition

Diane A. Wade
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Jerusalem Issue: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Expects EU Countries to Follow US Recognition

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he expects EU countries to follow the United States in recognizing Jerusalem as his country’s capital.

Benjamin Netanyahu is in Brussels for talks – the first time an Israeli prime minister has visited the city in more than 20 years.

However, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini says the bloc’s stance on the matter is unchanged.

President Donald Trump’s move has left the US isolated on a highly sensitive issue between Israel and the Palestinians.

Arriving in Brussels, PM Benjamin Netanyahu again welcomed the announcement, saying Jerusalem had been the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years and President Trump had put “facts squarely on the table”.

He added: “I believe that all, or most, European countries will move their embassies to Jerusalem, recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and engage robustly with us for security, prosperity and peace.”

As well as recognizing Jerusalem, President Donald Trump also said he was directing the state department to begin preparations to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

However, Federica Mogherini said the EU would continue to recognize the “international consensus” on Jerusalem.

“We believe that the only realistic solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine is based on two states with Jerusalem as the capital of both.”

Federica Mogherini also condemned “all attacks on Jews everywhere in the world”.

Image source Wikimedia

President Donald Trump Recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital

Donald Trump’s Jerusalem Announcement Sparks Protests in Occupied West Bank

Before heading to Brussels, Benjamin Netanyahu met France’s President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, who urged him to freeze settlement building and to re-engage with Palestinians.

Israel has always regarded Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem – occupied by Israel in the 1967 war – as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem has never been recognized internationally, and all countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv.

According to the 1993 Israel-Palestinian peace accords, the final status of Jerusalem is meant to be discussed in the latter stages of peace talks.

Jerusalem is also home to key religious sites sacred to Judaism, Islam and Christianity, especially in East Jerusalem.

President Trump’s announcement drew worldwide condemnation and sparked fierce protests which again flared on December 10.

In Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, police used tear gas to stop demonstrators reaching the US embassy, while in Jerusalem itself, a Palestinian was arrested after stabbing and seriously wounding an Israeli security guard.

A burning object was thrown at a synagogue in the Swedish city of Gothenburg on December 9 in what police said was a failed arson attempt.

Meet The Robots That Could Make Your Job Obsolete Within 5 Years

Dana R
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Meet The Robots That Could Make Your Job Obsolete Within 5 Years

The robots are not coming… they’re already here. Ever since the robot Sophia was granted citizenship status by Saudi Arabia in October, a harsh and unremitting spotlight has hovered over the field of robotics. Some may argue that the granting of citizenship was a publicity stunt by the Saudi government designed to frame the nation as a hub of technology and innovation as the realities of a post-oil economy become more and more pressing. Nonetheless, Sophia represents some interesting musings on the nature of robotics and how our relationship with robots is likely to change by the time we reach the mid 2020s. Many science fiction books, films and video games have pondered the relationship between humanity and machines and how it may lead to our benefit or obliteration. From the bleak tech-noir nihilism of The Terminator to the scathing but ultimately hopeful Wall-E, the ponderings of yesterday’s science fictions seem, according to a recent report, very much the realm of today’s science fact.

Image Credit

Training the workforce of tomorrow today

Human Paragon details in a recent article some consumer robots that will likely have a place in many homes within a decade, but while there’s no doubt that robots will likely help to make our home lives easier, more and more people are becoming wary that robots will one day rob them of their livelihood. Any recent graduate can tell you how competitive the job market is and according to Bill Gates, it’s likely to get a whole lot worse. The billionaire tech giant believes that in order to survive the job market of tomorrow one must specialize in engineering, the sciences or economics to survive.

In order to ensure that humanity retrains its relevancy in an increasingly post-scarcity economy we need to think long and hard about the skills and knowledge with which we imbue tomorrow’s workforce.

Manufacture

We’re already seeing the economic and social effects around the world of towns and cities where manufacture is in decline. Unfortunately, the increasing cost and productivity advantages of automation mean that manufacturing jobs are likely to decline even further. As robotic limbs are able to do increasingly delicate and complex tasks, the human skill factor is becoming less and less of an issue.

The service industry

Self service machines are already taking the place of front of house employees all across the service industry. Walk into a fast food franchise restaurant in a major conurbation and you’ll notice touch screens where once there were beaming employees. As self service technology becomes more sophisticated it could hugely reduce the need for service staff.

Finance

Blue collar jobs aren’t the only ones at risk. As mathematical algorithms become more sophisticated, AI solutions are becoming increasingly common in helping CEOs make financial decisions, manage their cyber security and run their companies.

Technology taketh away, but technology giveth too!

It’s not all doom and gloom! As many jobs as technology makes obsolete, it creates jobs as it develops new industries around it’s technologies. If today’s fast food employee become tomorrow’s app developers we see how improvements in education, technology and training can help to create a better society for all of us.

Venezuela’s Main Opposition Parties Banned from 2018 Presidential Election

Diane A. Wade
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Venezuela’s Main Opposition Parties Banned from 2018 Presidential Election

Venezuela’s main opposition parties are banned from taking part in 2018 presidential election, President Nicolas Maduro has announced.

The president said only parties which took part in December 10 mayoral polls would be able to contest the presidency.

Opposition leaders from the Justice First, Popular Will and Democratic Action parties boycotted the vote because they said the electoral system was biased.

Nicolas Maduro insists the Venezuelan system is entirely trustworthy.

In a speech on local polls day, he said the opposition parties had “disappeared from the political map”.

“A party that has not participated today and has called for the boycott of the elections can’t participate anymore,” he said.

Two months ago, the three main opposition parties announced they would be boycotting December 10 vote, saying it only served what they called President Nicolas Maduro’s dictatorship.

Image source Wikimedia

Venezuela: Henrique Capriles Leaves Opposition Coalition

Venezuela Elections 2017: Nicolas Maduro’s Party Wins 17 of 23 State Governorships amid Fraud Claims

Nicolas Maduro says his party won more than 300 of the 335 mayoral races being contested. The election board put turn out at 47%.

Venezuela has been mired in a worsening economic crisis characterized by shortages of basic goods and soaring inflation.

Presiedent Maduro said he was following the criteria set by the National Constituent Assembly in banning opposition parties from contesting next year’s election.

However, the assembly, which came into force in August and has the ability to rewrite the constitution, is made up exclusively of government loyalists. Opposition parties see it as a way for the president to cling to power.

The presidential vote had been scheduled for December 2018, but analysts say it could now be brought forward.

Venezuela has a population of more than 30 million people. It has some of the world’s largest oil deposits as well as huge quantities of coal and iron ore.

Despite its rich natural resources many Venezuelans live in poverty. This led President Nicolas Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chávez, to style himself as a champion of the poor during his 14 years in office.

Now the country is starkly divided between supporters of President Nicolas Maduro and those who want an end to the Socialist Party’s 18 years in government.

Nicolas Maduro supporters say his party has lifted many people out of poverty, but critics say it has eroded Venezuela’s democratic institutions and mismanaged its economy.

Protect Your Staff And Your Business

Dana R
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Protect Your Staff And Your Business

Your business is going to be like your most precious possession. You’ll look after it at all costs. But the question you need to ask yourself is this, are you actually looking after it at all costs. As the years go on we’re noticing more and more businesses fail. Take the huge crash of Monarch Airlines not so long ago. It just goes to show that however much money a business has, or however well they think they’re doing, there’s always going to be something round the corner that could come along and ruin everything. When you’ve built your business from the ground up, this possibility just isn’t on the cards. You need to make sure you’re putting systems in place that’ll ensure your business, as well as your staff are protected at all costs. When you’re just starting out however, it can be pretty hard to know what to do. You’re so hyperfocused on becoming as successful as possible, that you completely forget what you need to do to protect yourself. But don’t worry, this article is here to give your a few hints and tips on how to protect your business as a whole.

meeting

Image Source

Your Staff

Your staff are your best asset when it comes to your business. They do all the hard work that you just wouldn’t be able to do on your own. Yet it is common for them to feel less protected than they ever have in their life. Through childhood and school etc. they’ve always had someone to fall back on and to help them through difficult situations. The real world doesn’t offer this, and nor do a lot of businesses. But if a business goes bust, these people are going to be left jobless. When you have a family, you know how worrying this prospect is. So there’s a few things you can do that are going to protect their livelihood all the while. The first is maternity leave for the women. A lot of companies offer the worst pay, this causes so much unnecessary stress for the mom. If you’re making a really decent profit, the least you can do is pay a full pay for 6 months of the maternity leave. It’ll make those first 6 months stress free and magical. After that, rather than reducing it by half, reduce it by just a quarter to make sure they aren’t feeling the pinch until the come back to work.

You also need to be thinking about what you can do in the office or warehouse to make a difference to people’s working day. There’s a lot of safety issues in factories and offices that people don’t tend to talk about. But in the long run it can have a really damaging effect on the people that work for you, as well as your business. There’s a statistic that over 100 people injure themselves at work a day. From just the minor cuts and bruises, to the major hospitalisation. As the saying goes, where there’s a claim there’s a blame. If you aren’t putting the right safety procedures in place, you’re looking at receiving such a massive fine for not protecting your staff as your should be. So, if you run a company that involves a lot of manual handling, make sure all the proper training is given, and all the right safety gear is provided at the start of the day. Factory work often requires a lot of loading and unloading, in this case you can use loading dock safety equipment to prevent any injuries. It is one of the most common sites for people to injure themselves. Even if your company doesn’t operate from a factory, offices have just as many hazards. The main being a trip one. They’re the worst for having many different wires hanging down or lying around. One simple trip and a bang of the head and you’re just asking to have a lawsuit on your hand. Not only does it cause trip hazards, it also causes nasty fire ones. Not only will this harm your employees, it’ll also harm your business finances massively with the cost of replacing everything. A simple check of the office to make sure everything is tucked away could save you thousands.

Your Business

Your business as a whole has many ways in which it needs protecting. The first thing you definitely need to do is have some money to fall back on. If any of the above happens, and you’re just getting by with money, it’ll likely see your business crash and burn. Money is everything to your business, from the very start you should be looking for ways to make sure you always have something spare. Having some sort of business insurance is also going to help you along the way, even if it’s just contents insurance if you have your own self managed office or warehouse. Breakins can cause absolute havoc if you don’t have contents insurance. It may cost a little more a month than your average house contents insurance, but it’ll definitely pay off in the long run.

Something a lot of people don’t think to do, especially in the beginning, is trademarking their idea. The business world is unfortunately full of thieves, the last thing you want is your idea being stolen from someone who has the money to make it bigger, quicker. Then you’ll have no hope of getting anywhere with your idea. Trademarking isn’t hard to do, and it’ll definitely pay off in the long run. Plus it does give your business that little extra edge of professionalism that it needs. Just like with your actual brand, people can also steal ideas from your processes, this is why it’s important to always try to keep evolving your business. The new and quicker the processes, the more chances you’re going to have of staying ahead of your competition.

Protecting your staff and business isn’t hard, you just need to make sure you’re doing it from the very beginning if you want to be successful.

Thomas Fire: California Governor Jerry Brown Brands Wildfires as New Normal

Nancy Clayson
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Thomas Fire: California Governor Jerry Brown Brands Wildfires as New Normal

California Governor Jerry Brown has said that devastating wildfires fuelled by climate change are “the new normal”.

He said vast fires, such as the ones that have ravaged southern California in recent days, “could happen every year or every few years”.

“We’re facing a new reality in this state,” the governor said.

Jerry Brown made the comments after surveying the damage in Ventura County, north of Los Angeles.

Thousands of firefighters have been battling the fires since December 4.

Jerry Brown, a Democrat who has attacked the Trump administration’s stance on climate change, said: “We’re facing a new reality in this state, where fires threaten people’s lives, their properties, their neighborhoods, and of course billions and billions of dollars.

“With climate change, some scientists are saying southern California is literally burning up.”

The largest wildfire – known as the Thomas Fire – burned close to 150,000 acres, an area of land roughly the size of Chicago, Reuters reported.

On December 9, firefighters began to make progress in containing the blaze.

Image source Wikimedia

California Wildfires: At Least 17 Dead and More Than 150 Missing

California Wildfires Kill at Least 13 in Wine Country

Six large wildfires, and some smaller blazes, erupted on December 4 in southern California. Fanned by high winds, they swept through tens of thousands of acres in a matter of hours.

The fires have been driven by extreme weather, including low humidity and parched ground.

California authorities issued a purple alert – the highest level warning – amid what it called “extremely critical fire weather”.

The largest of the blazes, the Thomas fire in Ventura County, spread as far as the Pacific coast and swept across 180 square miles.

About 5,700 firefighters were brought in to battle the brushfires, with some drafted in from neighboring states to help.

President Donald Trump issued a state of emergency to “help alleviate the hardship and suffering that the emergency may inflict.”

Hundreds of buildings have been destroyed and vast areas of land have been badly scorched.

Three firefighters were injured and one death was reported after a 70-year-old woman was found dead in her car on an evacuation route.

Nearly 200,000 residents were evacuated from their homes, with many forced to flee in the middle of the night as the flames rapidly spread.

There are fears the blaze will seriously hit California’s multi-million dollar agricultural industry.

About 90% of US avocados are grown in California, and much of the state’s crop has been wiped out.

The strong winds subsided on December 9 and firefighters finally made some progress in containing the fires.

However, forecasters expect the winds to pick up again on December 10 meaning they are under pressure to extinguish them quickly.

Elsewhere, several evacuation orders have been lifted and residents are beginning to return home to assess the damage.

Chris Rea Collapses On Stage

Sonia Pantiss
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Chris Rea Collapses On Stage

Chris Rea is reportedly in a stable condition after collapsing during a performance the New Theatre Oxford.

Fans posted on Twitter that they saw the singer “fall backwards” on stage halfway through a song.

South Central Ambulance Service said it was called at 21:30 GMT to an incident at the venue and that one patient had been taken to hospital.

Image source Wikimedia

Meat Loaf Collapses During Edmonton Show

Justin Bieber collapses backstage at London O2 concert

Chris Rea, 66, who is known for his hits Road to Hell and Driving Home for Christmas, is on tour to promote his new album.

Staff at the theater tweeted that they “appreciate everyone’s patience” and will update people with news when they have it.

Chris Rea suffered a stroke in 2016, but recovered to launch an album in September and embark on his tour around Europe from October.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzYqSqD2jYc

Israel Targets Hamas Sites in Gaza in Retaliation for Rocket Strikes

Roy Siemens
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Israel Targets Hamas Sites in Gaza in Retaliation for Rocket Strikes

Israel has targeted Hamas sites in Gaza in retaliation for rocket strikes.

According to Israel’s military, it hit weapons sites on December 9. Two people were killed, a Gaza hospital said, bringing the deaths in Israeli strikes and gunfire over the past day to four.

On December 8, three rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza.

Israeli-Palestinian tensions have risen since President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The December 6 decision reversed decades of US neutrality on the matter.

Israel has always regarded the city of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem – occupied by Israel in the 1967 war – as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

Image source Flickr

Donald Trump’s Jerusalem Announcement Sparks Outrage in Arab World

President Donald Trump to Recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital

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Israel’s air force followed a number of raids on Hamas sites on December 8 with more air strikes on December 9, targeting weapons manufacturing sites, a weapons warehouse and a military compound, the Israel Defense Forces said.

Gaza’s Shifa hospital said that two bodies of Palestinians were found under the rubble of a Hamas military site bombed by Israeli planes overnight, bringing the death toll in the past 24 hours to four, with 160 injuries. The two other fatalities came when Israeli troops fired on crowds in Gaza during clashes on December 8.

Of the three rockets fired at Israel, its military said it had intercepted one with its Iron Dome defense system, one was found on wasteland and another landed in Sderot on December 8. No casualties were reported.

On December 8, Fathi Hammad, a senior Hamas leader, said anyone seeking to move their embassy to Jerusalem was “an enemy of the Palestinians”.

Speaking before the UN on December 8, US Ambassador Nikki Haley said the United States “recognizes the obvious; that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel”.

Nikki Haley said the US continued to be “committed to achieving a lasting peace agreement”, and accused the UN of bias, saying it “has outrageously been one of the world’s foremost centers of hostility towards Israel”.

Israel had deployed extra battalions to the West Bank in anticipation of violence after Palestinian leaders called for protests after Friday prayers.

At least 217 Palestinians were wounded in confrontations in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Palestinian medics said.

On December 8, there were protests held elsewhere against President Trump’s announcement.

Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters held demonstrations in Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Turkey, Tunisia and Iran.

Further afield, protesters rallied in Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indian-administered Kashmir and Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country.

#MeToo: Congressman Trent Franks Resigns over Surrogacy Talks with Aides

Diane A. Wade
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#MeToo: Congressman Trent Franks Resigns over Surrogacy Talks with Aides

Arizona Representative Trent Franks has resigned amid an ethics investigation into claims he repeatedly asked female staff to be surrogate mothers.

The announcement came after a congressional panel said it was opening an inquiry into harassment allegations against Republican Trent Franks.

Trent Franks, 60, acknowledged discussing surrogacy with two female aides when he and his wife were facing infertility.

He is the third member of Congress to resign in three days.

One of Trent Franks’ former aides accuses him of offering her $5 million to act as a surrogate mother, repeatedly pressing her to carry his child, the Associated Press reports.

The woman told the AP that another female staff member had also been approached by the congressman about surrogacy.

One of the aides reportedly said Trent Franks retaliated against her after she turned down his alleged surrogacy requests by ignoring her and withholding assignments.

A spokesman for the eight-term congressman – who has a net worth of $33 million – would not comment on whether he had offered aides money to act as surrogates.

Image source Flickr

#MeToo: Senator Al Franken to Resign over Harassment Allegations

George HW Bush Accused of Inappropriately Touching a Woman When She Was 16

Trent Franks said on December 7 his resignation would take effect next month.

However, on December 8 he said he had decided to quit immediately after his wife was admitted to a Washington hospital “due to an ongoing ailment”.

The Republican acknowledged “my discussion of surrogacy with two previous female subordinates, making each feel uncomfortable.

“I deeply regret that my discussion of this option and process in the workplace caused distress.”

Trent Franks said he and his wife, Josephine, had used a surrogate to carry their two twins.

He stood down as the House of Representatives ethics committee opened an inquiry against him into a matter that constitutes harassment.

Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said he had advised the congressman to stand down.

The ethics committee also announced on December 8 it was investigating Texas Republican Blake Farenthold amid claims of harassment against him by a former member of staff.

It was revealed last week that Blake Farenthold used $84,000 of taxpayer money to settle a harassment lawsuit with his former communications director.

Resignations of two Democratic lawmakers have shaken Washington this week.

Democratic congressman John Conyers announced on December 5 that he will step down after multiple aides accused him of harassment.

Hours before Trent Franks’ announcement, Minnesota Democratic Senator Al Franken said he too was resigning over claims of groping after several Democrats called on him to step down.

Georgia’s Ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili Detained in Kiev

Diane A. Wade
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Georgia’s Ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili Detained in Kiev

Georgian ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili has been detained in Ukraine’s capital Kiev, days after his supporters freed him from a police van.

Mikheil Saakashvili’s detention, first reported on his Facebook page, was confirmed by Ukraine’s Prosecutor General.

He is suspected of receiving financing from a criminal group linked to ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

On December 5, Mikheil Saakashvili was dragged from his home in Kiev and arrested.

The former president was later freed from police custody by a crowd of his supporters. After he was freed, he urged the crowd to impeach Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko, a former ally.

Image source Wikimedia

Georgia presidential election ends Mikheil Saakashvili’s rule

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Mikheil Saakashvili has been leading anti-corruption rallies against Petro Poroshenko.

The Ukrainian authorities responded by giving him a deadline of 24 hours to hand himself in.

Mikheil Saakashvili’s detention was part of an operation “to disrupt a plan of revenge of pro-Kremlin forces in Ukraine”, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko said on December 5.

Prosecutors, who say Mikheil Saakashvili is being funded by businessmen close to Russia, released audio and video recordings which they say proved he had received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the criminal group.

Mikheil Saakashvili said the recordings were fake.

If found guilty, the former president could face up to five years in jail.

Mikheil Saakashvili also faces the threat of extradition to Georgia, where he is wanted on corruption charges. He claims the accusations are politically motivated.

He previously served as governor of the southern Odessa region after being appointed by Petro Poroshenko in 2015.

Before moving to Ukraine, Mikheil Saakashvili served for almost 10 years as president of Georgia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJxIrm6TlFA

Kevin Spacey Accused of Assault by Norwegian King’s Son-in-Law Ari Behn

Lisa.Felice
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Kevin Spacey Accused of Assault by Norwegian King’s Son-in-Law Ari Behn

Ari Behn, the former son-in-law of King Harald V of Norway, has accused Kevin Spacey of groping him after a Nobel Peace Prize concert.

The Norwegian author, who was married to King Harald’s daughter Martha Louise until 2016, told radio station P4 that it happened after Kevin Spacey had hosted the event in 2007.

“I am a generous person, but this was a bit more than I had in mind,” he said.

Kevin Spacey has been accused of abuse and harassment by a string of men and has been written out of House of Cards.

A spokesman for the Hollywood star said last month that he was “taking the time necessary to seek evaluation and treatment” in the wake of the allegations.

Image source Wikimedia

Kevin Spacey Scandal: Old Vic Has 20 Claims of Inappropriate Behavior Against Actor

Kevin Spacey Erased from Completed Movie All the Money in the World

Kevin Spacey Fired from House of Cards

Recalling the alleged incident, Ari Behn said: “We had a great talk, he sat right beside me.

“After five minutes he said, <<hey, let’s go out and have a cigarette>>. Then he puts his hand under the table and grabs me by the b**ls.”

Ari Behn said he put Kevin Spacey off by telling him: “Er, maybe later.”

He added: “My hair was dark at the time, I was 10 years younger and right up his alley.”

Last month, the Old Vic theatre in London said it had received 20 personal testimonies of alleged inappropriate behavior by Kevin Spacey while he was artistic director there.

The actor and producer has faced other allegations too, with the claims leaving his career in ruins.

He has been removed from the sixth season of House of Cards, which will instead focus on his on-screen wife, played by Robin Wright.

Kevin Spacey has also been replaced by Christopher Plummer in the new Ridley Scott movie All the Money in the World.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0GS97Dqivc

#MeToo: Bryan Singer Denies Assaulting 17-Year-Old Cesar Sanchez-Guzman

Sonia Pantiss
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#MeToo: Bryan Singer Denies Assaulting 17-Year-Old Cesar Sanchez-Guzman

Bryan Singer has denied assault after being sued for allegedly raping a 17-year-old boy.

According to court documents revealed by Deadline, Cesar Sanchez-Guzman has alleged he was assaulted by the director on a yacht in 2003.

In a statement, a representative for Bryan Singer said the director “categorically denies these allegations”.

It comes in the same week that Bryan Singer was fired as director of the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.

According to the court filings, the alleged assault happened when Bryan Singer gave Cesar Sanchez-Guzman a tour of the boat.

Image source Flickr

Bryan Singer set to direct X-Men: Apocalypse

Cesar Sanchez-Guzman is seeking compensation for damages including “emotional distress, mental anguish, physical and mental pain and suffering, a decrease in his ability to enjoy life” as well as past and future medical expenses and legal costs.

Bryan Singer’s representative said: “Cesar Sanchez-Guzman apparently claims that he did not remember this alleged incident from 2003 until now.”

He added: “Bryan categorically denies these allegations and will vehemently defend this lawsuit to the very end.”

The representative said that, “once Bryan prevails”, he will pursue claims for malicious prosecution.

Bohemian Rhapsody production was suspended last week so Bryan Singer could deal with what his representative described as “a personal health matter concerning Bryan and his family”.

Days later, it emerged that Bryan Singer had been fired by Twentieth Century Fox for “unreliable behavior”, and has been replaced by Dexter Fletcher.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBpC7lCO-8M

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