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Renault Reports Record Annual Revenues

Clyde K. Valle
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Renault Reports Record Annual Revenues

Renault has reported record annual revenues after a revamp of its range boosted sales.

The French automaker’s revenues rose 13.1% to 51.2 billion euros in 2016, slightly ahead of expectations, while net income jumped by nearly 20% to 3.54 billion euros.

Earlier this week, Renault said it had sold 3.2 million vehicles in 2016, a 13.4% rise on 2015, with market share rising in all regions.

Renault sales have now overtaken French rival Peugeot Citroen.

The company’s financial director Clotilde Delbos said 2016 had been “a very good year” for the automaker, and the company had hit all of its targets.

She told a news conference: “These objectives, in particular that of exceeding 50 billion euros in sales, have been achieved by 2016.”

Clotilde Delbos added that the results had been achieved despite markets such as Brazil and Russia that “count a lot for us and which were strong in the past” but were still at “lower levels than in the past”.

Renault said it expected the global car market to grow by between 1.5% and 2% in 2018, with sales in Europe and France up 2%.

The automaker forecasts the markets in Brazil and Russia will be “stable”, but expects 5% growth in China and the Indian market to expand by 8%.

Last month, French authorities said they would investigate Renault over suspected “cheating” in diesel emissions tests.

Paris prosecutors are to conduct a probe into “cheating on key parts” of vehicles and into the quality of the tests.

The move comes in response to concerns raised in 2016 by the French consumer protection agency, which carried out an investigation into several carmakers in the wake of VW scandal.

Universal Music to Acquire Prince’s Private Archive

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Universal Music to Acquire Prince’s Private Archive

Universal Music has struck a deal to release much of Prince’s private archive.

The world’s biggest music label said the deal gave it exclusive licensing rights to Prince’s “highly anticipated trove of unreleased works”.

Universal has also acquired the rights to 25 albums that Prince released through NPG Records, the label that he founded.

The value of the deal has not been disclosed.

Photo Getty Images

However, last October, reports emerged that the unreleased music was up for sale for $35 million.

In a statement, Universal Music Group said it had reached a multi-year agreement with the Estate of Prince Rogers Nelson and NPG Records.

Under the terms of the deal it will be collaborating with the estate “with regard to Prince’s vault of prized unreleased works from throughout his career, including outtakes, demos and live recordings”.

The musician, who died in April 2016, was renowned for the many songs he recorded and then kept in the basement at his Paisley Park home in Minneapolis.

Prince was the only person with the code to open the safe.

From 2018 the new deal also gives Universal US rights to certain Prince albums released between 1979 and 1995.

Universal’s executive vice president, Michele Anthony, said it was an honor “professionally and personally to be entrusted with these cherished recordings, including his storied ‘vault’ of unreleased music, and to partner with his estate and heirs to preserve and expand Prince’s legacy”.

Over the course of his career Prince sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.

Donald Trump Agrees to Honor America’s One China Policy During Call with Xi Jinping

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Agrees to Honor America’s One China Policy During Call with Xi Jinping

The White House has announced that President Donald Trump agreed to honor America’s “One China” policy in a phone call with President Xi Jinping.

The “One China” policy is the diplomatic acknowledgement that there is only one Chinese government.

Donald Trump had placed the long-standing policy in doubt when he had a phone call with Taiwan’s president.

Previous presidents have followed China’s lead in not recognizing Taiwan as an independent nation.

Under the “One China” policy, the US recognizes and has formal ties with China rather than the island of Taiwan, which China sees as a breakaway province to be reunified with the mainland one day.

The White House said the two presidents discussed a wide range of issues during a lengthy call on February 9.

A statement described the call as “extremely cordial” and said the two leaders had invited each other to visit.

The call followed a letter sent by Donald Trump to Xi Jinping on February 9 – the president’s first direct approach to the Chinese leader.

Donald Trump baited China throughout his campaign, accusing it of unfair trade practices and threatening to challenge its military build up in the South China Sea.

Beijing responded cautiously, expressing “serious concern” about Donald Trump’s position on the One China policy and urging the US to maintain close ties with China.

What You Need To Know About Running A Website To Succeed In Business

Nancy Clayson
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What You Need To Know About Running A Website To Succeed In Business

If you provide products and services online, you certainly need a website. No buts. No Ifs. Not to have one is business suicide. And you also need the latest gadgets iPad, iPhone, Android phone, laptop, etc. to reinforce the website you will create.

By reading this article, you come closer to your goal of success online. Yes, you are! Many people are still confused about what a website can do to their business. But of course not you.

What do you need to do now?

Now that you are aware of your need for a website allocate a few hours to create a remarkable website for your business. Be assured; the next few hours would be fascinating and fun for you as you start building a showcase for your products and services online.

What will you accomplish?

After reading this article, you have done the following:

  • Made a website design.
  • Enhance a highly compelling website that generates potential customers and convinces them to rally behind your website promotion.
  • Create a remarkable and exclusive website, one that has a professional look and appealing.
  • Publish the website for all to see.

What will you need?

  • Passion and predilection to create a website for your business.
  • Cool picture of you.
  • Editing photo tools. All these software are for free plus some powerful website tools online for you: Photofunia, Picnik, Pixlr, FotoFlexer, and BeFunky. As you go on creating the website, you will learn how to utilize them.
  • Hosting webs with the website builder. Take note, free website hosting is not stable and not secure, so it is not advisable to create it for your business. Choose one that has a reputation.

The advantage of website building is that expert computer designers take the fundamentals of web usage and web formats (consistency/fonts, etc.) care.

It will allow you so much time to design your website, and that is what draws and persuades customers to employ your services.

However, some newbies commit mistakes by using templates outside the box. Don’t do that! Your website is not a VA generic so why make your site a generic?

It is best if you customize your website and be entirely your own and you can make use of dummy-proof visuals and pdf orientation to implement this one.

There are two platforms in a website we can suggest, GoDaddy Domain and HostGator Website Hosting. HostGator feature includes Plesk Website Builder, and GoDaddy offers 5-page websites for free.

It comes with it an ad as a temporary setting-up. I recommend for you to purchase a paid account with an add free to have a professional look.

How to Plan Your Website?

people man writing paper pen plan hand ring table office work Source:https://stocksnap.io/photo/RGRCNHCEYG

Failure to plan is a plan to fail. Ensure that you are much aware why you want to create a website before you begin. Have concrete information about your clients’ needs and what they want to gain in viewing your page.

The most significant goal is for you to convince them to support whatever design you will create on the web.

How to Create Your Website?

It is the exciting part! Whenever you’re ready, follow the 3-15 minutes tutorial on how you can create your website. No need for you to learn the HTML or CSS.

It will give you guidance how to convert your photo into an artistic artwork. You can download Pdf tutorials for your guide. At the end of the session, guaranteed, you have published your website, live!

Why Oh Why, Do You Need a Website?

You are not in need of a website if –

Can you engage in a VA business without an existing internet site? Of course, you can! But your potential development is limited. There are some situations where you don’t need a website. Try to analyze the situations below if you do not need a website.

You don’t need a website if:

  • You just want the internet site for a hobby, not for a business to succeed.
  • You just want to get along, and not distinguish yourself.
  • You are contented with an endless cycle of search job-apply job-do the job-search job; you don’t need success.

If all of the above applies to you, then, yes you don’t need to build a website because you’ll be just wasting your time.

What Are The Five Big “Buts?”

Here are the five common fears about building a website and why they should not compel you.

  • “I have no knowledge of HTML” It is alright. You don’t require an HTML to build a website of your own.
  • “But it is so laborious.” Well, if you are employing the old school of website building, then, yes, it’s difficult. But with today’s technology where everything is like a click-and-play, it’s so easy to create one.
  • “But I will spend much time” No, you will not! You will have one published and live in just a few minutes.
  • “But I am not creative” No worries with that! There are now lots of free designs or applications online where you can transform a dull photo into an original art. Plus you can put all your notes and sketches on your notebooks and sketchpads.
  • “But it is expensive” Website builders and hosting only cost a few dollars per month, a small investment compared to the potential profit and reputation you will generate from having a website of your own.

What Are The 4 Important Reasons In Creating a Website?

computer mac apple programming coding programmer designer technology business office desk working code Source:https://stocksnap.io/photo/825303XHAE

The website that you will create is where you will build trust and confidence with your prospective customers. It is where you will start building an identity of your business and reputation as well.

And when all these elements are suitably enhanced, then this is where business transaction starts with your clients.

  1. To Build Trust. For you to obtain trust from a prospective client, you have to draw their attention initially. On work boards, it is not easy to implement as there are hundreds of bidders contesting for the attention of the client.

You have to convince the customer to visit your website and see the writings and portfolios you publish. The items that you display in your website will speak for you, and it will be a manifestation that the client can trust you.

  1. To Be Distinguished and Demand Higher Rate. Jobs on board (eLance, LimeExchange, Freelancer, oDesk), you are just one among hundreds of bidders. Competition is too tight, and your capacity to be different becomes dim because of the pressure of systems that job boards employ.

The only chance for you to be distinguished from competitors is to display your portfolio, writings, and articles on board your website for the client to see and analyze. They can easily assess the look of it and see that you’re different from the others.  Most job boards and bid prices are consumer driven, so your offer of a higher or lower rate will depend on your clients.

However, flexibility is too weak as there are other VA’s who have access to them, and can quickly embrace drop-dead rates which you cannot contest. It’s better to drive the clients to your website so that you have much more control and price demand the moment they see all your portfolio.

  1. To Enhance and Develop Status of Expertise. It is a competition of perception online. The one equipped with competence draws an influx of clients. However, you might be the competent secretary or whatnot in this planet, but if you are not known to be such, there’s a probability that you end up bankrupt or broke because you do not have any client.

Nevertheless, those who can position right on time and build on the perception of their client needs will surely garner all the customers. And that is because they are the first to create a website and display a broad range of their products and services that suit the client’s needs.

  1. To have a 24/7 Marketing Mechanism. The website you create is your biggest asset, and good organizing and planning will funnel sales leads and transform them into paying customers, even while you’re sleeping.

Takeaway

Building an excellent website will pave the way to enhancing your business. It is easy to display all your products and services on your site, so you’ll just have to think of strategies for converting your visitors into customers.

If you have a website, it will cut down operational costs in your business because you don’t need to go door to door to make your product and services known.

By placing the right keywords in your web content, you can draw hundreds of viewers to your site. And to make sure the viewers will be attracted to your website, so they keep coming back, arrange the content of your site in such a way that when viewers read it, they will see all the things they are looking for as seamlessly as possible.

Salvează

9th Circuit Court of Appeals Upholds Trump Travel Ban’s Suspension

Diane A. Wade
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9th Circuit Court of Appeals Upholds Trump Travel Ban’s Suspension

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected a bid to reinstate President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration ban.

The court said it would not block a lower-court ruling that brought President Trump’s executive order to a halt.

Donald Trump made the order temporarily banning people from seven mainly Muslim countries, because of terror threats he said put national security at risk.

Image source Flickr

However, the executive order sparked protests and confusion as people were stopped at US borders.

Lawyers representing the DoJ had argued that the ban was a “lawful exercise” of presidential authority.

However, two US states said the ban was unconstitutional and discriminated against Muslims.

The case is now likely to end up at the highest court, the Supreme Court.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNQ8YGGrrt4

Amal Clooney Pregnant with Twins

Lisa.Felice
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1
Amal Clooney Pregnant with Twins

George Clooney’s wife, Amal, is expecting twins, CBS’s The Talk revealed.

The babies are due in June, according to host Julie Chen.

Another source close to the couple, quoted by People, said they were “very happy”. The Clooneys’ representatives have not yet commented.

George and Mal Clooney married in Venice in 2014 with a star-studded list of guests who included Matt Damon and Bill Murray.

Rumors that they might be expecting began to circulate last month when Amal Clooney, 39, was spotted wearing a loose-fitting dress.

George Clooney, 55, has starred in numerous Hollywood films and has won two Academy Awards.

Amal Clooney, a prominent human rights lawyer, has represented a number of high profile figures, including former Ukrainian PM Yulia Tymoshenko and Australian WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Kellyanne Conway Promotes Ivanka Trump’s Products on Live TV

Nancy Clayson
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Kellyanne Conway Promotes Ivanka Trump’s Products on Live TV

President Trump’s senior aide Kellyanne Conway promoted Ivanka Trump’s products on live TV.

Earlier this month, Nordstrom dropped Ivanka Trump’s clothing line, citing a lack of sales.

However, Kellyanne Conway told Fox News on February 9: “Go buy Ivanka’s stuff.”

Jason Chaffetz, a Republican who heads the oversight committee in Congress, said the promotion was “clearly over the line, unacceptable”.

Federal ethics rules prevent White House employees giving an “endorsement of any product, service or enterprise”.

Jason Chaffetz said the White House should notify the Office of Government Ethics so it could initiate an inquiry. There have been numerous concerns over possible conflicts of interest for White House staff.

Image source Nordstrom

He said he and his Democratic counterpart would write to President Donald Trump.

Nordstrom became the fifth retailer to drop the Ivanka Trump clothing line, citing lack of sales.

The move comes amid a boycott of all Trump products, which activists have dubbed #GrabYourWallet, in reference to a 2005 comment Donald Trump made about women’s bodies.

Nordstrom said the decision was based on the brand’s performance, which is what the company repeated on February 8: “Sales of the brand have steadily declined to the point where it didn’t make good business sense for us to continue with the line for now.”

The company added that Ivanka Trump was personally informed of the decision in early January.

Nordstrom shares briefly fell 0.7%, before rising later in the day.

Ivanka Trump does not have a fixed role in the White House, but has been a regular fixture since her father’s inauguration.

Her husband, Jared Kushner, is a key Trump adviser.

Ivanka Trump gave up operating control – but not ownership – of her businesses after her father’s election.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtJs8A0cYlI

Eiffel Tower To Get Reinforced Glass Wall as Protection against Terror Attacks

Nancy Clayson
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Eiffel Tower To Get Reinforced Glass Wall as Protection against Terror Attacks

French authorities have decided to build an 8ft-high wall of reinforced glass around Paris’ Eiffel Tower as protection against terror attacks.

According to the Paris mayor’s office, the wall will replace metal fences put up for the Euro 2016 soccer tournament.

The project, if approved, is expected to cost about €20 million ($21 million) and work should start later this year.

Paris has been on high alert since attacks by jihadists in November 2015 left 130 people dead.

Photo AFP

In July 2016, 86 people were killed when a truck ploughed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the southern city of Nice.

The Eiffel Tower, one of France’s most famous landmarks, attracts more than six million visitors each year and the wall is designed to stop individuals or vehicles storming the site, said the assistant mayor for tourism, Jean-Francois Martins.

He said: “The terror threat remains high in Paris and the most vulnerable sites, led by the Eiffel Tower, must be the object of special security measures.

“We will replace the metal grids to the north and south with glass panels which will allow Parisians and visitors a very pleasant view of the monument.”

Jean-Francois Martins added: “We have three aims – to improve the look, make access easier and strengthen the protection of visitors and staff.”

The project will also involve reorganizing pathways around the tower.

Earlier this month, a man wielding two machetes attack Louvre Museum.

However, President Francois Hollande said there was little doubt it was a terrorist act.

Alcohol Abuse: Recognising The Signs

Dana R
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Alcohol Abuse: Recognising The Signs

Image Source

Most of us drink. Some of us may even binge every other weekend. But where do you draw the line between moderate/social use and alcoholism? Generally a good indicator is when friends and family start to worry about you, or when you personally start to worry or feel ashamed about drinking. Talking a doctor or counsellor will allow you to properly determine whether you have a problem. In the meantime, it may be worth reading into these signs to see if you fit the bill.

Your drinking has got you a criminal conviction

If you’ve been arrested or warned by police for drunken behaviour, this is generally a sign that you need to tone things down a bit. This could include being drunk and disorderly, trespassing into an area whilst intoxicated or drinking under the influence. It may pay to think back to any previous dangerous or unlawful situations that you’ve found yourself, whether or not you got caught in the act. If you can easily identify such situations, then this a sign that alcohol is taking control of your actions for the worse.

There are many things you can do to wipe clean your criminal convictions and start fresh. Whilst they may haunt you forever on a DBS check, you may be able to legally contest having to pay fines or serve sentences by showing that you’re making a recovery. There are specialist lawyers that can deal with individual charges such as DUI attorney for a drink driving charge.

alcoholic

Image Source

Your drinking is causing you to neglect responsibilities

Failing to turn up at work or school because you were drinking, neglecting your kids or forgetting important commitments are all clear signs that alcohol is negatively affecting your life. Such behaviour when taking to the extreme could result in getting fired, suspended or having social services intervene.

Start to record the amount of times this is happening, and start setting alarms and keeping calendars so that you’re on time to events and know when to limit your drinking. If you still find it hard to keep by this code, you may need to seek help elsewhere.

Drinking is damaging your relationships

If your family or partner does not like your drinking habits and it is resulting in arguments, ultimatums, splits or physical violence, alcohol could be ruining your personal life. Of course, relationship problems can be due to a number of factors, but if alcohol is the running theme, then it may be worth taking the advice of your friends and family. There are also counselling services that can help with this area.

You need to drink to de-stress

A lot of us may use a glass of wine or a few beers to unwind after a hard day’s work, but you shouldn’t have to rely on these things to de-stress. If your first reaction to every argument or bit of bad news is to hit the bottle, this could masking problems or creating an unhealthy reliance. Start experimenting with other methods of de-stressing such as exercise, listening to music, meditations, reading, gaming or simply going for a walk – whatever gives you comfort without involving alcohol.

7 Useful Tips For Coping With Chronic Pain

Dana R
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7 Useful Tips For Coping With Chronic Pain

night-sleep

Image Credit

People living with chronic pain can find every aspect of their life is affected. From sleeping to working, relationships to mental health, nothing is left alone, and people can find it truly challenging. While the very nature of chronic pain means that the source is tough to treat, it is possible to treat the symptoms to some extent. Different people find a variety of ways to treat their symptoms, and it can vary widely from person to person. If you’re suffering from chronic pain, here are seven things you can do to help alleviate and manage your symptoms.

  1. Address your mental health

Mental health and chronic pain are intrinsically connected. The isolation that many people experience as a result of the pain and exhaustion they experience can cause severe depression and anxiety which, in a harsh, vicious cycle, can cause the chronic pain to worsen. It’s a tremendously difficult cycle to break, but by carefully monitoring your own mental health, it’s possible to ensure you do not fall into this cycle. Managing your stress is the first way to do this – stress and chronic pain are unfortunate bedfellows, so it’s important not to allow this to happen to you. Keep your responsibilities to their minimum level, and avoid biting off more than you can chew. When things become too much, always ask for help – your health is more important than anything else, so don’t let work or other responsibilities come first.

Image Credit

  1. Understand your medication

Chances are you’ll be on a few different bits of medication to manage the cause of your chronic pain. Understanding how this medication works allows you to communicate fully with your doctor regarding your needs, and will also help to manage side effects. It also allows you to understand which complementary therapies might work, such as reflexology, acupuncture, or medical marijuana (if it’s legal in your area) which can be easily administered with enail box mod attachments for e-cigarettes. Speak to your doctor before you invest in any of these, but express an interest in trying them out.

  1. Exploit your body’s natural pain relief

The human body has a great ability to treat a certain amount of pain on its own. While it probably won’t be able to rid you of it altogether, a little bit of natural pain relief won’t hurt. Light exercise is a great way to encourage your body to release endorphins, which are the hormones that improve your mood, with the added bonus of blocking pain signals to the brain. Exercise also keeps your blood pressure down, your weight at a healthy level, and reduces your risk of heart disease or diabetes, so it’s a win-win situation.

Image Source

  1. Find a support group

Feeling isolated is a very natural part of the chronic pain, especially as it can be difficult to get out and socialize like you did pre-illness. Finding a support group of other chronic pain sufferers allows you to surround yourself with people who are understanding about what you’re experiencing, but who can also offer advice for treatment and coping mechanisms.

  1. Try to eat well

Eating a healthy diet not only reduces cholesterol and the risk of diabetes, but it can even help you to feel better more immediately. A low sodium, balanced diet of protein, fats, carbohydrates, and lots of fruit and veggies will give you more energy, and make you feel more healthy while your body isn’t at its best.

  1. Keep track of everything

Seemingly innocuous things can affect your mood and pain levels when you’re suffering. Keeping track of diet, exercise, energy and sleep, and the resulting pain levels allow you to monitor the cause and effect of your actions. This is useful information for both your doctor, who can use it to understand your condition better, and yourself, who can use it to better manage your condition in the future. Keeping it all in a handy journal or on a useful app, and regularly looking for patterns in the data means you can start to draw correlations and change how you manage your pain.

meditation

Image Credit

  1. Explore meditation

Many chronic pain sufferers find that meditation and deep breathing techniques are a great way to manage symptoms. They help to take the tension out of the muscles, which can ease pain and release stress. Focussing on deep, long breaths, or the repetitive beat of the heart, allows sufferers to distract themselves from the pain and become mindful of their body in other ways, which can have great long term benefits when explored for any significant length of time.

Managing chronic pain isn’t easy, but it is possible – give some of these a go and let me know what you think.

Jeff Sessions Confirmed as Attorney General

Diane A. Wade
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0
Jeff Sessions Confirmed as Attorney General

President Donald Trump’s nomination for attorney general, Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, has been confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 52 to 47.

Jeff Sessions’ confirmation follows a series of divisive hearings during which Democrats attacked his record on civil rights.

Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren was silenced after recalling historic allegations of racism against Jeff Sessions.

Jeff Sessions’ nomination was among Donald Trump’s most controversial.

Voting largely followed party lines, with just one Democratic senator – Joe Manchin of West Virginia – voting for Jeff Sessions.

Image source Flickr

Jeff Sessions’ Republican colleagues in the chamber applauded him as their majority carried him over the line. He will now take charge of the justice department and its 113,000 employees, including 93 US attorneys.

Addressing the chamber after the vote, Jeff Sessions said: “There is no greater honor than to represent the people of Alabama in the greatest deliberative body in the world.

“I appreciate the full debate we’ve had and thank those afterwards who found sufficient confidence to cast their vote to confirm me as the next attorney general.

“I fully understand the august responsibility of this office.”

However, Jeff Sessions added that “denigrating people who don’t agree with us is not good for our politics”.

During debates ahead of the vote, Elizabeth Warren and other Democratic senators recalled criticism of Jeff Sessions by Martin Luther King’s widow, who opposed his nomination as a federal judge in 1986, alleging he had intimidated black voters.

That nomination was rejected by a US Senate panel amid concerns over allegedly racist comments made by Jeff Sessions, and remarks which appeared to be sympathetic to white supremacist group the Ku Klux Klan.

David Duke, the former leader of the KKK, welcomed the confirmation, writing on Twitter: “Mr. Trump’s appointment of Bannon, Flynn and Sessions are the first steps in the project of taking America back.”

Elizabeth Warren, who was temporarily banned from the chamber, wrote: “If Jeff Sessions makes even the tiniest attempt to bring his racism, sexism & bigotry into the Justice Department, he’ll hear from all of us.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmVAbxDgV2s

Dakota Pipeline: ETP to Resume Work After Getting US Army Permission

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Dakota Pipeline: ETP to Resume Work After Getting US Army Permission

Energy Transfer Partners (ETP), the company building the controversial Dakota Access oil pipeline, says it plans to resume work immediately after getting permission from the US Army.

ETP said the remaining work on Dakota pipeline would take about three months to complete.

The $3.8 billion project had stalled for months due to opposition from Native American protesters.

According to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, the pipeline could endanger its drinking water and desecrate sacred sites.

The final section of the project is a crossing under Lake Oahe that would carry North Dakota oil through the pipeline to Illinois.

The Army had begun further study of the river crossing after contamination fears raised by the Standing Rock tribe, but it notified Congress on February 7 that it would stop the study and grant ETP permission to continue work.

The decision came after Donald Trump formally backed the project last month in one of his first executive orders as president.

Image source Flickr

Thousands of predominantly Native American protesters have boycotted the pipeline’s construction in the state of North Dakota.

The 1,172 mile, four-state project is almost finished except for the one-mile stretch under Lake Oahe, where demonstrators have set up protest encampments.

The Obama administration announced in September 2016 that it would not allow the project to proceed, but Donald Trump overturned the decision.

The Army’s statement on February 7 said: “The Department of the Army announced today that it has completed a presidential-directed review of the remaining easement request for the Dakota Access pipeline, and has notified Congress that it intends to grant an easement.”

An easement is a special permit that allows a company to cross private land. North Dakota’s two senators welcomed the Army’s announcement.

Standing Rock Sioux lawyers said approval of the project cannot be “legally granted at this time”.

Environmental groups, including Greenpeace, the Sierra Club, and the Center for Biological Diversity have criticized the decision and vowed to fight the pipeline.

They accused the Trump administration of putting corporate profits ahead of Native Americans and the environment.

Nearly 700 people have been arrested since protests first began in 2016, according to law enforcement officials.

Just last week 76 protesters were arrested after refusing to leave land owned by the energy company.

5 Cruel Effects Of A Bad Night’s Sleep That You Should Know

Nancy Clayson
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5 Cruel Effects Of A Bad Night’s Sleep That You Should Know

It is not surprising for people to be irritable after a bad night’s sleep. If you’re the one who didn’t have enough amount of sleep, how would you feel?

We bet you’ll experience some of the most common effects such as a headache; it can make you grumpy, and may even let someone who lacks sleep experience back pain when you wake up in the morning. Did you know that it can do so many things when it comes to your physical and mental health?

In this article, we will give you some of the surprising but serious effects of sleep deprivation. Here are some of those:

  1. It may cause accidents

accident, banana skin, be carefulhttps://www.pexels.com/photo/slippery-foot-dangerous-fall-36763/

Did you know that behind the greatest disasters in the world history such as the oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska (also known as Exxon Valdez oil spill), the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986 and much more massive accidents are commonly factored by one thing? Sleep deprivation.

Aside from that, it has been common that lack of sleep is also one factor in different road accidents. The feeling of being sleepy can have the same effect as drunk driving.

Studies also show that those who lack sleep causes more accidents in work and those who suffer from drowsiness has more sick days compared to those who had an adequate amount of sleep according to reports.

  1. Lack of sleep makes you dumb

awareness, cross, dumbhttps://www.pexels.com/photo/walk-human-trafficking-12136/

A right amount of sleep plays a vital role when it comes to your cognitive function and learning. There are tons of adverse effects when you lack sleep. The not so serious type is when you can’t focus or concentrate, it also makes your attention span shorter than normal.

At night, the amount of sleep that you’re getting contributes to the consolidation of memories when you sleep. If you don’t sleep well that night, expect that you can’t remember tomorrow what you learned and gone through yesterday.

  1. Sleeping poorly ages your skin

White Heart Shape on Human Skinhttps://www.pexels.com/photo/white-heart-shape-on-human-skin-161608/

Those who lack sleep for several nights may experience puffy eyes and yellowish skin. But eventually, it can lead to dull skin, some fine lines, and dark circles the eyes.

What happens when we don’t get enough sleep is that our body produces cortisol (a stress hormone). As a result, the protein that makes our skin glow and keeps it healthy, which is collagen, is broken into pieces by this stress hormone.

  1. Gain weight is another effect of inadequate amount of sleep

Brass Analog Weighing Scalehttps://www.pexels.com/photo/brass-analog-weighing-scale-38084/

Many studies associated lack of sleep to obesity and increase in appetite. According to a survey conducted in 2004, those who sleep in less than six hours every day are more likely to gain weight and become obese than those who sleeps seven to nine hours a day.

Lack of sleep does not solely increase your appetite. It’s like a thing that also acts as a stimulant that makes you crave for food with high-fat content or highly carbonated food or drinks. Therefore, some programs for weight loss should be thinking about sleep deprivation as a factor and should be a necessary part of the program.

  1. Sleep deprivation affects our judgment

White King Chess Piece on Chess Boardhttps://www.pexels.com/photo/white-king-chess-piece-on-chess-board-39655/

Unsurprisingly, we all know that when we lack sleep, we tend to have wrong interpretations of the events that are happening to us. As a result, it hurts our capability to make right decisions and judgments because we cannot evaluate the current situations fairly and it hinders us to think and function wisely.

Those who lack sleep may believe that this is not a serious issue, but it is (especially if you are someone who makes huge decisions as this may cause you big troubles in the future).

Takeaway

Deprivation of sleep is never good for someone. Inadequate amount of sleep is unhealthy; it may also lead to several unfortunate outcomes in the future. Make use of your beds at home. If your bed is the one that hinders you from sleeping, it may be best to change them.

Having a good night sleep has a huge effect than what we thought. It is best to give yourself enough time to revitalize and refresh you for you to perform your day-to-day tasks efficiently and swiftly.

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Brexit Bill Approved by UK’s Parliament

Diane A. Wade
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0
Brexit Bill Approved by UK’s Parliament

UK’s parliament has overwhelmingly agreed to let the government begin the country’s exit from the EU as it voted for the Brexit bill.

The bill was approved by 494 votes to 122, and now moves to the House of Lords.

Shadow business secretary Clive Lewis was one of 52 Labour lawmakers to defy party orders to back the bill and he resigned from the front bench.

PM Theresa May wants to trigger formal Brexit talks by the end of March.

The prime minister will do this by invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, but requires Parliament’s permission before doing so.

Photo Getty Image

Clive Lewis, who earlier said he was undecided on whether to support the EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, announced his resignation as parliament began voting for the final time.

He said he “cannot, in all good conscience, vote for something I believe will ultimately harm the city I have the honor to represent, love and call home”.

Leader Jeremy Corbyn said he understood the difficulties the vote presented some of his members of parliament but said they had been ordered to back the Article 50 because the party would not “block Brexit”.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, who missed last week’s initial vote on the bill, backed it this time.

The Labour rebellion was five lawmakers up on last week’s vote, while former Chancellor Ken Clarke was again the only Conservative to vote against the two-clause bill.

During the voting, SNP lawmakers were reprimanded by deputy speaker Lindsay Hoyle after they started singing Ode to Joy, the EU anthem.

Donald Trump Criticized for Attacking Nordstrom In Ivanka Row

Nancy Clayson
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0
Donald Trump Criticized for Attacking Nordstrom In Ivanka Row

President Donald Trump has come under Democrats’ fire after attacking Nordstrom for dropping a fashion line owned by his daughter, Ivanka.

Donald Trump tweeted that “Ivanka has been treated so unfairly” by the clothing retailer.

A Democratic senator called the post “inappropriate” and an ex-White House ethics tsar dubbed it “outrageous”.

Earlier this month Nordstrom became the fifth retailer to drop Ivanka Trump’s clothing line, citing lack of sales.

The move comes amid a boycott of all Trump products, which activists have dubbed #GrabYourWallet, in reference to a 2005 comment Donald Trump made about women’s bodies.

A spokesman for Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey said the senator “feels it is unethical and inappropriate for the president to lash out at a private company for refusing to enrich his family”.

Image source Nordstrom

Norm Eisen, who served as ethics tsar under President Barack Obama, called the move “outrageous” and advised Nordstrom to sue Donald Trump under the California Unfair Competition Law.

The White House has played down the row and press spokesman Sean Spicer said that Nordstrom’s decision was political, and the president was simply reacting to “an attack” on his daughter.

During the daily press briefing, Sean Spicer said: “This is a direct attack on his policies and her name and so there’s clearly an attempt for [the president] to stand up for her being maligned because they have a problem with his policies.”

Nordstrom has yet to respond to the recent tweet, but have said previously that the decision to drop the Ivanka Trump line was “based on the brand’s performance”.

The tweet, which was sent by President Trump’s @realDonaldTrump account was then re-tweeted by the official @POTUS account.

Shares in the retailer fell 0.7%, before rallying slightly by midday.

Earlier this week, First Lady Melania Trump came under fire after she re-filed a lawsuit against the Daily Mail over false allegations that she once worked as an escort.

Melania Trump’s lawyers accused the news website of trying to deny her a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to profit from her position as “one of the most photographed women in the world”.

Critics accused Melania Trump of improperly seeking to profit financially from her White House position. The first lady is seeking damages of $150 million.

You, in the Back: Will the Real Shy Employees Please Speak Up?

Nancy Clayson
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You, in the Back: Will the Real Shy Employees Please Speak Up?

Any well-rounded workplace needs a healthy mix of personality types. From people who thrust their hands up during meetings to share the idea that just popped into their head to others who hang back and prefer to ruminate before saying anything, workplaces contain a spectrum of different personalities and communication styles. An effective leadership team must be able to realize this, and in turn work hard to ensure that they’re getting ideas from all different angles.

Your team may be missing out on valuable input if they’re catering to the extroverted side of the workforce but leaving the introverts and shy employees in the dust. It’s not that they don’t have great suggestions; it’s just that without the right forum, they may not feel comfortable sharing what’s on their mind. As the Washington Post says, modern workplaces tend to be structured around group activities, even though research shows that individuals who get a chance to think by themselves come up with better ideas.

 

How can you be sure to facilitate discussions that include the valuable point-of-view of quieter individuals, and avoid falling into the pitfalls of an office that’s so group-centric that it impedes true teamwork?

 

Identify and Play Toward Strengths

As The Muse points out, shy employees have just as much intelligence and ingenuity as louder ones, but their tendency to fly under the radar means that it may not be as obvious to the outside world. As a manager, it’s up to you to identify and tap into this well of insight. But how?

 

Play to their strengths and meet them on their terms.

 

They may not be the first people jumping into the spotlight during a meeting, but quiet employees generally excel in creative problem solving and decision making due to their reflective mental process. Instead of forcing them to masquerade as a talkative master of brainstorming, give them notice before meetings and let them shine during one-on-one scenarios. It will save them a dose of anxiety, and it will provide a new depth of insight that group sessions may miss.

 

Anonymous Question and Answer Sessions

It’s likely that many introverted and shy employees feel like fish out of water during large presentations, training sessions, or meetings. When the lights go up and the presenter asks for questions or comments, someone might have a valuable contribution but feel uncomfortable speaking out in front of so many others. One solution is to integrate a discreet learning activity into a PowerPoint presentation like an instant Q&A session from Poll Everywhere. Anyone in the audience can type their question on a mobile device or computer and anonymously submit it to the slide, so the speaker can address it in real time without needing to call anyone out. People can vote on questions that they share, so the submitter may gain a boost of confidence for asking something important without having to stand up and say it in front of a crowd.

 

Use Positive Reinforcements

One basic way to make sure that people understand the worth and necessity of their contributions is to give credit, and even praise, where it’s due. According to one contributor for Forbes, consistently giving people credit for their ideas will encourage people to share more in the future. Make sure that ideas are taken seriously, and provide a practical and emotional payoff for employees—even shy ones—to speak up and toss their questions and ideas into the ring.

 

It’s beneficial to company culture to avoid the fallacy that only verbal go-getters have leadership potential or a stream of solid ideas. If you’re not working hard to create an inclusive environment for all personality types, ranging from the extremely extroverted to the shy, then you’re missing out on serious perspective that could help shape your organization. Use these tools and techniques to encourage open, honest conversation for all in the workplace.

 

Alexei Navalny Found Guilty of Embezzlement

Diane A. Wade
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0
Alexei Navalny Found Guilty of Embezzlement

Alexei Navalny has been found guilty of embezzlement, Russian media report.

A judge was still reading the verdict in the city of Kirov, but news agencies said it was clear in his remarks that the Russian leading opposition leader had been convicted.

Even a suspended sentence would bar the outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin from running for president in 2018.

Alexei Navalny, 40, has denied the accusations, saying the case is politically motivated.

A sentence in the retrial may take hours to be read out. Prosecutors had asked the judge to hand Alexei Navalny a five year suspended sentence.

The European Court of Human Rights ordered a retrial after it said he was not given a fair hearing in the first trial, in 2013.

Alexei Navalny is known for his anti-corruption campaign, which targeted senior officials close to the Kremlin. He says the case is an effort to keep him out of politics.

He has recently stepped up his political activity after announcing plans last year to run for the presidency in 2018. President Putin is allowed by the constitution to run for a second consecutive six-year term, but he has not said yet if he plans to run.

Alexei Navalny’s rise as a force in Russian politics began in 2008 when he started blogging about alleged malpractice and corruption at some of Russia’s big state-controlled corporations.

He described Vladimir Putin’s United Russia as “the party of crooks and thieves”, a phrase that stuck among many in Russia.

Alexei Navalny stood for Moscow mayor in 2013 and got more than a quarter of the vote, a surprise for many.

In the first trial, in 2013, Alexei Navalny was found guilty of heading a group that embezzled timber worth 16 million roubles ($500,000) from the Kirovles state timber company while working as an adviser to Kirov’s governor, Nikita Belykh.

Alexei Navalny had described the rerun of the trial as an “exact copy” of the original proceedings, and said he was sure he would be found guilty once again.

What Makes Me Confident and Attractive – The Perfect Lingerie

Nancy Clayson
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0
What Makes Me Confident and Attractive – The Perfect Lingerie

As Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, it is time to think of a perfect women’s clothing to commemorate such a special night. Most women wear lingerie for that most romantic night; a night that can spark and rekindle any lost or unheated relationship again.

Most women are looking for a lingerie that will keep her partner drooling all over her. However, buying lingerie for Valentine’s Day doesn’t necessarily mean it is for someone to look. Some women, even if they are single, buy lingerie for themselves.

Lingerie can be a sign of self-love and self-recognition. Moreover, it is not bad to sometimes feel attractive. Such can boost your self-esteem, confidence for yourself and a source of body empowerment. It is important to find as many ways as possible for you to show yourself love, especially those who are single during Valentine’s Day.

Nevertheless, buying lingerie for yourself or for someone you love with Valentine’s Day in mind can be quite exhausting and frustrating. Though there are so many exciting, elegant and beautiful types of lingerie in the market, looking for that perfect match is quite troublesome.

The Perfect Lingerie for Me

Woman Wearing Crochet Sweaterhttps://www.pexels.com/photo/adult-blur-body-bra-230590/

There are many types of lingerie you can come up. Some women would want something lacy, silky or wearable. Thinking of all the possible style of underwear can overwhelm you too much and eventually leave you hanging. You can either use a sporty set or a chic kind of underwear depending on your mood.

To start off, one of the all time favorites wore by women during Valentine’s day without being uncomfortable is a soft, cotton, lace lingerie. Use the kind of top without underwires so it won’t poke you while you can use a bottom that features an elastic-free leg hole.

If you are not a fan of lace or silk kind of lingerie, you can use a classic cotton as an alternative. This lingerie is a pullover style with wireless cups, racerback straps, and scoop neck. It also comes in different colors such as red and black.

 

There is more to Lingerie

Woman Strapping Her Body of American Flaghttps://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-strapping-her-body-of-american-flag-113709/

 Though wearing special lingerie in such a particular and romantic night for the love of your life, there is a deeper meaning to wearing such clothing. Because we live in a society dictated by standards and norms only created by the likes of us, such rules become distorted.

Some women don’t have the guts to wear lingerie because of the indoctrination of body shaming. Body shaming is prevalent in our culture, and often women are pushed to feel shame and remorse towards her body.

Women shouldn’t be judged singularly on aspects of physical appearance because there is more to a woman than just beauty. That is where lingerie comes in. Wearing lingerie gives women the sense of acceptance and confidence about her body. In short, it emanates body empowerment.

If you accept your body entirely to allow yourself the pleasure of looking for and finding the right match of lingerie that fits all in the right places and expresses your original personality, then that would be the right match of lingerie for you.

Takeaway

Single or not, buying and wearing lingerie is a decision only a right woman filled with confidence can do. Women may prefer a lace or silk kind of lingerie or vintage cotton lingerie, however, whatever kind of underwear you wear as long as you feel comfy, attractive and confident with it.

There is more to wearing underwear during Valentine’s Day. It is not just an act of affection to the love of your life, but an act of acceptance and body empowerment for women. Women are mostly judged on aspects of physical appearance and often gets objectify because of it.

However, the act of wearing lingerie is a sign of acceptance of your body and a decline of any act of judgment from people. The important thing is that you can express your style through what you wear and show how confident you are.

 

 

 

 

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Elizabeth Warren Silenced by Senate Republicans After Reading Letter Written by Martin Luther King Jr’s Widow

Diane A. Wade
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0
Elizabeth Warren Silenced by Senate Republicans After Reading Letter Written by Martin Luther King Jr’s Widow

Democratic Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren was silenced by Senate Republicans on February 7 after reading a letter written by the widow of Martin Luther King Jr.

The 30-year-old letter criticized Jeff Sessions, President Donald Trump’s nomination for attorney general.

Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell said Elizabeth Warren had broken senate rules by impugning the conduct of another senator.

Elizabeth Warren subsequently read Coretta Scott King’s letter live on Facebook.

The incident occurred during a debate in the senate on the nomination of Jeff Sessions. Mitch McConnell’s objection to Elizabeth Warren’s speech was put to a vote and senators voted 49-43 in his favor.

Image source Wikimedia

Elizabeth Warren described what happened in a comment alongside her Facebook video: “During the debate on whether to make Jeff Sessions the next Attorney General, I tried to read a letter from Coretta Scott King on the floor of the Senate.

“The letter, from 30 years ago, urged the Senate to reject the nomination of Jeff Sessions to a federal judgeship. The Republicans took away my right to read this letter on the floor – so I’m right outside, reading it now.”

Coretta Scott King’s letter alleged that Jeff Sessions was unsuitable for that role because he had “used the awesome powers of his office in a shabby attempt to intimidate and frighten elderly black voters”. Jeff Sessions’ nomination process has been dogged by allegations that he attempted to suppress black votes when he was an attorney in Alabama.

The objection by Mitch McConnell raised the ire of Democrats and members of the public, many of whom shared the letter on social media using the hashtag #LetLizSpeak.

Bernice King, the daughter of Coretta Scott King and Martin Luther King, wrote on Twitter: “Thank you @SenWarren for being the soul of the Senate during the #Sessions hearing. #LetCorettaSpeak #LetLizSpeak”

The DNC said in a statement it was a “sad day in America when the words of Martin Luther King Jr.’s widow are not allowed on the floor of the United States Senate”.

Elizabeth Warren is now barred from speaking on the floor for the remainder of the debate, Mitch McConnell’s office said. The debate is expected to conclude on February 8.

Driving for Dollars: Must-Have Apps for Livery, Bus and Train Crews

Dana R
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Driving for Dollars: Must-Have Apps for Livery, Bus and Train Crews

If you do a driving job you will never be far away from your phone and will probably rely on it for directions and other useful information.

There are also some must-have apps to download onto your smartphone if you want to be super-efficient and enjoy a greater level of road safety.

Here is a look at some apps that will help you become a better road warrior. There are details on how to pay the cheapest gas prices and improve your performance, plus a look at a way to track your vehicle location and how to make the most of the latest driver technology.

Always find the cheapest gas

It is always frustrating to fill up your gas tank only to discover that you could have paid less only a few miles down the road.

If you use an app like GasBuddy you access the latest up-to-date gas prices. The app relies on input from millions of users who report where gas is cheapest in your area, and all you have to do is type in your chosen area and run through a list of the closest gas stations and their prices.

Gas is pretty cheap right now, but that is no reason to pay more than you have to, so use an app to make sure you are paying the lowest price available.

Improve your driving efficiency

It is always a good idea to adjust your driving to account for current road conditions and if you download real-time weather data from Apalon Apps you will be able to get a good idea whether the roads are going to be wet or a storm is coming.

You could also download TripAlyzer, which is an app that analyzes your driving efficiency and works out how well you are performing with your fuel usage habits. A good feature to note on this app, especially if you are driving for dollars, is the ability to see how much you’ve spent on each trip.

Image result for Never lose your vehicle

Never lose your vehicle

You might think that it will never happen to you, but loads of motorists simply forget where they parked the car, especially if they are in an unfamiliar area and don’t know their way around.

It always worth downloading the free app Find My Car so that you won’t waste time trying to find your vehicle if you do happen to forget the location of where you last left it.

The Findmycar Smarter system automatically saves your current parking location, allowing you to activate the app and become reunited in no time at all.

Make use of driverless technology

There is an augmented reality driving safety app called iOnRoad that utilizes the same sort of technology that is being used in driverless cars. It can also improve your road safety by constantly monitoring your vehicle’s position on the road. The app uses your smartphone camera to continuously monitor the road ahead and around you. It then warns you of lane departures together with other features that include a collision warning system as well as a warning if you are exceeding the speed limit.

These are just some of the apps that are well worth downloading if you spend a lot of time behind the wheel.

Richard McAndrews is on the road for work most days, working in an occupational safety role. His articles focus on these topics, keeping safe whether you’re commuting to work or driving is part of your job role.

Immigration Amicus Brief: 30 More Tech Companies Sign Against Trump Travel Ban

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Immigration Amicus Brief: 30 More Tech Companies Sign Against Trump Travel Ban

Thirty more tech companies have signed a brief opposing President Donald Trump’s travel ban, bringing the total number involved to 127.

Tesla, Adobe, HP and Evernote are among the new signatories.

They join 97 other companies which have filed a legal document stating the ban “inflicts significant harm” on their businesses and is unconstitutional.

The amicus brief allows parties not directly involved in a case but who feel affected by it, to give a view.

It was filed in Washington on February 5 and also includes Apple, Facebook and Microsoft as signatories.

Amazon is not part of the amicus brief but it is a witness in the original lawsuit brought by the Washington state Attorney General.

Image source Getty Images

President Trump’s executive order halted the entire US refugee program for 120 days, indefinitely banned Syrian refugees and suspended permission to enter the US for all nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries.

There is currently a nationwide temporary restraining order in place, which was issued on February 3 by a federal judge in Washington.

This means visa holders from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen will be allowed to enter the US until the full case has been heard.

However, Donald Trump has said he will fight the order as it puts national security at risk.

The tech group’s brief reads: “Of course, the federal government can and should implement targeted, appropriate adjustments to the nation’s immigration system to enhance the nation’s security.

“But a broad, open-ended ban – together with an indication that the ban could be expanded to other countries without notice – does not fit the goal of making the country more secure. Instead, it will undermine American interests.”

Senate Confirms Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary

Diane A. Wade
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0
Senate Confirms Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary

President Donald Trump’s controversial nominee for education secretary, Betsy DeVos, has been confirmed by the Senate by slenderest possible margin.

Vice-President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote to secure her cabinet role, splitting the chamber 50-50.

It was the first time ever that a vice-president has interceded in such a way for a cabinet secretary.

Betsy DeVos, a billionaire who has no experience with public schools, faced a rocky confirmation hearing last month.

Immediately after voting ended, she tweeted: “I appreciate the Senate’s diligence & am honored to serve as @usedgov Secretary.

“Let’s improve options & outcomes for all US students.”

Image source EPA

On February 7, Senate Democrats staged a 24-hour debate to hold up her confirmation.

They hoped their all-night speaking marathon would pressure more Republican senators to oppose the nomination, but their efforts were in vain.

Mike Pence was also the first vice-president to cast a deciding vote in the Senate since 2008, when Dick Cheney voted on a tax adjustment plan.

No Democrats voted in favor of Betsy DeVos. Two Republican senators stood by their plan to oppose her confirmation, leaving the Senate in a deadlock.

Critics say Betsy DeVos is unqualified to run the Department of Education.

The 59-year-old faced intense scrutiny before a Senate committee in January, when she made headlines for noting that a Wyoming school might need a gun to defend against grizzly bears.

Labor unions, rights groups and teaching organizations have also spoken out against her nomination.

Groups including the American Federation of Teachers and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights held protests against Betsy DeVos outside of Congress on February 6.

She is a wealthy Republican Party donor and a former Michigan Republican Party chairwoman who has long campaigned for education reform in the state.

Betsy DeVos is a champion of charter schools, which are publicly funded but operate outside state school systems.

Her husband Dick DeVos was a chief executive of the beauty and nutrition giant Amway and her brother is Erik Prince, the founder of the controversial private security company Blackwater.

Betsy DeVos is among several of Donald Trump’s cabinet picks whom Democrats have been trying to block from being approved.

Democrats said in January they would target eight of Donald Trump’s nominees based on their lack of qualifications and policy positions.

According to the Washington Post, before Betsy DeVos’ approval, just six of Donald Trump’s cabinet picks had been confirmed, compared with former President Barack Obama’s 12 cabinet secretaries at this point in 2009 and 16 of George W. Bush’s in 2001.

The slowed process is also partly due to the fact that some of Donald Trump’s picks have not completed a lengthy vetting process typically required of Cabinet candidates, which helps identify potential conflicts of interest.

Hundreds of staff positions also remain vacant as the fate of 15 of Trump administration’s nominees hangs in the balance.

GM Hourly Workers to Receive $12,000 Bonus After Huge Profit in North America

Clyde K. Valle
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0
GM Hourly Workers to Receive $12,000 Bonus After Huge Profit in North America

General Motors hourly workers will receive bonuses of $12,000 after the company made a profit of $12 billion in North America.

The United Automobile Workers union negotiated a profit sharing deal in 2011.

The deal is worth up to $1,000 per $1 billion of profit the company makes in the continent.

However, net profit for the whole of GM dropped 2.7% in 2016 to $9.43 billion after foreign exchange losses.

Photo AP

A jump in sales in mid-size pick-up trucks and SUVs aided sales in the US. Chevrolet was GM’s fastest growing brand in the US in 2016, increasing its share of the US retail market by 0.5 percentage points.

A year earlier, payments of up to $11,000 were awarded to union workers after $11 billion of North American profits were posted. The award is based on working more than an average of 35 hours per week during the year.

In Europe, GM reported a narrower loss of $257 million, compared with $813 million in 2015, as sales rose.

GM sold a record 10 million vehicles in 2016, up 1.2% from 2015, with 3.04 million vehicles sold in the US.

In China, deliveries rose 7.1% to a record 3.87 million vehicles and in Europe, its Opel and Vauxhall marques posted a 4% sales increase.

GM said Q4 net profit fell partly because of $500 million in currency losses, mostly from the decline of the pound.

The company forecast profit per share in 2017 would be the same or slightly better than 2016.

BP Profits Double in Q4 2016

Clyde K. Valle
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0
BP Profits Double in Q4 2016

BP’s profits double in Q4 of 2016 on the back of slightly higher oil prices and more cost-cutting.

Underlying replacement cost profit – BP’s preferred measure – was $400 million, up from $196 million a year earlier.

The oil giant took another charge of $799 million for the Deepwater Horizon disaster, bringing total charges to $62.6 billion.

BP CEO Bob Dudley said: “2016 was the year we made significant strides for future growth.

“We start this year with considerable momentum – and a sense of disciplined ambition. We have laid the foundations for BP to be back to growth.”

BP is set to receive a record fine of between $3 billion and $5 billion to settle criminal charges related to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster

For the 2016 as a whole, underlying replacement cost profit – which strips out fluctuations in the value of oil stocks – fell to $2.58 billion, down from $5.90 billion in 2015.

However, the profit figures were below some analysts’ forecasts, and BP shares fell 2% at the start of trading in London.

In 2015, the company posted its biggest loss in at least 20 years, ravaged by Gulf of Mexico spill costs and tumbling oil prices, which caused the group to axe jobs and cut investments.

However, Bob Dudley said that the costs and liabilities from the fatal Deepwater Horizon oil platform disaster were “now substantially behind us. BP is fully focused on the future”.

BP said it would balance its books at an oil price of around $60 per barrel by the end of the year. Oil companies have been selling assets and cutting costs to adjust to lower prices. Brent crude, the international benchmark, averaged $44 a barrel in 2016, the lowest in 12 years.

Nicolas Sarkozy Ordered to Stand Trial in Bygmalion Scandal

Diane A. Wade
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0
Nicolas Sarkozy Ordered to Stand Trial in Bygmalion Scandal

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been ordered to stand trial in an illegal campaign finance case.

Nicolas Sarkozy faces accusations that his party falsified accounts in order to hide 18 million euros ($20 million) of campaign spending in 2012.

The former president has repeatedly denied that he was aware of the overspending.

Nicolas Sarkozy lost the 2012 race to Francois Hollande, and failed in his bid to run again in this year’s upcoming presidential election.

The case is known as the Bygmalion scandal.

It centers on claims that Nicolas Sarkozy’s party, then known as the UMP, connived with a friendly PR company to hide the true cost of his 2012 presidential election campaign.

Photo Reuters

France sets limits on campaign spending, and it is alleged the firm Bygmalion invoiced Nicolas Sarkozy’s party rather than the campaign, allowing the UMP to exceed the limit.

Employees at Bygmalion have admitted knowledge of the ruse and several UMP members already face charges.

Nicolas Sarkozy’s court case is expected to focus on whether the ex-leader was aware of the alleged fraud.

Thirteen other people are also expected to be tried.

However, judicial sources say an appeal could be launched against the trial order, because it was only made by one of the two judges handling the case.

The development comes as other French politicians have faced questions over their financial dealings.

Francois Fillon, who beat Nicolas Sarkozy to become the center-right’s candidate for the presidential race, is accused of misusing public funds to employ his wife and two children.

Meanwhile, the European Parliament is demanding France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen return funds it says she has misspent, by paying an aide at the National Front party’s headquarters in Paris.

Nicolas Sarkozy is the second French president to be put on trial since 1958, when the current French republic was established.

Former President Jacques Chirac was given a two-year suspended prison sentence in 2011 for diverting public funds and abusing public trust.

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