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EU-Ukraine Partnership Deal Rejected by Netherlands Referendum

Diane A. Wade
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EU-Ukraine Partnership Deal Rejected by Netherlands Referendum

A referendum in the Netherlands has rejected an EU partnership deal to remove trade barriers with Ukraine.

The referendum turnout was low, 32.2%, but above the 30% threshold for the vote to be valid. The deal was rejected by 61.1% of votes compared with 38% in favor.

PM Mark Rutte said the government may have to reconsider the deal, although the vote is not binding.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko insisted his country would “continue our movement towards the EU”.

The vote was widely seen in the Netherlands as a test of public opinion towards the EU.EU Ukraine deal rejected by Netherlands

It was triggered by an internet petition begun by Eurosceptic activists that attracted some more than 400,000 signatures.

The result creates a headache for the Dutch government as the Dutch parliament ratified the EU association agreement with Ukraine in 2015. All the other 27 EU member states have already ratified the deal.

“My view is that if the turnout is more than 30%, with such a victory for the <<No>> camp, ratification cannot go ahead without discussion,” Mark Rutte said in a televised reaction.

Geert Wilders, who leads the anti-EU and anti-Islam Freedom Party, said the result was the “beginning of the end for the EU”.

The vote comes less than three months before British citizens decide in their own referendum whether to leave the EU altogether.

The Russian government was vehemently opposed to the EU deal with Ukraine and was widely thought to have pressed then-President Viktor Yanukovych to reject it in November 2013.

Viktor Yanukovych’s decision prompted protests in Kiev that ultimately led to his downfall.

The Ukrainian president stressed the non-binding nature of the vote.

“I am sure that strategically this event is not an obstacle on Ukraine’s path towards Europe,” Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Petro Poroshenko as saying.

One of the Dutch Eurosceptics behind the referendum, Thierry Baudet, had warned the government to heed a “No” vote on the deal.

“It is not good for the Netherlands, not good for Europe and not good for Ukraine,” he said on TV on the eve of the vote.

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had described the stakes in the run-up to the vote as being high, warning that a “No'” vote could trigger a wider crisis in the 28-member bloc.

A Checklist to Help Make Moving Home Less Stressful

Dana R
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A Checklist to Help Make Moving Home Less Stressful

Moving home is an incredibly stressful thing to do. However, that doesn’t mean it have to be daunting. It is about being organized! Think about the things that you need, such as looking into storage Arlington VA facilities if you need them, getting your boxes ready, throwing things away and more.

Moving home costs money and takes a lot of time. That is what you would expect. However, being properly organized can make a huge difference. You may think lists are a bit retentive, but they do really work. Consider that you need at least six weeks for a move to go by comfortably, so why not make a list for each week, so that you are sure you won’t forget anything. Remember that there is packing to do, administrative things to complete and more. And leave some time for the unexpected things as well.

When you start packing, see it as a chance to spring clean. Do you really need those things that have been in your basement for years? And do also enjoy reminiscing while you are packing, by the way. Physically moving things is also something that you have to consider. There are certain things that will definitely be too bulky for you to carry on your own. Plus, if you have any concerns, don’t engage in heavy lifting at all. Something to put on your checklist: find some friends to help with the lifting!

Naturally, you can also choose to work together with a removal company. If so, make sure that you book the well in advance. There are some very busy moving times during the year, and moving companies can be booked up months before already. At the same time, you have to properly research the different companies. A few things to put on your checklist are the things to look for in a removals company (do they provide boxes, are they insured, are they registered with a professional body, what kind of experiences have other people had?). Similarly, if you will use a storage facility, you also have to do some research in terms of where to go. Perhaps you already use a storage facility, in which case you don’t really have to add this one to your checklist.

Then, there is your administration. You have to change addresses with all your standard affairs, such as your banks and insurance companies. Take the time to compare the market in terms of your home utilities (gas, water, electricity, internet, telephone, television) and things such as home insurance. You also need to think about your medical registrations, such as your family physician, dentist, and pharmacy. Depending on where you are moving to, you may have to change them. The same is true for your children’s schools and yours and their hobbies and pursuits. Think about things such as the gym, swimming pools, libraries, clubs and so on.

These things should really help you to make the move at least a little bit easier.

Kesha’s Sony Music Slavery Case Dismissed by New York Court

Sonia Pantiss
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Kesha’s Sony Music Slavery Case Dismissed by New York Court

A New York court has refused to overturn a ruling from February and dismissed claims Kesha is now a “slave” to Sony Music.

Kesha has accused her former producer, Dr Luke, of abuse, something he has denied.

Her lawyers claimed she was the victim of a hate crime, but the judge disagreed.

The case has been rolling on for months with other performers, including Adele and Taylor Swift, publicly supporting Kesha’s attempts to leave Sony Music.

The latest ruling in New York has also led to new questions about how the legal row began.

It’s been widely reported Kesha first filed a case against Dr Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, in 2014 after which he countersued.

However, the latest ruling suggests it was, in fact, the other way around with Kesha’s abuse case coming after Likasz Gottwald tried to sue her for breach of contract.

Photo Twitter
Photo Twitter

Kesha has said she can’t work with a “monster” and is accusing Dr Luke of raping her a decade ago after giving her a pill that knocked her out.

The singer said her producer bullied her to lose weight until she was so traumatized that she developed an eating disorder and spent two months in a rehabilitation clinic in 2014.

The latest ruling found holes in several legal arguments being made by Kesha’s lawyers.

Manhattan State Supreme Court Justice Shirley Werner Kornreich said rape isn’t necessarily an act of gender hatred, so can’t be considered a hate crime.

In her ruling, Judge Kornreich wrote that although Lukasz Gottwald’s alleged actions were directed at Kesha, the singer has not suggested the producer has specific hostility towards women in general.

Kesha’s lawyers had also argued it was “slavery” to force her to work for companies, which although owned by Sony, are controlled by Dr Luke.

However, the judge decided Kesha’s human rights were not being violated because Sony has promised to keep Kesha “insulated” from Dr Luke.

Previously Sony has said it is “not in a position to terminate the contractual relationship between Luke and Kesha” and that the singer can record “without any connection, involvement or interaction with Luke whatsoever”.

In her ruling, Justice Kornreich wrote: “[Kesha’s] claims of insults about her value as an artist, her looks and her weight are insufficient to constitute extreme, outrageous conduct intolerable in a civilized society.”

Kesha’s lawyers have not responded to the ruling.

Justice Kornreich also said the New York court had no jurisdiction over the case because the alleged abuse happened in California.

There was also a problem because the claims date back beyond the legal time limit, known as a statute of limitations.

Kesha’s lawyers say she was too afraid of him to speak up at the time.

Lukas Gottwald has produced some of the biggest pop hits of the past decade, working with stars including Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Kelly Clarkson and Nicki Minaj.

Dr Luke says Kesha has made up the allegations to ruin his reputation in hopes of getting out of her five-album contract.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ihz1TqMYx4

Brussels Attacks: Najim Laachraoui Worked as Cleaner in EU Parliament

Roy Siemens
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Brussels Attacks: Najim Laachraoui Worked as Cleaner in EU Parliament

One of the Brussels bombers once worked as a cleaner at the European Parliament, officials say.

The man had month-long summer jobs there in 2009 and 2010, the EU Parliament said, without revealing his identity.

However, sources say he is Najim Laachraoui, one of the airport bombers.

Belgian PM Charles Michel has defended his country’s approach to fighting terror threats, insisting Belgium is not a “failed state”.

Charles Michel said everyone in authority had to take a share of the blame for failings before and after March 22.

Najim Laachraoui, already a major suspect on the run after the Paris attacks in November, was named as one of the two bombers who targeted Zaventem airport.

Photo AFP
Photo AFP

The EU Parliament said the cleaning company had provided proof that the person hired had no criminal record at the time.

PM Charles Michel said 30 measures were being put place in Belgium, including a ban on pre-paid mobile phone cards.

“Our key message today is we return to normal life in Brussels and in Belgium,” the Associated Press quoted him as telling reporters.

“When there is an attack like that of course that’s a failure and nobody can deny this,” he said.

“[But] I cannot accept the idea that we’re a failed state.”

Belgium has been accused of taking an un-co-ordinated approach to terror threats because it has multiple institutions representing the country’s complex linguistic and political makeup.

The Brussels region alone has six police zones.

According to Belgium’s De Tijd newspaper, Charles Michel said it was “short-sighted to say a unified police force could have prevented the attacks”.

He said there had been some successes like the recent arrest of the surviving suspect of the Paris attacks last November, Salah Abdeslam, adding it had taken 10 years to track down al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks in the US.

The search for the March 22 attackers is not yet over as pictures taken at Zaventem airport show three men entering the terminal building with explosives.

Najim Laachraoui and Ibrahim el-Bakraoui detonated their bombs and the third is thought to have escaped.

Mossack Fonseca Leaks: UEFA Offices Searched by Police

Clyde K. Valle
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Mossack Fonseca Leaks: UEFA Offices Searched by Police

UEFA offices have been searched by Swiss police.

It follows the naming of ex-secretary general Gianni Infantino – now president of world soccer’s governing body FIFA – in papers leaked from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

Meanwhile, a FIFA official also named in the papers – Juan Pedro Damiani – has resigned.

Gianni Infantino has denied wrongdoing while the European soccer’s governing body says it is helping police.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

While working for UEFA, Ganni Infantino co-signed a TV rights deal in 2006 with two businessmen who have since been accused by the FBI of bribery.

Cross Trading – owned by Hugo Jinkis and his son Mariano – bought TV rights for UEFA Champions League football in 2006 for $111,000 and immediately sold them to Ecuadorian broadcaster Teleamazonas for $311,170.

The company also paid $28,000 for the rights to the UEFA Super Cup, selling those to Teleamazonas for $126,200.

The contract came to light after 11 million documents were leaked from Mossack Fonseca.

A statement from Switzerland’s Office of the Attorney General (OAG) said a “co-operative search” of the Nyon building took place “for the purpose of securing evidence”.

It said its criminal proceedings were connected to the acquisition of television rights and were “directed against persons unknown, meaning that for the time being, no specific individual is being targeted”.

The statement added: “The suspicion is based on the result of findings that have emerged from other proceedings, as well as the corresponding financial analyses carried out by the OAG.

“Current publications in the media subsequently revealed still other elements that made it possible to complement the existing findings in a decisive manner.

“The final impetus was provided, in particular, by confirmation on the part of UEFA that it had concluded contracts with Cross Trading SA.”

Merle Haggard Dies of Pneumonia on His 79th Birthday

Sonia Pantiss
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Merle Haggard Dies of Pneumonia on His 79th Birthday

Merle Haggard has died of pneumonia on his 79th birthday, his manager confirmed.

The singer is credited with helping to define the “Bakersfield sound”, country music with a distinctive twang and lack of sophisticated production.

Merle Haggard wrote songs, sang and played fiddle and guitar, usually singing about American pride and outlaws.

The country music legend was a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame with dozens of albums and top hits.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Merle Haggard, who battled lung cancer in 2008, had recently cancelled April tour dates due to illness and said he hoped to be back on the road in May.

Rolling Stone magazine has described him as “the backbone of one of the greatest repertoires an all of American music, plain-spoken songs populated by the kinds of working people Merle Haggard grew up with: farmers, hobos, convicts, widows, musicians and drunks”.

Merle Haggard’s top hits include Mama Tried, The Fugitive, If We Make It Through December and Okie From Muskogee.

He was born in California in 1937, living in a converted boxcar with his family and quitting school at a young age to hop freight trains across the south western part of the US.

Merle Haggard spent three years in prison for breaking into a cafe while drunk, Rolling Stone notes. Then-governor of California, Ronald Reagan, expunged his criminal record in 1972.

Musicians gave their tributes to Merle Haggard on Twitter shortly following the news of his death.

WHO Report: Diabetes Affects One in Eleven Adults Worldwide

Kathryn R. Bown
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WHO Report: Diabetes Affects One in Eleven Adults Worldwide

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diabetes now affects nearly one in 11 adults.

In a major report, the WHO warned cases had nearly quadrupled to 422 million in 2014 from 108 million in 1980.

High blood sugar levels are a major killer – linked to 3.7 million deaths around the world each year, it says.

WHO officials said the numbers would continue to increase unless “drastic action” was taken.

The report lumps both type 1 and type 2 diabetes together, but the surge in cases is predominantly down to type 2 – the form closely linked to poor lifestyle.Diabetes report 2016

As the world’s waistlines have ballooned – with one-in-three people now overweight, so too has the number of diabetes cases.

Failing to control levels of sugar in the blood has devastating health consequences.

Diabetes triples the risk of a heart attack and leaves people 20 times more likely to have a leg amputated, as well as increasing the risk of stroke, kidney failure, blindness and complications in pregnancy.

The disease itself is the eighth biggest killer in the world, accounting for 1.5 million deaths each year.

A further 2.2 million deaths are linked to high blood sugar levels. And 43% of the deaths were before the age of 70.

In the 1980s the highest rates were found in affluent countries.

In a remarkable transformation, it is now low and middle income countries bearing the largest burden.

The Middle East has seen the prevalence of diabetes soar from 5.9% of adults in 1980 to 13.7% in 2014.

More than three quarters of teenagers in the region are doing less than the recommended level of exercise.

The WHO report said the solution required the whole of society to act.

It is only by keeping blood sugar levels in check that the deadly complications of the disease can be contained.

The report showed that two thirds of low income countries were not able to provide blood sugar monitors or drugs such as insulin or metformin for most people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfOHJLVF5WI

Pfizer Scraps Allergan Deal amid US Tax Law Change

Clyde K. Valle
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Pfizer Scraps Allergan Deal amid US Tax Law Change

Pharmaceutical company Pfizer has scrapped a planned merger with Ireland’s Allergan amid plans to change US tax laws.

The decision comes two days after the US Treasury announced fresh plans to prevent deals known as “inversions”, where a US company merges with another company in a country with a lower tax rate.

The Pfizer-Allergan deal, valued at $160 billion, would have been the biggest example of an “inversion”.

It would also have been the biggest pharmaceutical deal in history.

Pfizer said the move was “driven by the actions announced” by the US Treasury.Pfizer scraps Allergan deal

The company’s chairman and chief executive Ian Read said: “Pfizer approached this transaction from a position of strength and viewed the potential combination as an accelerator of existing strategies.”

He added that the company could look at splitting off part of the business.

“We plan to make a decision about whether to pursue a potential separation of our innovative and established businesses by no later than the end of 2016, consistent with our original timeframe for the decision prior to the announcement of the potential Allergan transaction.”

Pfizer said it would pay Botox-maker Allergan $150 million “for reimbursement of expenses associated with the transaction”.

Under the proposed acquisition, Pfizer would have moved its headquarters to Dublin, where the tax bill would have been lower than in the US.

The corporation tax rate in the Republic of Ireland is 12.5%, compared with 35% in the US.

On April 5, President Barack Obama weighed in on the inversion trend, saying “these companies get all the rewards of being an American company without fulfilling their responsibility to pay their fair share of taxes”.

In 2014, American fast-food chain Burger King bought Canadian coffee and doughnut chain, Tim Hortons. The merged group moved to Ontario in Canada, where the corporate tax rate is at 26.5%.

Analysts had said that Pfizer needed to look at acquisitions to help grow its business and revenue.

Pfizer made an offer to buy UK drugs group AstraZeneca in 2014.

However, AstraZeneca rejected the offer, arguing it undervalued the company.

Panama Papers: Banking Giants Deny Helping Clients to Avoid Taxes

Clyde K. Valle
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Panama Papers: Banking Giants Deny Helping Clients to Avoid Taxes

The leaked Panama Papers have revealed that international banking giants are helping clients to avoid tax by using complicated offshore arrangements.

HSBC, Credit Suisse and the Royal Bank of Scotland-owned Coutts Trustees have denied allegations.

The revelations in are based on more than 11 million documents leaked from the law firm Mossack Fonseca.

They name lenders said to have helped to set up structures making it hard for tax officials to pinpoint money flows.

They also name institutions alleged to have helped companies that were subject to international sanctions.

Rami Makhlouf is the cousin of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad and has reported wealth of $5 billion.

Photo EPA
Photo EPA

In 2008 the US Treasury imposed sanctions on him because it deemed him to be a “regime insider” and someone who “manipulated the Syrian judicial system and used Syrian intelligence officials to intimidate his business rivals”.

Mossack Fonseca continued to front six businesses – including one company called Drex Technologies – for Rami Makhlouf after the restrictions were put in place.

The files also show the Swiss branch of HSBC provided financial services for the company.

In 2010, two years after the sanctions were imposed, HSBC wrote to Mossack Fonseca saying it believed Drex Technologies was a company of “good standing”.

An internal email from Mossack Fonseca’s compliance department also suggests HSBC staff dealing with Drex Technologies knew who Rami Makhlouf was.

The email, dated February 17, 2011, says: “We have contacted HSBC who stated that they are very aware of the fact that Mr. Makhlouf is the cousin of the President of Syria.

“The HSBC compliance department of the bank not only in Geneva but also in their headquarters in London know about Mr. Makhlouf and confirm that they are comfortable with him.”

In response HSBC said: “We work closely with the authorities to fight financial crime and implement sanctions.

“Our policy is clear that offshore accounts can only remain open either where clients have been thoroughly vetted (including due diligence, ‘Know Your Customer’, source of wealth, and tax transparency checks), where authorities ask us to maintain an account for the purposes of monitoring activity, or where an account has been frozen based on sanctions obligations.”

The Panama leaks has revealed that more than 500 banks, including their subsidiaries and branches, registered nearly 15,600 shell companies with Mossack Fonseca.

Credit Suisse chief executive Tidjane Thiam said: “We do not condone structures for tax avoidance. Whenever there is a structure with a third party beneficiary we insist to know the identity of that beneficiary.”

Tidjane Thiam added: “We as a company, as a bank only encourage the use of structures when there is a legitimate economic purpose.”

A spokesman for Coutts Trustees said the bank followed the highest standards when complying with regulation.

He added: “We require all clients to be tax compliant as a condition of receiving our products and services and take a risk-based approach to identify and prevent tax evasion that relies upon extensive anti-money laundering systems and controls, including the requirement to understand the source of clients’ wealth.

“The provision of trust and administration services is an entirely legitimate and key aspect of wealth management and succession planning.”

 

White House 2016: Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders Win Wisconsin Primary

Diane A. Wade
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White House 2016: Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders Win Wisconsin Primary

Ted Cruz has won the Wisconsin primary for the Republican presidential nomination.

In the Democratic race, Bernie Sanders scored a strong victory over Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin.

Donald Trump is still the frontrunner in the Republican field, but could fall short of the number of delegates needed to secure the party’s nomination.

His rivals have pinned their hopes on a contested convention.

At a contested convention, GOP leaders, not voters, would choose the nominee.

Donald Trump said on April 5 he would prevail despite the loss and took aim at his rival.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

“Ted Cruz is worse than a puppet – he is a Trojan horse, being used by the party bosses attempting to steal the nomination,” the Trump campaign said in a statement.

GOP leaders are concerned that Donald Trump would be a weak candidate in the general election and could harm other Republicans lawmakers on the ballot.

Polls show that the real estate tycoon is extremely unpopular among key voting blocs including women, Latinos and young people.

On the Democratic side, Wisconsin adds to a recent spate of wins by Bernie Sanders campaign, giving the Vermont senator a boost before key races in New York and Pennsylvania.

Bernie Sanders won nearly every county in the state except Milwaukee, but as delegates are awarded proportionally he will not gain a significant advantage over Hillary Clinton.

Of the 86 Wisconsin delegates, Bernie Sanders is on course for at least 44, but Hillary Clinton will have at least 28.

Addressing supporters in Wyoming, which holds its primary on April 9, Bernie Sanders stressed momentum was on his side and that his outsider candidacy could change the status quo.

“Real change never takes place from the top down; it always takes place from the bottom up,” he told supporters.

Hillary Clinton still holds a sizeable lead and most analysts say she will eventually become the Democratic nominee despite her recent losses.

While Tuesday’s loss was a setback for Donald Trump, his campaign has time to rebound

The campaign now moves to large north-eastern states, where polls show Donald Trump holds significant leads.

Donald Trump’s loss in Wisconsin comes after a rocky week for the campaign, particularly with female voters.

He repeatedly struggled to articulate his position on abortion. At one point, he called for women to be punished for having abortions, then quickly changed his mind.

Meanwhile, outside groups opposed to Donald Trump’s nomination stepped up their efforts in Wisconsin, running negative television adverts.

Popular state leaders such as Governor Scott Walker and influential talk radio program hosts also opposed the Trump campaign and threw their support behind Ted Cruz.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson Resigns After Panama Leaks

Diane A. Wade
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Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson Resigns After Panama Leaks

Iceland’s PM Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson has resigned after the Panama Papers leaks shed an embarrassing spotlight on the world of offshore finance.

The so-called Panama Papers leaked from Mossack Fonseca showed Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson owned an offshore company, Wintris, with his wife.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson was accused of concealing millions of dollars’ worth of family assets.

The agriculture minister is to take Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson’s place.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson is one of dozens of high-profile global figures caught up in the huge Mossack Fonseca leak.

Pressure for Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson to quit had intensified since the leaked material was first published on April 3.

News of Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson’s resignation came from Agriculture Minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson, who announced he would be taking over.

Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson is deputy leader of the governing Progressive party.

The Panama Papers show that Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson and his wife bought Wintris in 2007.

He did not declare an interest in the company when entering parliament in 2009. He sold his 50% of Wintris to his wife, Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir, for $1 (70p), eight months later.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson says no rules were broken and his wife did not benefit financially.

The offshore company was used to invest millions of dollars of inherited money, according to a document signed by Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir in 2015.

Court records show that Wintris had significant investments in the bonds of three major Icelandic banks that collapsed during the financial crisis which began in 2008.

Some of Icelanders’ anger is believed to stem from the perceived conflict of interest.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson was involved in negotiations about the banks’ future and had characterized foreign creditors who wanted their money back as “vultures”, while Wintris itself was a creditor.

He had kept his wife’s interest in the outcome a secret.

A spokesman for the prime minister said on April 4 that Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir had always declared the assets to the tax authorities and that, under parliamentary rules, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson did not have to declare an interest in Wintris.

Donald Trump Wants to Cut off Money Sent to Mexico

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Wants to Cut off Money Sent to Mexico

Donald Trump has said he would cut off money sent to Mexico to force them to pay for a border wall with the US.

In a memo to the Washington Post, the Republican presidential hopeful says he would threaten to change a law to cut off cash transfers.

The prospect of losing a vital source of income would force Mexico into a “one-time payment” of $5-10 billion, says Donald Trump.

Voters in Wisconsin are picking their presidential candidates.

They are going to the polls in a vote that could reshape the Republican race, with front-runner Donald Trump facing a strong challenge from Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

Asked about the memo at a campaign stop in Wisconsin, Donald Trump said he stood by it.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

“Absolutely, 100%,” he told reporters.

“The wall is a fraction of the kind of money in many ways that Mexico takes from the US.”

Building a border wall with Mexico has been a core message of Donald Trump’s campaign but until now he has not said in much detail how he would make Mexico pay for it.

Mexico’s central bank said that money sent home from overseas hit nearly $24.8 billion in 2015, more than its oil revenues.

The law Donald Trump wishes to changes, as outlined in his memo, is part of the US Patriot Act – he would stop anyone living illegally in the US from sending money overseas.

Just the threat of enacting this would make Mexico “immediately protest,” the Trump memo reads, and they would be compelled to pay for the wall.

Donald Trump also proposed raising visa fees and cancelling visas for Mexicans.

If Ted Cruz wins in Wisconsin, as polls suggest, it will help him close the gap on Donald Trump in the all-important delegate count.

Delegates represent their states at the GOP’s convention in July and are accumulated by the votes in each state.

A Wisconsin defeat would make it is far less likely that Donald Trump will have the 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination.

It would raise questions about the strength of his campaign, after a week of adverse headlines.

Donald Trump’s unpopularity with sections of his party means he could be deprived of the nomination at the summer convention if he does not get the number he needs.

Currently, Donald Trump has 735 delegates, Ted Cruz 461 and Ohio Governor John Kasich 143.

Panama Leaks: Iceland’s PM Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson Calls for Parliament Dissolution

Diane A. Wade
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Panama Leaks: Iceland’s PM Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson Calls for Parliament Dissolution

Iceland’s PM Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson has asked President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson to dissolve parliament after allegations he concealed millions of dollars worth of investments in an offshore company.

The prime minister faced growing pressure over documents showing he and his wife owned offshore company Wintris.

A big protest was held in front of parliament in Iceland on April 4.

Dozens of high-profile global figures are named in a huge leak from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

PM Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson put his request to President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson after the opposition proposed a no-confidence motion.

However, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson is reported to be delaying a decision until he has spoken to the main political parties.

After refusing to resign on April 4, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson appeared to come under increasing pressure from within his governing coalition too.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The prime minister took to Facebook on April 5 to outline his latest position.

“I told the leader of the Independence Party that if the party’s parliamentarians think they cannot support the government in completing joint tasks, I would dissolve parliament and call a general election,” Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson wrote.

The so-called Panama Papers leaked from Mossack Fonseca show that Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson and his wife bought Wintris in 2007.

He did not declare an interest in Wintris when entering parliament in 2009.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson sold his 50% of Wintris to his wife, Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir, for $1, eight months later.

The prime minister says no rules were broken and his wife did not benefit financially.

The offshore company was used to invest millions of dollars of inherited money, according to a document signed by Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir in 2015.

The leaked documents, published on April 3, show that Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson was granted a general power of attorney over Wintris – he could manage the company “without any limitation”.

His wife had a similar power of attorney.

Court records show that Wintris had significant investments in the bonds of three major Icelandic banks that collapsed during the financial crisis which began in 2008.

As prime minister, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson has been involved in negotiations about the banks which could affect the value of the bonds held by Wintris.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson kept his wife’s interest in the outcome a secret.

A spokesman for the prime minister said on April 4 that Anna Sigurlaug Palsdottir had always declared the assets to the tax authorities and that, under parliamentary rules, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson did not have to declare an interest in Wintris.

Jacob Zuma Impeachment: South African Parliament Debates Opposition’s Motion

Diane A. Wade
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Jacob Zuma Impeachment: South African Parliament Debates Opposition’s Motion

The South African parliament is debating the impeachment of President Jacob Zuma after a court ruling against him in Nkandla private residence case.

The impeachment motion is sponsored by the opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA).

The DA says Jacob Zuma is unfit to govern after failing to repay public money used to upgrade his private residence.

The governing African National Congress (ANC) is expected to defeat the motion.

Opposition lawmakers called for speaker Baleka Mbete to step down, after accusing her of taking sides.

Baleka Mbete announced a short adjournment to consult parliamentary officials, delaying the start of the debate.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The ANC has denounced the impeachment proceedings as a publicity stunt.

The DA said it would demand a secret ballot in the hope that ANC backbenchers would defy the party by helping it obtain the two-thirds majority – 267 lawmakers out of 400 – required in the lower house, the National Assembly, to impeach Jacob Zuma.

However, Baleka Mbete has rejected the proposal, saying it is not allowed in terms of parliamentary rules, local media reports say.

The DA has 89 seats in parliament and all opposition parties combined 151.

Jacob Zuma is the first president to face an impeachment vote since minority rule ended in 1994.

He has been dogged by allegations of corruption since before he was elected president in 2009.

Jacob Zuma was accused of taking bribes over an arms deal but he denied the allegation and the charges were controversially dropped just before he took office.

He later found himself at the center of controversy over the use of $23 million of public money to upgrade his private home in the rural area of Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal province.

In 2014, South Africa’s anti-corruption watchdog Thuli Madonsela ordered President Jacob Zuma to repay a portion of the money.

Jacob Zuma had “unduly benefited” from the building of a swimming pool, amphitheater, cattle enclosure and chicken run, Thuli Madonsela said.

The DA and left-wing Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party went to the Constitutional Court to challenge Jacob Zuma’s refusal to pay the money.

The court ruled against Jacob Zuma, and said the law was the “sharp and mighty sword that stands ready to chop the ugly head of impunity from its stiffened neck”.

It also condemned parliament for failing to hold Jacob Zuma accountable, and rejecting the public protector’s findings.

In a TV address to the nation on April 1, Jacob Zuma apologized for the “frustration” caused by the long-running controversy and said he would abide by the ruling.

Mossack Fonseca Leaked Papers Name Chinese Leaders’ Close Relatives

Clyde K. Valle
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Mossack Fonseca Leaked Papers Name Chinese Leaders’ Close Relatives

Papers leaked from Mossack Fonseca have revealed close relatives of seven current or former Chinese leaders have links to offshore companies.

The Panama documents name family members of the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, and two other members of China’s elite Standing Committee, Zhang Gaoli and Liu Yunshan.

Relatives of the three men are listed as directors or shareholders in companies located in known tax havens.

The names appeared in a mass leak of files from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.Panama leaks China

Chinese state media are blocking reports of the families’ offshore dealings, and the news is being censored on Chinese social media outlets.

It is not illegal for Chinese citizens to set up offshore companies. However, China’s Communist officials are discouraged from profiting from their ruling positions and their family members are not supposed to profit from their ties, according to the party’s constitution.

More than 300,000 party officials were punished last year under an ongoing anti-corruption campaign, orchestrated by President Xi Jinping.

All three leaders have in-laws who are listed as directors or shareholders in companies located in known tax havens, including the British Virgin Islands.

It is widely known that many of China’s elite families have succeeded in the business world and their wealth is well documented.

However, the leaked files from Mossack Fonseca divulge how much of that wealth is managed overseas, in opaque corporate structures that until now remained hidden from public view.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3RzQyEsMGs

Study: Vitamin D May Improve Heart Function

Kathryn R. Bown
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Study: Vitamin D May Improve Heart Function

A new study suggests that vitamin D may help people with diseased hearts.

A trial on 163 heart failure patients found supplements of vitamin D, which is made in the skin when exposed to sunlight, improved their hearts’ ability to pump blood around the body.

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals team, who presented at a meeting of the American College of Cardiology, described the results as “stunning”.

Vitamin D is vital for healthy bones and teeth and may have important health benefits throughout the body but many people are deficient.

The average age of people in the study was 70 and like many people that age they had low levels of vitamin D even in summer.Vitamin D and heart function

Patients were given either a 100 microgram vitamin D tablet or a sugar pill placebo each day for a year.

Researchers measured the impact on heart failure – a condition in which the heart becomes too weak to pump blood properly.

The key measure was the ejection fraction, the amount of blood pumped out of the chambers of the heart with each beat.

In a healthy adult the figure is between 60% and 70%, but only a quarter of the blood in the heart was being successfully pumped out in the heart failure patients.

In those taking the vitamin pills, the ejection fraction increased from 26% to 34%.

The study also showed the patients hearts became smaller – a suggestion they are becoming more powerful and efficient.

It is also not clear exactly how vitamin D is improving heart function, but it is thought every cell in the body responds to the vitamin.

Most vitamin D comes from sunlight, although it is also found in oily fish, eggs and is added to some foods such as breakfast cereals.

Jakarta Runway Crash: Batik Air Plane Collides with TransNusa Aircraft during Takeoff

Diane A. Wade
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Jakarta Runway Crash: Batik Air Plane Collides with TransNusa Aircraft during Takeoff

Two aircrafts collided at Halim Perdanakusuma airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, resulting in a wing bursting into flames.

A Batik Air passenger plane was taking off when its wing clipped the tail of a TransNusa aircraft being towed across the runway.

Indonesian authorities said there were no injuries in April 4 incident, and all passengers were evacuated safely.Batik Air collision Jakarta runway

Indonesia has had a dismal air safety record amid a boom in air travel, particularly with budget carriers.

The incident caused the temporary closure of the largely-domestic airport.

The Batik Air plane was carrying 49 passengers and crew, reported AFP news agency.

A spokesman for budget carrier Lion Air Group, which owns Batik Air, told the wire news agency that the pilot had aborted the takeoff after the collision, and passengers and crew were safe.

Transport ministry officials said the collision had mangled parts of both aircraft. A video posted online shows flames erupting from the Batik Air plane wing.

Simple Steps to Improve Your Order to Cash Process

Clyde K. Valle
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Simple Steps to Improve Your Order to Cash Process

Acquiring working capital is the foundation of business. Unfortunately, many businesses don’t have the quick access to liquid cash they need because their money is all tied up in an improperly functioning supply chain.

 

Let’s take a look at what you can do to improve your order-to-cash process in just a few quick steps.

 

What is the Order to Cash Process?

Before you can make any improvements to your order to cash (O2C) process, you have to understand what it means. Order to cash refers to the entire breadth of steps in the customer cycle, beginning with taking a customer’s sales order via some form of electronic format (internet, e-mail, salesperson, fax, or some other means.), creating an invoice, collecting payment for that invoice and then delivering the receipt to the customer.

Photo Flickr
Photo Flickr

 

To better understand the entire process here is a list of steps, in order:

 

  1. Customer requests a quote or makes an order.
  2. Salesperson fields the order or quote and creates an invoice.
  3. Finance and accounting file the invoice and push it along the supply chain where the product is officially purchased or assembled.
  4. The manufacturer delivers the completed product to the customer.
  5. Customer completes transaction by paying the amount as agreed upon per the invoice.

 

Identify Sales Inefficiencies

Now that the entire process has been laid out, it becomes easier to see where discrepancies are possible and which end is responsible for them. Identifying where your problems are coming from is the first step towards eradicating them from your supply chain. There could be many signs indicating that your pipeline has inefficiencies, but here are some of the most common problems:

 

  • Quotes/sales orders are full of inaccurate pricing or other clerical mistakes.
  • Order processing requires too much time and is labor intensive.
  • Customers are filing complaints about slow quotes or other sales processes.
  • Management is routinely involved in approval for low-level sales.
  • Invoices are not being sent to customers immediately following completion of the order, resulting in extraneous issues such as late delivery/payment and/or slow fulfilment.
  • Sales representatives are providing unapproved discounts or there are consistent disagreements on discounts that are available.

 

Reduce the Issue

Many of the issues covered in the above section are related to personnel or sales reps, and need to be addressed by management. There are many moving pieces in a supply chain and you want to remove any factors that may be clogging up your pipeline and keeping it from being streamlined.

 

If these issues are clerical, not intentional, consider automating them! Many companies use Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software to automate the entire sales order process. Companies like Kenandy offer an order-to-cash service that eliminates costly data-entry mistakes and reduces overhead, which improves productivity, customer satisfaction, and makes for a faster order-to-cash process over all.

 

If your issues are with invoice collection, consider your payment options. Is there an online option? The ability to view invoices and pay them online significantly increased the likelihood the customer will pay them on time.

 

For a list of other factors that may be holding your invoice reception back, check out this article on collecting invoices on time.

 

Proactivity

As the old adage says, “The best defense is a good offense.” While that might not be true for everything, it certainly applies to your supply chain. Don’t wait for your pipeline to fall apart before you make the changes needed to streamline the process. If you follow the process of going line by line through your supply chain, you can find and eliminate some of the low hanging fruit. But, to really be proactive in the fight for a smooth order to cash process is to invest in the implementation of an ERP system for your company. Optimizing sales processes is a difficult enough task as it is, don’t put your cash flow in jeopardy when it comes to collecting payment.

Alaska Air to Buy Virgin America for $4 Billion

Clyde K. Valle
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Alaska Air to Buy Virgin America for $4 Billion

Alaska Air Group has confirmed plans to acquire Virgin America in a $4 billion deal.

The merger will create the fifth largest US airline.

The deal will enable Seattle-based Alaska to expand into lucrative hubs such as San Francisco and Los Angeles.

The two boards “unanimously approved” the deal, which will see Alaska acquire Virgin America for $57 a share.

However, Virgin founder Richard Branson said there was “sadly nothing [he] could do to stop” the deal.

It is the first US commercial airline merger since US Airways and American Airlines combined in 2013 to make the world’s largest carrier.

Virgin America, which accounts for about 1.5% of US domestic flight capacity, was listed on the US stock market in 2014 as an offshoot of London-based Virgin Group.Alaska Air to buy Virgin America

In a company blog, Richard Branson said: “I would be lying if I didn’t admit sadness that our wonderful airline is merging with another.

“Because I’m not American, the US Department of Transportation stipulated I take some of my shares in Virgin America as non-voting shares, reducing my influence over any takeover. So there was sadly nothing I could do to stop it.”

Richard Branson added that consolidation is a trend that “cannot be stopped”, with the four largest airlines now controlling more than 80% of the US market.

Alaska and its partner regional airlines, which in total account for about 5% of US domestic flight capacity, serve more than 100 cities in the US, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico.

If the deal gets approval from US government regulators and Virgin America shareholders, the companies expect to complete the transaction by January 1, 2017.

Brad Tilden, chairman and chief executive of Alaska Air Group, said: “With our expanded network and strong presence in California, we’ll offer customers more attractive flight options for non-stop travel.”

Virgin America shares surged 40% to $54.52 – just below the offer price – in early trading.

Alaska, which was reported to have beaten competition from rival airline Jet Blue for the company, fell 4.7% to $78.15.

IMF Responds to Greece over Wikileaks Report

Clyde K. Valle
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IMF Responds to Greece over Wikileaks Report

The International Monetary Fund has dismissed reports that it is trying to push Greece towards default as “simply nonsense”.

“The IMF conducts its negotiations in good faith, not by way of threats, and we do not communicate through leaks,” IMF chief Christine Lagarde wrote in a letter to Greek PM Alexis Tsipras.

Christine Lagarde’s letter comes after Wikileaks published a transcript of IMF officials discussing bailout negotiations.

One says a “crisis” could force a deal.IMF Greece Wikileaks

Greece publicly demanded an explanation after the leak, suggesting the comments meant the IMF could be planning to deliberately prolong debt negotiations until the country was close to running out of money.

Christine Lagarde said the “incident” had made her “concerned as to whether we can indeed achieve progress”, but said she had decided to allow the IMF team to return to Athens to continue debt discussions.

However, the IMF chief also warned that the latest bailout deal was “still a good distance away”.

Christine Lagarde said that the IMF could only support a deal that would enable “robust growth” for Greece, while also allowing it to tackle its debt repayments.

In 2015, Greece agreed a multi-billion dollar bailout with the EU and IMF that was needed for the country to avoid bankruptcy and stay in the eurozone.

Talks between Greece, the EU and the IMF on a bailout review, assessing Greece’s progress at implementing money-saving reforms and aimed at unlocking further loans, are due to resume this week.

The review has been suspended twice since January due to disagreement among the lenders over the estimated size of Greece’s fiscal gap by 2018, as well as different opinions on pension reforms and how bad loans are being managed.

“In the interest of the Greek people, we need to bring these negotiations to a speedy conclusion,” wrote Christine Lagarde.

Panama Tax Leak: Mossack Fonseca Documents Reveal World Leaders’ Tax Havens

Diane A. Wade
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Panama Tax Leak: Mossack Fonseca Documents Reveal World Leaders’ Tax Havens

Eleven million documents have been leaked from one of the world’s most secretive companies, Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

The confidential documents have revealed how the rich and powerful use tax havens to hide their wealth.

They show how Mossack Fonseca has helped clients launder money, dodge sanctions and evade tax.

The company says it has operated beyond reproach for 40 years and has never been charged with criminal wrong-doing.

The documents show links to 72 current or former heads of state in the data, including Iceland’s PM Sigmundur Gunnlaugson, who had an undeclared interest linked to his wife’s wealth and is now facing calls for his resignation.

The files also reveal a suspected billion-dollar money laundering ring involving close associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin.Panama leak Mossack Fonseca

Gerard Ryle, director of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), said the documents covered the day-to-day business at Mossack Fonseca over the past 40 years.

The documents also shed light on how Mossack Fonseca offered financial services designed to help business clients hide their wealth.

One wealthy client, American millionaire and life coach Marianna Olszewski, was offered fake ownership records to hide money from the authorities. This is in direct breach of international regulations designed to stop money laundering and tax evasion.

An email from a Mossack Fonseca executive to Marianna Olszewski in January 2009 explains how she could deceive the bank: “We may use a natural person who will act as the beneficial owner… and therefore his name will be disclosed to the bank. Since this is a very sensitive matter, fees are quite high.”

In a statement, Mossack Fonseca said: “Your allegations that we provide structures supposedly designed to hide the identity of the real owners, are completely unsupported and false.

“We do not provide beneficiary services to deceive banks. It is difficult, not to say impossible, not to provide banks with the identity of final beneficiaries and the origin of funds.”

The data also contains secret offshore companies linked to the families and associates of Egypt’s former President Hosni Mubarak, Libya’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi and Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad.

It also reveals a suspected billion-dollar money laundering ring that was run by a Russian bank and involved close associates of Vladimir Putin.

The operation was run by Bank Rossiya, which is subject to US and EU sanctions following Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

The documents reveal for the first time how the bank operates.

Money has been channeled through offshore companies, two of which were officially owned by one of the Russian president’s closest friends.

Concert cellist Sergei Roldugin has known Vladimir Putin since they were teenagers and is godfather to the president’s daughter Maria.

On paper, Sergei Roldugin has personally made hundreds of millions of dollars in profits from suspicious deals.

Documents from Sergei Roldugin’s companies state that: “The company is a corporate screen established principally to protect the identity and confidentiality of the ultimate beneficial owner of the company.”

Mossack Fonseca data also shows how Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson had an undeclared interest in Iceland’s failed banks.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson has been accused of hiding millions of dollars of investments in his country’s banks behind a secretive offshore company.

Leaked documents show that Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson and his wife bought offshore company Wintris in 2007.

Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson did not declare an interest in the company when entering parliament in 2009. He sold his 50% of Wintris to his wife for $1, eight months later.

He is now facing calls for his resignation. He says he has not broken any rules, and his wife did not benefit financially from his decisions.

The offshore company was used to invest millions of dollars of inherited money, according to a document signed by Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson’s wife Anna Sigurlaug Pálsdóttir in 2015.

Mossack Fonseca says offshore companies are available worldwide and are used for a variety of legitimate purposes.

Greece Expels First Illegal Refugees to Turkey

Diane A. Wade
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0
Greece Expels First Illegal Refugees to Turkey

First refugees being deported from Greece has arrived in Turkey as part of an EU plan aimed at easing mass migration to Europe.

Scores of refugees boarded ferries on the Greek island of Lesbos and arrived in Dikili, western Turkey.

According to Frontex, the EU’s border agency, most of the 136 people who left Lesbos on April 4 were Pakistanis.

Meanwhile, the first group of 16 Syrian refugees has arrived in Germany from Turkey, officials say.

Under the deal, for each Syrian refugee returned to Turkey, the EU is due to take in another Syrian who has made a legitimate request.Greece refugee deportations

However, Greek authorities said the first deportees were those who had not applied for asylum, and included citizens from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Morocco.

Turkey’s EU Affairs Minister Volkan Bozkir said there were no Syrians among the first group of refugees sent from Greece.

Another ferry carrying refugees to Turkey is also due to leave the Greek island of Chios on April 4.

Under the EU-Turkey deal, refugees arriving illegally in Greece are expected to be sent back to Turkey if they do not apply for asylum or if their claim is rejected.

However, refugees in Greece have complained of a lack of information about the asylum procedure and some said they were unaware they could be returned.

Frontex has less than one-tenth of the staff needed to do the job, the Associated Press reported.

The arrangement has alarmed rights groups, who say Turkey is not a safe country for refugees.

Amnesty International has accused Turkey of illegally returning Syrians to their homeland, something Turkey denies.

Save the Children called the deal “illegal and inhumane”, saying people told them they would kill themselves if sent back to Turkey.

Since the deal was struck in March, about 400 people have been arriving each day on the Greek islands.

Tens of thousands have been stuck in Greece after northern countries closed their borders. There have been clashes in camps amid dire conditions.

One million migrants and refugees have entered the EU by boat from Turkey to Greece since last year.

Many of the refugees are keen to travel to Germany and other northern EU countries and experts have warned the deal could force them to take alternative, more dangerous routes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PosZ1nNspk

Pakistan Flash Floods Kill at Least 53 People

Diane A. Wade
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Pakistan Flash Floods Kill at Least 53 People

Huge flash floods caused by torrential rain hit northwest Pakistan killing at least 53 people, according to officials.

The rain began on April 2 bringing flooding to parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan provinces.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Pre-monsoon rains often cause damage in rural Pakistan and officials said locals had been warned to leave their villages for safer places.

The summer monsoon season is even worse, last year killing dozens.

The weekend’s rains also saw dozens of people taken to hospital with injuries, a national disaster management official, Latif ur Rehman, told the Associated Press.

Footages from the scene showed shops and homes damaged, and bridges swept away.

According to officials, tents and other relief goods had been sent to the region. Hundreds of people have also moved to safer areas, local media reports.

Elon Musk: Tesla Model 3 Pre-Orders Total 276,000

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Elon Musk: Tesla Model 3 Pre-Orders Total 276,000

Pre-orders of Tesla’s much-anticipated Model 3 electric car currently total 276,000, CEO Elon Musk has announced.

Tesla unveiled the five-seater car – its lowest-cost vehicle to date – on March 31.

Elon Musk tweeted the total reflected the orders received by the end of April 2.

Pre-orders of the Model 3 will not necessarily all translate into actual sales when the car is released, with first deliveries in late 2017.Tesla Model 3 pre orders

Potential car owners need to put down $1,000 deposits to reserve their vehicles.

Such has been the interest that Elon Musk tweeted the company was “definitely going to need to rethink production planning”.

Elon Musk has said his goal is to produce about 500,000 vehicles a year once production is at full capacity.

The basic model will start at $35,000 and have a range of at least 215 miles per charge.

Tesla delivered 50,580 vehicles in 2015. Most of those were its Model S saloon, which overtook Nissan’s Leaf to become the world’s best selling pure-electric vehicle.

However, Tesla still posted a net loss of $889 million for 2015, partly because it spent $718 million on research and development over the period.

It left Tesla with cash reserves of $1.2 billion, down from $1.9 billion a year earlier.

Tesla is facing competition from other electric cars with a similar price and range that will become available first, including General Motors’ Chevy Bolt and BYD’s Qin EV300.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HOhOeKwe30

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