Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Newsletter
Home Blog Page 276

Elvis Presley’s Estate Sues Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino

Sonia Pantiss
-
0
Elvis Presley’s Estate Sues Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino

Elvis Presley’s estate has sued the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino in a dispute over the late singer’s memorabilia.

Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc is seeking to retrieve items including stage outfits, jewellery and the singer’s high school yearbook.

It says the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino is holding the items “hostage” as part of a dispute with the operators of an Elvis exhibition.

The Graceland Presents Elvis attraction closed abruptly earlier this month.Elvis Presley Westgate Las Vegas

Billed as the largest exhibition of Elvis Presley memorabilia outside his Graceland home and museum, the attraction opened last April to great fanfare.

However, the doors closed at the beginning of March, with The Westgate claiming the show’s operators, Exhibit A Circle LLC, had defaulted on their 10-year lease.

Exhibit A claimed the Westgate violated the contract first, but declined to elaborate.

Elvis Presley’s estate responded by filing legal papers filed in Clark County District Court, Las Vegas, on March 9.

It claimed it had been denied access to a security camera that allowed it to monitor its items, and asked the court to order that the memorabilia be returned.

Elvis Presley Enterprises declined to comment further on the legal action, but previously said Westgate aggressively seized the valuables without a legitimate legal basis.

Westgate’s COO Mark Waltrip declined to discuss the case.

The dispute centers on the same casino where Elvis performed several hundred shows, in the days when it was known as the Las Vegas Hilton and The International.

The 28,000-square-foot exhibition featured the $1 million-a-year contract Elvis Presley signed on a tablecloth, agreeing to perform at the casino; and the single-button black suit he wore for his first performances there.

Meanwhile, it has been announced that Elvis & Nixon, a comedy about the 1970 meeting between the rock star and President Richard Nixon, will debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York next month.

Elvis & Nixon stars Michael Shannon as Elvis Presley and Kevin Spacey as Richard Nixon.

Democratic Debate 2016: Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders Clash over Immigration In Miami

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Democratic Debate 2016: Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders Clash over Immigration In Miami

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have clashed over immigration and other issues during the Democratic debate in Florida.

The Miami event took place just days before the next round of primaries, including Florida.

With 246 delegates at stake, the southern state is the biggest prize.

Bernie Sanders had a surprise victory in Michigan on March 8, but Hillary Clinton increased her overall lead with a big win in Mississippi.

In the Republican race on the same day, Donald Trump won three more states (Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii) in his bid to win the Republican nomination. Rival Ted Cruz won a Republican-only race in Idaho.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The states were the latest to choose candidates to compete in November’s presidential election.

During the Miami debate, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for voting against an immigration reform back in 2007.

“Just think, imagine where we would be today if we had achieved comprehensive immigration reform nine years ago,” she said.

Bernie Sanders responded by saying he had concerns about the treatment of guest workers. The proposed program was “akin to slavery”, he said.

The Vermont senator also said that Hilalry Clinton was against allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.

Nearly two million Hispanics live in Florida, and their support will play a big role in the 15 March primary.

Florida is home to nearly 1.8 million Hispanics, including about 15% of the state’s Democrats.

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders also discussed job creation, education and climate change.

They both attacked Republican front-runner Donald Trump, with Hillary Clinton saying that his “trafficking in prejudice and paranoia has no place in our political system”.

Hillary Clinton said Donald Trump could not even decide “whether to disavow Ku Klux Klan”.

Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders said: “I think that the American people are never going to elect a president who insults Mexicans, who insults Muslims, who insults women, who insults African-Americans.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm8NlGDiUpo

North Korea Fires Two Short-Range Ballistic Missiles into Sea

Roy Siemens
-
0
North Korea Fires Two Short-Range Ballistic Missiles into Sea

According to South Korea’s military, North Korea has fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea.

South Korea said the missiles, launched off the east coast, flew some 300 miles and fell into the water.

Shortly after the launch, Pyongyang announced it “nullifies” all inter-Korean cooperative projects and will liquidate South Korean assets in the country.

Most South Korean assets in North Korea are in the jointly-operated Kaesong industrial zone.

South Korea pulled out of the Kaesong complex in February, after North Korea’s latest long-range missile launch of a satellite. At the time, the North called the shutdown “a declaration of war” and designated Kaesong as a military zone.

On March 9, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un also claimed scientists have developed nuclear warheads small enough to fit on ballistic missiles.

However, South Korea’s defense ministry said it thought North Korea had “not yet secured miniaturized nuclear warheads”.

Photo Reuters/KCNA
Photo Reuters/KCNA

The claim is critical, as without miniaturization Pyongyang cannot put its nuclear weapons on missiles – an ability many analysts think could still be several years away.

In response to the miniaturization claims, State Department spokesman John Kirby said of Kim Jong-un that “the young man needs to pay more attention to the North Korean people and taking care of them, than in pursuing these sorts of reckless capabilities”.

The two missiles launched on March 10 were fired from Hwanghae Province, the South Korean military said. It added that the missiles later fell into the sea off North Korea’s east coast, without providing further details.

Japan promptly lodged a protest to North Korea via its embassy in Beijing, over the latest launches, reported Kyodo news agency.

The missile launches are seen as North Korea’s response to the UN imposing some of its strictest sanctions, after the North conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and last month launched a satellite, both in contravention of existing sanctions.

Tensions have been especially high this week as US and South Korean forces hold their annual joint military exercises known as Key Resolve and Foal Eagle.

This year they are the largest ever, with about 17,000 US personnel and around 300,000 South Korean troops participating – both significant increases on 2015, in addition to increased naval and air force assets.

Lilly Wachowski: Matrix Director Reveals Gender Transition

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Lilly Wachowski: Matrix Director Reveals Gender Transition

Second Matrix director Andy Wachowski has come out as trans named Lilly.

Lilly Wachowski shared the news in a statement released to the Windy City Times.

The 48-year-old says she is making the announcement after claiming she was “threatened” with being outed by The Daily Mail.

“Yeah, I’m trans. And yeah, I’ve transitioned. I just wanted – needed some time to get my head right… but apparently I don’t get to decide this,” says the 48-year-old.

The Daily Mail has denied trying to coerce Lilly Wachowski into revealing her gender transition.

Lilly Wachowski’s 50-year-old sister Lana, formerly known as Larry, is also trans.Andy Wachowski becomes Lilly Wachowski

The Wachowski siblings are well known for directing The Matrix series and have been involved with movies such as V for Vendetta, Cloud Atlas and Jupiter Ascending plus Netflix’s Sens8 TV series.

In her statement, Lilly Wachowski says that a Daily Mail journalist arrived at her house asking her to tell her story to them.

“[He said] that I really had to sit down with him tomorrow or the next day or next week so that I could have my picture taken and tell my story which was so inspirational.

“And that I really didn’t want to have someone from the National Enquirer following me around, did I?

“It began to dawn on me where I had heard of the Daily Mail. It was the ‘news’ organization that had played a huge part in the national public outing of Lucy Meadows, an elementary school teacher and trans woman in the UK.

“Now here they were, at my front door, almost as if to say – there’s another one. Let’s drag ’em out in the open so we can all have a look.

“We continue to be demonized and vilified in the media… We are not predators, we are prey.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tf-ipOy8CA

VW Scandal: German and French Prosecutors Extend Investigations

Clyde K. Valle
-
0
VW Scandal: German and French Prosecutors Extend Investigations

German and French prosecutors have broadened their investigations into VW emissions scandal.

French authorities have opened a formal probe into “aggravated fraud” over the use of diesel engine devices that gave misleading emissions results.

German prosecutors said the number of VW employees now under investigation has increased from six to 17.

Volkswagen, which said it is cooperating with all inquiries, had about 11 million cars fitted with the emissions devices.

Europe’s largest automaker is carrying out its own investigation, and has warned that the cost of car recalls and compensation was likely to run into billion of euros.VW emissions scandal investigation

Paris prosecutors started preliminary inquiries in 2015, and confirmed on March 8 that three magistrates had been assigned to a formal probe.

Serious fraud office chief Nathalie Homobono said investigators had established that VW had cheated “with intent” by installing so-called engine software that reduced emissions under test conditions.

Meanwhile, German authorities said they had increased the number of VW employers under investigation to 17, but added that no former or current board members are involved, said Klaus Ziehe, from the state prosecutors office in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony.

Also on March 8, Reuters and the Financial Times were among media reporting that German insurer Allianz Global Investors, a VW shareholder, was close to filing a lawsuit against the carmaker following the fall in VW’s share price.

In January, the US Department of Justice filed a civil suit against VW, and the automaker faces a string of claims from customers that lawyers are likely to consolidate into a class action suit.

VW says it will not comment on specific details of the investigations.

Spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan told the AFP news agency: “As previously stated, Volkswagen is not commenting on ongoing discussions with regulators. We are committed to regaining the trust of our customers and dealers and will continue to cooperate with all relevant government agencies.”

EU Refugee Crisis: Macedonia Closes Border with Greece

Diane A. Wade
-
0
EU Refugee Crisis: Macedonia Closes Border with Greece

Macedonia has announced it will close its border with Greece, effectively blocking the Balkan route north.

The decision came after Slovenia barred access to refugees transiting Macedonia. Croatia and Serbia then said they would follow suit.

Some 13,000 refugees are now stranded at the Macedonia-Greece border.

The moves come after the EU and Turkey set out a plan to ease Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since World War Two.

Under the plan, still to be finalized, all refugees arriving in Greece from Turkey would be sent back. For each Syrian returned, a Syrian in Turkey would be resettled in the EU.Macedonia refugees 2016

Announcing the plan on March 7, European Council President Donald Tusk, had said there would no longer be a path to Europe for migrants.

“The days of irregular migration to Europe are over,” he said.

Hundreds of thousands of refugees have travelled through Macedonia over the past year, heading north.

However, Macedonia began to limit the numbers, first to Syrian, Afghan and Iraqi refugees, then recently to just a trickle – mainly Syrians from areas it considered conflict zones.

This created a bottleneck, with some 13,000 refugees now living in a sprawling camp at the Idomeni crossing.

Macedonia’s announcement came after Slovenia said on March 8 that it would allow in only migrants who planned to seek asylum in the country, or those with clear humanitarian needs.

Slovenian PM Miro Cerar said the country’s move meant that “the Balkan route for illegal migration no longer exists”.

Serbia then said it would close its borders with Macedonia and Bulgaria to those without valid documents.

“Bearing in mind that the new regime is implemented by a member of the European Union (Slovenia), Serbia cannot afford to become a collection centre for refugees,” it said in a statement.

Croatia announced similar measures. Interior Minister Vlaho Orepic said this was a “new phase in resolving the migrant crisis”.

Sebastian Kurz, the foreign minister of Austria, which itself has introduced caps on the number of refugees allowed through, welcomed the moves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD5BhiKi0YQ

Donald Trump Wins Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii Primaries

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Donald Trump Wins Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii Primaries

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has won three more states – Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii – in his bid for the White House nomination.

In the Democratic race, Bernie Sanders had a surprise victory in Michigan, but Hillary Clinton increased her overall lead with a big Mississippi win.

Republican Ted Cruz won in Idaho.

The states are the latest to choose candidates to compete in November’s presidential election.

Photo AP
Photo AP

It was a terrible night for Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who came in a distant fourth in both Michigan and Mississippi, a week before his must-win contest in his home state.

Donald Trump, a businessman with no experience of elected office, leads the polls in Florida, from where he delivered his victory speech on March 8.

“One of the things I am most happy about is the turnout has been just massive… I think it’s the single biggest story in politics today,” the billionair said at a press conference in Jupiter.

Donald Trump also said he would be more presidential than anybody except Abraham Lincoln and that “no one is more conservative than me”.

The Democratic opponent Donald Trump is most likely to face if he gets the Republican nomination, Hillary Clinton, addressed voters in Ohio after her Mississippi win.

“Running for president shouldn’t be about delivering insults,” said Hillary Clinton, in a thinly veiled dig at the outspoken Donald Trump.

“It should be about delivering results.”

Bernie Sanders’ win in Michigan came as a shock after weeks of polling that suggested Hillary Clinton was well ahead.

“I am grateful to the people of Michigan for defying the pundits and pollsters and giving us their support,” Bernie Sanders said in a statement following his win.

“This is a critically important night. We came from 30 points down in Michigan and we’re seeing the same kind of come-from-behind momentum all across America.”

Analysts say conservative firebrand Ted Cruz appears to be the only candidate capable of stopping Donald Trump, who has been fiercely criticized by the Republican establishment.

The party’s 2012 nominee, Mitt Romney, described Donald Trump as a bully and a fraud who would lose a general election because of his extreme positions on immigration and Islamic State.

A central plank of Donald Trump’s campaign is to deport 11 million undocumented migrants and build a wall on the southern border, paid for by Mexico.

The primary and caucus elections determine the number of delegates assigned to each of the candidates.

The delegates then endorse their candidate at the party conventions in July. To secure their party’s nomination, a candidate must win a majority of delegates.

World Go Champion Lee Se-dol Beaten by Google’s AlphaGo in First Game

Nancy Clayson
-
0
World Go Champion Lee Se-dol Beaten by Google’s AlphaGo in First Game

Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) DeepMind AlphaGo program beat the world Go champion, South Korean Lee Se-dol, in the first of a series of games in Seoul.

Last year, AlphaGo beat the European Go champion, an achievement that was not expected for years.

A computer has beaten the world chess champion, but the Chinese game Go is seen as significantly more complex.

Throughout most of the game Lee Se-dol seemed to have the upper hand but in the last 20 minutes, AlphaGo took an unassailable lead.

After that, Lee Se-dol forfeited, handing victory to his opponent.

The two sides will play a total of five games over the next five days for a prize of about $1 million.Lee Se dol v Google AlphaGo

The five-day battle is being seen as a major test of what scientists and engineers have achieved in the sphere of artificial intelligence.

Go is a 3,000-year old Chinese board game and is considered to be a lot more complex than chess where AI scored its most famous victory to date when IBM’s Deep Blue beat grandmaster Gary Kasparov in 1997.

However, experts say Go presents an entirely different challenge because of the game’s incomputable number of move options which means that the computer must be capable of human-like “intuition” to prevail.

Go is thought to date back to ancient China, several thousand years ago.

Using black-and-white stones on a grid, players gain the upper hand by surrounding their opponents pieces with their own.

The rules are simpler than those of chess, but a player typically has a choice of 200 moves compared with about 20 in chess.

There are more possible positions in Go than atoms in the universe, according to DeepMind’s team.

It can be very difficult to determine who is winning, and many of the top human players rely on instinct.

Google’s AlphaGo was developed by British computer company DeepMind which was bought by Google in 2014.

Kim Jong-un Claims North Korea Developed Miniature Nuclear Warhead

Roy Siemens
-
0
Kim Jong-un Claims North Korea Developed Miniature Nuclear Warhead

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un claims North Korea’s scientists have developed nuclear warheads small enough to fit on ballistic missiles.

State media published images showing Kim Jong-un standing next to what it said was a miniaturized weapon.

The claim is impossible to verify from the images alone and experts have long cast doubt on such assertions.

North Korea has stepped up its bellicose rhetoric in response to the UN imposing some of its toughest sanctions.

The move by the Security Council came after North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test and launched a satellite, both of which broke existing sanctions.

In recent days, Pyongyang has threatened to launch an “indiscriminate” nuclear strike on the US and South Korea, as they began their largest ever round of annual military exercises.Kim Jong un miniature warhead

The drills, known as Foal Eagle and Key Resolve, routinely generate tension.

The claim from Kim Jong-un was made as he inspected a nuclear facility on March 9.

“The nuclear warheads have been standardized to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturizing them,” state news agency KCNA quoted Kim Jong-un as saying.

“This can be called true nuclear deterrent,” he added.

Kim Jong-un also inspected nuclear warheads designed for thermo-nuclear reaction, the type used in a hydrogen bomb, KCNA said.

If the claim is true and North Korea can put nuclear warheads on to the tips of its ballistic weapons, it would represent a clear threat to the North’s neighbors and the US.

In October 2014, the commander of US forces in South Korea, Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, told reporters that he believed North Korea had the capability to miniaturize a nuclear device.

In May 2015, the North Korea’s National Defense Commission said the country had succeeded in miniaturizing nuclear weapons.

However, the validity of the nuclear boasts has been widely questioned. Experts also still doubt North Korea’s claim that the nuclear test it conducted in January was of a hydrogen bomb.

In addition to the new UN sanctions, which target luxury goods, financing and trade, South Korea has also announced its own measures against North Korea, which includes blacklisting individuals and entities it believes are linked to the weapons program.

The US and South Korea are currently discussing the possible deployment of a US missile defense system to the peninsula, a move strongly opposed by North Korea, Russia and China.

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

Petrobras Scandal: Marcelo Odebrecht Jailed for 19 Years

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Petrobras Scandal: Marcelo Odebrecht Jailed for 19 Years

Brazilian billionaire Marcelo Odebrecht has been jailed for 19 years over a corruption scandal involving the state oil company Petrobras.

Marcelo Odebrecht was convicted of paying more than $30 million in bribes to Petrobras officials in exchange for contracts and influence.

The Odebrecht group is Latin America’s biggest construction conglomerate.

The Petrobras inquiry has led to proceedings against dozens of business executives and ruling party figures.

Last week Brazil’s ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, also from the governing Worker’s Party, was detained and questioned for his alleged role in the affair.

Marcelo Odebrecht
Marcelo Odebrecht

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, 70, is suspected of receiving about 30 million reais ($8 million) in speaking fees and donations to his charity, the Lula Institute.

The party has held the Brazilian presidency since 2003, both under Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his successor Dilma Rousseff.

Marcelo Odebrecht was one of Brazil’s richest and most powerful businessmen – with close relations to many top politicians.

He was found guilty of money laundering, corruption and taking part in a criminal association.

Marcelo Odebrecht had been in prison since June 2015 and stepped down from the company in December 2015 – which was founded by his family.

His company built major projects across the continent and in Africa and before the scandal had 181,000 employees in 21 countries.

The corruption scandal has cost Petrobras over $16 billion, including $2 billion that went straight to corrupt executives and companies.

Petrobras’ investments alone represent 2% of Brazil’s GDP, and its downturn has harmed a national economy struggling as a result of low commodity prices.

How Can You Find The Perfect Manufacturing Contractor?

Dana R
-
0
How Can You Find The Perfect Manufacturing Contractor?

Most businesses can’t survive without manufacturing. Manufacturing is the process of creating your products to sell to make money. Whether you provide a small service or a huge one, you need that service to keep a constant balance between supply and demand. As a novice in manufacturing, you probably won’t be confident taking responsibility for the process. That’s fine because they are specialists that are happy to do the job. The only problem you have is finding one that suits your needs. Here are a few pointers that will come in handy.

Consider Consistency

There are plenty of factors to consider, but consistency is at the top of the list. As a brand, you need to produce products or services at a high level every time. If you don’t, you will develop a bad reputation that could cripple your success. In fact, it could cripple your shelf life in the industry. The best manufacturers can complete the same task to the same standard almost every time. A good way to spot a consistent contractor is their track record. Also, the technology they use is a good sign. Contractors with the best tech can set the specifications and churn out as much as they need.

Understand Your Needs

Because there are lots of manufacturers to choose from, there is also lots of confusion. Confusion is the enemy as it makes you make choices that are not good for business. The best example is picking a contractor that doesn’t suit your needs. For example, if you are a supplier of small goods, you need a manufacturer in that sector. However, if you provide building services, you need to see MDTI to discover more. Don’t choose a firm that isn’t going to be able to deliver.

business

cory m grenier

Look For A Relationship

If you have an existing relationship with a contractor, choose them over anyone else. Relationships are a great thing because they are mutually beneficial to both parties. For instance, you get the services that you need for your business to thrive. And, they get paid for performing those services. Plus, they get the added benefit of customer loyalty. Any relationship will do, even if it seems insignificant. This is a good tactic to keep in mind for the future. For those of you that don’t have a bond, try and forge one. That way, you will have someone you trust for the future.

Price Comes Last

Don’t let the money dictate who you do business with as money is the least important factor on the list. At the moment, it might seem like the most important because you don’t have much money. But, if you cut corners, you will destroy your brand and your business. Before you sign on the dotted line, look for the more important issues first. Then, you can start to think about the cost.

Don’t Go With Your Gut

The term ‘just go with your gut’ gets a lot of credit – it shouldn’t. Your gut instinct isn’t a good way to judge a company’s character or ability. All you have to go off is the statistics and information that you can find.

China’s Exports Drop 25.4% in February

Clyde K. Valle
-
0
China’s Exports Drop 25.4% in February

China’s February exports dropped sharply by 25.4% from a year earlier, while imports fell 13.8%.

The weak data comes on the heels of Beijing registering the slowest economic growth in 25 years.

China’s National People’s Congress, currently underway in the capital, has just revised the 2016 growth target down, predicting a “battle for growth”.

Photo Xinhua
Photo Xinhua

The last month trade figures are likely to raise new fears over China struggling to maintain economic growth while implementing reforms and trying to shift towards more services and domestic spending.

Customs figures showed exports fell to $126.1 billion in February. That was down 25.4% from a year earlier and worse than an expected fall of about 15%.

The poor trade data marks the worst performance since the height of the global financial crisis in May 2009.

However, analysts cautioned that the data might have been affected by the longer-than-usual Chinese Lunar New Year holidays.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto Likens Donald Trump’s Rhetoric to That of Adolf Hitler

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto Likens Donald Trump’s Rhetoric to That of Adolf Hitler

Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto has likened Donald Trump’s rhetoric to that of Adolf Hitler.

In an interview with Mexican daily Excelsior, Enrique Pena Nieto called Donald Trump’s rhetoric “strident”.

The Mexican leader added that “that’s how Mussolini got in, that’s how Hitler got in”.

Enrique Pena Nieto also said that Donald Trump had hurt US-Mexico relations.

The Republican presidential hopeful has said that if he is elected he will build a wall along the US-Mexico border to keep immigrants from crossing into the US illegally.Enrique Pena Nieto and Donald Trump

Donald Trump has also insisted that Mexico would pay for the border wall, which President Enrique Pena Nieto dismissed out of hand.

The president said there was “no scenario” under which Mexico would ever pay for such a wall.

Donald Trump, who has made the fight against illegal immigration the main plank of his campaign, outraged Mexicans last June when he called undocumented Mexican immigrants “criminals” and “rapists”.

Enrique Pena Nieto said Donald Trump offered “very easy, simple solutions to problems that are obviously not that easy to solve”.

“And there have been episodes in human history, unfortunately, where these expressions of this strident rhetoric have only led to very ominous situations in the history of humanity,” he said.

“That’s how Mussolini got in, that’s how Hitler got in, they took advantage of a situation, a problem perhaps, which humanity was going through at the time, after an economic crisis,” he added.

Enrique Pena Nieto, who had up until now avoided commenting on Donald Trump’s candidacy, insisted he would be “absolutely respectful” of the US political process.

Maria Sharapova Drug Test: Nike Suspends Sponsorship Deal

Clyde K. Valle
-
0
Maria Sharapova Drug Test: Nike Suspends Sponsorship Deal

Maria Sharapova’s sponsors have moved quickly to distance themselves from the tennis champion after she admitted failing a drug test.

Nike has suspended its relationship with the five-time Grand Slam tennis champion, while Tag Heuer has cut its ties.

The sportswear giant said it was “saddened and surprised” at Maria Sharapova’s admission that she tested positive for a banned substance at the Australian Open in January.

The former world No 1 said she had been taking meldonium since 2006, on the advice of her family doctor.

Photo Facebook
Photo Facebook

Maria Sharapova, 28, is one of the highest paid female athletes with earnings of over $30 million 2015 from winnings and endorsements.

In addition to the moves from Nike and Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer, automaker Porsche said it was “postponing planned activities” with Maria Sharapova until the situation became clearer.

Maria Sharapova’s relationship with Nike dates back to when she was 11 years old.

The sportswear giant said: “We have decided to suspend our relationship with Maria while the investigation continues.

“We will continue to monitor the situation.”

In 2010, the Russian tennis player signed a new eight-year contract with Nike worth $70 million as well as a cut on sales of her own branded clothes.

Tag Heuer was in talks to extend its deal with Maria Sharapova, which ran out at the end of last year.

The Swiss watchmaker said those talks had now been suspended and the company had decided not to renew the contract.

In 2014, Porsche named her as its first female ambassador and she signed a three-year deal with the car company.

That contract is due to end at the end of this year.

In a statement, the carmaker said: “We are saddened by the recent news announced by Maria Sharapova. Until further details are released and we can analyze the situation, we have chosen to postpone planned activities.”

Maria Sharapova is also the face of Avon perfume, Luck, and the water company Evian. They have yet to comment on the matter.

She tested positive for meldonium, a substance she said she had been taking since 2006 for health issues.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) said Maria Sharapova would be provisionally suspended from March 12.

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

Home Energy Savings Made Easy

Nancy Clayson
-
0
Home Energy Savings Made Easy

Everyone wants to lower energy costs. But it’s not always so simple. What if you could make changes that not only kept you comfortable, but added up to real savings on your energy bills?

It’s possible! There are simple, free things that you can do that will save you money immediately. Did you know that something as simple as keeping closet doors closed can save you $50 a year? Unplugging electronics that you rarely use can save you another $100 a year.

One of the quickest and easiest changes you can make is your lighting. Using an Energy Star LED lightbulb in place of a traditional incandescent lightbulb will save you almost $4 a year – per bulb. Although Energy Star LED bulbs may costs a little more up front, they last 50 times as long as an incandescent bulb, so you’ll more than recoup your money over time.

Energy Star appliances, although more expensive than non-Energy Star appliances, will also save you money over time. Energy Star appliances can save you 20-30% on your energy costs and can make you eligible for tax rebates and utility credits.

In the following infographic published by Griffith Energy Services, you will learn that there are more home energy efficiency ideas that involve making just a few personal changes that either don’t cost anything or cost very little, but can help you save significant money in the long run.

Energy-Savings-Final

Emadeldin Elsayed Agrees to Voluntarily Leave US after Donald Trump Threat

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Emadeldin Elsayed Agrees to Voluntarily Leave US after Donald Trump Threat

Egyptian student Emadeldin Elsayed has agreed to voluntarily leave the US after posting on Facebook that the world would thank him if he killed Donald Trump.

The 23-year-old student pilot was not charged with a crime but the authorities sought to deport him, his attorney, Hani Bushra, said.

Immigration authorities said they would allow Emadeldin Elsayed to return home voluntarily as long as he departed by July 5.

Emadeldin Elsayed is being held in a jail in California after his visa was revoked.

Photo Facebook
Photo Facebook

Hani Bushra said on March 7 that Emadeldin Elsayed’s detention was illegal.

“He’s being detained, I think, primarily because he’s a Muslim and he’s a Middle Easterner,” Hani Bushra told the AP news agency.

“This kid is going to become a poster boy for hating America.”

Secret Service agents interviewed Emadeldin Elsayed in early February after he posted a photo of Donald Trump on Facebook and wrote he was willing to serve a life sentence for killing the billionaire, and the world would thank him, Hani Bushra said.

Emadeldin Elsayed had said earlier that he never intended to hurt anyone. He said he wrote the post because of Donald Trump’s comments about Muslims.

Donald Trump, a front-runner in the race for the Republican nomination for the presidency, has promised a crackdown on immigration. He has vowed to build a wall along the entire Mexican border and called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States.

AC/DC Stop Touring as Brian Johnson Risks Deafness

Sonia Pantiss
-
0
AC/DC Stop Touring as Brian Johnson Risks Deafness

AC/DC have decided to halt the rest of their US tour after Brian Johnson was warned he is going deaf.

The band posted a statement on their website saying doctors had advised Brian Johnson to stop touring immediately or “risk total hearing loss”.

AC/DC said they would likely perform with a guest vocalist in rescheduled shows later this year.

Brian Johnson, 68, has been lead singer with AC/DC since 1980.AC DC stop US touring

The news is the latest in a series of setbacks for the band.

Former drummer Phil Rudd was convicted last year of drug possession and making threats to kill. He served eight months of home detention.

In 2014, it emerged that founding member and guitarist Malcolm Young would not be joining the band on tours as he was suffering from dementia.

AC/DC released its latest album Rock or Bust in November that year and has been touring ever since to promote it.

7 Tips for Expanding Your E-Commerce Business

Nancy Clayson
-
0
7 Tips for Expanding Your E-Commerce Business

Your domestic e-commerce business is doing well, and you’re ready to look at international markets. Expanding globally is a large project that takes great planning, but it’s also an exciting opportunity to grow your business, make new connections, and reach people around the world with your products.

Discover Your Target International Markets

If you run an online store, you probably already have customers, or at least website visitors, from other countries. Check your sales data to see if any patterns exist; maybe one of your products is doing great in the London market, and another is popular in South Africa. You don’t have to have customers from a specific market to look into it. Expand your search into other markets to see if you have a product line that might do well.

Focus On a Few Initial Test Markets

Once you’ve researched potential international markets, begin your global expansion by focusing on the one or two markets that have the most potential. Research your test markets extremely rigorously, from the local economy to labor costs to taxes, to decide whether it’s a suitable place to focus your global business expansion. You should also do market research so you know which products to make available, and which ones to push.

Use Online Software for Money Matters

Expanding globally means taking other currencies as payment. Accept as many forms of payment as you can through your website. Having the right software is immensely helpful when it comes to taking payments; when you automate the process online, tracking payments from other countries becomes easier. The best payment software directly connects with accounting software, which is what Sage’s intuitive electronic payment systems do. Electronic payment software helps protect you from fraud, too, for which the business can now be held liable.

Image via Flickr by ganderssen1
Image via Flickr by ganderssen1

Get a Feel For the Country

The best way to explore an international market is to visit in person. If business travel is possible for you, then visit your target markets with the intention of making business connections and finding out more about how the local population makes purchasing decisions. When an in-person visit isn’t possible, use professional social media sites to connect with business people from those regions. Connect with potential customers, too. A few tweets or blog comments can go a long way.

Think Logistics

Learn the laws and regulations about importing to the countries you want to reach. Think about whether you’re going to manufacture goods overseas, or ship them to the destinations. In either case, you need a plan in place. Customers want to know how long they must wait before their orders arrive. Think about local taxes in the regions you’ll be reaching, and get the right information about exporting from the U.S.

Advertise Appropriately

The advertisements you use for domestic audiences aren’t going to work internationally, sometimes for reasons as simple as language barriers, and sometimes for complicated cultural reasons. Research how your industry does its marketing. Learn from other industries’ marketing, too. Both your advertisements and your web presence should change based on who is on the other end of the connection. Take, for example, makeup trends in the U.S. versus Japan. Ads for something as simple as a black eyeliner crayon will differ drastically based on each country’s fashion trends.

Create an Infrastructure

You’ll be starting small, but that doesn’t mean you want to stay small. As you’re doing your research and planning your entry into a new market, create a plan for expansion, complete with growth stages. Make it as general as possible, so you can do it again in other markets by filling in the required data. If you have the steps laid out, and a basic infrastructure set up for entering into and expanding within a new international market, you’ll be able to repeat the process much more quickly next time.

Remember that research and planning is key. You’ll need more research than you did when you started selling locally, because these markets and cultures are unfamiliar to you. Though the process is time-consuming, by following these tips you can absolutely expand your e-commerce business globally.

Ready or Not Here Comes Climate Change

James J. Williams
-
0
Ready or Not Here Comes Climate Change

Climate change has been a very heated topic in the U.S. for several years now. At first hailed as a hoax by many conservative politicians, climate change is now widely viewed as a very real and proven threat caused by humans. However, several states that face some of the worst effects of global warming are still either rejecting climate change entirely or very grudgingly beginning to make minor changes to better prepare for these effects.

Two States in Denial

Both North Carolina and Florida, two states that border the ocean, one of which is entirely surrounded by water, are known for their controversial and outdated views on climate change. North Carolina and Florida stand to receive some of the worst effects of climate change, such as increasing sea levels that could force many residents to abandon their homes.

Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence that supports the climate change theory, these states’ governments have taken elaborate steps to quiet environmentalists and scientific reports, and condemn the climate change theory as false.

North Carolina

As recently as 2012, North Carolina effectively outlawed climate change.

After receiving a report that detailed how sea levels along the coast would rise as much as 39 inches over a span of 100 years, the General Assembly outlawed any communities from passing new laws based on the information provided in the report.

The popular Comedy Central TV show, The Colbert Report, made North Carolina’s ruling national news when it ridiculed the state government’s decision on air. Due to the backlash North Carolina’s government received from this, the state finally accepted a new report in 2015 that laws could be based on, reversing the decision to essentially outlaw climate change. However, the new report shows less dire sea level increases since it only looks ahead about 30 years. Hardly a victory for passionate environmental residents in North Carolina hoping to see real changes being made.

Florida

Florida, on the other hand, is still actively in denial on the issue of climate change. According to scientists, Florida is one of, if not the most susceptible state in the country to the effects of climate change.

The Florida government, however, does not seem concerned given the fact that officials throughout the state’s government and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection were banned from even mentioning the phrases “climate change,” “global warming,” and “sustainability” by Gov. Rick Scott in 2011. This law still seems to be in effect today. How can any promising changes be made when officials aren’t even allowed to mention the issue by name?

Image via Flickr by John Englart
Image via Flickr by John Englart

What You Can Do

Residents of states like North Carolina and Florida are left to their own devices to figure out how they can actively become more environmentally conscious. All hope is not lost, though. There are a variety of steps you can take if you reside in one of these problem states, or anywhere in the U.S. Here’s a list of ideas to help you, your family, and your community lessen the effects of climate change:

  • Recycle, recycle, recycle: recycling and reusing materials is more important than ever as waste pollution is having a more damaging effect on the planet every day.
  • Support green businesses: Be selective where you take your business. Try to support local businesses that work to be as energy-efficient and green as possible, like Air Treatment Inc. This local North Carolina HVAC company does their best to debunk home maintenance myths and raise the energy efficiency of every home, reduce carbon emissions, and keep indoor air quality up.
  • Drive less, walk more: If you can, try to use your car as little as possible and instead take public transportation, walk, or carpool with friends.
  • Bring your own bags: Single-use plastic bags are now being banned by entire cities, and even one state so far, due to their destructive and wasteful impact. If your city is still using them, be sure to bring reusable bags with you to the store and pass on the plastic.

Climate change is a very real threat. Although your state government may ignore the scientific evidence, don’t stop fighting to make your community as environmentally conscious and eco-friendly as possible.

Maria Sharapova Failed Drug Test at Australian Open 2016

Clyde K. Valle
-
0
Maria Sharapova Failed Drug Test at Australian Open 2016

Maria Sharapova has revealed she failed a drugs test at the Australian Open in January.

The 28-year-old former world No 1 tested positive for meldonium, a substance she has been taking since 2006 for health issues.

Maria Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam champion, is provisionally suspended from March 12 pending further action.

“I did fail the test and take full responsibility for it,” she said.

“For the past 10 years I have been given a medicine called mildronate by my family doctor and a few days ago after I received a letter from the ITF [International Tennis Federation] I found out it also has another name of meldonium, which I did not know.”

Maria Sharapova won the Wimbledon title as a 17-year-old in 2004.

The Russian, who lives in Florida, provided the anti-doping sample in question on January 26, the day she lost to Serena Williams in the Australian Open quarter-finals.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) analyzed the sample and returned a positive for meldonium, leading to the Russian being charged on March 2.

“It is very important for you to understand that for 10 years this medicine was not on WADA’s banned list and I had been legally taking that medicine for the past 10 years,” said Maria Sharapova.

“But on January 1 the rules had changed and meldonium became a prohibited substance, which I had not known.”

Maria Sharapova added: “I received an email on December 22 from WADA about the changes happening to the banned list and you can see prohibited items – and I didn’t click on that link.”

She has been the highest-earning female athlete in the world for the past 11 years, according to the Forbes list.

She first reached world No 1 in August 2005 and is currently seventh in the rankings – but she has played just four tournaments since Wimbledon last July as she struggled with an arm injury.

Maria Sharapova, who turns 29 in April, hopes to be able to return to tennis in the future.

However, there had been speculation Maria Sharapova was going to announce her retirement and a large media contingent gathered for the Los Angeles news conference, which was streamed live online.

“I know many of you thought that I would be retiring today but if I was ever going to announce my retirement it would not be in a downtown Los Angeles hotel with this fairly ugly carpet,” she said.

Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) president Steve Simon said he is “very saddened” at Maria Sharapova’s failed test.

“Maria is a leader and I have always known her to be a woman of great integrity,” he added.

“As Maria acknowledged, it is every player’s responsibility to know what they put in their body and to know if it is permissible.

“This matter is now in the hands of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program and its standard procedures. The WTA will support the decisions reached through this process.”

Oil Price Reaches $40 a Barrel for First Time in 2016

Clyde K. Valle
-
0
Oil Price Reaches $40 a Barrel for First Time in 2016

Oil price has reached $40 a barrel for the first time this year as commodities continue to rally.

Brent crude later fell slightly and was trading at $39.81 a barrel.Oil price March 2016

Oil dropped below $28 in January, but has since risen as part of a wider recovery in energy and metal prices.

The price of iron also shot up, rising 19% amid greater optimism about Chinese economic growth and demand for the metal in the country’s refineries.

Iron ore is heading for the biggest price increase in a single day since 2009, according to data from MetalBulletin.

The price of copper has increased by 6.9% in 2016 and aluminum is up 5.3%.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2ORNkQtvFw

Nigeria: Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh Accused of Stealing $20 Million

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Nigeria: Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh Accused of Stealing $20 Million

Former Nigerian chief of defense Alex Badeh has been accused of stealing $20 million from the air force and buying a mansion.

Retired Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh denies 10 charges of fraud, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.

He was appointed chief of defense two years ago.

ACM Alex Badeh is accused of using the funds to buy a mansion in the capital Abuja along with a string of other properties.Alex Badeh arrested

More than $1 million in cash was also reportedly found at one of his homes.

Under former President Goodluck Jonathan, front-line troops complained that they were ill-equipped to fight the militants and discipline in the army was breaking down as soldiers refused to carry out orders.

An investigation has alleged that a total of $2 billion meant to buy arms to fight Boko Haram had gone missing.

The former national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki, was charged in December in connection with the case involving $68 million that is alleged to be missing. He was accused of awarding phantom contracts to buy helicopters, fighter jets and ammunition, which he denied.

Twelve other senior Nigerian army officers were handed over to the anti-corruption agency in February for their alleged involvement in the arms scandal.

Muhammadu Buhari won elections a year ago on promises to tackle both Boko Haram and corruption.

Refugee Crisis: Turkey and EU Emergency Summit Held in Brussels

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Refugee Crisis: Turkey and EU Emergency Summit Held in Brussels

Leaders from Turkey and EU have gathered in Brussels for an emergency summit on tackling Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War Two.

The EU aims to stem the flow of refugees and plans to declare the route north through the Balkans closed.

It will press Turkey to take back economic migrants and has pledged to give Ankara €3 billion ($3.3 billion).

In 2015, more than a million people entered the EU illegally by boat, mainly going from Turkey to Greece.

Photo AP
Photo AP

Many refugees leave Greece in a bid to reach northern Europe, but eight countries have introduced temporary border controls.

Some 13,000 refugees are currently stranded in northern Greece, after Macedonia, backed by Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia, closed its border to all but a trickle of refugees.

The human cost of the migrant crisis was brought home again on Sunday when a boat capsized off Turkey with the loss of 25 lives.

EU states remain divided over their response to the crisis with strains showing this year even in Germany and Sweden, seen as the countries most open to refugees.

Anti-migrant parties won a general election in Slovakia on March 5 which saw the far right gaining seats.

The summit will be in two parts – the first session will involve Turkey, while in the second part UK Prime Minister David Cameron will join other EU leaders in seeking to reach a common approach to the crisis.

The EU is expected to ask Turkey to take back thousands of refugees who do not qualify for asylum.

In return the EU will discuss plans to resettle in Europe some refugees already in Turkey.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated last week Turkey was ready to take back all migrants apprehended in Turkish waters.

EU leaders are also likely to raise the issue of the Zaman newspaper, the biggest opposition journal in Turkey.

On March 4, a Turkish court ordered the seizure of the Zaman, increasing fears for media freedom. Two days later it was publishing pro-government articles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfp1-bn4smA

North Korea Angered by US and South Korea War Games

Diane A. Wade
-
0
North Korea Angered by US and South Korea War Games

North Korea has threatened the US and South Korea with nuclear strikes as the two begin their largest ever military drills.

The US and South Korean exercises, Key Resolve and Foal Eagle, are an annual event and always generate tension.

The order for a “pre-emptive nuclear strike of justice” was made in a statement put out by Pyongyang.

Such rhetoric is not uncommon, and experts doubt North Korea’s ability to put nuclear warheads on its missiles.

North Korea says it sees the annual US-South Korean war games as a rehearsal for invasion.

In 2015, North Korea threatened to turn Washington into a “sea of fire”.

“We will launch an all-out offensive to decisively counter the US and its followers’ hysteric[al] nuclear war moves,” a newsreader on the state-run North Korean KRT news channel said of the latest exercises.North Korea threatens with nuclear strikes

Approximately 17,000 US forces are participating in the exercises, alongside around 300,000 South Korean troops – both significant increases on 2015’s numbers.

Despite starting on the same day, Key Resolve is more computer simulation-driven and ends on March 18, while Foal Eagle is more focussed on field exercises and runs until 30 April.

South Korea’s defense ministry has warned Pyongyang against any “rash act that brings destruction upon itself”.

“If North Korea ignores our warning and makes provocations, our military will firmly and mercilessly respond to it,” said spokesman Moon Sang-gyun.

Japan’s foreign minister also demanded that North Korea show restraint.

Though unconfirmed, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, citing military sources, has reported that the exercises will include training for precision attacks on North Korean leadership and its nuclear and missile facilities.

Seoul is expected to announce more sanctions of its own on March 8, which is likely to draw another angry response from Pyongyang.

Bernie Sanders Wins Maine Caucuses

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Bernie Sanders Wins Maine Caucuses

Democrat Bernie Sanders has won the Maine caucuses, beating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the Democratic nomination race.

With 91% of the vote counted, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is polling 64%, while former Hillary Clinton has 36%.

In the Republican race, Marco Rubio easily won Puerto Rico’s primary, beating Donald Trump.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump remain overall leaders in the nomination campaigns.

On March 6, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders clash on a number of issues in a CNN-hosted debate in Flint, Michigan.

They traded accusations on economy and trade, with Hillary Clinton saying her rival voted against a bailout of the US car industry in 2009.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

“I went with them. You did not. If everybody had voted the way he [Bernie Sanders] did, I believe the auto industry would have collapsed, taking four million jobs with it,” Hillary Clinton said.

Bernie Sanders countered by saying: “I will be damned if it was the working people of this country who have to bail out the crooks on Wall Street.”

He described the measures taken at the time as “the Wall Street bailout where some of your [Hillary Clinton’s] friends destroyed this economy”.

During March 5 voting, Bernie Sanders took two states – Kansas and Nebraska – but Hillary Clinton maintained her Democratic front-runner status after a big victory in Louisiana.

While the win in Puerto Rico will boost Florida Senator Marco Rubio’s campaign, it sends just 23 delegates to the Republican convention which nominates a presidential candidate.

Republican hopefuls need the votes of 1,237 delegates to get the nod for the presidential race proper.

Marco Rubio still trails well behind Donald Trump and Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

Speaking after wins in the Republican Kentucky caucuses and Louisiana primary election on Saturday, Donald Trump told a news conference: “I would love to take on Ted Cruz one on one.”

“Marco Rubio had a very very bad night and personally I call for him to drop out of the race. I think it’s time now that he dropped out of the race. I really think so.”

Ted Cruz – who won Republican caucuses in Kansas and Maine – said he believed that “as long as the field remains divided, it gives Donald an advantage”.

1...275276277...1,243Page 276 of 1,243