James Alexander Michie | Blogger: November 2018

Wednesday, 28 November 2018

Big oil in troubles | Medium

From WHMP / clipart.com

It should be noted that Big Oil is perhaps the most feared and respected industry in history. Oil is heating up the planet, but this hardly affects its use. In fact, oil fuels the most politically volatile regions of the world. During the last century, oil has dominated our economy and our politics. Oil is power.

Likewise, technology is about to undo a century of the political and economic dominance of oil. Being that Big Oil will be reduced in the next decade by a combination of applications for smartphones, long-life batteries, and simpler gears. Consequently, as usual, the new technology, the cancellation will occur much faster than anyone believes.

In order to obtain a greater understanding, it is necessary to deepen as to why Big Oil is in a much weaker position than anybody realizes. To do this, we have to look more closely at the oil axis in our lives: the internal combustion engine and the modern powertrain engine.

Eventually, the parts in the combustion vehicles wear out and fail. Examples are leaks in oil plugs. Worn belts. The transmissions take over. Coupled with this, there may be more problems.

List of most common vehicle repairs of 2015

Concern in investors due to signs of shady stocks that continue to accumulate | Bloomberg

Concern grows in investors due to signs of gloomy stocks that continue to accumulate as Wall Street considers the likelihood of a recession. And is that after nine turbulent weeks plus correction in US stocks, cause questions. Thus, for analysts, the question arises: What does the market say about the economy?

It should be noted that from the rise of defensive industries to the unforeseen madness by companies that resist volatility, stocks are proceeding in a way that has predicted the slowdown of the increase in the past. Meanwhile, there are those who see the sale as healthy after 10 years of profit. But with a burning of the trade war and the Federal Reserve set out to raise interest rates again. Therefore, the number of researchers who are willing to mention the possibility is increasing.

Data to consider

Under the proposals, government is involved in deciding which journalists or news organizations will receive special treatment, tax breaks, charitable status.Getty Images

If we look at history, a free press has meant the freedom of government intervention. In addition to anyone who can be similar. On Wednesday, Finance Minister Bill Morneau presented a series of proposals. They are intended to rescue journalists, in fact, claim to be consistent with this fundamental principle. However, he said with regard to measures “arm’s-length and independent of the government.” despite this, they are not.

Some people think that this represents a step backward for Canadian journalism. And because of such a proposal, the government would really be an influence and be directly involved. In deciding which journalists or news organizations will receive special treatment, tax exemptions, charitable status. In fact, it will generate more dependence on the government and not independence. That is partly due to the amount of federal money that is transferred directly to the news and to journalism. Being that it could exceed $ 600 million.

Falseness in his speech

Shameful record of military acquisition failures and still continue | National Post

The autumn report has been presented by the Auditor General of Canada, Michael Ferguson. Due to this report, doubts have arisen and national security and even long-term security have been questioned. In fact, it has been said that it has destroyed the liberal plan to keep the CF-18 flying until 2032.

As such, CF-18s do not meet the requirements required to provide national security. In fact, the report reads, “The combat force could not meet the requirement because the National Defense already had shortages of personnel, and the CF-18 was old and increasingly difficult to maintain”.

Taking up the story

Ideologues react hysterically to the Trump administration’s suggested reforms to campus-rape tribunals.

Last week, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos published a proposed federal standard. It aims to correct the worst procedural abuses of the campus violation courts. It seems that it resembles the judicial precedent and is fair to all parties. However, the feminist establishment has reacted with hysteria. Consequently, it has characterized the draft regulation as an assault on “survivors” of sexual assault.

However, maintaining the myth of rape on campus, it seems, is incompatible with due process. In fact, it has been said that if feminism itself is compatible with the values of the Enlightenment it seems to be increasingly doubtful.

Highlights

Private banking reformed by the gold rush | Bloomberg

The gold rush of $ 200 billion has caused a great impact and is that it has managed to reform private banking. In fact, private bankers of any continent are finding new ways to serve the growing ranks of the world’s wealthy.

Likewise, an infusion of central bank funds in the world’s largest economies, thus reinforcing the prices of assets. This caused it to enrich and aggravate the inequality of many people. Leaving as a result the global personal wealth reached a record of $ 201.9 billion during the past year.

Different panorama

Calgary Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell kisses the Grey Cup after defeating the Ottawa Redblacks in the 106th Grey Cup on Sunday night. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

The Gray Cup is the name of both the Canadian Football League (CFL) championship game and the trophy awarded to the victorious team that plays Canadian football. It is contested among the playoff winners of the East and West Divisions of the CFL and is one of the largest annual sporting events on Canadian television. It has been held since 1909, long before the league was born in 1958.

An important fact to highlight is that for the first time it will be broadcast in Mexico in the 106th edition in 2018 including commentators in Spanish.

Its great relevance

The report confirms what should have been obvious from the start: the more “variable” wind and solar are introduced into any electricity system, the more they make it both more expensive and less reliable.David McNew/AFP/Getty Images

It seems that green energy is a resounding failure and coupled with it is really disastrous. In fact, a report was released which surely is quite embarrassing for the government of Justin Trudeau. World Energy Outlook (WEO) has published among hundreds of charts, tables and tables. In them, important information has been denoted. And that is the percentage of total global primary energy demand. Supplied by wind and solar energy. The answer is 1.1 percent. The mountains of politics have worked and produced not just a mouse, but, as the report reluctantly recognizes, it is a hugely disturbing mouse.

It is important to mention that the International Energy Agency (IEA) has been transformed in recent years into an increasingly schizophrenic organization. In fact, it is a source of energy information and an action plan for the sustainable development program focused on the UN climate. Therefore, he must speak of the “transition to a low carbon future” while reporting that it is not happening.

The embarrassing situation for the Trudeau government

The price of WTI has dropped to its lowest level in more than a year. (Robson Fletcher/CBC)

The value of the barrel of the most common US oil mix reached its lowest level in more than a year, as fears of a global oversupply came back to life. Likewise, it was the worst day for oil since 2015, because the price of WTI fell to $ 50 per barrel. While the price of Canadian oil and crude oil plummeted to just over $ 14 per barrel.

Descent that establishes it as a bargain

College hockey: Western Mass. teams on the rise | Boston Herald

Massachusetts' John Leonard, right, scores against New Hampshire goalie Mike Robinson as the official calls the goal during the second period of a college hockey game Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, in Amherst, Mass. (J. Anthony Roberts/The Republican via AP)

There is a sesimic shift in the power structure going on in the Division 1 college hockey world where western Mass. has been buzzing over the exploits of Hockey East front-runner UMass, which is riding its highest-ever national ranking (№4) and burgeoning American International, which stunned many with a two-game sweep at traditional Atlantic Hockey juggernaught Air Force on the weekend.

In the case of UMass, anyone who has had the opportunity to watch them can readily tell that the Minutemen can really skate. And if you can skate, you usually have success.

A star-laden sophomore class has been key, led by blueliner Cale Makar, the №4 overall pick (Colorado) in the 2017 NHL draft, forwards Mitchell Chaffee and John Leonard, and goalie Matt Murray, who ranked among the nation’s leaders in goals-against-average at 1.66 (№7) and save percentage at .943 (№4) going into yesterday’s 4–2 home win over UNH. Important additions including siblings Anthony Del Gaizo and Marc Del Gaizo have bolstered the effort.

UMass (10–1–0, 6–0–0 HE), which last had a winning season in 2006–07 when it went 21–13–5 under former coach Don “Toot” Cahoon, was picked by league coaches to finish sixth. Third-year UMass coach Greg Carvel proved an adept prognosticator when he said at media day in October, “We’ve been picked to finish mid-pack, but I think we can still be a little higher.”

Likewise, AIC coach Eric Lang, who is in his third season at his alma mater where he was a two-year captain and 4-year player (1994–98) under the legendary Gary Wright, literally bleeds Yellow Jackets hockey. The availability of playing home games in the MassMutual Center has helped, and Lang has expanded recruiting to seven foreign countries: Canada, Czech Republic, Latvia, Norway, Sweden, Slovakia and Ukraine.

Why We Sold Apple Stock | Seeking Alpha

Apple Inc. is a US multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California. The same company designs, develops and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and online services.

Apple is the world’s largest information technology company by revenue and the world’s third-largest mobile phone maker, after Samsung and Huawei. The company enjoys a high level of brand loyalty and has been repeatedly ranked as the most valuable brand in the world. Despite this, it has received important criticism. They are referred to the labor practices of their contractors, their environmental and commercial practices. Added to this, anti-competitive behavior is included, as well as the origins of the source materials.

Although it is the world’s largest information technology company by revenue, it receives constant criticism. In fact, some have prompted the sale of shares in Apple.

Some of its most significant faults

Two RCAF CF-18 Hornet fighter jets fly over Winnipeg. The air force doesn't have enough qualified technicians to maintain the jets or enough fighter pilots to fly them. (Royal Canadian Air Force/Twitter)

Tuesday saw the presentation of the fall report of the Auditor General of Canada, Michael Ferguson. Likewise, it has been said that the auditor general has destroyed the liberal plan to keep the CF-18 flying until 2032. And is that Ferguson has raised doubts about national security and even long-term security, due to his report.

In this report, the recent change of policy in the Department of National Defense is methodically discarded. It requires that the military have enough combat aircraft to fulfill Canada’s commitments with NORAD and NATO at the same time.

What the audit says exactly

The 2018 APEC summit, traditionally an amicable gathering, was instead the scene of a 'striking' confrontation between the U.S. and China. (Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press)

Normally the meeting turns out to be friendly, despite this it became a little tense and without an agreement reached. In fact, the confrontation of APEC has caused great uncertainty against the G20.

Possibly, due to the alphabet, the Chinese president was positioned in the first row. Just above Xi’s left shoulder was Vladimir Putin’s number 2: Russian Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev. But someone else was needed, Mike Pence, vice president of the United States. Who did not give priority to the opening photo, despite his absence, the other leaders continued without him?

During the APEC summit, it was possible to observe the dominant presence of China by promoting its agenda, with the isolated United States. Likewise, he kept pursuing competing objectives, which for others was very uncomfortable.

It should be noted that APEC has always been known as a friendly summit. During the same summits, the head of the International Monetary Fund offers an informative meeting. While for its part, the advisory boards of affiliated companies “involve” politicians in their regional priorities.

"Doubts about the ability of the United States to dissuade and, if necessary, defeat opponents and fulfill their global commitments have proliferated".

It is necessary to clarify something and it is that in such a case that the United States faces a security crisis, without a doubt Canada will also do so.

This week, a report has emerged from the special commission, presented to the United States Congress. There one of the evaluations was delivered considerably more raw, even surprising.

And it is that the independent and non-partisan review of the National Defense Strategy 2018 of the Trump government said that the United States could lose future wars with Russia or China. Of course, this is really alarming and not only for EE. UU

This document was written by 12 leading experts in defense and security, which has 116 pages and is also read in it, “This commission believes that the United States has reached the point of a full-blown national security crisis”.

Coupled with this, it is also understood, “If the United States had to fight against Russia in a Baltic contingency, or China in a war for Taiwan, the Americans could face a decisive military defeat”.

For a Canadian defense expert, a re-evaluation, perhaps even a complete rewrite, of the liberal government’s own defense policy is necessary.

In the report of the commission, it is possible to detail with extreme precision the type of geopolitical threats that Washington faces of rivals and enemies in many levels and in multiple spheres.

Important points of the report

A video that appeared to feature former U.S. president Barack Obama was produced and voiced by director Jordan Peele and Buzzfeed to warn people of an emerging technology that can make it seem as though people are saying or doing things they never did. (Monkeypaw Productions/Buzzfeed)

The United States Army is making a large investment, spending a significant sum of millions in order to fight against false images. Similarly, it has been said that the competing technology would automatically detect a video that could have been manipulated.

The video already mentioned, is really convincing and is that in it, we see the former president of the United States, Barack Obama giving strong statements. Likewise, in such video, Obama speaks directly to a camera and says that the current president of the USA. UU., Donald Trump, is “total and complete nonsense”.

The reality is…

Gen. Joseph Dunford, Jr., a U.S. Marine Corps general and the 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks at the Halifax International Security Forum on Friday, Nov. 16. (Darren Calabrese/Canadian Press)

The main general of the United States, Joseph Dunford, believes that competition with old enemies needs new tactics. He considers it that way since both Russia and China are working together to “undermine the credibility of the US and its allies”.

Likewise, Dunford believes that the world is currently witnessing the return of open competition. This competition is between the United States, its allies and the old adversaries of Russia and China. Similarly, for Dunford, it is necessary for the United States to adopt its military strategy. The purpose of this is to face the new challenges presented by the resurgence of these old enemies.

More words given by Joseph Dunford

Possible 'emergency situation' regarding the price of oil in Canada | CBC News

'Nobody is making money at this price and this is rapidly becoming an emergency situation in the economy,' says Cenovus Energy CEO Alex Pourbaix. (J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press)

The CEO of Cenovus says that the problem of the oil price in Canada is reaching an ‘emergency situation’.

Likewise, the head of one of the biggest producers of tar sands in the country has expressed concern. In fact, he said that Canada’s oil price problems are reaching an “emergency situation”. In such a way that on Wednesday saw the call of his company to production cuts by a competitor.

What did the CEO of Cenovus say?

Tech stocks are taking a hit, despite the fact some industry giants spent billions of dollars buying back their own shares in a bid to drive up their value. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

New research comes from one of the most influential business newspapers in the world. According to this investigation, it was obtained that more than 100 billion US dollars in tax cuts that were supposed to “make the United States big” were destined to the well-off investors of the American technology companies. While for its part, the prices of technological stocks show a bit of weakness. In fact, there are growing concerns that, instead of investing fiscal benefits in something that would last, much of that money has been wagered on what has been termed as casino capitalism.

The economist John Maynard Keynes in his groundbreaking 1936 work, The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, wrote “When a country’s capital development becomes a by-product of casino activities, it is likely that the work is badly done”.

Independent MP Maxime Bernier speaks with reporters before Question Period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Wednesday, Oct. 3. (ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

The rising People’s Party of Canada by Maxime Bernier threatens to be a serious candidate for the right-wing vote. It should be noted that Bernier is not always treated with the seriousness he should receive. His libertarian opinions put him on the edge of the political spectrum.

Likewise, when he left the Conservatives this year to form his own party, it was expected that Bernier would simply disappear into the political desert. But that has not been the case since until now Bernier is very much alive. He spoke at an enthusiastic political rally in Vancouver on Thursday and another Friday in Calgary.

Likewise, he is scheduled to take his far-right message to the heart of Etobicoke of Conservative Prime Minister Doug Ford on Wednesday.

For his part, Bernier has assured that his Popular Party has enrolled more than 30,000 members. In fact, he promises to present candidates in all elections for the federal elections next October and may well do so.

It is said that it really could be established as a political force. Being that there was not a big gap to defeat Scheer in the conservative leadership contest last year. Likewise, Bernier still maintains support in his previous match.

Bernier and his possible positions

Ray Dalio Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg

Raymond Dalio is a multi-million dollar investor, hedge fund manager and American philanthropist. Dalio is the founder of investment firm Bridgewater Associates, one of the largest hedge funds in the world. As of January 2018, it is one of the 100 richest people in the world, according to Bloomberg.

Dalio has an unwavering faith in gold. In fact, the billionaire and philanthropist remained loyal to gold even in the midst of investor sales, with Bridgewater Associates retaining its stake in SPDR, iShares Gold. Likewise, even the second quarterly drop in gold was not enough to shake gold’s confidence in multi-billion dollar hedge fund Ray Dalio.

Bridgewater Associates of Dalio maintained its holdings in SPDR Gold Shares, the largest ETF backed by bullion, with 3.9 million shares, and its stake in iShares Gold Trust, the second largest, with 11.3 million shares in the third quarter, according to a regulatory document.

As already mentioned, Bridgewater remained loyal to bullion, even as investors sold off ETF-backed ETF assets falling 2.79 million ounces in the third quarter. Likewise, the first fall of this type since the end of 2016. The attractiveness of the precious metal paradise has declined significantly as the dollar recovered and borrowing costs rose in the United States.

What does the billionaire recommend?

Increase in the budget deficit in the United States | Bloomberg

In the United States, a $ 100.5 billion budget deficit was established in October, an increase of about 60 percent from the previous year. Likewise, said expense amounted to twice as fast as revenues.

The budget deficit of the United States has increased to $ 100 billion at the beginning of the fiscal year. The deficit increased by $ 63.2 billion in the same month last year. October marks the beginning of the fiscal year of the United States.

Notably, receipts totaled $ 252.7 billion last month, an increase of 7 percent compared to the previous year. Added to this, it is known that disbursements increased at least 18 percent to $ 353.2 billion.

Why is this?

Sell-Off Becomes Roughest Since 2011 on Third Leg of Nasdaq Drop | Bloomberg

Pedestrians are reflected in the window of the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York. Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg

Another beating in tech shares has thrust the correction that began last month into a league of its own versus past selloffs.
The data is getting ugly. A gauge of 30-day turbulence in the Nasdaq 100 has tripled in five weeks, pushing it to the highest since 2011. Day-to-day swings are averaging 1.7 percent, half a percentage point more than in February. Prices for options protection in tech exceed the rest of the market by the most in seven years, using implied volatility on the Nasdaq and the S&P 500.

Home to Apple Inc., Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc., the Nasdaq 100 dropped 3 percent on Monday, extending its three-day decline past 5 percent and erasing the rally after Election Day. It’s the third time the index has tumbled from around the 7,200 level since early October amid doubts its stretched valuations are justified with its growth advantage fading.
“The rising volatility, the widening price swings reflect investors’ nervousness with respect to the story for tech, which appears to be changing,” said Alex Bellefleur, chief economist and strategist at Mackenzie Financial Corp. “There are the macro headwinds. Not only is the earnings growth priced to be lower from where it is, you’re also discounting the earnings at a higher interest rate. That adds to the anxiety.”

It’s getting risky to dip your toes back into the broad equity market when its biggest constituents -- the ones that powered U.S. stocks to fresh highs earlier this year -- are swinging so fiercely. The 30-session realized volatility of the NYFANG Index, which tracks the FANG quartet and other large tech stocks, hit an all-time high on Monday, and exceeds the fluctuations in the S&P 500 by the most on record.
Price swings in the broader Nasdaq 100 have been disconcerting. The 30-day realized volatility in the index of tech megacaps rose to 33.8, the highest since the market rout in September 2011.
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Source: Elena Popina and Luke Kawa | Bloomberg

Adam Bighill and his achievements outside of soccer | National Post

Adam Bighill is a football linebacker for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. Most recently, he was a member of the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. Bighill made his professional debut with the British Columbia Lions in 2011. He played college football for the Central Washington Wildcats.

The central linebacker of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers was chosen as the most outstanding player of the CFL team and the best defensive player. These have not been his only achievements, in fact, he says he is happy and satisfied every time he drags a quarterback or takes the ball from an opponent. In spite of this, as already mentioned, they have not been his only achievements, outside of football, Bighill helps shy children with facial differences to look people in the eye, smile and speak with confidence, this makes him feel doubt, very proud.

Bighill spoke about it and this is what he said, “We make children open and able to develop different skills in which many children with facial differences need to work: with eye contact, projecting their voice, trusting and communicating” in addition he said, “When you’re halfway there, you realize that these children are already making great progress”.

Iran continued abiding by nuclear limits in its landmark accord with world powers even after U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the agreement, according to international monitors.

In its first report since the U.S. re-imposed oil and banking sanctions on Nov. 5, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran is still allowing intrusive inspections while keeping its nuclear capacity and material below thresholds allowed under the July 2015 deal, according to a 5-page restricted report published Monday and seen by Bloomberg News.

The IAEA conducted snap inspections “to all sites and locations in Iran which it needed to visit,” according to the quarterly report. “The agency continues to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material. Evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities for Iran remained ongoing.”

Crypto Bulls Get a Green Light on Potential Year-End Rally | Bloomberg

The cryptocurrency world is stirring.

A technical indicator for an index tracking some of the largest digital currencies suggests the crypto industry could be poised to break out of its recent malaise and rally at year end.

The MACD, or moving average convergence divergence, gauge for the Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index entered its first positive divergence in a month. The move corresponds with an upward trend in Bitcoin, which makes up around 30 percent of the fund. Bitcoin is up for the seventh-straight day and is at its highest level in two weeks, hovering around $6,500.

Wall Street's $45 Trillion China Dream Inches Toward Reality | Bloomberg

Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a speech last week that the country was “steadily widening the opening up” of its financial industry.

For China watchers, steadily was the key word. Almost exactly a year after the country announced historic plans to ease local ownership rules and entry barriers to what’s now a $45 trillion industry, the pace of change has been closer to a crawl than a sprint. While Xi signaled that China’s opening remains on track despite the country’s trade war with America, he also made it clear that policy makers will move deliberately.

China’s Promise

The Suncor mine facility along the Athabasca River as seen from a helicopter tour of the oilsands near Fort McMurray, Alta. (Jeff McIntosh)

The impact was estimated as high as $13 billion Cdn so far in 2018

Imagine producing a bumper crop of a product in high demand around the globe, only to learn you must settle for a discounted price because there’s no easy way to get your product to market.

Canadian grain farmers experienced that situation in 2013 and again last winter when their harvest outstripped the transport capacity of Canada’s rail companies. Western Canada’s oil companies are now in the same boat thanks to production gains that have not been matched by export pipeline capacity gains.

Like those farmers, oil producers have filled storage to bursting while they wait for a solution to appear. The price discounts or “differentials” that had mainly affected heavy oil have spread to light oil and upgraded synthetic oilsands crude as pipeline space tightens.

Estimates on the cost to the economy vary wildly, but the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers officially estimates the impact as at least C$13 billion in the first 10 months of 2018.

$50 million cost per day

What people really acquire

People do not buy the products so they themselves mean but actually, acquire the best versions of themselves.

In 1957, Pepsi, despite all the marketing efforts, was always overtaken by its main rival, by a factor of six to one. Pepsi, like many young people of that time, went through an identity crisis, in case their problem was not the product but the spirit of the brand since Pepsi was indecisive and aimless. In fact, it did not matter if it was sold at half the price of Coca-Cola, this was not enough to at least try to reach the level of its main rival, which at that time really had no rival.

The idea that is currently being used

In 1963, in search of changing that situation, Pepsi hired a young advertising executive named Alan Pottasch, who of course had a very difficult task. Pottasch’s task was, to put it mildly, difficult. Pottasch made a decision that would later become an icon, as he said, ”to stop talking about the product and start talking about the user”.

Elections to the governor and the Senate in Florida cause great commotion | Bloomberg

Two key or significant offices will be decided in the largest state in the United States after the elections for the Senate and for the governor of Florida has gone to a recount. Because of this, protests have emerged from the Republicans. In fact, they have been headed by Donald Trump and Rick Scott.

The unofficial count by the Senate denoted that Republican Scott led the current Democrat Bill Nelson by approximately 12,600 votes among the approximately 8.2 million votes cast in the November 6 election.

On the other hand, the governor denoted that between the Republican Ron DeSantis and the Democrat Andrew Gillum there would be a difference of approximately 33,700 votes, where the Republican DeSantis would also lead.

Likewise, the poll workers on Saturday night quickly began counting the millions of votes automatically. Many felt that such a task would be impossible to achieve before the mandatory deadline.

Great upheaval elections

The United States has a multi-million dollar reward program for drug lords | Bloomberg

Convicted drug kingpin Diego Leon Montoya Sanchez, center, in the custody of Colombian soldiers in 2007. Photographer: Mauricio Duenas/AFP via Getty Images

The rate at which traffickers have been crossing their bosses in exchange for wealth has increased significantly. And that is possibly due to the renewed emphasis on a little-known program of the State Department that has been handing out millions of dollars to informers for more than three decades. Many could take advantage of the temptation to become a billionaire overnight, which is what the Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP) is all about.

In fact, almost $ 32 million has been distributed to 33 people in the last five years. In some cases, some received up to $ 5 million, according to the Department of State’s Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. Thanks to this program, it has been possible to arrest almost 70 “foreign major rapists” since its creation.

Last month it was announced that the reward for Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, who is the reputed leader of the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel, had doubled to $ 10 million. The group is allegedly “responsible for the trafficking of many tons of cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin with fentanyl to the United States,” says the State Department.

Consequences

Alibaba Sets Singles' Day Sales Record | Bloomberg

Members of the media work during Alibaba’s annual November 11 Singles’ Day online shopping event, Nov. 10Photographer: Giulia Marchi/Bloomberg

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. has set the sales record for singles day with 8 hours to go. Likewise, it has registered 168.3 billion yuan in sales in 16 hours of its annual extravaganza of the Day of the Singles. Thanks to this, Alibaba managed to set a record when buyers flooded the online bazaars of the e-commerce giant. Alibaba surpassed the 100 billion yuan mark in less than two hours on the Day of the Singles, at least according to its website.

It really was a real challenge for billionaire Jack Ma and his lieutenant Daniel Zhang to achieve another record after a decade of scorching long. With a cooling economy, saturated markets and competition from smaller platforms, Alibaba is looking for new growth engines.

Jet Jing, who is the president of Tmall, said “Alibaba is making use of all its platforms to make Singles’ Day a vacation that also includes restaurants and entertainment” he added, “We are connecting online shopping with physical exits offline”.

U.S. President Donald Trump listens to a question as he speaks to the media before boarding Marine One at the White House. (Evan Vucci/Associated Press)

US President Donald Trump has signed a declaration to limit asylum protections for migrants. Likewise, he invoked extraordinary powers of national security to deny asylum to migrants who enter the country illegally, tightening the border as the caravans of Central Americans slowly approach the United States.

While the US president was preparing to address Paris due to the G20 summit, he declared “We need people in our country, but they have to come legally and they have to have merit”.

Similarly, Trump is using the same powers he used to impose a version of the travel ban that was confirmed by the Supreme Court, but it is important to mention that it was his third attempt after the courts rejected previous versions. Likewise, the proclamation puts into effect the regulations adopted on Thursday that circumvents the laws that establish that any person is eligible for asylum, regardless of how he or she enters the country.

5 things to do for a better organization

Mayo Oshin | Decision Making, Goal Setting

It is common for many people at some point to feel a bit overwhelmed with too many ideas and things to do. In many cases, this sensation causes some people to abandon what they were doing and never finish what they started.

Sometimes it can be difficult to do all the activities of our day to day, sometimes it becomes a really difficult job. Sometimes when we start the activities we do it with the best of spirits and a great energy, while the hours go by and the exhaustion is noticed and leaves as a consequence that we abandon the rest of the fixed objectives.

Therefore, there are 5 different things to do when you are overwhelmed with too many ideas and objectives.

Create mini-deadlines

The longer it takes to complete a task, the more likely it is that we will fall victim to the “Parkinson’s Law,” which states that work expands to complete the time available for completion. The best way to combat this problem is to create mini-deadlines that force you to complete tasks within a short period of time.

Use the 80/20 rule

In simple terms, the 80/20 rule suggests that twenty percent of what you do contributes to eighty percent of the results you get. In other words, each task can be divided into activities that fall within the group of twenty or eighty percent.

Afghan security personnel inspect at the site of a suicide attack near the election commission office in Kabul, Afghanistan on Oct. 29, 2018.

A report emerged from which the Special Inspector General of the United States for the Reconstruction of Afghanistan said that the aid money has been used to build medical clinics without electricity or water, schools without children and buildings that literally melted in the rain. Coupled with this, the corrupt local officials who were in charge of paying workers with some of the funds created what the audits called “ghost workers”, civil bureaucrats, policemen and soldiers who did not exist, and then kept or diverted the money registered as paid.

Likewise, billions in Western aid to Afghanistan were, including money from Canada. In fact, they have been lost due to widespread waste, neglect of corruption and endemic corruption, according to a United States monitoring agency.

Inspector John Sopko stated, “There is a lot of corruption, [but] most of what we have identified are just stupid and badly managed programs and there is no responsibility, nobody is really responsible for wasting money”.

Recent reports by Mr. Sopko’s office found an alarming lack of financial oversight in addition to the far-reaching mismanagement of two Western trust funds: the World Bank’s Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund and the Law Trust Fund and Order for Afghanistan administered by the UN used to train and equip the Afghan security forces.

What different nations donated

Dakeryn Industries' re-manufacturing mill in Abbotsford, seen here on Tuesday, is one of dozens of B.C. mills that have to come up with countervailing duties that are retroactive to Feb. 2. JASON PAYNE / PNG

China has more growth potential than the United States, objected economist Peter Hall. Likewise, the chief economist of Export Development Canada, Peter Hall, said: “This is really about differential growth in the markets”.

In addition, he added, “China has a long and strong potential growth and the United States is a fully developed economy”.

For its part, it is said that this projection could compensate for a short-term decline in sales of wood to China after the meteoric rise in imports over the past 15 years.

In addition to this, it should be noted that, by volume, exports of B.C. China reached its peak in 2013 when logging companies sold 7.9 million cubic meters of processed wood to Chinese buyers, compared to 13.6 million cubic meters to buyers in the US market. Despite this, while wood exports to the United States increased to 17.9 million cubic meters in 2016, exports to China fell to 5.9 million cubic meters during the same period.

Meanwhile, it is well known that shipments of raw logs to China in particular, by value, have increased by at least 43 percent in the last three years. Thus, it has reached 479 million dollars in 2017. In addition, exports of logs to the United States during the same period they were reduced by 33 percent to only $ 44 million in raw wood in 2017.

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