Large infrastructure projects, such as the construction of motorways, can take many years to complete and can have costs reaching into the billions. It is this scale that demands efficient models for their completion. Public-private partnerships are a versatile mechanism for directing private investment and expertise at national projects, bringing them about at much reduced cost to taxpayers.
Category: France Freelancing Global Gigs
France Freelancing Global Gigs
US and Russia Geopolitics – Will There Be War in Donbas?
The tensions continue to escalate in the Donbas region. The US controls the policy of the Ukrainian authorities, hence no other country in the world has direct influence on the Ukrainian government, but the US administration. Furthermore, the United States and the United Kingdom declared their full support of the Ukraine.
Uber Eats It – Drivers are Employees, UK Court Rules
Uber must consider its drivers in the United Kingdom as employees, and not as independent contractors, the country’s Supreme Court ruled on Friday. The ruling dismisses an appeal by the company against a previous ruling, noting that Uber sets ride rates and exerts significant control over the drivers who use the app.
Eurozone’s February Manufacturing PMI Beats Expectations
IHS Markit announced that the initial value of the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for the manufacturing industry in the Eurozone in February was 57.7, and the expected value is 54.3. During the period, the initial value of the service industry PMI was 44.7, and the expected value was 45.9.
France: No Plans to Withdraw from Sahel
The French President Emmanuel Macron has said that France has no intention of withdrawing its troops in the Sahel region. This move is aimed at continual fight against militants in the region, who have continued to wreak havoc. The French troops have been in the country for eight years in an operation that has seen 55 troops killed.
Zero Stars — France Fines Google Over Hotel Ratings
The General Directorate for Competition, Consumption and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) in France has fined Google over €1.1 million after finding that the search engine company had committed breaches of data protection rules in its search results. In 2021, the European Court of Justice ruled that Google misled users when it came to hotel star rating systems.
Updates on the European Union and Russia
Last week, very strong statements were made by the Kremlin regarding the possibility of ending all ties with the European Union. The tensions between Russia and the European Union are ongoing. Nevertheless, the recent events with Alexey Navalny, and the response by the West, is pushing Russia too far.
France, Sahel Countries to Hold Virtual Summit
The heads of states of the G5 Sahel region are scheduled to take part in a two-day summit to be held in Chad. The main aim of the meeting is to discuss the fight against armed groups in the region. The G5 Sahel countries include Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Niger.
Disney Takes Substantial Hit, Still Profitable
Disney’s performance in the last quarter was unexpectedly profitable. In the first quarter of this fiscal year, it recorded a profit of $17 million, a year-on-year decrease of 99%. After deducting special items, the profit per share was 32 cents, which was better than the market’s expected loss of 41 cents.
BP and Total Aim to Invest Billions in Wind Farms
BP and Total have joined forces to build new offshore wind farms and help countries gain access to cleaner fuel sources. The two companies claim that by joining forces, they can help many countries develop cleaner fuel sources. This is all part of BP’s cooperation with the French oil company Total.
UK — Retailers Pay More Taxes Than Amazon
The recent controversy concerning Amazon’s UK business tax rate has been quite a big buzz in the corporate world. Amazon has been one of the most successful and popular online retail sites. Amazon has many branches in different countries around the world, and they have been doing quite well financially.
Russia Boots Three Diplomats
The Kremlin announced that three diplomats were ordered to leave Russia on February 5th after participating in protest. The diplomats expelled are from the Kingdom of Sweden, Republic of Poland and Germany. That was the date, when Alexei Navalny and his team urged the public to take to the Russian streets and protest.
Navalny — Russia Expels EU Diplomats After Protests
The government of Russia expelled three diplomats from Germany, Poland, and Sweden on Friday, owing to their alleged participation in one of the demonstrations held in recent weeks in favor of the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has claimed that diplomats participated in “illegal meetings” held on January 23.
EU — GDP Contractions Less Than Expected
The gross domestic product (GDP) fell 6.4% across the European Union (EU) and 6.8% in the Eurozone in 2020, according to preliminary data published Tuesday by Eurostat. The contraction, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, ended seven years of growth in both areas.
Amazon — Hundreds Protest Expansion in France
Hundreds of French citizens filled the streets of several French towns on Saturday in protests against Amazon. It is alleged that Amazon plans to set up a facility in the southern town of Fournes, near the Pont du Gard. The Roman aqueduct bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Side Hustle – How to Turn Your Ideas into Money
If this is the first time you’re hearing of a side hustle, let me elaborate – generally speaking, a side hustle is something you do “on the side” that brings in extra money, in addition to your mainstream of income. The income your side hustle brings in is often directly related to the effort you put in. It can involve spending 1 to 2 hours a week completing surveys or using rebate programs, or it can be a full-fledged business that you grow in the evenings and weekends, spending 10 to 15 hours a week. Side hustles can bring in anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand a month!
UNCTAD — Global FDI Plummets
Foreign direct investment, affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, plummeted 42% globally in 2020, the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said on Sunday. UNCTAD indicated that the recovery from this indicator would be likely be delayed until 2022.
West Warns Iran Against Uranium Metal Production
France, Germany, and the United Kingdom have asked Iran to renounce the production of uranium metal, which violates the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal. The United States, for its part, has announced a new round of sanctions. Meanwhile, Tehran continues its military exercises, firing ballistic missiles at targets in the Indian Ocean.
Navalny — West Demands Immediate Release
Following the arrest of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, upon his return to the country, several Western countries are now calling for his immediate, unconditional release. The Kremlin critic returned from Germany Sunday, where he had been undergoing treatment for poisoning.
Russian Police Detain Activists Traveling to Receive Navalny
Russian police officers today detained several activists in who were scheduled to receive the nation’s opposition chief scheduled to arrive back in the country anytime in the course of the day. The arrests took place in St. Petersburg today as reported by a section of the country’s local media.
IRAN — IAEA Announces Another Iran Nuclear Breach
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN agency that is responsible for ensuring that Iran and other nations use nuclear energy for peaceful means has announced that Tehran has breached the guidelines by starting the production of uranium metal.
Russia Withdraws From Open Sky Treaty
The Russian government decided to withdraw from the Open Sky Treaty. The Open Sky Treaty is an important tool for the intelligence gathering purposes by the signatory nations, which include military inspections from the air. The Treaty was signed in Finland in the 1992 by the 27 members.
Coronavirus — Iran Announces Ban on Western Vaccines
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday announced a ban on COVID-19 vaccines originating from the United States and the United Kingdom. The Supreme Leader said that he has no iota of trust in the two countries. Notably though, Tehran says it is currently developing its own vaccine.
World Leaders Condemn “Attack on Democracy” at U.S. Capitol
Top world leaders have strongly condemned the assault on the United States Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump Wednesday as the victory of Joe Biden in the presidential elections was being ratified. The leaders have called for a “peaceful” transition in the United States and have denounced “an unprecedented assault on American democracy.”
Germany — Lawmakers Suggest Three Week Lockdown Extension
Germany’s lockdown steps are having no affect when the nation still suffers from elevated rates of diseases and mortality. The lockout would end by the end of January, Bavarian state premier Markus Soder announced to the German publication, Bild on Sunday.
Iran — Uranium Enrichment and War
The Iran addressed the Coronavirus pandemic this weekend during the National Committee meeting. The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani said: “Coronavirus infection is not a common disease, but a historic test for the peoples and leaders of the world.”
Low-Key Celebrations Mark End of 2020
On New Year’s Day, almost all parts of the world are quieter than in previous years, without large-scale celebrations or amazing fireworks. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the atmosphere is very different from previous years. People will usher in 2021 with the desire to end the new coronavirus pandemic.
Self Care Tips for Self Employed and Freelancers in 2021
Self-care does not mean taking sweet foods and wearing protecting clothes like face masks, but it means setting aside enough time to put the focus, energy, and resources on yourself. This is important mostly for freelancers who do churn out eye-catching work and usually end up against unresponsive clients and low rates.
WHO Tadros — Claims Climate Change Causes Pandemic
The head of the World Health Organization, President Tadros Adhanom believes that the world can be completely free from the danger of disease only when humanity becomes more sensitive to the urgent issues of the planet. Otherwise, he said, more pandemics await humanity.
Erdogan Contemplates New Turk Block
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been contemplating the idea to create the “Turk” military political block. The strategic decision has been made, after interference in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, which resulted in the gain for the Azerbaijan.
EU — COVID 19 Vaccine Distribution Begins
The first doses of the coronavirus vaccine produced by the partnership between the German laboratory Biontech and the American pharmaceutical company Pfizer began to arrive on Saturday morning to the member states of the European Union.
France — Detects Case of UK’s COVID 19 Strain
The French Ministry of Health on Friday announced that a first case of the new strain of the coronavirus that recently appeared in the United Kingdom has been detected in the country. The infected person, a Frenchman living in the United Kingdom, is asymptomatic and has been isolated at home.
Brexit — A British Mistake During the Pandemic?
The European Commission announced that after January 1st, the United Kingdom will be added to the EU’s third countries list. The list depicts travel restrictions from other countries to EU member nations due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The UK will no longer be part of the EU after December 31.
Is There a Future for the UK?
The British economy is experiencing challenging times. In 2021, it is plausible that the British economy will enter recession and could even lead to a depression. The majority of British nationals will have Christmas in isolation, and the British developed-Coronavirus vaccine is still pending.
Coronavirus — European Travel Ban Strands British Trucks
The new travel ban between several European countries and the United Kingdom left thousands of trucks stuck in huge traffic jams at the port of Dover, on the south coast of England, on Tuesday. The traffic jam was particularly caused by France’s move to close its borders with the United Kingdom on Sunday.
France Suspends All UK Travel for 48 Hours
Owing to the new variant of the virus responsible for Covid-19 and which is 70% more contagious detected in England, France on Sunday joined the growing number of countries that have since decided to suspend travel with the UK.
UK and France- French Mayor Threatens ‘Falklands War”
The French Mayor Frederic Couvillier, of the city of Boulogne-sur-Mer, has threatened the UK with with a “Falklands War” pertaining the dispute over the fishing waters with the European Union. Furthermore, the mayor warned of the threat of an armed conflict in light of looming Brexit deadline.
Is Germany Hurting its Bid for a Permanent UNSC Seat?
Russia and China believe that Germany will not be able to upgrade to permanent member status on the United Nations Security Council. Furthermore, a Russian diplomat stated that Russia will not miss Germany when its term expires a the end of this month. The comments came on the heels of a scandal that broke out during the UN Security Council meeting.
Russia Looks to Eurasia in 2021
Russia continues to strengthen its partnerships with Eurasian nations. The main organizations are the Eurasian Economic Union and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The actual “Eurasian” direction of development is mainly manifested in the framework of the integration of the associations and international organizations in which Russia operates.
Coronavirus — Macron Tests Positive
French President Emmanuel Macron has tested positive for COVID-19. The 42 year-old president will consequently isolate himself for the next week, according to the Elysee Palace, in a statement released on Thursday morning. Having tested positive, Macron joins the list of top world leaders who have contracted the virus.
Ruhollah Zam Execution- Iranian Foreign Ministry Summoned German Ambassador
The German Ambassador, President-in-Office of the European Union, has been summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry on behalf of the Union and has been informed of “the extent of the protest by the Assistant Secretary-General and Director General for Europe of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs”.
UN Denounces North Korea’s ”Gross” Crimes Against Humanity
Over half of the 15 member states of the UN Security Council on Friday denounced in a joint statement the constant crimes against humanity that take place in North Korea as a result of “policies established from the highest level of the Kim Jong Un led administration.”
Coronavirus — The Upcoming Draconian Curfew in France
France announced a mandatory curfew starting on December 15 to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Currently, there are over 70 million cases and over 1.5 million deaths around the globe. In France, a country of nearly 67 million, there are over 2.3 million infected and over 56,000 deaths.
Iran Upset at IAEA Nuclear Leaks
Kazem Gharib Abadi, Iran’s Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), strongly criticized the release of a confidential report by the organization on Iran’s plan to install three new cascades of centrifuges in Natanz. The IAEA provided the information to the member nations pertaining to Iran’s decision to install the advanced IR-2M centrifuges.
Coronavirus — Guterres Pans Countries Ignoring WHO’s Warnings
In a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss global actions against COVID-19, Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the role of the World Health Organization (WHO), and said that science should be the basis of the global reaction to the coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus — Former French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing Dies
Former French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing died Wednesday, at the age of 94. President Giscard d’Estaing, who had been briefly hospitalized several times in recent months, died of COVID-19, according to his family. In accordance with his wishes, the former president’s funeral will take place in strict family privacy.
France to Revise “Global Security Bill” After Protests
The French government has backed down on its proposal to the National Assembly regarding its “Global Security Bill,” and instead asked that it be revised with immediate effect. In particular, a controversial article of the bill, designed to protect the police force, should be changed, the government argued.
France — Macron “Shocked” by Video of Police Beatings
The police beatings of a black man in Paris, which left President Emmanuel Macron shocked, has rekindled debate on racism and police violence in the midst of controversy over a security bill. Disturbing footage showed four policemen mercilessly clobbering a black music producer on the doorstep of his Paris studio.
France Levies Digital Tax on U.S. Tech Giants
According to French officials, company executives, and consultants, a number of US technology companies, such as Facebook and Amazon, have recently received information from French tax authorities requesting them to pay millions of euros in digital taxes for 2020. This reportedly angered the US government.
Western Union Buys STC, Europe Eases Lockdowns
Western Union, the world’s largest money transfer company, spent $200 million to acquire a 15% stake in the digital payment division of STC Group. Saudi Arabia’s largest telecommunications operator said in a statement on Saturday that the acquisition will provide the company with funds and support its long-term expansion plans.
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