November 17, 2017 nº 1,921 - Vol. 14

"Absence of occupation is not rest; a mind quite vacant is a mind distressed."

William Cowper

In today's Law Firm Marketing, 5 emails truths guaranteed to get you more clients.

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Read Migalhas LatinoAmérica in Spanish every Tuesday and Thursday. Visit the website at la.migalhas.com

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  • Top News

House Democrats file five articles of impeachment against Trump

Five House Democrats on Wednesday introduced five new Articles of Impeachment against President Donald Trump. Tennessee Representative Steve Cohen sponsored the measure, joined by Luis Gutierrez of Illinois, Al Green of Texas, Marcia Fudge of Ohio, Adriano Espaillat of New York and John Yarmuth of Kentucky. The representatives submitted five Articles of Impeachment, alleging that Trump obstructed justice through the firing of former-FBI Director James Comey, received foreign foreign payments and gifts through his hotels and business ventures, received domestic emoluments including payments by the US government to Trump-owned properties, undermined the federal judiciary and the rule of law including by pardoning former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and undermined the freedom of the press including by repeatedly referring to "fake news." (Click here)

Uber facing lawsuit alleging 'thousands' of instances of sexual assault

Two women filed a lawsuit against Uber on Tuesday in a San Francisco federal court alleging that they had been sexually assaulted by their Uber drivers. The women claim that they are not the only ones—that drivers have been using their rail-hailing services as a platform to sexually assault and harass more than 1,000 riders. The lawsuit seeks class action status. The women, who filed suit under Jane Doe pseudonyms, blame Uber's lax background checks and monitoring of their drivers as the main cause of the abuse. Despite repeated allegations of rape, assault and harassment, the company has failed to increase their vetting processes. According to the lawsuit, up to this point, Uber has escaped following regulatory policies that would be enforced on a typical transportation company by instead labeling themselves as a, "technology company." This discretionary decision has allowed Uber to use minimal driver screening before and after hiring. (Click here)

  • Crumbs

1 - Australia's Santos shares soar after spurns $7.2 billion takeover approach. (Click here)

2 - HSBC pays 300 million euros to settle investigation of Swiss bank. (Click here)

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  • MiMIC Journal

HRW urges China authorities to stop sexual orientation conversion tactics

LGBT individuals in China are being subjected to abuses in the form of "conversion therapy," according to a report released Tuesday by Human Rights Watch. According to HRW, public hospitals and private clinics are utilizing so-called "conversion therapy," regarding LGBT individuals' identity as a disorder.

  • Law Firm Marketing

5 email truths guaranteed to get you more clients
By Tom Trush

The misinformation circulating among the business community about email's demise as a marketing tool is ridiculous.

Social media killed email... people don't read long emails... if you send too much email, people will unsubscribe and label you a spammer... business-related emails must use an attention-grabbing template with logos and pictures...

Anyone who consistently markets with email knows these "facts" carry as much truth as a Miss Cleo commercial. The reality is email continues to thrive, even as inboxes get more crowded and the competition for attention increases.

Here are 5 truths guaranteed to get you more clients using email:

1. You must send more emails to avoid getting labeled a spammer. Send emails only once or twice a month and your unsubscribe rates will soar. After all, people aren't expecting information from you, so they're more likely to view your email as an interruption to their day. Also keep in mind, unsubscribe rates are highest in the first couple of days after someone subscribes. So immediately send your newest subscribers valuable information.

2. You must encourage your readers to share your emails. If you provide helpful insight, your emails will get passed around. But you should still remind readers to share. So include a sentence in all your emails that states something like, "Please feel free to share this email with the people in your network" or "Please feel free to share this email with your friends and family."

3. You must add more information to your signature line. You miss a major opportunity for exposure if all you include is your name, phone number or website address in your signature line. Link to an article you wrote, a specific page on your website, a helpful video you recorded, or any other materials that offer valuable information for your readers. One free tool worth checking out WiseStamp, which links your signature to your social media posts.

4. You must get people to agree to receive your emails. Don't barge your way into people's inboxes unannounced -- you'll get treated as an uninvited guest. Make sure anyone you send to has agreed to receive your emails. You can do this by using an email marketing software (such as AWeber, iContact or InfusionSoft) to confirm every opt-in you receive.

5. You must optimize your emails for easy reading on smart phones. As much as 82 percent of people who have smart phones use their devices for reading emails. That's a huge audience that may miss your messages. So check with people in your office to see how your emails show up on their devices. If your emails don't display properly, you need to change your format.

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Tom Trush is available at https://www.writewaysolutions.com/

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  • Historias Verdaderas

Deuda

La petrolera estatal de Ecuador, Petroamazonas, firmará con la francesa Schlumberger un acuerdo para liquidar la deuda de US$ 300 mlls. que tiene con la firma de servicios petroleros en un esquema de pagos a cinco años. El convenio consistirá en liquidar el pasivo con 100 mlls. en efectivo a finales de noviembre y los otros 200 mlls. en pagos parciales durante cinco años.

Litio

El conglomerado chino Sichuan Fulin Group afina la compra de activos en el proyecto chileno de litio Salar Blanco. Ejecutivos de la empresa estarán visitando Chile para ultimar detalles del porcentaje y el monto a pagar para sellar su ingreso a la iniciativa, que cuenta con más de 2.500 hectáreas en el Salar de Maricunga, en la norteña región de Atacama. Minera Salar Blanco es uno de los proyectos de litio con mayor potencial de desarrollo, después de los liderados por la local SQM y la estadounidense Albemarle.

Default

La Asociación Internacional de Swaps y Derivados, ISDA, que reúne a tenedores de bonos, declaró en default a la petrolera estatal venezolana PDVSA. Los títulos de la compañía representan 30% de la deuda externa venezolana, estimada en unos US$ 150,000 mlls. (Presione aquí)

  • Brief News

'Antitrust is law enforcement, not regulation'

The Justice Department hasn't sued to block AT&T's $85.4 billion takeover of Time Warner — not yet, anyway. But its antitrust chief, Makan Delrahim, has laid out the principles that would guide that lawsuit when, or if, it is filed. He's not seeking to regulate companies by forcing them to change how they act through what are known as "behavioral remedies." Instead, companies should be forced to make structural changes — which often means selling significant assets — if the Justice Department has problems with their proposed union or see their transaction blocked altogether.

Russia blocks extension of Syria chemical attacks probe

Russia has vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have extended an international inquiry into chemical weapons attacks in Syria. It is the 10th time Moscow has used its veto powers at the UN in support of its ally since the conflict began. US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, accused Russia of undermining the organization's ability to deter future chemical attacks. The Russian ambassador dismissed the criticism. The Joint Investigative Mechanism was set up in 2015 to identify perpetrators of chemical attacks. It is the only official mission investigating the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

House Republicans pass $1.4tn tax overhaul bill

House Republicans have passed a controversial overhaul of the US tax code that slashes corporate rates. Thursday's vote came after Trump made a rare visit to Congress to rally lawmakers around the tax overhaul plan. The Senate is working to build support for its own version of the bill, but one Republican has said he is a 'no'. The plan also faces stiff opposition from the Democrats, who say it is a give-away to the wealthiest Americans. The Republicans' attempts to pass the most significant overhaul of the US tax code since 1986 are a critical test for the party and president. Republicans have called for changes to the code for years, but did not have support from the White House until Trump's election. (Click here)

'Leonardo da Vinci artwork' sells for record $450m

A 500-year-old painting of Christ believed to have been painted by Leonardo da Vinci has been sold in New York for a record $450m. The painting is known as Salvator Mundi (Saviour of the World). It is the highest auction price for any work of art. $450m for Salvator Mundi is an astonishing price to have realised, given both its condition and authenticity have been questioned. It shows that ultimately art comes down to belief. Leonardo da Vinci died in 1519 and there are fewer than 20 of his paintings in existence. Salvator Mundi, believed to have been painted sometime after 1505, is the only work thought to be in private hands. The painting shows Christ with one hand raised, the other holding a glass sphere. In 1958 it was sold at auction in London for a mere £45. By then the painting was generally reckoned to be the work of a follower of Leonardo and not the work of Leonardo himself. It apparently was part of King Charles I of England's collection in the 1600s and got lost, but was "rediscovered" in 2005. (Click here)

Mugabe 'resisting calls to resign'

Zimbabwe's long-time President Robert Mugabe is reportedly refusing to step down immediately, despite growing calls for his resignation. The 93-year-old was put under house arrest during a military takeover on Wednesday, amid a power struggle over who would succeed him.

Kuwait Airways 'within its rights' to ban Israeli - German court

A German court has ruled that a Kuwaiti airline was within its rights to refuse to carry an Israeli citizen. The ruling angered Jewish groups and others, who argued that it condoned anti-Semitism. Kuwait Airways cancelled the passenger's ticket for a flight from Frankfurt to Bangkok. The Frankfurt court said the airline was respecting the laws of Kuwait, which does not recognize the state of Israel. It said it was unable to rule on Kuwaiti law, and that German law covered discrimination on the basis of only race, ethnicity or religion - not citizenship. The passenger's lawyer, called it a "shameful verdict for democracy and for Germany in general".

Kushner 'withheld WikiLeaks and Russia emails'

White House senior aide Jared Kushner failed to disclose emails he received about WikiLeaks and "a Russian backdoor overture" in 2016, senators have said. Two senators sent Kushner a letter demanding additional documents as part of an ongoing investigation into Russia's alleged election meddling. They claim Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, received emails concerning WikiLeaks as well as "documents concerning a 'Russia back door overture and dinner invite'", which he forwarded to other campaign officials. The lawmakers said they became aware of the documents through other witnesses.

Russia warns US media of 'foreign agents' designation

Russia has warned US-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that they could be forced to register as "foreign agents". The two broadcasters and seven outlets they run have been notified by the Justice Minister after the lower house of parliament passed a new media law. The bill is in retaliation for Kremlin-backed broadcaster RT being told to register as a foreign agent in the US. RT is accused of being part of Russia's alleged meddling in the US election. The Russian law would affect foreign-registered media outlets which receive funding from abroad. They would be subject to additional requirements and failure to meet them could result in suspension of their activities.

Goldman Sachs chief suggests second vote

The chief executive of Goldman Sachs, Lloyd Blankfein, has suggested holding another referendum on Brexit. He tweeted: "Here in UK, lots of hand-wringing from CEOs over #Brexit... So much at stake, why not make sure consensus still there? Better sense of the tough and risky road ahead. Reluctant to say, but many wish for a confirming vote on a decision so monumental and irreversible.” The firm, which is known to have taken office space in Frankfurt, employs about 6,000 people in London. Banks are particularly worried the UK will fail to strike an EU trade deal.

Colombia constitutional court rules justice tribunals are constitutional

Colombia's Constitutional Court on Tuesday ruled that provisions for special justice tribunals outlined in the 2016 peace accord between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia were constitutional. The Final Agreement to End the Armed Conflict and Build a Stable and Lasting Peace is the second recent attempt to obtain peace between Colombia's government and rebel forces. Chapter 5 of this modified peace accord, Comprehensive System for Truth, Justice, Reparations and Non-Recurrence, sets forth the Special Jurisdiction for Peace which will provide alternative sentences to FARC members convicted of war crimes. Such alternatives will be available only to those who recognize their responsibility in committing the crimes, where those who do not will serve 15 to 20 years in prison.

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