Government
Futures Wildly Fluctuate as Trump Pushes Button on Election Chaos
Futures Turmoil After Election Chaos Sets Supreme Court Showdown, "Blue Wave" Crashes
This article was originally published by ZeroHedge.
Futures Turmoil After Election Chaos Sets Supreme Court Showdown, "Blue Wave" Crashes Tyler Durden Wed, 11/04/2020 - 07:42After leading in Wisconsin for much of the night, Trump's lead fizzled and with 95% of the vote reporting, Biden now has a 21,000 vote lead, while Biden is up just 8,000 in Nevada with 67% of the vote. As a result of the reversal in momentum Biden's betting odds at Betfair shot up as high as 69%, or roughly where they were trading when election results first started rolling in about 13 hours ago. In the interim, they had tumbled below 20% at one point late on Tuesday. And so, after an initial burst of optimism that the election would be resolved quickly and Trump may emerge a shock winner for the second time in a row defying all the polls, with millions of votes in battleground states still being counted, and close contests in five key states, the election outcome may not be decided for days, or longer. It’s clear that the election is turning out to be messier and more drawn-out than Wall Street had hoped, especially now that Trump appears set to challenge the result in the Supreme Court. "The uncertainties associated with a disputed election were what investors feared the most,” Nathan Sheets, chief economist at PGIM Fixed Income, wrote in a note to clients. “Blue-Wave scenarios are now off the table and the probability of gridlock has risen." In any case, the key takeaway so far is that Trump has performed better than polls guided, while Biden has not made as much progress in key areas as was expected. And, as David Rosenberg points out, "Trump managed to improve his vote count by nearly 4m from 2016 (66.73m versus 62.98m). He clearly has more than just a “base” supporting him. Or there are a lot of folks who feared a Blue Wave/move to the left. America is never going socialist. That’s one message among many." In non-election news, Uber and Lyft stocks were trading higher after California voters sided with the ride-sharing companies in a question over their business model of employing drivers as independent contractors. Shares in both companies rose more than 14% in pre-market trading. On the other side of the world, problems for Jack Ma's Ant Group are mounting after yesterday's shock halt to its planned IPO, after China's Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission said it plans to discourage lenders from using Ant’s platforms, potentially cutting one of the company's biggest sources of revenue. There was some good news on the virus front, with signs the outbreak in Europe was easing, with the German infection reproduction rate falling below 1, even as widespread restrictions remain in place across the continent. Another piece of good news for parents is that there remains little evidence that children attending schools does anything to raise their risk of contracting the virus. Meanwhile, in rates, treasury futures remain near high end of a wide daily range, which unfolded in high-volume trade as U.S. election results showed a tighter race than polls predicted. The curve bull-flattened as traders unwound bets on a Blue Wave that fueled bear-steepening in recent days. Yields were richer by 1bp to 12bp across the curve with 2s10s flatter by ~9bp, 5s30s by ~7bp; 10-year ~0.80 % vs session low 0.763%; its 18bp range is biggest daily swing since March. Treasuries outperformed bunds by 9bp, gilts by 6.5bp; since London open UST futures volume is almost three times the 20-day average. The next move in yields may hinge on Treasury Department’s quarterly debt-sales announcement at 8:30am ET. Elsewhere, the dollar erased earlier gains against many of its major peers, while gold slipped. In Asia, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. tumbled 7.5% in Hong Kong after China halted the initial public offering of Ant Group Co., in which Alibaba owns about a one-third stake. Looking at today's calendar, we get the ADP employment change data at 8:15 a.m, the September U.S. trade balance is at 8:30 a.m. October services and composite PMIs are at 9:45 a.m. with ISM non-manufacturing at 10:00 a.m. Oil traders will keep an eye on inventory data at 10:30 a.m. The U.S. officially withdraws from the Paris climate agreement today. Expedia Group Inc., Qualcomm Inc., and Fitbit Inc. are among the long list of companies reporting today. Market SnapshotNEW: Biden Campaign Manager Jen O’Malley Dillon says, “The president’s statement tonight about trying to shut down the counting of duly cast ballots was outrageous, unprecedented, and incorrect.” pic.twitter.com/dysSKDtk1c
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) November 4, 2020
- S&P 500 futures up 1.1% to 3,398.50
- STOXX Europe 600 up 0.8% to 358.74
- MXAP up 0.3% to 175.40
- MXAPJ down 0.01% to 580.99
- Nikkei up 1.7% to 23,695.23
- Topix up 1.2% to 1,627.25
- Hang Seng Index down 0.2% to 24,886.14
- Shanghai Composite up 0.2% to 3,277.44
- Sensex up 1% to 40,645.99
- Australia S&P/ASX 200 down 0.07% to 6,062.13
- Kospi up 0.6% to 2,357.32
- Brent futures up 2% to $40.50/bbl
- Gold spot down 0.9% to $1,891.66
- U.S. Dollar Index up 0.4% to 93.92
- German 10Y yield fell 3.0 bps to -0.65%
- Euro down 0.4% to $1.1666
- Italian 10Y yield fell 1.4 bps to 0.622%
- Spanish 10Y yield fell 2.7 bps to 0.083%
- The U.S. election was roiled by President Donald Trump’s false claim of victory over Democratic nominee Joe Biden even with millions of ballots still to be counted in battleground states, and escalated by his threat to ask the Supreme Court to intervene. As of Wednesday morning, Biden had 238 electoral votes while Trump had 213, leaving both shy of the 270 needed to secure immediate victories.
- The presidential battlefield is narrowing to a smaller number of states, with both President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden still having paths to victory. Biden now has 238 electoral votes to Trump’s 213
- Democratic chances of taking control of the Senate were greatly diminished after several vulnerable Republican incumbents including Joni Ernst in Iowa and Steve Daines in Montana fended off well-financed Democratic challengers in Tuesday’s election
- Extreme election night volatility persisted in U.S. equity futures, with S&P 500 contracts swinging from steep losses to gains and back to losses, as investors worked to price in shifting odds for Donald Trump’s re-election and Senate races, a potentially protracted vote count and the implications for economic stimulus
- A monthly survey showed demand at euro-area businesses fell for the first time in four months in October, led by a slump in services. That sector is being particularly affected by the new curbs, which are focused on restaurants and hospitality
- U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to push fresh coronavirus lockdown rules through the U.K. Parliament on Wednesday, facing down rebels in his own Conservative Party who reject the erosion of civil liberties they entail
- The U.K.’s dominant services sector expanded at the slowest pace since June last month, a sign that the economy was weak even before new coronavirus curbs were introduced; IHS Markit’s Purchasing Managers Index for the industry stood at 51.4 in October, down sharply from 56.1 the previous month
- Italy is poised to ban people from leaving or entering cities and towns in high-risk areas, likely including the financial capital Milan, as part of the government’s latest attempt to check the rapid spread of the coronavirus
- China’s Fosun Kicks Off Biggest Pharma IPO in India
- Italy Readies National Curfew, Movement Bans for Risk Areas
- CK Hutchison in Advanced Talks to Sell Tower Unit to Cellnex
- U.K. Lockdown Set to Pass Parliament Despite Tory Revolt
- Vestas Shares Slump as Trump Risk Spooks Green Investors
- AUD/NZD - In-fitting with the aforementioned too close to call battle for the Oval Office, it’s neck-and-neck down under for the dubious accolade of worst performing major between the Aussie and Kiwi. Indeed, while Aud/Nzd meanders within a 1.0707-1.0650 band, Aud/Usd has recoiled from 0.7200+ to sub-0.7100 and as low as 0.7050 at one stage, while Nzd/Usd is back below 0.6650 compared to peaks not far from 0.6750 in wake of NZ labour data revealing a steeper decline in jobs growth and spike in unemployment, albeit close to consensus.
- CAD - The Loonie has also unwound gains vs its US counterpart after a wild overnight session and awaiting Canadian trade for some independent direction or at least temporary distraction from the 2020 US Election, with Usd/Cad around the middle of a 1.3300-1.3095 range.
- GBP/CHF/EUR/JPY - Sterling seems to have survived another test of 1.2900 support against the Greenback, but is capped ahead of 1.3000 and well off dizzying 1.3100+ heights for Cable on the US Presidential limbo that poses additional hurdles for a UK trade deal and perhaps prospects of reaching a Brexit agreement with the EU that is already proving extremely elusive. Meanwhile, the Franc is back below 0.9100, Euro under 1.1700 and Yen beneath 104.50, but with decent option expiry interest at the 105.00 strike (1.4 bn) providing some support before any retest of circa 105.35 lows.
- SCANDI/EM - The Nok is suffering from more pronounced fallout from the volatile, fluid and fragile market tone as it retreats through 11.0000 vs the Eur again, while the Cnh and Cny are both weaker on the basis that strained relations between Beijing and Washington are highly unlikely to improve if Trump triumphs. Elsewhere, the Rub looks somewhat betwixt and between against the backdrop of Brent recapturing the Usd 40/brl handle, but no conclusion in the US Presidential race.
- 7am: MBA Mortgage Applications, prior 1.7%
- 8:15am: ADP Employment Change, est. 650,000, prior 749,000
- 8:30am: Trade Balance, est. $63.9b deficit, prior $67.1b deficit
- 9:45am: Markit US Services PMI, est. 56, prior 56; Markit US Composite PMI, prior 55.5
- 10am: ISM Services Index, est. 57.5, prior 57.8
Spread & Containment
‘Excess Mortality Skyrocketed’: Tucker Carlson and Dr. Pierre Kory Unpack ‘Criminal’ COVID Response
‘Excess Mortality Skyrocketed’: Tucker Carlson and Dr. Pierre Kory Unpack ‘Criminal’ COVID Response
As the global pandemic unfolded, government-funded…
As the global pandemic unfolded, government-funded experimental vaccines were hastily developed for a virus which primarily killed the old and fat (and those with other obvious comorbidities), and an aggressive, global campaign to coerce billions into injecting them ensued.
Then there were the lockdowns - with some countries (New Zealand, for example) building internment camps for those who tested positive for Covid-19, and others such as China welding entire apartment buildings shut to trap people inside.
It was an egregious and unnecessary response to a virus that, while highly virulent, was survivable by the vast majority of the general population.
Oh, and the vaccines, which governments are still pushing, didn't work as advertised to the point where health officials changed the definition of "vaccine" multiple times.
Tucker Carlson recently sat down with Dr. Pierre Kory, a critical care specialist and vocal critic of vaccines. The two had a wide-ranging discussion, which included vaccine safety and efficacy, excess mortality, demographic impacts of the virus, big pharma, and the professional price Kory has paid for speaking out.
Keep reading below, or if you have roughly 50 minutes, watch it in its entirety for free on X:
Ep. 81 They’re still claiming the Covid vax is safe and effective. Yet somehow Dr. Pierre Kory treats hundreds of patients who’ve been badly injured by it. Why is no one in the public health establishment paying attention? pic.twitter.com/IekW4Brhoy
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) March 13, 2024
"Do we have any real sense of what the cost, the physical cost to the country and world has been of those vaccines?" Carlson asked, kicking off the interview.
"I do think we have some understanding of the cost. I mean, I think, you know, you're aware of the work of of Ed Dowd, who's put together a team and looked, analytically at a lot of the epidemiologic data," Kory replied. "I mean, time with that vaccination rollout is when all of the numbers started going sideways, the excess mortality started to skyrocket."
When asked "what kind of death toll are we looking at?", Kory responded "...in 2023 alone, in the first nine months, we had what's called an excess mortality of 158,000 Americans," adding "But this is in 2023. I mean, we've had Omicron now for two years, which is a mild variant. Not that many go to the hospital."
'Safe and Effective'
Tucker also asked Kory why the people who claimed the vaccine were "safe and effective" aren't being held criminally liable for abetting the "killing of all these Americans," to which Kory replied: "It’s my kind of belief, looking back, that [safe and effective] was a predetermined conclusion. There was no data to support that, but it was agreed upon that it would be presented as safe and effective."
Tucker Carlson Asks the Forbidden Question
— The Vigilant Fox ???? (@VigilantFox) March 14, 2024
He wants to know why the people who made the claim “safe and effective” aren’t being held to criminal liability for abetting the “killing of all these Americans.”
DR. PIERRE KORY: “It’s my kind of belief, looking back, that [safe and… pic.twitter.com/Icnge18Rtz
Carlson and Kory then discussed the different segments of the population that experienced vaccine side effects, with Kory noting an "explosion in dying in the youngest and healthiest sectors of society," adding "And why did the employed fare far worse than those that weren't? And this particularly white collar, white collar, more than gray collar, more than blue collar."
Kory also said that Big Pharma is 'terrified' of Vitamin D because it "threatens the disease model." As journalist The Vigilant Fox notes on X, "Vitamin D showed about a 60% effectiveness against the incidence of COVID-19 in randomized control trials," and "showed about 40-50% effectiveness in reducing the incidence of COVID-19 in observational studies."
Dr. Pierre Kory: Big Pharma is ‘TERRIFIED’ of Vitamin D
— The Vigilant Fox ???? (@VigilantFox) March 14, 2024
Why?
Because “It threatens the DISEASE MODEL.”
A new meta-analysis out of Italy, published in the journal, Nutrients, has unearthed some shocking data about Vitamin D.
Looking at data from 16 different studies and 1.26… pic.twitter.com/q5CsMqgVju
Professional costs
Kory - while risking professional suicide by speaking out, has undoubtedly helped save countless lives by advocating for alternate treatments such as Ivermectin.
Kory shared his own experiences of job loss and censorship, highlighting the challenges of advocating for a more nuanced understanding of vaccine safety in an environment often resistant to dissenting voices.
"I wrote a book called The War on Ivermectin and the the genesis of that book," he said, adding "Not only is my expertise on Ivermectin and my vast clinical experience, but and I tell the story before, but I got an email, during this journey from a guy named William B Grant, who's a professor out in California, and he wrote to me this email just one day, my life was going totally sideways because our protocols focused on Ivermectin. I was using a lot in my practice, as were tens of thousands of doctors around the world, to really good benefits. And I was getting attacked, hit jobs in the media, and he wrote me this email on and he said, Dear Dr. Kory, what they're doing to Ivermectin, they've been doing to vitamin D for decades..."
"And it's got five tactics. And these are the five tactics that all industries employ when science emerges, that's inconvenient to their interests. And so I'm just going to give you an example. Ivermectin science was extremely inconvenient to the interests of the pharmaceutical industrial complex. I mean, it threatened the vaccine campaign. It threatened vaccine hesitancy, which was public enemy number one. We know that, that everything, all the propaganda censorship was literally going after something called vaccine hesitancy."
Money makes the world go 'round
Carlson then hit on perhaps the most devious aspect of the relationship between drug companies and the medical establishment, and how special interests completely taint science to the point where public distrust of institutions has spiked in recent years.
"I think all of it starts at the level the medical journals," said Kory. "Because once you have something established in the medical journals as a, let's say, a proven fact or a generally accepted consensus, consensus comes out of the journals."
"I have dozens of rejection letters from investigators around the world who did good trials on ivermectin, tried to publish it. No thank you, no thank you, no thank you. And then the ones that do get in all purportedly prove that ivermectin didn't work," Kory continued.
"So and then when you look at the ones that actually got in and this is where like probably my biggest estrangement and why I don't recognize science and don't trust it anymore, is the trials that flew to publication in the top journals in the world were so brazenly manipulated and corrupted in the design and conduct in, many of us wrote about it. But they flew to publication, and then every time they were published, you saw these huge PR campaigns in the media. New York Times, Boston Globe, L.A. times, ivermectin doesn't work. Latest high quality, rigorous study says. I'm sitting here in my office watching these lies just ripple throughout the media sphere based on fraudulent studies published in the top journals. And that's that's that has changed. Now that's why I say I'm estranged and I don't know what to trust anymore."
Vaccine Injuries
Carlson asked Kory about his clinical experience with vaccine injuries.
"So how this is how I divide, this is just kind of my perception of vaccine injury is that when I use the term vaccine injury, I'm usually referring to what I call a single organ problem, like pericarditis, myocarditis, stroke, something like that. An autoimmune disease," he replied.
"What I specialize in my practice, is I treat patients with what we call a long Covid long vaxx. It's the same disease, just different triggers, right? One is triggered by Covid, the other one is triggered by the spike protein from the vaccine. Much more common is long vax. The only real differences between the two conditions is that the vaccinated are, on average, sicker and more disabled than the long Covids, with some pretty prominent exceptions to that."
Watch the entire interview above, and you can support Tucker Carlson's endeavors by joining the Tucker Carlson Network here...
International
Shakira’s net worth
After 12 albums, a tax evasion case, and now a towering bronze idol sculpted in her image, how much is Shakira worth more than 4 decades into her care…
Shakira’s considerable net worth is no surprise, given her massive popularity in Latin America, the U.S., and elsewhere.
In fact, the belly-dancing contralto queen is the second-wealthiest Latin-America-born pop singer of all time after Gloria Estefan. (Interestingly, Estefan actually helped a young Shakira translate her breakout album “Laundry Service” into English, hugely propelling her stateside success.)
Since releasing her first record at age 13, Shakira has spent decades recording albums in both Spanish and English and performing all over the world. Over the course of her 40+ year career, she helped thrust Latin pop music into the American mainstream, paving the way for the subsequent success of massively popular modern acts like Karol G and Bad Bunny.
In December 2023, a 21-foot-tall beachside bronze statue of the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer was unveiled in her Colombian hometown of Barranquilla, making her a permanent fixture in the city’s skyline and cementing her legacy as one of Latin America’s most influential entertainers.
After 12 albums, a plethora of film and television appearances, a highly publicized tax evasion case, and now a towering bronze idol sculpted in her image, how much is Shakira worth? What does her income look like? And how does she spend her money?
How much is Shakira worth?
In late 2023, Spanish sports and lifestyle publication Marca reported Shakira’s net worth at $400 million, citing Forbes as the figure’s source (although Forbes’ profile page for Shakira does not list a net worth — and didn’t when that article was published).
Most other sources list the singer’s wealth at an estimated $300 million, and almost all of these point to Celebrity Net Worth — a popular but dubious celebrity wealth estimation site — as the source for the figure.
A $300 million net worth would make Shakira the third-richest Latina pop star after Gloria Estefan ($500 million) and Jennifer Lopez ($400 million), and the second-richest Latin-America-born pop singer after Estefan (JLo is Puerto Rican but was born in New York).
Shakira’s income: How much does she make annually?
Entertainers like Shakira don’t have predictable paychecks like ordinary salaried professionals. Instead, annual take-home earnings vary quite a bit depending on each year’s album sales, royalties, film and television appearances, streaming revenue, and other sources of income. As one might expect, Shakira’s earnings have fluctuated quite a bit over the years.
From June 2018 to June 2019, for instance, Shakira was the 10th highest-earning female musician, grossing $35 million, according to Forbes. This wasn’t her first time gracing the top 10, though — back in 2012, she also landed the #10 spot, bringing in $20 million, according to Billboard.
In 2023, Billboard listed Shakira as the 16th-highest-grossing Latin artist of all time.
How much does Shakira make from her concerts and tours?
A large part of Shakira’s wealth comes from her world tours, during which she sometimes sells out massive stadiums and arenas full of passionate fans eager to see her dance and sing live.
According to a 2020 report by Pollstar, she sold over 2.7 million tickets across 190 shows that grossed over $189 million between 2000 and 2020. This landed her the 19th spot on a list of female musicians ranked by touring revenue during that period. In 2023, Billboard reported a more modest touring revenue figure of $108.1 million across 120 shows.
In 2003, Shakira reportedly generated over $4 million from a single show on Valentine’s Day at Foro Sol in Mexico City. 15 years later, in 2018, Shakira grossed around $76.5 million from her El Dorado World Tour, according to Touring Data.
Related: RuPaul's net worth: Everything to know about the cultural icon and force behind 'Drag Race'
How much has Shakira made from her album sales?
According to a 2023 profile in Variety, Shakira has sold over 100 million records throughout her career. “Laundry Service,” the pop icon’s fifth studio album, was her most successful, selling over 13 million copies worldwide, according to TheRichest.
Exactly how much money Shakira has taken home from her album sales is unclear, but in 2008, it was widely reported that she signed a 10-year contract with LiveNation to the tune of between $70 and $100 million to release her subsequent albums and manage her tours.
How much did Shakira make from her Super Bowl and World Cup performances?
Shakira co-wrote one of her biggest hits, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” after FIFA selected her to create the official anthem for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. She performed the song, along with several of her existing fan-favorite tracks, during the event’s opening ceremonies. TheThings reported in 2023 that the song generated $1.4 million in revenue, citing Popnable for the figure.
A decade later, 2020’s Superbowl halftime show featured Shakira and Jennifer Lopez as co-headliners with guest performances by Bad Bunny and J Balvin. The 14-minute performance was widely praised as a high-energy celebration of Latin music and dance, but as is typical for Super Bowl shows, neither Shakira nor JLo was compensated beyond expenses and production costs.
The exposure value that comes with performing in the Super Bowl Halftime Show, though, is significant. It is typically the most-watched television event in the U.S. each year, and in 2020, a 30-second Super Bowl ad spot cost between $5 and $6 million.
How much did Shakira make as a coach on “The Voice?”
Shakira served as a team coach on the popular singing competition program “The Voice” during the show’s fourth and sixth seasons. On the show, celebrity musicians coach up-and-coming amateurs in a team-based competition that eventually results in a single winner. In 2012, The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Shakira’s salary as a coach on “The Voice” was $12 million.
Related: John Cena's net worth: The wrestler-turned-actor's investments, businesses, and more
How does Shakira spend her money?
Shakira doesn’t just make a lot of money — she spends it, too. Like many wealthy entertainers, she’s purchased her share of luxuries, but Barranquilla’s barefoot belly dancer is also a prolific philanthropist, having donated tens of millions to charitable causes throughout her career.
Private island
Back in 2006, she teamed up with Roger Waters of Pink Floyd fame and Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz to purchase Bonds Cay, a 550-acre island in the Bahamas, which was listed for $16 million at the time.
Along with her two partners in the purchase, Shakira planned to develop the island to feature housing, hotels, and an artists’ retreat designed to host a revolving cast of artists-in-residence. This plan didn’t come to fruition, though, and as of this article’s last update, the island was once again for sale on Vladi Private Islands.
Real estate and vehicles
Like most wealthy celebs, Shakira’s portfolio of high-end playthings also features an array of luxury properties and vehicles, including a home in Barcelona, a villa in Cyprus, a Miami mansion, and a rotating cast of Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Philanthropy and charity
Shakira doesn’t just spend her massive wealth on herself; the “Queen of Latin Music” is also a dedicated philanthropist and regularly donates portions of her earnings to the Fundación Pies Descalzos, or “Barefoot Foundation,” a charity she founded in 1997 to “improve the education and social development of children in Colombia, which has suffered decades of conflict.” The foundation focuses on providing meals for children and building and improving educational infrastructure in Shakira’s hometown of Barranquilla as well as four other Colombian communities.
In addition to her efforts with the Fundación Pies Descalzos, Shakira has made a number of other notable donations over the years. In 2007, she diverted a whopping $40 million of her wealth to help rebuild community infrastructure in Peru and Nicaragua in the wake of a devastating 8.0 magnitude earthquake. Later, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Shakira donated a large supply of N95 masks for healthcare workers and ventilators for hospital patients to her hometown of Barranquilla.
Back in 2010, the UN honored Shakira with a medal to recognize her dedication to social justice, at which time the Director General of the International Labour Organization described her as a “true ambassador for children and young people.”
Shakira’s tax fraud scandal: How much did she pay?
In 2018, prosecutors in Spain initiated a tax evasion case against Shakira, alleging she lived primarily in Spain from 2012 to 2014 and therefore failed to pay around $14.4 million in taxes to the Spanish government. Spanish law requires anyone who is “domiciled” (i.e., living primarily) in Spain for more than half of the year to pay income taxes.
During the period in question, Shakira listed the Bahamas as her primary residence but did spend some time in Spain, as she was dating Gerard Piqué, a professional footballer and Spanish citizen. The couple’s first son, Milan, was also born in Barcelona during this period.
Shakira maintained that she spent far fewer than 183 days per year in Spain during each of the years in question. In an interview with Elle Magazine, the pop star opined that “Spanish tax authorities saw that I was dating a Spanish citizen and started to salivate. It's clear they wanted to go after that money no matter what."
Prosecutors in the case sought a fine of almost $26 million and a possible eight-year prison stint, but in November of 2023, Shakira took a deal to close the case, accepting a fine of around $8 million and a three-year suspended sentence to avoid going to trial. In reference to her decision to take the deal, Shakira stated, "While I was determined to defend my innocence in a trial that my lawyers were confident would have ruled in my favour [had the trial proceeded], I have made the decision to finally resolve this matter with the best interest of my kids at heart who do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal well-being in this fight."
How much did the Shakira statue in Barranquilla cost?
In late 2023, a 21-foot-tall bronze likeness of Shakira was unveiled on a waterfront promenade in Barranquilla. The city’s then-mayor, Jaime Pumarejo, commissioned Colombian sculptor Yino Márquez to create the statue of the city’s treasured pop icon, along with a sculpture of the city’s coat of arms.
According to the New York Times, the two sculptures cost the city the equivalent of around $180,000. A plaque at the statue’s base reads, “A heart that composes, hips that don’t lie, an unmatched talent, a voice that moves the masses and bare feet that march for the good of children and humanity.”
Related: Taylor Swift net worth: The most successful entertainer joins the billionaire's club
bonds pandemic covid-19 real estate africa mexico spainInternational
Delta Air Lines adds a new route travelers have been asking for
The new Delta seasonal flight to the popular destination will run daily on a Boeing 767-300.
Those who have tried to book a flight from North America to Europe in the summer of 2023 know just how high travel demand to the continent has spiked.
At 2.93 billion, visitors to the countries making up the European Union had finally reached pre-pandemic levels last year while North Americans in particular were booking trips to both large metropolises such as Paris and Milan as well as smaller cities growing increasingly popular among tourists.
Related: A popular European city is introducing the highest 'tourist tax' yet
As a result, U.S.-based airlines have been re-evaluating their networks to add more direct routes to smaller European destinations that most travelers would have previously needed to reach by train or transfer flight with a local airline.
Delta Air Lines: ‘Glad to offer customers increased choice…’
By the end of March, Delta Air Lines (DAL) will be restarting its route between New York’s JFK and Marco Polo International Airport in Venice as well as launching two new flights to Venice from Atlanta. One will start running this month while the other will be added during peak demand in the summer.
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“As one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Venice is hugely popular with U.S. travelers, and our flights bring valuable tourism and trade opportunities to the city and the region as well as unrivalled opportunities for Venetians looking to explore destinations across the Americas,” Delta’s SVP for Europe Matteo Curcio said in a statement. “We’re glad to offer customers increased choice this summer with flights from New York and additional service from Atlanta.”
The JFK-Venice flight will run on a Boeing 767-300 (BA) and have 216 seats including higher classes such as Delta One, Delta Premium Select and Delta Comfort Plus.
Delta offers these features on the new flight
Both the New York and Atlanta flights are seasonal routes that will be pulled out of service in October. Both will run daily while the first route will depart New York at 8:55 p.m. and arrive in Venice at 10:15 a.m. local time on the way there, while leaving Venice at 12:15 p.m. to arrive at JFK at 5:05 p.m. on the way back.
According to Delta, this will bring its service to 17 flights from different U.S. cities to Venice during the peak summer period. As with most Delta flights at this point, passengers in all fare classes will have access to free Wi-Fi during the flight.
Those flying in Delta’s highest class or with access through airline status or a credit card will also be able to use the new Delta lounge that is part of the airline’s $12 billion terminal renovation and is slated to open to travelers in the coming months. The space will take up more than 40,000 square feet and have an outdoor terrace.
“Delta One customers can stretch out in a lie-flat seat and enjoy premium amenities like plush bedding made from recycled plastic bottles, more beverage options, and a seasonal chef-curated four-course meal,” Delta said of the new route. “[…] All customers can enjoy a wide selection of in-flight entertainment options and stay connected with Wi-Fi and enjoy free mobile messaging.”
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