• MiMIC Journal

US and China sign trade agreement

China's big push for its global trade narrative

Beijing says its global trade ambitions are good for everyone, but it'll have some convincing to do.

China releases two prominent human rights lawyers from prison

Chinese human rights lawyers Xie Yang and Li Heping were released from prison Tuesday after being detained for nearly two years on charges of attempting to subvert the country's ruling Communist Party. The two activists were originally rounded up in July of 2015, along with hundreds of other activists and lawyers, in the so-called "7-09 Crackdown".

• Law Firm Marketing

The 2 most critical elements in a marketing relationship
by Tom Trush

How you're perceived when marketing to your prospects comes down to two factors.

Neither one has anything to do with experience ... schooling ... years in business ... location ... skill level ... budget ... or technical knowledge.

Instead, the two most critical elements in a marketing relationship are the frequency of your interaction and the value of your communication.

Simply put, you must contact your prospects often and give them information they view as valuable.

Think of the courtship process in marketing as being similar to your relationship with your spouse or significant other. It's safe to assume the connection you have now isn't the same as when you met for the first time.

Your relationship took time to develop, right?

In the case of a marketing campaign, the common mistake is trying to rush the relationship by initiating contact only when you have something to sell.

Can you imagine the relationship you'd have with your spouse or significant other if the only time you talked to him/her was when you sought out personal gain? You don't have to be Dr. Phil to realize your "relationship" would sour quickly.

The reality is people are more likely to buy from you after you've gained their trust and established a relationship -- outcomes that require time and frequent contact.

Make sense?

The bottom line is you must prove to your prospects you care about their needs before you'll have any success pitching your product or service.

When I tell people how often I e-mail my list, I often get surprised responses. Many find it shocking that I put my marketing message in front of the same prospects and customers at least once or twice a week

The questions usually sound something like ...

"Don't your subscribers get upset?"

"Aren't you worried about people ignoring you?"

"Do you get a lot of people unsubscribing from your list?"

The foundation of any personal relationship is figuring out what the other person wants -- and then helping them achieve that outcome. In the case of my e-mails, my primary goal is to give you information you can immediately use in your business.

As a result, rarely do prospects unsubscribe or get upset when they see my e-mails.

Of course, I'll occasionally offer opportunities to buy something. But that happens only after I've spent time developing relationships and delivering value.

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

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Misión China

México enviará en septiembre una delegación a China, su segundo socio comercial, en una misión que buscará mostrar que el país tiene alternativas ante la posibilidad de que caiga el Tratado de Libre Comercio de América del Norte (TLCAN), que ha sido clave para la economía y que incluye a Estados Unidos y Canadá.

Compensación

El Gobierno de Bolivia firmó un acuerdo con el grupo español Abertis para pagar US$ 23 mlls. en compensación por la nacionalización de su filial aeroportuaria local SABSA , hace cuatro años. El Gobierno argumentó que la empresa había incumplido durante años las inversiones que se había comprometido a realizar en el país sudamericano. SABSA operaba los tres principales aeropuertos del país andino y fue nacionalizada en febrero del 2013.

Expansión

La mexicana Cemex informó que está en proceso de construcción de una terminal ferroviaria en Los Ángeles y de un sistema de carga de agregados en su cantera en California, como parte de la expansión de su red de distribución para atender la demanda de Estados Unidos. La intención de Cemex es optimizar el proceso de entrega de agregados en los proyectos de construcción del metro en Los Ángeles, en Estados Unidos, y sus alrededores.

• Brief News

Trump insists he is not under FBI investigation over Russia links

Trump has insisted he is not under investigation, while dismissing the FBI director he fired as a "showboat" and "grandstander". Trump also said it was his decision alone to sack James Comey. Comey was leading an inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the US election and possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and Moscow. Trump has dismissed the probe as a "charade", a claim directly contradicted by Comey's successor. White House officials had previously pinned the decision on a memo written by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, which Trump refers to in the opening paragraph of his termination letter to Comey, saying, "I have accepted their recommendation". But he told the press: "I was going to fire him regardless of the recommendation." Trump also denied that he wanted the FBI inquiry on Russia dropped, saying he, instead, wanted it "speeded up". The acting FBI director vowed not to update the White House on the status of the investigation and to notify the Senate panel of any attempt to interfere with the inquiry.

Trump to make 'right decision for the US' on climate

"America first." The US will consider its interests first as it reviews its climate change policy. Yet, the US would not rush to make a decision and would consider their views. Trump has expressed doubts over the human role in climate change and has said he may pull the US out of the Paris Accord to fight it. Meanwhile, other Arctic countries have called for a cut on greenhouse gases. They signed an agreement which stated there was a need for urgent global action.

Whistleblower sparks Hyundai and Kia recall of 240,000 cars

The South Korean government has ordered carmakers Hyundai and Kia Motors to recall about 240,000 cars, after a tip off from a whistleblower. The ex-Hyundai employee raised concern about defects which affected 12 different car models. It is the first time the country's transport ministry has issued a compulsory vehicle recall. Hyundai and Kia had refused to act voluntarily, saying any problems which did exist did not compromise safety.

Thailand warns Facebook to block content critical of the monarchy

Federal Ethics Office wants to know if Trump appointees are keeping their promises

The compliance forms are to be posted online, along with the ethics agreements the appointees signed during the Senate confirmation process.

Is rape a pre-existing condition? Not exactly

Before the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, insurance companies didn't specifically include rape as a pre-existing condition that would allow them to deny victims coverage or charge them more. But a handful of conditions and interventions that can follow a sexual assault could have led people who were raped to be excluded from buying policies. some rape victims are given medications after the assault to prevent them from contracting HIV or other sexually transmitted infections. And some people who are sexually assaulted seek mental health counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder or other conditions. Before the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, people could be denied coverage or charged more for insurance if they took medications to treat HIV/AIDS or had existing mental health conditions. many victims of rape were denied coverage because they contracted a sexually transmitted disease or took medications to prevent one, or they were denied coverage of mental health care to treat the psychological effects of the assault. That all changed with the Affordable Care Act. Under the ACA, insurance companies must provide comprehensive coverage, as defined by a list of "essential health benefits," including mental health care, prescription drug coverage and maternity care. And insurers are required to charge everyone of the same age and living in the same community the same price. However, the bill passed by House Republicans last week, called the American Health Care Act, includes a huge loophole. States are allowed to apply for waivers to exempt them from many of those federal rules. States could redefine the essential benefits to allow insurers to offer less comprehensive policies and could allow insurance companies to charge people more money for pre-existing conditions.

Appeals court upholds AIG bailout

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Tuesday upheld the government bailout of American International Group as lawful. The ruling came down in a denial of an appeal from Starr International Co where shareholders were bringing suit against the government, arguing that the bailout was not only unconstitutional but harmful to the shareholders. Starr alleged the government's reverse stock split option was made to falsely increase the price of the shares and the high interest loan in exchange for equity was not permitted by the law. The court found that because AIG was not party to the suit and the methods saved the company from ruin, there was no claim.

Former Brazil president testifies on graft charges

Lula appeared in Court on Wednesday and gave a four-hour deposition on the graft charges he faces. In the deposition, Lula criticized the charges as "illegitimate" and a "farce," claiming that the Brazilian media wants to get him "dead or alive". Three years ago, Lula was charged with receiving $1.1 million in improvements and expenses from a construction company for a beachfront apartment in exchange for kickbacks from the state-run oil company Petrobras, which has become known as the Petrobas Oil Scandal. Prosecutors in the case allege that businesses paid a total of over $2 billion, which they then exploited by running up costs and delaying completion. Despite Lula’s repeated denial of any involvement, federal prosecutors say that Lula allegedly funneled millions of dollars into the campaigns of those in the Workers Party. Lula has also been charged in four other corruption cases.

Canada court rules Citizen Act violates immigrant rights

Sale of Trump property raises ethical questions about potential buyer's motives

Trump's trust is selling off his resort in the Caribbean. Ethics experts say that a buyer might offer a huge price to curry favor with the president, underscoring the conflict of interest.

Trump seeks immunity from Hotel lawsuit

Attorneys for US President Donald Trump on Wednesday asked for a dismissal of a lawsuit over an alleged infringement of the Emoluments Clause of the constitution. Lawyers argued that the President has "absolute presidential immunity precludes personal liability based on the president's office". The lawsuit was filed by a wine bar over the implications the Presidents new hotel will have when effecting local business. The attorneys for the wine bar believe that the President will not be immune, as the exemption does not apply to personal acts that effect private business. It is being claimed that there are improper benefits being received by the Hotel drawing international customers in order to curry favor to the President, in turn creating an economic burden on other local business.

ICJ to hear case of India man sentenced for spying on Pakistan

The International Court of Justice on Wenesday scheduled a public hearing to resolve a dispute over an Indian man accused of spying after receiving notice from Indian officials that a Pakistani military court has sentenced the man to death.

India high court sentences judge to six months for contempt

Profits from store-branded credit cards hide depth of retailers' troubles

More than one-third of profits at leading retailers like Macy's are derived from store-branded credit cards. But counting on customers' debt is not a sustainable strategy.

US may ban laptops on all flights from Europe

The action would extend an order restricting travelers through airports in 10 Muslim-majority countries from carrying laptops, tablets and other devices in the cabin.

Law-enforcement training on 'jihadi threat' spurs criticism

An upcoming "anti-jihad" law-enforcement seminar in Mesa funded by a Maricopa County Attorney's Office grant has resurrected concerns from Muslim-American leaders that such training exercises are Islamophobia. "Understanding and Investigating the Jihadi Threat" is to be presented by John Guandolo, a controversial former FBI agent who created Understanding the Threat, an organization that focuses on threats posed by Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. The Council on American-Islamic Relations earlier this month urged the Arizona Police Association to cancel the seminar and for Mesa police to disassociate itself from the event.

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