Canadian Solar secures funding partly for 191MW project in Brazil

                                

Canadian Solar Inc (NASDAQ:CSIQ) has received financial support for the 191-MWp Pirapora I scheme and some other solar projects in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, it announced on Monday.

The company has obtained USD 20 million (EUR 18.9m) in unsecured funding from the China and Portuguese-speaking Countries Cooperation and Development Fund (CPDFund) to back eligible projects in the above-mentioned state.

The Pirapora I solar park is currently being built and is expected to be finalised in the third quarter of the year. In October 2016, EDF Energies Nouvelles' local subsidiary bought an 80% stake in the asset from Canadian Solar.

Canadian Solar noted that its investments into Brazil’s solar sector include the operation of a 380-MW solar module factory and the development of a further 207 MWp of solar projects with 20-year power purchase agreements (PPAs).

BREAKING NEWS:Osinbajo swears in Onnoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria

                                  

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has sworn in Walter Onnoghen as the 17th Chief Justice of Nigeria.

The swearing-in ceremony was conducted Tuesday inside the council chambers of Aso Rock presidential villa, Abuja.

Mr. Onnoghen, a native of Cross River state, was first appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as acting CJN on November 10, 2016 after the retirement of former CJN, Mahmoud Mohammed.

Mr. Osinbajo returned his name to the Nigerian Senate for confirmation as substantive CJN on February 8.

The Senate screened and confirmed him on March 1.

Mr. Osinbajo said President Muhammadu Buhari had asked him to let the new CJN know that he was assuming office at a time “when all arms of government suffers from loss of confidence from the people”.

He also said Mr. Buhari expressed the belief that the tenure of the new CJN will help revive and sustain the people’s confidence.

Mr. Osinbajo said it was time to show Nigerians that the choice they made in bringing in the administration was the right one.

15 LinkedIn Groups Every Entrepreneur Should Belong To

                                 

LinkedIn is a valuable resource for professionals around the world. It's a chance to connect with like-minded people, find jobs, get advice from experts in your field, and join groups that offer all of the above. For entrepreneurs, these groups can be the ultimate resource for improving and growing your business. Here are 15 LinkedIn groups you can join to expand your entrepreneurial network.

Executive Suite This group is all about connecting people at the executive level so they can share advice on leadership, decision-making and more. As a member, you will join more than 316,000 others who get access to a web-series, discussion boards and practical advice.

 A Startup Specialists Group – Online Network for Entrepreneurs and Startups With more than 253,000 members, this group, aimed at startups, mentors, founder and investors, acts a resource for entrepreneurs. Here you will find support, tips for planning your business, crowd funding, network and so much more.

Band of Entrepreneurs: This "non-profit organization of, by and for entrepreneurs" boasts more than 26,000 members and provides support on topics like legal help, human resources, public relations, technology and more.

 Bright Ideas & Entrepreneurs | Small Business Startup Community This group aims to facilitate discussion and idea sharing among entrepreneurs all over the world. With 20,000 members, this group invites you to share ideas and connect with other likeminded professionals.

Digital Marketing With 1 million members, this group covers all areas of the digital marketing world. It includes social media marketing, mobile marketing, search engine marketing, online advertising and more. It also offers updates to industry reports and whitepapers.

Entrepreneurs Meet Investors With around 6,200 members, this group is for entrepreneurs seeking startup funding, and for more established businesses in need of capital for further growth.

Entrepreneur's Network:Founded in 2008, this group now has more than 35,000 members. The aim is to connect current and aspiring entrepreneurs to find answers, ask questions and connect with similar professionals.

 Future Trends: If you're looking to connect with fellow trend hunters and visionaries in a variety of industries like marketing, consumer insights, strategic planning and trend tracking, then this group is for you. Join more than 482,000 other members and share your ideas. 

Leadership Think Tank :Committed to collaboration for the improvement of leadership, this group, with almost 222,000 members, aims to identify the relationship between leader and follower, with open discussions about leadership concepts and practices.

 On Startups – The Community for Entrepreneurs This group gives entrepreneurs the chance to discuss marketing, sales, finance, operations, hiring, and other startup topics with almost 630,000 other members.

Social Media Marketing: With 1.6 million members and 20 subgroups, this group tags itself as the largest and most active social media marketing group on LinkedIn. Moderated by professionals, members join interactive discussions on topics like social media marketing, non-profits, etc.

Women's Network of Entrepreneurs: A collective of more than 17,000 dedicated entrepreneurs and women in business participate in the group for support, sharing ideas and struggles. Members also promote their business with the goal of building their network and sharing resources.

Start-Up Phase Forum :This free community of more than 19,200 members provides information and support to entrepreneurs and small business owners in the startup phase. The topics range from marketing, recruiting and financing, to working from home ideas, slogans and branding.

Linked Business:The 10,600 members of this group come together to discuss issues facing small businesses, additionally, business owners seek qualified professionals to provide services in the hopes of getting both perspectives and experiences on small business issues.

COSE (Council of Smaller Enterprises) Based in Chicago, this group of 2,100 members aim to provide support for organizations and small businesses. COSE fights for the rights of small business owners and provides a forum for small businesses owners to connect and learn from each other.

Startup Mastermind: This group, boasting 5,700 members, describes itself as being "dedicated to providing networking opportunities and collaboration among startup founders, founding team members, and startup advisor."

Written by Jennifer Post

Jennifer Post graduated from Rowan University in 2012 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. Having worked in the food industry, print and online journalism, and marketing, she is now a freelance contributor for Business News Daily. When she's not working, you will find her exploring her current town of Cape May, NJ or binge watching Pretty Little Liars for the 700th time

10 Creative Ways to Show Employee Appreciation

                                 

Anyone can perform a task at work knowing the end result is a salary. However, passion and hard work often stems from affirmations employees hear from their boss or manager. Workers don't just crave a paycheck -- they want recognition, verbal appreciation and encouragement. Of course, it's easy to say "thank you" or "good job" and be done with it; but there are countless ways to show your support and respect for your employees. Business News Daily asked business owners and experts to share the best ways to make your employees feel more appreciated.

1.       Let employees reward one another. "[Put] the power of recognition and reward in their hands. I use apps and programs like YouEarnedIt to give my employees the power to give each other kudos for good work done. I let my team members choose their reward, too, because not everyone wants a cash bonus or a gift card." – Darius Mirshahzadeh, CEO, Endeavor America Loan Services

2.       2. Offer employees a platform.

"It could be done as a request to share. When we let people know we value what they have to offer by asking if they'd share their story, tips, methods, etc. with others, it provides validation to them that they do have something of value to offer, and it boosts their self-confidence and self-esteem in the process. This doesn't mean we add a training function to their currently overloaded job, but it could be sharing at a team or organizational event, award ceremony or even in a newsletter." – Sandy Geroux, CEO, WOWplace International

3.       Let employees make important decisions.

"Let them make decisions that matter and can impact the company. Verbal appreciation is important, and bonuses or other perks are appreciated, but ultimately, showing someone that you trust their opinion and expertise is far more valuable." – Drew Thomas, chief creative officer, Brolik

4.       Give them little surprises.

"My favorite forms of appreciation include unexpected treats like group lunches or a shortened workday. I also like activities that add value for both the individual and the company, including team-building challenges and fully paid continuing-education courses." – Kelsey Libert, vice president of marketing, Fractl

5.        Be specific with praise.

"Leaders need to be specific in expressing their appreciation so that it reinforces behaviors through positive feedback for the employee. Instead of a generic 'great job,' be specific — for example, 'I really like how you've pulled the discussion back together – You're an exemplary collaborator.' Being specific also adds meaning and inspires the employee to further develop their skills in that particular area." – Reuven Gorsht, global vice president of customer strategy, SAP

6.       Give employees extra time off.

"I think the most valuable way to recognize an employee today is through time —that is, time off, time to do something else besides work. It could be family, a hobby, or a charity, or a short vacation. I don't think it needs to be routine or regular, and has the most value when it's unexpected." – Mark S. Valenti, president and CEO, The Sextant Group

7.      Be transparent.

"Company leadership [should let] employees know what's really going on with the company. Granted, there are some things that can't be discussed, but for the most part, keeping people informed goes a long way toward making them feel involved. It generates a 'we're in this together' environment, as well as team ownership of the operation." – Brenda Norwood, HR manager, calltools.com

8.       Feed them.

"One way to an employee's heart is through their stomach. Putting sweet treats in the break room, or delivering delicious chocolates like these artisanal chocolate truffles are always a big hit. You can also cater in lunch on Employee Appreciation Day – it's an easy way to say 'thank you' for the work they do." – Patricia Carl, senior vice president of human resources at FTD.

9.        Encourage their feedback.

"We distribute a quarterly pulse survey which allows them to give us [anonymous] feedback about the company at a macro level. We ask a set of 15 questions around teamwork, leadership, career growth, etc. each quarter, to measure movement on any dimension, and then we give them three open text boxes to answer the questions: What are we doing well? What do we need to improve? What else is on your mind? We get our results each month with an average participation rate of about 75 percent, and have more than 225 lines of data from the responses to those three open ended questions. This allows all employees to feel heard and want to contribute to making our company win!" – Mai Ton, vice president of human resources at OneLogin

10.    Host events for the entire company.

"Company events are usually quite popular when we do team building activities. The bottom line is that all employees want to feel part of the team and believe strongly in the company. If we can create a positive, fun and flexible workplace, most employees appreciate the independence of knowing they are trusted to get the work done and feel part of a team." – Patric Palm, CEO of Hansoft and Favro

Written by Sammi Caramela

 Sammi Caramela is a senior at Rowan University with a major in writing arts and a double minor in journalism and psychology. She is President of Her Campus magazine and I Am That Girl at Rowan, and contributes to other writing platforms on and off campus. She expects to graduate in 2017 and continue working as a Purch B2B writer and assistant editor. check out her blog at sammisays.org. 

Humble Leadership: Why Humility Matters for Managers

                                   

Humility might not be the first quality that comes to mind when you think of leadership skills, but studies are showing that it is one of the most vital characteristics of successful leaders. Leaders who practice humility engender trust, empower their subordinates, look at failures as challenges and develop a team spirit — all of which leads to happier employees and more profits for the company. Further, humble leadership has the same positive influence regardless of gender or nationality, according to a study by Catalyst: "Humility was one of the most significant indicators, after empowerment, of altruistic leadership in this study." Humility may be too easily dismissed as a leadership quality because people associate it with weakness, but according to several leadership experts, humility simply means understanding your strengths and weaknesses and recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of others. Angela Sebaly, co-founder and CEO of Personify Leadership and author of "The Courageous Leader" (Wiley, 2017), adds that humble leaders are focused on the big picture of mission and team rather than themselves.

"Humility is about minimizing the self and maximizing the bigger purpose you represent," Sebaly said. “When you think about humility in that way, it becomes a vital competency in leadership because it takes the focus from the 'I' to 'We.' Leaders with humility engage us and give us a sense of identity and purpose." The Catalyst study supports Sebaly's assertion. It found that regardless of business or country, humble leaders make their employees feel included, which in turn makes them more comfortable in proposing innovations and helping others. True humility also requires courage and trust that stem from the leaders' confidence in themselves and their abilities. "There's a balance a leader has to strike between confidence and humility. Confidence is not about swagger but about the ability to project presence in the room, coordinate other people's actions, and help others take action," said Susan Bates, founder of leadership development organization Bates. Bates conducted a four-year study of leading executives around the world to find the 15 most important leadership qualities, which included humility as well as confidence. "We're not just guessing. This is grounded in research," she said. "We include humility in the list of qualities that we know enable leaders to have presence and influence." Developing humility while maintaining confidence The key to developing humility is as difficult to enact as it is simple to explain. Sebaly says the first step is to accept and love your strengths and talents. "The more we experience humility, the more we reconcile the part of us that understands that we are important with the part of us that needs further proof," she said. The second step is being ready to learn through painful, humbling experiences. Everyone has a time in his or her career when they will mess up or fall short of expectations, and the more a leader pushes himself or herself to grow, the more such experiences they will face. Sebaly likened it to going to the dentist: It will likely be painful and we may get scolded about flossing, but in the end, we are glad we went, and we benefit in the long run. Even so, many people retreat from potentially painful situations, especially if they expect the discomfort to be severe. Sebaly said that in her experience, most leaders will show courage as long as the pain is at the 1 to 3 level (on a scale of 1 to 10), but truly successful leaders will go into more humbling situations with an open mind and a desire to learn. Those people, in general, break past middle management. Bates said that to develop your sense of humility, you must learn your strengths and weaknesses. Solicit honest feedback from employees and peers, especially on how well you listen to ideas. ("Do I allow space for people to express ideas before stating my own?" "Do I come across as needing to have all the answers?) She also suggested that when running a meeting, wait before offering answers to let others weigh in. This letting go can be hard, especially for experienced leaders who may have tackled similar problems earlier in their careers. However, empowering the team members to handle the issue not only gives them a chance to grow, but frees you up to handle higher-level issues. Finally, Bates suggested acknowledging to yourself that you don't have all the answers. That simple act can free you to be open to the suggestions of others, she said. Demonstrating humility Demonstrating humility means speaking to the higher purpose of accountability to the business or community. As such, it does not rob you of power, but enhances your authority as a leader. "Leaders that demonstrate humility hold people accountable, have tough conversations, and make difficult choices," Sebaly said. "They role-model, seeking the bigger purpose above the self-seeking approach. Those are the kinds of leaders that people will jump off a cliff for."

Written by Karina Fabian

Karina Fabian is a full time writer and mother of four. By day, she writes reviews of business products and services for Top Ten Reviews and articles for Business News Daily. As a freelancer, she writes for Catholic educational sites and school calendars and teaches writing skills. She has 17 published novels of science fiction and fantasy. You can check them at http://fabianspace.com. 

US deploys anti-missile system to South Korea

                          

The United States, on Tuesday, begun deploying its Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) missile system to South Korea.

The US Pacific Command confirmed this a day after North Korea launched four ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan.

Inspite of previous objections from China, the U.S. said the THAAD system was a “strictly defensive capability” and posed no threat to other countries in the region.

The news came hours after North Korea said it had carried out a missile launch exercise targeting US bases in Japan.