Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter. She is known for narrative songs about her personal life, which have received widespread media coverage. At age 14, Swift became the youngest artist signed by the Sony/ATV Music publishing house and, at 15, she signed her first record deal.
Her 2006 eponymous debut album was the longest-charting album of the 2000s in the US. Its third single, "Our Song", made her the youngest person to single-handedly write and perform a number-one song on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Swift's second album, Fearless, was released in 2008.
Buoyed by the pop crossover success of the singles "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me", it became the US' best-selling album of 2009 and was certified diamond in the US. The album won four Grammy Awards, and Swift became the youngest Album of the Year winner.
Shell to give staff 8 per cent bonus following sky-high profits
manchestereveningnews.co.ukOil giant Shell has announced it will give employees a one-off 8 per cent bonus after the company reported record profits. It is understood that most of the company's 82,000 employees worldwide will be eligible for the bonus.
The only ones in the company who will be excluded from the pay top-up will be those at the executive vice president level or higher.
Shell has remarked that the award reflects the company's current financial success and is not linked to the growing challenges emerging from the rising cost of living crisis.
A Shell spokesperson said: “In recognition of the contribution our people have made to Shell’s strong operational performance against a recent challenging backdrop, our executive committee has decided to make a Special Recognition Award of 8% of salary to all eligible staff across the world. Read more: Man, 54, dies after car crashes off the road “The award enables those employees to share in our current operational and financial success – it is not a response to inflation or cost-of-living challenges.” The oil giant announced last week that its adjusted earning hit nearly $11.5 billion (£9.5 billion).
Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk
