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Trump says he would negotiate Brexit with 'tougher' attitude than Theresa May

January 28, 2018 / 9:31 AM / in 8 hours Trump says he would negotiate Brexit with 'tougher' attitude than Theresa May Reuters Staff 3 Min Read LONDON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump would take a “tougher” approach to Brexit negotiations than Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May, he said in a television interview to be broadcast later on Sunday. In the interview with British channel ITV, Trump said the European Union was “not cracked up to what it’s supposed to be” and claimed he had predicted the result of the June 2016 referendum in which Britons voted to leave the EU. Trump was elected to the U.S. presidency later the same year. When asked if May was in a “good position” regarding the ongoing Brexit talks, Trump replied: “Would it be the way I negotiate? No, I wouldn’t negotiate it the way it’s negotiated ... I would have had a different attitude.” Pressed on how his approach would be different, he said: “I would have said the European Union is not cracked up to what it’s supposed to be. I would have taken a tougher stand in getting out.” May was the first foreign leader to visit Trump after his inauguration in January last year and they were filmed emerging from the White House holding hands. But the “special relationship” between the two nations has since faced several ups and downs, including Trump rebuking May on Twitter after she criticised him for retweeting British far-right anti-Islam videos. He said in an earlier extract from the same interview that he had not intended to cause offence in Britain by sharing the videos and that he would apologise if the original posters were horrible racists. Trump’s comments on militant attacks in Britain have angered some and he has often exchanged barbs on social media with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. Trump also said in the interview that he had anticipated the Brexit referendum result because of many Britons’ concerns over immigration -- also a key plank of his U.S. election campaign. “I said because of trade, but mostly immigration, Brexit is going to be a big upset. And I was right,” he said. “I know the British people and understand them.” “They don’t want people coming from all over the world into Britain, they don’t know anything about these people.” Trump also said he had been invited by May to make two visits to Britain this year. Earlier this month, he cancelled a trip to London to open a new embassy, saying he did not want to endorse a bad deal agreed by the Obama administration to sell the old one for “peanuts”. Some Britons are angry at the prospect of a visit by Trump, with large protests expected when he does arrive. (Reporting by Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Catherine Evans)

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-trump-britain/trump-says-he-would-negotiate-brexit-with-tougher-attitude-than-theresa-may-idUSL4N1PN07X

SEC probing Kushner Cos use of wealthy investor visas -WSJ

January 6, 2018 / 8:40 PM / Updated an hour ago SEC probing Kushner Cos use of wealthy investor visas -WSJ Reuters Staff 3 Min Read Jan 6 (Reuters) - The real estate company of Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, is being investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its use of a federal program that grants visas to wealthy foreigners investing in the United States, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. Kushner Cos was asked by the SEC for information on its use of the visa program, known as EB-5, in May 2017, according to a person the Journal said was familiar with the matter. The EB-5 visa is a method for eligible immigrants to become lawful permanent residents, or “green card” holders, by investing at least $500,000 into a business in the United States that will employ 10 or more American workers. Most holders are wealthy Chinese individuals. The Journal said the company also received a separate request from New York federal prosecutors in the same month for information on development projects financed in part by the EB-5 program. Kushner, Kushner Cos, the White House and New York prosecutors did not reply to requests for comment from Reuters. The SEC could not be reached for comment. Kushner Cos referred the Journal to a previous statement on its use of the EB-5 program: “Kushner Cos utilized the program, fully complied with its rules and regulations, and did nothing improper. We are cooperating with legal requests for information.” The exact subject of the SEC’s inquiry, or whether it identified particular projects, is not clear, the Journal reported. The Kushners use of EB-5 visas to raise cash to finance developments came to broad attention in May last year, when Kushner’s sister, Nicole Kushner, spoke at a publicly advertised event in Shanghai to attract Chinese investment into a two-tower luxury apartment complex in New Jersey, called One Journal Square, being developed jointly by Kushner Cos and KABR Group. The company later apologized for mentioning Jared Kushner’s name while wooing investors. The developers were seeking to raise $150 million, or 15.4 percent of funding for the project, from investors through the EB-5 visa program, according to marketing materials posted by the event’s organizer, immigration agency Qiaowai, Reuters reported at the time. Kushner Cos is not a publicly traded company but the EB-5 is considered a securities offering, the Journal said, hence the SEC’s interest. Kushner resigned from his role leading Kushner Cos when he was appointed Trump’s senior White House adviser early last year but still owns a stake in parts of the business, according to his most recent personal financial disclosure form, the Journal said. (Reporting by Bill Rigby; Editing by Bill Trott)

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-trump-kushner/sec-probing-kushner-cos-use-of-wealthy-investor-visas-wsj-idUSL1N1P10EA

New year, New Trump: The president will show a softer side this year, analyst says

The world will see a new version of Donald Trump in 2018, a political analyst told CNBC on Wednesday after the president delivered two key speeches. Trump told the audience at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, last week that he supported free trade, as long as it's fair, and also said he was open to bilateral agreements. During his state of the union address on Tuesday, Trump also vowed to "fix bad trade deals. Both addresses showed a softer approach to international trade from previous remarks during his 2016 election campaign and first year in office. "He can build a compelling argument around his successes and he can package it and that can be received well," Lindsay Newman, principal research analyst at IHS Markit told CNBC Wednesday, when asked if "teleprompter Trump" was the most recent version of the president. "He has never said no trade deals, he said no bad trades," Newman said, noting Trump's new language at Davos. There, he said that free trade needs to be fair and reciprocal. show chapters Analyst on State of the Union address: Trump is his own best advocate 11 Hours Ago | 04:45 Since Trump took office, trade negotiations with the EU have stopped, talks with Canada and Mexico are being assessed and an agreement in the Asia-Pacific region is going ahead after the U.S. pulled out. During his first year in office, Trump often criticized big trade agreements and blamed international partners for the U.S. trade deficit. Tweet 1 "Trump is Trump's best advocate, we saw that last week in Davos; he picked it up again last night," Newman told CNBC about Trump's state of the union speech. "It was really a highlight of his greatest accomplishments from 2017, from his first year in office. We saw trade, we saw taxes, we saw deregulation, we saw the good news on the U.S. economic outlook and also a preview of what's ahead, what he hopes to see ahead in 2018." On Tuesday, Trump mentioned the impact on workers of his changes to the tax system, promised to go ahead with big infrastructure plans and to support the American dream. "There has never been a better time to start living the American dream," Trump said.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/31/new-year-new-trump-the-president-will-show-a-softer-side-this-year-analyst-says.html

BRIEF-Fortuna Entertainment Group: FY 2017 EBITDA growth higher than expected

Jan 17 (Reuters) - Fortuna Entertainment Group Nv: * FORTUNA ENTERTAINMENT GROUP SAYS GROUP´S AMOUNTS STAKED FOR THE FULL YEAR 2017 ARE EXPECTED TO BE ON THE PREVIOUSLY COMMUNICATED GUIDANCE OF EUR 1.9 BILLION * FORTUNA SAYS GROUP´S EBITDA GROWTH IN 2017 IS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE RANGE OF 135% TO 150% COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS GUIDANCE OF 80 - 95% Y/Y * FORTUNA SAYS TOTAL CAPEX IN 2017 IS EXPECTED TO BE ON PREVIOUSLY COMMUNICATED GUIDANCE RANGE BETWEEN EUR 11-14 MILLION * FORTUNA SAYS MAIN REASONS FOR HIGHER THAN EXPECTED EBITDA GROWTH ARE HIGHER THAN EXPECTED SPORTS BOOK MARGIN IN Q4, STRONG PERFORMANCE OF UNDERLYING INDICATORS Further company coverage:

https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-fortuna-entertainment-group-fy-201/brief-fortuna-entertainment-group-fy-2017-ebitda-growth-higher-than-expected-idUSL8N1PC57B

Senate environment panel chief backs probe into uranium imports

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chair of the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee said on Thursday he wants the Commerce Department to investigate the impacts of uranium imports from Russia and central Asia on national security, backing a request from two U.S. uranium mining firms who filed the petition. “America’s ability to produce uranium is crucial to power our economy and keep our nation safe,” said Republican Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, chair of the panel. “The Trump administration needs to expedite this investigation and take action to preserve this vital industry.” On Tuesday, Energy Fuels and Ur-Energy filed what is called a 232 petition to the Commerce Department, asking its secretary Wilbur Ross to investigate the effects of uranium imports on national security and for President Donald Trump to use his authority to “adjust imports to ensure the long-term viability of the U.S. uranium mining industry.” The petition comes over a month after the Interior Department reduced the size of two Utah national monuments - Grand Staircase Escalante and Bears Ears - the latter of which has uranium deposits. Energy Fuels submitted a comment to the Interior Department during its months-long review of national monuments, saying that the Bears Ears designated borders had abutted its existing uranium mines and processing facilities, and that it also contained “many other known uranium and vanadium deposits.” In their petition, the companies pointed out that imports of uranium from state-owned enterprises in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan account for 40 percent of U.S. demand, while domestic production fulfills less than 5 percent. The Commerce Department declined to comment on the petition but if it does launch an investigation, the secretary has 270 days to prepare a report to the president and the president would then have 90 days to act on the secretary’s recommendations. Wyoming, Barrasso’s home state, is responsible for half of U.S. uranium production. (Corrects name of panel chaired by Sen. Barrasso in first paragraph.) Reporting By Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Susan Thomas

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-uranium/senate-environment-panel-chief-backs-probe-into-uranium-imports-idUSKBN1F72BI

O2Micro Reports Fourth Quarter and Yearly 2017 Financial Results

GEORGE TOWN, Grand Cayman, Jan. 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Operational and Strategic Highlights: Q4 2017 results were within the range of guidance provided in November 2017. Fiscal 2017 revenue increased 6.4% over fiscal 2016. GAAP net loss per ADS in the fourth quarter of 2017 was 7 cents, with non-GAAP net loss of 6 cents per ADS. Due to market seasonality, revenue in Q1 2018 is expected to range between -2% and -8% compared to Q4 2017. We remain optimistic about our growth drivers including backlighting, battery management and power products. O2Micro ® International Limited (NASDAQ:OIIM), a global leader in the design, development and marketing of high-performance integrated circuits and solutions, reported its financial results today for the fourth quarter and year ending December 31, 2017. Financial Highlights for the Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year ending December 31, 2017: O2Micro International Limited (“Company”) reported yearly revenue of $60.2 million, a 6.4% increase over 2016. Fourth quarter 2017 revenue was $15.2 million which was down 2% sequentially and down 4.3% from the same quarter in the previous year. The gross margin in the fourth quarter of 2017 was 50.5%, which was up from 50.3% in the prior quarter, and down from 54.1% in the fourth quarter of 2016. The gross margin remains in our target range and varies primarily with the quarterly revenue and product mix. During the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company recorded total GAAP operating expenses of $9.4 million, compared to $9.5 million in the third quarter of 2017, and $9.0 million in the year-ago Q4 period. The GAAP operating margins for the fourth quarter of 2017, the third quarter of 2017, and fourth quarter of 2016 were (11.5%), (11.1%), and (2.4%), respectively. Q4 2017 GAAP net loss was $1.9 million. This compares to a GAAP net loss of $1.4 million in the third quarter of 2017 and a GAAP net income of $12,000 in Q4 2016. GAAP net loss per fully diluted ADS was $0.07 in Q4 2017. This compares to a GAAP net loss per fully diluted ADS of $0.05 in Q3 2017 and a GAAP net income per fully diluted ADS of $0.00 in Q4 2016. Yearly GAAP net loss was $6.1 million in 2017. GAAP net loss in 2016 was $3.0 million including a $2.7 million one-time gain. GAAP net loss per fully diluted ADS was $0.24 in 2017. This compares to a GAAP net loss of per fully diluted ADS of $0.12 in 2016. Supplementary Data: The Company ended the fourth quarter of 2017 with $46.1 million in unrestricted cash and short-term investments or $1.80 per outstanding ADS. The accounts receivable balance was $9.2 million and represented 54 days sales outstanding at the end of Q4 2017. Inventory was $9.3 million or 119 days and turned over 3 times during Q4 2017. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had $58.7 million in working capital and the book value was $76.6 million, or $2.98 per outstanding ADS. As of December 31, 2017, O2Micro International Limited had a total of 372 employees worldwide, including 228 engineers. Management Commentary: “Our first quarter of 2018 revenue guidance reflects continuing design activities in the growth drivers of the consumer and industrial markets. We are pleased with our continued acceptance our technology including high end backlighting for the TV, power tools, household appliances, and automotive, despite the current dynamic market,” said Sterling Du, O2Micro’s Chairman and CEO. “We believe our solutions for these product segments will continue to contribute to our top-line growth in upcoming quarters and lead O2Micro back to long term profitability.” Conference Call: O2Micro will hold its fourth quarter conference call today, January 31st, 2018, at 6:00AM. Pacific, 9:00AM Eastern. You may participate using the following dial-in information. Conference ID: 3027751 Participants, Int'l Toll: 719-325-2370 Participants, US/CAN: 800-967-7134 The Call-in Audio Replay will be available from January 31st, 2018 12:00 Eastern Time (US & Canada) through February 7th, 2018 12:00 Eastern Time (US & Canada) https://event.mymeetingroom.com/Public/WebRegistration/Y29uZmVyZW5jZUlkPTE3MTA4OTYmdHlwZT1yZXBsYXkmbGFuZ3VhZ2U9ZW5nbGlzaA== A live webcast will also be available on the Company's website at http://ir.o2micro.com , and an online replay will be available on the website for one week. About O2Micro: Founded in April 1995, O2Micro develops and markets innovative power management components for the Computer, Consumer, Industrial, Automotive and Communications markets. Products include LED General Lighting, Backlighting, Battery Management, and Power Management. The Company maintains offices worldwide. Additional Company and product information can be found on the Company website at www.o2micro.com . O2Micro, the O2Micro logo, and combinations thereof are registered trademarks of O2Micro. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Statements made in this release that are not historical, including statements regarding O2Micro or its management's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations, projections, plans or predictions of the future, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other Federal Securities Laws. Such statements involve risks, speculation and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements or from management's current views and expectations. Risks and uncertainties in this release may include, without limitation, any one or combination of the following: the effect of competitive and economic factors; real property value fluctuations and market demand; legal changes in any relevant rules and regulations pertaining to O2Micro's business; changes in technology and industry standards, and O2Micro's reaction to those factors; consumer and business buying decisions with respect to our customers' products incorporating O2Micro's products; continued competitive pressures in the marketplace; the ability of O2Micro to deliver to the marketplace, and stimulate customer demand therein, for new products and technological innovations on a timely basis; the effect that product introductions and transitions, changes in product pricing or mix, and/or increases in component costs could have on O2Micro's gross margins; the inventory risk associated with O2Micro's need to order, or commit to order, product components and product capacity in advance of forecast customer orders; the continued availability of acceptable terms of certain components and services essential to O2Micro's business which are currently obtained by the Company from sole or limited sources; the effect that O2Micro's dependency on manufacturing and logistics services provided by third parties may have on the quality, quantity, availability or cost of products manufactured or services rendered; risks associated with O2Micro's international operations; the potential impact of a finding that O2Micro has infringed on the intellectual property rights of others, or that any third party may have infringed on O2Micro's intellectual property that may negatively affect O2Micro's business; O2Micro's legal classifications with governmental and regulatory agencies; O2Micro's dependency on the performance of distributors, carriers, independent sales representatives, and other resellers of O2Micro's products; the effect that product and service quality problems could have on O2Micro's sales ability and operating profits; the ability of O2Micro to deliver its products in a timely fashion to its customers, and the possible negative ramifications if such is not possible; the continued service and availability of key executives and employees; war, terrorism, public health issues, natural disasters, and other circumstances that could disrupt supply, delivery, or demand of products; and unfavorable results of other legal proceedings. Actual results may differ materially due to numerous risk factors. Such risk factors are more fully enumerated in O2Micro's 20-F Annual Filings, Annual Report(s), 6-K's, the Form F-1 filed in connection with the Company's initial public offering in August 2000, information posted on our website at www.o2micro.com , and other documents filed with the SEC, NASDAQ or any other public agency from time to time. The statements herein are based on dated information on the dates mentioned herein, which is subject to change. O2Micro assumes no obligation to update or revise the information provided on today, or any other forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or any other information that may arise. This information only speaks to the respective dates mentioned in said information. O 2 MICRO INTERNATIONAL LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (In Thousand U.S. Dollars, Except Per Share Amounts) Three Months Ended Years Ended December 31, December 31, 2017 2016 2017 2016 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (audited) NET SALES $ 15,217 $ 15,909 $ 60,205 $ 56,561 COST OF SALES 7,525 7,302 29,426 27,317 GROSS PROFIT 7,692 8,607 30,779 29,244 OPERATING EXPENSES Research and development (1) 4,774 4,118 17,989 15,645 Selling, general and administrative (1) 4,673 4,866 19,047 19,481 Litigation income - - (19 ) (23 ) Total Operating Expenses 9,447 8,984 37,017 35,103 LOSS FROM OPERATIONS (1,755 ) (377 ) (6,238 ) (5,859 ) NON-OPERATING INCOME Interest income 87 77 344 301 Foreign exchange (loss) gain – net (84 ) 367 53 63 Gain on sale of real estate - - - 1,725 Gain on sale of long-term investments - - 20 948 Other – net 202 283 686 894 Total Non-operating Income 205 727 1,103 3,931 INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAX (1,550 ) 350 (5,135 ) (1,928 ) INCOME TAX EXPENSE 329 338 1,010 1,058 NET INCOME (LOSS) (1,879 ) 12 (6,145 ) (2,986 ) OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME Foreign currency translation adjustments 319 (905 ) 984 (397 ) Unrealized (loss) gain on available-for-sale securities - - (1 ) 1 Unrealized pension loss (63 ) (14 ) (61 ) (13 ) Total Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) 256 (919 ) 922 (409 ) COMPREHENSIVE LOSS $ (1,623 ) $ (907 ) $ (5,223 ) $ (3,395 ) EARNINGS (LOSS) PER ADS Basic $ (0.07 ) $ - $ (0.24 ) $ (0.12 ) Diluted $ (0.07 ) $ - $ (0.24 ) $ (0.12 ) ADS UNITS USED IN EARNINGS (LOSS) PER ADS CALCULATION: Basic (in thousands) 25,696 25,592 25,780 25,643 Diluted (in thousands) 25,696 26,050 25,780 25,643 (1) INCLUDES STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION CHARGE AS FOLLOWS: Research and development $ 53 $ 52 $ 221 $ 231 Selling, general and administrative $ 335 $ 320 $ 1,368 $ 1,375 O 2 MICRO INTERNATIONAL LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In Thousand U.S. Dollars, Except Share Amounts) December 31, December 31, 2017 2016 ASSETS (Unaudited) (Audited) CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $ 28,520 $ 31,332 Restricted cash 35 32 Short-term investments 17,601 21,532 Accounts receivable – net 9,184 7,205 Inventories 9,330 9,275 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 1,245 1,106 Total Current Assets 65,915 70,482 LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS 3,112 4,253 PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT – NET 13,755 13,736 OTHER ASSETS 2,300 2,218 TOTAL ASSETS $ 85,082 $ 90,689 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY CURRENT LIABILITIES Notes and accounts payable $ 2,460 $ 4,329 Income tax payable 341 180 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 4,379 4,102 Total Current Liabilities 7,180 8,611 OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES Accrued pension liabilities 355 281 Deferred income tax liabilities 906 930 Other liabilities 86 83 Total Other Long-Term Liabilities 1,347 1,294 Total Liabilities 8,527 9,905 COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY Preference shares at $0.00002 par value per share Authorized – 250,000,000 shares - - Ordinary shares at $0.00002 par value per share Authorized – 4,750,000,000 shares Issued – 1,669,036,600 shares as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively Outstanding –1,284,146,100 and 1,279,124,900 shares as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively 33 33 Additional paid-in capital 142,946 142,738 Accumulated deficits (47,517 ) (41,372 ) Accumulated other comprehensive income 5,337 4,415 Treasury stock – 384,890,500 and 389,911,700 shares as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively (24,244 ) (25,030 ) Total Shareholders’ Equity 76,555 80,784 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY $ 85,082 $ 90,689 Contact Information: Investor Relations, O2Micro Phone: 408.987.5920, x8888 Email: ir@o2micro.com Source:O2Micro, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/31/globe-newswire-o2micro-reports-fourth-quarter-and-yearly-2017-financial-results.html

Beijing to launch campaign to root out 'low taste' video games - Xinhua

January 23, 2018 / 7:31 AM / Updated 7 hours ago Beijing to launch campaign to root out 'low taste' video games: Xinhua Reuters Staff 2 Min Read BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing is starting a special investigation campaign into online video games to root out those with “low taste”, the official Xinhua news agency reported. The month-long campaign that began Monday will seek to identify games that “have severe deviation in value, distort history, smear historical figures, violate government policies on ethnicities and religions, promote content that are lurid, violent or related to gambling,” Xinhua said. China’s booming video game market, the world’s largest, is being driven by game developers like Tencent and NetEase. The Chinese government has a tight grip on content distributed in the country, including movies, music and video games. Last year, Tencent had to change a popular battle royale-style game that the regulator said was too gory and violent and bring it closer in lines with “socialist core values” before being allowed to release it in China. The Xinhua report did not identify any games or companies. It also said authorities would block any illegal content that originate from overseas and violates Chinese law. Reporting by Pei Li and Adam Jourdan; Editing by Malcolm Foster

https://in.reuters.com/article/us-china-gaming/beijing-to-launch-campaign-to-root-out-low-taste-video-games-xinhua-idINKBN1FC0O9

Ex-Honduran minister gets nearly two-and-a-half years prison in U.S. drug case

January 19, 2018 / 6:24 PM / in 21 minutes Ex-Honduran minister gets nearly two-and-a-half years prison in U.S. drug case Brendan Pierson 3 Min Read NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former member of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez’s cabinet was sentenced by a New York federal judge to nearly 2-1/2 years in prison on Friday, after pleading guilty to attempting to launder drug money from the Central American country. Yankel Rosenthal, who served as minister of investment under Hernandez, received his 29-month term from U.S. District Judge John Koeltl in Manhattan. He was also fined $50,000. Rosenthal, 49, pleaded guilty in August, admitting that he tried to buy a property for $1 million in Florida on behalf of a lawyer he knew in Honduras. He said he knew the lawyer did business with drug traffickers and suspected the money was from drug sales, but went ahead with the deal anyway, planning to take a commission for himself. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emil Bove said at the hearing that the deal never closed only because the seller backed out. Samidh Guha, a lawyer for Rosenthal, did not dispute that. In a courtroom filled with family and friends, Rosenthal said before being sentenced that he regretted his actions but was “not a threat to society.” “I don’t need to rehabilitate myself,” he said. “I need to redeem myself in the eyes of my god, family and my country.” Prosecutors had sought a sentence of at least five years, citing federal guidelines, while Rosenthal’s lawyers had asked for time served. Koeltl agreed that guidelines called for more than five years, but said the lighter sentence was warranted because Rosenthal never closed the real estate deal and had a history of charitable giving. Rosenthal gave up the right to appeal any sentence below federal guidelines as part of his plea deal. He had been arrested in October 2015 and released on bail two months later, court records show. U.S. prosecutors have also charged Rosenthal’s father Jaime Rosenthal, a former vice president of Honduras; his cousin Yani Rosenthal, a veteran politician and two-time presidential candidate; and Andres Acosta Garcia, a lawyer with the family’s Grupo Continental. Prosecutors have said the three men took part in a long-running money laundering scheme involving the Cachiros, a Honduran drug trafficking ring. Yani Rosenthal and Acosta Garcia have both pleaded guilty to money laundering. Yani Rosenthal was sentenced to three years in prison in December, while Acosta Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 26. Jaime Rosenthal remains at large. Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Richard Chang

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-honduras-moneylaundering/ex-honduran-minister-gets-nearly-two-and-a-half-years-prison-in-u-s-drug-case-idUSKBN1F82C1

California mudslides highlight difficulty in getting evacuations right

Jan 10 (Reuters) - Living just outside the mandatory evacuation zone, Gary Goldberg said most of his neighbors probably felt out of harm’s way during this week’s deadly California mudslides. If so, it was a false sense of security. A torrent of boulders and debris came roaring down a rain-saturated hillside near his house in the coastal community of Montecito on Tuesday, he said. “It came down so fast; it took people out,” said Goldberg, who evacuated anyway with his wife and two children. One neighbor’s home was completely washed away, the mud and boulders leaving only the foundation and the chimney behind. Coming on the heels of one of the most devastating wildfire seasons in state history, the landslides in Santa Barbara County killed at least 17 people and destroyed dozens of homes. The mudslides, many in areas where evacuations were either voluntary or not ordered at all, are the latest disaster to highlight the vexing task facing officials trying to get people out of the way of fast-moving disasters. “There clearly were areas that were damaged that were outside of the evacuation area,” said state Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, who represents the region and last week authored a bill to improve disaster alert systems. “But trying to figure out where these floods are going to happen really is just good guessing. It’s an art, not a science.” Last fall, when wildfire swept through California’s wine-growing region in Napa and Sonoma counties, thousands of people failed to receive evacuation alerts on their cellphones because the fire destroyed the cell towers. In the Thomas Fire that ravaged California’s south-central coast, a computer problem led to the alerts going out too broadly, frightening people who were not in danger and leading others to ignore future warnings, said Jackson. Last year’s hurricane season also brought evacuation challenges. Officials in Texas were criticized when they chose not to mandate evacuations as Hurricane Harvey barreled through Houston, yet the same city suffered terrible gridlock during efforts to evacuate from Hurricane Rita in 2005. WARNED FOR DAYS Officials worked for days, even going door-to-door, to warn residents that the hillsides were ripe for dangerous mudflows after the fires destroyed the vegetation that could hold the soil in place, said Dennis Bozanich, deputy county executive officer for Santa Barbara County. “Since the time the fire ended, prior to Christmas, we had been warning our residents,” he said. The county put on its website last week an interactive map in which residents could type in their address and see the position of the house relative to the flood zones. Bozanich said many people did not comply with either voluntary or mandatory evacuation orders. Psychologist Betsy Bates Freed and her husband David were among those who decided to leave, fleeing their canyon home in the downpour just days after they finished cleaning it up after the fires. They had evacuated at that time as well, staying at four different places over 12 days until the danger passed. But as the rain fell Monday night and the Freeds packed up their clothing and their dog Ellie, a neighbor called the county to verify that the evacuation was mandatory. He was mistakenly told that it was not, but eventually evacuated anyway, Bates Freed said. Many of those who were not in areas marked for mandatory evacuation were nonetheless in places designated as voluntary evacuation zones, officials said. In the case of the mudslides, evacuation is made more difficult by the complexities of geology, said Lucy Jones, one of California’s top experts on earthquakes and other natural disasters. For example, a non-scientist looking at a map showing where mudslides might occur would not have realized that some neighborhoods near Montecito Creek that were not under a mandatory evacuation order were particularly vulnerable. “A geologist would have looked at this map and said Montecito Creek is a really dangerous place,” said Jones. Reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, California, and Jonathan Allen in New York; Editing by Frank McGurty and Lisa Shumaker Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

https://www.reuters.com/article/california-mudslides-evacuations/california-mudslides-highlight-difficulty-in-getting-evacuations-right-idUSL1N1P52AB

CORRECTED-Golf-Woods gives thumbs up on eve of PGA Tour return

January 24, 2018 / 9:21 PM / Updated 13 minutes ago Golf - Woods gives thumbs up on eve of PGA Tour return Andrew Both 3 Min Read LA JOLLA, California (Reuters) - A relaxed and seemingly content Tiger Woods gave his body a thumbs up on Wednesday and said he has not “felt this good in years” on the eve of his official PGA Tour comeback. Woods beamed his trademark smile multiple times as he spoke to the media for 23 minutes at Torrey Pines, a day before the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open, a tournament he almost owns with seven victories. He had just played a pre-tournament pro-am. He began like the Tiger of old, with a birdie on the first hole, and finished the same way, with an eagle and birdie and the last two, for a final score of two under. He addressed in detail questions about his swing and also spoke at length about the thought process that went into the apparently successful spinal fusion he underwent last April after three failed microdiscectomies. As usual, he said little about his personal life, other than to say his two children were well. He did not address last year’s arrest after he was found asleep at the wheel of his car with multiple prescription drugs in his system. But when it came to his health in general and golf in particular, the 42-year-old could hardly contain his enthusiasm at being pain-free after years of searing pain in his back and legs. ”My quality of life is infinitely better than it was last year at this point,“ he said. ”I have no more pain in my back. Jan 24, 2018; San Diego, CA, USA; Tiger Woods plays his shot from the 17th tee during the ProAm of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course - North Co. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports ”It feels good not to have a burning sensation going down my leg into my foot, or collapse when I‘m walking, things of that nature. “It’s been so bad for so long, but turning it around and having my back fused, I haven’t felt this good in years, so I‘m excited about it.” Slideshow (4 Images) Woods has played just one tournament since his spinal fusion, the unofficial Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in December. Of all Woods’ victories, perhaps his greatest came here at the 2008 U.S. Open. He won despite having, in his own words, “no ACL” (anterior cruciate ligament) and a “broken leg” (two stress fractures in his lower left leg). But that was 10 years ago, and he has not won a major championship since. He tees off this week with different expectations. ”My expectations have tempered a little bit because I haven’t played,“ he said. ”I just want to start playing and getting into a rhythm of playing a schedule again. “I haven’t done that in such a long time, so I don’t know what to expect. I‘m going to grind, give it everything I possibly have.” Reporting by Andrew Both

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-golf-farmers-tiger-woods/golf-woods-gives-thumbs-up-on-eve-of-pga-tour-return-idUKKBN1FD30V

Curacao scraps deal for Chinese firm to run Isla refinery

(Reuters) - The government of Curacao said it has scrapped a preliminary agreement with Guangdong Zhenrong Energy to operate the island’s aging Isla refinery, saying the Chinese firm misrepresented itself and was unable to take on such a large endeavor. The two sides signed a deal in 2016 to invest some $10 billion in upgrading the facility. Curacao’s government said Guangdong Zhenrong does not have the muscle to invest in the refinery and lacks “unconditional support” from the Chinese government. “GZE turned out to be the contrary of what it said at the time of signing the MoU (memorandum of understanding),” Curacao said on its government website in a statement dated Sunday. “Curacao is looking for a viable alternative to guarantee the future of the refinery,” it added. Guangdong Zhenrong was not immediately available for comment. Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA [PDVSA.UL] has for decades operated the refinery, which opened in 1918, under a lease agreement. But cash-poor PDVSA has been reluctant to invest some $1.5 billion that Curacao authorities requested several years ago to modernize the 335,000 barrel-per-day facility. Reporting by Sailu Urribarri; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-curacao-refinery/curacao-scraps-deal-for-chinese-firm-to-run-isla-refinery-idUSKBN1ER1AJ

Icahn demands removal of 2 SandRidge board members

January 9, 2018 / 2:34 PM / Updated 5 hours ago Icahn demands removal of two SandRidge board members Taenaz Shakir 2 Min Read (Reuters) - SandRidge Energy’s ( SD.N ) biggest shareholder Carl Icahn on Tuesday called for the resignation of two of the company’s board members, after forcing the management to abandon the purchase of Bonanza Creek Energy Inc ( BCEI.N ). Icahn said in a letter to the oil and gas producer's board that he wanted to nominate one new director, while the other would be determined by other large shareholders. ( bit.ly/2maIfz6 ) Oklahoma-based SandRidge, which emerged from bankruptcy last year, had said in November it would pay $746 million for rival Bonanza Creek to expand its presence in the Denver-Julesburg Basin of Colorado. Icahn, the largest shareholder with a 13.5 percent stake, had called the offer “value-destroying”, forcing SandRidge to give to call off the deal. “We believe the current directors were remiss in attempting to ram through a dilutive, overpriced and value-destroying acquisition without at the very least reaching out and discussing this with the company’s shareholders,” the activist investor wrote in the letter. He also criticized Chief Executive James Bennett for the company’s actions under his management. “We question why you refuse to hold James Bennett accountable for his history with SandRidge during a period of massive value destruction,” Icahn said in the letter. Icahn also demanded the company either terminate a “poison pill” shareholder rights plan announced in November or raise its threshold to 25 percent from 10 percent. SandRidge spokeswoman declined to comment on Icahn’s letter. Reporting by Taenaz Shakir in Bengaluru and Gary McWilliams in Houston; Editing by Arun Koyyur

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bonanz-creek-egy-icahn/icahn-demands-removal-of-two-sandridge-board-members-idUSKBN1EY1O5

Aussie shares extend losses as banks weigh; NZ hits 5-wk closing low

January 11, 2018 / 5:52 AM / Updated an hour ago Aussie shares extend losses as banks weigh; NZ hits 5-wk closing low Reuters Staff 2 Min Read (Updates to close) Jan 11 (Reuters) - Australian shares extended losses to a second session on Thursday, led by declines in financials, after a report that China may dial down purchases of U.S. government debt rattled Wall Street. The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 0.5 percent, or 29.1 points, to 6,067.60. The benchmark lost 0.6 percent in the previous session. The three major indexes on Wall Street snapped a six-session rally on Wednesday as investors grew jittery after Bloomberg reported that China, the world’s biggest foreign holder of U.S. Treasuries, could slow or halt U.S. government bond purchases. Australia and New Zealand Banking Group finished 0.2 percent weaker at its lowest close in a week, while Westpac Banking Corp and Commonwealth Bank of Australia fell 0.5 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively. Materials stocks reversed early gains in the session to end lower, with heavyweight BHP Billiton Ltd slipping 0.4 percent. Australia’s Port Hedland iron ore terminal, used by the nation’s top miners, has begun clearing all vessels in its harbour as a tropical storm intensifies off the western Australian coast. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index registered broad losses and dropped 1.4 percent to finish at 8,250.44, its lowest close since Dec. 8. Dairy firm A2 Milk Company shed 4.4 percent to touch a near two-month closing low, while Auckland International Airport dropped 2.3 percent, hitting its lowest close in six weeks. (Reporting by Devika Syamnath in Bengaluru; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri)

https://www.reuters.com/article/australia-stocks-close/aussie-shares-extend-losses-as-banks-weigh-nz-hits-5-wk-closing-low-idUSL4N1P624W

Advocacy group calls on McDonald's to remove antibiotics from beef, pork

January 25, 2018 / 11:49 AM / Updated 10 hours ago Advocacy group calls on McDonald's to remove antibiotics from beef, pork Lisa Baertlein 3 Min Read (Reuters) - A consumer and public health group is pressing McDonald’s Corp to set a timeline for phasing out the routine use of medically important antibiotics in the beef and pork it serves, amid warnings that the practice fuels dangerous drug-resistant superbug infections in people. The petition drive by U.S. PIRG Education Fund is the latest in a broad campaign from the World Health Organization (WHO), investors, advocacy groups, and even nuns, to pressure farmers to curb or eliminate the use of those life-saving drugs on food animals. In the United States, an estimated 70 percent of antibiotics that are important to fighting human infections and ensuring the safety of invasive procedures such as surgeries are sold for use on farms. Scientists warn that the use of antibiotics to promote growth and prevent illness in healthy farms animals contributes to the rise of dangerous antibiotic-resistant superbug infections, which kill at least 23,000 Americans each year and pose a significant threat to global health. As the world’s biggest hamburger chain and a significant buyer of pork for its bacon and McRib sandwiches, McDonald’s has an outsize influence on farm practices. “The Big Mac can make a big dent in stopping the misuse of antibiotics in our food system,” said Matthew Wellington, antibiotics program director for U.S. PIRG. McDonald’s in 2016 was the first major fast-food chain to shift its U.S. chicken supply to birds raised without medically important antibiotics, its effort spurred most of its rivals and major chicken suppliers to follow. McDonald’s in August said would begin curbing the use of high-value human antibiotics in its global chicken supply in 2018 and begin working on antibiotic plans for other meats, dairy cows and laying hens. The company was not immediately available after normal business hours for comment. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently said sales and distribution of medically important antibiotics for food production fell 14 percent from 2015 to 2016, the first decline in year-to-year sales since the agency began collecting the data in 2009. FDA said chicken accounted for 6 percent of medically important antibiotic sales, while swine and cattle came in at 37 percent and 43 percent, respectively. Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Lisa Shumaker

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mcdonalds-antibiotics/advocacy-group-calls-on-mcdonalds-to-remove-antibiotics-from-beef-pork-idUSKBN1FE1HL

Ewoldsen Named President Of Johnston & Murphy

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Genesco Inc. (NYSE: GCO) announced today that Danny Ewoldsen has been named president of the Company's Johnston & Murphy division, effective February 4, 2018. A 15-year veteran of Johnston & Murphy, Ewoldsen most recently served as Executive Vice President, Retail and eCommerce. As president, he will expand his responsibilities to include the division's wholesale and retail operations. Ewoldsen will report to Jon Caplan, Senior Vice President of Genesco and Chief Executive Officer of Johnston & Murphy and Genesco Branded Group. "Danny has been instrumental in successfully driving change through Johnston & Murphy's direct to consumer businesses. His focus on ensuring our organization provides the very best customer service regardless of where and how our customer shops, along with his passion for developing and mentoring high performing teams and approach to overall brand management will build on the Johnston & Murphy legacy and continue the positive momentum we have established over the recent years. Our past has been exceptional, but I am confident that our future is even brighter," said Caplan. About Genesco Inc. Genesco Inc., a Nashville-based specialty retailer, sells footwear, headwear, sports apparel and accessories in more than 2,725 retail stores and leased departments throughout the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Germany, principally under the names Journeys, Journeys Kidz, Shi by Journeys, Schuh, Schuh Kids, Little Burgundy, Lids, Locker Room by Lids, Lids Clubhouse, Johnston & Murphy, and on internet websites www.journeys.com , www.journeyskidz.com , www.journeys.ca , www.shibyjourneys.com , www.schuh.co.uk , www.littleburgundyshoes.com , www.johnstonmurphy.com , www.lids.com , www.lids.ca , www.lidslockerroom.com , www.lidsclubhouse.com , www.trask.com , and www.dockersshoes.com . The Company's Lids Sports Group division operates the Lids headwear stores, the Locker Room by Lids and other team sports fan shops and single team clubhouse stores. In addition, Genesco sells wholesale footwear under its Johnston & Murphy brand, the Trask brand, the licensed Dockers brand, G.H. Bass & Co., and other brands. For more information on Genesco and its operating divisions, please visit www.genesco.com . View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ewoldsen-named-president-of-johnston--murphy-300589032.html SOURCE Genesco Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/26/pr-newswire-ewoldsen-named-president-of-johnston-murphy.html

Big portion of future GM electric vehicles for China market -exec

January 17, 2018 / 9:08 PM / Updated 7 minutes ago Big portion of future GM electric vehicles for China market -exec Paul Lienert , Nick Carey 3 Min Read DETROIT, Jan 17 (Reuters) - General Motors Co’s China unit will sell a “substantial portion” of the automaker’s future electric vehicles, GM China President Matt Tsien said on Wednesday. In a briefing at GM headquarters, Tsien said, “China is at the heart of our electrification strategy.” Tsien did not say which GM brands would sell electric vehicles in China. But Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen told Reuters at the Detroit auto show the luxury brand “will play a central role” in GM’s electrification strategy, including China. Cadillac will be “the technology spearhead for General Motors,” de Nysschen said, adding the brand will be “at the forefront” of rolling out new electric vehicles in the United States and China. The broader electrification strategy, detailed in mid-November by Chief Executive Mary Barra, includes the introduction in 2021 of a new dedicated electric vehicle architecture and an advanced battery system, which will support the development of at least 20 new models in the United States and China. The automaker has promised investors it will produce profitable electric vehicles by 2021 and that the 20 new battery electric and fuel cell vehicles will join its global lineup by 2023. Barra said GM aims to sell 1 million pure electric vehicles worldwide by 2026. Cadillac’s de Nysschen said the new electric vehicle architecture “will feature prominently” in U.S. and Chinese plans. GM has a long way to go to reach Barra’s lofty target. Last year, GM China and local partners sold 4 million vehicles - about 40 percent of the automaker’s global tally - but only 11,000 were pure electric vehicles, sold under GM’s local Baojun brand. The automaker sold about 50,000 pure electric vehicles worldwide in 2017, most of them the Chevrolet Bolt EV, or roughly 0.5 percent of its global sales. Tsien said plug-in electric vehicles, including hybrids, are expected to account for about 20 percent of the industry’s projected 35 million vehicle sales in China in 2025. Next year, a new Chinese quota system will require that 8 percent of an automaker’s sales be plug-in electrics. Tsien said GM expected to meet that quota, which would require selling more than 300,000 battery electrics and plug-in hybrids in 2019 or purchasing offsetting credits from other manufacturers. The automaker’s new electric vehicle will support models for “multiple brands in multiple segments,” Tsien said, and the flexible battery system will enable GM to offer a variety of driving ranges in those models. (Additional reporting by Norihiko Shirouzu in Detroit; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

https://www.reuters.com/article/autoshow-detroit-gm-china/big-portion-of-future-gm-electric-vehicles-for-china-market-exec-idUSL1N1PC1V7

India's ruling party may shore up votes by pushing more money toward farmers

Support for India's ruling political party has been fading outside urban areas — and that could mean good things coming for farmers. NARINDER NANU/AFP/Getty Images January 21, 2018: Indian farmer Neeraj Singh walks through his mustard field on the outskirts of Amritsar on the eve of Basant Panchmi, a festival that celebrates the onset of spring. New Delhi is likely to focus attention on rural areas in its upcoming annual budget, set for release on February 1, in an attempt to shore up political support there. Large swaths of the farming community — who make up the bulk of India's population — are growing disillusioned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, as reflected by December's Gujarat state election . Although the BJP secured a narrow victory in the bellwether state, rural residents there overwhelmingly voted for the opposition Congress party, which aggressively painted Modi as anti-poor and anti-farmer. Those results have the BJP worried. Four other states with big agrarian populations — Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka — are scheduled to hold elections this year, and the BJP may not be as lucky in those areas. Malaise among farmers runs deep, said Kunal Kundu, an economist at Societe Generale. Two years of drought have bitten into profits, which are believed to have fallen further last year despite a normal monsoon. Protests among farmers have risen sharply nationwide, Kundu explained. To offset this discontent, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is widely expected to promote initiatives aimed at boosting rural growth when he announces the federal budget next month. Syed Zafar Islam, the BJP's national spokesperson for political and economic affairs, told CNBC that he did not wish to speculate on New Delhi's upcoming budget. But he noted that farmers' wages have improved since Modi came to power and that the government was committed to addressing concerns of the rural community. "Fifty percent of the population stays in rural areas, so this is a huge priority for the government to improve the economic well being of farmers and masses through more rural roads, irrigation projects, rural housing, and better price realization for farmers," Islam said. Pro-farmer policies Analysts have called for Modi's administration to enact a set of reforms known as the Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing Act, which is designed to loosen rules on where farmers can sell their products. The act aims to double farmers' income by 2022. Existing regulations "restrict farmers' ability to sell produce outside designated wholesale markets, leaving them at the mercy of traders who often made profits at the expense of farmers," explained Kundu. "The new act could help reduce the price spread by enabling direct contact between farmers and consumers or other end users." show chapters India will have a $5 trillion economy by 2025, PM Modi says 9:17 AM ET Wed, 24 Jan 2018 | 01:58 The government has only one year left in its current term, so it's politically crucial for them to boost popularity ratings . New Delhi could also take other steps, such as boosting funds for crop insurance, spending more on rural infrastructure, or increasing price supports for produce when market prices fall, according to Shailesh Kumar, senior South Asia analyst at political consultancy Eurasia Group. "While this will be politically driven, it will produce economic dividends," he said in a recent note. But those steps could fuel inflation , a major headache for policymakers. Higher consumer prices can be a game-changer during elections, so "Modi will cautiously expand support for the agrarian economy to avoid causing a spike in broader inflation that would negatively affect his political future," Kumar continued. To keep food prices in check, New Delhi has imposed controls in recent years that have hurt agricultural producers.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/28/india-budget-2018-may-spend-more-money-on-farmers.html

Data Sheet—Power Outage at CES Comes Amid Tech Backlah | Fortune

Data Sheet—Darkness Hits CES Amid the Tech Backlash President and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association Gary Shapiro delivers a keynote address at CES 2018. Ethan Miller—Getty Images By Aaron Pressman and Adam Lashinsky 8:51 AM EST This is the web version of Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter on the top tech news. To get it delivered daily to your in-box, sign up here . Talk about bad omens. The lights went out briefly Wednesday at CES, the giant consumer-electronics trade show in Las Vegas. Electricity is rather key to CES, of course. The booming, thumping, pulsing, flashing stalls of techdom went dark and quiet for a spell, prompting amusing accounts of jugglers entertaining, battery-powered boom boxes bleating, and mere mortals illuminating their way from their rapidly depleting smartphones. Could the benighted tech industry have hit on a better metaphor than a power outage? While waiting for Ford CEO Jim Hackett’s enlightening keynote Tuesday morning I listened to CES poo-bah Gary Shapiro mouth words about diversity. This from the head of an organization that didn’t see fit to program one woman as a keynote speaker at its annual event. Elsewhere talk of a tech “backlash” dominated private conversations at CES, as this New York Times article nicely summarizes. Having observed a few of these cycles I’d offer a different interpretation of the current environment. It’s more the inevitable pendulum swinging. Tech is revered; tech is reviled. It’ll be revered again. It’s only a matter of time. As many predicted, voice has been the big topic of CES along with its empowering cousin, artificial intelligence. That’s what tech companies are selling, anyway. In my conversations the discussion of voice led inevitably to data and then to privacy. If the tech lords are listening—and responding with delightful services and information—they’re collecting data all the while. Do we trust them? Can they even keep the lights on? Adam Lashinsky @ NEWSWORTHY Dancing in the dark . A week after Billboard reported that Apple Music executive Jimmy Iovine would leave the company this summer, a reporter from Variety spotted the bald headed music mogul at an industry event. And Iovine denied the rumor , particularly that his departure would be motivated by some of his stock vesting in August. “All this stuff you’re seeing in the newspapers, let me tell you, my stock vested a long time ago,” he said. “We need Donald Trump here to call it ‘fake news.’” Coming out of the dark. Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg, and dozens of other tech CEOs urged Congress to pass legislation protecting immigrants who came the country as children, known as the dreamers. “Hundreds of thousands of deserving young people across the country are counting on you,” the group wrote . Not dark yet. Venture capital funding is booming . Startups raised $84 billion last year, the most since the late 1990s Internet bubble era, PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association reported. There were many cases of the rich getting richer—almost one-quarter of the money went to billion-dollar-valued unicorns. My songs know what you did in the dark. More troubles for Apple over its slowing of iPhones with older batteries . The chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), wants an explanation. “The large volume of consumer criticism leveled against the company in light of its admission suggests that there should have been better transparency,” Thune wrote. In France, a Paris prosecutor’s office opened a probe into whether the slowdowns violated consumer protection rules. And law enforcement officials continue attacking the company over the iPhone’s strong encryption security features. FBI forensic expert Stephen Flatley called the company “jerks,” and “evil geniuses” for making password cracking more difficult. The edge of darkness. Amazon’s Dash button let consumers order one specific product. Now the e-commerce giant is expanding the dash ecosystem to allow third parties to create virtual dash buttons that could appear on the screen of a phone or any other connected device, like a “smart” washing machine. Shot in the dark. Speaking of Amazon , it may or may not be a tipoff about the location of HQ2 , but the company is looking for 1 million square feet of new office space in Boston. Brendan Carroll, director of intelligence at the real estate firm Perry Brokerage Associates, tells the Boston Globe the current search would be “an incredible coincidence” if it’s not part of the plan for HQ2. Dark paradise . Drone registrations at the Federal Aviation Administration passed the 1 million mark, the agency said on Wednesday. Of the total, 878,000 registered as hobbyists (who may list one or more drone in a single filing) and 122,000 as commercial or government pilots (who get 1 craft per filing). (Decoding the headlines? Check, in order: Bruce Springsteen, Gloria Estefan, Bob Dylan, Fall Out Boy, Iron Maiden, Ozzy, and Lana Del Rey.) FOOD FOR THOUGHT The telecom industry has been talking about 5G , the super-fast fifth generation of cellular technology, for what seems like eons at this point. But at CES this year, companies said they were closer than ever to putting real products into consumers’ hands. AT&T even says it will have 5G smartphone connections available in 12 (as yet unnamed) cities this year. Jeremy Horowitz takes a deep dive into the state of 5G for VentureBeat, trying to separate the reality from the hype. Testing of fixed and mobile 5G products has been underway for some time, and Baidu’s Lu suggests that work and testing conducted largely in the U.S. will spread to China and elsewhere in the world throughout 2018. U.S. carriers are largely talking about 2018 as a “road to 5G” year in which bridge technologies such as faster LTE Advanced data and Massive MIMO antenna arrays will be deployed before the arrival of 5G. Verizon’s Vestberg said that 2018 will be the year when the 5G ecosystem develops and tests products to get them working together…Qualcomm’s Amon suggested that “flagship smartphones” could be on shelves by early 2019, allowing the first consumers to start transitioning to 5G. So it makes some sense that T-Mobile is promising its full 5G rollout in 2020, with initial deployments in 2019. In other words, stay tuned for CES 2019, which should be 5G’s real opportunity to shine. This year is mostly just about laying the foundation. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

http://fortune.com/2018/01/11/data-sheet-ces-power-outage-backlash/

Saudi Prince Alwaleed in settlement talks with government - sources

January 14, 2018 / 8:32 AM / Updated 9 hours ago Saudi Prince Alwaleed in settlement talks with government - sources Rania El Gamal , Stephen Kalin 3 Min Read DUBAI/JEDDAH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, detained for over two months in an anti-corruption crackdown, is negotiating a possible settlement with authorities but so far has not agreed on terms, a senior Saudi official said. Owner of Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Holding, billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal attends the traditional Saudi dance known as 'Arda', which was performed during Janadriya culture festival at Der'iya in Riyadh February 18, 2014. Picture taken February 18, 2014. REUTERS/Fayez Nureldine/Pool (SAUDI ARABIA - Tags: ROYALS BUSINESS) Prince Alwaleed, whose net worth has been estimated by Forbes magazine at $17 billion, is chairman and owner of international investment firm Kingdom Holding 4280.SE, and one of the country’s most prominent businessmen. “He offered a certain figure but it doesn’t meet the figure required from him, and until today the attorney-general hasn’t approved it,” the official said on condition of anonymity under government briefing rules. A second source familiar with Prince Alwaleed’s case told Reuters on Saturday that the price had offered to make a “donation” to the Saudi government, which would avoid any admission of wrongdoing, and to do so from assets of his own choosing. The government refused those terms, the source said. Kingdom Holding’s share price jumped as much as 9.8 percent on Sunday in response to news of the negotiations, adding about $860 million to the company’s capitalisation. The stock price was still 7 percent below its level just before Prince Alwaleed was detained. FILE PHOTO - Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed bin Talal leaves the High Court in London July 2, 2013. REUTERS/Neil Hall/File Photo Since early November Prince Alwaleed has been held, with dozens of other members of Saudi Arabia’s political and business elite detained in the crackdown, in Riyadh’s opulent Ritz Carlton hotel as authorities seek to reach settlements with the detainees. Saudi officials say they aim to claw back some $100 billion of funds that rightfully belong to the state. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who launched the crackdown, has indicated he wants to close existing cases quickly and expects most suspects to cut a deal. The allegations against Prince Alwaleed include money laundering, bribery and extorting officials, a Saudi official told Reuters soon after his detention. Neither he nor his company has commented publicly on the charges. Kingdom Holding, which has said it is continuing to operate normally, did not respond to requests for comment when asked about any settlement talks. Construction giant Saudi Binladin Group said on Saturday that some of its shareholders might transfer part of their holdings to the state in a settlement with authorities. Chairman Bakr Bin Laden and several family members were detained in the crackdown. In late November, senior Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender to the throne, was freed after reaching a settlement with authorities that involved paying more than $1 billion, according to a Saudi official. Additional reporting by Saeed Azhar in Dubai and Marwa Rashad in Riyadh; Editing by Andrew Torchia and Dale Hudson

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-saudi-arrest-alwaleed/saudi-prince-alwaleed-in-settlement-talks-with-government-sources-idUKKBN1F308I

Welltower Names Joe Weisenburger Senior Vice President, Business Development

TOLEDO, Ohio, Jan. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Welltower Inc. (NYSE: HCN) announced today that Joe Weisenburger has been named Senior Vice President, Business Development of Welltower. Mr. Weisenburger has been with the company since 1998 and previously served as Vice President - Business Development. "Joe's long and successful tenure at Welltower has been defined by his deep industry relationships and specialized knowledge base in seniors housing," said Mercedes Kerr, Executive Vice President - Business and Relationship Management. "Joe will play a critical role going forward as we continue to improve, on what is already the leading industry platform, for a new generation of residents." As Senior Vice President, Mr. Weisenburger will continue to lead domestic deal origination and relationship management efforts for Welltower's seniors housing portfolio. He will continue to report to Mercedes Kerr. Mr. Weisenburger has served in various leadership roles throughout his tenure with Welltower, including positions in asset management and investments and leading the underwriting team. Prior to joining Welltower, Mr. Weisenburger worked for Northwest Ohio Venture Fund where he was responsible for the evaluation of new and add-on investments for a $20 million venture fund. Mr. Weisenburger holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Miami University and an MBA in Finance from The Ohio State University. About Welltower Welltower Inc. (NYSE: HCN), an S&P 500 company headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, is driving the transformation of health care infrastructure. The company invests with leading seniors housing operators, post-acute providers and health systems to fund the real estate infrastructure needed to scale innovative care delivery models and improve people's wellness and overall health care experience. Welltower™, a real estate investment trust ("REIT"), owns interests in properties concentrated in major, high-growth markets in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, consisting of seniors housing and post-acute communities and outpatient medical properties. More information is available at www.welltower.com . View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/welltower-names-joe-weisenburger-senior-vice-president-business-development-300590666.html SOURCE Welltower Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/30/pr-newswire-welltower-names-joe-weisenburger-senior-vice-president-business-development.html

UPDATE 1-Saudi central bank lifts loan-to-value rate for 1st-time-buyer mortgages

(Adds housing minister) DUBAI, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s central bank lifted the maximum loan-to-value rate on Thursday for mortgages for first-time homebuyers to 90 percent from 85 percent in an effort to stimulate mortgage lending. “Raising the maximum limit of the percentage of financing of the value of the first house for citizens will contribute to supporting the growth of the real estate financing sector,” the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) said in a statement on its website. It said the decision also aims to help the kingdom achieve its national housing strategy, part of wider economic reform plans, but added that the move must not affect the stability of the financial sector. Housing Minister Majed al-Hogail welcomed the move as a step to enable low-income Saudis to own their first home. “My colleagues in @SAMA_GOV have helped us ease the burden on citizens by reducing the advance payment to 10 percent,” he said in a message on his Twitter account, adding that all interest on mortgage loans of first time-buyers who earn less than 14,000 riyals ($3,733) will be paid by the ministry. SAMA raised the loan-to-value rate for first-time buyers to 85 percent from 70 percent a year ago. $1 = 3.7503 riyals Reporting by Marwa Rashad; Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Peter Graffand Leslie Adler Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

https://www.reuters.com/article/saudi-housing-loans/update-1-saudi-central-bank-lifts-loan-to-value-rate-for-1st-time-buyer-mortgages-idUSL8N1P66AJ

Sterling edges down as UK cabinet reshuffle eyed

* Graphic: sterling and gilt yields bit.ly/2dgAXn1 * Graphic: World FX rates in 2018 tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh * Graphic: Trade-weighted sterling since Brexit vote tmsnrt.rs/2hwV9Hv By Jemima Kelly LONDON, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Sterling edged down against the dollar on Monday as investors eyed a reshuffle of Britain’s cabinet, though most said that bar any major surprises, the changes would be unlikely to significantly move the pound. Prime Minister Theresa May said on Sunday she would announce changes to her ministerial team soon, with media reports saying her foreign, finance, interior and Brexit ministers would keep their jobs in a reshuffle starting on Monday. Sterling has been trading between $1.30 and $1.36 since September, and traders say it will take major new developments in Brexit discussions - or a run of strong economic data that brings the timing of the next Bank of England interest rate hike forward - for the currency to break out of that range. It inched down 0.3 percent to $1.3530 on Monday. The Daily Telegraph reported May would create a new post to provide regular updates to the Cabinet on preparations for leaving the EU without a trade deal -- an outcome the government says it wants to avoid, but is nevertheless drawing up contingency plans for. UBS Wealth Management currency strategist Geoffrey Yu, in London, said such an appointment would be seen as moderately positive by markets as it would assuage concerns that the government is ill-prepared for a “no deal” scenario, but that he did not see the reshuffle affecting the pound materially. “If the names bandied about materialise, the bulk of the news is already in the price. And by the sounds of it, the key ministries are going to remain as they are,” he said. Positioning data on Friday showed speculators added to their bets on sterling strengthening in the week up to last Tuesday, but those positions are still only just in positive territory. “If we get bad news or good news, markets are going to be in a holding pattern. It’s going to take a lot of good news - be it economic or political - to push positioning definitively towards the long or short side,” said Yu. Against a broadly weaker euro, the pound edged up 0.1 percent to 88.61 pence. “Any fundamental fallout for the pound seems unlikely from the PM’s team tinkering this week... (and) one should also not read too much into the appointment of a new minister responsible for managing Brexit ‘No Deal’ contingency plans,” wrote ING currency strategist Viraj Patel in a note to clients. Patel added that any sterling pullback towards $1.34 should be seen as a buying opportunity. The Dutch bank sees sterling trading at $1.40 by the end of the first quarter. (Reporting by Jemima Kelly, Editing by William Maclean)

https://www.reuters.com/article/britain-sterling-open/sterling-edges-down-as-uk-cabinet-reshuffle-eyed-idUSL8N1P31F6

Lippert Components Completes Acquisition of Marine and Industrial Supplier Taylor Made Group, LLC

ELKHART, Ind., Jan. 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- LCI Industries (NYSE: LCII) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lippert Components, Inc. ("LCI"), a supplier of components for the leading original equipment manufacturers ("OEMs") of recreational vehicles ("RVs") and adjacent industries, and the related aftermarkets of those industries, has completed the previously announced acquisition of Taylor Made Group, LLC ("Taylor Made"). Headquartered in Gloversville, New York, Taylor Made is one of the recreational marine industry's largest, most diversified suppliers to boat builders and the aftermarket, as well as a key supplier to a host of other industrial end markets. Taylor Made operates out of ten facilities, including two in Europe. Sales of the acquired business for the twelve months ending December 2017 were approximately $150 million. About LCI Industries From over 60 manufacturing and distribution facilities located throughout the United States and in Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland and Italy, LCI Industries, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lippert Components, Inc., supplies, domestically and internationally, a broad array of components for the leading original equipment manufacturers of recreational vehicles; buses; trailers used to haul boats, livestock, equipment, and other cargo; trucks; pontoon boats; trains; manufactured homes; and modular housing. The Company also supplies components to the related aftermarkets of these industries primarily by selling to retail dealers, wholesale distributors, and service centers. LCI's products include steel chassis and related components; axles and suspension solutions; slide-out mechanisms and solutions; thermoformed bath, kitchen, and other products; vinyl, aluminum, and frameless windows; manual, electric, and hydraulic stabilizer and leveling systems; furniture and mattresses; entry, luggage, patio, and ramp doors; electric and manual entry steps; awnings and awning accessories; electronic components; televisions and sound systems; navigation systems; backup cameras; appliances; and other accessories. Additional information about LCI and its products can be found at www.lci1.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" with respect to our financial condition, results of operations, business strategies, operating efficiencies or synergies, competitive position, growth opportunities, acquisitions, plans and objectives of management, and other matters. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" for the purpose of the safe harbor provided by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those relating to our future business prospects resulting from acquisitions, whenever they occur in this press release are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of the Company's senior management at the time such statements were made. There are a number of factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, in addition to other matters described in this press release, pricing pressures due to domestic and foreign competition, costs and availability of raw materials (particularly steel, steel based components and aluminum) and other components, seasonality and cyclicality in the industries to which we sell our products, availability of credit for financing the retail and wholesale purchase of products for which we sell our components, inventory levels of retail dealers and manufacturers, availability of transportation for products for which we sell our components, the financial condition of our customers, the financial condition of retail dealers of products for which we sell our components, retention and concentration of significant customers, the costs, pace of, and successful integration of acquisitions and other growth initiatives, availability and costs of labor, employee benefits, employee retention, realization and impact of efficiency improvements and cost reductions, the successful entry into new markets, the costs of compliance with environmental laws and increased governmental regulation and oversight, information technology performance and security, the ability to protect intellectual property, interest rates, oil and gasoline prices, the impact of international, national and regional economic conditions and consumer confidence on the retail sale of products for which we sell our components, and other risks and uncertainties discussed more fully under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, and in the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made, except as required by law. View original content: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lippert-components-completes-acquisition-of-marine-and-industrial-supplier-taylor-made-group-llc-300589036.html SOURCE Lambert, Edwards & Associates, Inc.; LCI Industries

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/26/pr-newswire-lippert-components-completes-acquisition-of-marine-and-industrial-supplier-taylor-made-group-llc.html

Dutch talisman Kramer hoping to strike 10,000m gold

10 PM / Updated 12 minutes ago Dutch talisman Kramer hoping to strike 10,000m gold Simon Jennings 4 Min Read LONDON (Reuters) - The Dutch speed skating team at the Winter Olympics in South Korea is hoping their talisman Sven Kramer can complete his dominance of the longer distances with an elusive gold in the 10,000 metres. FILE PHOTO: Speed Skating - ISU European Speed Skating Championships All Round medal ceremony- Heerenveen, the Netherlands - 8/1/17 Gold medal winner Sven Kramer of the Netherlands reacts on the podium. REUTERS/Michael Kooren/File Photo The 31-year-old has won the event five times at the world single distance championships and broken the world record three times, and an Olympic gold in Pyeongchang would ease the heartache he endured at the 2010 Vancouver Games. Kramer won gold in the 5,000 in Vancouver and finished first in the 10,000 final, but was disqualified for choosing the wrong lane after he received incorrect instructions from his coach. The seven-time Olympic medallist took gold in the 5,000 and team pursuit at the Sochi Games four years ago, but finished behind team mate Jorrit Bergsma in the 10,000. “That’s for sure his target,” Arie Koops, technical director of the Dutch speed skating association, told Reuters. “Of course he’d like some more medals not only that one, but gold in the 10,000 will be a special target for him.” Yet the Dutch may not have it all their own way in South Korea, with Kramer and Bergsma likely to face competition from Canada’s Ted Jan-Bloemen, who was born in the Netherlands. The 31-year-old Jan-Bloemen obtained Canadian citizenship in 2014 and currently holds world records in both the 5,000 and 10,000, but next month’s Olympics will be his first. OLYMPIC VETERAN Kramer, in contrast, got his first taste of the Winter Olympics at Turin in 2006, where he won silver in the 5,000 and bronze in the team pursuit. FILE PHOTO: Speed Skating - Men's 10000 meters - ISU European Speed Skating Championships All Round - Heerenveen, the Netherlands - 8/1/17Ê Sven Kramer of the Netherlands skates. REUTERS/Michael Kooren/File Photo Speed skating runs in Kramer’s family -- his father Yep competed in the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Winter Games -- and his experience on the ice and reputation as one of the world’s best all-round skaters make him a formidable opponent. It was Kramer’s experience that led to him being named to race in the mass start for the Netherlands at the Games, much to his own surprise as he is also in the 5,000 and team pursuit. “That was a big surprise,” Koops said. “But we already saw him competing in some Dutch mass start races, and he competed in our marathon in a race of 125 laps, so he is also doing his endurance training on the marathon.” Unlike most speed skating events on the long track where skaters race the clock, the mass start, which is making its Olympic debut in South Korea, involves a peloton so tactics and positioning come to the fore. “He is used to skating in a pack,” Koops added. “We wanted to bring our real best skaters into the mass start and our head coach for the team pursuit and mass start decided to bring in Sven Kramer as one of the best skaters of the Netherlands.” The Dutch have also named sprinter Koen Verweij to partner Kramer, so the team can have the best of both worlds in the sport’s newest Olympic event. “The mass start has evolved really quickly,” Koops said. “You see more skaters who are skating in the 1,000 and 1,500, so there’s a lot of speed in the final sprint, that’s why I think the coach made his decision on Sven and Koen Verweij.” Editing by Greg Stutchbury

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-olympics-2018-skat-kramer/dutch-talisman-kramer-hoping-to-strike-10000m-gold-idUKKBN1F41N0

Twitter is a 'best idea' in 2018: JP Morgan

SHARES Chris Ratcliffe | Bloomberg | Getty Images Twitter is one of the best stock ideas in 2018 as the social media company develops its video and live streaming content and works to turn its financial story around, according to J.P. Morgan's top internet analyst. Despite a slide in share price over the past several years, Doug Anmuth told investors that the company should see double-digit daily active user growth of 10 percent. "We upgraded Twitter to Overweight on Dec. 18 as we believe both the Twitter story and financial results will strengthen over the next year," Anmuth wrote in a note to clients. The analyst included four top reasons investors should like Twitter shares in 2018, and reiterated his bullish price target.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/11/twitter-is-a-best-idea-in-2018-jp-morgan.html

Larry Nassar Trial: USOC Calls For USA Gymnastics Board to Resign | Fortune

By Kirsten Korosec January 24, 2018 U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun called on the entire USA Gymnastics board to resign following Wednesday’s sentencing of former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor Larry Nassar who sexually abused young women under the guise of providing medical treatment. Nassar was sentenced Wednesday to 40 to 175 years in prison for seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. He still faces sentencing in Eaton County, Michigan for three more counts. The sentencing by Judge Rosemarie Aquilina Aquilina followed an intense 7-day hearing in which more than 150 women gave statements describing how Nassar abused them. Three members of the USAG resigned Monday. In an open letter to Team USA athletes , Blackmun apologized that the USOC did not support the victims. The purpose of this message is to tell all of Nassar’s victims and survivors, directly, how incredibly sorry we are. We have said it in other contexts, but we have not been direct enough with you. We are sorry for the pain caused by this terrible man, and sorry that you weren’t afforded a safe opportunity to pursue your sports dreams. The Olympic family is among those that have failed you. I know this apology is not enough. We have been working on taking steps at the USOC and mandating changes among National Governing Bodies to ensure this does not happen again. Blackmun outlined four steps that the USOC plans to take, including the launch of an independent investigation “to examine how an abuse of this proportion could have gone undetected for so long.” This investigation will include both USAG and the USOC. Blackmun said the results will be made public. Blackmun recommended all remaining members of the USAG resign, that the governance of the board be changed, and that a new system to make it easier to report abuse be established. After the initial USAG resignations, Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Aly Raisman —herself a victim and survivor of Nassar’s abuse—criticized the USOC for not doing more. Thoughts on USOC's statement pic.twitter.com/hygTV6nNXd — Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) January 23, 2018 In a statement that she tweeted on Jan. 22, Raisman said: “Over the weekend, the USOC released a statement shameless taking credit for a few USAG resignations (note: not fired); as though they’re addressing this problem. But they are still not acknowledging its own role in this mess. ZERO accountability! It’s like none of us were ever abused!” Raisman called for an independent investigation into the matter, ending her letter with “What’s it going to take for you to do the right thing?” SPONSORED FINANCIAL CONTENT

http://fortune.com/2018/01/24/us-olympic-committee-usa-gymnastics-resign/

U.S. Trump will probably visit Britain in second half of year - source

LONDON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will most probably visit Britain in the second half of this year, but officials are discussing whether it will be a state visit and when exactly it will take place, a British senior government source said on Thursday. After Trump met Prime Minister Theresa May in Davos, the source agreed that it would probably happen in the second half of the year. “It will be later this year and that’s what the PM and the President have tasked all the officials with - to come up with a time that works best.” (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper. Editing by Andrew MacAskill)

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-britain-may/u-s-trump-will-probably-visit-britain-in-second-half-of-year-source-idUSL9N1NN00Y

Pelicans' Cousins suffers ankle injury

January 27, 2018 / 7:03 AM / Updated 14 hours ago Pelicans' Cousins suffers ankle injury Reuters Staff 1 Min Read (Reuters) - New Orleans Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins could be out for the remainder of the season after sustaining a left ankle injury in Friday’s game against the Houston Rockets. Cousins went down in the final seconds after pursuing his own free throw and had to be helped off the court. Slideshow (3 Images) He finished with 15 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry says Cousins would get an MRI on Saturday. He had just been picked as part of LeBron James’ team in the upcoming All Star Game. ”We just have to keep going, that’s all we can do,“ team mate Anthony Davis told reporters. ”We have just got to move on to the next game Sunday and try and go out there and do the same thing.” Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Rutherford

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-basketball-nba-nop-cousins/pelicans-cousins-suffers-ankle-injury-idUSKBN1FG070

The UK and France Are Thumbing Their Noses at the US Over Net Neutrality Repeal - Fortune

By David Meyer January 19, 2018 While efforts to revive net neutrality in the United States continue—by way of states suing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and senators trying to overturn the FCC’s December repeal —two European countries have thumbed their noses at the U.S. by reaffirming their commitment to the principle. As part of a wide-ranging agreement to strengthen links in the tech sector, the U.K. and France said Friday: “[Our] industrial strategies highlight the role that digital technology will play in the economy of the future. In this context, we wish to restate our commitment and support for the principle of net neutrality, which promotes a free and open internet.” The countries said they would “make sure users can access websites without internet service providers favoring or blocking particular sites,” according to a statement from the British culture ministry. This is largely a restatement of the obvious. A regulation came into effect across the European Union in 2016 that mandates net neutrality across the bloc and, unlike the now-stricken U.S. net-neutrality rule that was introduced under the Obama administration, the EU’s law won’t be going anywhere for a long time. That suggests the statement was partly a jab at the U.S. and a message to European tech firms that they’re on safer ground in France and the U.K. However, it also carries a lot of significance for the U.K., which is preparing to leave the EU. When Brexit happens next year, the EU’s net neutrality regulation will no longer apply in the U.K. So Friday’s statement indicates that the country will maintain the principle nonetheless. What that means in practice—whether there will be loopholes, and how well net neutrality will be enforced—remains to be seen. The EU’s net neutrality law already has one significant loophole: it permits the practice of “ zero rating ,” where internet service providers can exempt particular services from a customer’s data cap. European telecoms regulators say they will monitor the situation to ensure zero-rating offers don’t give an unfair advantage to particular sites and services, but the practice is nonetheless a form of net neutrality infringement. In their Friday statement, the British and French culture ministers said they would establish a “digital conference” this year to “foster cross-Channel collaboration between academics, industry and government.” The conference will cover topics such as AI, cybersecurity and digital government. The statement came as French president Emmanuel Macron made his first state visit to the U.K. Boris Johnson, the British foreign secretary, used the occasion to propose the construction of a literal, 22-mile bridge across the English Channel. According to a Guardian report, Macron is “understood to have responded positively.” SPONSORED FINANCIAL CONTENT

http://fortune.com/2018/01/19/uk-france-net-neutrality-us/

Forest City Realty Trust Notice of Fourth-Quarter and Year-end 2017 Earnings and Conference Call

CLEVELAND, Jan. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Forest City Realty Trust, Inc., (NYSE: FCEA) will release its fourth-quarter and year-end 2017 financial results on Thursday, February 8, 2018, after the NYSE close, and will hold a conference call with investors on Friday, February 9, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. ET, to discuss these results. Investors are invited to dial into the conference call hosted by David J. LaRue, president and chief executive officer. The conference call is scheduled for 9:30 A.M. ET, Friday, February 9, 2018. A live webcast of the call will be available online at www.forestcity.net . Use the following link to pre-register for this conference call. Callers who pre-register will be given a unique PIN to gain immediate access to the call and bypass the live operator. You may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call start time. To pre-register, go to: https://www.theconferencingservice.com/prereg/key.process?key=PYAW4C983 To participate on the day of the call, dial 1-888-713-4218 and use access code 70483343#, approximately five minutes before the call. Callers without a pre-registration PIN can press *1 to bypass the instructions and speak to a live operator. Tell the operator you wish to join the Forest City Fourth-Quarter Earnings Conference Call. (International callers, please dial 617-213-4870.) The call will be replayed from February 9, 2018, 3:00 P.M. ET to March 10, 2018, 11:59 P.M. ET. The replay number is 1-888-286-8010, access code 80713800. (International callers, please dial 617-801-6888) The webcast replay will be available at www.forestcity.net . View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/forest-city-realty-trust-notice-of-fourth-quarter-and-year-end-2017-earnings-and-conference-call-300586996.html SOURCE Forest City Realty Trust, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/23/pr-newswire-forest-city-realty-trust-notice-of-fourth-quarter-and-year-end-2017-earnings-and-conference-call.html

Exclusive - Squash-Technological innovation the key for Squash's Olympic dream

January 11, 2018 / 9:08 AM / Updated 7 hours ago Exclusive - Squash-Technological innovation the key for Squash's Olympic dream Rod Gilmour 4 Min Read LONDON (Reuters) - Squash chiefs have long held a desire for the sport to be a part of the Olympic Games and thanks to innovations in technology, their dream may be closer to becoming a reality. Players use interactiveSquash's interactiveSquash Area Focus training module in an undated photograph handed out by the manufacturer. Markos Kem/Fun With Balls GmbH/Handout via REUTERS Squash has failed on three occasions to be included in the Games, most recently as part of the programme for Tokyo 2020. Yet the sport hopes that the adoption of new data systems will make it a more appealing product as it seeks inclusion in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Next month, squash will pioneer a statistical tracking system for the first time at a world tour event at the Swedish Open in Linkoping between Feb. 8-11, which the Professional Squash Association (PSA) says will allow the elite game to be analysed in greater depth than ever before. Four cameras and a series of sensors will be erected around and above the all-glass court, led by a motion tracking system called “MoTrack”, allowing for instant analysis of player and ball behaviour. “We feel certain this will add a new dimension to squash’s global appeal,” Alex Gough, the PSA’s chief executive, told Reuters in an interview. “Squash is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world and being able to illustrate the supreme fitness of our players with scientific data, that is easy to understand and display, is key to helping improve our sport.” Physical characteristics such as movement, speed and distance covered by players during games will also be shown, alongside tactical elements such as heat maps and ball tracking data. German developers interactiveSQUASH (iSquash) launched new technology last year that can project interactive training modules on the front wall of the court. The system was conceived by Markos Kern, a Munich-based creative entrepreneur. “With our system, squash will in time become the first to achieve a full merger between sport and technology in truly real time - with data instantly available to fans and players,” he said. Players compete in the PSA World Tour Finals in an undated photograph handed out by the tournament organisers, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Steve Line/Professional Squash Association/Handout via REUTERS Tour chiefs hope to incorporate technology for automated calls on the out lines, as well as the tin, if the trial concept proves successful. Plans are also in place to combine iSquash’s front wall technology with the tour system, meaning that statistical data can be projected onto the court wall in between games for spectators. YOUNGER GENERATION Kern said he will also create an e-squash governing body to harness the growing popularity of e-sports. “If squash doesn’t innovate for the digital age then what chance do we have of young people picking up a racket?” added Kern. “This is a perfect combination of gaming and a real sport.” Attracting a youthful audience is also pivotal for a sport harbouring dreams of Olympic inclusion after failing to convince the International Olympic Committee in its last three bids. “The possibilities that this technology offers us are endless, and will allow us to tap into a younger, tech-savvy audience,” added Gough. The Paris Games, however, represent squash’s best chance of Olympic inclusion. Frenchman Jacques Fontaine was elected World Squash Federation president in 2016, while former fencer Laura Flessel, now France’s sport minister, used squash as a training tool as she became France’s most decorated female Olympian, before retiring after London 2012. France’s Gregory Gaultier is currently world number one in the men’s game. “This technology will take the sport to another level,” he told Reuters. Editing by Christian Radnedge

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-squash-technical-exclusive/exclusive-squash-technological-innovation-the-key-for-squashs-olympic-dream-idUKKBN1F00X9

Takeda announces its intention to acquire TiGenix

PRESS RELEASE REGULATED INFORMATION Inside Information Communication in accordance with section 8, §1 of the Belgian Royal Decree of 27 April 2007 on public takeover bids Takeda announces its intention to acquire TiGenix Leuven (BELGIUM) - January 5, 2018, 7:30h CET - TiGenix NV ("TiGenix") (Euronext Brussels and NASDAQ: "TIG"), an advanced biopharmaceutical company focused on exploiting the anti-inflammatory properties of allogeneic, or donor-derived, stem cells to develop novel therapies for serious medical conditions, today confirms that Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited ("Takeda") has announced its intention to launch a voluntary conditional takeover bid on TiGenix. Takeda intends to acquire 100% of the securities with voting rights or giving access to voting rights of TiGenix not already owned by Takeda or affiliates at a price of EUR 1.78 per share in cash and an equivalent price in cash per American Depositary Share, warrant and convertible bond. Takeda intends to launch the proposed takeover bid shortly after the approval of the bid prospectus and the response memorandum by the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (" FSMA "). The bid will be subject to Takeda and its affiliates owning at least 85% of the securities of TiGenix with voting rights or giving access to voting rights on a fully diluted basis, as well as the following conditions precedent: the absence of a material adverse effect occurring after the date of this announcement, Cx601 obtaining European Medicines Agency approval and expiration of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 in the U.S. The European Medicines Agency approval for Cx601 is expected during the first half of 2018. Consistent with its fiduciary duties and subject to review of the final bid prospectus, the bid is unanimously supported by TiGenix' board of directors, who will provide its formal response to the proposed takeover bid in a response memorandum which it will issue in due course in accordance with the applicable legal provisions. Takeda and TiGenix entered into an offer and support agreement confirming TiGenix' support and the terms and conditions of the bid set forth in the press release of Takeda. Cowen and Company, LLC served as financial advisor to TiGenix. Gri-Cel S.A., holding 32,238,178 TiGenix shares, and its affiliate Grifols Worldwide Operations Ltd., holding 7,189,800 TiGenix shares held in the form of American Depositary Shares, have irrevocably confirmed that they will tender their shares and American Depositary Shares held in TiGenix into the potential public takeover bid. For further information on the terms and conditions of the proposed takeover bid by Takeda, reference is made to the Takeda press release attached as Annex 1. "We believe the intended takeover bid of Takeda is a positive step for TiGenix' security holders and reflects the true value of our dedication to patients over the last few years. We believe that TiGenix's expertise would help accelerate Takeda's ambition to develop novel stem cell therapies," said Eduardo Bravo, CEO of TiGenix. "Takeda is a patient centric company that offers the best capabilities and resources to ensure access to Cx601 to patients worldwide." This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities of TiGenix in any jurisdiction. Further announcements will be made in due course, if and when circumstances so require. For more information please contact: TiGenix Claudia Jiménez Senior Director Investor Relations and Communications Tel: +34918049264 Claudia.jimenez@tigenix.com About TiGenix TiGenix NV (Euronext Brussels and NASDAQ: TIG) is an advanced biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies for serious medical conditions by exploiting the anti-inflammatory properties of allogeneic, or donor-derived, expanded stem cells. TiGenix lead product, Cx601, has successfully completed a European Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of complex perianal fistulas - a severe, debilitating complication of Crohn's disease. Cx601 has been filed for regulatory approval in Europe and a global Phase III trial intended to support a future U.S. Biologic License Application (BLA) started in 2017. TiGenix has entered into a licensing agreement with Takeda, a global pharmaceutical company active in gastroenterology, under which Takeda acquired the exclusive right to develop and commercialize Cx601 for complex perianal fistulas outside the U.S. TiGenix' second adipose-derived product, Cx611, is undergoing a Phase Ib/IIa trial in severe sepsis - a major cause of mortality in the developed world. Finally, AlloCSC-01, targeting acute ischemic heart disease, has demonstrated positive results in a Phase I/II trial in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). TiGenix is headquartered in Leuven (Belgium) and has operations in Madrid (Spain) and Cambridge, MA (USA). For more information, please visit http://www.tigenix.com . Forward-looking information This communication may contain forward-looking statements and estimates with respect to the anticipated future performance of TiGenix and the market in which it operates and statements regarding the expected consummation of the tender offer, which involves a number of risks and uncertainties, including the satisfaction of closing conditions for the tender offer, the possibility that the transaction will not be completed, the impact of general economic, industry, market or political conditions, and the other risks and uncertainties discussed in TiGenix' public filings with the SEC, including the "Risk Factors" section of TiGenix' Form 20-F filed on April 6, 2017, as well as the tender offer documents to be filed by Takeda (the "Offeror") and the solicitation/recommendation statement to be filed by TiGenix. Certain of these statements, forecasts and estimates can be recognised by the use of words such as, without limitation, "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "plans", "seeks", "estimates", "may", "will" and "continue" and similar expressions. They include all matters that are not historical facts. Such statements, forecasts and estimates are based on various assumptions and assessments of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which were deemed reasonable when made but may or may not prove to be correct. Actual events are difficult to predict and may depend upon factors that are beyond TiGenix' control. Therefore, actual results, the financial condition, performance, timing or achievements of TiGenix, or industry results, may turn out to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements, forecasts and estimates. Given these uncertainties, no representations are made as to the accuracy or fairness of such forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates. Furthermore, forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates only speak as of the date of this communication. The Offeror and TiGenix disclaim any oblig

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/05/globe-newswire-takeda-announces-its-intention-to-acquire-tigenix.html

GLOBAL MARKETS-Asia shares hit record peak but trade protectionist fears cast shadow

* Ex-Japan Asia MSCI hits another record, Nikkei down 1.1 pct * Mnuchin says weaker dollar good for U.S. trade * Ross hints at action against China * European shares seen flat to slightly firmer By Hideyuki Sano TOKYO, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Asian stocks hit a record high on Thursday though concerns about the Trump administration’s protectionist stance tempered enthusiasm in financial markets, while the dollar struggled after U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin welcomed a weaker currency. European shares are expected to tick up slightly, with spread-betters seeing a small rise of 0.1 percent in Britain’s FTSE, Germany’s DAX and France’s Cac. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan advanced 0.3 percent to an all-time peak for the ninth session in a row. Japan’s Nikkei fell 1.1 percent, hit by the dollar’s decline against the yen. MSCI ACWI, the index provider’s broadest gauge of the world’s stock markets, boosted its gains for the month to 6.6 percent. It had registered declines only on two days this year amid optimism over an extended growth spurt in the global economy and solid earnings. A Reuters poll of over 500 economists showed the global economy is expected to grow at the fastest pace since 2010. The upbeat mood, however, has come up against renewed fears of protectionism after U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to impose steep import tariffs on washing machines and solar panels earlier in the week. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, hinted at action against China, saying U.S. trade authorities were investigating whether there is a case for taking action over China’s infringements of intellectual property. Trump is scheduled to speak in Davos on Thursday. Also in the Swiss Alpine town, Mnuchin made a major departure from traditional U.S. currency policy on Wednesday, saying “obviously a weaker dollar is good for us as it relates to trade and opportunities.” Analysts say they cannot remember any U.S. Treasury Secretary openly embracing a cheaper dollar at least in the last two decades or so. “I was speculating the Trump administration may role out something with fanfare given its big delegation to Davos,” said Masayuki Kichikawa, chief macro strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management. “I’d think the real aim of Mnuchin’s comments on the dollar is not so much engineering a weaker dollar per se as putting pressure on trading partners to do some trade deals with the administration,” he added. The dollar’s index against a basket of six major currencies tumbled to a three-year low of 88.816, falling 1.9 percent so far this week. The euro rose to as high as $1.2459, a peak not scaled since December 2014, ahead of the European Central Bank’s policy meeting later in the day. The meeting comes against a backdrop of heightened speculation over when it will end its vast stimulus and signal a rise in interest rates from record lows. The dollar slipped to 108.74 yen, its lowest levels since mid-September. The Chinese yuan also strengthened, gaining 0.5 percent to 6.3280 yuan per dollar in onshore trade, hitting its highest level since November 2015. It rose 2.7 percent so far this month. The gains, if sustained, would mark the biggest monthly rise ever. Gold jumped past its September peak to 1-1/2-year high of $1,365.8 per ounce. A break above its July 2016 high around $1,375 would take it to a four-year high. Brazilian markets might be in for another strong day following rally in the real and shares on Wednesday after an appeals court upheld the corruption conviction of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a major blow to the popular politician’s plans to run again for the presidency this year. He was perceived to be not friendly to markets, even though his eight-year reign from 2003 saw strong gains in Brazilian shares and currency. Oil prices rallied to three-year high, boosted by a record 10th straight weekly decline in U.S. crude inventories, though reduced refining activity and rising production signalled U.S. stocks could rise in coming weeks. International benchmark Brent futures were nudging $71 per barrel - $71.03 a barrel at 0232 GMT - a level not seen since early December 2014 and up 45 cents, or 0.6 percent, from their last close. Bitcoin extended its rebound from Tuesday’s low of $9,927 to $11,541, up 1 percent so far in Asia. Editing by Shri Navaratnam

https://www.reuters.com/article/global-markets/global-markets-asia-shares-hit-record-peak-but-trade-protectionist-fears-cast-shadow-idUSL4N1PK1XT

UPDATE 1-China's new loans halve in Dec, but hit record in 2017

January 12, 2018 / 9:21 AM / Updated an hour ago UPDATE 2-China's new loans halve in Dec, but hit record in 2017 Reuters Staff * Dec new loans 584.4 bln yuan vs f‘cast of 1 trln yuan * China’s new loans hit record 13.53 trln yuan in 2017 * Dec M2 money supply up 8.2 pct y/y, vs f‘cast 9.1 pct * Dec TSF 1.14 trln yuan, vs 1.6 trln yuan in Nov (Adds comments from analyst, c.bank) By Fang Cheng and Kevin Yao BEIJING, Jan 12 (Reuters) - China’s bank lending halved in December as the government kept up its campaign to curb financial system risks, but banks still managed to dole out a record amount for the year amid the tighter scrutiny. Chinese authorities are trying to walk a fine line by containing riskier types of financing and slowing an explosive build-up in debt without stunting economic growth. Banks extended 584.4 billion yuan ($90.46 billion) in December, data from the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) showed on Friday, well below expectations of 1 trillion yuan and November’s 1.12 trillion yuan. But banks lent a record 13.53 trillion yuan of new loans in 2017. Some analysts believe the slowdown in December loans also reflects seasonal factors as banks usually lend less towards the year-end due to tight loan quotas and capital charges. “We expect bank loans to increase significantly in January 2018 due to strong demand,” analysts at ANZ said in a report. “With deleveraging remaining a policy priority over the medium term, the seasonal slowing in credit will not result in monetary easing.” New bank loans last year surpassed 2016’s record tally of 12.65 trillion yuan, as a crackdown on riskier shadow lending have forced banks to shift such loans back onto their books. Since the start of this year, Chinese regulators have taken a slew of steps to force financial institutions to deleverage, targeting everything from bond trading, banks’ NCD debt issuance to entrusted loans. Analysts have attributed the appetite for loans partly to the crackdown on off-balance sheet lending although there are signs tighter liquidity is starting to hit the economy. “Our China Activity Proxy suggests that growth has started to suffer recently as a result of this slowdown in credit growth. We expect further weakness in the months ahead, which we think will eventually trigger monetary easing by the PBOC,” said Capital Economics Senior China Economist Julian Evans-Pritchard. “NEW NORMAL” Household loans, mostly mortgages, fell to 329.4 billion yuan in December from 620.5 billion yuan in November, according to Reuters calculations based on the central bank’s data. Household loans accounted for 56 percent of total new loans in December, versus 55 percent in November. Corporate loans fell to 243.2 billion yuan in December from 522.6 billion yuan a month earlier. Household loans rose to 7.13 trillion yuan in 2017 from 6.33 trillion yuan in 2016, while corporate loans climbed to 6.71 trillion yuan from 6.1 trillion yuan, the data showed. Broad M2 money supply in 2017 grew 8.2 percent from a year earlier, missing forecasts for an expansion of 9.1 percent and hitting the slowest pace since records began in 1996. The M2 growth rate was far lower than the official target of around 12 percent. The Shanghai Securities News quoted central bank spokeswoman Ruan Jianhong as saying that the weak M2 growth was caused by a crackdown on banks’ off-balance sheet activities, even though they maintained support for the real economy. “As long as the financing needs of the real economy are met, the slowdown of M2 actually reflects the improvement of the efficiency of cashflows,” Ruan said. “The growth rate of M2, which is lower than in the past, may become a new normal and need not be over interpreted.” China will keep its target for economic growth at “around 6.5 percent” in 2018, unchanged from last year, policy sources told Reuters last week. The central bank is likely to keep its grip on money supply this year in line with its “prudent and neutral” policy, but no increases in benchmark interest rates are expected soon after a recent rise in corporate funding costs, sources have said. Outstanding yuan loans at end-December grew 12.7 percent from a year earlier, slower than an expected 13.1 percent rise. Total social financing (TSF), a broad measure of credit and liquidity in the economy, fell to 1.14 trillion yuan in December from 1.60 trillion yuan in November, data showed. TSF includes off-balance sheet forms of financing that exist outside the conventional bank lending system, such as initial public offerings, loans from trust companies and bond sales. That can provide hints of activity in China’s vast and unregulated shadow banking sector, which authorities have also been targeting in their campaign to reduce systemic risks. $1 = 6.4696 Chinese yuan Editing by Sam Holmes and Jacqueline Wong

https://www.reuters.com/article/china-economy-loans/update-1-chinas-new-loans-halve-in-dec-but-hit-record-in-2017-idUSL4N1OZ2RN

Researchers find pop-up porn malware on Google game apps

BERLIN, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Security firm Check Point on Friday said it had discovered new malicious software on 60 gaming apps available to both children and adults at Google Play Store that displayed pornographic ads and tried to trick users into buying premium services. Dubbed “AdultSwine,” the malware hides inside game apps that Google Play data says have been downloaded between 3 to 7 million times, Check Point said in blog posting on Friday. The malware also sought to trick users into installing fake security apps, and it could open the door for other attacks such as theft of user credentials, Check Point said. It said games and apps intended for children were a new target for cyber criminals that had targeted hospitals, businesses and governments in the past. “The most shocking element of this malware is its ability to cause pornographic ads (from the attacker’s library) to pop up without warning on the screen over the legitimate game app being displayed,” it said. Check Point said Google took “decisive corrective action” to remove affected apps upon learning of the firm’s findings, disabled the developers’ accounts and will continue to show strong warnings to any users that still have the app installed. The games included “Paw Puppy Run Subway Surf”, “Shin Hero Boy Adventure Game,” “Drawing Lessons Lego Ninjago,” and “Addon Sponge Bob for MCPE.” Check Point said it expected AdultSwine and similar malware to be repeated and imitated by hackers, warning users to be extra vigilant when installing apps, especially those intended for use by children. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)

https://www.reuters.com/article/cyber-google-pornography/researchers-find-pop-up-porn-malware-on-google-game-apps-idUSL1N1P71DT

West Ham boss Moyes unaware of Chelsea's Carroll interest

January 17, 2018 / 5:28 AM / Updated 8 hours ago West Ham boss Moyes unaware of Chelsea's Carroll interest Reuters Staff 2 Min Read (Reuters) - West Ham United manager David Moyes is not aware of Chelsea’s interest in his striker Andy Carroll and hopes to add to his squad in January transfer window rather than sell. British media reports say Chelsea are desperate to boost manager Antonio Conte’s attacking options and have made contact with West Ham with the intent of signing Carroll on a permanent deal. “They (Chelsea) have not made contact with me, so if they have made contact with someone else I don’t know about it,” Moyes told reporters. ”At the moment Andy Carroll is one of my squad, I want to add to the squad, not lose players. “I know nothing about it. There have been a lot of rumours regarding a loan but as far as I know it has never officially come from Chelsea. I am not keen to lose any players.” Carroll, who has 18 months remaining on his current contract, remained on the sidelines with an ankle injury as West Ham laboured to a 1-0 win over third-tier Shrewsbury Town after extra-time in the FA Cup third round replay on Tuesday. “At the moment Andy has an ankle injury so we are hoping that will settle quickly and he will be back training shortly,” Moyes added. “We started tonight with a lot of young players due to injury and people not being available for the game. I knew with the team we were playing it was going to be touch and go to beat Shrewsbury.” West Ham, currently 11th in the Premier League table, host Bournemouth on Saturday. Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; editing by Amlan Chakraborty

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-england-whu-moyes/west-ham-boss-moyes-unaware-of-chelseas-carroll-interest-idUKKBN1F60GX

Advanced Bionics Announces Health Canada Approval for the New HiFocus™ SlimJ Electrode

—The HiFocus™ SlimJ Electrode, the latest electrode on the HiRes™ Ultra cochlear implant platform, offers protection to the delicate structures of the cochlea— VALENCIA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Advanced Bionics (AB) announces Health Canada approval of the HiFocus™ SlimJ electrode . Health Canada approval follows approval by FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the United States and TÜV (Technical Inspection Authority, Munich, Germany). Built on the proven HiFocus™ platform and developed with numerous surgeons from around the globe, the new SlimJ electrode features a thin, straight design for easy insertion through the round window or cochleostomy. The AB engineering team designed the electrode around the key goal of protecting the delicate structures of the cochlea during electrode insertion. The HiFocus SlimJ electrode, alongside the HiFocus Mid-Scala electrode, provides the surgeon with a choice of electrodes, offering several high-performance features designed to suit individual patient anatomy and surgical preferences for the best possible hearing outcomes. “The HiFocus SlimJ electrode addresses the surgeon need for an alternate type of electrode whilst still offering full spectrum coverage and maintaining the performance potential of the individual. And surgeons have commented that it is easy to handle and to insert,” says Mark Downing, Director of Medical Marketing and Product Management at Advanced Bionics. The HiFocus SlimJ electrode is available on the HiRes™ Ultra cochlear implant , the latest generation of HiRes implants. The HiFocus SlimJ electrode is designed to meet the needs of the global market and is currently available in limited markets in Europe. Hansjuerg Emch, Group Vice President Cochlear Implants (CI), Sonova, says, “I am very pleased with the successful implantations in Europe following the TÜV approval. This marks an important milestone not only for Advanced Bionics but for all future CI candidates.” Marketplace availability for all other regions will be based on regulatory approval by sector. When the HiRes Ultra implant is paired with the Naída CI sound processor , the listener realizes the full integration of AB and Phonak technology. The Naída CI, built from the same foundation as the most popular hearing aid line from Phonak, automatically adjusts to the sound environment to improve comfort and speech understanding in noise and automatically handles wireless inputs from streaming devices, giving listeners access to phone calls and other media sources. The Naída CI can also be paired with a second hearing device (another Naída CI, a Phonak Naída Link hearing aid or the wireless Phonak Naída Link CROS transmitter), providing all AB listeners with complete access to sound. About Advanced Bionics Advanced Bionics is a global leader in developing hearing solutions for individuals with severe-to-profound hearing loss who no longer benefit from hearing aids. Founded in 1993 and a subsidiary of the Sonova Group since 2009, AB develops cutting-edge cochlear implant technology that allows recipients to hear their best. AB joined Phonak as part of the Sonova Group of companies and began a collaboration unlike any other in the industry. Since then, the innovation leaders in cochlear implants and hearing aids have continuously combined technologies to deliver new, unequalled hearing solutions. AB offers the most capable cochlear implant system on the market 1 , the HiResolution™ Bionic Ear System designed to help recipients hear in noisy settings and enjoy the full dimensions of music and tonal languages 2,3 . With sales in more than 50 countries and a proven track record for developing high-performing, state-of-the-art products, AB’s talented worldwide group of technologists and professionals are driven to succeed, work with integrity and stay firmly committed to quality. Technical Specifications. HiRes™ Ultra Cochlear Implant with the HiFocus™ Mid-Scala Electrode. 2016. 028-M760-02 RevB. Adams D, Ajimsha KM, Barberá MT, Gazibegovic D, Gisbert J, Gómez J, Raveh E, Rocca C, Romanet P, Seebens Y, Zarowski A., Multicentre evaluation of music perception in adult users of Advanced Bionics cochlear implants Cochlear Implants Int. 2014 Jan;15(1):20-6. doi: 10.1179/1754762813Y. 32. Epub 2013 Nov 25. Chang YT, Yang HM, Lin YH, Liu SH, Wu JL. Tone discrimination and speech perception benefit in Mandarin-speaking children fit with HiRes fidelity 120 sound processing. Otol Neurotol. 2009 Sep;30(6):750-7. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0b013e3181b286b2. //www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180109005100/en/ Advanced Bionics Olivia Duarte, 661-362-1400 MediaInquiries@AdvancedBionics.com Source: Advanced Bionics

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/09/business-wire-advanced-bionics-announces-health-canada-approval-for-the-new-hifocusa-slimj-electrode.html

The Latest: Senate vote to stop shutdown 10 votes short

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the budget battle in Congress (all times local): 12:15 a.m. The final Senate vote on a Republican bill aimed at preventing a federal shutdown is in, and it's 10 votes short. Friday's late-night vote means a government closure is under way. There have been no clear public signs that the two parties have significantly narrowed their disputes over immigration and the budget. The House approved the measure Thursday over Democratic opposition. It would have kept agencies afloat through Feb. 16, but Democrats wanted a package lasting just days in hopes of intensifying pressure on the GOP to compromise. Republicans control the Senate 51-49. The GOP needed 60 votes to prevail, but the tally was 50-49. Five Democrats voted in favor of the measure. Five Republicans voted against it. 12:01 a.m. The White House says it will not negotiate with the Democrats on immigration until the end of the federal government shutdown. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says in a statement that, "We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands." She adds, "When Democrats start paying our armed forces and first responders we will reopen negotiations on immigration reform." The government shut down at midnight after Congress failed to pass a spending deal. Sanders says, "Senate Democrats own the Schumer Shutdown," adding, "This is the behavior of obstructionist losers, not legislators." 12 midnight The U.S. government shut down at midnight after Congress failed to resolve a partisan standoff over immigration and spending. In a late-night vote, Senate Democrats joined to block a bill that would have kept the government running for another four weeks. A flurry of last-minute negotiations failed to beat the deadline. Democrats have tried to use the Friday night funding deadline to win concessions from Republicans, including an extension of an Obama-era program protecting some young immigrants from deportation. The program is set to expire in March. Republicans sought more time for talks, but Democrats refused. The shutdown is only the fourth government closure in a quarter-century. It will only partially curb government operations. Uniformed service members, health inspectors, and law enforcement officers are set to work without pay. 11:59 p.m. Many of the immediate effects of the government shutdown will be muted for most Americans, as it comes on a Friday night. Social Security and most other safety net programs are unaffected by the lapse in federal spending authority. Critical government functions will continue, with uniformed service members, health inspectors and law enforcement officers set to work without pay. But if no deal is brokered before Monday, federal employees are set to be furloughed. The White House and Capitol Hill will be working with skeleton staffs, but some government agencies, like the Environmental Protection Agency, have said they were able to shift funding around to keep most workers on the job. National parks and federal museums will be open, but with potentially reduced services. 11 p.m. Senate Democrats appear to have derailed a Republican bill aimed at preventing a federal shutdown set to begin as soon as the calendar flips to Saturday. Friday's late-night vote means at least a short government closure is all but unavoidable. There have been no clear public signs that the two parties have significantly narrowed their disputes over immigration and the budget. The House approved the measure Thursday over Democratic opposition. It would keep agencies afloat through Feb. 16, but Democrats want a package lasting just days in hopes of intensifying pressure on the GOP to compromise. Republicans control the Senate 51-49. The GOP needed 60 votes to prevail, but the tally was 50-48 as of 11 p.m. Eastern time. The Senate is awaiting a final vote from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. 10:30 p.m. The Trump administration will exempt several hundred presidential staffers from mandatory furloughs if the government shuts down at midnight. Contingency plans released Friday night show that 659 Executive Office of the President staffers would be allowed to report to duty because they are considered essential workers. More than 1,000 of 1,700 staffers would be furloughed. The number is higher than the Obama administration, which deemed 545 staffers essential in 2015. The Executive Office of the President includes those who work in White House Office, the Office of the Vice President and the National Security Council, among others. 9:30 p.m. President Donald Trump says efforts to avert a government shutdown are "Not looking good." Trump says in a tweet late Friday evening that it's "Not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border." And he's blaming Democrats, saying they want a federal government shutdown "in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy." Lawmakers are trying to hash out a deal to keep the federal government open. A partial shutdown will begin at midnight if Congress doesn't pass a funding bill. 8:55 p.m. Newly minted Alabama Democratic Sen. Doug Jones is breaking ranks with party leaders and will vote for the House-passed Republican bill preventing a federal shutdown. Jones tells The Associated Press he will "reluctantly" vote for the measure late Friday. He says he's backing it because the measure contains fresh financing for the Children's Health Insurance Program, which helps low-income children. It will be Jones' highest-profile vote since he joined the Senate Jan. 3 after his upset special election victory over conservative Roy Moore. Democrats say they have the votes to block the GOP measure. Republicans control the Senate 51-49 but need 60 votes to prevail. Jones joins at least three other Democrats saying they'll support the bill: North Dakota's Heidi Heitkamp, Indiana's Joe Donnelly and West Virginia's Joe Manchin. 7:30 p.m. Administration officials say President Donald Trump would be allowed to travel to Davos, Switzerland, next week even if the government has been partially shut down. Senior administration officials told reporters in a background briefing call that the president is permitted to continue to exercise his constitutional duties during a funding lapse. That includes carrying out diplomacy. The officials declined to comment on whether the president would be able to travel to Florida this weekend to spend time at his Mar-a-Lago club. Trump is planning to attend the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting next week in Switzerland. He plans to meet with British Prime Minister Theresa May, among others. 7:20 p.m. The Senate has scheduled a showdown vote for 10 p.m. EST on preventing a federal government shutdown. Democrats are ready to block the Republican measure. Unless Congress approves some legislation providing money, government agencies will begin shutting down at midnight. The initial impact on most people will be slight, but the closure will raise the stakes in a partisan fight over immigration and the budget. The House approved a bil

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/20/the-associated-press-the-latest-senate-vote-to-stop-shutdown-10-votes-short.html

Toys 'R' Us says to shut a fifth of its U.S. stores

January 24, 2018 / 3:40 AM / Updated 17 minutes ago Toys "R" Us says to shut a fifth of its U.S. stores Ismail Shakil 3 Min Read (Reuters) - Toys “R” Us Inc said it would shut about a fifth of its U.S. stores in the coming months, as the toy-store chain tries to emerge from one of the largest ever bankruptcies by a specialty retailer. The closure of about 180 U.S. stores will begin in early February and continue until mid-April, Chief Executive David Brandon said in a letter on the company's website. bit.ly/2n5O1mR Brandon, who joined as CEO in 2015 after spearheading a turnaround at Domino’s Pizza Inc ( DPZ.N ), acknowledged gaps in customer experience during the vital holiday season but pledged to focus on improving shopping experience, both at its stores and online. The Wayne, New Jersey-based company, contesting growing competition from regional independent toy retailers and online giant Amazon.com ( AMZN.O ), will also roll out deep discounts and revamp its loyalty program to lure more shoppers. The company filed for bankruptcy protection just ahead of the 2017 holiday season in the United States and Canada to restructure $5 billion of long-term debt, casting doubts over the future of its 64,000 employees and nearly 1,600 stores. The bankruptcy is also causing headaches for two of Toys “R” Us’s biggest suppliers, toy makers Mattel ( MAT.O ) and Hasbro ( HAS.O ). Toys “R” Us was Mattel’s second-largest customer in 2016, representing 11 percent of its total sales. FILE PHOTO: Consumers leave a Toys R Us store with full shopping carts after shopping on the day dubbed "Black Friday" in Framingham, Massachusetts, U.S., November 25, 2011. REUTERS/Adam Hunger/File Photo D.A. Davidson analyst Linda Bolton Weiser said she expected the store closures to hit barbie-maker Mattel’s 2018 estimated sales growth by 1.5-2 percent, assuming shipments that would have gone to Toys “R” Us are not picked up by other retailers. For Hasbro, the impact would be slightly less, with Weiser estimating a 1-1.5 percent hit to its 2018 estimated sales. The maker of Monopoly board game gets about 9 percent of its revenue from the toy retailer. Wall Street analysts have forecast a 1 percent drop in 2018 sales for Mattel, but a 3 percent rise for Hasbro. Toys “R” Us, which also operates the infant- and toddler-focused Babies “R” Us chain, has set aside more than $400 million out of its $3.1 billion in bankruptcy loans for sprucing up stores over the next three years with more experiences and better-paid staff. The company said it plans to remodel a number of locations by converting them into co-branded Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores, while also investing in websites. All 83 Toys "R" Us stores in Canada will remain open, said president of the Canadian unit, Melanie Teed-Murch, in a letter to customers. bit.ly/2n7ztCp As Toys “R” Us aims to exit bankruptcy in 2018, its efforts to reinvent its stores will shape how other retailers look to experiential shopping to tackle e-commerce. Additional reporting by Siddharth Cavale and Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier and Anil D'Silva

https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-toys-r-us-restructuring/toys-r-us-says-to-shut-about-180-u-s-stores-idUKKBN1FD09L

Kerber roadblock for grand slam hopefuls Halep, Wozniacki

January 24, 2018 / 2:08 PM / Updated 7 hours ago Kerber roadblock for grand slam hopefuls Halep, Wozniacki Reuters Staff 3 Min Read MELBOURNE (Reuters) - A revitalized Angelique Kerber stands as a huge roadblock to the maiden grand slam hopes of world number one Simona Halep and number two Caroline Wozniacki at the Australian Open women’s semi-finals at the Rod Laver Arena on Thursday. Halep dropped only five games in her last eight clash against Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday to set up a meeting against Kerber, who swept away Madison Keys 6-1 6-2 to continue her stellar run in 2018. Former world number one Wozniacki is the second seed in Melbourne and the 27-year-old Dane will be a strong favorite to reach the final against young Belgian Elise Mertens, who she beat in three sets in their only previous meeting. Wozniacki, whose last semi-final appearance at a grand slam was at the 2016 U.S. Open, beat Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0 6-7(3) 6-2 in her quarter-final to remain on course for her first major title. In the men’s section, former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic will meet an unlikely opponent in Yorkshire man Kyle Edmund for a place in the final. The unseeded Briton shocked third seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-4 in the quarter-finals while number six seed Cilic went through when injured world number one Rafa Nadal abandoned his match while trailing 3-6 6-3 6-7(5) 6-2 2-0. FLAWLESS It has been quite a return to form for Kerber in Australia this year after she broke a 27-tournament title drought going back to her 2016 U.S. Open triumph in the Sydney International warm-up and she has been flawless in the new year. Tennis - Australian Open - Quarterfinals - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 24, 2018. Simona Halep of Romania hits a shot against Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic. REUTERS/Edgar Su Kerber, who turned 30 last week, enjoyed a bumper 2016, winning the Australian and U.S. Opens, picking up an Olympic silver medal and becoming the first German number one since Steffi Graf. But her form deserted her last year when she failed to win back-to-back matches at 13 events and made just one final, at Monterrey, to finish the year at number 22. Tennis - Australian Open - Quarterfinals - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 24, 2018. Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark hits a shot against Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain. REUTERS/Toru Hanai ”I mean, it feels the same,“ said Kerber, who is now guaranteed a return to top 10 in rankings. ”I‘m the same person like I was also last year. “The years before, here, nothing (has) changed. I think the only thing has changed is that I learned a lot, a lot of experience from last year. From the years before, as well. Not only from 2016. Also 2014 and 2015.” Wozniacki was top seed and world number one on her previous visit to the last four at Melbourne Park seven years ago when she blew a match point in the second set and went on to lose to China’s Li Na. On the flip side, the Dane saved two match points and battled back from 5-1 down in the deciding set to beat Jana Fett in the second round this year. Wozniacki has displayed a new brand of ruthless tennis when she battled to a maiden WTA Finals title last October in Singapore. Her semi-final opponent Mertens has also had a stellar year and the 22-year-old, who became the first Belgian woman to make the semi-finals in Melbourne since her mentor Kim Clijsters in 2012, thrashed fourth seed Elina Svitolina 6-4 6-0 in the quarter-finals to show she is no pushover. Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by Christian Radnedge

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tennis-ausopen-thursday/kerber-roadblock-for-grand-slam-hopefuls-halep-wozniacki-idUSKBN1FD1WH

Leonard back on track as the Spurs rout Nuggets

Kawhi Leonard scored 19 points and pulled down a team-high eight rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs built a big early lead and rolled to a 112-80 win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. Leonard was not in the lineup in the Spurs’ previous three games because of a small tear in a muscle in his left shoulder. He also missed the first 27 contests of the season with a quad injury. The Spurs led by 13 entering the fourth quarter but ended any chance of a Denver comeback by outscoring the Nuggets 19-5 over the next six minutes. San Antonio owned a 101-74 lead with 6:06 to play, relegating the final few minutes to mop-up time for the teams’ reserves. San Antonio is now 19-2 at home this season; no other team in the NBA has fewer than four home losses. The current streak of 13 straight home victories is the Spurs’ longest since 2015-16, when the franchise record of 48 consecutive wins at home was snapped. Davis Bertans poured in 18 points (15 of those in the first half), LaMarcus Aldridge hit for 15 points, and Danny Green added 11 of the Spurs, who outshot Denver 52.6 percent to 34.9 percent and owned a 53-25 edge in bench scoring. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Gary Harris added 18 points. Denver scored just 11 points in the fourth quarter. The Spurs led by as many as 18 points in the first half before settling for a 56-44 lead at halftime. Denver ended the half on a 13-7 run to cut into the lead, with the final points of the half coming on a 3-pointers by Jokic and Bertans, the two teams’ leading first-half scorers. Jokic poured in 16 points over the first 24 minutes for the Nuggets while Bertans led the Spurs with 15 points while hitting five 3-pointers before the break. Denver cut the Spurs’ lead to 56-50 on Jamal Murray’s pullup jumper with 9:51 to play in the third quarter. However, San Antonio roared back, scoring 14 of the game’s next 16 point to re-establish an 18-point margin. The Spurs led 82-69 at the end of the period. --Field Level Media

https://www.reuters.com/article/basketball-nba-sas-den-recap/leonard-back-on-track-as-the-spurs-rout-nuggets-idUSMTZEE1EJ1NJH3

AAR CEO David P. Storch Announces Plans to Retire

WOOD DALE, Ill., Jan. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AAR Corp. (NYSE: AIR), David P. Storch, 65, announced today his plan to retire as CEO after 39 years with the Company effective May 31, 2018. AAR President and Chief Operating Officer John M. Holmes was elected by the Board of Directors today at its regularly scheduled quarterly meeting to become CEO effective June 1, 2018. Storch will continue to lead the Board as its non-executive Chairman and work alongside Holmes on business strategy, talent development and industry relations. "David's entrepreneurial spirit and leadership helped AAR to stay one step ahead during his 39 years at the Company. He not only had a vision but also the ability to rally AAR employees around his vision to take AAR to the next level," said AAR Board Member and Lead Director James Goodwin. "The Board believes John has the experience to be the next leader, having learned every aspect of the business on his way up the ranks. The succession planning the Board conducted, under David's leadership, will allow for a smooth transition and continued success for the Company under John." "The Board and I have tremendous confidence in John's ability to take AAR to new heights," said Storch. "Since joining the Company in 2001, John has successfully navigated the peaks and valleys of the aviation industry. He has been a key leader in AAR's progress toward becoming the best provider of aviation services worldwide, consistently producing superior growth rates across the businesses." Holmes joined AAR from investment banking 16 years ago as Director of Mergers and Acquisitions, became General Manager of AAR's parts trading business in 2003, and progressively assumed responsibility for the other solutions that comprise Aviation Services – Integrated Supply Chain, OEM Aftermarket Solutions, Intelligent Solutions and MRO Services – culminating in becoming President and Chief Operating Officer of AAR on June 1, 2017. "During his tenure at AAR, John has exhibited strong leadership skills, the vision to identify new markets for growth, and the ability to build a strong team around him," said Storch. "Further, I have been grooming John for this day for the last few years, and the Board and I have been very impressed with his growth as a leader. We know he is ready for this next step." "David has been a wonderful mentor since the day he hired me over 16 years ago," said Holmes. "This is truly an honor, and I am grateful to the Board and humbled by the opportunity to continue the strong leadership that David has provided for the last few decades." "We are well into the transformation of AAR, with more actions coming to better serve the needs of commercial and government customers worldwide," said Storch. "I am proud of our upward trajectory and fully confident in the ability of John and our team to execute on our aspiration to be the best aviation services company in the world. I look forward to continuing to work closely with and mentor John as he assumes his new position." About AAR AAR is a global aftermarket solutions company that employs more than 5,000 people in over 20 countries. Based in Wood Dale, Illinois, AAR supports commercial aviation and government customers through two operating segments: Aviation Services and Expeditionary Services. AAR's Aviation Services include inventory management; parts supply; OEM parts distribution; aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul; and component repair. AAR's Expeditionary Services include airlift operations; mobility systems; and command and control centers in support of military and humanitarian missions. More information can be found at www.aarcorp.com . This press release contains certain statements relating to future results, which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward- based on beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions and estimates based on information currently available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated, including those factors discussed under Item 1A, entitled "Risk Factors", included in the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2017. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize adversely, or should underlying assumptions or estimates prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described. These events and uncertainties are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many are beyond the Company's control. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. For additional information, see the comments included in AAR's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aar-ceo-david-p-storch-announces-plans-to-retire-300580355.html SOURCE AAR

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/09/pr-newswire-aar-ceo-david-p-storch-announces-plans-to-retire.html

Energizer Holdings, Inc. Declares Dividend For Second Quarter Of Fiscal 2018

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Energizer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ENR) announced that its Board of Directors has declared a dividend for the second quarter of its fiscal 2018 of $0.29 per share of Common Stock, payable on March 13, 2018 to all shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 20, 2018. About Energizer Holdings, Inc. Energizer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ENR), headquartered in St. Louis, MO, is one of the world's largest manufacturers of primary batteries and portable lighting products and is anchored by its two globally recognized brands Energizer® and Eveready®. Energizer is also a leading designer and marketer of automotive fragrance and appearance products from recognized brands such as Refresh Your Car!®, California Scents®, Driven®, Bahama & Co.®, LEXOL® and Eagle One®. As a global branded distributor of consumer products, our mission is to lead the charge to deliver value to our customers and consumers better than anyone else. Visit www.energizerholdings.com for more details. View original content: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/energizer-holdings-inc-declares-dividend-for-second-quarter-of-fiscal-2018-300589114.html SOURCE Energizer Holdings, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/29/pr-newswire-energizer-holdings-inc-declares-dividend-for-second-quarter-of-fiscal-2018.html

Some lawsuits can proceed over cigarettes touted as natural

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A U.S. judge in New Mexico has dismissed more than two dozen complaints against the maker of American Spirit cigarettes but is allowing others to move forward over a line of tobacco touted as natural. Scores of plaintiffs from at least a dozen states sued Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. and its parent company, Reynolds American Inc., after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found in 2015 that consumers were misled about risks associated with the products. In a ruling last week, U.S. District Judge James Browning cited various state laws as he weeded out some complaints that were consolidated in his court, The Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper reported . Among those were lawsuits filed in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Washington state. Some of the claims he rejected alleged that the company labeled cigarettes as "additive free" and "natural" to try to suggest its products were less processed than other cigarettes. The company still faces legal battles over marketing efforts. Browning approved sending three lawsuits to a federal court in North Carolina, where operations for Reynolds American Inc. are based. He also ruled that the First Amendment does not shield the company from liability. In 2002, Reynolds acquired Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co., which was founded in New Mexico more than three decades ago, for $340 million. Santa Fe Natural Tobacco has declined to comment on the litigation. In an agreement with the FDA, the company stopped labeling products as additive-free and restricted the use of the term "natural." Santa Fe Natural Tobacco had consistently used those terms along with a logo featuring a pipe-smoking American Indian in a feathered headdress. It maintained offices in Santa Fe after its acquisition by Reynolds, which reportedly began offering buyouts to employees in advance of its sale this year to British American Tobacco. Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.sfnewmexican.com

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/29/the-associated-press-some-lawsuits-can-proceed-over-cigarettes-touted-as-natural.html

Amazon Health Care: Eli Lilly CEO Welcomes Its Arrival | Fortune

By David Meyer 12:01 PM EST How does Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks feel about Amazon , J.P. Morgan and Berkshire Hathaway getting into the health care business from a non-profit angle? “Good,” apparently. The trio’s Tuesday announcement whacked shares of health care-related companies, from drugstore operators and distributors to health insurers. The group’s initial focus will be on using technology to reduce costs for their own employees as—in Warren Buffett’s words—”the ballooning costs of health care act as a hungry tapeworm on the American economy.” According to Ricks, the new non-profit’s partners are “forward-thinking, innovative people” and Buffett, Jeff Bezos and Jamie Dimon are “thought leaders.” “We welcome choice and competition in health care markets, and I look forward to seeing what they come up with,” Ricks told CNBC . “Actually, I don’t think it’s a bad thing.” Ricks also addressed President Donald Trump’s decision to lambast pharmaceutical companies over the price of prescription drugs, in his State of the Union address Tuesday evening. Prescription medications are, Ricks said, “the best deal going in health care,” as they keep people out of more expensive treatment facilities. “Consumers increasingly bearing the cost of those prescriptions—that’s an insurance design issue,” he said. “Medications are the most efficient part of the system in our eyes.” Eli Lilly’s fourth quarter results came out Wednesday, with revenues beating analyst expectations at $6.2 billion versus the expected $5.9 billion and earnings per share coming in at $1.14 rather than $1.07. The firm also boosted its 2018 guidance thanks to the lower tax rate afforded by the new tax law. SPONSORED FINANCIAL CONTENT

http://fortune.com/2018/01/31/amazon-health-care-eli-lilly-ceo-dave-ricks/

Synlogic Announces Proposed Public Offering of Common Stock

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Synlogic (Nasdaq: SYBX) a clinical-stage company applying synthetic biology to probiotics to develop novel living medicines, today announced that it has commenced an underwritten public offering of its common stock. All shares of common stock to be sold in the offering will be offered by Synlogic. Synlogic intends to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an aggregate of an additional 15% of the shares of its common stock offered in the public offering. The offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or terms of the offering. Leerink Partners and Piper Jaffray & Co. are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. H.C. Wainwright & Co. is acting as lead manager for the offering. Synlogic intends to use the net proceeds from the offering, together with its existing cash and cash equivalents, as follows: to fund its two planned Phase 1b/2a clinical trials of SYNB1020 (one study involving HE patients and the other study involving UCD patients) through completion; to fund activities in process development, formulation and toxicology as needed for subsequent initiation of a Phase 2b clinical trial in patients with liver cirrhosis with elevated blood ammonia; to fund its planned Phase 1/2a clinical trial of SYNB1618 through completion and to support acceleration of a Phase 2b clinical trial of SYNB1618 for PKU patients and continued process development and formulation activities; to fund further preclinical development in its immuno-oncology programs and drug discovery activities in its other programs; and for working capital and general corporate purposes. The securities described above are being offered by Synlogic pursuant to its shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-220948) filed with the Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on October 13, 2017 and declared effective by the SEC on October 25, 2017. A preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov/ . When available, copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from Leerink Partners LLC, Attention: Syndicate Department, One Federal Street, 37th Floor, Boston, MA 02110, by telephone at (800) 808-7525 ext. 6132 or by email at syndicate@leerink.com ; or from Piper Jaffray & Co., 800 Nicollet Mall, J12S03, Minneapolis, MN 55402, Attention: Prospectus Department, by telephone at (800) 747-3924, or by email at prospectus@pjc.com . This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities, in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. Any offer, if at all, will be made only by means of the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus forming a part of the effective registration statement. About Synlogic Synlogic is pioneering the development of a novel class of living medicines, Synthetic Biotic™ medicines, based on its proprietary drug development platform. Synlogic’s initial pipeline includes Synthetic Biotic medicines for the treatment of rare genetic diseases, such as urea cycle disorders (UCD) and phenylketonuria (PKU). In addition, the company is leveraging the broad potential of its platform to create Synthetic Biotic medicines for the treatment of more common diseases, including liver disease, inflammatory and immune disorders, and cancer. Synlogic is collaborating with AbbVie to develop Synthetic Biotic-based treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Forward-Looking Statements This release contains “ ” within the meaning of the Private 1995, including statements regarding Synlogic’s expectations with respect to its proposed offering, its intention to grant the underwriters an option to purchase additional shares and its intended use of proceeds from the offering. These speak only as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties associated with market conditions and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the proposed public offering, as well as risks and uncertainties inherent in Synlogic’s business, including those described in the company’s periodic filings with the SEC. The events and circumstances reflected in the company’s may not be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the . Additional information on risks facing Synlogic can be found under the heading “Risk Factors” in Synlogic’s periodic reports, including its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2017, and in the preliminary prospectus supplement related to the proposed offering to be filed with the SEC on or about the date hereof, each available on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov . Except as required by applicable law, the company does not plan to publicly update or revise any contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com : http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180123006452/en/ Synlogic MEDIA CONTACT: Courtney Heath, 617-872-2462 courtney@scientpr.com or INVESTOR CONTACT: Elizabeth Wolffe, Ph.D., 617-207-5509 liz@synlogictx.com Source: Synlogic

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/23/business-wire-synlogic-announces-proposed-public-offering-of-common-stock.html

With ‘no plan B’, Brazil's left sticks by Lula

With ‘no plan B’, Brazil's left sticks by Lula Thursday, January 25, 2018 - 01:34 Brazil’s former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s may have failed to overturn a corruption conviction that will likely bar him from running for the office again, but the left-wing working class hero is still the Brazil's Workers Party pick. Brazil’s former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s may have failed to overturn a corruption conviction that will likely bar him from running for the office again, but the left-wing working class hero is still the Brazil's Workers Party pick. //reut.rs/2DDvOaO

https://www.reuters.com/video/2018/01/25/with-no-plan-b-brazils-left-sticks-by-lu?videoId=388712622

Blast hits Afghan capital Kabul: Reuters witnesses

January 27, 2018 / 8:30 AM / Updated 9 minutes ago Nearly 100 killed in ambulance blast in Afghan capital Kabul Hamid Shalizi , Mirwais Harooni 5 Min Read KABUL (Reuters) - A bomb hidden in an ambulance killed at least 95 people and wounded about 158 in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday when it blew up at a police checkpoint in a busy part of the city that was crowded with pedestrians. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the suicide blast, a week after they claimed an attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in which more than 20 people were killed. An interior ministry spokesman blamed the Haqqani network, a militant group affiliated with the Taliban which Afghan and Western officials consider to be behind many of the biggest attacks on urban targets in Afghanistan. As medical teams struggled to handle the casualties pouring in, some of the wounded were laid out in the open, with intravenous drips set up next to them in hospital gardens. “It’s a massacre,” said Dejan Panic, coordinator in Afghanistan for the Italian aid group Emergency, which runs a nearby trauma hospital that treated dozens of wounded. Hours after the blast, a health ministry spokesman said the casualty toll had risen to at least 95 killed and 158 wounded. Saturday’s explosion capped a violent week in Afghanistan, with the siege at the Intercontinental Hotel and another attack on an office of the aid group Save the Children in the eastern city of Jalalabad. That attack was claimed by Islamic State. The wave of attacks has put pressure on President Ashraf Ghani and his U.S. allies, who have expressed growing confidence that a new more aggressive military strategy has succeeded in driving Taliban insurgents back from major provincial centers. The United States has stepped up its assistance to Afghan security forces and increased its air strikes against the Taliban and other militant groups, aiming to break a stalemate and force the insurgents to the negotiating table. However, the Taliban have dismissed suggestions they have been weakened by the new strategy, and the past week has shown their capacity to mount deadly, high-profile attacks is undiminished, even in the heavily protected center of Kabul. Washington, which has accused Pakistan of giving assistance to the Taliban and has cut off some aid to Islamabad, urged all countries to take “decisive action” to stop the violence. “There can be no tolerance for those who support or offer sanctuary to terrorist groups,” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement. Pakistan, which denies the accusations, condemned the attack and called for “concerted efforts and effective cooperation among the states to eradicate the scourge of terrorism.” People carry an injured man to a hospital after a blast in Kabul, Afghanistan January 27, 2018.REUTERS/Mohammad Ismail AMBULANCE AT CHECKPOINT Saturday is a working day in Afghanistan and the streets were full when the blast went off at around lunchtime in a busy part of the city close to shops and markets and near a number of foreign embassies and government buildings. Mirwais Yasini, a member of parliament who was near the blast, said an ambulance approached the checkpoint and blew up, having passed through another checkpoint further down the road. The target was apparently an Interior Ministry building but the victims were mainly people who happened to be in the street. Slideshow (15 Images) Buildings hundreds of meters (yards) away were shaken by the force of the blast, which left torn bodies strewn on the street amid piles of rubble, debris and wrecked cars. “Today’s attack is nothing short of an atrocity,” Tadamichi Yamamoto, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, said in a statement, adding that those behind it must be brought to justice. The casualty toll is the worst since 150 people were killed in a huge truck bomb explosion last May near the German embassy. That attack prompted a major reinforcement of security aimed at preventing similar vehicle-borne assaults. Security officials said further attacks were likely and security was tightened around potential targets in the city. But with much of central Kabul already a heavily fortified zone of high concrete blast walls and police checkpoints, there were angry questions about how the bomber got through. “Officials must be held responsible,” said former deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Ayub Salangi. People helped walking-wounded away as ambulances with sirens wailed through the traffic-clogged streets of the city center. “I was sitting in the office when the explosion went off,” said Alam, an office worker whose head was badly cut in the blast. “All the windows shattered, the building collapsed and everything came down.” The Swedish and Dutch embassies as well as the European Union mission and an Indian consular office are also nearby but there were no reports that any staff were hurt. Additional reporting by Yeganeh Torbati in Washington; Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Jeremy Gaunt and Edmund Blair

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-blast/blast-hits-afghan-capital-kabul-reuters-witnesses-idUSKBN1FG086

Schwab Fourth Quarter Net Income of $597 Million Caps Record Year

2017 Revenues Rise 15% to $8.6 Billion, Net Income Grows 25% to $2.4 Billion, Both Records Core Net New Assets Rise 58% to a Record $198.6 Billion for the Year SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Charles Schwab Corporation announced today that its net income for the fourth quarter of 2017 was $597 million, up 14% from $522 million for the fourth quarter of 2016. Net income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 was nearly $2.4 billion, up 25% year-over-year. The company’s financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2017 were impacted by the tax reform legislation signed in December − a one-time tax expense of approximately $46 million decreased earnings per share by $0.03. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180117005476/en/ Three Months Ended December 31, % Twelve Months Ended December 31, % Financial Highlights 2017 (1) 2016 Change 2017 (1) 2016 (2) Change Net revenues (in millions) $ 2,242 $ 1,972 14% $ 8,618 $ 7,478 15% Net income (in millions) $ 597 $ 522 14% $ 2,354 $ 1,889 25% Diluted earnings per common share $ .41 $ .36 14% $ 1.61 $ 1.31 23% Pre-tax profit margin 42.5 % 41.8 % 42.4 % 40.0 % Return on average common stockholders’ equity (annualized) 14 % 14 % 15 % 14 % Note: All per-share results are rounded to the nearest cent, based on weighted-average diluted common shares outstanding. (1) Effective January 1, 2017, a new accounting standard prospectively changed the treatment of a portion of the tax deductions relating to equity compensation. These deductions were previously reflected in additional paid-in capital, a component of stockholders’ equity, and are now included in taxes on income, a component of net income. The company’s tax expense for the fourth quarter and full year 2017 decreased by approximately $40 million and $87 million, respectively, as a result of this change. Future effects will depend on the company’s share price, restricted stock vesting, and the volume of equity incentive options exercised. (2) Reflects net litigation proceeds of $16 million in 2016, relating to the company’s non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) portfolio, which are included in Other revenue. CEO Walt Bettinger said, “Our steady focus on operating ‘through clients’ eyes’ has been a driving force in helping Schwab achieve another record year. In 2017, clients opened 1.4 million accounts, and households new to Schwab’s Retail business rose by 49% versus 2016; 54% of these households were age 40 or younger. In addition, clients trusted Schwab with a record $198.6 billion of core net new assets, up 58% from 2016 and marking a 7% organic growth rate. Both of our primary businesses attracted record inflows, with Retail and Advisor Services net new assets rising 57% and 59%, respectively, year-over-year. This impressive asset gathering was helped by a 75% increase in net transfers of assets from other firms, reflecting our strengthened competitive position. Our success with clients was bolstered by strength in the equity markets − the S&P 500 ® Index finished 2017 up 19%. In this environment, investor sentiment reached highs not seen in almost two decades, and clients actively engaged in the markets.” Mr. Bettinger continued, “With a second straight top ranking in J.D. Power’s U.S. Full-Service Investor Satisfaction Survey*, we believe that the range of planning and advice solutions available through our modern approach to wealth management continues to resonate with clients. Assets enrolled in one of our retail or other advisory solutions continued to grow faster than client assets overall, reaching a record $268.7 billion at year-end, up 24%. In addition, our digital advisory solutions (Schwab Intelligent Portfolios ® , Institutional Intelligent Portfolios ® , and Schwab Intelligent Advisory ® ) have surpassed $27 billion in client assets with 223,000 active accounts. Total client assets as of December 31 st were a record $3.36 trillion, up 21% year-over-year. We ended 2017 serving 10.8 million active brokerage accounts, 1.2 million banking accounts, and 1.6 million retirement plan participants.” Mr. Bettinger noted, “In 2017, we continued to build Schwab through our ‘Virtuous Cycle’ approach: we challenged the status quo to benefit investors, resulting in clients entrusting us with record assets, which helped lead to record financial results. We achieved record annual net revenues for the fifth straight year, reaching $8.6 billion, up 15% from 2016. At the same time, we increased project spending, hired more client-facing employees, and made ongoing investments to support the growth we’ve achieved and to help meet client service expectations. By once again effectively balancing near-term profitability and reinvestment for long-term growth, we were able to deliver a fourth consecutive year of record net income, up 25% to almost $2.4 billion. We recognize that these results are made possible by our employees’ passion for serving our clients every day, and in the fourth quarter we rewarded about 9,000 of our non-executive staff with a one-time ‘Through Clients’ Eyes’ award, totaling $9 million overall.” Mr. Bettinger added, “When Chuck Schwab started the company over 40 years ago, he sought to level the playing field for all investors. Last year, we continued to deliver on that vision by pursuing our goal of a ‘no trade-offs’ combination of value, service, transparency, and trust. We shared the benefits of scale with our clients by announcing nearly $400 million in annualized price reductions. In February, we lowered equity and options trade commissions from $8.95 to $4.95 and dropped the per contract option fee to $0.65. We also reduced the operating expense ratios on our market cap-weighted index mutual funds to align with their ETF equivalents. Additionally and perhaps more importantly, we eliminated investment minimums and multiple share classes for both fundamental and market cap-weighted index funds, offering our best pricing to every investor, from the smallest to the largest. At the same time, we introduced a broad-reaching Satisfaction Guarantee, unique for our industry.** In the fourth quarter, we streamlined share classes and decreased operating expense ratios on our money market funds, enhancing the net yields available to our clients. Also during the year, we started an industry-first national advertising campaign on behalf of the RIAs that we serve and we rolled-out Schwab Advisor StreetSmart Edge ® , providing advisors with streaming of real-time Quote: s, advanced charting, and additional trading capabilities. We continued to enhance our product offerings during 2017, adding 34 ETFs to Schwab ETF OneSource ™ – investors and advisors can now buy and sell 242 ETFs covering 69 Morningstar categories. Later in the year we initiated the Schwab 1000 Index ® ETF – a new low-cost way to gain exposure to America’s largest 1,000 stocks. Additionally, we launched three index mutual funds: Schwab ® U.S. Large-Cap Value Index Fund, Schwab ® U.S. Large-Cap Growth Index Fund, and Schwab ® U.S. Mid-Cap Index Fund. On the technology front, we released a new account summary page, allowing clients to aggregate their non-Schwab account informati

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/17/business-wire-schwab-fourth-quarter-net-income-of-597amillion-caps-record-year.html

Exclusive: China's Wanda mulls sport unit IPO and sale of overseas assets - sources

HONG KONG (Reuters) - China’s Dalian Wanda Group is considering a Hong Kong listing for its sports assets as part of efforts to rationalize its portfolio that could also include other sales, according to five people familiar with the situation. The conglomerate last month tapped investment banks for a potential initial public offering of its sports businesses, three of the sources said. Citic Securities, China’s largest brokerage, is one of the banks involved, added one of them. A spokesman for Citic Securities declined to comment. Wanda’s businesses range from real estate to football and cinemas but it has been rattled in the past year by a government-led crackdown on overseas deals and high leverage. The company is owned by Wang Jianlin, one of China’s richest men. An IPO of Wanda’s sports assets would include Infront Sports & Media AG, a Swiss sports marketing company and World Triathlon Corp, the organizer and promoter of the Ironman race, according to three of the people. The two were acquired in 2015 for $1.2 billion and $650 million respectively. The share offering would also include Wanda’s smaller sports assets in China, such as cycling and basketball leagues, one of them said. The public float would not involve Wanda’s 20 percent stake in the Spanish football club Atletico Madrid, valued at 67 million euros after a recent capital raise, the source said. The IPO would most likely take place in Hong Kong, but bankers have also pitched for a U.S. listing, according to the people. Wanda is separately looking to sell Sunseeker International, a British yacht maker it bought in 2013 for $495 million but whose financial performance it has failed to turn around, two other people said. Wanda declined to comment. The people could not be named as the plans are confidential. Wanda’s interest in property, sports and entertainment - accounting for more than $13 billion of its deals in the past five years - ran into official opposition last year when Beijing labeled overseas deals in those areas “irrational”. In addition to sports, its holdings also include the cinema chain AMC Entertainment Holdings and movie studio Legendary Entertainment. The company is also considering the merits of a pre-IPO funding round for the sports unit, according to one of the people. All plans are still at an early stage however as Wanda is seeking a chief financial officer for the sports business to lead the fundraising efforts, said another of the people. Property forms the basis of the Wanda empire - its mixed use Wanda Plaza developments are common across China - but this too has put pressure on Wang’s business. Last year, Chinese regulators told banks to stop providing funding for several of its overseas acquisitions as Beijing looks to curb the conglomerate’s offshore buying spree. Shortly after, Wanda sold a portfolio of hotels and tourism assets, including 13 theme parks, for $9 billion to Guangzhou R&F Properties ( 2777.HK ) and Sunac China ( 1918.HK ). Five flagship overseas developments - in London, Chicago, Los Angeles, Sydney and Australia’s Gold Coast - are also available for sale, according to one source. Reporting Kane Wu and Clare Jim in Hong Kong and Liana Baker in San Francisco; Editing by Jennifer Hughes and Philip McClellan

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-wanda-sale-exclusive/exclusive-chinas-wanda-mulls-sport-unit-ipo-and-sale-of-overseas-assets-sources-idUSKBN1ET0TH

Heurtey Petrochem: Full-Year 2017 Current Operating Income: Profit Warning

RUEIL, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News: Heurtey Petrochem (Paris:ALHPC): In a highly competitive market environment and in light of the additional costs recently incurred in the equipment assembly activities and modular units delivered to client sites in 2017 and the allocation of additional provisions as a result, the Group is anticipating a more substantial reduction in current operating income than reported to the market on November 18, 2017 (-8% of consolidated revenue). As such, the Group estimates its consolidated revenue at close to €250 million, with current operating income at -14% of consolidated revenue. As previously announced and in order to strengthen its project management expertise and improve its competitiveness, the Group, is pursuing the operational merger of its engineering activities of refining furnaces and modular units for gas processing in collaboration with its shareholder Axens.This change will equip the Group, from 2018, with a more concentrated and more efficient resource for the execution of its projects. About Heurtey Petrochem ( www.heurtey.com ) Heurtey Petrochem is a global oil and gas engineering group operating across two market segments: Process furnaces for refining, petrochemicals and hydrogen production. Petrochem is one of the global leaders in this segment. Natural gas processing via its Prosernat subsidiary. In this sector, the Group operates in both EPC engineering and as a technology licensor. Heurtey Petrochem operates via a large international subsidiary network, with a presence in Brazil, China, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Romania, Russia and the United States. The group generated revenue of €319 million in 2016. Heurtey Petrochem is listed on the Euronext Paris Alternext market. (ISIN: FR0010343186, Ticker: ALHPC). Heurtey Petrochem is a subsidiary of Axens, which holds a 92.4% stake. Forward-looking statements and information concerning the activities of Heurtey Petrochem are included in the press release above. They notably include information relative to the financial situation, results and activities of Heurtey Petrochem. They are based on the expectations and estimates of the management of Heurtey Petrochem. These forward-looking statements and information are associated with a certain degree of risk and uncertainty and are likely to be affected by known or unknown factors, many of which cannot be controlled by Heurtey Petrochem and cannot be easily anticipated. They may yield results that are substantially different from those expected or suggested by these statements. These risks include: uncertainty about changes in relationships with the clientele, suppliers and strategic partners; and generally any unfavourable change in the economic situation, the intensification of competition or modification of the regulatory environment which could affect the activities of Heurtey Petrochem. This list of factors should not be considered as exhaustive. View source version on businesswire.com : http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180109006311/en/ Heurtey Petrochem SA Jean Sentenac President or Jacques Moulin Chief Executive Officer or Gregory Matouskoff, +33 (0) 1 47 14 80 73 Group CFO invest@heurtey.com Source: Heurtey Petrochem

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/09/business-wire-heurtey-petrochem-full-year-2017-current-operating-income-profit-warning.html

Golf-Europe dominate singles to defend EurAsia title

January 14, 2018 / 7:55 AM / Updated 9 hours ago Golf: Europe dominate singles to defend EurAsia title Reuters Staff 3 Min Read KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A dominant Europe won eight of the 12 singles matches against Asia on Sunday to rally from behind and successfully defend their EurAsia Cup title with a 14-10 victory in Malaysia. Arjun Atwal’s Asia had led the third edition of the biennial matchplay contest following the opening two days of fourballs and foursomes but were swept aside when the players were sent out alone at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club. Thomas Bjorn’s visitors began Sunday with a 6 1/2-5 1/2 deficit but turned the scoreboard blue in eight of the first nine matches to secure their title defence when Belgium’s Thomas Pieters scored the winning point. The victory will act as a welcome boost for Bjorn, who will also captain Europe at the Ryder Cup in France this September, with the hosts looking to regain the trophy they lost to the United States at Hazeltine in 2016. “I‘m delighted the way these 12 came out today. They have been fantastic all week. We had a really good group and we worked hard,” Bjorn said after Pieters beat An Byeong-un of South Korea 1-up to seal Europe’s triumph. “It was mostly up to them last night and they wanted to go out and show what they are really about and they certainly did that today.” Belgian Pieters raced to a 4-up lead against An but the South Korean fought back to level the match. Pieters then holed a seven-foot putt at the 15th to regain the lead and then won the next hole to ensure his team would retain the trophy. “It’s always nice to get the winning point,” he said. “I got off to a good start, then played pretty poorly during the middle, then made a couple of very good birdies.” Alex Noren started Europe’s charge in the first game when he erased Asia’s slender advantage with a 4 and 2 win over Malaysian Nicholas Fung. Rafa Cabrera Bello then beat Gavin Green 4 and 3 to put the defending champions ahead before 2017 Race to Dubai winner Tommy Fleetwood gave Europe their third point in a row with a 2 and 1 victory against S.S.P Chawrasia of India. Poom Saksansin cut the deficit when he beat Paul Casey 1-up but Henrik Stenson re-established a two-point cushion with his 2 and 1 win over Hideto Tanihara. Bernd Wiesberger and Alex Levy recorded respective victories over Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai and Kiradech Aphibarnrat to put Europe on the cusp of victory before Pieters gave Europe an unassailable lead. Englishman Tyrrell Hatton continued his strong form with a 2 and 1 win over India’s Anirban Lahiri for his third point of the week, before South Korean Kang Sung-hoon denied Matthew Fitzpatrick victory with two late birdies in their halved match. Atwal’s side won the final two matches to add some respectability to the scoreline with China’s Li Haotong and Yuta Ikeda of Japan beating Paul Dunne and Ross Fisher. Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by John O'Brien

https://in.reuters.com/article/golf-eurasia/golf-europe-dominate-singles-to-defend-eurasia-title-idINKBN1F307L

Long-range shooting carries Purdue past Iowa

Third-ranked Purdue set a school record by hitting 20 3-pointers in 87-64 romp over Iowa on Saturday in Iowa City. The Boilermakers, who won their 15th consecutive game, sank 20 of 33 3-point shots for 60.6 percent. It was the most 3-pointers made by a Big Ten team in a conference game. Northwestern hit 20 twice in a non-conference game. Carsen Edwards led four Boilermakers in double figures with 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 6 of 9 3-pointers. Vincent Edwards was right behind with 19 points for Purdue (19-2, 8-0 Big Ten) with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting. P.J. Thompson scored 14 and Dakota Mathias 12 points for Purdue. Thompson and Mathias each hit 4 of 6 3-point shots. Ryan Cline came off the bench to hit 3 of 6 3-pointers for nine points for Purdue. Luka Garza led the Hawkeyes (10-11, 1-7) with 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Tyler Cook, Brady Ellingson and Jordan Bohannon each scored nine points for Iowa. The Boilermakers’ largest lead was 37 points. The Boilermakers shot 56.9 percent for the game. The Hawkeyes shot 66.7 percent (18 of 27) in the second half to finish with a 43.9 percent overall. Iowa was 6 of 18 from 3-point range overall. Purdue missed its first five shots in the first half but proceeded to hit 20 of its last 24 shots to take a 51-20 lead at halftime. The Boilermakers sank 11 of 16 3-point attempts in the opening half. Iowa made just 8 of 32 shots (25 percent) before halftime. With the score tied at 6-all, the Boilermakers went on an 18-0 run to take a 24-6 advantage. In those first 10 minutes, the Hawkeyes made just 2 of 15 shots. Leading 29-14, the Boilermakers engineered an 18-2 spurt to push the lead to 47-16 with 1:51 remaining in the half. -- Field Level Media

https://www.reuters.com/article/basketball-ncaa-iow-pur-recap/long-range-shooting-carries-purdue-past-iowa-idUSMTZEE1KVC3SRK

Mine blast injures Yemeni army chief-of-staff

January 6, 2018 / 8:20 AM / Updated 4 hours ago Mine blast injures Yemeni army chief-of-staff Reuters Staff 3 Min Read ADEN (Reuters) - The chief of staff of the Yemeni army has been injured by a land mine that went off while he was visiting the northern al-Jouf province, where heavy fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters is underway, a senior government official said. The official said Brigadier General Taher al-Aqeeli suffered minor injuries in the explosion, which happened on Friday while he was inspecting government positions in Khub wa al-Sha‘af, the largest district in al-Jouf province. Forces loyal to exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s government captured most of the district in heavy fighting with the Houthis last month. Anti-Houthi forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, have intensified an offensive against the Iran-aligned group that controls most of northern Yemen since former President Ali Abdullah Saleh was killed after he switched sides in Yemen’s nearly three-year-old civil war. The Houthis, who killed Saleh after they surrounded his compound in Sanaa, accused the former president of trying to sow sedition in the country. Saleh’s General People’s Congress party accused the Houthis of trying to monopolize running the country. The Houthis said Aqeeli and several of his aides were injured in the blast, describing Aqeeli’s injuries as serious. Hadi appointed Aqeeli last September, replacing Major General Mohammed al-Maqdeshi, who was appointed as a presidential adviser. The United Arab Emirates news agency WAM reported earlier this week that local Yemeni fighters in the southwest, backed by Emirati forces, killed dozens of armed Houthi group members and cut one of their main supply routes to the country’s third largest city of Taiz. The Houthis, who have swept across Yemen since 2014 and overthrew Hadi’s internationally-recognized government in 2015, hold the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, where most of the country’s 25 million people live. The conflict - widely seen as a proxy war between regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran - has displaced more than 2 million people, caused a cholera epidemic and pushed the country to the brink of famine. At least 10,000 people have been killed. Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Mark Potter

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security/mine-blast-injures-yemeni-army-chief-of-staff-idUSKBN1EV07P

Weak German inflation backs up ECB's cautious approach

BERLIN (Reuters) - German inflation slowed unexpectedly in January, driven by a weaker rise in energy prices, data showed on Tuesday, lending support to the European Central Bank’s cautious approach to reducing its unprecedented monetary stimulus only gradually. ECB chief Mario Draghi last week pushed back on rate hike fantasies, arguing there was almost no chance of a move this year, even as some investors were betting on a rise as early as December. Peter Praet, the ECB’s chief economist, also struck a cautious tone on Monday when he said the central bank would only stop pumping cash into the euro zone economy when it was confident that inflation was heading toward its target of just below two percent even without its extra help. In a sign that price pressures remain moderate even in Germany, the euro zone’s largest economy, despite solid growth, consumer price inflation, harmonized to compare with other euro zone countries, slowed to 1.4 percent on the year in January, preliminary data from the Federal Statistics Office showed. That was below the consensus forecast in Reuters poll of analysts who had predicted an unchanged reading of 1.6 percent. For the month, consumer prices fell by 1.0 percent, below the 0.7 percent fall expected by analysts. Lower energy inflation made the largest contribution to the weaker headline price figure while food inflation picked up, the office said. “Over the next few months, inflation rates will remain volatile,” LBBW Research chief economist Uwe Burkert said, adding that the German inflation rate was likely to surpass the two percent threshold in the summer months. “However, overall price pressures remain low,” Burkert said. He pointed to increased competition among companies due to globalization and digitization which made it difficult to pass on rising production costs to clients through higher prices. The German government expects national consumer price inflation (CPI) to slow to 1.7 percent this year from 1.8 percent in 2017, despite having lifted its 2018 growth forecast to 2.4 percent from 1.9 percent previously, a government document showed on Tuesday. The euro zone will publish preliminary inflation data on Wednesday, with the annual rate expected to edge down to 1.3 percent in January from 1.4 percent in December according to Reuters polls. The ECB confirmed last week that it will continue buying bonds at least until September and for as long as inflation is not on a sustained path toward it target. It also pledged to keep rates at their current, ultra-low levels for long after those purchases stop. Inflation in the euro zone is comfortably above one percent but it is not expected to hit the ECB’s target for years to come. “The ECB can take it easy because inflation won’t be galloping,” VP Bank economist Thomas Gitzel said. “Provided that there won’t be major fluctuations in oil prices, this picture won’t change. So for now, Mario Draghi can stick to his chosen course,” Gitzel added. Hawks among the ECB rate-setters, including the German representative on the central bank’s policymaking body, Bundesbank head Jens Weidmann, have argued that it would be “appropriate” for the ECB to stop its bond purchases before the end of this year. Weidmann and other rate-setters have been blaming the ECB’s 2.55 trillion-euro ($3.17 trillion) bond-buying program for fuelling bubbles in the property and bond markets. ($1 = 0.8052 euros) Reporting by Michael Nienaber,; Editing by Richard Balmforth

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-economy-inflation/mixed-german-regional-inflation-data-backs-up-ecbs-cautious-approach-idUSKBN1FJ1H7

BancFirst Corporation Reports Fourth Quarter Earnings

OKLAHOMA CITY, BancFirst Corporation (NASDAQ GS:BANF) reported net income of $19.5 million, or $0.59 diluted earnings per share, for the fourth quarter of 2017 compared to net income of $18.6 million, or $0.58 diluted earnings per share, for the fourth quarter of 2016. Due to the signing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a write down on deferred tax assets of $4.3 million decreased earnings per share by approximately 14 cents. Net income for the fourth quarter also included a gain of $2.3 million, net of income tax and fees, from the sale of an investment by Council Oak Investment Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BancFirst, which added approximately 7 cents per share. Net income for the year ended December 31, 2017 was $86.4 million, or $2.65 per share, compared to $70.7 million, or $2.22 per share, for 2016. Net income for the year ended December 31, 2017 also included the effects of favorable resolutions of three problem loans which resulted in principal recovery of $894,000 and unaccrued interest income of $2.7 million. Net income for the year ended December 31, 2016 included a gain on the sale of other real estate owned totaling $1.2 million. The Company's net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2017 increased to $58.7 million compared to $51.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2016. The net interest margin for the quarter was 3.48% compared to 3.19% a year ago. Internal loan growth and the increase in the Fed Fund rate of 75 basis points during 2017 contributed to the higher net interest income and margin in 2017. The provision for loan losses for the fourth quarter of 2017 increased to $3.3 million compared to $1.7 million a year ago. The provision for loan losses for the fourth quarter of 2017 was primarily driven by downgrades of commercial loans, which resulted in approximately $2.8 million in provision, and by loan growth, which resulted in approximately $550,000 in provision. Net charge-offs increased slightly to 0.06% of average loans for the fourth quarter of 2017 compared to 0.02% for the fourth quarter of 2016, primarily due to one commercial loan. Noninterest income for the quarter totaled $32.8 million, compared to $27.4 million last year. The increase in noninterest income was primarily due to the investment gain described above. Noninterest expense for the quarter totaled $51.3 million compared to $48.2 million last year. The increase in noninterest expense was primarily due to salary increases in 2017 and compensation expense related to the sale of the Council Oak investment. The Company's effective tax rate was 47.2% compared to 36.1% for the fourth quarter of 2016. The increase in 2017 was due to the write down on deferred tax assets due to the signing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. For the year ended 2017, the Company's net interest income was $227.1 million compared to $203.8 million for 2016. The net interest margin for the year increased to 3.44% compared to 3.25% for the previous year. Internal loan growth and the increase in the Fed Fund rate of 75 basis points during 2017 contributed to the higher net interest income and margin in 2017. The provision for loan losses for 2017 was $8.5 million compared to $11.5 million a year ago. The Company reported slightly higher net charge-offs to average loans of 0.12% for 2017 compared to 0.10% for 2016. Noninterest income for 2017 totaled $118.1 million compared to $107.0 million for 2016. Noninterest expense was $200.4 million compared to $191.4 million for 2016. The Company's effective tax rate was 36.6% compared to 34.5% for 2016. At December 31, 2017, the Company's total assets were $7.3 billion, $234.2 million above the December 31, 2016 total. Loans totaled $4.7 billion, an increase of $69.6 million over September 30, 2017, and an increase of $318.6 million over December 31, 2016. Deposits were $6.4 billion at December 31, 2017, up $113.0 million from last quarter, and $167.0 million above the December 31, 2016 total. The Company's total stockholders' equity was $775.6 million, an increase of $64.5 million over December 31, 2016. Asset quality remained strong during the fourth quarter of 2017. Nonperforming and restructured assets were 0.61% of total assets at December 31, 2017 compared to 0.53% at September 30, 2017, and 0.56% at December 31, 2016. The allowance for loan losses to total loans was 1.09% at December 31, 2017, 1.10% at September 30, 2017, and 1.10% at December 31, 2016. The allowance to nonperforming and restructured loans was 130.6% compared to 153.5% at September 30, 2017, and 137.3% at year-end 2016. Executive Chairman David Rainbolt commented, "Based on our 2017 earnings, the reduction in the federal tax rate to 21% would have added approximately $14 million to net income. Going forward, we will be raising our minimum wage and increasing the budgeted contribution to our Employee Stock Ownership Plan." On January 11, 2018, the Company completed the previously announced acquisitions of two Oklahoma banking corporations. First Wagoner Corporation and its subsidiary bank, First Bank & Trust Company and First Chandler Corp. and its subsidiary bank, First Bank of Chandler had combined total assets of approximately $373 million. The Company exchanged a combination of cash and stock for these transactions. BancFirst Corporation is an Oklahoma based financial services holding company. The Company's principal subsidiary bank, BancFirst, is Oklahoma's largest state-chartered bank with 109 banking locations serving 59 communities across Oklahoma. More information can be found at www.bancfirst.bank . The Company may make forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 with respect to earnings, credit quality, corporate objectives, interest rates and other financial and business matters. Forward-looking statements include estimates and give management's current expectations or forecasts of future events. The Company cautions readers that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including economic conditions, the performance of financial markets and interest rates; legislative and regulatory actions and reforms; competition; as well as other factors, all of which change over time. Actual results may differ materially from forward-looking statements. BancFirst Corporation Summary Financial Information (Dollars in thousands, except per share and share data - Unaudited) 2017 2017 2017 2017 2016 4th Qtr 3rd Qtr 2nd Qtr 1st Qtr 4th Qtr Condensed Income Statements: Net interest income $ 58,699 $ 57,233 $ 56,439 $ 54,768 $ 51,553 Provision for loan losses 3,323 3,276 1,841 72 1,672 Non-interest income: Trust revenue 3,073 3,083 2,894 2,952 2,878 Service charges on deposits 16,693 16,633 16,448 15,778 16,005 Securities transactions 4,412 (22) (330) --- 52 Income from sales of loans 741 732 816 632 705 Insurance commissions 3,917 4,603 3,728 4,563 3,797 Cash management 2,798 2,804 2,799 2,754 2,713 Other 1,199 1,336 1,628 1,406 1,281 Total noninterest income 32,833 29,169 27,983 28,085 27,431 Non-interest expense: Salaries and employee benefits 31,477 31,471 31,547 30,654 29,706 Occupancy expense, net 3,327 3,298 2,992 2,974 3,198 Depreci

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/18/pr-newswire-bancfirst-corporation-reports-fourth-quarter-earnings.html

Chile's Codelco says to modify Andina mine for glaciers

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile’s state-run Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, presented on Tuesday a $250 million plan to move its Andina mine away from glaciers. The company said in a statement the changes, which will take 36 months to implement once an environmental impact study is improved, would not change expected output or the mine’s lifespan. “It modifies the shape of the current pit, maintaining its size but redirecting the mining extraction toward zones where glaciers are not present,” Codelco said. Andina’s proximity to glaciers has generated sharp criticism from environmentalists. Andina produced 164,000 tonnes of copper from January to September of last year. Reporting by Felipe Iturrieta; Writing by Caroline StaufferEditing by Chizu Nomiyama

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-chile-codelco/chiles-codelco-says-to-modify-andina-mine-for-glaciers-idUSKBN1EY2JI

Round Hill, investor in Beatles and Bruno Mars songs, raises new fund

(Reuters) - Round Hill Music Royalty Partners, a private equity firm which invests in the copyright of songs from artists such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Bruno Mars, said on Tuesday it had raised $263 million for its second fund. The fundraising is an example of private equity firms capitalizing on investor appetite for so-called alternative investments, such as wine and fine art, whose returns are, for the most part, not tied to the performance of financial markets. “I think it’s fair to say what’s going on with music has very little to do with where the traditional markets are,” Round Hill Chief Executive Joshua Gruss said in a telephone interview. Round Hill’s investors include traditional private equity investors such as insurance companies, endowments and family offices. Since launching in 2012, Round Hill has put to work roughly $250 million and generated more than $60 million in royalty income, Gruss said. The strategy is to acquire the publishing or recording rights to music and then pick up royalties when songs are played publicly, streamed online or covered by other performers. One example is Chris Kenner’s song ‘Land of a Thousand Dances,’ which is featured in films such as “Forrest Gump.” “We only own half of it and it earns about $200,000 a year... That is, I would say, a medium-sized song (revenue-wise),” Gruss said. Last week, Round Hill said it had acquired Carlin Music, one of the largest of a few remaining independent music publishers in the world, with a catalog of more than 100,000 songs, including pop and rock classics such as ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’, ‘Fever’ and ‘La Bamba’. The deal was for $245 million, according to a source familiar with its terms who requested anonymity to discuss them. Other similar private equity funds have launched in recent years. Kobalt Capital Ltd said last November it had raised its second fund to invest in music copyright, amassing $600 million through $345 million of equity commitments plus debt. Reporting by Joshua Franklin in New York; Editing by Nick Zieminski

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-roundhillmusic-fund/round-hill-investor-in-beatles-and-bruno-mars-songs-raises-new-fund-idUSKBN1F51JC

A10 Networks Names New Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales

Business leader with decades of experience at Proofpoint, Hitachi Data Systems, NetApp and Symantec joins A10 Networks to lead global sales team SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A10 Networks (NYSE: ATEN), a Secure Application Services™ company, today announced the appointment of Chris White to lead the company’s global sales organization as executive vice president, worldwide sales, effective Jan. 2, 2018. “Chris brings extensive global sales and channel leadership experience to A10, and his cybersecurity background will help the company in its mission to protect businesses and their critical applications from cyber threats through deep intelligence and automation in any environment,” said Lee Chen, president and chief executive officer of A10 Networks. In the role as executive vice president reporting to the CEO, White is responsible for managing and growing A10's global sales organization, sales operations and business development. White’s charter is to drive A10’s global sales and channel strategy. White is known for being a versatile leader and strategic problem solver during his long career in the cybersecurity industry as an accomplished global sales executive. Before joining A10 Networks, White was vice president of sales at Proofpoint, a leading security-as-a-service provider, where he led the Strategic Accounts and Archive Sales Teams in the US market. Prior to Proofpoint, White held senior leadership positions at Hitachi Data Systems, NetApp, Symantec and ADP. About A10 Networks A10 Networks (NYSE: ATEN) is a Secure Application Services™ company, providing a range of high-performance application networking solutions that help organizations ensure that their data center applications and networks remain highly available, accelerated and secure. Founded in 2004, A10 Networks is based in San Jose, Calif., and serves customers globally with offices worldwide. For more information, visit: www.a10networks.com and @A10Networks. The A10 logo, A10 Networks, A10 Thunder and Secure Application Services are trademarks or registered trademarks of A10 Networks, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com : http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180116006515/en/ Media and Analyst Contact A10 Networks Ben Stricker bstricker@a10networks.com Source: A10 Networks

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/16/business-wire-a10-networks-names-new-executive-vice-president-of-worldwide-sales.html

BRIEF-China New Borun Announces Receipt Of Preliminary Non-Binding Going Private Proposal

28 PM / Updated 5 minutes ago BRIEF-China New Borun Announces Receipt Of Preliminary Non-Binding Going Private Proposal Reuters Staff Jan 10 (Reuters) - China New Borun Corp: * CHINA NEW BORUN ANNOUNCES RECEIPT OF PRELIMINARY NON-BINDING GOING PRIVATE PROPOSAL * CHINA NEW BORUN ANNOUNCES RECEIPT OF PRELIMINARY NON-BINDING GOING PRIVATE PROPOSAL * CHINA NEW BORUN CORP - RECEIVED A NON-BINDING PROPOSAL LETTER FROM CEO JINMIAO WANG AND KING RIVER HOLDING LIMITED * CHINA NEW BORUN CORP- BOARD INTENDS TO FORM A SPECIAL COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS TO CONSIDER THIS PROPOSAL * CHINA NEW BORUN-PROPOSAL FOR GOING-PRIVATE TRANSACTION TO BUY ORDINARY SHARES OF CO NOT ALREADY OWNED BY WANG OR KING RIVER FOR US$1.67 IN CASH PER ADS * CHINA NEW BORUN - WANG AND KING RIVER INTEND TO FINANCE PROPOSED TRANSACTION WITH A COMBINATION OF DEBT, EQUITY CAPITAL Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-china-new-borun-announces-receipt/brief-china-new-borun-announces-receipt-of-preliminary-non-binding-going-private-proposal-idUSASB0C0IB

BRIEF-Maersk And IBM To Form Joint Venture Applying Blockchain To Improve Global Trade And Digitize Supply Chains

Jan 16 (Reuters) - International Business Machines Corp : * MAERSK AND IBM TO FORM JOINT VENTURE APPLYING BLOCKCHAIN TO IMPROVE GLOBAL TRADE AND DIGITIZE SUPPLY CHAINS * IBM - ‍MAERSK AND IBM HAVE NAMED MICHAEL J. WHITE, FORMER PRESIDENT OF MAERSK LINE IN NORTH AMERICA, AS CEO OF NEW COMPANY​ * IBM - UPON REGULATORY CLEARANCE, SOLUTIONS FROM JOINT VENTURE EXPECTED TO BECOME AVAILABLE WITHIN SIX MONTHS * IBM - AIM OF NEW CO WILL BE TO OFFER A JOINTLY DEVELOPED GLOBAL TRADE DIGITIZATION PLATFORM DESIGNED FOR USE BY ENTIRE GLOBAL SHIPPING ECOSYSTEM * IBM - NEW COMPANY WILL BE HEADQUARTERED IN NEW YORK METROPOLITAN AREA * IBM - NEW CO INITIALLY PLANS TO COMMERCIALIZE TWO CORE CAPABILITIES AIMED AT “DIGITIZING GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN FROM END-TO-END” * IBM - CORE CAPABILITIES THAT NEW CO INITIALLY PLANS TO COMMERCIALIZE INCLUDE A SHIPPING INFORMATION PIPELINE & PAPERLESS TRADE * IBM - ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES, INCLUDING SINGAPORE & PERUVIAN CUSTOMS, WILL EXPLORE COLLABORATING WITH JV PLATFORM TO FACILITATE TRADE FLOWS * IBM - GLOBAL TERMINAL OPERATORS APM TERMINALS AND PSA INTERNATIONAL WILL USE JV PLATFORM TO “ENRICH” PORT COLLABORATION AND IMPROVE TERMINAL PLANNING Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-maersk-and-ibm-to-form-joint-ventu/brief-maersk-and-ibm-to-form-joint-venture-applying-blockchain-to-improve-global-trade-and-digitize-supply-chains-idUSFWN1PB0LP

Trump to order mental health aid to prevent suicide among military veterans

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order directing government departments to try to prevent suicide among military veterans by treating mental health problems before they become more serious. Trump’s order directs the departments of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs to ensure all uniformed service members have access to mental health treatment and suicide prevention resources in the first year following military service. “They get out of the military and they have nobody to talk to,” Trump said as he signed the order. “It’s a very sad situation.” Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin said the White House wants to address an alarming trend, that of 20 veterans a day taking their own life. “That 12-month period after you leave service is the highest risk for suicide,” Shulkin told reporters. Currently, only 40 percent of military members have mental health coverage, he said. The new order will cost about $200 million year to implement, money that will be diverted from the agencies’ current budgets, a senior administration official said. Reporting By Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton; Editing by David Gregorio

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-veterans/trump-to-order-mental-health-aid-to-prevent-suicide-among-military-veterans-idUSKBN1EY1WW

Blast injures two in Stockholm; police say no terrorism link

January 7, 2018 / 11:50 AM / Updated 8 minutes ago Man dies in Stockholm blast; police see no terrorism link Reuters Staff 1 Min Read STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - One man died after an explosion outside an underground station in Stockholm on Sunday, police said, adding they did not believe the incident was terrorism-related. The man sustained fatal injuries after he picked up an object, a police spokesman said. Daily newspaper Aftonbladet said it was thought to have been a hand grenade. Police declined to confirm that report, for which the newspaper named no sources. “There is obviously something that has exploded strongly ...But we will have to wait for the technical investigation,” the spokesman said, adding that a murder investigation had been launched. There was no reason to believe the event was linked to terrorism, he said. A second person was injured in the explosion, which occurred at the Varby Gard station in the south of the city. It and an adjacent square were closed while police carried out checks. Reporting by Helena Soderpalm; editing by John Stonestreet

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-stockholm-blast/blast-injures-two-in-stockholm-police-say-no-terrorism-link-idUSKBN1EW0EP

Tech.co Acquired by Global Publishing Tech Company MVF

LONDON, Jan. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- MVF , a global customer generation business, has announced the acquisition of technology news brand, Tech.co . Founded in 2006, Tech.co has transformed from a community-building 'Tech Cocktail' event to an influential media brand with millions of readers around the world. MVF presently operates a suite of global publishing sites, using expert articles and informative reviews to connect active customers with businesses all over the world. The purchase is part of MVF's ambitious growth plans as it aims to expand its global reach by acquiring high authority digital brands. MVF US CEO Bjorn Zellweger: "We are really excited to acquire Tech.co and add it to our portfolio of leading online publishers. With an established brand and engaged audience, it's the perfect fit for MVF. "We're looking forward to furthering the brand's reach through our digital marketing expertise, while continuing to invest in great content, bringing the latest tech news and useful resources to even more global readers." Tech.co cofounder Frank Gruber commented: "We are incredibly proud of the brand we have created over the last decade, growing it from a community event series to one of the world's leading tech publishers." Cofounder Jen Consalvo added, "The leadership team behind MVF impressed us with their excitement for the brand and their ability to scale businesses. We feel confident Tech.co is in the right hands and look forward to watching it grow and evolve." In 2015 MVF opened its first US offices in Austin, Texas. The US remains the biggest area of growth for the business and this acquisition is set to further extend its presence in this market. Notes to editors: MVF was founded in the UK by five friends in 2009, and has enjoyed incredibly fast growth over the past 9 years; achieving compound annual growth of 278% over its first four years of trading. Since then, MVF has opened offices in Austin, Texas, and expanded its workforce to over 400 staff. Tech.co founders Frank Gruber and Jen Consalvo will focus on their work advising, investing, and consulting while they continue to grow Startup of the Year and Innovate Celebrate . Tech.co cofounder Frank Gruber shares more details: https://Tech.co/techco-acquired-by-mvf-2018-01 View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/techco-acquired-by-global-publishing-tech-company-mvf-300582979.html SOURCE MVF

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/16/pr-newswire-tech-co-acquired-by-global-publishing-tech-company-mvf.html

China-backed metals trader Kyen to set up London office

MELBOURNE, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Singapore-based metals trader Kyen Resources said it was setting up a trading desk in London as it pushes to expand its recycled metals and concentrates trading business. Kyen, part owned by Chinese company Shenzhen Feima International Supply Chain Co, said late last week that it had hired 12 staff for its British office and that more would join in coming months. Matthew Hadfield, formerly of ICBC Standard Bank, will lead the London office. The step marks the latest example of a China-backed firm seeking a slice of the international metals trading business amid a global revival in manufacturing, filling a gap left by large banks and brokers that have been increasingly hamstrung by tougher regulations and higher costs. For example, NCCL Natural Resources Investment Fund, partly owned by China Molybdenum Co Ltd, in December agreed to buy the global metals business of commodity trader Louis Dreyfus. Kyen scaled up when it bought the metals trading book of Switzerland’s Gunvor in 2016, partly as the Swiss trader dismantled its metals business to focus on more lucrative oil markets and cut counterparty risk. Kyen is also following in the footsteps of global merchant Viant Commodities which last year launched a tie up with a European copper products maker, and Indian industrial metals firm UD Trading Group, which linked with Switzerland’s TMT Metals in 2016. (Reporting by Melanie Burton; Editing by Joseph Radford)

https://www.reuters.com/article/metals-kyen/china-backed-metals-trader-kyen-to-set-up-london-office-idUSL8N1PO00X

Stanley Black & Decker Reports Full Year And 4Q 2017 Results

NEW BRITAIN, Conn., Jan. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK) today announced full year and fourth quarter 2017 financial results. Full Year Revenues Totaled $12.7 Billion, Up 12% Versus Prior Year, As 7% Organic Growth And 7% Growth From Acquisitions Were Partially Offset By The Sale Of The Mechanical Security Business Full Year Operating Margin Rate Was 14.1%; Excluding M&A Related Charges, Full Year Operating Margin Rate Expanded 40 Basis Points To A Record 14.8% Full Year Diluted GAAP EPS Was $8.04; Excluding M&A Related Charges, Full Year Diluted EPS Was $7.45, Up 14% Versus Prior Year, Reflecting Strong Operational Performance And Accretive Acquisitions 2017 Free Cash Flow Conversion Was Approximately 100% 4Q'17 Revenues Totaled $3.4 Billion, Up 17% Versus Prior Year, Including Robust Organic Growth Of 8% 4Q'17 Diluted GAAP EPS Was $1.84; Excluding M&A Related Charges, 4Q'17 Diluted EPS Was $2.18, Up 27% Versus Prior Year Signed Agreement To Acquire Nelson Fastener Systems ($200 Million Revenues) For $440 Million Expect 2018 Full Year Diluted GAAP EPS Of $7.80 To $8.00; Adjusted EPS Of $8.30 - $8.50, Up 11% - 14% Versus Prior Year; 2018 Free Cash Flow Conversion Expected To Approximate 100% 4Q'17 Key Points: Net sales for the quarter were $3.4 billion, up 17% versus prior year, as acquisitions (+9%), volume (+9%) and currency (+3%) more than offset divestitures (-3%) and price (-1%). Gross margin rate for the quarter was 36.6%. Excluding charges, the gross margin rate was 36.7% compared to 36.9% in 4Q'16, as volume leverage and productivity were more than offset by the impact from the Mechanical Security business divestiture and continued commodity inflation. SG&A expenses were 23.2% of sales. Excluding charges, SG&A expenses were 22.9% of sales, down 50 basis points versus 4Q'16, as tight cost management offset the impact from investments in growth initiatives. Operating margin rate was 13.3%. Excluding charges, operating margin rate was 13.8%, a 30 basis point expansion versus 4Q'16. Restructuring charges for the quarter were $8.6 million. Excluding M&A related charges, restructuring charges for the quarter were $4.9 million compared to $21.7 million in 4Q'16. Tax rate was 17.8%, which reflects a one-time net charge of $23.6 million related to the recently enacted U.S. tax legislation. Excluding M&A related charges and one-time tax charge, tax rate was 9.4%, no change from 4Q'16. Average diluted shares outstanding for the quarter were 153.4 million versus 149.4 million a year ago, due primarily to share issuances in 4Q'16 associated with the Company's 2013 Equity Units. Working capital turns for the quarter were 8.9, down 1.7 turns from prior year as a result of recent acquisitions. Excluding acquisitions, turns were flat versus prior year. James M. Loree, President & CEO, commented, "Stanley Black & Decker delivered an impressive 2017, with strong execution aligned with our SFS 2.0 operating system. Our team delivered total growth of 12% with well above-market organic growth of 7%, 40 basis points of operating margin expansion, 14% earnings per share growth and solid free cash flow conversion. We achieved these excellent results while successfully integrating multiple acquisitions on or ahead of plan. We are particularly excited about the growth pipeline for 2018 and beyond which includes core innovation, the Craftsman brand rollout, Lenox and Irwin revenue synergies, FlexVolt, emerging markets and additional acquisitions such as Nelson Fastener Systems. "We are expecting 2018 to be another strong year as our continued focus on SFS 2.0 and our solid growth pipeline position us to deliver sustained above-market organic growth with margin expansion. The team is energized by our company's purpose – 'For Those Who Make The World™' – to achieve our 22/22 vision and to strive to become known as one of the world's leading innovators, to deliver top-quartile financial performance and to demonstrate our commitment to social responsibility." 4Q'17 Segment Results ($ in M) Sales Profit Charges 1 Profit Ex - Charges 1 Profit Rate Profi t Rate Ex- Charges 1 Tools & Storage $2,430 $391.9 $13.6 $405.5 16.1% 16.7% Industrial $473 $75.8 N/A $75.8 16.0% 16.0% Security $510 $55.5 $1.1 $56.6 10.9% 11.1% 1 See Merger And Acquisition (M&A) Related Charges On Page 5 Tools & Storage net sales increased 26% versus 4Q'16 as acquisitions (+13%), volume (+12%) and currency (+2%) more than offset the impact from price to support holiday promotions (-1%). Organic growth was strong across all regions with emerging markets +17%, Europe +17% and North America +8%. The strong emerging market organic growth was supported by mid-price-point product releases, higher e-commerce volumes and benefits from changes to our distribution models in Russia & Turkey. All markets across Europe contributed to another quarter of above-market organic growth in that region, enabled by successful commercial actions and new product launches. North America growth was supported by share gains from strong commercial execution and market-leading innovation, including sales from the DEWALT FlexVolt system, as well as a healthy U.S. tool market. Overall Tools & Storage segment profit rate, excluding charges, was 16.7%, up 50 basis points versus 4Q'16 as volume leverage and productivity more than offset growth investments, price, and increased commodity inflation. Industrial net sales increased 4% versus 4Q'16 as volume (+2%) and currency (+3%) were moderated by divestitures (-1%). Engineered Fastening organic revenues increased 1% as automotive fastener penetration gains, which enabled growth in excess of light vehicle production, and strong volume growth in general industrial markets more than offset the impact from lower self-piercing rivet system shipments in automotive and lower volumes within electronics. Infrastructure organic revenues were up 8% on increased Hydraulic Tools volumes from successful commercial actions and supportive market conditions, as well as low-single digit growth within Oil & Gas from higher inspection and onshore project activity in North America. Overall Industrial segment profit rate was 16.0%, as volume leverage, productivity gains and cost control resulted in an 80 basis point expansion versus the 4Q'16 rate. Security net sales decreased 4% versus 4Q'16 as bolt-on commercial electronic security acquisitions (+4%), currency (+3%) and volume (+2%) were more than offset by the sale of the Mechanical Security business (-13%). North America expanded organically (+2%) on higher installation volumes within commercial electronic security and growth within healthcare. Europe organic growth (+1%) was due to strength within the UK and the Nordics partially offset by anticipated ongoing weakness in France. Overall Security segment profit rate of 11.1% was consistent with the prior two quarters. Versus the prior year, the rate reflects a decline of approximately 90 basis points related to the sale of the Mechanical Security business, as well as impacts from mix and funding growth investments. Engineered Fastening Acquisition On December 22, 2017, the company reached an agreement to purchase the industrial business of Nelson Fastener Systems, which excludes Nelson's automotive stud welding business, for approximately $440 million in cash (LTM Revenue ~$200 million). Nelson enhances Engineered Fastening's presence in the general industrial end markets, expands its portfolio of highly engineered fastening solutions and will deliver cost synergies. The transaction is expected to be modestly accretive to 2018 earnings per share, excluding one-time charges. This transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approval, is expected to close in the first half of 2018. 2018 Outlook Donald Allan Jr., Executive Vice President and CFO, commented, "2017 was a year of excellent operational execution as we delivered very strong financial results, while remaining focused on acquisition integrations, overcoming commodity and currency headwinds, successfully navigating dynamic end markets and investing for future growth. In 2018 we expect to generate another year of above-market organic growth of approximately 5% and adjusted earnings per share growth of 11% - 14% versus prior year." Management expects its 2018 EPS to be $7.80 - $8.00 on a GAAP basis and $8.30 - $8.50 on an adjusted basis. Free cash flow conversion is expected to approximate 100%. The following represents key 2018 adjusted EPS assumptions: Organic growth of approximately 5% (+$0.50 to +$0.60 EPS) Commodity inflation of ~$150 million partially offset by price actions (approximately -$0.25 to -$0.30 EPS) Net impact from closed acquisitions, cost actions and improved productivity partially offset by higher share count (approximately +$0.45 to +$0.50 EPS) Tax rate to approximate 18% reflecting the recently enacted U.S. tax legislation (approximately +$0.20 EPS) Embedded core restructuring charges (~$50 million) Allan continued, "While we expect 2018 to have its share of externally driven challenges, our strong day-to-day execution, ability to deliver robust innovation, and commitment to SFS 2.0 give us confidence in our ability to deliver solid organic growth, operating leverage and strong free cash flow conversion this year, consistent with our long-term financial objectives." Merger And Acquisition ("M&A") Related Charges Total M&A related charges in 4Q'17 were $27.1 million, primarily related to restructuring, deal and integration costs, as well as non-cash inventory step-up charges. Gross margin included $4.3 million of these charges while SG&A included $10.9 million. Other, net and Restructuring included $7.2 million and $3.7 million, respectively, of these charges. In addition, a net $1.0 million loss was recorded in the quarter related to divestitures. The Company will host a conference call with investors today, January 24, 2018, at 8:00 am ET. A slide presentation which will accompany the call will be available at www.stanleyblackanddecker.com and will remain available after the call. The call will be accessible by telephone within the U.S. at (877) 930-8285, from outside the U.S. at +1 (253) 336-8297, and via the Internet at www.stanleyblackanddecker.com . To participate, please register on the website at least fifteen minutes prior to the call and download and install any necessary audio software. Please use the conference identification number 1779666. A replay will also be available two hours after the call and can be accessed at (855) 859-2056 or +1 (404) 537-3406 using the passcode 1779666. The replay will also be available as a podcast within 24 hours and can be accessed on our website and via iTunes. Stanley Black & Decker, an S&P 500 company, is a diversified global provider of hand tools, power tools and related accessories, electronic security solutions, healthcare solutions, engineered fastening systems, and more. Learn more at www.stanleyblackanddecker.com . Investor Contacts: Dennis Lange Vice President, Investor Relations dennis.lange@sbdinc.com (860) 827-3833 Michelle Hards Director, Investor Relations michelle.hards@sbdinc.com (860) 827-3913 Media Contacts: Shannon Lapierre Vice President, Communications & Public Relations shannon.lapierre@sbdinc.com (860) 827-3575 Tim Perra Vice President, Public Affairs tim.perra@sbdinc.com (860) 826-3260 Organic sales growth is defined as total sales growth less the sales of companies acquired and divested in the past twelve months and any foreign currency impacts. Operating margin is defined as sales less cost of sales and selling, general and administrative expenses. Management uses operating margin and its percentage of net sales as key measures to assess the performance of the Company as a whole, as well as the related measures at the segment level. Free cash flow is defined as cash flow from operations less capital and software expenditures. Management considers free cash flow an important indicator of its liquidity, as well as its ability to fund future growth and to provide a return to the shareowners. Free cash flow does not include deductions for mandatory debt service, other borrowing activity, discretionary dividends on the Company's common stock and business acquisitions, among other items. Free cash flow conversion is defined as free cash flow divided by net income, excluding the gain or loss on the sales of businesses. The normalized statement of operations and business segment information, as reconciled to GAAP on pages 12 and 13 for 2017, is considered relevant to aid analysis of the Company's margin and earnings results aside from the material impact of the acquisition-related charges, gain or loss on the sales of businesses and a one-time net tax charge related to the recently enacted U.S. tax legislation. CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 Statements in this press release that are not historical, including but not limited to those regarding the Company's ability to: (i) achieve full year 2018 GAAP EPS of $7.80 – $8.00 and Adjusted EPS of $8.30 - $8.50; (ii) generate 2018 free cash flow conversion approximating 100%; (iii) achieve its 22/22 vision of doubling the size of the Company by 2022 while expanding its margin rate; and (iv) deliver solid organic growth with operating leverage, earnings per share expansion and free cash flow conversion in 2018 consistent with its long-term financial objectives, (collectively, the "Results"); are "forward-looking statements" and subject to risk and uncertainty. The Company's ability to deliver the Results as described above is based on current expectations and involves inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors listed below and other factors that could delay, divert, or change any of them, and could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations. In addition to the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in this press release, the risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause or contribute to actual results differing materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation, those set forth under Item 1A Risk Factors of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and any material changes thereto set forth in any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, or those contained in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and those set forth below. The Company's ability to deliver the Results is dependent, or based, upon: (i) the Company's ability to deliver successful innovation in its products and services; (ii) the Company's ability to invest in product, brand and commercialization of the Craftsman brand and to successfully integrate Newell Tools while remaining focused on its diversified industrial portfolio strategy; (iii) the Company's ability to deliver overall organic growth of approximately 5.0% in 2018; (iv) limit the impact from commodity inflation of approximately $150 million, partially offset by price actions to -$.25 to -$0.30 EPS in 2018; (v) net impact from closed acquisitions, cost actions and improved productivity partially offset by higher share count being approximately +$0.45 to +$0.50 EPS in 2018; (vi) core (non M&A) restructuring charges being approximately $50 million in 2018; (vii) 2018 tax rate being approximately 18%; (viii) the Company's ability to identify, close and integrate appropriate acquisition opportunities, within desired timeframes at reasonable cost; (ix) successful integration of existing and any newly acquired businesses and formation of new business platforms; (x) the continued acceptance of technologies used in the Company's products and services, including DEWALT FLEXVOLT™ product; (xi) the Company's ability to manage existing Sonitrol franchisee and MAC Tools relationships; (xii) the Company's ability to minimize costs associated with any sale or discontinuance of a business or product line, including any severance, restructuring, legal or other costs; (xiii) the proceeds realized with respect to any business or product line disposals; (xiv) the extent of any asset impairments with respect to any businesses or product lines that are sold or discontinued; (xv) the success of the Company's efforts to manage freight costs, steel and other commodity costs as well as capital expenditures; (xvi) the Company's ability to sustain or increase prices in order to, among other things, offset or mitigate the impact of steel, freight, energy, non-ferrous commodity and other commodity costs and any inflation increases and/or currency impacts; (xvii) the Company's ability to generate free cash flow and maintain a strong debt to capital ratio; (xviii) the Company's ability to identify and effectively execute productivity improvements and cost reductions, while minimizing any associated restructuring charges; (xix) the Company's ability to obtain favorable settlement of tax audits; (xx) the ability of the Company to generate earnings sufficient to realize future income tax benefits during periods when temporary differences become deductible; (xxi) the continued ability of the Company to access credit markets under satisfactory terms; (xxii) the Company's ability to negotiate satisfactory price and payment terms under which the Company buys and sells goods, services, materials and products; and (xxiii) the Company's ability to successfully develop, market and achieve sales from new products and services. (xxiv) the impact of the enacted U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the provisional estimate recorded in 2017 based on legislative developments and refined calculations. The Company's ability to deliver the Results is also dependent upon: (i) the success of the Company's marketing and sales efforts, including the ability to develop and market new and innovative products at the right price points in both existing and new markets; (ii) the ability of the Company to maintain or improve production rates in the Company's manufacturing facilities, respond to significant changes in product demand and fulfill demand for new and existing products; (iii) the Company's ability to continue improvements in working capital through effective management of accounts receivable and inventory levels; (iv) the ability to continue successfully managing and defending claims and litigation; (v) the success of the Company's efforts to mitigate any adverse earnings impact resulting from, for example, increases in the cost of energy or significant Chinese Renminbi, Canadian Dollar, Euro, British Pound, Brazilian Real or other currency fluctuations; (vi) the geographic distribution of the Company's earnings; (vii) the commitment to and success of the Stanley Fulfillment System including, core innovation, breakthrough innovation, digital and commercial excellence and functional transformation; and (viii) successful implementation with expected results of cost reduction programs. The Company's ability to achieve the Results will also be affected by external factors. These external factors include: challenging global geopolitical and macroeconomic environment, possibly including impact from "Brexit" or other similar actions from other EU member states; the economic environment of emerging markets, particularly Latin America, Russia, China and Turkey; pricing pressure and other changes within competitive markets; the continued consolidation of customers particularly in consumer channels; inventory management pressures on the Company's customers; the impact the tightened credit markets may have on the Company or its customers or suppliers; the extent to which the Company has to write-off accounts receivable or assets or experiences supply chain disruptions in connection with bankruptcy filings by customers or suppliers; increasing competition; changes in laws, regulations and policies that affect the Company, including, but not limited to trade, monetary, tax and fiscal policies and laws; the timing and extent of any inflation or deflation; the impact of poor weather conditions on sales; currency exchange fluctuations; the impact of dollar/foreign currency exchange and interest rates on the competitiveness of products and the Company's debt program; the strength of the U.S. and European economies; the impact from demand changes within world-wide markets associated with homebuilding and remodeling; the impact of events that cause or may cause disruption in the Company's supply, manufacturing, distribution and sales networks such as war, terrorist activities, and political unrest, including hostilities on the Korean Peninsula; and recessionary or expansive trends in the economies of the world in which the Company operates. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date hereof. STANLEY BLACK & DECKER, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited, Millions of Dollars Except Per Share Amounts) FOURTH QUARTER YEAR-TO-DATE 2017 2016 2017 2016 NET SALES $ 3,413.5 $ 2,920.4 $ 12,747.2 $ 11,406.9 COSTS AND EXPENSES Cost of sales 2,165.1 1,843.8 7,969.2 7,139.7 Gross margin 1,248.4 1,076.6 4,778.0 4,267.2 % of Net Sales 36.6% 36.9% 37.5% 37.4% Selling, general and administrative 793.3 683.8 2,980.1 2,623.9 % of Net Sales 23.2% 23.4% 23.4% 23.0% Operating margin 455.1 392.8 1,797.9 1,643.3 % of Net Sales 13.3% 13.5% 14.1% 14.4% Other - net 57.7 46.3 289.7 196.9 Loss (gain) on sales of businesses 1.0 - (264.1) - Pension settlement (0.6) - 12.2 - Restructuring charges 8.6 21.7 51.5 49.0 Income from operations 388.4 324.8 1,708.6 1,397.4 Interest - net 46.6 42.5 182.5 171.3 EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES 341.8 282.3 1,526.1 1,226.1 Income taxes 60.7 26.5 300.5 261.2 NET EARNINGS 281.1 255.8 1,225.6 964.9 Less: net (loss) earnings attributable to non-controlling interests (0.4) 0.3 (0.4) (0.4) NET EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON SHAREOWNERS $ 281.5 $ 255.5 $ 1,226.0 $ 965.3 EARNINGS PER SHARE OF COMMON STOCK Basic $ 1.88 $ 1.74 $ 8.19 $ 6.61 Diluted $ 1.84 $ 1.71 $ 8.04 $ 6.51 DIVIDENDS PER SHARE $ 0.63 $ 0.58 $ 2.42 $ 2.26 WEIGHTED-AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING (in thousands) Basic 150,080 147,145 149,629 146,041 Diluted 153,412 149,440 152,449 148,207 STANLEY BLACK & DECKER, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited, Millions of Dollars) December 30, December 31, 2017 2016 ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $ 637.5 $ 1,131.8 Accounts and notes receivable, net 1,635.9 1,302.8 Inventories, net 2,018.4 1,478.0 Assets held for sale - 523.4 Other current assets 274.3 352.5 Total current assets 4,566.1 4,788.5 Property, plant and equipment, net 1,742.5 1,451.2 Goodwill and other intangibles, net 12,283.5 8,993.5 Other assets 487.8 401.7 Total assets $ 19,079.9 $ 15,634.9 LIABILITIES AND SHAREOWNERS' EQUITY Short-term borrowings $ 5.3 $ 4.3 Current maturities of long-term debt 983.4 7.8 Accounts payable 2,021.0 1,640.4 Accrued expenses 1,352.1 1,101.5 Liabilities held for sale - 53.5 Total current liabilities 4,361.8 2,807.5 Long-term debt 2,843.0 3,815.3 Other long-term liabilities 3,575.2 2,638.5 Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. shareowners' equity 8,297.1 6,367.0 Non-controlling interests' equity 2.8 6.6 Total liabilities and shareowners' equity $ 19,079.9 $ 15,634.9 STANLEY BLACK & DECKER, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES SUMMARY OF CASH FLOW ACTIVITY (Unaudited, Millions of Dollars) FOURTH QUARTER YEAR-TO-DATE 2017 2016 2017 2016 OPERATING ACTIVITIES Net earnings $ 281.1 $ 255.8 $ 1,225.6 $ 964.9 Depreciation and amortization 122.7 102.8 460.7 408.0 Loss (gain) on sales of businesses 1.0 - (264.1) - Changes in working capital 1 523.1 450.5 (261.1) 57.2 Other 22.9 26.1 257.5 55.1 Net cash provided by operating activities 950.8 835.2 1,418.6 1,485.2 INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES Capital and software expenditures (164.5) (125.3) (442.4) (347.0) Premium paid on equity option - - (25.1) - Proceeds from issuances of common stock 43.3 367.2 90.8 418.5 Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock - - 727.5 - Proceeds from sales of businesses, net of cash sold 11.6 24.0 756.9 24.0 Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired (19.0) - (2,601.1) (59.3) Net short-term (repayments) borrowings (575.9) (90.5) (76.7) 1.9 Net investment hedge settlements 8.3 41.4 (23.3) 104.7 Non-controlling interest buyouts - (12.5) (3.2) (12.5) Cash dividends on common stock (95.0) (87.0) (362.9) (330.9) Cash settlement on forward stock purchase contract - (147.4) - (147.4) Purchases of common stock for treasury (12.5) (11.4) (28.7) (374.1) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash (0.5) (78.9) 81.0 (101.7) Other 7.6 (3.8) (5.7) 5.0 Net cash used in investing and financing activities (796.6) (124.2) (1,912.9) (818.8) Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents 154.2 711.0 (494.3) 666.4 Cash and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of Period 483.3 420.8 1,131.8 465.4 Cash and Cash Equivalents, End of Period $ 637.5 $ 1,131.8 $ 637.5 $ 1,131.8 Free Cash Flow Computation 2 Operating cash flow $ 950.8 $ 835.2 $ 1,418.6 $ 1,485.2 Less: Capital and software expenditures (164.5) (125.3) (442.4) (347.0) Free cash flow (before dividends) $ 786.3 $ 709.9 $ 976.2 $ 1,138.2 1 Working capital is comprised of accounts receivable, inventory, accounts payable and deferred revenue. 2 Free cash flow is defined as cash flow from operations less capital and software expenditures. Management considers free cash flow an important measure of its liquidity, as well as its ability to fund future growth and to provide a return to the shareowners. Free cash flow does not include deductions for mandatory debt service, other borrowing activity, discretionary dividends on the Company's common stock and business acquisitions, among other items. STANLEY BLACK & DECKER, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES BUSINESS SEGMENT INFORMATION (Unaudited, Millions of Dollars) FOURTH QUARTER YEAR-TO-DATE 2017 2016 2017 2016 NET SALES Tools & Storage $ 2,430.2 $ 1,933.8 $ 8,862.4 $ 7,469.2 Industrial 473.5 453.8 1,946.0 1,840.3 Security 509.8 532.8 1,938.8 2,097.4 Total $ 3,413.5 $ 2,920.4 $ 12,747.2 $ 11,406.9 SEGMENT PROFIT Tools & Storage $ 391.9 $ 312.4 $ 1,450.1 $ 1,266.9 Industrial 75.8 69.2 352.3 304.4 Security 55.5 69.9 212.3 269.2 Segment Profit 523.2 451.5 2,014.7 1,840.5 Corporate Overhead (68.1) (58.7) (216.8) (197.2) Total $ 455.1 $ 392.8 $ 1,797.9 $ 1,643.3 Segment Profit as a Percentage of Net Sales Tools & Storage 16.1% 16.2% 16.4% 17.0% Industrial 16.0% 15.2% 18.1% 16.5% Security 10.9% 13.1% 11.0% 12.8% Segment Profit 15.3% 15.5% 15.8% 16.1% Corporate Overhead (2.0%) (2.0%) (1.7%) (1.7%) Total 13.3% 13.5% 14.1% 14.4% STANLEY BLACK & DECKER, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES RECONCILIATION OF GAAP EARNINGS FINANCIAL MEASURES TO CORRESPONDING NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (Unaudited, Millions of Dollars Except Per Share Amounts) FOURTH QUARTER 2017 YEAR-TO-DATE 2017 Reported Acquisition- Related Charges & Other 1 Normalized 2 FOURTH QUARTER 2016 Reported Acquisition- Related Charges & Other 1 Normalized 2 YEAR-TO- DATE 2016 Gross margin $ 1,248.4 $ 4.3 $ 1,252.7 $ 1,076.6 $ 4,778.0 $ 46.8 $ 4,824.8 $ 4,267.2 % of Net Sales 36.6% 36.7% 36.9% 37.5% 37.8% 37.4% Selling, general and administrative 793.3 (10.9) $ 782.4 $ 683.8 2,980.1 (37.7) $ 2,942.4 $ 2,623.9 % of Net Sales 23.2% 22.9% 23.4% 23.4% 23.1% 23.0% Operating margin 455.1 15.2 470.3 392.8 1,797.9 84.5 1,882.4 1,643.3 % of Net Sales 13.3% 13.8% 13.5% 14.1% 14.8% 14.4% Earnings before income taxes 341.8 27.1 368.9 282.3 1,526.1 (107.8) 1,418.3 1,226.1 Income taxes 60.7 (26.1) 34.6 26.5 300.5 (17.3) 283.2 261.2 Net earnings attributable to common shareowners 281.5 53.2 334.7 255.5 1,226.0 (90.5) 1,135.5 965.3 Diluted earnings per share of common stock $ 1.84 $ 0.34 $ 2.18 $ 1.71 $ 8.04 $ (0.59) $ 7.45 $ 6.51 1 Acquisition-related charges and other relates primarily to inventory step-up, integration and consulting costs, gains or losses on sales of businesses, and a one-time net tax charge related to the recently enacted U.S. tax legislation. 2 The normalized 2017 information, as reconciled to GAAP above, is considered relevant to aid analysis of the Company's margin and earnings results aside from the material impact of the acquisition-related charges, gains or losses on sales of businesses, and a one-time net tax charge related to the recently enacted U.S. tax legislation. STANLEY BLACK & DECKER, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES RECONCILIATION OF GAAP SEGMENT PROFIT FINANCIAL MEASURES TO CORRESPONDING NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (Unaudited, Millions of Dollars) FOURTH QUARTER 2017 YEAR-TO-DATE 2017 Reported Acquisition- Related Charges 1 Normalized 2 FOURTH QUARTER 2016 Reported Acquisition- Related Charges 1 Normalized 2 YEAR-TO- DATE 2016 SEGMENT PROFIT Tools & Storage $ 391.9 $ 13.6 $ 405.5 $ 312.4 $ 1,450.1 $ 81.8 $ 1,531.9 $ 1,266.9 Industrial 75.8 - 75.8 69.2 352.3 - 352.3 304.4 Security 55.5 1.1 56.6 69.9 212.3 2.0 214.3 269.2 Segment Profit 523.2 14.7 537.9 451.5 2,014.7 83.8 2,098.5 1,840.5 Corporate Overhead (68.1) 0.5 (67.6) (58.7) (216.8) 0.7 (216.1) (197.2) Total $ 455.1 $ 15.2 $ 470.3 $ 392.8 $ 1,797.9 $ 84.5 $ 1,882.4 $ 1,643.3 Segment Profit as a Percentage of Net Sales Tools & Storage 16.1% 16.7% 16.2% 16.4% 17.3% 17.0% Industrial 16.0% 16.0% 15.2% 18.1% 18.1% 16.5% Security 10.9% 11.1% 13.1% 11.0% 11.1% 12.8% Segment Profit 15.3% 15.8% 15.5% 15.8% 16.5% 16.1% Corporate Overhead (2.0%) (2.0%) (2.0%) (1.7%) (1.7%) (1.7%) Total 13.3% 13.8% 13.5% 14.1% 14.8% 14.4% 1 Acquisition-related charges relate primarily to inventory step-up, integration and consulting costs. 2 The normalized 2017 business segment information, as reconciled to GAAP above, is considered relevant to aid analysis of the Company's segment profit results aside from the material impact of the acquisition-related charges. View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stanley-black--decker-reports-full-year-and-4q-2017-results-300587226.html SOURCE Stanley Black & Decker

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/24/pr-newswire-stanley-black-decker-reports-full-year-and-4q-2017-results.html

Olympics: Christie on short track to success after Sochi wipeout

January 26, 2018 / 1:06 PM / in 6 hours Olympics: Christie on short track to success after Sochi wipeout Alan Baldwin 5 Min Read LONDON (Reuters) - Elise Christie knows from bitter experience how fragile Olympic dreams can be in the rough, tough world of short-track speed skating but Britain’s golden hope goes to Pyeongchang with steely determination. In Sochi four years ago, the Scot went into the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meter races as a top contender only to suffer a failure that left her tormented by cyber bullying and death threats. Disqualified from all three, the then 23-year-old drew the ire of South Koreans who blamed her for collisions and crashes that dented the chances of some of that country’s leading skating hopes. The abuse made Christie, who has also spoken about how she was bullied at school, question whether she wanted to stay in the sport she loved. Now in a much better place as she heads into what might be considered the lions’ den of South Korea, and boosted by winning three golds at last year’s world championships, she is open about the help she needed to turn things around. “Initially I tried to deal with it all on my own,” the 27-year-old, now a 10-times European champion with 29 major medals in her collection but none at an Olympics, told reporters last year. ”Eventually, I went and asked for some help because I did struggle with the fact that my sport had led to death threats. “I couldn’t link how that worked. Why has something that I’d dreamed of doing since I was a kid, that I love doing, led to that?” Christie will give social media a wide berth in Pyeongchang, just in case there are any copycats around, but the fear of failing that beset her after 2014 has gone as she prepares for her third Olympics. “I think I’ve really, really changed since Sochi,” she explained. ”I definitely take things a lot less seriously. The biggest thing is just that I’m confident, and I’m not desperate now. Almost I feel like I had to prove it to myself, before. I didn’t feel much self-belief on a daily basis. “Now...I believe in what I’m doing and I believe I can go out and win a gold medal. But I also know I’ll survive if I don’t.” TRIPLE GOLD Team GB’s short-track speed skating performance director Stewart Laing told Reuters he had seen a transformation over the two years since he arrived to lead the program. “People have titled her ‘The Ice Queen’, the ‘Redemption Kid’, all these sorts of things, but I know she’s going out to Pyeongchang just focused on what she can do, with the knowledge and confidence of what she’s capable of doing,” he said. “To be the fastest woman on ice over 500 meters, and to be multiple world champion, has given her just the confidence she needs going into these Games.” Apart from the three golds won in Rotterdam last March - the 1,000 and 1,500 titles as well as overall - Christie also holds the world record for the 500 meters. The first non-Asian skater to take overall gold in 23 years, and first British woman to win a world championship title, Christie credits sports psychology with making the big difference. “It took two years,” she said. “I really felt like without doing that (seeing somebody) there was no way I was going to unlock my full potential. And I was sick of going to world championships and not winning.” She now has to take on the heavily-fancied South Koreans on home ice but knows what to expect, having won a 500m World Cup event in Seoul last November and taken double gold at a Pyeongchang test event. The local fans have also warmed to her. “I was thinking ‘Oh man, I’m going to get booed...’ I was preparing myself for the worst,” she said of her first trip to Korea after Sochi. ”And then everyone ran at me. I couldn’t go in the stands to warm up. I think it was almost like they were embarrassed for the people who had done that (the social media attacks) and almost had the opposite reaction to it. “They get so excited, they just want to take pictures with you, touch you. It’s pretty crazy,” added Christie, whose Hungarian boyfriend Sandor Liu Shaolin is a former 500m world champion. “It’s nice that it’s obviously turned around. I wouldn’t want to go out there being hated, for sure.” Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-2018-stsk-christie/olympics-christie-on-short-track-to-success-after-sochi-wipeout-idUSKBN1FF1N5

Ice hockey: Johannson, U.S. Olympic team general manager, dies at 53

(Reuters) - Jim Johannson, the general manager of the 2018 U.S. Olympic men’s ice hockey team and a two-time Olympian, has died, USA Hockey said on Sunday. He was 53. The assistant executive director of hockey operations with USA Hockey, Johannson was part of the management team for every Olympic Games since 2002 and served on the U.S. staff for 18 world championship teams. “In building the teams that achieved so much success for USA Hockey, Jim Johannson had a sharp eye for talent, a strong sense of chemistry and a relentless pursuit of excellence,” National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “The NHL family’s respect for Jim’s contributions to hockey, at all levels, is exceeded only by our shock and sorrow over his sudden passing.” Johannson died in his sleep early on Sunday morning at his home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA Hockey said. “He was so compassionate and as loyal a friend as you could have,” said Tony Granato, who will coach the U.S. team at next month’s Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. “He was the ultimate team mate.” Johannson twice played for the U.S. in the Winter Olympic Games (1988 and 1992) and was a member of the American team at the 1992 world championship. “We are beyond shocked and profoundly saddened,” said Pat Kelleher, executive director of USA Hockey. “As accomplished as Jim was in hockey, he was the absolute best, most humble, kind and caring person you could ever hope to meet.” Reporting by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina, editing by Ed Osmond

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-icehockey-usa-johannson/ice-hockey-johannson-u-s-olympic-team-general-manager-dies-at-53-idUSKBN1FA13W

Italy's Poste targets at least 1.8 bln euros in 2018 postal savings fees

MILAN, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Poste Italiane said on Thursday it aimed to reap at least 1.8 billion euros ($2.2 billion) in fees this year from selling postal bonds and certificates on behalf of state lender CDP. State-controlled Poste last year signed a three-year distribution contract with CDP that awards the Italian post office between 1.55 billion and 1.85 billion euros depending on performance targets. The targets for 2018-2020 factor in an average decrease of 4 billion euros a year in net inflows of postal savings, the head of Poste’s banking division Andrea Novelli told an analyst call. Novelli said the group was “extremely confident” it could reach those targets because in recent years it had been able to curb the drop in new postal savings. Poste Italiane will present a new business plan under CEO Matteo Del Fante on Feb. 27. ($1 = 0.8182 euros) (Reporting by Francesca Landini; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)

https://www.reuters.com/article/poste-italiane-fee/italys-poste-targets-at-least-1-8-bln-euros-in-2018-postal-savings-fees-idUSL8N1PD5FY

Global Markets: Asia shares surf global growth wave, dollar sinks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar extended recent weakness, hitting three-year lows again, and U.S. bond prices eased on Wednesday after U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he welcomed its weakness in the currency. Fear of protectionism from the U.S. economy, the world’s largest, had already pushed the greenback to a three-year low, but Mnuchin’s remark at the annual Davos summit of business and political leaders pushed it down further. [nL8N1PJ1EG] Adding to those fears, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said U.S. trade authorities are investigating whether there is a case for taking action over China’s infringements of intellectual property. [nL8N1PJ5HI] U.S. President Donald Trump had slapped steep tariffs on imported washing machines and solar panels on Monday. [nL2N1PH1WV] The dollar index .DXY, which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, was down 0.93 at 89.283, slipping below 90 for the first time since December 2014. [nL8N1PJ4FN] “It’s quite significant given that this is the first time in a very long time that a Treasury secretary has spoken against a strong dollar,” said Sireen Harajli, FX strategist at Mizuho. The S&P 500 was flat, paring gains after the Ross comments, which fueled trade war fears. The dollar’s weakness, however, was providing some support since it helps U.S. multinationals’ earnings. [nL4N1PJ4ZF] FILE PHOTO: The London Stock Exchange Group offices are seen in the City of London, Britain, December 29, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melville “To the extent that global growth is solid and a sizable portion of S&P earnings are earned overseas, I don’t look at this as being dollar negative at all,” said Joseph LaVorgna, chief economist for Americas at Nations in New York. Also weighing on the S&P 500, GE ( GE.N ) shares were down 2.7 percent. In the latest blow to the largest U.S. industrial conglomerate, U.S. securities regulators are probing a massive insurance charge GE announced last week. GE also forecast more weakness at its power business this year, a unit that produced 60 percent of profits as recently as 2016. [nL4N1PJ43B] The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose 51.4 points, or 0.2 percent, to 26,262.21, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 3.03 points, or 0.11 percent, to 2,836.1 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC dropped 43.40 points, or 0.58 percent, to 7,416.89. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index .FTEU3 lost 0.51 percent and MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD PUS gained 0.12 percent. [nL8N1PJ1VY] Euro zone businesses enjoyed a much better start to 2018 than anyone polled by Reuters expected, ramping up activity at the fastest rate since the middle of 2006, a survey showed on Wednesday. [nL9N1LS01D] U.S. Treasury debt prices slumped, also after Mnuchin’s comments. [nL2N1PJ136] Benchmark 10-year notes US10YT=RR last fell 8/32 in price to yield 2.6502 percent, from 2.622 percent late on Tuesday. In the oil market, U.S. crude CLcv1 rose 0.51 percent to $64.80 per barrel and Brent LCOcv1 was last at $69.85, down 0.16 percent on the day. [nL4N1PJ1GE] Additional reporting by Abhinav Ramnarayan and Marc Jones in London, and Saqib Iqbal Ahmed in New York and Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Nick Zieminski

https://in.reuters.com/article/us-global-markets/asia-shares-surf-global-growth-wave-dollar-sinks-idINKBN1FD03M

GATE Announces Completion Of Restructuring Plan

CAYMAN ISLANDS and SINGAPORE, Jan. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global A&T Electronics Ltd. (the "Company") announced that the Court-approved restructuring plan has gone into effect as of today. At a hearing on 3 January 2018, the Honorable Robert D. Drain affirmed its ruling on 21 December confirming the Company's restructuring plan, and overruling on finding in applicable the limited objection filed by JP Morgan Chase ("JPMC"). "The closing of our restructuring is the culmination of hard work and strong support from our equity sponsors and noteholders, who have been constructive partners throughout our restructuring process. In particular, I want to thank all our customers and suppliers for their support and trust in UTAC throughout this process. I also want to thank our dedicated employees for continuing to deliver quality products and services to our customers," said Dr. W. John Nelson, Chief Executive Officer of the Company. As previously announced, the restructuring will reduce the Company's funded debt from approximately $1.12 billion to total of $665 million and reduce its annual debt service by nearly half from $113 million to approximately $56.5 million. The restructuring will consolidate GATE with its sister company UMS, allowing for greater operational synergy and liquidity. With the significant reduction in interest expense, UTAC is expected to generate positive free cashflow after interest and capex spending. When completed, the restructuring will also resolve all litigation and claims of the noteholders against the company and its equity sponsors over the 2014 debt exchange. "UTAC will emerge from this process stronger than ever, with the financial stability and flexibility to invest for future growth," said John. -End- About UTAC Holdings Ltd UTAC Holdings Ltd (UTAC) is a leading independent provider of assembly and test services for a broad range of semiconductor chips. We offer a full range of semiconductor assembly and test services in these key product categories: analog, mixed-signal and logic, and memory. Our customers are primarily fabless companies, integrated device manufacturers and wafer foundries. UTAC is headquartered in Singapore, with production facilities located in Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, mainland China, Indonesia and Malaysia. We have a global sales network across United States, Japan, mainland China and Taiwan, rest of Asia and Europe, with sales offices in each of these regions. View original content: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gate-announces-completion-of-restructuring-plan-300582238.html SOURCE UTAC

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/12/pr-newswire-gate-announces-completion-of-restructuring-plan.html

David Tepper says market is as 'cheap’ as a year ago

David Tepper of Appaloosa Management, one of the most respected investors in the hedge fund business, told CNBC on Thursday the bull market still has room to grow. "Explain to me where this market is rich? It's not rich with the tax thing that just changed earnings projections. With earnings forecasts going up and interest rates where they are, how is this market expensive? I don't see the overvaluation. World growth is higher," Tepper said in a phone interview. "There's no inflation. The market coming into this year doesn't look rich, in fact, it looks almost as cheap as coming into last year." The tax overhaul, which President Donald Trump signed into law last month, lowers the corporate tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent. The billionaire investor's comments that the market is nearly as inexpensive as the beginning of 2017 is noteworthy since the S&P 500 rallied 19 percent last year. Tepper said bond prices are the key indicator of whether the stock market can keep going higher. "The market can't go down until the bond market gets hit. It's amazing where interest rates are," he added in the interview on CNBC's " Fast Money Halftime Report. " Appaloosa managed $17 billion as of March.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/04/david-tepper-says-market-is-as-cheap-as-a-year-ago.html

Green Bancorp, Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2017 Financial Results Release Date and Conference Call

HOUSTON, Jan. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Green Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:GNBC), the bank holding company that operates Green Bank, N.A., today announced that the company will release its fourth quarter and full year 2017 results after the market close on Thursday, January 25, 2018 and will host a conference call at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the same day. The conference call can be accessed live by dialing 1-877-407-0789, or for international callers, 1-201-689-8562, and requesting to be joined to the Green Bancorp Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2017 Earnings Conference Call. A replay will be available starting at 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on January 25, 2018 and can be accessed by dialing 1-844-512-2921, or for international callers, 1-412-317-6671. The passcode for the replay is 13675213. The replay will be available until 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on February 1, 2018. Interested investors and other parties may also listen to a simultaneous webcast of the conference call by logging onto the investor relations section of the company's website at investors.greenbank.com . The on-line replay will remain available for a limited time beginning immediately following the call. To learn more about Green Bancorp, please visit the company's website at www.greenbank.com . Green Bancorp uses its website as a channel of distribution for material company information. Financial and other material information regarding Green Bancorp is routinely posted on the company's website and is readily accessible. About Green Bancorp, Inc. Headquartered in Houston, Green Bancorp, Inc. is a bank holding company that operates Green Bank, N.A., in Houston, Dallas and Austin. Commercial-focused, Green Bank is a federally chartered bank regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, a division of the Department of the Treasury of the United States. Forward Looking Statements The information presented herein and in other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in press releases or other public shareholder communications, or in oral statements made with the approval of an authorized executive officer contains forward looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 giving Green Bancorp’s expectations or predictions of future financial or business performance or conditions. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “target,” “estimate,” “continue,” “positions,” “prospects” or “potential,” by future conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could” or “may”, or by variations of such words or by similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties which change over time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and we assume no duty to update forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date such statements are made. These statements may relate to future financial performance, strategic plans or objectives, revenues or earnings projections, or other financial information. By their nature, these statements are subject to numerous uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the statements. Statements about the expected timing, completion and effects of the proposed transactions and all other statements in this release other than historical facts constitute forward-looking statements. In addition to factors previously disclosed in Green Bancorp’s reports filed with the SEC and those identified elsewhere in this communication, the following factors among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements: difficulties and delays in integrating the Green Bancorp and Patriot businesses or fully realizing cost savings and other benefits; business disruption following the merger; changes in asset quality and credit risk; the inability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; changes in interest rates and capital markets; inflation; customer borrowing, repayment, investment and deposit practices; customer disintermediation; the introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of business initiatives; competitive conditions; the inability to realize cost savings or revenues or to implement integration plans and other consequences associated with mergers, acquisitions and divestitures; economic conditions; and the impact, extent and timing of technological changes, capital management activities, and other actions of the Federal Reserve Board and legislative and regulatory actions and reforms. Media Contact: Mike Barone 713-275-8243 mbarone@greenbank.com Investor Relations: 713-275-8220 investors@greenbank.com Source:Green Bancorp, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/11/globe-newswire-green-bancorp-inc-announces-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2017-financial-results-release-date-and-conference-call.html

United Tech's revenue rises 7 percent

(Reuters) - U.S. manufacturer United Technologies Corp ( UTX.N ) reported better-than-expected quarterly revenue and forecast higher profit for the full year on Wednesday, benefiting from a record year for the commercial jet market. Boeing Co ( BA.N ) said earlier this month it delivered an industry-record 763 jetliners in 2017, and both it and European rival Airbus ( AIR.PA ) reported gross orders for more than 1,000 planes last year. Sales in United Technologies’ Pratt & Whitney unit, which makes aircraft engines, were up 11.7 percent, while aerospace systems sales, which include engine parts and aircraft lighting, rose 5.7 percent. Even as it gains from the surge in aircraft demand, the company is trying to speed up production of its fuel-saving turbofan engines that power Airbus’ newest narrow-body jet, the A320neo, and Bombardier’s CSeries aircraft. The production ramp is expected to result in $1.1 billion worth of engine margin losses in 2018, the company said. The company, which also makes Otis Elevators, forecast full year adjusted earnings in the range of $6.85 to $7.10 per share, up 3 percent to 6.8 percent from a year earlier. The midpoint of that range came in slightly below analysts’ average estimate of $7.00 per share. Its sales forecast of $62.5 billion to $64.0 billion, while analysts’ were expecting $63.08 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. The company’s shares, up 23.3 percent in the past 12 months, were little changed at $135.75 in premarket trading. Chief Financial Officer Akhil Johri told Reuters on Wednesday that the company expects to quickly repatriate $2 billion in overseas cash under the new U.S. tax law. The latest quarter included a 90-cent charge related to the new U.S. tax law. UTC expects to make net cash payment of $1.5 billion through 2026, and use the tax windfall partly to reduce borrowing for its acquisition of Rockwell Collins ( COL.N ). For the fourth quarter, net sales rose 7 percent to $15.68 billion, topping Wall Street’s expectation of $15.40 billion. The company’s income from continuing operations attributable to common share owners fell to $397 million, or 50 cents per share in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, from $1.01 billion, or $1.26 per share, a year earlier. On an adjusted basis, UTC earned $1.60 per share, higher than the $1.56 per share expected by analysts. Related Coverage United Tech to quickly repatriate $2 bln under new tax law: CFO Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru and Alwyn Scott in New York; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-utc-results/united-techs-revenue-rises-7-percent-idUSKBN1FD1E9

Nikkei edges up, helped by financials; adds 0.7 pct for the week

TOKYO, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Japan’s Nikkei share average edged up on Friday with financial stocks leading the gains after U.S. yields rose, while GMO Internet soared after an activist fund called on the company to change its governance structure. The Nikkei rose 0.2 percent to 23,808.06. For the week, it gained 0.7 percent. Shares of internet and cryptocurrency firm GMO Internet climbed 4.7 percent after Hong Kong-based activist investor Oasis Management Co made proposals aimed at changing the company’s governance, which included reducing the power of its founder. Banks and insurers, which invest in high-yielding products, soared after yields on U.S. 10-year notes reached a 10-month high. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group advanced 1.4 percent and Mizuho Financial Group gained 0.8 percent. Sompo Holdings soared 2.0 percent and Dai-ichi Life Holdings gained 1.8 percent. The broader Topix advanced 0.7 percent to 1,889.74. (Editing Sam Holmes) Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

https://www.reuters.com/article/japan-stocks-close/nikkei-edges-up-helped-by-financials-adds-0-7-pct-for-the-week-idUSL3N1PE28Y

UPDATE 1-Suncor, Teck buy part of Total stake in Canada oil sands mine

WINNIPEG, Manitoba/CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Suncor Energy Inc said on Wednesday it and Teck Resources Ltd have taken higher stakes in the Fort Hills oil sands mine from partner Total SA, resolving a dispute over building costs. Under terms of the deal, Suncor and Teck will fund more of the C$17 billion ($13.56 billion) project’s capital cost - C$300 million and C$120 million more respectively. Suncor’s share of the project will be 53.06 percent, compared to 20.89 percent for Teck and 26.05 percent for Total. Calgary-based Suncor, Canada’s second-largest energy producer, told investors last July it was in dispute with the French company, which had refused to provide any more funding for the massive project in northern Alberta. “We’re pleased to have reached this agreement and taken a bigger stake in what is arguably the best long-term growth project in our industry,” Suncor chief executive Steve Williams said in a statement. Fort Hills produced 6,000 barrels per day during fourth-quarter test runs and is expected to fully start production in mid-January when the first of three secondary extraction trains starts up, Suncor said. The company had previously said it would produce first oil at Fort Hills by the end of 2017. Once ramp-up operations are complete, Fort Hills will produce 190,000 barrels per day and Suncor expects the plant to reach 90 percent of capacity by year-end 2018. The startup comes as increasing oil sands supply outpaces Canadian pipeline capacity, contributing to a deepening price discount for Canadian heavy crude compared to benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI). Suncor produced 736,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in the fourth quarter of 2017, in line with record production in the previous quarter. Reporting by Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Nia Williams in Calgary, Alberta; Editing by James Dalgleish

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-suncor-energy-teck-resources-fort-hil/suncor-teck-buy-part-of-total-stake-in-canada-oil-sands-mine-idUSKBN1ET003

U.N. concerned over bodies dumped in east Libyan cities

January 27, 2018 / 6:30 PM / Updated an hour ago U.N. concerned over bodies dumped in east Libyan cities Reuters Staff 3 Min Read TUNIS (Reuters) - The United Nations has said it is “appalled” by apparent retaliatory killings in Libya following reports of eight bodies found in the eastern cities of Benghazi and Derna. Five bodies were found in Benghazi’s Laithi neighbourhood on Friday, residents told Reuters. Pictures posted on social media appeared to show the bodies, bloodied and mutilated, lying in the dirt. The pictures could not be independently verified, and security officials in Benghazi declined to comment. In Derna, 250 kilometres (155 miles) east of Benghazi, the bodies of three people who appeared to have been summarily killed were found dumped in the city on Thursday, medical sources said. “UNSMIL is appalled by new reports of retribution killings in Libya,” the U.N.’s Libya mission, UNSMIL, said on its Twitter account. “The brutal pattern of violence must end. Those in effective control of fighters and those ordering, committing such crimes are liable under international law.” The reports came after a twin car bombing in Benghazi left 35 people dead and dozens injured on Tuesday, and on Wednesday pictures and video emerged purporting to show the summary execution of 10 prisoners outside the mosque where the bombing took place. Benghazi is controlled by the Libyan National Army (LNA), the dominant force in eastern Libya. It is led by Khalifa Haftar and fought Islamists and other opponents in Benghazi from 2014 until late last year as part of a wider conflict that developed in Libya after a 2011 uprising. Notes had been left with the bodies found in Benghazi accusing the victims of militant Islamist loyalties, said residents, who did not want to be named for security reasons. There have been a number of cases of bodies with gunshot wounds and showing signs of abuse found in Benghazi in areas under LNA control. In Derna, the LNA has long been battling the Derna Mujahideen Shura Council (DMSC), an armed alliance that controls the city. The DMSC said it had arrested three people earlier this week for allegedly plotting attacks on behalf of the LNA. A Derna resident said the three were the same men whose bodies were found on Thursday. The DMSC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reporting by Ayman al-Warfalli and Aidan Lewis, editing by Louise Heavens

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-libya-security/u-n-concerned-over-bodies-dumped-in-east-libyan-cities-idUKKBN1FG0TV

Ex-Baer boss says desire to be entrepreneur drove sudden exit

January 18, 2018 / 11:29 AM / in 41 minutes Ex-Baer boss says desire to be entrepreneur drove sudden exit Reuters Staff 1 Min Read BERN, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Former Julius Baer chief executive Boris Collardi said on Thursday the chance to go from employee to entrepreneur drove his decision to quit his job to become a partner at Geneva-based rival Pictet Group. “I’ll go from being an employee to an entrepreneur,” Collardi said on Thursday on the sidelines of a private banking event in the Swiss capital. “That had a lot of importance for me.” Julius Baer is publicly listed while Pictet is a private partnership. Collardi had been CEO at Julius Baer since 2009 and he had faced disputes with shareholders over his pay. He has not previously publicly stated a reason for his departure. Collardi was replaced by Chief Risk Officer Bernhard Hodler, who has agreed to take on the job while the bank evaluates the group’s long term leadership. Reporting by Angelika Gruber; editing by John Miller and Jane Merriman

https://www.reuters.com/article/julius-baer-collardi/ex-baer-boss-says-desire-to-be-entrepreneur-drove-sudden-exit-idUSL8N1PD2FC

Read President Trump's full comments on the dollar to CNBC

President Donald Trump talked to CNBC's Joe Kernen from the World Economic Forum in Switzerland on Thursday. In the interview, Trump clarified comments from his Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , who suggested that the White House may prefer a weaker dollar. Trump said he ultimately wants to "see a strong dollar." Read Trump's comments on the dollar below: I think they were taken out of context 'cause I read his exact statement. I'll tell you where I stand, which ultimately is very important. No. 1, I don't like talking about it because, frankly, nobody should be talking about it. It should be what it is. It should also be based on the strength of the country. We are doing so well. Our country is becoming so economically strong again — and strong in other ways, too, by the way — that the dollar is going to get stronger and stronger. And ultimately, I want to see a strong dollar. Right now, it floats. But it's your great reserve currency. There can never be anything even close to it. There is nothing close to it. There never will be. But ultimately, the dollar, because our country is going to get so much stronger economically, if you look at what's happened to our country over the — look, I've been talking about this with you for 25 years.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/26/read-president-trumps-full-comments-on-the-dollar-to-cnbc.html

MediciNova Announces MN-001 (tipelukast) NASH/NAFLD Phase 2 Trial Interim Results Selected for Presentation at the International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France

LA JOLLA, Calif., Jan. 28, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MediciNova, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company traded on the NASDAQ Global Market (NASDAQ:MNOV) and the JASDAQ Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Code Number: 4875), today announced that an abstract regarding an interim analysis from the ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial of MN-001 (tipelukast) in NASH/NAFLD patients has been accepted for poster presentation at the International Liver Congress 2018, the 53rd annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), to be held April 11-15, 2018 in Paris, France. Presentation details are as follows: Title: The anti-fibrotic agent, tipelukast (MN-001) reduces serum triglyceride significantly in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients with hypertriglyceridemia after 4 weeks of treatment, an interim analysis of ongoing clinical trial, MN-001-NATG-201 Session Date and Time: Friday, April 13, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (local time) Session: Poster Session: NAFLD: Therapy Location: Paris expo Porte de Versailles - Pavillon 7, 1 Place de la Porte de Versailles, Paris, France About the Trial The Phase 2a trial is a multi-center, proof-of-principle, open-label study designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of MN-001 in subjects with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with hypertriglyceridemia. Eligible subjects will consist of males and females ranging in age from 21 to 65 years old, inclusive. To be eligible, subjects must have a histologically confirmed diagnosis of NASH or imaging study confirmed NAFLD and an elevated serum triglyceride (>150 mg/dL) during the Screening Phase. Qualifying subjects will be given MN-001 250 mg orally administered once a day for the first 4 weeks and will be given MN-001 250 mg twice a day for an additional 8 weeks. Overall, the study timeline consists of a Screening Phase (up to 4 months) followed by a Treatment Phase (12 weeks), and a Follow-up visit (within 1 week after the last dose). The primary efficacy endpoints of the study are to evaluate the effect of MN-001 on 1) triglyceride levels in NASH or NALFD subjects with hypertriglyceridemia, and 2) cholesterol efflux capacity in NASH or NAFLD subjects with hypertriglyceridemia. Secondary endpoints include safety and tolerability of MN-001, PK profile of MN-001/MN-002 (by-product of MN-001), effects of MN-001 on HDL-C, LDL-C, and total cholesterol level, and effects of MN-001/002 on liver enzymes and percent fat in liver at Week 12. About MN-001 MN-001 (tipelukast) is a novel, orally bioavailable small molecule compound thought to exert its effects through several mechanisms to produce its anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic activity in preclinical models, including leukotriene (LT) receptor antagonism, inhibition of phosphodiesterases (PDE) (mainly 3 and 4), and inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO). The 5-LO/LT pathway has been postulated as a pathogenic factor in fibrosis development and MN-001's inhibitory effect on 5-LO and the 5-LO/LT pathway is considered to be a novel approach to treat fibrosis. MN-001 has been shown to down-regulate expression of genes that promote fibrosis including LOXL2, Collagen Type 1 and TIMP-1. MN-001 has also been shown to down-regulate expression of genes that promote inflammation including CCR2 and MCP-1. In addition, histopathological data shows that MN-001 reduces fibrosis in multiple animal models. About MediciNova MediciNova, Inc. is a publicly-traded biopharmaceutical company founded upon acquiring and developing novel, small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of diseases with unmet medical needs with a primary commercial focus on the U.S. market. MediciNova's current strategy is to focus on MN-166 (ibudilast) for neurological disorders such as progressive MS, ALS and substance dependence (e.g., alcohol use disorder, methamphetamine dependence, opioid dependence) and MN-001 (tipelukast) for fibrotic diseases such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). MediciNova’s pipeline also includes MN-221 (bedoradrine) for the treatment of acute exacerbations of asthma and MN-029 (denibulin) for solid tumor cancers. MediciNova is engaged in strategic partnering and other potential funding discussions to support further development of its programs. For more information on MediciNova, Inc., please visit www.medicinova.com . Statements in this press release that are not historical in nature constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the future development and efficacy of MN-166, MN-221, MN-001, and MN-029. These forward-looking statements may be preceded by, followed by or otherwise include the words "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "can," "could," "may," "will," "would," “considering,” “planning” or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, risks of obtaining future partner or grant funding for development of MN-166, MN-221, MN-001, and MN-029 and risks of raising sufficient capital when needed to fund MediciNova's operations and contribution to clinical development, risks and uncertainties inherent in clinical trials, including the potential cost, expected timing and risks associated with clinical trials designed to meet FDA guidance and the viability of further development considering these factors, product development and commercialization risks, the uncertainty of whether the results of clinical trials will be predictive of results in later stages of product development, the risk of delays or failure to obtain or maintain regulatory approval, risks associated with the reliance on third parties to sponsor and fund clinical trials, risks regarding intellectual property rights in product candidates and the ability to defend and enforce such intellectual property rights, the risk of failure of the third parties upon whom MediciNova relies to conduct its clinical trials and manufacture its product candidates to perform as expected, the risk of increased cost and delays due to delays in the commencement, enrollment, completion or analysis of clinical trials or significant issues regarding the adequacy of clinical trial designs or the execution of clinical trials, and the timing of expected filings with the regulatory authorities, MediciNova's collaborations with third parties, the availability of funds to complete product development plans and MediciNova's ability to obtain third party funding for programs and raise sufficient capital when needed, and the other risks and uncertainties described in MediciNova's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and its subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. MediciNova disclaims any intent or obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements. INVESTOR CONTACT: Geoff O'Brien Vice President MediciNova, Inc. info@medicinova.com Source:MediciNova, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/28/globe-newswire-medicinova-announces-mn-001-tipelukast-nashnafld-phase-2-trial-interim-results-selected-for-presentation-at-the.html

Spike TV Goes Nuts on Twitter as Paramount Network Change Looms | Fortune

Spike TV's Twitter Account Is Going Absolutely Bonkers Right Before the Channel Is Replaced by Paramount Network David Spade on Lip Sync Battle, a Spike TV show that will move over to Paramount Network. Trae Patton—Spike By Chris Morris 12:16 PM EST When you’re an edgy TV network that’s about to go into the void forever, the little decorum you held onto for the past 18 years apparently goes right out the window—especially on social media. Spike TV’s Twitter account erupted in a series of hilarious and often profane tweets Tuesday night, skewering itself, its programming, and the culture it has embraced. Remarkably (and perhaps indicating the “rebellious” act was cleared in advance by the higher-ups at parent company Viacom), the tweets have remained posted. “Welp, since I’m outta here anyway I might as well tell you all the things I’ve been holding in for the past 18 years. Brace yourself bros.,” the pinned tweet at the top of the page begins. And from there, it’s off to the races. Truth be told, there are a lot of tweets we can’t publish here. So head over to the channel’s Twitter page for the full panoply of salvos. Here’s a sampling of the tweets: Spike will be replaced with the Paramount Network on Thursday. Viacom made the move to differentiate the network and widen its audience. Rather than focusing on reruns and testosterone-driven shows with narrower demographics as Spike often does, Paramount will air shows and specials focused on a wider audience, such as a miniseries about the Waco, Texas tragedy airing in March and a half-hour comedy based on the film Heathers , starting in June. Programs along those lines are more appealing to advertisers, which should boost revenues at the company. The new channel will, however, keep Spike’s most popular shows, to retain some of the existing audience. Spike has been having fun with the shutdown on social media for some time now. It all started when the announcement was made last December. Hang on, hang on… what?! #GoodbyeSpike https://t.co/plXL4UcQ9s

http://fortune.com/2018/01/17/spike-tv-twitter-paramount-network/

Men-only fundraising club forced to close amid harassment scandal at exclusive London event

A fundraising organization has shut down amid a sexual harassment scandal involving attendees at an event held at London's Dorchester Hotel last week. Trustees of the Presidents Club announced Wednesday that it would close after a Financial Times (FT) reporter went undercover at the men-only charity event held at the upscale hotel in the city's Mayfair neighborhood. Some of the more than 100 hostesses hired alleged that they were sexually harassed, the report said. More than 300 men attended, including those from the finance and real estate industries. Journalist Madison Marriage went to the event as a hostess; the women hired were reportedly told to wear revealing black dresses, matching underwear and high heels. Marriage's report alleged that many of the hostesses were subject to groping and inappropriate comments — it does not name any of the men alleged to have behaved inappropriately. Cate Gillon | Getty Images The Dorchester Hotel in London, UK The 33-year-old Presidents Club produced a program for the dinner and charity auction, where items included lunch with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and afternoon tea with Bank of England Governor Mark Carney. The FT reported that Johnson was unaware that he had been included in the auction, and the Bank of England said it had not approved any prize for the event. Carney said he was "deeply dismayed that such an event could take place," the Bank of England told the FT. The Presidents Club has raised more than £20 million ($28.6 million) since it was founded and last week's dinner raised more than £2 million, Marriage reported. However, beneficiaries including London's Great Ormond Street Hospital for children and Evelina London Children's Hospital said they would return previous donations. Those on the guest list included Andrew Scott, chief operating officer for Europe for advertising group WPP. The company sponsored a table at the event last week, and on Wednesday morning its chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell, who did not attend, said it was withdrawing its support for the Presidents Club. He told the BBC that people at WPP's table "saw nothing of that kind" in relation to the alleged behavior by some guests and added that it was regrettable that it had to withdraw because the charity had done "a lot of good work." Other table sponsors included spread-betting company CMC Markets and real estate business Frogmore, the FT report said. The Presidents Club was jointly chaired by David Meller, who has since resigned from a role at the U.K.'s Department for Education. Politician Nadhim Zahawi, the U.K.'s undersecretary of state for children and families, also attended, but said he left the event early. He was asked to explain his attendance by the chief whip on Wednesday, the Daily Telegraph reported and a government source told the newspaper that U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May was "appalled" by what has been reported. During a parliamentary debate about the issue Wednesday, Labour politician Jess Phillips said: "Women were bought as bait for men, for rich men, not a mile from where we stand, as if that is acceptable behavior. It is totally unacceptable." The Presidents Club trustees said in a statement given to the FT that it would distribute any remaining funds to children's charities.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/25/presidents-club-closes-amid-sexual-harassment-scandal-at-london-event.html

UPDATE 1-Twitter says world leaders like Trump have special status

(Adds background, details and reaction) SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Twitter Inc on Friday reiterated its stance that accounts belonging to world leaders have special status on the social media network, pushing back against users who have called on the company to banish U.S. President Donald Trump. "Blocking a world leader from Twitter or removing their controversial Tweets would hide important information people should be able to see and debate," Twitter said in a post on a corporate blog. Twitter had already said in September that "newsworthiness" and whether a tweet is "of public interest" are among the factors it considers before removing an account or a tweet. The debate over Trump's tweeting, though, raged anew after Trump said from his zrealDonaldTrump account on Tuesday that he had a "much bigger" and "more powerful" nuclear button than North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Critics said that tweet and Trump's continued presence on the network endanger the world and violate Twitter's ban on threats of violence. Some users protested at Twitter's San Francisco headquarters on Wednesday. Twitter responded in its blog post that even if it did block a world leader, doing so would not silence that leader. The company said that it does review tweets by world leaders and enforces its rules accordingly, leaving open the possibility that it could take down some material posted by them. "No one person's account drives Twitter's growth, or influences these decisions," the company added. "We work hard to remain unbiased with the public interest in mind." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Twitter's statement. Some Twitter users expressed support for the company's decision, while others complained of a double standard. "If I tweeted half of what Trump has since he entered office, I'd be permanently banned from this platform," a Twitter user wrote from the account zmichaelranaii. (Reporting by David Ingram in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Steve Holland in Washington; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/05/reuters-america-update-1-twitter-says-world-leaders-like-trump-have-special-status.html

Microsoft stops fixing security flaw on PCs with AMD chips

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Microsoft has temporarily stopped fixing a serious security flaw on personal computers powered by certain chips from Advanced Micro Devices because the repair is crippling the affected machines. The suspension will delay efforts to protect the AMD machines from potential intrusions caused by security bugs known as "Spectre" and "Meltdown." The problem primarily threatens devices running on processors from AMD's larger rival, Intel, but also could cause trouble on devices running on other chips. Microsoft began offering updates to its Windows operating system to address the flaw last week, but is withholding the repair from some AMD-powered machines that have been rendered inoperable by its fix. The company said in a notice Tuesday on its website that it's working with AMD to resolve the problem so people can resume installing the recommended repairs. After the bugs were announced last week, AMD declared there is "near zero risk" to its own processors, partly because of Microsoft's security patches. In other developments, Microsoft also warned that some computers powered by older processors probably won't work as well as they once did after the antidotes to Spectre and Meltdown are installed.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/09/the-associated-press-microsoft-stops-fixing-security-flaw-on-pcs-with-amd-chips.html

Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP Files Class Action Suit against InterOil Corporation

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP (“Robbins Geller”) today announced that a class action has been commenced on behalf of all persons who purchased or otherwise acquired Exxon Mobil Corporation (“Exxon”) shares worth $45.00 and a contingent resource payment (“CRP”) for each outstanding InterOil Corporation (“InterOil”) (NYSE:IOC) share in connection with the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding shares of InterOil by an affiliate of Exxon on or about February 22, 2017 (the “Acquisition”). This action was filed in the Northern District of Texas and is captioned Block v. InterOil Corporation, et al., No. 18-00007. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than 60 days from today. If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions concerning this notice or your rights or interests, please contact plaintiff’s counsel, Darren Robbins of Robbins Geller at 800/449-4900 or 619/231-1058, or via e-mail at djr@rgrdlaw.com . Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. The complaint charges InterOil, its Board of Directors and Exxon with violations of the Securities Act of 1933. InterOil was a publicly traded oil and gas company listed on the New York Stock Exchange prior to the Acquisition. InterOil engaged in the exploration, appraisal and development of hydrocarbon resources. One of InterOil’s primary assets was a gross 36.5% interest in petroleum retention license 15 in the Gulf Province of Papua New Guinea, which includes the world-class Elk and Antelope gas fields. The complaint alleges that in connection with the Acquisition, on January 13, 2017, defendants issued the Management Information Circular for a Special Meeting of Holders of Common Shares, Options and Restricted Share Units of InterOil Corporation with Respect to an Arrangement Involving InterOil Corporation and Exxon Mobil Corporation, dated January 13, 2017 (the “Information Circular”), which contained material omissions and misstatements concerning the final appraisal well to be drilled prior to commencement of the Interim Resource Certification process and the actual value of the increase in the CRP cap. These omissions and misstatements were material to InterOil shareholders because they directly and significantly impacted the perceived value of the CRP and, thus, prevented InterOil shareholders from accurately valuing the CRP and casting an informed vote on the Acquisition. Plaintiff seeks to recover damages on behalf of all persons who purchased the common stock of Exxon and the CRP pursuant to the Information Circular and in connection with the Acquisition on or about February 22, 2017 (the “Class”). The plaintiff is represented by Robbins Geller, which has extensive experience in prosecuting investor class actions including actions involving financial fraud. Robbins Geller is widely recognized as a leading law firm advising and representing U.S. and international investors in securities litigation and portfolio monitoring. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller has obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history. For the third consecutive year, the Firm ranked first in both the total amount recovered for investors and the number of shareholder class action recoveries in ISS's SCAS Top 50 Report. Robbins Geller attorneys have shaped the law in the areas of securities litigation and shareholder rights and have recovered tens of billions of dollars on behalf of the Firm’s clients. Robbins Geller not only secures recoveries for defrauded investors, it also implements significant corporate governance reforms, helping to improve the financial markets for investors worldwide. Please visit http://www.rgrdlaw.com for more information. https://www.linkedin.com/company/rgrdlaw https://twitter.com/rgrdlaw https://www.facebook.com/rgrdlaw https://plus.google.com/+Rgrdlaw/posts View source version on businesswire.com : http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180103006364/en/ Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP Darren Robbins, 800-449-4900 or 619-231-1058 djr@rgrdlaw.com Source: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/04/business-wire-robbins-geller-rudman-dowd-llp-files-class-action-suit-against-interoil-corporation.html

Second vote not undemocratic, Irish PM says on Brexit

STRASBOURG (Reuters) - It would not be “anti-democratic” for Britons to reverse their Brexit vote in a second referendum, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said at the European Parliament on Wednesday, but he denied working to promote one. During exchanges in Strasbourg, Varadkar rejected an accusation by the UK Independence Party’s Nigel Farage that he was conspiring with the likes of former British premier Tony Blair to thwart Britain’s departure from the European Union by resisting London’s efforts to keep full access to EU markets. Varadkar cited close cultural ties between Ireland and Britain, including his own immediate family, as a reason why he was arguing for the closest possible relationship between the EU and Britain after Brexit next year. But he insisted London could not keep EU rights while rejecting some of its obligations. “I‘m certainly not party to any plot against the United Kingdom,” he told reporters. “I‘m a friend of the United Kingdom.” Farage, the former UKIP leader who still leads the party in the EU legislature, accused Varadkar of risking Irish trade with Britain out of loyalty to an EU integration project which he said would unravel further after Brexit. He suggested Varadkar was pushing for Britain to reverse its referendum vote to leave. Having revived debate in Britain this month about a second referendum by saying he believed that one was increasingly likely, Farage noted how Ireland reversed its veto of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty by holding a second referendum in 2009: “You are part of course of a big attempt here and elsewhere to frustrate and to attempt to overturn Brexit,” he told Varadkar. “I don’t want a second referendum on Brexit. Absolutely not. But I fear that you are all working together with Tony Blair and Nick Clegg to make sure we get the worst possible deal.” Varadkar told reporters he had never met Blair though had encountered Clegg, a former deputy prime minister. He insisted, however, that it would be counter-productive for him as a foreigner to tell Britons what they should do. Nonetheless, he added, Ireland had reversed referendum decisions before, including to overturn a ban on divorce, and might soon reverse a previous referendum vote curbing abortion: “I don’t think it’s anti-democratic for anyone to change their mind or have a second vote. But any decision on the second referendum must only be one for the UK parliament and the UK people.” British Prime Minister Theresa May, who campaigned against Brexit in 2016, has insisted that she will see it through, despite a flurry of statements this week by EU leaders that they would welcome Britain changing its mind. During an earlier debate in Strasbourg on Wednesday, EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker said he would also welcome Britain applying to re-join the bloc in the future. Reporting by Alastair Macdonald and Samantha Koester in Brussels; @macdonaldrtr; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-varadkar/second-vote-not-undemocratic-irish-pm-says-on-brexit-idUSKBN1F61QX

Exonics Therapeutics Appoints Roger M. Perlmutter, M.D., Ph.D., to Board of Directors

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Exonics Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on developing SingleCut CRISPR technology to repair mutations causing Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular diseases, today announced the appointment of Roger M. Perlmutter, M.D., Ph.D., to its board of directors. Dr. Perlmutter brings extensive biopharmaceutical research and development experience to Exonics’ board. Since 2013, Dr. Perlmutter has served as executive vice president of Merck and president of Merck Research Laboratories. From January 2001 to February 2012, Dr. Perlmutter led Amgen, Inc.’s research and development efforts as executive vice president and head of R&D. Before joining Amgen, he held roles of increasing responsibility in Merck’s research organization, including executive vice president of worldwide basic research and preclinical development. “We are thrilled to welcome Roger to Exonics’ board of directors,” said David Goeddel, Ph.D., chairman of the board of Exonics. “Roger’s world-class R&D expertise will be invaluable as Exonics continues growing its research organization and translating its gene repair technology into a transformative therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a devastating disease for which there is no cure.” “In preclinical studies, Exonics’ SingleCut CRISPR technology has demonstrated the potential to repair many of the gene mutations that cause Duchenne,” said Dr. Perlmutter. “I look forward to working with the board and contributing to the advancement of this technology to the clinic and to patients with genetic neuromuscular diseases.” From 1991 to 1997, Dr. Perlmutter was a professor in the Departments of Immunology, Biochemistry and Medicine at the University of Washington, where he also served as chairman of the Department of Immunology and was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Perlmutter is a graduate of Reed College and received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Washington University (St. Louis). He previously served on the boards of Ablynx, Inc., Heptares, Ltd (purchased by Sosei Group in 2015), Immune Design Corporation, and Stem Cells, Inc., and is a Science Partner at The Column Group. As part of this transition, Cristina Csimma, PharmD, MHP, John Edwards, MBA, and Debra Miller will depart from Exonics’ board. Dr. Csimma will serve as a senior advisor to the company. Mr. Ripple added, “We extend our sincere gratitude to Cristina, John and Debra for their service and contributions to the board, as they each played an important role in building Exonics’ corporate and scientific foundation." About Exonics Therapeutics Exonics Therapeutics has developed SingleCut CRISPR, a gene repair technology that has the potential to effectively halt the progression of certain genetic neuromuscular diseases. In multiple Duchenne muscular dystrophy preclinical models, Exonics has used SingleCut CRISPR to genetically repair and restore dystrophin, the key protein missing in children with Duchenne. Exonics is initially focused on correcting mutations that cause Duchenne in order to develop a therapy to treat many children with the devastating disease, for which there is no cure. Exonics’ technology is licensed from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and is based on the research of Eric Olson, Ph.D., Exonics’ founder and chief science advisor. Exonics is located in Cambridge, Mass. For more information, please visit www.exonicstx.com . Media Contact Heather Anderson 6 Degrees 980-938-0260 handerson@6degreespr.com Source: Exonics Therapeutics

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/30/globe-newswire-exonics-therapeutics-appoints-roger-m-perlmutter-m-d-ph-d-to-board-of-directors.html

Tennis: It's all about me, says cucumber cool Pliskova

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Karolina Pliskova may have been somewhat confused by being compared to a cucumber after reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open but she was crystal clear about what she needed to do to go a step further. The sixth seed burnt the midnight oil in her all-Czech fourth round grudge match against Barbara Strycova, finally clinching a 6-7 6-3 6-2 victory at 1.35 a.m. local time on Tuesday morning. The pair fell out last year when coach Tomas Krupa switched from Strycova to Pliskova, with David Kotyza later moving the other way. Pliskova was clearly a little nonplussed when the on-court presenter described her as “cool as a cucumber”, later explaining she had never heard the expression before. “I don’t know if this is something from Australia?” Pliskova said with a smile, before agreeing that she had not been particularly bothered about going a set down. “I was fine. Obviously the first set took me some energy, some power. I had some chances. I didn’t play well on them,” the 25-year-old added. “She didn’t play anything, like, any perfect shot. Everything was my mistake. Next time I knew I had to play everything better.” Standing in Pliskova’s path to a maiden Melbourne Park semi-final is world number one Simona Halep, who she has played seven times before and beaten just twice - both in Fed Cup ties. “I think there is always chance to beat her. It’s going to be about me,” Pliskova said. ”I have to play well to win. I have to serve well, otherwise she has, I would not say dangerous game but if I don’t play well I don’t have the chance to win against her. “I have to play something to beat her, have to have some winners, some aces against her. I have to get my mindset ready for this.” Pliskova said she had put the coaching controversy with Strycova out of her mind before Monday’s match. “I just try to put everything what happened between us away from this because it was a normal match basically,” said Pliskova. ”I was just trying to play my game because I know if I would get into it, think about what everything happened with the coaches and with her, I would not be playing the best. “I think this I did perfect. Whoever is coaching her, I‘m just happy right now with my team. These things are not my business any more.” Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Peter Rutherford

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tennis-ausopen-pliskova/tennis-its-all-about-me-says-cucumber-cool-pliskova-idUSKBN1FC09D

WORLD RENOWNED IMMUNOLOGIST, PROFESSOR ERIC VIVIER, JOINS INNATE PHARMA AS CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER

WORLD RENOWNED IMMUNOLOGIST, PROFESSOR ERIC VIVIER, JOINS INNATE PHARMA AS CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER Marseille, France, January 8, 2018 Innate Pharma SA (the "Company" - Euronext Paris: FR0010331421 - IPH) today announces that Professor Eric Vivier has joined the Company as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and Senior Vice President. Eric Vivier is currently Professor of Immunology at Aix-Marseille University and the Marseille Public Hospitals. He is an international leading authority in the field of immunology. In particular, his research was instrumental in identifying the mechanisms underlying the development and function of Natural Killer (NK) cells as well as in the discovery of innate lymphocyte cells (ILCs). He is the author of more than 300 publications in immunology and ranks among the world's most cited researchers [*] . He is also one of the founders of Marseille Immunopole, an immunology cluster that integrates fundamental research, therapeutic innovation and industrial development to accelerate the rise of immunotherapy and to make these innovative therapies more easily accessible for patients. In his new role, Professor Vivier will lead Innate Pharma Research Laboratories, which gathers four departments and focuses on target discovery, exploration of mechanism of action, translational research and drug-candidate development. Innate Pharma Research Laboratories relies on the expertise of the Company's highly experienced researchers and engineers, and its cutting-edge technology platforms. It will also lead the development of collaborations between fundamental, translational and clinical research, particularly working with the Marseille Immunopole ecosystem. Mondher Mahjoubi, Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer, commented: "We are very pleased to welcome Professor Vivier, who brings to Innate Pharma world-renowned expertise in immunology with a focus on effector cell function in cancer, a strategic focus for our company. His appointment as Chief Scientific Officer will allow us to step up innovation in our R&D operation and will support us as we take our proprietary first-in-class antibodies closer towards commercialization." Professor Vivier said: "Innate's R&D organization has always been driven by high quality research, which has contributed significantly to recent developments in our understanding of the role played by the innate immune system in fighting cancer. I believe that the Company's pipeline is at a pivotal point in its development, and I am excited by the prospect of working with the team to accelerate this." He added: "Joining Innate Pharma is a natural step for me as being both part of academia and industry is now becoming a standard to deliver biomedical innovation. It is also consistent with the translational approach which is becoming increasingly central in the fight against cancer." A picture of Professor Vivier can be downloaded here. About Professor Eric Vivier Eric Vivier is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Maisons-Alfort and holds a PhD in Immunology from the Paris University (Paris XI). After completing his post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School (Dana Faber Cancer Institute), Pr. Vivier joined the Center of Immunology at Marseille-Luminy (CIML) in 1993, becoming its director in 2008 until 2017. He has twice been laureate of the prestigious European Research Council (ERC) advanced grants. During his career, Pr. Vivier has been a visiting professor at The Scripps Research Institute, The Rockefeller University, and The Walter and Elisa Hall Institute. He is a member of the French National Academy of Medicine and of the Institut Universitaire de France. He is on the board of numerous committees and has been awarded several prices and honors, including the European Federation of Immunological Society award and the Grand Prix Charles Oberling in Oncology. He is also Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. Read his full biography About Innate Pharma: Innate Pharma S.A. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to improving cancer treatment and clinical outcomes for patients through first-in-class therapeutic antibodies that harness the innate immunity. Innate Pharma specializes in immuno-oncology, a new therapeutic field that is changing cancer treatment by mobilizing the power of the body's immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells. The Company's broad pipeline includes four first-in-class clinical stage antibodies as well as preclinical candidates and technologies that have the potential to address a broad range of cancer indications with high unmet medical needs. Innate Pharma has pioneered the discovery and development of checkpoint inhibitors, with a unique expertise and understanding of Natural Killer cell biology. This innovative approach has resulted in major alliances with leaders in the biopharmaceutical industry including AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novo Nordisk A/S and Sanofi. Innate Pharma is building the foundations to become a fully-integrated biopharmaceutical company. Based in Marseille, France, Innate Pharma has more than 180 employees and is listed on Euronext Paris. Learn more about Innate Pharma at www.innate-pharma.com Information about Innate Pharma shares: ISIN code Ticker code LEI FR0010331421 IPH 9695002Y8420ZB8HJE29 Disclaimer: This press release contains certain . Although the company believes its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, these are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results from those anticipated. For a discussion of risks and uncertainties which could cause the company's actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements to differ from those contained in the , please refer to the Risk Factors ("Facteurs de Risque") section of the Document de Reference prospectus filed with the AMF, which is available on the AMF website ( http://www.amf-france.org ) or on Innate Pharma's website. This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe to shares in Innate Pharma in any country. For additional information, please contact: Investors Innate Pharma Dr Markus Metzger / Jérôme Marino Investor relations Tel.: +33 (0)4 30 30 30 30 investors@innate-pharma.com International Media Consilium Strategic Communications Mary-Jane Elliott / Jessica Hodgson Tel.: +44 (0)20 3709 5700 InnatePharma@consilium-comms.com French Media ATCG Press Marie Puvieux Mob: +33 (0)6 10 54 36 72 presse@atcg-partners.com [*] https://clarivate.com/hcr/ Attachments: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c156bef5-c830-450e-b0dd-c50cee5b7ee5 Source: INNATE PHARMA

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/08/globe-newswire-world-renowned-immunologist-professor-eric-vivier-joins-innate-pharma-as-chief-scientific-officer.html

EU launches new trade inquiry into Argentine biodiesel

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission has begun a new investigation into whether Argentine biodiesel exporters benefit from unfair subsidies, following a complaint in December by the European Biodiesel Board (EBB). The EU’s official journal said on Wednesday that the Commission had found the complaint contained evidence that Argentine producers had benefited from government subsidies. These came in the form of artificially cheap goods and services, such as soybeans, excessively high prices paid for the biodiesel or price support, preferential loans and government revenue, such as tax, foregone or not collected, it said. “I hope the Commission will go as fast as possible in its investigation, because every day makes things more difficult on the ground,” Arnaud Rousseau, president of French oilseed producer group FOP said. Oilseed processor Saipol has said it plans to cut its biodiesel production in France by around half this year, blaming renewed imports of Argentine biodiesel for exacerbating poor market conditions. The EU’s new investigation would offer another channel for imposing effective tariffs on imported biodiesel as Argentina, and Indonesia, both major producers, have mounted successful challenges to anti-dumping duties, which the European Union set for five years in 2013. Argentina and Indonesia have called the trade measures protectionist. The General Court of the European Union, the second-highest EU court, delivered a series of rulings in September 2016 to annul those duties. The EU initially appealed the ruling, but decided last week to withdraw that appeal. Argentina and Indonesia have also both won cases at the World Trade Organization. The European Commission cut the anti-dumping duties for Argentinean biodiesel last year to between 4.5 and 8.1 percent from initial rates of 22-25.7 percent. The rates for Indonesia remain those set in 2013 - between 8.8 and 20.5 percent. French producers are now concerned the EU decision will also lower duties on imports of Indonesian biodiesel. The European Union’s case was based on export duties both countries impose on the raw material, soybeans in the case of Argentina and palm oil for Indonesia. The EU view was that this gave an unfair advantage to biodiesel producers there, allowing them to “dump” product at unfairly low prices. The EBB said in its latest complaint that the flow of subsidized imports was likely to increase because of the reduced anti-dumping tariffs and the recent imposition of duties of more than 70 percent by the United States. EU anti-subsidy investigations last up to 13 months, with the possibility of applying provisional duties after nine. Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; additional reporting by Sybille de la Hamaide in Paris; editing by Robert-Jan Bartunek and Alexander Smith

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-argentina-biodiesel/eu-launches-subsidy-inquiry-in-argentine-biodiesel-idUSKBN1FK0SF

Tennis-Aggressive Konta makes light work of Brengle

January 16, 2018 / 1:46 AM / Updated 8 hours ago Aggressive Konta makes light work of Brengle Reuters Staff 3 Min Read MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Johanna Konta skipped past Madison Brengle into the second round of the Australian Open on Tuesday, the Briton overpowering her American opponent 6-3 6-1 in 66 minutes on Hisense Arena. Tennis - Australian Open - Hisense Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 16, 2018. Johanna Konta of Britain celebrates winning her match against Madison Brengle of the U.S. REUTERS/Toru Hanai Australia-born Konta, who reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park two years ago, brushed off an early exit in her Sydney International title defence last week with an aggressive display that removed any doubts about her fitness. The 26-year-old ninth seed hammered down eight aces and 37 winners, feasting on Brengle’s powderpuff serve and converting five of eight break points over the brief contest. “I am very happy with that match,” said a smiling Konta, who will meet another American, Bernarda Pera, in the second round. ”I knew it would be tough, she gets a lot of balls back and makes her opponents work for it. “So really happy I was able to stick to the style of play I wanted.” Brengle had won three of their four previous meetings but grabbed her only break when already two down in the opening set and continued the exodus of American women that was a feature of day one at the year’s first grand slam. Konta started the match at a brisk pace and was soon carving out opportunities, grabbing her first break in the third game with a backhand winner down the line from the net. Tennis - Australian Open - Hisense Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 16, 2018. Johanna Konta of Britain hits a shot to Madison Brengle of the U.S. REUTERS/Toru Hanai A thumping volley earned her a second for 5-2 and while Brengle broke straight back, a third break, secured when the American went long with a backhand, sealed the set. “I knew I had to stay very strong in my identity of how I wanted to play,” Konta added. “I wanted to make sure I was trusting in my shots regardless of where she was in the court and looking to move forward. I knew that was how I was going to give myself the best chance of creating opportunities.” The world number 10 was hitting the ball well, particularly off the forehand, and the second set became a bit of a procession. She needed five match points to finish off her 90th ranked opponent but finally sealed victory when Brengle ballooned a shot wide. Konta started working with Maria Sharapova’s former coach Michael Joyce in December and she said his perspective had already had a positive impact on her. “He understands pre-match jitters, he understands different thoughts that might go through your head at different stages of a match or leading into a tournament,” Konta said. “So I think he’s quite in tune with ebbs and flows of those sorts of things, so he’s able to guide me in a positive direction.” Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Peter Rutherford

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-tennis-ausopen-konta/tennis-aggressive-konta-makes-light-work-of-brengle-idUKKBN1F503G

Bottomline Technologies to Announce Second Quarter Fiscal 2018 Financial Results On February 1, 2018

PORTSMOUTH, N.H., Who: Bottomline Technologies (NASDAQ:EPAY) helps make complex business payments simple, smart, and secure. Corporations and banks rely on Bottomline for domestic and international payments, efficient cash management, automated workflows for payment processing and bill review, and state of the art fraud detection, behavioral analytics and regulatory compliance solutions. Thousands of corporations around the world benefit from Bottomline solutions. Headquartered in Portsmouth, NH, Bottomline delights customers through offices across the U.S., Europe, and Asia-Pacific. For more information visit www.bottomline.com . What: Announcement of Second Quarter Fiscal 2018 Financial Results When: On Thursday, February 1, 2018, a press release summarizing the company’s financial results will be issued at 4:00 p.m. EST. An investor conference call will follow at 5:00 p.m. Conference Call Details: Dial-In Number: U.S. (800) 288-8960 International (612) 288-0329 A digital replay of the conference call will be available from 7:00 p.m. on February 1, 2018 through midnight on February 15, 2018. The replay can be accessed by dialing U.S. (800) 475-6701 or International (320) 365-3844, Access Code 443571. The conference call will also be available live at www.bottomline.com . Following the call, a replay will be available on the website and will remain accessible for a period of 12 months. Contact: Rick Booth Bottomline Technologies 603-501-6270 rbooth@bottomline.com Bottomline Technologies and the BT logo are trademarks of Bottomline Technologies (de), Inc. which may be registered in certain jurisdictions. All other brand/product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Source:Bottomline Technologies, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/25/globe-newswire-bottomline-technologies-to-announce-second-quarter-fiscal-2018-financial-results-on-february-1-2018.html

Honeywell to repatriate $7 billion over two years

(Reuters) - U.S. industrial conglomerate Honeywell International Inc said on Friday that it expected to bring back at least $7 billion of the $10 billion in cash held overseas in the next two years, taking advantage of the newly enacted tax law. Shares of Honeywell, which makes everything from jet engines to thermostats, rose as much as 1.2 percent in morning trading to hit a record of $163.85. The cash hoard will help fuel Honeywell’s M&A strategy under new Chief Executive Darius Adamczyk, who is looking to bolster its core operations such as aerospace following the spin off its home and transportation businesses later this year. “Our preference is for attractive bolt-on acquisitions,” said Chief Financial Officer Tom Szlosek, who also promised “competitive” dividend and share buybacks using the repatriated cash. Although the company reported a huge loss due to a $3.8 billion tax provision in the fourth quarter, its adjusted profit narrowly beat analysts’ estimates due to strength across all of its divisions. Honeywell also raised its 2018 earnings forecast and said it was seeing a greater level of confidence from its customers, who may now have more cash on hand to spend due to the new tax law. “Their capex is our revenue, and we do expect some level of investment to accelerate (later in 2018),” Adamczyk said on a conference call. Sales in its aerospace unit, its biggest business that makes aircraft engines for Bombardier Inc, Textron Inc and General Dynamics Corp, rose 6.4 percent to $3.90 billion in the quarter ended Dec. 31. Much of the growth in the business was driven by its commercial aviation aftermarket division as a rise in travel demand boosted sales of spare parts and services to the airline industry. Honeywell is also benefiting from increased demand from oil and gas customers in the wake of stabilizing oil prices, while its business that makes supply chain and warehouse automation equipment and software is riding an ecommerce boom. Excluding the tax-related charge, Honeywell earned $1.85 per share, compared with analysts’ expectations of $1.84, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Revenue rose 8.6 percent to $10.84 billion, topping estimates of $10.75 billion. The company raised its 2018 per-share earnings forecast range to $7.75 to $8.00 from $7.55 to $7.80 estimated previously. It is conservatively using the higher end of the 22-23 percent tax rate for the updated forecast, suggesting healthy upside, RBC Capital Markets analyst Deane Dray said. Up to Thursday’s close, Honeywell’s stock had risen 37.3 percent in the past 12 months, far outperforming a 23.5 percent increase in the S&P 500 index. Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

https://in.reuters.com/article/honeywell-intl-results/honeywell-to-repatriate-7-billion-over-two-years-idINKBN1FF27O

Conservative Party deletes tweet congratulating new chairman

January 8, 2018 / 12:13 PM / Updated 42 minutes ago Conservative Party deletes tweet congratulating new chairman Reuters Staff 1 Min Read LONDON (Reuters) - British May’s Conservative Party deleted a tweet announcing a new chairman on Monday, adding unexpected drama to what was expected to be a routine reshuffle of her top ministers. FILE PHOTO: Chris Grayling, Transport in London, October 31, 2017. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo The party had tweeted “Congratulations to Chris Grayling following his appointment as Conservative Party Chairman” before deleting it. BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg had also named Grayling, citing two unnamed sources, but later tweeted that another source said immigration minister Brandon Lewis would be the new chairman. Lewis was pictured entering May’s office in Downing Street. A spokesman for the party declined to confirm the reports that Grayling, the transport minister, was the new chairman. Reporting by Alistair Smout and Elizabeth Piper

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-politics-chairman/british-conservative-party-deletes-tweet-congratulating-new-chairman-idUKKBN1EX12J

Daseke Appoints Scott Wheeler as President

ADDISON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Daseke Inc. (NASDAQ: DSKE) (NASDAQ: DSKEW), the leading consolidator and largest flatbed and specialized transportation company in North America, today announced the appointment of its chief financial officer, Scott Wheeler, as the company’s new president. Wheeler assumes the role of president from company founder Don Daseke, who will continue to serve as Daseke’s CEO and chairman. Wheeler will remain as Daseke’s CFO. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180112005706/en/ Daseke chief financial officer Scott Wheeler was appointed today (Jan. 12, 2018) as the company's new president. Wheeler will remain as Daseke’s CFO. (Photo: Business Wire) “I first met Scott when he was the mayor of our home town, Addison, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. When I asked Scott to join Daseke I knew he was a great CFO. I soon learned he was much more. Scott has now been my business partner and confidant for years, and is a trusted leader,” said Don Daseke. “He was the architect behind our mergers, organizational structure and critical to our success in going public. He has proven to be a great leader and Daseke will continue to greatly benefit from his talents and experience as he takes on this new leadership role. He has the respect of his corporate team, the CEOs of our operating companies, the Daseke board of directors and the public markets. Daseke would be very different if it were not for Scott Wheeler.” In 2015, the Dallas Business Journal named Wheeler as CFO of the Year in its middle market category. In December of 2016, Wheeler was named to the company’s board of directors. Last year, the National Association of Corporate Directors and the Dallas Business Journal awarded Wheeler, and his fellow board members, with the Outstanding Directors Award for a public company. Before joining Daseke, Wheeler served as CFO for two companies and was a managing director at a CFO consulting firm for high-growth companies. Wheeler sits on the advisory board of the College of Business - Texas A&M University-Commerce, where he earned his undergraduate degree and now serves as an adjunct professor of finance. In 2014, the Commerce, Finance and Economics Department at Texas A&M College of Business bestowed upon him the Alumni Ambassador Award, the highest honor granted to an alumnus. Wheeler received his M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University in 1985. “I knew Don was a leader from the first time I met him, and I feel fortunate to have worked alongside him for the last six years,” said Wheeler. “When Don first approached me about joining his new company as CFO, I found his philosophy of finding well-managed companies and offering them the opportunity and resources to grow their business to a whole new level to be so compelling. I look forward to taking on the operational leadership role that Don has so expertly established at Daseke, as he and I continue to serve as mentors to the leaders of Daseke’s growing number of operating companies.” About Daseke Daseke, Inc. is the leading consolidator and the largest flatbed and specialized transportation and logistics company in North America. Daseke offers comprehensive, best-in-class services to many of the world’s most respected industrial shippers through experienced people, more than 5,200 tractors, more than 11,000 flatbed and specialized trailers, and a million-plus square feet of industrial warehousing space. Daseke is the largest company, yet has only 1 percent market share, of the highly fragmented $133 billion flatbed and specialized transportation market. Source: Daseke, Inc. View source version on businesswire.com : http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180112005706/en/ For Daseke Matt Maurel, 512-387-3604 matt.maurel@anthonybarnum.com Source: Daseke, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/12/business-wire-daseke-appoints-scott-wheeler-as-president.html

Insight Venture Partners Announces Strategic Team Growth, Promotes Three to Managing Director

NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Insight Venture Partners (Insight), a leading global venture capital and private equity firm, announced today the appointments of Anika Agarwal, Rachel Geller and Ross Devor to Managing Director. In addition, the firm has announced the appointments of Matt Gatto, Kevin Hurth and Philip Vorobeychik to Principal, and the hiring of Teddie Wardi as Principal. "At Insight Venture Partners, we could not be more thrilled to elevate our team through these key promotions and additions," said Deven Parekh, Managing Director, Insight Venture Partners. "These individuals reflect the best Insight has to offer, which is an asset to the growth of our firm and our diverse portfolio. We are excited to kick off 2018 with a spotlight on not just these individuals, but their collective accomplishments on behalf of Insight." Insight Venture Partners' team is more than 130 professionals strong, with over $18 billion raised, and has overseen investments in more than 300 companies across the globe. "At Insight, we understand that growth equals opportunity, and take immense pride in driving that vision forward both internally and externally," said Ian Sandler, Chief Operating Officer, Insight Venture Partners. "Insight works to ensure greater opportunity for all, and we are excited for our new promotions and their commitment to building our future. Congratulations to all on these tremendous accomplishments." About Anika Agarwal Agarwal joined the Insight team in 2014. She focuses on leveraged buyouts and majority recapitalizations of application and infrastructure software companies. Agarwal was included in The Wall Street Journal's Private Equity Women to Watch 2017 list and profiled as a Private Equity Rising Star. Prior to Insight, she was a member of the investment team at Vista Equity Partners and the Merchant Banking Division at Goldman Sachs. About Rachel Geller Geller has been a member of Insight since 2008. As a Managing Director on the Insight Onsite team, she leads due diligence for Insight investments and engagements with portfolio company executives, focused on strategy, pricing and M&A. She has been a key team member for several portfolio company exits over the past three years. Geller previously worked as a strategy consultant and marketer at American Express. She mentors emerging leaders as part of the Parity Professional Program and is active in several Chicago non-profits. About Ross Devor Devor joined Insight in 2013 and has consummated seven platform investments across enterprise software while at the firm. He is a board member at several Insight portfolio companies and leads new investments in high growth application and infrastructure software companies. Prior to joining Insight, Devor was a member of the investment team at Thoma Bravo. About Teddie Wardi Wardi joined Insight in 2017 as Principal, and was previously a Partner at Atomico, one of the largest European venture funds based in London, and a VP at Dawn Capital, a SaaS focused early stage fund. Prior to venture investing, he served as co-founder and CTO of Nervogrid, a leading cloud service marketplace platform, which was acquired by ALSO. About Matt Gatto Gatto has grown his career at Insight Venture Partners since 2010 and was recently named as a "Rising Star" on GrowthCap's 40 Under 40 Growth Investors of 2017. Before joining Insight, Gatto's career included online advertising optimization at Verizon Information Services, debt restructuring and issuance at Deutsche Bank Asia, and electronic communications risk management at Merrill Lynch. About Philip Vorobeychik Another longtime member of the Insight team, Vorobeychik joined in 2010 and has been involved with 22 stand-alone investments and 23 add-on acquisitions, many of which he has led. These deals have spanned over 10 countries, and involved 12 board appointments for Vorobeychik. He focuses on infrastructure and application software companies. Before joining Insight, Vorobeychik founded several internet ventures, including a series of specialty eCommerce stores. About Kevin Hurth Hurth joined Insight in 2016 in a dedicated Capital Markets role. He manages Insight's relationships with financing partners and investment banks and coordinates debt and equity capital markets activities across the portfolio. Prior to joining Insight, Hurth was a member of BMO Harris Bank's Sponsor Finance group. About Insight Venture Partners Insight Venture Partners is a leading global venture capital and private equity firm investing in high-growth technology and software companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. Founded in 1995, Insight has raised more than $18 billion and invested in over 300 companies worldwide. Our mission is to find, fund and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with practical, hands-on growth expertise to foster long-term success. Across our people and our portfolio, we encourage a culture around a core belief: growth equals opportunity. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit www.insightpartners.com or follow us on Twitter @insightpartners. View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/insight-venture-partners-announces-strategic-team-growth-promotes-three-to-managing-director-300582335.html SOURCE Insight Venture Partners

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/16/pr-newswire-insight-venture-partners-announces-strategic-team-growth-promotes-three-to-managing-director.html

Philippine investigators summon boss of news site derided by Duterte

January 18, 2018 / 5:24 PM / Updated 3 hours ago Philippine investigators summon boss of news site derided by Duterte Reuters Staff 3 Min Read MANILA (Reuters) - A Philippine law enforcement agency has summoned the head of Rappler, a news site known for challenging President Rodrigo Duterte, to answer a complaint related to cyber crime, adding to problems for an outlet central to a row over press freedom. The country’s corporate regulator last week revoked the site’s operating licence for violating the constitution’s restrictions on foreign ownership of media, while the justice minister on Wednesday ordered an investigation into Rappler’s possible criminal liability. Known for its investigative reporting, Rappler has repeatedly drawn the ire of the volatile Duterte, who on Tuesday called it a “fake news outlet”, but he denied influencing the regulator, or going after journalists. Rappler is permitted to operate pending an appeal. It denies violating the constitution and has accused the Duterte administration of harassment. On Thursday, Rappler confirmed it had received a subpoena by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), a copy of which seen by Reuters, ordering its chief executive Maria Ressa, one of the site’s investors, and one of its former journalists to appear at the NBI offices on Monday to “give your side in a certain investigation”. Rappler Managing Editor Glenda Gloria told Reuters the subpoena, dated Jan. 10, was received only on Thursday afternoon, eight days after the date of issue. A guard opens a door at the office of Rappler in Pasig, Metro Manila, Philippines January 15, 2018. REUTERS/Dondi Tawatao The subpoenas were based on a complaint from a businessman who featured in a Rappler story in 2012. Neither the nature of the complaint, nor the date in which it was filed, were stated in the subpoena. Media and human rights groups have expressed alarm at what they say is an attempt by the Duterte administration to intimidate the media. Illustration of the Rappler website January 16, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration The government denies it is cracking down on journalists, and says Rappler broke the law by granting an American investor the power to have a say in its operations. Rappler insists that is not the case. Rappler’s reporting has included close scrutiny of Duterte’s deadly war on drugs and a series of investigative reports into what it says is his government’s strategy to “weaponise” the internet, using bloggers on its payroll to stir up anger among online supporters who threaten and discredit Duterte’s critics. The government denies that. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre on Thursday defended his decision to order probes into Rappler. “Rappler should welcome this investigation so that it will have the chance to prove the innocence it claims to have,” he said in a statement, responding to what Rappler calling that investigation a “fishing expedition”. Reporting by Manuel Mogato and Martin Petty; Editing by Alison Williams

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-philippines-media/philippine-investigators-summon-boss-of-news-site-derided-by-duterte-idUKKBN1F72HD

BRIEF-Refresco Informed Of Competition Concerns In UK About Cott's Deal

January 3, 2018 / 7:42 AM / Updated 2 hours ago BRIEF-Refresco Informed Of Competition Concerns In UK About Cott's Deal Reuters Staff 1 Min Read Jan 3 (Reuters) - REFRESCO GROUP NV: * REG-REFRESCO PROVIDES UPDATE OF UK COMPETITION AND MARKETS AUTHORITY ON ACQUISITION PROCESS COTT‘S BOTTLING ACTIVITIES * HAS BEEN INFORMED BY CMA THAT ACQUISITION OF COTT‘S BOTTLING ACTIVITIES RAISES POTENTIAL COMPETITION CONCERNS IN UNITED KINGDOM * COMPETITION CONCERNS FOR JUICE DRINKS IN PET USING A SPECIAL ASEPTIC PRODUCTION PROCESS * WILLING TO OFFER SUITABLE REMEDIES AND WILL FULLY COOPERATE WITH CMA TO ADDRESS CONCERNS RAISED. Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Gdynia Newsroom)

https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-refresco-informed-of-competition-c/brief-refresco-informed-of-competition-concerns-in-uk-about-cotts-deal-idUSASM000HOV

North Korea willing to talk but not about nukes

North Korea willing to talk but not about nukes Tuesday, January 09, 2018 - 01:37 North and South Korea on Tuesday agreed on negotiations to resolve problems and military talks aimed at averting accidental conflict, after their first official dialogue in more than two years, as Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme fuels tension. Scarlett Cvitanovich reports. North and South Korea on Tuesday agreed on negotiations to resolve problems and military talks aimed at averting accidental conflict, after their first official dialogue in more than two years, as Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme fuels tension. Scarlett Cvitanovich reports. //reut.rs/2CZaITS

https://in.reuters.com/video/2018/01/09/north-korea-willing-to-talk-but-not-abou?videoId=381432450

Abbott posts quarterly loss on $1.4 billion tax charge

(Reuters) - Abbott Laboratories said on Wednesday it was not looking at acquisitions this year as the healthcare company looks to ease its debt burden after a spree of deals last year. Abbott last year bolstered its medical device and diagnostic businesses, scooping up rivals St. Jude Medical and Alere for a combined $30 billion. Shares of the company, which reported better-than-expected quarterly results spurred by these deals, were up 4 percent at $61.62. The company, which has $24 billion in long-term debt, said it had repaid $4 billion of its debt this month and would continue to pay down debt through the year. “I don’t have any M&A on the radar screen because I want to hit those debt targets by year-end,” Chief Executive Miles White said in a conference call. Analysts applauded the strong results, with New York-based brokerage Leerink calling Abbott “an execution story” due to the successful integration of the two companies it bought. ORGANIC GROWTH AHEAD The company said it expects organic sales growth of 6 to 7 percent for 2018, based on the performance of all its units, including its lagging nutrition business. The nutrition unit’s sales had been hemmed in since mid-2016 after China made it mandatory for manufacturers to re-register baby formulas with the government. Analysts now say that the China troubles could be behind Abbott. “Last year there was excess inventory at competitors that were preparing for new regulations in China (now in effect), which hampered results,” John Boylan from Edward Jones said. Net sales rose 42.3 percent to $7.59 billion, beating revenue expectations of $7.39 billion. The Chicago, Illinois-based company, however, posted a net loss of $828 million, or 48 cents per share, mainly related to a $1.46 billion charge from the U.S. tax overhaul. Excluding items, Abbott reported profit of 74 cents per share, a cent higher than analysts’ average estimate, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. The company forecast full-year adjusted profit of $2.80 to $2.90 per share. Analysts were expecting profit of $2.49 per share. Abbott said it expects an adjusted tax rate of 14.5 percent to 15 percent for 2018. The company reported an adjusted tax rate of 16.5 percent in the fourth quarter. Reporting by Divya Grover and Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Supriya Kurane and Arun Koyyur

https://in.reuters.com/article/abbott-results/abbott-posts-quarterly-loss-on-1-4-billion-tax-charge-idINKBN1FD1Q6